The viability of osteocytes can be demonstrated in sawn decalcified sections of bone by their lactate dehydrogenase activity. In the cancellous bone of the femoral head, the proportion of lacunae containing viable osteocytes decreased from 88 +/- 7% (mean +/- SD) at 10-29 years to 58 +/- 12% (P Ultimate compressive strength did not correlate with osteocyte viability. In the femoral head there is gradual, age-related reduction in osteocyte viability that can be more pronounced in hip fracture. Osteocyte death may affect bone quality by impairing repair of fatigue damage. PMID:8275364
Polyandrous mating is common, but the benefits for females of polyandry remain controversial. To test whether mating with multiple males affects female fitness, we compared lifetime components of fitness...Full Text Available
Objective: To evaluate effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on the viability, membrane properties, and zinc distribution, with and without the presence of Zn2+, in human prostate...Full Text Available
BackgroundNeurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common monogenic tumor-predisposition disorder that arises secondary to mutations in the tumor suppressor gene NF1....Full Text Available
The pathogenic mechanisms of human autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) have been well known to include the mutational inactivation of PKD2. Although haploinsufficiency...Full Text Available
Progranulin haplo-insufficiency is a main cause of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) with TDP-43 aggregates. Previous studies have shown that sortilin regulates progranulin trafficking and is...Full Text Available
Guidelines for the viability primer component of the version 3 workbook. The Viability page in the current version of the Excel spreadsheet for conservation ... ...
The Dynamic Analog Scale (DAS) is introduced as a technique for generating single-item measures of personality traits. The DAS is comprised of extensive trait definitions and an analog scale on which respondents simultaneously rate themselves and others. In two studies the Big Five personality traits were assessed with the DAS and compared to a multiple-item questionnaire that measured the same traits. Statistical analysis supported the validity of the DAS for predicting self-reported behavioral acts, drinking behaviors, affect, and religiosity in ways similar to the multiple-item questionnaire. Consistent with previous research, both studies supported the viability of measuring personality traits with single items.
adult males and females, less than 24 hours old, of the spiny bollworm, Earias Insulana boisd. were irradiated with sub sterilizing doses of 50,80,100 and 150 gray (Gy). treated moths were out crossed with normal adults and observed for their ability to reproduce. inherited deleterious effects resulting from irradiation of p_1 moths were recorded for several generations. the reduction in both fecundity and egg viability increased by increasing the dose applied to p_1 adult moths .at all tested doses, the females were more radiosensitive than males, as for reduction in fecundity and egg viability. the progeny from irradiated parental females are not as sterile as the progeny from irradiated parental males. the reduction of egg hatching continued in the progeny of irradiated males through F_1 and to lesser extent through F_2 .on the other hand , irradiation of P_1 females reduced the rate of egg hatching among parental generation and to lesser ...
The purpose of the study is to analyze the economic impacts that are likely to result from promulgation of the proposed best practicable control technology (BPT), best available technology economically achievable (BAT) and Best Conventional Technology (BCT) effluent limitations and standards on placer mining in the United States. The results of the economic impact analysis will help establish pollution control regulations that are economically achievable. The analysis examines how each of four alternative pollution control technologies affects the financial viability of placer mines in the United States. The impacts examined include reduced profitability, production cutbacks, mine closures, and employment and earning losses, as well as impacts to the local economies.
Silicon nitride-based ceramics behavior is strongly influenced by microstructural parameters, which, in turn are determined by chosen densification method. Highly covalent Si-N bond hind are the silicon nitride densification. Therefore, metal oxides are used in order to get high density. However, such oxides must be carefully selected, because they affect the general macroscopic properties of sintered bodies. In the present work, the viability of rare earth concentrate use to produce #beta#--Si_6_-_xAl_xO_xN_8_-_x and its effect on mechanical properties of the sintering ceramics are studied. Additive composition, heating rate, soaking time and sintering temperature were took as variables. Hardness, fracture toughness, Young's modulus and flexural strength were investigated. Lattice parameter compositional dependence and secondary phases crystallized after past-sintering heat treatment were also determined. The results show that rare earth ...
Elevated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-@kB) activity and interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion participates in the pathology of several age and inflammatory-related diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in which retinal pigment epithelial cells are the key target. Recent findings reveal that heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) may affect regulation of NF-@kB. In the current study, effects of Hsp70 expression on NF-@kB RelA/p65 activity were evaluated in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) by using celastrol, a novel anti-inflammatory compound. Anti-inflammatory properties of celastrol were determined by measuring expression levels of IL-6 and endogenous NF-@kB levels during lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Cell viabil...
... The MTT assay indicates cell viability through a yellow to purple ... besiegers were said to have catapulted plague infected corpses into the city of ...
The issues of the geothermal resource at Brady's Hot Springs are dealt with: the prospective supply of feedstocks to the ethanol plant, the markets for the spent grain by-products of the plant, the storage, handling and transshipment requirements for the feedstocks and by-products from a rail siding facility at Fernley, the probable market for fuel ethanol in the region, and an assessment of the economic viability of the entire undertaking.
In order to demonstrate possible specific effects of microwaves at the cellular level V-79 Chinese hamster cells were exposed to 2.45-GHz radiation at power levels of 20-200 mW/cm2 and at specific absorption rates of 10-100 mW/g. Intracellular cytoplasmic changes were observed by fluorescence polarization using a method based on the intracellular enzymatic hydrolysis of nonfluorescent fluorescein diacetate (FDA). At levels of absorbed energy below 90 J/g, modifications of microviscosity and mitochondrial state were absent, but a slight stimulation of enzymatic hydrolysis of FDA was observed which may be explained by microwave-induced alterations of cellular membranes possibly due to differences in heating pattern of microwaves compared to water-bath heating. At levels of absorbed energy above 90 J/g, the decrease of enzymatic hydrolysis of FDA, increase in degree of polarization, and increase of permeation of the fluorescent marker correlated well with the decrease in cell ...
As part of The International Northern Sea Route Programme (INSROP), Subprogram III, Trade and Commercial Shipping, a study has been made concerning seaborne export of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the Northern Russia, especially the West Siberian fields in Tyumen. The main purpose of the total project III.0703, part 2 and this study is to evaluate the economic viability of seaborne export from this area to the European region, mainly with the use of a special ice-strengthened LPG vessel, constructed and designed for such seaborne operations. This study concentrates on both seaborne LPG transportation, the demand and supply for seaborne LPG in the world and marine transportation of LPG from the West Siberian fields. Another purpose is to see which regions are potential exporters, importers and buyers of seaborne export of LPG from Tyumen. Currently large quantities of liquefied gas are flared off at the West Siberian fields due to insufficient infrastructure, ...
We studied the effect of extracellular Ca"2"+ concentration ([Ca"2"+]_e) on adipocyte differentiation. Preadipocytes exposed to continuous [Ca"2"+]_e higher than 2.5 mmol/l accumulated little or no cytoplasmic lipid compared to controls in 1.8 mmol/l [Ca"2"+]_e. Differentiation was monitored by Oil Red O staining of cytoplasmic lipid and triglyceride assay of accumulated lipid, by RT-PCR analysis of adipogenic markers, and by the activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH). Elevated [Ca"2"+]_e inhibited expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor #gamma#, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein #alpha#, and steroid regulatory binding element protein. High [Ca"2"+]_e significantly inhibited differentiation marker expression including adipocyte fatty acid binding protein, and GPDH. The decrease in Pref-1 expression that accompanied differentiation also was prevented by high [Ca"2"+]_e. Treatment of 3T3-L1 cells with high [Ca"2"+]_e did not significantly ...
BackgroundDespite an ever-improving understanding of the molecular biology of cancer, the treatment of most cancers has not changed dramatically in the past three decades and drugs that do not discriminate between tumor cells and normal tissues remain the mainstays of anticancer therapy. Since Hsp90 is typically involved in cell proliferation and survival, this is thought to play a key role in cancer, and Hsp90 has attracted considerable interest in recent years as a potential therapeutic target.MethodsWe focused on the interaction of Hsp90 with its cofactor protein p60/Hop, and engineered a cell-permeable peptidomimetic, termed "hybrid Antp-TPR peptide", modeled on the binding interface between the molecular chaperone Hsp90 and the TPR2A domain of Hop.ResultsIt was demonstrated that this designed hybrid Antp-TPR peptide inhibited the interaction of Hsp90 with the TPR2A domain, inducing cell death of breast, pancreatic, renal, lung, prostate, and gastric cancer cell lines in vitro. In ...
In this study, the cytocompatibility of new 'iron-modified/alpha-tricalcium phosphate (IM/alpha-TCP) and calcium sulfate dihydrate (CSD)' bone cement (IM/alpha-TCP/CSD-BC) intended for spinal applications has been approached. The objective was to investigate by direct-contact osteoblast-like cell cultures (from 1 to 14 days) the in vitro cell adhesion, proliferation, morphology and cytoskeleton organization of MG-63 cells seeded onto the new cements. The results were as follows: (a) quantitative MTT-assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that cell adhesion, proliferation and viability were not affected with time by the presence of iron in the cements; (b) double immunofluorescent labeling of F-actin and alpha-tubulin showed a dynamic interaction between the cell and its porous substrates sustaining the locomotion phenomenon on the cements' surface, which favored the colonization, and confirming the ...
To compare clinical effectiveness of Viabil-covered stents versus uncovered metallic Wallstents, for palliation of malignant jaundice due to extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, 60 patients were enrolled in a prospective and randomized study. In half of the patients a bare Wallstent was used, and in the other half a Viabil biliary stent. Patients were followed up until death. Primary patency, survival, complication rates, and mean cost were calculated in both groups. Stent dysfunction occurred in 9 (30%) patients in the bare stent group after a mean period of 133.1 days and in 4 (13.3%) patients in the covered stent group after a mean of 179.5 days. The incidence of stent dysfunction was significantly lower in the covered stent group (P = 0.046). Tumor ingrowth occurred exclusively in the bare stent group (P = 0.007). Median survival was 180.5 days for the Wallstent and 243.5 days for the Viabil group (P = 0.039). Complications ...
The present study was aimed at investigating effects of nickel (NiCl2) on secretion of testosterone (T), cell viability, ultrastructure and apoptosis in mouse Leydig cells. Testosterone release was measured after 48h of culture with 15.67, 31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000mmol/L NiCl2 or without NiCl2 using radioimmunoassay. Cell viability was assessed by a MTT (metabolic activity assay). Quantification of apoptotic cells was performed using TUNEL assay and the ultrastructural changes were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy. The viability was decreased after addition of >=250mmol/L NiCl2. A concentration-dependent depression of T production was observed. The percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly increased only after addition of 125, 250 and 1000mmol/L NiCl2. After ...
Pro-inflammatory cytokines may directly influence the viability and metabolic function of colonic epithelial cells (CEC) as an early event in the development of inflammatory bowel disease. We report here that TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma induced a synergistic, concentration-dependent decline in butyrate oxidation, an essential energy supply, in HT-29 and DLD-1 cells. TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma induced a parallel profound decline in cell viability in HT-29 cells, but not in DLD-1 cells, where impairment of butyrate oxidation seemed to precede later occurrence of cell damage. TNF-alpha+INF-gamma induced CEC damage was independent on NO formation and involved the IFN-gamma signalling pathway as well as induction of apoptosis. If cytokines have similar effects in vivo, these may lead to energy deficiency and thus contribute to CEC damage and disturbance of the epithelial integrity.
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
BackgroundGenetic interactions within hybrids influence their overall fitness. Understanding the details of these interactions can improve our understanding of speciation. One experimental...Full Text Available
Cdc13 is a single stranded telomere binding protein that specifically localizes to the telomere ends of budding yeasts and is essential for cell viability. It caps the ends of chromosomes thus preventing...Full Text Available
The principal cause of primary non-function in orthotopic liver transplantation is thought to be preservation injury to the microvasculature. We, therefore, evaluated if effluent levels of hyaluronate,...Full Text Available
Data reveal that sodium pentobarbital anesthesia does not depress glucose uptake of neutrophils stimulated by the addition of live E. coli. E. coli viability was reduced equally in blood obtained before and after sodium pentobarbital anesthesia. Pre- and ...
A mesophilic yeast, Candida utilis, and a psychrophilic yeast, Leucosporidium stokesii, were subjected to freeze-thaw cycling over the range 25 to -60 C. Viability...Full Text Available
... After completing a review into direct coal liquefaction research carried out in Australia and internationally, CSIRO has identified potential new science and technology developments that may improve the cost and viability of CTL in a greenhouse gas-constrained environment. We are conducting research to: determine the optimum ...
BackgroundHistone post-translational modifications are critical for gene expression and cell viability. A broad spectrum of histone lysine residues have been identified in yeast...Full Text Available
Throughout the 1990's to year 2000, energy integration, and particularly natural gas integration, was seen as a major goal in the southern cone of South America. The regional perspective for energy was related to an even more challenging objective - Latin American economic integration, which was quickly moving forward by the constitution of Mercosur, the free trade zone built by Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, and also having Bolivia and Chile as special partners. Mercosur was getting stronger and becoming a successful political project. Trade conflicts existed, but they were considered normal and nobody would disagree about the viability of Mercosur. By the beginning of the 21. century, the economic integration process in South America was already advancing timidly as compared to the impetus from the beginning of 1990's. Mercosur started facing complex and almost insurmountable challenges after the numerous global financial crises (from 1998 to 2003) had ...
A three-level approach to viability is developed, considering (1) living systems, (2) a niche, understood as the area within the reach of their actions, and (3) an environment. A systematic analysis of the interrelations between these levels shows that living systems emerge with matter/energy processing systems. These can add controller structures when producing excess energy. A three-sensor controller structure enables a living system to deal with unfavourable and scarce environments. Further evolution of these controller structures offers improved ways to act on niches. Maintaining niches in scarce environments can require technology or economy. So social systems emerge, which are understood as aggregates of living systems. Basic patterns of interactions within social systems are analyse...
Abstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which infects not only B cells, but also T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, is associated with multiple lymphoid malignancies. Recently, the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib was reported to induce apoptosis of EBV-transformed B cells. We evaluated the killing effect of this proteasome inhibitor on EBV-associated T lymphoma cells and NK lymphoma cells. First, we found that bortezomib treatment decreased the viability of multiple T and NK cell lines. No significant difference was observed between EBV-positive and EBV-negative cell lines. The decreased viability in response to bortezomib treatment was abrogated by a pan-caspase inhibitor. The induction of apoptosis was confirmed by flow cytometric assessment of annexin V staining. Additionally, cleavage o...
The purpose of this work was to evaluate the quality of a rural area near Faenza (Italy) by using an active biomonitoring approach, i.e., by placing homogeneous individuals of the perennial shrub Rosa rugosa in different sites throughout the area. Further sites, within the city or its environs, were used for comparison. Soil and leaves of R. rugosa were analyzed for their heavy metal content. The total heavy metal pattern of leaves closely paralleled the pattern registered in soil, with the highest content (both in total and assimilable forms) at the site in the urban area, which is exposed to heavy traffic. Pollen quality (abortiveness and viability) was also tested as a potential indicator of pollution. Pollen abortiveness was strictly related to Pb levels in leaves, while viability was ...
The yeast phosphatidylinositol transfer protein (Sec14p) is required for biogenesis of Golgi-derived transport vesicles and cell viability, and this essential Sec14p requirement is abrogated by inactivation...Full Text Available
Objectives1) To establish a protocol for transfection of immortalised type I cells with SiRNA and its effect on cell viability; 2) To optimise silencing of genes involved in endocystosis using SiRNA and confirm successful transfection with western blotting; 3) To investigate the effect of gene silencing on uptake of flourescently-labelled latex nanoparticles.DescriptionTo investigate the mechanisms of particle uptake.
Complications of non-union and avascular necrosis during fracture healing process are the most important problems. Early detection of the evidence of non-union and avascular necrosis and follow-up study of fracture healing process will reduce complications and sequellae in fracture patients. Femoral neck and tibial shaft are the most important fracture sites where non-union and/or avascular necorsis are frequently developed. Osteomedullography was performed in 30 cases of fracture, 21 femoral neck, 8 tibial shafts and 1 talar neck, in the Department of Radiology of national Medical Center during the period form August 1977 to March 1981. The following results were obtained: 1. 16 patients of femoral neck fracture were performed osteomedullography one. Non-union showing no crossing vein through the fracture site was noted in 12 cases from 16 patients. 4 cases from the 12 patients of non-union showed decreased viability but 2 case revealed good ...
The 37/67 kDa laminin receptor (LAMR) is a multifunctional protein, acting as an extracellular receptor, localizing to the nucleus, and playing roles in rRNA processing and ribosome assembly....Full Text Available
This study aims to evaluate the economic and environmental viability of the exploitation of methane gas (CH4) - biogas - concentrated at the bottom of the mountains of waste from landfill Chapeco for power generation. The landfill receives approximately of 80 tons / day, the vast majority of domestic origin.
This report presents a reassessment of the design of Resistive Cryogenic Cable Systems with regard to dielectric material selection, thermal insulation selection, conductor design, and refrigeration subsystem design. An algorithm using test data generated as part of the program and available from the literature was developed and used to assess the driving parameters for system cost analysis. The results of this cost sensitivity analysis are presented. An electric utility, Public Service Electric and Gas of New Jersey (PSE and G), performed an economic viability evaluation comparing two selected Resistive Cryogenic Cable Systems to a conventional cable system (high pressure oil-filled). The comparison was made for a 35-mile network application on the PSE and G transmission system scheduled to be placed in service in 1995. Consideration was given to equipment capital, installation, and operating costs. It was concluded that a Multilayer Vacuum Insulated Resistive ...
The following parameters merit examination in determining the viability of process combinations: conceptual and technical soundness, environmental acceptability, energy balance, flexibility, costs, economic risk potential. The present contribution on this subject is not intended to take the place of or cover the scope of single-case studies. In practice, viability studies on process combinations have to deal with concrete plans involving precisely defined material flow balances, emissions, costs etc. The present paper therefore only presents the basic principles of this type of study. [Deutsch] Folgende Randbedingungen fuer sinnvolle Verfahrenskombinationen sind zu untersuchen: - konzeptionelle und technische Stimmigkeit, - Umweltvertraeglichkeit, - energetische Bilanz, - Flexibilitaet, - Kosten, - oekonomisches Risikopotential. Nun kann dieser Beitrag zum Thema keine Einzelfallbetrachtung ersetzen bzw. abdecken. Im Rahmen einer echten Pruefung ...
A push for electric vehicles has occurred in the past several decades due to various concerns about air pollution and the contribution of emissions to global climate change. Although electric cars and buses have been the focus of much of electric vehicle development, smaller vehicles are used extensively for transportation and utility purposes in many countries. In order to explore the viability of fuel cell - battery hybrid electric vehicles, empirical fuel cell system data has been incorporated into the NREL's vehicle design and simulation tool, ADVISOR (ADvanced Vehicle SimulatOR), to predict the performance of a low-speed, fuel cell - battery electric vehicle through MATLAB Simulink. The modelling and simulation provide valuable feedback to the design optimization of the fuel cell power system. A sampling based optimization algorithm was used to explore the viability and options of a low cost design for urban use. (author)
The Hebron offshore drilling project in Atlantic Canada was discontinued in 2002 due to economic challenges. Chevron-Texaco has conducted small-scale studies to find ways to improve the project's viability. One of the main challenges facing this offshore drilling project is the issue of iceberg scour and its effect on seafloor equipment. This paper demonstrates how advances in ice engineering have resulted in new and cost-effective development concepts for: central gravity base structures; wellhead gravity base structures; floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) subsea facilities; and, long subsea tieback and trench optimization. New studies have provided a better understanding of ice contact pressures, drift velocities, iceberg management and interaction processes. New designs for gravity base structures can reduce wave loads. The selection of a new development concept is determined by economic viability, capital cost, ...
A retrospective study was made of all radionuclide (RN) bone images performed at our institution over a two-year period to evaluate femoral head viability after nonpathologic fracture of the femoral neck. Twelve patients had avascular femoral heads during the perioperative period, of which nine had adequate follow-up. Seven of these nine patients had follow-up bone images. Revascularization occurred in four patients, while three had persistent absence of femoral head uptake. With clinical follow-up ranging from four to 29 months (median: 14 months), only two of these nine patients developed clinical or radiographic evidence of osteonecrosis. RN bone imaging performed in the perioperative period does not reliably predict the development of post-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head and, at present, should not be used to determine prospectively method of treatment of femoral neck fracture.
A retrospective study was made of all radionuclide (RN) bone images performed at our institution over a two-year period to evaluate femoral head viability after nonpathologic fracture of the femoral neck. Twelve patients had avascular femoral heads during the perioperative period, of which nine had adequate follow-up. Seven of these nine patients had follow-up bone images. Revascularization occurred in four patients, while three had persistent absence of femoral head uptake. With clinical follow-up ranging from four to 29 months (median: 14 months), only two of these nine patients developed clinical or radiographic evidence of osteonecrosis. RN bone imaging performed in the perioperative period does not reliably predict the development of post-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head and, at present, should not be used to determine prospectively method of treatment of femoral neck fracture.
Palladium/magnetite nanoparticulate catalysts were developed for efficient elimination of halogenated organic pollutants from contaminated wastewater. Particle recovery from treated water can be ensured via magnetic separation. However, in worst-case scenarios, this catalyst removal step might fail, leading to particle release into the environment. Therefore, a toxicological study was conducted to investigate the impact of both pure magnetite and palladium/magnetite nanoparticle exposure upon human skin (HaCaT) and human colon (CaCo-2) cell lines and a cell line from rainbow trout gills (RTgill-W1). To quantify cell viability after particle exposure, three endpoints were examined for all tested cell lines. Additionally, the formation of reactive oxygen species was studied for the human cells. The results showed only minor effects of the particles on the tested cell systems and support the assumption that palladium/magnetite nano-catalysts can be implemented for a ...
Escherichia coli B and K-12 are equally susceptible to the bacteriostatic effects of aerobic paraquat, but they differed strikingly when the lethality of paraquat was evaluated. E. coli B suffered an apparent loss of viability when briefly exposed to paraquat, whereas E. coli K-12 did not. This difference depended on the ability of the B-strain, but not the K-12 strain, to retain internalized paraquat; the B strain was killed on aerobic tryptic soy-yeast extract plates during the incubation which preceded the counting of colonies. This difference in retention of paraquat between strains was demonstrated by delayed loss of viability, by growth inhibition, and by cyanide-resistant respiration after brief exposure to paraquat, washing, and testing in fresh medium. This difference was also shown by using ({sup 14}C)paraquat. This previously unrecognized difference between E. coli B and K-12 has been the cause of apparently contradictory reports and ...
The purpose of this work was to evaluate the quality of a rural area near Faenza (Italy) by using an active biomonitoring approach, i.e., by placing homogeneous individuals of the perennial shrub Rosa rugosa in different sites throughout the area. Further sites, within the city or its environs, were used for comparison. Soil and leaves of R. rugosa were analyzed for their heavy metal content. The total heavy metal pattern of leaves closely paralleled the pattern registered in soil, with the highest content (both in total and assimilable forms) at the site in the urban area, which is exposed to heavy traffic. Pollen quality (abortiveness and viability) was also tested as a potential indicator of pollution. Pollen abortiveness was strictly related to Pb levels in leaves, while viability was inversely related to leaf Cr content. Our results suggest that R. rugosa has the potential to be a good biomonitoring system. - Rosa rugosa leaves and pollen ...
The purpose of this work was to evaluate the quality of a rural area near Faenza (Italy) by using an active biomonitoring approach, i.e., by placing homogeneous individuals of the perennial shrub Rosa rugosa in different sites throughout the area. Further sites, within the city or its environs, were used for comparison. Soil and leaves of R. rugosa were analyzed for their heavy metal content. The total heavy metal pattern of leaves closely paralleled the pattern registered in soil, with the highest content (both in total and assimilable forms) at the site in the urban area, which is exposed to heavy traffic. Pollen quality (abortiveness and viability) was also tested as a potential indicator of pollution. Pollen abortiveness was strictly related to Pb levels in leaves, while viability was inversely related to leaf Cr content. Our results suggest that R. rugosa has the potential to be a good biomonitoring system. - Rosa rugosa leaves and pollen ...
