Influence of follicular fluid GDF9 and BMP15 on embryo quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Gode, Funda; Gulekli, Bulent; Dogan, Erbil; Korhan, Peyda; Dogan, Seda; Bige, Ozgur; Cimrin, Dilek; Atabey, Nese

2011-06-01

To evaluate the association between follicular fluid levels of propeptide and mature forms of growth differentiation factor (GDF) 9 and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 15 with subsequent oocyte and embryo quality. Prospective clinical study. University hospital. Eighty-one infertile patients who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The expression levels of the propeptide and mature forms of follicular fluid GDF9 and BMP15 were determined by western blot analysis. The levels of follicular fluid hormones (FSH, E2, and P) were measured with automated chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays. The relationships between the levels of GDF9 and BMP15, hormones, oocyte maturation, and embryo quality. Mature GDF9 levels were significantly correlated with the nuclear maturation of oocytes. The mean mature GDF9 level was 4.87±0.60 in the high-embryo-quality group and 1.45±0.81 in the low-embryo-quality group. There were no statistically significant differences in embryo quality among the patients regarding propeptide GDF9 and BMP15 expression status. There was a negative correlation between follicular fluid levels of P and the mature form of GDF9. Higher mature GDF9 levels in the follicular fluid were significantly correlated with oocyte nuclear maturation and embryo quality. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 69.7 - Vessels transiting the Panama and Suez Canals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Vessels transiting the Panama and Suez Canals. 69.7... MEASUREMENT OF VESSELS MEASUREMENT OF VESSELS General § 69.7 Vessels transiting the Panama and Suez Canals. (a... Canal must be measured and certificated under the Arab Republic of Egypt Suez Canal Authority Rules of...

Gdf11 is a negative regulator of chondrogenesis and myogenesis in the developing chick limb.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamer, L W; Cox, K A; Small, C; Rosen, V

2001-01-15

GDF11, a new member of the TGF-beta gene superfamily, regulates anterior/posterior patterning in the axial skeleton during mouse embryogenesis. Gdf11 null mice display skeletal abnormalities that appear to represent anterior homeotic transformations of vertebrae consistent with high levels of Gdf11 expression in the primitive streak, presomitic mesoderm, and tail bud. However, despite strong Gdf11 expression in the limb throughout development, this structure does not appear to be affected in the knockout mice. In order to understand this dichotomy of Gdf11 expression versus Gdf11 function, we identified the chicken Gdf11 gene and studied its role during limb formation. In the early limb bud, Gdf11 transcripts are detected in the subectodermal mesoderm at the distal tip, in a region overlapping the progress zone. At these stages, Gdf11 is excluded from the central core mesenchyme where precartilaginous condensations will form. Later in development, Gdf11 continues to be expressed in the distal most mesenchyme and can also be detected more proximally, in between the forming skeletal elements. When beads incubated in GDF11 protein were implanted into the early wing bud, GDF11 caused severe truncations of the limb that affected both the cartilage elements and the muscle. Limb shortening appeared to be the result of an inhibition of chondrogenesis and myogenesis and using an in vitro micromass assay, we confirmed the negative effects of GDF11 on both myogenic and chondrogenic cell differentiation. Analysis of molecular markers of skeletal patterning revealed that GDF11 induced ectopic expression of Hoxd-11 and Hoxd-13, but not of Hoxa-11, Hoxa-13, or the Msx genes. These data suggest that GDF11 may be involved in controlling the late distal expression of the Hoxd genes during limb development and that misregulation of these Hox genes by excess GDF11 may cause some of the observed alterations in skeletal element shape. In addition, GDF11 induced the expression of its own

GdF in Hungary: the East in progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-01-01

After Germany and the Czech Republic, Gaz de France (GdF) has decided to export its know-how and technologies about natural gas into Hungary. Thanks to the Hungarian privatization program started in 1995, GdF could obtain the major participation in the Degaz and Egaz companies, two out of the five local distribution companies, and controls 22% of the natural gas distribution in Hungary. (J.S.)

Identification of the GDF9 mutation in two sheep breeds by using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A genetic mutation with major effects on the litter size in sheep was recently identified in the growth differentiation factor (GDF9) gene of the TGF-B super family (transforming growth factor). GDF9 gene has been localized to chromosome 5 in sheep. In order to evaluate the GDF9 gene polymorphism, blood samples were ...

78 FR 12407 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; ICE Clear Credit LLC; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change To Add...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-22

... SAINT-GOBAIN; Deutsche Telekom AG; FRANCE TELECOM; GAS NATURAL SDG, S.A.; GDF SUEZ; HELLENIC... AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT; ACCOR; Bertelsmann AG; CARREFOUR; CASINO GUICHARD-PERRACHON; COMPASS GROUP PLC; EXPERIAN FINANCE...

