Sample records for biology operation physics
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Frauenfelder, H.
1988-01-01
The author points out that the coupling between physics and biology is becoming closer as time goes on. He tries to show that physical studies on biological systems not only yield insight into biology but also provide results of interest to physics. Biological systems are extremly complex system. Ideally one would like to understand the behavior of such systems in terms of the behavior of its constituent atoms. Since in small organisms this may be 10 20 atoms, it is clear these are not simple many-body systems. He reviews the basic elements of cells and then considers the broader questions of structure, complexity, and function, which must be looked at on levels from the cell to the organism. Despite the vast amount of observational material already in existence, biophysics and biological physics are only at a beginning. We can expect that physics will continue to interact strongly with biology. Actually, the connection also includes chemistry and mathematics. New tools that become available in physics will continue to be applied to biological problems. We can expect that the flow of information will not be one way; biological systems will provide new information on many old and new parts of physics, from reaction theory and transport phenomena to complexity, cooperativity, and nonlinear processes
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Operational health physics training
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
1992-06-01
The initial four sections treat basic information concerning atomic structure and other useful physical quantities, natural radioactivity, the properties of {alpha}, {beta}, {gamma}, x rays and neutrons, and the concepts and units of radiation dosimetry (including SI units). Section 5 deals with biological effects and the risks associated with radiation exposure. Background radiation and man-made sources are discussed next. The basic recommendations of the ICRP concerning dose limitations: justification, optimization (ALARA concepts and applications) and dose limits are covered in Section seven. Section eight is an expanded version of shielding, and the internal dosimetry discussion has been extensively revised to reflect the concepts contained in the MIRD methodology and ICRP 30. The remaining sections discuss the operational health physics approach to monitoring radiation. Individual sections include radiation detection principles, instrument operation and counting statistics, health physics instruments and personnel monitoring devices. The last five sections deal with the nature of, operation principles of, health physics aspects of, and monitoring approaches to air sampling, reactors, nuclear safety, gloveboxes and hot cells, accelerators and x ray sources. Decontamination, waste disposal and transportation of radionuclides are added topics. Several appendices containing constants, symbols, selected mathematical topics, and the Chart of the Nuclides, and an index have been included.
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Operational health physics training
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1988-09-01
The initial four sections treat basic information concerning atomic structure and other useful physical quantities, natural radioactivity, the properties of α, β, γ, x rays and neutrons, and the concepts and units of radiation dosimetry (including SI units). Section 5 deals with biological effects and the risks associated with radiation exposure. Background radiation and man-made sources are discussed next. The basic recommendations of the ICRP concerning dose limitations: justification, optimization (ALARA concepts and applications) and dose limits are covered in Section seven. Section eight is an expanded version of shielding, and the internal dosimetry discussion has been extensively revised to reflect the concepts contained in the MIRD methodology and ICRP 30. The remaining sections discuss the operational health physics approach to monitoring radiation. Individual sections include radiation detection principles, instrument operation and counting statistics, health physics instruments and personnel monitoring devices. The last five sections deal with the nature of, operation principles of, health physics aspects of, and monitoring approaches to air sampling, reactors, nuclear safety, gloveboxes and hot cells, accelerators and x ray sources. Decontamination, waste disposal and transportation of radionuclides are added topics. Several appendices containing constants, symbols, selected mathematical topics, and the Chart of the Nuclides, and an index have been included
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Pragmatic information in biology and physics.
Roederer, Juan G
2016-03-13
I will show how an objective definition of the concept of information and the consideration of recent results about information processing in the human brain help clarify some fundamental aspects of physics and biology. Rather than attempting to define information ab initio, I introduce the concept of interaction between material bodies as a primary concept. Two distinct categories can be identified: (i) interactions which can always be reduced to a superposition of physical interactions (forces) between elementary constituents; and (ii) interactions between complex bodies which cannot be expressed as a superposition of interactions between parts, and in which patterns and forms (in space and/or time) play the determining role. Pragmatic information is then defined as the link between a given pattern and the ensuing pattern-specific change. I will show that pragmatic information is a biological concept; it plays no active role in the purely physical domain-it only does so when a living organism intervenes. The consequences for physics (including foundations of quantum mechanics) and biology (including brain function) will be discussed. This will include speculations about three fundamental transitions, from the quantum to the classical domain, from natural inanimate to living systems, and from subhuman to human brain information-processing operations, introduced here in their direct connection with the concept of pragmatic information. © 2016 The Author(s).
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Kornyshev, Alexei A.
2010-10-01
The conference 'From DNA-Inspired Physics to Physics-Inspired Biology' (1-5 June 2009, International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy) that myself and two former presidents of the American Biophysical Society—Wilma Olson (Rutgers University) and Adrian Parsegian (NIH), with the support of an ICTP team (Ralf Gebauer (Local Organizer) and Doreen Sauleek (Conference Secretary)), have organized was intended to establish stronger links between the biology and physics communities on the DNA front. The relationships between them were never easy. In 1997, Adrian published a paper in Physics Today ('Harness the Hubris') summarizing his thoughts about the main obstacles for a successful collaboration. The bottom line of that article was that physicists must seriously learn biology before exploring it and even having an interpreter, a friend or co-worker, who will be cooperating with you and translating the problems of biology into a physical language, may not be enough. He started his story with a joke about a physicist asking a biologist: 'I want to study the brain. Tell me something about it!' Biologist: 'First, the brain consists of two parts, and..' Physicist: 'Stop. You have told me too much.' Adrian listed a few direct avenues where physicists' contributions may be particularly welcome. This gentle and elegantly written paper caused, however, a stormy reaction from Bob Austin (Princeton), published together with Adrian's notes, accusing Adrian of forbidding physicists to attack big questions in biology straightaway. Twelve years have passed and many new developments have taken place in the biologist-physicist interaction. This was something I addressed in my opening conference speech, with my position lying somewhere inbetween Parsegian's and Austin's, which is briefly outlined here. I will first recall certain precepts or 'dogmas' that fly in the air like Valkyries, poisoning those relationships. Since the early seventies when I was a first year Ph
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Moroz, Adam
2011-01-01
This book is the first unified systemic description of dissipative phenomena, taking place in biology, and non-dissipative (conservative) phenomena, which is more relevant to physics. Fully updated and revised, this new edition extends our understanding of nonlinear phenomena in biology and physics from the extreme / optimal perspective. The first book to provide understanding of physical phenomena from a biological perspective and biological phenomena from a physical perspective Discusses emerging fields and analysis Provides examples.
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Towards physical principles of biological evolution
Katsnelson, Mikhail I.; Wolf, Yuri I.; Koonin, Eugene V.
2018-03-01
Biological systems reach organizational complexity that far exceeds the complexity of any known inanimate objects. Biological entities undoubtedly obey the laws of quantum physics and statistical mechanics. However, is modern physics sufficient to adequately describe, model and explain the evolution of biological complexity? Detailed parallels have been drawn between statistical thermodynamics and the population-genetic theory of biological evolution. Based on these parallels, we outline new perspectives on biological innovation and major transitions in evolution, and introduce a biological equivalent of thermodynamic potential that reflects the innovation propensity of an evolving population. Deep analogies have been suggested to also exist between the properties of biological entities and processes, and those of frustrated states in physics, such as glasses. Such systems are characterized by frustration whereby local state with minimal free energy conflict with the global minimum, resulting in ‘emergent phenomena’. We extend such analogies by examining frustration-type phenomena, such as conflicts between different levels of selection, in biological evolution. These frustration effects appear to drive the evolution of biological complexity. We further address evolution in multidimensional fitness landscapes from the point of view of percolation theory and suggest that percolation at level above the critical threshold dictates the tree-like evolution of complex organisms. Taken together, these multiple connections between fundamental processes in physics and biology imply that construction of a meaningful physical theory of biological evolution might not be a futile effort. However, it is unrealistic to expect that such a theory can be created in one scoop; if it ever comes to being, this can only happen through integration of multiple physical models of evolutionary processes. Furthermore, the existing framework of theoretical physics is unlikely to suffice
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Basic radiotherapy physics and biology
Chang, David S; Das, Indra J; Mendonca, Marc S; Dynlacht, Joseph R
2014-01-01
This book is a concise and well-illustrated review of the physics and biology of radiation therapy intended for radiation oncology residents, radiation therapists, dosimetrists, and physicists. It presents topics that are included on the Radiation Therapy Physics and Biology examinations and is designed with the intent of presenting information in an easily digestible format with maximum retention in mind. The inclusion of mnemonics, rules of thumb, and reader-friendly illustrations throughout the book help to make difficult concepts easier to grasp. Basic Radiotherapy Physics and Biology is a
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The Physics of Proteins An Introduction to Biological Physics and Molecular Biophysics
Frauenfelder, Hans; Chan, Winnie S
2010-01-01
Physics and the life sciences have established new connections within the past few decades, resulting in biological physics as an established subfield with strong groups working in many physics departments. These interactions between physics and biology form a two-way street with physics providing new tools and concepts for understanding life, while biological systems can yield new insights into the physics of complex systems. To address the challenges of this interdisciplinary area, The Physics of Proteins: An Introduction to Biological Physics and Molecular Biophysics is divided into three interconnected sections. In Parts I and II, early chapters introduce the terminology and describe the main biological systems that physicists will encounter. Similarities between biomolecules, glasses, and solids are stressed with an emphasis on the fundamental concepts of living systems. The central section (Parts III and IV) delves into the dynamics of complex systems. A main theme is the realization that biological sys...
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Physics of biological membranes
Mouritsen, Ole G.
The biological membrane is a complex system consisting of an aqueous biomolecular planar aggregate of predominantly lipid and protein molecules. At physiological temperatures, the membrane may be considered a thin (˜50Å) slab of anisotropic fluid characterized by a high lateral mobility of the various molecular components. A substantial fraction of biological activity takes place in association with membranes. As a very lively piece of condensed matter, the biological membrane is a challenging research topic for both the experimental and theoretical physicists who are facing a number of fundamental physical problems including molecular self-organization, macromolecular structure and dynamics, inter-macromolecular interactions, structure-function relationships, transport of energy and matter, and interfacial forces. This paper will present a brief review of recent theoretical and experimental progress on such problems, with special emphasis on lipid bilayer structure and dynamics, lipid phase transitions, lipid-protein and lipid-cholesterol interactions, intermembrane forces, and the physical constraints imposed on biomembrane function and evolution. The paper advocates the dual point of view that there are a number of interesting physics problems in membranology and, at the same time, that the physical properties of biomembranes are important regulators of membrane function.
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Physical Biology : challenges for our second decade
Levine, Herbert
2014-06-01
understand when the details of proteins and nucleic acids structure and function can be assumed constant when considering the cell. This problem is even more serious as we try to set higher sights and think of cells as constituents of tissue, organ and organism. Trying to understand higher-order biological systems is a bit like trying to play a board game where the pieces and rules are constantly changing, somehow in concert with what is happening at the scale of the game. Others will undoubtedly have their own view of what is really difficult and different about living systems. One of the roles of Physical Biology should therefore be to provide a needed forum to address some of these really difficult questions. Of course, most papers will operate with the safety-setting on, and will use established ideas in physics, either experimental or theoretical, to further our quantitative appreciation of living systems. These papers are without doubt an absolutely necessary part of the field, and we hope that our journal can serve as a home for the best of these. But, my real hope is that we can attract papers that really try to break new ground, that suggest ways in which the living world is not just an extremely messy example of the same phenomena that can be studied in non-biological contexts. Amazingly, this hope is actually shared by many leading biologists. In one of the most influential papers on cancer research in the past decades. Hanahan and Weinberg argue that 'one day, we imagine that cancer biology and treatment—at present, a patchwork quilt of cell biology, genetics, histopathology, biochemistry, immunology, and pharmacology—will become a science with a conceptual structure and logical coherence that rivals that of chemistry or physics.' We should take up the challenge, not just for cancer, and Physical Biology should help. Figuring out exactly how best to do this is now my responsibility, and I look forward to hearing from you and working with all of you, in order
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Bridging Physics and Biology Using Resistance and Axons
Dyer, Joshua M.
2014-01-01
When teaching physics, it is often difficult to get biology-oriented students to see the relevance of physics. A complaint often heard is that biology students are required to take physics for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) as part of a "weeding out" process, but that they don't feel like they need physics for biology. Despite…
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Bridging Physics and Biology Using Resistance and Axons
Dyer, Joshua M.
2014-11-01
When teaching physics, it is often difficult to get biology-oriented students to see the relevance of physics.1 A complaint often heard is that biology students are required to take physics for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) as part of a "weeding out" process, but that they don't feel like they need physics for biology. Despite this impression held by students, there have been calls for better physics education for future physicians and life scientists.2,3 Research is being performed to improve physics classes and labs by linking topics in biology and physics.4,5 Described here is a laboratory experiment covering the topics of resistance of materials and circuits/Kirchhoff's laws in a biology context with their direct application to neurons, axons, and electrical impulse transmission within animals. This experiment will also demonstrate the mechanism believed to cause multiple sclerosis. The apparatus was designed with low-cost and readily available materials in mind.
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Mathur, Deepak
2015-01-01
This Topical Review presents an overview of increasingly robust interconnects that are being established between atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) physics and the life sciences. AMO physics, outgrowing its historical role as a facilitator—a provider of optical methodologies, for instance—now seeks to partner biology in its quest to link systems-level descriptions of biological entities to insights based on molecular processes. Of course, perspectives differ when AMO physicists and biologists consider various processes. For instance, while AMO physicists link molecular properties and dynamics to potential energy surfaces, these have to give way to energy landscapes in considerations of protein dynamics. But there are similarities also: tunnelling and non-adiabatic transitions occur both in protein dynamics and in molecular dynamics. We bring to the fore some such differences and similarities; we consider imaging techniques based on AMO concepts, like 4D fluorescence microscopy which allows access to the dynamics of cellular processes, multiphoton microscopy which offers a built-in confocality, and microscopy with femtosecond laser beams to saturate the suppression of fluorescence in spatially controlled fashion so as to circumvent the diffraction limit. Beyond imaging, AMO physics contributes with optical traps that probe the mechanical and dynamical properties of single ‘live’ cells, highlighting differences between healthy and diseased cells. Trap methodologies have also begun to probe the dynamics governing of neural stem cells adhering to each other to form neurospheres and, with squeezed light to probe sub-diffusive motion of yeast cells. Strong field science contributes not only by providing a source of energetic electrons and γ-rays via laser-plasma accelerations schemes, but also via filamentation and supercontinuum generation, enabling mainstream collision physics into play in diverse processes like DNA damage induced by low-energy collisions to
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Perspective: Reaches of chemical physics in biology
Gruebele, Martin; Thirumalai, D.
2013-01-01
Chemical physics as a discipline contributes many experimental tools, algorithms, and fundamental theoretical models that can be applied to biological problems. This is especially true now as the molecular level and the systems level descriptions begin to connect, and multi-scale approaches are being developed to solve cutting edge problems in biology. In some cases, the concepts and tools got their start in non-biological fields, and migrated over, such as the idea of glassy landscapes, fluorescence spectroscopy, or master equation approaches. In other cases, the tools were specifically developed with biological physics applications in mind, such as modeling of single molecule trajectories or super-resolution laser techniques. In this introduction to the special topic section on chemical physics of biological systems, we consider a wide range of contributions, all the way from the molecular level, to molecular assemblies, chemical physics of the cell, and finally systems-level approaches, based on the contributions to this special issue. Chemical physicists can look forward to an exciting future where computational tools, analytical models, and new instrumentation will push the boundaries of biological inquiry. PMID:24089712
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Perspective: Reaches of chemical physics in biology.
Gruebele, Martin; Thirumalai, D
2013-09-28
Chemical physics as a discipline contributes many experimental tools, algorithms, and fundamental theoretical models that can be applied to biological problems. This is especially true now as the molecular level and the systems level descriptions begin to connect, and multi-scale approaches are being developed to solve cutting edge problems in biology. In some cases, the concepts and tools got their start in non-biological fields, and migrated over, such as the idea of glassy landscapes, fluorescence spectroscopy, or master equation approaches. In other cases, the tools were specifically developed with biological physics applications in mind, such as modeling of single molecule trajectories or super-resolution laser techniques. In this introduction to the special topic section on chemical physics of biological systems, we consider a wide range of contributions, all the way from the molecular level, to molecular assemblies, chemical physics of the cell, and finally systems-level approaches, based on the contributions to this special issue. Chemical physicists can look forward to an exciting future where computational tools, analytical models, and new instrumentation will push the boundaries of biological inquiry.
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Quantum physics meets biology.
Arndt, Markus; Juffmann, Thomas; Vedral, Vlatko
2009-12-01
Quantum physics and biology have long been regarded as unrelated disciplines, describing nature at the inanimate microlevel on the one hand and living species on the other hand. Over the past decades the life sciences have succeeded in providing ever more and refined explanations of macroscopic phenomena that were based on an improved understanding of molecular structures and mechanisms. Simultaneously, quantum physics, originally rooted in a world-view of quantum coherences, entanglement, and other nonclassical effects, has been heading toward systems of increasing complexity. The present perspective article shall serve as a "pedestrian guide" to the growing interconnections between the two fields. We recapitulate the generic and sometimes unintuitive characteristics of quantum physics and point to a number of applications in the life sciences. We discuss our criteria for a future "quantum biology," its current status, recent experimental progress, and also the restrictions that nature imposes on bold extrapolations of quantum theory to macroscopic phenomena.
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Physical properties of biological entities: an introduction to the ontology of physics for biology.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Daniel L Cook
Full Text Available As biomedical investigators strive to integrate data and analyses across spatiotemporal scales and biomedical domains, they have recognized the benefits of formalizing languages and terminologies via computational ontologies. Although ontologies for biological entities-molecules, cells, organs-are well-established, there are no principled ontologies of physical properties-energies, volumes, flow rates-of those entities. In this paper, we introduce the Ontology of Physics for Biology (OPB, a reference ontology of classical physics designed for annotating biophysical content of growing repositories of biomedical datasets and analytical models. The OPB's semantic framework, traceable to James Clerk Maxwell, encompasses modern theories of system dynamics and thermodynamics, and is implemented as a computational ontology that references available upper ontologies. In this paper we focus on the OPB classes that are designed for annotating physical properties encoded in biomedical datasets and computational models, and we discuss how the OPB framework will facilitate biomedical knowledge integration.
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Physical properties of biological entities: an introduction to the ontology of physics for biology.
Cook, Daniel L; Bookstein, Fred L; Gennari, John H
2011-01-01
As biomedical investigators strive to integrate data and analyses across spatiotemporal scales and biomedical domains, they have recognized the benefits of formalizing languages and terminologies via computational ontologies. Although ontologies for biological entities-molecules, cells, organs-are well-established, there are no principled ontologies of physical properties-energies, volumes, flow rates-of those entities. In this paper, we introduce the Ontology of Physics for Biology (OPB), a reference ontology of classical physics designed for annotating biophysical content of growing repositories of biomedical datasets and analytical models. The OPB's semantic framework, traceable to James Clerk Maxwell, encompasses modern theories of system dynamics and thermodynamics, and is implemented as a computational ontology that references available upper ontologies. In this paper we focus on the OPB classes that are designed for annotating physical properties encoded in biomedical datasets and computational models, and we discuss how the OPB framework will facilitate biomedical knowledge integration. © 2011 Cook et al.
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Intermediate physics for medicine and biology
Hobbie, Russell K
2015-01-01
This classic text has been used in over 20 countries by advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in biophysics, physiology, medical physics, neuroscience, and biomedical engineering. It bridges the gap between an introductory physics course and the application of physics to the life and biomedical sciences. Extensively revised and updated, the fifth edition incorporates new developments at the interface between physics and biomedicine. New coverage includes cyclotrons, photodynamic therapy, color vision, x-ray crystallography, the electron microscope, cochlear implants, deep brain stimulation, nanomedicine, and other topics highlighted in the National Research Council report BIO2010. As with the previous edition, the first half of the text is primarily biological physics, emphasizing the use of ideas from physics to understand biology and physiology, and the second half is primarily medical physics, describing the use of physics in medicine for diagnosis (mainly imaging) and therapy. Among the m...
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Link between physics and biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zaider, M.; Brenner, D.J.; Hall, E.J.; Kliauga, P.
1988-01-01
In the general causative chain: radiation physics-radiation chemistry - radiobiology - cancer treatment, physics, the initiating and therefore cardinal agent, continues to play the role of the poor relation. The main reason for this state of affairs rests with the fact that most models of radiation action - the actual link between physics and biology - make very little or no use of information concerning the radiation field: they are simply convenient vehicles for describing a large body of radiobiological data with analytical expressions containing a minimum number of parameters. In spite of their practical usefulness such models will not be further considered here. It is a reasonable assertion that the main goal of radiation biophysics is to elucidate the mechanisms of radiation action on biological entities
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mathur, Deepak
2015-01-01
This Topical Review presents an overview of increasingly robust interconnects that are being established between atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) physics and the life sciences. AMO physics, outgrowing its historical role as a facilitator—a provider of optical methodologies, for instance—now seeks to partner biology in its quest to link systems-level descriptions of biological entities to insights based on molecular processes. Of course, perspectives differ when AMO physicists and biologists consider various processes. For instance, while AMO physicists link molecular properties and dynamics to potential energy surfaces, these have to give way to energy landscapes in considerations of protein dynamics. But there are similarities also: tunnelling and non-adiabatic transitions occur both in protein dynamics and in molecular dynamics. We bring to the fore some such differences and similarities; we consider imaging techniques based on AMO concepts, like 4D fluorescence microscopy which allows access to the dynamics of cellular processes, multiphoton microscopy which offers a built-in confocality, and microscopy with femtosecond laser beams to saturate the suppression of fluorescence in spatially controlled fashion so as to circumvent the diffraction limit. Beyond imaging, AMO physics contributes with optical traps that probe the mechanical and dynamical properties of single ‘live’ cells, highlighting differences between healthy and diseased cells. Trap methodologies have also begun to probe the dynamics governing of neural stem cells adhering to each other to form neurospheres and, with squeezed light to probe sub-diffusive motion of yeast cells. Strong field science contributes not only by providing a source of energetic electrons and γ-rays via laser-plasma accelerations schemes, but also via filamentation and supercontinuum generation, enabling mainstream collision physics into play in diverse processes like DNA damage induced by low-energy collisions to
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Physics and Biology Collaborate to Color the World
Liu, Dennis W. C.
2013-01-01
To understand how life works, it is essential to understand physics and chemistry. Most biologists have a clear notion of where chemistry fits into their life sciences research and teaching. Although we are physical beings, physics does not always find a place in the biology curriculum. Physics informs and enlightens biology in myriad dimensions,…
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Manthey, Seth; Brewe, Eric
2013-01-01
University Modeling Instruction (UMI) is an approach to curriculum and pedagogy that focuses instruction on engaging students in building, validating, and deploying scientific models. Modeling Instruction has been successfully implemented in both high school and university physics courses. Studies within the physics education research (PER) community have identified UMI's positive impacts on learning gains, equity, attitudinal shifts, and self-efficacy. While the success of this pedagogical approach has been recognized within the physics community, the use of models and modeling practices is still being developed for biology. Drawing from the existing research on UMI in physics, we describe the theoretical foundations of UMI and how UMI can be adapted to include an emphasis on models and modeling for undergraduate introductory biology courses. In particular, we discuss our ongoing work to develop a framework for the first semester of a two-semester introductory biology course sequence by identifying the essential basic models for an introductory biology course sequence. PMID:23737628
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Manthey, Seth; Brewe, Eric
2013-06-01
University Modeling Instruction (UMI) is an approach to curriculum and pedagogy that focuses instruction on engaging students in building, validating, and deploying scientific models. Modeling Instruction has been successfully implemented in both high school and university physics courses. Studies within the physics education research (PER) community have identified UMI's positive impacts on learning gains, equity, attitudinal shifts, and self-efficacy. While the success of this pedagogical approach has been recognized within the physics community, the use of models and modeling practices is still being developed for biology. Drawing from the existing research on UMI in physics, we describe the theoretical foundations of UMI and how UMI can be adapted to include an emphasis on models and modeling for undergraduate introductory biology courses. In particular, we discuss our ongoing work to develop a framework for the first semester of a two-semester introductory biology course sequence by identifying the essential basic models for an introductory biology course sequence.
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Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology
Hobbie, Russell K
2007-01-01
Intended for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in biophysics, physiology, medical physics, cell biology, and biomedical engineering, this wide-ranging text bridges the gap between introductory physics and its application to the life and biomedical sciences. This extensively revised and updated fourth edition reflects new developments at the burgeoning interface between physics and biomedicine. Among the many topics treated are: forces in the skeletal system; fluid flow, with examples from the circulatory system; the logistic equation; scaling; transport of neutral particles by diffusion and by solvent drag; membranes and osmosis; equipartition of energy in statistical mechanics; the chemical potential and free energy; biological magnetic fields; membranes and gated channels in membranes; linear and nonlinear feedback systems; nonlinear phenomena, including biological clocks and chaotic behavior; signal analysis, noise and stochastic resonance detection of weak signals; image formation and...
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Inverse operator theory method and its applications in nonlinear physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fang Jinqing
1993-01-01
Inverse operator theory method, which has been developed by G. Adomian in recent years, and its applications in nonlinear physics are described systematically. The method can be an unified effective procedure for solution of nonlinear and/or stochastic continuous dynamical systems without usual restrictive assumption. It is realized by Mathematical Mechanization by us. It will have a profound on the modelling of problems of physics, mathematics, engineering, economics, biology, and so on. Some typical examples of the application are given and reviewed
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Rosing, L. M.
1976-01-01
Physical, chemical and biological water quality data from five sites in the Tennessee River, two in Guntersville Reservoir and three in Wheeler Reservoir were correlated with climatological data for three annual cycles. Two of the annual cycles are for the years prior to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant operations and one is for the first 14 months of Plant operations. A comparison of the results of the annual cycles indicates that two distinct physical conditions in the reservoirs occur, one during the warm months when the reservoirs are at capacity and one during the colder winter months when the reservoirs have been drawn-down for water storage during the rainy months and for weed control. The wide variations of physical and chemical parameters to which the biological organisms are subjected on an annual basis control the biological organisms and their population levels. A comparison of the parameters of the site below the Power plant indicates that the heated effluent from the plant operating with two of the three reactors has not had any effect on the organisms at this site. Recommendations given include the development of prediction mathematical models (statistical analysis) for the physical and chemical parameters under specific climatological conditions which affect biological organisms. Tabulated data of chemical analysis of water and organism populations studied is given.
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Physical limits of feedback noise-suppression in biological networks
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhang, Jiajun; Yuan, Zhanjiang; Zhou, Tianshou
2009-01-01
Feedback is a ubiquitous control mechanism of biological networks, and has also been identified in a variety of regulatory systems and organisms. It has been shown that, for a given gain and with negligible intrinsic noise, negative feedback impairs noise buffering whereas positive feedback enhances noise buffering. We further investigate the influence of negative and positive feedback on noise in output signals by considering both intrinsic and extrinsic noise as well as operator noise. We find that, while maintaining the system sensitivity, either there exists a minimum of the output noise intensity corresponding to a biologically feasible feedback strength, or the output noise intensity is a monotonic function of feedback strength bounded by both biological and dynamical constraints. In both cases, feedback noise-suppression is physically limited. In other words, noise suppressed by negative or positive feedback cannot be reduced without limitation even in the case of slow transcription
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Physical models of biological information and adaptation.
Stuart, C I
1985-04-07
The bio-informational equivalence asserts that biological processes reduce to processes of information transfer. In this paper, that equivalence is treated as a metaphor with deeply anthropomorphic content of a sort that resists constitutive-analytical definition, including formulation within mathematical theories of information. It is argued that continuance of the metaphor, as a quasi-theoretical perspective in biology, must entail a methodological dislocation between biological and physical science. It is proposed that a general class of functions, drawn from classical physics, can serve to eliminate the anthropomorphism. Further considerations indicate that the concept of biological adaptation is central to the general applicability of the informational idea in biology; a non-anthropomorphic treatment of adaptive phenomena is suggested in terms of variational principles.
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Physics and biology of protein
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Go, Nobuhiro
2008-01-01
This is a record of my lecture given at the occasion of Yukawa-Tomonaga Centennial Symposium. At first I will mention very briefly how Yukawa contributed to the development of biophysics in Japan. Then I will be concerned with the relationship between physics and biology by discussing various aspects of protein. How far and in what sense can physics approach the essence of protein? In what aspects are something beyond physics important? (author)
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Physics and the molecular revolution in plant biology: union needed for managing the future
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ulrich Lüttge
2016-10-01
Full Text Available The question was asked if there is still a prominent role of biophysics in plant biology in an age when molecular biology appears to be dominating. Mathematical formation of theory is essential in systems biology, and mathematics is more inherent in biophysics than in molecular biology. A survey is made identifying and briefly characterizing fields of plant biology where approaches of biophysics remain essential. In transport at membranes electrophysiology and thermodynamics are biophysical topics. Water is a special molecule. Its transport follows the physical laws of osmosis and gradients of water potential on the background of physics of hydraulic architecture. Photobiology needs understanding of the physics of electro-magnetic radiation of quantitative nature in photosynthesis and of qualitative nature in perception by the photo-sensors cryptochromes, phototropins and phytochrome in environmental responses and development. Biophysical oscillators can play a role in biological timing by the circadian clock. Integration in the self-organization of modules, such as roots, stems and leaves, for the emergence of whole plants as unitary organisms needs storage and transport of information where physical modes of signaling are essential with cross talks between electrical and hydraulic signals and with chemical signals. Examples are gravitropism and root-shoot interactions in water relations. All of these facets of plant biophysics overlie plant molecular biology and exchange with it. It is advocated that a union of approaches of plant molecular biology and biophysics needs to be cultivated. In many cases it is already operative. In bionics biophysics is producing output for practical applications linking biology with technology. Biomimetic engineering intrinsically uses physical approaches. An extreme biophysical perspective is looking out for life in space. Sustained and increased practice of biophysics with teaching and research deserves strong
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Kelty-Stephen, Damian; Dixon, James A
2012-01-01
The neurobiological sciences have struggled to resolve the physical foundations for biological and cognitive phenomena with a suspicion that biological and cognitive systems, capable of exhibiting and contributing to structure within themselves and through their contexts, are fundamentally distinct or autonomous from purely physical systems. Complexity science offers new physics-based approaches to explaining biological and cognitive phenomena. In response to controversy over whether complexity science might seek to "explain away" biology and cognition as "just physics," we propose that complexity science serves as an application of recent advances in physics to phenomena in biology and cognition without reducing or undermining the integrity of the phenomena to be explained. We highlight that physics is, like the neurobiological sciences, an evolving field and that the threat of reduction is overstated. We propose that distinctions between biological and cognitive systems from physical systems are pretheoretical and thus optional. We review our own work applying insights from post-classical physics regarding turbulence and fractal fluctuations to the problems of developing cognitive structure. Far from hoping to reduce biology and cognition to "nothing but" physics, we present our view that complexity science offers new explanatory frameworks for considering physical foundations of biological and cognitive phenomena.
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Biological physics in México: Review and new challenges.
Hernández-Lemus, Enrique
2011-03-01
Biological and physical sciences possess a long-standing tradition of cooperativity as separate but related subfields of science. For some time, this cooperativity has been limited by their obvious differences in methods and views. Biological physics has recently experienced a kind of revival (or better a rebirth) due to the growth of molecular research on animate matter. New avenues for research have been opened for both theoretical and experimental physicists. Nevertheless, in order to better travel for such paths, the contemporary biological physicist should be armed with a set of specialized tools and methods but also with a new attitude toward multidisciplinarity. In this review article, we intend to somehow summarize what has been done in the past (in particular, as an example we will take a closer look at the Mexican case), to show some examples of fruitful investigations in the biological physics area and also to set a proposal of new curricula for physics students and professionals interested in applying their science to get a better understanding of the physical basis of biological function.
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Optimizing Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences: Placing Physics in Biological Context
Crouch, Catherine
2014-03-01
Physics is a critical foundation for today's life sciences and medicine. However, the physics content and ways of thinking identified by life scientists as most important for their fields are often not taught, or underemphasized, in traditional introductory physics courses. Furthermore, such courses rarely give students practice using physics to understand living systems in a substantial way. Consequently, students are unlikely to recognize the value of physics to their chosen fields, or to develop facility in applying physics to biological systems. At Swarthmore, as at several other institutions engaged in reforming this course, we have reorganized the introductory course for life science students around touchstone biological examples, in which fundamental physics contributes significantly to understanding biological phenomena or research techniques, in order to make explicit the value of physics to the life sciences. We have also focused on the physics topics and approaches most relevant to biology while seeking to develop rigorous qualitative reasoning and quantitative problem solving skills, using established pedagogical best practices. Each unit is motivated by and culminates with students analyzing one or more touchstone examples. For example, in the second semester we emphasize electric potential and potential difference more than electric field, and start from students' typically superficial understanding of the cell membrane potential and of electrical interactions in biochemistry to help them develop a more sophisticated understanding of electric forces, field, and potential, including in the salt water environment of life. Other second semester touchstones include optics of vision and microscopes, circuit models for neural signaling, and magnetotactic bacteria. When possible, we have adapted existing research-based curricular materials to support these examples. This talk will describe the design and development process for this course, give examples of
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Biology meets Physics: Reductionism and Multi-scale Modeling of Morphogenesis
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Green, Sara; Batterman, Robert
2017-01-01
A common reductionist assumption is that macro-scale behaviors can be described "bottom-up" if only sufficient details about lower-scale processes are available. The view that an "ideal" or "fundamental" physics would be sufficient to explain all macro-scale phenomena has been met with criticism ...... modeling in developmental biology. In such contexts, the relation between models at different scales and from different disciplines is neither reductive nor completely autonomous, but interdependent....... from philosophers of biology. Specifically, scholars have pointed to the impossibility of deducing biological explanations from physical ones, and to the irreducible nature of distinctively biological processes such as gene regulation and evolution. This paper takes a step back in asking whether bottom......-up modeling is feasible even when modeling simple physical systems across scales. By comparing examples of multi-scale modeling in physics and biology, we argue that the “tyranny of scales” problem present a challenge to reductive explanations in both physics and biology. The problem refers to the scale...
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PREFACE: Nanobiology: from physics and engineering to biology
Nussinov, Ruth; Alemán, Carlos
2006-03-01
Biological systems are inherently nano in scale. Unlike nanotechnology, nanobiology is characterized by the interplay between physics, materials science, synthetic organic chemistry, engineering and biology. Nanobiology is a new discipline, with the potential of revolutionizing medicine: it combines the tools, ideas and materials of nanoscience and biology; it addresses biological problems that can be studied and solved by nanotechnology; it devises ways to construct molecular devices using biomacromolecules; and it attempts to build molecular machines utilizing concepts seen in nature. Its ultimate aim is to be able to predictably manipulate these, tailoring them to specified needs. Nanobiology targets biological systems and uses biomacromolecules. Hence, on the one hand, nanobiology is seemingly constrained in its scope as compared to general nanotechnology. Yet the amazing intricacy of biological systems, their complexity, and the richness of the shapes and properties provided by the biological polymers, enrich nanobiology. Targeting biological systems entails comprehension of how they work and the ability to use their components in design. From the physical standpoint, ultimately, if we are to understand biology we need to learn how to apply physical principles to figure out how these systems actually work. The goal of nanobiology is to assist in probing these systems at the appropriate length scale, heralding a new era in the biological, physical and chemical sciences. Biology is increasingly asking quantitative questions. Quantitation is essential if we are to understand how the cell works, and the details of its regulation. The physical sciences provide tools and strategies to obtain accurate measurements and simulate the information to allow comprehension of the processes. Nanobiology is at the interface of the physical and the biological sciences. Biology offers to the physical sciences fascinating problems, sophisticated systems and a rich repertoire of
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Natural world physical, brain operational, and mind phenomenal space-time
Fingelkurts, Andrew A.; Fingelkurts, Alexander A.; Neves, Carlos F. H.
2010-06-01
Concepts of space and time are widely developed in physics. However, there is a considerable lack of biologically plausible theoretical frameworks that can demonstrate how space and time dimensions are implemented in the activity of the most complex life-system - the brain with a mind. Brain activity is organized both temporally and spatially, thus representing space-time in the brain. Critical analysis of recent research on the space-time organization of the brain's activity pointed to the existence of so-called operational space-time in the brain. This space-time is limited to the execution of brain operations of differing complexity. During each such brain operation a particular short-term spatio-temporal pattern of integrated activity of different brain areas emerges within related operational space-time. At the same time, to have a fully functional human brain one needs to have a subjective mental experience. Current research on the subjective mental experience offers detailed analysis of space-time organization of the mind. According to this research, subjective mental experience (subjective virtual world) has definitive spatial and temporal properties similar to many physical phenomena. Based on systematic review of the propositions and tenets of brain and mind space-time descriptions, our aim in this review essay is to explore the relations between the two. To be precise, we would like to discuss the hypothesis that via the brain operational space-time the mind subjective space-time is connected to otherwise distant physical space-time reality.
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The Physics of Marine Biology.
Conn, Kathleen
1992-01-01
Discusses ways in which marine biology can be integrated into the physics classroom. Topics suggested for incorporation include the harmonic motion of ocean waves, ocean currents, the interaction of visible light with ocean water, pressure, light absorption, and sound transfer in water. (MDH)
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Crouch, Catherine H.; Heller, Kenneth
2014-05-01
We describe restructuring the introductory physics for life science students (IPLS) course to better support these students in using physics to understand their chosen fields. Our courses teach physics using biologically rich contexts. Specifically, we use examples in which fundamental physics contributes significantly to understanding a biological system to make explicit the value of physics to the life sciences. This requires selecting the course content to reflect the topics most relevant to biology while maintaining the fundamental disciplinary structure of physics. In addition to stressing the importance of the fundamental principles of physics, an important goal is developing students' quantitative and problem solving skills. Our guiding pedagogical framework is the cognitive apprenticeship model, in which learning occurs most effectively when students can articulate why what they are learning matters to them. In this article, we describe our courses, summarize initial assessment data, and identify needs for future research.
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Physical mechanisms of biological molecular motors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Miller, John H. Jr.; Vajrala, Vijayanand; Infante, Hans L.; Claycomb, James R.; Palanisami, Akilan; Fang Jie; Mercier, George T.
2009-01-01
Biological motors generally fall into two categories: (1) those that convert chemical into mechanical energy via hydrolysis of a nucleoside triphosphate, usually adenosine triphosphate, regarded as life's chemical currency of energy and (2) membrane bound motors driven directly by an ion gradient and/or membrane potential. Here we argue that electrostatic interactions play a vital role for both types of motors and, therefore, the tools of physics can greatly contribute to understanding biological motors
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Physical mechanisms of biological molecular motors
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Miller, John H. Jr. [Department of Physics and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Road, Ste. 617 SR1 Houston, TX 77204-5005 (United States)], E-mail: jhmiller@uh.edu; Vajrala, Vijayanand; Infante, Hans L. [Department of Physics and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Road, Ste. 617 SR1 Houston, TX 77204-5005 (United States); Claycomb, James R. [Department of Physics and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Road, Ste. 617 SR1 Houston, TX 77204-5005 (United States); Department of Mathematics and Physics, Houston Baptist University, 7502 Fondren Road, Houston, TX 77074-3298 (United States); Palanisami, Akilan; Fang Jie; Mercier, George T. [Department of Physics and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Road, Ste. 617 SR1 Houston, TX 77204-5005 (United States)
2009-03-01
Biological motors generally fall into two categories: (1) those that convert chemical into mechanical energy via hydrolysis of a nucleoside triphosphate, usually adenosine triphosphate, regarded as life's chemical currency of energy and (2) membrane bound motors driven directly by an ion gradient and/or membrane potential. Here we argue that electrostatic interactions play a vital role for both types of motors and, therefore, the tools of physics can greatly contribute to understanding biological motors.
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Physical activity and biological maturation: a systematic review
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Eliane Denise Araújo Bacil
2015-03-01
Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between physical activity (PA and biological maturation in children and adolescents. DATA SOURCE: We performed a systematic review in April 2013 in the electronic databases of PubMed/MEDLINE, SportDiscus, Web of Science and LILACS without time restrictions. A total of 628 potentially relevant articles were identified and 10 met the inclusion criteria for this review: cross-sectional or longitudinal studies, published in Portuguese, English or Spanish, with schoolchildren aged 9-15 years old of both genders. DATA SYNTHESIS: Despite the heterogeneity of the studies, there was an inverse association between PA and biological maturation. PA decreases with increased biological and chronological age in both genders. Boys tend to be more physically active than girls; however, when controlling for biological age, the gender differences disappear. The association between PA and timing of maturation varies between the genders. Variation in the timing of biological maturation affects the tracking of PA in early adolescent girls. This review suggests that mediators (BMI, depression, low self-esteem, and concerns about body weight can explain the association between PA and biological maturation. CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between PA and biological maturation. PA decreases with increasing biological age with no differences between genders. As for the timing of biological maturation, this association varies between genders.
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Physics with illustrative examples from medicine and biology
Benedek, George B
Physics: with illustrative examples from medicine and biology is a three-volume set of textbooks in introductory physics written at the calculus level and designed primarily for students with career objectives in the life sciences.
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Physical biology of human brain development
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Silvia eBudday
2015-07-01
Full Text Available Neurodevelopment is a complex, dynamic process that involves a precisely orchestrated sequence of genetic, environmental, biochemical, and physical events. Developmental biology and genetics have shaped our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms during neurodevelopment. Recent studies suggest that physical forces play a central role in translating these cellular mechanisms into the complex surface morphology of the human brain. However, the precise impact of neuronal differentiation, migration, and connection on the physical forces during cortical folding remains unknown. Here we review the cellular mechanisms of neurodevelopment with a view towards surface morphogenesis, pattern selection, and evolution of shape. We revisit cortical folding as the instability problem of constrained differential growth in a multi-layered system. To identify the contributing factors of differential growth, we map out the timeline of neurodevelopment in humans and highlight the cellular events associated with extreme radial and tangential expansion. We demonstrate how computational modeling of differential growth can bridge the scales-from phenomena on the cellular level towards form and function on the organ level-to make quantitative, personalized predictions. Physics-based models can quantify cortical stresses, identify critical folding conditions, rationalize pattern selection, and predict gyral wavelengths and gyrification indices. We illustrate that physical forces can explain cortical malformations as emergent properties of developmental disorders. Combining biology and physics holds promise to advance our understanding of human brain development and enable early diagnostics of cortical malformations with the ultimate goal to improve treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders including epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders, and schizophrenia.
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Biological, chemical and medical physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1990-01-01
This is an overview of the actual situation in Brazil, concerning three important areas of physics: biological, chemical and medical. It gives a brief historical of research in these areas. It talks as well, about perspectives and financing. It contains many tables with the main research groups in activity in Brazilian institutions. (A.C.A.S.)
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Gerardo Moreno
2014-01-01
Full Text Available Background. Physical activity is associated with better physical health, possibly by changing biological markers of health such as waist circumference and inflammation, but these relationships are unclear and even less understood among older Latinos—a group with high rates of sedentary lifestyle. Methods. Participants were 120 sedentary older Latino adults from senior centers. Community-partnered research methods were used to recruit participants. Inflammatory (C-reactive protein and metabolic markers of health (waist circumference, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, and glucose, physical activity (Yale physical activity survey, and physical performance (short physical performance NIA battery were measured at baseline and 6-month followup. Results. Eighty percent of the sample was female. In final adjusted cross-sectional models, better physical activity indices were associated with faster gait speed (P<0.05. In adjusted longitudinal analyses, change in self-reported physical activity level correlated inversely with change in CRP (β=-0.05; P=0.03 and change in waist circumference (β=-0.16; P=0.02. Biological markers of health did not mediate the relationship between physical activity and physical performance. Conclusion. In this community-partnered study, higher physical activity was associated with better physical performance in cross-sectional analyses. In longitudinal analysis, increased physical activity was associated with improvements in some metabolic and inflammatory markers of health.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1990-01-01
This is an overview of physics in Brazil in the next decade. It is specially concerned with atomic, molecular and optical physics, biological chemical and medical physics, and also teaching of physics and plasma physics. It presents the main research groups in Brazil in the above mentioned areas. It talks as well, about financing new projects and the costs involved to improve these areas. (A.C.A.S.)
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BOOK REVIEW Handbook of Physics in Medicine and Biology Handbook of Physics in Medicine and Biology
Tabakov, Slavik
2010-11-01
This is a multi-author handbook (66 authors) aiming to describe various applications of physics to medicine and biology, from anatomy and physiology to medical equipment. This unusual reference book has 44 chapters organized in seven sections: 1. Anatomical physics; 2. Physics of perception; 3. Biomechanics; 4. Electrical physics; 5. Diagnostic physics; 6. Physics of accessory medicine; 7. Physics of bioengineering. Each chapter has separate page numbering, which is inconvenient but understandable with the number of authors. Similarly there is some variation in the emphasis of chapters: for some the emphasis is more technical and for others clinical. Each chapter has a separate list of references. The handbook includes hundreds of diagrams, images and tables, making it a useful tool for both medical physicists/engineers and other medical/biology specialists. The first section (about 40 pages) includes five chapters on physics of the cell membrane; protein signaling; cell biology and biophysics of the cell membrane; cellular thermodynamics; action potential transmission and volume conduction. The physics of these is well explained and illustrated with clear diagrams and formulae, so it could be a suitable reference for physicists/engineers. The chapters on cellular thermodynamics and action potential transmission have a very good balance of technical/clinical content. The second section (about 85 pages) includes six chapters on medical decision making; senses; somatic senses: touch and pain; hearing; vision; electroreception. Again these are well illustrated and a suitable reference for physicists/engineers. The chapter on hearing stands out with good balance and treatment of material, but some other chapters contain less physics and are close to typical physiological explanations. One could query the inclusion of the chapter on medical decision making, which also needs more detail. The third section (about 80 pages) includes eight chapters on biomechanics
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Operational health physics at the Los Alamos meson physics proton accelerator
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Engelke, M.J.
1975-01-01
The operational health physics practices and procedures at the Clinton P. Anderson Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF), a medium energy, high intensity proton accelerator are reviewed. The operational philosophy used for the control of personnel exposures and radioactive materials is discussed. A particular operation involving the removal of a radioactive beam stop reading in excess of 1000 R/h is described
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[Numerical simulation and operation optimization of biological filter].
Zou, Zong-Sen; Shi, Han-Chang; Chen, Xiang-Qiang; Xie, Xiao-Qing
2014-12-01
BioWin software and two sensitivity analysis methods were used to simulate the Denitrification Biological Filter (DNBF) + Biological Aerated Filter (BAF) process in Yuandang Wastewater Treatment Plant. Based on the BioWin model of DNBF + BAF process, the operation data of September 2013 were used for sensitivity analysis and model calibration, and the operation data of October 2013 were used for model validation. The results indicated that the calibrated model could accurately simulate practical DNBF + BAF processes, and the most sensitive parameters were the parameters related to biofilm, OHOs and aeration. After the validation and calibration of model, it was used for process optimization with simulating operation results under different conditions. The results showed that, the best operation condition for discharge standard B was: reflux ratio = 50%, ceasing methanol addition, influent C/N = 4.43; while the best operation condition for discharge standard A was: reflux ratio = 50%, influent COD = 155 mg x L(-1) after methanol addition, influent C/N = 5.10.
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The definitions of information and meaning two possible boundaries between physics and biology.
Barbieri, Marcello
2004-01-01
The standard approach to the definition of the physical quantities has not produced satisfactory results with the concepts of information and meaning. In the case of information we have at least two unrelated definitions, while in the case of meaning we have no definition at all. Here it is shown that both information and meaning can be defined by operative procedures, but it is also pointed out that we need to recognize them as a new type of natural entities. They are not quantities (neither fundamental nor derived) because they cannot be measured, and they are not qualities because are not subjective features. Here it is proposed to call them nominable entities, i.e., entities which can be specified only by naming their components in their natural order. If the genetic code is not a linguistic metaphor but a reality, we must conclude that information and meaning are real natural entities, and now we must also conclude that they are not equivalent to the quantities and qualities of our present theoretical framework. This gives us two options. One is to extend the definition of physics and say that the list of its fundamental entities must include information and meaning. The other is to say that physics is the science of quantities only, and in this case information and meaning become the exclusive province of biology. The boundary between physics and biology, in short, is a matter of convention, but the existence of information and meaning is not. We can decide to study them in the framework of an extended physics or in a purely biological framework, but we cannot avoid studying them for what they are, i.e., as fundamental components of the fabric of Nature.
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RENEB - Running the European Network of biological dosimetry and physical retrospective dosimetry.
Kulka, Ulrike; Abend, Michael; Ainsbury, Elizabeth; Badie, Christophe; Barquinero, Joan Francesc; Barrios, Lleonard; Beinke, Christina; Bortolin, Emanuela; Cucu, Alexandra; De Amicis, Andrea; Domínguez, Inmaculada; Fattibene, Paola; Frøvig, Anne Marie; Gregoire, Eric; Guogyte, Kamile; Hadjidekova, Valeria; Jaworska, Alicja; Kriehuber, Ralf; Lindholm, Carita; Lloyd, David; Lumniczky, Katalin; Lyng, Fiona; Meschini, Roberta; Mörtl, Simone; Della Monaca, Sara; Monteiro Gil, Octávia; Montoro, Alegria; Moquet, Jayne; Moreno, Mercedes; Oestreicher, Ursula; Palitti, Fabrizio; Pantelias, Gabriel; Patrono, Clarice; Piqueret-Stephan, Laure; Port, Matthias; Prieto, María Jesus; Quintens, Roel; Ricoul, Michelle; Romm, Horst; Roy, Laurence; Sáfrány, Géza; Sabatier, Laure; Sebastià, Natividad; Sommer, Sylwester; Terzoudi, Georgia; Testa, Antonella; Thierens, Hubert; Turai, Istvan; Trompier, François; Valente, Marco; Vaz, Pedro; Voisin, Philippe; Vral, Anne; Woda, Clemens; Zafiropoulos, Demetre; Wojcik, Andrzej
2017-01-01
A European network was initiated in 2012 by 23 partners from 16 European countries with the aim to significantly increase individualized dose reconstruction in case of large-scale radiological emergency scenarios. The network was built on three complementary pillars: (1) an operational basis with seven biological and physical dosimetric assays in ready-to-use mode, (2) a basis for education, training and quality assurance, and (3) a basis for further network development regarding new techniques and members. Techniques for individual dose estimation based on biological samples and/or inert personalized devices as mobile phones or smart phones were optimized to support rapid categorization of many potential victims according to the received dose to the blood or personal devices. Communication and cross-border collaboration were also standardized. To assure long-term sustainability of the network, cooperation with national and international emergency preparedness organizations was initiated and links to radiation protection and research platforms have been developed. A legal framework, based on a Memorandum of Understanding, was established and signed by 27 organizations by the end of 2015. RENEB is a European Network of biological and physical-retrospective dosimetry, with the capacity and capability to perform large-scale rapid individualized dose estimation. Specialized to handle large numbers of samples, RENEB is able to contribute to radiological emergency preparedness and wider large-scale research projects.
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Physical integrity: the missing link in biological monitoring and TMDLs.
Asmus, Brenda; Magner, Joseph A; Vondracek, Bruce; Perry, Jim
2009-12-01
The Clean Water Act mandates that the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of our nation's waters be maintained and restored. Physical integrity has often been defined as physical habitat integrity, and as such, data collected during biological monitoring programs focus primarily on habitat quality. However, we argue that channel stability is a more appropriate measure of physical integrity and that channel stability is a foundational element of physical habitat integrity in low-gradient alluvial streams. We highlight assessment tools that could supplement stream assessments and the Total Maximum Daily Load stressor identification process: field surveys of bankfull cross-sections; longitudinal thalweg profiles; particle size distribution; and regionally calibrated, visual, stream stability assessments. Benefits of measuring channel stability include a more informed selection of reference or best attainable stream condition for an Index of Biotic Integrity, establishment of a baseline for monitoring changes in present and future condition, and indication of channel stability for investigations of chemical and biological impairments associated with sediment discontinuity and loss of habitat quality.