Various volume-reduction methods are discussed and their capabilities evaluated. The following volume-reduction methods have the greatest potential at this time: forced-circulation evaporator/crystallizer; incinerator (conventional type); compactor; fluidized-bed calciner/incinerator; fluidized-bed dryer/incinerator; thin-film evaporator; extruder/evaporator; drum mixer; ribbon blender; inert-carrier evaporative process; molten-glass incinerator. The first eight system types listed above have been improved to the point of commercial viability.
The solar powered electric vehicle race began in Arlington, Texas on June 20, 1993 and finished 7 days later in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thirty four teams from Universities across the United States and Puerto Rico completed the race out of thirty six entries. The race demonstrated the viability of sunlight powered vehicles as the better average daily speeds were in excess of 50 miles an hour. Even in the rain, most average speeds were in excess of 15 miles an hour. Analyzed results, photographs, and project details are included. (GHH)
This report details an investigation into the efficacy of two approaches to solving the radiation diffusion equation within a radiation hydrodynamic simulation. Because leading-edge scientific computing platforms have evolved from large single-node vector processors to parallel aggregates containing tens to thousands of individual CPU's, the ability of an algorithm to maintain high compute efficiency when distributed over a large array of nodes is critically important. The viability of an algorithm thus hinges upon the tripartite question of numerical accuracy, total time to solution, and parallel efficiency.
Necessary and sufficient conditions for a minimax solution to the Cauchy problem for the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation are obtained as viability conditions for classical characteristics inside the graph of this solution. Using this property, a representative formula for a one-dimensional conservation law in terms of classical characteristics is derived. An estimate of the numerical integration of the characteristic system is presented and errors of numerical realizations of representative formulas are determined for the conservation law and its potential equal to the minimax solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation.
McLeod River Coal Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Manalta Coal Ltd., has received Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board approval to establish an open pit coal mine and plant in the northwest portion of the Coalspur field, east of Hinton. McLeod proposes to produce up to 4.2 million tonnes/year of thermal coal for 40 years, starting in 1985. The commercial viability of the project must be assessed before construction starts at the McLeod River site. The Board's ruling is subject to provincial cabinet approval.
`Success' or `Red Splendor' plants propagated by shoot tip culture or embryogenesis had higher pollen germination than those propagated by cutting. All clones of `Pepride', `Peter Star' and `Nobel Star' propagated by cutting or by embryogenesis or shoot tip culture did not have viable pollen. `Peter Star' mutants through mutagenesis could recover pollen viability. When both parents were propagated by tissue culture, fruit set increased compared to when one or both parents were propagated by cuttings. Furthermore, the number of the harvested seeds doubled per pollination set, when the tissue culture parents were used instead of cutting-propagation plants.
This paper summarizes the investigation of horizontal direction drilling and the subsequent experimental installation of a natural gas network in a suburb of Paris, France. Three aspects of drilling were studied prior to implementation: (1) reliability of the technique and quality of pipelaying to ensure long-term supply main operation; (2) ability to assess the successfulness of the work by assessing preliminary conditions; and (3) economonic viability. Measurement of tensile stress on polyethylene pipe during pulling and comparative accelerated aging tests on scratched pipe were performed. In the implementation phase, 300 meters of pipe were laid daily, by using three machines simultaneously, at a cost comparable to that of conventional techniques.
Almost every electric utility company involved in nuclear plant construction has experienced difficulty as a result of the deteriorating condition of the nuclear industry as a whole. The thrust of a growing number of lawsuits brought against electric companies for alleged violations of federal securities laws is that the companies failed to reveal cost overruns, delays, and the risk of cancellation and write-off of nuclear plants in their annual reports and registration statements. A review of several suits and the disclosure requirements of securities statutes concludes that, although investors have known about utility problems, they have just become aware this year that the entire financial viability of the electric companies is threatened.
The first objective is to utilize reservoir characterization and advanced technologies to optimize the design of a carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) project for the South Cowden Unit (SCU) located in Ector County, Texas. The SCU is a mature, relatively small, shallow shelf carbonate unit nearing, waterflood depletion. The second objective is to demonstrate the performance and economic viability of the project in the field. This report includes work on the reservoir characterization and project design objective and the demonstration project objective.
Abstract First results showing the viability of combining laser chemical processing (LCP) and aerosol jet printing (AJP) technologies to produce a high-efficiency front side for silicon solar cells are presented. LCP simultaneously opens the anti-reflection coating (ARC) and highly dopes the underlying silicon to create a selective emitter, while AJP is the first in a two-step fine-line contact formation procedure. The electrical properties as well as the morphology of the resulting structures are presented. Performance similar to that achieved with evaporated TiPdAg metallization is demonstrated. Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The autoradiographic appearance of the gastric mucosa, 5 hours after administration of indomethacin, was investigated in 29 adult rats. Indomethacin induced superficial gastric erosions. Autoradiography demonstrated the presence of viable gastric cells (as deduced by their ability to incorporate 3H-cytidin, an RNA precursor) not only in the mucosa without erosions, but also in the mucosa underneath the superficial erosions. The results indicate that indomethacin induced gastric erosions are not the superficial expression of a necrotic process taking place in the full thickness of the gastric mucosa at a particular site. A lumen-borne mechanism appears to be responsible for the formation of erosive areas in the mucosa.
A generalised procedure for quantifying the benefits of household biogas plants is presented. The sensitivity of the procedure to the uncertainty in input prices is reduced through the assumption of incremental benefits from the biogas plant. These benefits are quantified in terms of the quantity of fuelwood for which the biogas substitutes in cooking, the quantity of kerosene replaced through the use of biogas for lighting and the diesel fuel displaced through the use of a biogas fuelled dual-fuel engine for motive power. Sensitivity of the monetary benefits for these parameters is examined in order to identify variables which influence the viability of the technology to the end user. (author).
The HVDC link across the English Channel, which was brought into service in 1986, has several innovative features. Techniques used in its construction together with recent developments have consolidated the viability of HVDC links for a variety of applications. Outlines the main features of the scheme, including the benefits of interconnecting the British and French 400 kV AC power systems; integration of the UK converter system to the 400 kV AC grid; the DC submarine cables; convertor equipment (particularly the UK installation); and future HVDC developments. 6 refs.
The language used by chronic benign pain patients to characterize their pain complaint was analyzed to determine the best predictor of psychiatric disturbance. Using the 78 adjectives provided by the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the number of affective descriptors used was the best predictor of psychiatric disturbance. Addition of sensory descriptors either to augment the total number of descriptors used (magnitude) or as a pattern of sensory greater than affective or sensory less than affective failed to increase predictive strength. PMID:6877847
This paper reports on a series of laboratory and controlled test site measurements of the thermal conductivity of polyisocyanurate foam laminated boardstock roof insulations produced with several different blowing agents; CFC-11, HCFC-123, HCFC-14lb, and two blends of the HCFCs. The behavior of the experimental foams with HCFCs is compared to that of conventional polyisocyanurate foam blown with CFC-11. Thermal drift observed from two years of field exposure is compared to laboratory accelerated aging tests and the laboratory and field measurement techniques are described. This work is part of a Joint Industry/Government Project established in the United States to evaluate the technical viability of HCFC alternative blowing agents for polyisocyanurate foam roof insulations.
Previous reports have stressed the importance of the nutrient blood supply in rib grafts transferred by microvascular anastomoses. In the present experimental study, we have demonstrated that a rib graft transferred by microvascular anastomoses based on periosteal vessels can survive; vascular clearing studies demonstrated that the vascularity of these grafts extends not only into the cortex but the medulla as well. The relative facility of harvesting these grafts (compared with those based on nutrient vessels) should make them the favored choice. Technetium bone scintigraphy proved accurate in the assessment of both vascular pattern and microanastomotic patency. Tetracycline labeling did not correlate well with the patency of a rib graft's pedicle blood supply.
In this work, the antibacterial effect of fluoroquinolones (FQs) upon Escherichia coli (E.coli) was measured with and without application of 40kHz ultrasound (US) stimulation. The research results demonstrated that simultaneous application of 40kHz US apparently enhanced the antibacterial effectiveness of FQs. That is, the synergistic effect was observed and the bacterial viability was reduced when FQs and US were combined. In addition, various influencing factors, such as FQs drug concentration, US irradiation time and solution temperature, on the inhibition of E.coli were also investigated. The antibacterial activity was enhanced apparently with increasing of FQs drug concentration, US irradiation time and solution temperature. Furthermore, we discussed preliminarily the mechanism of US ...
The antimicrobial activity of simulated solar disinfection (SODIS) in the presence and absence of riboflavin against various protozoa and helminth organisms was investigated in this study. Assays were conducted in transparent 12 well microtitre plates containing a suspension of test organisms in the presence or absence of 250mM riboflavin. Plates were exposed to simulated sunlight at an optical irradiance of 550Wm^-^2 (watts per square metre) delivered from a SUNTEST(TM) CPS+ solar simulator. Aliquots of the test suspensions were taken at set time points and the viability of the test organisms was determined by either culture, microscopy or flow cytometry where applicable. With Acanthamoeba, Naegleria, Entamoeba and Giardia exposure to SODIS at an optical irradiance of 550Wm^-^2 for up to ...
Summary The effects of high-intensity pulsed electromagnetic stimulation (HIPEMS) on proliferation and differentiation of neonatal rat neural stem cells in vitro were investigated. Neural stem cells derived from neonatal rats were exposed to 0.1 Hz, 0.5-10 Tesla (T) [8 groups of B-I, respectively], 5 stimuli of HIPEMF. The sham exposure controls were correspondingly established. Inverted phase contrast microscope was used to observe the cultured cells, MTT assay to detect the viability of the cells as expressed by absorbance (A) value, and flow cytometry to measure differentiation of neural stem cells. The results showed that A values of neural stem cells in both 3.0 T and 4.0 T groups were significantly higher than the other groups 24 to 168 h post HPEMS, indicating a strong promotion of ...
Effective integration of nonproliferation management into the design process is key to the broad deployment of advanced nuclear energy systems, and is an explicit goal of the Laser Inertial Fusion Energy (LIFE) project at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The nuclear explosives utility of a nuclear material to a state (proliferator) or sub-state (terrorist) is a critical factor to be assessed and is one aspect of material attractiveness. In this work, we approached nuclear explosives utility through the calculation of a ''figure of merit'' (FOM) that has recently been developed to capture the relative viability and difficulty of constructing nuclear explosives starting from various nuclear material forms and compositions. We discuss the integration of the figure of merit into an asse...
The viability of Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae) eggs over time and the ovicidal activity of Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Cordycipitaceae) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Ascomycota: Clavicipitaceae) were investigated. Eggs were incubated in soil or leaf litter for up to 12?weeks at 26?C and 75%, 86% or >98% relative humidity (RH). Eggs were treated topically with M. anisopliae ICIPE-30 or B. bassiana I93-825 conidia in either water or oil-in-water formulations. Survival of eggs whether treated or not with fungus was similar, and untreated eggs generally did not survive longer than 2?weeks regardless of the substrate or humidity tested. After a minimal 5-day exposure, M. anisopliae at 5???106?conidia/cm2 clearly reduced the number of larvae. The...
The surgical management of osteoradionecrosis of the temporal bone has met with limited success because of the difficulty in accurate assessment of the viability of nonnecrotic bone intraoperatively. Failure to resect all nonviable bone results in recurrence of a necrotic focus. With the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to stabilize marginal bone and oral tetracycline to label viable bone preoperatively, removal of all nonviable bone can be accomplished. Postoperatively, a second course of hyperbaric therapy enhances wound healing, thus assuring a successful outcome. This article details a successful systematic approach that was developed to resect a necrotic focus in the temporal bone of a 10-year-old boy who had undergone a full course of radiotherapy for treatment of a rhabdomyosarcoma.
Background and purpose: The aims of this study were to investigate the anti-cancer activity of SZ-685C, an anthracycline analogue isolated from marine-derived mangrove endophytic fungi, and to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying such activity. Experimental approach: The effect of SZ-685C on the viability of cancer cell lines was investigated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. SZ-685C-induced apoptosis was assessed by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling assay and analysis of caspase activation. The effect of SZ-685C on the Akt/FOXO pathway was studied using Western blotting analysis, and the in vivo anti-tumour efficacy was examined in ...
Many existing proposals either lack sufficient concreteness to make carbon capture and geological sequestration (CCGS) operational or fail to focus on a comprehensive, long term framework for its regulation, thus failing to account adequately for the urgency of the issue, the need to develop immediate experience with large scale demonstration projects, or the financial and other incentives required to launch early demonstration projects. We aim to help fill this void by proposing a roadmap to commercial deployment of CCGS in the United States.This roadmap focuses on the legal and financial incentives necessary for rapid demonstration of geological sequestration in the absence of national restrictions on CO2 emissions. It weaves together existing federal programs and financing opportunities into a set of recommendations for achieving commercial viability of geological sequestration.
Objective.The objective of this study was to use the newly synthesized poly(quaternary ammonium salt) (PQAS)-containing polyacid to formulate the light-curable glass-ionomer cements and study the effect of the PQAS on the compressive strength and antibacterial activity of the formed cements.Materials and methods.The functional QAS and their constructed PQAS were synthesized, characterized and formulated into the experimental high-strength cements. Compressive strength (CS) and Streptococcus mutans viability were used to evaluate the mechanical strength and antibacterial activity of the cements. Fuji II LC cement was used as control. The specimens were conditioned in distilled water at 37 degrees C for 24 h prior to testing. The effects of the substitute chain length, loading as well as gra...
The photocytotoxic effect of hypericin (Hyp) targeted by two different delivery techniques, namely, liposomes and anti-hepatocyte specific antigen (anti-HSA) was investigated. Optical absorption and steady-state fluorescence were used to analyze the conjugation of Hyp with anti-HSA model and to evaluate the encapsulation capacity and drug release in a liposome model. Particle size and thermal analysis of the prepared liposomes were performed using laser-light scattering and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. Viability study of HepG2 cells exposed to Hyp in the two delivery systems, in the dark and following visible light irradiation, was performed in comparison to free Hyp. The intracellular uptake and localization of Hyp in HepG2 cells were analyzed by means of spectro...
Positron emission tomography (PET) is the gold standard for non-invasive assessment of myocardial viability and allows accurate detection of coronary artery disease by assessment of myocardial perfusion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides high resolution anatomical images that allow accurate evaluation of ventricular structure and function together with detection of myocardial infarction. Potential hybrid PET/MR tomography may potentially facilitate the combination of information from these imaging modalities in cardiology. Furthermore, the combination of anatomical MRI images with the high sensitivity of PET for detecting molecular targets may extent the application of these modalities to the characterization of atherosclerotic plaques and to the evaluation of angiogenetic or stem cell therapies, for example. This article reviews studies using MRI and PET in parallel to compare their performance in cardiac applications together with the potential benefits ...
Abstract Purpose: We investigated the effects of various rinsing and healing protocols on corneal wound repair and inflammation following alkali burn in rabbits. Methods: We conducted in vitro, in vivo and ex vivo studies. First, different rinse solutions were tested in vitro after incubation of ocular cells with methanol or NaOH. Cell viability was then assessed using the neutral red test (cytofluorometry). Second, NaOH was applied to rabbit corneas and associations of rinse solutions (NaCl 0.9% or controlled ionization marine solutions) with N-acetylcysteine or vegetable oils (from Calophyllum inophyllum and Aleurites moluccana) were tested in vivo. The regeneration of the corneal epithelium and the infiltration of inflammatory cells were evaluated using in vivo confocal microscopy and e...
Abstract: Most cities are actually very concerned about the economic viability of waste management and also about the impact they may have on the environment. Economical, social and cultural factors in the population will determine the characteristics in waste and the value of the design parameters used in the calculations of a collection system. A clear understanding of these factors is fundamental to plan and to implement efficient and sustainable collecting strategies. Our goal in this work is to model municipal waste separation rates in Spanish cities with over 50,000 inhabitants taking their different socio-economic, demographic and logistic covariates into account. Several statistical regression models to manage continuous proportion data are compared, these being: Generalized linear...
Many-particle confinement (localization) is studied for a 1D system of spinless fermions with nearest-neighbour hopping and interaction, or equivalently, for an anisotropic Heisenberg spin-1/2 chain. This system is frequently used to model quantum computers with perpetually coupled qubits. We construct a bounded sequence of site energies that leads to strong single-particle confinement of all states on individual sites. We show that this sequence also leads to a confinement of all many-particle states in an infinite system for a time that scales as a high power of the reciprocal hopping integral. The confinement is achieved for strong interaction between the particles while keeping the overall bandwidth of site energies comparatively small. The results show the viability of quantum computing with time-independent qubit coupling.
This paper reports that only a few years ago superconducting magnetic separation was viewed as the next major market for superconducting magnets. The first commercial units had been installed, worked flawlessly, and demonstrated real economic viability. The potential market was seen as quite large, and many people believed that superconducting magnetic separation would soon show the same rapid growth that MRI had demonstrated after its initial success. These hopes even prompted IGC, one of the top MRI magnet builders, to form a separate division devoted to magnetic separation. Despite the existence of Magstream, IGC has not been overly active in the market. As a technology that has applications from the clay on the Earth to the soil on the moon, superconducting magnetic separation has yet to become widely used.
The slumping of the GCC currencies against other major currencies and the ensuing rising imported inflation have sparked an ongoing debate about the viability of the dollar peg. This paper extends and applies the contribution of Berger et al. (2001) to the largest economies of the GCC, namely Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, by introducing a foreign inflation dimension. Empirical estimations suggest little or no evidence supporting the suitability of a fixed exchange rate regime in any of the three analyzed economies. It is this paper's contention that policy makers ought to play an immediate and active role in identifying a suitable more flexible exchange rate regime as well as an achievable timeline and road map to effectively abandoning the dollar peg.
BackgroundPeritoneal metastasis occurs in up to 30% of patients with gastric cancer. The aim of this experimental study is to develop and validate a novel ex vivo model of the human peritoneum to better identify factors involved in the development of peritoneal metastasis in order to improve its management and prognosis. MethodsPeritoneal discs harvested from hernia sacs obtained at inguinal hernia surgery were suspended in media using Teflon rings. Viability of the tissue was investigated using MTS assay, light and scanning electron microscopy (LM and SEM) over 72 h. To assess validity of the model, phenotypic changes in tumor cells were investigated. Changes in matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and -9 activities in HGC and AGS gastric adenocarcinoma cells after co-culture were investigat...
Encouragement and incentives ar being given in many counties to the electricity industry and private sector to install, own and operate renewable energy systems. The impact of renewable energy installations connected to the grid or operating independently is an important issue concerning the technical and economic viability of harnessing these emerging energy sources. This paper brings out the need for developing and implementing a strategy for comprehensive and accurate protection and control systems for these dispersed generator installations. It appears that a combination of discrete and fuzzy logic devices on an integrated platform will be a novel technique for the protection and control schemes. This development has the potential to be cost effective and suits the requirements for operating renewable energy systems safety. (author). 2 figs., 16 refs.
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is associated with chronic non-progressive pneumonia of sheep and goats. As with many other mycoplasmas involved in animal diseases, protective immune responses have not been achieved with vaccines, even though antibody responses can be obtained. This study focuses on characterizing the interaction of M. ovipneumoniae with ovine PBMC using carboxy-fluorescein-succinimidyl-ester (CFSE) loading and flow cytometry to measure lymphoid cell division. M. ovipneumoniae induced a strong in vitro polyclonal suppression of CD4^+, CD8^+, and B blood lymphocyte subsets. The suppressive activity could be destroyed by heating to 60^oC, and partially impaired by formalin and binary ethyleneimine treatment that abolished its viability. The activity resided on the surface-exposed m...
A large portion of world?s natural gas reserves are ?stranded?? resources, the drive to monetize these resources leads to the development of gas-to-liquids (GTL) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) technologies. LNG has the advantage of having been developed for the past 40 years and having an excellent safety record. GTL on the other hand is another option with substantial benefits, but its development stage and commercial viability are far behind LNG. This paper presents a techno-economic comparison of GTL with LNG, including technical development, plant efficiency, market potential for the products, and capital cost for the infrastructure. The aim is to give an overall view on both LNG and GTL and provide a perspective on the profitability of these two technologies.
The adoption of a cogenerator integrated system is described. The dry kernel, a woody residue of olive pressing, is produced in very large quantities and could therefore be used in high pressure condensing-extraction team turbines to supply on-site electricity and steam needs. This system is becoming more and more interesting since it produces an excess of electricity which could be sold, e.g. to the electric utility. Such a cogeneration system is discussed in terms of efficiency, capital cost, near-time commercial viability and power-to-fuel costs. The economical analysis is presented for olive press-cake processing plants and can be extrapolated to biomass-based industries having the same characteristics. An energy audit has been carried out on 16 plants. (Author)
The authors provide the intact criticality information that supports the disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) in the potential Monitored Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain. FFTF is one of more than 250 forms of DOE-owned SNF. Because of the variety of the DOE SNF, the National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program has designated nine representative fuel groups for disposal criticality analyses based on fuel matrix, primary fissile isotope, and enrichment. The FFTF fuel is representative of the mixed-oxide fuel (MOX) group.
A new stem cell-scaffold construct based on poly-l-lactide (PLLA) nanofibers grafted with collagen (PLLA-COL) and cord blood-derived unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSC) were proposed to hold promising characteristics for bone tissue engineering. Fabricated nanofibers were characterized using SEM, ATR-FTIR, tensile and contact angle measurements. The capacity of PLLA, plasma-treated PLLA (PLLA-pl) and PLLA-COL scaffolds to support proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of USSC was evaluated using MTT assay and common osteogenic markers such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium mineral deposition and bone-related genes. All three scaffolds showed nanofibrous and porous structure with suitable physical characteristics. Higher proliferation and viability of USSC was observe...
In order to determine the viability of any Liquids from Coal (LFC) commercial venture, TEK-KOL and its partner, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), have put together a technical and economic feasibility study for a commercial-size LFC Plant located at Zeigler Coal Holding Company`s North Rochelle Mine site. This resulting document, the ENCOAL Mild Coal Gasification Plant: Commercial Plant Feasibility Study, includes basic plant design, capital estimates, market assessment for coproducts, operating cost assessments, and overall financial evaluation for a generic Powder River Basin based plant. This document and format closely resembles a typical Phase II study as assembled by the TEK-KOL Partnership to evaluate potential sites for LFC commercial facilities around the world.
Rice husk generated as a by-product of rice processing is an important energy resource. The availability of this resource in India has been assessed and the technologies for exploitation of its energy potential in rice processing industry discussed. Nomographs have been developed for estimation of the husk required to meet the energy demand of parboiling, drying and milling operations. The unit cost of electricity using rice husk gasifier-based power generation systems has been calculated and its financial feasibility assessed in comparison with utility-supplied and diesel-generated electricity. With the cost and efficiency data assumed here, the unit cost of electricity produced by rice husk gasifier-dual fuel engine-generator system varies between Rs 2/kWh and Rs 7/kWh. (author)
Rice husk generated as a by-product of rice processing is an important energy resource. The availability of this resource in India has been assessed and the technologies for exploitation of its energy potential in the rice processing industry discussed. Nomographs have been developed for estimation of the husk required to meet the energy of parboiling, drying and milling operations. The unit cost of electricity using rice husk gasifier-based power generation systems has been calculated and its financial feasibility assessed in comparison with utility-supplied and diesel-generated electricity. With the cost and efficiency data assumed here, the unit cost of electricity produced by rice husk gasifier-dual fuel engine-generator system varies between Rs 2/kWh and Rs 7/kWh. (35 Rs approximates to SUS 1.). (author)
ABSTRACT To date the effect of silver-containing wound dressings on biofilms, known to be present in chronic wounds, has not been determined or documented. In this current study, we aimed to determine the antimicrobial effect of a silver-containing dressing on biofilms grown in a chambered slide model. Before the addition of a wound dressing onto a 24-hour biofilm, composed of either Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae, Staphylococcus aureus, or a mixed bacterial community, a fluorescent dye was applied. This enabled the viability of sessile bacteria to be monitored in real-time, using a rapid form of confocal laser scanning microscopy over a contact time period of 48 hours. By analyzing all the three-dimensional data generated from the confocal time-lapse sequences, 90% of all se...