The inflammatory marker GDF-15 is not independently associated with late-life depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Teunissen, C E; Durieux-Lu, S; Blankenstein, M A; Oude Voshaar, R C; Comijs, H C

2016-04-01

Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is an inflammatory molecule that reacts to cell stress. Since major depression is associated with inflammation, we examined whether GDF-15 levels are elevated in patients with late-life depression. Plasma GDF-15 levels were analyzed in 350 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder in the last six months and 128 non-depressed controls from the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older persons (age ≥ 60 years). Major depressive disorder and age of onset were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Severity of depressive symptoms was measured with the Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (IDS-30). Multiple linear regression models were applied to study depression (diagnosis, onset age, severity, antidepressant drug use) as determinant of GDF-15 level, adjusted for demographic and clinical variables. Plasma GDF-15 levels were 22% higher in patients with major depression compared to controls. Within the depressed group, levels were higher in patients with older age of onset. GDF-15 levels showed a small, positive correlation to the levels of the inflammatory mediators IL-6 and C-reactive protein (r=0.23, and 0.24, pdepressed subgroup, neither depression severity or antidepressant drug use was associated with GDF-15 levels in the fully adjusted models. The inflammatory factor GDF-15 does not seem to be an independent inflammatory marker for late-life major depressive disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

GDF-15 Is Elevated in Children with Mitochondrial Diseases and Is Induced by Mitochondrial Dysfunction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel Montero

Full Text Available We previously described increased levels of growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15 in skeletal muscle and serum of patients with mitochondrial diseases. Here we evaluated GDF-15 as a biomarker for mitochondrial diseases affecting children and compared it to fibroblast-growth factor 21 (FGF-21. To investigate the mechanism of GDF-15 induction in these pathologies we measured its expression and secretion in response to mitochondrial dysfunction.We analysed 59 serum samples from 48 children with mitochondrial disease, 19 samples from children with other neuromuscular diseases and 33 samples from aged-matched healthy children. GDF-15 and FGF-21 circulating levels were determined by ELISA.Our results showed that in children with mitochondrial diseases GDF-15 levels were on average increased by 11-fold (mean 4046pg/ml, 1492 SEM relative to healthy (350, 21 and myopathic (350, 32 controls. The area under the curve for the receiver-operating-characteristic curve for GDF-15 was 0.82 indicating that it has a good discriminatory power. The overall sensitivity and specificity of GDF-15 for a cut-off value of 550pg/mL was 67.8% (54.4%-79.4% and 92.3% (81.5%-97.9%, respectively. We found that elevated levels of GDF-15 and or FGF-21 correctly identified a larger proportion of patients than elevated levels of GDF-15 or FGF-21 alone. GDF-15, as well as FGF-21, mRNA expression and protein secretion, were significantly induced after treatment of myotubes with oligomycin and that levels of expression of both factors significantly correlated.Our data indicate that GDF-15 is a valuable serum quantitative biomarker for the diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases in children and that measurement of both GDF-15 and FGF-21 improves the disease detection ability of either factor separately. Finally, we demonstrate for the first time that GDF-15 is produced by skeletal muscle cells in response to mitochondrial dysfunction and that its levels correlate in vitro with FGF

Evaluating the atmospheric dispersion characteristics of Suez Canal area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aly, A.I.M.; Sabek, G.; Abd El-Aal, M.; El-Ghamry, M.

1988-01-01

The atmospheric dispersion characteristics of Suez Canal area were determined for subsequent estimation of the environmental impacts of transporting radioactive or hazardous material through the Suez Canal and for the study of environmental pollution resulting from fossil power plants. The atmospheric stability classes were determined at three stations: Port Said, Ismailia and Port Tawfiek (Suez). For achieving this purpose, a computer program was developed through which the atmospheric stability classes A - F and insolation were determined by combining the measured meteorological parameters and the sun elevation which was calculated by another developed computer program with the help of astronomical tables. The results show that the most frequent stability class at Port-Said and Suez is stability class D (neutral condition), whereas at Ismailia area the moderately stable class F, which is the inversion condition with unfavourable dispersion characteristics, is prevailing. The determination of the frequency of stability classes will make it possible to calculate the concentration of a pollutant at a given distance from the source and therefore will be used in dose assessment

GDF3 is a BMP inhibitor that can activate Nodal signaling only at very high doses

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Ariel J.; Levine, Zachary J.; Brivanlou, Ali H.

2013-01-01

Within the TGF-β superfamily, there are approximately forty ligands divided into two major branches: the TGF-β/Activin/Nodal ligands and the BMP/GDF ligands. We studied the ligand GDF3 and found that it inhibits signaling by its co-family members, the BMPs; however, GDF3 has been described by others to have Nodal-like activity. Here, we show that GDF3 can activate Nodal signaling, but only at very high doses and only upon mRNA over-expression. In contrast, GDF3 inhibits BMP signaling upon over-expression of GDF3 mRNA, as recombinant protein, and regardless of its dose. We therefore further characterized the mechanism through which GDF3 protein acts as a specific BMP inhibitor and found that the BMP inhibitory activity of GDF3 resides redundantly in the unprocessed, predominant form and in the mature form of the protein. These results confirm and extend the activity that we described for GDF3 and illuminate the experimental basis for the different observations of others. We suggest that GDF3 is either a bi-functional TGF-β ligand, or, more likely, that it is a BMP inhibitor that can artificially activate Nodal signaling under non-physiological conditions. PMID:18823971

The Distribution of Heavy Metal Pollutants in Suez Bay Using Geographic Information System (GIS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, H.B.; Mohamed, W.M.