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Research at the interface of physics and biology: bridging the two fields
Shukla, Kamal
2014-10-01
I firmly believe that interaction between physics and biology is not only natural, but inevitable. Kamal Shukla provides a personal perspective on working at the interface between the physical and biological sciences.
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Getting the measure of things: the physical biology of stem cells.
Lowell, Sally
2013-10-01
In July 2013, the diverse fields of biology, physics and mathematics converged to discuss 'The Physical Biology of Stem Cells', the subject of the third annual symposium of the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, UK. Two clear themes resonated throughout the meeting: the new insights gained from advances in the acquisition and interpretation of quantitative data; and the importance of 'thinking outside the nucleus' to consider physical influences on cell fate.
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Breaking Frontiers: Submicron Structures in Physics and Biology - 52 Zakopane School of Physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2008-01-01
The 52 Zakopane School of Physics held in Zakopane from 19 to 24 May 2008. The main task of the symposium was to present the newest results of research in field of submicron structures in physics, biology and medicine. Some new technologies as well as their applications are also presented
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Breaking Frontiers: Submicron Structures in Physics and Biology - 52 Zakopane School of Physics
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
2008-07-01
The 52 Zakopane School of Physics held in Zakopane from 19 to 24 May 2008. The main task of the symposium was to present the newest results of research in field of submicron structures in physics, biology and medicine. Some new technologies as well as their applications are also presented.
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Operational power reactor health physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Watson, B.A.
1987-01-01
Operational Health Physics can be comprised of a multitude of organizations, both corporate and at the plant sites. The following discussion centers around Baltimore Gas and Electric's (BG and E) Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, located in Lusby, Maryland. Calvert Cliffs is a twin Combustion Engineering 825 MWe pressurized water reactor site with Unit I having a General electric turbine-generator and Unit II having a Westinghouse turbine-generator. Having just completed each Unit's ten-year Inservice Inspection and Refueling Outge, a total of 20 reactor years operating health physics experience have been accumulated at Calvert Cliffs. Because BG and E has only one nuclear site most health physics functions are performed at the plant site. This is also true for the other BG and E nuclear related organizations, such as Engineering and Quality Assurance. Utilities with multiple plant sites have corporate health physics entity usually providing oversight to the various plant programs
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Biological/Genetic Regulation of Physical Activity Level: Consensus from GenBioPAC.
Lightfoot, J Timothy; DE Geus, Eco J C; Booth, Frank W; Bray, Molly S; DEN Hoed, Marcel; Kaprio, Jaakko; Kelly, Scott A; Pomp, Daniel; Saul, Michael C; Thomis, Martine A; Garland, Theodore; Bouchard, Claude
2018-04-01
Physical activity unquestionably maintains and improves health; however, physical activity levels globally are low and not rising despite all the resources devoted to this goal. Attention in both the research literature and the public policy domain has focused on social-behavioral factors; however, a growing body of literature suggests that biological determinants play a significant role in regulating physical activity levels. For instance, physical activity level, measured in various manners, has a genetic component in both humans and nonhuman animal models. This consensus article, developed as a result of an American College of Sports Medicine-sponsored round table, provides a brief review of the theoretical concepts and existing literature that supports a significant role of genetic and other biological factors in the regulation of physical activity. Future research on physical activity regulation should incorporate genetics and other biological determinants of physical activity instead of a sole reliance on social and other environmental determinants.
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WE-DE-202-00: Connecting Radiation Physics with Computational Biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2016-01-01
Radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer has been established as a highly precise and effective way to eradicate a localized region of diseased tissue. To achieve further significant gains in the therapeutic ratio, we need to move towards biologically optimized treatment planning. To achieve this goal, we need to understand how the radiation-type dependent patterns of induced energy depositions within the cell (physics) connect via molecular, cellular and tissue reactions to treatment outcome such as tumor control and undesirable effects on normal tissue. Several computational biology approaches have been developed connecting physics to biology. Monte Carlo simulations are the most accurate method to calculate physical dose distributions at the nanometer scale, however simulations at the DNA scale are slow and repair processes are generally not simulated. Alternative models that rely on the random formation of individual DNA lesions within one or two turns of the DNA have been shown to reproduce the clusters of DNA lesions, including single strand breaks (SSBs), double strand breaks (DSBs) without the need for detailed track structure simulations. Efficient computational simulations of initial DNA damage induction facilitate computational modeling of DNA repair and other molecular and cellular processes. Mechanistic, multiscale models provide a useful conceptual framework to test biological hypotheses and help connect fundamental information about track structure and dosimetry at the sub-cellular level to dose-response effects on larger scales. In this symposium we will learn about the current state of the art of computational approaches estimating radiation damage at the cellular and sub-cellular scale. How can understanding the physics interactions at the DNA level be used to predict biological outcome? We will discuss if and how such calculations are relevant to advance our understanding of radiation damage and its repair, or, if the underlying biological
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WE-DE-202-00: Connecting Radiation Physics with Computational Biology
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
2016-06-15
Radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer has been established as a highly precise and effective way to eradicate a localized region of diseased tissue. To achieve further significant gains in the therapeutic ratio, we need to move towards biologically optimized treatment planning. To achieve this goal, we need to understand how the radiation-type dependent patterns of induced energy depositions within the cell (physics) connect via molecular, cellular and tissue reactions to treatment outcome such as tumor control and undesirable effects on normal tissue. Several computational biology approaches have been developed connecting physics to biology. Monte Carlo simulations are the most accurate method to calculate physical dose distributions at the nanometer scale, however simulations at the DNA scale are slow and repair processes are generally not simulated. Alternative models that rely on the random formation of individual DNA lesions within one or two turns of the DNA have been shown to reproduce the clusters of DNA lesions, including single strand breaks (SSBs), double strand breaks (DSBs) without the need for detailed track structure simulations. Efficient computational simulations of initial DNA damage induction facilitate computational modeling of DNA repair and other molecular and cellular processes. Mechanistic, multiscale models provide a useful conceptual framework to test biological hypotheses and help connect fundamental information about track structure and dosimetry at the sub-cellular level to dose-response effects on larger scales. In this symposium we will learn about the current state of the art of computational approaches estimating radiation damage at the cellular and sub-cellular scale. How can understanding the physics interactions at the DNA level be used to predict biological outcome? We will discuss if and how such calculations are relevant to advance our understanding of radiation damage and its repair, or, if the underlying biological
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Operating systems for experimental physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Davies, H.E.
1976-01-01
Modern high energy physics experiments are very dependent on the use of computers and present a fairly well defined list of technical demands on them. It is therefore possible to look at the construction of a computer operating system and to see how the design choices should be made in order to make the systems as useful as possible to physics experiments or, more practically, to look at existing operating systems to see which can most easily be used to do the jobs of rapid data acquisition and checking. In these notes, operating systems are looked at from the point of view of the informed user. Emphasis is placed on systems which are intended for single processor microcomputers of the type frequently used for data acquisition applications. The principles described are, of course, equally valid for other kinds of system. (Auth.)
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Conference: Statistical Physics and Biological Information
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gross, David J.; Hwa, Terence
2001-01-01
In the spring of 2001, the Institute for Theoretical Physics ran a 6 month scientific program on Statistical Physics and Biological Information. This program was organized by Walter Fitch (UC Irvine), Terence Hwa (UC San Diego), Luca Peliti (University Federico II), Naples Gary Stormo (Washington University School of Medicine) and Chao Tang (NEC). Overall scientific supervision was provided by David Gross, Director, ITP. The ITP has an online conference/program proceeding which consists of audio and transparencies of almost all of the talks held during this program. Over 100 talks are available on the site at http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/infobio01/
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30 CFR 56.19057 - Hoist operator's physical fitness.
2010-07-01
... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Hoist operator's physical fitness. 56.19057... Hoisting Hoisting Procedures § 56.19057 Hoist operator's physical fitness. No person shall operate a hoist... who shall certify his fitness to perform this duty. Such certification shall be available at the mine. ...
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30 CFR 57.19057 - Hoist operator's physical fitness.
2010-07-01
... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Hoist operator's physical fitness. 57.19057... Hoisting Hoisting Procedures § 57.19057 Hoist operator's physical fitness. No person shall operate a hoist... who shall certify his fitness to perform this duty. Such certification shall be available at the mine. ...
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Perspectives on theory at the interface of physics and biology
Bialek, William
2018-01-01
Theoretical physics is the search for simple and universal mathematical descriptions of the natural world. In contrast, much of modern biology is an exploration of the complexity and diversity of life. For many, this contrast is prima facie evidence that theory, in the sense that physicists use the word, is impossible in a biological context. For others, this contrast serves to highlight a grand challenge. I am an optimist, and believe (along with many colleagues) that the time is ripe for the emergence of a more unified theoretical physics of biological systems, building on successes in thinking about particular phenomena. In this essay I try to explain the reasons for my optimism, through a combination of historical and modern examples.
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W-026, health physics instrumentation operational test report
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hackworth, M.F.
1998-01-01
This report documents the testing of the Health Physics Instrumentation associated with phase 2 and 3 start-up of Project W-026, WRAP. The Health Physics Instrumentation includes: Alpha and Beta Continuous Air Monitors (CAMS), Personnel Contamination Monitors (PCMs), Gamma Area Radiation Monitors (ARMs), Criticality Monitors, Alpha and Beta Smear Sample Counters, Portable Friskers, and Operator Breathing Zone Air Samplers. This OTR will cover only the Health Physics Instrumentation that was tested under the Operational test Plan for Health Physics Instrumentation (Phase 2 and 3). That instrumentation included: Alpha CAMS, Beta CAMs and ARMs located in rooms 107 and 113 of 2336-W. The remaining Health Physics Instrumentation that will be used for phase 2 and 3 start-up is tested during calibrations. These calibrations are outside the scope of the Operational Test Plan
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Ionising radiation - physical and biological effects
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Holter, Oe.; Ingebretsen, F.; Parr, H.
1979-01-01
The physics of ionising radiation is briefly presented. The effects of ionising radiation on biological cells, cell repair and radiosensitivity are briefly treated, where after the effects on man and mammals are discussed and related to radiation doses. Dose limits are briefly discussed. The genetic effects are discussed separately. Radioecology is also briefly treated and a table of radionuclides deriving from reactors, and their radiation is given. (JIW)
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Pragmatic turn in biology: From biological molecules to genetic content operators.
Witzany, Guenther
2014-08-26
Erwin Schrödinger's question "What is life?" received the answer for decades of "physics + chemistry". The concepts of Alain Turing and John von Neumann introduced a third term: "information". This led to the understanding of nucleic acid sequences as a natural code. Manfred Eigen adapted the concept of Hammings "sequence space". Similar to Hilbert space, in which every ontological entity could be defined by an unequivocal point in a mathematical axiomatic system, in the abstract "sequence space" concept each point represents a unique syntactic structure and the value of their separation represents their dissimilarity. In this concept molecular features of the genetic code evolve by means of self-organisation of matter. Biological selection determines the fittest types among varieties of replication errors of quasi-species. The quasi-species concept dominated evolution theory for many decades. In contrast to this, recent empirical data on the evolution of DNA and its forerunners, the RNA-world and viruses indicate cooperative agent-based interactions. Group behaviour of quasi-species consortia constitute de novo and arrange available genetic content for adaptational purposes within real-life contexts that determine epigenetic markings. This review focuses on some fundamental changes in biology, discarding its traditional status as a subdiscipline of physics and chemistry.
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Simbios: an NIH national center for physics-based simulation of biological structures.
Delp, Scott L; Ku, Joy P; Pande, Vijay S; Sherman, Michael A; Altman, Russ B
2012-01-01
Physics-based simulation provides a powerful framework for understanding biological form and function. Simulations can be used by biologists to study macromolecular assemblies and by clinicians to design treatments for diseases. Simulations help biomedical researchers understand the physical constraints on biological systems as they engineer novel drugs, synthetic tissues, medical devices, and surgical interventions. Although individual biomedical investigators make outstanding contributions to physics-based simulation, the field has been fragmented. Applications are typically limited to a single physical scale, and individual investigators usually must create their own software. These conditions created a major barrier to advancing simulation capabilities. In 2004, we established a National Center for Physics-Based Simulation of Biological Structures (Simbios) to help integrate the field and accelerate biomedical research. In 6 years, Simbios has become a vibrant national center, with collaborators in 16 states and eight countries. Simbios focuses on problems at both the molecular scale and the organismal level, with a long-term goal of uniting these in accurate multiscale simulations.
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Nuclear reactor physics course for reactor operators
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Baeten, P.
2006-01-01
The education and training of nuclear reactor operators is important to guarantee the safe operation of present and future nuclear reactors. Therefore, a course on basic 'Nuclear reactor physics' in the initial and continuous training of reactor operators has proven to be indispensable. In most countries, such training also results from the direct request from the safety authorities to assure the high level of competence of the staff in nuclear reactors. The aim of the basic course on 'Nuclear Reactor Physics for reactor operators' is to provide the reactor operators with a basic understanding of the main concepts relevant to nuclear reactors. Seen the education level of the participants, mathematical derivations are simplified and reduced to a minimum, but not completely eliminated
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Estuary-ocean connectivity: fast physics, slow biology.
Raimonet, Mélanie; Cloern, James E
2017-06-01
Estuaries are connected to both land and ocean so their physical, chemical, and biological dynamics are influenced by climate patterns over watersheds and ocean basins. We explored climate-driven oceanic variability as a source of estuarine variability by comparing monthly time series of temperature and chlorophyll-a inside San Francisco Bay with those in adjacent shelf waters of the California Current System (CCS) that are strongly responsive to wind-driven upwelling. Monthly temperature fluctuations inside and outside the Bay were synchronous, but their correlations weakened with distance from the ocean. These results illustrate how variability of coastal water temperature (and associated properties such as nitrate and oxygen) propagates into estuaries through fast water exchanges that dissipate along the estuary. Unexpectedly, there was no correlation between monthly chlorophyll-a variability inside and outside the Bay. However, at the annual scale Bay chlorophyll-a was significantly correlated with the Spring Transition Index (STI) that sets biological production supporting fish recruitment in the CCS. Wind forcing of the CCS shifted in the late 1990s when the STI advanced 40 days. This shift was followed, with lags of 1-3 years, by 3- to 19-fold increased abundances of five ocean-produced demersal fish and crustaceans and 2.5-fold increase of summer chlorophyll-a in the Bay. These changes reflect a slow biological process of estuary-ocean connectivity operating through the immigration of fish and crustaceans that prey on bivalves, reduce their grazing pressure, and allow phytoplankton biomass to build. We identified clear signals of climate-mediated oceanic variability in this estuary and discovered that the response patterns vary with the process of connectivity and the timescale of ocean variability. This result has important implications for managing nutrient inputs to estuaries connected to upwelling systems, and for assessing their responses to changing
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Coordinating an IPLS class with a biology curriculum: NEXUS/Physics
Redish, Edward
2014-03-01
A multi-disciplinary team of scientists has been reinventing the Introductory Physics for Life Scientists (IPLS) course at the University of Maryland. We focus on physics that connects elements common to the curriculum for all life scientists - molecular and cellular biology - with building general scientific competencies, such as mathematical modeling, reasoning from core principles, and multi-representation translation. The prerequisites for the class include calculus, chemistry, and biology. In addition to building the basic ideas of the Newtonian framework, electric currents, and optics, our prerequisites allow us to include topics such as atomic interactions and chemical bonding, random motion and diffusion, thermodynamics (including entropy and free energy), and spectroscopy. Our chemical bonding unit helps students link the view of energy developed in traditional macroscopic physics with the idea of chemical bonding as a source of energy presented in their chemistry and biology classes. Education research has played a central role in our design, as has a strong collaboration between our Discipline-Based Education and the Biophysics Research groups. These elements permit us to combine modern pedagogy with cutting-edge insights into the physics of living systems. Supported in part by a grant from HHMI and the US NSF grant #1122818/.
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Operational reactor physics analysis codes (ORPAC)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kumar, Jainendra; Singh, K.P.; Singh, Kanchhi
2007-07-01
For efficient, smooth and safe operation of a nuclear research reactor, many reactor physics evaluations are regularly required. As part of reactor core management the important activities are maintaining core reactivity status, core power distribution, xenon estimations, safety evaluation of in-pile irradiation samples and experimental assemblies and assessment of nuclear safety in fuel handling/storage. In-pile irradiation of samples requires a prior estimation of the reactivity load due to the sample, the heating rate and the activity developed in it during irradiation. For the safety of personnel handling irradiated samples the dose rate at the surface of shielded flask housing the irradiated sample should be less than 200 mR/Hr.Therefore, a proper shielding and radioactive cooling of the irradiated sample are required to meet the said requirement. Knowledge of xenon load variation with time (Startup-curve) helps in estimating Xenon override time. Monitoring of power in individual fuel channels during reactor operation is essential to know any abnormal power distribution to avoid unsafe situations. Complexities in the estimation of above mentioned reactor parameters and their frequent requirement compel one to use computer codes to avoid possible human errors. For efficient and quick evaluation of parameters related to reactor operations such as xenon load, critical moderator height and nuclear heating and reactivity load of isotope samples/experimental assembly, a computer code ORPAC (Operational Reactor Physics Analysis Codes) has been developed. This code is being used for regular assessment of reactor physics parameters in Dhruva and Cirus. The code ORPAC written in Visual Basic 6.0 environment incorporates several important operational reactor physics aspects on a single platform with graphical user interfaces (GUI) to make it more user-friendly and presentable. (author)
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Physical parameters and biological effects of the LVR-15 epithermal neutron beam
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Burian, J.; Marek, M.; Rejchrt, J.; Viererbl, L.; Gambarini, G.; Mares, V.; Vanossi, E.; Judas, L.
2006-01-01
Monitoring of the physical and biological properties of the epithermal neutron beam constructed at the multipurpose LVR-15 nuclear reactor for NCT therapy of brain tumors showed that its physical and biological properties are stable in time and independent on an ad hoc reconfiguration of the reactor core before its therapeutic use. Physical parameters were monitored by measurement of the neutron spectrum, neutron profile, fast neutron kerma rate in tissue and photon absorbed dose, the gel dosimetry was used with the group of standard measurement methods. The RBE of the beam, as evaluated by 3 different biological models, including mouse intestine crypt regeneration assay, germinative zones of the immature rat brain and C6 glioma cells in culture, ranged from 1.70 to 1.99. (author)
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1971-01-01
Radiation dosimetry is a fundamental part of all radiation protection work. The measurements are made with a variety of instruments, and health physicists, after professional interpretation of the data, can assess the levels of exposure which might be encountered in a given area or the individual doses received by workers, visitors and others at places where the possibility of radiation exposure exists. The types of radiation concerned here are photon radiations, ranging from soft X-rays to gamma rays, and particulate radiations such as β-rays, α-particles, protons, neutrons and fission fragments. The type of technique used depends not only on the type of radiation but also on such factors as whether the radiation is from a source internal or external to the body. Radiation dosimetry is not only used at nuclear facilities; it has diverse applications, for example in determining doses when radiation sources are employed for medical diagnostics and therapy, in safeguarding workers in any industry where isotopes are used, and in assessing the effect of both naturally occurring and man-made radiations on the general public and the environment. The advances of modern technology have increased the variety of sources; an example can be given from colour television, where the high potential necessary in certain colour cathode-ray tubes generates a non-negligible amount of X-rays. The Symposium on New Developments in Physical and Biological Radiation Detectors was one of a continuing series of meetings in which the International Atomic Energy Agency furthers the exchange of information on all aspects of personnel and area dosimetry. The Symposium was devoted in particular to a study of the dose meters themselves - their radiation-sensitive elements (both physical and biological),their instrumentation, and calibration and standardization. Several speakers suggested that the situation in the standardization and calibration of measuring equipment and sources was
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
D. G. Georgakopoulos
2009-04-01
Full Text Available The interest in bioaerosols has traditionally been linked to health hazards for humans, animals and plants. However, several components of bioaerosols exhibit physical properties of great significance for cloud processes, such as ice nucleation and cloud condensation. To gain a better understanding of their influence on climate, it is therefore important to determine the composition, concentration, seasonal fluctuation, regional diversity and evolution of bioaerosols. In this paper, we will review briefly the existing techniques for detection, quantification, physical and chemical analysis of biological particles, attempting to bridge physical, chemical and biological methods for analysis of biological particles and integrate them with aerosol sampling techniques. We will also explore some emerging spectroscopy techniques for bulk and single-particle analysis that have potential for in-situ physical and chemical analysis. Lastly, we will outline open questions and further desired capabilities (e.g., in-situ, sensitive, both broad and selective, on-line, time-resolved, rapid, versatile, cost-effective techniques required prior to comprehensive understanding of chemical and physical characterization of bioaerosols.
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Bringing the physical sciences into your cell biology research.
Robinson, Douglas N; Iglesias, Pablo A
2012-11-01
Historically, much of biology was studied by physicists and mathematicians. With the advent of modern molecular biology, a wave of researchers became trained in a new scientific discipline filled with the language of genes, mutants, and the central dogma. These new molecular approaches have provided volumes of information on biomolecules and molecular pathways from the cellular to the organismal level. The challenge now is to determine how this seemingly endless list of components works together to promote the healthy function of complex living systems. This effort requires an interdisciplinary approach by investigators from both the biological and the physical sciences.
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Physical protection of nuclear operational units
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1981-07-01
The general principles of and basic requirements for the physical protection of operational units in the nuclear field are established. They concern the operational units whose activities are related with production, utilization, processing, reprocessing, handling, transport or storage of materials of interest for the Brazilian Nuclear Program. (I.C.R.) [pt
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Radiations at the physics-biology interface. Utilization of radiations for research
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Douzou, P.
1997-01-01
Structural biology, which study the relation between the structure of biomolecules and their function, is at the interface between physics and biology. With the help of large radiation instruments such as X ray diffraction and neutron scattering, important advancements have been accomplished in the understanding of specific biological functions and led to the development of protein engineering (such as directed mutagenesis)
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Conference: Statistical Physics and Biological Information; F
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gross, David J.; Hwa, Terence
2001-01-01
In the spring of 2001, the Institute for Theoretical Physics ran a 6 month scientific program on Statistical Physics and Biological Information. This program was organized by Walter Fitch (UC Irvine), Terence Hwa (UC San Diego), Luca Peliti (University Federico II), Naples Gary Stormo (Washington University School of Medicine) and Chao Tang (NEC). Overall scientific supervision was provided by David Gross, Director, ITP. The ITP has an online conference/program proceeding which consists of audio and transparencies of almost all of the talks held during this program. Over 100 talks are available on the site at http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/infobio01/
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The Cytoskeleton: Mechanical, Physical, and Biological Interactions
1996-01-01
This workshop, entitled "The Cytoskeleton: Mechanical, Physical, and Biological Interactions," was sponsored by the Center for Advanced Studies in the Space Life Sciences at the Marine Biological Laboratory. This Center was established through a cooperative agreement between the MBL and the Life Sciences Division of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. To achieve these goals, the Center sponsors a series of workshops on various topics in the life sciences. Elements of the cytoskeleton have been implicated in the effects of gravity on the growth of plants fungi. An intriguing finding in this regard is the report indicating that an integrin-like protein may be the gravireceptor in the internodal cells of Chara. Involvement of the cytoskeleton in cellular graviperception of the basidiomycete Flammulina velutipes has also been reported. Although the responses of mammalian cells to gravity are not well documented, it has been proposed that integrins can act as mechanochemical transducers in mammalian cells. Little is known about the integrated mechanical and physical properties of cytoplasm, this workshop would be the best place to begin developing interdisciplinary approaches to the effects of mechanical stresses on cells and their most likely responsive cytoplasmic elements- the fibrous proteins comprising the cytoskeleton.
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An introduction to nuclear physics, with applications in medicine and biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dyson, N.A.
1981-01-01
A concise account of the applications of nuclear physics to medical and biological science is given. Half the book is devoted to the basic aspects of nuclear and radiation physics such as interactions between radiation and matter, nuclear reactions and the production of isotopes, an introduction to α, β and γ-radiation detectors and finally the radiation from nuclear decay. Information is then given on the applications of radioisotopes and neutrons and other accelerator-based applications in medicine and biology. The book is aimed at not only those undergraduates and postgraduates who are devoting their main effort to medical physics, but also to those students who are looking primarily for an introduction to nuclear physics together with an account of some of the ways in which it impinges on the work of other scientists. (U.K.)
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Jaikuna, Tanwiwat; Khadsiri, Phatchareewan; Chawapun, Nisa; Saekho, Suwit; Tharavichitkul, Ekkasit
2017-02-01
To develop an in-house software program that is able to calculate and generate the biological dose distribution and biological dose volume histogram by physical dose conversion using the linear-quadratic-linear (LQL) model. The Isobio software was developed using MATLAB version 2014b to calculate and generate the biological dose distribution and biological dose volume histograms. The physical dose from each voxel in treatment planning was extracted through Computational Environment for Radiotherapy Research (CERR), and the accuracy was verified by the differentiation between the dose volume histogram from CERR and the treatment planning system. An equivalent dose in 2 Gy fraction (EQD 2 ) was calculated using biological effective dose (BED) based on the LQL model. The software calculation and the manual calculation were compared for EQD 2 verification with pair t -test statistical analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics version 22 (64-bit). Two and three-dimensional biological dose distribution and biological dose volume histogram were displayed correctly by the Isobio software. Different physical doses were found between CERR and treatment planning system (TPS) in Oncentra, with 3.33% in high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV) determined by D 90% , 0.56% in the bladder, 1.74% in the rectum when determined by D 2cc , and less than 1% in Pinnacle. The difference in the EQD 2 between the software calculation and the manual calculation was not significantly different with 0.00% at p -values 0.820, 0.095, and 0.593 for external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and 0.240, 0.320, and 0.849 for brachytherapy (BT) in HR-CTV, bladder, and rectum, respectively. The Isobio software is a feasible tool to generate the biological dose distribution and biological dose volume histogram for treatment plan evaluation in both EBRT and BT.
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Generation of quantum logic operations from physical Hamiltonians
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhang Jun; Whaley, K. Birgitta
2005-01-01
We provide a systematic analysis of the physical generation of single- and two-qubit quantum operations from Hamiltonians available in various quantum systems for scalable quantum information processing. We show that generation of single-qubit operations can be transformed into a steering problem on the Bloch sphere, which represents all R z -equivalence classes of single-qubit operations, whereas the two-qubit problem can be generally transformed into a steering problem in a tetrahedron representing all the local-equivalence classes of two-qubit operations (the Weyl chamber). We use this approach to investigate several physical examples for the generation of two-qubit operations. The steering approach provides useful guidance for the realization of various quantum computation schemes
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Interface between Physics and Biology: Training a New Generation of Creative Bilingual Scientists.
Riveline, Daniel; Kruse, Karsten
2017-08-01
Whereas physics seeks for universal laws underlying natural phenomena, biology accounts for complexity and specificity of molecular details. Contemporary biological physics requires people capable of working at this interface. New programs prepare scientists who transform respective disciplinary views into innovative approaches for solving outstanding problems in the life sciences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Future directions for radiological physics: An interface with molecular biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Braby, L.A.
1987-01-01
Recent experiments with low energy x-rays and fast molecular ions have shown that the products of the interaction of several ionizations within a few nanometers dominate radiation effects. However, the authors still can only make assumptions about the physical and chemical nature of this initial damage. Enzymatic repair of DNA damage is another key factor, but they have little idea of what governs the success or failure (misrepair) of these processes. Unresolved problems like these dictate the future direction of radiological physics. Molecular biology techniques are being applied to determine molecular alterations which result in observed damage. Interpretation of these experiments will require new data on the physics of energy transfer to macromolecules and the stochastics of energy deposition in time. Future studies will attempt to identify the initial damage, before biological processes have amplified it. This will require a detailed understanding of the role of chromatin structure in governing gene expression, the transport of energy within macromolecules, the transport of ions and radicals in the semiordered environment near DNA strands, and many other physical characteristics within the living cell
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Xu Li; Chu Xiakun; Yan Zhiqiang; Zheng Xiliang; Zhang Kun; Zhang Feng; Yan Han; Wu Wei; Wang Jin
2016-01-01
In this review, we explore the physical mechanisms of biological processes such as protein folding and recognition, ligand binding, and systems biology, including cell cycle, stem cell, cancer, evolution, ecology, and neural networks. Our approach is based on the landscape and flux theory for nonequilibrium dynamical systems. This theory provides a unifying principle and foundation for investigating the underlying mechanisms and physical quantification of biological systems. (topical review)
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Biological mechanisms underlying the role of physical fitness in health and resilience
Silverman, Marni N.; Deuster, Patricia A.
2014-01-01
Physical fitness, achieved through regular exercise and/or spontaneous physical activity, confers resilience by inducing positive psychological and physiological benefits, blunting stress reactivity, protecting against potentially adverse behavioural and metabolic consequences of stressful events and preventing many chronic diseases. In this review, we discuss the biological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of physical fitness on mental and physical health. Physical fitness appear...
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The Effects Of Physical And Biological Cohesion On Bedforms
Parsons, D. R.; Schindler, R.; Baas, J.; Hope, J. A.; Malarkey, J.; Paterson, D. M.; Peakall, J.; Manning, A. J.; Ye, L.; Aspden, R.; Alan, D.; Bass, S. J.
2014-12-01
Most coastal sediments consist of complex mixtures of cohesionless sands, physically-cohesive clays and extra cellular polymeric substances (EPS) that impart biological cohesion. Yet, our ability to predict bedform dimensions in these substrates is reliant on predictions based exclusively on cohesionless sand. We present findings from the COHBED project - which explicitly examines how bedform dynamics are modified by natural cohesion. Our experimental results show that for ripples, height and length are inversely proportional to initial clay content and bedforms take longer to appear, with no ripples when clay content exceeds 18%. When clay is replaced by EPS the development time and time of first appearance of ripples both increase by two orders of magnitude, with no bedforms above 0.125% EPS. For dunes, height and length are also inversely proportional to initial substrate clay content, resulting in a transition from dunes to ripples normally associated with velocity decreases. Addition of low EPS concentrations into the substrate results in yet smaller bedforms at the same clay contents and at high EPS concentrations, biological cohesion supersedes all electrostatic bonding, and bedform size is no longer related to mud content. The contrast in physical and biological cohesion effects on bedform development result from the disparity between inter-particle electrostatic bonding of clay particles and EPS grain coating and strands that physically link sediments together, which effects winnowing rates as bedforms evolve. These findings have wide ranging implications for bedform predictions in both modern and ancient environments. Coupling of biological and morphological processes not only requires an understanding of how bedform dimensions influence biota and habitat, but also how benthic species can modify bedform dimensions. Consideration of both aspects provides a means in which fluid dynamics, sediment transport and ecosystem energetics can be linked to yield
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Scandium: its occurrence, chemistry, physics, metallurgy, biology, and technology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Horovitz, C.T.
1975-01-01
This book describes the following aspects of scandium: discovery and history, occurrence in nature, geochemistry and mineralogy, chemical, physical and technological properties, fabrication and metallurgy, its biological significance and toxicology, and its uses. (Extensive references for each chapter)
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DNA confinement in nanochannels: physics and biological applications
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Reisner, Walter; Pedersen, Jonas Nyvold; Austin, Robert H
2012-01-01
in nanochannels, creating a linear unscrolling of the genome along the channel for analysis. We will first review the fundamental physics of DNA nanochannel confinement—including the effect of varying ionic strength—and then discuss recent applications of these systems to genomic mapping. Apart from the intense...... direct assessment of the genome in its native state). In this review, we will discuss how the information contained in genomic-length single DNA molecules can be accessed via physical confinement in nanochannels. Due to self-avoidance interactions, DNA molecules will stretch out when confined...... biological interest in extracting linear sequence information from elongated DNA molecules, from a physics view these systems are fascinating as they enable probing of single-molecule conformation in environments with dimensions that intersect key physical length-scales in the 1 nm to 100μm range. (Some...
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Biology and physics competencies for pre-health and other life sciences students.
Hilborn, Robert C; Friedlander, Michael J
2013-06-01
The recent report on the Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians (SFFP) and the revised Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) reframe the preparation for medical school (and other health professional schools) in terms of competencies: what students should know and be able to do with that knowledge, with a strong emphasis on scientific inquiry and research skills. In this article, we will describe the thinking that went into the SFFP report and what it says about scientific and quantitative reasoning, focusing on biology and physics and the overlap between those fields. We then discuss how the SFFP report set the stage for the discussion of the recommendations for the revised MCAT, which will be implemented in 2015, again focusing the discussion on biology and physics. Based on that framework, we discuss the implications for undergraduate biology and physics education if students are to be prepared to demonstrate these competencies.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
BRUNO GÜNTHER
2004-01-01
Full Text Available In contrast with classical physics, particularly with Sir Isaac Newton, where time is a continuous function, generally valid, eternally and evenly flowing as an absolute time dimension, in the biological sciences, time is in essence of cyclical nature (physiological periodicities, where future passes to past through an infinitely thin boundary, the present. In addition, the duration of the present (DP leads to the so-called 'granulation of time' in living beings, so that by the fusion of two successive pictures of the world, which are not entirely similar, they attain the perception of 'movement,' both in the real world as well as in the sham-movement in the mass media (TV.
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Mobile Augmented Note-taking to Support Operating Physical Devices
Liu , Can; Diehl , Jonathan; Huot , Stéphane; Borchers , Jan
2011-01-01
Mobile Augmented Reality: Design Issues and Opportunities - 1st Workshop on Mobile Augmented Reality, MobileHCI 2011; In this paper we propose an approach to assist operating physical devices with mobile augmented reality techniques. We propose ideas of interaction techniques, which allow users to put self-authored information as notes onto physical objects. We present the design of two example applications aiming at solving problems from different aspects of physical operations.
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Sukhikh, E.; Sheino, I.; Vertinsky, A.
2017-09-01
Modern modalities of radiation treatment therapy allow irradiation of the tumor to high dose values and irradiation of organs at risk (OARs) to low dose values at the same time. In this paper we study optimal radiation treatment plans made in Monaco system. The first aim of this study was to evaluate dosimetric features of Monaco treatment planning system using biological versus dose-based cost functions for the OARs and irradiation targets (namely tumors) when the full potential of built-in biological cost functions is utilized. The second aim was to develop criteria for the evaluation of radiation dosimetry plans for patients based on the macroscopic radiobiological criteria - TCP/NTCP. In the framework of the study four dosimetric plans were created utilizing the full extent of biological and physical cost functions using dose calculation-based treatment planning for IMRT Step-and-Shoot delivery of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in prostate case (5 fractions per 7 Gy).
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2008-01-01
The Report comprises abstracts of 68 communications (oral and posters) presented during the 8. International Conference on Pulse Investigations in Chemistry, Biology and Physics - PULS'2008, held on September 6 - 12, 2008 in Cracow. Presentations cover a variety of research fields representing different fields of pulse radiolysis in chemistry, biology and physics
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
2008-07-01
The Report comprises abstracts of 68 communications (oral and posters) presented during the 8. International Conference on Pulse Investigations in Chemistry, Biology and Physics - PULS'2008, held on September 6 - 12, 2008 in Cracow. Presentations cover a variety of research fields representing different fields of pulse radiolysis in chemistry, biology and physics.
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Quantum Processes and Dynamic Networks in Physical and Biological Systems.
Dudziak, Martin Joseph
Quantum theory since its earliest formulations in the Copenhagen Interpretation has been difficult to integrate with general relativity and with classical Newtonian physics. There has been traditionally a regard for quantum phenomena as being a limiting case for a natural order that is fundamentally classical except for microscopic extrema where quantum mechanics must be applied, more as a mathematical reconciliation rather than as a description and explanation. Macroscopic sciences including the study of biological neural networks, cellular energy transports and the broad field of non-linear and chaotic systems point to a quantum dimension extending across all scales of measurement and encompassing all of Nature as a fundamentally quantum universe. Theory and observation lead to a number of hypotheses all of which point to dynamic, evolving networks of fundamental or elementary processes as the underlying logico-physical structure (manifestation) in Nature and a strongly quantized dimension to macroscalar processes such as are found in biological, ecological and social systems. The fundamental thesis advanced and presented herein is that quantum phenomena may be the direct consequence of a universe built not from objects and substance but from interacting, interdependent processes collectively operating as sets and networks, giving rise to systems that on microcosmic or macroscopic scales function wholistically and organically, exhibiting non-locality and other non -classical phenomena. The argument is made that such effects as non-locality are not aberrations or departures from the norm but ordinary consequences of the process-network dynamics of Nature. Quantum processes are taken to be the fundamental action-events within Nature; rather than being the exception quantum theory is the rule. The argument is also presented that the study of quantum physics could benefit from the study of selective higher-scale complex systems, such as neural processes in the brain
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Open Water Processes of the San Francisco Estuary: From Physical Forcing to Biological Responses
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Wim Kimmerer
2004-02-01
Full Text Available This paper reviews the current state of knowledge of the open waters of the San Francisco Estuary. This estuary is well known for the extent to which it has been altered through loss of wetlands, changes in hydrography, and the introduction of chemical and biological contaminants. It is also one of the most studied estuaries in the world, with much of the recent research effort aimed at supporting restoration efforts. In this review I emphasize the conceptual foundations for our current understanding of estuarine dynamics, particularly those aspects relevant to restoration. Several themes run throughout this paper. First is the critical role physical dynamics play in setting the stage for chemical and biological responses. Physical forcing by the tides and by variation in freshwater input combine to control the movement of the salinity field, and to establish stratification, mixing, and dilution patterns throughout the estuary. Many aspects of estuarine dynamics respond to interannual variation in freshwater flow; in particular, abundance of several estuarine-dependent species of fish and shrimp varies positively with flow, although the mechanisms behind these relationships are largely unknown. The second theme is the importance of time scales in determining the degree of interaction between dynamic processes. Physical effects tend to dominate when they operate at shorter time scales than biological processes; when the two time scales are similar, important interactions can arise between physical and biological variability. These interactions can be seen, for example, in the response of phytoplankton blooms, with characteristic time scales of days, to stratification events occurring during neap tides. The third theme is the key role of introduced species in all estuarine habitats; particularly noteworthy are introduced waterweeds and fishes in the tidal freshwater reaches of the estuary, and introduced clams there and in brackish water. The
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Hoskinson, A.-M.; Caballero, M. D.; Knight, J. K.
2013-01-01
If students are to successfully grapple with authentic, complex biological problems as scientists and citizens, they need practice solving such problems during their undergraduate years. Physics education researchers have investigated student problem solving for the past three decades. Although physics and biology problems differ in structure and content, the instructional purposes align closely: explaining patterns and processes in the natural world and making predictions about physical and biological systems. In this paper, we discuss how research-supported approaches developed by physics education researchers can be adopted by biologists to enhance student problem-solving skills. First, we compare the problems that biology students are typically asked to solve with authentic, complex problems. We then describe the development of research-validated physics curricula emphasizing process skills in problem solving. We show that solving authentic, complex biology problems requires many of the same skills that practicing physicists and biologists use in representing problems, seeking relationships, making predictions, and verifying or checking solutions. We assert that acquiring these skills can help biology students become competent problem solvers. Finally, we propose how biology scholars can apply lessons from physics education in their classrooms and inspire new studies in biology education research. PMID:23737623
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Hoskinson, A-M; Caballero, M D; Knight, J K
2013-06-01
If students are to successfully grapple with authentic, complex biological problems as scientists and citizens, they need practice solving such problems during their undergraduate years. Physics education researchers have investigated student problem solving for the past three decades. Although physics and biology problems differ in structure and content, the instructional purposes align closely: explaining patterns and processes in the natural world and making predictions about physical and biological systems. In this paper, we discuss how research-supported approaches developed by physics education researchers can be adopted by biologists to enhance student problem-solving skills. First, we compare the problems that biology students are typically asked to solve with authentic, complex problems. We then describe the development of research-validated physics curricula emphasizing process skills in problem solving. We show that solving authentic, complex biology problems requires many of the same skills that practicing physicists and biologists use in representing problems, seeking relationships, making predictions, and verifying or checking solutions. We assert that acquiring these skills can help biology students become competent problem solvers. Finally, we propose how biology scholars can apply lessons from physics education in their classrooms and inspire new studies in biology education research.
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The relative importance of physical and biological energy in landscape evolution
Turowski, J. M.; Schwanghart, W.
2017-12-01
Landscapes are formed by the interplay of uplift and geomorphic processes, including interacting and competing physical and biological processes. For example, roots re-inforce soil and thereby stabilize hillslopes and the canopy cover of the forest may mediate the impact of precipitation. Furthermore, plants and animals act as geomorphic agents, directly altering landscape response and dynamics by their actions: tree roots may crack rocks, thus changing subsurface water flows and exposing fresh material for denudation; fungi excrete acids that accelerate rates of chemical weathering, and burrowing animals displace soil and rocks while digging holes for shelter or in search of food. Energetically, landscapes can be viewed as open systems in which topography stores potential energy above a base level. Tectonic processes add energy to the system by uplift and mechanically altering rock properties. Especially in unvegetated regions, erosion and transport by wind can be an important geomorphic process. Advection of atmospheric moisture in high altitudes provides potential energy that is converted by water fluxes through catchments. At the same time, the conversion of solar energy through atmospheric and biological processes drives primary production of living organisms. If we accept that biota influence geomorphic processes, then what is their energetic contribution to landscape evolution relative to physical processes? Using two case studies, we demonstrate that all components of energy input are negligible apart from biological production, quantified by net primary productivity (NPP) and potential energy conversion by water that is placed high up in the landscape as rainfall and leaves it as runoff. Assuming that the former is representative for biological energy and the latter for physical energy, we propose that the ratio of these two values can be used as a proxy for the relative importance of biological and physical processes in landscape evolution. All necessary
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Operating manual for the Health Physics Research Reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1985-11-01
This manual is intended to serve as a guide in the operation and maintenance of the Health Physics Researh Reactor (HPRR) of the Health Physics Dosimetry Applications Research (DOSAR) Facility. It includes descriptions of the HPRR and of associated equipment such as the reactor positioning devises and the derrick. Procedures for routine operation of the HPRR are given in detail, and checklists for the various steps are provided where applicable. Emergency procedures are similarly covered, and maintenance schedules are outlined. Also, a bibliography of references giving more detailed information on the DOSAR Facility is included. Changes to this manual will be approved by at least two of the following senior staff members: (1) the Operations Division Director, (2) the Reactor Operations Department Head, (3) the Supervisor of Reactor Operations TSF-HPRR Areas. The master copy and the copy of the manual issued to the HPRR Operations Supervisor will always reflect the latest revision. 22 figs
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Robustness: confronting lessons from physics and biology.
Lesne, Annick
2008-11-01
The term robustness is encountered in very different scientific fields, from engineering and control theory to dynamical systems to biology. The main question addressed herein is whether the notion of robustness and its correlates (stability, resilience, self-organisation) developed in physics are relevant to biology, or whether specific extensions and novel frameworks are required to account for the robustness properties of living systems. To clarify this issue, the different meanings covered by this unique term are discussed; it is argued that they crucially depend on the kind of perturbations that a robust system should by definition withstand. Possible mechanisms underlying robust behaviours are examined, either encountered in all natural systems (symmetries, conservation laws, dynamic stability) or specific to biological systems (feedbacks and regulatory networks). Special attention is devoted to the (sometimes counterintuitive) interrelations between robustness and noise. A distinction between dynamic selection and natural selection in the establishment of a robust behaviour is underlined. It is finally argued that nested notions of robustness, relevant to different time scales and different levels of organisation, allow one to reconcile the seemingly contradictory requirements for robustness and adaptability in living systems.
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Influence of different natural physical fields on biological processes
Mashinsky, A. L.
2001-01-01
In space flight conditions gravity, magnetic, and electrical fields as well as ionizing radiation change both in size, and in direction. This causes disruptions in the conduct of some physical processes, chemical reactions, and metabolism in living organisms. In these conditions organisms of different phylogenetic level change their metabolic reactions undergo changes such as disturbances in ionic exchange both in lower and in higher plants, changes in cell morphology for example, gyrosity in Proteus ( Proteus vulgaris), spatial disorientation in coleoptiles of Wheat ( Triticum aestivum) and Pea ( Pisum sativum) seedlings, mutational changes in Crepis ( Crepis capillaris) and Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana) seedling. It has been found that even in the absence of gravity, gravireceptors determining spatial orientation in higher plants under terrestrial conditions are formed in the course of ontogenesis. Under weightlessness this system does not function and spatial orientation is determined by the light flux gradient or by the action of some other factors. Peculiarities of the formation of the gravireceptor apparatus in higher plants, amphibians, fish, and birds under space flight conditions have been observed. It has been found that the system in which responses were accompanied by phase transition have proven to be gravity-sensitive under microgravity conditions. Such reactions include also the process of photosynthesis which is the main energy production process in plants. In view of the established effects of microgravity and different natural physical fields on biological processes, it has been shown that these processes change due to the absence of initially rigid determination. The established biological effect of physical fields influence on biological processes in organisms is the starting point for elucidating the role of gravity and evolutionary development of various organisms on Earth.
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
David W. Nigg; Amanda E. Schwint; John K. Hartwell; Elisa M. Heber; Veronica Trivillin; Jorge Castillo; Luis Wentzeis; Patrick Sloan; Charles A. Wemple
2004-10-01
Initial physical dosimetry measurements have been completed using activation spectrometry and thermoluminiscent dosimeters to characterize the BNCT irradiation facility developed at the RA-1 research reactor operated by the Argentine National Atomic Energy Commission in Buenos Aires. Some biological scoping irradiations have also been completed using a small-animal (hamster) oral mucosa tumor model. Results indicate that the RA-1 neutron source produces useful dose rates but that some improvements in the initial configuration will be needed to optimize the spectrum for thermal-neutron BNCT research applications.
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Nigg, D.W.; Schwint, A.E.; Hartwell, J.K.; Heber, E.M.; Trivillin, V.; Castillo, J.; Wentzeis, L.; Sloan, P.; Wemple, C.A.
2004-10-04
Initial physical dosimetry measurements have been completed using activation spectrometry and thermoluminiscent dosimeters to characterize the BNCT irradiation facility developed at the RA-1 research reactor operated by the Argentine National Atomic Energy Commission in Buenos Aires. Some biological scoping irradiations have also been completed using a small-animal (hamster) oral mucosa tumor model. Results indicate that the RA-1 neutron source produces useful dose rates but that some improvements in the initial configuration will be needed to optimize the spectrum for thermal-neutron BNCT research applications.
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A test harness for accelerating physics parameterization advancements into operations
Firl, G. J.; Bernardet, L.; Harrold, M.; Henderson, J.; Wolff, J.; Zhang, M.
2017-12-01
The process of transitioning advances in parameterization of sub-grid scale processes from initial idea to implementation is often much quicker than the transition from implementation to use in an operational setting. After all, considerable work must be undertaken by operational centers to fully test, evaluate, and implement new physics. The process is complicated by the scarcity of like-to-like comparisons, availability of HPC resources, and the ``tuning problem" whereby advances in physics schemes are difficult to properly evaluate without first undertaking the expensive and time-consuming process of tuning to other schemes within a suite. To address this process shortcoming, the Global Model TestBed (GMTB), supported by the NWS NGGPS project and undertaken by the Developmental Testbed Center, has developed a physics test harness. It implements the concept of hierarchical testing, where the same code can be tested in model configurations of varying complexity from single column models (SCM) to fully coupled, cycled global simulations. Developers and users may choose at which level of complexity to engage. Several components of the physics test harness have been implemented, including a SCM and an end-to-end workflow that expands upon the one used at NOAA/EMC to run the GFS operationally, although the testbed components will necessarily morph to coincide with changes to the operational configuration (FV3-GFS). A standard, relatively user-friendly interface known as the Interoperable Physics Driver (IPD) is available for physics developers to connect their codes. This prerequisite exercise allows access to the testbed tools and removes a technical hurdle for potential inclusion into the Common Community Physics Package (CCPP). The testbed offers users the opportunity to conduct like-to-like comparisons between the operational physics suite and new development as well as among multiple developments. GMTB staff have demonstrated use of the testbed through a
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1993-01-01
This report in three volumes substantiates the contents of the programme survey published in September 1989. The progress reports cover the following research areas: Vol. I, (1). Atomic and molecular physics - free atoms, molecules, macromolecules, clusters, matrix-isolated atoms and molecules. (2) Physics and chemistry of surfaces and interfaces - epitaxy, surface structure, adsorption, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties, thin films, synthetic layer structure. Vol. II, (3). Solid-state physics, and materials science -structural research, lattice dynamics, magnetic structure and dynamics, electronic states; load; spin and pulse density fluctuations; diffusion and internal motion, defects, unordered systems and liquids. Vol. III, (4). Chemistry - bonding and structure, kinetics and reaction mechanisms, polymer research, analysis and synthesis. (5). Biology, - structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules, membrane and cell biology. (6) Development of methods and instruments - neutron sources, synchrotron sources, special accelerators, research with interlinked systems and devices. (orig.) [de
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Russian science readings (chemistry, physics, biology)
Light, L
1949-01-01
Some years' experience in teaching Russian to working scientists who had already acquired the rudiments of the grammar convinced me of the need for a reader of the present type that would smooth the path of those wishing to study Russian scientific literature in the original. Although the subject matter comprises what I have described for convenience as chemistry, physics and biology, it could be read with equal profit by those engaged in any branch of pure or applied science. All the passages are taken from school textbooks, and acknowledgements are due to the authors of the works listed at the foot of the contents page.
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Alghadir, Ahmad; Iqbal, Zaheen Ahmed; Anwer, Shahnawaz
2016-01-01
[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of pre-operative and post-operative physical therapy versus post-operative physical therapy alone on pain and recovery of function after total knee arthroplasty. [Subjects and Methods] Fifty patients (18 males and 32 females) ranging in age from 48 to 80?years (mean 63.28, SD 9.44) participated in a 6-week two-arm randomized rater-blinded trial. One group received pre- and post-operative physical therapy whereas the other group ...
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Ewing, Tracy S.
The present study examined young children's understanding of respiration and oxygen as a source of vital energy underlying physical activity. Specifically, the purpose of the study was to explore whether a coherent biological theory, characterized by an understanding that bodily parts (heart and lungs) and processes (oxygen in respiration) as part of a biological system, can be taught as a foundational concept to reason about physical activity. The effects of a biology-based intervention curriculum designed to teach preschool children about bodily functions as a part of the respiratory system, the role of oxygen as a vital substance and how physical activity acts an energy source were examined. Participants were recruited from three private preschool classrooms (two treatment; 1 control) in Southern California and included a total of 48 four-year-old children (30 treatment; 18 control). Findings from this study suggested that young children could be taught relevant biological concepts about the role of oxygen in respiratory processes. Children who received biology-based intervention curriculum made significant gains in their understanding of the biology of respiration, identification of physical and sedentary activities. In addition these children demonstrated that coherence of conceptual knowledge was correlated with improved accuracy at activity identification and reasoning about the inner workings of the body contributing to endurance. Findings from this study provided evidence to support the benefits of providing age appropriate but complex coherent biological instruction to children in early childhood settings.
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Radiation physics, biophysics, and radiation biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hall, E.J.; Zaider, M.
1993-05-01
Research at the Center for Radiological Research is a multidisciplenary blend of physics, chemistry and biology aimed at understanding the mechanisms involved in the health problems resulting from human exposure to ionizing radiations. The focus is increased on biochemistry and the application of the techniques of molecular biology to the problems of radiation biology. Research highlights of the program from the past year are described. A mathematical model describing the production of single-strand and double-strand breaks in DNA as a function radiation quality has been completed. For the first time Monte Carlo techniques have been used to obtain directly the spatial distribution of DNA moieties altered by radiation. This information was obtained by including the transport codes a realistic description of the electronic structure of DNA. We have investigated structure activity relationships for the potential oncogenicity of a new generation of bioreductive drugs that function as hypoxic cytotoxins. Experimental and theoretical investigation of the inverse dose rate effect, whereby medium LET radiations actually produce an c effect when the dose is protracted, is now at a point where the basic mechanisms are reasonably understood and the complex interplay between dose, dose rate and radiation quality which is necessary for the effect to be present can now be predicted at least in vitro. In terms of early radiobiological damage, a quantitative link has been established between basic energy deposition and locally multiply damaged sites, the radiochemical precursor of DNA double strand breaks; specifically, the spatial and energy deposition requirements necessary to form LMDs have been evaluated. For the first time, a mechanically understood ''biological fingerprint'' of high-LET radiation has been established. Specifically measurement of the ratio of inter-to intra-chromosomal aberrations produces a unique signature from alpha-particles or neutrons
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Radiation physics, biophysics, and radiation biology
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hall, E.J.; Zaider, M.