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is considered an emerging veterinary pathogen causing pneumonia in sheep and goats worldwide. Currently it has not been possible to define a growth medium that yields the maximum growth of M. ovipneumoniae within a short incubation period. Growth yields of M. ovipneumoniae in Eatons medium are variable and not as consistently high as those seen with other Mycoplasma spp. This study investigated the ability of different M. ovipneumoniae field strains to grow in various media formulations, where PPLO broth was replaced by a vegetable protein source, and comparisons were made in terms of strain viability in Eatons medium. Studies were also conducted to determine the optimal carbohydrate source for use in the M. ovipneumoniae medium. Generally, it was found that differ...
Free Topology Network technology provides cost reduction benefits as well as flexibility in safeguards applications. Power line communications technologies have proven viability for transmission and reception of safeguards data, including surveillance photographs, the source of the largest data files. In the future, enhancements will be made to the technology that should boost both performance and flexibility. Work is already underway to achieve higher data rates over power line communications eventually, it should be possible to reach data rates of one million bits per second or higher. Also, the use of technologies such as Novell Embedded Systems Technology (NEST) and Echelon LON technology will allow a greater number of safeguards technologies to become resident on the Free Topology Safeguards Network.
Free Topology Network technology provides cost reduction benefits as well as flexibility in safeguards applications. Power line communications technologies have proven viability for transmission and reception of safeguards data, including surveillance photographs, the source of the largest data files. In the future, enhancements will be made to the technology that should boost both performance and flexibility. Work is already underway to achieve higher data rates over power line communications eventually, it should be possible to reach data rates of one million bits per second or higher. Also, the use of technologies such as Novell Embedded Systems Technology (NEST) and Echelon LON technology will allow a greater number of safeguards technologies to become resident on the Free Topology Safeguards Network.
Papers presented at the workshop include: the longterm viability of mined land in Queensland; the determination and achievement of rehabilitation objectives: a state government objective; monitoring native vegetation in regenerated bauxite mines at Weipa: a belt transect method; rehabilitation strategies at the Collinsville open cut coal mine; the alteration of the environment by the construction and operation of the coal export facility at Abbot Point; some aspects of the premining environment at Collinsville; the prospects for long term revegetation of acid coal mine spoil and reject materials; recovery and stability in disturbed and artificially revegetated plant communities: a theoretical viewpoint; revegetation in the arid tropics: Mount Isa Mines' experience; Nabralek and its rehabilitation; rehabilitation and management strategies for acid mine wastes; the purpose and design of water quality monitoring networks at mine sites; Worsley alumina project ...
Two experiments used the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) to examine the affective dimension of pain in patients whose pain was secondary to malignancy. In experiment I, segregating groups of cancer patients on the basis of extreme scores (high versus low) on the MPQ failed to produce segregation on independent measures of affect and infirmity. This outcome contrasts with earlier work with chronic benign pain patients. Experiment II compared cancer pain patients matched with benign pain patients on intensity of pain report on the affective dimension of the MPQ. Cancer pain patients reported a reliably higher affective loading to their pain. These data suggest that cancer pain patients employ different criteria than benign pain patients in selecting affective pain descriptors. Possible explanations for this difference are discussed. PMID:7070825
Here, we show that the consequences of deficient micronutrient (β-carotene) intake during larval stages of Manduca sexta are carried across metamorphosis, affecting adult behaviour....Full Text Available
Various factors affecting the aggregation of Actinomyces naeslundii strain 12104 were studied. When the pH of glucose-supplemented growth medium fell below 5.5, the cells aggregated and formed microbial...Full Text Available
Knowledge of factors affecting variation in birth weight is especially important given the relationship of birth weight to neonatal and adult health. The present study utilises two large contemporary...Full Text Available
Toyota's introduction of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) named ''Prius'' in Japan and Honda's proposed introduction of an HEV in the United States have generated considerable interest in the long-term viability of such fuel-efficient vehicles. A performance and cost projection model developed entirely at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is used here to estimate costs. ANL staff developed fuel economy estimates by extending conventional vehicle (CV) modeling done primarily under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program. Together, these estimates are employed to analyze dollar costs vs. benefits of two of many possible HEV technologies. We project incremental costs and fuel savings for a Prius-type low-performance hybrid (14.3 seconds zero to 60 mph acceleration, 260 time) and a higher-performance ''mild'' hybrid vehicle, or MHV (11 seconds 260 time). Each HEV is ...
The bone scans of 33 patients (pts) with recent subcapital fractures (fx) of the femur were evaluated prospectively to determine their value in predicting femoral head visability. Each of the 33 pts (ll men, 22 women, age range 30-92) had a pre-operative bone scan within 72 hrs of the fx (23 pts within 24 hrs). Anterior and posterior planar views of both hips and pinhole views (50% of pts) were obtained 2 hrs after administration of Tc-99m HDP. The femoral head was classified as perfused if it showed the same activity as the opposite normal side or if it showed only slightly decreased activity. Femoral heads showing absent activity were classified as nonperfused. Overall, 20 of the 33 pts showed a photopenic femoral head on the side of the fx. Only 2 pts showed increased activity at hte site of the fx. Internal fixation of the fx was performed in 23 pts, 12 of whom had one or more follow-up scans. Five of these 12 pts showed absent femoral head activity on their initial scan, but 2 ...
In the present work, the introduction of alternative energy of biogas in agricultural communities for the sustainable development was studied through exploitation of residual biomass and also getting as by-product the biological fertilizer. A fast composting of the domestic residue with the organic was made possible where part of this residue after processing was taken together with effluent to the biodigester. The bibliographical research on the processes of generation of biogas, about composting and the equipment for processing had been carried through. The projects engineering with the use of computational tools had been developed with the software Super Pro 4,9 Design and ORC GPEC 2004 by our research group. Five case studies had been elaborated, where different scenes related with our innovation, that uses of the residue for the composting together with domestic effluent for digestion. Several economic parameters were obtained and our work proved the viability ...
The NGDRS has facilitated 85% of cores, cuttings, and other data identified available for transfer to the public sector. Over 12 million linear feet of cores and cuttings, in addition to large numbers of paleontological samples and are now available for public use. To date, with industry contributions for program operations and data transfers, the NGDRS project has realized a 6.5 to 1 return on investment to Department of Energy funds. Large-scale transfers of seismic data have been evaluated, but based on the recommendation of the NGDRS steering committee, cores have been given priority because of the vast scale of the seismic data problem relative to the available funding. The rapidly changing industry conditions have required that the primary core and cuttings preservation strategy evolve as well. Additionally, the NGDRS clearinghouse is evaluating the viability of transferring seismic data covering the western shelf of the Florida Gulf Coast. AGI remains ...
The NGDRS has facilitated 85% of cores, cuttings, and other data identified available for transfer to the public sector. Over 12 million linear feet of cores and cuttings, in addition to large numbers of paleontological samples and are now available for public use. To date, with industry contributions for program operations and data transfers, the NGDRS project has realized a 6.5 to 1 return on investment to Department of Energy funds. Large-scale transfers of seismic data have been evaluated, but based on the recommendation of the NGDRS steering committee, cores have been given priority because of the vast scale of the seismic data problem relative to the available funding. The rapidly changing industry conditions have required that the primary core and cuttings preservation strategy evolve as well. Additionally, the NGDRS clearinghouse is evaluating the viability of transferring seismic data covering the western shelf of the Florida Gulf Coast. AGI remains ...
The cytotoxicity of 15-nm and 46-nm silica nanoparticles was investigated by using crystalline silica (Min-U-Sil 5) as a positive control in cultured human bronchoalveolar carcinoma-derived cells. Exposure to 15-nm or 46-nm SiO_2 nanoparticles for 48 h at dosage levels between 10 and 100 #mu#g/ml decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Both SiO_2 nanoparticles were more cytotoxic than Min-U-Sil 5; however, the cytotoxicities of 15-nm and 46-nm silica nanoparticles were not significantly different. The 15-nm SiO_2 nanoparticles were used to determine time-dependent cytotoxicity and oxidative stress responses. Cell viability decreased significantly as a function of both nanoparticle dosage (10-100 #mu#g/ml) and exposure time (24 h, 48 h, and 72 h). Indicators of oxidative stress and cytotoxicity, including total reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione, malondialdehyde, and lactate dehydrogenase, were quantitatively assessed. ...
The use of environmental monitoring as a technique to identify activities related to the nuclear fuel cycle has been proposed by international safeguards organizations. The elements specific for each kind of nuclear activity, or 'nuclear signatures', inserted in the ecosystem can be intercepted by different live organisms. This work demonstrates the technical viability of using pine needles as bioindicators of nuclear signatures associated with uranium enrichment activities. Additionally, it proposes the use of HR-ICP-MS to identify the signature corresponding to that kind of activities in the ecosystem. Nitric acid solutions, used to wash pine needles sampled near nuclear facilities and containing only 0.1 #mu#g x kg"-"1 of uranium, exhibit a n("2"3"5U)/n("2"3"8U) isotopic abundance ratio of 0.0092#+-#0.0002, while solutions originated from samples collected at places located more than 200 km far from activities related to the nuclear fuel cycle exhibit a value of ...
In the present work, the introduction of alternative energy of biogas in agricultural communities for the sustainable development was studied through exploitation of residual biomass and also getting as by-product the biological fertilizer. A fast composting of the domestic residue with the organic was made possible where part of this residue after processing was taken together with effluent to the biodigestor. The bibliographical research on the processes of generation of biogas, about composting and the equipment for processing had been carried through. The projects Engineering with the use of computational tools had been developed with the Software Super Pro 4,9 Design and ORC GPEC 2004 by our research group. Five case studies had been elaborated, where different scenes related with our innovation, that uses of the residue for the composting together with domestic effluent for digestion. Several economic parameters were obtained and our work proved the viability ...
The industrial application of anaerobic digestion is a relatively new, yet proven waste treatment technology. Anaerobic digestion reduces and upgrades organic waste, and is a good way to control air pollution as it reduces methane and nitrous gas emissions. For environmental and energy considerations, anaerobic digestion is a nearly perfect waste treatment process. However, its economic viability is still in question. A number of parameters - type of waste (solid or liquid), digester system, facility size, product quality and end use, environmental requirements, cost of alternative treatments (including labor), and interest rates - define the investment and operating costs of an anaerobic digestion facility. Therefore, identical facilities that treat the same amount and type of waste may, depending on location, legislation, and end product characteristics, reveal radically different costs. A good approach for evaluating the economics of anaerobic digestion is to ...
Ecosystems worldwide are experiencing unprecedented nitrogen enrichment through fertilization and pollution. While longterm ecological consequences are difficult to predict, it seems that plants and animals adapted to nitrogen-limited environments are at particular risk from these changes. This report summarizes the limited body of literature which addresses this important topic. From a herbivoreAes perspective, fertilization increases the nutritional quality of host plant tissues. In some cases fertilization has lead to decreased production of defensive compounds. How this affects populations of insects is unclear because fertilization affects not only herbivores but their natural enemies. This report outlines how fertilization affects tree processes such as growth, photosynthesis, and production of defensive compounds. The many factors that affect insect repsonse to fertilization and the difficulties ...
This paper was produced as an input to the Swiss Confederation's 'Electricity Perspectives 2035' study made by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE). A concept for the combined use of wood and natural gas in a combined-cycle power station is presented. The gasification of wood to provide fuel for the gas turbines and waste-heat boilers of such power stations is proposed as an alternative to just burning wood to provide heat for steam generators. Figures are quoted on the quantities of biomass and wood usable for energy applications in Switzerland. The energetic and financial efficiencies of wood-powered generation of heat and electricity are examined, as are the investments necessary and the costs incurred. Comparisons are presented between wood from forests, sawmill-wastes, scrap wood and natural gas as fuels.
Blade fatigue life is an important element in determining the economic viability of the Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). A principal source of blade fatigue is thought to be the stochastic (i.e., random) aerodynamic loads created by atmospheric turbulence. This paper discusses the development of a model for the simulation of these stochastic loads, given the rotor geometry, operating conditions, and assumed turbulence properties. A Double-Multiple-Streamtube analysis is employed, which includes the effects of wind shear. Reynolds number variations, different airfoil sections and chord lengths along the blade span, and an empirical model for dynamic stall effects. Calculations are presented for the VAWT 34-m Test Bed currently being assembled at Bushland, Texas. Time histories of the loads, as well as their Fourier spectra, are presented and discussed. An unexpected finding is that the average output power is predicted to be more sensitive to turbulence level than ...
In the 80's, because of the oil crisis, the Natural Gas (NG) appeared as a fuel with a great potential for Diesel replacement in Heavy Duty Vehicles. At that time, PETROBRAS with other companies have developed partial conversion technologies from Diesel to NG, known as 'Dual Fuel'. Engine dynamometer and vehicle bus tests have been developed to verify its technical and economical viability. Because of several factors, the Dual Fuel Program did not advance and the experience was interrupted. At the same time, other experiences using NG Otto Cycle bus engines, manufactured in Brazil, have been conducted, mainly at Sao Paulo, nevertheless, without expansion. Currently, factors as increase of the NG converted light vehicles fleet; the NG excess in the National Market, which has contributed to the NG distribution net expansion; the Environmental Legislature in vigor, that continuously determine lower emission limits; the government interest in ...
The effects of high-intensity pulsed electromagnetic stimulation (HIPEMS) on proliferation and differentiation of neonatal rat neural stem cells in vitro were investigated. Neural stem cells derived from neonatal rats were exposed to 0.1 Hz, 0.5-10 Tesla (T) [8 groups of B-I, respectively], 5 stimuli of HIPEMF. The sham exposure controls were correspondingly established. Inverted phase contrast microscope was used to observe the cultured cells, MTT assay to detect the viability of the cells as expressed by absorbance (A) value, and flow cytometry to measure differentiation of neural stem cells. The results showed that A values of neural stem cells in both 3.0 T and 4.0 T groups were significantly higher than the other groups 24 to 168 h post HPEMS, indicating a strong promotion of the growth of neural stem cells (PHPEMS groups was the same as that in control group (P>0.05). It was suggested that 0.1 Hz, 5 pulses stimulation of HPEMS within certain scale of ...
Development of coal-water-fuel (CWF) technology has to-date been predicated on the use of high-rank bituminous coal only, and until now the high inherent moisture content of low-rank coal has precluded its use for CWF production. The unique feature of the Alaskan project is the integration of hot-water-drying (HWD) into CWF technology as a beneficiation process. Hot-water-drying is an EERC developed technology unavailable to the competition that allows the range of CWF feedstock to be extended to low-rank coals. The primary objective of the Alaskan Project, is to promote interest in the CWF marketplace by demonstrating the commercial viability of low-rank coal-water-fuel (LRCWF). While commercialization plans cannot be finalized until the implementation and results of the Alaskan LRCWF Project are known and evaluated, this report has been prepared to specifically address issues concerning business objectives for the project, and outline a market development plan ...
Silica and bridged polysilsesquioxane aerogels are low-density materials that are attractive for applications such as thermal insulation, porous separation media or catalyst supports, adsorbents, and cometary dust capture agents. However, aerogels are notoriously weak and brittle making it difficult to handle and machine monoliths into desired forms. This complication prevents the development of many applications that would otherwise benefit from the use of the low-density materials. Here, we will describe our efforts to chemically modify and mechanically enhance silica-based aerogels using chemical vapor techniques without sacrificing their characteristic low densities. Monolithic silica and organic-bridged polysilsesquioxane aerogels were prepared by sol-gel polymerization of the respective methoxysilane monomers followed by supercritical carbon dioxide drying of the gels. Then the gels were reactively modified with silylating agents to demonstrate the viability ...
CBA/Ca mice were infected by either the intravenous or intraperitoneal route with Mycobacterium microti and the subsequent changes in local macrophage populations examined. Following infection, the number of macrophages increased and they showed greater expression of both MHC Class II molecules. This response was not dependent on viability of the mycobacteria, in contrast to reports with other microorganisms such as Listeria. Studies in sublethally irradiated mice indicated that persistent antigen could give rise to a response after a period of host recovery which was radiation dose dependent. This procedure also highlighted differences in the regulation of different murine class II antigens in vivo, as seen by delayed re-expression of I-E antigens. Macrophage accessory cell function, as assessed by an in vitro T cell proliferation assay, correlated with Ia expression after fixation, but not after indomethacin treatment; this highlights the diverse nature of ...
Biogas, produced from anaerobic digestion of organic matter in domestic, industrial and rural wastewaters and residuals, represent an alternative and renewable source of energy, with growing use worldwide. In Brazil, high population and its spatial concentration and expressive agricultural and agricultural-industrial production indicate a substantial potential of biogas production. The results presented in this work show a potential of biogas production of almost 2 billion cubic feet a day of CH{sub 4}. Viability of biogas production and use depends substantially on project scale. Generally, biogas projects are viable from landfills and domestic wastewater treatment for populations higher than 50,000 inhabitants and swine and dairy farms with at least 5,000 and 1,000 animals, respectively. Biogas is also competitive when compared to fossil fuels used in industry and transport. Despite incentive mechanisms for biogas production and use, like Clean Development ...
Marine ecosystems are suffering severe depletion of apex predators worldwide; shark declines are principally due to conservative life-histories and fisheries overexploitation. On coral reefs, sharks are strongly interacting apex predators and play a key role in maintaining healthy reef ecosystems. Despite increasing fishing pressure, reef shark catches are rarely subject to specific limits, with management approaches typically depending upon no-take marine reserves to maintain populations. Here, we reveal that this approach is failing by documenting an ongoing collapse in two of the most abundant reef shark species on the Great Barrier Reef (Australia). We find an order of magnitude fewer sharks on fished reefs compared to no-entry management zones that encompass only 1% of reefs. No-take zones, which are more difficult to enforce than no-entry zones, offer almost no protection for shark populations. Population viability models of whitetip and gray reef sharks ...
The thiazolidinedione (TZD) or glitazone class of peroxisome proliferator-activated-#gamma# (PPAR-#gamma#) ligands not only induce adipocyte differentiation and increase insulin sensitivity, but also exert growth inhibitory effects on several carcinoma cell lines in vitro as well as in vivo. In the current study the in vitro effect of four PPAR-#gamma# agonists (ciglitazone, pioglitazone, troglitazone, rosiglitazone) on the cell growth of seven human neuroblastoma cell lines (Kelly, LAN-1, LAN-5, LS, IMR-32, SK-N-SH, SH-SY5Y) was investigated. Growth rates were assessed by a colorimetric XTT-based assay kit. Expression of PPAR-#gamma# protein was examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. All glitazones inhibited in vitro growth and viability of the human neuroblastoma cell lines in a dose-dependent manner showing considerable effects only at high concentrations (10 #mu#M and 100 #mu#M). Effectiveness of the glitazones on neuroblastoma cell growth ...
The performance and lifetime of energy storage in batteries are an important part of many renewable based energy systems. Not only do batteries impact on the system performance but they are also a significant expenditure when considering the whole life cycle costs. Poor prediction of lifetime can, therefore, lead to uncertainty in the viability of the system in the long term. This report details the work undertaken to investigate and develop two different battery life prediction methodologies with specific reference to their use in hybrid renewable energy systems. Alongside this, results from battery tests designed to exercise batteries in similar modes to those that they experience in hybrid systems have also been analysed. These have yielded battery specific parameters for use in the prediction software and the first results in the validation process of the software are also given. This work has been part of the European Union Benchmarking research project ...
This paper describes the development of a computational multiphase fluid dynamics (CMFD) model of the Fischer Tropsch (FT) process in a Slurry Bubble Column Reactor (SBCR). The CMFD model is fundamentally based which allows it to be applied to different industrial processes and reactor geometries. The NPHASE CMFD solver [1] is used as the robust computational platform. Results from the CMFD model include gas distribution, species concentration profiles, and local temperatures within the SBCR. This type of model can provide valuable information for process design, operations and troubleshooting of FT plants. An ensemble-averaged, turbulent, multi-fluid solution algorithm for the multiphase, reacting flow with heat transfer was employed. Mechanistic models applicable to churn turbulent flow have been developed to provide a fundamentally based closure set for the equations. In this four-field model formulation, two of the fields are used to track the gas phase (i.e., small spherical and ...
Bulk nanocrystalline pure iron rods were fabricated by the equal channel angular pressure (ECAP) technique up to eight passes. The microstructure and grain size distribution, natural immersion and electrochemical corrosion in simulated body fluid, cellular responses and hemocompatibility were investigated in this study. The results indicate that nanocrystalline pure iron after severe plastic deformation (SPD) would sustain durable span duration and exhibit much stronger corrosion resistance than that of the microcrystalline pure iron. The interaction of different cell lines reveals that the nanocrystalline pure iron stimulates better proliferation of fibroblast cells and preferable promotion of endothelialization, while inhibits effectively the viability of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The burst of red cells and adhesion of the platelets were also substantially suppressed on contact with the nanocrystalline pure iron in blood circulation. A clear ...
Ekpyrotic and cyclic cosmologies provide theories of the very early and of the very late universe. In these models, the big bang is described as a collision of branes - and thus the big bang is not the beginning of time. Before the big bang, there is an ekpyrotic phase with equation of state w=P/({rho}) >>1 (where P is the average pressure and {rho} the average energy density) during which the universe slowly contracts. This phase resolves the standard cosmological puzzles and generates a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of cosmological perturbations containing a significant non-Gaussian component. At the same time it produces small-amplitude gravitational waves with a blue spectrum. The dark energy dominating the present-day cosmological evolution is reinterpreted as a small attractive force between our brane and a parallel one. This force eventually induces a new ekpyrotic phase and a new brane collision, leading to the idea of a cyclic universe. This review discusses ...
This study evaluates the effect of gamma radiation on the viability of fungi and actinomycetes that contaminate medicinal plants. The relationship between the total lipids of some fungi and actinomycetes and their sensitivity to gamma radiation is also investigated. The data reveal that the viable counts of these florae decrease approximately exponentially with the radiation dose, the effective dose for the elimination of these microorganisms being about 5 kGy for all the medicinal plants under study. Response of pure cultures of fungi and actinomycetes isolated from medicinal plants to increasing absorbed doses of gamma radiation indicate that an increase in radioresistance is in the following order: Streptomyces rimosus, Fusarium solani, Nocardia kuroishii. F. oxysporum, A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. parasiticus and A. ochraceus. The total lipid contents of molds and actinomycetes have been reported to be increased by increasing the radio-resistance of ...
The Drosophila melanogaster tissue-specific transcription factor NTF-1 was originally identified in vitro as a protein that could bind to and activate transcription from the Dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) gene. A structure-function analysis of NTF-1 led to the identification of a discrete amino-terminal activation domain. Here, we report that an NTF-1 mutant lacking the activation domain acts as a trans-dominant inhibitor of NTF-1 activation in tissue culture cells by forming inactive heterodimers with the full-length protein. Ectopically expressing this dominant-negative protein or the full-length protein in developing Drosophila embryos leads to dire developmental consequences. Overexpressing the trans-dominant NTF-1 leads to lethality, while overexpressing full-length NTF-1 results in both lethality and morphogenetic defects. Our results suggest that both the activity and the regulation of NTF-1 are critical for viability and proper development of the fly.ImagesFig. ...
Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-4 has a crucial role on primordial germ cells (PGCs) development in vivo which can promote stem cell differentiation to PG-like cells. In this study, we investigated the expression of Mvh as one of the specific genes in primordial germ cells after treatment with different doses of BMP4 on bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-derived PGCs. Following isolation of BMSCs from male mouse femur and tibia, cells were cultured in medium for 72?h. Passage 4 murine BMSCs were characterized by CD90, CD105, CD34, and CD45 markers and osteo-adipogenic differentiation. Different doses of BMP4 (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 5, 25, 50, and 100?ng/ml) were added to BMSCs for PGCs differentiation during 4-days culture. Viability percent, proliferation rates, and expression of Mvh gene wer...
This official IEA report is a deliverable of IEA SHC Task 21/IEA BCS Annex 29: Daylight in Buildings. The Task focuses on daylighting systems and strategies which can be applied in new and existing buildings with a high potential electricity saving potential such as offices, schools, commercial, and institutional buildings. The daylighting performance of these strategies and systems is tested in laboratory facilities, through modeling, and in real case study buildings. This paper provides methods and procedures to evaluate the daylighting performance of real buildings. Annex 29 case studies located in Europe, North America, and Australia. It is a deliverable of Subtask D research projects. The main objective of Subtask D, as stated in the Implementing Agreement of Task 21/Annex 29, is `to demonstrate the viability of daylighting buildings in various world climatic zones as a means of achieving significant improvements in building energy efficiency while maintaining ...