2017-01-01

Suez city represents the southern entrance of the Suez Canal. As a result of the rapid development of industrialization and anthropogenic activities of Suez city may be entered containments such as heavy metals through Suez bay boundaries. The geographical information system (Arc GIS 9.1) is used to study the spatial distribution of heavy metals concentrations (Cd, Mn, Fe, Ni, Pb, Cu and Zn) of water samples which were collected in four different sampling sites (I, II, III and IV) from Suez bay. In this study, tabular data representation of the spatial distribution was developed using the inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation method. The GIS technique was applied to transfer the information into a final map illustrating the spatial distribution of heavy metals within the studied area. GIS models showed the high concentrations of heavy metals in some sites in the Suez city affecting by their activities. An overall distribution map of heavy metals is observed from GIS special analysis. Site (IV) in Suez City demonstrated the highest polluted are a in the overall distribution map

Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Ocular Apoptosis in Zebrafish gdf6a Mutants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pant, Sameer D.; March, Lindsey D.; Famulski, Jakub K.

2013-01-01

intrinsic or extrinsic apoptotic mechanisms were involved, morpholino antisense oligonucleotides targeting baxa, baxb, and p53 were employed. Caspase-3 immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to assay apoptosis. Pharmacologic inhibition (using SB203580) and IHC were used to investigate the role of p38...... occurs 28 hours post fertilization (hpf) in gdf6a(-/-) mutants that is mediated independently of p53 by intrinsic mechanisms involving Bax proteins. Also, gdf6a(-/-) mutants exhibit markedly increased p38 MAP kinase activation that can be inhibited to significantly reduce retinal apoptosis. A reduction...... in retinal smad1 expression was also noted in gdf6a(-/-) mutants. CONCLUSIONS. gdf6a(-/-)-induced apoptosis is characterized by the involvement of intrinsic apoptotic pathways, p38 MAP kinases, and dysregulated smad expression. Modulation of key mediators can inhibit retinal apoptosis offering potential...

76 FR 4751 - Position Limits for Derivatives

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-26

... saleable by long traders at its market value in normal cash marketing channels at the derivative contract's... Association, Futures Industry Association, GDF Suez Energy, Morgan Stanley, and NextEra Energy Power Marketing...

Nuclei pulposi formation from the embryonic notochord occurs normally in GDF-5-deficient mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Maier, Jennifer A; Harfe, Brian D

2011-11-15

The transition of the mouse embryonic notochord into nuclei pulposi was determined ("fate mapped") in vivo in growth and differentiating factor-5 (GDF-5)-null mice using the Shhcre and R26R alleles. To determine whether abnormal nuclei pulposi formation from the embryonic notochord was responsible for defects present in adult nuclei pulposi of Gdf-5-null mice. The development, maintenance, and degeneration of the intervertebral disc are not understood. Previously, we demonstrated that all cells in the adult nucleus pulposus of normal mice are derived from the embryonic notochord. Gdf-5-null mice have been reported to contain intervertebral discs in which the nucleus pulposus is abnormal. It is currently unclear if disc defects in Gdf-5-null mice arise during the formation of nuclei pulposi from the notochord during embryogenesis or result from progressive postnatal degeneration of nuclei pulposi. Gdf-5 messenger RNA expression was examined in the discs of wild-type embryos by RNA in situ hybridization to determine when and where this gene was expressed. To examine nucleus pulposus formation in Gdf-5-null mice, intervertebral discs in which embryonic notochord cells were marked were analyzed in newborn and 24-week-old mice. Our Gdf-5 messenger RNA in situ experiments determined that this gene is localized to the annulus fibrosus and not the nucleus pulposus in mouse embryos. Notochord fate-mapping experiments revealed that notochord cells in Gdf-5-null mice correctly form nuclei pulposi. Our data suggest that the defects reported in the nucleus pulposus of adult Gdf-5-null mice do not result from abnormal patterning of the embryonic notochord. The use of mouse alleles to mark cells that produce all cell types that reside in the adult nucleus pulposus will allow for a detailed examination of disc formation in other mouse mutants that have been reported to contain disc defects.

Offensive strategy: Suez wants to hustle EdF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jemain, A.

2003-01-01

Using Electrabel, its new energy pole, the private company Suez is looking for multiple ways of entry to reinforce its positions in France in the gas and electric power sectors in the prospect of the complete opening of energy markets in 2004. This article analyzes the strategy of Suez to become the most credible challenger of EdF, the French historical national electric utility: reorganization of its industrial and commercial activities, gain of new clients and definition of a new strategy for the gas market. (J.S.)