1993-05-01
Research at the Center for Radiological Research is a multidisciplenary blend of physics, chemistry and biology aimed at understanding the mechanisms involved in the health problems resulting from human exposure to ionizing radiations. The focus is increased on biochemistry and the application of the techniques of molecular biology to the problems of radiation biology. Research highlights of the program from the past year are described. A mathematical model describing the production of single-strand and double-strand breaks in DNA as a function radiation quality has been completed. For the first time Monte Carlo techniques have been used to obtain directly the spatial distribution of DNA moieties altered by radiation. This information was obtained by including the transport codes a realistic description of the electronic structure of DNA. We have investigated structure activity relationships for the potential oncogenicity of a new generation of bioreductive drugs that function as hypoxic cytotoxins. Experimental and theoretical investigation of the inverse dose rate effect, whereby medium LET radiations actually produce an c effect when the dose is protracted, is now at a point where the basic mechanisms are reasonably understood and the complex interplay between dose, dose rate and radiation quality which is necessary for the effect to be present can now be predicted at least in vitro. In terms of early radiobiological damage, a quantitative link has been established between basic energy deposition and locally multiply damaged sites, the radiochemical precursor of DNA double strand breaks; specifically, the spatial and energy deposition requirements necessary to form LMDs have been evaluated. For the first time, a mechanically understood biological fingerprint'' of high-LET radiation has been established. Specifically measurement of the ratio of inter-to intra-chromosomal aberrations produces a unique signature from alpha-particles or neutrons.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, February 1962
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1962-03-15
The monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, February 1962. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, and physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis operation, and programming are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, September 1962
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1962-10-15
The monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, September 1962. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, and physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis operation, and programming are discussed.
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Twenty years of health physics research reactor operation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sims, C.S.; Gilley, L.W.
1983-01-01
The Health Physics Research Reactor at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been in regular use for more than two decades. Safe operation of this fast reactor over this extended period indicates that (1) fundamental design, (2) operational procedures, (3) operator training and performance, (4) maintenance activites, and (5) management have all been eminently satisfactory. The reactor and its uses are described, the operational history and significant events are reviewed, and operational improvements and maintenance are discussed
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, December 1961
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1962-01-15
The monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, May 1961. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, and physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis operation, programming, laboratory auxiliaries operation, and technical administration operation are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, November 1961
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1961-12-15
The monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, November 1961. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, and physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis operation, programming, laboratory auxiliaries operation, and technical administration operation are discussed.
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Physical Activity: A Tool for Improving Health (Part 1--Biological Health Benefits)
Gallaway, Patrick J.; Hongu, Nobuko
2015-01-01
Extension educators have been promoting and incorporating physical activities into their community-based programs and improving the health of individuals, particularly those with limited resources. This article is the first of a three-part series describing the benefits of physical activity for human health: 1) biological health benefits of…
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Stendig-Lindberg, G.
1978-01-01
The biological hazards of radioactivity and the biological consequences of radionuclide emissions from the routine operation of nuclear power reactors are reviewed. ICRP and Scandinavian recommendations for the limitation of annual radiation doses are presented. The contribution of environmental conditions to radiation hazard is also discussed. It is concluded that a review of the justification of nuclear power is urgently needed. (H.K.)
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The Gravity of Regenerative Medicine; Physics, Chemistry & Biology behind it
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Dedeepiya V
2008-01-01
Full Text Available The in-vitro expansion of cells of the organs/tissues and their re-implantation into the affected region/ tissue for treating cell/organ failure have been in practice for long, but in limited specialties. The in-vitro cell culture protocols use variety of biological reagents derived from animal sources and recombinant technologies. However, the optimal quantity of such biological components such as growth factors, cytokines etc.,needed for such cells to be grown in a non-physiological environment is still unknown. The use of such biological components have started to stir a controversy of late, due to the recognition of its potential hazards such as spread of prion diseases and contamination with non-human sialic acid proteins. Therefore synthetic reproducible biomaterials are gaining popularity in cell culture and tissue engineering. The biomaterials made of several chemical components based on physical parameters are starting to change certain concepts about the niche of cell culture and that of stem cell expansion and differentiation to specific lineages. Engler et al have already proven that a simple change in the matrix elasticity alone could change the lineage of the cells. Spencer et al have reported that a change in bioelectricity could change the morphogenesis during development. NCRM has been involved in cell culture and tissue engineering using approximately 240 different materials ranging from polymer hydrogel, gel with adherent inserts, nano composite materials, nano-coating technologies, nano-sheets and nano-films. These materials are used in cell culture in different hybrid combinations such as Floating 3D cell culture without adherent components in a homogenous hydrogel. Floating 3D cell culture with anchorage inserts. Flat surface- 2D adherent cell culture. Combined flat surface 2D cell culture (for differentiating cells and floating 3D culture (for undifferentiated cells. These combinations have started yielding several
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, June 1958
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1958-07-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, June, 1958. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics, instrumentation research, employee relations, operations research, synthesis operation, programming, radiation protection, and laboratory auxiliaries operation are discussed.
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Operational Health Physics-Science or Philosophy?
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Carter, M. W.
2004-01-01
Operational health physics is concerned with protecting workers and the public from harm due to ionizing radiation. This requires the application of philosophy (ethics) as well as science. Operational health physics philosophy has been dominated by the ICRP. A particular aspect of ICRP's philosophy that is often misunderstood is (As low as reasonably achievable, economic and social factors being taken into account). (ALARA) Although the ALARA philosophy has been interpreted as a cost-benefit approach it is in fact a risk-benefit approach including social considerations as the ICRP has emphasised from time to time. A recent report has accused the ICRP of using a discarded philosophical approach, namely Utilitarianism, as a result of which its recommendations are unethical. The report suggests that a (rights) based philosophy such as Rawls' Theory of Justice would be a more appropriate basis. This paper discusses this accusation, considers some relevant philosophies and concludes that the accusation is not valid and that ICRP's recommendations are ethical but are frequently misinterpreted. (Author)
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, June 1962
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1962-07-16
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation June 1962. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis, programming, and radiation protection operation are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, July 1962
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1962-08-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation July 1962. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis, programming, and radiation protection operation are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, October 1962
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1962-11-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation October 1962. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis, programming, and radiation protection operation are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, August 1962
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1962-09-14
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation August 1962. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis, programming, and radiation protection operation are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, March 1962
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1962-04-16
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation March 1962. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis, programming, and radiation protection operation are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, October 1961
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1961-11-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation October 1961. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis, programming, and radiation protection operation are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, August 1959
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1959-09-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, August, 1959. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, employee relations, and operations research and synthesis operation are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, August 1961
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1961-09-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation August 1961. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis, programming, and radiation protection operation are discussed.
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Charge Migration in DNA Perspectives from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology
Chakraborty, Tapash
2007-01-01
Charge migration through DNA has been the focus of considerable interest in recent years. A deeper understanding of the nature of charge transfer and transport along the double helix is important in fields as diverse as physics, chemistry and nanotechnology. It has also important implications in biology, in particular in DNA damage and repair. This book presents contributions from an international team of researchers active in this field. It contains a wide range of topics that includes the mathematical background of the quantum processes involved, the role of charge transfer in DNA radiation damage, a new approach to DNA sequencing, DNA photonics, and many others. This book should be of value to researchers in condensed matter physics, chemical physics, physical chemistry, and nanoscale sciences.
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Surface treatments for biological, chemical and physical applications
Karaman, Mustafa
2017-01-01
A step-by-step guide to the topic with a mix of theory and practice in the fields of biology, chemistry and physics. Straightforward and well-structured, the first chapter introduces fundamental aspects of surface treatments, after which examples from nature are given. Subsequent chapters discuss various methods to surface modification, including chemical and physical approaches, followed by the characterization of the functionalized surfaces. Applications discussed include the lotus effect, diffusion barriers, enzyme immobilization and catalysis. Finally, the book concludes with a look at future technology advances. Throughout the text, tutorials and case studies are used for training purposes to grant a deeper understanding of the topic, resulting in an essential reference for students as well as for experienced engineers in R&D.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, June 1961
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1961-07-15
The monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, June 1961. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, and physics and instrumentation research, operations research and synthesis operation, programming, laboratory auxiliaries operation, and professional placement and relations practices are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, April 1959
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1959-05-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, April, 1959. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology financial activities. Biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, employee relations, operations research and synthesis operation programming, radiation protection, and laboratory auxiliaries operation are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, July 1958
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1958-08-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, July, 1958. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, employee relations, operations research and synthesis operation, programming, radiation protection, and laboratory auxiliaries operation area discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, May 1959
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1959-06-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, May, 1959. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, employee relations, operations research and synthesis operation, programming, radiation protection, and laboratory auxiliaries operation area discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, May 1958
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1958-06-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, May 1958. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, employee relations, operations research and synthesis operation, programming, radiation protection, and laboratory auxiliaries operation area discussed.
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Physical basis for biological effect
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Goodhead, D.T.
1987-01-01
Absorbed dose, or particle fluence, alone, are poor predictors of the biological effectiveness of ionizing radiations. Various radiation 'quality' parameters have been proposed to account quantitatively for the differences due to type of radiation. These include LET, quality factor (Q), lineal energy, specific energy and Z 2 /β 2 . However, all of these have major shortcomings, largely because they fail to describe adequately the microscopic stochastic properties of radiation which are primarily responsible for their relative effectiveness. Most biophysical models of radiation action now agree that the biological effectiveness of radiations are to a large extent determined by their very localized spatial properties of energy deposition (perhaps DNA and associated structures) and that the probability of residual permanent cellular damage (after cellular repair) depends on the nature of this initial macromolecular damage. Common features of these models make it clear that major future advances in identifying critical physical parameters of radiations for general practical application, or to describe their fundamental mechanisms of action, require accurate knowledge of the spatial patterns of energy deposition down to distances of the order of nanometres. Therefore, adequate descriptions are required of the nature and spatial distribution of the initial charged particles and of the interaction-by-interaction structure of the ensuing charged particle tracks. Recent development and application of Monte Carlo track structure simulations have already made it possible to commence such analyses of radiobiological data. (author). 56 refs, 7 figs
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Nury, Hughes; Parcy, François; Ruigrok, Rob W H; Ziegler, Christine; Cugliandolo, Leticia F; Session CII
2016-01-01
The aim of this book is to provide new ideas for studying living matter by a simultaneous understanding of behavior from molecules to the cell, to the whole organism in the light of physical concepts. Indeed, forces guide most biological phenomena. In some cases these forces can be well-described and thus used to model a particular biological phenomenon. This is exemplified here by the study of membranes, where their shapes and curvatures can be modeled using a limited number of parameters that are measured experimentally. The growth of plants is another example where the combination of physics, biology and mathematics leads to a predictive model. The laws of thermodynamics are essential, as they dictate the behavior of proteins, or more generally biological molecules, in an aqueous environment. Integrated studies from the molecule to a larger scale need a combination of cutting-edge approaches, such as the use of new X-ray sources, in-cell NMR, cryo-electron microscopy or single-molecule microscopy. Some are...
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Milkweed Seed Dispersal: A Means for Integrating Biology and Physics.
Bisbee, Gregory D.; Kaiser, Cheryl A.
1997-01-01
Describes an activity that integrates biology and physics concepts by experimenting with the seed dispersal of common milkweed or similar wind-dispersed seeds. Student teams collect seeds and measure several parameters, review principles of trajectory motion, perform experiments, and graph data. Students examine the ideas of…
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Wright, Ann; Provost, Joseph; Roecklein-Canfield, Jennifer A; Bell, Ellis
2013-01-01
Over the past two years, through an NSF RCN UBE grant, the ASBMB has held regional workshops for faculty members from around the country. The workshops have focused on developing lists of Core Principles or Foundational Concepts in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, a list of foundational skills, and foundational concepts from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics that all Biochemistry or Molecular Biology majors must understand to complete their major coursework. The allied fields working group created a survey to validate foundational concepts from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics identified from participant feedback at various workshops. One-hundred twenty participants responded to the survey and 68% of the respondents answered yes to the question: "We have identified the following as the core concepts and underlying theories from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics that Biochemistry majors or Molecular Biology majors need to understand after they complete their major courses: 1) mechanical concepts from Physics, 2) energy and thermodynamic concepts from Physics, 3) critical concepts of structure from chemistry, 4) critical concepts of reactions from Chemistry, and 5) essential Mathematics. In your opinion, is the above list complete?" Respondents also delineated subcategories they felt should be included in these broad categories. From the results of the survey and this analysis the allied fields working group constructed a consensus list of allied fields concepts, which will help inform Biochemistry and Molecular Biology educators when considering the ASBMB recommended curriculum for Biochemistry or Molecular Biology majors and in the development of appropriate assessment tools to gauge student understanding of how these concepts relate to biochemistry and molecular biology. © 2013 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
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[Chemical, physical and biological risks in law enforcement].
Magrini, Andrea; Grana, Mario; Vicentini, Laura
2014-01-01
Chemical, physical and biological risks among public safety and security forces. Law enforcement personnel, involved in routine tasks and in emergency situations, are exposed to numerous and several occupational hazards (chemical, physical and biological) whith likely health and security consequences. These risks are particularly high when the organization and preparation are inadequate, there is a lacking or insufficient coordination, information, education and communication and safety and personal protective equipment are inadequate or insufficient. Despite the objective difficulties, caused by the actual special needs related to the service performed or the organizational peculiarities, the risk identification and assessment is essential for worker health and safety of personnel, as provided for by Legislative Decree no. 81/2008. Chemical risks include airborne pollutants due to vehicular traffic (carbon monoxide, ultrafine particles, benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, nitrogen and sulfur oxides, lead), toxic gases generated by combustion process following fires (aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, dioxins and furans, biphenyls, formaldehyde, metals and cyanides), substances emitted in case of chemical accidents (solvents, pesticides, toxic gases, caustics), drugs (methylamphetamine), riot control agents and self-defence spray, lead at firing ranges, and several materials and reagents used in forensic laboratory. The physical hazards are often caused by activities that induce biomechanical overload aid the onset of musculoskeletal disorders, the use of visual display terminals and work environments that may expose to heat stress and discomfort, high and low pressure, noise, vibrations, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. The main biological risks are blood-borne diseases (viral hepatitis, AIDS), airborne diseases (eg, tuberculosis, meningitis, SARS, anthrax), MRSA, and vector-borne diseases. Many of these risk factors are unavoidable or are not
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Integration of physics and biology: synergistic undergraduate education for the 21st century.
Woodin, Terry; Vasaly, Helen; McBride, Duncan; White, Gary
2013-06-01
This is an exciting time to be a biologist. The advances in our field and the many opportunities to expand our horizons through interaction with other disciplines are intellectually stimulating. This is as true for people tasked with helping the field move forward through support of research and education projects that serve the nation's needs as for those carrying out that research and educating the next generation of biologists. So, it is a pleasure to contribute to this edition of CBE-Life Sciences Education. This column will cover three aspects of the interactions of physics and biology as seen from the viewpoint of four members of the Division of Undergraduate Education of the National Science Foundation. The first section places the material to follow in context. The second reviews some of the many interdisciplinary physics-biology projects we support. The third highlights mechanisms available for supporting new physics-biology undergraduate education projects based on ideas that arise, focusing on those needing and warranting outside support to come to fruition.
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Biological Physics : Poincaré seminar
Bio-physique : séminaire Poincaré
2011-01-01
This new volume in the Poincaré Seminar Series, describing recent developments at the interface between physics and biology, is directed towards a broad audience of physicists, biologists, and mathematicians. Both the theoretical and experimental aspects are covered, and particular care is devoted to the pedagogical nature of the presentations. The first survey article, by Jean-Francois Joanny and Jacques Prost, describes the theoretical advances made in the study of "active gels", with applications to liquid crystals and cell motility. Jasper van der Gucht and Cécile Sykes then report on recent advances made with biomimetic model systems in the understanding of cytokinesis. The next article, by Jonathon Howard, presents several molecular models for motor proteins, which are compared with experimental results for kinesin. David Lacoste and Kirone Mallick then show theoretically that similar ratchet models of motor proteins naturally satisfy a fundamental time-reversal symmetry, the Gallavotti-Cohen fluctuat...
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A generic framework for individual-based modelling and physical-biological interaction
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Christensen, Asbjørn; Mariani, Patrizio; Payne, Mark R.
2018-01-01
The increased availability of high-resolution ocean data globally has enabled more detailed analyses of physical-biological interactions and their consequences to the ecosystem. We present IBMlib, which is a versatile, portable and computationally effective framework for conducting Lagrangian...... scales. The open-source framework features a minimal robust interface to facilitate the coupling between individual-level biological models and oceanographic models, and we provide application examples including forward/backward simulations, habitat connectivity calculations, assessing ocean conditions...
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Introduction to solitons and their applications in physics and biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Peyrard, M.
1995-01-01
The response of most of the physical systems to combined excitations is not a simple superposition of their response to individual stimuli. This is particularly true for biological systems in which the nonlinear effects are often the dominant ones. The intrinsic treatment of nonlinearities in mathematical models and physical systems has led to the emergence of the chaos and solitons concepts. The concept of soliton, relevant for systems with many degrees of freedom, provides a new tool in the studies of biomolecules because it has no equivalent in the world of linear excitations. The aim of this lecture is to present the main ideas that underline the soliton concept and to discuss some applications. Solitons are solitary waves, that propagate at constant speed without changing their shape. They are extremely stable to perturbations, in particular to collisions with small amplitude linear waves and with other solitons. Conditions to have solitons and equations of solitons propagation are analysed. Solitons can be divided into two main classes: topological and non-topological solitons which can be found at all scales and in various domains of physics and chemistry. Using simple examples, this paper shows how linear expansions can miss completely essential physical properties of a system. This is particularly characteristic for the pendulum chain example. Soliton theory offers alternative methods. Multiple scale approximations, or expansion on a soliton basis, can be very useful to provide a description of some physical phenomena. Nonlinear energy localization is also a very important concept valid for a large variety of systems. These concepts are probably even more relevant for biological molecules than for solid state physics, because these molecules are very deformable objects where large amplitude nonlinear motions or conformational changes are crucial for function. (J.S.). 14 refs., 9 figs
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Commissioning and operation of the nuclear physics injector at SLAC
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Koontz, R.F.; Miller, R.H.; Leger, G.K.; Iverson, R.
1985-01-01
The new Nuclear Physics Injector (NPI) approved for construction in October of 1983 was completed by September of 1984, and delivered short pulse beams for SPEAR ring checkout in mid-October. Long pulse beams of up to 1.6 microsecond length were also demonstrated. The paper describes the start-up operation, reviews the performance characteristics, and discusses the beam transport optics used to deliver 1 to 4 GeV beams to nuclear physics experiments in End Station A. The SLAC Nuclear Physics Injector is in full operation!
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After the Greeting: Realizing the Potential of Physical Models in Cell Biology.
Paluch, Ewa K
2015-12-01
Biophysics is increasingly taking center stage in cell biology as the tools for precise quantifications of cellular behaviors expand. Interdisciplinary approaches, combining quantitative physical modeling with cell biology, are of growing interest to journal editors, funding agencies, and hiring committees. However, despite an ever-increasing emphasis on the importance of interdisciplinary research, the student trained in biology may still be at a loss as to what it actually means. I discuss here some considerations on how to achieve meaningful and high-quality interdisciplinary work. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Operational Health Physics-Science or Philosophy?
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Carter, M. W.
2004-07-01
Operational health physics is concerned with protecting workers and the public from harm due to ionizing radiation. This requires the application of philosophy (ethics) as well as science. Operational health physics philosophy has been dominated by the ICRP. A particular aspect of ICRP's philosophy that is often misunderstood is (As low as reasonably achievable, economic and social factors being taken into account). (ALARA) Although the ALARA philosophy has been interpreted as a cost-benefit approach it is in fact a risk-benefit approach including social considerations as the ICRP has emphasised from time to time. A recent report has accused the ICRP of using a discarded philosophical approach, namely Utilitarianism, as a result of which its recommendations are unethical. The report suggests that a (rights) based philosophy such as Rawls' Theory of Justice would be a more appropriate basis. This paper discusses this accusation, considers some relevant philosophies and concludes that the accusation is not valid and that ICRP's recommendations are ethical but are frequently misinterpreted. (Author)
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, September 1958
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1958-10-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, September, 1958. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, employee relations, 4000 program research and development, operations research and synthesis operation, programming, radiation protection, and laboratory auxiliaries operation are discussed.
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An operational health physics quality assurance program
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Costigan, S.A.; McAtee, J.L. III; Somers, W.M.; Huchton, R.L.
1996-01-01
DOE Order 5700.6C, Quality Assurance, stipulates QA requirements for all DOE activities. This order is now codified as 10CFR830.120, Nuclear Safety Management, Quality Assurance Requirements, which is applicable to DOE nuclear facilities. A Quality Assurance Management Plan (QAMP) was developed by the Health Physics Operations Group (ESH-1) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The goal of the ESH-1 QAMP is to ensure that operational radiation protection activities meet the criteria outlined in DOE Order 5700.6C, DOE-ER-STD-6001-92 and 10CFR830.120. The ten required elements are QA Program, Personal Training and Qualifications, Quality Improvement, Documents and Records, Work Processes, Design, Procurement, Inspection and Acceptance Testing, Management Assessment and Independent Assessment. The QAMP has been useful for the development of QAMPs at nuclear facilities and has helped ensure uniformity of institutional requirements where Health Physics services are deployed to facilities. To implement a subset of QAMP requirements, a Quality Assurance Self-Evaluation Program (QASE) was established. This program provides a novel self-audit mechanism for the formal identification and correction of non-conforming items related to Operational Health Physics. Additionally, the QASE is a useful management tool for Radiological Control Technician Supervisors and staff and provides a tracking mechanism for ongoing problem areas. Data have been Collected for two calendar years on a number of concerns that fall into four general categories: radiological posting and labeling, instrumentation, monitoring requirements, and radiological documents/records
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O'Hara, Reginald; Henry, Amy; Serres, Jennifer; Russell, Dawn; Locke, Robert
2014-01-01
Military training in elite warfighters (e.g., U.S. Army Rangers, Navy SEALs, and U.S. Air Force Battlefield Airmen) is challenging and requires mental and physical capabilities that are akin to that of professional athletes. However, unlike professional athletes, the competitive arena is the battlefield, with winning and losing replaced by either life or death. The rigors of both physical training and prolonged deployments without adequate rest and food intake can compromise physical performance. Therefore, the primary purpose of this effort was to identify occupational stressors on the physical performance of Special Operators during training and while on missions. The secondary purpose was to suggest specific countermeasures to reduce or prevent significant decrements in physical performance and reduce musculoskeletal injuries. A search of the literature for 2000?2012 was performed using the Air Force Institute of Technology search engines (i.e., PubMed and ProQuest). There were 29 articles located and selected that specifically addressed the primary and secondary purposes of this literature review. The remaining 32 of 61 referenced articles were reviewed after initial review of the primary literature. This review indicates that operational stress (e.g., negative energy balance, high-energy expenditure, sleep deprivation, environmental extremes, heavy load carriage, etc.) associated with rigorous training and sustained operations negatively affects hormonal levels, lean muscle mass, and physical performance of Special Operators. The number of musculoskeletal injuries also increases as a result of these stressors. Commanders may use simple field tests to assess physical decrements before and during deployment to effectively plan for missions. Specific countermeasures for these known decrements are lacking in the scientific literature. Therefore, future researchers should focus on studying specific physical training programs, equipment, and other methods to
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, August 1958
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1958-09-15
This is the monthly report of the Hanford Laboratories Operation, August 1958. Reactor fuels, chemistry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, employee relations, plutonium recycling, programming, radiation protection, laboratory auxiliaries operation, and inventions are discussed.
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Mechanobiology by the numbers: a close relationship between biology and physics.
Schwarz, Ulrich S
2017-12-01
Studies of mechanobiology lie at the interface of various scientific disciplines from biology to physics. Accordingly, quantification and mathematical modelling have been instrumental in fuelling the progress in this rapidly developing research field, assisting experimental work on many levels.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1993-01-01
This report in three volumes substantiates the contents of the programme survey published in September 1989. The progress reports cover the following research areas: Vol. I, (1). Atomic and molecular physics - free atoms, molecules, macromolecules, clusters, matrix-isolated atoms and molecules. (2) Physics and chemistry of surfaces and interfaces - epitaxy, surface structure, adsorption, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties, thin films, synthetic layer structure. Vol. II, (3). Solid-state physics, and materials science -structural research, lattice dynamics, magnetic structure and dynamics, electronic states; load; spin and pulse density fluctuations; diffusion and internal motion, defects, unordered systems and liquids. Vol. III, (4). Chemistry - bonding and structure, kinetics and reaction mechanisms, polymer research, analysis and synthesis. (5). Biology, - structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules, membrane and cell biology. (6) Development of methods and instruments - neutron sources, synchrotron sources, special accelerators, research with interlinked systems and devices. (orig.) [de
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Health: The No-Man's-Land Between Physics and Biology.
Mansfield, Peter J
2015-10-01
Health as a positive attribute is poorly understood because understanding requires concepts from physics, of which physicians and other life scientists have a very poor grasp. This paper reviews the physics that bears on biology, in particular complex quaternions and scalar fields, relates these to the morphogenetic fields proposed by biologists, and defines health as an attribute of living action within these fields. The distinction of quality, as juxtaposed with quantity, proves essential. Its basic properties are set out, but a science and mathematics of quality are awaited. The implications of this model are discussed, particularly as proper health enhancement could set a natural limit to demand for, and therefore the cost of, medical services.
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Cellular response to ionizing radiations: a study of the roles of physics and biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
DeWyngaert, J.K.
1982-01-01
A study of the complementary roles of physics and biology in determining the response of cellular systems to ionizing radiations has been conducted. Upon exposure to radiation, a cell responds in a binary (yes/no) manner in terms of its proliferative ability (survival). The relationship between the survival probability and absorbed dose may then be examined in terms of relevant physical and biological parameters. The approach to these studies was to vary the physics and biology independently and observe separately their influences upon the measured effect. Unique to these studies was the use of heterogeneous tumor systems. These are solid tumors found to consist of genetically related but identifiably distinct populations of cells. The two heterogeneous systems studied, a murine system consisting of four subpopulations and a human tumor system with two subpopulations, were exposed to graded doses of 14 MeV neutrons or x-rays and their effectiveness in inducing cell lethality compared. A further examination of the radiation effect involved a study at the chemical level, measuring the ability of oxygen to potentiate the damage produced by photon irradiation. To summarize, the physics, biology and the environment have all been varied, and the systematics of the responses studied. The data were analyzed within the formalisms of the dual theory of radiation action, the repair-misrepair model, and the repair saturation model of cell killing. The change in survival curve shape and the increased effectiveness in cell killing for higher Linear Energy Transfer (LET) radiations (neutrons vs. x-rays) are discussed in relation to explanations in terms of either physical or biochemical processes
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Prosperity or Perdition: Do Lines of Operations Apply in Stability Operations?
2003-01-01
evolution of military theory and practice. One such phase is “lines of operations.” The etymology of the term “lines of operations” reveals that it has been...interrelationships and overlap between separate disciplines (i.e. chemistry , physics, biology, as well as philosophy, economics
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UNCERTAINTY ON RADIATION DOSES ESTIMATED BY BIOLOGICAL AND RETROSPECTIVE PHYSICAL METHODS.
Ainsbury, Elizabeth A; Samaga, Daniel; Della Monaca, Sara; Marrale, Maurizio; Bassinet, Celine; Burbidge, Christopher I; Correcher, Virgilio; Discher, Michael; Eakins, Jon; Fattibene, Paola; Güçlü, Inci; Higueras, Manuel; Lund, Eva; Maltar-Strmecki, Nadica; McKeever, Stephen; Rääf, Christopher L; Sholom, Sergey; Veronese, Ivan; Wieser, Albrecht; Woda, Clemens; Trompier, Francois
2018-03-01
Biological and physical retrospective dosimetry are recognised as key techniques to provide individual estimates of dose following unplanned exposures to ionising radiation. Whilst there has been a relatively large amount of recent development in the biological and physical procedures, development of statistical analysis techniques has failed to keep pace. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of the art in uncertainty analysis techniques across the 'EURADOS Working Group 10-Retrospective dosimetry' members, to give concrete examples of implementation of the techniques recommended in the international standards, and to further promote the use of Monte Carlo techniques to support characterisation of uncertainties. It is concluded that sufficient techniques are available and in use by most laboratories for acute, whole body exposures to highly penetrating radiation, but further work will be required to ensure that statistical analysis is always wholly sufficient for the more complex exposure scenarios.
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Radiation physics, biophysics, and radiation biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hall, E.J.; Zaider, M.
1991-05-01
Research at the Radiological Research Laboratory is a blend of physics, chemistry, and biology, involving research at the basic level with the admixture of a small proportion of pragmatic or applied research in support of radiation protection and/or radiotherapy. Current research topics include: oncogenic transformation assays, mutation studies involving interactions between radiation and environmental contaminants, isolation, characterization and sequencing of a human repair gene, characterization of a dominant transforming gene found in C3H 10T1/2 cells, characterize ab initio the interaction of DNA and radiation, refine estimates of the radiation quality factor Q, a new mechanistic model of oncogenesis showing the role of long-term low dose medium LET radiation, and time dependent modeling of radiation induced chromosome damage and subsequent repair or misrepair
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Biological Movement and Laws of Physics.
Latash, Mark L
2017-07-01
Living systems may be defined as systems able to organize new, biology-specific, laws of physics and modify their parameters for specific tasks. Examples include the force-length muscle dependence mediated by the stretch reflex, and the control of movements with modification of the spatial referent coordinates for salient performance variables. Low-dimensional sets of referent coordinates at a task level are transformed to higher-dimensional sets at lower hierarchical levels in a way that ensures stability of performance. Stability of actions can be controlled independently of the actions (e.g., anticipatory synergy adjustments). Unintentional actions reflect relaxation processes leading to drifts of corresponding referent coordinates in the absence of changes in external load. Implications of this general framework for movement disorders, motor development, motor skill acquisition, and even philosophy are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, October 1960
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1960-11-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, October 1960. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, July 1959
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1959-08-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, July, 1959. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, March 1961
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1961-04-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, April 1961. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, February 1960
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1960-03-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, February, 1960. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, September 1960
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1960-10-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, October, 1960. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, May 1957
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1957-06-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, May, 1957. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, November 1959
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1959-12-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, November 1959. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, March 1957
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Albaugh, E.W.
1957-04-15
This is the monthly report of the Hanford Laboratories Operation, March, 1957. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, February 1961
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1961-03-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, February 1961. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, September 1959
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1959-10-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, October 1959. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, June 1957
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1957-07-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, July 1957. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, July 1961
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1961-08-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, July 1969. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, January 1961
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1961-02-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, January 1961. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, December 1962
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1963-01-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, December 1962. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, April 1961
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1961-05-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, April 1961. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, December 1959
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1960-01-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, January 1960. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, November 1960
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sale, W.
1960-12-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, November 1960. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, November 1962
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1962-12-14
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, November 1962. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1993-01-01
This report in three volumes substantiates the contents of the programme survey published in September 1989. The progress reports cover the following research areas: Vol. I, (1). Atomic and molecular physics - free atoms, molecules, macromolecules, clusters, matrix-isolated atoms and molecules. (2) Physics and chemistry of surfaces and interfaces - epitaxy, surface structure, adsorption, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties, thin films, synthetic layer structure. Vol. II, (3). Solid-state physics, and materials science -structural research, lattice dynamics, magnetic structure and dynamics, electronic states; load; spin and pulse density fluctuations; diffusion and internal motion, defects, unordered systems and liquids. Vol. III, (4). Chemistry - bonding and structure, kinetics and reaction mechanisms, polymer research, analysis and synthesis. (5). Biology, - structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules, membrane and cell biology. (6) Development of methods and instruments - neutron sources, synchrotron sources, special accelerators, research with interlinked systems and devices. (orig.) [de
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4D-Var data assimilation system for a coupled physical-biological ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
A 3-compartment model of phytoplankton growth dynamics has been coupled with a primitive-equation circulation model to better understand and quantify physical and biological processes in the Adriatic Sea. This paper presents the development and application of a data assimilation procedure based on optimal.
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Hart, Kathy, Ed.
A series of science experiments and activities designed for secondary school students taking biology, chemistry, physics, physical science or marine science courses are outlined. Each of the three major sections--chemistry, biology, and physics--addresses concepts that are generally covered in those courses but incorporates aspects of marine…
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hall, E.J.; Zaider, M.
1994-05-01
Research at the Center for Radiological Research is a blend of physics, chemistry and biology and epitomizes the multidisciplinary approach towards understanding the mechanisms involved in the health problems resulting from human exposure to ionizing radiations. To an increasing extent, the focus of attention is on biochemistry and the application of the techniques of molecular biology to the problems of radiation biology. Research highlights from the past year are briefly described.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hall, E.J.; Zaider, M.
1994-05-01
Research at the Center for Radiological Research is a blend of physics, chemistry and biology and epitomizes the multidisciplinary approach towards understanding the mechanisms involved in the health problems resulting from human exposure to ionizing radiations. To an increasing extent, the focus of attention is on biochemistry and the application of the techniques of molecular biology to the problems of radiation biology. Research highlights from the past year are briefly described
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Operational and biological effects zones from base stations of cellular telephony
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Geronikolou, St. A., E-mail: sgeronik@bioacademy.gr [Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens (Greece); Zimeras, S., E-mail: zimste@aegean.gr [University of the Aegean, Karlovassi, Samos (Greece); Tsitomeneas, S. Th., E-mail: stsit@teipir.gr [Piraeus University of Applied Sciences, Aigaleo (Greece)
2016-03-25
The possible environmental impacts of cellular base stations are operational and biological. The operational effects comprise Εlectro-Μagnetic Interference (EMI), lightning alterations and aesthetic degradation. Both thermal and non-thermal biological effects depend on the absorption of UHF radiofrequencies used. We measured, calculated and estimated the impact zones. The results are: (a) The lightning lethal zone equal to the antenna height, (b) the EMI impact in a zone up to 40m and (c) the ICNIRP’s limits exceed to a zone of 8∼20m into the antenna’s radiation pattern (for 2G GSM and 3G UMTS station). Finally we conclude the adverse effects must not expected in a zone of more than 150m from the radiated antenna, whereas, there is possibility of stochastic effects in intermediate distances (20/40-150m).
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Biological and Physical Space Research Laboratory 2002 Science Review
Curreri, P. A. (Editor); Robinson, M. B. (Editor); Murphy, K. L. (Editor)
2003-01-01
With the International Space Station Program approaching core complete, our NASA Headquarters sponsor, the new Code U Enterprise, Biological and Physical Research, is shifting its research emphasis from purely fundamental microgravity and biological sciences to strategic research aimed at enabling human missions beyond Earth orbit. Although we anticipate supporting microgravity research on the ISS for some time to come, our laboratory has been vigorously engaged in developing these new strategic research areas.This Technical Memorandum documents the internal science research at our laboratory as presented in a review to Dr. Ann Whitaker, MSFC Science Director, in July 2002. These presentations have been revised and updated as appropriate for this report. It provides a snapshot of the internal science capability of our laboratory as an aid to other NASA organizations and the external scientific community.
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Bender, Carl M.; Fring, Andreas; Guenther, Uwe; Jones, Hugh F.
2012-01-01
This is a call for contributions to a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical dedicated to quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators. The main motivation behind this special issue is to gather together recent results, developments and open problems in this rapidly evolving field of research in a single comprehensive volume. We expect that such a special issue will become a valuable reference for the broad scientific community working in mathematical and theoretical physics. The issue will be open to all contributions containing new results on non-Hermitian theories which are explicitly PT-symmetric and/or pseudo-Hermitian or quasi-Hermitian. The main novelties in the past years in this area have been many experimental observations, realizations, and applications of PT symmetric Hamiltonians in optics and microwave cavities. We especially invite contributions on the theoretical interpretations of these recent PT-symmetric experiments and on theoretical proposals for new experiments. Editorial policy The Guest Editors for this issue are Carl Bender, Andreas Fring, Uwe Guenther and Hugh Jones. The areas and topics for this issue include, but are not limited to: spectral problems novel properties of complex optical potentials PT-symmetry related threshold lasers and spectral singularities construction of metric operators scattering theory supersymmetric theories Lie algebraic and Krein-space methods random matrix models classical and semi-classical models exceptional points in model systems operator theoretic approaches microwave cavities aspects of integrability and exact solvability field theories with indefinite metric All contributions will be refereed and processed according to the usual procedure of the journal. Papers should report original and significant research that has not already been published. Guidelines for preparation of contributions The deadline for contributed papers will be 31 March 2012. This deadline will allow the
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Hanford Atomic Products Operation monthly report, January 1956
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1956-02-24
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Atomic Laboratories Products Operation, February, 1956. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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4D-Var data assimilation system for a coupled physical biological ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
A 3-compartment model of phytoplankton growth dynamics has been coupled with a primitive-equation circulation model to better understand and quantify physical and biological processes in the Adriatic Sea. This paper presents the development and application of a data assimilation procedure based on optimal control ...
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Physics of non-Newtonian fluids and interdisciplinary relations (biology and criminology)
Holubova, R.
2018-03-01
The aim of the paper is the presentation of an interdisciplinary topic that allows applying content knowledge in physics, mathematics and biology in real life environment. Students use to play games and view crime scenes but in common they have little knowledge about the science used during crime scene investigation. In this paper the science background of blood spatter analysis is presented—the physics of non-Newtonian fluids, the biology of blood and mathematics—the measurement and calculation of the angle of inpact, the relationship between height and spatter diameter. This topic was choosen according to the analysis of interviews with secondary and high school learners realized at four schools in Moravia, Czech Republic. The topic can be taught at secondary schools so as at a higher level at high schools. Hands-on activities are included. The teaching strategy supports group work. The appropriateness and reasonableness of the topic was checked in the real teaching process and the activities have had a positive feedback.
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Modelling the Influence of Shielding on Physical and Biological Organ Doses
Ballarini, Francesca; Ferrari, Alfredo; Ottolenghi, Andrea; Pelliccioni, Maurizio; Scannicchio, Domenico
2002-01-01
Distributions of "physical" and "biological" dose in different organs were calculated by coupling the FLUKA MC transport code with a geometrical human phantom inserted into a shielding box of variable shape, thickness and material. While the expression "physical dose" refers to the amount of deposited energy per unit mass (in Gy), "biological dose" was modelled with "Complex Lesions" (CL), clustered DNA strand breaks calculated in a previous work based on "event-by-event" track-structure simulations. The yields of complex lesions per cell and per unit dose were calculated for different radiation types and energies, and integrated into a version of FLUKA modified for this purpose, allowing us to estimate the effects of mixed fields. As an initial test simulation, the phantom was inserted into an aluminium parallelepiped and was isotropically irradiated with 500 MeV protons. Dose distributions were calculated for different values of the shielding thickness. The results were found to be organ-dependent. In most ...
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Research Data in Core Journals in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ryan P Womack
Full Text Available This study takes a stratified random sample of articles published in 2014 from the top 10 journals in the disciplines of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, as ranked by impact factor. Sampled articles were examined for their reporting of original data or reuse of prior data, and were coded for whether the data was publicly shared or otherwise made available to readers. Other characteristics such as the sharing of software code used for analysis and use of data citation and DOIs for data were examined. The study finds that data sharing practices are still relatively rare in these disciplines' top journals, but that the disciplines have markedly different practices. Biology top journals share original data at the highest rate, and physics top journals share at the lowest rate. Overall, the study finds that within the top journals, only 13% of articles with original data published in 2014 make the data available to others.
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Supporting students in building interdisciplinary connections across physics and biology
Turpen, Chandra
2014-03-01
Our research team has been engaged in the iterative redesign of an Introductory Physics course for Life Science (IPLS) majors to explicitly bridge biology and physics in ways that are authentic to the disciplines. Our interdisciplinary course provides students opportunities to examine how modeling decisions (e.g. knowing when and how to use different concepts, identifying implicit assumptions, making and justifying assumptions) may differ depending on canonical disciplinary aims and interests. Our focus on developing students' interdisciplinary reasoning skills requires 1) shifting course topics to focus on core ideas that span the disciplines, 2) shifting epistemological expectations, and 3) foregrounding typically tacit disciplinary assumptions. In working to build an authentic interdisciplinary course that bridges physics and biology, we pay careful attention to supporting students in constructing these bridges. This course has been shown to have important impacts: a) students seek meaningful connections between the disciplines, b) students perceive relevance and utility of ideas from different disciplines, and c) students reconcile challenging disciplinary ideas. Although our focus has been on building interdisciplinary coherence, we have succeeded in maintaining strong student learning gains on fundamental physics concepts and allowed students to deepen their understanding of challenging concepts in thermodynamics. This presentation will describe the shifts in course content and the modern pedagogical approaches that have been integrated into the course, and provide an overview of key research results from this project. These results may aid physicists in reconsidering how they can meaningfully reach life-science students. This work is supported by NSF-TUES DUE 11-22818, the HHMI NEXUS grant, and a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (DGE 0750616).
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Hanford Atomic Products Operation monthly report for February 1956
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1956-02-21
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, February, 1956. Metallurgy, reactors fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, employee relations are discussed.
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Leveraging a Relationship with Biology to Expand a Relationship with Physics
Sawtelle, Vashti; Turpen, Chandra
2016-01-01
This work examines how experiences in one disciplinary domain (biology) can impact the relationship a student builds with another domain (physics). We present a model for disciplinary relationships using the constructs of identity, affect, and epistemology. With these constructs we examine an ethnographic case study of a student who experienced a…
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hall, E.J.; Zaider, M.; Delegianis, M.J.
1988-07-01
Research at the Radiological Research Laboratory is a blend of physics, chemistry, and biology, involving research at the basic level with the admixture of a small proportion of pragmatic or applied research in support of radiation protection and/or radiation therapy. At the current level of funding, approximately one quarter of the research of the Laboratory could be regarded as in support of radiotherapy, with the remainder addressing more basic issues. The new initiatives have been in two directions. First, there has been an increased emphasis on research in radiation chemistry, inasmuch as this subject which involves the study of free radicals and fast radiation chemistry processes starts to bridge the gap between physics and biology, between the initial deposition of radiant energy and its final expression in terms of biological consequences. Second, the emphasis in the biological research has moved towards studies at the molecular level, with the appointment of new members of staff with expertise in this area. Individual chapters were processed separately for the data base
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Hanford Atomic Products Operation monthly report for June 1955
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1955-07-28
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Atomic Products Operation, June, 1955. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.
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Can We Practically Bring Physics-based Modeling Into Operational Analytics Tools?
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Granderson, Jessica [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Bonvini, Marco [Whisker Labs, Oakland, CA (United States); Piette, Mary Ann [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Page, Janie [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Lin, Guanjing [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Hu, R. Lilly [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
2017-08-11
We present that analytics software is increasingly used to improve and maintain operational efficiency in commercial buildings. Energy managers, owners, and operators are using a diversity of commercial offerings often referred to as Energy Information Systems, Fault Detection and Diagnostic (FDD) systems, or more broadly Energy Management and Information Systems, to cost-effectively enable savings on the order of ten to twenty percent. Most of these systems use data from meters and sensors, with rule-based and/or data-driven models to characterize system and building behavior. In contrast, physics-based modeling uses first-principles and engineering models (e.g., efficiency curves) to characterize system and building behavior. Historically, these physics-based approaches have been used in the design phase of the building life cycle or in retrofit analyses. Researchers have begun exploring the benefits of integrating physics-based models with operational data analytics tools, bridging the gap between design and operations. In this paper, we detail the development and operator use of a software tool that uses hybrid data-driven and physics-based approaches to cooling plant FDD and optimization. Specifically, we describe the system architecture, models, and FDD and optimization algorithms; advantages and disadvantages with respect to purely data-driven approaches; and practical implications for scaling and replicating these techniques. Finally, we conclude with an evaluation of the future potential for such tools and future research opportunities.
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Newton, D. P.
1984-01-01
A survey of sixth-form students to determine the level of A-level textbook use in physics, chemistry, and biology in English schools found that texts are used primarily after the lesson, at the student's discretion, and with great variations between students. Biology texts were used most, and physics texts used least. (MBR)
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Preservice Teachers' Epistemological Beliefs in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology: A Mixed Study
Topcu, Mustafa Sami
2013-01-01
The purposes of the study were to assess preservice teachers' domain-specific epistemological beliefs and to investigate whether preservice teachers distinguish disciplinary differences (physics, chemistry, and biology) in domain-specific epistemological beliefs. Mixed-method research design guided the present research. The researcher explored…
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Clinton P. Anderson Meson Physics Facility and its operational safety program
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Putnam, T.M.
1975-01-01
The Clinton P. Anderson Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF) at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory consists of/ (1) a medium-energy, high-intensity linear proton accelerator; (2) experimental areas designed to support a multidisciplined program of research and practical applications; and (3) support facilities for accelerator operations and the experimental program. The high-intensity primary and secondary beams at LAMPF and the varied research program create many interesting and challenging problems for the Health Physics staff. A brief overview of LAMPF is presented, and the Operational Safety Program is discussed, with emphasis on the radiological safety and health physics aspects
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Physical Chemistry for the Chemical and Biological Sciences (by Raymond Chang)
Pounds, Andrew
2001-05-01
This book does offer an alternative approach to physical chemistry that is particularly well suited for those who want to pursue a course of study more focused on the biological sciences. It could also be an excellent choice for schools that mainly serve preprofessional programs or for schools that have split physical chemistry tracks to independently serve the B.S. and B.A. degrees. Since the book focuses on single-variable mathematics, schools that require only one year of calculus for their chemistry degree could also think about adopting it. However, in general, the use of the text as a drop-in replacement for physical chemistry for the B.S. degree is questionable owing to its lack of focus on quantum mechanics and its implications for spectroscopy.
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Crittenden, S.J.; Goede, de R.G.M.
2016-01-01
Though soil physical and soil biological properties are intrinsically linked in the soil environment they are often studied separately. This work adds value to analyses of soil biophysical quality of tillage systems under organic and conventional farming systems by correlating physical and
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Physics of Non-Newtonian Fluids and Interdisciplinary Relations (Biology and Criminology)
Holubova, R.
2018-01-01
The aim of the paper is the presentation of an interdisciplinary topic that allows applying content knowledge in physics, mathematics and biology in real life environment. Students use to play games and view crime scenes but in common they have little knowledge about the science used during crime scene investigation. In this paper the science…
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Helium ions for radiotherapy? Physical and biological verifications of a novel treatment modality
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Krämer, Michael, E-mail: m.kraemer@gsi.de; Scifoni, Emanuele; Schuy, Christoph; Rovituso, Marta; Maier, Andreas; Kaderka, Robert; Kraft-Weyrather, Wilma [Biophysics, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Planckstr. 1, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Tinganelli, Walter; Durante, Marco [Biophysics, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Planckstr. 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany and Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Application (TIFPA-INFN), 38123, via Sommarive 14, Trento (Italy); Brons, Stephan; Tessonnier, Thomas [Heidelberger Ionenstrahl-Therapiezentrum (HIT), Im Neuenheimer Feld 450, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany and Radioonkologie und Strahlentherapie, Universitätsklinikums Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Parodi, Katia [Heidelberger Ionenstrahl-Therapiezentrum (HIT), Im Neuenheimer Feld 450, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Radioonkologie und Strahlentherapie, Universitätsklinikums Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen (LMU Munich), Department of Medical Physics, Am Coulombwall 1, 85748 Munich (Germany)
2016-04-15
Purpose: Modern facilities for actively scanned ion beam radiotherapy allow in principle the use of helium beams, which could present specific advantages, especially for pediatric tumors. In order to assess the potential use of these beams for radiotherapy, i.e., to create realistic treatment plans, the authors set up a dedicated {sup 4}He beam model, providing base data for their treatment planning system TRiP98, and they have reported that in this work together with its physical and biological validations. Methods: A semiempirical beam model for the physical depth dose deposition and the production of nuclear fragments was developed and introduced in TRiP98. For the biological effect calculations the last version of the local effect model was used. The model predictions were experimentally verified at the HIT facility. The primary beam attenuation and the characteristics of secondary charged particles at various depth in water were investigated using {sup 4}He ion beams of 200 MeV/u. The nuclear charge of secondary fragments was identified using a ΔE/E telescope. 3D absorbed dose distributions were measured with pin point ionization chambers and the biological dosimetry experiments were realized irradiating a Chinese hamster ovary cells stack arranged in an extended target. Results: The few experimental data available on basic physical processes are reproduced by their beam model. The experimental verification of absorbed dose distributions in extended target volumes yields an overall agreement, with a slight underestimation of the lateral spread. Cell survival along a 4 cm extended target is reproduced with remarkable accuracy. Conclusions: The authors presented a simple simulation model for therapeutical {sup 4}He beams which they introduced in TRiP98, and which is validated experimentally by means of physical and biological dosimetries. Thus, it is now possible to perform detailed treatment planning studies with {sup 4}He beams, either exclusively or in
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78 FR 69139 - Physical Security-Design Certification and Operating Reactors
2013-11-18
... Operating Reactors AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Standard review plan--draft section..., ``Physical Security--Design Certification and Operating Reactors.'' The public comment period was originally....regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2013-0225. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher...
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Hanford Laboratories operation monthly activities report, November 1957
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1957-12-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, physics and instrumentation, reactor technology, chemistry, separation processes, biology, financial activities, employee relations, laboratories auxiliaries, radiation protection, operation research, inventions, visits, and personnel status are discussed. This report is for November 1957.
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Hanford Laboratories operation monthly activities report, November 1956
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1956-12-21
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, physics and instrumentation, reactor technology, chemistry, separation processes, biology, financial activities, employee relations, laboratories auxiliaries, radiation protection, operations research, inventions, visits, and personnel status are discussed. This report is for November, 1956.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, October 1958
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1958-11-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, physics and instrumentation, reactor technology, chemistry, separation processes, biology, financial activities, employee relations, laboratories auxiliaries, radiation protection, operation research, inventions, visits, and personnel status are discussed. This report is for October 1958.
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Hanford Laboratories operation monthly activities report, January 1957
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1957-02-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, physics and instrumentation, reactor technology, chemistry, separation processes, biology, financial activities, employee relations, laboratories auxiliaries, radiation protection, operation research, inventions, visits, and personnel status are discussed. This report is for January 1957.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, October 1957
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1957-11-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, physics and instrumentation, reactor technology, chemistry, separation processes, biology, financial activities, employee relations, laboratories auxiliaries, radiation protection, operation research, inventions, visits, and personnel status are discussed. This report is for October 1957.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, September 1956
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1956-10-19
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, physics and instrumentation, reactor technology, chemistry, separation processes, biology, financial activities, employee relations, laboratories auxiliaries, radiation protection, operation research, inventions, visits, and personnel status are discussed. This report is for September 1956.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, March 1960
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1960-04-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, physics and instrumentation, reactor technology, chemistry, separation processes, biology, financial activities, employee relations, laboratories auxiliaries, radiation protection, operation research, inventions, visits, and personnel status are discussed. This report is for March 1960.
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Hanford Laboratories operation monthly activities report, February 1958
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1958-03-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, physics and instrumentation, reactor technology, chemistry, separation processes, biology, financial activities, employee relations, laboratories auxiliaries, radiation protection, operation research, inventions, visits, and personnel status are discussed. This report is for February 1958.