A generic reactor model is used to examine the economic viability of electricity generation by magnetic fusion. The simple model uses components which are representative of those used in previous reactor studies of deuterium-tritium burning tokamaks, stellarators, bumpy tori, reverse field pinches and tandem mirrors. Conservative costing assumptions are made. The generic reactor is not a tokamak but rather it is intended to emphasize what is common to all magnetic fusion reactors. The reactor uses a superconducting toroidal coil set to produce the dominant magnetic field. To this extent it is a less good approximation to systems, such as the reversed field pinch in which the main field is produced by a plasma current. The main output of the study is the cost of electricity as a function of the weight and size of the fusion core - blanket, shield, structure and coils. The model shows that a 1200 MW/sub e/ power plant with a fusion core weight of about 10,000 tonnes ...
The conversion of off-peak surplus electricity into peak electricity through an electrolyzer, hydrogen storage, and fuel cell energy storage system was discussed. Development efforts in high pressure alkaline electrolysis and Proton-Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells have improved the near-term viability of these systems. Potential use of wind turbines and other renewable energy-based generation systems, through hydrogen-based energy storage, were discussed as a new supply of surplus electricity. An integrated set of nomographs were presented for providing quick estimates of peak electricity costs derived from an electrolyzer/hydrogen fuel cell system. The nomographs allowed first order cost comparisons of centralized versus distributed hydrogen energy systems considering trade-offs between production economies of scale and hydrogen storage and transport costs. Use of the nomographs to compare centralized and dispersed systems was demonstrated. Results showed that ...
An exposure chamber is described for the quantifiable addition of fine and ultrafine aerosol particulate matter directly to cells and used to demonstrate the in vitro cytotoxicity of fine 1,4-naphthoquinone particles to murine lung epithelial cells. The electrostatic particulate dosage and exposure system (EPDExS) operates on the principle of electrostatic precipitation and is shown to deposit fine and ultrafine aerosol particles directly to cells with 100% efficiency for particle diameters in the range of 40-530nm. This range is not limited by the EPDExS, but rather by the aerosolization method used for this study. Numbers of particles deposited onto the cells are counted with a condensation particle counter, negating any need to calculate or estimate particle exposure. The process of particle introduction, assessed using Trypan blue dye exclusion, had no effect on cell viability. In combination with a differential mobility classifier, the EPDExS can deliver ...
Intracapsular femoral neck fractures remain unsolved fractures even after improvement in techniques of diagnosis and internal fixation. Individuals who sustain displaced femoral neck fractures are at high risk of developing avascular necrosis and non-union. Although several methods for predicting the viability of femoral head have been reported, they are not effective or widely used because of unreliability, potential complications and technical difficulties. Dynamic MRI was introduced in the recent past as a simple, non-invasive technique to predict the femoral head viability after the femoral neck fractures. In this study role of dynamic MRI was studied in 30 patients with 31 intracapsular femoral neck fractures. Fractures were divided in to three types according to dynamic curve patterns on MRI evaluation and were followed up for 6 months to 2 years to observe the final outcome. Sensitivity, Specificity and the Accuracy of dynamic MRI in ...
Intracapsular femoral neck fractures remain unsolved fractures even after improvement in techniques of diagnosis and internal fixation. Individuals who sustain displaced femoral neck fractures are at high risk of developing avascular necrosis and non-union. Although several methods for predicting the viability of femoral head have been reported, they are not effective or widely used because of unreliability, potential complications and technical difficulties. Dynamic MRI was introduced in the recent past as a simple, non-invasive technique to predict the femoral head viability after the femoral neck fractures. In this study role of dynamic MRI was studied in 30 patients with 31 intracapsular femoral neck fractures. Fractures were divided in to three types according to dynamic curve patterns on MRI evaluation and were followed up for 6 months to 2 years to observe the final outcome. Sensitivity, Specificity and the Accuracy of dynamic MRI in ...
SiC-AlN and SiC-SiAlON refractory composites were obtained by means of nitridation of the mixtures of silicon carbide (SiC) powder with a broad granulometric distribution and powders of aluminium (Al) and aluminium-silicon (Al-Si) mixtures. The mixtures of the composition Al-25% Si, Al-50% Si and Al-75% Si were previously prepared by means of 'mechanical alloying' technique. Thermodynamic analysis was accomplished in order to evaluate the viability of SiC-SiAlON and SiC-AlN refractories production by the chosen processing method, and the results confirmed viability of such. Investigation of nitridation of Al and Al-Si powder compacts in order to obtain the AlN and #beta#-SiAlON matrix phases of the composite was accomplished by means of differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The results of the thermal analysis show that nitridation of the Al-25% Si, Al-50% Si and Al-75% Si resulting in p-SiAlON formation occur ...
After some observations about the tests of the research exposed in the literature, authors illustrate the tests for 142 patients divided into 5 groups: a) patients affected with acute viral hepatitis; b) patients affected with praegressa acute viral hepatitis; c) relatives of patients with acute viral hepatitis; d) volunteers; e) patients affected with chronic uraemia under dialisis periodic treatment. After the testing control, authors, conclude with an hipotesis: a possible epidemic function of faeces, urine saliva, in the passage of the acute viral hepatitis. PMID:488577
BACKGROUNDHirsutism is the presence of excess body or facial terminal (coarse) hair growth in females in a male-like pattern, affects 5–15% of women, and is an important...Full Text Available
The objective of this study was to evaluate how the vehicles of choice affect the pharmacokinetics of orally administered Fluoranthene [FLA] in rats. Fluoranthene is a member of the family of...Full Text Available
Selection of the appropriate radiation quality is an important aspect of optimisation for every clinical imaging task in radiology, since it affects both image quality and patient dose. Spreadsheet...Full Text Available
Recessive mutations of the early phase change (epc) gene in maize affect several aspects of plant development. These mutations were identified initially because of...Full Text Available
Mitochondria are the major sites where energy is produced in the cell. Functions of organs such as the heart which has high energy demand are seriously affected by dysfunction of mitochondria....Full Text Available
... 500 ppm, boron increases the 0.2% offset strength; results show that boron doping does not appreciably affect ultimate compressive strength; for 0 ...
IntroductionShoulder pain covers a wide range of problems and affects up to 20% of the population. It is not a specific diagnosis. Shoulder pain can be caused by problems with the...Full Text Available
Reference failures, and their increase in affectively negative conditions (known as affective reactivity of speech), are more frequently observed in schizophrenia patients than in normal controls, but no information is available comparing schizophrenia with depression, ie, a mental disorder closely linked to the concept of affective reactivity. To address this gap in the literature, the present study compared 24 schizophrenia inpatients, 21 unipolar depression inpatients and 21 normal controls. Two 10-minute conversational speech samples (1 on negative and 1 on positive memories) were collected from each patient. The transcripts of the audiotaped interviews were analyzed blindly for frequencies of 6 types of referential failures, employing the Communication Disturbances Index, adapted for ...
BackgroundHealth service databases of administrative type can be a useful tool for the study of progression of a disease, but the data reported in such sources could be affected...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of complicating and concurrent morbidities in older diabetic patients and to evaluate to what extent their occurrence affects the burden of...Full Text Available
Synthetic polymers and nanomaterials display selective phenotypic effects in cells and in the body that affect signal transduction mechanisms involved in inflammation, differentiation, proliferation,...Full Text Available
BACKGROUNDThe reproductive health of children born of infertile couples may be affected by infertility treatment or factors associated with infertility. We examined sexual maturation...Full Text Available
The purpose of this article is to critically review the available evidence pertaining to occupational, environmental, and individual factors that can affect the development of occupational asthma (OA)....Full Text Available
BackgroundChanges in levels of estradiol and progesterone that occur with the transition to reproductive senescence may influence nociception or affect.Full Text Available
The temporal synchrony of auditory and visual signals is known to affect the perception of an external event, yet it is unclear what neural mechanisms underlie the influence of temporal synchrony...Full Text Available
... System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). ... retirement, thrift savings plan, annual and sick leave, severance pay and ...
The physical demands of performing on musical instruments can cause pain, sensory loss, and lack of coordination. Five cases illustrate common problems. Knowledge of the interaction between the technique...Full Text Available
Jan 22, 2011 ... Abstract: Land use changes and deforestation in tropical rainforests are among the major factors affecting the overall function of the global ...
BackgroundMalaria is one of the most important tropical diseases that affects people globally. The influence of environmental conditions in the patterns of temporal distribution...Full Text Available
Lichen striatus begins similarly to lichen planus, with small bumps (papules), but over a period of days expands to form a long streak or band of affected ...
Aging is a biological process that affects most cells, organisms and species. Human aging is associated with increased susceptibility to a variety of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease,...Full Text Available
where I was in El Paso, I could always look up and see the smokestacks of the old Asarco smelter looming. The facility affected the city in more ways than that constant visual...
where I was in El Paso, I could always look up and see the smokestacks of the old Asarco smelter looming. The facility affected the city in more ways than that constant visual...
... 2. Help women become accepted by providing job-related training, creating flexible work groups with good climates, and encourage supervisors to ...
Periodontitis is an infectious process characterized by inflammation affecting the supporting structures of the teeth. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major oral bacterial species implicated...Full Text Available
... content of the environment) are significant factors affecting the useful service life of adhesive bonded plastic composite sandwich panels at 650 F ...
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) persists as a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease and is characterized by the production of autoantibodies and immune complexes that affects multiple organs....Full Text Available
There is conflicting evidence about the effect of parental consanguinity on fetal growth. Previous studies have not always allowed for other factors that are known to affect birth weight, in particular,...Full Text Available
SummaryCongenital lobar emphysema (CLE) characterized by over distension and air-trapping in the affected lobe is one of the causes of infantile respiratory distress requiring...Full Text Available
... Deepwater Program is a 25-year, $24 billion plan to replace or modernize its fleet of vessels, aircraft, and information management capabilities. ...
Primary cardiac angiosarcoma is a rare cardiac tumor. The initial clinical course is often asymptomatic, and metastatic disease is present in a majority of affected patients at diagnosis. We present...Full Text Available
Sep 1, 2011 ... Title: Application of chloropicrin to Douglas-fir stumps to control laminated root rot does not affect infection or growth of regeneration 16 growing ...
Hypertension affects most hemodialysis patients and is often poorly controlled. Adequate control of blood pressure is difficult with conventional hemodialysis alone but is important to improve...Full Text Available
Aerosol particles are ubiquitous in the troposphere and exert an important influence on global climate and the environment. They affect climate through scattering, transmission, and absorption of...Full Text Available
... All rickettsial diseases respond to treatment with antibiotics such as doxycycline and tetracycline As of 10 May, the Government of South Africa has reported 186 confirmed cases of RVF in humans, including 18 deaths, in Free State Province, Eastern Cape Province, Northern Cape Province, Western Cape, and North West Province. RVF is a viral disease that primarily affects animals (such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and camels). The disease can also affect humans. The main mode of transmission of RVF ...
Eight patients with primary hyperparathyroidism were examined preoperative to locate the affected parathyroid glands. The localisation was done with technetium 99m and thallium 201. This new method seems to be of great value to locate preoperative the affected parathyroid glands. (R.B.).
BackgroundType 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) affects persons of all ages, while also placing heavy economic burdens on national economies and healthcare systems. The study aims to investigate...Full Text Available
Within the tight binding framework, a study is made of how the disorder affects the electronic properties of A-15 compounds. In particular it is shown that for compounds of two transition metals in the A-15 structure, the vacancy formation affects the density of states only in the low energy region or in the high energy region, in opposition with the isolated chain model of Labbe and Friedel. It is concluded that interchain interactions are important. (U.K.).
ALSTOM Power Inc.'s Power Plant Laboratories (ALSTOM) has teamed with the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE NETL), American Electric Company (AEP) and Parsons Energy and Chemical Group to conduct a comprehensive study evaluating coal fired steam power plants, known as Rankine Cycles, equipped with three different combustion systems: Pulverized Coal (PC), Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB), and Circulating Moving Bed (CMB{trademark}). Five steam cycles utilizing a wide range of steam conditions were used with these combustion systems. The motivation for this study was to establish through engineering analysis, the most cost-effective performance potential available through improvement in the Rankine Cycle steam conditions and combustion systems while at the same time ensuring that the most stringent emission performance based on CURC (Coal Utilization Research Council) 2010 targets are met: > 98% sulfur removal; < 0.05 lbm/MM-Btu ...
This research proposes that the concept of emotional attachment, and specifically the independent constructs of psychological ownership and affective reaction, can help explain many of the endowment effect findings documented in the literature. We define these constructs and then test them across a set of nine studies in which we both replicate previous and generate new endowment effect findings, and then show that psychological ownership and affective reaction can mediate the effects. In doing so, we offer direct empirical support for the idea of emotional attachment as a driver of loss aversion while also providing practitioners and future endowment effect researchers with new insights about the psychological processes that underlie the endowment effect.
The effect of water shortage on growth and gas exchange of maize grown on sandy soil (SS) and clay soil was studied. The lower soil water content in the SS during vegetative growth stages did not affect plant height, above-ground biomass, and leaf area index (LAI). LAI reduction was observed on the SS during the reproductive stage due to early leaf senescence. Canopy and leaf gas exchanges, measured by eddy correlation technique and by a portable photosynthetic system, respectively, were affected by water stress and a greater reduction in net photosynthetic rate (A N) and stomatal conductance (g s) was observed on SS. Chlorophyll and carotenoids content was not affected by water shortage in either condition. Results support two main conclusions: (1) leaf photosynthetic capacity was unaffec...
Climate variability greatly affects animals through direct and indirect effects. Animals with slow reproductive adaptation to ecological changes such as large mammals are likely to have evolved mechanisms to anticipate early such impacts of climate variability on the environment. One of the adaptive mechanisms between reproductive costs and benefits in mammals affects parental investment through biases in sex ratio. Deer might be likely to show an early detection of climate variability because conception takes place in early autumn, but the main raising cost in deer concerns lactation, which takes place at the end of the following spring. The aim of this paper is to assess whether there is a relationship between global indices of climate variability such as El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (EN...
The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical infection that affects millions of people in the Americas. Current chemotherapy...Full Text Available
Man-made endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) present a threat to biodiversity, even in remote areas. To date, numerous wildlife species have been affected by EDCs in the environment, but it is likely...Full Text Available
Ophthalmologic abnormalities have been described in patients with dementia, but the extent to which poor vision and treatment for visual disorders affect cognitive decline is not well defined. Linked...Full Text Available
Femur fractures typically affect elderly patients with multiple co-morbidities. Pain control can be difficult, requiring intensive nursing and physician care as elderly patients may manifest cardiovascular...Full Text Available
Tinea nigra is a superficial mycosis caused by Hortaea werneckii. It is an infrequent asymptomatic infection that affects human palms and soles, and is mostly observed in tropical...Full Text Available
Opinions on factors affecting public power systems are presented. Social, economic, and political factors are discussed in terms of their impact on public power. Competition with investor-owned utilities is the primary focus of the paper. Privatization and regulations are other issues discussed.
After lifestyle and behavioral measures to control overactive bladder, the mainstay of pharmacological treatment is the use of antimuscarinic therapy. Overactive bladder predominantly affects older...Full Text Available
FRAXA is one of a number of fragile sites in human chromosomes that are induced by agents like fluorodeoxyuridine (FdU) that affect intracellular thymidylate levels. FRAXA coincides with a >200...Full Text Available
The rolC gene of Agrobacterium rhizogenes, which drastically affects growth and development of transgenic plants, codes for a cytokinin-beta-glucosidase. Indeed, rolC protein expressed in Escherichia...Full Text Available
The gram-positive pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes was recently reported to possess a homologue of the luxS gene that is responsible for the production of autoinducer...Full Text Available
BackgroundWhile the gene flow in some organisms is strongly affected by physical barriers and geographical distance, other highly mobile species are able to overcome such constraints....Full Text Available
The challenge to our profession today is to improve the quality of oral health while overcoming both extrinsic and intrinsic factors which may adversely affect our progress toward this goal. The combined...Full Text Available
BackgroundDuring the last ten years, major advances have been made in characterizing and understanding the evolution of mitochondrial DNA, the most popular marker of molecular biodiversity....Full Text Available
Chronically elevated interleukin-6 (IL-6) affects lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Individuals genetically predisposed to higher IL-6 secretion may be at risk of dyslipidemia, especially during the...Full Text Available
After more than a decade of the AIDS epidemic in Thailand, the number of children whose parents are living with HIV or have died from AIDS is increasing significantly and it has been reported that these...Full Text Available
Thyroid hormone is a critical regulator of growth, development and metabolism in virtually all tissues, and altered thyroid status affects many organs and systems. Although for many years testis...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe link between maternal factors and birth outcomes is well established. Substantial changes in society and medical care over time have influenced women's reproductive...Full Text Available
Hip fractures are associated with a high rate of mortality and profound temporary and sometimes permanent impairment of quality of life. Current guidelines indicate that surgeons should perform surgery...Full Text Available
In recent years, the interest in the use of bacteria for biological control of plant-pathogenic fungi has increased. We studied the possible side effects of coating barley seeds with the antagonistic...Full Text Available
Gas exchange between the plant and the environment is severely hampered when plants are submerged, leading to oxygen and energy deficits. A straightforward way to reduce these shortages of oxygen and...Full Text Available
Gonadal, adrenal, and thyroid hormones affect the brain directly, and the sensitivity to hormones begins in embryonic life with the appearance of hormone receptor sites in discrete populations of neurons....Full Text Available
Sperm competition occurs when 2 or more males copulate with a particular female during the same reproductive cycle, and their sperm compete to fertilize the female's available eggs. One strategy that...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn many of the European countries affected by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), case clustering patterns have been observed. Most of these patterns have been interpreted...Full Text Available
Sparganosis is a rare parasitic infection affecting various organs, including the central nervous system, especially the lumbar epidural space. This report describes the identification of disease and...Full Text Available
Sexually-selected communication signals can be used by competing males to settle contests without incurring the costs of fighting. Steroid regulation of these signals can render them as reliable...Full Text Available
Leptin is involved in the endocrine control of energy expenditure and body weight regulation. Previous studies emphasize a relationship between hypoxic states and leptin concentrations. The aim of this...Full Text Available
BackgroundUnderstanding the interactions between ion channels and blockers remains an important goal that has implications for delineating the basic mechanisms of ion channel function...Full Text Available
From view on Organization Behavior theory, the concept, development and affecting factors of safety culture are introduced. The focuses are on the establishment, development and management practice for safety culture at Daya Bay NPP. A strong safety culture, also demonstrated, has contributed greatly to improving performance at Daya Bay
This paper addresses the major issues beginning teachers face in their first postings to rural areas in Australia. The issues go beyond pedagogy. Beginning teachers need to understand social factors affecting rural communities so they can link lessons to the realities experienced by students. Geographic isolation affects the provision of education in terms of time taken to travel, cost, terrain, and technology. Rural communities have groups that are socially isolated from each other and from the staff in schools. In order to teach effectively, teachers need to be aware of the social context of the community in which they live and work. Teachers in rural areas suffer from professional isolation and often confront teaching situations for which they have had little formal preparation. Communities in remote places often move quickly to adopt technological means to overcome their isolation. Teachers in rural areas need to identify and promote the ...
Though central to our understanding of how roots perform their vital function of scavenging water and solutes from the soil, no direct genetic evidence currently exists to support the foundational model...Full Text Available
A positive, genetic selection against the activity of the nitrogen regulatory (NTR) system was used to isolate insertion mutations affecting nitrogen regulation in Klebsiella aerogenes. Two classes...Full Text Available
Atypical antipsychotic medications have assumed growing importance for the treatment of bipolar disorder, an illness that affects approximately 1.2%–3.7% of the general population in a given...Full Text Available
Peripheral vascular diseases (PVD) are referred to as diseases affecting the blood vessels other than the heart and the brain. Interventional endovascular treatment whenever feasible has become the...Full Text Available
Rate of dehydration greatly affects desiccation tolerance of recalcitrant seeds. This effect is presumably related to two different stress vectors: direct mechanical or physical stress because of the...Full Text Available
Breast cancer is a progressive and potentially fatal disease that affects women of all ages. Like all progressive diseases, early and reliable diagnosis is the key for successful treatment and annihilation....Full Text Available
BACKGROUND:Canadian chronic pain prevalence estimates range from 11% to 66%, are affected by sampling and measurement bias, and largely represent urban settings.OBJECTIVES:To...Full Text Available
Orthologous positions of 55 genes associated with height in four human populations were located on the bovine genome. Single nucleotide polymorphisms close to eight of these genes were significantly...Full Text Available
The phytochrome-mediated attachment of root tips of mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) to glass is affected by the prior exposure of hydrated...Full Text Available
We examine how the structure and function of indirect flight muscle (IFM) and the entire flight system of Drosophila melanogaster are affected by phosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chain...Full Text Available
The epigenome consists of non–sequence-based modifications, such as DNA methylation, that are heritable during cell division and that may affect normal phenotypes and predisposition...Full Text Available
Objective:We examine the extent to which body weight affects three types of perceived interpersonal mistreatment, and evaluate whether these patterns vary by race,...Full Text Available
BackgroundSeasonal influenza A infection affects a significant cohort of the global population annually, resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic strategies...Full Text Available
Subjective tinnitus, the phantom ringing or buzzing sensation that occurs in the absence of sound, affects 12–14% of adults; in some cases the tinnitus is so severe or disabling that...Full Text Available
Exposure of a group of horses to tetracycline-contaminated feed resulted in acute colitis and subsequent death in one horse and milder diarrhea in 3 others. The most severely affected animal demonstrated...Full Text Available
An organ-specific invertase deficiency affecting only the primary root system is described in the Oh 43 inbred maize (Zea mays). Invertases (acid and neutral/soluble and insoluble)...Full Text Available
The majority of diseases in the retina are caused by genetic mutations affecting the development and function of photoreceptor cells. The transcriptional networks directing these processes are regulated...Full Text Available
In a follow-up to our previously reported genome-wide association study of cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC)1, we describe here several new susceptibility...Full Text Available
In our quest for novel genes required for the development of the embryonic peripheral nervous system (PNS), we have performed three genetic screens using MAb 22C10 as a marker of terminally differentiated...Full Text Available
PurposeRetinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by progressive loss of vision. The aim of this study was to identify the causative mutations...Full Text Available
Abstract in english The main objective of the research presented here is to relate anatomical features of wood species that affect the interactions between polymeric phases and performance of wood plastic composites (WPC). These interactions are related to the probable interlocking volume and surface area for stress transfer in a WPC. Composites were produced from different wood species and analyzed using SEM (scanning electron microscopy). Results showed that wood species with high interfac (more) ial areas may increase mechanical interlocking, reflected in the viscous constant of the Maxwell model. A complicating factor is that the relation of cell wall thickness-lumen diameter and the interconnectivity between wood cells in a wood, affect the potential for cell collapse. When wood cells collapse, the penetration of the thermoplastic into the wood structure is almost always ceased. The collapse of wood cells during extrusion-injection molding ...
The walleye dermal sarcoma is a mesenchymal tumor which seasonally affects up to 27% of adult walleye fish (Stizostedion vitreum). It arises multicentrically in the dermis, in which its development...Full Text Available
Aluminium (Al) toxicity, affecting around half of the world¿s arable land, severely hinders the ability of crop plants to utilize moisture and nutrients by restricting root growth and function. Among the cultivated cereals, rye is the most Al-tolerant and represents an important potential source of ...
The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to identify factors that place a dairy cow with uncomplicated milk fever (MF) at significant risk of becoming an alert downer cow (ADC) and to verify...Full Text Available
Factors affecting the membrane filtration of food suspensions were studied for 58 foods and 13 membrane filters. Lot number within a brand, pore size (0.45 or 0.8 micrometer), and time elapsed before...Full Text Available
Objective:Parkinson disease (PD) may affect the autonomic nervous system and may cause constipation; however, few studies have explored constipation preceding the motor onset of...Full Text Available
A mechanistic understanding of fracture in human bone is critical to predicting fracture risk associated with age and disease. Despite extensive work, a mechanistic framework for describing how the underlying microstructure affects the failure mode in bone is lacking.