Biochemistry and Biology of GDF11 and Myostatin: Similarities, Differences, and Questions for Future Investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Ryan G; Poggioli, Tommaso; Katsimpardi, Lida; Buchanan, Sean M; Oh, Juhyun; Wattrus, Sam; Heidecker, Bettina; Fong, Yick W; Rubin, Lee L; Ganz, Peter; Thompson, Thomas B; Wagers, Amy J; Lee, Richard T

2016-04-01

Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) and myostatin (or GDF8) are closely related members of the transforming growth factor β superfamily and are often perceived to serve similar or overlapping roles. Yet, despite commonalities in protein sequence, receptor utilization and signaling, accumulating evidence suggests that these 2 ligands can have distinct functions in many situations. GDF11 is essential for mammalian development and has been suggested to regulate aging of multiple tissues, whereas myostatin is a well-described negative regulator of postnatal skeletal and cardiac muscle mass and modulates metabolic processes. In this review, we discuss the biochemical regulation of GDF11 and myostatin and their functions in the heart, skeletal muscle, and brain. We also highlight recent clinical findings with respect to a potential role for GDF11 and/or myostatin in humans with heart disease. Finally, we address key outstanding questions related to GDF11 and myostatin dynamics and signaling during development, growth, and aging. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

On the ecological role of Copepoda in the Suez Canal marine ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Moreover, the importance of copepods in the marine food web and secondary productivity in the canal water, as well as their response to environmental variations in the Suez Canal ecosystem were discussed. KEY WORDS: Zooplankton, Copepoda, food web, marine ecosystem, Suez Canal Egyptian Journal of Biology ...

77 FR 63905 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; ICE Clear Credit LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-17

... company; COMPAGNIE DE SAINT-GOBAIN; Deutsche Telekom AG; FRANCE TELECOM; GAS NATURAL SDG, S.A. GDF SUEZ...; COMPASS GROUP PLC; EXPERIAN FINANCE PLC; GROUPE AUCHAN; J SAINSBURY plc; Koninklijke Ahold N.V.; MARKS AND...

Knock-in human GDF5 proregion L373R mutation as a mouse model for proximal symphalangism.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xinxin; Xing, Xuesha; Liu, Xing; Hu, Yu; Qu, Shengqiang; Wang, Heyi; Luo, Yang

2017-12-26

Proximal symphalangism (SYM1) is an autosomal dominant disorder, mainly characterized by bony fusions of the proximal phalanges of the hands and feet. GDF5 and NOG were identified to be responsible for SYM1. We have previously reported on a p.Leu373Arg mutation in the GDF5 proregion present in a Chinese family with SYM1. Here, we investigated the effects of the GDF-L373R mutation. The variant caused proteolysis efficiency of GDF5 increased in ATDC5 cells. The variant also caused upregulation of SMAD1/5/8 phosphorylation and increased expression of target genes SMURF1 , along with COL2A1 and SOX9 which are factors associated with chondrosis. Furthermore, we developed a human-relevant SYM1 mouse model by making a Gdf5 L367R (the orthologous position for L373R in humans) knock-in mouse. Gdf5 L367R/+ and Gdf5 L367R/L367R mice displayed stiffness and adhesions across the proximal phalanx joint which were in complete accord with SYM1. It was also confirmed the joint formation and development was abnormal in Gdf5 L367R/+ and Gdf5 L367R/L367R mice, including the failure to develop the primary ossification center and be hypertrophic chondrocytes during embryonic development. This knock-in mouse model offers a tool for assessing the pathogenesis of SYM1 and the function of the GDF5 proregion.

The Inauguration of Suez Canal and Its Impacts on Navigation in seas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

maryam sheypari

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The inauguration of Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to Red Sea, had a great impact on marine communications. In other words, this canal not only offered the easier access of European countries to their colonies in Asia because of the new marine route between Asia and Europe but also developed the use of steamboats instead of sailboats due to its specific geographical position. In fact, the trade between Asia and Europe spanned via the seas located between Asia and Europe after four centuries as the result of inauguration of Suez Canal in 1869A.D. Furthermore, the importance of Seas i.e. Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and black Sea had the great economic _ political role in the world and the expansion of rivalry between countries in Persian Gulf due to this canal.  This study investigates to the process of diving Suez and the influence of Suez Canal on marine changes among the countries, especially in Persian Gulf by the beginning of the First World War. The outcome of this study demonstrates that the inauguration of Suez Canal led to the rivalry situation for England in the period of its supremacy.

Treatment with rGDF11 does not improve the dystrophic muscle pathology of mdx mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rinaldi, Fabrizio; Zhang, Yu; Mondragon-Gonzalez, Ricardo; Harvey, Jeffrey; Perlingeiro, Rita C R

2016-01-01

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an inherited lethal muscle wasting disease characterized by cycles of degeneration and regeneration, with no effective therapy. Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11), a member of the TGF-β superfamily and myostatin homologous, has been reported to have the capacity to reverse age-related skeletal muscle loss. These initial findings led us to investigate the ability of GDF11 to promote regeneration in the context of muscular dystrophy and determine whether it could be a candidate to slow down or reverse the disease progression in DMD. Here, we delivered recombinant GDF11 (rGDF11) to dystrophin-deficient mice using the intra-peritoneal route for 30 days and evaluated histology and function in both steady-state and cardiotoxin-injured muscles. Our data confirmed that treatment with rGDF11 resulted in elevated levels of this factor in the circulation. However, this had no effect on muscle contractility nor on muscle histology. Moreover, no difference was found in the number of regenerating myofibers displaying centrally located nuclei. On the other hand, we did observe increased collagen content, which denotes fibrosis, in the muscles of rGDF11-treated dystrophic mice. Taken together, our findings indicate no beneficial effect of treating dystrophic mice with rGDF11 and raise caution to a potential harmful effect, as shown by the pro-fibrotic outcome.

