During a study on the mTor pathway in the rat kidney we observed a striking increase of the phosphorylation of the S6kinase in mitosis. In cryostat sections of perfusion-fixed tissue mitotic cells...Full Text Available
The p90 ribosomal S6kinases (RSKs) also known as MAPKAP-Ks are serine/threonine protein kinases that are activated by ERK or PDK1 and act as downstream effectors of mitogen-activated protein kinase...Full Text Available
Since Src kinase inhibitors decrease brain injury produced by intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and thrombin is activated following ICH, this study determined whether Src kinase inhibitors decrease...Full Text Available
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase domain mutations hyperactivate the kinase and confer kinase addiction of the non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor...Full Text Available
The activity of Src-related protein-tyrosine kinases is repressed by the phosphorylation of a conserved carboxyl-terminal tyrosine by another cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinase termed p50csk. In this...Full Text Available
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) are a class of serine/threonine kinases that regulate a number of different cellular activities including cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and...Full Text Available
Zipper-interacting protein kinase (ZIPK) is a member of the death-associated protein kinase family associated with apoptosis in nonmuscle cells where it phosphorylates myosin regulatory light chain...Full Text Available
Purified protein kinase C (C-kinase) from guinea pig pancreas and rat brain stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in purified rat adipocyte membranes. Cyclase stimulation occurred over 100 to 1000 mU/ml of C-kinase activity, required greater than 10 ..mu..M calcium, proceeded without a lag, was not readily reversible, and required no exogenous phospholipid. Moreover, C-kinase inhibitors, such as chlorpromazine and palmitoyl carnitine, inhibited selectively adenylate cyclase which was activated by C-kinase and calcium. Depending on assay conditions, 10 nM 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) either enhanced or was required for kinase action on cyclase. Also, TPA plus calcium promoted the quantitative association of C-kinase with membranes. Adenylate cyclase activation by C-kinase was seen both in the presence and ...
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was initially viewed as energy sensor and activated by increased intracellular concentrations of AMP following nutrient deprivation. Physiological or pathological...Full Text Available
Gamma interferon plays an important role in regulating the functional properties of mononuclear phagocytes. In the present study, the role of activated protein kinases in the mechanism of action of...Full Text Available
Inhibition of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is an appealing method for decreasing the immunoresistance and augmenting T cell-mediated immunotherapy. A major impediment to this strategy is the impact of conventional PI3K/mTOR pathway inhibitors on T cell function. In particular, rapamycin, is a well-known immunosuppressant that can decrease the activity of the PI3K/mTOR pathway in tumor cells, but also has a profound inhibitory effect on T cells. Here we show that Honokiol, a natural dietary product isolated from an extract of seed cones from Magnolia grandiflora, can decrease PI3K/mTOR pathway-mediated immunoresistance of glioma, breast and prostate cancer cell lines, without affecting critical proinflammatory T cell functions. Specifically, we show that at doses sufficient to down-regulate levels of phospho-S6 and the negative immune regulator B7-H1 in tumor cells, ...
A multifunctional protein kinase, purified from rat liver as ATP-citrate lyase kinase, has been identified as a glycogen synthase kinase. This kinase catalyzed incorporation of up to 1.5 mol of and)2numberSPO4/mol of synthase subunit associated with a decrease in the glycogen synthase activity ratio from 0.85 to a value of 0.15. Approximately 65-70% of the TUPO4 was incorporated into site 3 and 30-35% into site 2 as determined by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. This multifunctional kinase was distinguished from glycogen synthase kinase-3 on the basis of nucleotide and protein substrate specificities. Since the phosphate contents in glycogen synthase of sites 3 and 2 are altered in diabetes and by insulin administration, the possible involvement of the multifunctional kinase was explored. Glycogen synthase purified from ...
In isolated rat adipocytes, insulin inhibits lipolysis to a greater extent than would be predicted by the decrease in (-/+)cAMP activity ratio of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase), from which it was speculated that insulin promotes the dephosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase. They have examined the phosphorylation state of cellular proteins under conditions of varying A-kinase activities in the presence and absence of insulin. Protein phosphorylation was determined by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis of extracts from /sup 32/P-loaded cells; glycerol and A-kinase activity ratios were measured in the cytosolic extracts from control, non-radioactive cells. Increased protein phosphorylation in general occurred over the same range of A-kinase activity ratios, 0.1-0.3, associated with increased glycerol release. The insulin-induced decrease in lipolysis was associated with a decrease ...
Social organisms that cooperate with some members of their own species, such as close relatives, may fail to cooperate with other genotypes of the same species. Such noncooperation may take the form...Full Text Available
The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any beneficial or detrimental effects regarding delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), serum creatine kinase (CK), and maximum concentric strength...Full Text Available
We have identified the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase syk as a marker of differentiation/tumor suppressor in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Syk expression is lost in poorly differentiated PDAC...Full Text Available
The chloroplast and cytoplasmic isoenzymes of phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) (EC. 2.7.2.3) from Hordeum vulgare leaves have been separated and purified for the first time to apparent...Full Text Available
Phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima has been purified to homogeneity. A second larger enzyme with PGK activity and identical N-terminal sequence was...Full Text Available
BackgroundAurora kinases play an essential role in orchestrating chromosome alignment, segregation and cytokinesis during mitotic progression, with both aurora-A and B frequently...Full Text Available
AMP-activated-protein-kinase (AMPK) is a key sensor and regulator of cellular and whole-body energy metabolism and plays a key role in regulation of lipid metabolism. Since lipid metabolism...Full Text Available
PknB is a member of the newly discovered eukaryotic-like protein serine/threonine kinase (PSTK) family of proteins. The pknB gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli....Full Text Available
ObjectivesWe examined the expression of Rho Kinase (ROK) isoforms in young and old rabbit’s detrusor smooth muscles (SM) during the progression of short term...Full Text Available
The p21-activated kinases (PAKs), immediate downstream effectors of the small G-proteins of the Rac/cdc42 family, are critical mediators of signaling pathways regulating cellular behaviors and...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVEPhosphoinositide 3-kinase enhancer A (PIKE-A) is a proto-oncogene that promotes tumor growth and transformation by enhancing Akt activity. However, the physiological functions...Full Text Available
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
Recently, CID755673 was reported to act as a highly selective inhibitor of protein kinase D (PKD). In the course of experiments using CID755673, we noticed that it exerted unexpected stimulatory...Full Text Available
IntroductionBRAF (v raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homologue B1) is a serine-threonine kinase involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway, known...Full Text Available
The protein kinase CK2 (formerly casein kinase II) is thought to be involved in light-regulated gene expression in plants because...Full Text Available
The mechanism by which enzyme IIIglc of the bacterial phosphotransferase system regulates the activity of crystalline glycerol kinase from Escherichia coli has been studied, and the inhibitory effects...Full Text Available
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key regulator of energy metabolism; its activity is regulated by a plethora of physiological conditions, exercises and many anti-diabetic drugs. Recent...Full Text Available
c-Jun N-terminal kinase 2 (JNK2) isoforms are transcribed from the jnk2 gene and are highly homologous with jnk1 and jnk3 transcriptional products....Full Text Available
In higher plants, three subfamilies of sucrose nonfermenting-1 (Snf1)-related protein kinases have evolved. While the Snf1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) subfamily has been shown to share pivotal...Full Text Available
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 1 (CDK1) is the major M-phase kinase known also as the M-phase Promoting Factor or MPF. Studies performed during the last decade have shown many details of how CDK1 is regulated...Full Text Available
Materials World Network: Cooperative Activity in Materials Research between US Investigators and ... Program Title: Materials World Network: Cooperative Activity in Materials Research between US ...
Materials World Network: Cooperative Activity in Materials Research between US Investigators and ... Program Title: Materials World Network: Cooperative Activity in Materials Research between US ...
In the context of social dilemmas, previous research has shown that human cooperation is mainly based on the social norm of conditional cooperation. While in most cases individuals behave according...Full Text Available
Securing the co-operation of persons supplying information required for medical statistics is essentially a problem in human relations, and an understanding of the motivations, attitudes, and behaviour...Full Text Available
Does the cultural background influence the success with which genetically unrelated individuals cooperate in social dilemma situations? In this paper, we provide an answer by analysing the data of Full Text Available
Phospholemman (PLM), a member of the FXYD family of regulators of ion transport, is a major sarcolemmal substrate for protein kinases A and C in cardiac and skeletal muscle. In the heart, PLM...Full Text Available
Diagnostic accuracy of the currently available serum markers of cardiac injury, such as myoglobin, creatine kinase and its myocardial isoform, are altered in patients with renal failure. It is shown...Full Text Available
The study concludes that while the diversification into nonutility activities by the Rural Electric Cooperatives and the Rural Telephone Cooperatives has been expanding, the regulatory activities by the Rural Electrification Administration and the state public utility commissions have been inadequate to guard against cross-subsidization. In fact, there generally exist no data to identify and investigate illegal cross-subsidization activities of cooperatives. Increasing the regulatory functions of state public utility commissions and the REA was recommended.
Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose, which causes liver injury in animals and humans, activates c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Although it was shown that the JNK inhibitor SP600125 effectively reduced...Full Text Available
We tested the hypothesis that the basal release of nitric oxide (NO) from endothelial cells modulates contractile activity in the corpus cavernosum (CC) via inhibition of the RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling...Full Text Available
Two novel crystal structures of Zea mays protein kinase CK2α catalytic subunit, one in complex with the specific inhibitor 4,5,6,7-tetrabromobenzotriazole (TBB) and another...Full Text Available
BackgroundWhen eukaryotic cells are deprived of amino acids, uncharged tRNAs accumulate and activate the conserved GCN2 protein kinase. Activated Gcn2p up-regulates the general amino...Full Text Available
Engineered overexpression of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) was previously shown to endow nonmotile MCF-10A human breast cells with aggressive motility. A traceable mutant of PKCα...Full Text Available
BackgroundWe investigated whether p42/p44 extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) and/or phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI3K)-Akt play a crucial role in cardioprotection...Full Text Available
Despite intensive efforts, the intracellular signaling pathways that mediate apoptosis remain unclear. The human B lymphoma cell line, B104, possesses characteristics that make it an attractive model...Full Text Available
The bifunctional rat liver enzyme 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (ATP:D-fructose-6-phosphate 2-phosphotransferase/D-fructose-2,6-bisphosphate 2-phosphohydrolase, EC 2.7.1.105/EC...Full Text Available
Suicide substrate β, γ-bidentate Rh(III)ATP (RhATP) was used to map the metal ion-binding site in yeast phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK). Cleavage of the RhATP-inactivated enzyme with...Full Text Available
The ζ chain-associated 70-kDa protein (ZAP-70) of tyrosine kinase plays a critical role in T cell receptor-mediated signal transduction and the immune response. A high level of ZAP-70 expression...Full Text Available
Climate change represents the largest social dilemma humans have ever faced, where individual actors maximise their personal gain by emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere even though this is detrimental to the collective global good. Cooperation on a global scale is urgently required if we are to overcome this problem. However, this is difficult to achieve because cooperators pay the cost of reducing emissions while any benefits are shared between cooperators and free-riders alike. In a risk-free, rational world cooperative behaviour can be promoted through mechanisms that increase the benefit of cooperating relative to free-riding, such as rewards or sanctions. In reality, however, outcomes are seldom certain and humans rarely behave rationally when confronted with risky prospects...
Abstract The Hippo pathway is an evolutionally conserved protein kinase cascade involved in regulating organ size in vivo and cell contact inhibition in vitro by governing cell proliferation and apoptosis. Deregulation of the Hippo pathway is linked to cancer development. Its first core kinase Warts was identified in Drosophila more than 15 years ago, but it gained much attention when other core components of the pathway were identified 8 years later. Major discoveries of the pathway were made during past several years. The core kinase components Hippo, Salvador, Warts, and Mats in the fly and Mst1/2, WW45, Lats1/2, and Mob1 in mammals phosphorylate and inactivate downstream transcriptional co-activators Yorkie in the fly, Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional co-activator with ...
Protein kinase C activity has been identified in the rat brown adipocyte. About 60% of this activity is found in the cytosolic fraction under basal conditions, and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) causes a rapid shift from the cytosol to the particulate fraction. Norepinephrine and phenylephrine causes a similar redistribution that can be blocked by prazosin but not by alprenolol. {alpha}{sub 1}-Adrenergic agonists cause three- to fivefold stimulation of type 2 iodothyronine 5{prime}-deiodinase activity in brown adipocytes. TPA has no effect on basal deiodinase activity and reduces the response of the enzyme to {alpha}{sub 1}-adrenergic agonists. These results suggest that the translocation of protein kinase C from cytosol to particulate fraction is not sufficient to increase deiodinase activity but can modulate the {alpha}{sub 1}-adrenergic agonist-mediated responses in these cells.
Abstract The heterotetrameric K++-channel KCNQ1/KCNE1 is expressed in heart, skeletal muscle, liver and several epithelia including the renal proximal tubule. In the heart, it contributes to the repolarization of cardiomyocytes. The repolarization is impaired in ischemia. Ischemia stimulates the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a serine/threonine kinase, sensing energy depletion and stimulating several cellular mechanisms to enhance energy production and to limit energy utilization. AMPK has previously been shown to downregulate the epithelial Na++ channel ENaC, an effect mediated by the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2. The present study explored whether AMPK regulates KCNQ1/KCNE1. To this end, cRNA encoding KCNQ1/KCNE1 was injected into Xenopus oocytes with and without additional injection o...
Abstract Imatinib mesylate is the first of a novel group of drugs that specifically target protein tyrosine kinases, which are central to the pathogenesis of human cancer. It has been approved for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumor and has been found efficacious in other neoplastic diseases. Nilotinib and dasatinib, a second-generation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), were developed in response to findings of emerging imatinib resistance or intolerance to the drug. Cutaneous reactions are the most common nonhematologic side effect of these drugs, and their management is challenging especially in the absence of alternative anticancer agents. The present review focuses on the clinical characteristics and the hypothesized molecular pathogenesis o...
This article presents an overview of the IAEA's technical co-operation activities in the field of nuclear raw materials, particularly looking at recent developments and trends influencing future directions
Cooperative research in coal liquefaction from Auburn University, University of Kentucky, University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University, University of Utah, and the UK Center for Applied Energy Research, are briefly discussed. Topics covered include desulfurization, chemical reactivity, coprocessing, and catalysis. (CBS)
with the support and cooperation of the American Meteorological Society, the Marine Technology Society, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Institute...
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
It is estimated that approximately a quarter of patients undergoing coronary intervention may have significant post-procedural creatinine (CK)/creatinine kinase myocardial band (CK-MB) elevations and...Full Text Available
BackgroundNFκB signaling is of paramount importance in the regulation of apoptosis, proliferation, and inflammatory responses during human development and homeostasis, as...Full Text Available
We use a novel normal mode analysis of an elastic network model drawn from configurations generated during microsecond all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to analyze the mechanism of auto-inhibition...Full Text Available
The plant hormone cytokinin is perceived by membrane-located sensor histidine kinases. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) possesses three cytokinin receptors: ARABIDOPSIS HISTIDINE...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococci, GAS) two-component signal transduction system CovRS has been described to be important for pathogenesis...Full Text Available
BackgroundGlycochenodeoxycholate (GCDA) is one of the major human bile salts. Bile salts stimulate cell survival and proliferation through the mitogen-activated protein kinase, but...Full Text Available
Hyaluronan (HA) is important for joint cavitation, lubrication, volume regulation and synovial fluid drainage but little is known about the regulation of joint HA synthesis/secretion in vivo....Full Text Available
We have used the two-electrode voltage clamp technique and the patch clamp technique to investigate the regulation of ROMK1 channels by protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) and protein-tyrosine...Full Text Available
The Neurofibromatosis-2 (NF2) tumor suppressor merlin negatively regulates cell proliferation in numerous cell types. We have previously shown that the NF2...Full Text Available
Target of rapamycin (TOR) kinases control cell growth through two functionally distinct multiprotein complexes. TOR complex 1 (TORC1) controls temporal cell growth and is sensitive to rapamycin, whereas...Full Text Available
Eukaryotic cells can massively transport their own cytoplasmic contents into a lytic compartment, the vacuole/lysosome, for recycling through a conserved system called autophagy. The key process in...Full Text Available
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) related therapies – mainly tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as erlotinib and gefitinib, but also monoclonal antibodies targeting EGFR, for example,...Full Text Available
We have used Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry to determine the effect of dietary K intake on the expression of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms in the kidney. Western blot has demonstrated...Full Text Available
Cancer cells constantly adapt to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) suppression resulting from hypoxia or mitochondria defects. Under the OXPHOS suppression, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates...Full Text Available
Neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (NEP, CD10) is a cell-surface enzyme expressed by prostatic epithelial cells that cleaves and inactivates neuropeptides implicated in the growth of androgen-independent prostate...Full Text Available
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are thought to derive from the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) or an ICC precursor. Oncogenic mutations of the KIT or PDGFRA receptor tyrosine kinases are present...Full Text Available
Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) expansion is regulated by intrinsic signaling pathways activated by cytokines. The intracellular kinase JAK2 plays an essential role in cytokine signaling,...Full Text Available
A histidine kinase protein (Cph1) with sequence homology and spectral characteristics very similar to those of the plant phytochrome has been recently identified in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis...Full Text Available
AbstractPurposeThe aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of the Rho-kinase inhibitor, H-1152, on cultured human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells, TM morphology,...Full Text Available
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon with a high incidence of colon cancer. Dysplasia is a precursor to carcinoma and a predictor of malignant potential; epithelia...Full Text Available
Using 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance, we studied the relationship between myocardial high-energy phosphate content and flux values for the creatine kinase reaction in the living rat under inotropic...Full Text Available
Exposure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to hypoxia is known to alter the expression of many genes, including ones thought to be involved in latency, via the transcription factor DevR...Full Text Available
Acetaminophen (APAP), a widely used analgesic and antipyretic that is considered to be relatively safe at recommended doses, is the leading cause of drug-induced liver failure in the United States....Full Text Available
CDC7 is an essential gene required for DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cdc7p homologs have recently been identified in vertebrates, but their role in DNA...Full Text Available
We investigated the effects of PSARK∷IPT (for Senescence-Associated Receptor Kinase∷Isopentenyltransferase) expression and cytokinin production...Full Text Available
The cellular properties of long-term potentiation (LTP) following pairing of pre- and postsynaptic activity were examined at a known glutamatergic synapse in the leech, specifically between the pressure...Full Text Available
An approach to generate mimics of phosphorylated serine proteins chemically through site-specific sulfonation of cysteine is presented. This chemical modification is reversible in the presence of reducing agent and therefore is analogous to the kinase/phosphatase system used in nature. PMID:21717004
Benzodiazepine withdrawal anxiety is associated with potentiation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate receptor (AMPAR) currents in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal...Full Text Available
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved degradative pathway that has been implicated in a number of physiological events important for human health. This process was originally identified as a response...Full Text Available
SummaryActivating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) is regulated by JNK/p38 in response to stress. Here, we demonstrate that the protein kinase ATM phosphorylates ATF2 on serines...Full Text Available
BackgroundObesity is one of the principal causative factors involved in the development of metabolic syndrome. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensor that regulates...Full Text Available
Physiological cardiac hypertrophy is associated with mitochondrial adaptations that are characterized by activation of PGC-1α and increased fatty acid oxidative (FAO) capacity. It is...Full Text Available
In addition to inducing new transcriptional activities that lead within a few hours to the accumulation of heat shock proteins (Hsps), heat shock activates within minutes the major signaling transduction...Full Text Available
We have studied the impact of overexpression of an intracellular signaling protein, integrin-linked kinase (ILK), on the survival and function of encapsulated islet tissue used for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. The dimensions of the encapsulated tissue can impact the stresses placed on the tissue and ILK overexpression shows the ability to extend function of dissociated cells as well as intact islets. These results suggest that lost cell-extracellular matrix interactions in cell encapsulation systems can lead to decreased insulin secretion and ILK signaling is a target to overcome this phenomenon. (communication)
Cdc7 kinase plays an essential role in firing of replication origins by phosphorylating components of the replication complexes. Cdc7 kinase has also been implicated in S phase checkpoint signaling downstream of the ATR and Chk1 kinases. Inactivation of Cdc7 in yeast results in arrest of cell growth with 1C DNA content after completion of the ongoing DNA replication. In contrast, conditional inactivation of Cdc7 in undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells leads to growth arrest with rapid cessation of DNA synthesis, suggesting requirement of Cdc7 functions for continuation of ongoing DNA synthesis. Furthermore, loss of Cdc7 function induces recombinational repair (nuclear Rad51 foci) and G2/M checkpoint responses (inhibition of Cdc2 kinase). Eventually, p53 becomes highly activated and the cells undergo massive p53-dependent apoptosis. Thus, defective origin activation in mammalian cells can ...
Development of a comprehensive and effective global clean technology cooperation framework will require years of experimenting and evaluation with new instruments and institutional arrangements before it is clear what works on which scale and in which region or country. In presenting concrete examples, this paper aims to set the first step in that process by highlighting successful models and innovative approaches that can inform efforts to ramp up clean energy technology cooperation. This paper reviews current mechanisms and international frameworks for global cooperation on clean energy technologies, both within and outside of the UNFCCC, and provides selected concrete options for scaling up global cooperation on clean energy technology RD&D, enabling environment, and financing.
In this paper, we propose a new cooperative control method for multiple robotic systems that eliminates several issues in the discentralized control method. The proposed control method is constructed by extending a Passive Velocity Field Control (PVFC). It is easy to guarantee the stability in control, because the PVFC can keep the passivity of the controlled system. In this study, the cooperative control method is proposed and then it`s stability is proven. Moreover, it is extended so as to control an internal force and to control a virtual time. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed cooperative control method are examined by computer simulations for cooperation tasks with two manipulators. 11 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.
The effect of the degree of degradation of the components of a model municipal plastic waste (a mixture of low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene and high-impact polystyrene) on the toughness and stability of recyclates compatibilised with a cooperative compatibilisation system (a mixture of ethylene-propylene statistical and styrene-butadiene block copolymers with a secondary amine-based stabiliser) was studied. It was shown that good impact strength was achieved for recyclates having components with a low or medium degree of degradation. Mechanical properties of recyclates having the components with a high degree of degradation are deteriorated. The addition of the cooperative compatibilisation system leads to a higher thermo-oxidative stability of recyclates ...
Myriad genetic and epigenetic alterations are required to drive normal cells toward malignant transformation. These somatic events commandeer many signaling pathways that cooperate to endow aspiring...Full Text Available
We investigate opportunistic cooperation between unlicensed secondary users and legacy primary users in a cognitive radio network. Specifically, we consider a model of a cognitive network where a secondary user can cooperatively transmit with the primary user in order to improve the latter's effective transmission rate. In return, the secondary user gets more opportunities for transmitting its own data when the primary user is idle. This kind of interaction between the primary and secondary users is different from the traditional dynamic spectrum access model in which the secondary users try to avoid interfering with the primary users while seeking transmission opportunities on vacant primary channels. In our model, the secondary users need to balance the desire to cooperate more (to create more transmission opportunities) with the need for maintaining sufficient energy levels for their own transmissions. Such a model is ...
Co-op students hired since December 3, 1983 will be covered under FERS. ... amount of sick leave that can be accumulated for use in succeeding years. 11. ...
... more so when that and he is leaving it with ... reminds me of the story about the sick man who ... fers based on industrial cooperation and the establish- ...
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the contribution of cooperative societies to housing finance for the urban low income group in Ogbomoso, Oyo state of Nigeria. This is with a view to determine the effectiveness of the societies' lending as a means of solving the housing problem among the low income group in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach - Questionnaires were administered to 120 members of eight societies of four cooperative unions selected through a random sampling technique. In total, 15 members who had benefited from the loan were surveyed in each of the societies. Data were analysed with the use of frequency distribution, percentage and measure of cooperators satisfaction index (CSI). Findings - The results showed that 52 per cent of responding members had fi...
... laws between particles (modeling UGV/UAV/UUV collectives) to ... A mobile robot test-bed is used in ... of this work on mobile robots executing pursuit ...
In: Geology and Seismic Stratigraphy of the Antarctic Margin, Antarctic Research Series vol. 68, edited by A.K. Cooper, P.F. Barker and G. Brancolini, ...
We investigate optimal resource allocation for delay-limited cooperative communication in time varying wireless networks. Motivated by real-time applications that have stringent delay constraints, we develop a dynamic cooperation strategy that makes optimal use of network resources to achieve a target outage probability (reliability) for each user subject to average power constraints. Using the technique of Lyapunov optimization, we first present a general framework to solve this problem and then derive quasi-closed form solutions for several cooperative protocols proposed in the literature. Unlike earlier works, our scheme does not require prior knowledge of the statistical description of the packet arrival, channel state and node mobility processes and can be implemented in an online fashion.
... In the Proceedings of INTC 2003, we studied charging effects on target coverage during electrospinning (16). ... of Fibers from Electrospinning of ...
Sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) catalyzes the transfer of a glycosyl group from an activated donor sugar, such as uridine diphosphate glucose (UDP-Glc), to a saccharide acceptor D-fructose 6-phosphate (F6P), resulting in the formation of UDP and D-sucrose-6'-phosphate (S6P). This is a central regulatory process in the production of sucrose in plants, cyanobacteria, and proteobacteria. Here, we report the crystal structure of SPS from the nonphotosynthetic bacterium Halothermothrix orenii and its complexes with the substrate F6P and the product S6P. SPS has two distinct Rossmann-fold domains with a large substrate binding cleft at the interdomain interface. Structures of two complexes show that both the substrate F6P and the product S6P bind to the A-domain of SPS. Based on comparative analysis of the SPS structure with other related enzymes, the donor ...
The chemopreventive efficacy of turmeric has been established in experimental systems. However, its mechanism(s) of action are not fully elucidated in vivo. The present study investigates the mechanism of turmeric-mediated chemoprevention in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinogenesis at 2, 4, 6, 10 and 12?weeks. Dietary turmeric (1%) led to decrease in DMBA-induced tumor burden and multiplicity, and enhanced the latency period in parallel, to its modulatory effects on oncogene products and various cellular responses during HBP tumorigenesis. DMBA-induced expression of ras oncogene product, p21 and downstream target, the mitogen-activated protein kinases were significantly decreased by turmeric during HBP carcinogenesis. Turmeric also diminished ...
The US DOE`s Photovoltaics program has helped photovoltaic technologies evolve from materials and concepts in the laboratories to competitive products rolling off automated assembly lines. This document is divided into the following sections: 1992 PV program accomplishments, expanding markets for photovoltaic systems, developing today`s systems with utilities and industry, working with industry to advance the technology, cooperative research to improve materials and devices, selected achievements in cooperative R and D, and PV program services. Figs, tabs.
Three existing organizational types that meet the decentralization criteria of local consumer ownership and control - cooperatives, Rural Electric Cooperatives, and municipal utilities - are examined. These three organizational precedents are analyzed in terms of their histories, structures, legal powers, sources of capital, and social and political aspects. Examples of related experiments with renewable energy technologies are given, and inferences are drawn regarding the organizations' suitability as vehicles for future implementation of decentralized renewable energy systems.
The possibility of having properly designed multinational fuel cycle agreements which would contribute to public acceptance of nuclear energy are explored. The advantages of existing international cooperation in the field of uranium enrichment and nuclear waste disposal and reprocessing are discussed. The possible forms of multinational co-operation under an international organisation, committed the non-proliferation and operating under international law and covering storage facilities, security of raw materials and the nuclear fuel cycle are summarised in model form. (U.K.).
China and CERN renew co-operation agreement for a further five years. During a visit to CERN on 17 February, Liu Yanhua, the vice-minister of science and technology of the People's Republic of China, signed a new co-operation agreement with the laboratory.
Using ab initio (SCF/6-31G) method, mechanisms of proton migrations in methaboric acid dimers have studied. It is shown that in all the dimers considered a cooperative transfer of protons occurs. The calculated values of activation barriers of cooperative proton transfer reactions in the dimers are equal to 28.6 kcal/mol.
The total radiation rate, angular distribution of the emitted energy and photon correlations of the cooperative spontaneous radiation from two atoms with different resonance frequencies and spontaneous decay rates are calculated. Contrary to the case of two identical atoms oscillations appear in the total radiation rate and the spatial distribution of the total number of emitted photons differs from the single-atom radiation pattern. The effect of the dipole-dipole near-field interaction on the time evolution of the atomic system is discussed. (author).
The functioning of animal as well as human societies fundamentally relies on cooperation. Yet, defection is often favorable for the selfish individual, and social dilemmas arise. Selection by individuals' fitness, usually the basic driving force of evolution, quickly eliminates cooperators. However, evolution is also governed by fluctuations that can be of greater importance than fitness differences, and can render evolution effectively neutral. Here, we investigate the effects of selection versus fluctuations in social dilemmas. By studying the mean extinction times of cooperators and defectors, a variable sensitive to fluctuations, we are able to identify and quantify an emerging 'edge of neutral evolution' that delineates regimes of neutral and Darwinian evolution. Our results reveal that cooperation is significantly maintained in the neutral regimes. In contrast, the ...
The economies of East Asia are predominantly export based and, therefore, place special emphasis on the security of the sea lines of communication (SLOCs). Due to economic globalization, the United States shares these concerns. Cooperative measures by the concerned parties could reduce the potential for disruption by maritime conflicts. Primary threats against the SLOCs are disputes over the resources under the seas, disputes over some small island groups, disputes between particular parties (China-Taiwan and North-South Korea), or illegal activities like smuggling, piracy, or terrorism. This paper provides an overview on these threats, issue by issue, to identify common elements and needed cooperation. Cooperation on other topics such as search and rescue, fisheries protection, and oil spill response may help support improved relations to prevent maritime conflicts. Many technologies can help support maritime ...
Programmed cell death (PCD) is triggered when Pto, a Ser-Thr protein kinase, recognizes either the AvrPto or AvrPtoB effector from Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato. This...Full Text Available
The products of trithorax group (trxG) genes maintain active transcription of many important developmental regulatory genes, including homeotic genes. Several trxG proteins have been shown to act in...Full Text Available
BackgroundAdipokines, e.g. TNFα, IL-6 and leptin increase insulin resistance, and consequent hyperinsulinaemia influences breast cancer progression. Beside its mitogenic...Full Text Available
A novel class of pyrrolidinyl-acetyleneic thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidines has been identified which potently inhibit the EGFR and ErbB-2 receptor tyrosine kinases. Synthetic modifications of the pyrrolidine carbamate moiety result in a range of effects on enzyme and cellular potency. In addition, the impact of the absolute stereochemical configuration on cellular potency and oral mouse pharmacokinetics is described.