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Hanford Laboratories Operation monthly activities report, December 1957
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1958-01-15
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, physics and instrumentation, reactor technology, chemistry, separation processes, biology, financial activities, employee relations, laboratories auxiliaries, radiation protection, operation research, inventions, visits, and personnel status are discussed. This report is for December 1957.
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Substitute safety rods: Physics of operation and irradiation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Baumann, N.P.
1991-01-01
Under certain assumed accidents, an SRS reactor may lose most of its bulk moderator while maintaining flow to fuel assemblies. If this occurs immediately after operation at power, components normally dependent on convective heat transfer to the moderator will heat up with the possibility of melting that component. One component at risk is the currently used cadmium safety rod. A substitute safety rod consisting solely of sintered B 4 C and stainless steel has been designed which is capable of withstanding much higher temperatures. This memorandum provides the physics basis for the adequacy of the rod for reactor shutdown and provides a set of criteria for acceptance in the NTG tests. This memorandum provides physics data for other aspects of operation. These include: Heat production and helium production, along with related phenomena, resulting from inadvertent irradiation at power. Gamma heat input under drained tank conditions. An equivalent rod design suitable for charge design and safety analyses. Degradation under normal operation. Thermal flux ripple in adjacent fuel due to axial striping of alternate B 4 C and steel pellets. Possible effect on safety analyses. Safety rod withdrawal during reactor startup
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Complex network problems in physics, computer science and biology
Cojocaru, Radu Ionut
There is a close relation between physics and mathematics and the exchange of ideas between these two sciences are well established. However until few years ago there was no such a close relation between physics and computer science. Even more, only recently biologists started to use methods and tools from statistical physics in order to study the behavior of complex system. In this thesis we concentrate on applying and analyzing several methods borrowed from computer science to biology and also we use methods from statistical physics in solving hard problems from computer science. In recent years physicists have been interested in studying the behavior of complex networks. Physics is an experimental science in which theoretical predictions are compared to experiments. In this definition, the term prediction plays a very important role: although the system is complex, it is still possible to get predictions for its behavior, but these predictions are of a probabilistic nature. Spin glasses, lattice gases or the Potts model are a few examples of complex systems in physics. Spin glasses and many frustrated antiferromagnets map exactly to computer science problems in the NP-hard class defined in Chapter 1. In Chapter 1 we discuss a common result from artificial intelligence (AI) which shows that there are some problems which are NP-complete, with the implication that these problems are difficult to solve. We introduce a few well known hard problems from computer science (Satisfiability, Coloring, Vertex Cover together with Maximum Independent Set and Number Partitioning) and then discuss their mapping to problems from physics. In Chapter 2 we provide a short review of combinatorial optimization algorithms and their applications to ground state problems in disordered systems. We discuss the cavity method initially developed for studying the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model of spin glasses. We extend this model to the study of a specific case of spin glass on the Bethe
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Hanford Atomic Products Operation monthly report for March 1956
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1956-04-20
This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, March, 1956. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology; financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, employee relations, pile technology, safety and radiological sciences are discussed.
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Foundations of anticipatory logic in biology and physics.
Bettinger, Jesse S; Eastman, Timothy E
2017-12-01
Recent advances in modern physics and biology reveal several scenarios in which top-down effects (Ellis, 2016) and anticipatory systems (Rosen, 1980) indicate processes at work enabling active modeling and inference such that anticipated effects project onto potential causes. We extrapolate a broad landscape of anticipatory systems in the natural sciences extending to computational neuroscience of perception in the capacity of Bayesian inferential models of predictive processing. This line of reasoning also comes with philosophical foundations, which we develop in terms of counterfactual reasoning and possibility space, Whitehead's process thought, and correlations with Eastern wisdom traditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Dimension-6 operator analysis of the CLIC sensitivity to new physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ellis, John; Roloff, Philipp; Sanz, Verónica; You, Tevong
2017-01-01
We estimate the possible accuracies of measurements at the proposed CLIC e + e − collider of Higgs and W + W − production at centre-of-mass energies up to 3 TeV, incorporating also Higgsstrahlung projections at higher energies that had not been considered previously, and use them to explore the prospective CLIC sensitivities to decoupled new physics. We present the resulting constraints on the Wilson coefficients of dimension-6 operators in a model-independent approach based on the Standard Model effective field theory (SM EFT). The higher centre-of-mass energy of CLIC, compared to other projects such as the ILC and CEPC, gives it greater sensitivity to the coefficients of some of the operators we study. We find that CLIC Higgs measurements may be sensitive to new physics scales Λ=O(10) TeV for individual operators, reduced to O(1) TeV sensitivity for a global fit marginalising over the coefficients of all contributing operators. We give some examples of the corresponding prospective constraints on specific scenarios for physics beyond the SM, including stop quarks and the dilaton/radion.
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Progress report, Biology and Health Physics Division, October 1 to December 31, 1975
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1976-01-01
Interim research results are reported in health physics (dosimetry, monitoring), environmental research, population research (tumor induction in mammals, human health record linkage), and biology (radiobiology of rodents, bacteria, bacteriophage T4, and insects). (E.C.B.)
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Anon.
1978-01-01
Present knowledge of the relevant physical, chemical, and biological properties of radiocerium as a basis for establishing radiation protection guidelines is summarized. The first section of the report reviews the chemical and physical properties of radiocerium relative to the biological behavior of internally-deposited cerium and other lanthanides. The second section of the report gives the sources of radiocerium in the environment and the pathways to man. The third section of the report describes the metabolic fate of cerium in several mammalian species as a basis for predicting its metabolic fate in man. The fourth section of the report considers the biomedical effects of radiocerium in light of extensive animal experimentation. The last two sections of the report describe the history of radiation protection guidelines for radiocerium and summarize data required for evaluating the adequacy of current radiation protection guidelines. Each section begins with a summary of the most important findings that follow
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A model of heavy ion detection in physical and biological systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Waligorski, M.P.R.
1988-01-01
Track structure theory (the Katz model) and its application to the detection of heavy ions in physical and biological systems are reviewed. Following the use of a new corrected formula describing the radial distribution of average dose around the path of a heavy ion, based on results of Monte Carlo calculations and on results of experimental measurements, better agreement is achieved between model calculations and experimentally measured relative effectiveness, for enzymatic and viral systems, for the Fricke dosemeter and for alanine and thermoluminescent (TDL-700) dosemeters irradiated with beams of heavy charged particles. From experimentally measured RBE dependences for survival and frequency of neoplastic transformations in a mammalian cell culture irradiated with beams of energetic heavy ions, values of model parameters for these biological endpoints have been extracted, and a model extrapolation to the low-dose region performed. Results of model calculations are then compared with evaluations of the lung cancer hazard in populations exposed to radon and its progeny. The model can be applied to practical phenomenological analysis of radiation damage in solid-state systems and to dosimetry of charged particle and fast neutron beams using a variety of detectors. The model can also serve as a guide in building more basic models of the action of ionizing radiation with physical and biological systems and guide of development of models of radiation risk more relevant than that used presently. 185 refs., 31 figs., 3 tabs. (author)
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Progress report, Biology and Health Physics Division, July 1 to September 30, 1975
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1975-11-01
Interim results are reported for research in health physics, i.e. dosimetry, detectors, and monitoring; environmental research (limnology, radionuclide migration and kinetics; population research (radiation carcinogenesis, radiation effects in human populations); and biology (radiobiology). (E.C.B.)
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Soil washing physical separations test procedure - 300-FF-1 operable unit
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Belden, R.D.
1993-10-08
This procedure provides the operations approach, a field sampling plan, and laboratory procedures for a soil washing test to be conducted by Alternative Remedial Technologies, Inc. (ART) in the 300-FF-1 area at the Hanford site. The {open_quotes}Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Soil Washing Physical Separations Test, 300-FF-1 Operable Unit,{close_quotes} Hanford, Washington, Alternative Remedial Technologies, Inc., February 1994 (QAPP) is provided in a separate document that presents the procedural and organizational guidelines for this test. This document describes specifications, responsibilities, and general procedures to be followed to conduct physical separation soil treatability tests in the North Process Pond of the 300-FF-1 Operable Unit (OU) at the Hanford Site. These procedures are based on the {open_quotes}300-FF-1 Physical Separations CERCLA Treatability Test Plan, DOE/RL 92-2l,{close_quotes} (DOE-RL 1993).
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Soil washing physical separations test procedure - 300-FF-1 operable unit
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Belden, R.D.
1993-01-01
This procedure provides the operations approach, a field sampling plan, and laboratory procedures for a soil washing test to be conducted by Alternative Remedial Technologies, Inc. (ART) in the 300-FF-1 area at the Hanford site. The open-quotes Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Soil Washing Physical Separations Test, 300-FF-1 Operable Unit,close quotes Hanford, Washington, Alternative Remedial Technologies, Inc., February 1994 (QAPP) is provided in a separate document that presents the procedural and organizational guidelines for this test. This document describes specifications, responsibilities, and general procedures to be followed to conduct physical separation soil treatability tests in the North Process Pond of the 300-FF-1 Operable Unit (OU) at the Hanford Site. These procedures are based on the open-quotes 300-FF-1 Physical Separations CERCLA Treatability Test Plan, DOE/RL 92-2l,close quotes (DOE-RL 1993)
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rumiko Tashima
2011-12-01
Full Text Available We investigated the correlation between biological markers prior to pre-operative chemotherapy with epirubicin and docetaxel (ET therapy and the effect of treatment as well as the clinically significant changes in biological markers before and after chemotherapy. Since April 2002, 52 patients with tumors ≥3 cm in diameter or lymph node metastases have received pre-operative ET chemotherapy. The items investigated were ER/PgR, proliferative activity (MIB-1, etc. The correlation of changes in these factors between pre- and post-treatment status and the clinical and pathological responses was investigated. Clinical response was 82%, BCS rate was 67%. Pathological response was 31.4%. The ER/PgR positive cell rate significantly decreased from 48%/32% to 37%/14%. The MIB-1 decreased from 48% to 27%. The pathological response was significantly high in patients with low ER/PgR-positive rates and those with high MIB-1 values.
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Progress report, Biology and Health Physics Division, April 1 to June 30, 1975
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1975-09-01
Interim results are reported on research at CRNL in health physics (dosimetry, instrumentation, monitoring); environmental research (limnology, radionuclide migration and kinetics); populaton research (tumor induction in mammals, human health records); and biology (radiobiology, genetic studies). (E.C.B.)
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Physical and biological factors determining the effective proton range
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Grün, Rebecca; Friedrich, Thomas; Krämer, Michael; Scholz, Michael; Zink, Klemens; Durante, Marco; Engenhart-Cabillic, Rita
2013-01-01
Purpose: Proton radiotherapy is rapidly becoming a standard treatment option for cancer. However, even though experimental data show an increase of the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) with depth, particularly at the distal end of the treatment field, a generic RBE of 1.1 is currently used in proton radiotherapy. This discrepancy might affect the effective penetration depth of the proton beam and thus the dose to the surrounding tissue and organs at risk. The purpose of this study was thus to analyze the impact of a tissue and dose dependent RBE of protons on the effective range of the proton beam in comparison to the range based on a generic RBE of 1.1.Methods: Factors influencing the biologically effective proton range were systematically analyzed by means of treatment planning studies using the Local Effect Model (LEM IV) and the treatment planning software TRiP98. Special emphasis was put on the comparison of passive and active range modulation techniques.Results: Beam energy, tissue type, and dose level significantly affected the biological extension of the treatment field at the distal edge. Up to 4 mm increased penetration depth as compared to the depth based on a constant RBE of 1.1. The extension of the biologically effective range strongly depends on the initial proton energy used for the most distal layer of the field and correlates with the width of the distal penumbra. Thus, the range extension, in general, was more pronounced for passive as compared to active range modulation systems, whereas the maximum RBE was higher for active systems.Conclusions: The analysis showed that the physical characteristics of the proton beam in terms of the width of the distal penumbra have a great impact on the RBE gradient and thus also the biologically effective penetration depth of the beam
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A series of lectures on operational physics of power reactors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mohanakrishnan, P.; Rastogi, B.P.
1982-01-01
This report discusses certain aspects of operational physics of power reactors. These form a lecture series at the Winter College on Nuclear Physics and Reactors, Jan. - March 1980, conducted at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy. The topics covered are (a) the reactor physics aspects of fuel burnup (b) theoretical methods applied for burnup prediction in power reactors (c) interpretation of neutron detector readings in terms of adjacent fuel assembly powers (d) refuelling schemes used in power reactors. The reactor types chosen for the discussion are BWR, PWR and PHWR. (author)
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Bubenheim, David L.; Harper, Lynn D.; Wignarajah, Kanapathipillai; Greene, Catherine
1994-01-01
The water present in waste streams from a human habitat must be recycled in Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) to limit resupply needs and attain self-sufficiency. Plants play an important role in providing food, regenerating air, and producing purified water via transpiration. However, we have shown that the surfactants present in hygiene waste water have acute toxic effects on plant growth (Bubenheim et al. 1994; Greene et al., 1994). These phytotoxic affects can be mitigated by allowing the microbial population on the root surface to degrade the surfactant, however, a significant suppression (several days) in crop performance is experienced prior to reaching sub-toxic surfactant levels and plant recovery. An effective alternative is to stabilize the microbial population responsible for degradation of the surfactant on an aerobic bioreactor and process the waste water prior to utilization in the hydroponic solution (Wisniewski and Bubenheim, 1993). A sensitive bioassay indicates that the surfactant phytotoxicity is suppressed by more than 90% within 5 hours of introduction of the gray water to the bioreactor; processing for more than 12 hours degrades more than 99% of the phytotoxin. Vapor Compression Distillation (VCD) is a physical / chemical method for water purification which employees sequential distillation steps to separate water from solids and to volatilize contaminants. The solids from the waste water are concentrated in a brine and the pure product water (70 - 90% of the total waste water volume depending on operating conditions) retains non of the phytotoxic effects. Results of the bioassay were used to guide evaluations of the suitability of recovered gray water following biological and VCD processing for hydroponic lettuce production in controlled environments. Lettuce crops were grown for 28 days with 100% of the input water supplied with recovered water from the biological processor or VCD. When compared with the growth of plants
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
1962-02-15
The use of tritium for research in physics, chemistry, biology and hydrology has in recent years become increasingly important. It was for this reason that the first international conference to discuss the progress of new developments was organized by the IAEA in conjunction with the Joint Commission on Applied Radioactivity and held from 3 - 10 May 1961, in Vienna. The first five sessions of the Symposium were devoted to the use of tritium in hydrology, physics and chemistry. Special emphasis was laid on the role of tritium as a tracer in hydrology, especially in the study of water movement. The establishment and improvement of counting and detection techniques to facilitate the application of tritium as a tracer was another aspect discussed in this part of the proceedings. Papers were read on the preparation of tritiated compounds and it was generally agreed that further clarification of the mechanism of various techniques, and of the Wilzbach gas exposure technique in particular, would lead to further developments in the synthesis of a number of tritium compounds important in biology. Other papers were concerned with tritium applications to studies of the mechanism of some chemical reactions together with the effects of tritium isotopes. During the second part of the Symposium the biological applications of tritium and tritiated compounds were discussed. These included general problems connected with the biological uses of tritium and the radiation effects of tritium on living organisms such as viruses, bacteria and cancer cells. The value of tritium in biological studies became apparent because of the ease with which a large number of metabolically active compounds such as hormones, vitamins and other important constituents in the body can be labelled with tritium. Tritium is also a weak beta-emitter and autoradiographs of tissues and single cells containing tritium-labelled compounds allow an excellent localization of the tracer. The Symposium was attended by
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1962-01-01
The use of tritium for research in physics, chemistry, biology and hydrology has in recent years become increasingly important. It was for this reason that the first international conference to discuss the progress of new developments was organized by the IAEA in conjunction with the Joint Commission on Applied Radioactivity and held from 3 — 10 May 1961, in Vienna. The first five sessions of the Symposium were devoted to the use of tritium in hydrology, physics and chemistry. Special emphasis was laid on the role of tritium as a tracer in hydrology, especially in the study of water movement. The establishment and improvement of counting and detection techniques to facilitate the application of tritium as a tracer was another aspect discussed in this part of the proceedings. Papers were read on the preparation of tritiated compounds and it was generally agreed that further clarification of the mechanism of various techniques, and of the Wilzbach gas exposure technique in particular, would lead to further developments in the synthesis of a number of tritium compounds important in biology. Other papers were concerned with tritium applications to studies of the mechanism of some chemical reactions together with the effects of tritium isotopes. During the second part of the Symposium the biological applications of tritium and tritiated compounds were discussed. These included general problems connected with the biological uses of tritium and the radiation effects of tritium on living organisms such as viruses, bacteria and cancer cells. The value of tritium in biological studies became apparent because of the ease with which a large number of metabolically active compounds such as hormones, vitamins and other important constituents in the body can be labelled with tritium. Tritium is also a weak beta-emitter and autoradiographs of tissues and single cells containing tritium-labelled compounds allow an excellent localization of the tracer. The Symposium was attended
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nashriyah Mat.
1995-01-01
This procedure is for the purpose of safe operation of OX-500 biological material oxidizer. For ease of operation, the operation flow chart (including testing the system and sample combustion) and end of day maintenance flow chart were simplified. The front view, diagrams and switches are duly copied from operating manual. Steps on sample preparation are also included for biotic and a biotic samples. This operating procedure is subjected to future reviews
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Simulating biological processes: stochastic physics from whole cells to colonies
Earnest, Tyler M.; Cole, John A.; Luthey-Schulten, Zaida
2018-05-01
The last few decades have revealed the living cell to be a crowded spatially heterogeneous space teeming with biomolecules whose concentrations and activities are governed by intrinsically random forces. It is from this randomness, however, that a vast array of precisely timed and intricately coordinated biological functions emerge that give rise to the complex forms and behaviors we see in the biosphere around us. This seemingly paradoxical nature of life has drawn the interest of an increasing number of physicists, and recent years have seen stochastic modeling grow into a major subdiscipline within biological physics. Here we review some of the major advances that have shaped our understanding of stochasticity in biology. We begin with some historical context, outlining a string of important experimental results that motivated the development of stochastic modeling. We then embark upon a fairly rigorous treatment of the simulation methods that are currently available for the treatment of stochastic biological models, with an eye toward comparing and contrasting their realms of applicability, and the care that must be taken when parameterizing them. Following that, we describe how stochasticity impacts several key biological functions, including transcription, translation, ribosome biogenesis, chromosome replication, and metabolism, before considering how the functions may be coupled into a comprehensive model of a ‘minimal cell’. Finally, we close with our expectation for the future of the field, focusing on how mesoscopic stochastic methods may be augmented with atomic-scale molecular modeling approaches in order to understand life across a range of length and time scales.
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Where Is Earth Science? Mining for Opportunities in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology
Thomas, Julie; Ivey, Toni; Puckette, Jim
2013-01-01
The Earth sciences are newly marginalized in K-12 classrooms. With few high schools offering Earth science courses, students' exposure to the Earth sciences relies on the teacher's ability to incorporate Earth science material into a biology, chemistry, or physics course. ''G.E.T. (Geoscience Experiences for Teachers) in the Field'' is an…
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Physical descriptions of the bacterial nucleoid at large scales, and their biological implications
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Benza, Vincenzo G [Dipartimento di Fisica e Matematica, Universita dell' Insubria, Como (Italy); Bassetti, Bruno [Universita degli Studi di Milano, Dip. Fisica, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano (Italy); Dorfman, Kevin D [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 421 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Scolari, Vittore F; Lagomarsino, Marco Cosentino [CNRS, UMR 7238 ' Microorganism Genomics' , Genomic Physics Group (France); Bromek, Krystyna; Cicuta, Pietro [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom)
2012-07-15
Recent experimental and theoretical approaches have attempted to quantify the physical organization (compaction and geometry) of the bacterial chromosome with its complement of proteins (the nucleoid). The genomic DNA exists in a complex and dynamic protein-rich state, which is highly organized at various length scales. This has implications for modulating (when not directly enabling) the core biological processes of replication, transcription and segregation. We overview the progress in this area, driven in the last few years by new scientific ideas and new interdisciplinary experimental techniques, ranging from high space- and time-resolution microscopy to high-throughput genomics employing sequencing to map different aspects of the nucleoid-related interactome. The aim of this review is to present the wide spectrum of experimental and theoretical findings coherently, from a physics viewpoint. In particular, we highlight the role that statistical and soft condensed matter physics play in describing this system of fundamental biological importance, specifically reviewing classic and more modern tools from the theory of polymers. We also discuss some attempts toward unifying interpretations of the current results, pointing to possible directions for future investigation. (review article)
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Vance, Tiffany C; Doel, Ronald E
2010-01-01
In the last quarter of the twentieth century, an innovative three-dimensional graphical technique was introduced into biological oceanography and ecology, where it spread rapidly. Used to improve scientists' understanding of the importance of scale within oceanic ecosystems, this influential diagram addressed biological scales from phytoplankton to fish, physical scales from diurnal tides to ocean currents, and temporal scales from hours to ice ages. Yet the Stommel Diagram (named for physical oceanographer Henry Stommel, who created it in 1963) had not been devised to aid ecological investigations. Rather, Stommel intended it to help plan large-scale research programs in physical oceanography, particularly as Cold War research funding enabled a dramatic expansion of physical oceanography in the 1960s. Marine ecologists utilized the Stommel Diagram to enhance research on biological production in ocean environments, a key concern by the 1970s amid growing alarm about overfishing and ocean pollution. Before the end of the twentieth century, the diagram had become a significant tool within the discipline of ecology. Tracing the path that Stommel's graphical techniques traveled from the physical to the biological environmental sciences reveals a great deal about practices in these distinct research communities and their relative professional and institutional standings in the Cold War era. Crucial to appreciating the course of that path is an understanding of the divergent intellectual and social contexts of the physical versus the biological environmental sciences.
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Physical biological coupling in the Pearl River Estuary
Harrison, Paul J.; Yin, Kedong; Lee, J. H. W.; Gan, Jianping; Liu, Hongbin
2008-07-01
The Pearl River Estuary is a subtropical estuary and the second largest in China based on discharge volume from the Pearl River. Processes in the estuary vary spatially and temporally (wet vs dry season). In the dry season at the head of the estuary, hypoxic and nearly anoxic conditions occur and NH 4 reaches >600 μM, NO 3 is ˜300 μM and nitrite is ˜60 μM indicating that nitrification and denitrification may be important dry season processes in the region extending 40 km upstream of the Humen outlet. There are very few biological studies conducted in this upper section of the estuary in either the dry or wet seasons and hence there is a need for further research in this region of the river. In the wet season, the salinity wedge extends to the Hongqimen outlet and oxygen is low (35-80% saturation). Nitrate is ˜100 μM, silicate ˜140 μM; and phosphate is relatively low at ˜0.5 μM, yielding an N:P ratio up to ˜200:1 in summer. Nutrients decrease in the lower estuary and primary productivity may become potentially P-limited. Eutrophication is not as severe as one would expect from the nutrient inputs from the Pearl River and from Hong Kong's sewage discharge. This estuary shows a remarkable capacity to cope with excessive nutrients. Physical processes such as river discharge, tidal flushing, turbulent dispersion, wind-induced mixing, and estuarine circulation play an important role in controlling the production and accumulation of algal blooms and the potential occurrence of hypoxia. Superimposed on the physical processes of the estuary are the chemical and biological processes involved in the production of the bloom. For example, the 100N:1P ratio indicates that P potentially limits the amount of algal biomass (and potential biological oxygen demand) in summer. While extended periods of hypoxia are rare in Hong Kong waters, episodic events have been reported to occur during late summer due to factors such as low wind, high rainfall and river discharge which
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1981-07-01
Separate abstracts were prepared for the 29 papers in this progress report which deal with radiobiological physics, the biological effects of ionizing radiations, and the modification of these effects by chemical and pharmacological agents
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The universal numbers. From Biology to Physics.
Marchal, Bruno
2015-12-01
I will explain how the mathematicians have discovered the universal numbers, or abstract computer, and I will explain some abstract biology, mainly self-reproduction and embryogenesis. Then I will explain how and why, and in which sense, some of those numbers can dream and why their dreams can glue together and must, when we assume computationalism in cognitive science, generate a phenomenological physics, as part of a larger phenomenological theology (in the sense of the greek theologians). The title should have been "From Biology to Physics, through the Phenomenological Theology of the Universal Numbers", if that was not too long for a title. The theology will consist mainly, like in some (neo)platonist greek-indian-chinese tradition, in the truth about numbers' relative relations, with each others, and with themselves. The main difference between Aristotle and Plato is that Aristotle (especially in its common and modern christian interpretation) makes reality WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get: reality is what we observe, measure, i.e. the natural material physical science) where for Plato and the (rational) mystics, what we see might be only the shadow or the border of something else, which might be non physical (mathematical, arithmetical, theological, …). Since Gödel, we know that Truth, even just the Arithmetical Truth, is vastly bigger than what the machine can rationally justify. Yet, with Church's thesis, and the mechanizability of the diagonalizations involved, machines can apprehend this and can justify their limitations, and get some sense of what might be true beyond what they can prove or justify rationally. Indeed, the incompleteness phenomenon introduces a gap between what is provable by some machine and what is true about that machine, and, as Gödel saw already in 1931, the existence of that gap is accessible to the machine itself, once it is has enough provability abilities. Incompleteness separates truth and provable, and machines can
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Assessment of physical workload in boiler operations.
Rodrigues, Valéria Antônia Justino; Braga, Camila Soares; Campos, Julio César Costa; Souza, Amaury Paulo de; Minette, Luciano José; Sensato, Guilherme Luciano; Moraes, Angelo Casali de; Silva, Emília Pio da
2012-01-01
The use of boiler wood-fired is fairly common equipment utilized in steam generation for energy production in small industries. The boiler activities are considered dangerous and heavy, mainly due to risks of explosions and the lack of mechanization of the process. This study assessed the burden of physical labor that operators of boilers are subjected during the workday. Assessment of these conditions was carried out through quantitative and qualitative measurements. A heart rate monitor, a wet-bulb globe thermometer (WBGT), a tape-measure and a digital infrared camera were the instruments used to collect the quantitative data. The Nordic Questionnaire and the Painful Areas Diagram were used to relate the health problems of the boiler operator with activity. With study, was concluded that the boiler activity may cause pains in the body of intensity different, muscle fatigue and diseases due to excessive weight and the exposure to heat. The research contributed to improve the boiler operator's workplace and working conditions.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Smith, E.D.
1995-01-01
Compacted soil barriers are components of essentially all caps placed on closed waste disposal sites. The intended functions of soil barriers in waste facility caps include restricting infiltration of water and release of gases and vapors, either independently or in combination with synthetic membrane barriers, and protecting other manmade or natural barrier components. Review of the performance of installed soil barriers and of natural processes affecting their performance indicates that compacted soil caps may function effectively for relatively short periods (years to decades), but natural physical and biological processes can be expected to cause them to fail in the long term (decades to centuries). This paper addresses natural physical and biological processes that compromise the performance of compacted soil caps and suggests measures that may reduce the adverse consequences of these natural failure mechanisms
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Steady-state operation of tokamaks: Key physics and technology developments on Tore Supra
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jacquinot, J.
2005-01-01
Important technological and physics issues related to long pulse operation required for a reactor are now being addressed in Tore Supra. experimental results in conditions where all the plasma facing components are actively cooled during pulses exceeding six minutes. Important physics issues related to continuous operation are observed in non inductively driven plasmas. (author)
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Operant Conditioning: A Tool for Special Physical Educators in the 1980s.
Dunn, John M.; French, Ron
1982-01-01
The usefulness of operant conditioning for the special physical educator in managing behavior problems is pointed out, and steps to follow in applying operant conditioning techniques are outlined. (SB)
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Commissioning and operation of the nuclear physics injector at SLAC
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Koontz, R.F.; Iverson, R.; Leyer, G.K.; Miller, R.H.
1985-01-01
The new Nuclear Physics Injector (NPI) approved for construction in October of 1983 was completed by September of 1984, and delivered short pulse beams for SPEAR ring checkout in mid-October. Long pulse beams of up to 1.6 microsecond length were also demonstrated. The paper describes the startup operation, reviews the performance characteristics, and discusses the beam transport optics used to deliver 1 to 4 GeV beams to nuclear physics experiments in End Station A. The SLAC Nuclear Physics Injector is in full operationexclamation
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Biological vs. physical mixing effects on benthic food web dynamics.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ulrike Braeckman
Full Text Available Biological particle mixing (bioturbation and solute transfer (bio-irrigation contribute extensively to ecosystem functioning in sediments where physical mixing is low. Macrobenthos transports oxygen and organic matter deeper into the sediment, thereby likely providing favourable niches to lower trophic levels (i.e., smaller benthic animals such as meiofauna and bacteria and thus stimulating mineralisation. Whether this biological transport facilitates fresh organic matter assimilation by the metazoan lower part of the food web through niche establishment (i.e., ecosystem engineering or rather deprives them from food sources, is so far unclear. We investigated the effects of the ecosystem engineers Lanice conchilega (bio-irrigator and Abra alba (bioturbator compared to abiotic physical mixing events on survival and food uptake of nematodes after a simulated phytoplankton bloom. The (13C labelled diatom Skeletonema costatum was added to 4 treatments: (1 microcosms containing the bioturbator, (2 microcosms containing the bio-irrigator, (3 control microcosms and (4 microcosms with abiotic manual surface mixing. Nematode survival and subsurface peaks in nematode density profiles were most pronounced in the bio-irrigator treatment. However, nematode specific uptake (Δδ(13C of the added diatoms was highest in the physical mixing treatment, where macrobenthos was absent and the diatom (13C was homogenised. Overall, nematodes fed preferentially on bulk sedimentary organic material rather than the added diatoms. The total C budget (µg C m(-2, which included TO(13C remaining in the sediment, respiration, nematode and macrobenthic uptake, highlighted the limited assimilation by the metazoan benthos and the major role of bacterial respiration. In summary, bioturbation and especially bio-irrigation facilitated the lower trophic levels mainly over the long-term through niche establishment. Since the freshly added diatoms represented only a limited food
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Non-ionizing radiations : physical characteristics, biological effects and health hazard assessment
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Repacholi, M.H.
1988-01-01
The Workshop was a project of the International Non-Ionizing Radiation Committee of IRPA and comprised a series of educational lectures and demonstrations intended to give a comprehensive overview of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation: physical characteristics, sources of concern, levels of exposure, mechanisms of interaction and reported effects of these fields and radiations with biological tissues, human studies, health risk assessment, national and international standards and guidelines, and protective measures
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Marriages of mathematics and physics: A challenge for biology.
Islami, Arezoo; Longo, Giuseppe
2017-12-01
The human attempts to access, measure and organize physical phenomena have led to a manifold construction of mathematical and physical spaces. We will survey the evolution of geometries from Euclid to the Algebraic Geometry of the 20th century. The role of Persian/Arabic Algebra in this transition and its Western symbolic development is emphasized. In this relation, we will also discuss changes in the ontological attitudes toward mathematics and its applications. Historically, the encounter of geometric and algebraic perspectives enriched the mathematical practices and their foundations. Yet, the collapse of Euclidean certitudes, of over 2300 years, and the crisis in the mathematical analysis of the 19th century, led to the exclusion of "geometric judgments" from the foundations of Mathematics. After the success and the limits of the logico-formal analysis, it is necessary to broaden our foundational tools and re-examine the interactions with natural sciences. In particular, the way the geometric and algebraic approaches organize knowledge is analyzed as a cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural issue and will be examined in Mathematical Physics and Biology. We finally discuss how the current notions of mathematical (phase) "space" should be revisited for the purposes of life sciences. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kreuzinger, N.
2000-08-01
Two scenarios have be chosen within this PhD Thesis to describe the integrative key-significance of interactions between most relevant physical, chemical and biological processes in aquatic systems. These two case studies are used to illustrate and describe the importance of a detailed synthesis of biological, physical and chemical interactions in aquatic systems in order to provide relevant protection of water resources and to perform a sound water management. Methods are described to allow a detailed assessment of particular aspects within the complexity of the overall integration and therefore serve as a basis to determine the eventual necessity of proposed water management measures. Regarding the anthropogenic influence of treated wastewater on aquatic systems, one case study focuses on the interactions between emitted waters from a wastewater treatment plant and the resulting immission situation of its receiving water (The receiving water is quantitatively influenced by the treated wastewater by 95 %). This thesis proves that the effluent of wastewater treatment plants operated by best available technology meets the quality standards of running waters for the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, carbon-parameters, oxygen-regime and ecotoxicology. Within the second case study the focus is put on interactions between immissions and water usage. The general importance of biological phosphorus precipitation on the trophic situation of aquatic systems is described. Nevertheless, this generally known but within the field of applied limnology so far unrespected process of immobilization of phosphorus could be shown to represent a significant and major impact on phytoplannctotic development and eutrification. (author)
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Advancing reservoir operation description in physically based hydrological models
Anghileri, Daniela; Giudici, Federico; Castelletti, Andrea; Burlando, Paolo
2016-04-01
Last decades have seen significant advances in our capacity of characterizing and reproducing hydrological processes within physically based models. Yet, when the human component is considered (e.g. reservoirs, water distribution systems), the associated decisions are generally modeled with very simplistic rules, which might underperform in reproducing the actual operators' behaviour on a daily or sub-daily basis. For example, reservoir operations are usually described by a target-level rule curve, which represents the level that the reservoir should track during normal operating conditions. The associated release decision is determined by the current state of the reservoir relative to the rule curve. This modeling approach can reasonably reproduce the seasonal water volume shift due to reservoir operation. Still, it cannot capture more complex decision making processes in response, e.g., to the fluctuations of energy prices and demands, the temporal unavailability of power plants or varying amount of snow accumulated in the basin. In this work, we link a physically explicit hydrological model with detailed hydropower behavioural models describing the decision making process by the dam operator. In particular, we consider two categories of behavioural models: explicit or rule-based behavioural models, where reservoir operating rules are empirically inferred from observational data, and implicit or optimization based behavioural models, where, following a normative economic approach, the decision maker is represented as a rational agent maximising a utility function. We compare these two alternate modelling approaches on the real-world water system of Lake Como catchment in the Italian Alps. The water system is characterized by the presence of 18 artificial hydropower reservoirs generating almost 13% of the Italian hydropower production. Results show to which extent the hydrological regime in the catchment is affected by different behavioural models and reservoir
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The biology and polymer physics underlying large-scale chromosome organization.
Sazer, Shelley; Schiessel, Helmut
2018-02-01
Chromosome large-scale organization is a beautiful example of the interplay between physics and biology. DNA molecules are polymers and thus belong to the class of molecules for which physicists have developed models and formulated testable hypotheses to understand their arrangement and dynamic properties in solution, based on the principles of polymer physics. Biologists documented and discovered the biochemical basis for the structure, function and dynamic spatial organization of chromosomes in cells. The underlying principles of chromosome organization have recently been revealed in unprecedented detail using high-resolution chromosome capture technology that can simultaneously detect chromosome contact sites throughout the genome. These independent lines of investigation have now converged on a model in which DNA loops, generated by the loop extrusion mechanism, are the basic organizational and functional units of the chromosome. © 2017 The Authors. Traffic published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Lessons from feedback of safety operating experience for reactor physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Suchomel, J.; Rapavy, S.
1999-01-01
Analyses of events in WWER operations as a part of safety experience feedback provide a valuable source of lessons for reactor physics. Examples of events from Bohunice operation will be shown such as events with inadequate approach to criticality, positive reactivity insertions, expulsion of a control rod from shut-down reactor, problems with reactor protection system and control rods. (Authors)
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Shifting to structures in physics and biology: a prophylactic for promiscuous realism.
French, Steven
2011-06-01
Within the philosophy of science, the realism debate has been revitalised by the development of forms of structural realism. These urge a shift in focus from the object oriented ontologies that come and go through the history of science to the structures that remain through theory change. Such views have typically been elaborated in the context of theories of physics and are motivated by, first of all, the presence within such theories of mathematical equations that allow straightforward representation of the relevant structures; and secondly, the implications of such theories for the individuality and identity of putative objects. My aim in this paper is to explore the possibility of extending such views to biological theories. An obvious concern is that within the context of the latter it is typically insisted that we cannot find the kinds of highly mathematised structures that structural realism can point to in physics. I shall indicate how the model-theoretic approach to theories might help allay such concerns. Furthermore, issues of identity and individuality also arise within biology. Thus Dupré has recently noted that there exists a 'General Problem of Biological Individuality' which relates to the issue of how one divides 'massively integrated and interconnected' systems into discrete components. In response Dupré advocates a form of 'Promiscuous Realism' that holds, for example, that there is no unique way of dividing the phylogenetic tree into kinds. Instead I shall urge serious consideration of those aspects of the work of Dupré and others that lean towards a structuralist interpretation. By doing so I hope to suggest possible ways in which a structuralist stance might be extended to biology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Dynamic light scattering with applications to chemistry, biology, and physics
Berne, Bruce J
2000-01-01
Lasers play an increasingly important role in a variety of detection techniques, making inelastic light scattering a tool of growing value in the investigation of dynamic and structural problems in chemistry, biology, and physics. Until the initial publication of this work, however, no monograph treated the principles behind current developments in the field.This volume presents a comprehensive introduction to the principles underlying laser light scattering, focusing on the time dependence of fluctuations in fluid systems; it also serves as an introduction to the theory of time correlation f
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Living matter—nexus of physics and biology in the 21st century
Gardel, Margaret L.
2012-01-01
Cells are made up of complex assemblies of cytoskeletal proteins that facilitate force transmission from the molecular to cellular scale to regulate cell shape and force generation. The “living matter” formed by the cytoskeleton facilitates versatile and robust behaviors of cells, including their migration, adhesion, division, and morphology, that ultimately determine tissue architecture and mechanics. Elucidating the underlying physical principles of such living matter provides great opportunities in both biology and physics. For physicists, the cytoskeleton provides an exceptional toolbox to study materials far from equilibrium. For biologists, these studies will provide new understanding of how molecular-scale processes determine cell morphological changes. PMID:23112229
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Degermendzhy, A.G.; Zadereev, E.S.; Rogozin, D.Y.; Prokopkin, I.; Barkhatov, Y.V.; Tolomeev, A.; Khromechek, E.B.; Janse, J.H.; Mooij, W.M.; Gulati, R.D.
2010-01-01
A feature of meromictic lakes is that several physicochemical and biological gradients affect the vertical distribution of different organisms. The vertical stratification of physical, chemical and biological components in saline, fishless meromictic lakes Shira and Shunet (Siberia, Russia) is quite
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Evaluation of conformal radiotherapy techniques through physics and biologic criteria
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bloch, Jonatas Carrero
2012-01-01
In the fight against cancer, different irradiation techniques have been developed based on technological advances and aiming to optimize the elimination of tumor cells with the lowest damage to healthy tissues. The radiotherapy planning goal is to establish irradiation technical parameters in order to achieve the prescribed dose distribution over the treatment volumes. While dose prescription is based on radiosensitivity of the irradiated tissues, the physical calculations on treatment planning take into account dosimetric parameters related to the radiation beam and the physical characteristics of the irradiated tissues. To incorporate tissue's radiosensitivity into radiotherapy planning calculations can help particularize treatments and establish criteria to compare and elect radiation techniques, contributing to the tumor control and the success of the treatment. Accordingly, biological models of cellular response to radiation have to be well established. This work aimed to study the applicability of using biological models in radiotherapy planning calculations to aid evaluating radiotherapy techniques. Tumor control probability (TCP) was studied for two formulations of the linear-quadratic model, with and without repopulation, as a function of planning parameters, as dose per fraction, and of radiobiological parameters, as the α/β ratio. Besides, the usage of biological criteria to compare radiotherapy techniques was tested using a prostate planning simulated with Monte Carlo code PENELOPE. Afterwards, prostate planning for five patients from the Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirao Preto, USP, using three different techniques were compared using the tumor control probability. In that order, dose matrices from the XiO treatment planning system were converted to TCP distributions and TCP-volume histograms. The studies performed allow the conclusions that radiobiological parameters can significantly influence tumor control
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Health physics research abstracts No. 12
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1985-11-01
The No. 12 of Health Physics Research Abstracts is the continuation of a series of Bulletins published by the IAEA since 1967 and which collect reports from Member States on Health Physics research in progress or just completed. The present issue contains 386 reports received up to December 1984 and covering the following topics: personnel monitoring, dosimetry, assessment of dose to man, operational radiation protection techniques, biological effects of radiations, environmental studies, pathways and monitoring, radiation hazards resulting from the operation of nuclear facilities, radiation accidents and emergency plans, epidemiology of radiation damage, optimization of radiation protection, research programs and projects
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fluke, D.J.
1984-08-01
The report comprises a teaching text, encompassing all physical radiations likely to be of biological interest, and the relevant biological effects and their significance. Topics include human radiobiology, delayed effects, radiation absorption in organisms, aqueous radiation chemistry, cell radiobiology, mutagenesis, and photobiology
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Gottschalk, Julia; Skinner, Luke C; Lippold, Jörg; Vogel, Hendrik; Frank, Norbert; Jaccard, Samuel L; Waelbroeck, Claire
2016-05-17
Millennial-scale climate changes during the last glacial period and deglaciation were accompanied by rapid changes in atmospheric CO2 that remain unexplained. While the role of the Southern Ocean as a 'control valve' on ocean-atmosphere CO2 exchange has been emphasized, the exact nature of this role, in particular the relative contributions of physical (for example, ocean dynamics and air-sea gas exchange) versus biological processes (for example, export productivity), remains poorly constrained. Here we combine reconstructions of bottom-water [O2], export production and (14)C ventilation ages in the sub-Antarctic Atlantic, and show that atmospheric CO2 pulses during the last glacial- and deglacial periods were consistently accompanied by decreases in the biological export of carbon and increases in deep-ocean ventilation via southern-sourced water masses. These findings demonstrate how the Southern Ocean's 'organic carbon pump' has exerted a tight control on atmospheric CO2, and thus global climate, specifically via a synergy of both physical and biological processes.
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Sczesny, Sabine; Kühnen, Ulrich
2004-01-01
Previous findings are inconsistent with regard to whether men are judged as being more or less competent leaders than women. However, masculine-relative to feminine-looking persons seem to be judged consistently as more competent leaders. Can this different impact of biological sex and physical appearance be due to the disparate availability of meta-cognitive knowledge about both sources? The results of Study 1 indicated that individuals possess meta-cognitive knowledge about a possible biasing influence of persons' biological sex, but not for their physical appearance. In Study 2, participants judged the leadership competence of a male versus female stimulus person with either masculine or feminine physical appearance. In addition, the available cognitive capacity was manipulated. When high capacity was available, participants corrected for the influence of stimulus persons' sex, but they fell prey to this influence under cognitive load. However, the effect of physical appearance was not moderated by cognitive capacity.
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Wang, Jia; Hong, Huasheng; Jiang, Yuwu; Chai, Fei; Yan, Xiao-Hai
2013-09-01
In order to understand the fate of nutrients in the Taiwan Strait during summer, we built a coupled physical-biological numerical ocean model, which can capture the basic hydrographic and biological features within the strait. The nutrient that we chose to model is dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). The model includes individual reservoirs for nitrate (NO3) and ammonium (NH4). Both the observational evidence and model results show that NO3 in the strait originates primarily from the upwelling subsurface water in the northern South China Sea (SCS) that enters the strait via the eastern and western routes separated by the Taiwan Bank. The coupled physical and biological effects on the NO3 transport at these two routes are highlighted in the study. For the western route, the shallow topography and the coastal upwelling intensify the biological uptake of NO3 in the whole water column. Consequently, the nitrogenous contribution by this route is mainly in form of the particulate organic nitrogen (PON). In contrast, NO3 is transported conservatively below the nitricline at the deep eastern route, contributing the whole NO3 supply in the TWS. The model estimates the fluxes of DIN and PON into the TWS, from the northern SCS, are 1.8 and 4 kmol s-1, respectively. Over half (˜1 kmol s-1) of the DIN is synthesized into PON by the phytoplankton in the strait. Overall, this study estimates the physical and biological effects on the nutrient transport in the TWS during summer.
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Teleology in biology, chemistry and physics education: what primary teachers should know
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
KOSTAS KAMPOURAKIS
2007-01-01
Full Text Available Recent research in cognitive psychology suggests that children develop intuitions that may clash with what is accepted by scientists, thus making certain scientific concepts difficult to understand. Children possess intuitions about design and purpose that make them provide teleological explanations to many different sorts of tasks. One possible explanation for the origin of the bias to view objects as made for something derives from an early sensitivity to intentional agents and to their behavior as intentional object users and object makers. What is important is that teleological explanations may not be exclusively restricted in biological phenomena, as commonly assumed. Consequently, primary school teachers should take that into account when teaching biology, chemistry or physics concepts and try to refrain from enforcing students’ teleological intuitions.
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Physical Activity and Telomere Biology: Exploring the Link with Aging-Related Disease Prevention
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Andrew T. Ludlow
2011-01-01
Full Text Available Physical activity is associated with reduced risk of several age-related diseases as well as with increased longevity in both rodents and humans. Though these associations are well established, evidence of the molecular and cellular factors associated with reduced disease risk and increased longevity resulting from physical activity is sparse. A long-standing hypothesis of aging is the telomere hypothesis: as a cell divides, telomeres shorten resulting eventually in replicative senescence and an aged phenotype. Several reports have recently associated telomeres and telomere-related proteins to diseases associated with physical inactivity and aging including cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and hypertension. Interestingly several reports have also shown that longer telomeres are associated with higher physical activity levels, indicating a potential mechanistic link between physical activity, reduced age-related disease risk, and longevity. The primary purpose of this review is to discuss the potential importance of physical activity in telomere biology in the context of inactivity- and age-related diseases. A secondary purpose is to explore potential mechanisms and important avenues for future research in the field of telomeres and diseases associated with physical inactivity and aging.
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Courses in Modern Physics for Non-science Majors, Future Science Teachers, and Biology Students
Zollman, Dean
2001-03-01
For the past 15 years Kansas State University has offered a course in modern physics for students who are not majoring in physics. This course carries a prerequisite of one physics course so that the students have a basic introduction in classical topics. The majors of students range from liberal arts to engineering. Future secondary science teachers whose first area of teaching is not physics can use the course as part of their study of science. The course has evolved from a lecture format to one which is highly interactive and uses a combination of hands-on activities, tutorials and visualizations, particularly the Visual Quantum Mechanics materials. Another course encourages biology students to continue their physics learning beyond the introductory course. Modern Miracle Medical Machines introduces the basic physics which underlie diagnosis techniques such as MRI and PET and laser surgical techniques. Additional information is available at http://www.phys.ksu.edu/perg/
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Donovan, D A; Atkins, L J; Salter, I Y; Gallagher, D J; Kratz, R F; Rousseau, J V; Nelson, G D
2013-06-01
We report on the development of a life sciences curriculum, targeted to undergraduate students, which was modeled after a commercially available physics curriculum and based on aspects of how people learn. Our paper describes the collaborative development process and necessary modifications required to apply a physics pedagogical model in a life sciences context. While some approaches were easily adapted, others provided significant challenges. Among these challenges were: representations of energy, introducing definitions, the placement of Scientists' Ideas, and the replicability of data. In modifying the curriculum to address these challenges, we have come to see them as speaking to deeper differences between the disciplines, namely that introductory physics--for example, Newton's laws, magnetism, light--is a science of pairwise interaction, while introductory biology--for example, photosynthesis, evolution, cycling of matter in ecosystems--is a science of linked processes, and we suggest that this is how the two disciplines are presented in introductory classes. We illustrate this tension through an analysis of our adaptations of the physics curriculum for instruction on the cycling of matter and energy; we show that modifications of the physics curriculum to address the biological framework promotes strong gains in student understanding of these topics, as evidenced by analysis of student work.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1994-11-01
The catalogue lists all sales publications of the IAEA dealing with Life Sciences issued during the period 1980-1994. The publications are grouped in the following chapters: Nuclear Medicine (including Radiopharmaceuticals), Radiation Biology and Medical Physics (including Dosimetry)
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Evaluation of occupational physical load during 6-month international crisis management operation.
Pihlainen, Kai; Santtila, Matti; Vasankari, Tommi; Häkkinen, Keijo; Kyröläinen, Heikki
2018-01-07
Generally, operational military duties are associated with a variety of stressors, such as prolonged physical activity (PA). However, limited information is available on the occupational workload or changes in PA during international military operations. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate the changes in body composition, stress biomarkers, PA, and heart rate (HR) responses of 79 male soldiers during a 6-month international crisis management operation. Measurements were conducted 3 times in South-Lebanon during the operation. Body composition was assessed by the bioelectrical impedance method. Blood samples were analyzed for serum testosterone, sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), cortisol and insulin-like growth factor. Saliva sampling was used for analyzing stress biomarkers, cortisol and α-amylase. Heart rate and physical activity were monitored by a recordable belt and tri-axial accelerometer, respectively. Increases in muscle mass (39.2±4.1 vs. 39.5±4.2 kg, p PRE-MID) of the study. The increase in muscle mass remained significant during the latter half (PRE-POST, 39.2±4.1 vs. 39.6±4.4 kg, p PRE-POST, 36.5±33.7 vs. 55.1±39.7 U/ml), the acute stress biomarkers and HR responses remained unchanged. Furthermore, the low quantity of PA, low HR values and subjective ratings of exertion refer to rather light physical workload. Due to the operatively calm nature of the working environment, the present soldiers did not express any significant signs of physical overload during the study period. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2018;31(2):185-197. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.
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Microgravity Fluids for Biology, Workshop
Griffin, DeVon; Kohl, Fred; Massa, Gioia D.; Motil, Brian; Parsons-Wingerter, Patricia; Quincy, Charles; Sato, Kevin; Singh, Bhim; Smith, Jeffrey D.; Wheeler, Raymond M.
2013-01-01
Microgravity Fluids for Biology represents an intersection of biology and fluid physics that present exciting research challenges to the Space Life and Physical Sciences Division. Solving and managing the transport processes and fluid mechanics in physiological and biological systems and processes are essential for future space exploration and colonization of space by humans. Adequate understanding of the underlying fluid physics and transport mechanisms will provide new, necessary insights and technologies for analyzing and designing biological systems critical to NASAs mission. To enable this mission, the fluid physics discipline needs to work to enhance the understanding of the influence of gravity on the scales and types of fluids (i.e., non-Newtonian) important to biology and life sciences. In turn, biomimetic, bio-inspired and synthetic biology applications based on physiology and biology can enrich the fluid mechanics and transport phenomena capabilities of the microgravity fluid physics community.
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Sensitivity analysis of physical/operational parameters in neutron multiplicity counting
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Peerani, P.; Marin Ferrer, M.
2007-01-01
In this paper, we perform a sensitivity study on the influence of various physical and operational parameters on the results of neutron multiplicity counting. The purpose is to have a better understanding of the importance of each component and its contribution to the measurement uncertainty. Then we will be able to determine the optimal conditions for the operational parameters and for detector design and as well to point out weaknesses in the knowledge of critical fundamental nuclear data
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DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Laurentius Nielsen, Søren; Risgaard-Petersen, Nils; Banta, Gary
2017-01-01
The aim of this study was to elucidate the relative importance of physical versus biological loss processes for the removal of microphytobenthic (MPB) bound nitrogen in a coastal environment at different times of the year via a dual isotope labeling technique. We used 51Cr, binding to inorganic...... were able to discern the relative importance of physical and biological processes. The isotope marking was supplemented with measurements of sediment chlorophyll biomass and oxygen fluxes, allowing us to evaluate MPB biomass as well as primary production vs. respiration in the sediment. In spring...... was physically dominated due to low MPB biomasses and activity combined with a significant storm event. Our data support the hypothesis that the relative balance between physical and biological processes in determining retention and removal of MPB-bound nitrogen changes seasonally....
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Disentangling physical and biological drivers of phytoplankton dynamics in a coastal system.