BackgroundMass treatment to trachoma endemic communities is a critical part of the World Health Organization SAFE strategy. However, non-participation may not be at random, affecting...Full Text Available
Female sexual promiscuity can have significant effects on male mating decisions because it increases the intensity of competition between ejaculates for fertilization. Because sperm production is costly,...Full Text Available
In this paper we report a case with primarily unspecific arthralgia after surgical therapy of hallux valgus deformity and consecutive reflex sympathetic dystrophy in which MR led to the diagnosis of Lyme disease. (orig.)
Retinal degenerative diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa and Leber congenital amaurosis, are a leading cause of untreatable blindness with substantive impact on the quality of life of affected individuals...Full Text Available
In this study, our main objective was to determine whether energy restriction (ER) affects the rate of oxygen consumption of mice transiently or lastingly and whether metabolic rate plays a role in...Full Text Available
BackgroundLead poisoning affects many organs in the body. Lead inhibits δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), an enzyme with two co-dominantly expressed alleles, ALAD1...Full Text Available
A field experiment was conducted during the summer of 1988 to test the hypothesis that water deficit affects the abscisic acid (ABA) and indole acetic acid (IAA) concentrations in cotton (Gossypium...Full Text Available
The phytochrome-mediated attachment of mung bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., var. Oklahoma 612) root tips on glass is quickly affected by indoleactic acid and abscisic acid at concentrations...Full Text Available
Increased sensitivity to light-induced melatonin suppression characterizes some, but not all, patients with bipolar illness or seasonal affective disorder. The aim of this study was to test...Full Text Available
BackgroundDespite concerns that facilitating informed choice would decrease diabetes screening uptake, 'informed choice' invitations that increased knowledge did not affect attendance...Full Text Available
BackgroundGene regulation is a key mechanism in higher eukaryotic cellular processes. One of the major challenges in gene regulation studies is to identify regulators affecting the...Full Text Available
Bortezomib/PS-341/Velcade, a proteasome inhibitor, is widely used to treat multiple myeloma. While several mechanisms of the cytotoxicity of the drug were proposed, the actual mechanism remains elusive....Full Text Available
BackgroundThe hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria, has been affected by severe mortality episodes associated with the protistan parasite QPX (Quahog Parasite Unknown)...Full Text Available
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) affects approximately 31% of infants whose birth weight is between 501 and 1500 g. The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel that allows blood to bypass the pulmonary vasculature...Full Text Available
Several examples of the 14-membered, para-bridged ring system of the cyclopeptide alkaloids have been synthesized via an active ester cyclization. The yield of monomeric cyclopeptide varied from 1 to 33% and was affected by the amino acid substitution pat...
Objectives. Thousands of Louisiana residents were asked to boil water because of widespread disruptions in electricity and natural gas services after Hurricane Rita. We sought to assess...Full Text Available
Chrysomelid leaf beetles use chemical defenses to overcome predatory attack and microbial infestation. Larvae of Chrysomela lapponica that feed on willow sequester plant-derived salicin...Full Text Available
Childhood cancer survivors often experience complications related to cancer and its treatment that may adversely affect quality of life and increase the risk of premature death. The purpose of this...Full Text Available
Understanding the mechanisms by which climate and predation patterns by top predators co-vary to affect community structure accrues added importance as humans exert growing influence over both climate...Full Text Available
Increasing numbers of human cowpox virus infections that are being observed and that particularly affect young non-vaccinated persons have renewed interest in this zoonotic disease. Usually causing...Full Text Available
The torque-velocity relationship is known to be affected by ageing, decreasing its protective role in the prevention of falls. Interindividual variability in this torque-velocity relationship is partly...Full Text Available
Fungi have long been known to affect human well being in various ways, including disease of essential crop plants, decay of stored foods with possible concomitant production of mycotoxins, superficial...Full Text Available
Female mammals are particularly sensitive to changes in food availability. The mechanisms that affect sexual behavior and food intake are closely related to one another; chief among the mechanisms...Full Text Available
"Fiddler's neck" is an irritant contact dermatitis that frequently affects violin and viola players. The etiology of the skin changes associated with this condition are probably attributable to a combination...Full Text Available
Fear learning is associated with changes in synapse strength in the lateral amygdala (LA). To examine changes in LA dendritic spine structure with learning, we used serial electron microscopy to re-construct...Full Text Available
On agar plates, daughter cells of Escherichia coli mutually slide and align side-by-side in parallel during the first round of binary fission. This phenomenon has been previously attributed...Full Text Available
For meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, seasonal differences exist in self-grooming and in odor preferences for conspecifics, two behaviors which facilitate sexual interactions...Full Text Available
Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) constitute a key antibiotic-resistance mechanism affecting Gram-negative bacteria, and also an excellent model for studying evolution in real time. A shift in...Full Text Available
Alcohol dependence (AD) is clinically and etiologically heterogeneous. The goal of this study was to explore AD subtypes among a sample of 1, 221 participants in the Irish Affected Sib Pair...Full Text Available
Heart failure affects nearly 6 million Americans, with a half-million new cases emerging each year. Whereas up to 50% of heart failure patients die of arrhythmia, the diverse mechanisms underlying...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe motivation for this study was to investigate how role stress among nurses could affect their job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and whether the job rotation...Full Text Available
The objective was to determine scrotal and testicular temperatures in rams and how they are affected by ambient temperature (10 degrees C vs 25 degrees C) and scrotal fleece (densely fleeced vs shaved)....Full Text Available
BackgroundPerfluorocarbons (PFC) are used to improve gas exchange in diseased lungs. PFC have been shown to affect various cell types. Thus, effects on alveolar type II (ATII) cells...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVEHormonal contraceptives may adversely affect bone mineral density . However, racial differences and the reversibility of these changes are poorly understood....Full Text Available
The electrical parameters that affect young seedling growth were investigated. Voltages ranging from 5 to 40 volts were applied longitudinally along the mesocotyl region of 4-day old Zea mays...Full Text Available
The report discusses the capabilities of equipment vendors to supply and install the quantity of flue gas desulfurization systems required to meet alternative standards for coal-fired steam generators. It analyzes limiting factors affecting supply capabilities (such as the availa...
The passage of a vascular-injected paramagnetic contrast reagent (CR) bolus through a region-of-interest affects tissue 1H2O relaxation and thus MR image intensity. For longitudinal...Full Text Available
Background:Continuous renal replacement therapy is used to manage fluid and solute imbalances in critically ill patients but may affect the clearance of concurrently administered...Full Text Available
In virtually all organisms, life expectancy is profoundly affected by caloric intake. For example, dietary restriction (DR; a feeding regimen of fewer calories compared to the ad libitum level without...Full Text Available
The hypothesis that the antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone slows down the heart rate by its inhibitory action on the intracellular conversion of thyroxine (T4) to 3,5,3' triiodothyronine (T3) was investigated....Full Text Available
BackgroundThe interactions between torus and several factors such as age, gender, and dental status have not been studied comprehensively. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of gender on the mandibular cortical index (MCI) and to investigate a possible association between torus mandibularis (TM) and MCI.MethodsThe study consisted of 189 consecutive patients referred to Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology of Hacettepe University within 30 workdays. Patients who did not have systemic disorders affecting bone density were included; and the age, gender, dental status and existing TM of the patients were recorded. Morphology of the mandibular inferior cortex was determined according to Klemitti's classification on panoramic radiographs.ResultsMCI was affected by age and gender (P 0.05).ConclusionIn the study population, MCI was affected by age and gender. As age increased, semilunar defects could be ...
BackgroundThough long known to affect smooth muscle biology, recent studies indicate that phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) is also expressed in myocardium. Recognizing that the regulation...Full Text Available
Using a ligature-induced model in type-2 Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat and normoglycemic littermates, we investigated whether diabetes primarily affects periodontitis by enhancing bone loss...Full Text Available
BackgroundOsteoporosis affects over 200 million people worldwide, and represents a significant cost burden. Although guidelines are available for best practice in osteoporosis, evidence...Full Text Available
Certain structural and environmental factors other than technical combination of resources and firm size are hypothesized to affect medical practice output. Four groups of variables related to physician...Full Text Available
Carney-Stratakis syndrome, an inherited condition predisposing affected individuals to gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and paraganglioma, is caused by germline mutations in succinate dehydrogenase...Full Text Available
DNA damage is a threat to genomic integrity in all living organisms. Plants and green algae are particularly susceptible to DNA damage especially that caused by UV light, due to their light dependency...Full Text Available
Background:We analyzed the effects of a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in patients affected with late onset Stargardt disease (STGD).Methods:DHA...Full Text Available
Background. It is currently recommended that diet of pregnant mothers contain 200–300 mg DHA/day. Aim. To determine whether DHA supplementation...Full Text Available
Ewing's sarcoma is the second most common bone malignancy affecting children and young adults. The prognosis is especially poor in metastatic or relapsed disease. The cell of origin remains elusive,...Full Text Available
We study how the microscale topography of a solid surface affects the apparent advancing and receding angles at the contact line of a liquid drop pinned to this surface. Photolithographic methods...Full Text Available
BackgroundWhite spot syndrome (WSS) is a viral disease that affects most of the commercially important shrimps and causes serious economic losses to the shrimp farming industry worldwide....Full Text Available
There is growing epidemiological and molecular evidence that ABO blood group affects host susceptibility to severe Plasmodium falciparum infection. The high frequency of common...Full Text Available
The opportunistic pathogenic yeast Candida albicans exhibits growth phase-dependent changes in cell surface hydrophobicity, which has been correlated with adhesion to host tissues....Full Text Available
The mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway plays a key role in mediating estrogen actions in the brain and neuronal sensitization during inflammation....Full Text Available
Chondroitin sulphate (CS) is a glycosaminoglycan widely distributed in animal tissues, which has anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective properties. We reported previously that chondroitin 4-sulphate...Full Text Available
RNA is involved in a variety of chromatin modification events, ranging from large-scale structural rearrangements to subtle local affects. Here, we extend the evidence for RNA–chromatin interactions...Full Text Available
Studies on alcoholic liver injury mechanisms show a significant inhibition of the proteasome activity. To investigate this phenomenon, we isolated proteasome complexes from the liver of rats...Full Text Available
PurposeOcular surface disease following penetrating keratoplasty has been shown to increase patient morbidity and adversely affect graft survival. Five cases of dense central subepithelial...Full Text Available
The commissioning of four CANDU-600 reactors is discussed, with mention of some design features. The four are Point Lepreau, Gentilly-2, Wolsung and Cordoba reactors. The commissioning of Pickering-5 is also mentioned, and so are some events affecting other CANDU reactors.
Heavy ion tests of a switching converter using power MOSFETs have allowed us to identify the main parameters which affect the burnout sensitivity of these components. The differences between static and dynamic conditions are clarified in this paper. (author). 7 refs., 16 figs., 3 tabs.
Anemia commonly affects critically ill patients. The causes are multifactorial and include acute blood loss, blood loss from diagnostic testing and blunted red blood cell production. Blood transfusions...Full Text Available
Bhanja virus (BHAV) is pathogenic for young domestic ruminants and also for humans, causing fever and affections of the central nervous system. This generally neglected arbovirus of the family Bunyaviridae...Full Text Available
BackgroundSelenium is a trace element performing important biological functions in many organisms including humans. It usually affects organisms in a strictly dosage-dependent manner...Full Text Available
We have used a sintered glass bead core to simulate the spaces and surfaces of reservoir rock in studies of the bacterial plugging phenomenon that affects waterflood oil recovery operations. The passage...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND: DNA prenatal diagnosis for cystic fibrosis (CF) has been available for parents of affected children since late 1985. METHODS: Using anonymous questionnaires, we surveyed 395 parents of children...Full Text Available
Background: The causes of elevated B-Type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels are multifactorial. Renal dysfunction has been shown to affect BNP levels in some studies and...Full Text Available
Many species introduced by humans for social and economic benefits have invaded new ranges by escaping from captivity. Such invasive species can negatively affect biodiversity and economies. Understanding...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND: Angiosarcoma of the scalp is a rare, aggressive, and deadly cancer that affects mainly elderly Caucasian men. OBJECTIVES: The insidious and masquerading presentation of angiosarcoma poses...Full Text Available
The incidence of arrhythmias after acute myocardial infarction of the inferior wall varies with the affected segment and increases when there is right ventricular involvement. This paper provides a...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to identify the factors affecting the failure of trials (<50% pain reduction in pain for trial period) to improve success rate of spinal...Full Text Available
BackgroundCystic ovarian disease is an important cause of infertility that affects bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine species and even human beings. Alterations in the ovarian micro-environment...Full Text Available
BackgroundSocial isolation affects a significant proportion of older people and is associated with poor health outcomes. The current evidence base regarding the effectiveness of...Full Text Available
BackgroundBreast-feeding may affect the risk of developing allergy during childhood and may also cause exposure to immunotoxicants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which...Full Text Available
Models of age-related effects on behavior predict that among short-lived species younger adults are more attractive and attracted to opposite-sex conspecifics than are older adults, whereas...Full Text Available
Objective:This study examined the role of cognitive factors—such as expectancies regarding the consequences of not drinking and perceptions of peer drinking—in...Full Text Available
BackgroundAdhesive Capsulitis (AC) affects patient of all ages, and stretching protocols are commonly prescribed for this condition. Dynamic splinting has been shown effective in...Full Text Available
The question of whether storage of red blood cells (RBCs) alters their capacity to deliver oxygen and affects patient outcomes remains in a state of clinical equipoise. Studies of the changes...Full Text Available
PurposeTo detail the highly variable ocular phenotypes of a French family affected with an autosomal dominantly inherited vitreoretinopathy and to identify the disease gene.MethodsSixteen...Full Text Available
BackgroundTraffic injuries can cause physical, psychological, and economical impairment, and affected individuals may also experience shortcomings in their post-accident care and...Full Text Available
Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects up to 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 70. Treatment with PDE-5 inhibitors is effective in the majority of men with ED. However, PDE-5 inhibitors are not effective...Full Text Available
Traditional approaches to the study of hormones and cognition have been primarily observational or correlational in nature. Because this work does not permit causal relationships to be identified,...Full Text Available
P granules are non-membrane-bound organelles found in the germ-line cytoplasm throughout Caenorhabditis elegans development. Like their “germ granule” counterparts in...Full Text Available
Cysticercosis is the most common parasitic infection affecting the central nervous system. Spinal neurocysticercosis (NCC) is very rare compared with intracranial NCC and requires more aggressive management...Full Text Available
The relationships between soil salinization and the zonal and provincial bioclimatic conditions, the lithological composition of the sediments, and the geomorphic features of the territory have been analyzed for the Southern federal okrug of Russia. It is shown that the lithological and geomorphic conditions (relief, salinity of parent materials, degree of drainage, and the depth of saline groundwater) play an important role in the distribution of salt-affected soils against the background of the more general regularities specified by the climate. The participation of salt-affected soils in the soil cover of the Southern federal okrug increases in the eastward direction from the forest-steppe zone to the semidesert zone in agreement with an increase in the aridity and continentality of the...
The visual impact of wind turbines is one of the main factors affecting public acceptance of wind parks. This paper evaluates the visual impact of a wind park in Chania, Crete, using the Spanish method of evaluation. The outcomes are combined with the psychometric testing of the residents by the use of questionnaires and with the values of the Spanish method about various scenarios concerning the size of the wind park (double, half, one wind turbine). The results of the study prove that the quantification of the potential visual impact could minimize this, apparently, main reason that affects public acceptance. (author)
Lupus pernio of the nose is the most characteristic cutaneous lesion of sarcoidosis. It is cosmetically disfiguring and can be the cause of significant morbidity. In particular, the affected skin is often red or purple due to increased vasculature. It is particularly resistant to both surgical and medical therapy. We describe a patient with lupus pernio affecting her nose, which showed a dramatic improvement following treatment with the pulse dye laser (PDL). A biopsy taken after treatment showed the continued presence of sarcoidal granulomas. We therefore feel that treatment with the PDL is an effective tool in improving the cosmetic appearance of lupus pernio, but does not influence the underlying disease process. PMID:11360426
Several enzymes of the metabolic pathways responsible for metabolism of cytosolic ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides are located in mitochondria. Studies described in this paper suggest dysfunction of the mitochondria to affect these metabolic pathways and limit the available levels of cytosolic ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides, which in turn can result in aberrant RNA and DNA synthesis. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to genomic instability, and it is possible that the limiting effect of mitochondrial dysfunction on the levels of nucleotides and resulting aberrant RNA and DNA synthesis in part can be responsible for this link. This paper summarizes the parts of the metabolic pathways responsible for nucleotide metabolism that can be affected by mitochondrial dysfunction.
Beta-C trademark is a metastable beta titanium alloy which can be heat treated to achieve a good combination of properties such as tensile strength, fatigue strength, ductility and toughness, such as needed in aircraft fasteners. Variations in hot and cold processing parameters and solution heat treatment can affect the resultant grain structure which in turn affects subsequent aging response and mechanical properties. Several processing/heat treating routes on round bar are explored in this study to determine the effects on microstructure and various mechanical properties.
Typhoons Aere (2004) and Matsa (2005) caused high nephelometric turbidity in the Shihmen reservoir in northern Taiwan, jeopardizing the operation of the reservoir for several days, and ultimately impacting the living conditions and economy of the downstream residents. The torrential rains caused landslides and debris flows in upland areas, and flowed into riverbeds, likely contributing significantly to the suspended sediment yields in the reservoir. This investigation elucidates how upland landslides affect sediment attributes in the reservoir basin. Study methods including field observations, spatial analysis in GIS and aerial photo interpretation are adopted to trace the sediment sources and contributing factors to the landslide. Torrential rains induced landslides and debris-flows uplan...
The author discusses in detail the following topics: Compensation for domestic nuclear damage and for transfrontier nuclear damage - rule of formal equality of parties which belongs to the basic rule of civil law considering the position of domestic and foreign victims of a grave accident-juridical consequences of the preponderant role played by the state in the promotion, development and supervision of the nuclear industry-rationale for applying the concept of global limitation of liability in the law on nuclear liability and compensation - financial consequences of uncompensated nuclear damage, borne by the victims directly affected or spread over the whole community of the affected state? (HP)
Gaussian-process models are developed to detect genetic linkage using complete high-resolution maps of identity by descent between affected relative pairs. Approximations are given for the significance level and power of the likelihood-ratio test of no linkage and for likelihood-ratio confidence regions for trait loci. The sample sizes required to detect linkage by using different classes of affected relative pairs are compared, and the problem of combining data from different classes of relatives is discussed. 23 refs., 2 figs.
We report the first visible (657 nm) vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. The photopumped undoped structure was grown using low-pressure metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy in a single-growth sequence on misoriented GaAs substrates. The optical cavity consists of an In{sub 0.54}Ga{sub 0.46}P/In{sub 0.48}(Al{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}){sub 0.52} P strained quantum-well active region and a lattice-matched In{sub 0.48}(Al{sub {ital y}}Ga{sub 1{minus}{ital y}}){sub 0.52} P (0.7{le}{ital y}{le}1.0) graded spacer region, while the distributed Bragg reflectors are composed of Al{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}As/AlAs quarter-wave stacks. Room-temperature optically pumped lasing was achieved with a very low-threshold power, clearly demonstrating the viability of this new technology. These results provide the foundation for visible semiconductor laser-diode arrays for a number of applications including laser projection displays, holographic memories, and plastic fiber communication.
The integrated-gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) process is an emerging technology that utilizes coal for power generation and production of chemical feedstocks. However, the process generates large amounts of solid waste, consisting of vitrified ash (slag) and some unconverted carbon. In previous projects, Praxis investigated the utilization of {open_quotes}as-generated{close_quotes} slags for a wide variety of applications in road construction, cement and concrete production, agricultural applications, and as a landfill material. From these studies, we found that it would be extremely difficult for {open_quotes}as-generated{close_quotes} slag to find large-scale acceptance in the marketplace even at no cost because the materials it could replace were abundantly available at very low cost. It was further determined that the unconverted carbon, or char, in the slag is detrimental to its utilization as sand or fine aggregate. It became apparent that a more promising approach would be ...
A common practice of electric utilities experiencing transmission and distribution (T and D) system overloads is to expand the substation, add lines, or upgrade equipment, all of which are capital intensive options. In 1988, it was hypothesized that strategically sited photovoltaics (PV) could benefit parts of T and D systems near or at overloaded conditions. An evaluation methodology was developed and applied to a test case (Kerman Substation near Fresno, California). Analytical results suggested that the value of PV to the T and D system could substantially exceed its energy and generation capacity value. The importance of this finding indicated the need for empirical validation. This led to the construction of a 0.5 MW PV demonstration plant by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG and E) at Kerman, California as part of the PVUSA (PV for Utility Scale Applications) project. PVUSA is a national public-private partnership that is assessing and demonstrating the ...
In this study, we measured the effects of different concentrations of paraquat (0,01 mM and 1,0 mM) on the 1-"1"4CO_2 and 6-"1"4CO_2 production of rabbit lung slices and isolated alveolar macrophages, in 20% and 95% oxygen phases respectively. A 95% oxygen phase induced an increase in the 6-"1"4C-glucose oxidation of control lung slices over a 3-hour period, while the increased activity of the pentose pathway over the first 2 hours started to decline during the third hour of incubation. Paraquat (1,0mM) in 20% oxygen caused a consistent increase in the 6-"1"4CO_2 production by lung slices, but in a 95% oxygen phase gradually inhibited the 6-"1"4C-glucose oxidation over a period of 3 hours. The pentose phosphate pathway was highly significantly stimulated by 1,0 mM paraquat in 20% and 95% oxygen over 3 hours. When isolated alveolar macrophages (viability 95%) were incubated in a 20% and 95% oxygen phase respectively, both the 6-"1"4C-glucose and 1-"1"4C-glucose ...
ORNL has conducted a Nuclear Power Options Viability Study for the Department of Energy. That study is primarily concerned with new technology which could be developed for initial operation in the 2000 to 2010 time frame. Such technology would have to compete not only with coal options but with incrementally improved commercial light-water-reactors. This survey reported here was undertaken to gain an understanding of the nuclear commercial technology likely to be offered in the late 1980s and perhaps beyond. The three US vendors actively marketing NSSSs are each developing a product for the future which they expect to be more reliable, more maintainable, more economical, and safer than the present plants. These are all essentially 3800-MW(t) designs, although all are studying smaller plants. They apparently will be off offered as standard prelicensed designs with much larger scope than earlier NSSS offerings, with the possibility of firm prices. Westinghouse with ...
Sida rhomboidea. Roxb leaf extract (SRLE) is being used by the populace of North-East India to alleviate symptoms of diabetes and obesity. We have previously reported its hypolipidemic and anti-diabetic properties. In this study, we report the effect of SRLE on (i) in vivo modulation of genes controlling high fat diet (HFD) induced obesity and (ii) in vitro 3T3L1 pre-adipocyte differentiation and leptin release. Supplementation with SRLE significantly prevented HFD induced increment in bodyweight, plasma lipids and leptin, visceral adiposity and adipocyte hypertrophy. Also, SRLE supplementation reduced food intake, down regulated PPAR?2, SREBP1c, FAS and LEP expressions and up-regulated CPT-1 in epididymal adipose tissue compared to obese mice. In vitro adipogenesis of 3T3L1 pre-adipocytes was significantly retarded in the presence of SRLE extract. Also decreased triglyceride accumulation, leptin release and glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate dehydrogenase activity along with higher glycerol ...
Full text: Secure, reliable and cost-effective communications are becoming an increasingly important tool for safeguards verification. This trend began with the initiation of remote monitoring implementation, where secure and cost effective data communications were required both to satisfy the confidentiality requirements of Member States and in order to meet the rigorous data authenticity requirements which allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to draw credible and independent conclusions. In addition, the implementation of additional protocols and integrated safeguards increases the importance of information (obtained in the course of an inspection, visit, complementary access or design information verification) being analyzed and corroborated with other information sources stored at IAEA Headquarters or Regional Offices, often while the inspector is still on-site. This requires the capability of enabling the inspector, wherever he is in the field, to communicate with ...