Glucose metabolism through glycolysis and hexosamine pathway has been shown to be altered in type 2 diabetes. However, its fate through the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is currently unclear....Full Text Available
Inhibition of large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BKCa) channels mediates, in part, oxygen sensing by carotid body type I cells. However, BKCa channels remain active...Full Text Available
Scyl1 is an evolutionarily conserved N-terminal protein kinase-like domain protein that plays a role in COP1-mediated retrograde protein trafficking in mammalian cells. Furthermore, loss of Scyl1 function...Full Text Available
The deregulated kinase activity of p210-BCR/ABL oncoproteins, hallmark of chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML), induces and sustains the leukaemic phenotype, and contributes to disease progression....Full Text Available
Aldosterone has been suggested to elicit vessel contraction via a nongenomic mechanism. We tested this proposal in microdissected, perfused rabbit renal afferent arterioles. Aldosterone had no effect on internal diameter in concentrations from 10(-10) to 10(-5) mol/L, but aldosterone abolished the ability of 100 mmol/L KCl to induce vascular contraction. The inhibitory effect of aldosterone was observed from 1 pmol/L. The inhibitory effect was significant after 5 minutes and maximal after 20 minutes and was fully reversible. Actinomycin D (10(-6) mol/L) prolonged the effect of aldosterone. The effect was abolished by the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist spironolactone (10(-7) mol/L) but not by the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone (10(-6) mol/L). The K+-mediated increase of intracellular calcium concentration in afferent arterioles was not affected by aldosterone. Mineralocorticoid receptor was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and ...
Hematopoietic stem cells are resistant to HIV-1 infection. Here, we report a novel mechanism by which the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI) p21Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1 (p21), a known regulator...Full Text Available
Unequal segregation of cell fate determinants at mitosis is a conserved mechanism whereby cell fate diversity can be generated during development. In Drosophila, each sensory organ...Full Text Available
A 13.1-kb DNA fragment carrying Pseudomonas denitrificans cob genes has been sequenced. The nucleotide sequence and genetic analysis revealed that this fragment contained five different cob genes named...Full Text Available
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive, anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK+ ALCL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma of T/null immunophenotype that is most prevalent in children and young adults. The...Full Text Available
In Streptococcus pneumoniae, CpsB, CpsC, and CpsD are essential for encapsulation, and mutants containing deletions of cpsB, cpsC, or cpsD...Full Text Available
Current information suggests that chemical carcinogenesis is a multistep process with one of the best studied models in this regard being the two-stage carcinogenesis system using mouse skin. The effects of several carcinogens and tumor promoters in various sequences of application were studied to examine the nature of the process. The actions of several tumor inhibitors were compared. (ACR)
We have used triparental matings to demonstrate transfer (mobilization) of the nonconjugative genetically engineered plasmid pHSV106, which contains the thymidine kinase gene of herpes simplex virus...Full Text Available
The capacity of bones to adjust their mass and architecture to withstand the loads of everyday activity derives from the ability of their resident cells to respond appropriately to the strains engendered....Full Text Available
Vacuolar ion channels in guard cells play important roles during stomatal movement and are regulated by many factors including Ca2+, calmodulin, protein kinases, and phosphatases....Full Text Available
The leukocyte-enriched p110γ and p110δ isoforms of PI3K have been shown to control in vitro degranulation of mast cells induced by cross-linking...Full Text Available
The present study was undertaken to determine the involvement of calcium-protein kinase C pathway in the mechanism of action of Escherichia coli heat stable enterotoxin (STa) apart from STa-induced activation of guanylate cyclase in human colonic carcinoma cell line COLO-205, which was used as a model cultured cell line to study the mechanism of action of E. coli STa. In response to E. coli STa, protein kinase C (PKC) activity was increased in a time-dependent manner with its physical translocation from cytosol to membrane. Inhibition of the PKC activity in membrane fraction and inhibition of its physical translocation in response to IP_3-mediated calcium release inhibitor dantrolene suggested the involvement of intracellular store depletion in the regulation of PKC activity. Among different PKC isoforms, predominant involvement of calcium-dependent protein kinase C (PKC#alpha#) was specified using isotype-specific ...
Incorporation of /sup 32/P from (gamma-32P)ATP into tyrosine residues of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II receptor was observed in a Triton X-100-insoluble fraction of rat adipocyte plasma membranes. IGF-II receptor phosphorylation proceeded to a stoichiometry of approximately 0.5 mol of phosphate/IGF-II binding site after 10 min of incubation at 4 degrees C. A Km for ATP of 6 microM was calculated for this phosphorylation reaction. Addition of IGF-II caused an approximately 2-fold increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of the IGF-II receptor in this preparation. In contrast, phosphorylation of angiotensin II by the Triton X-100 washed membranes was not stimulated by IGF-II. Incubation of purified receptor immobilized on IGF-II agarose or of receptor-enriched low density microsomal membranes with (gamma-32P)ATP did not result in appreciable incorporation of (/sup 32/P)phosphate into the IGF-II receptor nor into exogenous substrates. These data suggest that the IGF-II receptor is ...
The expression status of the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and that of the epidermal growth factor receptor Her-2/neu frequently correlate inversely in breast cancers. While ERα-dependent...Full Text Available
Besides differentiation and apoptosis, cell migration is a basic process in brain development in which neural cells migrate several centimeters within the developing brain before reaching their proper positions and forming the right connections. For identifying signaling events that control neural migration and are therefore potential targets of chemicals to disturb normal brain development, we developed a human neurosphere-based migration assay based on normal human neural progenitor (NHNP) cells, in which the distance is measured that cells wander over time. Applying this assay, we investigated the role of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in the regulation of NHNP cell migration. Exposure to model substances like ethanol or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) revealed a correlation between ERK1/2 activation and cell migration. The participation of phospho-(P-) ERK1/2 was confirmed by exposure of the cells to the MEK inhibitor PD98059, ...
Cordycepin has been shown to interfere with a myriad of molecular processes from RNA elongation to kinase activity, and prevents numerous inflammatory processes in animal models. Here we show in a mouse...Full Text Available
BackgroundPulmonary vascular structure remodeling (PVSR) is a hallmark of pulmonary hypertension. P27kip1, one of critical cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, has been...Full Text Available
This study investigated the effects of electromagnetic fields on enzymes involved in purine metabolism in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. Cells were obtained from 20 volunteers. We...Full Text Available
The initiation and progression of several forms of retinal degenerations involve excessive, repetitive, and/or sustained oxidative stress that, in turn, mediate photoreceptor cell damage and...Full Text Available
Full text: There have been many recent calls for increased international cooperation in the field of nuclear forensics. While much is already being done, for example by the International Technical Working Group on Nuclear Smuggling and International Atomic Energy Agency, more effort is needed as cooperation on real-world incidents is often ad hoc. As a result, incidents - particularly diversions of nuclear material - are not effectively investigated, and opportunities to keep dangerous materials out of the hands of terrorists or proliferators are missed. Forensics techniques can be used to investigate many types of incidents involving illicit uses of nuclear or radiological material, but the need for cooperation can be seen most clearly in the area of illicit trafficking where collaboration is needed now. Here governments have had some success interdicting smuggled material but diversions are not usually effectively ...
High energy physics is a basic research domain with a well established European and international cooperation. Cooperation can be of different type depending on the size of the facilities involved (accelerators), on their financing, and on the type of experiments that use these facilities. The CERN, the European center for nuclear research, created in October 1954, is the best example of such a cooperation. This article examines first the juridical and scientifical structure of the CERN and the mode of organization of big experiments. Then, it presents the role of international committees in the establishment of a common scientific policy in Europe and in the rest of the world. Finally, the possible future evolution of the CERN towards a worldwide project is evoked. (J.S.)
In mobile ad hoc networks (MANET), nodes usually belong to different authorities and pursue different goals. In order to maximize their own performance, nodes in such networks tend to be selfish and are not willing to forward packets for benefit of others. Meanwhile, some nodes may behave maliciously and try to disrupt the network through wasting other nodes resources in a very large scale. In this article, we present a reputation-based attack resistant cooperation stimulation (RACS) system which ensures that damage caused by malicious nodes can be bounded and cooperation among the selfish nodes can be enforced. Mathematical analyses of the system as well as the simulation results have confirmed effectiveness of our proposed system. RACS is completely self-organizing and distributed. It does not require any tamper-proof hardware or central management policy.
Brazil occupies a prominence place in the development and use of sources renovate of energy, due to its great territorial extension, climate and several alternatives. One of these it is the bio diesel,o production which can substitute the oil diesel, decreasing the impacts to the environment. In the productive chain of chicken meat a residue, chicken oil, is generated with potential for biodiesel production. In this work they were certain characteristics physical chemistries, that can influence in the reactions of transesterification of the chicken oil. It was lifted up the potential of production of chicken oil in the cooperatives of the area west of the state of Parana and yield in biodiesel. The bio diesel production by cooperatives could be of 19.525.209,0 kg/year of bio diesel and the yield of 95%. (author)
The entire Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) cofiring program has been in existence of some 9 years. This report presents a summary of the major elements of that program, focusing upon the following questions: (1) In pursuit of increased use of renewable energy in the US economy, why was electricity generation considered the most promising target, and why was cofiring pursued as the most effective near-term technology to use in broadening the use of biomass within the electricity generating arena? (2) What were the unique accomplishments of EPRI before the development of the Cooperative Agreement, which made developing the partnership with EPRI a highly cost-effective approach for USDOE? (3) What were the key accomplishments of the Cooperative Agreement in the development and execution of test and demonstration programs-accomplishments which significantly furthered the process of commercializing cofiring?
In this paper, we propose a bid optimizer for sponsored keyword search auctions which leads to better retention of advertisers by yielding attractive utilities to the advertisers without decreasing the revenue to the search engine. The bid optimizer is positioned as a key value added tool the search engine provides to the advertisers. The proposed bid optimizer algorithm transforms the reported values of the advertisers for a keyword into a correlated bid profile using many ideas from cooperative game theory. The algorithm is based on a characteristic form game involving the search engine and the advertisers. Ideas from Nash bargaining theory are used in formulating the characteristic form game to provide for a fair share of surplus among the players involved. The algorithm then computes the nucleolus of the characteristic form game since we find that the nucleolus is an apt way of allocating the gains of cooperation among the search engine and ...
Examines the effects of computer-based manufacturing technologies on employment opportunities and job skills. Describes the establishment of the Industrial Technology Institute in Michigan to develop and utilize advanced manufacturing technologies, and the institute's relationship to the state's community colleges. Reviews lessons learned from interinstitutional cooperation. Highlights future challenges. (DMM)
SUMMARYIn voltage-gated sodium, potassium, and calcium channels the functions of ion conduction and voltage sensing are performed by two distinct structural units: the pore domain...Full Text Available
The authors review the experimental work that has been done since the Second World War on the use of chemical molluscicides in Southern Rhodesia and describe the development of a co-operative snail...Full Text Available
It was agreed that both of the Republic Of Korea (ROK) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cooperate with the new approach using the Unattended Monitoring Systems (UMS), the mailbox declaration and the short notice inspections, which can decrease the agency inspection efforts and operator' s burden. As a result of the positive cooperation of ROK for applying new approach, the IAEA could accomplish a successful implementation of new safeguards approach during last transfer campaigns at Wolsung site. As of the end of Feb. 2007, the IAEA installed the UMS at Wolsung units 2, 3 and 4. The transfer campaigns at Wolsung units 2 and 4 are performing from April, 2007. The IAEA will install the UMS at Wolsung unit 1 by the end of 2007. Then agency will inspect all of transfer campaign at Wolsung units by using new approach with UMS, mailbox declaration and SNI. It is based on the SSAC full cooperation with ...
It was agreed that both of the Republic Of Korea (ROK) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cooperate with the new approach using the Unattended Monitoring Systems (UMS), the mailbox declaration and the short notice inspections, which can decrease the agency inspection efforts and operator' s burden. As a result of the positive cooperation of ROK for applying new approach, the IAEA could accomplish a successful implementation of new safeguards approach during last transfer campaigns at Wolsung site. As of the end of Feb. 2007, the IAEA installed the UMS at Wolsung units 2, 3 and 4. The transfer campaigns at Wolsung units 2 and 4 are performing from April, 2007. The IAEA will install the UMS at Wolsung unit 1 by the end of 2007. Then agency will inspect all of transfer campaign at Wolsung units by using new approach with UMS, mailbox declaration and SNI. It is based on the SSAC full cooperation with IAEA to meet ...
- now the INS Jalashwa - to the Indian Navy; the Indian Air Force's purchase of 6 C-130J aircraft, the first of which arrived on time and under budget in February; and the...
Main results of 15-year SSTC NRS activity in the field of technical support of regulatory authority are presented. The article also described management policy, quality assurance system, personnel training system and international co-operation of SSTC. (author)
Randomized clinical trials are designed with stopping boundaries to guide data monitoring committees with their decision making concerning ongoing trials. In particular, when extremely positive results...Full Text Available
The Bureau of Mines and ASARCO Inc. entered a cooperative agreement to determine the feasibility of producing copper matte in an electric furnace from blends of copper concentrate similar to those currently smelted in a gas-fired reverberatory system at A...
Destress blasting is commonly used as a stress control technique at the Galena Mine, Wallace, Idaho, where the U.S. Bureau of Mines maintains a cooperative research program with the mine operators (ASARCO). A digital seismic array and an array of borehole...
The Second International Seminar on Horizontal Steam Generator Modelling was arranged to continue the international cooperation that was started during the first seminar in March 1991. The main topics of the seminar were: (1) further experimental results ...
Subjects covered in this section are: (1) PCAST panel promotes energy research cooperation; (2) Letter issued by ANS urges funding balance in FFTF restart consideration and (3) FESAC panel releases report on priorities and balance.
CERN signed a Co-operation Agreement with the Government of Pakistan in 1994, which was followed in 1997 by a Protocol signed with the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) concerning CMS magnet supports. CERN and PAEC then signed in 1998 a Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration in the construction of the CMS detector. The participation by Pakistani scientists and engineers in the CERN programme is channelled through the National Centre of Physics (NCP) established at the Quaid-i-Azzam University in Islamabad, under the terms of a 1999 Protocol to the 1994 Co-operation Agreement. The engineering and detector construction work performed under these Agreements has been of high quality, and the Pakistani participation is valued highly by the CMS collaboration. In continuation of this co-operation, Pakistan, represented by PAEC as funding agency, has now proposed to make in-kind contributions to the LHC Project, such ...
The history of the Arabian Gulf region shows a lot of commonality in the six states which form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Their shared heritage ranges from common colonial masters to common religion and language. Because of their oil wealth and, ...
Interleukin 2 (IL-2) and B-cell growth factors I and II (BCGF I and BCGF II) are lymphokines produced by T cells that play a major role in T- and B-cell cooperation. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from...Full Text Available
A major outbreak of penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae occurred in California beginning in late 1986. After a state public health emergency was declared in April 1987, a statewide, cooperative...Full Text Available
The theory that the αβ dimer is the functional unit of cooperativity in hemoglobin has been tested by determination of the oxygen equilibrium curve of stable deoxy dimers, obtained by...Full Text Available
Darwin was struck by the many similarities between humans and other primates and believed that these similarities were the product of common ancestry. He would be even more impressed by the similarities...Full Text Available
The NASA/DoD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project is a cooperative effort sponsored by NASA, Office of Aeronautics, Exploration and Technology (OAET), and DoD, SAF/AQT Deputy for Scientific and Technical Information. The research project is a jo...
BackgroundThe tumor microenvironment has been described as a critical milieu determining tumor growth and metastases. A pivotal role of metastasis-inducing S100A4 in the development...Full Text Available
Auxin modulates diverse plant developmental pathways through direct transcriptional regulation and cooperative signaling with other plant hormones. Genetic and biochemical approaches have clarified...Full Text Available
... Programmatic Terms and Conditions for the Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC ... NSF Grants Officer. 2. Program Description: Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers ...
This project reflected cooperation across the disciplines in the physical sciences, engineering, mathematics and computer science. The University of the Pacific served as the center for this pre-college program. The idea was to use this link as a pilot program.
Under a cooperative agreement, the Bureau of Mines, Magma Copper Co., and ASARCO, Inc., tested backfilled ground support systems at two elevations in Magma's San Manuel, AZ, mine. The tests were mainly for guidance in designing the loading crosscuts of th...
Histone Arg methylation and Lys acetylation have been found to cooperatively regulate the expression of p53 target genes. Peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) is an enzyme that citrullinates...Full Text Available
Significant progress was made in the May 1990--May 1991 contract period in three primary coal liquefaction research areas: catalysis, structure-reactivity studies, and novel liquefaction processes. A brief summary of the accomplishments in the past year in each of these areas is given.
At the St. Joe Minerals Corp.'s zinc smelter powerplant, an SO2 emission control program evolved into a cooperative program with the Bureau of Mines for installation and initial operation of a citrate process flue gas desulfurization demonstration plant. ...
Designer cellulosomes are precision-engineered multienzyme complexes in which the molecular architecture and enzyme content are exquisitely controlled. This system was used to examine enzyme cooperation...Full Text Available
The Sunshine Project of Japan was inaugurated in 1974. Since 1980 it has been promoting priority projects such as coal liquefaction. Japan is now promoting the basic and applied research that underpins this development and is increasing the efficiency of technical development. With regard to risk dispersion, the expansion of international cooperation such as the IEA is being promoted.
international vehicles, control centers, and ground support personnel. ... consists of thin membranes made from a polymer-based film and ..... (including airplanes and submarines), environmental monitoring, and control ...... sciences can use it to analyze the birth and death of stars, the formation of solar ...
BackgroundThe MYC transcription factors are known to be involved in the biology of many human cancer types. But little is known about the Myc/microRNAs cooperation in the regulation...Full Text Available
This article presents a decentralized control scheme for the complex problem of simultaneous position and internal force control in cooperative multiple manipulator systems. The proposed controller is composed of a sliding mode control term and a force robustifying term to simultaneously control the payloads position/orientation as well as the internal forces induced in the system. This is accomplished independently of the manipulators dynamics. Unlike most controllers that do not require prior knowledge of the manipulators dynamics, the suggested controller does not use fuzzy logic inferencing and is computationally inexpensive. Using a Lyapunov stability approach, the controller is proven to be robust in the face of varying systems dynamics. The payloads position/orientation and the inte...
H.S.H. Prince Radu of Hohenzollern-Veringen, Special Representative of the Romanian Government for Integration, Co-operation and Sustainable Development, is seen here visiting Microcosm, CERN's on-site exhibition centre. Photo 01: H.S.H. Prince Radu of Hohenzollern-Veringen (right) with his personal adviser Cornel Comsa inside Microcosm's full-scale model of a six-metre section of the LHC. Photos 04-06: H.S.H. Prince Radu of Hohenzollern-Veringen with Emma Sanders from ETT Division.
The high temperature gas-cooled test reactor HTR-10 achieved the first criticality in last December in Institute of Nuclear Energy Technology of Tsinghua University in Beijing. Fuji Electric and Nissho Iwai have a cooperative information exchange agreement on the commercialization of the HTGRs with INET, and held an information exchange meeting in last March in INET. INET has started a study on the modification of the HTR-10 to couple with gas turbine system and a pre-feasibility study on the commercial HTGR under the cooperation with China State Power Company. The experiences and abilities of INET in the field of the HTGR and the aggressive plan for commercialization of the HTGR in China are summarized and discussed. (author)
The capability of nodes to broadcast their message to the entire wireless network when nodes employ cooperation is considered. We employ an asymptotic analysis using an extended random network setting and show that the broadcast performance strongly depends on the path loss exponent of the medium. In particular, as the size of the random network grows, the probability of broadcast in a one-dimensional network goes to zero for path loss exponents larger than one, and goes to a nonzero value for path loss exponents less than one. In two-dimensional networks, the same behavior is observed for path loss exponents above and below two, respectively.
This file is devoted to the Chernobyl accident. It is divided in four parts. The first part concerns the accident itself and its technical management. The second part is relative to the radiation doses and the different contaminations. The third part reports the sanitary effects, the determinists ones and the stochastic ones. The fourth and last part relates the consequences for the other European countries with the case of France. Through the different parts a point is tackled with the measures taken after the accident by the other countries to manage an accident, the cooperation between the different countries and the groups of research and studies about the reactors safety, and also with the international medical cooperation, specially for the children, everything in relation with the Chernobyl accident. (N.C.)
The Eph tyrosine kinase receptors and their ephrin ligands play a central role in several human cancers and their deregulated expression or function promotes tumorigenesis, inducing aggressive tumor phenotypes. Green tea extracts (GTE) have been recently found to inhibit Eph-kinase phosphorylation. In order to evaluate the potential contribution of edible and medicinal plants on EphA2-ephrinA1 modulation, 133 commercially available plant extracts used as food supplements, essential and fixed oils were screened with an ELISA-based binding assay. Nine plant extracts, rich of polyphenols, reversibly inhibited binding in a dose-dependent manner (IC"5"0 0.83-24@mg/ml). Functional studies on PC3 prostate adenocarcinoma cells revealed that active extracts antagonized ephrinA1-Fc-induced EphA2-pho...
Cell extracts of the thermophile Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum catalyzed the phosphorylation by (..gamma..-/sup 32/P)ATP of several endogenous proteins with M/sub r/s between 13,000 and 100,000. Serine and tyrosine were the main acceptors. Distinct substrate proteins were found in the soluble (e.g., proteins p66, p63, and p53 of M/sub r/s 66,000, 63,000, and 53,000, respectively) and particulate (p76 and p30) fractions, both of which contained protein kinase and phosphatase activity. The soluble fraction suppressed the phosphorylation of particulate proteins and contained a protein kinase inhibitor. Phosphorylation of p53 was promoted by 10..mu..M fructose 1,6-bisphosphate or glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and suppressed by hexose monophosphates, whereas p30 and p13 were suppressed by 5 ..mu..M brain (but not spinach) calmodulin. Polyamines, including the odd polyamines characteristic of thermophiles, modulated the labeling of most of the ...
Although the subtrate binding properties of adenylate kinase (AK) have been studied extensively by various biochemical and biophysical techniques, it remains controversial whether uncomplexed adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) binds to the adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) site of AK. The authors present two sets of experiments which argue against binding of ATP to the AMP site. (a) /sup 31/P nuclear magnetic resonance titration of ATP with AK indicated a 1:1 stoichiometry on the basis of changes in coupling constants and line widths. This ruled out binding of ATP to both sites. (b) ATP and MgATP were found to behave similarly by protecting AK from spontaneous inactivation while AMP showed only a small degree of protection. Such inactivation could also be protected or reversed by dithioerythritol and is most likely due to oxidation of sulfhydryl groups, one of which (cysteine-25) is located near the MgATP site. The results support binding of ATP to ...
The /sup 31/P NMR method was first applied to characterize in vivo phosphorylation of H1 and H5 in calf thymus and chicken erythrocytes as well as in vitro phosphorylation of H1 and H5 by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The amino acid residues phosphorylated in vivo in the histones were exclusively serine residues, and the mole fraction of phosphoserine was estimated to be 0.34 and 0.27 per molecule of calf thymus H1 and chicken erythrocyte H5, respectively. Interestingly, chicken erythrocyte H1 was not phosphorylated in vivo. Three H1 subtypes from calf thymus H1 varied in the /sup 31/P NMR spectra, and the bisected fragments of calf thymus H1 and chicken erythrocyte H5 exhibited characteristic spectral patterns, indicating that there are considerable diversities of the degree of phosphorylation and phosphorylation sites in very-lysine-rich histones. Furthermore, it was found that the microenvironment of phosphoserine residues phosphorylated in vivo in calf thymus ...
Acanthamoeba castellanii is a free-living amoeba found in soil, freshwater, and marine environments and an important predator of bacteria. Acanthamoeba castellanii is also an opportunistic pathogen of clinical interest, responsible for several distinct diseases in humans. In order to provide a genomic platform for the study of this ubiquitous and important protist, we generated a sequence survey of approximately 0.5 x coverage of the genome. The data predict that A. castellanii exhibits a greater biosynthetic capacity than the free-living Dictyostelium discoideum and the parasite Entamoeba histolytica, providing an explanation for the ability of A. castellanii to inhabit adversity of environments. Alginate lyase may provide access to bacteria within biofilms by breaking down the biofilm matrix, and polyhydroxybutyrate depolymerase may facilitate utilization of the bacterial storage compound polyhydroxybutyrate as a food source. Enzymes for the synthesis and breakdown of cellulose were ...
We report here a study of the mechanisms leading to loss of growth control in chicken embryo fibroblasts transformed by Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). We have been particularly concerned with the role of the src gene in this process, and have used RSV mutants temperature sensitive (ts) for transformation to investigate the nature of the growth regulatory lesion. The two principal findings were (1) the stationary phase of the cell cycle (G{sub 1}) in chick embryo fibroblasts seems to have two distinct regulatory compartments (using the terminology of Brooks et al. we refer to these as 'Q' and 'A' states). When rendered stationary at 41.5 C by serum deprivation, normal cells enter a Q state, but cells infected with the ts-mutant occupy an A state. (2) Whereas normal cells can occupy either state depending on culture conditions, the ts-infected cells, at 41.5 C, do not seem to enter Q even though a known src gene product, a kinase, is ...
Abstract Purpose: To describe the pattern of expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) p16, p21 and p27, and the cell cycle in SRA 01/04 cells relative to contact inhibition. Methods: SRA 01/04 cells were grown to overconfluence under normal conditions. At various phases of the cell growth, cells were assayed by flow cytometry and Western blotting for the expression of CDKIs. Results: Expression of p16 was detected from early logarithmic growth to stationary phases, during which the number of cells in G0/G1 increased from 46 to 69%. Expression of p21 was detected only during the overgrowth phase, when 60% of the cells were in G0/G1. Expression of p27 was not observed in SRA 01/04 cells. Conclusions: p16 expression was likely mediated by G0/G1 arrest to induce contact inh...
The role of intracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+i) on hematopoiesis was investigated in long term bone marrow cultures using cytokines and agonists of P2 receptors. Cytokines interleukin 3 and granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulator factor promoted a modest increase in Ca2+i concentration ([Ca2+]i) with activation of phospholipase Cgamma, MEK1/2, and Ca2+/calmodulin kinase II. Involvement of protein kinase C was restricted to stimulation with interleukin 3. In addition, these cytokines promoted proliferation (20 times) and an increase in the Gr-1(-)Mac-1+ population with participation of gap junctions (GJ). Nevertheless ATP, ADP, and UTP promoted a large increase in [Ca2+]i, moderate proliferation (6 times), a reduction in the primitive Gr-1(-)Mac-1(-)c-Kit+ population, and differentiation into macrophages without participation of GJ. It is likely that Ca2+i participates as a regulator of hematopoietic signaling: moderate increases in [Ca2+]i would be ...
Efflux of dopamine through the dopamine transporter (DAT) is critical for the psychostimulatory properties of amphetamines, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here we show that Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) plays a key role in this efflux. CaMKIIalpha bound to the distal C terminus of DAT and colocalized with DAT in dopaminergic neurons. CaMKIIalpha stimulated dopamine efflux via DAT in response to amphetamine in heterologous cells and in dopaminergic neurons. CaMKIIalpha phosphorylated serines in the distal N terminus of DAT in vitro, and mutation of these serines eliminated the stimulatory effects of CaMKIIalpha. A mutation of the DAT C terminus impairing CaMKIIalpha binding also impaired amphetamine-induced dopamine efflux. An in vivo role for CaMKII was supported by chronoamperometry measurements showing reduced amphetamine-induced dopamine efflux in response to the CaMKII inhibitor KN93. Our data suggest that CaMKIIalpha binding ...
The notion of hardened systems can be found in several applications (nuclear power plants, alarm systems, research installations..). Their development correspond to the functional necessity to take into account a specific radiative environment. The starting point of each hardening study is the definition of the radiative environmental constraints representative of the application. In addition to these external constraints, the specific functional characteristics of each system are considered: control or interface systems in nuclear industry, in-board control systems, remote handling systems, etc. This paper summarizes the methodology followed according to the experience gained in previous studies and anticipating the future needs. (J.S.). 6 refs., 5 figs.
Autophagy is an intracellular recycling route in eukaryotes whereby organelles and cytoplasm are sequestered in vesicles, which are subsequently delivered to the vacuole for breakdown. The process is induced by various nutrient-responsive signaling cascades converging on the Autophagy-Related1 (ATG1)/ATG13 kinase complex. Here, we describe the ATG1/13 complex in Arabidopsis thaliana and show that it is both a regulator and a target of autophagy. Plants missing ATG13 are hypersensitive to nutrient limitations and senesce prematurely similar to mutants lacking other components of the ATG system. Synthesis of the ATG12-ATG5 and ATG8-phosphatidylethanolamine adducts, which are essential for autophagy, still occurs in ATG13-deficient plants, but the biogenesis of ATG8-decorated autophagic bodies does not, indicating that the complex regulates downstream events required for autophagosome enclosure and/or vacuolar delivery. Surprisingly, levels of the ATG1a and ATG13a ...
HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES IN HUMANS TYPICALLY INVOLVE TWO TYPES OF GENETIC CHANGES: those that promote hematopoietic cell proliferation and survival (often the result of activation of tyrosine kinases) and those that impair hematopoietic cell differentiation (often the result of changes in transcription factors). The multi-stage erythroleukemia induced in mice by Friend spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) is an excellent animal model for studying the molecular basis for both of these changes. Significant progress has been made in understanding the molecular basis for the multi-stage erythroleukemia induced by Friend SFFV. In the first stage of leukemia, the envelope protein encoded by SFFV interacts with and activates the erythropoietin (Epo) receptor and the receptor tyrosine kinase sf-Stk in erythroid cells, causing their Epo-independent proliferation, differentiation and survival. In the second stage, SFFV integration into the Sfpi1 locus ...
In the contribution under consideration, the author reports on the energy resources as a conflict factor and co-operation factor in East Asia on the basis of the Spratly islands. The main aspects of this contribution are: topography of the Spratly islands; history and actual claims; evaluation of the claims; strategic significance of the islands; resources of oil and natural gas as a conflict factor; resources of oil and natural gas as a co-operation factor. The resources of oil and natural gas have intensified the conflict around the Spratly islands in the last few decades. Due to the unsettled situation relating to international law six countries could claim the potentially energy-rich area having a geo-strategic instrument of power. Due to a treaty and due to the new common research studies of the neighbouring countries a phase of stability can be expected. The increasing involvement of China in the international economic structures suggests ...