Piquet Caroline, Histoire du canal de Suez, Paris, Perrin, 2009, 372 p.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudine Piaton

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Les études sur l'histoire du canal de Suez connaissent un regain d'intérêt chez les historiens français. Nathalie Montel avait ouvert la voie en 1998 en publiant un ouvrage passionnant sur le percement du canal, Le chantier du canal de Suez, 1859-1869. Une histoire des pratiques techniques. L'étude s'arrêtait à l'ouverture du canal en 1869, laissant le champ libre à de futurs travaux. La publication en 2008 de l'ouvrage de Caroline Piquet, La Compagnie du canal de Suez, une concession françai...

Development of the Neptune Deepwater Port: The Importance of Key Stakeholder Involvement and Benefits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silver, Marc

2010-09-15

In 2005, a subsidiary of GDF SUEZ began developing the Neptune LNG Deepwater Port off the coast of Massachusetts. The project met with minimal opposition and maintained a very aggressive timeline. The reasons? Productive involvement with key stakeholders and well-defined benefits. This paper outlines the systematic approach to stakeholder outreach and mitigation planning that Neptune LNG LLC took to garner project acceptance. Details of the pre-planning phase, the stakeholder outreach phase, and the project mitigation phase are all discussed. The result was a major energy project that took less than 3.5 years to permit and 1.5 years to build.

Red to Mediterranean Sea bioinvasion: natural drift through the Suez Canal, or anthropogenic transport?

Science.gov (United States)

Shefer, Sigal; Abelson, Avigdor; Mokady, Ofer; Geffen, Eli

2004-08-01

The biota of the eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea has experienced dramatic changes in the last decades, in part as a result of the massive invasion of Red Sea species. The mechanism generally hypothesized for the 'Red-to-Med' invasion is that of natural dispersal through the Suez Canal. To date, however, this hypothesis has not been tested. This study examines the mode of invasion, using as a model the mussel Brachidontes pharaonis, an acclaimed 'Lessepsian migrant' that thrives along the eastern Mediterranean coast. Our findings reveal two distinct lineages of haplotypes, and five possible explanations are discussed for this observation. We show that the genetic exchange among the Mediterranean, Gulf of Suez and the northern Red Sea is sufficiently large to counteract the build up of sequential genetic structure. Nevertheless, these basins are rich in unique haplotypes of unknown origin. We propose that it is historic secondary contact, an ongoing anthropogenic transport or both processes, that participate in driving the population dynamics of B. pharaonis in the Mediterranean and northern Red Sea. Copyright 2004 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Presence of SNPs in GDF9 mRNA of Iranian Afshari Sheep

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Talat Saiedi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Multiple births occur frequently in some Iranian sheep breeds, while infertilityscarcely occurs. Mutation detection in major fecundity genes has been explored in most of Iraniansheep flocks over the last decade. However, previously reported single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs for bone morphogenetic protein receptor-(BMPR-1B and growth differentiation factor GDF9( known to affect fertility have not been detected. This study was conducted to assess whetherany significant mutations in GDF9 were extracted from slaughtered ewe ovaries of Iranian Afsharisheep breed.Materials and Methods: Ovaries defined as poor, fair, and excellent quality based on externalvisual appearance of follicles were used for histology and RNA extraction processes. High qualityRNAs underwent reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR from GDF9 mRNA,and the products sequenced.Results: No streak ovaries, which are considered indicators of infertility due to homozygocity forsome mutations in GDF9 and BMP15, were found. Sequencing results from GDF9 cDNA showedthat G2 (C471T, G3 (G477A, and G4 (G721A mutations were observed from 1, 4, and 1 out of12 ewes, respectively. Though all 3 mutations were previously reported, this is the first report ontheir presence in Iranian breeds. The first and second mutations do not alter the amino acids, whileG4 is a non-conservative mutation leading to E241K in the prohormone.Conclusion: As the G4 mutation was observed only in ovaries defined superficially as top quality,it could be considered as one of reasons for higher ovulation rate in some sheep. Furthermore sincemultiple mutations were observed in some cases, it might be possible that combinations of minormutations in GDF9 and BMP15 interact to affect fecundity in some Iranian sheep breeds.

Growth-differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8 in the uterus: its identification and functional significance in the golden hamster

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O Wai Sum

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Transforming growth factor-beta superfamily regulates many aspects of reproduction in the female. We identified a novel member of this family, growth-differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8 in the 72 h post coital uterine fluid of the golden hamster by proteomic techniques. Uterine GDF-8 mRNA decreased as pregnancy progressed while its active protein peaked at 72 h post coitus (hpc and thereafter stayed at a lower level. At 72 hpc, the GDF-8 transcript was localized to the endometrial epithelium while its protein accumulated in the stroma. Exogenous GDF-8 slowed down proliferation of primary cultures of uterine smooth muscle cells (SMC and endometrial epithelial cells (EEC. In addition, GDF-8 attenuated the release of LIF (leukaemia inhibiting factor by EEC. As for the embryo in culture, GDF-8 promoted proliferation of the trophotoderm (TM and hatching but discouraged attachment. Our study suggests that GDF-8 could regulate the behavior of preimplantation embryos and fine-tune the physiology of uterine environment during pregnancy.