This topical report is a compilation of characterizations by different disciplines of the Mississippian Ratcliffe in portions of Richland County, MT. Goals of the report are to increase understanding of the reservoir rocks, oil-in-place, heterogeneity and methods for improved recovery. The report covers investigations of geology, petrography, reservoir engineering and seismic. The Ratcliffe is a low permeability oil reservoir which appears to be developed across much of the study area and occurs across much of the Williston Basin. The reservoir has not been a primary drilling target in the study area because average reserves have been insufficient to payout the cost of drilling and completion despite the application of hydraulic fracture stimulation. Oil trapping does not appear to be structurally controlled. For the Ratcliffe to be a viable drilling objective, methods need to be developed for (1) targeting better reservoir development and (2) better completions. A geological model is ...
To study the regulation of adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in human adipocytes, omental adipose tissue was obtained from healthy subjects and digested in collagenase. The isolated adipocytes thus obtained were suspended in Medium 199 and cultured at 37 degrees C. Cell viability was demonstrated in adipocytes cultured for up to 72 h by constancy of cell number, cell size, trypan-blue exclusion, and specific /sup 125/I-insulin binding. In addition, chloroquine induced an increase in cell-associated /sup 125/I-insulin at 24, 48, and 72 h after preparation. Thus, isolated adipocytes retained their ability to bind, internalize, and degrade insulin. LPL was measured as activity secreted into the culture medium (CM), released from cells by heparin (HR), and extracted from cell digests. A broad range of heparin concentrations produced a prompt release of LPL from a rapidly replenishable pool of cellular activity. When cells were cultured in medium containing 10% ...
One of the limiting contributors to the heat load constraint for a long term spent fuel repository is the decay of americium-241. A possible option to reduce the heat load produced by Am-241 is to eliminate it via transmutation in a light water reactor thermal neutron environment, in particular, by taking advantage of the large thermal fission cross section of Am-242 and Am-242m. In this study we employ lattice loading optimization techniques to define the loadings and arrangements of fuel pins with blended americium and uranium oxide in boiling water reactor bundles, specifically, by defining the incineration of pre-loaded americium as an objective function to maximize americium transmutation. Subsequently, the viability of these optimized lattices is tested by assembling them into bundles with Am-spiked fuel pins and by loading these bundles into realistic three-dimensional BWR core-wide simulations that model multiple reload cycles and observe standard ...
The main objective of the present thesis was develop and get operational a real-time neutron radiography system, at the IPEN-CNEN/SP. This system is installed inside the shielding of an old facility, designed in 1988, for film radiography, which is installed at the beam-hole 08 of the 5 MW, IEA-R1 Nuclear Research Reactor. The most important modifications at the such facility were the increase of the {gamma}-radiation filter thickness, increase of the inner area of the shielding, design of a neutron collimator and a light tight box. The main characteristics of the neutron beam at the irradiation position are: flux: 1 x 10{sup 6}n/cm{sup 2}s, collimation ratio 70, effective energy 7 meV, diameter 20 cm, neutron/{gamma} ratio {approx} 10{sup 6}n/cm{sup 2}mrem. The real-time images have been obtained by means of an imaging system that consists of a screen scintillator, a light intensifier, a video camera, a digitizing frame grabber and a computer. The device composed by the scintillator ...
The main objective of the present thesis was develop and get operational a real-time neutron radiography system, at the IPEN-CNEN/SP. This system is installed inside the shielding of an old facility, designed in 1988, for film radiography, which is installed at the beam-hole 08 of the 5 MW, IEA-R1 Nuclear Research Reactor. The most important modifications at the such facility were the increase of the #gamma#-radiation filter thickness, increase of the inner area of the shielding, design of a neutron collimator and a light tight box. The main characteristics of the neutron beam at the irradiation position are: flux: 1 x 10"6n/cm"2s, collimation ratio 70, effective energy 7 meV, diameter 20 cm, neutron/#gamma# ratio #approx# 10"6n/cm"2mrem. The real-time images have been obtained by means of an imaging system that consists of a screen scintillator, a light intensifier, a video camera, a digitizing frame grabber and a computer. The device composed by the scintillator and by the light ...
The vascular status of femoral heads in the post-traumatic period of intracapsular femoral neck fracture (ICFNF) remains uncertain until the patient actually develops avascular necrosis (AVN). Several methods for predicting the viability of femoral head have been reported, that are not effective or widely used because of unreliability, potential complications, and technical difficulties. The present study involved the use of Dynamic MRI (DMRI) in assessing femoral head vascularity to predict AVN. The role of DMRI was studied prospectively in 30 patients with 31 ICFNF. Fractures were divided in to three types (Type A, B, or C) based on the femoral head vascularity shown by dynamic curve patterns on MRI evaluation. Type A was preserved vascularity, Type B was some decrease in vascularity but still viable while Type C was significantly reduced vascularity. These were followed-up for 6 months to 2 years to observe the final outcome in terms of union, non-union, or AVN. ...
Osteonecrosis (ON) of the hip joint remains an unsolved therapeutical problem. Diagnosis of ON of the hip has been improved by the technical progress of imaging modalities and better understanding pathomorphology. Over a long period only plain radiographs have been available. Scintigraphy and computed tomography contributed to differential diagnosis and early detection of bone necrosis. Diagnosis in an early reversible stage is of importance. Understanding of pathophysiology, early diagnosis and therapeutical approach has been significantly improved by MR imaging. Using the ARCO system all imaging modalities and their diagnostic viability are described in the five ARCO stages. At the end a diagnostic algorithm will be proposed. (orig.) [German] Die Osteonekrose des Hueftgelenks (ON) stellt noch immer ein nicht geloestes therapeutisches Problem dar. Die diagnostischen Moeglichkeiten bei der ON wurden in den letzten Jahren durch technische Fortschritte bei den ...
One of the limiting contributors to the heat load constraint for the Yucca Mountain repository is the decay of Americium 241. A possible option to reduce the heat load produced by Am-241 is to eliminate or transmute it in a light water reactor thermal neutron environment, particularly, by taking advantage of the thermal fission cross section of Am-242 and Am-242m. In this study we employ lattice loading optimization techniques to define the americium/uranium blending and pin arrangements via an adaptation of the code FORMOSA-L to include the incineration of preloaded americium as an objective function. The optimization routines were designed to maximize americium transmutation, while maintaining power peaking below a predefined constraint. The viability of these lattice designs has been analyzed by creating bundles with these Am-spiked lattices and by loading these bundles into realistic 3D BWR core-wide simulation models over multiple reload cycles, a task that ...
Blade fatigue life is an important element in determining the economic viability of the Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). A principal source of blade fatigue is thought to be the stochastic (i.e., random) aerodynamic loads created by atmospheric turbulence. This report describes the theoretical background of the VAWT Stochastic Aerodynamic Loads (VAWT-SAL) computer code, whose purpose is to numerically simulate these random loads, given the rotor geometry, operating conditions, and assumed turbulence properties. A Double-Multiple-Stream Tube (DMST) analysis is employed to model the rotor's aerodynamic response. The analysis includes the effects of Reynolds number variations, different airfoil sections and chord lengths along the blade span, and an empirical model for dynamic stall effects. The mean ambient wind is assumed to have a shear profile which is described by either a power law or a logarithmic variation with height above ground. Superimposed on ...
BackgroundIn recent years, near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF)-labeled iron nanoparticles have been synthesized and applied in a number of applications, including the labeling of human cells for monitoring the engraftment process, imaging tumors, sensoring the in vivo molecular environment surrounding nanoparticles and tracing their in vivo biodistribution. These studies demonstrate that NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles provide an efficient probe for cell labeling. Furthermore, the in vivo imaging studies show excellent performance of the NIR fluorophores. However, there is a limited selection of NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles with an optimal wavelength for imaging around 800 nm, where tissue autofluorescence is minimal. Therefore, it is necessary to develop additional alternative NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles for application in this area.ResultsThis study manufactured 12-nm DMSA-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles labeled with a near-infrared fluorophore, IRDye800CW (excitation/emission, ...
Radioactive waste has been stored in large underground storage tanks at the Hanford Site since 1944. Approximately 212 million liters of waste containing approximately 240,000 metric tons of processed chemicals and 177 mega-curies of radionuclides are now stored in 177 tanks. These caustic wastes are in the form of liquids, slurries, saltcakes, and sludge. In 1991, the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) Program was established to manage, retrieve, treat, immobilize, and dispose of these wastes in a safe, environmentally sound, and cost-effective manner. The Department of Energy (DOE) has believes that it is feasible to privatize portions of the TWRS Program. Under the privatization strategy embodied in the Request for Proposal (RFP), DOE will purchase services from a contractor-owned, contractor-operated facility under a fixed-price contract. Phase I of the TWRS privatization strategy is a proof-of-concept/commercial demonstration-scale effort. The objectives of Phase I are to ...
Abstract in english The outcome of the interaction between Biomphalaria and Schistosoma mansoni depends on the response of the host internal defence system (IDS) and the escape mechanisms of the parasite. The aim of this study was to evaluate the responsiveness of the IDS (haemocytes and soluble haemolymph factors) of resistant and susceptible Biomphalaria tenagophila lineages and Biomphalaria glabrata lineages in the presence of in vitro-transformed primary sporocysts and secondary sporocys (more) ts obtained from infected B. glabrata. To do this, we assayed the cellular adhesion index (CAI), analysed viability/mortality, used fluorescent markers to evaluate the tegumental damage and transplanted secondary sporocysts. B. tenagophila Taim was more effective against primary and secondary sporocystes than the susceptible lineage and B. glabrata. Compared with secondary sporocysts exposed to B. tenagophila, primary sporocysts showed a higher CAI, a greater percentage ...
The authors have found that heat-inactivated serum (57/sup 0/C for 1 hour) from normal chickens reduces the proliferation of mitogen-stimulated chicken and murine splenocytes as well as some transformed mammalian lymphoblastoid cell lines. Greater than a 50% reduction in /sup 3/H-thymidine incorporation was observed when concanavalin A (Con A)-activated chicken splenocytes that were cultured in the presence of 10% autologous or heterologous serum were compared to mitogen-stimulated cells cultured in the absence of serum. Normal chicken serum (10%) also caused greater than 95% suppression of /sup 3/H-thymidine incorporation by bovine (EBL-1 and BL-3) and gibbon ape (MLA 144) transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines. The only cell line tested that was not inhibited by chicken serum was an IL-2-dependent, murine cell line. Chicken serum also inhibited both /sup 3/H-thymidine incorporation and IL-2 synthesis by Con A-activated murine splenocytes. Suppression was caused by actions other than ...
One of the challenges facing Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects today is their limited ability to secure financing for the underlying greenhouse gas emission reduction activities, particularly in the least developed countries. Among the key reasons for this is the fact that most financial intermediaries in the CDM host countries have limited or no knowledge of the CDM Modalities and Procedures. Moreover, approaches, tools and skills for CDM project appraisal are lacking or are asymmetrical to the skills in comparable institutions in developed countries. Consequently, developing country financial institutions are unable to properly evaluate the risks and rewards associated with investing or lending to developers undertaking CDM projects, and therefore have, by-and-large, refrained from financing these projects. In addition, some potential project proponents lack experience in structuring arrangements for financing a project. This Guidebook - commissioned by the UNEP Risoe Centre ...
The purpose of this report is to determine if it is feasible to utilize the hot exhaust gas discharged from gas turbines in direct applications. This report illustrates the technical feasibility and economic viability of using gas turbines in drying applications. The size of turbines in this investigation ranges from 2 MW to 10 MW. In addition, an implementation strategy has been developed to employ this new system. The method used to structure the scope of this undertaking is as follows: Step 1. Collecting information by contacting dryer manufacturer and companies drying different products. Information was also gathered by literature studies and the internet. Thomas register is a great tool when it comes to company and market searches. Step 2. Looking into if it is technically possible to use the exhaust gas directly into dryers. The parameters needed for these calculations were gathered in step 1, and some of the more important are temperature, mass flow, heat ...
Abstract in english Extracts of nine species of plants traditionally used in Colombia for the treatment of a variety of diseases were tested in vitro for their potential antitumor (cytotoxicity) and antiherpetic activity. MTT (Tetrazolium blue) and Neutral Red colorimetric assays were used to evaluate the reduction of viability of cell cultures in presence and absence of the extracts. MTT was also used to evaluate the effects of the extracts on the lytic activity of herpes simplex virus type (more) 2 (HSV-2). The 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) and the 50% inhibitory concentration of the viral effect (EC50) for each extract were calculated by linear regression analysis. Extracts from Annona muricata, A. cherimolia and Rollinia membranacea, known for their cytotoxicity were used as positive controls. Likewise, acyclovir and heparin were used as positive controls of antiherpetic activity. Methanolic extract from Annona sp. on HEp-2 cells presented a CC50 value at ...
This RD&D project is a three year team effort to develop a hybrid solar lighting (HSL) system that transports daylight from a paraboloidal dish concentrator to a luminaire via a bundle of small core or a large core polymer fiber optics. The luminaire can be a device to distribute sunlight into a space for the production of algae or it can be a device that is a combination of daylighting and electric lighting for space/task lighting. In this project, the sunlight is collected using a one-meter paraboloidal concentrator dish with two-axis tracking. For the second generation (alpha) system, the secondary mirror is an ellipsoidal mirror that directs the visible light into a bundle of small-core fibers. The IR spectrum is filtered out to minimize unnecessary heating at the fiber entrance region. This report describes the following investigations of various aspects of the system. Taken as a whole, they confirm significant progress towards the technical feasibility and commercial ...
Amyloid aggregation starts with the initial misfolding of peptide/protein precursors, with subsequent structural rearrangement into oligomers and protofibrils; the latter eventually organize into fibrils with shared basic structural features, found deposited in amyloid diseases. Mounting evidence indicates early oligomers as the most toxic amyloid species; accordingly, the search of inhibitors of their growth is considered a promising target to prevent amyloid toxicity. We recently showed that oleuropein aglycon, a polyphenol abundant in the extra virgin olive oil, interferes with the aggregation of amylin (involved in type-2 diabetes), eliminating its cytotoxicity. Here we report that oleuropein aglycon also hinders amyloid aggregation of A?(1-42) and its cytotoxicity, suggesting a general effect of such polyphenol. In particular, by using a wide panel of different spectroscopic, immunologic, cell viability and imaging techniques we provide a more detailed ...
We present a sample preparation method for measuring magnesium in individual whole lymphocytes by electron probe X-ray microanalysis. We use Burkitt's lymphoma cells in culture as the test sample and compare X-ray microanalysis of individual cells with atomic absorption analysis of pooled cell populations. We determine the magnesium peak-to-local continuum X-ray intensity ratio by electron probe X-ray microanalysis and calculate a mean cell magnesium concentration of 39 +/- 19 mmol/kg dry weight from analysis of 100 cells. We determine a mean cell magnesium concentration of 34 +/- 4 mmol/kg dry weight by atomic absorption analysis of pooled cells in three cell cultures. The mean cell magnesium concentrations determined by the two methods are not significantly different. We find a 10% coefficient of variation for both methods of analysis and a 30% coefficient of variation in magnesium concentration among individual cells by electron probe X-ray microanalysis. We wash cells in ammonium ...
Non-uniform radionuclide distribution in tumours will lead to a non-uniform absorbed dose. The aim of this study was to investigate how tumour control probability (TCP) depends on the radionuclide distribution in the tumour, both macroscopically and at the subcellular level. The absorbed dose in the cell nuclei of tumours was calculated for {sup 90}Y, {sup 177}Lu, {sup 103m}Rh and {sup 211}At. The radionuclides were uniformly distributed within the subcellular compartment and they were uniformly, normally or log-normally distributed among the cells in the tumour. When all cells contain the same amount of activity, the cumulated activities required for TCP = 0.99 (A-tilde{sub TCP=0.99}) were 1.5-2 and 2-3 times higher when the activity was distributed on the cell membrane compared to in the cell nucleus for {sup 103m}Rh and {sup 211}At, respectively. TCP for {sup 90}Y was not affected by different radionuclide distributions, whereas for {sup 177}Lu, it was slightly ...
The GntR-like protein NorG has been shown to affect Staphylococcus aureus genes involved in the resistance to quinolones and ?-lactams, such as those encoding the NorB and AbcA transporters. To identify the target genes regulated by NorG, we carried out transcriptional profiling assays using S. aureus RN6390 and its isogenic norG::cat mutant. Our data showed that NorG positively affected the transcription of global regulators mgrA, arlS, and sarZ. The three putative drug efflux pump genes most positively affected by NorG were the NorB efflux pump (5.1-fold), the MmpL-like protein SACOL2566 (5.2-fold), and the BcrA-like drug transporter SACOL2525 (5.7-fold). The S. aureus predicted MmpL protein showed 53% homology with the MmpL lipid transporter of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the putative SACOL2525 protein showed 87% homology with the bacitracin drug transporter BcrA of Staphylococcus hominis. Two pump genes most ...
Three different magnetic regimes; aerial, surface and buried; each with three different forces, have been used to investigate their effects on the water contents and photosynthetic pigments of sweet basil plants (Ocimum basilicum L.). Two groups of sweet basil seeds, Ocimum basilicum L. have been cultivated, one under normal conditions and the second has been subdivided into three portion (aerial, surface and buried) to examine the effect of different magnetic forces coming from the three directions on the resulted plants. At all directions of magnets, water contents have been significantly affected by the magnetic forces. Chlorophyll A and carotene contents have been affected, as well, according to the three magnetic forces coming from soil surface regime only. Chlorophyll B did not significantly affected by differences magnetic forces in the three regimes, but it is affected by magnetism wherever its ...
The nation's wetlands are a valuable resource serving many important natural, industrial, commercial and recreational functions. Wetlands protect shore areas from waves and storms; act as storage areas for flood waters; remove waste from water by trapping soils or silt which settle to the bottom; improve water quality and reduce pollution; are a commercial breeding ground for fish and other foods; and provide space for recreation and habitat for wildlife. They also are located in prime industrial development areas. Recent wetlands losses have caused much public outcry, politicking and regulatory efforts to prevent this trend. During the '90s, the public will see efforts to strike a proper balance regarding wetlands use. Today, wetlands protection is a permitting issue for nearly every major industrial or commercial development and expansion project. Wetlands permit requirements affect a range of business entities. Any project that involves ...
Ingestion of HTO during oocyte maturation and continued during pre-implantation time was found to depress decidual response. At birth these offspring also showed a decrease in brain cell number. When HTO was given during pregnancy only, the offspring at birth showed a similar deficit in brain cell number. Even so, we could not demonstrate a gross deficit in oocyte maturation when HTO was ingested during sexual maturity only; however, when further continued during pregnancy, the measured newborn parameters were most severely affected. In this group, cell-multiplication in the cerebrum was severely decreased, protein synthesis was decreased, and somatic growth was also highly significantly decreased. These experiments indicate that even a short-term exposure to HTO during early pregnancy (pre-implantation) alters normal development to such an extent that it is still observable at birth. During embryonic development, HTO affected the rate of ...
the medium to long freezing range alloys of aluminum such as A356, A357, A206, 319 for example are known to exhibit dispersed porosity, which is recognized as a factor affecting ductility, fracture toughness, and fatigue resistance of light alloy castings. The local thermal environment, for example, temperature gradient and freezing from velocity, affect the mode of solidification which, along with alloy composition, heat treatment, oxide film occlusion, hydrogen content, and the extent to which the alloy contracts on solidification, combine to exert strong effects on the porosity formation in such alloys. In addition to such factors, the availability of liquid metal and its ability to flow through the partially solidified casting, which will be affect by the pressure in the liquid metal, must also be considered. The supply of molten metal will thus be controlled by the volume of the riser available for feeding the ...
In field O{sub 3}-enrichment experiments increased herbivore densities have been reported, which could be due to negatively affected host location behavior of natural enemies. We addressed the impact of doubling background O{sub 3} on the host location of the parasitoid Cotesia plutellae by conducting 24-h trials in an open-air O{sub 3}-fumigation system during two consecutive years. Two circles (radii 1.40 and 4.00 m) of Plutella xylostella-infested potted cabbage plants were placed in the O{sub 3} and ambient plots. Female wasps were released into each plot from the center, and observed 5 times over a 24-h period to assess their host location capability. Thereafter, plants were kept in laboratory conditions until larvae pupation to determine parasitism rates. No significant differences were detected between ambient and O{sub 3}-enriched environments either in the number of wasps found in the field, or in the percentages of parasitized larvae. This suggests that ...
The irradiation behavior of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} under a fusion reactor environment was simulated by simultaneous irradiation of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} by the triple ion beams and the respective single ion beams of O{sup 2+}, He{sup +} and H{sup +}. The microstructural changes in Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} caused by the irradiation were measured by FT-IR photoacoustic spectroscopy. The results suggest that the amount of TiO{sub 2} formed is proportional to the dpa and that the method of irradiation does not affect the dependence of formation of TiO{sub 2}. On the other hand, the amount of defects and/or radiolytic products generated by irradiation, which is considered to trap hydrogen near the surface, is found to be affected by the method of irradiation. Such phenomena are believed to affect the tritium release behavior from Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}, and durability of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} and compatibility of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} with other ...
The irradiation behavior of Li_2TiO_3 under a fusion reactor environment was simulated by simultaneous irradiation of Li_2TiO_3 by the triple ion beams and the respective single ion beams of O"2"+, He"+ and H"+. The microstructural changes in Li_2TiO_3 caused by the irradiation were measured by FT-IR photoacoustic spectroscopy. The results suggest that the amount of TiO_2 formed is proportional to the dpa and that the method of irradiation does not affect the dependence of formation of TiO_2. On the other hand, the amount of defects and/or radiolytic products generated by irradiation, which is considered to trap hydrogen near the surface, is found to be affected by the method of irradiation. Such phenomena are believed to affect the tritium release behavior from Li_2TiO_3, and durability of Li_2TiO_3 and compatibility of Li_2TiO_3 with other components of the breeder blanket such as structural materials in the fusion ...
The classical phenomenon of position-effect variegation (PEV) is the mosaic expression that occurs when a chromosomal rearrangements moves a euchromatic gene near heterochromatin. A striking feature of this phenomenon is that genes far away from the junction with heterochromatin can be affected, as if the heterochromatic state {open_quotes}spreads.{close_quotes} We have investigated classical PEV of a Drosophila brown transgene affected by a heterochromatic junction {approximately} 60 kb away. PEV was enhanced when the transgene was locally duplicated using P transposase. Successive rounds of P transpose mutagenesis and phenotypic selection produced a series of PEV alleles with differences in phenotype that depended on transgene copy number and orientation. As for other examples of classical PEV, nearby heterochromatin was required for gene silencing. Modifications of classical PEV by alterations at a single site are unexpected, and these ...
The degradation status of outlet feeders in Wolsung unit 1 is analyzed using feeder thickness measurement data during overhaul period in 2000. DBs related to feeder thinning are made for parameters affecting dissolution rate and parameters affecting mass transfer rate. The initial thickness of feeder in Wolsung unit 1 is analyzed using initial thickness data of Wolsung unit 2, 3 and 4 as there are no initial thickness data of Wolsung unit 1. The initial thickness is varied as feeder diameter and bending degree, and CANDU feeders can be divided as 3 types for 2.5'' feeders and 3 types for 2'' feeders. The average initial thickness value for each type is defined as the initial thickness value of the type for Wolsung unit 1 feeders. Thinning rate is evaluated as the value dividing difference between initial thickness and minimum measured thickness by operation time. It is found that the distribution of thinning ...
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 ...
The White Rose Oil Project, located in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin 350 km east of St. John's, is reported to continue paying benefits for the oil and gas industry in eastern Canada. The operator, Husky Energy, is said to be on target and expects first oil from the project in late 2005 or early 2006. Peak production for the White Rose Field is projected at 100,000 bbl/d. The project has a total capital cost of $2.35 billion. The first phase of the project, comprised of four wells, including an oil producer, was completed in July. The estimated productive capacity of this well is between 25,000 and 35,000 bbl/d. Other major milestones achieved at the White Rose project include movement of the topside modules onto the Sea Rose floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, consisting of 17 lifts during the seven-week program. Individual lifts up to 1,250 tons were carried by the Lampson 2600 Trans-lift crane at the Cow Head Fabrication Facility in Marystown. ...