The authors introduce the single electron (Cooper-pair) tunneling junctions using c-axis Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub 8+d} (Bi-2212) superconducting single crystal whiskers. Focused-ion-beam (FIB) etching patterned the Bi-2212 whiskers. The fabricated small stacked junctions have in-plane area S smaller than <1 {micro}m{sup 2}. The junctions showed the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics with the periodic structure of current peaks. The stacking layered structure of Bi-2212 works as multi-junctions array which decrease the effective capacitance, C{sub {Sigma}} = C{sub 0}/N, where C{sub 0} is the capacitance of junction and N is the layer number of elementary junctions. The period of current peaks of I-V curves corresponds to the charging energy of the single Cooper pair, 2Ec (=e{sup 2}/C{sub {Sigma}}).
We consider relay selection technique in a cooperative cellular network where user terminals act as mobile relays to help the communications between base station (BS) and mobile station (MS). A novel relay selection scheme, called Joint Uplink and Downlink Relay Selection (JUDRS), is proposed in this paper. Specifically, we generalize JUDRS in two key aspects: (i) relay is selected jointly for uplink and downlink, so that the relay selection overhead can be reduced, and (ii) we consider to minimize the weighted total energy consumption of MS, relay and BS by taking into account channel quality and traffic load condition of uplink and downlink. Information theoretic analysis of the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff demonstrates that the proposed scheme achieves full spatial diversity in the quantity of cooperating terminals in this network. And numerical results are provided to further confirm a significant energy efficiency gain of the proposed ...
In the 5th year of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Technical Cooperation Project 'Seismic Risk Reduction for Buildings and Structures in Romania', the implementing agency - National Center for Seismic Risk Reduction (NCSRR) and JICA jointly organized the International Symposium on Seismic Risk Reduction (ISSRR-2007) held in Bucharest at the Romanian Academy Library in the period April 26-27, 2007. The present volume contains the Proceedings of the International Symposium on Seismic Risk Reduction, ISSRR-2007. The Proceedings are organized in three parts: (I) keynote lectures, (II) papers on the results of JICA Project in Romania and (III) contributions from authors. Eight keynote lectures by specialists from Japan, USA, France and Greece, and fourteen papers on the results of JICA Project are included. The contributions from authors are divided in five sections: (i) Seismicity, Seismic Hazard and Site Effects, (ii) Seismic ...
Electricite de France, (EDF) in the late sixties and China through 10. 5-year Plan adopted the same approach of standardized NPPs to benefit from the series effect and to increase and speed up self reliance and localization. This approach also allows to continuously gather the feedback from design, construction and operation and to use it to constantly improve future and present nuclear power plants, by optimizing design features, construction phase and generation performances for safety, quality, cost and schedule aspects. Daya Bay NPP put into commercial operation in 1994 is posting high level safety and operation results. At Ling Ao NPP Chinese engineers of LANPC, with the contribution of the Chinese industry, have efficiency and successfully managed engineering, construction and operation preparation. GNPJVC / LANPC and EDF are developing permanent and mutual experience feedback exchanges in all areas of engineering, maintenance and operation. The results of the ...
Cooperative procurement is a variation of public purchasing which may be used as an instrument to transform the market and stimulate innovation enhancing environmental performance. The core of the procedure is the following: Coordinated by a central agency a group of buyers - public administrations, but also private companies, associations, etc. - gets together and jointly formulates a catalogue of performance requirements for a specific product truly suiting their preferences. This catalogue may contain (combinations of) requirements not yet available on the market and includes energy efficiency and/or environmental performance among other preferences important to the users. On the basis of the product requirements the buyer group launches a call for tenders, evaluates the bids received from the manufacturers and commits to buying the winning product. Thus, a market is provided for the most successful innovators in a given area of technology. The paper discusses ...
Consider the simultaneous relay channel which consists of a set of relay channels where the source wishes to transmit common and private information to each of the destinations. This problem is recognized as being equivalent to that of sending common and private information to several destinations in presence of helper relays where each channel outcome becomes a branch of the broadcast relay channel (BRC). Cooperative schemes and capacity region for a set of two relay channels are investigated. The proposed coding schemes, based on Decode-and-Forward (DF) and Compress-and-Forward (CF), must be capable of transmitting information simultaneously to all destinations in such set. Inner bounds on the capacity region of the general BRC are based on three cases. First the channels from source-to-relays of both destinations are assumed to be stronger than the others and the cooperation is based on DF strategy for both users (DF-DF region), secondly the ...
Since 1992, the fruitful collaboration of the Russian and Western-European technical support organizations (TSOs) is being continued due to the support of the European Commission. There are two main areas of activities. The first one is more of methodological assistance and enhancing RF TSOs capabilities to support Rostekhnadzor decision making process. Experience and knowledge acquired in this area projects increase RF TSOs capabilities regarding a wide spectrum of safety related issues assessment, in particular safety analyses, reactor vessel embrittlement, application of 'leak before break' concept, severe accident and accident management, fire risk evaluation, etc. The second area is focused on licensing related assessments of EC financed on site assistance projects (modernisations). This area projects promote implementation in Russia a licensing process based on a technical dialogue between operator and regulator as well contributes to transfer of Western practice in assessment of ...
Based on the enhanced cooperation between Republic of Korea (ROK) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), IAEA installed new safeguards equipment (Unattended Monitoring System, UMS) at Wolsung unit 2 on January, 2005. The UMS was utilized in parallel with traditional human surveillance during the transfer campaign of Wolsung unit 2 (7 March - 22 July). Installation of UMS at all Wolsung units will be decided on the basis of the result of this test. The transfer campaign with UMS at Wolsung units 2 and 4 was started from September 1, 2006 at the same time. Implementation of UMS to the transfer campaign in Wolsung site will be considerably reduced the IAEA's inspection effort and burden of operator.
Based on the enhanced cooperation between Republic of Korea (ROK) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), IAEA installed new safeguards equipment (Unattended Monitoring System, UMS) at Wolsung unit 2 on January, 2005. The UMS was utilized in parallel with traditional human surveillance during the transfer campaign of Wolsung unit 2 (7 March - 22 July). Installation of UMS at all Wolsung units will be decided on the basis of the result of this test. The transfer campaign with UMS at Wolsung units 2 and 4 was started from September 1, 2006 at the same time. Implementation of UMS to the transfer campaign in Wolsung site will be considerably reduced the IAEA's inspection effort and burden of operator.
Superfluidity in fermionic systems originates from pairing of fermions, and Bose condensation of these so-called Cooper pairs. The Cooper pairs are usually made of fermions of different species; for example in superconductors they are pairs of electrons with opposite spins. Thus the most favorable situation for pairing and superfluidity is when the two species of fermions that form pairs have the same density. This paper studies the possible superfluid states when the two pairing species have different densities, and show that the resultant states have remarkable similarities to the phases of liquid crystals. This enables us to provide a unified description of the possible pairing phases, and understand the phase transitions among them.
The objective of this paper is to give an overview on the seismic evaluation and retrofitting procedures of reinforced concrete buildings within JICA technical cooperation project in Romania. The content of the paper covers a) an outline of the seismic evaluation; history and comparison of Romanian seismic design codes with the Japanese seismic evaluation guidelines, b) an outline of the retrofitting techniques which were transferred from Japan to Romania and structural tests for retrofitting techniques employed in Romania and c) retrofitting details that were used by JICA/NCSRR in the retrofitting design of two vulnerable buildings in Bucharest. The above-mentioned retrofitting projects are now under development of detailed design and therefore, in the near future, refining and improvement of solutions will be performed. (authors)
Currently many service providers offer their services on a private and proprietary hard- and software infrastructure. These infrastructures often share many similarities. Hence we believe a generic service management architecture, that allows service providers to offer a large array of different services on a single infrastructure or multiple providers to offer their services cooperatively, would provide many advantages over current silo-based approaches. Additionally, by allowing the distributed service management components to cooperate in a peer-to-peer overlay network, scalability and resilience of the system could be greatly improved. In this paper we propose an optimal algorithm, based on an integer linear programming (ILP) formulation, and several heuristics to support such a generi...
A study was made of the kinetics of L-(/sup 3/H)quinuclidinyl benzilate binding with membrane-bound muscarine cholinoreceptors from the rat brain. Determination was made of the rate constants of this process, and constants as a function of ligand concentration was investigated, indicating that there is a complex mechanism of interaction of antagonists with muscarine receptor. With up to 3.5 nM concentrations of L-(/sup 3/H)quinuclidinyl benzilate, the binding reaction occurs in two stages: rapid equilibrated binding is followed by a slow process of conformational isomerization of the receptor-ligand complex. At higher ligand concentrations, there is additional drastic increase in constant of rate of ligand binding a new plateau is reached. Such dependence of rate constant on ligand concentration is indicative of the cooperative nature of interaction between antagonists and muscarine receptors. This is possible if there are in the receptor complex several binding ...
Nuclear forensics can provide information about the history, intended use and potentially the origin of nuclear or radioactive material. For these reasons, it is an important tool for improving nuclear security and combating illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials. The IAEA is currently working on enhancing knowledge, techniques, procedures and cooperation in the field of nuclear forensics. Some of the work currently being undertaken by the IAEA includes the development of a five day training workshop on basic methods for radiological crime scene activities, to ensure adequate control of evidence, including for nuclear forensics purposes, a coordinated research project on the application of nuclear forensics in illicit trafficking, and a proposal for international cooperation with nuclear forensics databases and the development of guidelines for establishing databases. Nuclear forensics will continue to be an important ...
In this paper I argue that when a researcher is a research instrument, it is likely that the researcher would develop a heightened awareness of his/her own cultural conditioning, especially in the case of cross-cultural studies. And that such awareness would make him/her realise that one's own cultural background may indeed have an influence on formulating his/her research methodology. The paper is based on my own research project on development cooperation between Japan and Cambodia, whereby I examined the perceptions of Cambodians and Japanese on what an appropriate power relationship between donors and recipients should be. At the outset of my research project, I paid little attention to my own cultural condition and the role it might play in my study, though I was aware that being Japa...
The construction and the development of a UV free electron laser have been started under the cooperation of Nihon U, KEK, PNC, ETL and Tohaku U. The project requires a 100MeV S-band electron linear accelerator to expand the oscillation of FEL using fundamental mode to the UV region. The injection system consists of a thermionic RF-gun with a LaB cathode and an {alpha} magnet for magnetic bunching. We are studying to reduce the back-bombardment electrons to realize the macropulse length of 20{mu}sec. Electron beams, up to the energy of 100MeV, are injected into the optical oscillators. Changing the accelerating energy and/or undulator parameters, this system will cover the range from infrared to ultraviolet for the applications in various fields.
This conference report contains the lectures presented at the BMBF status seminar on the cooperative project ``Bodies of landfills``, which took place at Wuppertal on 25th and 26th April 1995. The cooperative project was started in autumn 1993 and studies the long-term behaviour of wastes deposited at landfills in general. Inorganic and municipal wastes are studied separately. (orig./SR) [Deutsch] Der vorliegende Tagungsband enthaelt die Vortraege des BMBF-Statusseminars zum Verbundvorhaben `Deponiekoerper` vom 25. und 26. April 1995 in Wuppertal. Das Verbundvorhaben `Deponiekoerper` wurde im Herbst 1993 begonnen und befasst sich ganz generell mit dem langfristigen Deponieverhalten von Abfaellen. Es ist unterteilt in die Untersuchung von anorganischen Abfaellen und von Siedlungsabfaellen. (orig./SR)
A new direction for the national laboratories is to assist US business with research and development, primarily through cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs). Technology transfer to the private sector has been very successful as over 200 CRADAs are in place at Sandia. Because of these cooperative efforts, technology has evolved into some new areas not commonly associated with the former mission of the national laboratories. An example of this is the analysis of fabric structures. Explicit analyses and expertise in constructing parachutes led to the development of a next generation automobile airbag; which led to the construction, testing, and analysis of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars Environmental Survey Lander; and finally led to the development of CAD based custom garment designs using 3D scanned images of the human body. The structural analysis of these fabric structures is described as well as a more traditional ...
Tungsten, in the form of tungstate, polymerizes with phosphate, and as extensive polymerization occurs, cellular phosphorylation and dephosphorylation reactions may be disrupted, resulting in negative effects on cellular functions. A series of studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of tungsten on several phosphate-dependent intracellular functions, including energy cycling (ATP), regulation of enzyme activity (cytosolic protein tyrosine kinase [cytPTK] and tyrosine phosphatase), and intracellular secondary messengers (cyclic adenosine monophosphate [cAMP]). Rat noncancerous hepatocyte (Clone-9), rat cancerous hepatocyte (H4IIE), and human cancerous hepatocyte (HepG2) cells were exposed to 1-1000 mg/l tungsten (in the form of sodium tungstate) for 24 h, lysed, and analyzed for the ab...
SummaryExperimental evidence has demonstrated the importance of FGF signalling in morphogenesis of the mandibular processes. FGFs transmit their signals through four tyrosine kinase transmembrane receptors (FGFRs). Alternative splicing in FGFRs including FGFR2 generates different isoforms that exhibit different ligand-specificities, exclusive tissue distributions and specific biological functions. Despite extensive information regarding the isoform-specific patterns of expression Fgfr2c and Fgfr2b during morphogenesis of many organs, a comparative analysis of these specific isoforms in the chick mandible has not been reported. To better understand the function of FGFR2 in mandibular morphogenesis, we have analysed the expression Fgfr2b, Fgfr2c and their putative ligands Fgf10 and Fgf9, in ...
When labeled cAMP is incubated with isolated mitochondria from rat liver, it penetrates not only through the outer membrane of the mitochondria but also into the mitoplasts, where it is accumulated chiefly in the matrix. Damage to the mitochondrial membrane by freezing-thawing promotes not an influx but an efflux of cAMP out of the mitoplasts. A substantial part of the labeled nucleotide in all the investigated submitochondrial fractions was identified as intact cAMP by the method of thin-layer chromatography. The transport of cAMP into the mitochondria can explain the activation of their functions by the hormones that activate cytoplasmic adenylate cyclase and by extramitochondrial (cytosol) cAMP, as well as the presence of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and cAMP-phosphodiesterase in the mitochondria.
Hsp20, referred to as HspB6, is constitutively expressed in various tissues. Specifically, HspB6 is most highly expressed in different types of muscle including vascular, airway, colonic, bladder, and uterine smooth muscle; cardiac muscle; and skeletal muscle. It can be phosphorylated at Ser-16 by both cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinases (PKA/PKG). Recently, Hsp20 and its phosphorylation have been implicated in multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes including smooth muscle relaxation, platelet aggregation, exercise training, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, insulin resistance and Alzheimer's disease. In the heart, key advances have been made in elucidating the significance of Hsp20 in contractile function and cardioprotection over the last decade. This mini-rev...
Aims: Rapamycin (sirolimus) is an antibiotic that inhibits protein synthesis through mammalian targeting of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, and is used as an immunosuppressant in the treatment of organ rejection in transplant recipients. Rapamycin confers preconditioning-like protection against ischemic-reperfusion injury in isolated mouse heart cultures. Our aim was to further define the role of rapamycin in intracellular Ca^2^+ homeostasis and to investigate the mechanism by which rapamycin protects cardiomyocytes from hypoxic damage. Main methods: We demonstrate here that rapamycin protects rat heart cultures from hypoxic-reoxygenation (H/R) damage, as revealed by assays of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) leakage to the medium, by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-d...
The winter syndrome in the gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata indicates that the species is exposed to critically low temperatures in Mediterranean aquaculture in winter. The present study of metabolic patterns and molecular stress responses during cold exposure was carried out to investigate this ?disease?, in light of the recent concept of oxygen and capacity limited thermal tolerance. The metabolic profile of fuel oxidation was examined by determining the activities of the enzymes hexokinase (HK), aldolase (Ald), pyruvate kinase (PK), l-lactate dehydrogenase (l-LDH), citrate synthase (CS), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and 3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (HOAD) in heart, red and white muscle after exposure to temperatures of 10, 14 and 18?C. Especially, the increase in LDH activity combined ...
SR proteins are essential splicing factors whose function is controlled by multi-site phosphorylation of a C-terminal domain rich in arginine-serine repeats (RS domain). The protein kinase SRPK1 has been shown to polyphosphorylate the N-terminal portion of the RS domain (RS1) of the SR protein ASF/SF2, a modification that promotes nuclear entry of this splicing factor and engagement in splicing function. Later, dephosphorylation is required for maturation of the spliceosome and other RNA processing steps. While phosphates are attached to RS1 in a sequential manner by SRPK1, little is known about how they are removed. To investigate factors that control dephosphorylation, we monitored region-specific mapping of phosphorylation sites in ASF/SF2 as a function of the protein phosphatase PP1. W...
Aims A depressed cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) activity is implicated in nitrate tolerance. The present study determines whether the leucine zipper-positive (LZ+) isoform of myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1), a key target protein for PKG actions, is involved in the development of nitrate tolerance. Methods and results Nitrate tolerance in in vitro preparations was obtained by a 24 h incubation with nitroglycerin (NTG). Nitrate tolerance in in vivo preparations was obtained by subcutaneous injection of mice with NTG, and the aortas were used. Protein levels of total MYPT1, MYPT1 (LZ+), PP1Cd, myosin light chain (MLC), and phosphorylated MLC were determined by Western blot analysis. Isometric vessel tension was determined by an organ chamber technique. Protein levels of MYPT1...
Fyn is a Src-family tyrosine kinase that affects long term potentiation (LTP), synapse formation, and learning and memory. Fyn is also implicated in dendritic spine formation both in vitro and in vivo. However, whether Fyn's regulation of dendritic spine formation is brain-region specific and age-dependent is unknown. In the present study, we systematically examined whether Fyn altered dendritic spine density and morphology in the cortex and hippocampus and if these effects were age-dependent. We found that Fyn knockout mice trended toward a decrease in dendritic spine density in cortical layers II/III, but not in the hippocampus, at 1month of age. Additionally, Fyn knockout mice had significantly decreased dendritic spine density in both the cortex and hippocampus at 3months and 1year, an...
Abstract Background- Cyclosporine is used for treatment of transplanted patients and for immune-mediated diseases. Cyclosporine is known to cause a combination of metabolic side effects including hypertension, hyperkalemia, hypercalciuria and hypomagnesemia. These side effects except for hypomagnesemia are the cardinal features of familial hyperkalemia and hypertension (FHHt), also called pseudohypoaldosteronism type II (PHA II). FHHt is caused by mutations in the kinases WNK1 and WNK4 resulting in an increase in renal Na-Cl cotransporter (NCC) apical distribution and function. Therefore, we studied whether cyclosporine-s metabolic side effects are mediated by WNK4 and NCC. Design- Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were treated by cyclosporine 25-mg-kg-1 subcutaneously for 14-days. Blood pressure, ...
The cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is a highly conserved transcription factor that integrates signaling through the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) in many eukaryotes. PKA plays a critical role in Dictyostelium development but no CREB homologue has been identified in this system. Here we show that Dictyostelium utilizes a CREB-like protein, BzpF, to integrate PKA signaling during late development. bzpF^- mutants produce compromised spores, which are extremely unstable and germination defective. Previously, we have found that BzpF binds the canonical CRE motif in vitro. In this paper, we determined the DNA binding specificity of BzpF using protein binding microarray (PBM) and showed that the motif with the highest specificity is a CRE-like sequence. BzpF is necessary to ...
Synchronized cultures of the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda were grown in the absence (untreated cultures) or in the presence (FdUrd-treated cultures) of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, the specific inhibitor of nuclear DNA replication. The attainment of commitment points, at which the cells become committed to nuclear DNA replication, mitosis and cellular division, and the course of committed processes themselves were determined for cell cycle characterization. FdUrd-treated cultures showed nearly unaffected growth and attainment of the commitment points, while DNA replication(s), nuclear division(s) and protoplast fission(s) were blocked. Interestingly, the FdUrd-treated cells possessed a very high mitotic histone H1 kinase activity in the absence of any nuclear division(s). Compared with the ...
To foster rural economic development and growth, Congress passed the Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program as Section 9006 of the 2002 Farm Bill. This program provides financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. The Rural Business and Cooperative Services of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers this program. This conference poster provides an overview of Section 9006.
The Second International Seminar on Horizontal Steam Generator Modelling was arranged to continue the international cooperation that was started during the first seminar in March 1991. The main topics of the seminar were: (1) further experimental results on horizontal steam generator behaviour, (2) resent developments in modelling, (3) results on analyses and studies on primary-to-secondary side leakages, and (4) results of the common exercise calculations.
As the nuclear world is changing, the non-proliferation and safeguard systems have to change along the global development. Nuclear security as well as safety must be involved in all phases. Thus, modernization of thinking is a must. State system of accounting for and control of nuclear material (SSAC) is a basis, but now it is time to move ahead. Safeguards is not any more only to verify the declared nuclear materials but it is to inform the international safeguards society transparently but confidentially about the nuclear fuel cycle related activities and trade, and to confirm that there are no undeclared activities related to the nuclear fuel cycle in the states. Only strong SSAC with enhanced capabilities, activities and rights can meet the demand. The proliferation of nuclear weapons is a threat that also urges cooperation at all levels. International, regional and state systems must work closely together, and there is need and space for everyone. State ...
...Korea 2008 NOx charges as feebate in Sweden Pilot Project on Solid Waste Management in Khulna City: Community Organisation and Management Plastic Bag ban in Dhaka City, Bangladesh Policies on Conservation of the DMZ District Ecosystem Ministry of Environment Republic of Korea 2007 Policies on Promoting Environmental Industries and International Cooperation ...
Governments around the world will soon make decisions on policies that could determine the fate of the ozone layer-the Earth's shield from harmful ultraviolet radiation. The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, signed on March 22, 1985, created a framework for scientific cooperation and information exchange that will form the basis for a protocol for controlling substances thought to threaten the ozone layer. As of mid-1987, 29 countries had signed the Convention, including the major producers and users of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), the most important of suspect chemicals.
FSD-1, a designed small ultrafast folder with a ββα fold, has been actively studied in the last few years as a model system for studying protein folding mechanisms and for testing...Full Text Available
Task 13 (a) was approved on December 21, 2001. Minimal work was performed for the quarter during the approval process. Laboratory and equipment facilities have been maintained in anticipation of the work to be done. The PI communicated with DOE and Estonia researchers during this period, providing advice and direction for the startup of the Estonia research, and preparing a Draft Teaming Agreement. The PI participated in an industrial liaison meeting with DOE personnel. This meeting is expected to lead to formal cooperation between industry and government.
This annual report describes research activities which have been performed with the JAERI tandem accelerator and the Van de Graaff accelerator from April 1, 2000 to March 31, 2001. Summary reports of 46 papers, and lists of publication, personnel and cooperative research with universities are contained. (author)
This report is a brief review of biological and medical applications of ion-track membranes. The review aims at informing nuclear physicists about alternative (i.e. non-fundamental-science) use of heavy ion accelerators such as production of micro- and nano-porous materials. The ion-track membranes produced this way are employed in life sciences and numerous technological applications. The author focuses on recent results from the Flerov laboratory in co-operation with other scientific institutions and industrial partners.
The history of the Czech Institute of Plasma Physics is highlighted. The article is structured as follows: Cyclic accelerators; Interaction of an external high-frequency field and high-temperature plasma - the tokamak; Interaction of an external high-frequency field and high-temperature plasma - pulse plasma systems; Low-temperature plasma - plasma technologies and new materials; Laser plasma - PALS; Optical diagnosis; and Teaching, conferences and international cooperation. (P.A.)
MauG is a novel 42 kDa di-heme protein which is required for the biosynthesis of tryptophan tryptophylquinone, the prosthetic group of methylamine dehydrogenase. The visible absorption and resonance...Full Text Available
Electric cars run silently and produce no exhaust fumes. In cooperation with other companies BBC has developed a compact drive system for the VW Golf comprising a battery-powered separately excited DC motor, transmission, control system and setpoint devices. With a range of 57 km and a top speed of 90 km/h, the electric Golf lends itself well to city driving.
... Most of the received offers were ecolabelled cleaning products and were not more expensive than conventional products. Case 3: The procurement of sustainable cleaning services 104kB Eight cooperating municipalities in the Netherlands needed a new contractor for cleaning services. They wanted to use SPP criteria as well as finding a social employment organisation. SPP criteria for cleaning services were used to set minimum requirements in ...
The electron structure of the A-15 compounds is studied by accounting for the Hubbard energy as the highest energy parameter. The conditions for the Cooper instability origination are obtained. The superconducting transition temperature dependence on the degree of filling the d- and p-shells of the transition and nontransition elements is determined. The relationship between the transition temperature and the energy jumpover along the chains, which allows comparison with the experiment, is established. Qualitative explanation of the Mattias empiric rules is presented
Geothermal heat pump systems necessitate a comprehensive approach to geology and building facilities in order to be energetically useful and efficient. Cooperation with geothermal experts should be sought at an early projecting stage in order to obtain reliable data. Geothermal data and the technical facilities of the building must be matched for the project to be both effective and efficient. (orig.)
PurposeRTOG protocol 95-17 was a phase I/II trial to evaluate multi-catheter brachytherapy as the sole method of adjuvant breast radiotherapy for stage I/II breast...Full Text Available
Past and current development of coal utilization technology in the Japanese steel industry is reviewed and some projects currently under research and development briefly described. These include DIOS, an iron making process which directly utilizes both iron ore and coal without a sintering plant or a coke oven; and the development of a new generation coke oven. 15 figs.
Research programs in coal liquefaction are briefly discussed. The following projects are addressed: coal desulfurization by bioprocessing; materials characterization study of liquefaction processes; novel approaches to catalysis in coprocessing and in direct coal liquefaction; liquefaction research in pyrolysis catalysis, and coal dissolution; enhanced reactivity and selectivity in coal liquefaction and coprocessing systems. (CBS)
Various research programs on coal liquefaction are described. Research efforts are reported from the University of Kentucky, University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University, University of Utah, and the Center for Applied Energy Research. Research areas include depolymerization, desulfurization, coprocessing catalysis, hydrogenation, and solvent extraction. (CBS)
The US Department of Energy, Office of Technical and Financial Assistance (OTFA) promotes the application of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices by working cooperatively with state and local governments and private and nonprofit organizations, providing technical and financial assistance and serving as network for sharing information. This report is an overview of some of the programs designed to aid in solving our national energy problems.
The development of a synthetic fuels industry in Australia is described in the context of overall energy policy. The national coal liquefaction research program is directed at three main routes to liquid fuels: hydroliquefaction, pyrolysis and indirect liquefaction. Australia is also contributing to technology development and assessment programs in cooperation with other countries, in particular Federal Republic of Germany and Japan.
This report draws an account of the consequences of Chernobyl accident 14 years after the disaster. It is made up of 8 chapters whose titles are: (1) Some figures about Chernobyl accident, (2) Chernobyl nuclear power plant, (3)Sanitary consequences of Chernobyl accident, (4) The management of contaminated lands, (5) The impact in France of Chernobyl fallout, (6) International cooperation, (7) More information about Chernobyl and (8) Glossary.
In co-operation with the Scientific Planning Department of the Central Research Institute for Vessel- and Turbine Building the construction office of the turbine factory Charkow finished the draft of a slowly running (n = 1500 min"-"1) 2 GW-turboset for the operation of nuclear power plants. The chief purpose of the project was to determine the technical problems that are used to occur during the development of such steam turbines, as well as to settle the most favourable design. (orig./GL).
I travelled to San Jose, Costa Rica on July 8, 1990 to evaluate all of the completed elements of the ongoing feasibility study for the San Lorenzo River hydroelectric project. The feasibility study is being supported by ORNL under the Renewable Energy Applications and Training Project. The project is being studied for implementation by CONELECTRICAS, a consortium of rural electric cooperatives and the study itself is being conducted by BEL Engineering, a Costa Rican consulting firm under contract to CONELECTRICAS, USAID/PIC and NRECA.
To understand more fully the mechanism of enzyme-catalyzed phospho group transfer, the stereochemical course at phosphorus of four enzymes has been determined. First, using adenosine (..gamma..-(S)-/sup 16/O, /sup 17/O, /sup 18/O)triphosphate as the substrate, the reaction catalyzed by creatine kinase has been found to proceed with overall inversion of configuration at phosphorus. Second, using adenosine (..beta..-(S)-/sup 16/O, /sup 17/O, /sup 18/O)diphosphate as the substrate, the reaction catalyzed by adenylate kinase has been found also to proceed with overall inversion. Third, the reaction catalyzed by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase has been studied using ((S/sub p/)-/sup 16/O, /sup 17/O)thiophospoenolpyruvate as the substrate in H/sub 2/ /sup 18/O. Fourth, using adenosine 5'-O-((..gamma..S/sub p/)-..beta gamma..-/sup 17/O,..gamma..-/sup 17/O,/sup 18/O)(3-thiotriphosphate) as the substrate, the reaction catalyzed by pyruvate ...
The insulin signaling pathway, involving protein kinase B (PKB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), mediates the biological response to insulin and several growth factors and cytokines. To investigate the correlation between glucose transporter (Glut) biosynthesis and the insulin signaling pathway activated by novel compounds of Liriope platyphylla (LP9M80-H), alterations in Glut and key protein expression in the insulin signaling pathway were analyzed in the liver and brain of ICR mice treated with LP9M80-H. An in vitro assay showed that the highest level of insulin concentration was observed in the LP9M80-H-treated group, followed by the LP-H, LP-M, LP-E, and LP9M80-C-treated groups. Therefore, LP9M80-H was selected for use in studying the detailed mechanism of the insulin signaling pathway in animal systems. In an in vivo experiment, LP9M80-H induced a significant increase in glucose levels and a decrease of insulin concentration in ...
The affinity label 8-((4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)thio)adenosine 5{prime}-triphosphate (8-BDB-TA-5{prime}-TP) reacts covalently with rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase, incorporating 2 mol of reagent/mol of enzyme subunit upon complete inactivation. Protection against inactivation is provided by phosphoenolpyruvate, K{sup +}, and Mn{sup 2+} and only 1 mol of reagent/mol of subunit is incorporated. The authors have now identified the resultant modified residues. After reaction with 8-BDB-TA-5{prime}-TP at pH 7.0, modified enzyme was incubated with ({sup 3}H)NaBH{sub 4} to reduce the carbonyl groups of enzyme-bound 8-BDB-TA-5{prime}-TP and to introduce a radioactive tracer into the modified residues. Following carboxymethylation and digestion with trypsin, the radioactive peptides were separated on a phenylboronate agarose column followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography in 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid with an acetonitrile gradient. Gas-phase sequencing ...