Further evidence of accelerated aging in bipolar disorder: Focus on GDF-15

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Fang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Bipolar disorder (BD is a mood disorder associated with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and premature aging. Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15 has emerged as a biomarker for cardiovascular risk and aging. Our aim was to compare plasma levels of GDF-15 between BD patients and controls, and to evaluate whether they were associated with clinical parameters.

Suez and Sterling, 1956

OpenAIRE

Adam Klug; Gregor W. Smith

1999-01-01

Daily data on spot and forward dollar/sterling exchange rates and on Britain's foreign exchange reserves are used to reassess the financial history of the 1956 Suez crisis. We find that support of sterling at its Bretton Woods lower bound lost credibility as early as July. Reserve losses also are consistent with an exchange rate crisis. We provide the first econometric study of foreign exchange market intervention in the pre-convertibility phase of the Bretton Woods system. The Bank of Englan...

75 FR 70736 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-18

...: EC10-98-000. Applicants: GDF Suez S.A., International Power PLC. Description: Supplemental Affidavit of...., International Power plc and its Indicated United States Subsidiaries. Filed Date: 10/29/2010. Accession Number... Generation Holdings, LLC. Description: TPF Generation Holdings, LLC submits an application for authorization...

Venemaa ja Prantsusmaa loovad liitu gaasi ja laevadega kaubeldes / Kaivo Kopli

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kopli, Kaivo

2010-01-01

Venemaa presidendi Dmitri Medvedevi visiidist Prantsusmaale. Prantsusmaa peab läbirääkimisi nelja dessantlaeva Mistral müügiks Venemaale, Prantsuse energiafirma GDF Suez saab osaluse Nord Streamis ja Prantsusmaa ostab 2015. a. alates Venemaalt täiendavalt 1,5 mld kuupmeetrit gaasi

A review of potential tsunami impacts to the Suez Canal

Science.gov (United States)

Finkl, C.; Pelinovsky, E.

2012-04-01

Destructive tsunamis in the eastern Mediterranean and Red seas, induced by earthquakes and/or volcanic activity, pose potential hazards to docked seaport shipping and fixed harbor infrastructure as well as to in-transit international shipping within the Suez Canal. Potential vulnerabilities of the Suez Canal to possible tsunami impacts are reviewed by reference to geological, historical, archaeoseismological, and anecdotal data. Tsunami catalogues and databases compiled by earlier researchers are perused to estimate potential return periods for tsunami events that could affect directly the Suez Canal and its closely associated operational infrastructures. Analysis of these various records indicates a centurial return period, or multiples thereof, for long-wave repetition that could generally affect the Nile Delta. It is estimated that tsunami waves 2 m high would have a breaking length about 5 km down Canal whereas a 10 m wave break would occur about 1 km into the Canal. Should a tsunami strike the eastern flanks of the Nile Delta, it would damage Egypt's maritime infrastructure and multi-national commercial vessels and military ships then using the Canal.

Effective RNA-silencing strategy of Lv-MSTN/GDF11 gene and its effects on the growth in shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ji-Hyun; Momani, Jalal; Kim, Young Mog; Kang, Chang-Keun; Choi, Jung-Hwa; Baek, Hae-Ja; Kim, Hyun-Woo

2015-01-01

Myostatin (MSTN), also known as GDF8, is a member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily and plays an important role in muscle growth, development, and differentiation. Recently, Lv-MSTN/GDF11, the primitive isoform of MSTN and GDF11, was identified from the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. The major production site for Lv-MSTN/GDF11 is in the heart, not the tail muscle, which differs from MSTNs in mammals. Among the three injected RNAs, long dsRNA was the most effective for Lv-MSTN/GDF11 knockdown and transcripts of Lv-MSTN/GDF11 decreased in both the heart (88.85%) and skeletal muscles (43.36%) 72h after injection of 10pmol of long dsRNA. We also found that higher doses of dsRNA did not lead to greater decreases in Lv-MSTN/GDF11 transcripts for amounts between 1pmol and 100pmol. Injection of Lv-MSTN/GDF11 dsRNA did not affect the upregulation of the skeletal actin gene (Lv-ACTINSK) in the tail muscle, but the expression of cytoplasmic and cardiac actins were upregulated in both the heart and tail muscle. Over the course of 8weeks of dsRNA injection, considerably higher mortality (~71%) was seen in the dsRNA-injected group compared to the control group (40%). Surviving shrimp in the dsRNA injected group had a lower growth rate due to the adverse effects of Lv-MSTN/GDF11 knockdown. Lv-MSTN/GDF11 appears to be involved in muscular or neuronal development, but not in doubling muscle fibers, as is the case with mammalian MSTN. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Energy transfer and tunable multicolor emission and paramagnetic properties of GdF3:Dy(3+),Tb(3+),Eu(3+) phosphors.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Hongxia; Sheng, Ye; Xu, Chengyi; Dai, Yunzhi; Xie, Xiaoming; Zou, Haifeng