The challenge for truck engine product engineering is not only to fulfill increasingly stringent emission requirements, but also to improve the engine's economical viability in its role as the backbone of our global economy. While societal impact and therefore emission limit values are to be reduced in big steps, continuous improvement is not enough but technological quantum leaps are necessary. The introduction and refinement of electronic control of all major engine systems has already been a quantum leap forward. Maximizing the benefits of these technologies to customers and society requires full use of parameter optimization and other enabling technologies. The next big step forward will be widespread use of exhaust aftertreatment on all transportation related diesel engines. While exhaust gas aftertreatment has been successfully established on gasoline (Otto cycle) engines, the introduction of exhaust aftertreatment especially for heavy-duty diesel ...
Heterochromatin constitutes a significant portion of the genome in higher eukaryotes; approximately 30% in Drosophila and human. Heterochromatin contains a high repeat DNA content and a low density of protein-encoding genes. In contrast, euchromatin is composed mostly of unique sequences and contains the majority of single-copy genes. Genetic and cytological studies demonstrated that heterochromatin exhibits regulatory roles in chromosome organization, centromere function and telomere protection. As an epigenetically regulated structure, heterochromatin formation is not defined by any DNA sequence consensus. Heterochromatin is characterized by its association with nucleosomes containing methylated-lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9me), heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) that binds H3K9me, and Su(var)3-9, which methylates H3K9 and binds HP1. Heterochromatin formation and functions are influenced by HP1, Su(var)3-9, and the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. My thesis project investigates how ...
Combined heat and power (CHP) or cogeneration is the sequential production of two forms of useful energy from a single fuel source. In most CHP applications, chemical energy in fuel is converted to both mechanical and thermal energy. The mechanical energy is generally used to generate electricity, while the thermal energy or heat is used to produce steam, hot water, or hot air. Depending on the application, CHP is referred to by various names including Building Cooling, Heating, and Power (BCHP); Cooling, Heating, and Power for Buildings (CHPB); Combined Cooling, Heating, and Power (CCHP); Integrated Energy Systems (IES), or Distributed Energy Resources (DER). The principal technical advantage of a CHP system is its ability to extract more useful energy from fuel compared to traditional energy systems such as conventional power plants that only generate electricity and industrial boiler systems that only produce steam or hot water for process applications. By using fuel energy for both ...
In the third millennium, when the main words are globalization, world net of computers, genetic code and efficiency, deep transformations have been incorporated to human behavior. Among such transformations it may be pointed out, matching with the objectives of this study, the modem consumer's profile. The consumers have quickly become more and more conscious and demanding regarding to the quality of the available products in the market. In that sense, the consumer's concern about the natural and healthy appearance, as well as the preservation of the nutritious content of the foods, have been a constant sign of alert for producers and suppliers. Besides, the timeless for domestic preparation of foods have imposed the use of minimally processed as an incontestable reality. A barrier for the production of minimally processed foods is imposed by the degree of perishability of certain products, such as the cassava-parsley. This vegetable is a source of energy, calcium, phosphorus and ...
A comparative analysis between conventional passive twin tube dampers and skyhook-controlled magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) dampers for motorcycle front suspensions is provided, based on single axis testing in a damper test rig and suspension performance testing in road trials. Performance motorcycles, while boasting extremely light suspension components and competition-ready performance, have an inherent weakness in comfort, as the suspension systems are designed primarily for racing purposes. Front suspension acceleration and shock loading transmit directly through the front suspension triple clamp into the rider's arms and shoulders, causing rapid fatigue in shoulder muscles. Magneto-rheological fluid dampers and skyhook control systems offer an alternative to conventional sport motorcycle suspensions - both performance and comfort can be combined in the same package. Prototype MRF dampers designed and manufactured specifically for this application require no more space than ...
The colour, odour, flavour and texture of a breaded turkey escalope irradiated at doses of 2 and 4 kGy was assessed using a trained sensory panel. Irradiation did not affect raw appearance but during storage the irradiated breaded products became paler than the control samples. The off odour of the raw irradiated products was stronger than that of the unirradiated samples. Irradiation also affected the odour, flavour and texture of the cooked products. Although the trained panelists were able to detect significant differences between irradiated and unirradiated breaded turkey escalopes, the numerical differences between treatments were often quite small. It is possible that an untrained consumer group would be unable to detect these differences. Further research is needed with consumer groups to establish if irradiated breaded products are acceptable. (author). 10 refs, 3 tabs.
In this work, a new sol-gel auto-combustion method has been performed to synthesize single phase nickel ferrite nanocrystalline powders by using n-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, as a cationic surfactant. The gels were prepared from ferric and nickel nitrates and citric acid. Ammonia was used as pH adjusting agent as well. The effects of the surfactant on the after combustion calcination process and the reduction of the resulting powder crystallite size which affects the magnetic properties of the material were investigated by XRD and DTA/TGA techniques. The results showed that the ignition of the gels in air have a self-propagating behavior. Addition of surfactant to the starting solution affected the crystallite size of the synthesized powders and their phase constitution. The crystallit...
Three classes of solar emanations, namely, photon radiation from solar flares, solar energetic particles, and inhomogeneities in the solar wind that drive magnetic storms, are examined, and their effects on humans and technological systems are discussed. Solar flares may disrupt radio communications in the HF and VLF ranges. Energetic particles pose a special hazard at low-earth orbit and above, where they can penetrate barriers such as spacesuits and aluminum and destroy cells and solid state electronics. Energetic solar particles also influence terrestrial radio waves propagating through polar regions. Magnetic storms may disturb the operation of navigation instruments, power lines and pipelines, and satellites; they give rise to ionospheric storms which affect radio communication at all latitudes. There is also a growing body of evidence that changes in the geomagnetic field affect biological systems. 3 refs.
Mood in humans is a complex phenomenon that integrates emotion (e.g. happiness and sadness), cognition, perception, ideation, and action in a coherent manner. In bipolar disorder extremes of mood (up or down) occur outside the normal range, in which all the above functions are coherently affected. Mood is controlled by a series of separate but interactive brain circuits that involve much of the brain, but particularly the limbic system. The question addressed in this paper is whether the coordination of all these separate systems into one coherent functional mood is mediated by non-linear dynamics acting between these systems as equal participants; or whether it is affected by a single master regulator controlling the others. The possible roles, as master regulators, of non-linear dynamica...
In recent years, cobia has become an emerging farmed species in Asia due to its quick growth and high economic value. This study collects biological and economic data affecting the economic performance of cobia farming in three countries, namely Taiwan, China, and Vietnam. The data are collected by questionnaire sampling and analyzed by multivariate statistical analysis in order to compare the key factors affecting the production and economy of cobia farming in these three countries. The results show that Taiwan, China, and Vietnam have significant differences in input intensities and profitability. China has the highest input intensity (3372.42?TWD/m3), as its high stocking density increases feed input. Taiwan has the highest unit input cost (103.44?TWD/kg), as the high quality of the pro...
The penetrance of Lebers hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) in families with primary mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations is very complex. Matrilineal and nuclear genetic background, as well as environmental factors, have been reported to be involved in different affected pedigrees. Here we describe two large Chinese families that show a striking difference in the penetrance of LHON, in which 53.3% and 15.0% of members were affected (Pin vivo mitochondrial oxidative metabolism as described in a previous study. Evolutionary analysis failed to indicate any putatively pathogenic mutation that cosegregated with G11778A in these two pedigrees. Our results suggest that the variable penetrance of LHON in the two Chinese families is independent of both their mtDNA haplotype background and a seconda...
Backgrounds and Aims The stem growth habit, determinate or indeterminate, of soybean, Glycine max, varieties affects various plant morphological and developmental traits. The objective of this study is to identify the effect of stem growth habit in soybean on the stomatal conductance of single leaves in relation to their leaf morphology in order to better understand the ecological and agronomic significance of this plant trait. Methods The stomatal conductance of leaves on the main stem was measured periodically under favourable field conditions to evaluate gmax, defined as the maximum stomatal conductance at full leaf expansion, for four varieties of soybean and their respective determinate or indeterminate near isogenic lines (NILs). Leaf morphological traits including stomatal density, ...
Endogenous opioid peptides (EOP) are molecules affecting many biological functions influencing productive and reproductive performance. They increase in stress conditions and interact with specific opioidergic receptors (OR): delta, kappa and mu. Several studies in other animal species suggest that they can also affect sperm cell motility. In fish the ionic external environment modulates the increase of intracellular calcium ion that is required to activate sperm motility after spawning. In mammals OR are functionally associated to calcium channels and in fishes calcium is highly required for fish sperm activation. In this study the presence of OR on spermatozoa of two Perciform fish, the sharpsnout seabream (Diplodus puntazzo, family Sparidae) and the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labr...
The radiographic features of Ewing's sarcoma of the bones of the hands and feet are reviewed utilizing cases obtained from the Mayo Clinic patient files and the consultation files of Drs. D.C. Dahlin and K.K. Unni. This series consists of a total of 43 cases of pathologically proven Ewing's sarcoma involving the small bones of the hands and feet. The classic radiographic features of Ewing's sarcoma in the long bones, including lytic, permeative destruction, aggressive periosteal reaction, cortical violation, and a soft tissue mass, are also seen in the bones of the hands and feet, with similar frequency. These classic features are most commonly present in lesions affecting the short tubular bones. Lesions affecting the tarsal bones more often demonstrate atypical radiographic features. These atypical radiographic appearances may play a role in the reported delay in diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma within the tarsal bones. (orig.)
Zooplankton tolerant to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) could be indirectly affected by UVR through interactions with UV-sensitive species in the same ecosystem. In Lake Giles, Pennsylvania, USA, the calanoid copepod Leptodiaptomus minutus is more UVR tolerant than the cohabiting species Daphnia catawba and Cyclops scutifer. We asked whether L. minutus is affected by UV-induced mortality of a food competitor (D. catawba) or a predator of its nauplii (C. scutifer). We conducted two in situ enclosure experiments with six treatments: L. minutus alone, L . minutus + Daphnia and L. minutus + Cyclops in the presence and absence of UVR. There were few differences in survival among treatments in Experiment 1, which had enhanced food and a cumulative UVR (320 nm) dose of 9.3 kJ m-2. In Experiment 2, wh...
Although cognitive performance in humans and experimental animals can be improved by administering omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the neurochemical mechanisms underlying this effect remain uncertain. In general, nutrients or drugs that modify brain function or behavior do so by affecting synaptic transmission, usually by changing the quantities of particular neurotransmitters present within synaptic clefts or by acting directly on neurotransmitter receptors or signal-transduction molecules. We find that DHA also affects synaptic transmission in mammalian brain. Brain cells of gerbils or rats receiving this fatty acid manifest increased levels of phosphatides and of specific presynaptic or postsynaptic proteins. They also exhibit increased numbers of dendritic spines on post...
SummaryPurposeWomen with epilepsy have increased frequency of reproductive health problems compared to women without epilepsy. In puberty, reproductive hormonal changes during sexual maturation may affect epilepsy and induce the debut of seizures as indicated in some studies. On the other hand, epileptic activity affects sex hormone function, which may induce alterations in pubertal endocrine maturation and thereby menarche age. We wanted to investigate the relation between epilepsy and menarche age in a larger population of female epilepsy patients.MethodsA retrospective, questionnaire study of a cohort of 265 female outpatients from three Norwegian hospitals and 142 controls, aged 18-45 years was conducted. Parameters regarding epilepsy and reproductive health issues were registered. Per...
Animal studies demonstrated the powerful impact of maternal-infant social contact on the infant's physiological systems, yet the online effects of social interactions on the human infant's physiology remain poorly understood. Mothers and their 3-month old infants were observed during face-to-face interactions while cardiac output was collected from mother and child. Micro-analysis of the partners' behavior marked episodes of gaze, affect, and vocal synchrony. Time-series analysis showed that mother and infant coordinate heart rhythms within lags of less than 1s. Bootstrapping analysis indicated that the concordance between maternal and infant biological rhythms increased significantly during episodes of affect and vocal synchrony compared to non-synchronous moments. Humans, like other mamm...
The major bottleneck for popularization and utilization of the conventional mechanical valve pulse combustors is the self-priming mode of gas supply. An aerodynamic valve (as against mechanical valve) self-excited pulse combustor of the Helmholtz-type with continuous supply of gas and air was designed and a mathematical model was established in this paper. The theoretical model employed well-stirred reactor model and a single step Arrhenius chemistry, and took those factors which might affect the combustion stability into account. The factors include the variation of the mass rate of the reactants affected by the pressure in the combustion chamber, the convective and radiation heat loss in the combustion chamber, and the heat transfer and wall friction in the tailpipe. The effect of wall t...
Welded Ni-base alloys and Alloy 800 were exposed under metal dusting conditions at 600 C and 650 C for up to 6000 hours. Alloy 800 was attacked very strongly already in the first days and Alloy 600 also rather soon and widespread, on both materials attack started mainly in the heat affected zone. Several surface states of Alloy 600: brushed, ground, sand-blasted and pickled were tried only grinding caused a modest delay and decrease of metal dusting attack. Generally the attack was less widespread but deeper at 650 C than at 600 C, also for Alloy 601 and 602. The latter alloys show minor, mainly local attack, but especially the welds are affected. TIG welding led to better resistance than hand-welding. (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
As evidence mounts that male genitalia can affect relative fertilisation success, the role that sexual selection has played in the rapid and divergent evolution of genitalia is becoming increasingly recognized. Unfortunately, the limited functional understanding of these complex structures and their interactions with the female reproductive tract often limit interpretation regarding their evolution. Here, we address this issue using the earwig Euborellia brunneri, where both the male intromittent organ and the female spermatheca are highly exaggerated in length yet structurally simple. In a double mating design, we use the sterile male technique to study how sperm precedence patterns are affected by male genital length, male age, and the size of the male sperm storage organ, the seminal ve...
This paper analyzes the diffusion of mobile telecommunications services in Vietnam and examines how telecommunications regulation and potential substitute/complement services affect the growth of the number of mobile telephone subscribers. Using a logistic diffusion model, it is found that fixed telephone services are a complement while data services have a negative relation to mobile telephone services in Vietnam. As for regulation, the policy of introducing competition has been found to be the most effective in influencing the adoption of mobile services. Another important result is that the estimated potential market is roughly 76% of the total population. The findings suggest that suitable regulation that guarantees competition in the mobile telecommunications market in a developing co...
Mining affects the environment in different ways depending on the physical context in which the mining occurs. In mining areas with an arid environment, mining affects plants? growth by changing the amount of available water. This paper discusses the effects of mining on two important determinants of plant growth?soil moisture and groundwater table (GWT)?which were investigated using an integrated approach involving a field sampling investigation with remote sensing (RS) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR). To calculate and map the distribution of soil moisture for a target area, we initially analyzed four models for regression analysis between soil moisture and apparent thermal inertia and finally selected a linear model for modeling the soil moisture at a depth 10?cm; the relative error o...
The effect of NaCl and Na_2SO_4 treatments on chlorophyll content, rate of "1"4C assimilation and products of photosynthesis in peanut (Arachish hypogaea L.) variety TMV-10 has been investigated. It was observed that chlorophyll content was affected mainly by NaCl, Na_2SO_4 treatment lowered the rate of photosynthetic "1"4CO_2 fixation. The analysis of labelled products revealed that the salts affect the carbon metabolism differently. The radioactivity was found to be accumulated in fractions of sugars and sugarphosphates in the leaves of NaCl treated plants. Na_2SO_4 treatment brought about considerable decline in labelling of sugars and an increase in labelling of amino acids and sugarphosphates. (orig.).
An increasing share of natural gas supplies distributed to residential appliances in the U.S. may come from liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports. The imported gas will be of a higher Wobbe number than domestic gas, and there is concern that it could produce more pollutant emissions at the point of use. This report will review recently undertaken studies, some of which have observed substantial effects on various appliances when operated on different mixtures of imported LNG. While we will summarize findings of major studies, we will not try to characterize broad effects of LNG, but describe how different components of the appliance itself will be affected by imported LNG. This paper considers how the operation of each major component of the gas appliances may be impacted by a switch to LNG, and how this local impact may affect overall safety, performance and pollutant emissions.
Mowing a meadow is an example of an equalizing process that reduces differences among species by removing aboveground biomass approximately 5?cm above ground. This regular disturbance that affects all plants prevents competitive exclusion of small species and thus allows coexistence of numerous species differing in shoot size. In this paper we search for the mechanism behind this by comparing the shoot biomass of 41 common species in dry and wet species-rich meadows in mown and recently abandoned plots in June (before mowing) and in October. We asked the following questions: i) Do the plants differ in proportion of biomass lost by mowing? ii) Are the mown plants able to compensate for biomass lost by mowing? iii) Is the compensatory ability of mown plants related to their size? iv) Is the ...
The helium releases were investigated in FBR fuel pins irradiated to high burn-up. The released amounts increased with the increase of burn-up, but no burn-up dependence of their release fraction to total amounts generated was seen. The contents of "2"4"1Am in fuel pellets affected the released amounts. The effect of released helium on the internal pressure in fuel pins was smaller in FBR fuel pins than in LWR fuel pins, but released helium in fuel pins containing increased amounts of "2"4"1Am, which are anticipated in future FBRs, is expected to affect the internal pressure.
Pots used for experiments conducted on plants grown in them create rooting environments that are affected by limited soil volume, which can affect various physiological processes, including transpiration, and plant growth. However, the applicability of results from pot experiments to the field has received limited attention. The objective of this study was to compare the growth and transpiration of maize (Zea mays L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) when grown in pots and field plots under various constant water deficits. The experiments were conducted under similar environmental conditions for both pots and plots. Transpirational responses at both transient (RTTr) and daily (RDTr) time scales to a decreasing fraction of available soil water (FASW) were analyzed. For a comparable F...
The effect of both dopant and neutron radiation on the optical and thermal properties of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has been studied. The doped samples with Pb and Cd were irradiated with a 14 MeV-neutron fluence in the range 7-28.8 x 10"9 n/cm"2. The optical energy gap E_o_p exhibits a significant dependence on the type of additive and the neutron irradiation fluence. The specific heat at constant pressure C_p showed a nonmonotonical change with radiation fluence. The results of this study show that PVC:Pb behaves as a crystalline structure which is only slightly affected by neutron irradiation, while PVC:Cd is highly affected. (author).
Knowledge on environmental variability and how it is affected by disturbances is crucial for understanding patterns of biodiversity and determining adequate conservation strategies. The aim of this study is to assess environmental variability in patches undergoing post-fire vegetation recovery, identifying trends of change and their relevant drivers. We particularly evaluate: the value of three spectral indices derived from Landsat satellite data [Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Wetness Component of the Tasseled Cap Transformation (TCW)] for describing secondary succession; the effectiveness of three metrics (diversity, evenness and richness) as indicators of patch variability; and how thematic resolution can affect the perception of environme...
Irradiation processing of food in the prepackaged form may affect chemical and physical properties of the plastic packaging materials. The effect of #gamma#-irradiation doses (2.5-10.0 kGy) on polypropylene (PP)-based retortable food packaging materials, were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis, which revealed the changes happening to these materials after irradiation. The mechanical properties decreased with irradiation while oxygen transmission rate (OTR) was not affected significantly. Colour measurement indicated that Nylon 6 containing multilayer films became yellowish after irradiation. Thermal characterization revealed the changes in percentage crystallinity.
Australian electricity markets and natural gas markets are undergoing rapid reform. Choosing among electricity generation modes is a key issue. Such choices are affected by expectations about the future structure of these markets and future technologies, and how they affect costs and emissions. In the research reported in this paper, the MARKAL model of the Australian energy system is used to evaluate the competitive position of natural gas fired combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) in the energy sector as a whole. Competing in the sector are large-scale electricity generation technologies such as refurbished existing coal fired stations and advanced forms of coal fired generation. The modelling incorporates new data on electricity supply technologies and options.
Phreatic groundwater pumping is affecting water availability for crops in areas with a shallow water table. This can reduce crop growth and so affect farm income. There is a need for a generic and transparent method to assess the agricultural damage caused by water table drawdown. This paper proposes such a method that consists of 'damage tables' relating agricultural production losses to the groundwater regime for different soil/crop combinations found in Northern Belgium. The damage tables are constructed based on numerous simulations with the agrohydrological model SWAP, in which the bottom boundary conditions are gradually changed to reflect different groundwater regimes. The credibility of the resulting metamodel is assessed in three ways: using (1) field data, (2) an existing local e...
Continuing high rates of acidic deposition in the eastern United States may lead to long-term effects on stream communities, because sensitive catchments are continuing to lose anions and cations. A two-year study of the effects of pH and associated water chemistry variables on detrital processing in three streams with different bedrock geology in the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia were investigated. Leaf pack processing rates and macroinvertebrate colonization and microbial biomass (ATP concentration) on the packs in the three stream were compared. It was found that macroinvertebrate and microbial communities differed both among streams that differed in their capacity to buffer the effects of acidic precipitation and among years in the same stream; these differences in biotic communities were not large enough to affect rates of leaf processing between the two years of the study, but they did significantly affect processing rates ...
Abstract Hereditary primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) may develop as a solitary endocrinopathy (FIHP) or as part of multiple endocrine neoplasia Type 1, multiple endocrine neoplasia Type 2A, or hereditary HPT-jaw tumor syndrome. Inactivating germline mutations of the tumor suppressor gene CDC73 account for 14 and 50% of all FIHP and HPT-JT patients, respectively, and have also been found in almost 20% of apparently sporadic parathyroid carcinoma patients. Although more than 60 independent germline mutations have been described, to date no rearrangement affecting the CDC73 locus has been identified. By means of multiplex-PCR we found a large germline deletion affecting the whole gene in a two-generation HPT-JT family. Subsequently array-CGH and specific PCR analysis determined that the muta...
Some models anticipate that liberalized agricultural trade will lead to increased crop diversity, while other models make the opposite claim. These positions were explored in southwestern British Columbia, Canada where, between 1992 and 1998, government subsidies and other measures designed to protect horticultural farmers were lifted, exposing these farmers to foreign competition. Public hearings on the future of agriculture provided an opportunity to tap the knowledge and experience of people affected by this transition. Analysis of transcripts from these hearings, which was confirmed by industry data, shows that trade liberalization has led to the loss of the local fruit and vegetable processing industry. Stakeholders saw the loss as a major factor affecting the choice of crops grown lo...
Results from a numerical model of axisymmetric solar cavity receivers are compared with experimental data for tests of a novel test bed receiver in the Saudi National Laboratories solar furnace. The computed energy transfer rates and temperatures are compared with the experimental data for different receiver geometries, aperture sizes, and operating conditions. In general, the agreement between the numerical model and the experimental data is better for the small-to-midsized apertures than for the large apertures. The analysis indicates that for the larger apertures, the convective heat losses are overpredicted. It also suggests that these losses could be better characterized. Sensitivity analyses show that both the total solar energy input rate and the convective heat-loss coefficient significantly affect the receiver thermal performance and that the distribution of the input solar flux significantly affects the temperature distribution in the ...
The brain imaging properties of /sup 99m/Tc glucoheptonate, /sup 99m/Tc pertechnetate, and /sup 99m/Tc DPTA are compared. Results demonstrate that optimum images are obtained at 90, 180, and 180 min., for /sup 99m/Tc GH, /sup 99m/Tc DTPA, and /sup 99m/Tc pertechnetate, respectively. The former two images are not affected by prior bone imaging with /sup 99m/Tc pyrophosphate, while /sup 99m/Tc pertechnetate images are adversely affected. /sup 99m/Tc glucoheptonate appears to be the superior agent for brain imaging, followed by /sup 99m/Tc DTPA and /sup 99m/Tc pertechnetate.
Maternal stress during pregnancy, particularly that combined with low socioeconomic status (SES), has been linked to an increased risk for impaired behavioural and emotional development and affective disorders in children. In animal models, acute periods of prenatal stress have profound effects on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function and behaviour. However, few studies have determined the impact of chronic exposure to stress in animal models. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of chronic maternal stress (CMS) during the 2nd half of pregnancy and nursing on growth, locomotor behaviour and HPA axis function in juvenile guinea pig offspring. Pregnant guinea pigs were exposed to a random combination of variable stressors every other day over the 2nd half of gestat...