Cianelli, Daniela; D'Alelio, Domenico; Uttieri, Marco; Sarno, Diana; Zingone, Adriana; Zambianchi, Enrico; d'Alcalà, Maurizio Ribera
2017-11-20
This proof-of-concept study integrates the surface currents measured by high-frequency coastal radars with plankton time-series data collected at a fixed sampling point from the Mediterranean Sea (MareChiara Long Term Ecological Research site in the Gulf of Naples) to characterize the spatial origin of phytoplankton assemblages and to scrutinize the processes ruling their dynamics. The phytoplankton community generally originated from the coastal waters whereby species succession was mainly regulated by biological factors (life-cycle processes, species-specific physiological performances and inter-specific interactions). Physical factors, e.g. the alternation between coastal and offshore waters and the horizontal mixing, were also important drivers of phytoplankton dynamics promoting diversity maintenance by i) advecting species from offshore and ii) diluting the resident coastal community so as to dampen resource stripping by dominant species and thereby increase the numerical importance of rarer species. Our observations highlight the resilience of coastal communities, which may favour their persistence over time and the prevalence of successional events over small time and space scales. Although coastal systems may act differently from one another, our findings provide a conceptual framework to address physical-biological interactions occurring in coastal basins, which can be generalised to other areas.
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Liu, Tingting
2017-12-01
Compared with type 2 diabetes, evaluating the direct biological and physical risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in overweight/obese adults with and without prediabetes is less understood. Therefore, the aim of the study was to compare baseline biological and physical risk factors for CVD among overweight/obese adults with and without prediabetes. A secondary data analysis was performed. Three hundred forty-one overweight/obese participants were included in the analysis. Compared with non-prediabetics, prediabetics had higher fasting blood glucose, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and triglycerides. Prediabetics were also more likely to be insulin resistant than non-prediabetics. Participants with prediabetes had much lower cardiorespiratory fitness than those without prediabetes. Findings from this study suggest that healthy overweight/obese adults with prediabetes were likely at higher biological and physical risk of CVD at baseline compared with those without prediabetes. Early intervention to improve CVD risk progression among persons with prediabetes is essential.
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Life as physics and chemistry: A system view of biology.
Baverstock, Keith
2013-04-01
Cellular life can be viewed as one of many physical natural systems that extract free energy from their environments in the most efficient way, according to fundamental physical laws, and grow until limited by inherent physical constraints. Thus, it can be inferred that it is the efficiency of this process that natural selection acts upon. The consequent emphasis on metabolism, rather than replication, points to a metabolism-first origin of life with the adoption of DNA template replication as a second stage development. This order of events implies a cellular regulatory system that pre-dates the involvement of DNA and might, therefore, be based on the information acquired as peptides fold into proteins, rather than on genetic regulatory networks. Such an epigenetic cell regulatory model, the independent attractor model, has already been proposed to explain the phenomenon of radiation induced genomic instability. Here it is extended to provide an epigenetic basis for the morphological and functional diversity that evolution has yielded, based on natural selection of the most efficient free energy transduction. Empirical evidence which challenges the current genetic basis of cell and molecular biology and which supports the above proposal is discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Radiation physics, biophysics, and radiation biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hall, E.J.; Zaider, M.; Delegianis, M.J.
1989-07-01
An important event of the year was the designation of our Laboratory as a Center for Radiological Research by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Vice-President for Health Sciences. Center status acknowledges the size and importance of the research efforts in this area, and allows a greater measure of independence in administrative matters. While the name has changed from a Laboratory to a Center within the Medical School, the mission and charge remain the same. The efforts of the Center are a multidisciplinary mix of physics, chemistry, and biology, mostly at a basic level, with the admixture of a small proportion of pragmatic or applied research in support of radiation protection or radiation therapy. About a quarter of our funding, mostly individual research awards, could be regarded as in direct support of radiotherapy, with the remainder (an NCI program project grant and DOE grants) being in support of research addressing more basic issues. An important effort currently underway concerns ab-initio calculations of the dielectric response function of condensed water. This investigation has received the coveted designation, ''Grand Challenge Project,'' awarded by DOE to research work which represents ''distinct advance on a major scientific or engineering problem that is broadly recognized as important within the mission of the Department.''
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Fundamental formulas of physics
1960-01-01
The republication of this book, unabridged and corrected, fills the need for a comprehensive work on fundamental formulas of mathematical physics. It ranges from simple operations to highly sophisticated ones, all presented most lucidly with terms carefully defined and formulas given completely. In addition to basic physics, pertinent areas of chemistry, astronomy, meteorology, biology, and electronics are also included.This is no mere listing of formulas, however. Mathematics is integrated into text, for the most part, so that each chapter stands as a brief summary or even short textbook of
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Biological scaling and physics
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Unknown
Conversely, the average life-span, which is inverse to the ... Some find the catchy “life has an added dimension” (West et al ... works argument, which applies even outside biology, has .... While accounting for the (– 1/4) power, the thread of.
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Matthys, S.P.; Fransen, J.; Vaeyens, R.; Lenoir, M.; Philippaerts, R.
2013-01-01
It was the goal of this cross-sectional study to examine differences in maturity, anthropometry and physical performance between youth handball players across different playing positions (i.e. goalkeeper, back, pivot and wing). Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), accounting for biological
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Laura Mandolesi
2018-04-01
Full Text Available Much evidence shows that physical exercise (PE is a strong gene modulator that induces structural and functional changes in the brain, determining enormous benefit on both cognitive functioning and wellbeing. PE is also a protective factor for neurodegeneration. However, it is unclear if such protection is granted through modifications to the biological mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration or through better compensation against attacks. This concise review addresses the biological and psychological positive effects of PE describing the results obtained on brain plasticity and epigenetic mechanisms in animal and human studies, in order to clarify how to maximize the positive effects of PE while avoiding negative consequences, as in the case of exercise addiction.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Olsen, K.J.; Hansen, J.W.
1982-12-01
A description is given of the physical basis for applying track structure theory in the determination of the effectiveness of heavy-ion irradiation of single- and multi-hit target systems. It will be shown that for applying the theory to biological systems the effectiveness of heavy-ion irradiation is inadequately described by an RBE-factor, whereas the complete formulation of the probability of survival must be used, as survival depends on both radiation quality and dose. The theoretical model of track structure can be used in dose-effect calculations for neutron-, high-LET, and low-LET radiation applied simultaneously in therapy. (author)
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Normal mode analysis and applications in biological physics.
Dykeman, Eric C; Sankey, Otto F
2010-10-27
Normal mode analysis has become a popular and often used theoretical tool in the study of functional motions in enzymes, viruses, and large protein assemblies. The use of normal modes in the study of these motions is often extremely fruitful since many of the functional motions of large proteins can be described using just a few normal modes which are intimately related to the overall structure of the protein. In this review, we present a broad overview of several popular methods used in the study of normal modes in biological physics including continuum elastic theory, the elastic network model, and a new all-atom method, recently developed, which is capable of computing a subset of the low frequency vibrational modes exactly. After a review of the various methods, we present several examples of applications of normal modes in the study of functional motions, with an emphasis on viral capsids.
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Physical, biological and clinical basis of light ions using in radiotherapy: EULIMA project
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chauvel, P.
1991-01-01
Improving the efficiency of radiotherapy is a constant concern in oncology: more than half of the patients who contract cancer receive radiotherapy at some stage. Use of charged particles in radiotherapy represents indisputable progress in localization of the dose delivered to tumour masses, thereby allowing reduction of dose received by adjacent healthy tissues. Protons improve the physical selectivity of the irradiation, i.e. the dose distribution. High-LET (Linear Energy Transfer) radiations produce different biological effects, decreasing the differences in radiosensitivity, and allowing radiation therapy to control radioresistant tumours. Fast neutrons represent the most known of these high-LET particles, but they suffer of a relatively poor physical selectivity. The two approaches (physical selectivity and biological advantages) are joined in by light ions (Carbon, Oxygen, Neon). Highly selective high-LET radiation therapy can be performed for radioresistant tumours without damage to healthy tissues. Preliminary results obtained in Berkeley (USA) demonstrate an improved local control of unresectable, slowly growing tumours, confirming what could be extrapolated from proton and neutrontherapy. Furthermore, radioactive light ion beams can be used to verify the accuracy of treatment planning by checking the range of the particle with a PET camera, and in the future for the treatment itself. In the framework of its programme Europe against Cancer, the Commission of the European Communities participates in the funding of the EULIMA (European Light Ion Medical Accelerator) project feasibility study, aiming to design an hospital-based light ion therapy facility in Europe [fr
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Liukkonen, Mika; Nygård, Clas-Håkan; Laukkanen, Raija
2017-12-01
It has been suggested that engaging technology can empower individuals to be more proactive about their health and reduce their health risks. The aim of the present intervention was to study the effects of technology-aided testing and feedback on physical activity and biological age of employees in a middle-sized enterprise. In all, 121 employees (mean age 42 ± 10 years) participated in the 12-month three-arm cluster randomized trial. The fitness measurement process (Body Age) determined the participants' biological age in years. Physical activity was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. Physical activity did not change during the intervention. Biological age (better fitness) improved in all groups statistically significantly ( p physical activity but may enhance physical fitness measured by biological age.
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Health physics operations in hospitals
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Anderson, W.; Trott, N.G.
1984-01-01
The special problems of applying the basic principles of radiological protection in the environment of a hospital are outlined, the hospital being not only a workplace but also the temporary home of the patients. In these circumstances, close co-operation is needed between all groups of hospital staff. Many technical innovations have been made over the past 50 years in the applications of both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation for diagnosis and therapy and, at the present time, an intensive development of these applications is in progress. Within that context, the role of health physics has become a major one. There is the need to provide high standards in radiological protection of the staff, of members of the public, and increasingly, of the patient. At the same time, there is the need to provide sound perspective on hazards arising from exposure to various forms of radiation, whether ionizing or non-ionizing, for that perspective will influence future developments in this field. (author)
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Andreas Lemmer
2018-05-01
Full Text Available To improve the reactor efficiency, this study investigated the influence of temperature on the biological hydrogen methanation (BHM in trickle-bed reactors (TBR. Rising temperatures increase the metabolic activity of methanogenic microorganisms, thus leading to higher reactor specific methane formation rates (MFR. In order to quantify the potential for improved performance, experiments with four different operating temperatures ranging from 40 to 55 °C were carried out. Methane content increased from 88.29 ± 2.12 vol % at 40 °C to 94.99 ± 0.81 vol % at 55 °C with a stable biological process. Furthermore, a reactor specific methane formation rate (MFR of up to 8.85 ± 0.45 m3 m−3 d−1 was achieved. It could be shown that the microorganisms were able to adapt to higher temperatures within hours. The tests showed that TBR performance with regard to BHM can be significantly increased by increasing the operating temperature.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Archer, Eric; Süel, Gürol M
2013-01-01
Despite their obvious relationship and overlap, the field of physics is blessed with many insightful laws, while such laws are sadly absent in biology. Here we aim to discuss how the rise of a more recent field known as synthetic biology may allow us to more directly test hypotheses regarding the possible design principles of natural biological networks and systems. In particular, this review focuses on synthetic gene regulatory networks engineered to perform specific functions or exhibit particular dynamic behaviors. Advances in synthetic biology may set the stage to uncover the relationship of potential biological principles to those developed in physics. (review article)
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McEgan, Rachel; Mootian, Gabriel; Goodridge, Lawrence D; Schaffner, Donald W; Danyluk, Michelle D
2013-07-01
Coliforms, Escherichia coli, and various physicochemical water characteristics have been suggested as indicators of microbial water quality or index organisms for pathogen populations. The relationship between the presence and/or concentration of Salmonella and biological, physical, or chemical indicators in Central Florida surface water samples over 12 consecutive months was explored. Samples were taken monthly for 12 months from 18 locations throughout Central Florida (n = 202). Air and water temperature, pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), turbidity, and conductivity were measured. Weather data were obtained from nearby weather stations. Aerobic plate counts and most probable numbers (MPN) for Salmonella, E. coli, and coliforms were performed. Weak linear relationships existed between biological indicators (E. coli/coliforms) and Salmonella levels (R(2) Florida surface water through logistic regression.
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Macuglia, Daniele [Fishbein Center for the History of Science and Medicine, University of Chicago, IL (United States)
2011-07-01
During its active period (1943-1987) the Hanford Nuclear Reservation shaped the history of US nuclear research. It also constitutes an interesting case study of the interface between physics, biology and the politics of Cold War society. Although supposed to turn the US into a stronger military force during the Cold War, the remarkable biological consequences of the nuclear research carried out in the facility ended up overshadowing its original political purpose. The high-level of radioactive waste harmed thousands of people living in the area, causing relevant environmental disasters which make the site the most contaminated area in the US even today. Nuclear research is uniquely dangerous since radiation can cause severe consequences both in terms of lives injured and environmental damage. I address various ways in which nuclear physics and biology were used - and abused - at the Hanford Site to combine the needs of politics with the needs of a healthy society. This paper further investigates the moral responsibility of science to society and the way in which biological research informed nuclear physics about the deleterious consequences of radiation on environment and on the human body.
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Treatment plan ranking using physical and biological indices
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ebert, M. A.; University of Western Asutralia, WA
2001-01-01
Full text: The ranking of dose distributions is of importance in several areas such as i) comparing rival treatment plans, ii) comparing iterations in an optimisation routine, and iii) dose-assessment of clinical trial data. This study aimed to investigate the influence of choice of objective function in ranking tumour dose distributions. A series of physical (mean, maximum, minimum, standard deviation of dose) dose-volume histogram (DVH) reduction indices and biologically-based (tumour-control probability - TCP; equivalent uniform dose -EUD) indices were used to rank a series of hypothetical DVHs, as well as DVHs obtained from a series of 18 prostate patients. The distribution in ranking and change in distribution with change in indice parameters were investigated. It is found that not only is the ranking of DVHs dependent on the actual model used to perform the DVH reduction, it is also found to depend on the inherent characteristics of each model (i.e., selected parameters). The adjacent figure shows an example where the 18 prostate patients are ranked (grey-scale from black to white) by EUD when an α value of 0.8 Gy -1 is used in the model. The change of ranking as α varies is evident. Conclusion: This study has shown that the characteristics of the model selected in plan optimisation or DVH ranking will have an impact on the ranking obtained. Copyright (2001) Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Valentin, L.
1994-01-01
This paper is about nuclear instrumentation and biological concepts, based on images from appropriate Β detectors. First, three detectors are described: the SOFI detector, for gene mapping, the SOFAS detector, for DNA sequencing and the RIHR detector, for in situ hybridization. Then, the paper presents quantitative imaging in molecular genetic and functional imaging. (TEC)
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Adams, S.R.
1985-10-01
A comprehensive evaluation was conducted of the radiation protection practices and programs at prototype LMFBRs with long operational experience. Installations evaluated were the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF), Richland, Washington; Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), Idaho Falls, Idaho; Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) Dounreay, Scotland; Phenix, Marcoule, France; and Kompakte Natriumgekuhlte Kernreak Toranlange (KNK II), Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany. The evaluation included external and internal exposure control, respiratory protection procedures, radiation surveillance practices, radioactive waste management, and engineering controls for confining radiation contamination. The theory, design, and operating experience at LMFBRs is described. Aspects of LMFBR health physics different from the LWR experience in the United States are identified. Suggestions are made for modifications to the NRC Standard Review Plan based on the differences
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Adams, S.R.
1985-10-01
A comprehensive evaluation was conducted of the radiation protection practices and programs at prototype LMFBRs with long operational experience. Installations evaluated were the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF), Richland, Washington; Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), Idaho Falls, Idaho; Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) Dounreay, Scotland; Phenix, Marcoule, France; and Kompakte Natriumgekuhlte Kernreak Toranlange (KNK II), Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany. The evaluation included external and internal exposure control, respiratory protection procedures, radiation surveillance practices, radioactive waste management, and engineering controls for confining radiation contamination. The theory, design, and operating experience at LMFBRs is described. Aspects of LMFBR health physics different from the LWR experience in the United States are identified. Suggestions are made for modifications to the NRC Standard Review Plan based on the differences.
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Tritium in the Physical and Biological Sciences. V. 1. Proceedings of a Symposium
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
1962-01-15
The use of tritium for research in physics, chemistry, biology and hydrology has in recent years become increasingly important. It was for this reason that the first international conference to discuss the progress of new developments was organized by the IAEA in conjunction with the Joint Commission on Applied Radioactivity and held from 3-10 May 1961, in Vienna. The first five sessions of the Symposium were devoted to the use of tritium in hydrology, physics and chemistry. Special emphasis was laid on the role of tritium as a tracer in hydrology, especially in the study of water movement. The establishment and improvement of counting and detection techniques to facilitate the application of tritium as a tracer was another aspect discussed in this part of the proceedings. Papers were read on the preparation of tritiated compounds and it was generally agreed that further clarification of the mechanism of various techniques, and of the Wilzbach gas exposure technique in particular, would lead to further developments in the synthesis of a number of tritium compounds important in biology. Other papers were concerned with tritium applications to studies of the mechanism of some chemical reactions together with the effects of tritium isotopes. During the second part of the Symposium the biological applications of tritium and tritiated compounds were discussed. These included general problems connected with the biological uses of tritium and the radiation effects of tritium on living organisms such as viruses, bacteria and cancer cells. The value of tritium in biological studies became apparent because of the ease with which a large number of metabolically active compounds such as hormones, vitamins and other important constituents in the body can be labelled with tritium. Tritium is also a weak beta-emitter and autoradiographie s of tissues and single cells containing tritium-labelled compounds allow an excellent localization of the tracer. The Symposium was attended by
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Joiner, Michael C; Tracey, Monica W; Kacin, Sara E; Burmeister, Jay W
2017-06-01
This article provides a summary and status report of the ongoing advanced education program IBPRO - Integrated course in Biology and Physics of Radiation Oncology. IBPRO is a five-year program funded by NCI. It addresses the recognized deficiency in the number of mentors available who have the required knowledge and skill to provide the teaching and training that is required for future radiation oncologists and researchers in radiation sciences. Each year, IBPRO brings together 50 attendees typically at assistant professor level and upwards, who are already qualified/certified radiation oncologists, medical physicists or biologists. These attendees receive keynote lectures and activities based on active learning strategies, merging together the clinical, biological and physics underpinnings of radiation oncology, at the forefront of the field. This experience is aimed at increasing collaborations, raising the level and amount of basic and applied research undertaken in radiation oncology, and enabling attendees to confidently become involved in the future teaching and training of researchers and radiation oncologists.
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Physical security in multinational nuclear-fuel-cycle operations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Willrich, M.
1977-01-01
Whether or not multinationalization will reduce or increase risks of theft or sabotage will depend on the form and location of the enterprise, the precise nature of the physical security arrangements applied to the enterprise, and the future course of crime and terrorism in the nuclear age. If nuclear operations are multinationalized, the host government is likely to insist on physical security measures that are at least as stringent as those for a national or private enterprise subject to its jurisdiction. At the same time, the other participants will want to be sure the host government, as well as criminal groups, do not steal nuclear material from the facility. If designed to be reasonably effective, the physical security arrangements at a multinational nuclear enterprise seem likely to reduce the risk that any participating government will seek to divert material from the facility for use in a nuclear weapons program. Hence, multinationalization and physical security will both contribute to reducing the risks of nuclear weapons proliferation to additional governments. If economic considerations dominate the timing, scale and location of fuel-cycle facilities, the worldwide nuclear power industry is likely to develop along lines where the problems of physical security will be manageable. If, however, nuclear nationalism prevails, and numerous small-scale facilities become widely dispersed, the problem of security against theft and sabotage may prove to be unmanageable. It is ironic, although true, that in attempting to strengthen its security by pursuing self-sufficiency in nuclear power, a nation may be reducing its internal security against criminal terrorists
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Dada, Esther O; Anderson, Morgan K; Grier, Tyson; Alemany, Joseph A; Jones, Bruce H
2017-11-01
To determine the age- and sex-specific differences of physical fitness performances and Body Mass Index (BMI) in basic training and the operational Army. Cross-sectional Study. This secondary analysis utilizes retrospective surveys of U.S. Army Soldiers in Basic Combat Training (BCT) and operational units to compare physical performances between men and women as measured by the Army Physical Readiness Test (APFT). An ANOVA was used to compare mean differences in APFT results and BMI within sex-specific populations. A post hoc Tukey test identified specific mean differences. Adjusting for age, an ANCOVA was used to compare sex and occupation (infantry and non-infantry) differences in APFT results. Surveyed populations consisted of 2216 BCT Soldiers (1573 men and 643 women) and 5515 Operational Soldiers (4987 men and 528 women). Male and female operational Soldiers had greater muscular performance (79%-125% higher APFT push-ups, 66%-85% higher APFT sit-ups) and cardiorespiratory performance (22%-24% faster APFT 2-mile run times) than BCT Soldiers. Male BCT and operational Soldiers outperform their female counterparts on tests of muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance. Sex differences in physical performances attenuated among female Soldiers in operational units compared to BCT. Among male operational Soldiers, infantry Soldiers exhibited greater cardiorespiratory and muscular performance than non-infantry Soldiers. Higher BMI was associated with higher age groups, except for female BCT Soldiers. Gaps in cardiorespiratory and muscular performances between men and women should be addressed through targeted physical training programs that aim to minimize physiological differences. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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Coles, James F.; Cuffney, Thomas F.; McMahon, Gerard; Beaulieu, Karen M.
2004-01-01
During August 2000, responses of biological communities (invertebrates, fish, and algae), physical habitat, and water chemistry to urban intensity were compared among 30 streams within 80 miles of Boston, Massachusetts. Sites chosen for sampling represented a gradient of the intensity of urban development (urban intensity) among drainage basins that had minimal natural variability. In this study, spatial differences were used as surrogates for temporal changes to represent the effects of urbanization over time. The degree of urban intensity for each drainage basin was characterized with a standardized urban index (0-100, lowest to highest) derived from land cover, infrastructure, and socioeconomic variables. Multivariate and multimetric analyses were used to compare urban index values with biological, physical, and chemical data to determine how the data indicated responses to urbanization. Multivariate ordinations were derived for the invertebrate-, fish-, and algae-community data by use of correspondence analysis, and ordinations were derived for the chemical and physical data by use of principal-component analysis. Site scores from each of the ordinations were plotted in relation to the urban index to test for a response. In all cases, the primary axis scores showed the strongest response to the urban index, indicating that urbanization was a primary factor affecting the data ordination. For the multimetric analyses, each of the biological data sets was used to calculate a series of community metrics. For the sets of chemical and physical data, the individual variables and various combinations of individual variables were used as measured and derived metrics, respectively. Metrics that were generally most responsive to the urban index for each data set included: EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera) taxa for invertebrates; cyprinid taxa for fish; diatom taxa for algae; bicarbonate, conductivity, and nitrogen for chemistry; and water depth and temperature
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Demirel, Yasar
2014-01-01
Natural phenomena consist of simultaneously occurring transport processes and chemical reactions. These processes may interact with each other and may lead to self-organized structures, fluctuations, instabilities, and evolutionary systems. Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics, 3rd edition emphasizes the unifying role of thermodynamics in analyzing the natural phenomena. This third edition updates and expands on the first and second editions by focusing on the general balance equations for coupled processes of physical, chemical, and biological systems. The new edition contains a new chapte
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Park, So-Hyun; Lee, Dong-Soo; Lee, Yun-Hee; Lee, Seu-Ran; Kim, Min-Ju; Suh, Tae-Suk
2015-09-01
The aim of this work is to demonstrate both the physical and the biological quality assurance (QA) aspects as pretreatment QA of the head and neck (H&N) cancer plan for the volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Ten H&N plans were studied. The COMPASS® dosimetry analysis system and the tumor control probability (TCP) and the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) calculation free program were used as the respective measurement and calculation tools. The reliability of these tools was verified by a benchmark study in accordance with the TG-166 report. For the physical component of QA, the gamma passing rates and the false negative cases between the calculated and the measured data were evaluated. The biological component of QA was performed based on the equivalent uniform dose (EUD), TCP and NTCP values. The evaluation was performed for the planning target volumes (PTVs) and the organs at risks (OARs), including the eyes, the lens, the parotid glands, the esophagus, the spinal cord, and the brainstem. All cases had gamma passing rates above 95% at an acceptance tolerance level with the 3%/3 mm criteria. In addition, the false negative instances were presented for the PTVs and OARs. The gamma passing rates exhibited a weak correlation with false negative cases. For the biological QA, the physical dose errors affect the EUD and the TCP for the PTVs, but no linear correlation existed between them. The EUD and NTCP for the OARs were shown the random differences that could not be attributed to the dose errors from the physical QA. The differences in the EUD and NTCP between the calculated and the measured results were mainly demonstrated for the parotid glands. This study describes the importance and the necessity of improved QA to accompany both the physical and the biological aspects for accurate radiation treatment.
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McEgan, Rachel; Mootian, Gabriel; Goodridge, Lawrence D.; Schaffner, Donald W.; Danyluk, Michelle D.
2013-01-01
Coliforms, Escherichia coli, and various physicochemical water characteristics have been suggested as indicators of microbial water quality or index organisms for pathogen populations. The relationship between the presence and/or concentration of Salmonella and biological, physical, or chemical indicators in Central Florida surface water samples over 12 consecutive months was explored. Samples were taken monthly for 12 months from 18 locations throughout Central Florida (n = 202). Air and wat...
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2011-01-19
... Extension of Existing Information Collection; Hoist Operators' Physical Fitness AGENCY: Mine Safety and... fitness. DATES: All comments must be received by midnight Eastern Standard Time on March 21, 2011... 56.19057 and 57.19057 require the annual examination and certification of hoist operators' fitness by...
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Jones, Barbara
2001-03-01
At UCSD biology majors are required to take 3 quarters of a calculus based physics course. This is taught in a standard format large lecture class partly by faculty and partly by freeway flyers. We are working with physics graduate students who are also participating in our PFPF (Preparing Future Physics Faculty) program to write, review, and teach new weekly labs for these biology students. This provides an experience for the grad student that is both rewarding to them and useful to the department. The grad students participate in curriculum development, they observe the students behaviour in the labs, and assess the effectiveness of different lab formats. The labs are intended to provide an interactive, hands on experience with a wide variety of equipment which is mostly both simple and inexpensive. Both students and grads find the labs to be engaging and fun. Based on group discussions the labs are modified to try to try to create the best teaching environment. The biology students benefit from the improvements both in the quality of the labs they do, and from the enthusiasm of the TAs who take an active interest in their learning. The ability to make significant changes to the material taught maintains the interest of the grad students and helps to make the labs a stable and robust environment.
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Observations of bunch-by-bunch losses in the 2010 LHC proton physics operation
Papotti, G
2011-01-01
This document summarizes the bunch-by-bunch loss observations carried out during the 2010 proton physics run at the LHC. These observations proved beneficial to the improvement of operations, in particular in the early days of nominal intensity per bunch operation: then the plots initiated the removal of the tune split and motivated the modification of a filling scheme to remove parasitic encounters that heightened the losses on selected bunches. Along with plots from sample physics fills, summary plots for the year are shown. The colour coding is always chosen so to highlight the dependence of the losses on the filling scheme.
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Interest in STEM is contagious for students in biology, chemistry, and physics classes.
Hazari, Zahra; Potvin, Geoff; Cribbs, Jennifer D; Godwin, Allison; Scott, Tyler D; Klotz, Leidy
2017-08-01
We report on a study of the effect of peers' interest in high school biology, chemistry, and physics classes on students' STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)-related career intentions and course achievement. We define an interest quorum as a science class where students perceive a high level of interest for the subject matter from their classmates. We hypothesized that students who experience such an interest quorum are more likely to choose STEM careers. Using data from a national survey study of students' experiences in high school science, we compared the effect of five levels of peer interest reported in biology, chemistry, and physics courses on students' STEM career intentions. The results support our hypothesis, showing a strong, positive effect of an interest quorum even after controlling for differences between students that pose competing hypotheses such as previous STEM career interest, academic achievement, family support for mathematics and science, and gender. Smaller positive effects of interest quorums were observed for course performance in some cases, with no detrimental effects observed across the study. Last, significant effects persisted even after controlling for differences in teaching quality. This work emphasizes the likely importance of interest quorums for creating classroom environments that increase students' intentions toward STEM careers while enhancing or maintaining course performance.
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Interest in STEM is contagious for students in biology, chemistry, and physics classes
Hazari, Zahra; Potvin, Geoff; Cribbs, Jennifer D.; Godwin, Allison; Scott, Tyler D.; Klotz, Leidy
2017-01-01
We report on a study of the effect of peers’ interest in high school biology, chemistry, and physics classes on students’ STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)–related career intentions and course achievement. We define an interest quorum as a science class where students perceive a high level of interest for the subject matter from their classmates. We hypothesized that students who experience such an interest quorum are more likely to choose STEM careers. Using data from a national survey study of students‘ experiences in high school science, we compared the effect of five levels of peer interest reported in biology, chemistry, and physics courses on students‘ STEM career intentions. The results support our hypothesis, showing a strong, positive effect of an interest quorum even after controlling for differences between students that pose competing hypotheses such as previous STEM career interest, academic achievement, family support for mathematics and science, and gender. Smaller positive effects of interest quorums were observed for course performance in some cases, with no detrimental effects observed across the study. Last, significant effects persisted even after controlling for differences in teaching quality. This work emphasizes the likely importance of interest quorums for creating classroom environments that increase students’ intentions toward STEM careers while enhancing or maintaining course performance. PMID:28808678
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Abstract: This dataset contains ten years of physical, chemical, and biological data collected during shipboard surveys in Weeks Bay, Alabama, between June 1990 and...
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arXiv Dimension-6 Operator Analysis of the CLIC Sensitivity to New Physics
Ellis, John; Sanz, Veronica; You, Tevong
2017-05-17
We estimate the possible accuracies of measurements at the proposed CLIC e$^{+}$ e$^{−}$ collider of Higgs and W$^{+}$ W$^{−}$ production at centre-of-mass energies up to 3 TeV, incorporating also Higgsstrahlung projections at higher energies that had not been consid-ered previously, and use them to explore the prospective CLIC sensitivities to decoupled new physics. We present the resulting constraints on the Wilson coefficients of dimension-6 operators in a model-independent approach based on the Standard Model effective field theory (SM EFT). The higher centre-of-mass energy of CLIC, compared to other projects such as the ILC and CEPC, gives it greater sensitivity to the coefficients of some of the operators we study. We find that CLIC Higgs measurements may be sensitive to new physics scales $ \\Lambda =\\mathcal{O}(10) $ TeV for individual operators, reduced to $ \\mathcal{O}(1) $ TeV sensitivity for a global fit marginalising over the coefficients of all contributing operators. We give some examples of...
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Biological effects and physical safety aspects of NMR imaging and in vivo spectroscopy
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Tenforde, T.S.; Budinger, T.F.
1985-08-01
An assessment is made of the biological effects and physical hazards of static and time-varying fields associated with the NMR devices that are being used for clinical imaging and in vivo spectroscopy. A summary is given of the current state of knowledge concerning the mechanisms of interaction and the bioeffects of these fields. Additional topics that are discussed include: (1) physical effects on pacemakers and metallic implants such as aneurysm clips, (2) human health studies related to the effects of exposure to nonionizing electromagnetic radiation, and (3) extant guidelines for limiting exposure of patients and medical personnel to the fields produced by NMR devices. On the basis of information available at the present time, it is concluded that the fields associated with the current generation of NMR devices do not pose a significant health risk in themselves. However, rigorous guidelines must be followed to avoid the physical interaction of these fields with metallic implants and medical electronic devices. 476 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.
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Biological effects and physical safety aspects of NMR imaging and in vivo spectroscopy
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tenforde, T.S.; Budinger, T.F.
1985-08-01
An assessment is made of the biological effects and physical hazards of static and time-varying fields associated with the NMR devices that are being used for clinical imaging and in vivo spectroscopy. A summary is given of the current state of knowledge concerning the mechanisms of interaction and the bioeffects of these fields. Additional topics that are discussed include: (1) physical effects on pacemakers and metallic implants such as aneurysm clips, (2) human health studies related to the effects of exposure to nonionizing electromagnetic radiation, and (3) extant guidelines for limiting exposure of patients and medical personnel to the fields produced by NMR devices. On the basis of information available at the present time, it is concluded that the fields associated with the current generation of NMR devices do not pose a significant health risk in themselves. However, rigorous guidelines must be followed to avoid the physical interaction of these fields with metallic implants and medical electronic devices. 476 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs
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Blanchard, Philippe
2015-01-01
The second edition of this textbook presents the basic mathematical knowledge and skills that are needed for courses on modern theoretical physics, such as those on quantum mechanics, classical and quantum field theory, and related areas. The authors stress that learning mathematical physics is not a passive process and include numerous detailed proofs, examples, and over 200 exercises, as well as hints linking mathematical concepts and results to the relevant physical concepts and theories. All of the material from the first edition has been updated, and five new chapters have been added on such topics as distributions, Hilbert space operators, and variational methods. The text is divided into three main parts. Part I is a brief introduction to distribution theory, in which elements from the theories of ultradistributions and hyperfunctions are considered in addition to some deeper results for Schwartz distributions, thus providing a comprehensive introduction to the theory of generalized functions. P...
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Noble, Dorottya B; Mochrie, Simon G J; O'Hern, Corey S; Pollard, Thomas D; Regan, Lynne
2016-11-12
In 2008, we established the Integrated Graduate Program in Physical and Engineering Biology (IGPPEB) at Yale University. Our goal was to create a comprehensive graduate program to train a new generation of scientists who possess a sophisticated understanding of biology and who are capable of applying physical and quantitative methodologies to solve biological problems. Here we describe the framework of the training program, report on its effectiveness, and also share the insights we gained during its development and implementation. The program features co-teaching by faculty with complementary specializations, student peer learning, and novel hands-on courses that facilitate the seamless blending of interdisciplinary research and teaching. It also incorporates enrichment activities to improve communication skills, engage students in science outreach, and foster a cohesive program cohort, all of which promote the development of transferable skills applicable in a variety of careers. The curriculum of the graduate program is integrated with the curricular requirements of several Ph.D.-granting home programs in the physical, engineering, and biological sciences. Moreover, the wide-ranging recruiting activities of the IGPPEB serve to enhance the quality and diversity of students entering graduate school at Yale. We also discuss some of the challenges we encountered in establishing and optimizing the program, and describe the institution-level changes that were catalyzed by the introduction of the new graduate program. The goal of this article is to serve as both an inspiration and as a practical "how to" manual for those who seek to establish similar programs at their own institutions. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44(6):537-549, 2016. © 2016 The Authors Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
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Biological indicators for monitoring water quality of MTF canals system
Sethi, S. L.
1975-01-01
Biological models, diversity indexes, were developed to predict environmental effects of NASA's Mississippi test facility (MTF) chemical operations on canal systems in the area. To predict the effects on local streams, a physical model of unpolluted streams was established. The model is fed by artesian well water free of background levels of pollutants. The species diversity and biota composition of unpolluted MTF stream was determined; resulting information will be used to form baseline data for future comparisons. Biological modeling was accomplished by adding controlled quantities or kinds of chemical pollutants and evaluating the effects of these chemicals on the biological life of the stream.
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Physics constraints on tokamak edge operational space and extrapolation to ITER
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Igitkhanov, Yu.; Janeschitz, G.; Sugihara, M.; Pacher, H.D.; Post, D.E.; Pacher, G.W.; Pogutse, O.P.
1998-01-01
This paper emphasises the theoretical understanding of the physical processes in the edge tokamak plasma and their attendant uncertainties and constraints. The various operational boundaries are represented in the edge operational space (EOS) diagram, the space of edge density and temperature, defined at the top of the H-mode transport barrier. The EOS is governed by four boundaries representing physical constraints for the edge plasma parameters. The first boundary represents the onset of type I ELM instabilities in terms of a critical pressure gradient for MHD stability at the edge which defines the maximum pedestal temperature for a given density once the width of the H-mode transport barrier at the edge (pedestal width) is known. The ideal ballooning mode is a candidate for this instability. The second boundary defines the boundary between type III ELM's, which are probably resistive MHD modes, and the ELM-free region. (orig.)
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Giles D.Warrington
2010-07-01
Full Text Available The sporting domain has traditionally been used as a testing ground for new technologies which subsequently make their way into the public domain. This includes sensors. In this article a range of physical and biological sensors deployed in a 64 hour ultra-endurance non-stop cycling race are described. A novel algorithm to estimate the energy expenditure while cycling and resting during the event are outlined. Initial analysis in this noisy domain of “sensors in the field” are very encouraging and represent a first with respect to cycling.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Volná, M; Látal, F; Kubínek, R; Richterek, L
2014-01-01
Many topics which are closely related can be found in the national curriculum of the Czech Republic for physics and biology. One of them is the heart and the circulatory system in the human body. This topic was examined cross curriculum, a teaching module was created and the topic was chosen for our research. The task was to determine if the students of bachelor study are aware of connections between physics and biology within this topic and whether we can help them effectively to describe the corresponding physics phenomena in the human body connected, for example, with a heart attack or with the measurement of blood pressure. In this paper, the heart and the circulatory system are presented as suitable topics for an interdisciplinary teaching module which includes both theoretical and experimental parts. The module was evaluated by a group of first-year undergraduate students of physics at the Faculty of Science, Palacký University. The acquired knowledge was compared with another control group through a test. The highest efficiency of the module was evaluated on the basis of questions that covered the calculation problems. (paper)
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Progress report, Biology and Health Physics Division, January 1 to March 31, 1978
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Progress of work in Biology and Health Physics Division is reported for first quarter 1978. Measurements of liquid and plastic scintillator responses over a wide range of gamma-ray energies and calculations of the shape of the Compton electron distribution have been made for different scintillator sizes. Other work performed in health physics included determination of errors involved in accurate determination of dose-equivalents resulting from tritium ingestion, and development of radiation monitors and techniques for using them to best advantage. A wide range of environmental studies were underway during the quarter, notably 14 C/ 12 C ratio measurement using an accelerator-spectrometer and contiuing studies of the beneficial uses of thermal effluents. Development of computer linkage techniques for medical records continued. Practical applications of the approach include linkage of personal exposure histories with death records pertaining to the exposed individuals. Work in the Biology Branch has continued to focus upon the effects of radiation on a variety of living organisms, ranging from bacterial viruses to humans. The principal sensitive target for long-term biological effects of radiation on all living organisms is DNA. The chemical nature of the damage caused in DNA by radiation and the response of cells to this damage is being studied by a variety of biochemical and genetic techniques. A review of literature on the causes of cancer in humans has continued. If effects are linearly related to total dose, as is normally assumed for purposes of radiation protection, then the total number of fatal cancers predicted to arise from the use of nuclear power in the future should be about 100 times less than the number induced by urban air pollution resulting from the combustion of coal and oil to produce the same amount of electricity. (OST)
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Comparison of Technology Use between Biology and Physics Teachers in a 1:1 Laptop Environment
Crook, Simon J.; Sharma, Manjula D.; Wilson, Rachel
2015-01-01
Using a mixed-methods approach the authors compared the associated practices of senior physics teachers (n = 7) and students (n = 53) in a 1:1 laptop environment with those of senior biology teachers (n = 10) and students (n = 125) also in a 1:1 laptop environment, in seven high schools in Sydney, NSW, Australia. They found that the physics…
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Mason D. Bryant; Takashi Gomi; Jack J. Piccolo
2007-01-01
We focus on headwater streams originating in the mountainous terrain of northern temperate rain forests. These streams rapidly descend from gradients greater than 20% to less than 5% in U-shaped glacial valleys. We use a set of studies on headwater streams in southeast Alaska to define headwater stream catchments, link physical and biological processes, and describe...
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From the Physical World to the Biological Universe: Historical Developments Underlying SETI
Dick, Steven J.
More than thirty years ago the French historian of science Alexandre Koyré (1957) wrote his classic volume, From the Closed World to the Infinite Universe, in which he argued that a fundamental shift in world view had taken place in 17th century cosmology. Between Nicholas of Cusa in the fifteenth century and Newton and Leibniz in the seventeenth, he found that the very terms in which humans thought about their universe had changed. These changes he characterized broadly as the destruction of the closed finite cosmos and the geometrization of space. The occasion of the Third International Bioastronomy Symposium in France is an especially appropriate time to argue that the SETI endeavor represents a test for a similar fundamental shift in cosmological world view, from the physical world to the biological universe. I define the biological universe, equivalent to what I have called before the biophysical cosmology (Dick, 1989), as the scientific world view which holds that life is widespread throughout the universe. In this case the biological universe does not necessarily supersede the physical universe, but a universe filled with life would certainly fundamentally alter our attitude toward the universe, and our place in it. Although Koyré mentioned life beyond the Earth as an adjunct to the revolution from the closed world to the infinite universe, only in the 1980s has the history of science begun to give full treatment to the subject. What follows is meant to be a contribution to that ongoing endeavor to understand where the extraterrestrial life debate fits in the history of science. The modern era in the extraterrestrial life debate is normally dated from Cocconi and Morrison's paper in 1959, and though one can always find precursors, this in my view is a valid perception. Cocconi and Morrison gave definite form to SETI, Frank Drake independently first carried out the experiment, a network of interested scientists began to form and met in Green Bank in
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Physics must join with biology in better assessing risk from low-dose irradiation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Feinendegen, L. E.; Neumann, R. D.
2005-01-01
This review summarises the complex response of mammalian cells and tissues to low doses of ionising radiation. This thesis encompasses induction of DNA damage, and adaptive protection against both renewed damage and against propagation of damage from the basic level of biological organisation to the clinical expression of detriment. The induction of DNA damage at low radiation doses apparently is proportional to absorbed dose at the physical/chemical level. However, any propagation of such damage to higher levels of biological organisation inherently follows a sigmoid function. Moreover, low-dose-induced inhibition of damage propagation is not linear, but instead follows a dose-effect function typical for adaptive protection, after an initial rapid rise it disappears at doses higher than ∼0.1-0.2 Gy to cells. The particular biological response duality at low radiation doses precludes the validity of the linear-no-threshold hypothesis in the attempt to relate absorbed dose to cancer. In fact, theory and observation support not only a lower cancer incidence than expected from the linear-no-threshold hypothesis, but also a reduction of spontaneously occurring cancer, a hormetic response, in the healthy individual. (authors)
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Physical activity, heart rate, metabolic profile, and estradiol in premenopausal women
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Emaus, Aina; Veierød, Marit B; Furberg, Anne-Sofie
2008-01-01
PURPOSE: To study whether physical inactive women with a tendency to develop metabolic syndrome have high levels of 17beta-estradiol (E2) of importance for breast cancer risk. METHODS: Two hundred and four healthy women of reproductive age were assessed for self-reported leisure-time physical...... to important biologic mechanisms operating between a sedentary lifestyle and an increased breast cancer risk....
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Physical fitness: An operator's approach to coping with shift work
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hanks, D.H.
1989-01-01
There is a strong correlation between a shift worker's ability to remain alert and the physical fitness of the individual. Alertness is a key element of a nuclear plant operator's ability to effectively monitor and control plant status. The constant changes in one's metabolism caused by the rotation of work (and sleep) hours can be devastating to his or her health. Many workers with longevity in the field, however, have found it beneficial to maintain some sort of workout or sport activity, feeling that this activity offsets the physical burden of backshift. The author's experience working shifts for 10 years and his reported increase in alertness through exercise and diet manipulation are described in this paper
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cucinotta, F.A.; Wilson, J.W.; Williams, J.R.; Dicello, J.F.
2000-01-01
We compare models of radiation transport and biological response to physical and biological dosimetry results from astronauts on the Mir space station. Transport models are shown to be in good agreement with physical measurements and indicate that the ratio of equivalent dose from the Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) to protons is about 3/2:1 and that this ratio will increase for exposures to internal organs. Two biological response models are used to compare to the Mir biodosimetry for chromosome aberration in lymphocyte cells; a track-structure model and the linear-quadratic model with linear energy transfer (LET) dependent weighting coefficients. These models are fit to in vitro data for aberration formation in human lymphocytes by photons and charged particles. Both models are found to be in reasonable agreement with data for aberrations in lymphocytes of Mir crew members: however there are differences between the use of LET dependent weighting factors and track structure models for assigning radiation quality factors. The major difference in the models is the increased effectiveness predicted by the track model for low charge and energy ions with LET near 10 keV/μm. The results of our calculations indicate that aluminum shielding, although providing important mitigation of the effects of trapped radiation, provides no protective effect from the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) in low-earth orbit (LEO) using either equivalent dose or the number of chromosome aberrations as a measure until about 100 g/cm 2 of material is used
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Operational symmetries basic operations in physics
Saller, Heinrich
2017-01-01
This book describes the endeavour to relate the particle spectrum with representations of operational electroweak spacetime, in analogy to the atomic spectrum as characterizing representations of hyperbolic space. The spectrum of hyperbolic position space explains the properties of the nonrelativistic atoms; the spectrum of electroweak spacetime is hoped to explain those of the basic interactions and elementary particles. In this book, the theory of operational symmetries is developed from the numbers, from Plato’s and Kepler’s symmetries over the simple Lie groups to their applications in nonrelativistic, special relativistic and general relativistic quantum theories with the atomic spectrum for hyperbolic position and, in first attempts, the particle spectrum for electroweak spacetime. The standard model of elementary particles and interactions is characterized by a symmetry group. In general, as initiated by Weyl and stressed by Heisenberg, quantum theory can be built as a theory of operation groups an...
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains physical, chemical, and biological data collected during ten years of near-monthly shipboard surveys carried out in Mobile Bay between May 1989...
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A bibliographic review of mathematical models of packed-bed biological reactors (PBR
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Deisy Corredor
2005-09-01
Full Text Available Several authors have sublected packed-bed biological reactors to mathematical and theoretical analysis. They have taken reaction kinetics and single-dimensional, homogeneous, pseudo-homogeneous and heterogeneous models into account. Numerical methods have provided the set of equations so developed. The effect of physically important process variables in terms of design and operation have been investigated (i.e. residence time, operating- flow, substrate conversion, bio-film area and film thickness.
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The effect of shape on drag: a physics exercise inspired by biology
Fingerut, Jonathan; Johnson, Nicholas; Mongeau, Eric; Habdas, Piotr
2017-07-01
As part of a biomechanics course aimed at upper-division biology and physics majors, but applicable to a range of student learning levels, this laboratory exercise provides an insight into the effect of shape on hydrodynamic performance, as well an introduction to computer aided design (CAD) and 3D printing. Students use hydrodynamic modeling software and simple CAD programs to design a shape with the least amount of drag based on strategies gleaned from the study of natural forms. Students then print the shapes using a 3D printer and test their shapes against their classmates in a friendly competition. From this exercise, students gain a more intuitive sense of the challenges that organisms face when moving through fluid environments, the physical phenomena involved in moving through fluids at high Reynolds numbers and observe how and why certain morphologies, such as streamlining, are common answers to the challenge of swimming at high speeds.
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The Photo-Physics of Polythiophene Nanoparticles for Biological Applications.
Bargigia, Ilaria; Zucchetti, Elena; Srimath Kandada, Ajay Ram; Moreira, Miguel; Bossio, Caterina; Wong, Walter; Miranda, Paulo; Decuzzi, Paolo; Soci, Cesare; D'Andrea, Cosimo; Lanzani, Guglielmo
2018-05-01
In this work the photo-physics of poly(3-hexyltiophene) nanoparticles (NPs) is investigated in the context of their biological applications. The NPs made as colloidal suspensions in aqueous buffers present a distinct absorption band in the low energy region. Based on systematic analysis of absorption and transient absorption spectra taken under different pH conditions, this band is associated to charge transfer states generated by the polarization of loosely bound polymer chains and originated from complexes formed with electron withdrawing species. Importantly, the ground state depletion of these states upon photo-excitation is active even in the microsecond timescales, suggesting that they act as precursor states for long-living polarons which could be beneficial for cellular stimulation. Preliminary results of transient absorption microscopy of NPs internalized within the cells reveal the presence of long-living species, further substantiating their relevance in bio-interfaces. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
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Ashrafian, Hutan
2018-03-01
Several temporal paradoxes exist in physics. These include General Relativity's grandfather and ontological paradoxes and Special Relativity's Langevin-Einstein twin-paradox. General relativity paradoxes can exist due to a Gödel universe that follows Gödel's closed timelike curves solution to Einstein's field equations. A novel biological temporal paradox of General Relativity is proposed based on reproductive biology's phenomenon of heteropaternal fecundation. Herein, dizygotic twins from two different fathers are the result of concomitant fertilization during one menstrual cycle. In this case an Oedipus-like individual exposed to a Gödel closed timelike curve would sire a child during his maternal fertilization cycle. As a consequence of heteropaternal superfecundation, he would father his own dizygotic twin and would therefore generate a new class of autofraternal superfecundation, and by doing so creating a 'twin-father' temporal paradox. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Operator Semigroups meet Complex Analysis, Harmonic Analysis and Mathematical Physics
Chill, Ralph; Tomilov, Yuri
2015-01-01
This proceedings volume originates from a conference held in Herrnhut in June 2013. It provides unique insights into the power of abstract methods and techniques in dealing successfully with numerous applications stemming from classical analysis and mathematical physics. The book features diverse topics in the area of operator semigroups, including partial differential equations, martingale and Hilbert transforms, Banach and von Neumann algebras, Schrödinger operators, maximal regularity and Fourier multipliers, interpolation, operator-theoretical problems (concerning generation, perturbation and dilation, for example), and various qualitative and quantitative Tauberian theorems with a focus on transfinite induction and magics of Cantor. The last fifteen years have seen the dawn of a new era for semigroup theory with the emphasis on applications of abstract results, often unexpected and far removed from traditional ones. The aim of the conference was to bring together prominent experts in the field of modern...
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Thomas, Andrew C.; Chai, F.; Townsend, D. W.; Xue, H.
2002-01-01
The goals of this project were to acquire, process, QC, archive and analyze SeaWiFS chlorophyll fields over the Gulf of Maine and Scotia Shelf region. The focus of the analysis effort was to calculate and quantify seasonality and interannual. variability of SeaWiFS-measured phytoplankton biomass in the study area and compare these to physical forcing and hydrography. An additional focus within this effort was on regional differences within the heterogeneous biophysical regions of the Gulf of Maine / Scotia Shelf. Overall goals were approached through the combined use of SeaWiFS and AVHRR data and the development of a coupled biology-physical numerical model.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Williams, L.E.
1987-01-01
This three-volume set covers the physical basis of nuclear medicine, and is intended as a source of data for practicing scientists and physicians as well as those beginning their careers or simply studying nuclear medical physics. It leads the reader from quantum theory to the production and attenuation of ionizing radiation; considers dosimetry and the most recent assessment of biological effects of such particles; describes in detail detector materials, signal analysis, and gamma cameras; includes extensive discussions of bone mineral measurement as well as magnetic resonance imaging; covers limited angle, rotating camera, and positron tomography; presents quality assurance and statistical theory with an eye toward enhanced departmental operations; and features descriptions of functional imaging and the psychophysical basis of diagnosis
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Rieman, Bruce; Dunham, Jason B.; Clayton, James
2006-01-01
Integration of biological and physical concepts is necessary to understand and conserve the ecological integrity of river systems. Past attempts at integration have often focused at relatively small scales and on mechanistic models that may not capture the complexity of natural systems leaving substantial uncertainty about ecological responses to management actions. Two solutions have been proposed to guide management in the face of that uncertainty: the use of “natural variability” in key environmental patterns, processes, or disturbance as a reference; and the retention of some areas as essentially unmanaged reserves to conserve and represent as much biological diversity as possible. Both concepts are scale dependent because dominant processes or patterns that might be referenced will change with scale. Context and linkages across scales may be as important in structuring biological systems as conditions within habitats used by individual organisms. Both ideas view the physical environment as a template for expression, maintenance, and evolution of ecological diversity. To conserve or restore a diverse physical template it will be important to recognize the ecologically important differences in physical characteristics and processes among streams or watersheds that we might attempt to mimic in management or represent in conservation or restoration reserves.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hall, E.J.
1986-07-01
This is the annual report of the Radiological Research Laboratory of the Department of Radiation Oncology, Columbia University. The bulk of the research of the Laboratory involves basic and fundamental aims, not confined to radiotherapy. Research carried out in the Laboratory covers the determination of microdosimetry quantities, computer simulation of particle tracks, determination of oncogenic transformation, and the transfection of DNA into cells. The Hallmark of the Laboratory is the interaction between physics and biology
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The biological and physical role of mulch in the rehabilitation of custed soil in the Sahel
Mando, A.; Stroosnijder, L.