Intact rat fat cell exposed to 12.5 ..mu..M (..gamma..-32P)ATP incorporate label into specific proteins within minutes. By solubilizing the reaction mixture with SDS which bypasses the subcellular fractionation steps, the labeled proteins can be identified in autoradiographs of SDS-PAGE gels. The most prominently labeled protein has an M/sub r/ of 42,000. Localization of this component to the cell surface can be made on the basis of inhibition of phosphorylation by addition of a protein derived from the rat brain with protein kinase inhibitory property, susceptibility of the phosphorylated protein to the tryptic digestion, inhibition of phosphorylation of this protein after brief exposure to melittin. To rule out the possibility that the cell surface protein might be a mitochondrial contaminant from broken cells, /sup 32/Pi-labeled and (..gamma..-/sup 32/P)ATP-labeled cells were chromatographed on a rabbit anti-pyruvate dehydrogenase antibody-Sepharose 4B column. A ...
The new compounds In_3_._7Mo_1_5S_1_9, In_1_._6Rb_2Mo_1_5S_1_9, In_2_._2CsMo_1_5S_1_9, and ScTl_2Mo_1_5S_1_9 have been synthesized by solid-state reaction in sealed molybdenum crucible at about 1250 deg. C. Their crystal structures were solved and refined from X-ray single-crystal data in the hexagonal space group P63/m. Their Mo-S framework consists of an equal mixture of Mo_6S_8S_6 and Mo_9S_1_1S_6 cluster units interconnected through Mo-S bonds. In In_3_._7Mo_1_5S_1_9, the In atoms occupy crystallographically different positions depending on their formal oxidation states of +1 or +3. This was confirmed by replacing partially or totally the monovalent indium by another monovalent cation such as the rubidium, cesium or thallium and the trivalent indium by the scandium to get the new In_1_._6Rb_2Mo_1_5S_1_9, In_2_._2CsMo_1_5S_1_9, and ScTl_2Mo_1_5S_1_9 compounds, respectively.
During the five plus years this Cooperative Agreement existed, more than 45 different projects were funded. Most projects were funded for a one year period but there were some, deemed of such quality and importance, funded for multiple years. Approximately 22 external agencies, businesses, and other entities have cooperated with or been funded through the WVU Cooperative Agreement over the five plus years. These external entities received 33% of the funding by this Agreement. The scope of this Agreement encompassed all forms of hazardous waste remediation including radioactive, organic, and inorganic contaminants. All matrices were of interest; generally soil, water, and contaminated structures. Economic, health, and regulatory aspects of technologies were also within the scope of the agreement. The highest priority was given to small businesses funded by the Federal Energy Technology Center (FETC) and Department of Energy ...
...Events Archive Worldwide Africa Programme Arab Programme Asia and Pacific Programme Europe and NIS Programme Latin American and Caribbean Programme Least-Developed Countries South-South Cooperation Human Security Directory of Offices Research & Statistics Publications Research and Statistics Subsites Annual Report Evaluation Group Investment and Technology Promotion Policymaking Organs Legal Resources Goodwill Ambassadors Industrial Competitiveness and Trade Private Sector Development Environmental Management Energy and Climate Change Research and Statistics Financial Institutions Partnerships Thematic ...Events Archive Worldwide Africa Programme Arab Programme Asia and Pacific Programme Europe and NIS Programme Latin American and Caribbean Programme Least-Developed Countries South-South Cooperation Human Security Directory of Offices Research & Statistics Publications Research and Statistics Subsites Annual Report Evaluation Group ...
The European Union (EU) market integration is leading to increasingly monopolistic electricity market infrastructures, which has opened a debate on the regulation of these so-called power exchanges. In this paper, we start by stating that there are two types of power exchanges in Europe, i.e. 'merchant' and 'cost-of-service regulated' power exchanges. We then discuss how regulation can be used to better align their incentives with the main power exchange tasks. We conclude that adopting the cost-of-service regulated model for all power exchanges in Europe could be counterproductive in the current context, but that regulation can help ensure that the benefits of the EU market integration materialize. Promising regulatory actions include tempering the reinforced market power of power exchanges, and quality-of-service regulation for the ongoing cooperation among power exchanges to organize trade across borders. - Research highlights: #-># Market integration is ...
Recent Canadian progress in the development of the curved-blade Darrieus vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) is described. Cooperation between government, industry and power utilities in the conduct of field trials, over several years, has demonstrated improved performance and reliability of grid-coupled turbines of this type. The rated power of the VAWTs currently under test ranges from 30 kW, in a wind/diesel powerplant, to 230 kW, in an installation on an island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Progress has also been made in understanding the basic aerodynamic behavior of the VAWT and theoretical methods for performance and load prediction have correspondingly improved. A brief description is given of Project EOLE, a cooperative project between the federal government and the utility Hydro-Quebec to develop and test, during the next two to three years, a 4 MW VAWT prototype, which will be coupled to the power grid at a location on the south shore ...
The objective of this study was to analyze the industrial demand for energy in seven Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries with particular emphasis on fuel substitution between oil, natural gas, coal, and electricity. Changing fuel demand also results from economic growth, changes in industrial structure, and changes in the energy intensity of industrial output. A historical analysis of these factors and fuel substitution is undertaken for industry as an aggregate, and for 12 specific industries. The major results of the historical analysis are: (1) fuel use changes are a result of fuel switching, changing energy intensity, changing industrial structure, and economic growth; (2) fuel substitutability depends upon fuel use. The three fossil fuels are substitutes in the industrial heat market, but there are numerous special industrial processes where a particular fuel is required; (3) large substitutions have occurred between fuels; ...
The paper evaluates standardization of regulations on safety of electrical equipment for underground coal mines in the USSR. Factors increasing hazards of electrical failures of equipment in underground coal mines are analyzed: reduced lighting, increased humidity and dusts, damage caused by falling rocks or damage during haulage in underground workings, installation of electrical equipment in places easily accessible to untrained personnel. Standards on safety of electrical equipment for underground coal mining valid in the USSR are reviewed: the PIRNEh regulations on production of electrical equipment for coal mines developed by the VNIIVEh Institute, and the GOST national standards. International cooperation within the COMECON on safety of mining electrical equipment (the Interelectro Committee of the COMECON) is described. Certification of electrical equipment for coal mines is discussed on the example of electrical insulation types used in underground coal ...
The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Industrial Technology (DOE) has an objective to increase energy efficient and enhance competitiveness of American metals industries. To support this objective, ALCOA Inc. entered into a cooperative program to develop spray forming technology for aluminum. This Phase II of the DOE Spray Forming Program would translate bench scale spray forming technology into a cost effective world class process for commercialization. Developments under DOE Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC07-94ID13238 occurred during two time periods due to budgetary constraints; April 1994 through September 1996 and October 1997 and December 1998. During these periods, ALCOA Inc developed a linear spray forming nozzle and specific support processes capable of scale-up for commercial production of aluminum sheet alloy products. Emphasis was given to alloys 3003 and 6111, both being commercially significant alloys used in the automotive ...
The Southern California Edison Company (SCE) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) entered into cooperative agreement No. DE-FC07-91ID13077 on August 23, 1991, which expired on August 3, 1996. This cooperative agreement provided SCE with DOE cofunding for participation in the DOE`s Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Site Operator Program. In return, SCE provided the DOE with quarterly progress reports which include operating and maintenance data for the electric (EVs) vehicles in SCE`s fleet. Herein is SCE`s final report for the 1992 to 1996 agreement period. As of September 1, 1996 the SCE fleet had 65 electric vehicles in service. A total of 578,200 miles had been logged. During the agreement period, SCE sent the DOE a total of 19 technical reports (Appendix B). This report summarizes the technical achievements which took place during a long, productive and rewarding, relationship with the DOE.
The cooperative project was a joint development program between Ceradyne and Oak Ridge National Laboratory through Lockheed Martin Energy Research (LMER). Cooperative work was of benefit to both parties. ORNL was able to assess the effect of the microwave nitridation process coupled with gas-pressure sintering for fabrication of parts for advanced diesel engines. Ceradyne gained access to gelcasting expertise and microwave facilities and experience for the nitridation of SRBSN materials. The broad objective of the CRADA between Ceradyne and OIWL was to (1) examine the applicability of the gelcasting technology to fabricate parts from SRBSN, and (2) to assess the effect of the microwave nitridation of silicon process coupled with gas-pressure sintering for fabrication of parts for advanced diesel engines. The following conclusions can be made from the work performed under the CRADA: (1) Gelcasting is a viable method to fabricate SRBSN parts ...
This report documents the Proceedings of the 1995 Oil Heat Technology Conference and Workshop, held on March 22-23 at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Building Technologies (DOE-OBT), in cooperation with the Petroleum Marketers Association of America. This Conference, which was the ninth held since 1984, is a key technology transfer activity supported by the ongoing Combustion Equipment Technology (Oil-Heat R&D) program at BNL, and is aimed at providing a forum for the exchange of information among international researchers, engineers, manufacturers, and marketers of oil-fired space-conditioning equipment. The objectives of the Conference were to: (1) Identify and evaluate the state-of-the-art and recommend new initiatives for higher efficiency, a cleaner environment, and to satisfy consumer needs cost-effectively, reliably, and safely; (2) Foster cooperation among federal and ...
The Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) is taken as an example of the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy in gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine tumours, given the standard characteristics of this procedure, whatever the nature of the primitive tumour. Management of ZES includes: anatomical localization of gastrinoma and of possible metastases, in 60 % of cases this step conditioning therapeutic indications and chances of cure; search of a type 1-multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN A), in 25 % of cases; therapeutic indications: ablative surgery with curative intent in case of gastrinoma and of resectable liver metastases, palliative treatment otherwise: anti-secretory drugs, somatostatin analogues, chemotherapy and interferon {alpha}; long-term follow-up of patients with resected tumour. At each step, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy with indium 111-pentetreotide does play a pivotal role. (author). 110 refs.
Target recognition requires the ability to distinguish targets from non-targets, a capability called one-class generalization. To function as a one-class classifier, a neural network must have three types of generalization: within-class, between-class, and out-of-class. We discuss these three types of generalization and identify neural network architectures that meet these requirements. We have applied our one-class classifier ideas to the problem of automatic target recognition in synthetic aperture radar. We have compared three neural network algorithms: Carpenter and Grossberg`s algorithmic version of the Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART-2A), Kohonen`s Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ), and Reilly and Cooper`s Restricted Columb Energy network (RCE). The ART 2-A neural network has given the best results, with 100% within-class, and out-of-class generalization. Experiments show that the network`s performance is sensitive to vigilance and number of training set ...
Target recognition requires the ability to distinguish targets from non-targets, a capability called one-class generalization. Many neural network pattern classifiers fail as one-class classifiers because they use open decision boundaries. To function as one-class classifier, a neural network must have three types of generalization: within-class, between-class, and out-of-class. We discuss these three types of generalization and identify neural network architectures that meet these requirements. We have applied our one-class classifier ideas to the problem of automatic target recognition in synthetic aperture radar. We have compared three neural network algorithms: Carpenter and Grossberg`s algorithmic version of the Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART-2A), Kohonen`s Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ), and Reilly and Cooper`s Restricted Coulomb Energy network (RCE). The ART 2-A neural network gives the best results, with 100% within-class, between-class, and ...
This paper was presented at the opening plenary session. As the end of the century approaches, environmental protection is one of the most significant global issues which will shape our energy path and economic development pattern. In face of environmental challenges, we will have to take into account environmental factors in the economic development process itself. This requires the pursuit of sustainable economic development, a process which may involve strengthened energy conservation, improved efficiency and switching to less carbon intensive energy sources. Energy inefficiency, technological scarcity and financial vulnerability in developing countries may best be resolved by changing their economic and market structures to facilitate relevant investments. However, effective reform of the energy industry in developing economies and economies in transition will also require international cooperation in terms of transfer of technology, capital, know-how and ...
The Nuclear Smuggling International Technical Working Group (ITWG) is an international group of nuclear forensic experts that cooperate to deter the illicit trafficking of nuclear materials. The objective of the ITWG is to provide a common approach and effective technical solutions to governments who request assistance in nuclear forensics. The ITWG was chartered in 1996 and since that time more than 28 nations and organizations have participated in 9 international meetings and 2 analytical round-robin trials. Soon after its founding the ITWG adopted a general framework to guide nuclear forensics investigations that includes recommendations for nuclear crime scene security and analysis, the best application of radioanalytical methods, the conduct of traditional forensic analysis of contaminated materials, and effective data analysis to interpret the history of seized nuclear materials. This approach has been adopted by many nations as they respond to incidents of ...
Bethlehem Steel Corporation (BSC), in conjunction with the Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting a Clean Coal Technology (CCT) project at its Sparrows Point, Maryland Coke Oven Plant. This innovative coke oven gas cleaning system combines several existing technologies into an integrated system for removing impurities from Coke Oven Gas (COG) to make it an acceptable fuel. DOE provided cost-sharing under a Cooperative Agreement with BSC. This Cooperative Agreement requires BSC to develop and conduct and Environmental Monitoring Plan for the Clean Coal Technology project and to report the status of the EMP on a quarterly basis. It also requires the preparation of a final report on the results of the Baseline Compliance and Supplemental Sampling Programs that are part of the EMP and which were conducted prior to the startup of the innovative coke oven gas cleaning system. This report is the Baseline Sampling Program report.
In 1986, the National Research Council, through its Energy Engineering Board, formed the Committee on Geothermal Energy Technology. The committee's study addressed major issues in geothermal energy technology, made recommendations for research and development, and considered cooperative arrangements among government, industry, and universities to facilitate RandD under current severe budget constraints. The report addresses four types of geothermal energy: hydrothermal, geopressured, hot dry rock, and magma systems. Hydrothermal systems are the only type that are now economically competitive commercially. Further technology development by the Department of Energy could make the uneconomical hydrothermal resources commercially attractive to the industry. The economics are more uncertain for the longer-term technologies for extracting energy from geopressured, hot dry rock, and magma systems. For some sites, the cost of energy derived from geopressured and ...
Beside sucker-rod-type pumps and submersible centrifugal pumps, excentric screw pumps (so-called progressing cavity pumps) belong to standard conveyors in the production of crude oil. The authors of the contribution under consideration present the further development of excentric screw pumps with respect to the reduction of fluid levels in gas wells. This further development is based on a co-operation between the operator (Rohoel Aufsuchungs AG (Gampern, Austria)), the pump supplier (NETZSCH Oilfield Products GmbH (Selb, Federal Republic of Germany)) and the Institute for Process Technologies and Machinery at the University of Erlangen-Nuernberg (Federal Republic of Germany). The authors report on first attempts with the excentric screw pump at Weizberg (Federal Republic of Germany), material investigations at the University of Erlangen-Nuernberg, optimization of pump components and pump systems as well as on the optimization of the entire drainage process. ...
Cooperation for low carbon and energy efficient development is a high priority for France, in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. France contributes to tackling climate change by working with its partners on all continents to implement projects both to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate change. Within the framework of the Marrakech Accords, France also encourages the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol Clean Development Mechanism, in particular between French business and non-Annex I countries; this mechanism will facilitate the financing of mitigation projects and contribute to the sustainable development of host countries in the South. At multilateral level, France is a major donor. At a bilateral level, an initial analysis of cooperation projects which are strongly linked to tackling climate change identified public support of 136 millions euros per year, as an average over the past ...
The intent and purpose of this work was to investigate and demonstrate cooperative behavior among a group of mobile robot machines. The specific goal of this work was to build a small swarm of identical machines and control them in such a way as to show a coordinated movement of the group in a flocking manner, similar to that observed in nature. Control of the swarm`s individual members and its overall configuration is available to the human user via a graphic man-machine interface running on a base station control computer. Any robot may be designated as the nominal leader through the interface tool, which then may be commanded to proceed to a particular geographic destination. The remainder of the flock follows the leader by maintaining their relative positions in formation, as specified by the human controller through the interface. The formation`s configuration can be altered manually through an interactive graphic-based tool. An alternative mode of control ...
NO[sub x] emission legislation requirements for large-bore internal combustion engines have required engine manufacturers to continue to develop and improve techniques for exhaust emission reduction. This paper describes the development of the Cooper-Bessemer Clean Burn gas-diesel (dual-fuel) engine that results in NO[sub x] reductions of up to 92 percent as compared with an uncontrolled gas-diesel engine. Historically, the gas-diesel and diesel engine combustion systems have not responded to similar techniques of NO[sub x] reduction that have been successful on straight spark-ignited natural gas burning engines. NO[sub x] levels of a nominal 1.0 g/BHP-h, equal to the spark-ignited natural gas fueled engine, have been achieved for the gas-diesel and are described. In addition, the higher opacity exhaust plume characteristic of gas-diesel combustion is significantly reduced or eliminated. This achievement is considered to be a major breakthrough, and the concept can ...
The Centre's new structure, implemented in July 1997 is now operating well. CMTE Development Limited is now the legal entity for the CRC and replaces the previously unincorporated joint venture. CMTE has ten core participating organisations. Roche Highwall Mining Pty. Ltd., withdrew participation during the year. The annual report describes its structure and management and various cooperative links. It outlines research programs in the following areas: mining; geological sensing; automation; reliability and maintenance; and coal processing. Projects include: developing an ultra-short-radius drilling machine for drainage of methane gas from coal seams; developing techniques for improved drilling speed and accuracy to reduce costs for gas drainage holes in underground coal mining; developing draglines; developing geophysical logging tools; developing autonomous control of underground vehicles such as coal-haul-dump (LHD) and haulage trucks, developing tools ...
Seismology has several features that suggest it is a highly internationalized field: the subject matter is global, the tools used to analyse seismic waves are dependent upon information technologies, and governments are interested in funding cooperative research. We explore whether an emerging field like seismology has a more internationalised structure than the older, related field of geophysics. Using aggregated journal-journal citations, we first show that, within the citing environment, seismology emerged from within geophysics as its own field in the 1990s. The bibliographic analysis, however, does not show that seismology is more internationalised than geophysics: in 2000, seismology had a lower percentage of all articles co-authored on an international basis. Nevertheless, social network analysis shows that the core group of cooperating countries within seismology is proportionately larger and more distributed than that within ...
The thesis gives an overview of the validation process for thermal-hydraulic system codes and it presents in more detail the assessment and validation of the French code CATHARE for VVER calculations. Three assessment cases are presented: loop seal clearing, core reflooding and flow in a horizontal steam generator. The experience gained during these assessment and validation calculations has been used to analyze the behavior of the horizontal steam generator and the natural circulation in the geometry of the Loviisa nuclear power plant. Large part of the work has been performed in cooperation with the CATHARE-team in Grenoble, France. (41 refs., 11 figs., 8 tabs.).
As radiation detection in the interest of national security becomes increasingly commonplace, inevitable questions arise concerning the interpretation of data from handheld radioisotope identifiers (RIIDs). Field elements typically require fast answers to provide an effective defense and to minimize the impact on legitimate movement of people and goods. To support this need, on-call experts at Sandia, Los Alamos, and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories cooperate in resolving radiation alarms rapidly and accurately. We present an overview, describe the work in progress to improve capabilities, and report on some of the lessons learned.
We propose triplet superconductors, such as ruthenates, as prospective materials for qubit construction. The vectorial nature of the order parameter in triplet superconductors makes it conceptually easy to estimate the performance of the qubits. The Cooper condensate of pairs in triplet superconductors has all the attributes of Bose-Einstein condensates and should facilitate long decoherence times for these qubits, relative to other vectorial schemes for qubits, such as small ferromagnets. There are other benefits, which the superconducting state provides for requirements such as entanglement between qubits via the proximity effect, etc. We consider these benefits in detail, although our consideration is only preliminary and further experimental and theoretical research will undoubtedly introduce correctives.
The Atomic Energy commission of Syria (AECS) is nominated by Syrian legislation as the regulatory authority in respect of radiation protection and safety and security of radioactive sources. In addition AECS is providing a wide range of Technical Services (TS) through its various departments. In this paper, the cooperation and coordination between the regulatory authority and the providers of technical services in Syria are described. The adjustment of the regulatory programme as to make maximal use of the available technical resources is presented. It was shown that this relationship does not jeopardize the effective independency of the regulatory authority which is maintained by keeping the regulatory decisions based on pure regulatory considerations. (author)
We describe a class of organic molecular magnets based on zwitterionic molecules (betaine derivatives) possessing donor, p bridge, and acceptor groups. Using extensive electronic structure calculations we show the electronic ground-state in these systems is magnetic. In addition, we show that the large energy differences computed for the various magnetic states indicate a high Neel temperature. The quantum mechanical nature of the magnetic properties originates from the conjugated p bridge (only p electrons) in cooperation with the molecular donor-acceptor character. The exchange interactions between electron spin are strong, local, and independent on the length of the p bridge.
There has been increased theoretical and experimental research interest in autonomous mobile robots exhibiting cooperative behaviour. This paper provides consistent quantitative measures of organizational degree of a two-dimensional environment. We proved, by the way of numerical simulations, that the theoretically derived values of the feature are reliable measures of aggregation degree. The slope of the feature's dependence on memory radius leads to an optimization criterion for stochastic functional self-organization. We also described the intellectual heritages that have guided our research, as well as possible future developments. (author)
What makes teamwork tick?. Cooperation matters, in daily life and in complex applications. After all, many tasks need more than a single agent to be effectively performed. Therefore, teamwork rules!. Teams are social groups of agents dedicated to the fulfilment of particular persistent tasks. In modern multiagent environments, heterogeneous teams often consist of autonomous software agents, various types of robots and human beings. Teamwork in Multi-agent Systems: A Formal Approach explains teamwork rules in terms of agents' attitudes and their complex interplay. It provides the first comprehe
The problem of spectra formation in hydrodynamic approach to A+A collisions is discussed. It is analyzed in terms of the two different objects: distribution and emission functions. We show that though the process of particle liberation, described by the emission function, is, usually, continuous in time, the observable spectra can be also expressed by means of the Landau/Cooper-Frye prescription. We argue that such an approximate duality results from some symmetry properties that systems in A+A collisions reach to the end of hydrodynamic evolution and reduction of the collision rate at post hydrodynamic stage
;Table of Contents: Gaseous Pollutants Emissions from Coal Combustors and Their Control Technologies in Japan; Simultaneous Determination of Cooper (II) and Iron (III) Using 8-Quinolinol by Solvent Extraction Flow-injection Method; Fundamental Studies on Red Mud as a Catalyst for Coal Liquefaction: Studies on Active Components in Red Mud and Possibilities for Improvement of Its Catalytic Activities; Elution Behavior of Coal-derived Liquids with Sephadex LG-20; Characteristic of Activated Carbon Produced from Scrap Tires at Different Activation Temperatures; Energy Saving Snow Melting System.
Redd1, a recently discovered stress-response gene, is regulated by hypoxia via hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and by DNA damage via p53/p63; however, the signaling pathway by which its expression is induced by hypoxia has not been elucidated. We demonstrated that the up-regulation of Redd1 transcription by hypoxia and high cell density (HCD) depends on cooperation between Sp1 and HIF-1#alpha# downstream of the PI3K/Akt pathway.
Survey report: The Petroleum Association for the Conservation of the Canadian Environment is an organization of petroleum refiners that works closely with the Canadian government to set realistic air pollution control standards for refinery emissions. To date, the refiners have made a substantial investment in pollution abatement equipment. As a result, there have been no major pollution incidents traceable to refinery emissions. In the future, it will be essential that refiners continue to invest in air pollution abatement measures and continue to cooperate with the government in setting achievable pollution control standards. (1 photo, 1 table)
We propose to encode a register of quantum bits in different collective electron spin wave excitations in a solid medium. Coupling to spins is enabled by locating them in the vicinity of a superconducting transmission line cavity, and making use of their strong collective coupling to the quantized radiation field. The transformation between different spin waves is achieved by applying gradient magnetic fields across the sample, while a Cooper pair box, resonant with the cavity field, may be used to carry out one- and two-qubit gate operations.
This volume contains the papers presented at the 1st International Workshop on "Decentralized Coordination of Distributed Processes", DCDP 2010, held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on June 10th, 2010 in conjunction with the 5th International Federated Conferences on Distributed Computing Techniques, DisCoTec 2010. The central theme of the workshop is the decentralized coordination of distributed processes. Decentralized: there is no single authority in the network that everything is vulnerable to. Coordinated: processes need to cooperate to achieve meaningful results, potentially in the face of mutual suspicion. Distributed: processes are separated by a potentially unreliable network.
Nuclear energy related research in Switzerland is concentrated at PSI's Nuclear Energy and Safety Research Department (NES). The activities of the department are concentrated on three main domains of: Safety and related problems of operating plants; safety features of future reactor and fuel cycles; waste management. Comprehensive assessments of energy systems are carried out in cooperation with PSI's General Energy Research Department. Many of the programs are part of collaborations with universities, industry, or international organisations. Progress in 2000 in these topical areas is described in this report. A list of scientific publications in 2000 is also provided.
A survey of various mechanisms for particle emission in hydrodynamics is presented. First, in the case of sudden freeze out, the problem of negative contributions in the Cooper-Frye formula and ways out are presented. Then the separate chemical and thermal freeze out scenario is described and the necessity of its inclusion in a hydrodynamical code is discussed. Finally, we show how to formulate continuous particle emission in hydrodynamics and discuss extensively its consistency with data. We point out in various cases that the interpretation of data is quite influenced by the choice of the particle emission mechanism.
The idle speed of an internal combustion engine is controlled in response to a variable ignition timing control signal from a microcomputer. The microcomputer derives this control signal as a function of the magnitude of engine speed variation which occurs during engine idle periods to cause the ignition timing to vary quickly in response to a transitory engine load variation. An auxiliary air delivery system may be advantageously incorporated in the idle speed control system to cooperate with the ignition timing control in response to the engine speed variation.
Purpose ? The Islamic social capital is characterised by a desire for moral values in production and networking which promotes opportunities for innovative interactions between sets of agents thus forwarding the Islamic ethics. The aim of this paper is to explore the factors that drive alliance formation between labour and capital in both financial and technological forms. Design/methodology/approach ? An in-depth study was made of developmental interventions within the Muslim community life of a village in the Birbhum district of West Bengal province in India. Findings ? Evidence shows that the strengthening of informal co-operative networks through the inputs of technology, financial, and human capital from across different sectors constitutes an essential element in forwarding sustainab...
... Removal of this layer facilitates the unreeling of cocoons into long strands of silk comparable to those derived from the domesticated mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori, B. mori). The research was funded in part by the SABIP ('Silks as biomimetic ideals for polymers) project, which has clinched a European Research Council (ERC) grant worth almost EUR 2.3 million under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). Presented in the journal Biomacromolecules, the findings could lead to the development of new silk industries in ...
This report presents an overview of research activity currently being funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) on solid wastes from coal gasification, coal liquefaction, and oil shale technologies, Projects conducted in the DOE energy technology centers and national laboratories, and in cooperative projects with other government agencies, private industry, and universities are developing the basic and applied technology and data on which present and future fuel-conversion and utilization processes depend. The report identifies data gaps and recommends research needs where warranted.
Knowledge of ground subsidence behavior provides for better economic planning and execution of a mining exploitation, higher safety and optimum use of the resources without ruining the environment. In addition, when considering subsidence generated by petroleum exploitation, the monitored (measured) subsidence, combined with geological information and a suitable prediction model, can provide data on the expanse of the oil field and thus aid in the estimation of available resources. An integrated survey system for monitoring mining subsidence is described which has been developed as part of a research program in cooperation with the Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology. (JMT)
A feasibility on the development of a high energy proton accelerator to be used for R and D in the nuclear field of korea was studied. The proposed one is a proton linac with parameters of about 1 GeV, 20 mA which can supply enough neutrons by the spallation reaction to drive a subcritical reactor. It= is expected to solve the intrinsic problem in the nuclear field such as safety, nuclear waste, proliferation and resource. The study was carried out through a multi-institutional cooperation of universities, institute and industry for a national consensus. 5 refs., 8 tabs., 8 figs. (author)
Epoxy-resin based neutron shielding material, NS-4-FR, is used for spent fuel transport and/or storage cask. In this paper the outline of thermal aging test performed to evaluate the heating effect on this neutron shielding material, NS-4-FR, is introduced. The test is consisted of two kinds of thermal aging test, one is 'Basic Test' and the other is 'Block Heating Test'. The former is cooperatively performed by ten Japanese Electrical Power Companies, and the latter is done by GESC and NOF Corporation. (authors)
Epoxy-resin based neutron shielding material, NS-4-FR, is used for spent fuel transport and/or storage cask. In this paper the outline of thermal aging test performed to evaluate the heating effect on this neutron shielding material, NS-4-FR, is introduced. The test is consisted of two kinds of thermal aging test, one is 'Basic Test' and the other is 'Block Heating Test'. The former is cooperatively performed by ten Japanese Electrical Power Companies, and the latter is done by GESC and NOF Corporation. (authors)
Corrosion is increasingly becoming an important factor reducing the reliability of many nuclear power plant components. The significance is evaluated of corrosion phenomena with respect to the reliability of primary circuit components of LWR's, viz., the reactor pressure vessel, primary piping, steam generator, and fuel elements. The mechanism of corrosion phenomena is explained and methods of minimizing their effects are presented. An analysis is made of the needs to solve the corrosion problems of nuclear power plants from the point of view of Czechoslovak producers and research and development activities. International cooperation is reviewed and main problems are formulated on which the solution of corrosion problems of structural materials used in WWER type nuclear power plants should be focussed. (author).
Results of research programs in coal liquefaction are presented. Areas of research include: desulfurization by bioprocessing; characterization of coal liquefaction processes by XAFS spectroscopy; coprocessing of coal with heavy oil and petroleum residuals; liquefaction research in pyrolysis, catalysis and coal dissolution; novel catalysts; data base development; resource evaluation; depolymerization; solvent extraction and chromatography; correlations of liquefaction yields and coal structure. Individual projects are processed separately for the data bases. (CBS)
This paper gives a summary of a risk study assuming unprotected loss of flow (ULOF) in the SNR 300. This study was initiated in 1979/80 by the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center and performed in close cooperation with Science Applications Inc., Palo Alto, USA, and Interatom Company. Part of the results also was integrated in the 'Risk Related Analysis for the SNR 300' carried out by the Gesellschaft fuer Reactorsicherheit. The character of the study described here is similar to other risk studies like the Reactor Safety Study and the German Risk Study for Nuclear Power Plants. The objectives and the methodology of the analyses are described and its results are discussed. (orig./RW).