The information given in the present report about the Chernobyl accident and its radiological consequences indicates a serious crisis of the international radiation community. The following signs of this crises can be discerned: The international radiation community did not recognize the real reasons of the accident for a long time. It could not make a correct assessment of the damage to the thyroid of the affected populations of Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine. Up to present time it rejects the reliable data on hereditary malformations. It is not able to accept reliable data on the increase in the incidence in all categories of people affected by the Chernobyl accident. The international radiation community supported the Soviet authorities in their attempts to play down the radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident for a long time. (author)
Protein hydrogels were prepared by substituting ovalbumin with different concentrations of ethyl vinyl sulfone (EVS) or acrylic acid (AA) and crosslinking with divinyl sulfone (DVS). Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic studies confirmed the addition of EVS, AA, and DVS onto the protein. Swelling was assessed as a function of pH in the range of 2.5 to 9.4 and ionic strength. The elastic modulus of the gels was determined in shear and compression. Stress relaxation was assessed in compression. The substituent highly affected swelling and modulus with both hydrogels displaying non-Gaussian behavior in the range of hydrogel environments studied. Acrylic acid substituted ovalbumin exhibited a decreasing modulus with increasing swelling behaving as a polyelectrolyte with low added s...
Human impacts such as eutrophication, overexploitation and climate change currently threaten future global food and drinking water supplies. Consequently, it is important that we understand how anthropogenic resource (bottom-up) and consumer (top-down) manipulations affect aquatic food web structure and production. Future climate changes are predicted to increase the inputs of terrestrial dissolved organic carbon to lakes. These carbon subsidies can either increase or decrease total basal production in aquatic food webs, depending on bacterial competition with phytoplankton for nutrients. This study examines the effects of carbon subsidies (bottom-up) on a pelagic community exposed to different levels of top-down predation. We conducted a large scale mesocosm experiment in an oligotrophic ...
Frozen boiled shrimp and dried shrimp are among the high-value fishery products of Thailand. During the production of these products boiling is one of the most important steps that affects significantly the product physicochemical properties, especially the quantity and quality of proteins, which in turn affect other apparent properties perceived by consumers. The protein changes are, however, difficult to evaluate comparing to other typical physical properties of shrimp. The objective of this study was therefore to develop an artificial neural network (ANN) model to predict the protein changes of shrimp in terms of protein loss and protein denaturation as a function of the boiling conditions, namely, concentration of salt solution and boiling time, as well as a rather easily determined ch...
Background: Apheresis is a procedure to selectively obtain blood components. For the collection process citrate is routinely used. It inhibits coagulation by binding to ionized calcium and leads to metabolic alkalosis. Objective: Whether regular apheresis affects bone and mineral metabolism is unknown. The intention of this study was to investigate 1) the acute effects of apheresis on acid-base balance, bone and mineral metabolism and 2) to compare bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and hip of donors to matched control subjects. Design: In this open, observational, single-center, cross-sectional study we enrolled 102 regular plasma and thrombocyte donors to pursue objective 1) and compared those to 102 matched controls (CTR) for objective 2). Results: Platelet donation led to s...
Data were collected on 154 adoptive families with gay/lesbian and straight adoptive parents (154 parent respondents and 210 adolescent respondents). This study was principally interested in factors affecting adolescent attachment including parent sexual orientation, adolescent and parent life satisfaction, and parent level of relationship satisfaction with their adopted child as well as other key parent, child and adoption characteristics. The results suggest that higher level of adopted adolescent attachment to parents is not related to adoptive parent sexual orientation. Adolescent attachment to parents is related to adolescent life satisfaction; parent level of relationship satisfaction with their adopted child, number of placements prior to adoption, and adolescent's current age. Adole...
Many species of entomophagous arthropods have been introduced either intentionally (through the practice of biological control) or unintentionally to new regions. We examine interactions of these aliens with their new environments in the context of rapid global change linked to human activity. We consider effects of such interactions on establishment and spread of the alien species and effects on indigenous biota and ecosystems. Major elements of global change that affect alien-environment interactions include landscape modifications by humans (e.g., cultivation, habitat loss and fragmentation) and increases in atmospheric CO2 and other gases resulting in climate change and other effects (e.g., changes in food quality for herbivores that affect higher trophic levels as well). Alien arthrop...
Psychological distress and postamputation pain were investigated in a sample of 582 males with long-term limb amputations (mean time since amputation 639.3 months, standard deviation 166.1; range 240-784 months). Prevalence of significant depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]-D score?8) was 32.0%, and 34.0% of respondents met the screening criterion for clinical anxiety (HADS-A score?8). Nearly one quarter (24.6%) of respondents reported significant post-traumatic psychological stress symptoms (Impact of Event Scale scores?35). In total, 87.8% experienced either phantom or residual limb pain. Affective distress scores differed according to the respondents' type of pain experience. Respondents who experienced residual limb pain reported significantly hig...
SC-CO/sub 2/ extraction of oil from peanuts is an alternative to hexane extraction or the mechanical oil press. Oil was successfully extracted using SC-CO/sub 2/ at temperatures of 25-120/sup 0/C and pressures of 140 -690 Bar. Pressure, temperature and particle size affected the extraction of oil. In the range studied, the highest values of temperature and pressure gave highest solubilities.
Results of an investigation made to develop methods of making iron castings having wall thicknesses as small as 2.5 mm in green sand molds are presented. It was found that thin wall ductile and compacted graphite iron castings can be made and have properties consistent with heavier castings. Green sand molding variables that affect casting dimensions were also identified.
Using the Relativistic Mean Field Theory (RMF) it is shown that different proton fraction which is directly connected with the neutron excess and with the asymmetry of the system affects proto-neutron stars parameters and changes their composition. The obtained form of the equation of state allows to construct the mass-radius relations and shows that the increasing asymmetry creates more compact stars. The inclusion of {delta} meson together with nonlinear vector meson interaction terms and magnetic field make this effect even stronger.
Atopic eczema is a chronic skin condition affecting between 5% and 20% of children aged up to 11 years at one time or other. Research suggests that prevalence is increasing and various environmental...Full Text Available
The electron-phonon coupling constant lambda has been calculated for vanadium. The electron energy bands and wave functions were obtained from a model augmented plane wave muffin-tin potential. The electron-phonon matrix elements were evaluated using the rigid-ion approximation and the measured phonon spectra. The results show that lambda is strongly affected by d-f scattering.
A variety of stress situations may affect the activity and survival of plant-beneficial pseudomonads added to soil to control root diseases. This study focused on the roles of the sigma factor AlgU...Full Text Available
Describes general trends in the quality of rural education: equivalent rural and urban performance on national standardized tests and high school graduation rates but continuing rural deficits in college attendance and teacher qualifications. Discusses the below-average performance of southern rural schools, factors affecting rural students' college attendance, and the influence of changing labor markets. (SV)
Power system components, especially components failure, can significantly affect the reliability of a power system. Data about failure rate in electrical products were obtained from products life testing and analyzed in order to predict reliability. The distribution curve fitting method was used to estimate failure probability. Ten relays of different life times have been used to illustrate the validity of this analytical technique. 3 refs., 3 tabs.
We analyze the O(N) symmetric #sigma#-model in four dimensions with and without external source in the large-N approximation. We show that tachyons appear in these models only if cut-off effects are neglected. Including these effects and incorporating the triviality of the #sigma#-model, we demonstrate that no tachyon pole exists. We discuss how our results affect recent ideas to circumvent the 'no-loose-corollary' for W_L W_L scattering. (orig.).
The early idea that a non-perturbative gluon condensate affects the spectrum of heavy quarks is revisited in the light of modern simulation techniques. We evaluate the low lying spectrum of bound states of two heavy quarks for large hypothetical quark mass, m_Q > m_b, using non-relativistic QCD and compare with other models to test the consistency.
The structure and composition of the passive films formed on 304 stainless steel in deaerated IN H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} were studied by RHEED, XPS and AES. The stability of the passive films as a function of passivation potential and passivation time were investigated. The role of bound water in affecting the stability of the passive films is discussed. 7 refs., 3 figs.
Previously it was shown that the host-range gene of the Bratislava strain of avain sarcoma virus (B77 virus) spontaneously mutates with a very high rate. The wild-type B77 virus called B77 virus-II,...Full Text Available
Presented are some preliminary studies made in preparation for the design of a solar powered loop for desalination by humidification - dehumidification process. The studies concentrated on the evaluation of different parameters affecting the performance of the combination of different components in such a loop in the hope of outlining the most decisive factors for the choice or design of solar collectors or heat source. The results presented relate to the performance of two of the most important components in a loop of such purpose, that is: the humidifying and the dehumidifying columns or stacks. 4 refs.
BackgroundMalaria is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in Nigeria. It is not known how user fees introduced under the Bamako Initiative (BI) system affect healthcare...Full Text Available
This report contains studies which are part of the Bonneville Power Administration`s program to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife affected by the development and operation of hydroelectric facilities on the Columbia River and its tributaries. Attention is focused on population monitoring studies in the Sawtooth Valley Lakes. Selected papers are indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.
A near-field microscope which operates in the rf/microwave frequency range is described. In this microscope, a scanning tunneling microscope (STM)-like tip rather than an aperture is used as a point-like evanescent field emitter. A spatial resolution of {approximately}5 {mu}m ({approximately}{lambda}/100000) is achieved in the current version. The design of the microscope as well as the principal factors which affect its performance are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}
Addresses factors affecting rural education in Tasmania (Australia), including population trends, financial support, student enrollment, socioeconomic status of rural residents, and geographic isolation. Issues that need to be addressed include the status of small schools in Tasmania, costs associated with transporting students, staffing, low student retention, and limited availability of special services. (LP)
This review examines the characteristics of the compression-ignition type of dual-fuel engine and the combustion phenomena that affect these characteristics. The specific areas covered involve normal combustion processes, the nature and origin of engine knock, operation with LNG, and the effect of intake temperature on combustion efficiency and exhaust composition.
The degradation of chlorinated solvents by reduction at the surface of zero-valent metals and bimetallic systems has emerged as an important approach to the in-situ remediation of ground water. Reduction by iron metal was studied in batch and column systems to develop a mechanistic understanding of the reaction chemistry and to determine the factors that affect dechlorination rate and long term performance in field applications.
Radon concentration measurement in the ground can be used for the prospecting for uranium and earthquake prediction. Some results of radon concentration measurement in the soil are presented here. The moisture condensation at the detector surface can affect on the detection efficiency. Due to this problem we tested a few filter papers on water permeability. The ratio of track densities on solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) in the open and the closed diffusion chamber is also determined. (author)
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
Pitting corrosion is a kind of electrolytic corrosion by which the surface of a material is locally affected owing to inhomogeneities on the part of the material or medium. The paper deals briefly with questions relating to the importance, to parameters medium or materialwise, influence on production and construction, as well as the general conditions for pitting corrosion. In particular oxygen corrosion in unalloyed and low-alloy steel, and pitting corrosion in ferritic chromium-steel and austenitic chromium-nickel (molybdenum) steel is described. (DG).
Peculiarities of design of the PGV-1000 horizontal steam generator affecting soluble impurity distribution in its water volume are considered in brief. The results of estimating sodium distribution in different zones of the steam generator are presented. The conclusion is made on the necessity of arrangement of representative measurements of sodium and chloride content in water volume of the steam generator, particularly, in the hot bottom zone for optimization of blow-through flowsheet and its regulations.
Possible causes of forest damage are discussed. Mapping of affected areas by various workers resulted in dissimilar pictures. Release of radioactive rare gases, aerosols, tritium and carbon-14 seems unlikely to have a significant influence on forest damage. Influence of radioactive fallout, ozone formation by high-voltage transmission lines and synergistic effects is also found to be negligible.
PurposeOptic nerve aplasia (ONA, OMIM 165550) is a very rare unilateral or bilateral condition that leads to blindness in the affected eye, and is usually associated with other ocular...Full Text Available
This paper reviews the effects of neutron irradiation on thermal and mechanical properties and bulk tritium retention of armour materials (beryllium, tungsten and carbon). For each material, the main properties affected by neutron irradiation are described and the specific tests of neutron irradiated armour materials under thermal shock and disruption conditions are summarized. Based on current knowledge, the expected thermal and structural performance of neutron irradiated armour materials in the ITER plasma facing components are analysed.
Negative ion intensities of over 3 x 10/sup 5/ A/m/sup 2/ at energies of 2 MeV have been measured in a magnetically insulated transmission line. This negative ion production can affect the power flow in multiterawatt pulsed power devices, and may also have applications in the generation of high-intensity neutral or negative ion beams.
The global spread of HIV and AIDS has presented a major threat to development, affecting the health of the poor and many aspects of social and economic development. The greatest impact of the epidemic has been felt in sub-Saharan Africa, and Zambia ranks among the worst hit countries. The Free Basic Education Policy in Zambia upholds the right of all children to a universal basic education. This study explored staff and student perceptions of the impact of the epidemic on access to, and the quality of, basic education for AIDS-affected children, orphans and other vulnerable children (OVCs) in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia, where the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate ranges from 34 to 40%, and life expectancy has dropped to 33 years. Data were collected from education personnel in six districts of the Copperbelt with the highest prevalence of HIV and AIDS and from staff and students in six schools. The data indicated a range of factors that adversely ...
The mechanism of lead transport is presented, and especially the particular similarities or dissimilarities between lead and calcium in this process. The absorption of these metals was determined cockerels, raised on a commercial diet or on a specified diet, using in vivo ligated loop procedure. The dose administered into the loop contained 0.5 #mu#Ci "2"0"3Pb (and/or 0.1 #mu#Ci "4"7Ca), and 0.01 mM lead acetate (and/or mM CaCl_2) in 0.5 ml 0.15 M NaCl,pH 6.5. It was shown that lead is rapidly taken up by the mucosal tissue, and slowly transferred into the body, whereas less calcium is retained by the tissue and the transfer of calcium is many times as effective as that for lead. They appear to respond in a similar manner to a low calcium intake and vitamin D treatment. Increasing luminal stable lead concentration significantly reduced the percentage of radiolead significantly reduced the percentage of radiolead absorbed, but did not affect the absorption of ...
The invention relates to a pulsed laser ablation method of metals and/or dielectric films from the surface of a wafer, printed circuit board or a hybrid substrate. By utilizing a high-energy ultra-short pulses of laser light, such a method can be used to manufacture electronic circuits and/or electro-mechanical assemblies without affecting the material adjacent to the ablation zone.
...six months Organising local tours of the area for up to 1000 affected families in the Izu Penninsula area around Mount Fuji Mobile food stalls that wlll serve up to 10,000 bottles of water and 10,000 servings of food Mobile human waste disposal units Building northern Japan support committees Browser does not support script. Browser does not support script. For further information, please contact: Garry Campbell, PR & ...
In this third, and concluding, article of the series the emission limits set by the US Clean Air Act and its amendements are set out. A number of flue gas desulfurization processes that have been developed for the utility and industrial markets are evaluated. Annual operating costs are indicated.
The case of spontaneous radiation of channeled ultrarelativistic particles is considered when the dipolarity condition is not satisfied. The change of the particle longitudinal velocity affecting the maximum radiation frequency is included. The angular and frequency characteristics of the radiation for superhigh energies are studied for the first time. It is shown that there is an optimum energy at which the radiation density is maximum. The influence of the angle at which electrons enter a crystal and of the beam divergence on the radiation is investigated. The problem of quasichanneled particle radiation and also the radiation in axis-plane transitions are considered. (author).
The $\\beta$ function for a scalar field theory describes the dependence of the coupling constant on the renormalization mass scale. This dependence is affected by the choice of regularization scheme. I explicitly relate the $\\beta$-functions of momentum cut-off regularization and dimensional regularization on scalar field theories by a gauge transformation using the Hopf algebras of the Feynman diagrams of the theories.
Four new mutants are described whose phenotypic expression affects the length of the head of bacteriophage T4D. All mutants produce some phenotypically normal phage particles. Mutant pt21-34...Full Text Available
Friction opposes tooth motion whenever sliding mechanics is employed. Understanding what friction is and how to manage it is of paramount importance to the successful practitioner. In this article, the coefficients of friction are summarized between different arch wire-bracket couples as a function of material, geometric, and external parameters. From this vantage point, friction can then be evaluated within the context of other factors that affect sliding-binding and notching. PMID:9573878
The ductility of extruded heavy-section Ti-base--Mo--V--Fe--Al alloy was studied. Metallographic evidence for the large effect of grain size on ductility is presented. Fracture was found to occur in large-grain material after less deformation than in smaller grain size specimens.
This article examines the impact of mist-eliminator (ME) design and reliability on the performance of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) processes. ME failures are the second most common cause of FGD system outages. ME design also affects the chemistry of the FGD processes. The author considers the ME the linchpin of the whole FGD process system.
We studied how the introduction of an additional ATP-consuming reaction affects the metabolic fluxes in Lactococcus lactis. Genes encoding the hydrolytic part of the F1 domain...Full Text Available
Tow experiments were carried out in 1981 and 1982 growth seasons at the greenhouse of the department of agriculture for soils and water researches, atomic energy authority, at inshas, to investigate the responses of two mutation derived lines of sesame and the local cultivar giza 25 to the application of micro nutrients. The possible effect of radiation on germination and growth of sesame seed was also studied in a separate experiment conducted in 1985 season, at inshas.
This paper reviews the main studies on entrepreneurship conducted during the past two decades that are relevant for the understanding of various macroeconomic issues. I organize the discussion by distinguishing three groups of contributions. The first group includes studies whose main purpose is to understand the factors that affect the decision to become an entrepreneur. The second group includes studies that look at the aggregate and distributional implications of entrepreneurship for savings and investment. The third group deals with issues of economic development and growth.
The ecological effects of acid mine drainage were investigated during the summer of 1993 on St. Kevin Gulch, a headwater stream near Leadville, Colorado. The stream currently receives acidic water from an abandoned mine. The pH downstream of the mine is between 3.5 and 4.5, and several metals exceed concentrations toxic to aquatic organisms. Zinc is present at especially high concentrations (1 to 10 mg/L) Furthermore, the stream bottom is covered with a thick layer of iron hydroxide precipitates. Effects on stream biota have been dramatic. Aquatic flora in the affected reach is limited to a green filamentous alga, Ulothrix subtilissima. Macroinvertebrate densities are significantly lower in the affected reach (mean = 99 indiv/m"2; SD = 88 indiv/M"2) compared to an upstream (pristine) reference reach (mean = 1,735 indiv/m"2; SD = 652 indiv/M"2). Functional processes were also studied in the stream. Net primary production (NPP) was measured ...
Previous studies demonstrated that perinatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a major class of brominated flame retardants, may affect thyroid hormone (TH) concentrations by inducing...Full Text Available
Whooper swans habitat in the coastal regions of Denmark can be affected by wind turbine arrays on the coast. The planned array consists of 55 wind turbines very close to the swan breeding area. A possibility of moving the swans away from the windmill area would be to spread the preferred swan feeds (rape, potatoes) outside their present breeding ground. (EG) 14 refs.
Numerous studies have documented the general toxicity of the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and a sizeable literature has accumulated concerning the toxic effects of PCBs on a variety of homeostatic systems. However, current information regarding the effects of PCBs on rhythmic endocrine function is quite limited. Thus, the present study was undertaken to determine whether circadian periodicity in pituitary-adrenal function is affected by exposure to PCBs.
BackgroundLimited information has been published regarding how specific processes for event adjudication can affect event rates in trials. We reviewed nonfatal myocardial infarctions...Full Text Available
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a monogenic disease characterized by a high variability of disease severity and outcome that points to the role of environmental factors and modulating genes that shape the course...Full Text Available
BackgroundInfertility affects ∼20% of couples in Europe and in 50% of cases the problem lies with the male partner. The impact of damaged DNA originating...Full Text Available
Several examples of the 14-membered, para-bridged ring system of the cyclopeptide alkaloids have been synthesized via an active ester cyclization. The yield of monomeric cyclopeptide varied from 1 to 33% and was affected by the amino acid substitution pattern and amide conformation of the linear peptide precursors. Both the synthetic models and a naturally occurring cyclopeptide alkaloid, ceanothine B, bind monovalent (Li"+) and divalent (Ca"2"+, Mg"2"+) cations. 4 figures, 1 table.
Brucellosis is a common worldwide zoonotic disease. Cutaneous manifestations are not specific and affect 1-14% of patients with brucellosis. Here, we describe 49-year-old female with fever and a diffuse maculopapular rash due to Brucella melitensis infection. Histopathology of skin biopsy revealed leukocytoclastic vasculitis; positive blood cultures for B. melitensis established the diagnosis of brucellosis. We provide a review of the relevant literature. PMID:21772606
Identity is a part of self-consciousness, which is also expressed as ''being in the world'' which one in turn shows to others as the Self. The assessment of the Self in a population of patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a multidimensional definition (physical, social, spiritual), showed that the social self was impaired, and the severity of impairment of the self was correlated to apathy and lack of semantic autobiographical memory. It also appears that ipseity is selectively affected by the disease.
The metabolism of organic matter in the coastal regions of the ocean may significantly affect the oceanic carbon budget. This paper describes the high percentage (30%) of oceanic oxidation that occurs in coastal areas and the impact of this metabolism on the carbon cycle and climate of earth. Organic metabolism in the ocean appears to be a source of carbon dioxide release into the atmosphere. Oxidation in the coastal zone is of special interest, as it is likely influenced by anthropogenic activity. Recommendations for future research on this topic are proposed. 129 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.
Many banks are under pressure to increase funding by capital, especially equity capital. Return on assets increases, the leverage multiplier declines and the return required by investors should decline as banks increase reliance on equity financing. This article empirically demonstrates the importance of risk and profitability on bank value, and then conceptually illustrates how the price/book ratio and related value should be affected by those banking units either able to issue equity capital or change their capital structure.
We consider electromagnetic corrections at finite temperature and their effect on the nucleosynthesis in the standard Big Bang scenario. This requires discussing the finite, temperature dependent correction to the neutron-proton mass difference as well as making use of a previous result on the temperature correction to the mass of the electron. We find that these corrections do not affect the conventional results of e.g. the helium abundance to any appreciable extent.
Stress exposure increases the risk of addictive drug use in human and animal models of drug addiction by mechanisms that are not completely understood. Mice subjected to repeated forced swim stress...Full Text Available
The report presents a brief synopsis and discussion of wildlife activities undertaken by Bonneville Power Administration. The objectives of the program were wildlife protection, mitigation, and enhancement planning; and implementation of actions to protect, mitigate, and enhance wildlife affected by development and operation of hydroelectric facilities in the Columbia River Basin. (ACR)
Ammonia is a common and highly toxic pollutant which, in sufficient quantities, will adversely affect aquatic organisms. This ammonia criteria document for salt water will allow establishment of regulatory standards for ammonia discharge into estuaries, near coastal zones and oceans. Possible adverse impacts in highly sensitive and abundant ecosystems such as estuaries make regulation particularly important.
... I don't think the 5 categories are exclusive nor do they represent the universe of ways people best receive love and affection. The author addresses this last point somewhat by saying there are many dialects within the 5 languages. Some might view that as a cop out. My strongest complaint is that the language of the book is dumb downed to reach the lowest grade of reader. Like ...
The current investigation attempted to confirm the beneficial actions of a chemically characterized Radix Astragali decoction (AM-W) against type 2 diabetic (T2D) Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Using a case/control...Full Text Available
This paper presents a case study in the design and implementation of a numerical weather prediction model on a supercomputer (CRAY-1). Following a historical introduction to the evolution of the model, the governing equations of the model are presented and the numerical solution of these forecast equations is described. A brief tutorial on the architecture of the CRAY-1 is presented with a discussion of how it affects the choice of algorithms and code design of the model. A summary of the advantages gained by use of the vector aspects of the CRAY-1 is included.
Nutrient elements contained in litter fall flux, that of uptake flux and turnover rate had generally tended to increase with the increase in the Warmth Index, while the amount of nutrient in the A[sub 0] horizon and nutrient use efficiency did not. However, it is suggested that topographic and climatic aridity, and the amount of available and exchangeable phosphorus, calcium and magnesium greatly affect the nutrient dynamics in a each forest ecosystem as the Warmth Index increases. (J.P.N.).
...DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY MILITARY RESERVATIONS AND...REGULATIONS AFFECTING MILITARY RESERVATIONS ...or guide service, dog training for reimbursement...non-profit organizations working in the public...profit, including dog training for reimbursement...non-profit organizations working in the public...