2016-07-20

A series of Dy(3+), Tb(3+), Eu(3+) singly or doubly or triply doped GdF3 phosphors were synthesized by a glutamic acid assisted one-step hydrothermal method. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results show that the synthesized samples are all pure GdF3. The obtained samples have a peanut-like morphology with a diameter of about 270 nm and a length of about 600 nm. Under UV excitation, GdF3:Dy(3+), GdF3:Tb(3+) and GdF3:Eu(3+) samples exhibit strong blue, green and red emissions, respectively. By adjusting their relative doping concentrations in the GdF3 host, the different color hues of green and red light are obtained by co-doped Dy(3+), Tb(3+) and Tb(3+), Eu(3+) ions in the GdF3 host, respectively. Besides, there exist two energy transfer pairs in the GdF3 host: (1) Dy(3+) → Tb(3+) and (2) Tb(3+) → Eu(3+). More significantly, in the Dy(3+), Tb(3+), and Eu(3+) tri-doped GdF3 phosphors, white light can also be achieved upon excitation of UV light by adjusting the doping concentration of Eu(3+). In addition, the obtained samples also exhibit paramagnetic properties at room temperature (300 K) and low temperature (2 K). It is obvious that multifunctional Dy(3+), Tb(3+), Eu(3+) tri-doped GdF3 materials including tunable multicolors and intrinsic paramagnetic properties may have potential applications in the field of full-color displays.

76 FR 27035 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-10

... Park, LLC, LSP Safe Harbor Holdings, LLC, LS Power Marketing, LLC, Renaissance Power, L.L.C., Riverside... Funding I, LLC, Armstrong Energy Limited Partnership, L.L.L.P., Calumet Energy Team LLC, Choctaw Gas... Power Resources Management, LLC, GDF SUEZ Energy Marketing NA, Inc., Hopewell Cogeneration Limited...

76 FR 13608 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-14

... Corporation, FirstLight Power Resources Management, LLC, GDF SUEZ Energy Marketing NA, Inc., Green Mountain... institute a proceeding regarding qualifying facility status. A notice of self-certification [or self... electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper, using the FERC Online links at http...

Risk assessment during transport of radioactive materials through the Suez Canal

Science.gov (United States)

Sabek, M. G.; El-Shinawy, R. M. K.; Gomaa, M.

1997-03-01

In this paper a study for risk assessment of the impact of transporting radioactive materials, during the period 1986-1992, through the Suez Canal of Egypt is given. The code RADTRAN-IV was used for this study. The results of the code, for a normal case, show that the transportation of low activity materials such as uranium (U 3O 8) represent the main items that contribute significantly to the collective dose within the Suez Canal area (Port-Said, Ismailia and Suez). The values of the annual collective dose due to transportation of all radionuclide materials was found to be at a maximum in Suez town and is equal to 5.04 × 10 -8 Man-Sv for the whole populations. If we only consider the workder at the harbour (estimated to be 50 persons), the value of the annual collective dose is about 3.33 × 10 -4 Man-Sv. These values are less than the exemption value of 1 Man-Sv recommended by the IAEA. For the accident case, the following pathways are considered by the code: ground-shine, direct inhalation, inhalation of resuspended material and cloud-shine. The total values of the estimated risks for each radionuclide material are presented in table form and, in addition, health effects (genetic effects, GE, and latent cancer fatality), LCF) are discussed. The calculated values of the radiological risks are very low for the three towns, showing that no radiation-induced early deaths are to be expected.

Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) suppresses in vitro angiogenesis through a novel interaction with connective tissue growth factor (CCN2).

Science.gov (United States)

Whitson, Ramon J; Lucia, Marshall Scott; Lambert, James R

2013-06-01

Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) and the CCN family member, connective tissue growth factor (CCN2), are associated with cardiac disease, inflammation, and cancer. The precise role and signaling mechanism for these factors in normal and diseased tissues remains elusive. Here we demonstrate an interaction between GDF-15 and CCN2 using yeast two-hybrid assays and have mapped the domain of interaction to the von Willebrand factor type C domain of CCN2. Biochemical pull down assays using secreted GDF-15 and His-tagged CCN2 produced in PC-3 prostate cancer cells confirmed a direct interaction between these proteins. To investigate the functional consequences of this interaction, in vitro angiogenesis assays were performed. We demonstrate that GDF-15 blocks CCN2-mediated tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVEC) cells. To examine the molecular mechanism whereby GDF-15 inhibits CCN2-mediated angiogenesis, activation of αV β3 integrins and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was examined. CCN2-mediated FAK activation was inhibited by GDF-15 and was accompanied by a decrease in αV β3 integrin clustering in HUVEC cells. These results demonstrate, for the first time, a novel signaling pathway for GDF-15 through interaction with the matricellular signaling molecule CCN2. Furthermore, antagonism of CCN2 mediated angiogenesis by GDF-15 may provide insight into the functional role of GDF-15 in disease states. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

75 FR 61713 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-06

... Numbers: EC10-98-000. Applicants: GDF SUEZ S.A., INTERNATIONAL POWER PLC. Description: Joint Application... Plc. Filed Date: 09/21/2010. Accession Number: 20100921-5079. Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time on... Energy Company, LLC submits application for authorization to make wholesale sales of energy and capacity...