Equipment Qualification technology for I and C system on nuclear grade have been approved with accurate and safe for verifying and validation. It contributes to acknowledge of reliability and to review of user approval. Also it did not completely satisfied the requirement of Russia, it can be satisfied by bit of modification on design. It is expected to support the export of safety PLC to nuclear power plant. Proven EQ technology is required on the further markets of nuclear. Therefore, comparison test with foreign country is necessary to support the mutual accreditation of EQ for export of domestic products.
The current and prospective status of astronomical research in Ukraine is discussed. A brief history of astronomical research in Ukraine is presented and the system organizing scientific activity is described, including astronomy education, institutions and staff, awarding higher degrees/titles, government involvement, budgetary investments and international cooperation. Individuals contributing significantly to the field of astronomy and their accomplishments are mentioned. Major astronomical facilities, their capabilities, and their instrumentation are described. In terms of the number of institutions and personnel engaged in astronomy, and of past accomplishments, Ukraine ranks among major nations of Europe. Current difficulties associated with political, economic and technological changes are addressed and goals for future research activities presented.
DOE/NNSA and IRSN collaborated on a study of gamma-ray instruments and analysis methods used to perform isotopic measurements of special nuclear materials. The two agencies agreed to collaborate on the project in response to inconsistencies that were found in the various versions of software and hardware used to determine the isotopic abundances of uranium and plutonium. IRSN used software developed internally to test the MGA and FRAM isotopic analysis codes for criteria used to stop data acquisition. The stop-criterion test revealed several unusual behaviors in both the MGA and FRAM software codes.
This proceedings volume contains contributions by about 70 authors on market trends, funding, marketing, boundary conditions and sales promotion of thermal solar energy and photovoltaic systems. The contributions reflect the diversity of authors, e.g. consultants, advocates and agents of solar technology producers and financial organisations. Central issues were markets in and outside Europe, quality assurance, interdepartmental cooperations, and marketing strategies of the solar industry. The proceedings volume also contains the conference schedule and self-descriptions of the authors' institutions. (orig.)
Nerve growth factor (NGF), a survival factor for neurons enforces pain by sensitizing nociceptors. Also in the pancreas, NGF was associated with pain and it can stimulate the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) respond to NGF with apoptosis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-b, one of the strongest pro-fibrogenic activators of pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) induced NGF and its two receptors in an immortalized human cell line (ihPSC) and primary rat PSC (prPSC) as determined by RT-PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence. In contrast to HSC, PSC expressed both NGF receptors, although p75NTR expression was weak in prPSC. In contrast to ihPSC TGF-b activated both Smad signaling cascades in prPSC. NGF secretion was diminished by the activin-like kinase (ALK)...
CD44, a transmembrane receptor for hyaluronic acid, is implicated in various adhesion-dependent cellular processes, including cell migration, tumor cell metastasis and invasion. Recent studies demonstrated that CD44 expressed in cancer cells can be proteolytically cleaved at the ectodomain by membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) to form soluble CD44 and that CD44 cleavage plays a critical role in cancer cell migration. Here, we show that transforming growth factor-b (TGF-b), a multifunctional cytokine involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and pathological processes, induces MT1-MMP expression in MDA-MB-435s cells. TGF-b-induced MT1-MMP expression was blocked by the specific extracellular regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2) inhibitor PD98059 and the specific pho...
We hypothesized that I kappa B kinase (IKK)-mediated nuclear factor kappa B and forkhead BoxO3a phosphorylation will be associated with age-related endothelial dysfunction. Endothelium-dependent dilation and aortic protein expression/phosphorylation were determined in young and old male B6D2F1 mice and old mice treated with the IKK inhibitor, salicylate. IKK activation was greater in old mice and was associated with greater nitrotyrosine and cytokines. Endothelium-dependent dilation, nitric oxide (NO), and endothelial NO synthase phosphorylation were lower in old mice. Endothelium-dependent dilation and NO bioavailability were restored by a superoxide dismutase mimetic. Nuclear factor kappa B and forkhead BoxO3a phosphorylation were greater in old and were associated with increased express...
Proteomic changes in proteins secreted by human hepatocellular carcinomas (HepG2) cells exposed to butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) were evaluated. HepG2 cells were treated with three different concentrations of BBP (0, 10, or 25 ?M) for 24 or 48 h. Following incubation, the cells were subjected to proteomic analysis using two different pI ranges (4-7 and 6-9) and large-size two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Results showed resolution of a total of 2776 protein spots. Of these, 29, including 19 upregulated and 10 downregulated proteins, were identified by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Among these, the identities of cystatin C, Rho guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor, gelsolin, DEK protein, Raf kinase inhibitory protein, triose phosphate ...
Numerous transmethylation reactions are required for normal plant growth and development. S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) and adenosine kinase (ADK) act coordinately to recycle the by-product of these reactions, S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) that would otherwise competitively inhibit methyltransferase (MT) activities. Here, we report on investigations to understand how the SAH produced in the nucleus is metabolized by SAHH and ADK. Localization analyses using green fluorescent fusion proteins demonstrated that both enzymes are capable of localizing to the cytoplasm and the nucleus, although no obvious nuclear localization signal was found in their sequences. Deletion analysis revealed that a 41-amino-acid segment of SAHH (Gly(150)-Lys(190)) is required for nuclear targeting of this enzyme. This segment is surface exposed, shows unique sequence conservation patterns in plant SAHHs, and possesses additional features of protein-protein interaction motifs. ADK ...
Investigations into sexual differentiation and pheromone response in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe are complicated by the need to first starve the cells of nitrogen. Most mating-related experiments are therefore performed on non-dividing cells. Here we overcome this problem by using two mutants that bypass the nutritional requirements and respond to the M-factor mating pheromone in rich medium. The first mutant lacks the cyr1 gene which encodes adenylate cyclase and these cells contain no measurable amounts of cAMP. When M-factor is added to a growing h+ cyr1- strain it causes a transient G1 arrest of cell division, transcription of mat1-Pm, and elongation of the cells to form shmoos. The second mutant contains the temperature-sensitive pat1-114 allele. At 30 degrees C this mutant was previously shown not only to bypass the nutritional signal but also to stop growing in a state derepressed for pheromone-controlled functions. We now report that an h+ pat1-114 strain ...
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder. Mutations in PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) are a frequent cause of recessive PD. Autophagy, a pathway for clearance of protein aggregates or impaired organelles, is a newly identified mechanism for PD development. However, it is still unclear what molecules regulate autophagy in PINK1-silenced cells. Here we report that autophagosome formation is promoted in the early phase in response to PINK1 gene silencing by lentivirus transfer vectors expressed in mouse striatum. Reduced PP2A activity and increased phosphorylation of PP2A at Y307 (inactive form of PP2A) were observed in PINK1-knockdown dopaminergic cells and striatum tissues. Treatment with C2-ceramide (an agonist of PP2A) reduced autophagy levels in PINK...
Until recently no active treatment for advanced or metastatic gastrointestinal stroma tumors (GIST) was available. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib has revolutionized the treatment of this disease and the median overall survival now reaches 5 years. The standard dose of imatinib is 400 mg per day. Locally advanced GIST should be treated with systemic therapy prior to surgical resection. Imatinib was recently licensed for adjuvant therapy following complete surgical removal of GIST in patients with a significant risk of recurrence. (orig.) [German] Bis vor einigen Jahren existierte keine wirksame systemische Therapie fuer fortgeschrittene oder metastasierte gastrointestinale Stromatumoren (GIST). Der Tyrosinkinaseinhibitor Imatinib hat die Behandlung dieser Tumoren revolutioniert, die mediane Ueberlebenszeit liegt heute bei etwa 5 Jahren. Die Standarddosierung von Imatinib betraegt initial 400 mg/Tag. Lokal fortgeschrittene Tumoren werden primaer systemisch ...
Purpose HER2 is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase, which is overexpressed in a number of carcinomas. The Affibody molecule ZHER2:342 is a small (7?kDa) affinity protein binding to HER2 with an affinity of 22?pM. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of ((4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl)maleimide (HPEM) for radioiodination of ZHER2:342 and to compare the targeting properties of monomeric and dimeric forms of ZHER2:342. Methods The biodistribution of different radioiodinated derivatives of ZHER2:342 was studied in BALB/C nu/nu mice bearing HER2-expressing SKOV-3 xenografts. Biodistributions of 125I-PIB-ZHER2:342 and site-specifically labelled 125I-HPEM-ZHER2:342-C were compared. Biodistributions of monomeric 131I-HPEM-ZHER2:342-C and dimeric 125I-HPEM-(ZHER2:342)2-C were evaluated using a paire...
The effect of chronic administration of phenobarbital on the binding of phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (({sup 3}H)PDBu), an activator of protein kinase C (PKC), was examined in rat liver microsomes. A significant increase in the number of binding sites was observed in microsomes of Fisher 344 rats. However, no change appeared in liver cytosol binding of PDBu. Consequently, a translocation process of PKC is unlikely. The increase in ({sup 3}H)PDBu binding in liver microsomes is significant 24 h. after one injection of phenobarbital and reaches its maximum in 2 days. In other strains of rats (ACI and lean Zucker), significant differences were found in the increase of ({sup 3}H)PDBu binding in microsomes. Fisher 344 were the most sensitive, lean Zucker rats, the least sensitive. Those results parallel the pentoxy-resorufin O demethylase activity in the microsomes of the same animals. EC{sub 50} values for inhibition of ({sup 3}H)PDBu binding by pentobarbital were determined ...
We describe a method for the analysis of multi-site phosphorylation in serine/threonine (Ser/Thr)-rich protein sequences. Site-specific mutagenesis was used to introduce tryptic cleavage sites in the serine glutamine/threonine glutamine cluster domain (SCD) of the human checkpoint protein kinase (Chk2). The mutant proteins were shown to autophosphorylate on residues that are inducibly phosphorylated when mammalian cells are exposed to ionizing radiation (serine 33/35, serine 516, threonine 68 and threonine 432). Five Ser/Thr clusters within the SCD were flanked by arginine or lysine residues to produce tryptic peptides for nanospray liquid chromatography (nanoLC)/linear quadrupole ion trap Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Phosphorylation sites were assigned usin...
This report concerns investigations in the title conducted by 8 groups of National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) during the period of 1998-2000. The groups are for investigation of: Effects of p53 tumor suppressor gene in radiation-induced leukemia, Role of atm-gene in dose rate effect of ionizing radiation, Function of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PK{sub cs}), Functional complementation of radiation-sensitive mutant M10 cell line by human XRCC4 cDNA expression, Role of radiation-induced apoptosis in digital defects in embryonic mice, Functional analysis of S-phase specific novel nuclear protein NP95 by gene targeting, Role of chemokine in T cell development and lymphomagenesis, and establishment of production techniques of gene-modified mice using embryonic stem cells for genetic analysis of radiation-sensitive genes. The groups describe summaries of their studies and published original articles are also given. (N.I.)
Selecting an appropriate matrix solution is one of the most effective means of increasing the ionization efficiency of phosphopeptides in matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). In this study, we systematically assessed matrix combinations of 2, 6-dihydroxyacetophenone (DHAP) and diammonium hydrogen citrate (DAHC), and demonstrated that the low ratio DHAP/DAHC matrix was more effective in enhancing the ionization of phosphopeptides. Low femtomole level of phosphopeptides from the tryptic digests of ?-casein and ?-casein was readily detected by MALDI-TOF-MS in both positive and negative ion mode without desalination or phosphopeptide enrichment. Compared with the DHB/PA matrix, the optimized DHAP/DAHC matrix yielded superior sample homogeneity and higher phosphopeptide measurement sensitivity, particularly when multiple phosphorylated peptides were assessed. Finally, the DHAP/DAHC matrix was applied to identify phosphorylation sites ...
A tk{sup +/-} mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell line, designated 1G2, has been created in which one allele of the thymidine kinase (tk) gene was inactivated by targeted homologous recombination. This line is an analog of the mouse lymphoma tk{sup +/-} L5178Y cell line, which is used widely to assess the mutagenicity of chemical agents. Treatment of 1G2 cells with the alkylating agent N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) resulted in a dose-related increase in tribluorothymidine-resistant colonies. Mutant frequencies of 152 and 296 per 10{sup 6} cells were determined for 0.1 and 0.3 mg/ml doses of ENU, compared with a spontaneous mutant frequency of 15 per 10{sup 6} cells. The data indicate that tk{sup +/-} 1G2 ES cells may be useful for the creation of a transgenic mouse model for assessing in vivo mutation using an endogenous autosomal gene. 45 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.
The inducible transcription factor NF-#kappa#B regulates divergent signaling pathways including inflammatory response and cancer development. Selective inhibitors for NF-#kappa#B signaling are potentially useful for treatment of inflammation and cancer. NF-#kappa#B is canonically activated by preferential disposal of its inhibitory protein; I#kappa#B, which suppresses the nuclear translocation of NF-#kappa#B. I#kappa#B#alpha# (a major member of I#kappa#B family proteins) is phosphorylated with an I#kappa#B kinase (IKK) and subsequently polyubiquitylated by SCF"#beta#"T"r"C"P"1 ubiquitin-ligase in the presence of E1 and E2 prior to proteasomal degradation. Here, we describe a novel inhibitor termed GS143, which suppressed I#kappa#B#alpha# ubiquitylation, but not I#kappa#B#alpha# phosphorylation, MDM2-directed p53 ubiquitylation, and proteasome activity in vitro. GS143 markedly suppressed the destruction of I#kappa#B#alpha# stimulated by TNF#alpha# and a set of ...
Chorismate mutase, a branch-point enzyme in the aromatic amino acid pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and also a mutant chorismate mutase with a single amino acid substitution in the C-terminal part of the protein have been purified approximately 20-fold and 64-fold from overproducing strains, respectively. The wild-type enzyme is activated by tryptophan and subject to feedback inhibition by tyrosine, whereas the mutant enzyme does not respond to activation by tryptophan nor inhibition by tyrosine. Both enzymes are dimers consisting of two identical subunits of M_r 30,000, each one capable of binding one substrate and one activator molecule. Each subunit of the wild-type enzyme also binds one inhibitor molecule, whereas the mutant enzyme lost this ability. The enzyme reaction was observed by "1H NMR and shows a direct and irreversible conversion of chorismate to prephenate without the accumulation of any enzyme-free intermediates. The kinetic data of the wild-type chorismate mutase ...
The slow or stagnant rate of nuclear power generation development in many developed countries over the last two decades has resulted in a significant shortage in the population of mid-career nuclear industry professionals. This shortage is even more pronounced in some specific areas of expertise such as radiological protection, waste management and decommissioning. This situation has occurred at a time when the renaissance of nuclear power and the globalization of the nuclear industry are steadily gaining momentum and when the industry's involvement in international and national debates in these three fields of expertise (and the industry's impact on these debates) is of vital importance. This paper presents the World Nuclear Association (WNA) approach to building and enhancing worldwide industry cooperation in radiological protection, waste management and decommissioning, which is manifested through the activities of the two WNA working groups on radiological ...
In cooperation with NRPB, the specifications of the mainframe COSYMA version 95/1 and the PC COSYMA version 2.0 were prepared and the corresponding modifications implemented. Important improvements are dose-rate dependent models for deterministic health effects, the time dependent efficiency of stable iodine tablets, the extension of data bases for the inclusion of activation products, and supplementary evaluation programs. PC COSYMA has been completed by an economics module, further options in the ingestion pathways, and a graphics package for presenting assessment results. COSYMA has been applied for probabilistic dose assessments within paramter studies and special investigations of EPR concepts. RODOS, the real-time on-line decision support system for nuclear emergency management, has been further developed with the aim of the first pilot version 2.0 for pre-operational application in the second half of 1995. At present, some 20 institutes in the EU, 8 ...
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Technical Cooperation Project on Reduction of Seismic Risk for Buildings and Structures started in Romania on October 1, 2002. The aim of the Project is to strengthen the capacity of earthquake disaster related activities in Romania. The Project approval is the result of four years of intensive efforts made by professionals from Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (UTCB), Ministry of Transport, Constructions and Tourism (MTCT), Romania, National Building Research Institute (INCERC) Bucharest, JICA, Building Research Institute (BRI), Tsukuba, and National Institute for Land, Infrastructure and Management (NILIM), Tsukuba, Japan. The duration of the Project is five years. The implementing agency is the National Center for Seismic Risk Reduction (NCSRR) as a public institution of national interest under MTCT. The activities are carried out by NCSRR in partnership with UTCB and INCERC. ...
At COP3 in 1997, an agreement was made to the innovative technical development/promotion by international cooperation, and the promotion of transfer of environmental technology to developing countries. Under the agreement, a feasibility study of international cooperation was made, and especially a study was conducted of the utilization/development of solar energy by the innovative solar thermochemical process. The main reason for global warming is emissions of a large amount of CO2 caused by the direct combustion of fossil fuels. Therefore, a CO2 recycle system taken up in the study enables a more substantial decline in CO2 emission (kg/kWh) per unit generation than the conventional thermal power system by composing solar methanol or solar dimethyl ether using fossil fuels including coal, water, CO2, etc. as raw materials and using solar energy as heat source, and by using this as fuel (solar fuel). CO2 can be reduced by 13% to 14% by ...
Laser spectroscopy measurements have been performed on neutron deficient iridium isotopes. The hyperfine structure and isotope shift of the optical Ir I transition 5d{sup 7}6s{sup 24}F{sub 9/2} {sup {yields}} 5d{sup 7}6s6p {sup 6}F{sub 11/2} at 351.5 nm have been studied for the {sup 182-189}Ir, {sup 186}Ir{sup 1}m and {sup 191,193}Ir isotopes. The nuclear magnetic and quadrupole moments were obtained from the HFS measurements and the changes of the mean square charge radii from the IS measurements. A large mean square charge radius change between {sup 187}Ir and {sup 186}Ir and between {sup 186}Ir{sup 1}m and {sup 186}Ir{sup 1}g has been observed.
Laser spectroscopy measurements have been performed on neutron deficient iridium isotopes. The hyperfine structure and isotope shift of the optical Ir I transition 5d"76s"2"4F_9_/_2 "#-># 5d"76s6p "6F_1_1_/_2 at 351.5 nm have been studied for the "1"8"2"-"1"8"9Ir, "1"8"6Ir"1m and "1"9"1","1"9"3Ir isotopes. The nuclear magnetic and quadrupole moments were obtained from the HFS measurements and the changes of the mean square charge radii from the IS measurements. A large mean square charge radius change between "1"8"7Ir and "1"8"6Ir and between "1"8"6Ir"1m and "1"8"6Ir"1g has been observed.
There is an increasing number of applications for hard coatings in engineering where the properties of the single-layer coating are not sufficient. One way to solve this problem is to use a multilayer coating that combines the properties of several coating materials. In this study, TiN-CrAlN and CrN-CrAlN multilayer coatings were deposited on 100Cr6 and S6-5-2 (DIN) steel substrates, by means of unbalanced magnetron sputtering. For comparison, TiN, CrN and CrAlN single-layer coatings were also prepared. For all depositions the coating temperature was below 473 K. Indentation testing, hardness measurements and scratch tests were performed to characterize the mechanical properties. The correlation between the wear behavior in rolling contact and the mechanical properties of the multilayer coatings is reported. A ball crater preparation technique through scratch tests and wear tracks was used to observe the deformation and fracture behavior ...
Precise measurements of the single spin asymmetry AN, and the double spin asymmetry ANN, in proton-proton (pp) elastic scattering in the region of four-momentum transfer squared 0.0012 have been performed using a polarized atomic hydrogen gas jet target and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) polarized proton beam. We present measurements of AN and ANN at center-of-mass energies ?(s)=6.8 and 13.7 GeV. These spin-dependent observables are sensitive to the poorly known hadronic spin-dependent amplitudes. Comparing AN at different energies, a ?(s) dependence of the hadronic single spin-flip amplitude is suggested. A hadronic double spin-flip amplitude from the ANN data is consistent with zero within a 2-? level. We also present ??T, estimated from the measured ANN data. The results for ??T are consistent with zero. Our results provide significant constraints toward a comprehensive understanding of the reaction mechanism for pp elastic ...
Laser spectroscopy measurements have been performed on neutron-deficient iridium isotopes. The hyperfine structure and isotope shift of the optical Ir I transition 5d"76s"2 "4F_9_/_2#->#5d"76s6p "6F_1_1_/_2 have been studied for the "1"8"2"-"1"8"9Ir, "1"8"0Ir"m and "1"9"1","1"9"3Ir isotopes. The nuclear magnetic and quadrupole moments were obtained from the hyperfine splitting measurements and the changes of the mean square charge radii from the isotope shift measurements. A large deformation change between "1"8"7Ir and "1"8"6Ir and between "1"8"6Ir"m and "1"8"6Ir"g has been observed.
Physicochemical and benthos data were collected from 12 marine monitoring stations in Daya Bay, during 2001-2004. 12 stations in Daya Bay could be grouped into three clusters: cluster I consisted of stations in the southern part of Daya Bay (stations S1, S2 and S6); cluster II consisted of stations in the cage culture areas (stations S3, S4, S5 and S8); cluster III consisted of stations in the southwest, the middle and the northeast of the Bay (stations S7, S9, S10, S11 and S12). Calculation with bivariate correlations between benthos and major physicochemical factors showed that the density of benthos in all stations correlated positively with temperature, DO, pH, NH4-N, SiO3-Si, SiO3-Si /PO4-P and chlorophyll a and was negatively correlated with salinity, Secchi, COD, NO3-N, NO2-N, TIN, ...
The isotope shifts of the levels 5p/sup 2/ /sup 1/D/sub 2/, /sup 1/S/sub 0/ and 5sns /sup 1/S/sub 0/(n = 7,8) of strontium have been measured between the isotopes 84, 86, 87 and 88 in two-photon transitions from the ground state, using two lasers with different wavelengths. These levels occur below the beginning of the Rydberg series, and are known to exhibit very strong configuration mixing. Mass and field isotope shifts are calculated ab initio by means of the MCHF method for these levels and 5s4d /sup 1/D2, 5s6s /sup 1/S/sub 0/. The qualitative agreement between theory and experiment confirms the necessity of taking into account the mixing (up to 50%) with both the 5p/sup 2/ and 4d/sup 2/ perturbers in the wavefunction expansions.
From June to September 2004 a water research was carried out in six stations that are located at the following microbasins: La Laucha (S1), La Lejia (S2, S3 and S6) and La Rastrojera (S4 and S5). Those microbasins are localized at the Durania municipality in Norte de Santander Department. This study was carried out in order to evaluate water quality at the microbasins above mentioned using macroinvertebrates as bioindicators. For physical, chemical and microbiological parameters a sample was taken at each station. The results were correlated with biologic parameters and it may be concluded that the station 5 closer to the town of Durania is the most polluted by organic matter and that those stations that belong to the ritral zone are less contaminated. The final result showed that the stations 1. 2. 3. 4 and 6 have conditions that can be classified as very clear to clear water and station 5 presents high contamination level.
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) causes relaxation in the opossum lower esophageal sphincter. The effects of dendroaspis natriuretic peptide (DNP) and other natriuretic peptides in the lower esophageal sphincter were not known. We measured the relaxation of transverse strips from the guinea pig lower esophageal sphincter caused by DNP, ANP, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), and a natriuretic peptide receptor-C agonist des[Gln^1^8, Ser^1^9, Gly^2^0, Leu^2^1, Gly^2^2]ANP(4-23) amide (cANF(4-23)) in vitro. In resting strips of the guinea pig lower esophageal sphincter DNP and BNP caused marked relaxations. Furthermore, in both sarafotoxin S6c and carbachol-contracted lower esophageal sphincter strips, DNP caused marked and BNP caused moderate, concentration-de...
The herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-TK) reporter system is being used to directly and indirectly monitor therapeutic gene expression, immune cell trafficking and protein-protein interactions in various living animals. However, the issues of HSV1-TK enzyme stability in living cells and whether this reporter system is optimal for dynamic studies of gene expression events in genetic imaging have not be addressed. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the application of this reporter system in dynamic studies of transcriptional gene regulation. To achieve this purpose, we established two tetracycline-inducible murine sarcoma cell lines, tetracycline-turn-off HSV1-tk-expressing cell line (NG4TL4/tet-off-HSV1-tk) and tetracycline-turn-off Luc-expressing cell line (NG4TL4/tet-off-Luc), to create an artificially regulated gene expression model in vitro. The dynamic transcriptional events mediating a series of doxycycline (Dox) inductions were ...
This article presents numerical study of 3-D thermosolutale mixed convection (TSMC) in horizontal rectangular channels. The contribution of this work is to characterize the travelling wave's appearance and to generalize the behavior of Poiseuille-Rayleigh-Benard (PRB) systems for a broad range of dimensionless parameters, which control the double diffusive mixed convection. The numerical results consist of analyzing the flow regimes of the steady longitudinal thermoconvectives rolls for the case of purely thermal mixed convection (TMC) and for both thermal and mass transfer (TSMC). The transition from opposed volume forces to cooperating ones at fixed Rayleigh (Ra), Reynolds (Re), and Lewis (Le) numbers, considerably affects the birth and the development of the longitudinal rolls (noted R/...
An effective computer program for three dimensional relativistic hydrodynamical model has been developed. It implements a new approach to the early hot phase of relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The computer program simulates time-space evolution of nuclear matter in terms of ideal-fluid dynamics. Equations of motions of hydrodynamics are solved making use of finite difference methods. Commonly-used algorithms of numerical relativistic hydrodynamics RHLLE and MUSTA-FORCE have been applied in simulations. To speed-up calculations, parallel processing has been made available for solving hydrodynamical equations. The test results of simulations for 3D, 2D and Bjorken expansion are reported in this paper. As a next step we plan to implement the hadronization algorithm by implementing the continuous particle emission for freeze-out and comparing it with Cooper-Frye formula.
The conference was organized to bring together scientific and business people from Canada, United States, and Mexico to foster the protection and improvement of the environment and to promote sustainable development in the three NAFTA countries. The sessions are international cooperation and partnerships (panel discussion), markets, market access, economic instruments, venture and capital growth, economic instruments versus regulations, international financial institutions, partnerships and networks, government support programs (panel), acid rain, stratospheric ozone, smog and ground level ozone, innovative measurement methods, hazardous air pollutants, respirable fine particulates, climate change prevention technologies, pollution prevention technologies, indoor air technology, and posters. Selected papers have been abstracted separately.
This paper discusses how the U.S. Liquid Metal Reactor Development Program has been restructured to carry out R and D on advanced reactor technology. The program gives particular emphasis to improvements to reactor safety. The new directions are based on the technology of the integral fast reactor (IFR). Much of the basis for superior safety performance using IFR technology has been experimentally verified and aggressive programs continue in EBR-II and TREAT. Progress has been made in demonstrating both the metallic fuel and the new electrochemical processes of the IFR. The FFTF facility is converting to metallic fuel; however, FFTF also maintains a considerable U.S. program in oxide fuels. In addition, generic programs are continuing in steam generator testing, materials development, and with international cooperation, aqueous reprocessing.
Technology transfer is an integral part of Framatome's general approach to its Chinese partners for the Daya Bay, Ling Ao, and Qinshan phase 2 nuclear power plant projects. It has been the subject of major operations covering all activities relevant to project management, design and engineering, manufacturing, and maintenance know-how. This presentation is more particularly devoted to nuclear island maintenance knowledge, which has been extensively transferred by Framatome to the Daya Bay plant owner over a period of four years, through a program including the constitution of mixed Franco-Chinese teams to handle plant maintenance, shadow training of Chinese specialists in the maintenance work performed by Framatome or its subcontractors in France, and theoretical training sessions on equipment mockups in China and France. (author)
Corrosion inhibition of iron in H2SO4 by polyacrylic acid (PAA) was investigated using electrochemical techniques at 30degreeC. Results obtained indicate that PAA inhibited the corrosion of iron in the acid medium. Inhibition efficiency increases with increase in PAA concentration and synergistically enhanced on addition of iodide ions. Potentiodynamic polarization results suggest that PAA functions as a modest cathodic inhibitor. The adsorption of PAA onto the iron surface followed Temkin adsorption isotherm. FTIR analysis revealed that the synergistic effect due to co-adsorption of iodide ions and PAA is co-operative in nature.
The article has three sections. The first discusses the environmental problems the tanker traffic poses to the Norwegian coastal waters and shores. Various precautionary measures and requirements are briefly presented. The size of the present marine transportation and the future Russian marine petroleum activity in the Barents area are briefly mentioned. The second named, conflicting exploration drilling, presents the conflicting interests regarding exploratory drilling in the Barents Sea in Norway. The environmental problems are large and have lead to an on-going reevaluation. Some pollution abatement measures are mentioned. The regional economic development is briefly outlined. The third deals with the Norwegian governmental safety activities and presents a brief survey of the official safety activities in the petroleum sector in Norway and the international cooperation particularly with the Russian Federation. The emphasis is on the maritime security, the safety ...
The analysis of images (of obtained in various ranges of the lengths of waves) of luminous objects in the Universe by means of a method of multilevel dynamic contrasting led author to the conclusions: a) the structures of all observable galaxies represents a complicated constructions which have the tendency to self-similarity and made of separate (basic) blocks, which are a coaxially tubular structures and a cartwheel-like structures; b) the majority of observable objects in the Universe are luminous butt-ends of almost invisible (of almost completely transparent) of filamentary formations which structures are seen only near to their luminous butt-ends; c) the result of analysis of images of cosmic objects show the structure of many pairs of cooperating galaxies point to opportunity of their formation at butt-ends generated in a place of break of the similar filament; d) the interacting galaxies (M 81 and M 82) show they are butt-ends of sawed off of two branches ...
Since 1976, the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory of the Technical Research Centre of Finland and Lappeenranta University of Technology have cooperated in the field of nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics. During these years, a series of experimental facilities (REWET-I, -II, -III, VEERA) simulating pressurized water reactors (PWRs) have been built. The newest facility, PACTEL (Parallel Channel Test Loop), is an experimental out-of-pile facility designed to simulate the major components and system behaviour of a commercial PWR during postulated small and medium size break loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs), natural circulation and operational transients. A PACTEL natural circulation experiment has been carried out as an OECD/NEA international standard problem ISP 33. (2 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.).