1999-01-01
During three consecutive years (1993–1995) a split-plot design with three replications was used to study the biological and physical role of mulch in the improvement of crusted soil water balance and its productivity in the north of Burkina Faso. The main treatment was the use of an insecticide, to
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rossi, H.H.; Hall, E.J.
1978-02-01
Research under Contract EY-76-C-02-3243 has been carried out in the area of Radiation Physics, Biophysics and Radiation Biology. During the period of this contract the major accomplishments include, in Physics, the refinement of tissue equivalent dosimetry, the formulation of the concepts of microdosimetry, the development of apparatus used in microdosimetry, and the development of ionization chambers with internal gas multiplication. Principal contributions in Radiobiology have included the determination of RBE and OER as a function of neutron energy, the study of combined effects of radiation and a variety of other agents, and the investigation of the transformation of cells in tissue culture. Theoretical research centered around the development of the theoretical framework of microdosimetry and the establishment of the Theory of Dual Radiation Action. In a cooperative effort with Brookhaven National Laboratory, a major accelerator facility dedicated exclusively to Radiobiology and Radiation Physics, has been developed. Members of the laboratory have performed extensive service to national and international organizations
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Biological physics and synchrotron radiation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Filhol, J.M.; Chavanne, J.; Weckert, E.
2001-01-01
This conference deals with the applications of synchrotron radiation to current problems in biology and medicine. Seven sessions take stock on the subject: sources and detectors; inelastic scattering and dynamics; muscle diffraction; reaction mechanisms; macromolecular assemblies; medical applications; imaging and spectroscopy. The document presents the papers abstracts. (A.L.B.)
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Biological physics and synchrotron radiation
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Filhol, J M; Chavanne, J [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 38 - Grenoble (France); Weckert, E [Hasylab at Desy, Hamburg (Germany); and others
2001-07-01
This conference deals with the applications of synchrotron radiation to current problems in biology and medicine. Seven sessions take stock on the subject: sources and detectors; inelastic scattering and dynamics; muscle diffraction; reaction mechanisms; macromolecular assemblies; medical applications; imaging and spectroscopy. The document presents the papers abstracts. (A.L.B.)
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Wright, Ann; Provost, Joseph; Roecklein-Canfield, Jennifer A.; Bell, Ellis
2013-01-01
Over the past two years, through an NSF RCN UBE grant, the ASBMB has held regional workshops for faculty members from around the country. The workshops have focused on developing lists of Core Principles or Foundational Concepts in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, a list of foundational skills, and foundational concepts from Physics, Chemistry,…
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Efficient decision-making by volume-conserving physical object
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kim, Song-Ju; Aono, Masashi; Nameda, Etsushi
2015-01-01
Decision-making is one of the most important intellectual abilities of not only humans but also other biological organisms, helping their survival. This ability, however, may not be limited to biological systems and may be exhibited by physical systems. Here we demonstrate that any physical object, as long as its volume is conserved when coupled with suitable operations, provides a sophisticated decision-making capability. We consider the multi-armed bandit problem (MBP), the problem of finding, as accurately and quickly as possible, the most profitable option from a set of options that gives stochastic rewards. Efficient MBP solvers are useful for many practical applications, because MBP abstracts a variety of decision-making problems in real-world situations in which an efficient trial-and-error is required. These decisions are made as dictated by a physical object, which is moved in a manner similar to the fluctuations of a rigid body in a tug-of-war (TOW) game. This method, called ‘TOW dynamics’, exhibits higher efficiency than conventional reinforcement learning algorithms. We show analytical calculations that validate statistical reasons for TOW dynamics to produce the high performance despite its simplicity. These results imply that various physical systems in which some conservation law holds can be used to implement an efficient ‘decision-making object’. The proposed scheme will provide a new perspective to open up a physics-based analog computing paradigm and to understanding the biological information-processing principles that exploit their underlying physics. (paper)
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Edge localized mode physics and operational aspects in tokamaks
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Becoulet, M [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Huysmans, G [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Sarazin, Y [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Garbet, X [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Ghendrih, Ph [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Rimini, F [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Joffrin, E [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Litaudon, X [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Monier-Garbet, P [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Ane, J-M [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Thomas, P [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Grosman, A [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Parail, V [Euratom/UKAEA Association, Fusion Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3EA (United Kingdom); Wilson, H [Euratom/UKAEA Association, Fusion Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3EA (United Kingdom); Lomas, P [Euratom/UKAEA Association, Fusion Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3EA (United Kingdom); Vries, P de[Euratom/UKAEA Association, Fusion Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3EA (United Kingdom); Zastrow, K-D [Euratom/UKAEA Association, Fusion Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3EA (United Kingdom); Matthews, G F [Euratom/UKAEA Association, Fusion Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3EA (United Kingdom); Lonnroth, J [Euratom/UKAEA Association, Fusion Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3EA (United Kingdom); Gerasimov, S [Euratom/UKAEA Association, Fusion Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3EA (United Kingdom)] [and others
2003-12-01
Recent progress in experimental and theoretical studies of edge localized mode (ELM) physics is reviewed for the reactor relevant plasma regimes, namely the high confinement regimes, that is, H-modes and advanced scenarios. Theoretical approaches to ELM physics, from a linear ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability analysis to non-linear transport models with ELMs are discussed with respect to experimental observations, in particular the fast collapse of pedestal pressure profiles, magnetic measurements and scrape-off layer transport during ELMs. High confinement regimes with different types of ELMs are addressed in this paper in the context of development of operational scenarios for ITER. The key parameters that have been identified at present to reduce the energy losses in Type I ELMs are operation at high density, high edge magnetic shear and high triangularity. However, according to the present experimental scaling for the energy losses in Type I ELMs, the extrapolation of such regimes for ITER leads to unacceptably large heat loads on the divertor target plates exceeding the material limits. High confinement H-mode scenarios at high triangularity and high density with small ELMs (Type II), mixed regimes (Type II and Type I) and combined advanced regimes at high beta{sub p} are discussed for present-day tokamaks. The optimum combination of high confinement and small MHD activity at the edge in Type II ELM scenarios is of interest to ITER. However, to date, these regimes have been achieved in a rather narrow operational window and far from ITER parameters in terms of collisionality, edge safety factor and beta{sub p}. The compatibility of the alternative internal transport barrier (ITB) scenario with edge pedestal formation and ELMs is also addressed. Edge physics issues related to the possible combination of small benign ELMs (Type III, Type II ELMs, quiescent double barrier) and high performance ITBs are discussed for present-day experiments (JET, JT-60U
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Edge localized mode physics and operational aspects in tokamaks
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Becoulet, M; Huysmans, G; Sarazin, Y; Garbet, X; Ghendrih, Ph; Rimini, F; Joffrin, E; Litaudon, X; Monier-Garbet, P; Ane, J-M; Thomas, P; Grosman, A; Parail, V; Wilson, H; Lomas, P; Vries, P de; Zastrow, K-D; Matthews, G F; Lonnroth, J; Gerasimov, S; Sharapov, S; Gryaznevich, M; Counsell, G; Kirk, A; Valovic, M; Buttery, R; Loarte, A; Saibene, G; Sartori, R; Leonard, A; Snyder, P; Lao, L L; Gohil, P; Evans, T E; Moyer, R A; Kamada, Y; Chankin, A; Oyama, N; Hatae, T; Asakura, N; Tudisco, O; Giovannozzi, E; Crisanti, F; Perez, C P; Koslowski, H R; Eich, T; Sips, A; Horton, L; Hermann, A; Lang, P; Stober, J; Suttrop, W; Beyer, P; Saarelma, S
2003-01-01
Recent progress in experimental and theoretical studies of edge localized mode (ELM) physics is reviewed for the reactor relevant plasma regimes, namely the high confinement regimes, that is, H-modes and advanced scenarios. Theoretical approaches to ELM physics, from a linear ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability analysis to non-linear transport models with ELMs are discussed with respect to experimental observations, in particular the fast collapse of pedestal pressure profiles, magnetic measurements and scrape-off layer transport during ELMs. High confinement regimes with different types of ELMs are addressed in this paper in the context of development of operational scenarios for ITER. The key parameters that have been identified at present to reduce the energy losses in Type I ELMs are operation at high density, high edge magnetic shear and high triangularity. However, according to the present experimental scaling for the energy losses in Type I ELMs, the extrapolation of such regimes for ITER leads to unacceptably large heat loads on the divertor target plates exceeding the material limits. High confinement H-mode scenarios at high triangularity and high density with small ELMs (Type II), mixed regimes (Type II and Type I) and combined advanced regimes at high beta p are discussed for present-day tokamaks. The optimum combination of high confinement and small MHD activity at the edge in Type II ELM scenarios is of interest to ITER. However, to date, these regimes have been achieved in a rather narrow operational window and far from ITER parameters in terms of collisionality, edge safety factor and beta p . The compatibility of the alternative internal transport barrier (ITB) scenario with edge pedestal formation and ELMs is also addressed. Edge physics issues related to the possible combination of small benign ELMs (Type III, Type II ELMs, quiescent double barrier) and high performance ITBs are discussed for present-day experiments (JET, JT-60U, DIII-D) in
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Wigston, David L.
1970-01-01
Discusses the relationship between chemisty and biology in the science curriculum. Points out the differences in perception of the disciplines, which the physical scientists favoring reductionism. Suggests that biology departments offer a special course for chemistry students, just as the chemistry departments have done for biology students.…
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Climate change and physical disturbance cause similar community shifts in biological soil crusts
Ferrenberg, Scott; Reed, Sasha C.; Belnap, Jayne
2015-01-01
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts)—communities of mosses, lichens, cyanobacteria, and heterotrophs living at the soil surface—are fundamental components of drylands worldwide, and destruction of biocrusts dramatically alters biogeochemical processes, hydrology, surface energy balance, and vegetation cover. While there has been long-standing concern over impacts of 5 physical disturbances on biocrusts (e.g., trampling by livestock, damage from vehicles), there is also increasing concern over the potential for climate change to alter biocrust community structure. Using long-term data from the Colorado Plateau, USA, we examined the effects of 10 years of experimental warming and altered precipitation (in full-factorial design) on biocrust communities, and compared the effects of altered climate with those of long-term physical 10 disturbance (>10 years of replicated human trampling). Surprisingly, altered climate and physical disturbance treatments had similar effects on biocrust community structure. Warming, altered precipitation frequency [an increase of small (1.2 mm) summer rainfall events], and physical disturbance from trampling all promoted early successional community states marked by dramatic declines in moss cover and increased cyanobacteria cover, with more variable effects 15 on lichens. While the pace of community change varied significantly among treatments, our results suggest that multiple aspects of climate change will affect biocrusts to the same degree as physical disturbance. This is particularly disconcerting in the context of warming, as temperatures for drylands are projected to increase beyond those imposed by the climate treatments used in our study.
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Tozzi, Arturo; Peters, James F; Chafin, Clifford; De Falco, Domenico; Torday, John S
2018-05-01
Contrary to claims that physics is timeless while biology is time-dependent, we take the opposite standpoint: physical systems' dynamics are constrained by the arrow of time, while living assemblies are time-independent. Indeed, the concepts of "constraints" and "displacements" shed new light on the role of continuous time flow in life evolution, allowing us to sketch a physical gauge theory for biological systems in long timescales. In the very short timescales of biological systems' individual lives, time looks like "frozen" and "fixed", so that the second law of thermodynamics is momentarily wrecked. The global symmetries (standing for biological constrained trajectories, i.e. the energetic gradient flows dictated by the second law of thermodynamics in long timescales) are broken by local "displacements" where time is held constant, i.e., modifications occurring in living systems. Such displacements stand for brief local forces, able to temporarily "break" the cosmic increase in entropy. The force able to restore the symmetries (called "gauge field") stands for the very long timescales of biological evolution. Therefore, at the very low speeds of life evolution, time is no longer one of the four phase space coordinates of a spacetime Universe: it becomes just a gauge field superimposed to three-dimensional biological systems. We discuss the implications in biology: when assessing living beings, the underrated role of isolated "spatial" modifications needs to be emphasized, living apart the evolutionary role of time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Auger, P
2013-01-01
One of the most fundamental and efficient ways of conceptualizing complex systems is to organize them hierarchically. A hierarchically organized system is represented by a network of interconnected subsystems, each of which has its own network of subsystems, and so on, until some elementary subsystems are reached that are not further decomposed. This original and important book proposes a general mathematical theory of a hierarchical system and shows how it can be applied to very different topics such as physics (Hamiltonian systems), biology (coupling the molecular and the cellular levels), e
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Overview of research in physics and health sciences at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Milton, J.C.D.
1988-01-01
Toxicology research was a logical extension of existing program at Chalk River. Research in radiotoxicology has been going on there since the early forties. An overview of the existing physics and health sciences research programs operating at the Research Company of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited was presented. Programs in nuclear physics, heavy ion nuclear physics, astrophysical neutrino physics, condensed matter physics, fusion, biology, dosimetry, and environmental sciences were briefly described. In addition, a description of the research company organization was provided
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Swanson, K; Corwin, D [Northwestern University, Chicago, IL (United States); Rockne, R
2014-06-15
Purpose: To demonstrate a method of generating patient-specific, biologically-guided radiation therapy (RT) plans and to quantify and predict response to RT in glioblastoma. We investigate the biological correlates and imaging physics driving T2-MRI based response to radiation therapy using an MRI simulator. Methods: We have integrated a patient-specific biomathematical model of glioblastoma proliferation, invasion and radiotherapy with a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm for intensity-modulated RT optimization to construct individualized, biologically-guided plans. Patient-individualized simulations of the standard-of-care and optimized plans are compared in terms of several biological metrics quantified on MRI. An extension of the PI model is used to investigate the role of angiogenesis and its correlates in glioma response to therapy with the Proliferation-Invasion-Hypoxia- Necrosis-Angiogenesis model (PIHNA). The PIHNA model is used with a brain tissue phantom to predict tumor-induced vasogenic edema, tumor and tissue density that is used in a multi-compartmental MRI signal equation for generation of simulated T2- weighted MRIs. Results: Applying a novel metric of treatment response (Days Gained) to the patient-individualized simulation results predicted that the optimized RT plans would have a significant impact on delaying tumor progression, with Days Gained increases from 21% to 105%. For the T2- MRI simulations, initial validation tests compared average simulated T2 values for white matter, tumor, and peripheral edema to values cited in the literature. Simulated results closely match the characteristic T2 value for each tissue. Conclusion: Patient-individualized simulations using the combination of a biomathematical model with an optimization algorithm for RT generated biologically-guided doses that decreased normal tissue dose and increased therapeutic ratio with the potential to improve survival outcomes for treatment of glioblastoma. Simulated T2-MRI
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Swanson, K; Corwin, D; Rockne, R
2014-01-01
Purpose: To demonstrate a method of generating patient-specific, biologically-guided radiation therapy (RT) plans and to quantify and predict response to RT in glioblastoma. We investigate the biological correlates and imaging physics driving T2-MRI based response to radiation therapy using an MRI simulator. Methods: We have integrated a patient-specific biomathematical model of glioblastoma proliferation, invasion and radiotherapy with a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm for intensity-modulated RT optimization to construct individualized, biologically-guided plans. Patient-individualized simulations of the standard-of-care and optimized plans are compared in terms of several biological metrics quantified on MRI. An extension of the PI model is used to investigate the role of angiogenesis and its correlates in glioma response to therapy with the Proliferation-Invasion-Hypoxia- Necrosis-Angiogenesis model (PIHNA). The PIHNA model is used with a brain tissue phantom to predict tumor-induced vasogenic edema, tumor and tissue density that is used in a multi-compartmental MRI signal equation for generation of simulated T2- weighted MRIs. Results: Applying a novel metric of treatment response (Days Gained) to the patient-individualized simulation results predicted that the optimized RT plans would have a significant impact on delaying tumor progression, with Days Gained increases from 21% to 105%. For the T2- MRI simulations, initial validation tests compared average simulated T2 values for white matter, tumor, and peripheral edema to values cited in the literature. Simulated results closely match the characteristic T2 value for each tissue. Conclusion: Patient-individualized simulations using the combination of a biomathematical model with an optimization algorithm for RT generated biologically-guided doses that decreased normal tissue dose and increased therapeutic ratio with the potential to improve survival outcomes for treatment of glioblastoma. Simulated T2-MRI
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DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Tarp, J; Bugge, A; Andersen, L B
2018-01-01
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To model the association between accumulating 60 daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and a composite score of biological risk factors into a direct and an indirect effect, using abdominal obesity as the mediator. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Cross-sectional data from.......11, -0.02) to the indirect effect indicating that 22% of the total effect was mediated by central adiposity. Modelling 30 and 90 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day resulted in changes in the direct but not the indirect effect. CONCLUSIONS: One hour of daily moderate...... of insulin, glucose, triacylglycerol and inverse HDL-cholesterol. Abdominal obesity was assessed by the waist-circumference:height ratio. Two-stage regression analysis, allowing for exposure-mediator interaction, was used for the effect decomposition. RESULTS: Participants achieving 60 daily minutes...
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Dai, Chunyang; Zhang, Yan; Ma, Xiaoling; Yin, Meiling; Zheng, Haiyang; Gu, Xuejun; Xie, Shaoqing; Jia, Hengmin; Zhang, Liang; Zhang, Weijun
2015-01-01
Airborne bacterial contamination poses a risk for surgical site infection, and routine surveillance of airborne bacteria is important. Traditional methods for detecting airborne bacteria are time consuming and strenuous. Measurement of biologic particle concentrations using a fluorescent particle counter is a novel method for evaluating air quality. The current study was to determine whether the number of biologic particles detected by the fluorescent particle counter can be used to indicate airborne bacterial counts in operating rooms. The study was performed in an operating theater at a university hospital in Hefei, China. The number of airborne biologic particles every minute was quantified using a fluorescent particle counter. Microbiologic air sampling was performed every 30 minutes using an Andersen air sampler (Pusong Electronic Instruments, Changzhou, China). Correlations between the 2 different methods were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficients. A significant correlation was observed between biologic particle and bacterial counts (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.76), and the counting results from 2 methods both increased substantially between operations, corresponding with human movements in the operating room. Fluorescent particle counters show potential as important tools for monitoring bacterial contamination in operating theatres. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Garcia, Catarina; Teles, Júlia; Barrigas, Carlos; Fragoso, Isabel
2018-06-01
The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between biological maturation and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Portuguese children and adolescents of both sexes when the effect of chronological age (CA) and volume of physical activity (VPA) were removed. HRQoL, biological maturation, CA, and VPA were assessed in 750 children and adolescents, 11-17 years old, from 3 schools in Lisbon, Portugal. The KIDSCREEN-52 was used to assess HRQoL. Maturity indicator was bone age (BA), using Tanner-Whitehouse III method (TW3). The participants were classified into three different maturity categories: late, on time, and early maturers. VPA was assessed by questionnaire (RAPIL II). An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), using the CA and the VPA as covariates was completed. The level of significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Analysis of covariance suggested an influence of biological maturation in physical well-being dimension in both sexes, with early-maturing girls and boys having worst perception. Maturity groups were also influent in moods and emotions for girls. CA seems to be particularly important in self-perception and parent relation and home life for girls and in school environment for boys. Biological maturation and CA have relevant impact on some HRQoL dimensions. These variables, due to their nature and effect should be considered particularly when working with specific domains of HRQoL as physical well-being in both sexes, moods and emotions and self-perception and parent relation and home life for girls and in school environment for boys.
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2013-09-30
Physical, Biological, and Acoustic Signals on Marine Mammal Habitat Use Physical Oceanography Component: Soundscapes Under Sea Ice: Can we listen for... Soundscapes Under Sea Ice: Can we listen for open water? 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d...the source. These different sounds can be described as “ soundscapes ”, and graphically represented by comparing two or more features of the sound
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Carolina Ramírez Ramírez
2011-12-01
Full Text Available Para que el cuerpo de conocimiento de una profesión crezca y se fortalezca debe estar al día con los avances científicos y tecnológicos que surgen continuamente para incluirlos en el repertorio de recursos que usa para la investigación de problemas específicos de su saber. Recientemente el desciframiento del código genético y la secuenciación del genoma humano creó la base para el surgimiento de metodologías y técnicas en el área de la biología molecular, las cuales permitieron profundizar en el conocimiento de la estructura y función de los tejidos humanos y también mejoraron el entendimiento de los mecanismos por los cuales actúan formas de intervención usadas cotidianamente por profesionales en salud. La Fisioterapia utiliza modalidades físicas que interactúan con los tejidos corporales, por ello la biología molecular permite un mejor entendimiento de los efectos que las dichas modalidades generan en el tejido sobre el cual son aplicadas. Por tanto el objetivo de este artículo es reflexionar sobre la necesidad de que el Fisioterapeuta se apropie del conocimiento en ésta área de las ciencias básicas, usarlo como herramienta para la solución de preguntas relevantes de su quehacer clínico y así contribuir de manera efectiva con la generación de nuevo conocimiento que promueva la práctica basada en la evidencia y fomente el crecimiento de la profesión. Salud UIS 2011; 43 (3: 317-320A profession can be improved through the development and application of scientific and technological advances around the issues relating to their expertise. Recently, the deciphering of the genetic code and human genome sequencing creates the basis for the development of methodologies and techniques of molecular biology. These resources have allowed a deeper understanding of the human tissue structure and function, and intervention mechanisms used by health professionals. Physiotherapy uses physical modalities affecting the tissues of the
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QCD and resonance physics Nonperturbative effects in operator expansion
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shifman, M.A.; Vainshtein, A.L.; Zakharov, V.I.
1978-01-01
The aim of the paper is to show that QCD provides well-defined predictions for a single resonance. The crucial point is the inclusion of power corrections to asymptotic freedom which are due to nonperturbative effects of QCD. Apart from presenting a general outline in intuitive terms the operator expansion for the product of external currents is discussed. It is argued that the effect of nonperturbative terms is twofold: a) they induce vacuum expectation values such as (0.1Gsub(μv)sup(a)Gsub(μv)sup(a)10), Gsub(μv)sup(a) being the gluon field strength tensor and b) they break the operator expansion itself starting from some critical dimension. The latter effect is suppressed as a high power of Q -2 where Q is the momentum carried by a current. Both a) and b) are examplified in the instanton physics but the whole approach is of more general value
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Rupert, Déborah L M; Claudio, Virginia; Lässer, Cecilia; Bally, Marta
2017-01-01
Our body fluids contain a multitude of cell-derived vesicles, secreted by most cell types, commonly referred to as extracellular vesicles. They have attracted considerable attention for their function as intercellular communication vehicles in a broad range of physiological processes and pathological conditions. Extracellular vesicles and especially the smallest type, exosomes, have also generated a lot of excitement in view of their potential as disease biomarkers or as carriers for drug delivery. In this context, state-of-the-art techniques capable of comprehensively characterizing vesicles in biological fluids are urgently needed. This review presents the arsenal of techniques available for quantification and characterization of physical properties of extracellular vesicles, summarizes their working principles, discusses their advantages and limitations and further illustrates their implementation in extracellular vesicle research. The small size and physicochemical heterogeneity of extracellular vesicles make their physical characterization and quantification an extremely challenging task. Currently, structure, size, buoyant density, optical properties and zeta potential have most commonly been studied. The concentration of vesicles in suspension can be expressed in terms of biomolecular or particle content depending on the method at hand. In addition, common quantification methods may either provide a direct quantitative measurement of vesicle concentration or solely allow for relative comparison between samples. The combination of complementary methods capable of detecting, characterizing and quantifying extracellular vesicles at a single particle level promises to provide new exciting insights into their modes of action and to reveal the existence of vesicle subpopulations fulfilling key biological tasks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Are biological effects of desert shrubs more important than physical effects on soil microorganisms?
Berg, Naama; Steinberger, Yosef
2010-01-01
Vegetation cover plays a major role in providing organic matter and in acting as a physical barrier, with both together contributing to the formation of "fertile islands," which play an active role in prolonging biological activity in desert ecosystems. By undertaking this study, a longterm research, we designed an experiment to separate the two components-the physical and biotic parts of the perennial plants-and to identify the factor that contributes the most to the ecosystem. The study site was located in the northern Negev Desert, Israel, where 50 Hammada scoparia shrubs and 50 artificial plants were randomly marked. Soil samples were collected monthly over 3 years of research at three locations: under the canopy of H. scoparia shrubs, in the vicinity of the artificial plants, and between the shrubs (control). The contribution to microbial activity was measured by evaluation of the microbial community functions in soil. The functional aspects of the microbial community that were measured were CO2 evolution, microbial biomass, microbial functional diversity, and the physiological profile of the community. The results of this study are presented in two ways: (1) according to the three locations/treatments; and (2) according to the phenological situation of the vegetation (annual and perennial plants) in the research field: the growing phase, the drying process, and the absence of annual plants. The only parameters that were found to affect microbial activity were the contribution of the organic matter of perennial shrubs and the growth of vegetation (annual and perennial) during the growing seasons. The physical component was found to have no effect on soil microbial functional diversity, which elucidates the important contribution of the desert shrub in enhancing biological multiplicity and activity.
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Clinical oncology based upon radiation biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hirata, Hideki
2016-01-01
This paper discussed the biological effects of radiation as physical energy, especially those of X-ray as electromagnetic radiation, by associating the position of clinical oncology with classical radiation cell biology as well as recent molecular biology. First, it described the physical and biological effects of radiation, cell death due to radiation and recovery, radiation effects at tissue level, and location information and dosage information in the radiotherapy of cancer. It also described the territories unresolved through radiation biology, such as low-dose high-sensitivity, bystander effects, etc. (A.O.)
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
2009-06-15
The special volume of the journal covers the abstracts of the DEGRO 2009 meeting on radiation oncology, medical physics, and radiation biology, covering the following topics: seldom diseases, gastrointestinal tumors, radiation reactions and radiation protection, medical care and science, central nervous system, medical physics, the non-parvicellular lung carcinomas, ear-nose-and throat, target-oriented radiotherapy plus ''X'', radio-oncology - young academics, lymphomas, mammary glands, modern radiotherapy, life quality and palliative radiotherapy, radiotherapy of the prostate carcinoma, imaging for planning and therapy, the digital documentation in clinics and practical experiences, NMR imaging and tomography, hadrons - actual status in Germany, urinal tract oncology, radiotoxicity.
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Psychological health of operators in NPPs and accident prevention
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhou Huayun
2004-01-01
Mental and physical health of operators of nuclear power plants (NPPs) is directly related to normal and safe operation of NPPs. The cognitive process, volitional character, attention, emotion, feeling and personality are important factors that affect operators' safe behavior. Alcohol, medical drugs and operators' biological rhythm are can also make great effects on their psychological health. By means of job-fitness psychological test, better candidates for operators could be primarily selected from point of psychological view. Psychological follow-up of post skill training, simulator training and practical work of operators can make NPPs prevent from operational accidents due to human errors to the greatest extent. It is helpful for NPPs to find and solve some psychological problems by means of psychological counseling, regulation or psychotherapy. (author)
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TH-A-19A-05: Modeling Physics Properties and Biologic Effects Induced by Proton and Helium Ions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Taleei, R; Titt, U; Peeler, C; Guan, F; Mirkovic, D; Grosshans, D; Mohan, R [UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States)
2014-06-15
Purpose: Currently, proton and carbon ions are used for cancer treatment. More recently, other light ions including helium ions have shown interesting physical and biological properties. The purpose of this work is to study the biological and physical properties of helium ions (He-3) in comparison to protons. Methods: Monte Carlo simulations with FLUKA, GEANT4 and MCNPX were used to calculate proton and He-3 dose distributions in water phantoms. The energy spectra of proton and He-3 beams were calculated with high resolution for use in biological models. The repair-misrepairfixation (RMF) model was subsequently used to calculate the RBE. Results: The proton Bragg curve calculations show good agreement between the three general purpose Monte Carlo codes. In contrast, the He-3 Bragg curve calculations show disagreement (for the magnitude of the Bragg peak) between FLUKA and the other two Monte Carlo codes. The differences in the magnitude of the Bragg peak are mainly due to the discrepancy in the secondary fragmentation cross sections used by the codes. The RBE for V79 cell lines is about 0.96 and 0.98 at the entrance of proton and He-3 ions depth dose respectively. The RBE increases to 1.06 and 1.59 at the Bragg peak of proton and He-3 ions. The results demonstrated that LET, microdosimetric parameters (such as dose-mean lineal energy) and RBE are nearly constant along the plateau region of Bragg curve, while all parameters increase within the Bragg peak and at the distal edge for both proton and He-3 ions. Conclusion: The Monte Carlo codes should revise the fragmentation cross sections to more accurately simulate the physical properties of He-3 ions. The increase in RBE for He-3 ions is higher than for proton beams at the Bragg peak.
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Bourne, Sarah K; Walcott, Brian P; Sheth, Sameer A; Coumans, Jean-Valery C E
2013-03-01
Performing neurological surgery is an inherently demanding task on the human body, both physically and mentally. Neurosurgeons routinely perform "high stakes" operations in the setting of mental and physical fatigue. These conditions may be not only the result of demanding operations, but also influential to their outcome. Similar to other performance-based endurance activities, training is paramount to successful outcomes. The inflection point, where training reaches the point of diminishing returns, is intensely debated. For the neurosurgeon, this point must be exploited to the maximum, as patients require both the best-trained and best-performing surgeon. In this review, we explore the delicate balance of training and performance, as well as some routinely used adjuncts to improve human performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Ramos, Elvira; Puente, Araceli; Juanes, José Antonio; Neto, João M.; Pedersen, Are; Bartsch, Inka; Scanlan, Clare; Wilkes, Robert; Van den Bergh, Erika; Ar Gall, Erwan; Melo, Ricardo
2014-06-01
A methodology to classify rocky shores along the North East Atlantic (NEA) region was developed. Previously, biotypes and the variability of environmental conditions within these were recognized based on abiotic data. A biological validation was required in order to support the ecological meaning of the physical typologies obtained. A database of intertidal macroalgae species occurring in the coastal area between Norway and the South Iberian Peninsula was generated. Semi-quantitative abundance data of the most representative macroalgal taxa were collected in three levels: common, rare or absent. Ordination and classification multivariate analyses revealed a clear latitudinal gradient in the distribution of macroalgae species resulting in two distinct groups: one northern and one southern group, separated at the coast of Brittany (France). In general, the results based on biological data coincided with the results based on physical characteristics. The ecological meaning of the coastal waters classification at a broad scale shown in this work demonstrates that it can be valuable as a practical tool for conservation and management purposes.
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Bolbasov, E.; Goreninskii, S.; Tverdokhlebov, S.; Mishanin, A.; Viknianshchuk, A.; Bezuidenhout, D.; Golovkin, A.
2018-05-01
Biodegradable polymers (blends, copolymers) could be the ideal materials for manufacturing of scaffolds for small diameter vascular graft. Such material characteristics as mechanical properties, chemical structure, nano- and micro topography, surface charge, porosity, wettability etc. are becoming the most important aspects for effectiveness of prosthesis biofunctionalization because of their great impact on cell adhesion, spreading, cell proliferation, differentiation and cell function. The aim of the study is to compare physical, topographical and biological properties of polycaprolactone (PCL), poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), polycaprolactone + poly-L-lactic acid blend (PCL PLLA), L-lactide/Caprolactone copolymer (PLC7015) scaffolds fabricated with the same fiber thickness using electrospun technology. PCL PLLA scaffolds had the highest average pore area (pactive phase of adhesion process. We propose that physical and topographical properties of PCL, PLLA, their blend and copolymer are of a great dependence of chemical structure but could be changed during the manufacturing process that will lead to changes in biological properties.
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2013-09-01
persistent layers of particulate matter (defined by turbidity or chlorophyll); DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution...mesoscale physical processes on thin zooplankton layers at four sites along the west coast of the U.S. Estuaries and Coasts. 30: 575-590 Dekshenieks...Nash and J.N. Moum (2013), Stratification and mixing regimes in biological thin layers over the Mid- Atlantic bight, submitted to Limnol. Oceanogr
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Biomaterials — where biology, physics, chemistry, engineering and medicine meet
Hing, K. A.
2008-03-01
The success or failure of an implant material in the body depends on a complex interaction between a synthetic 'foreign body' and the 'host tissue'. These interactions occur at many levels from the sub-microscopic level, where subtle changes in the surface physio-chemistry can substantially alter the nature of the biomaterial-host tissue interface, through the microscopical level (e.g. sensitivity to surface topography) to the macrostructural level (e.g. dependence on scaffold porosity). Thus the factors that control these responses are not only biologically determined but also mechanically, physically and chemically mediated, although identifying where one starts and the other finishes can be difficult. Design of a successful medical device has therefore to call on expertise within a wide range of disciplines. In terms of both investigating the basic science behind the factors which orchestrate a biological response and developing research tools that enable study of these responses. However, a medical device must also meet the economic and practical demands of health care professionals who will ultimately be using it in the clinic. Bone graft substitute materials are used in orthopaedics as an alternative or adjunct to autografting, a practice where the patient 'donates' bone from a healthy site to aid bone repair at a damaged or diseased site. These materials are used in a wide range of procedures from total hip revision to spinal fusion and their evolution over the last 10 years illustrates how an interdisciplinary approach has benefited their development and may lead to further innovation in the future.
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Greco, A.; Strock, K.; Edwards, B. R.
2017-12-01
Fourteen lakes were sampled in the southern and western area of Iceland in June of 2017. The southern systems, within the Eastern Volcanic Zone, have minimal soil development and active volcanoes that produce ash input to lakes. Lakes in the Western Volcanic Zone were more diverse and located in older bedrock with more extensively weathered soil. Physical variables (temperature, oxygen concentration, and water clarity), chemical variables (pH, conductivity, dissolved and total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, and dissolved organic carbon concentration), and biological variables (algal biomass) were compared across the lakes sampled in these geographic regions. There was a large range in lake characteristics, including five to eighteen times higher algal biomass in the southern systems that experience active ash input to lakes. The lakes located in the Eastern Volcanic Zone also had higher conductivity and lower pH, especially in systems receiving substantial geothermal input. These results were analyzed in the context of more extensive lake sampling efforts across Iceland (46 lakes) to determine defining characteristics of lakes in each region and to identify variables that drive heterogeneous patterns in physical, chemical, and biological lake features within each region. Coastal systems, characterized by high conductivity, and glacially-fed systems, characterized by high iron concentrations, were unique from lakes in all other regions. Clustering and principal component analyses revealed that lake type (plateau, valley, spring-fed, and direct-runoff) was not the primary factor explaining variability in lake chemistry outside of the coastal and glacial lake types. Instead, lakes differentiated along a gradient of iron concentration and total nitrogen concentration. The physical and chemical properties of subarctic lakes are especially susceptible to both natural and human-induced environmental impacts. However, relatively little is known about the
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Miramontes, Octavio
2015-09-01
Life on planet Earth emerged around 3.48 billion years ago [1]. The exact chain of events that lead to this is one of the most important unsolved problems in the history of science. Most of the research done so far is concerned mainly with understanding the source of the complex self-replicating machinery for the assembly of prebiotic organic molecules. This seems to be a problem in the field of biochemistry and very little attention has been given to the role played by the laws of physics in shaping the emergence of life and its evolutionary dynamics. Pioneering work by I. Prigogine and H. Haken, among others, showed that out-of-equilibrium thermodynamics and self-organization are physical phenomena acting right at the core of any emergent biological process. Furthermore, authors such as S.A. Kauffman and B.C. Goodwin [2,3] concluded that biological evolution is constrained by physical principles and have successfully asked the biological community to review the concept that natural selection and random mutations are the real sources of biological creativity. By doing this, a new generation of young biologists is now aware that the dynamics of living matter is not separated in any way from physical principles. A new Physics of Life is gaining momentum.
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De Lima, Joao Jose
2011-01-01
Edited by a renowned international expert in the field, Nuclear Medicine Physics offers an up-to-date, state-of-the-art account of the physics behind the theoretical foundation and applications of nuclear medicine. It covers important physical aspects of the methods and instruments involved in modern nuclear medicine, along with related biological topics. The book first discusses the physics of and machines for producing radioisotopes suitable for use in conventional nuclear medicine and PET. After focusing on positron physics and the applications of positrons in medicine and biology, it descr
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Ramirez, Eva; Espinosa, Cecilia
2017-04-01
In Mexico exist due to the lack of water in the City, which is where the College of Sciences and Humanities Orient (at UNAM) is located. This is because a point of view from the Chemical, Physics and Biology subjects is important to find learning strategies that motivate students to seek solutions to problems such as these. As Science Mentors, students were asked to propose water treatment from the homes they live in. From these investigations the students concluded that it was necessary to study in depth the wetlands like Multi-trophic Aquatic System that allow the treatment of gray water, so that a prototype of Micro-scale Multitrophic Aquatic System was set up in the laboratory, where the pH was measured , The concentration of oxygen, phosphates, from a Chemical perspective. As for the subject of Biology, we worked on the search for mycorrhizal fungi associated with the growth of plants for the purification of water. In physics we worked the sedimentation system. Artificial wetlands are man-made zones in which, in a controlled manner, mechanisms for the removal of contaminants present in wastewater, occurring in natural wetlands through physical, biological and chemical processes, are constructed mechanically and Is waterproofed to prevent losses of water to the subsoil, the use of substrates different from the original land for rooting the plants and their selection that will colonize the wetland benefit the recovery of water. The present project aims to structure an Artificial Wetland to carry out didactic strategies, activities with students, as well as work on research projects in the sciences of Chemistry, Physics and Biology. Through the application of chemical, biological and physical concepts and processes, so that students of the different semesters of the College of Sciences and Humanities Plantel Oriente, appropriate the relevant knowledge in the area of experimental sciences, developing thinking skills and achieve Significant learning, which are
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Biological and physical induced oxygen dynamics in melting sea ice of the Fram Strait
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Glud, Ronnie; Rysgaard, Søren; Turner, Gavin
2014-01-01
correlation (EC) measurements on the underside of the ice revealed a light-dependent O2 exchange rate. However, the integrated signal resolved a net O2 uptake of 7.70 mmol m−2 d−1. The net O2 exchange was therefore dominated by the production of O2-depleted meltwater rather than biological activity. The EC......We investigated the production, consumption, and exchange of O2 in melting sea ice to assess the biological- and physical-induced O2 turnover. The underside of the ice was covered with 5–20 cm3 large, buoyant algal aggregates. Their gross primary production amounted to 0.49 mmol C m−2 d−1, which...... was 4.5 times higher than the primary production of sea ice–encrusted microalgae (0.11 mmol C m−2 d−1). The phototrophic biomass of the aggregates (2.94 mg chlorophyll a m−2) was six times higher than that encountered in the sea ice itself. Taxono-specific investigations strongly suggest...
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Li, Dong; Lv, Yufeng; Zeng, Huiping; Zhang, Jie
2016-07-01
The startup and long term operation of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) in a continuous-flow reactor (CFR) with granules were investigated in this study. Through reducing the settling time from 9min to 3min gradually, the startup of EBPR in a CFR with granules was successfully realized in 16days. Under continuous-flow operation, the granules with good phosphorus and COD removal performance were stably operated for more than 6months. And the granules were characterized with particle size of around 960μm, loose structure and good settling ability. During the startup phase, polysaccharides (PS) was secreted excessively by microorganisms to resist the influence from the variation of operational mode. Results of relative quantitative PCR indicated that granules dominated by polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) were easier accumulated in the CFR because more excellent settling ability was needed in the system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Marine biology, intertidal ecology, and a new place for biology.
Benson, Keith R
2015-01-01
At the present time, there is considerable interest for the physical setting of science, that is, its actual 'place' of practice. Among historians of biology, place has been considered to be a crucial component for the study of ecology. Other historians have noted the 'built' environments (laboratories) for the study of biology along the seashore, even referring to these places in terms more applicable to vacation sites. In this paper, I examine the place of intertidal ecology investigations, both in terms of the physical space and the built space. Part of the examination will investigate the aesthetic aspect of the Pacific Coast, part will evaluate the unique character of the intertidal zone, and part will consider the construction of natural laboratories and built laboratories as characteristic places for biology.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Anon.
2012-01-01
The volume includes the abstracts of the contributions and posters of the 18th annual congress of the German Radiation Oncology Society DEGRO 2012. The lectures covered the following topics: Radiation physics, therapy planning; gastrointestinal tumors; radiation biology; stererotactic radiotherapy/breast carcinomas; quality management - life quality; head-neck-tumors/lymphomas; NSCL (non-small cell lung carcinomas); pelvic tumors; brain tumors/pediatric tumors. The poster sessions included the following topics: quality management, recurrent tumor therapy; brachytherapy; breast carcinomas and gynecological tumors; pelvis tumors; brain tumors; stereotactic radiotherapy; head-neck carcinomas; NSCL, proton therapy, supporting therapy; clinical radio-oncology, radiation biology, IGRT/IMRT.
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Nature's longest threads new frontiers in the mathematics and physics of information in biology
Sreekantan, B V
2014-01-01
Organisms endowed with life show a sense of awareness, interacting with and learning from the universe in and around them. Each level of interaction involves transfer of information of various kinds, and at different levels. Each thread of information is interlinked with the other, and woven together, these constitute the universe — both the internal self and the external world — as we perceive it. They are, figuratively speaking, Nature's longest threads. This volume reports inter-disciplinary research and views on information and its transfer at different levels of organization by reputed scientists working on the frontier areas of science. It is a frontier where physics, mathematics and biology merge seamlessly, binding together specialized streams such as quantum mechanics, dynamical systems theory, and mathematics. The topics would interest a broad cross-section of researchers in life sciences, physics, cognition, neuroscience, mathematics and computer science, as well as interested amateurs, familia...
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DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Lee, Carson Odell; Boe-Hansen, Rasmus; Musovic, Sanin
2014-01-01
Biological rapid sand filters are often used to remove ammonium from groundwater for drinking water supply. They often operate under dynamic substrate and hydraulic loading conditions, which can lead to increased levels of ammonium and nitrite in the effluent. To determine the maximum nitrification...... operating conditions. The ammonium removal rate of the filter was determined by the ammonium loading rate, but was independent of both the flow and influent ammonium concentration individually. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea were almost equally abundant in the filter. Both ammonium removal...... rates and safe operating windows of rapid sand filters, a pilot scale rapid sand filter was used to test short-term increased ammonium loads, set by varying either influent ammonium concentrations or hydraulic loading rates. Ammonium and iron (flock) removal were consistent between the pilot...
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hansen, Leslie A. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Ecology and Air Quality Group
2006-09-19
This biological assessment considers the effects of continuing to operate Los Alamos National Laboratory on Federally listed threatened or endangered species, based on current and future operations identified in the 2006 Site-wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory (SWEIS; DOE In Prep.). We reviewed 40 projects analyzed in the SWEIS as well as two aspects on ongoing operations to determine if these actions had the potential to affect Federally listed species. Eighteen projects that had not already received U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) consultation and concurrence, as well as the two aspects of ongoing operations, ecological risk from legacy contaminants and the Outfall Reduction Project, were determined to have the potential to affect threatened or endangered species. Cumulative impacts were also analyzed.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Olonscheck, D; Hofmann, M; Schellnhuber, H J; Worm, B
2013-01-01
Recently compiled observational data suggest a substantial decline in the global median chlorophyll a concentration over the 20th century, a trend that appears to be linked to ocean warming. Several modelling studies have considered changes in the ocean’s physical structure as a possible cause, while experimental work supports a biological mechanism, namely an observed increase in zooplankton grazing rate that outpaces phytoplankton production at higher temperatures. Here, we present transient simulations derived from a coupled ocean general circulation and carbon cycle model forced by atmospheric fields under unabated anthropogenic global warming (IPCC SRES A1FI scenario). The simulations account for both physical and biological mechanisms, and can reproduce about one quarter of the observed chlorophyll a decline during the 20th century, when using realistically parameterized temperature sensitivity of zooplankton metabolism (Q 10 between 2 and 4) and phytoplankton growth (Q 10 ∼ 1.9). Therefore, we have employed and re-calibrated the standard ecosystem model which assumes a lower temperature sensitivity of zooplankton grazing (Q 10 = 1.1049) by re-scaling phytoplankton growth rates and zooplankton grazing rates. Our model projects a global chlorophyll a decline of >50% by the end of the 21st century. While phytoplankton abundance and chlorophyll a experience pronounced negative effects, primary production and zooplankton concentrations are less sensitive to ocean warming. Although changes in physical structure play an important role, much of the simulated change in chlorophyll a and productivity is related to the uneven temperature sensitivity of the marine ecosystem. (letter)
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Virto, I.; Imaz, M. J.; Fernandez-Ugalde, O.; Urrutia, I.; Enrique, A.; Bescansa, P.
2012-07-01
Changing from conventional vineyard soil management, which includes keeping bare soil through intense tilling and herbicides, to permanent grass cover (PGC) is controversial in semi-arid land because it has agronomic and environmental advantages but it can also induce negative changes in the soil physical status. The objectives of this work were (i) gaining knowledge on the effect of PGC on the soil physical and biological quality, and (ii) identifying the most suitable soil quality indicators for vineyard calcareous soils in semi-arid land. Key soil physical, organic and biological characteristics were determined in a Cambic Calcisol with different time under PGC (1 and 5 years), and in a conventionally managed control. Correlation analysis showed a direct positive relationship between greater aggregate stability (WSA), soil-available water capacity (AWC), microbial biomass and enzymatic activity in the topsoil under PGC. Total and labile organic C concentrations (SOC and POM-C) were also correlated to microbial parameters. Factor analysis of the studied soil attributes using principal component analysis (PCA) was done to identify the most sensitive soil quality indicators. Earthworm activity, AWC, WSA, SOC and POM-C were the soil attributes with greater loadings in the two factors determined by PCA, which means that these properties can be considered adequate soil quality indicators in this agrosystem. These results indicate that both soil physical and biological attributes are different under PGC than in conventionally-managed soils, and need therefore to be evaluated when assessing the consequences of PGC on vineyard soil quality. (Author) 65 refs.
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T.P. Beldini; R.C. Oliveira Junior; Michael Keller; P.B. de Camargo; P.M. Crill; A. Damasceno da Silva; D. Bentes dos Santos; D. Rocha de Oliveira
2015-01-01
Land-use change in the Amazon basin has occurred at an accelerated pace during the last decade, and it is important that the effects induced by these changes on soil properties are better understood. This study investigated the chemical, physical, and biological properties of soil in a field under cultivation of soy and rice, and at an adjacent primary rain forest....
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Fusion of biological membranes
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Home; Journals; Pramana – Journal of Physics; Volume 64; Issue 6. Fusion of biological membranes. K Katsov M Müller M Schick. Invited Talks:- Topic 11. Biologically motivated problems (protein-folding models, dynamics at the scale of the cell; biological networks, evolution models, etc.) Volume 64 Issue 6 June 2005 pp ...
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The goals of the U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA) are to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of water resources. Although clean water is a goal, another is to safeguard biological communities by defining levels of biological integrity to protect aquatic...
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Physical States and BRST Operators for Higher-spin $W$ Strings
Liu, Yu-Xiao; Wei, Shao-Wen; Zhang, Li-Jie; Ren, Ji-Rong
2008-01-01
In this paper, we mainly investigate the $W_{2,s}^{M}\\otimes W_{2,s}^{L}$ system, in which the matter and the Liouville subsystems generate $W_{2,s}^{M}$ and $W_{2,s}^L$ algebras respectively. We first give a brief discussion of the physical states for corresponding $W$ stings. The lower states are given by freezing the spin-2 and spin-$s$ currents. Then, introducing two pairs of ghost-like fields, we give the realizations of $W_{1,2,s}$ algebras. Based on these linear realizations, BRST oper...
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Truchon, Ginette; Brochu, Martin; Tardif, Robert
2009-08-01
This study evaluated the impact of different work load intensities on biological indicators of styrene exposure. Four adult Caucasian men, aged 20 to 44 years, were recruited. Groups of 2-4 volunteers were exposed to 20 ppm of styrene in an exposure chamber according to scenarios involving either aerobic, muscular, or both types of physical exercise for 3 or 7 hr. The target intensities for each 30-min exercise period-interspaced with 15 min at rest-were the following: REST, 38 watts AERO (time-weighted average intensity), 34 watts AERO/MUSC, 49 watts AERO/MUSC, and 54 watts AERO for 7 hr and 22 watts MUSC for 3 hr. End-exhaled air samples were collected at 15 time points during and after 7-hr exposures for the determination of styrene concentrations. Urine samples were collected before the start of exposure, after the first 3 hr of exposure, and at the end of exposure for the determination of mandelic acid (MA) and phenylglyoxilic acid (PGA) concentrations. Compared with exposure at rest, styrene in alveolar air increased by a factor up to 1.7, while the sum of urinary MA and PGA increased by a factor ranging from 1.2 to 3.5, depending on the exposure scenario. Concentrations of biological indicators of styrene fluctuated with physical exertion and were correlated with the magnitude of the physical activity and pulmonary ventilation. Despite the physical exertion effect, urinary concentrations of styrene metabolites after a single-day exposure remain below the current biological exposure index value recommended by ACGIH; therefore, no additional health risk is expected. However, results shows that work load intensities must be considered in the interpretation of biological monitoring data and in the evaluation of the health risk associated with styrene exposure.
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Radiation physics, biophysics, and radiation biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hall, E.J.
1992-05-01
The following research programs from the Center for Radiological Research of Columbia University are described: Design and development of a new wall-less ultra miniature proportional counter for nanodosimetry; some recent measurements of ionization distributions for heavy ions at nanometer site sizes with a wall-less proportional counter; a calculation of exciton energies in periodic systems with helical symmetry: application to a hydrogen fluoride chain; electron energy-loss function in polynucleotide and the question of plasmon excitation; a non-parametric, microdosimetric-based approach to the evaluation of the biological effects of low doses of ionizing radiation; high-LET radiation risk assessment at medium doses; high-LET radiobiological effects: increased lesion severity or increased lesion proximity; photoneutrons generated by high energy medical linacs; the biological effectiveness of neutrons; implications for radiation protection; molecular characterization of oncogenes induced by neutrons; and the inverse dose-rate effect for oncogenic transformation by charged particles is LET dependent
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Ribeiro, A. I.; Mello, G. F.; Longo, R. M.; Fengler, F. H.; Peche Filho, A., Sr.
2017-12-01
One of the greatest natural riches of Brazil is the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon region is known for its abundance of mineral resources, and may include topaz, oil, and especially cassiterite. In this scope, the mining sector in Brazil has great strategic importance because it accounts for approximately 30% of the country's exports with a mineral production of 40 billion dollars (Brazilian Mining Institute, 2015). In this scenario, as a consequence of mining, the Amazonian ecosystem has been undergoing a constant process of degradation. An important artifice in the exploitation of mineral resources is the rehabilitation and/or recovery of degraded areas. This recovery requires the establishment of degradation indicators and also the quality of the soil associated with its biota, since the Amazonian environment is dynamic, heterogeneous and complex in its physical, chemical and biological characteristics. In this way, this work presupposes that it is possible to characterize the different stages of recovery of tillage floor areas in deactivated cassiterite mines, within the Amazonian forest, in order to evaluate the interactions between the level of biological activity (Serrapilheira Height, Coefficient Metabolic, Basal Breath) and physical soil characteristics (aggregate DMG, Porosity, Total Soil Density, Moisture Content), through canonical correlation analysis. The results present correlations between the groups of indicators. Thus, from the use of the groups defined by canonical correlations, it was possible to identify the response of the set of physical and biological variables to the areas at different stages of recovery.
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Darwin's legacy: why biology is not physics, or why evolution has not become a common sense.
Singh, Rama S
2011-10-01
Cosmology and evolution together have enabled us to look deep into the past and comprehend evolution-from the big bang to the cosmos, from molecules to humans. Here, I compare the nature of theories in biology and physics and ask why physical theories get accepted by the public without necessarily comprehending them but biological theories do not. Darwin's theory of natural selection, utterly simple in its premises but profound in its consequences, is not accepted widely. Organized religions, and creationists in particularly, have been the major critic of evolution, but not all opposition to evolution comes from organized religions. A great many people, between evolutionary biologists on one hand and creationists on the other, many academics included, who may not be logically opposed to evolution nevertheless do not accept it. This is because the process of and the evidence for evolution are invisible to a nonspecialist, or the theory may look too simple to explain complex traits to some, or because people compare evolution against God and find evolutionary explanations threatening to their beliefs. Considering how evolution affects our lives, including health and the environment to give just two examples, a basic course in evolution should become a required component of all our college and university educational systems.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Komarek, K.; Chrapan, J.; Herec, I.; Bucka, P.
2012-01-01
In the contribution the sensor for measuring biological objects 'Auro-Graph' is described, which was suggested and designed for measuring the expressions of human's aura. From the physical point of view the aura is a field with electrical charge in the surroundings of biological as well as non-biological object, whose expressions are measured by known interactions of electrical and magnetically field. It is a field with electrical field in the human's surrounding, where atoms of surroundings are being excited by operation of biopotential (authors)
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Theoretical discussion for quantum computation in biological systems
Baer, Wolfgang
2010-04-01
Analysis of the brain as a physical system, that has the capacity of generating a display of every day observed experiences and contains some knowledge of the physical reality which stimulates those experiences, suggests the brain executes a self-measurement process described by quantum theory. Assuming physical reality is a universe of interacting self-measurement loops, we present a model of space as a field of cells executing such self-measurement activities. Empty space is the observable associated with the measurement of this field when the mass and charge density defining the material aspect of the cells satisfy the least action principle. Content is the observable associated with the measurement of the quantum wave function ψ interpreted as mass-charge displacements. The illusion of space and its content incorporated into cognitive biological systems is evidence of self-measurement activity that can be associated with quantum operations.
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Wondergem, J. [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
2014-09-15
Radiation biology (radiobiology) is the study of the action of ionizing radiations on living matter. This chapter gives an overview of the biological effects of ionizing radiation and discusses the physical, chemical and biological variables that affect dose response at the cellular, tissue and whole body levels at doses and dose rates relevant to diagnostic radiology.
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The integration of the contents of the subject Physics-Chemistry (I in Biology-Chemistry specialty
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
M. Sc. Luis AZCUY LORENZ
2017-12-01
Full Text Available This work is the result of a research task developed in the Natural Sciences Education Department during 2013-2014 academic year, and it emerged from the necessity of solving some insufficiencies in the use of the real potentialities offered by the content of the subject Physics-Chemistry (I, that is part of the curriculum of the Biology-Chemistry career. Its main objective is to offer a set of exercises to contribute to achieve the integration of contents from the subject Physics-chemistry (I in the mentioned career at «Ignacio Agramonte Loynaz» University of Camaguey. The exercises proposed are characterized for being related to the real practice and to other subjects of the career. Their implementation through review lessons, partial tests and final evaluations during the formative experiment made possible a better academic result in the learners overall performance.
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A set of professional working ability indicators of military operators
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mykola Korchahin
2017-08-01
Full Text Available Purpose: determination of indicators of professional work capacity and their impact on the success of professional activity of military operators in the cycle of alert duty. Material & Methods: indicators of the professional capacity of military operators were determined through theoretical analysis, systematization and generalization of data from scientific and methodological sources, medical-biological, psycho-diagnostic methods and mathematical methods of processing the results of the study. Result: it is determined that the most informative indirect indicators of the professional capacity of military operators of the contract service of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is: physical condition, psycho-emotional state, physical performance, aerobic endurance, static endurance of back muscles, neck and the abs, the speed of perception, memory, concentration and shifting attention. The correlation dependence of the level of professional preparedness of military operators on indirect indices of professional work capacity: physical fitness (r=0,58, psycho-emotional state (r=0,51, physical performance (r=0,34, aerobic endurance (r=0.59, static endurance of the muscles of the back and neck (r=0,52, static endurance of the abs muscles (r=0,48, simple sensorimotor reaction (r=0,44, short-term (operational memory (r=0,40, concentration and attention switching (r=0,46. Conclusion: a complex characteristic of the indicators of psycho-physiological functions of the body of a specialist can be used to assess the dynamics and prediction of the professional capacity of military operators of the Air Force in the cycle of alert duty.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Adam Heenan
Full Text Available Biological motion stimuli, such as orthographically projected stick figure walkers, are ambiguous about their orientation in depth. The projection of a stick figure walker oriented towards the viewer, therefore, is the same as its projection when oriented away. Even though such figures are depth-ambiguous, however, observers tend to interpret them as facing towards them more often than facing away. Some have speculated that this facing-the-viewer bias may exist for sociobiological reasons: Mistaking another human as retreating when they are actually approaching could have more severe consequences than the opposite error. Implied in this hypothesis is that the facing-towards percept of biological motion stimuli is potentially more threatening. Measures of anxiety and the facing-the-viewer bias should therefore be related, as researchers have consistently found that anxious individuals display an attentional bias towards more threatening stimuli. The goal of this study was to assess whether physical exercise (Experiment 1 or an anxiety induction/reduction task (Experiment 2 would significantly affect facing-the-viewer biases. We hypothesized that both physical exercise and progressive muscle relaxation would decrease facing-the-viewer biases for full stick figure walkers, but not for bottom- or top-half-only human stimuli, as these carry less sociobiological relevance. On the other hand, we expected that the anxiety induction task (Experiment 2 would increase facing-the-viewer biases for full stick figure walkers only. In both experiments, participants completed anxiety questionnaires, exercised on a treadmill (Experiment 1 or performed an anxiety induction/reduction task (Experiment 2, and then immediately completed a perceptual task that allowed us to assess their facing-the-viewer bias. As hypothesized, we found that physical exercise and progressive muscle relaxation reduced facing-the-viewer biases for full stick figure walkers only. Our
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Global Carleman estimates for degenerate parabolic operators with applications
Cannarsa, P; Vancostenoble, J
2016-01-01
Degenerate parabolic operators have received increasing attention in recent years because they are associated with both important theoretical analysis, such as stochastic diffusion processes, and interesting applications to engineering, physics, biology, and economics. This manuscript has been conceived to introduce the reader to global Carleman estimates for a class of parabolic operators which may degenerate at the boundary of the space domain, in the normal direction to the boundary. Such a kind of degeneracy is relevant to study the invariance of a domain with respect to a given stochastic diffusion flow, and appears naturally in climatology models.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
D. H. Ivanchenko
2017-12-01
Full Text Available Introduction . Interest to the problem of creating new effective antimicrobial agents among xanthine derivatives does not decrease. Primarily, this is due to the increasing of microbial resistance to conventional antimicrobial agents and the emergence of their new strains. In recent years interest to the therapeutic use of antioxidants in the treatment of diseases associated with oxidative stress has increased. The aim of this work is to elaborate simple laboratory methods of 7-benzyl-3-methyl-8-thioxanthine derivatives synthesis, unspecified in scientific papers earlier, and to study their physical, chemical and biological properties. Materials and methods. The melting point has been determined with the help of an open capillary method with PTP-M device. Elemental analysis has been performed with the help of the instrument Elementar Vario L cube, NMR-spectra have been taken on a spectrometer Bruker SF-400 (operating frequency of 400 MHz, solvent DMSO, internal standard – TMS. Study of antimicrobial and antifungal activity of synthesized compounds has been performed by two-fold serial dilution method. Standard test strains have been used for the study: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Candida albicans ATCC 885-653. Dimethylsulfoxide was used as the solvent of the compounds. Results. Under short-time heating up of the initial 7-benzyl-3-methyl-8-thioxanthine with alkyl, alkenyl, benzyl halides or heteroalkylchlorides in a water-propanol-2 mixture in the presence of an equimolar amount of sodium hydroxide leads to the formation of 8-S-substituted of 7-benzyl-3-methylxanthines. Structure of synthesized compounds was definitely proved by NMR-spectroscopy. We conducted primary screening research of antimicrobial activity of 7-benzyl-3-methyl-8-thioxanthine derivatives, which revealed moderate and weak activity in concentrations 50-100 mcg/ml. Most of the obtained compounds showed a
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ramos, M., E-mail: WEMLmirapas@iqn.upv.e [Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia (Spain); Montoro, A.; Almonacid, M. [Radiation Protection Service, Hospital Universitario La Fe Valencia (Spain); Ferrer, S. [Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia (Spain); Barquinero, J.F. [Biological Dosimetry Service, Unit of Anthropology, Department of Animal and Vegetable Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) (Spain); Tortosa, R. [Radiation Protection Service, Hospital Universitario La Fe Valencia (Spain); Verdu, G. [Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia (Spain); Rodriguez, P. [Biological Dosimetry Service, Unit of Anthropology, Department of Animal and Vegetable Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) (Spain); Barrios, L.L. [Department of Physiology and Cellular Biology, Unit of Cellular Biology (UAB) (Spain); Villaescusa, J.I. [Radiation Protection Service, Hospital Universitario La Fe Valencia (Spain)
2010-08-15
Interventional radiologists and staff members are frequently exposed to protracted and fractionated low doses of ionizing radiation, which extend during all their professional activities. These exposures can derive, due to the effects of direct and scattered radiation, in deterministic effects (radiodermitis, aged skin, cataracts, telangiectasia in nasal region, vasocellular epitelioms, hands depilation) and/or stochastic ones (cancer incidence). A methodology has been proposed for estimating the radiation risk or detriment from a group of six exposed interventional radiologists of the Hospital Universitario La Fe (Valencia, Spain), which had developed general exposition symptoms attributable to deterministic effects of ionizing radiation. Equivalent doses have been periodically registered using TLD's and wrist dosimeters, H{sub p}(10) and H{sub p}(0.07), respectively, and estimated through the observation of translocations in lymphocytes of peripheral blood (biological methods), by extrapolating the yield of translocations to their respective dose-effect curves. The software RADRISK has been applied for estimating radiation risks in these occupational radiation exposures. This software is based on transport models from epidemiological studies of population exposed to external sources of ionizing radiation, such as Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors [UNSCEAR, Sources and effects of ionizing radiation: 2006 report to the general assembly, with scientific annexes. New York: United Nations; 2006]. The minimum and maximum average excess ratio for skin cancer has been, using wrist physical doses, of [1.03x10{sup -3}, 5.06x10{sup -2}], concluding that there is not an increased risk of skin cancer incidence. The minimum and maximum average excess ratio for leukemia has been, using TLD physical doses, of [7.84x10{sup -2}, 3.36x10{sup -1}], and using biological doses, of [1.40x10{sup -1}, 1.51], which is considerably higher than incidence rates, showing an
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DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Schrum, Corinna; Alekseeva, I.; St. John, Michael
2006-01-01
A 3-D coupled biophysical model ECOSMO (ECOSystem MOdel) has been developed. The biological module of ECOSMO is based on lower trophic level interactions between two phyto- and two zooplankton components. The dynamics of the different phytoplankton components are governed by the availability...... of the macronutrients nitrogen, phosphate and silicate as well as light. Zooplankton production is simulated based on the consumption of the different phytoplankton groups and detritus. The biological module is coupled to a nonlinear 3-D baroclinic model. The physical and biological modules are driven by surface...... showed that the model, based on consideration of limiting processes, is able to reproduce the observed spatial and seasonal variability of the North Sea ecosystem e.g. the spring bloom, summer sub-surface production and the fall bloom. Distinct differences in regional characteristics of diatoms...
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Nuclear detectors. Physical principles of operation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pochet, Th.
2005-01-01
Nuclear detection is used in several domains of activity from the physics research, the nuclear industry, the medical and industrial sectors, the security etc. The particles of interest are the α, β, X, γ and neutrons. This article treats of the basic physical properties of radiation detection, the general characteristics of the different classes of existing detectors and the particle/matter interactions: 1 - general considerations; 2 - measurement types and definitions: pulse mode, current mode, definitions; 3 - physical principles of direct detection: introduction and general problem, materials used in detection, simple device, junction semiconductor device, charges generation and transport inside matter, signal generation; 4 - physical principles of indirect detection: introduction, scintillation mechanisms, definition and properties of scintillators. (J.S.)
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Marks, L.B.; Munley, M.; Bentel, G.; Hollis, D.; Zhou, S.; Jirtle, R.; Kong, F.M.; Scarfone, C.; Antoine, P.; Chew, M.; Tapson, V.; Spencer, D.; Jaszczak, R.; Coleman, E.; Anscher, M.
1996-01-01
Purpose: To develop methods of predicting the pulmonary consequences of thoracic irradiation (RT) by prospectively studying changes in pulmonary function following RT. Methods: 105 patients receiving incidental partial lung irradiation during treatment of tumors in/around the thorax (lung-70, breast-18, lymphoma-4, misc-3) had whole lung function assessed (symptoms and pulmonary function tests [PFTs: FEV1-forced expiratory volume 1 sec; DLCO-diffusion capacity]) before and repeatedly 6-48 months following RT. All had computed tomography-based 3-dimensional (3D) dose calculations with lung density heterogeneity corrections for dose-volume histogram (DVH) and NTCP (normal tissue complication probability) calculations. Functional DVHs (DVfH) based on SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) lung perfusion scans, and serial transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) levels were available in 50 and 30 patients, respectively. The incidence and severity of changes in whole lung function were correlated with clinical, physical and biological factors outlined in the results. Exploratory statistical analyses were preformed using chi-square, logistic regression, and multiple linear regression. Mean pt age=57, range 21-87; sex: 63 F, 42 M; 29 had chemotherapy (CT) before/with RT; Follow-up 6-48 months (mean 15, median 12). Results RT-induced symptoms developed in 26 patients (7-grade I-no intervention; 16 grade II-steroids; 3 grade III-oxygen and steroids). A mixed model based on pre-RT DLCO and CT-based NTCP was strongly predictive for the development of symptoms (p 30 Gy. In patients with 'good' pre-RT PFTs, there may be a relationship between the % reduction in PFT and % lung volume receiving >30 Gy (figure). Conclusion: Whole lung injury (symptoms or PFT changes) appears to be related to a variety of physical, biological and clinical factors. The data suggest that no one variable is likely to be an adequate predictor and that multi-faceted predictive models will be
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Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
In this paper we present a qualitative outlook of mesoscopic biology where the typical length scale is of the order of nanometers and the energy scales comparable to thermal energy. Novel biomolecular machines, governed by coded information at the level of DNA and proteins, operate at these length scales in biological ...
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Quantum Mechanics predicts evolutionary biology.
Torday, J S
2018-07-01
Nowhere are the shortcomings of conventional descriptive biology more evident than in the literature on Quantum Biology. In the on-going effort to apply Quantum Mechanics to evolutionary biology, merging Quantum Mechanics with the fundamentals of evolution as the First Principles of Physiology-namely negentropy, chemiosmosis and homeostasis-offers an authentic opportunity to understand how and why physics constitutes the basic principles of biology. Negentropy and chemiosmosis confer determinism on the unicell, whereas homeostasis constitutes Free Will because it offers a probabilistic range of physiologic set points. Similarly, on this basis several principles of Quantum Mechanics also apply directly to biology. The Pauli Exclusion Principle is both deterministic and probabilistic, whereas non-localization and the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle are both probabilistic, providing the long-sought after ontologic and causal continuum from physics to biology and evolution as the holistic integration recognized as consciousness for the first time. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Pan, Lei; Yang, Xubo; Gu, Lixu; Lu, Wenlong; Fang, Min
2011-03-01
Traditional Chinese medical massage is a physical manipulation that achieves satisfactory results on spinal diseases, according to its advocates. However, the method relies on an expert's experience. Accurate analysis and simulation of massage are essential for validation of traditional Chinese physical treatment. The objective of this study is to provide analysis and simulation that can reproducibly verify and predict treatment efficacy. An improved physical multi-deformation model for simulating human cervical spine is proposed. First, the human spine, which includes muscle, vertebrae and inter- vertebral disks, are segmented and reconstructed from clinical CT and MR images. Homogeneous landmark registration is employed to align the spine models before and after the massage manipulation. Central line mass spring and contact FEM deformation models are used to individually evaluate spinal anatomy variations. The response of the human spine during the massage process is simulated based on specific clinical cases. Ten sets of patient data, including muscle-force relationships, displacement of vertebrae, strain and stress distribution on inter-vertebral disks were collected, including the pre-operation, post-operation and the 3-month follow-up. The simulation results demonstrate that traditional Chinese massage could significantly affect and treat most mild spinal disease. A new method that simulates a traditional Chinese medical massage operation on the human spine may be a useful tool to scientifically validate and predict treatment efficacy.
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Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation
Ingram, M.; Mason, W. B.; Whipple, G. H.; Howland, J. W.
1952-04-07
This report presents a review of present knowledge and concepts of the biological effects of ionizing radiations. Among the topics discussed are the physical and chemical effects of ionizing radiation on biological systems, morphological and physiological changes observed in biological systems subjected to ionizing radiations, physiological changes in the intact animal, latent changes following exposure of biological systems to ionizing radiations, factors influencing the biological response to ionizing radiation, relative effects of various ionizing radiations, and biological dosimetry.
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Biological effects of particle radiation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sakamoto, Kiyohiko
1988-01-01
Conventional radiations such as photons, gamma rays or electrons show several physical or biological disadvantages to bring tumors to cure, therefore, more and more attentions is being paid to new modalitie such as fast neutrons, protons, negative pions and heavy ions, which are expected to overcome some of the defects of the conventional radiations. Except for fast neutrons, these particle radiations show excellet physical dose localization in tissue, moreover, in terms of biological effects, they demonstrate several features compared to conventional radiations, namely low oxygen enhancement ratio, high value of relative biological effectiveness, smaller cellular recovery, larger therapeutic gain factor and less cell cycle dependency in radiation sensitivity. In present paper the biological effects of particle radiations are shown comparing to the effects of conventional radiations. (author)
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Automated force volume image processing for biological samples.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Pavel Polyakov
2011-04-01
Full Text Available Atomic force microscopy (AFM has now become a powerful technique for investigating on a molecular level, surface forces, nanomechanical properties of deformable particles, biomolecular interactions, kinetics, and dynamic processes. This paper specifically focuses on the analysis of AFM force curves collected on biological systems, in particular, bacteria. The goal is to provide fully automated tools to achieve theoretical interpretation of force curves on the basis of adequate, available physical models. In this respect, we propose two algorithms, one for the processing of approach force curves and another for the quantitative analysis of retraction force curves. In the former, electrostatic interactions prior to contact between AFM probe and bacterium are accounted for and mechanical interactions operating after contact are described in terms of Hertz-Hooke formalism. Retraction force curves are analyzed on the basis of the Freely Jointed Chain model. For both algorithms, the quantitative reconstruction of force curves is based on the robust detection of critical points (jumps, changes of slope or changes of curvature which mark the transitions between the various relevant interactions taking place between the AFM tip and the studied sample during approach and retraction. Once the key regions of separation distance and indentation are detected, the physical parameters describing the relevant interactions operating in these regions are extracted making use of regression procedure for fitting experiments to theory. The flexibility, accuracy and strength of the algorithms are illustrated with the processing of two force-volume images, which collect a large set of approach and retraction curves measured on a single biological surface. For each force-volume image, several maps are generated, representing the spatial distribution of the searched physical parameters as estimated for each pixel of the force-volume image.
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Development of a future teachers’ group in a Teaching Practice course of Physics and Biology
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Alberto Villani
2008-08-01
Full Text Available This paper analyzes the development of a future teachers’ group in a Teaching Practice course of Physics and Biology. During the course the students should propose a collective and interdisciplinary planning for a set of classes to be taught in basic teaching of a public school. We will try to show the evolution of the group and the teachers’ contributions, interpreting them from the point of view of Bion (1970, Kaës (1997 and Winnicott’s (1975. We will conclude with some considerations on teachers' initial formation.
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Towards multidimensional radiotherapy (MD-CRT): biological imaging and biological conformality
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ling, C. Clifton; Humm, John; Larson, Steven; Amols, Howard; Fuks, Zvi; Leibel, Steven; Koutcher, Jason A.
2000-01-01
Purpose: The goals of this study were to survey and summarize the advances in imaging that have potential applications in radiation oncology, and to explore the concept of integrating physical and biological conformality in multidimensional conformal radiotherapy (MD-CRT). Methods and Materials: The advances in three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) have greatly improved the physical conformality of treatment planning and delivery. The development of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has provided the 'dose painting' or 'dose sculpting' ability to further customize the delivered dose distribution. The improved capabilities of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, and of positron emission tomography, are beginning to provide physiological and functional information about the tumor and its surroundings. In addition, molecular imaging promises to reveal tumor biology at the genotype and phenotype level. These developments converge to provide significant opportunities for enhancing the success of radiotherapy. Results: The ability of IMRT to deliver nonuniform dose patterns by design brings to fore the question of how to 'dose paint' and 'dose sculpt', leading to the suggestion that 'biological' images may be of assistance. In contrast to the conventional radiological images that primarily provide anatomical information, biological images reveal metabolic, functional, physiological, genotypic, and phenotypic data. Important for radiotherapy, the new and noninvasive imaging methods may yield three-dimensional radiobiological information. Studies are urgently needed to identify genotypes and phenotypes that affect radiosensitivity, and to devise methods to image them noninvasively. Incremental to the concept of gross, clinical, and planning target volumes (GTV, CTV, and PTV), we propose the concept of 'biological target volume' (BTV) and hypothesize that BTV can be derived from biological images and that their use may incrementally improve
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Operation manual of microbeam system in Takasaki for biological application (MiST-BA)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sakashita, Tetsuya; Yokota, Yuichiro; Wada, Seiichi; Funayama, Tomoo; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko
2004-03-01
Microbeam System is a powerful tool for micro-radiosurgery studies and direct investigation of cell-to-cell communications such as 'bystander effects'. Microbeam system in Takasaki for biological application (MiST-BA) has been developed for several years and applied to some cases. There were fate mapping of the cellular blastoderm stage egg of the silkworm and bystander effects such as inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of micronuclei, and so on. The aim of this report (operation manual) is to provide a simple and easy usage of MiST-BA for current and new users. MiST-BA consists of three parts; (1) Offline microscope control system for cell-finding. (2) Online microscope control system for cell-targeting and irradiating, and (3) Beam shutter control system for cell irradiation with a precise number of heavy ions. The report presents the outline of MiST-BA, the operation protocol of each part, examples of a microbeam irradiation experiment using CHO-K1 cells, silkworm eggs, and Tobacco protoplast cells, and Trouble shooting. (author)
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Cravo, A.; Sanchez, R.; Monteiro, C.; Cardeira, S.; Madureira, M.; Rita, F.; Relvas, P.
2017-12-01
Upwelling filaments are mesoscale structures of cold water that stretch seaward in a tongue-like shape with origin in the coastal upwelling zone. Filaments off the Iberian Peninsula are recurrent, showing similarities with those in the Californian coast. The Cape São Vicente, the SW tip of the Iberian Peninsula, is the root of recurrent filaments observed in the satellite imagery during the upwelling season. However, the understanding of its physical and chemical impact on the biological productivity is rather limited. There, a relatively small filament ( 80 km long) was investigated through remote sensing and in situ multidisciplinary observations during an upwelling favourable wind relaxation event, but just after an intense upwelling period. A total of 42 CTD+Rosette casts up to 400 m depth were distributed on an almost regular grid of 15 km mean spacing guided by guided by satellite SST imagery transmitted to the ship in near-real time. The parameters sampled during the sea campaign included: velocity field sampled along the ship track through a hull-mounted 38 kHz RDI ADCP, meteorological variables, temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, phosphate, silicate, cadmium, lead and zinc. The extent of the impact of the filament was evaluated by quantifying the cross-shelf transports of several properties. The amounts conveyed by the filament were much stronger than those expected by the wind-driven Ekman mechanism, showing that it represents an efficient feature for the exchange of water, dissolved and particulate matter from the productive shelf towards the oligotrophic offshore region. Considering the periods of strong upwelling events and the extent of their duration along the year, the amounts of exported matter will certainly enhance the biological productivity of these waters, including its fisheries. These filament data contribute to better understand the physical-chemical-biological interactions of this regional ecosystem.
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Basic biology in health physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wells, J.
1976-10-01
This report describes the consequences of the interaction of ionizing radiation with living cells and tissues. The basic processes of living cells, which are relevant to an understanding of health physics problems, are outlined with particular reference to cell-death, cancer induction and genetic effects. (author)
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Chapter 8: Plasma operation and control [Progress in the ITER Physics Basis (PIPB)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gribov, Y.; Humphreys, D.; Kajiwara, K.; Lazarus, E.A.; Lister, J.B.; Ozeki, T.; Portone, A.; Shimada, M.; Sips, A.C.C.; Wesley, J.C.
2007-01-01
The ITER plasma control system has the same functional scope as the control systems in present tokamaks. These are plasma operation scenario sequencing, plasma basic control (magnetic and kinetic), plasma advanced control (control of RWMs, NTMs, ELMs, error fields, etc) and plasma fast shutdown. This chapter considers only plasma initiation and plasma basic control. This chapter describes the progress achieved in these areas in the tokamak experiments since the ITER Physics Basis (1999 Nucl. Fusion 39 2577) was written and the results of assessment of ITER to provide the plasma initiation and basic control. This assessment was done for the present ITER design (15 MA machine) at a more detailed level than it was done for the ITER design 1998 (21 MA machine) described in the ITER Physics Basis (1999 Nucl. Fusion 39 2577). The experiments on plasma initiation performed in DIII-D and JT-60U, as well as the theoretical studies performed for ITER, have demonstrated that, within specified assumptions on the plasma confinement and the impurity influx, ITER can produce plasma initiation in a low toroidal electric field (0.3 V m -1 ), if it is assisted by about 2 MW of ECRF heating. The plasma basic control includes control of the plasma current, position and shape-the plasma magnetic control, as well as control of other plasma global parameters or their profiles-the plasma performance control. The magnetic control is based on more reliable and simpler models of the control objects than those available at present for the plasma kinetic control. Moreover the real time diagnostics used for the magnetic control in many cases are more precise than those used for the kinetic control. Because of these reasons, the plasma magnetic control was developed for modern tokamaks and assessed for ITER better than the kinetic control. However, significant progress has been achieved in the plasma performance control during the last few years. Although the physics basis of plasma operation
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From quantum measurement to biology via retrocausality.
Matsuno, Koichiro
2017-12-01
A reaction cycle in general or a metabolic cycle in particular owes its evolutionary emergence to the covering reaction environment acting as a measurement apparatus of a natural origin. The quantum measurement of the environmental origin underlying the molecular processes observed in the biological realm is operative cohesively between the measuring and the measured. The measuring part comes to pull in a quantum as an indivisible lump available from an arbitrary material body to be measured. The inevitable difference between the impinging quantum upon the receiving end on the part of the environment and the actual quantum pulled into the receiving end comes to effectively be nullified through the retrocausative propagation of the corresponding wave function proceeding backwards in time. The retrocausal regulation applied to the interface between the measuring and the measured is to function as the organizational agency supporting biology, and is sought in the act for the present in the immediate future within the realm of quantum phenomena. Molecular dynamics in biology owes both the evolutionary buildup and maintenance of its organization to the retrocausal operation of the unitary transformation applied to quantum phenomena proceeding backwards in time. Quantum measurement provides the cohesive agency that is pivotal for implementing the retrocausal regulation. In particular, the physical origin of Darwinian natural selection can be seen in the retrocausal regulation applied to the unitary transformation of a quantum origin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Collection and analysis of Health Physics Research Reactor operational and use data
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sims, C.S.
1985-04-01
The Health Physics Research Reactor (HPRR) is the primary research tool at the Dosimetry Applications Research (DOSAR) Facility. In addition to use by the DOSAR staff, the HPRR is used by a wide segment of the scientific community for a variety of experimental purposes. This report is a compilation and analysis of data concerning HPRR uses, users, and operations through the end of FY 1984. 17 refs., 12 tabs.,
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Cosenza, Alida; Mannina, Giorgio; Neumann, Marc B; Viviani, Gaspare; Vanrolleghem, Peter A
2013-04-01
Membrane bioreactors (MBR) are being increasingly used for wastewater treatment. Mathematical modeling of MBR systems plays a key role in order to better explain their characteristics. Several MBR models have been presented in the literature focusing on different aspects: biological models, models which include soluble microbial products (SMP), physical models able to describe the membrane fouling and integrated models which couple the SMP models with the physical models. However, only a few integrated models have been developed which take into account the relationships between membrane fouling and biological processes. With respect to biological phosphorus removal in MBR systems, due to the complexity of the process, practical use of the models is still limited. There is a vast knowledge (and consequently vast amount of data) on nutrient removal for conventional-activated sludge systems but only limited information on phosphorus removal for MBRs. Calibration of these complex integrated models still remains the main bottleneck to their employment. The paper presents an integrated mathematical model able to simultaneously describe biological phosphorus removal, SMP formation/degradation and physical processes which also include the removal of organic matter. The model has been calibrated with data collected in a UCT-MBR pilot plant, located at the Palermo wastewater treatment plant, applying a modified version of a recently developed calibration protocol. The calibrated model provides acceptable correspondence with experimental data and can be considered a useful tool for MBR design and operation.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Harvey, M.
1996-05-01
This document is a Progress Report for the Physical and Environmental Sciences, Physics Division, for the period 1995 January 1 to December 31, at the Chalk River nuclear Labs. The condensed matter science group continued to operate a multi-faceted program involving collaborative basic and applied research with external scientists in the fields of materials science, physics, chemistry and biology. The Applied Neutron Diffraction for Industry (And) program gained strength with ever wider applications for the nuclear, aerospace, and manufacturing programs. Steps continued towards making neutron scattering facilities at NRU reactor more user friendly. The neutrino physics group, as part of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) Institute, collaborating with scientists from Canada, USA and UK. The accelerator physics group spent considerable effort working with materials and fuels scientists to show the value of accelerators as an out-reactor source of radiation. Specific research activities have included the demonstration of laser plasma deposition of diamond coating, which has potential application for high-wear components in reactors, and the study for a Free Electron Laser upgrade for the IMPELA accelerator. As a result of funding reduction all programs of the Division were dissolved as of 1997 March 31
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Harvey, M. (ed.)
1996-05-01
This document is a Progress Report for the Physical and Environmental Sciences, Physics Division, for the period 1995 January 1 to December 31, at the Chalk River nuclear Labs. The condensed matter science group continued to operate a multi-faceted program involving collaborative basic and applied research with external scientists in the fields of materials science, physics, chemistry and biology. The Applied Neutron Diffraction for Industry (And) program gained strength with ever wider applications for the nuclear, aerospace, and manufacturing programs. Steps continued towards making neutron scattering facilities at NRU reactor more user friendly. The neutrino physics group, as part of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) Institute, collaborating with scientists from Canada, USA and UK. The accelerator physics group spent considerable effort working with materials and fuels scientists to show the value of accelerators as an out-reactor source of radiation. Specific research activities have included the demonstration of laser plasma deposition of diamond coating, which has potential application for high-wear components in reactors, and the study for a Free Electron Laser upgrade for the IMPELA accelerator. As a result of funding reduction all programs of the Division were dissolved as of 1997 March 31.
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Chiel, Hillel J.; McManus, Jeffrey M.; Shaw, Kendrick M.
2010-01-01
We describe the development of a course to teach modeling and mathematical analysis skills to students of biology and to teach biology to students with strong backgrounds in mathematics, physics, or engineering. The two groups of students have different ways of learning material and often have strong negative feelings toward the area of knowledge…
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Analisis Aplikasi Konsep Gaya dalam Fisika yang Berkaitan dengan Bidang Biologi
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Toto Toto
2017-06-01
Full Text Available Abstract In general, students of Biology faculty study program of Universitas Galuh Ciamis viewed physics as a difficult subject (based on interview result of writer with some students. This statement is reinforced by the acquisition of less satisfactory physics courses. They are less interested in the subject of physics with a variety of reasons including counting material that requires them to memorize many formulas and theories. In the course of physics in the biology program should be equipped application of concepts and principles of physics in the field of biology. It is very important to facilitate students in mastering and enjoying physics courses. In this study, documentation study of biology books in the subjects of General Biology in 1st semester. Based on the analysis there are application of the concept of style in the subject material of General Biology namely: capillarity style on xylem and phloem; Force on muscle tissue; And food peristaltic style. The results of this study are useful as a basis for the preparation of physics-oriented teaching materials of biological science, so that biology students are expected to be interested in physics. As a recommendation that analysis of the application of concepts and principles of physics in biology must be done in a continuous manner. Keywords: Style concept application. Abstrak Pada umumnya mahasiswa prodi pendidikan biologi FKIP Universitas Galuh Ciamis memandang fisika sebagai mata kuliah yang sulit (berdasarkan hasil wawancara penulis dengan beberapa mahasiswa. Pernyataan ini diperkuat dengan perolehan nilai mata kuliah fisika yang kurang memuaskan. Mereka kurang tertarik pada mata kuliah fisika dengan berbagai alasan diantaranya banyak materi hitungan yang mengharuskan mereka menghapal banyak rumus dan teori. Dalam perkuliahan fisika pada prodi biologi seharusnya dilengkapi aplikasi konsep dan prinsip-prinsip fisika dalam bidang biologi. Hal tersebut sangat penting untuk
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Skill assessment of the coupled physical-biogeochemical operational Mediterranean Forecasting System
Cossarini, Gianpiero; Clementi, Emanuela; Salon, Stefano; Grandi, Alessandro; Bolzon, Giorgio; Solidoro, Cosimo
2016-04-01
The Mediterranean Monitoring and Forecasting Centre (Med-MFC) is one of the regional production centres of the European Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS-Copernicus). Med-MFC operatively manages a suite of numerical model systems (3DVAR-NEMO-WW3 and 3DVAR-OGSTM-BFM) that provides gridded datasets of physical and biogeochemical variables for the Mediterranean marine environment with a horizontal resolution of about 6.5 km. At the present stage, the operational Med-MFC produces ten-day forecast: daily for physical parameters and bi-weekly for biogeochemical variables. The validation of the coupled model system and the estimate of the accuracy of model products are key issues to ensure reliable information to the users and the downstream services. Product quality activities at Med-MFC consist of two levels of validation and skill analysis procedures. Pre-operational qualification activities focus on testing the improvement of the quality of a new release of the model system and relays on past simulation and historical data. Then, near real time (NRT) validation activities aim at the routinely and on-line skill assessment of the model forecast and relays on the NRT available observations. Med-MFC validation framework uses both independent (i.e. Bio-Argo float data, in-situ mooring and vessel data of oxygen, nutrients and chlorophyll, moored buoys, tide-gauges and ADCP of temperature, salinity, sea level and velocity) and semi-independent data (i.e. data already used for assimilation, such as satellite chlorophyll, Satellite SLA and SST and in situ vertical profiles of temperature and salinity from XBT, Argo and Gliders) We give evidence that different variables (e.g. CMEMS-products) can be validated at different levels (i.e. at the forecast level or at the level of model consistency) and at different spatial and temporal scales. The fundamental physical parameters temperature, salinity and sea level are routinely validated on daily, weekly and quarterly base
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Hahus, Ian; Migliaccio, Kati; Douglas-Mankin, Kyle; Klarenberg, Geraldine; Muñoz-Carpena, Rafael
2018-04-27
Hierarchical and partitional cluster analyses were used to compartmentalize Water Conservation Area 1, a managed wetland within the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Florida, USA, based on physical, biological, and climatic geospatial attributes. Single, complete, average, and Ward's linkages were tested during the hierarchical cluster analyses, with average linkage providing the best results. In general, the partitional method, partitioning around medoids, found clusters that were more evenly sized and more spatially aggregated than those resulting from the hierarchical analyses. However, hierarchical analysis appeared to be better suited to identify outlier regions that were significantly different from other areas. The clusters identified by geospatial attributes were similar to clusters developed for the interior marsh in a separate study using water quality attributes, suggesting that similar factors have influenced variations in both the set of physical, biological, and climatic attributes selected in this study and water quality parameters. However, geospatial data allowed further subdivision of several interior marsh clusters identified from the water quality data, potentially indicating zones with important differences in function. Identification of these zones can be useful to managers and modelers by informing the distribution of monitoring equipment and personnel as well as delineating regions that may respond similarly to future changes in management or climate.
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hall, E.J.; Zaider, M.
1993-05-01
Research at the Center for Radiological Research is a multidisciplenary blend of physics, chemistry and biology aimed at understanding the mechanisms involved in the health problems resulting from human exposure to ionizing radiations. The focus is increased on biochemistry and the application of the techniques of molecular biology to the problems of radiation biology. Research highlights of the program from the past year are described. A mathematical model describing the production of single-strand and double-strand breaks in DNA as a function radiation quality has been completed. For the first time Monte Carlo techniques have been used to obtain directly the spatial distribution of DNA moieties altered by radiation. This information was obtained by including the transport codes a realistic description of the electronic structure of DNA. We have investigated structure activity relationships for the potential oncogenicity of a new generation of bioreductive drugs that function as hypoxic cytotoxins. Experimental and theoretical investigation of the inverse dose rate effect, whereby medium LET radiations actually produce an c effect when the dose is protracted, is now at a point where the basic mechanisms are reasonably understood and the complex interplay between dose, dose rate and radiation quality which is necessary for the effect to be present can now be predicted at least in vitro. In terms of early radiobiological damage, a quantitative link has been established between basic energy deposition and locally multiply damaged sites, the radiochemical precursor of DNA double strand breaks; specifically, the spatial and energy deposition requirements necessary to form LMDs have been evaluated. For the first time, a mechanically understood ``biological fingerprint`` of high-LET radiation has been established. Specifically measurement of the ratio of inter-to intra-chromosomal aberrations produces a unique signature from alpha-particles or neutrons.
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Manthey, Seth; Brewe, Eric
2013-01-01
University Modeling Instruction (UMI) is an approach to curriculum and pedagogy that focuses instruction on engaging students in building, validating, and deploying scientific models. Modeling Instruction has been successfully implemented in both high school and university physics courses. Studies within the physics education research (PER)…
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Intra-operative radiotherapy of malignant tumors: Past, present and perspectives
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mazeron, J.J.; Le Bourgeois, J.P.; Ganem, G.
1986-01-01
Intra-operative radiotherapy consists of electron or photon radiation which is used during the operative procedure. The treatment field is arranged very precisely after critical organs have been previously arranged out of the field. The target volume includes the remaining tumor which could not be removed surgically, and the surrounding tumor bed which is also felt to be high risk for recurrence. It is preferable to have as little tumor remaining as possible before the intra-operative treatment radiation is given. Intra-operative radiotherapy was developed less than a quarter century ago in Japon, and it was later used in U.S.A. The accumulated experience in Japan and U.S.A. is rewieved here. Intra-operative radiotherapy has only recently been introduced to France. The biology, physics and medical and technical problems of intra-operative therapy are discussed [fr
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Rossin, Elizabeth J.; Lage, Kasper; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Xavier, Ramnik J.; Tatar, Diana; Benita, Yair
2011-01-01
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have defined over 150 genomic regions unequivocally containing variation predisposing to immune-mediated disease. Inferring disease biology from these observations, however, hinges on our ability to discover the molecular processes being perturbed by these risk variants. It has previously been observed that different genes harboring causal mutations for the same Mendelian disease often physically interact. We sought to evaluate the degree to which this is true of genes within strongly associated loci in complex disease. Using sets of loci defined in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Crohn's disease (CD) GWAS, we build protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks for genes within associated loci and find abundant physical interactions between protein products of associated genes. We apply multiple permutation approaches to show that these networks are more densely connected than chance expectation. To confirm biological relevance, we show that the components of the networks tend to be expressed in similar tissues relevant to the phenotypes in question, suggesting the network indicates common underlying processes perturbed by risk loci. Furthermore, we show that the RA and CD networks have predictive power by demonstrating that proteins in these networks, not encoded in the confirmed list of disease associated loci, are significantly enriched for association to the phenotypes in question in extended GWAS analysis. Finally, we test our method in 3 non-immune traits to assess its applicability to complex traits in general. We find that genes in loci associated to height and lipid levels assemble into significantly connected networks but did not detect excess connectivity among Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) loci beyond chance. Taken together, our results constitute evidence that, for many of the complex diseases studied here, common genetic associations implicate regions encoding proteins that physically interact in a preferential manner, in
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Trans-algorithmic nature of learning in biological systems.
Shimansky, Yury P
2018-05-02
Learning ability is a vitally important, distinctive property of biological systems, which provides dynamic stability in non-stationary environments. Although several different types of learning have been successfully modeled using a universal computer, in general, learning cannot be described by an algorithm. In other words, algorithmic approach to describing the functioning of biological systems is not sufficient for adequate grasping of what is life. Since biosystems are parts of the physical world, one might hope that adding some physical mechanisms and principles to the concept of algorithm could provide extra possibilities for describing learning in its full generality. However, a straightforward approach to that through the so-called physical hypercomputation so far has not been successful. Here an alternative approach is proposed. Biosystems are described as achieving enumeration of possible physical compositions though random incremental modifications inflicted on them by active operating resources (AORs) in the environment. Biosystems learn through algorithmic regulation of the intensity of the above modifications according to a specific optimality criterion. From the perspective of external observers, biosystems move in the space of different algorithms driven by random modifications imposed by the environmental AORs. A particular algorithm is only a snapshot of that motion, while the motion itself is essentially trans-algorithmic. In this conceptual framework, death of unfit members of a population, for example, is viewed as a trans-algorithmic modification made in the population as a biosystem by environmental AORs. Numerous examples of AOR utilization in biosystems of different complexity, from viruses to multicellular organisms, are provided.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sigurbjoernsson, B.; Smith, H.H.; Gustafsson, A.
1965-01-01
To study adequately the biological effects of different energy neutrons it is necessary to have high-intensity sources which are not contaminated by other radiations, the most serious of which are gamma rays. An effective dosimetry must provide an accurate measure of the absorbed dose, in biological materials, of each type of radiation at any reactor facility involved in radiobiological research. A standardized biological dosimetry, in addition to physical and chemical methods, may be desirable. The ideal data needed to achieve a fully documented dosimetry has been compiled by H. Glubrecht: (1) Energy spectrum and intensity of neutrons; (2) Angular distribution of neutrons on the whole surface of the irradiated object; (3) Additional undesired radiation accompanying the neutrons; (4) Physical state and chemical composition of the irradiated object. It is not sufficient to note only an integral dose value (e.g. in 'rad') as the biological effect depends on the above data
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Physics-based distributed snow models in the operational arena: Current and future challenges
Winstral, A. H.; Jonas, T.; Schirmer, M.; Helbig, N.
2017-12-01
The demand for modeling tools robust to climate change and weather extremes along with coincident increases in computational capabilities have led to an increase in the use of physics-based snow models in operational applications. Current operational applications include the WSL-SLF's across Switzerland, ASO's in California, and USDA-ARS's in Idaho. While the physics-based approaches offer many advantages there remain limitations and modeling challenges. The most evident limitation remains computation times that often limit forecasters to a single, deterministic model run. Other limitations however remain less conspicuous amidst the assumptions that these models require little to no calibration based on their foundation on physical principles. Yet all energy balance snow models seemingly contain parameterizations or simplifications of processes where validation data are scarce or present understanding is limited. At the research-basin scale where many of these models were developed these modeling elements may prove adequate. However when applied over large areas, spatially invariable parameterizations of snow albedo, roughness lengths and atmospheric exchange coefficients - all vital to determining the snowcover energy balance - become problematic. Moreover as we apply models over larger grid cells, the representation of sub-grid variability such as the snow-covered fraction adds to the challenges. Here, we will demonstrate some of the major sensitivities of distributed energy balance snow models to particular model constructs, the need for advanced and spatially flexible methods and parameterizations, and prompt the community for open dialogue and future collaborations to further modeling capabilities.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mukherjee, B.
1994-01-01
Modern Medical Cyclotrons use intense beams of high energy protons or deuterons to produce large activities of short and medium lived radionuclides. After continuous operation for prolonged periods the Cyclotron components become activated through various nuclear interactions therefore, the risk of personal radiation hazard while handling such activated cyclotron components is high. This paper describes all operational aspects of the Health Physics service evolved during the first preventative maintenance program of the Australian National Medical Cyclotron, which took place in June 1993. 5 refs., 3 tabs., 2 figs
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2014-01-01
Co-operation agreement between the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh concerning Education, Scientific and Technical Co-operation in High-Energy Physics
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Physical and biological data were collected using fluorometer and CTD casts from the ROGER REVELLE in the Southern Oceans from 12 January 1998 to 03 February 1998....
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Balasubramanian, V; Natarajan, K; Rajeshkannan, V; Perumal, P
2014-11-01
Partially degraded high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was collected from plastic waste dump yard for biodegradation using fungi. Of various fungi screened, strain MF12 was found efficient in degrading HDPE by weight loss and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometric analysis. Strain MF12 was selected as efficient HDPE degraders for further studies, and their growth medium composition was optimized. Among those different media used, basal minimal medium (BMM) was suitable for the HDPE degradation by strain MF12. Strain MF12 was subjected to 28S rRNA sequence analysis and identified as Aspergillus terreus MF12. HDPE degradation was carried out using combinatorial physical and chemical treatments in conjunction to biological treatment. The high level of HDPE degradation was observed in ultraviolet (UV) and KMnO4/HCl with A. terreus MF12 treatment, i.e., FT10. The abiotic physical and chemical factors enhance the biodegradation of HDPE using A. terreus MF12.
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Operative and informative nuclear-physical quality monitoring of technological process
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sattarov, G.S.; Muzafarov, A.M.; Komilov, J.M.; Kadirov, F.; Kist, A.A.
2004-01-01
Full text: In Navoi region more than 40 years extraction of uranium and more than 35 years of gold are conducted. For the element analysis of ores and the technological products containing uranium and gold, various physical and chemical and nuclear-physical methods of the analysis are applied. The last possess a number of advantages, due to their high sensitivity, an opportunity of simultaneous definition elements with automation of process of the analysis and with expressness, necessary at the analysis of elements on short-living radionuclides. In the given work comparative characteristics of the operative control of technological process of extraction of gold, uranium and some rare elements with the help of nuclear-physical methods of the analysis of powder samples, a continuous stream of a pulp and solutions are presented. They are: the control of process of sorption leaching of gold; qualities of ores, gravity and fleet-concentrates methods x-ray spectral, x-ray-energy-disperse, radio display, gamma-absorption and neutron-activation analyses are related to them. Concrete examples of use of the developed techniques for research of geochemical behaviour of the basic and accompanying elements, for the control of technological process of extraction of gold, uranium and some rare and rare-earth elements (V, Sc, Mo, Re) from ores and intermediate products of manufacture are presented; for the analysis of uranium protoxide-oxide, and also for an estimation of a condition of tailing mines of the industrial enterprises
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
López-Plaza Daniel
2017-06-01
Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the anthropometric and physical characteristics of youth elite paddlers and to identify the differences between kayakers and canoeists. A total of 171 male paddlers (eighty-nine kayakers and eighty-two canoeists, aged 13.69 ± 0.57 years (mean ± SD volunteered to participate in this study. The participants completed basic anthropometric assessments (body mass, stretch stature, sitting height, body mass index, maturity level, sum of 6 skinfolds and fat mass percentage as well as a battery of physical fitness tests (overhead medicine ball throw, counter movement jump, sit-and-reach and 20 m multi-stage shuttle run tests. The anthropometric results revealed a significantly larger body size (stretch stature and sitting height and body mass in the kayakers (p < 0.01 as well as a more mature biological status (p = 0.003. The physical fitness level exhibited by the kayakers was likewise significantly greater than that of the canoeists, both in the counter movement jump and estimated VO2max (p < 0.05, as well as in the overhead medicine ball throw and sit-and-reach test (p < 0.01. These findings confirm the more robust and mature profile of youth kayakers that might be associated with the superior fitness level observed and the specific requirements of this sport discipline.
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Dynamic Biological Functioning Important for Simulating and Stabilizing Ocean Biogeochemistry
Buchanan, P. J.; Matear, R. J.; Chase, Z.; Phipps, S. J.; Bindoff, N. L.
2018-04-01
The biogeochemistry of the ocean exerts a strong influence on the climate by modulating atmospheric greenhouse gases. In turn, ocean biogeochemistry depends on numerous physical and biological processes that change over space and time. Accurately simulating these processes is fundamental for accurately simulating the ocean's role within the climate. However, our simulation of these processes is often simplistic, despite a growing understanding of underlying biological dynamics. Here we explore how new parameterizations of biological processes affect simulated biogeochemical properties in a global ocean model. We combine 6 different physical realizations with 6 different biogeochemical parameterizations (36 unique ocean states). The biogeochemical parameterizations, all previously published, aim to more accurately represent the response of ocean biology to changing physical conditions. We make three major findings. First, oxygen, carbon, alkalinity, and phosphate fields are more sensitive to changes in the ocean's physical state. Only nitrate is more sensitive to changes in biological processes, and we suggest that assessment protocols for ocean biogeochemical models formally include the marine nitrogen cycle to assess their performance. Second, we show that dynamic variations in the production, remineralization, and stoichiometry of organic matter in response to changing environmental conditions benefit the simulation of ocean biogeochemistry. Third, dynamic biological functioning reduces the sensitivity of biogeochemical properties to physical change. Carbon and nitrogen inventories were 50% and 20% less sensitive to physical changes, respectively, in simulations that incorporated dynamic biological functioning. These results highlight the importance of a dynamic biology for ocean properties and climate.
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Quadratic stochastic operators: Results and open problems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ganikhodzhaev, R.N.; Rozikov, U.A.
2009-03-01
The history of the quadratic stochastic operators can be traced back to the work of S. Bernshtein (1924). For more than 80 years this theory has been developed and many papers were published. In recent years it has again become of interest in connection with numerous applications in many branches of mathematics, biology and physics. But most results of the theory were published in non English journals, full text of which are not accessible. In this paper we give a brief description of the results and discuss several open problems. (author)
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A Powerful Toolkit for Synthetic Biology: Over 3.8 Billion Years of Evolution
Rothschild, Lynn J.
2010-01-01
The combination of evolutionary with engineering principles will enhance synthetic biology. Conversely, synthetic biology has the potential to enrich evolutionary biology by explaining why some adaptive space is empty, on Earth or elsewhere. Synthetic biology, the design and construction of artificial biological systems, substitutes bio-engineering for evolution, which is seen as an obstacle. But because evolution has produced the complexity and diversity of life, it provides a proven toolkit of genetic materials and principles available to synthetic biology. Evolution operates on the population level, with the populations composed of unique individuals that are historical entities. The source of genetic novelty includes mutation, gene regulation, sex, symbiosis, and interspecies gene transfer. At a phenotypic level, variation derives from regulatory control, replication and diversification of components, compartmentalization, sexual selection and speciation, among others. Variation is limited by physical constraints such as diffusion, and chemical constraints such as reaction rates and membrane fluidity. While some of these tools of evolution are currently in use in synthetic biology, all ought to be examined for utility. A hybrid approach of synthetic biology coupled with fine-tuning through evolution is suggested
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Eftimie, Raluca
2015-03-01
One of the main unsolved problems of modern physics is finding a "theory of everything" - a theory that can explain, with the help of mathematics, all physical aspects of the universe. While the laws of physics could explain some aspects of the biology of living systems (e.g., the phenomenological interpretation of movement of cells and animals), there are other aspects specific to biology that cannot be captured by physics models. For example, it is generally accepted that the evolution of a cell-based system is influenced by the activation state of cells (e.g., only activated and functional immune cells can fight diseases); on the other hand, the evolution of an animal-based system can be influenced by the psychological state (e.g., distress) of animals. Therefore, the last 10-20 years have seen also a quest for a "theory of everything"-approach extended to biology, with researchers trying to propose mathematical modelling frameworks that can explain various biological phenomena ranging from ecology to developmental biology and medicine [1,2,6]. The basic idea behind this approach can be found in a few reviews on ecology and cell biology [6,7,9-11], where researchers suggested that due to the parallel between the micro-scale dynamics and the emerging macro-scale phenomena in both cell biology and in ecology, many mathematical methods used for ecological processes could be adapted to cancer modelling [7,9] or to modelling in immunology [11]. However, this approach generally involved the use of different models to describe different biological aspects (e.g., models for cell and animal movement, models for competition between cells or animals, etc.).