The author considers the possibility that Japanese nuclear armament might be a realistic political option. Firstly introducing various issues on Japanese nuclear armament existing since long time ago, he classifies them according to the view point from internal and international problems. Internally, the armament is not possible at present on the ground of the nation's non-nuclear policy but it might be conditionally a choice in such case as the reliability of US nuclear deterrence declines or possibility of nuclear attack to Japan actually may be predicted. The armament may be possible technically and legally based on the consensus of the people. Various concerns by neighboring countries are discussed. Finally, the author stresses the importance of continuing to consolidate bilateral relationship with US, to deploy missile defensive system and to make every effort in the diplomatic activity for strong international ties and cooperation. (S. Ohno)
Two third-grade Taiwanese students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders participated in a pull-out, small-group social skills training program developed to promote their skill acquisition and maintenance. Using a multiple baseline across skills design, the authors demonstrated that both participants made marked performance improvement in all three targeted social skills of on-task, appropriate conflict resolution, and cooperation during the intervention condition. Maintenance and follow-up data showed that both participants sustained their use of taught social skills in the training setting and their third-grade classroom, respectively. Social validity measures, including peer sociometric ratings and consumer satisfaction questionnaires and interviews, supported the positive effects of the social skills training program for both participants. Implications for research and practice are discussed. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)
This paper describes the results of a French-Lebanese scientific cooperation, between 2001 and 2005, about 'Rational use of energy in the residential buildings in Lebanon and adaptation of an energy certification procedure'. The aim of this project is to promote the energy efficiency in the existing residential buildings in Lebanon, using an energy certification procedure, and to evaluate the energy certification foresight with prospective methods. The paper first describes an energy investigation in Lebanese residential buildings, and the energy certification procedure. It presents the foresight methodology implemented to identify the key variables and the actors. Finally, the paper exposes the morphological method which allows to elaborate three scenarios of energy performance certification. These scenarios are presented in order to provide a decision making for the actors of the Lebanese energy policy.
This report summarizes the work performed by Honeywell during the October 2001 to December 2001 reporting period under Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-01NT40779 for the U. S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) entitled ''Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid System for Distributed Power Generation''. The main objective of this project is to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of a highly efficient hybrid system integrating a planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and a turbogenerator. The conceptual and demonstration system designs were proposed and analyzed, and these systems have been modeled in Aspen Plus. Work has also started on the assembly of dynamic component models and the development of the top-level controls requirements for the system. SOFC stacks have been fabricated and performance mapping initiated.
Since the late '60s and through the early '90s Kenya has always recognized and appreciated the need for support from Technical and Scientific Support Organizations (TSOs) for activities geared towards enhancing nuclear and radiation safety. The TSOs have since then gained increasing importance for provision of technical and scientific basis for policy formulation, implementation and legislation with regard to radiation safety. National and specific operator programmes on safety and security of radiation source and radioactive waste recognize and encourage the active participation of TSOs. Due to the role they play, technical competence, transparency and the observance of ethical practices have become essential both for the regulator and the regulated. In this respect, interaction and cooperation between stake holders (regulatory authorities, users of radiation, generators of radioactive waste, professional organizations) and TSOs, in the frame of national and ...
The radioisotope production facilities and programs of the 86-Inch Cyclotron are reviewed in this presentation. The 86-Inch Cyclotron is designed to accelerate protons to a maximum energy of 22 MeV for internal targets. These protons are used to bombard metals that are electroplated, potted or soldered to water-cooled plates. Additionally, metals and inorganic compounds are bombarded in water-cooled tube targets. High radioisotope production rates are obtained by beam currents as large as 3 mA. Production rates for /sup 11/C, /sup 57/Co, /sup 67/Ga, /sup 68/Ge, /sup 109/Cd, and other isotopes are presented. The production of /sup 11/C for the carboxyl labeling of amino acids in cooperation with Oak Ridge Associated Universities is discussed. The 86-Inch Cyclotron is used for those programs requiring a larger beam current than is available from commercial cyclotrons.
In a work studying the corrosion and tarnishing properties of a variety of copper alloys, the alloy Cu-A110-Sn5 was found to show an excellent corrosion resistance in neutral solutions, where copper and most conventional Cu alloys are covered by thick nonprotective surface layers. The passive films formed on this alloy were characterized with electrochemical and photoelectrochemical methods. The pH dependence of the passivation and of the photocurrent behavior of the Cu-A110-Sn5 alloy clearly indicates that the passivity of this alloy in neutral solutions is due to a formation of passive film enriched with aluminum oxide. At corrosion potential a strong increase in the corrosion resistance with time is due to a gradual enrichment of the surface with aluminum oxide. This can be seen in the photocurrent spectra which change from cooper-type to aluminum-type with time. At higher applied potentials the formation of an aluminum-type oxide film is strongly accelerated.
In this paper we describe a modelling project to improve a nuclear waste management program in charge of the creation of a new system for the permanent disposal of nuclear waste. SADT (Structural Analysis and Design Technique) is used in order to provide a work-flow description of the functions to be performed by the waste management program. This description is then translated into a number of Coloured Petri Nets (CPN or CP-nets) corresponding to different program functions where additional behavioural inscriptions provide basis for simulation. Each of these CP-nets is simulated to produce timed event charts that are useful for understanding the behaviour of the program functions under different scenarios. Then all the CPN models are linked together to form a single stand-alone application that is useful for validating the interaction and cooperation between the different program functions. A technique for linking executable CPN models is developed for supporting ...
Shell UK Exploration and Production, operating in the North Sea on behalf of Shell UK and Esso UK is presented developing the Teal and Guillemot fields in the Central North Sea (CNS). As part of this development it contracted with Single Buoy Moorings Inc., (SBM) for the design, supply and installation of a newbuilt floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel. The work is executed in close cooperation between Shell Expro (Client) and SBM (Contractor) and its main sub contractors. The system is due to be installed during the third quarter of 1996. After a short description of the field development and the FPSO vessel this paper outlines the contractual arrangements and the organization set-up to perform the work. A summary of the lessons learned (by SBM) is given. The opinions expressed in this paper are entirely that of the author and may not necessarily reflect the opinion of other parties involved in the CNS FPU project.
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to interview Paula Kaufman, Dean of Libraries, to help better understand return on investment (ROI) and the increasing importance of demonstrating our value, as libraries, as librarians, indeed, as public service librarians. Design/methodology/approach - During 2007, a small project team was assembled to develop a model that would calculate a return on investment to an institution for its library. The team consisted of Chrysanne Lowe and Kira Cooper from Elsevier, Paula Kaufman from UIUC, Judy Luther of Informed Strategies, and Dr Carol Tenopir from the Center for Information and Communication Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Findings - The results of this groundbreaking study were reported early this year in a white paper entitled, ...
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.
Knowledge is a success factor for globally acting company networks as a. o. the aim-oriented knowledge transfer between partners is an essential condition for a successful cooperation. Several network specific problems impede however an efficient and effective knowledge management; e.g. the transfer of competition relevant data is a high sensitive theme. The authors describe how a relevant method can be selected, adapted and implemented to the application-specific boundary conditions. They integrate existing attempts processes and methods to establish an effective knowledge development and an efficient knowledge transfer in the network and take into account ''hard'' (IT-technical-oriented solution approaches) as also ''soft'' factors (e.g. cultural and personal aspects). So the authors present unified instruments for an integrated knowledge management in networks. (GL)
North Carolina A and T State University has completed the development of an infrastructure for the interdisciplinary Waste Management Institute (WMI). The Interdisciplinary Waste Management Institute (WMI) was approved in June, 1994 by the General Administration of the University of North Carolina as an academic support unit with research and public service functions. The mission of the WMI is to enhance awareness and understanding of waste management issues and to provide instructional support including research and outreach. The goals of WMI are as follows: increase the number of minority professionals who will work in waste management fields; develop cooperative and exchange programs involving faculty, students, government, and industry; serve as institutional sponsor of public awareness workshops and lecture series; and support interdisciplinary research programs. The vision of the WMI is to provide continued state-of-the art environmental educational programs, ...
Man's wastes are polluting the oceans from various sources and delivered by various routes. The result has been the loss of habitat and the irreversible altering of marine ecosystems. Development in the coastal zones and offshore activities that disrupt biologically sensitive areas have led to international negotiations to regulate these impacts and develop a law of the sea. Basic to international cooperation, however, is the need to develop answers to questions about the ecological consequences of development programs and the carrying capacity of the oceans. Current information does not demonstrate long-term global impacts, making it difficult to detect and predict incremental changes and causal relationships. Society needs to determine how much environmental damage it will accept and then to develop appropriate technology, such as biomonitoring. Society also needs to reexamine its positions on technology-based regulatory controls to see if the effects of ...
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has funded major environmental technology developments over the past several years. One area that received significant attention is robotics, which has resulted in the development of a wide range of unique robotic systems tailored to the many tasks unique to the DOE complex. These systems are often used in highly hazardous environments, which reduces or eliminates worker exposures. The DOE, concurrent with the technology development initiative, also established and funded a 5-yr cooperative agreement intended to interface with the technology development community-with specific attention to the occupational safety and health aspects associated with individual technologies through human factors and hazard assessments. This program is now in its third year.
The physics and technological issues involved in high gradient particle acceleration at high microwave (RF) frequencies are under study at MIT. The 17 GHz photocathode RF gun has a 1 1/2 cell ({pi} mode) room temperature cooper cavity. High power tests have been conducted at 5-10 MW levels with 100 ns pulses. A maximum surface electric field of 250 MV/m was achieved. This corresponds to an average on-axis gradient of 150 MeV/m. The gradient was also verified by a preliminary electron beam energy measurement. Even high gradients are expected in our next cavity design.
The Department of Energy decided to terminate the Flywheel Rotor and Containment Technology Development project during FY 1983. Activities this year included fabrication, inspection, and test evaluation of rotor and containment structures. A peak energy of 700 Wh was stored at an energy density of 70 Wh/kg. In cyclic tests, 10,000 cycles from design speed to half speed were logged without failure. The first test of a lightweight containment structure indicates the need for additional development. In complementary studies, production cost estimates were made for three flywheel designs. In a cooperative program with the University of Wisconsin, work began on construction of a flywheel/continuously variable transmission/heat engine car which promises fuel economy improvements of up to 100%. Suggestions are made for the direction of future work when interest in flywheel system reappears.
The author analyzes conference materials, emphasizing the studies and latest developments useful for industrial heterogeneous catalysis in view of the requirements of green chemistry. Industrial catalysts is developing along a nanometer scale, so especial attention is devoted to analyzing the reports in the Nanochemistry section on the creation of nanocatalysts, the production of active phase nanoparticles, and the formation of new synthesized material properties. The catalysts developed earlier by Russian research in cooperation with Belarusian scientists are considered, and it is shown that not only are expensive nanocontacts extremely promising for industry, but the efficient and economic low-percentage new generation of nanocatalysts synthesized by wet chemistry and containing nanopart...
As with other areas of biomedical research, the expectation is that the results of genome research will yield commercially valuable products of benefits to human health. The report, analyzes universities`, companies`, and researchers` experiences and perspectives since enactment of federal laws to enhance technology transfer--especially as it pertains to research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy, the agencies funding U.S. efforts in the Human Genome Project. OTA prepared this background paper with the assistance of a panel of advisors and reviewers selected for their expertise and diverse points of view. Additionally, hundreds of individuals cooperated with OTA staff through interviews or by providing written material. These authorities were drawn from government, academia, industry, and professional societies worldwide.
The present report describes the study conducted in co-operation with several agencies and organizations from Thailand and covers the energy and electricity requirements and the optimal expansion plans for the power generating system for this country up to year 2011. It is emphasized that the study was carried out by a team of experts from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), the National Energy Administration (NEA) and the Office of Atomic Energy for Peace (OAEP), who were fully responsible for all phases of the study, including the production of the present report. The IAEA's responsibility was to provide overall co-ordination and general guidance during the conduct of the study, as well as training and assistance in the implementation and use of the IAEA's computerized planning methodologies on the computer facilities of Thailand. Refs, figs and tabs.
In a sufficiently large cluster of several polar molecules, collective interactions lead to localization or 'solvation' of electrons. The existence of the solvated electron is known since 1863 in liquid ammonia and since 1962 for liquid water. In 1984, electron localization in clusters was experimentally demonstrated in (H_2O)_N_#>=#_1_1 and (NH_3)_N_#>=#_3_4 clusters. In cooperation with K. Bowen, we recently initiated a test of the theory of electron binding by a dipole and a new ground state dipole bound dimer anion, (H_2O..NH_3), was predicted and observed. We here describe results of a search for new dipole-bound and solvated electron systems. (author).
Steam generator tubes in nuclear power plants are periodically checked by means of eddy current probes. The output of a probe is composed of three types of signals: known events (rolling zone, support plates, U-bend part), noise (mainly metallurgical noise) and possible flaws. The latter are random transients, both in arrival time and in shape: they have to be detected and then estimated, before to be fed to the high level stages of a diagnostic system. The objective of the study presented is to develop a semi-automatic system, which could manage and process more than 1 M-bytes of data per tube and provide an operator with reliable diagnostics proposals within a few minutes. This can be achieved only by cooperation of several digital signal processing techniques: detection, segmentation, estimation, noise subtraction, adaptive filtering, modelization, pattern recognition. The paper describes some of these items.
This volume presents the main address, the lectures and the discussions of the symposium. The papers presented to the symposium were the following: the Draft Convention on the Law of the Sea and problems of the international deep seabed regime; developments in science and technology, as a challenge to international law; modern fishery engineering and its impact on international law; the EEC agricultural market - a case study of European Law; problems of international law in connection with a new system of the world economy; the GATT and a new world economic system; the Third World and UNCTAD; international disaster relief and mutual assistance in case of accidents, especially with a view to Atomic Energy Law; organisation, scope and limits of international co-operation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Sols of silver nanoparticles in toluene were studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy (10?3?105 Hz). The frequency dependences of the specific alternating current (ac) conductivity and the complex electric modulus were used to estimate the temperature/frequency intervals of long- and short-range charge transfer occurs, respectively. A considerable increase (by more than 30 ?C) in the Vogel temperature T 0 and the glass transition temperature T g in sols compared with the pure solvent was found. It can be hypothesized that these cooperative effects reflect the initial stage of the superlattice formation. Although the dielectric characteristics of sols are generally controlled by the conductivity relaxation, the dielectric response was observed in the high-frequency range (1?103 Hz) at l...
The research project started in April, 2008 before adoption of the cabinet report of the Federal Government to the German strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change. The German Strategy for Adaptation emphasizes the meaning of information about requirements for adaptation and the active involvement of all social groups in the other process of the strategy. For this the research project has made concrete proposals for the information, communication and participation of social groups. These proposals are based in the essentials on an interest analysis about interviews with stakeholders and the economy to their demands and expectations to the German strategy for Adaptation. Besides we have researched international examples for the adaptation to the climate change for the public relations. For the interactive development of the Internet platform www.anpassung.net concrete proposals were developed. (orig.)
The work presented in this paper is part of the cooperative research project AUTO-OPT carried out by twelve partners from the automotive industries. One major work package concerns the application of data mining methods in the area of automotive design. Suitable methods for data preparation and data analysis are developed. The objective of the work is the re-use of data stored in the crash-simulation department at BMW in order to gain deeper insight into the interrelations between the geometric variations of the car during its design and its performance in crash testing. In this paper a method for data analysis of finite element models and results from crash simulation is proposed and application to recent data from the industrial partner BMW is demonstrated. All necessary steps from data pre-processing to re-integration into the working environment of the engineer are covered.
TP63, a member of the TP53 gene family, is a nuclear marker of myoepithelial cells. Antibody against p63 is frequently used to aid in the diagnosis of prostate carcinoma, as well as in the identification of myoepithelial cells in other tissues including the breast. p63 is also a marker for squamous cell carcinoma. Recently, it was found that all p53 family members are involved in regulating the process of muscle differentiation through the retinoblastoma (RB) protein. Ablation of these p53 family functions blocks the differentiation program and promotes malignant transformation by enabling cooperating oncogenes to transform myoblasts. We therefore studied p63 expression in a number of neoplasms with myogenic differentiation. Immunohistochemical staining for p63 was performed on paraffin se...
On Oct. 24, 2005, Hurricane Wilma, a category 5 storm, made landfall at Cape Romano, Florida. Three days later, the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue at the University of South Florida deployed an iSENYS helicopter and a prototype unmanned water surface vehicle, AEOS-1, to survey damage in parts of Marco Island, 14 km from landfall. The effort was the first known use of unmanned sea surface vehicles (USVs) for emergency response and established their suitability for the recovery phase of disaster management by detecting damage to seawalls and piers, locating submerged debris (moorings and handrails), and determining safe lanes for sea navigation. It provides a preliminary domain theory of postdisaster port and littoral inspection with unmanned vehicles for use by the human-robot ...
The Consortium for Fossil Fuel Liquefaction Science (CFFLS) is a research consortium that includes five universities and a state energy laboratory. The membership is comprised of Auburn University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Utah, West Virginia University, and the Kentucky Energy Cabinet Laboratory. The Consortium was formed in 1984 in response to the concern of the faculty and scientists at these institutions over the decline of coal liquefaction research in the United States, particularly long-range, basic research. Significant progress towards these goals was made in the current contract period. Major research accomplishments are presented on coal desulfurization, coprocessing, pyrolysis, enhanced reactivity, characterization, resource evaluation and database development. 108 refs., 90 figs., 38 tabs.
The paper presents some aspects relating to the importance of a good communication and cooperation between all factors involved in procurement process at Societatea Nationala 'Nuclearelectrica', SNN. In order to comply with the internal and international rules related to safety in nuclear field and public procurement requirements and for maintaining a high standard of operational performance of Cernavoda NPP, adequate procurement systems were developed by SNN SA. The importance of human factor and the training activities for all personnel from this chain of procurement process is the main key issue to maintain high quality of their activities considering that procurement documents are reviewed and approved before to be issued by all departments involved in procurement process. The specialized department for public acquisition is supervising that the procurement processes initiated at the level of branches, in accordance with their needs and with respect to the ...
Flywheels containing fiber-reinforced composite materials have attributes suitable for vehicular propulsion, indicating the need for rotor designs which are easily manufactured and low in cost. This development goal was pursued in a cooperative effort between Owens-Corning Fiberglas and Lawrence Livermore Laboratory which investigated flywheels made from compression-molded sheet molding compound (SMC). The design resulted from a Lawrence Livermore analysis, with successful fabrication achieved using a procedure developed by Owens-Corning. Details concerning materials selection, rotor fabrication, and testing are discussed. Owens-Corning subsequently initiated a technical/marketing survey to determine current industrial interests in a low-cost flywheel design; precursory information, pertaining to composite flywheels in particular, is described.
The project was initiated in 1985 with the goal of studying existing federal, state, and local programs for protecting and preserving Cape Cod's sole-source aquifer. To meet this need, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality Engineering and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 1 in cooperation with the Cape Cod Planning and Economic and Development Commission and the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a two-year study to determine the adequacy of current ground-water protection programs and to recommend improvements. In the process of gathering and evaluating hydrogeological data from the Towns of Barnstable and Eastham, the CCAMP Aquifer Assessment Committee developed the papers which are the subject of this publication. These studies formed the technical basis for groundwater resource management decision making.
As a contribution to the US/Japan cooperative program in fusion neutronics, we have prepared a library of multigroup neutron cross sections, scattering matrices, and covariances (uncertainties and their correlations). This 74-group library, called COVFILS-2, is being used at Los Alamos and at the University of California at Los Angeles in the sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of the Li_2O integral experiment recently performed at the Fast Neutron Source (FNS) in Japan. Another intended use of this library is in the estimation of the uncertainty in key performance parameters (such as breeding ratio) of conceptual fusion reactors. The 14 materials included in the first version of COVFILS-2 are H, "6Li, "7Li, Be, C, N, O, Na, Al, Si, Cr, Fe, Ni, and Pb.
The marketing strategy developed for use in international markets by the S. M. Group International of Longueuil, Quebec, a company with interest and well-developed expertise in the environmental and energy sector, was described. The strategy is designed to aid in the selection of countries or regions of interest, in determining the sector of activity to be emphasized, in selecting a local partner or local business representatives, and in making contact locally with the people responsible for the development banks in the target countries in an effort to create awareness of the company. The company also tries, wherever possible, to promote its services to local governmental agencies through the industrial cooperation program of CIDA. Since development banks have a very conservative behaviour, past performances and constant provision of high quality services are of prime importance.
This paper describes progress in several projects related to biomass power. These include switchgrass conversion development; switchgrass gasification development; production activities including soil studies, carbon studies, switchgrass production economics, watershed impacts, and prairie lands bio-products; information and education; and geographical information system. Attachments describe switchgrass co-firing test; switchgrass production in Iowa; cooperative agreements with ISU; Rathbun Lake watershed project; newspaper articles and information publications; Secretary of Agriculture Glickman`s visit; integration of technical aspects of switchgrass production in Iowa; and evaluation of an integrated biomass gasification/fuel cell power plant.
Full text: Institute for Nuclear Research, Pitesti-Mioveni, Romania in direct cooperation with the National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Magurele, Bucharest studied and prepared for coating more than 1000 tiles made of Inconel with 7-9 #mu#m of beryllium for nuclear fusion applications at JET, Culham, UK. The principles of manufacturing processes using thermal evaporation and plasma ignited in pure metal vapors as well as by Thermionic Vacuum Arc (TVA) method and the properties of the Ni and Be coatings are presented. The prepared beryllium layers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. (authors)
Goldstein SL, Mattoo TK, Morgenstern B, Martz K, Stablein D, Talley L. Anemia and growth status in pediatric patients receiving maintenance dialysis after a failed renal transplant course: An NAPRTCS report.Pediatr Transplantation 2006. Copyright 2006 Blackwell Munksgaard Abstract: We conducted a retrospective review of the North American Renal Transplant Cooperative Study (NAPRTCS) Registry transplant and dialysis arms to assess anemia and growth patterns in children who returned to dialysis after a failed renal transplant from January 1, 1992 to February 3, 2004. Of the 1807 potential study subjects, 1451 had transplant removal data (TxIn vs. TxOut) available for analysis. Four hundred and twenty-one of 1451 patients (29%) had a transplant nephrectomy at the time of entry into the NAPRTC...
The Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.) is a key multipurpose species for the African region. In the recent years there has been an extended commercial interest for different A. digitata products. As a spectacular African key species there has been a growing interest from NGO?s and various research groups. A research group, focussing on the following countries Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, has participated in a concerted research action with cross counter disciplinary cooperation between plant physiology, population genetics, tree breeding, food science, and socioeconomics. This paper presents a review and the way knowledge gaps are being addressed using the above mentioned approach. The overall work was initiated in 2005?2006 when a large collection of A. digitata seeds was carried out in...
Motion Camouflage (MC) is illuminated as a novel strategy in counterattacking anti-satellite by way of stealth trajectory scheduling. The dynamics model of MC in space is developed and a quadratic function with three boundary constraints is employed for trajectory determination. Based on the model a scenario is set to run the simulation. The results indicate given the designed acceleration input, the predator will be moved following a prescribed route, which precisely locates the predator between two objects at each time instant. In the last approaching phase, the motion is achieved with a big bumping rate which guarantees the power of this striking. Methods for deriving minimum fuel cost in the fixed approaching duration and the minimum approaching duration in limited acceleration input are proposed and are verified in the simulation. At last, camouflage is recognized as a multi-faceted affair, in which stealth trajectory design is considered an effective technique in stealth ...
Finding innovative ways to reduce waste streams generated at US Department of Energy (DOE) sites by 50% by the year 2000 is a challenge for DOE`s waste minimization efforts. A team composed of members from several DOE facilities used the quality tool known as benchmarking to improve waste minimization efforts. First the team examined office waste generation and handling processes at their sites. Then team members developed telephone and written questionnaires to help identify potential ``best-in-class`` industry partners willing to share information about their best waste minimization techniques and technologies. The team identified two benchmarking partners, NIKE, Inc., in Beaverton, Oregon, and Microsoft, Inc., in Redmond, Washington. Both companies have proactive, employee-driven environmental issues programs. Both companies report strong employee involvement, management commitment, and readily available markets for recyclable materials such as white paper and nonwhite assorted ...
This presentation outlined the energy policy in the United States and its impact on frontier development in Alaska, deepwater offshore fields and in the western oil shale resources. The energy strategy focuses on technologies that increase domestic production from existing resources as well as technologies that create new sources of energy. In addition to emphasizing the cooperation between Canada and the United States in ensuring energy supply security and stability, this paper discussed the importance of overall bilateral trade between the 2 countries. It was noted that Canada is the United State's most secure and reliable energy partner and is the number 1 supplier of imported oil, natural gas, electricity and uranium. The Bush administration's energy policy is based on the mandate to supply stable, reliable, secure, affordable and environmentally sound energy for the country's growing economy. The energy strategy focuses on increasing ...
The Plant Life Assessment Network (PLAN) is a Brite Euram Type II Thematic Network, initiated by the European Commission to facilitate structured co-operation between all cost shared action projects already funded by the Commission which fall under this common technical theme. The projects involved address a multiplicity of problems associated with plant life assessment and are drawn from Brite-Euram, Standards, Measurement and Testing, Nuclear Fission Safety and Esprit EC programmes. The main aim of the Network is to initiate, maintain and monitor a fruitful co-operation process between completed, ongoing and future EC R and D projects, thereby promoting improved cross fertilization and enhanced industrial exploitation of R and D results. As the project is in its infancy, this presentation covers the background to the initiative in some detail. In particular two key aspects are highlighted, namely, the requirement of the EC to launch such a ...
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) administers and operates the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site, which hosts a deep geologic repository for safe disposal of U.S. defense-related TRU waste and is located 42 kilometers (km) east of Carlsbad, New Mexico. CBFO also manages the National Transuranic Waste Program (NTP), which oversees TRU waste management from generation to disposal. The WIPP began receiving waste in March 1999. In some areas of broad international interest, the CBFO has developed a leading expertise through its 25-year WIPP repository and TRU waste characterization activities. In addition to participating in relevant and beneficial experiments, the CBFO will provide the international community convenient access to this information by sponsoring and hosting symposia and workshops on relevant topics and by participation in international waste management organizations and topical meetings. In recognition of the successes at WIPP, the Inter ...
The UK fully supports the objective of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management to achieve and maintain a high level of safety worldwide in spent fuel and radioactive waste management, through the enhancement of national measures and international co-operation, including where appropriate, safety-related co-operation. The UK's Health and Safety Executive, through its Nuclear Safety Directorate (NSD), has been committed to the Convention since the initial negotiations to set up the Convention and provided the president of the first review meeting in 2003. It would be wrong of any nation to believe that they have all the best solutions to managing spent fuel and radioactive waste. The process of compiling reports for the Convention review meetings provides a structured process through which every contracting party can review its provisions against a common set of standards and ...
Different cases exist in various countries regarding the institutional status, the organization and the technical resources of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA): there are NRAs having extended internal technical capability and others relying mostly on external technical support. Considering the research and development activities and the very broad range of technical matters on which the regulatory and licensing activity are based, the NRA can not rely only on internal resources, and generally there is the need of technical and scientific support together with enhanced international cooperation. The international cooperation and networking among NRAs, and their Technical Support Organizations (TSO), represents a fundamental way to maintain competence, capability and knowledge. Within the EU member states this is becoming more and more an institutional duty. In providing technical support for regulatory activity, the experience shows, from ...
Smugglers, who make use of the Ukraine-Slovak border for their business, might be satisfied after last week. The Slovak government ordered the switching off of scanning equipment monitoring the movement of goods by train through the Matovce border line. The modern equipment was substituted by people, who aren't able to check freight cars as effectively as gadgets. Not only in Ukraine are they celebrating this success in corruption, who demanded the shut-off of the scanning equipment The bosses on the Slovak side are also rubbing their hands. As told to TREND by Margareta Grecova, spokeswoman for Cargo Slovakia, 90% of goods that cross through the border at Matovce are unloaded. The most frequently transported commodities are ore, coal, chemical and petroleum products. Smugglers put their consignments among iron ore and coal. They prefer goods with high consumer taxes. Besides alcohol, there are mainly cigarettes. These are put into boxes which are concealed in various parts of the ...
A single round of Edman degradation was employed to remove the NH_2-terminal valine from isolated #alpha# chains of human hemoglobin. Reconstitution of normal #beta# chains with truncated or substituted #alpha# chains was used to form truncated (des-Val"1-#alpha#1) and substituted ([[1-"1"3C]Gly"1]#alpha#1) tetrameric hemoglobin analogs. Structural homology of the analogs with untreated native hemoglobin was established by using several spectroscopic and physical methods. Functional studies indicate that the reconstituted tetrameric protein containing des-Val"1-#alpha# chains has a higher affinity for oxygen, is less influenced by chloride ions or 2,3-biphosphoglycerate, and shows lower cooperativity than native hemoglobin. These results confirm the key functional role of the #alpha#-chain NH_2 terminus in mediating cooperative oxygen binding across the dimer interface. The NH_2-terminal pK/sub 1/2/ value was determined for the ...
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 ...
Valdez, Alaska achieved worldwide attention with the Exxon Valdez oil spill. This exacerbated an already polarized situation (industry, government, citizens, environmental groups) regarding the Valdez Terminal of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System. Other than spills, the major focus of environmental concern was and remains the Terminal`s Ballast Water Treatment Plant (BWTP) which discharges into Port Valdez. The previous NPDES wastewater discharge permits for this facility have been contentious for almost the entire period of pipeline operation. The draft NPDES permit is scheduled to be proposed for reissuance this year. However, a significant change has been initiated which so far is resulting in cooperation rather than confrontation between the various primary stakeholders. This presentation will explain how this change was initiated, how it is being maintained, and how what is happening could be a model for progress through cooperation. ...
After more than nine years of negotiations, the US and the Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) in Moscow on July 31, 1991. While the world has changed dramatically since 1982 when the START negotiations began, the treaty remains very much in the US interest. START exacts deep cuts in the most destabilizing and dangerous US and Soviet strategic weapons, and will lead to substantial overall reductions in the strategic nuclear forces of both sides. Moreover, the agreement will create a formal, structured, and predictable strategic environment. It will also impose on the Soviet Union or its successors a legally binding set of obligations that will be in effect for many years, regardless of changes in leadership or form of government. START, with its extensive series of intrusive, cooperative, and technical verification measures, will greatly enhance US knowledge about Soviet strategic nuclear forces and activities. The force reductions, ...