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The document presents the methods, formulas and citations used by the BNDO to process physical, chemical, and biological data for deep hydrology including...
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bartzsch, Stefan
2014-11-05
Microbeam Radiation Therapy (MRT) is a novel treatment strategy against cancer. Highly brilliant synchrotron radiation is collimated to parallel, a few micrometre wide, planar beams and used to irradiate malignant tissues with high doses. The applied peak doses are considerably higher than in conventional radiotherapy, but valley doses between the beams remain underneath the established tissue tolerance. Previous research has shown that these beam geometries spare normal tissue, while being effective in tumour ablation. In this work physical and biological aspects of the therapy were investigated. A therapy planning system was developed for the first clinical treatments at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble (France) and a dosimetry method based on radiochromic films was created to validate planned doses with measurements on a micrometre scale. Finally, experiments were carried out on a cellular level in order to correlate the physically planned doses with the biological damage caused in the tissue. The differences between Monte Carlo dose and dosimetry are less than 10% in the valley and 5% in the peak regions. Developed alternative faster dose calculation methods deviate from the computational intensive MC simulations by less than 15% and are able to determine the dose within a few minutes. The experiments in cell biology revealed an significant influence of intercellular signalling on the survival of cells close to radiation boundaries. These observations may not only be important for MRT but also for conventional radiotherapy.
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Lee, Bin-Na; Chun, Soo-Ji; Chang, Hoon-Sang; Hwang, Yun-Chan; Hwang, In-Nam; Oh, Won-Mann
2017-01-01
Methylcellulose (MC) is a chemical compound derived from cellulose. MTA mixed with MC reduces setting time and increases plasticity. This study assessed the influence of MC as an anti-washout ingredient and CaCl2 as a setting time accelerator on the physical and biological properties of MTA. Test materials were divided into 3 groups; Group 1(control): distilled water; Group 2: 1% MC/CaCl2; Group 3: 2% MC/CaCl2. Compressive strength, pH, flowability and cell viability were tested. The gene expression of bone sialoprotein (BSP) was detected by RT-PCR and real- time PCR. The expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and mineralization behavior were evaluated using an ALP staining and an alizarin red staining. Compressive strength, pH, and cell viability of MTA mixed with MC/CaCl2 were not significantly different compared to the control group. The flowability of MTA with MC/CaCI2 has decreased significantly when compared to the control (pphysical and biological effect of MTA. It suggests that these cements may be useful as a root-end filling material.
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Mallam, Steven C; Lundh, Monica
2016-08-12
Physical environments influence how individuals perceive a space and behave within it. Previous research has revealed deficiencies in ship engine department work environments, and their impact on crew productivity, health and wellbeing. Connect operational task demands to pragmatic physical design and layout solutions by implementing a user-centric perspective. Three focus groups, each consisting of three marine engineers participated in this study. Focus groups were divided into two sessions: first, to investigate the end-user's operational requirements and their relationship with ship physical design and layout. Second, criteria formulated from group discussions were applied to a ship design case study. All focus group sessions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using Grounded Theory. Design choices made in a ships general arrangement were described to inherently influence how individuals and teams are able to function within the system. Participants detailed logistical relationships between key areas, stressing that the work environment and physical linkages must allow for flexibility of work organization and task execution. Traditional engine control paradigms do not allow effective mitigation of traditional engine department challenges. The influence of technology and modernization of ship systems can facilitate improvement of physical environments and work organization if effectively utilized.
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Structural Molecular Biology 2017 | SSRL
Highlights Training Workshops & Summer Schools Summer Students Structural Molecular Biology Illuminating experimental driver for structural biology research, serving the needs of a large number of academic and Our Mission The SSRL Structural Molecular Biology program operates as an integrated resource and has
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Teaching Electrostatics and Entropy in Introductory Physics
Reeves, Mark
Entropy changes underlie the physics that dominates biological interactions. Indeed, introductory biology courses often begin with an exploration of the qualities of water that are important to living systems. However, one idea that is not explicitly addressed in most introductory physics or biology courses is important contribution of the entropy in driving fundamental biological processes towards equilibrium. I will present material developed to teach electrostatic screening in solutions and the function of nerve cells where entropic effects act to counterbalance electrostatic attraction. These ideas are taught in an introductory, calculus-based physics course to biomedical engineers using SCALEUP pedagogy. Results of student mastering of complex problems that cross disciplinary boundaries between biology and physics, as well as the challenges that they face in learning this material will be presented.
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Briggs, E.; Martz, T. R.; Talley, L. D.; Mazloff, M. R.
2015-12-01
Ice cover has strong influence over gas exchange, vertical stability, and biological production which are critical to understanding the Southern Ocean's central role in oceanic biogeochemical cycling and heat and carbon uptake under a changing climate. However the relative influence of physical versus biological processes in this hard-to-study region is poorly understood due to limited observations. Here we present new findings from a profiling float equipped with biogeochemical sensors in the seasonal ice zone of the Ross Sea capturing, for the first time, under-ice pH profile data over a two year timespan from 2014 to the present. The relative influence of physical (e.g. vertical mixing and air-sea gas exchange) and biological (e.g. production and respiration) drivers of pH and O2 within the mixed layer are explored during the phases of ice formation, ice cover, and ice melt over the two seasonal cycles. During the austral fall just prior to and during ice formation, O2 increases as expected due to surface-layer undersaturation and enhanced gas exchange. A small increase in pH is also observed during this phase, but without a biological signal in accompanying profiling float chlorophyll data, which goes against common reasoning from both a biological and physical standpoint. During the phase of ice cover, gas exchange is inhibited and a clear respiration signal is observed in pH and O2 data from which respiration rates are calculated. In the austral spring, ice melt gives rise to substantial ice edge phytoplankton blooms indicated by O2 supersaturation and corresponding increase in pH and large chlorophyll signal. The influence of the duration of ice cover and mixed layer depth on the magnitude of the ice edge blooms is explored between the two seasonal cycles.
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Use of synchrotron radiation in radiation biology research
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yamada, Takeshi
1981-01-01
Synchrotron radiation (SR) holds great expectation as a new research tool in the new areas of material science, because it has the continuous spectral distribution from visible light to X-ray, and its intensity is 10 2 to 10 3 times as strong as that of conventional radiation sources. In the National Laboratory for High Energy Physics, a synchrotron radiation experimental facility has been constructed, which will start operation in fiscal 1982. With this SR, the photons having the wavelength in undeveloped region from vacuum ultraviolet to soft X-ray are obtained as intense mono-wavelength light. The SR thus should contribute to the elucidation of the fundamentals in the biological action of radiation. The following matters are described: synchrotron radiation, experimental facility using SR, electron storage ring, features of SR, photon factory plan and synchrotron radiation experimental facility, utilization of SR in radiation biology field. (J.P.N.)
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Introduction to radiation biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Uma Devi, P.; Satish Rao, B.S.; Nagarathnam, A.
2000-01-01
This book is arranged in a logical sequence, starting from radiation physics and radiation chemistry, followed by molecular, subcellular and cellular effects and going on to the level of organism. Topics covered include applied radiobiology like modifiers of radiosensitivity, predictive assay, health physics, human genetics and radiopharmaceuticals. The topics covered are : 1. Radiation Physics, 2. Detection and Measurement of Radiation, 3. Radiation Chemistry, 4. DNA Damage and Repair, 5. Chromosomal Aberrations and Gene Mutations, 6. Cellular Radiobiology 7. Acute Radiation Effects, 8. Delayed Effects of Radiation, 9. Biological Basis of Radiotherapy, 10. Chemical Modifiers of Radiosensitivity, 11. Hyperthermia, 12. High LET Radiations in Cancer, Therapy, 13. Predictive Assays, 14. Radiation Effects on Embryos, 15. Human Radiation Genetics, 16. Radiolabelled Compounds in Biology and Medicine and 17. Radiological Health
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Lochmatter, Samuel; Holliger, Christof
2014-08-01
The transformation of conventional flocculent sludge to aerobic granular sludge (AGS) biologically removing carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus (COD, N, P) is still a main challenge in startup of AGS sequencing batch reactors (AGS-SBRs). On the one hand a rapid granulation is desired, on the other hand good biological nutrient removal capacities have to be maintained. So far, several operation parameters have been studied separately, which makes it difficult to compare their impacts. We investigated seven operation parameters in parallel by applying a Plackett-Burman experimental design approach with the aim to propose an optimized startup strategy. Five out of the seven tested parameters had a significant impact on the startup duration. The conditions identified to allow a rapid startup of AGS-SBRs with good nutrient removal performances were (i) alternation of high and low dissolved oxygen phases during aeration, (ii) a settling strategy avoiding too high biomass washout during the first weeks of reactor operation, (iii) adaptation of the contaminant load in the early stage of the startup in order to ensure that all soluble COD was consumed before the beginning of the aeration phase, (iv) a temperature of 20 °C, and (v) a neutral pH. Under such conditions, it took less than 30 days to produce granular sludge with high removal performances for COD, N, and P. A control run using this optimized startup strategy produced again AGS with good nutrient removal performances within four weeks and the system was stable during the additional operation period of more than 50 days. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Calculating life? Duelling discourses in interdisciplinary systems biology.
Calvert, Jane; Fujimura, Joan H
2011-06-01
A high profile context in which physics and biology meet today is in the new field of systems biology. Systems biology is a fascinating subject for sociological investigation because the demands of interdisciplinary collaboration have brought epistemological issues and debates front and centre in discussions amongst systems biologists in conference settings, in publications, and in laboratory coffee rooms. One could argue that systems biologists are conducting their own philosophy of science. This paper explores the epistemic aspirations of the field by drawing on interviews with scientists working in systems biology, attendance at systems biology conferences and workshops, and visits to systems biology laboratories. It examines the discourses of systems biologists, looking at how they position their work in relation to previous types of biological inquiry, particularly molecular biology. For example, they raise the issue of reductionism to distinguish systems biology from molecular biology. This comparison with molecular biology leads to discussions about the goals and aspirations of systems biology, including epistemic commitments to quantification, rigor and predictability. Some systems biologists aspire to make biology more similar to physics and engineering by making living systems calculable, modelable and ultimately predictable-a research programme that is perhaps taken to its most extreme form in systems biology's sister discipline: synthetic biology. Other systems biologists, however, do not think that the standards of the physical sciences are the standards by which we should measure the achievements of systems biology, and doubt whether such standards will ever be applicable to 'dirty, unruly living systems'. This paper explores these epistemic tensions and reflects on their sociological dimensions and their consequences for future work in the life sciences. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Cleri, Fabrizio
2016-01-01
In this book, physics in its many aspects (thermodynamics, mechanics, electricity, fluid dynamics) is the guiding light on a fascinating journey through biological systems, providing ideas, examples and stimulating reflections for undergraduate physics, chemistry and life-science students, as well as for anyone interested in the frontiers between physics and biology. Rather than introducing a lot of new information, it encourages young students to use their recently acquired knowledge to start seeing the physics behind the biology. As an undergraduate textbook in introductory biophysics, it includes the necessary background and tools, including exercises and appendices, to form a progressive course. In this case, the chapters can be used in the order proposed, possibly split between two semesters. The book is also an absorbing read for researchers in the life sciences who wish to refresh or go deeper into the physics concepts gleaned in their early years of scientific training. Less physics-oriented readers m...
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Opportunities in plant synthetic biology.
Cook, Charis; Martin, Lisa; Bastow, Ruth
2014-05-01
Synthetic biology is an emerging field uniting scientists from all disciplines with the aim of designing or re-designing biological processes. Initially, synthetic biology breakthroughs came from microbiology, chemistry, physics, computer science, materials science, mathematics, and engineering disciplines. A transition to multicellular systems is the next logical step for synthetic biologists and plants will provide an ideal platform for this new phase of research. This meeting report highlights some of the exciting plant synthetic biology projects, and tools and resources, presented and discussed at the 2013 GARNet workshop on plant synthetic biology.
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Dielectric relaxation in biological systems physical principles, methods, and applications
Feldman, Yuri
2015-01-01
This title covers the theoretical basis and practical aspects of the study of dielectric properties of biological systems, such as water, electrolyte and polyelectrolytes, solutions of biological macromolecules, cells suspensions and cellular systems.
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Gregg, Watson W.; Walsh, John J.
1992-01-01
A coupled physical/biological/optical model is developed for studies of phytoplankton variability in the spring 1979 Mid-Atlantic Bight, as observed by CZCS imagery. The model incorporates advection, mixing, sinking, growth as a function of light, temperature, nutrient availability, and death as a function of ingestion. It produced chlorophyll concentrations within the first attenuated depth within 1 standard deviation of CZCS imagery on large scale. The primary production estimates obtained using this model were within reasonable agreement with those measured in situ.
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Mierke, Claudia Tanja
2015-09-01
Physics of Cancer focuses on the mechanical properties of cancer cells and their role in cancer disease and metastasis. It discusses the role of the mechanical properties of interacting cells and the connective tissue microenvironment and describes the role of an inflammation during cancer disease. This outstanding book is the first to describe cancer disease from a biophysical point of view without being incomplete in describing the biological site of cancer. Originating in part from the author's own courses on tumor biology and cellular biophysics, this book is suitable for both students and researchers in this dynamic interdisciplinary field, be they from a physical, biological or medical sciences background.
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Research about the Physical Reactions to Appear in Herbal Acupuncture Operating
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Kim Young-Ho
2003-02-01
Full Text Available Objectives : This study was done to observe the physical reactions after herbal acupuncture operating, through the questionnaire. Methods : The study group was divided into six groups that were NS group(N=20, CF group(N=22, BU group(N=23, BUM(N=19, HP group(N=20 and BV group(N=19. The herbal acupuncture was injected by 0.05ml at the Fengmen(風門:B12, Feishu(肺兪:B13, Fufen(附分:B41, Pohu(魄戶:B42 4 points. Therefore suffers recorded the existence of the symptoms on questionnaire paper which we exemplified the above symptoms on that day, in the first day, in the second day and in the seventh day. Results : The following results were obtained ; 1. General symptoms which appear in the herbal acupuncture operating were following as : pain of body partially, discomfort, pain which appear in activity and fatigue. 2. The symptoms which appear in the herbal acupuncture operating were most extreme in the first day, since then those were reduced. Conclusions : By the above results, it would be needed further research about statistically comparative-study among herbal acupunctures and alternative plans which is decreased side effect.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
D. Jabari Sabeg
2016-10-01
Full Text Available In this paper, we present a new computational method for solving nonlinear singular boundary value problems of fractional order arising in biology. To this end, we apply the operational matrices of derivatives of shifted Legendre polynomials to reduce such problems to a system of nonlinear algebraic equations. To demonstrate the validity and applicability of the presented method, we present some numerical examples.
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Aging in a Relativistic Biological Space-Time
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Davide Maestrini
2018-05-01
Full Text Available Here we present a theoretical and mathematical perspective on the process of aging. We extend the concepts of physical space and time to an abstract, mathematically-defined space, which we associate with a concept of “biological space-time” in which biological dynamics may be represented. We hypothesize that biological dynamics, represented as trajectories in biological space-time, may be used to model and study different rates of biological aging. As a consequence of this hypothesis, we show how dilation or contraction of time analogous to relativistic corrections of physical time resulting from accelerated or decelerated biological dynamics may be used to study precipitous or protracted aging. We show specific examples of how these principles may be used to model different rates of aging, with an emphasis on cancer in aging. We discuss how this theory may be tested or falsified, as well as novel concepts and implications of this theory that may improve our interpretation of biological aging.
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Students' Energy Understanding Across Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Contexts
Opitz, S. T.; Neumann, K.; Bernholt, S.; Harms, U.
2017-07-01
Energy is considered both as a disciplinary core idea and as a concept cutting across science disciplines. Most previous approaches studied progressing energy understanding in specific disciplinary contexts, while disregarding the relation of understanding across them. Hence, this study provides a systematic analysis of cross-disciplinary energy learning. On the basis of a cross-sectional study with n = 742 students from grades 6, 8, and 10, we analyze students' progression in understanding energy across biology, chemistry, and physics contexts. The study is guided by three hypothetical scenarios that describe how the connection between energy understanding in the three disciplinary contexts changes across grade levels. These scenarios are compared using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results suggest that, from grade 6 to grade 10, energy understanding in the three disciplinary contexts is highly interrelated, thus indicating a parallel progression of energy understanding in the three disciplinary contexts. In our study, students from grade 6 onwards appeared to have few problems to apply one energy understanding across the three disciplinary contexts. These findings were unexpected, as previous research concluded that students likely face difficulties in connecting energy learning across disciplinary boundaries. Potential reasons for these results and the characteristics of the observed cross-disciplinary energy understanding are discussed in the light of earlier findings and implications for future research, and the teaching of energy as a core idea and a crosscutting concept are addressed.
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IMRT optimization with pseudo-biologic objective function
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yi, B. Y.; Ahn, S. D.; Kim, J. H.; Lee, S. W.; Choi, E. K.
2002-01-01
The pseudo-biologic objective function has been proposed for the IMRT optimization. It is similar to the biological objective function in mathematical shape, but uses physical parameters. The pseudo-biologic objective function concept is consisted of the target coverage index (TCI) and the organ score index (OSI), was introduced. The TCI was expressed as the sum of all of the weighted bins of target dose volume histogram (DVH). The weights were given as the normal distribution of which the average is 100 % and the standard deviation is ±. The OSI was expressed as similar way. The average of the normal distribution was 0% of the dose and that of standard deviation was selected as a function of limiting dose and its importance. The objective function could be calculated as the product of the TCI and OSI's. The RTP Tool Box (RTB) was used for this study. The constraints applied in the optimization was intuitively clinical experience based numbers, while the physical objective function asks just numbers which are not necessarily based on the clinic, and the parameters for the biologic objective functions are uncertain. The OSI's from the pseudo-biological function showed better results than from the physical functions, while TCI's showed similar tendency. We could show that the pseudo-biologic function can be used for an IMRT objective function on behalf of the biological objective function
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Devices for overcoming biological barriers: the use of physical forces to disrupt the barriers.
Mitragotri, Samir
2013-01-01
Overcoming biological barriers including skin, mucosal membranes, blood brain barrier as well as cell and nuclear membrane constitutes a key hurdle in the field of drug delivery. While these barriers serve the natural protective function in the body, they limit delivery of drugs into the body. A variety of methods have been developed to overcome these barriers including formulations, targeting peptides and device-based technologies. This review focuses on the use of physical methods including acoustic devices, electric devices, high-pressure devices, microneedles and optical devices for disrupting various barriers in the body including skin and other membranes. A summary of the working principles of these devices and their ability to enhance drug delivery is presented. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.
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Wiskemann, Joachim; Hummler, Simone; Diepold, Christina; Keil, Melanie; Abel, Ulrich; Steindorf, Karen; Beckhove, Philipp; Ulrich, Cornelia M; Steins, Martin; Thomas, Michael
2016-07-19
Patients with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or small cell lung cancer (SCLC) often experience multidimensional impairments, affecting quality of life during their course of disease. In lung cancer patients with operable disease, several studies have shown that exercise has a positive impact on quality of life and physical functioning. There is limited evidence regarding efficacy for advanced lung cancer patients undergoing palliative treatment. Therefore, the POSITIVE study aims to evaluate the benefit of a 24-week exercise intervention during palliative treatment in a randomized controlled setting. The POSITIVE study is a randomized, controlled trial investigating the effects of a 24-week exercise intervention during palliative treatment on quality of life, physical performance and immune function in advanced, non-operable lung cancer patients. 250 patients will be recruited in the Clinic for Thoracic Diseases in Heidelberg, enrolment begun in November 2013. Main inclusion criterion is histologically confirmed NSCLC (stage IIIa, IIIb, IV) or SCLC (Limited Disease-SCLC, Extensive Disease-SCLC) not amenable to surgery. Patients are randomized into two groups. Both groups receive weekly care management phone calls (CMPCs) with the goal to assess symptoms and side effects. Additionally, one group receives a combined resistance and endurance training (3x/week). Primary endpoints are quality of life assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for patients with lung cancer (FACT-L, subcategory Physical Well-Being) and General Fatigue measured by the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20). Secondary endpoints are physical performance (maximal voluntary isometric contraction, 6-min walk distance), psychosocial (depression and anxiety) and immunological parameters and overall survival. The aim of the POSITIVE trial is the evaluation of effects of a 24-week structured and guided exercise intervention during palliative treatment stages
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Quantum biological information theory
Djordjevic, Ivan B
2016-01-01
This book is a self-contained, tutorial-based introduction to quantum information theory and quantum biology. It serves as a single-source reference to the topic for researchers in bioengineering, communications engineering, electrical engineering, applied mathematics, biology, computer science, and physics. The book provides all the essential principles of the quantum biological information theory required to describe the quantum information transfer from DNA to proteins, the sources of genetic noise and genetic errors as well as their effects. Integrates quantum information and quantum biology concepts; Assumes only knowledge of basic concepts of vector algebra at undergraduate level; Provides a thorough introduction to basic concepts of quantum information processing, quantum information theory, and quantum biology; Includes in-depth discussion of the quantum biological channel modelling, quantum biological channel capacity calculation, quantum models of aging, quantum models of evolution, quantum models o...
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
V.L. dos Santos Alves
2015-05-01
Full Text Available Background: Monitored physical activities in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS have been shown to improve physical performance, endurance and cardiopulmonary function and may be assessed by the 6-min walk test (6MWT. We aimed to evaluate the long-term results of the 6MWT after a rehabilitation protocol employed before surgical correction for AIS. Methods: This prospective randomized clinical trial studied the impact of a 4-month pre-operative physical rehabilitation protocol on post-operative cardiopulmonary function and physical endurance, by using the 6MWT, in patients with AIS submitted to surgical correction, comparing them to matched controls without physical rehabilitation. Studied variables were heart and respiratory rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, peripheral blood oxygen saturation, Borg score, and distance walked. Patients were assessed at baseline, after 4 months of rehabilitation, and 3, 6 and 12 months post-operatively. Results: A total of 50 patients with AIS were included in the study and allocated blindly, by simple randomization, into either one of the two groups, with 25 patients each: study group (pre-operative physical rehabilitation and control group. The physical rehabilitation protocol promoted significant progressive improvement in heart and respiratory rate, peripheral blood oxygen saturation, distance walked, and level of effort assessed by the Borg scale after surgery. Conclusions: Post-surgical recovery, evaluated by 6MWT, was significantly better in patients who underwent a 4-month pre-operative physical rehabilitation protocol. Keywords: Scoliosis, Exercise, Exercise movement techniques, Exercise therapy, Exercise test
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Quantum biological gravitational wave detectors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kopvillem, U.Kh.
1985-01-01
A possibility of producing biological detectors of gravitational waves is considered. High sensitivity of biological systems to outer effects can be ensured by existence of molecule subgroups in Dicke states. Existence of clusters in Dicke state-giant electric dipoles (GED) is supposed in the Froehlich theory. Comparison of biological and physical detectors shows that GED systems have unique properties for detection of gravitational waves if the reception range is narrow
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ji Yoon Kim
2015-11-01
Full Text Available This study evaluated integrative river ecosystem health using stressor-based models of physical habitat health, chemical water health, and biological health of fish and identified multiple-stressor indicators influencing the ecosystem health. Integrated health responses (IHRs, based on star-plot approach, were calculated from qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI, nutrient pollution index (NPI, and index of biological integrity (IBI in four different longitudinal regions (Groups I–IV. For the calculations of IHRs values, multi-metric QHEI, NPI, and IBI models were developed and their criteria for the diagnosis of the health were determined. The longitudinal patterns of the river were analyzed by a self-organizing map (SOM model and the key major stressors in the river were identified by principal component analysis (PCA. Our model scores of integrated health responses (IHRs suggested that mid-stream and downstream regions were impaired, and the key stressors were closely associated with nutrient enrichment (N and P and organic matter pollutions from domestic wastewater disposal plants and urban sewage. This modeling approach of IHRs may be used as an effective tool for evaluations of integrative ecological river health..
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On the effects of adaptive reservoir operating rules in hydrological physically-based models
Giudici, Federico; Anghileri, Daniela; Castelletti, Andrea; Burlando, Paolo
2017-04-01
Recent years have seen a significant increase of the human influence on the natural systems both at the global and local scale. Accurately modeling the human component and its interaction with the natural environment is key to characterize the real system dynamics and anticipate future potential changes to the hydrological regimes. Modern distributed, physically-based hydrological models are able to describe hydrological processes with high level of detail and high spatiotemporal resolution. Yet, they lack in sophistication for the behavior component and human decisions are usually described by very simplistic rules, which might underperform in reproducing the catchment dynamics. In the case of water reservoir operators, these simplistic rules usually consist of target-level rule curves, which represent the average historical level trajectory. Whilst these rules can reasonably reproduce the average seasonal water volume shifts due to the reservoirs' operation, they cannot properly represent peculiar conditions, which influence the actual reservoirs' operation, e.g., variations in energy price or water demand, dry or wet meteorological conditions. Moreover, target-level rule curves are not suitable to explore the water system response to climate and socio economic changing contexts, because they assume a business-as-usual operation. In this work, we quantitatively assess how the inclusion of adaptive reservoirs' operating rules into physically-based hydrological models contribute to the proper representation of the hydrological regime at the catchment scale. In particular, we contrast target-level rule curves and detailed optimization-based behavioral models. We, first, perform the comparison on past observational records, showing that target-level rule curves underperform in representing the hydrological regime over multiple time scales (e.g., weekly, seasonal, inter-annual). Then, we compare how future hydrological changes are affected by the two modeling
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Physics Goals and Experimental Challenges of the Proton-Proton High-Luminosity Operation of the LHC
Campana, Pierluigi; Wells, Pippa
2016-01-01
The completion of Run 1 of the CERN Large Hadron Collider has seen the discovery of the Higgs boson and an unprecedented number of precise measurements of the Standard Model, while Run 2 operation has just started to provide first data at higher energy. Upgrades of the LHC to high luminosity (HL-LHC) and the experiments (ATLAS, CMS, ALICE and LHCb) will exploit the full potential of the collider to discover and explore new physics beyond the Standard Model. In this article, the experimental challenges and the physics opportunities in proton-proton collisions at the HL-LHC are reviewed.
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Radiation safety and operational health physics of hospital based medical cyclotrons
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mukherjee, B.
2002-01-01
Full text: Compact, low energy, high current Medical Cyclotrons are now primarily used to produce large activities of short lived, neutron deficient, positron- emitting radioisotopes. These isotopes constitute the key ingredients of important PET (Positron Emission Tomography) radiopharmaceuticals used in diagnostic nuclear medicine. The PET-radioisotope producing Medical Cyclotrons are now increasingly installed in modern urban hospitals in many countries of the world. Modern Medical Cyclotrons run at a very high beam current (∼100-200 micro Amp) level and thereby produce intense fields of parasitic gamma rays and neutrons, causing the activation of cyclotron components, ambient air and radiation exposure to patients and members of the public. This report highlights the important operational aspects and the characteristics of the radiation fields produced by Medical Cyclotrons. The pathways of personnel radiation exposure are also analyzed. The above information constitutes the scientific basis of a sound operational health physics service, which is manifested in an effective dose reduction and an enhanced radiological safety of the Medical Cyclotron facility within the framework of ALARA
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Jalili, Mahdi
2018-03-01
I enjoyed reading Gosak et al. review on analysing biological systems from network science perspective [1]. Network science, first started within Physics community, is now a mature multidisciplinary field of science with many applications ranging from Ecology to biology, medicine, social sciences, engineering and computer science. Gosak et al. discussed how biological systems can be modelled and described by complex network theory which is an important application of network science. Although there has been considerable progress in network biology over the past two decades, this is just the beginning and network science has a great deal to offer to biology and medical sciences.
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DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Rossin, Elizabeth J.; Hansen, Kasper Lage; Raychaudhuri, Soumya
2011-01-01
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have defined over 150 genomic regions unequivocally containing variation predisposing to immune-mediated disease. Inferring disease biology from these observations, however, hinges on our ability to discover the molecular processes being perturbed by these r......Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have defined over 150 genomic regions unequivocally containing variation predisposing to immune-mediated disease. Inferring disease biology from these observations, however, hinges on our ability to discover the molecular processes being perturbed...... in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Crohn's disease (CD) GWAS, we build protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks for genes within associated loci and find abundant physical interactions between protein products of associated genes. We apply multiple permutation approaches to show that these networks are more...... that the RA and CD networks have predictive power by demonstrating that proteins in these networks, not encoded in the confirmed list of disease associated loci, are significantly enriched for association to the phenotypes in question in extended GWAS analysis. Finally, we test our method in 3 non...
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La Porta, Caterina A M
2017-01-01
Recent years have witnessed an increasing number of theoretical and experimental contributions to cancer research from different fields of physics, from biomechanics and soft-condensed matter physics to the statistical mechanics of complex systems. Reviewing these contributions and providing a sophisticated overview of the topic, this is the first book devoted to the emerging interdisciplinary field of cancer physics. Systematically integrating approaches from physics and biology, it includes topics such as cancer initiation and progression, metastasis, angiogenesis, cancer stem cells, tumor immunology, cancer cell mechanics and migration. Biological hallmarks of cancer are presented in an intuitive yet comprehensive way, providing graduate-level students and researchers in physics with a thorough introduction to this important subject. The impact of the physical mechanisms of cancer are explained through analytical and computational models, making this an essential reference for cancer biologists interested ...
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Scientific projection paper for physics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Inokuti, M.
1980-01-01
Thorough elucidation of the biological effects of ionizing radiation requires full participation of physical scientists, together with life scientists. Therefore, a key point in the federal research strategy will be to ensure involvement of all physicists actively engaged in radiation research and to recruit more physicists for work in this area. Many new developments in physics, both basic and applied, will occur in dosimetry, spectroscopy, and other physical techniques for studying radiations and their interactions with matter in general. Experiments in radiation biology will be made more precise and accurate in the near future, provided that the outcome of contemporary physical research is to be fully used. Likewise, physics research will continue to provide new kinds of radiation sources and other instrumentation, indispensable for progress in life sciences and their applications. Finally, and most importantly, physical research has provided, and will continue to provide, the soundest possible basis for elucidating detailed mechanisms of molecular and cellular processes that lead to the biological effects of radiation. Even from this point alone, it is amply clear that basic research in radiation physics should be a key element of the federal research strategy
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Dual Causality and the Autonomy of Biology.
Bock, Walter J
2017-03-01
Ernst Mayr's concept of dual causality in biology with the two forms of causes (proximate and ultimate) continues to provide an essential foundation for the philosophy of biology. They are equivalent to functional (=proximate) and evolutionary (=ultimate) causes with both required for full biological explanations. The natural sciences can be classified into nomological, historical nomological and historical dual causality, the last including only biology. Because evolutionary causality is unique to biology and must be included for all complete biological explanations, biology is autonomous from the physical sciences.
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Targeted alpha therapy using Radium-223: From physics to biological effects.
Marques, I A; Neves, A R; Abrantes, A M; Pires, A S; Tavares-da-Silva, E; Figueiredo, A; Botelho, M F
2018-05-25
With the advance of the use of ionizing radiation in therapy, targeted alpha therapy (TAT) has assumed an important role around the world. This kind of therapy can potentially reduce side effects caused by radiation in normal tissues and increased destructive radiobiological effects in tumor cells. However, in many countries, the use of this therapy is still in a pioneering phase. Radium-223 ( 223 Ra), an alpha-emitting radionuclide, has been the first of its kind to be approved for the treatment of bone metastasis in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Nevertheless, the interaction mechanism and the direct effects of this radiopharmaceutical in tumor cells are not fully understood neither characterized at a molecular level. In fact, the ways how TAT is linked to radiobiological effects in cancer is not yet revised. Therefore, this review introduces some physical properties of TAT that leads to biological effects and links this information to the hallmarks of cancer. The authors also collected the studies developed with 223 Ra to correlate with the three categories reviewed - properties of TAT, 5 R's of radiobiology and hallmarks of cancer- and with the promising future to this radiopharmaceutical. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sneha Paul
2015-12-01
Full Text Available Objective: To study the physical, chemical and biological properties of composite chitosangelatin transdermal film along with silver nanoparticles as binding agent and determine the compatibility of the prepared amalgamation towards wound management. Methods: Transdermal film preparations were done by solvent casting method containing different concentrations of biological synthesized silver nanoparticles. The films were characterized by using scanning electron microscope for their morphology and the determination of silver metal was done by using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Then a quantity of silver nanoparticles was further proceeded by physiochemical parameters (weight, thickness, temperature, solubility, absorption, tensile strength, in vitro drug release and skin permeation and biological parameters studies (anti-microbial, cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species. Results: The film prepared by utilizing 2 g of gelatin and 0.5 g of chitosan exhibited better results. The physiochemical parameters studies revealed higher concentration of silver nanoparticles would give better results. In vitro drug release studies through dialysis and skin permeation showed the release of drug versus time (h. These films had shown excellent inhibition against Streptococcus and Escherichia coli species. Cytotoxicity study by MTT indicated the mild toxicity existed as the concentration of silver nanoparticles increased. Reactive oxygen species generation studies of transdermal film by using 2'7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay demonstrated that the fluorescent cells were found in the higher concentration, which indicated cell damage (reactive oxygen species generated. Conclusions: Based on these observations, in vitro performances against various characteristics of transdermal film, would be utilized as a distinct dressing material and patches accessible in market.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Idelfonso Javiqué-Leal
2013-12-01
Full Text Available When we applied alternatives and working algorism to put into practice the knowledge in the different subjects during the instructive- learning process it is important the exclusion of all empirical level in the teaching contents. The Biological science in essence constitutes a subject in the specific basic formation aimed to the integration of the future professional in the physical Culture majoring which has an important influence on the rest of the subjects that are part of the curriculum .In the present work we can show the results of one of the tasks corresponding to the research project related to the didactic changes in the Biological sciences subject, derived from the difficulties found in the teaching process. The authors give an approximation of how to deal with the different components in the teaching leaning- process with concrete results on the base theoretical and empiric methods. They give a work alternative to establish basic concepts with the didactic of the Physical education and sport showing advance evidences in the didactic order giving a high level of work in this subject.
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Tarasashvili, M. V.; Sabashvili, Sh. A.; Tsereteli, S. L.; Aleksidze, N. D.; Dalakishvili, O.
2017-10-01
The Mars Climate Simulation Chamber (MCSC) (GEO PAT 12 522/01) is designed for the investigation of the possible past and present habitability of Mars, as well as for the solution of practical tasks necessary for the colonization and Terraformation of the Planet. There are specific tasks such as the experimental investigation of the biological parameters that allow many terrestrial organisms to adapt to the imitated Martian conditions: chemistry of the ground, atmosphere, temperature, radiation, etc. MCSC is set for the simulation of the conduction of various biological experiments, as well as the selection of extremophile microorganisms for the possible Settlement, Ecopoesis and/or Terraformation purposes and investigation of their physiological functions. For long-term purposes, it is possible to cultivate genetically modified organisms (e.g., plants) adapted to the Martian conditions for future Martian agriculture to sustain human Mars missions and permanent settlements. The size of the chamber allows preliminary testing of the functionality of space-station mini-models and personal protection devices such as space-suits, covering and building materials and other structures. The reliability of the experimental biotechnological materials can also be tested over a period of years. Complex and thorough research has been performed to acquire the most appropriate technical tools for the accurate engineering of the MCSC and precious programmed simulation of Martian environmental conditions. This paper describes the construction and technical details of the equipment of the MCSC, which allows its semi-automated, long-term operation.
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Brown, Chris
1998-01-01
Explored aspects of assessment of extended investigation ("project") practiced in the operational examinations of The University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) for the perspective of construct validity. Samples of the 1993 (n=333) and 1996 (n=259) biology test results reveal two methods of assessing the project. (MAK)
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Adelmann, S; Schembecker, G
2011-08-12
Besides the selection of a suitable biphasic solvent system the separation efficiency in Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC) is mainly influenced by the hydrodynamics in the chambers. The flow pattern, the stationary phase retention and the interfacial area for mass transfer strongly depend on physical properties of the solvent system and operating parameters. In order to measure these parameters we visualized the hydrodynamics in a FCPC-chamber for five different solvent systems with an optical measurement system and calculated the stationary phase retention, interfacial area and the distribution of mobile phase thickness in the chamber. Although inclined chambers were used we found that the Coriolis force always deflected the mobile phase towards the chamber wall reducing the interfacial area. This effect increased for systems with low density difference. We also have shown that the stability of phase systems (stationary phase retention) and its tendency to disperse increased for smaller values of the ratio of interfacial tension and density difference. But also the viscosity ratio and the flow pattern itself had a significant effect on retention and dispersion of the mobile phase. As a result operating parameters should be chosen carefully with respect to physical properties for a CPC system. In order to reduce the effect of the Coriolis force CPC devices with greater rotor radius are desirable. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1987-04-01
The full text of the Agreement establishing the Asian Regional Co-operative Project on Medical and Biological Applications of Nuclear Techniques between the Agency and Member States is reproduced. The Agreement entered into force on 20 May 1986 after the Governments of Japan, Bangladesh and the Philippines had notified the Agency of their acceptance of the Agreement
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Macromolecular crowding: chemistry and physics meet biology (Ascona, Switzerland, 10-14 June 2012)
Foffi, G.; Pastore, A.; Piazza, F.; Temussi, P. A.
2013-08-01
More than 60 years of biochemical and biophysical studies have accustomed us to think of proteins as highly purified entities that act in isolation, more or less freely diffusing until they find their cognate partner to bind to. While in vitro experiments that reproduce these conditions largely remain the only way to investigate the intrinsic properties of molecules, this approach ignores an important factor: in their natural milieu , proteins are surrounded by several other molecules of different chemical nature, and this crowded environment can considerably modify their behaviour. About 40% of the cellular volume on average is occupied by all sorts of molecules. Furthermore, biological macromolecules live and operate in an extremely structured and complex environment within the cell (endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, cytoskeletal structures, etc). Hence, to further complicate the picture, the interior of the cell is by no means a simply crowded medium, rather, a most crowded and confining one. In recent times, several approaches have been developed in the attempt to take into account important factors such as the ones mentioned above, at both theoretical and experimental levels, so that this field of research is now emerging as one of the most thriving in molecular and cell biology (see figure 1). Figure 1. Figure 1. Left: number of articles containing the word 'crowding' as a keyword limited to the biological and chemical science domains (source: ISI Web of Science). The arrow flags the 2003 'EMBO Workshop on Biological Implications of Macromolecular Crowding' (Embo, 2012). Right: number of citations to articles containing the word 'crowding' limited to the same domains (bars) and an exponential regression curve (source: Elsevier Scopus). To promote the importance of molecular crowding and confinement and provide researchers active in this field an interdisciplinary forum for meeting and exchanging ideas, we recently organized an international conference
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Macromolecular crowding: chemistry and physics meet biology (Ascona, Switzerland, 10-14 June 2012).
Foffi, G; Pastore, A; Piazza, F; Temussi, P A
2013-08-02
More than 60 years of biochemical and biophysical studies have accustomed us to think of proteins as highly purified entities that act in isolation, more or less freely diffusing until they find their cognate partner to bind to. While in vitro experiments that reproduce these conditions largely remain the only way to investigate the intrinsic properties of molecules, this approach ignores an important factor: in their natural milieu , proteins are surrounded by several other molecules of different chemical nature, and this crowded environment can considerably modify their behaviour. About 40% of the cellular volume on average is occupied by all sorts of molecules. Furthermore, biological macromolecules live and operate in an extremely structured and complex environment within the cell (endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, cytoskeletal structures, etc). Hence, to further complicate the picture, the interior of the cell is by no means a simply crowded medium, rather, a most crowded and confining one. In recent times, several approaches have been developed in the attempt to take into account important factors such as the ones mentioned above, at both theoretical and experimental levels, so that this field of research is now emerging as one of the most thriving in molecular and cell biology (see figure 1). [Formula: see text] Figure 1. Left: number of articles containing the word 'crowding' as a keyword limited to the biological and chemical science domains (source: ISI Web of Science). The arrow flags the 2003 'EMBO Workshop on Biological Implications of Macromolecular Crowding' (Embo, 2012). Right: number of citations to articles containing the word 'crowding' limited to the same domains (bars) and an exponential regression curve (source: Elsevier Scopus). To promote the importance of molecular crowding and confinement and provide researchers active in this field an interdisciplinary forum for meeting and exchanging ideas, we recently organized an international
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
M. Rajeswara Rao
2005-08-01
Full Text Available We investigated the changes in the properties of water when exposed to sunlight for 40 days. We hypothesize and prove that solar irradiation to water entraps electromagnetic radiation as potential energy, which becomes kinetic energy in various systems. It is postulated that photochemically-induced energy transfers, associated with individual spectral emission of visible spectrum of solar light, exert diverse influences on biological systems. Bottles of distilled water, individually wrapped in spectral-colored cellophane were exposed to sunlight and compared to an unwrapped bottle to determine chemical and physical changes as well as modifications of biological properties. Each bottle of water was named according to the color of cellophane paper with letter E (stands for exposed as a prefix with (E-violet, E-indigo, E-blue, E-green, E-yellow, E-orange, and Ered. E-control (without wrap was exposed to polychromatic sunlight. This study addresses two main issues viz., the chemical and physical changes in E-water and its effect on biological activities. Chemical and physical composition analysis using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry; physical conductance by a Wheatstone Bridge type conductivity meter; osmolarity by a vapor pressure osmometer; and, salt solubility profile of 10% sodium bicarbonate were determined. Furthermore, testing the effect of E-waters on human lymphocyte proliferation, mosquito larvae hatching and seed germination determined the functional role of solar radiation through specific spectrum/s of visible light on various biological processes. We found that water exposed to visible spectral emissions of sunlight had an altered elemental composition, electrical conductance, osmolarity and salt-solubility, as well as differences in bio-modulatory effects. A gradual increase in leaching of Boron from Eviolet to E-red was noted. E-indigo showed maximal increase in electrical conductance and maximal salt
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Undergraduate Labs for Biological Physics: Brownian Motion and Optical Trapping
Chu, Kelvin; Laughney, A.; Williams, J.
2006-12-01
We describe a set of case-study driven labs for an upper-division biological physics course. These labs are motivated by case-studies and consist of inquiry-driven investigations of Brownian motion and optical-trapping experiments. Each lab incorporates two innovative educational techniques to drive the process and application aspects of scientific learning. Case studies are used to encourage students to think independently and apply the scientific method to a novel lab situation. Student input from this case study is then used to decide how to best do the measurement, guide the project and ultimately evaluate the success of the program. Where appropriate, visualization and simulation using VPython is used. Direct visualization of Brownian motion allows students to directly calculate Avogadro's number or the Boltzmann constant. Following case-study driven discussion, students use video microscopy to measure the motion of latex spheres in different viscosity fluids arrive at a good approximation of NA or kB. Optical trapping (laser tweezer) experiments allow students to investigate the consequences of 100-pN forces on small particles. The case study consists of a discussion of the Boltzmann distribution and equipartition theorem followed by a consideration of the shape of the potential. Students can then use video capture to measure the distribution of bead positions to determine the shape and depth of the trap. This work supported by NSF DUE-0536773.
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Anthropic principle in biology and radiation biology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Akif'ev, A. P.; Degtyarev, S.V.
1999-01-01
It was suggested to add the anthropic principle of the Universe according to which the physical constants of fundamental particles of matter and the laws of their counteraction are those that an appearance of man and mind becomes possible and necessary, with some biological constants to the set of fundamental constants. With reparation of DNA as an example it was shown how a cell ran some parameters of Watson-Crick double helix. It was pointed that the concept of the anthropic principle of the Universe in its full body including biological constants was a key to developing of a unified theory of evolution of the Universe within the limits of scientific creationism [ru
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Xu, Hushan
2009-01-01
The research activities at HIRFL-CSR cover the fields of the radio-biology, material science, atomic physics, and nuclear physics. This talk will mainly concentrate on the program on nuclear physics with the existing and planned experimental setups at HIRFL-CSR. (author)
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Radiation Protection and Dosimetry An Introduction to Health Physics
Stabin, Michael G
2007-01-01
This comprehensive text provides an overview of all relevant topics in the field of radiation protection (health physics). Radiation Protection and Dosimetry serves as an essential handbook for practicing health physics professionals, and is also ideal as a teaching text for courses at the university level. The book is organized to introduce the reader to basic principles of radiation decay and interactions, to review current knowledge and historical aspects of the biological effects of radiation, and to cover important operational topics such as radiation shielding and dosimetry. In addition to presenting the most up to date treatment of the topics and references to the literature, most chapters contain numerical problems with their solutions for use in teaching or self assessment. One chapter is devoted to Environmental Health Physics, which was written in collaboration with leading professionals in the area.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mark A. Moline
2016-02-01
Full Text Available The ocean environment and the physical and biological processes that govern dynamics are complex. Sampling the ocean to better understand these processes is difficult given the temporal and spatial domains and sampling tools available. Biological systems are especially difficult as organisms possess behavior, operate at horizontal scales smaller than traditional shipboard sampling allows, and are often disturbed by the sampling platforms themselves. Sensors that measure biological processes have also generally not kept pace with the development of physical counterparts as their requirements are as complex as the target organisms. Here, we attempt to address this challenge by advocating the need for sensor-platform combinations to integrate and process data in real-time and develop data products that are useful in increasing sampling efficiencies. Too often, the data of interest is only garnered after post-processing after a sampling effort and the opportunity to use that information to guide sampling is lost. Here we demonstrate a new autonomous platform, where data are collected, analyzed, and data products are output in real-time to inform autonomous decision-making. This integrated capability allows for enhanced and informed sampling towards improving our understanding of the marine environment.
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Bruce E. Rieman; Jason B. Dunham; James L. Clayton
2006-01-01
Integration of biological and physical concepts is necessary to understand and conserve the ecological integrity of river systems. Past attempts at integration have often focused at relatively small scales and on mechanistic models that may not capture the complexity of natural systems leaving substantial uncertainty about ecological responses to management actions....
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Hands-on-Entropy, Energy Balance with Biological Relevance
Reeves, Mark
2015-03-01
Entropy changes underlie the physics that dominates biological interactions. Indeed, introductory biology courses often begin with an exploration of the qualities of water that are important to living systems. However, one idea that is not explicitly addressed in most introductory physics or biology textbooks is important contribution of the entropy in driving fundamental biological processes towards equilibrium. From diffusion to cell-membrane formation, to electrostatic binding in protein folding, to the functioning of nerve cells, entropic effects often act to counterbalance deterministic forces such as electrostatic attraction and in so doing, allow for effective molecular signaling. A small group of biology, biophysics and computer science faculty have worked together for the past five years to develop curricular modules (based on SCALEUP pedagogy). This has enabled students to create models of stochastic and deterministic processes. Our students are first-year engineering and science students in the calculus-based physics course and they are not expected to know biology beyond the high-school level. In our class, they learn to reduce complex biological processes and structures in order model them mathematically to account for both deterministic and probabilistic processes. The students test these models in simulations and in laboratory experiments that are biologically relevant such as diffusion, ionic transport, and ligand-receptor binding. Moreover, the students confront random forces and traditional forces in problems, simulations, and in laboratory exploration throughout the year-long course as they move from traditional kinematics through thermodynamics to electrostatic interactions. This talk will present a number of these exercises, with particular focus on the hands-on experiments done by the students, and will give examples of the tangible material that our students work with throughout the two-semester sequence of their course on introductory
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European Marine Observation and Data Network EMODnet Physics
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Antonio Novellino
2014-10-01
Full Text Available Recently the European Commission undertook steps towards a European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet in order to standardize method for observing and assessing the grade of the Member States seas and improve access to high quality data. Since 2008-2009, European Commission, represented by the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE, is running several service contracts for creating pilot thematic components of the ur-EMODNET: Biology, Bathymetry, Chemistry, Geology, Habitats, and Physics.The existing EMODnet-Physics portal (www.emodnet-physics.eu is based on a strong collaboration between EuroGOOS member institutes and its regional operational oceanographic systems (ROOSs, and the National Oceanographic Data Centres (NODCs, and it is a marine observation information system. It includes systems for physical data from the whole Europe (wave height andperiod, temperature of the water column, wind speed and direction, salinity of the water column, horizontal velocity of the water column, light attenuation, and sea level provided mainly by fixed stations and ferry-box platforms, discovering related data sets (both near real time and historical data sets, viewing and downloading of the data from about 2100 platforms (www.emodnetphysics.eu/map and thus contributing towards the definition of an operational European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet.
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Lai, Zhigang; Yin, Kedong
2014-01-01
Port Shelter is a semi-enclosed bay in northeast Hong Kong where high biomass red tides are observed to occur frequently in narrow bands along the local bathymetric isobars. Previous study showed that nutrients in the Bay are not high enough to support high biomass red tides. The hypothesis is that physical aggregation and vertical migration of dinoflagellates appear to be the driving mechanism to promote the formation of red tides in this area. To test this hypothesis, we used a high-resolution estuarine circulation model to simulate the near-shore water dynamics based on in situ measured temperature/salinity profiles, winds and tidal constitutes taken from a well-validated regional tidal model. The model results demonstrated that water convergence occurs in a narrow band along the west shore of Port Shelter under a combined effect of stratified tidal current and easterly or northeasterly wind. Using particles as dinoflagellate cells and giving diel vertical migration, the model results showed that the particles aggregate along the convergent zone. By tracking particles in the model predicted current field, we estimated that the physical-biological coupled processes induced aggregation of the particles could cause 20-45 times enhanced cell density in the convergent zone. This indicated that a high cell density red tide under these processes could be initialized without very high nutrients concentrations. This may explain why Port Shelter, a nutrient-poor Bay, is the hot spot for high biomass red tides in Hong Kong in the past 25 years. Our study explains why red tide occurrences are episodic events and shows the importance of taking the physical-biological aggregation mechanism into consideration in the projection of red tides for coastal management. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li Yunhai; Liao Yuan; Zhou Lijun; Pan Ziqiang; Feng Yan
2003-01-01
Objective: On basis of physical dose optimization, LQ model was used to investigate the difference between the curves of biological effective dose and physical isodose. The influence of applying the biological dose concept on three dimensional conformal radiotherapy of prostate carcinoma was discussed. Methods: Four treatment plannings were designed for physical dose optimization: three fields, four-box fields, five fields and six fields. Target dose uniformity and protection of the critical tissue-rectum were used as the principal standard for designing the treatment planning. Biological effective dose (BED) was calculated by LQ model. The difference between the BED curve drawn in the central layer and the physical isodose curve was studied. The difference between the adjusted physical dose (APD) and the physical dose was also studied. Results: Five field planning was the best in target dose uniformity and protection of the critical tissue-rectum. The physical dose was uniform in the target, but the biological effective doses revealed great discrepancy in the biological model. Adjusted physical dose distribution also displayed larger discrepancy than the physical dose unadjusted. Conclusions: Intensified Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) technique with inversion planning using biological dose concept may be much more advantageous to reach a high tumor control probability and low normal tissue complication probability
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Gomez-Ramirez, Jaime; Sanz, Ricardo
2013-09-01
One of the most important scientific challenges today is the quantitative and predictive understanding of biological function. Classical mathematical and computational approaches have been enormously successful in modeling inert matter, but they may be inadequate to address inherent features of biological systems. We address the conceptual and methodological obstacles that lie in the inverse problem in biological systems modeling. We introduce a full Bayesian approach (FBA), a theoretical framework to study biological function, in which probability distributions are conditional on biophysical information that physically resides in the biological system that is studied by the scientist. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rastogi, B.P.
1989-01-01
This report discusses various reactor physics codes developed for neutronic design, fuel-management, reactor operation and safety analysis of PHWRs. These code packages have been utilized for nuclear design of 500 MWe and new 235 MWe PHWRs. (author)
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9 CFR 114.6 - Mixing biological products.
2010-01-01
... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Mixing biological products. 114.6... BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS § 114.6 Mixing biological products. Each biological product, when in liquid form, shall be mixed thoroughly in a single container. During bottling operations, the product shall be...