Nuclear power in Romania was initiated on the basis of CANDU reactor type technology, an option found to fulfill the requirements for a sustainable economic development, to support the electric energy demand of the country and to ensure the population and environment protection. The construction of the Cernavoda NPP was heavily based on the Romanian industry participation and basic and applied nuclear research national resources. The experience acquired from Cernavoda NPP Unit 1 will be fructified in the construction of Units 2-5 to be built. The Romanian Ministry of Education and Research implemented a nuclear national program for research and development taking into account the European Union requirements and recommendations, the cooperation with the IAEA - Vienna and the Romanian government policy on short and medium terms in the nuclear field. The research-development program targeted: the reactor physics and nuclear fuel management; the operation safety of ...
This report documents the Proceedings of the 1997 Oil Heat Technology Conference and Workshop, held on April 3--4 at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), and sponsored by the US Department of Energy--Office of Building Technologies, State and Community programs (DOE-BTS), in cooperation with the Petroleum Marketers Association of America (PMAA). This Conference is a key technology transfer activity supported by the ongoing Combustion Equipment Technology (Oil-Heat R and D) program at BNL, and is aimed at providing a forum for the exchange of information among international researchers, engineers, manufacturers, and marketers of oil-fired space-conditioning equipment. The objectives of the Conference were to: identify and evaluate the state-of-the-art and recommend new initiatives for higher efficiency, a cleaner environment, and to satisfy consumer needs cost-effectively, reliably, and safely: and foster cooperation among federal and ...
This report presents findings from the first year of a two-year study of interactive efforts involving utilities and non-utility parties (NUPS) working together to prepare plans, develop Demand-Side Management (DSM) programs, or otherwise promote integrated planning and the use of cost-effective DSM measures. Of the ten cases covered in the current study, seven involved the collaborative approach to NUP involvement, which generally is marked by intensive utility-NUP interactions designed to reach consensus on a broad range of important issues; in collaboratives, outside consultants often are provided to enhance the technical capabilities of the NUPS. Another of the cases in this study involved a cooperative arrangement,'' whereby a utility and a NLT worked together in a focused short-term effort to develop a single DSM program. The intense interaction involved in this approach makes it very similar to a collaborative, except that both the scope ...
This report presents findings from the first year of a two-year study of interactive efforts involving utilities and non-utility parties (NUPS) working together to prepare plans, develop Demand-Side Management (DSM) programs, or otherwise promote integrated planning and the use of cost-effective DSM measures. Of the ten cases covered in the current study, seven involved the collaborative approach to NUP involvement, which generally is marked by intensive utility-NUP interactions designed to reach consensus on a broad range of important issues; in collaboratives, outside consultants often are provided to enhance the technical capabilities of the NUPS. Another of the cases in this study involved a ``cooperative arrangement,`` whereby a utility and a NLT worked together in a focused short-term effort to develop a single DSM program. The intense interaction involved in this approach makes it very similar to a collaborative, except that both the scope and the duration ...
Radiotherapy recent development in cancer treatment needs strong procedures and quality assessment to improve safety both for patients and professionals. In Ile de France territory, a coordinated action between ASN inspectors and medical doctors specialized in public health (MISP), working as civil servants in health administration, was initiated at the end of 2007. An inspection guideline was implemented in a workshop between ASN and Regional Hospital Agency (ARH). The MISP as health administrator has to verify if care organisation responds to treatment cancer regulatory framework: as a doctor he is authorized to access to patient records to know which treatment was chosen. He has to assure if the therapeutic guidelines are respected. His comprehensive approach is essentially patient-oriented. The MISP inspection coordinated with ASN inspectors is a very pertinent pluri-disciplinary approach, undeniably necessary in such a medical technic. The effectiveness of the radiotherapy ...
The aim of this work was to develop several strategies and software-packages for the evaluation of in-vivo-data of the human brain, which were acquired with high-resolution 1H-MRSI at 1.5 and 3 T. Several studies involving phantoms, volunteers and patients were performed. Quality assurance studies were conducted in order to evaluate the reproducibility of the applied MR-techniques at both field strengths. A qualitative comparison-study between MRSI-data from a 1.5 T clinical MR-scanner and a 3 T research MR-scanner showed the advantages of the more advanced MRSI sequences and higher field strength (3 T). A study involving patients with primary brain tumours (gliomas) was performed in cooperation with the Department of Neurosurgery (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg). The methods developed in the course of this study, such as the integration of MRS-data into a stereotactic-system, the segmentation of metabolic maps and the correlation with histopathological findings ...
We carry out investigation on the establishment of a program to cultivate a nuclear fusion workforce effectively, which is the most important resource in the fusion energy development. Acquisition of fresh fusion technologies is essentially required to pursue R and D efficiently and to ensure fusion initiatives firmly in the international community. As the time has come to cultivate the fusion workforce and to enhance the workforce's expertise, the universities, research institutes and industries involved in fusion energy development are supposed to adjust fast technology shifts and to accommodate international trends toward collaboration. We establish systematic schemes to develop a professional workforce and to assign the right jobs to the right people timely through the research-academic-industry cooperation. After carrying out domestic and oversea surveys on the education and training programs of various institutes, we evaluate an over-all manpower ...
Combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy (CRC) is actually one important way of research in oncology. Theoretical advantages are: (1) Spatial cooperation; (2) Additivity, which is only obtained if the toxicity of each modality are different; (3) Supra-additivity, which needs a rigorous in vitro definition; the only way to prove it is to make an isobologram analysis. This model has however, some limitations: qualitative variable could not be used, results could be different, depending on the cell line and isoeffect chosen...In fact, a supra-additivity was only demonstrated for cis platinum and etoposide. Interactions mechanisms were: (1) at the molecular level, creation of new lesions or inhibition of radiation lesions repair; (2) At the cellular level, either cytokinetic cooperation with S-phase dependent drugs, or synchronization for the drugs which blocked the cells in M-phase; (3) At the tissular level, reoxygenation, cycle ...
Oxyfluoride aluminosilicate glasses in the composition of 50SiO2-20Al2O3-20LiF-10GdF3-0.5TmF3-xYbF3 (x = 0, 1.0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 mol%) have been prepared to study their thermal and optical properties. From the differential thermal analysis measurements, glass transition temperatures and onset crystallization temperatures have been evaluated and from them glass stability factors were calculated. Glass stabilities decreased gradually with fluoride content increment in all the studied glasses. The photoluminescence and decay measurements have also been carried out for all these glasses. In these glasses, an efficient near infrared quantum cutting with optimal quantum efficiency approaching 187% has been demonstrated, by exploring the co-operative downconversion mechanism from Tm3+ to Yb3+, with 467 nm (Tm3+ : 3H6 ? 1G4) excitation wavelength. These glasses are promising materials to achieve high efficiency silicon based solar cells by means of ...
As part of an ongoing strategic research project to find barrels of radioactive waste off San Francisco, the U.S. Navy (USN), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS) pooled their expertise, resources, and technology to form a partnership to verify new computer enhancement techniques developed for detecting targets the size of 55 gallon barrels on sidescan sonar images. Between 1946 and 1970, approximately 47,800 large barrels and other containers of radioactive waste were dumped in the ocean west of San Francisco; the containers litter an area of the sea floor of at least 1400 km {sup 2} knows as the Farallon Island Radioactive Waste Dump. The exact location of the containers and the potential hazard the containers pose to the environment is unknown. The USGS developed computer techniques and contracted with private industry to enhance sidescan data, collected in cooperation with the GFNMS, to detect ...
Low resolution and un-sharp facial images are always captured from surveillance videos because of long human-camera distance and human movements. Previous works addressed this problem by using an active camera to capture close-up facial images without considering human movements and mechanical delays of the active camera. In this paper, we proposed a unified framework to capture facial images in video surveillance systems by using one static and active camera in a cooperative manner. Human faces are first located by a skin-color based real-time face detection algorithm. A stereo camera model is also employed to approximate human face location and his/her velocity with respect to the active camera. Given the mechanical delays of the active camera, the position of a target face with a given delay can be estimated using a Human-Camera Synchronization Model. By controlling the active camera with corresponding amount of pan, tilt, and zoom, a clear close-up facial image ...
Although the p53 tumor suppressor is relatively well characterized, much less is known about the functions of other members of the p53 family, p73 and p63. Here, we present evidence that in specific pathological conditions caused by exposure of normal cells to bile acids in acidic conditions, p73 protein plays the predominant role in the DNA damage response. These pathological conditions frequently occur during gastric reflux in the human esophagus and are associated with progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma. We found that despite strong DNA damage induced by bile acid exposure, only p73 (but not p53 and p63) is selectively activated in a c-Abl kinase-dependent manner. The activated p73 protein induces DNA damage repair. Using a human DNA repair PCR array, we identified multiple DNA repair genes affected by p73. Two glycosylases involved in base excision repair, SMUG1 and MUTYH, were characterized and found to be transcriptionally regulated by p73 in DNA damage ...
The authors have demonstrated that induction of mitogenesis in human T lymphocytes is associated with the tyrosine phosphorylation of a 66KD soluble substrate-TPP 66. Since DMSO has been shown to be a non-specific stimulator of tyrosine protein kinases they have examined the effect of DMSO on both activation and tyrosine phosphorylation in human T cells. Human peripheral blood T lymphocytes were isolated by dextran sedimentation, Ficol/Paque centrifugation and nylon wool filtration. Phosphorylation was performed in cells incubated with ["3"2P] orthophosphate followed by DMSO for 30 min. TPP 66 was identified by 2-D PAGE, autoradiography, and HV electrophoresis of the hydrolyzed protein. Concentrations of DMSO from 1% to 50% induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of TPP 66 with maximal stimulation seen at 20%. DMSO alone did not activate the T cells (measured by ["3H] thymidine incorporation) when tested at high concentrations for 30 sec to 10 min. (longer incubations ...
In this study, six groups of rats were fed as follows: Groups 1 and 2 were fed formulated diets supplemented with zinc or without zinc respectively. Groups 3 and 4 were fed formulated diets supplemented with zinc plus phytic acid extracted from sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) or commercial phytic acid respectively. Groups 5 and 6 were fed formulated diets supplemented with phytic acid extract from sweet potato or commercial phytic acid respectively. The animals were fed for three weeks and then sacrificed The activities of key enzymes of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism as well as transaminases in the liver were determined. Blood glucose level was also assessed. Phytic acid extract consumption from sweet potato and commercial phytic acid plus zinc supplement lowered blood glucose levels. There was no significant change in the activity of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase among the groups. Similarly, phytic acid supplementation showed no significant decrease in the activity of pyruvate ...
Calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) are widely expressed in mammalian tissues, including intestinal epithelia, where they facilitate fluid secretion. Potent, selective CaCC inhibitors have not been available. We established a high-throughput screen for identification of inhibitors of a human intestinal CaCC based on inhibition of ATP/carbachol-stimulated iodide influx in HT-29 cells after lentiviral infection with the yellow fluorescent halide-sensing protein YFP-H148Q/I152L. Screening of 50,000 diverse, drug-like compounds yielded six classes of putative CaCC inhibitors, two of which, 3-acyl-2-aminothiophenes and 5-aryl-2-aminothiazoles, inhibited by >95% iodide influx in HT-29 cells in response to multiple calcium-elevating agonists, including thapsigargin, without inhibition of calcium elevation, calcium-calmodulin kinase II activation, or cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator chloride channels. These compounds also inhibited ...
Four major natriuretic peptides have been isolated: atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), and Dendroaspis-type natriuretic peptide (DNP). Natriuretic peptides play an important role in the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis maintaining blood pressure and extracellular fluid volume. The classical endocrine effects of natriuretic peptides to modulate fluid and electrolyte balance and vascular smooth muscle tone are complemented by autocrine and paracrine actions that include regulation of coronary blood flow and, therefore, myocardial perfusion; modulation of proliferative responses during myocardial and vascular remodeling; and cytoprotective anti-ischemic effects. The actions of natriuretic peptides are mediated by the specific binding of these peptides to three cell surface receptors: type A natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR-A), type B natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR-B), and type C natriuretic peptide receptor ...
High molecular weight DNA from pleroceroid larvae of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides was purified from isolated nuclei by conventional techniques. The DNA so isolated has a melting temperature (Tm) of 87 degrees C and a guanine plus cytosine (G/C) content of 44%. 5-Methyl cytosine could not be detected in plerocercoid DNA by HPLC analysis of DNA hydrolysates, by radiolabeling 5'-termini of MspI digests with polynucleotide kinase, or by comparing restriction patterns generated by MspI and HpaII. Renaturation kinetics demonstrated that the genome of S. mansonoides contains repetitive as well as single copy sequences and has a genome size estimated at approx. 1.6 X 10(9) bp. Hybridization was carried out between plerocercoid DNA and cDNAs for human beta-actin, alpha-tubulin and growth hormone (hGH). Rationale for this analysis was based on known homologies among actin and tubulin genes in numerous species and on apparent similarities between hGH and a plerocercoid ...
Laron syndrome (LS) is an autosomal recessively inherited condition characterized by insensitivity to endogenous and exogenous GH. Affected individuals have severe episodes and other characteristic features. GH receptor gene mutations are present in all affected individuals in whom molecular studies have been reported. The GH receptor is a plasma membrane-spanning protein in which the extracellular domain binds circulating GH and the intracellular domain interacts with the JAK-2 kinase and possibly other intracellular signaling molecules. GH receptor dimerization occurs on GH binding and is thought to be required for normal signal transduction. We have studied the GH receptor genes of four unrelated individuals affected with LS from the United States, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and India. We have identified four different missense mutations that alter consecutive amino acids 152 to 155 in or near the dimerization domain of the GH receptor. One of these mutations, D152H, ...
We present the draft genome sequence and its analysis for Fusobacterium nucleatum sub spp. vincentii (FNV), and compare that genome with F. nucleatum ATCC 25586 (FN). A total of 441 FNV open reading frames (ORFs) with no orthologs in FN have been identified. Of these, 118 ORFs have no known function and are unique to FNV, whereas 323 ORFs have functional orthologs in other organisms. In addition to the excretion of butyrate, H2S and ammonia-like FN, FNV has the additional capability to excrete lactate and aminobutyrate. Unlike FN, FNV is likely to incorporate galactopyranose, galacturonate, and sialic acid into its O-antigen. It appears to transport ferrous iron by an anaerobic ferrous transporter. Genes for eukaryotic type serine/threonine kinase and phosphatase, transpeptidase E-transglycosylase Pbp1A are found in FNV but not in FN. Unique ABC transporters, cryptic phages, and three types of restriction-modification systems have been identified in FNV. ORFs for ...
Receptor interacting protein 140 (RIP140) is a coregulator for numerous nuclear receptors and transcription factors and primarily exerts gene-repressive activities on various target genes. We previously identified a spectrum of posttranslational modifications on RIP140 that augment its property and biological activity. In T(3)-triggered biphasic regulation of cellular retinoic acid binding protein 1 (Crabp1) gene along the course of fibroblast-adipocyte differentiation, we found TRAP220(MED1) critical for T(3)-activated chromatin remodeling whereas RIP140 essential for T(3)-repressive chromatin remodeling of this gene promoter. In this current study, we aim to examine whether and how RIP140 replaces TRAP220(MED1) on the CrabpI promoter in differentiating adipocyte cultures. We find increasing recruitment of RIP140 to this promoter, with corresponding reduction in TRAP220(MED1) recruitment during the T(3)-repressive phase. We also uncover direct interaction of RIP140 with ...
Hepatic injury and regeneration of the liver are associated with activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC). Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors are important regulators of repair in various tissues. HSC express FGFR3IIIc as well as FGFGR4 and different spliced FGFR1IIIc and FGFR2IIIc isoforms which differ in the presence or absence of the acid box and of the first Ig-like domain. Expression of FGF9, known to be capable to activate the HSC FGFR2/3-isoforms, was increased in HSC in liver slice cultures after exposition to carbon tetrachloride, as an acute liver injury model. FGF9 significantly stimulated 3-H thymidine incorporation of hepatocytes, but failed to induce DNA synthesis in HSC despite the fact that FGF9 induced a sustained activation of extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK) 1/2. FGF9 induced an increased phosphorylation of Tyr436 of the fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate (FRS) 2, while phosphorylation of Tyr196 which is ...
We previously reported that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1) mRNA in rat epitrochlearis muscle was increased after swimming exercise training. In the present study, we demonstrated further that PGC-1 mRNA expression in the epitrochlearis muscle of 4-5-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats was increased after a 6-h acute bout of low-intensity swimming exercise. With this increase, the expression level was approximately 8-fold of control and immersion group rats that stayed for 6-h in warm water, maintained at the identical temperature of the swimming barrel (35 degrees C) (p<0.01). Second, PGC-1 mRNA expression in the muscle was found to have increased 6-h after 30 10-s tetani contractions were induced by in vitro electrical stimulation. Finally, PGC-1 mRNA expression in the muscle incubated for 18-h with 0.5mM 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR: a 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator) was ...
A crucial step in human breast cancer progression is the acquisition of invasiveness. There is a distinct lack of human cell culture models to study the transition from pre-invasive to invasive phenotype as it may occur 'spontaneously' in vivo. To delineate molecular alterations important for this transition, we isolated human breast epithelial cell lines that showed partial loss of tissue polarity in three-dimensional reconstituted-basement membrane cultures. These cells remained non-invasive; however, unlike their non-malignant counterparts, they exhibited a high propensity to acquire invasiveness through basement membrane in culture. The genomic aberrations and gene expression profiles of the cells in this model showed a high degree of similarity to primary breast tumor profiles. The xenograft tumors formed by the cell lines in three different microenvironments in nude mice displayed metaplastic phenotypes, including squamous and basal characteristics, with ...
Dysprosium ion doped fluorophosphate glasses with compositions of PKMAFDy: (56-x/2) P2O5+17K2O+8Al2O3+(15-x/2)MgO+4AlF3+xDy2O3 (x=0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 1.0 and 2.0 mol%) have been prepared by melt quenching technique and are characterized by optical absorption, emission spectra and fluorescence lifetime measurements. The observed bands in the absorption spectrum are analysed by using free-ion Hamiltonian (HFI) model. The Judd-Ofelt (JO) analysis has been performed and the intensity parameters (??, ?=2, 4, 6) have been evaluated that are used to predict radiative properties. From emission spectra, the effective bandwidth (??eff) and the stimulated emission cross-section (?(?p)) were evaluated. The fluorescence decay from the 4F9/2 level of Dy3+ ions have been measured by monitoring the intense 4F9/2#->#6H13/2 transition (573 nm). The lifetimes (?) are found to decrease with increasing concentration due to concentration quenching. The decay curves are single exponential for lower ...
Laser spectroscopy measurements have been performed on neutron-deficient and stable Ir isotopes using the COMPLIS experimental setup installed at ISOLDE-CERN. The radioactive Ir atoms were obtained from successive decays of a mass-separated Hg beam deposited onto a carbon substrate after deceleration to 1kV and subsequently laser desorbed. A three-color, two-step resonant scheme was used to selectively ionize the desorbed Ir atoms. The hyperfine structure (HFS) and isotope shift (IS) of the first transition of the ionization path 5d"76s"2"4F_9_/_2#->#5d"76s6p"6F_1_1_/_2 at 351.5nm were measured for "1"8"2"-"1"8"9Ir, "1"8"6Ir"m and the stable "1"9"1","1"9"3Ir. The nuclear magnetic moments #mu#_I and the spectroscopic quadrupole moments Q_s were obtained from the HFS spectra and the change of the mean square charge radii from the IS measurements. The sign of #mu#_I was experimentally determined for the first time for the masses 182#=#+0.2 for ...
Culex mosquitoes introduce the pathogens responsible for filariasis, West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis, and other diseases into humans. Currently, traps baited with oviposition semiochemicals play an important role in detection efforts and could provide an environmentally friendly approach to controlling their populations. The odorant binding proteins (OBPs) in the female's antenna play a crucial, if yet imperfectly understood, role in sensing oviposition cues. Here, we report the X-ray crystallography and NMR 3D structures of OBP1 for Culex quinquefasciatus (CquiOBP1) bound to an oviposition pheromone (5R,6S)-6-acetoxy-5-hexadecanolide (MOP). In both studies, CquiOBP1 had the same overall six-helix structure seen in other insect OBPs, but a detailed analysis revealed an important previously undescribed feature. There are two models for OBP-mediated signal transduction: (i) direct release of the pheromone from an internal binding ...
A number of screening tests were performed to determine ion species that effectively reduce wear rates when implanted in four industrial steels. Ball bearing steel 100Cr6 (AISI 52100) showed a wear rate reduction by a factor of 20 when implanted with carbon dioxide to a dose of 5x10{sup 17} cm{sup -2} with a non-mass-separated ion beam and by a factor of {>=}20 when implanted with 5x10{sup 17} cm{sup -2} oxygen ions. For the ferritic and martensite steels X90CrMoV18 (AISI 440B, unhardened and hardened) also a strong wear reduction after implantation of oxygen ions was found. Co-implantation of aluminum and oxygen also reduces wear rates of X90CrMoV18, of S6-5-2 (AISI M2), and of 100Cr6, respectively. For comparison, thin oxide layers were grown in a low-temperature thermal oxidation process. These experiments also yielded reduced wear rates by a factor of 10. The surfaces were investigated and characterized by XPS, SIMS, TEM, and ...
The 1,3-dipolar cyclo addition reactions between benzyl azide and the alpha,beta-unsaturated lactones crotonolactone, alpha-methylenebutyrolactone and Beta-angelica lactone have been performed. The best yields of cycloadducts were obtained by working without solvent, at 60 degree centigree in a sealed tube under nitrogen atmosphere. (3aRS,6aSR)-1-Benzyl-3 a, 4,6,6a-tetrahydro-1H-furo[3,4-d]-1,2,3-triazol-4-one and 3-benzyl-7-oxa-1,2,3-triazaspiro[4.4] non-1-en-6-one have been isolated in 36% and 78% yield from the reactions of the two first lactones respectively. The second product is the first example of this heterocyclic system. The reaction with Beta-angelica lactone yielded the primary cycloadducts (3aR,S,6RS,6aSR)-and (3aRS,6SR,6aSR)-1-benzyl-3a,4,6,6a-tetrahydro-6-methyl-1H-furo[3,4-d]-1,1,3-triazol-4-one and the nitrogen elimination product 4-benzylamino-5-methyl 1-2(5H)-furanone in 44%, 11%, and 7% yield respectively. 26 refs.
The University of Groningen (RUG) has developed an expert system on cleaning of biomass producer gas. This work was carried out in close co-operation with the Biomass Technology Group B.V. (BTG) in Enschede, The Netherlands within the framework of the EC supported JOR3-CT95-0084 project. The expert system was developed as a tool for the designer-engineer of downstream gas cleaning equipment and consists of an information package and a flowsheet package. The packages are integrated in a client/server system. The flowsheeting package of the expert system has been designed for the evaluation of different gas cleaning methods. The system contains a number of possible gas cleaning devices such as: cyclone, fabric filter, ceramic filter, venturi scrubber and catalytic cracker. The user can select up to five cleaning steps in an arbitrary order for his specific gas cleaning problem. After specification of the required design parameters, the system calculates the main ...
The purpose of the Utility Applications Program is to provide information and assistance to interested utilities on central station energy storage systems. Compressed air and underground pumped hydroelectric energy storage are the primary technical focus. Smaller utilities are the primary targets of this program, as they may not have resources to track and utilize new energy conservation developments. The program, initiated during this year-long period, consists of a series of tasks integrating and supporting energy storage implementation. Program management and technical coordination activities monitor the wide range of research ongoing both under government support and in industry and provide a locus for dissemination of results. Recently completed DOE demonstration studies provide the central data base and the DOE CAES and UPH Technology Program activities provide another major resource. In addition a UPH preliminary feasibility study in coorination with Central Vermont Public ...
Since 1978 the United States Department of Energy`s (DOE) International Safeguards Program has conducted policy analysis, strategies and technology development, international cooperation and training to support the formulation and implementation of international safeguards. The end of the Gulf War (1991), the end of the Cold War (1992), and the trend towards regionalization of safeguards has led to increased US and international attention to the threat of nuclear weapons proliferation and the need for significantly greater support to nonproliferation policy making and implementation activities. As a result, DOE`s International Safeguards Program has undergone substantial growth and has continued to focus its resources on the priority issues which are part of today`s and tomorrow`s world. In order to effectively and efficiently conduct and manage these activities the International Safeguards Program has developed and continues to refine and implement a strategic ...
Radiation therapy has had a significant and an expanded role in the management of cancer of the pancreas during the last decade. In particular, for locally advanced disease, radiation therapy has improved the median survival of patients to 1 year. Intraoperative electron beam therapy has been applied to unresectable and resectable pancreatic cancer in an attempt to enhance local control of disease and to improve patient survival. This paper presents a survey of the role of radiation therapy in treatment of cancer of the pancreas, provides information on the radiobiological aspects of this treatment modality and details the physical and dosimetric characteristics of intraoperative radiation therapy with electrons. Presented are the design specifics of an applicator system, central axis beam data, applicator parameters, dose distribution data, shielding, treatment planning and means of verification. Emphasis is placed on the collaboration and cooperation necessary ...
Radiation therapy has had a significant and an expanded role in the management of cancer of the pancreas during the last decade. In particular, for locally advanced disease, radiation therapy has improved the median survival of patients to 1 year. Intraoperative electron beam therapy has been applied to unresectable and resectable pancreatic cancer in an attempt to enhance local control of disease and to improve patient survival. This paper presents a survey of the role of radiation therapy in treatment of cancer of the pancreas, provides information on the radiobiological aspects of this treatment modality and details the physical and dosimetric characteristics of intraoperative radiation therapy with electrons. Presented are the design specifics of an applicator system, central axis beam data, applicator parameters, dose distribution data, shielding, treatment planning and means of verification. Emphasis is placed on the collaboration and cooperation necessary ...
The most striking feature of quantum mechanics is the existence of superposition states, where an object appears to be in different situations at the same time. Up to now, the existence of such states has been tested with small objects, like atoms, ions, electrons and photons, and even with molecules. Recently, it has been even possible to create superpositions of collections of photons, atoms, or Cooper pairs. Current progress in optomechanical systems may soon allow us to create superpositions of even larger objects, like micro-sized mirrors or cantilevers, and thus to test quantum mechanical phenomena at larger scales. Here we propose a method to cool down and create quantum superpositions of the motion of sub-wavelength, arbitrarily shaped dielectric objects trapped inside a high--finesse cavity at a very low pressure. Our method is ideally suited for the smallest living organisms, such as viruses, which survive under low vacuum pressures, and optically behave ...
I review the past and present of wound ballistics research in China and look toward the future of this subject. The main points area as follows: (1) Before the 1970s, China did not conduct any experimental study on wound ballistics. (2) After the 1970s, experts in ordnance and medicine closely cooperated to conduct a series of experiments or tests on wound ballistics, such as wounding effects and the mechanism of various high-speed projectiles, the treatment of the protection from firearm wounds, high quality of ammunition design, lethality criterion, blast injuries, etc. Between 1981 and 1993, four national symposia on wound ballistics were held in China. In 1988, China sponsored the Sixth International Symposium on wound Ballistics. China has made great contributions to this subject. (3) As for the future of Chinese research on wound ballistics, I suggest strengthening the following areas: the relationship with weapons traumatology; the basic science research on ...
A lower energy efficiency standard for buildings (EPC) can have a negative impact on thermal comfort and indoor air quality. Cooperation and integrated design are preconditions for a correct use, installation and maintenance of heating and ventilation systems in buildings. [Dutch] Er komt steeds meer kritiek op de wijze waarop in ons land woningen en gebouwen worden gebouwd. Op dit moment is het vooral woonhuisventilatie waar veel om te doen is. Van beleidsmakers tot aannemers en van Consumentenbond tot gezondheidsdiensten; iedereen vraagt zich af of we met vergaande isolatie onze woningen en gebouwen nog wel leefbaar houden. In dit artikel wordt een pleidooi gehouden voor onderlinge samenwerking en integraal ontwerp als randvoorwaarden voor een goede toepassing, installatie en onderhoud van verwarmings- en ventilatiesystemen in gebouwen.
Vaarst Vestervang (Denmark) comprises 16 villas and 1 communal building. The complex was designed by the inhabitants themselves with the aim of polluting the environment as little as possible. The land area constitutes 69.000 square meters where it is possible to grass animals. The document reports a measuring programme concerning the overall heat consumption as one of the main aims of the inhabitants is to save energy and thus contribute to the protection of the environment. The capacity of the solar collectors predominantly used in the building complex was 235 kWh/m{sup 2}. Supplementary heating is provided by boilers fired with wood. The measuring system is described in detail. Tables show the influence of heat transmission losses, ventilation, airing out of rooms, the angle of the sun`s rays within the buildings and heating needs on energy consumption. Energy consumption data is presented in relation to the forms of space and water heating utilized. Daily measurements were also ...
The outcome was retrospectively examined and prognostic factors were discussed for arterial chemo-infusion therapy (ACT) through an implanted reservoir system and radiation therapy (RT) in patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCC). ACT plus RT were conducted to 25 patients (mean age 61.7 y, M/F 12/13, stage III-IVB) during 10 years from 1996 to 2005 with various regimens of cisplatin (CDDP), 5- fluorouracil (FU), epirubicin (FARM), mitomycin C (MMC) plus 39-50 Gy of radiation in a fractionated manner partly involving internal RT (2 cases, 15 Gy) and RT for metastatic bone (1, 25 Gy). The survival rates at 1, 2 and 3 years after ACT+RT were respectively 52.5, 43.7 and 28.1%; total efficacy (PR) was 36% (9/25) at 6 months; and significantly good prognostic factors were found to be female and absence of metastasis remote and/or lymphatic around artery. Authors concluded that ACT+RT was a meaningful treatment for highly advanced non-respectable CCC and that ...
Material related to routine as well as sensitive aspects of parent/day care center relationships is presented in this training module, one of a series providing staff development information for programs operated for dependents of military personnel. The module offers a brief discussion of ways caregivers can help parents feel at ease about leaving their children in child care and presents a set of multiple-choice skill-building exercises for effectively working with parents. Exercises focus on various topics, including how parents can be approached when their child may have a health problem, when child abuse or neglect is suspected, and when parental cooperation is needed to stop a child's undesirable or disruptive behavior. Exercises are also devoted to the questions of whether or not caregivers should act as advisors to parents or tell parents about their child's behavior at the center. Concluding exercises indicate how caregivers can handle parent requests for ...
Pumped storage plants participate in two structurally different markets: the market for scheduled energy (also known as spot market) and the reserve market. In order to achieve the best possible plant scheduling in terms of revenues the marketing of the available capacity from pumped storage plants needs to be optimised in both markets. Moreover, due to the abilities for providing reserve, pumped storage capacities within an existing power plant portfolio can lead to synergies for the whole portfolio. The optimised combined participation of a power plant in both spot and reserve market as well as the coherent portfolio effect are considered as particular challenges in energy economic assessments, e.g. in the light of investment decisions. Based on an extension project and in cooperation with RWTH Aachen University an optimised combined participation of a power plant in both markets was simulated for the first time, thereby applying an integrated optimisation ...
This study is a task of ''Comprehensive study'' in ''nuclear energy basic technology research'', which is promoted under cooperation of four research institutes. The Electrotechnical Laboratory conducted, in 1991 in the first period of colaboration, on successful oscillation at visible region (598 nm) as the first case in Japan, construction of small type accumulation ring NIJI-IV for FEL, successful oscillation of visible range from 595 to 488 nm by installing optical krystron with maximum frequency in the world, and successful emittance lowering of accumulation beam by wide improvement of the ring. In the optical resonator, studies on minute loss measuring technique and on recovery from mirror deterioration were promoted. In the second period started from fiscal year of 1994, studies on FEL oscillation technique in short wavelength and upgrading of FEL corresponding to a frontier area were started, to succeed an oscillation experiment at 350 nm in ultraviolet ...
Behavior to hydrogen damage caused by stress corrosion in a H_2S medium (SSC) and to intergranular corrosion (IGC) in different mediums, such as oxalic acid (C_2H_2.2H_2O), iron sulphate-50% sulfuric acid (Fe_2(SO_4)_3-50% H_2SO_4), nitric acid (HNO_3), copper sulphate-16% sulfuric acid (CuSO_4.5H_2O-16% H_2SO_4) and cooper sulphate-50% sulfuric acid (CuSO_4.5H_2O-50% H_2SO_4), is studied in an AISI 347 austenitic stainless steel stabilized with 0.61 mass % Nb and hot rolled to a seamless pipe with 273.1 mm in diameter and 18.2 mm in thickness. (Author) 12 refs.
Any student that has spent time in the kitchen knows that hot vegetable oil will pop and spatter violently after coming into contact with water such as that on the surface of foods (meat, fish, potatoes, etc.). This well-known effect can be used as an instructional resource to promote cooperative, active, and inquiry-based learning about central concepts of chemistry including boiling point, miscibility, and density of liquids. The starting point of the learning activity is a demonstration of (i) the effect of adding a drop of water to hot (as for cooking) vegetable oil and (ii) the effect of adding a drop of vegetable oil to hot water (near its boiling point). Intermolecular interactions, properties of vegetable oils, and a variety of other topics, such as the importance of other heat points (smoke, flash, and fire) for oils, the fundamental of the crackle test for checking the presence of water in oil, and why an oil fire (for example in a kitchen) never should ...
This paper uses multi-pass iteration particle swarm optimization (MIPSO) to solve short term hydroelectric generation scheduling of a power system with wind turbine generators. MIPSO is a new algorithm for solving nonlinear optimal scheduling problems. A new index called iteration best (IB) is incorporated into particle swarm optimization (PSO) to improve solution quality. The concept of multi-pass dynamic programming is applied to modify PSO further and improve computation efficiency. The feasible operational regions of the hydro units and pumped storage plants over the whole scheduling time range must be determined before applying MIPSO to the problem. Wind turbine power generation then shaves the power system load curves. Next, MIPSO calculates hydroelectric generation scheduling. It begins with a coarse time stage and searching space and refines the time interval between two time stages and the search spacing pass by pass (iteration). With the cooperation of ...
This work, carried out by the parliamentary office for the evaluation of scientific and technological choices on request of the French National Assembly and Senate, takes stock of the present day situation and technical perspectives of development of renewable energy sources and of research needs of the French industry in this domain: 1 - renewable energies: key-technologies for the energy supply of developing countries and for a rational consumption in transportation systems and accommodations of developed countries (energies technically different from fossil or nuclear energies; fundamental energy sources for a developing world; different national goals in Europe depending on the available natural resources and on the political realities; a minor interest in France for the domestic power generation but a major interest for transports, residential and tertiary sectors and export); 2 - priority choices given to the French renewable energy resources: renewable electricity (photovoltaic, ...
Annex XIII on 'Fuel Cell Vehicles' of the Implementing Agreement Hybrid and Electric Vehicles of the International Energy Agency has been operating since 2006, complementing the ongoing activities on battery and hybrid electric vehicles within this group. This paper provides an overview of the Annex XIII final report for 2010, compiling an up-to-date, neutral, and comprehensive assessment of current trends in fuel cell vehicle technology and related policy. The technological description includes trends in system configuration as well as a review of the most relevant components including the fuel cell stack, batteries, and hydrogen storage. Results from fuel cell vehicle demonstration projects around the world and an overview of the successful implementation of fuel cells in specific transport niche markets will also be discussed. The final section of this report provides a detailed description of national research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) efforts ...
Experience of the Westinghouse Water Reactors Division with indoctrination and training of quality engineers includes training of personnel from Westinghouse divisions in the USA and overseas as well as of customers' personnel. A written plan is prepared for each trainee in order to fit the training to the individual's needs, and to cover the full range of information and activities. The trainee is also given work assignments, working closely with experienced quality engineers. He may prepare inspection plans and audit check lists, assist in the preparation of QA training modules, write procedures, and perform supplier surveillance and data analyses, or make special studies of operating systems. The trainee attends seminars and special courses on work-related technical subjects. Throughout the training period, emphasis is placed on inculcating an attitude of team work in the trainee so that the result of the training is the achievement of both quality and productivity. Certification is ...
In consistency with the increasing requests from Member States for establishing radiotherapy programmes, an IAEA Technical Co-operation project was initiated in Latin America aimed at improving the physical aspects (as a complement to the clinical issues) of quality assurance in radiotherapy; this ARCAL XXX project (RLA/6/032) was classified as a Model Project of the IAEA. Among the important outcomes of the project were (i) the training of a considerable number of medical physicists in hospitals of the region, (ii) the development of a protocol for quality control procedures, and (iii) the organization of quality audit site visits (to the participant countries) where the implementation in hospitals of the developed quality control procedures is verified. The present publication is the protocol for quality control of the physical aspects of radiotherapy. It contains detailed procedures on what should be measured by a medical physicist in a radiotherapy treatment ...
Peer assessment provides a powerful avenue for students to receive feedback on their learning. Although student perceptions of peer assessment have been studied extensively in higher education, little qualitative research has been undertaken with medical students in problem-based learning (PBL) curricula. A qualitative study of students' attitudes to, and perceptions of, peer assessment was undertaken within the framework of a larger study of metacognition with first-year medical students at the University of Queensland. A highly structured format for provision of feedback was utilised in the study design. Many recommendations from the higher education literature on optimal implementation of peer-assessment procedures were put into practice. Results indicated the existence of six main themes: (1) increased responsibility for others, (2) improved learning, (3) lack of relevancy, (4) challenges, (5) discomfort, and (6) effects on the PBL process. Five of these themes have previously been ...
Nuclear energy related research in Switzerland is concentrated at PSI`s Nuclear Energy and Safety Research Department (NES). The total effort invested in nuclear energy research in 1998 amounted to about 195 py/a and 4.5 millions CHF of investment and maintenance costs. Approximately half of the salary, investment and maintenance costs are externally funded, primarily by the Swiss Utilities, the national co-operative for the disposal of nuclear waste (NAGRA), the Federal Office of Energy (BFE) through the nuclear safety inspectorate (HSK) and the Federal Office for Science and Education (BBW) in connection with the EC Framework Programmes; an increasing part of external funding is coming from domestic and foreign industry (nuclear component and fuel suppliers). The activities of the department are concentrated on three main domains of: Safety and related problems of operating plants; safety features of future reactor and fuel cycles; waste management. 4 % of the ...
The rebuilt rotor of the 224 kW Magdalen Islands VAWT was installed in 1979 and has been operating at its design speed (36.6 rpm) for about one year. Agreement between measured and theoretical performance is generally good except that maximum power may exceed theoretical predictions. Measurements of drive train losses, torque and power ripple, and rotor stresses are discussed. Although peak-to-peak cyclic stress levels are low in relation to fatigue life limits, spectral analysis of stress data indicates that the 3-per-rev component is amplified by near-resonance with the first butterfly blade mode. This resonance was subsequently de-coupled by a damped connection between the blade struts and the central column. The major future project in the Canadian program is the design, construction and testing of a megwatt-scale VAWT in cooperation with Hydro Quebec. Preliminary desigh details of this turbine, known as Project Aeolus are briefly described. 5 refs., 9 figs.
MRI provides a non-invasive diagnostic tool complementing echocardiography on one hand, and showing advantages over echocardiography, on the other hand, especially after corrective procedures. The multiple different MRI sequences need to be adapted to examinations of children and patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), and can be used to detect morphologic changes, blood-flow in the heart and thoracic vessels and diastolic or systolic function of myocardium. Several factors determine the success of the examination of a complex congenital heart disease or a postoperative situs. Pediatric radiologists and radiologists experienced in congenital heart diseases have to work in close cooperation. Echocardiography should be performed before MRI. The results of prior examinations and the clinical history of the patients, including possible palliative or reconstructive operations, must be available before MRI to guide the planning of the examination. With a systematic ...
Eaton, in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has completed a project that applies a combination of wireless sensor network (WSN) technology, anticipatory theory, and a near-term value proposition based on diagnostics and process uptime to ensure the security and reliability of critical electrical power infrastructure. Representatives of several Eaton business units have been engaged to ensure a viable commercialization plan. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), American Electric Power (AEP), PEPCO, and Commonwealth Edison were recruited as partners to confirm and refine the requirements definition from the perspective of the utilities that actually operate the facilities to be protected. Those utilities have cooperated with on-site field tests as the project proceeds. Accomplishments of this project included: (1) the design, modeling, and simulation of the anticipatory wireless sensor network (A-WSN) that ...
The share of peat in the primary energy supply in Finland in 1996 was about 6.5 % and the area used for peat production was about 535 km"2, corresponding to about 0.5 % of the original peatland area of Finland. Fuel peat production is hence a significant form of using natural resources. About 1.4 % of the total peatland area has been reserved for peat production. Approximately 95 % of the peat excavated in Finland is used as fuel peat, and 5 % as horticultural peat. As raw material and fuel peat can be considered to be slowly renewable material. The environmental impacts of fuel peat production, transportation and peat combustion were evaluated in this research by methods used in life-cycle assessment. Preparation and production phases of peat production areas, fuel peat transportation to power plants, combustion of peat in power plants, and disposal of the ashes formed the basis for the investigation. Data collected in 1994-1996 was used as the basic material in the research. Special ...
This project of law concerns an additional protocol to the agreement of warranties signed on September 22, 1998 between France, the European atomic energy community and the IAEA. This agreement concerns the declaration of all information relative to the R and D activities linked with the fuel cycle and involving the cooperation with a foreign country non endowed with nuclear weapons. These information include the trade and processing of nuclear and non-nuclear materials and equipments devoted to nuclear reactors (pressure vessels, fuel loading/unloading systems, control rods, force and zirconium tubes, primary coolant pumps, deuterium and heavy water, nuclear-grade graphite), to fuel reprocessing plants, to isotope separation plants (gaseous diffusion, laser enrichment, plasma separation, electromagnetic enrichment), to heavy water and deuterium production plants, and to uranium conversion plants. (J.S.)
This paper focuses on the cross-layer issue of joint multiuser detection and resource allocation for energy efficiency in wireless CDMA networks. In particular, assuming that a linear multiuser detector is adopted in the uplink receiver, the case considered is that in which each terminal is allowed to vary its transmit power, spreading code, and uplink receiver in order to maximize its own utility, which is defined as the ratio of data throughput to transmit power. Resorting to a game-theoretic formulation, a non-cooperative game for utility maximization is formulated, and it is proved that a unique Nash equilibrium exists, which, under certain conditions, is also Pareto-optimal. Theoretical results concerning the relationship between the problems of SINR maximization and MSE minimization are given, and, resorting to the tools of large system analysis, a new distributed power control algorithm is implemented, based on very little prior information about the user of ...
The research and development for the first year of the project are performed through specialization of researchers, information from aborad and international cooperation, securement of advanced nuclear technology, development and installation of test equipment, application of external man-power, establishment of advanced test techniques, and certified test method. 1. Absolute efficiency measurement examination technology development of gamma scanning system 2. Sample preparation technology development of SEM and EPMA for micro-structural observation and chemical composition analysis 3. Irradiated high burn-up nuclear fuel transportation and test for PWR 4. Development of hot cell examination techniques and equipment 5. Acquirement of KOLAS system. In addition to the project, the following activities are carried out as follows; - PIE of Hanaro fuel(KH99H-001) - PIE of U-Mo advanced nuclear fuel irradiated at Hanaro - PIE of Hi-MET advanced nuclear fuel irradiated at ...
The International Symposium on Nuclear Security took place within a context of international acknowledgement that the threat of nuclear terrorism required dedicated action by the international community, States, industry and others. The Symposium dealt with those issues involved in protecting nuclear and other radioactive material from criminals. It also took place against a backdrop of renewed interest in nuclear technology: increased use of nuclear power, and increased use of radioactive isotopes in medicine and in industry. These are welcome developments, since nuclear energy and technology can indeed contribute to the technological and economic welfare of many countries, without compromising public health or the environment. In this context, security measures should not impede State programmes for peaceful use of nuclear technology. The symposium dealt with (1) the threat of nuclear terrorism and of other nuclear-related criminal acts; (2) international response and ...
The cupola is a furnace used for melting steel scrap, cast iron scrap, and ferroalloys to produce cast iron. Its main energy source is coal coke. It is one of the oldest methods of producing cast iron, and it remains the dominate method because of its simplicity and low fuel cost. Cupolas range in size from 18 inches to 13 feet in diameter, and can produce up to 100 tons per hour of cast iron. Although cupola melting has a long history, automatic control has been elusive because the process has been poorly understood. Most foundries rely on the intuition of experienced operators to make control decisions. The purpose of this work, which has been underway for three years of an anticipated four year program, is to develop a controller for the cupola using intelligent and conventional control methods. The project is a cooperative effort between the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, the Department of Energy Albany Research Center, Idaho State ...
In accordance with the Department of Energy`s National Environmental Policy Act implementing procedures in Volume 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1021,312, the Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Implementation Plan has two primary purposes: to provide guidance for the preparation of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and to record the issues resulting from the scoping and the extended public participation process. The Implementation Plan identifies and discusses the following: background of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management activities, the purpose of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, and the relationship of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement to other Departmental initiatives (Chapter 1); need and purposes for action (Chapter 2); scoping process and results of the public participation program in defining the scope of the Programmatic Environmental Impact ...
In 1981, the German Society of Pediatric Oncology initiated a multi-institutional study for the treatment of Ewing's sarcoma. The protocol (Cooperative Ewing's Sarcoma Study, CESS 81) consisted of four courses of a four-drug-regimen (VACA), each course taking nine weeks. Local therapy (radical surgery or resection plus irradiation or radiotherapy alone) was performed after the second course. The results of CESS 81 can be summarized as follows: VACA-chemotherapy is effective in controlling systemic disease. Initial tumor mass and response to initial chemotherapy are of major prognostic value for local control and survival. Permanent local control is a problem, especially in irradiated patients. The high local failure rate in irradiated patients in CESS 81 could be attributable to the following reasons: Late start of local therapy (after 18 weeks of chemotherapy), uneven distribution of prognostic parameters: Large tumors were more often irradiated than operated, ...
The GeoSAR (geographic synthetic aperture radar) program is a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) sponsored program organized in cooperation with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the California Department of Conservation. Some aspects of the program have been existent for almost two years. The technical goal of the program has been the development of rapid-mapping radar technologies, and has now, as its principal challenge, the development of a capability for terrain mapping under foliage. In this paper, we discuss validation of current technology and examine the utility of data products currently produced by the Environmental Research Institute of MIchigan's (ERIM) IFSARE, JPL's TOPSAR, and JPL's AIRSAR. We find that ERIM's X-band IFSARE system produces elevation maps to better than 2-m accuracy. Based on this we determine that TOPSAR elevation maps are accurate to at least 5 m. We also demonstrate the utility of JPL's AIRSAR's L-band radar ...
Since April, 1985, we have, in co-operation with the Fuji Film Co., Ltd., used Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR) in the diagnosis of spinal disorders. FCR is a new computed radiographic system which uses an energy-storage phosphorus panel called an ''Imaging Plate'' as an image sensor. The ''Imaging Plate'' can be used to obtain radiographs in exactly the same way as the screen-film combination used in conventional radiography; X-rays are exposed on the ''Imaging Plate'' instead of X-ray film in the conventional fashion, and then the ''Imaging Plate'' is calculated. The processed digital data from the scans is transformed into a picture by means of digital-to-analogue conversion. The pictures are always clear and beautiful. Plain films of the spine taken by FCR are even clearer, even in the cervicothoracic region, where it is usually difficult to obtain clear cervicothoracic films in conventional radiography. We can obtain much precise information about the spinal ...
Private transfers of capital from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to developing countries are intended to complement private transfers from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) by tapping the emerging capital markets in the Middle East. Developing countries will be able to diversify their borrowing and gain additional financing. The long-term investment of oil-producing countries will benefit and the pressures on the banking institutions to recycle funds will lessen. Middle East capital markets include international loans and international bonds. The history of the Kuwaiti dinar (KD) bond market, with its advantages for both investors and borrowers, illustrates the successful development of a capital market. Financial intermediation needs to be improved, however, if the Middle East is to become efficient enough to compete with the Euromarkets. Efficiency will require different measures and should reflect ...
The Fifteenmile Basin Habitat Improvement Project is an ongoing multi-agency effort to improve habitat in the Fifteenmile drainage and increase production of the depressed wild, winter steelhead run. Cooperating agencies include the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, USDA Forest Service. USDA Soil Conservation Service and Bonneville Power Administration. in consultation with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is administering project work on state and private lands and the U.S.D.A. Forest Service is administering project work on National Forest land. Project work on the Forest has been sub-divided into four components; (1) Ramsey Creek, (2) Eightmile Creek, (3) Fifteenmile Creek, and (4) Fivemile Creek. Forest Service activities in the Fifteenmile basin during 1988 involved habitat improvement work on Ramsey Creek, continuation of physical and biological monitoring, collection of spawning survey information, and ...
For each sample, one 30-gallon drum containing approximately 90 lb of coal at {minus}1/4 inch was designated for headspace oxygen analysis and coal quality monitoring at yearly intervals. Headspace oxygen analysis and retrieval of a 5-lb sample for coal analysis have begun. Headspace oxygen contents are shown in Table 1. Preparation and analysis of these samples for the second yearly quality evaluation is in progress. We have initiated a study of different means of storage in preventing sample deterioration and in maintaining an inert headspace atmosphere. The work was performed with support from the Penn State Cooperative Program in Coal Research. A run-of-mine sample of medium-volatile bituminous Lower Kittanning coal was collected as PSOC-1536 and promptly processed. Gieseler fluidity FSI, alkali extraction and preparation of petrographic pellets were accomplished within 32 hours of extraction of the coal from the mine face. Splits of the sample were sealed ...
Sandia was presented with an opportunity in 1993 to design containers for the long term storage and transport of fissile material. This program was undertaken at the direction of the US Department of Energy and in cooperation with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory which were tasked with developing the internal fixturing for the contents. The hardware is being supplied by Allied Signal Federal Manufacturing and Technologies, and the packaging will occur at Mason and Hangar Corporation`s Pantex Plant. The unique challenge was to design a container that could be sealed with the fissile material contents; and, anytime during the next 50 years, the container could be transported with only the need for the pre-shipment leak test. This required not only a rigorous design capable of meeting the long term storage and transportation requirements, but also resulted in development of a surveillance program to ensure that the container ...
It is important for Australia to recognize its own energy market and the opportunity to export its experience to fast developing Asian countries. Energy engineering and management becomes and important problem industrial engineers and managers face. Until 1993 there was no undergraduate or postgraduate course which would provide formal tertiary education in the proper application of energy conservation programs and load demand management techniques. These techniques require a special knowledge of energy systems which is a combination of electrical and mechanical engineering with a significant share of management techniques and economic calculations. This paper presents two teaching initiatives aimed at providing continuing education for engineers and managers. One is the Master of Engineering Sciences in Energy Engineering, developed by the Centre for Electrical Power Engineering in cooperation with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Graduate School of ...
The demand for high-quality fibres and shives from hemp and flax as an alternative raw material for the automotive and building industry is increasing. Fibres are used primarily for composite reinforcement instead of synthetic fibres. Shives are used for animal bedding, but processing trials in wood industry for the production of low weight particle boards from shives are also very promising. Fibre producers require experience in cultivation and harvesting as well as modern processing technologies in order to supply flax fibres or shives at competitive prices under the changing conditions of international raw material markets. A complete processing line has been developed, installed and tested at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering (ATB) to study all the processing stages of fibre production. The new ATB line can produce high quality fibres and shives from retted and unretted hemp, flax and oilseed flax straw without technical changes of the machine line. The ATB pilot ...
The Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF) formats and libraries are decided by the Cross Section Evaluation Working Group (CSEWG), a cooperative effort of national laboratories, industry, and universities in the U.S. and Canada, and are maintained by the National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC). Earlier versions of the ENDF format provided representations for neutron cross sections and distributions, photon production from neutron reactions, a limited amount of charged-particle production from neutron reactions, photo-atomic interaction data, thermal neutron scattering data, and radionuclide production and decay data (including fission products). Version 6 (ENDF-6) allows higher incident energies, adds more complete descriptions of the distributions of emitted particles, and provides for incident charged particles and photonuclear data by partitioning the ENDF library into sub-libraries. Decay data, fission product yield data, thermal scattering data, and photo-atomic data ...
Recently, Guo and Xia introduced low complexity decoders called Partial Interference Cancellation (PIC) and PIC with Successive Interference Cancellation (PIC-SIC), which include the Zero Forcing (ZF) and ZF-SIC receivers as special cases, for point-to-point MIMO channels. In this paper, we show that PIC and PIC-SIC decoders are capable of achieving the full cooperative diversity available in wireless relay networks. We give sufficient conditions for a Distributed Space-Time Block Code (DSTBC) to achieve full diversity with PIC and PIC-SIC decoders and construct a new class of DSTBCs with low complexity full-diversity PIC-SIC decoding. We also show that almost all known full-diversity PIC/PIC-SIC decodable codes constructed for point-to-point MIMO channels can be used as full-diversity PIC/PIC-SIC decodable DSTBCs in relay networks. The proposed DSTBCs with low complexity, full-diversity PIC/PIC-SIC decoding achieve higher rates (in complex symbols per channel use) ...
In order to develop modern two-stroke engines with low fuel consumption, respectively with low exhaust emissions, two alternative development areas -- the mixture formation and the scavenging system -- have been correlated. For a satisfying mixture formation without fuel losses by scavenging, the direct injection seems to be one of the best solution for the high speed two-stroke engine of the future. On the other hand the modern development of two-stroke scavenging systems shows a large field of application and improvement methods of cross and loop scavenging. Based on the specific optimization factors of the injection system, respectively of the scavenging system, the aim off this common work of the Universities of Pisa and Zwickau is to correlate both the optimization fields in an advantageous mixture formation process. The principal elements of this correlation are the design of the combustion chamber, the position of the injection nozzle, the characteristic of the spray jet ...
This Phase 1 final report covers the work performed by Springborn Testing and Research, Inc., for the period October 1, 1997 to June 30, 1998 under the Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement Number DE-FC36-97GO10255, entitled Development of Flame Retardant PV Module Encapsulants. While use of roof-mounted arrays has always been an attractive means of deploying PV, only within recent years have such building integrated concepts (BIPV) found renewed interest among module makers and end-users. Prior to building integrated and rooftop applications, flammability requirements for modules have not been a great industry concern. However, with growing interest in BIPV and the requirement for building code requirements for commercial and industrial structures, flammability issues have become a barrier to entry for many module constructions into this potentially huge domestic market for PV. The overall goal of the 3 phase PV BONUS two project is to develop and ...
This report describes the result of work completed during February, 1982 to October 1983. The aim of the work was to develop a low NO(x) emission range top burner. Discussed is the development of a flame insert modification to an existing burner which reduces NO(x) emission by 45 percent and NO2 emission by 25 percent. This relatively simple burner add-on device appears to be an economically viable low NO(x) burner. It was developed in cooperation with a major range manufacturer. The levels of NO(x) (NO2) reduction achieved should significantly reduce the impact of a gas range to indoor quality. The report also discusses the results of a literature search that preceeded the burner development. The search helped to direct the burner development by reviewing the state-of-the-art of low NO(x) burner design and covered factors which affect the indoor impact of range emissions such as air infiltration and ventilation trends, air quality standards, and NO(x) (NO2) health ...
A study has been performed for the development and assessment of a subchannel analysis code which is purposed to be used for the analysis of advanced reactor conditions with various configurations of reactor core and several kinds of reactor coolant fluids. The subchannel analysis code was developed on the basis of MATRA code which is being developed at KAERI. A GUI (Graphic User Interface) system was adopted in order to reduce input error and to enhance user convenience. The subchannel code was complemented in the property calculation modules by including various fluids such as heavy liquid metal, gas, refrigerant,and supercritical water. The subchannel code was applied to calculate the local thermal hydraulic conditions inside the non-square test bundles which was employed for the analysis of CHF. The applicability of the subchannel code was evaluated for a high temperature gas cooled reactor condition and supercritical pressure conditions with water and Freon. A subchannel analysis ...
The characterization data obtained to data are described for Approved Testing Material 105 (ATM-105), which is spent fuel from Bundles CZ346 and CZ348 of the Cooper Nuclear Power Plant, a boiling-water reactor. This report is one in a series being prepared by the Materials Characterization Center at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) on spent fuel ATMs. The ATMs are receiving extensive examinations to provide a source of well-characterized spent fuel for testing in the US Department of Energy Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) Program. ATM-105 consists of 88 full-length irradiated fuel rods with rod-average burnups of about 2400 GJ/kgM (28 MWd/kgM) and expected fission gas release of about 1%. Characterization data include (1) descriptions of as-fabricated fuel design, irradiation history, and subsequent storage and handling; (2) isotopic gamma scans; (3) fission gas analyses; (4) ceramography of the fuel and metallography of the cladding; (5) ...
A general overview is provided of the Wind Energy Research and Development Program (WERD) structure, status, and current perspectives, and a highlight of recent achievements. The broad objectives of WERD are to: determine under what circumstances wind energy can make a viable contribution to Canadian energy supplies; establish the technology of wind energy conversion systems (WECS) to appropriate Canadian conditions; and to encourage and support Canadian industrial initiatives in the design and manufacture of WECS for both domestic and export markets. Field trials supported by WERD include: six small scale Savonius/Darrieus vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) rated at 1 to 3 kW installed throughout Canada; a 37 kW VAWT mechanically coupled to a 50 kW diesel-electric set as part of a 100 kW remote community powerplant; five 50 kW grid-coupled VAWT generating systems; a 224 kW VAWT grid-coupled system in cooperation with Hydro Quebec; and a parametric design study of ...
A CRC cooperative program was conducted to determine the difference in octane requirements between technical raters and 'customers' (the general driving public). The tests were conducted in two phases, with the second being a repeat of the first to verify the results obtained. The trained raters used the CRC E-15 procedure to determine the octane requirement of the vehicles while the customers' perception and objection to knock were determined through the use of a questionnaire. The customers' responses (perception and objection level) were based upon audible knock, acceleration performance, and after-run on a series of full-boiling-range customer/rater unleaded (FBRCU) reference-fuels. Data were analyzed from 168 1988-1991 model-year vehicles, with 126 of these tested in Phase II. The results showed that the customers, objections and perceptions were overwhelmingly based on knock, rather than acceleration performance or ...
The ability to feed on vertebrate blood has evolved many times in various arthropod clades. Each time this trait evolves, novel solutions to the problem posed by vertebrate hemostasis are generated. Consequently, saliva of blood-feeding arthropods has proven to be a rich source of antihemostatic molecules. Vasodilators include nitrophorins (nitric oxide storage and transport heme proteins), a variety of peptides that mimic endogenous vasodilatory neuropeptides, and proteins that catabolize or sequester endogenous vasoconstrictors. A variety of platelet aggregation inhibitors antagonize platelet responses to wound-generated signals, including ADP, thrombin, and collagen. Anticoagulants disrupt elements of both the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Molecular approaches (termed 'sialomics') to characterize the full inventory of mRNAs transcribed in salivary glands have revealed a surprising level of complexity within a single species. Multiple salivary proteins may be directed against ...
The ability to test advanced fuels and cladding materials under reactor operating conditions in the United States is limited. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the newly expanded post-irradiation examination (PIE) capability at the ORNL Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory provide unique support for this type of advanced fuel/cladding development effort. The wide breadth of ORNL's fuels and materials research divisions provides all the necessary fuel development capabilities in one location. At ORNL, facilities are available from test fuel fabrication, to irradiation in HFIR under either thermal or fast reactor conditions, to a complete suite of PIEs, and to final product disposal. There are very few locations in the world where this full range of capabilities exists. New testing capabilities at HFIR have been developed that allow testing of advanced nuclear fuels and cladding materials under prototypic operating conditions (i.e., ...
Verification, calibration, and validation (VCV) of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes is an essential element of the code development process. The exact manner in which code VCV activities are planned and conducted, however, is critically important. It is suggested that the way in which code validation, in particular, is often conducted--by comparison to published experimental data obtained for other purposes--is in general difficult and unsatisfactory, and that a different approach is required. This paper describes a proposed methodology for CFD code VCV that meets the technical requirements and is philosophically consistent with code development needs. The proposed methodology stresses teamwork and cooperation between code developers and experimentalists throughout the VCV process, and takes advantage of certain synergisms between CFD and experiment. A novel approach to uncertainty analysis is described which can both distinguish between and quantify ...
Report by a participant in the International Nuclear Law School. In 2001, this advanced training course was first offered by the OECD-NEA together with the University of Montpellier and other international partners. This effort is intended to provide an overview of nuclear law, a discipline normally playing a subordinate role in curricula. In this way, a contribution is to be made to the important preservation of the existing knowledge base and to increasing know-how in this field. In 2003, the International Nuclear Law School will be continued with a new curriculum addressed to all interested participants. (orig.) [German] Erfahrungsbericht eines Teilnehmers der Internationalen Schule fuer Nuklearrecht 2002 an der Universitaet Montpellier. Erstmals im Jahr 2001 wurde diese Fortbildungsveranstaltung von der Nuclear Energy Agency der Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD-NEA) zusammen mit der Universitaet Montpellier und weiteren ...