Note on Tendipedidae of the Suez Canal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruseman, G.

1949-01-01

Mr. A. C. V. VAN BEMMEL and Dr. A. DIAKONOFF of the Buitenzorg Museum (Java) collected Tendipedidae, which were attracted by artificial lights, when they passed the Suez Canal on 8-XI-1937 and 16-V-1939 respectively. This very interesting collection, containing some new species, was sent to me for

Non-homeostatic body weight regulation through a brainstem-restricted receptor for GDF15

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsu, Jer-Yuan; Crawley, Suzanne; Chen, Michael; Ayupova, Dina A.; Lindhout, Darrin A.; Higbee, Jared; Kutach, Alan; Joo, William; Gao, Zhengyu; Fu, Diana; To, Carmen; Mondal, Kalyani; Li, Betty; Kekatpure, Avantika; Wang, Marilyn; Laird, Teresa; Horner, Geoffrey; Chan, Jackie; McEntee, Michele; Lopez, Manuel; Lakshminarasimhan, Damodharan; White, Andre; Wang, Sheng-Ping; Yao, Jun; Yie, Junming; Matern, Hugo; Solloway, Mark; Haldankar, Raj; Parsons, Thomas; Tang, Jie; Shen, Wenyan D.; Alice Chen, Yu; Tian, Hui; Allan, Bernard B.

2017-09-27

Under homeostatic conditions, animals use well-defined hypothalamic neural circuits to help maintain stable body weight, by integrating metabolic and hormonal signals from the periphery to balance food consumption and energy expenditure1,2. In stressed or disease conditions, however, animals use alternative neuronal pathways to adapt to the metabolic challenges of altered energy demand3. Recent studies have identified brain areas outside the hypothalamus that are activated under these ‘non-homeostatic’ conditions4,5,6, but the molecular nature of the peripheral signals and brain-localized receptors that activate these circuits remains elusive. Here we identify glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) receptor alpha-like (GFRAL) as a brainstem-restricted receptor for growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF15). GDF15 regulates food intake, energy expenditure and body weight in response to metabolic and toxin-induced stresses; we show that Gfral knockout mice are hyperphagic under stressed conditions and are resistant to chemotherapy-induced anorexia and body weight loss. GDF15 activates GFRAL-expressing neurons localized exclusively in the area postrema and nucleus tractus solitarius of the mouse brainstem. It then triggers the activation of neurons localized within the parabrachial nucleus and central amygdala, which constitute part of the ‘emergency circuit’ that shapes feeding responses to stressful conditions7. GDF15 levels increase in response to tissue stress and injury, and elevated levels are associated with body weight loss in numerous chronic human diseases8,9. By isolating GFRAL as the receptor for GDF15-induced anorexia and weight loss, we identify a mechanistic basis for the non-homeostatic regulation of neural circuitry by a peripheral signal associated with tissue damage and stress. These findings provide opportunities to develop therapeutic agents for the treatment of disorders with altered energy demand.

Heads, Shoulders, Elbows, Knees, and Toes: Modular Gdf5 Enhancers Control Different Joints in the Vertebrate Skeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hao; Capellini, Terence D; Schoor, Michael; Mortlock, Doug P; Reddi, A Hari; Kingsley, David M

2016-11-01

Synovial joints are crucial for support and locomotion in vertebrates, and are the frequent site of serious skeletal defects and degenerative diseases in humans. Growth and differentiation factor 5 (Gdf5) is one of the earliest markers of joint formation, is required for normal joint development in both mice and humans, and has been genetically linked to risk of common osteoarthritis in Eurasian populations. Here, we systematically survey the mouse Gdf5 gene for regulatory elements controlling expression in synovial joints. We identify separate regions of the locus that control expression in axial tissues, in proximal versus distal joints in the limbs, and in remarkably specific sub-sets of composite joints like the elbow. Predicted transcription factor binding sites within Gdf5 regulatory enhancers are required for expression in particular joints. The multiple enhancers that control Gdf5 expression in different joints are distributed over a hundred kilobases of DNA, including regions both upstream and downstream of Gdf5 coding exons. Functional rescue tests in mice confirm that the large flanking regions are required to restore normal joint formation and patterning. Orthologs of these enhancers are located throughout the large genomic region previously associated with common osteoarthritis risk in humans. The large array of modular enhancers for Gdf5 provide a new foundation for studying the spatial specificity of joint patterning in vertebrates, as well as new candidates for regulatory regions that may also influence osteoarthritis risk in human populations.

The Suez Canal and the petroleum harbors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1997-01-01

The Suez Canal is the second longest channel in the world and allows to save 60% of the travel time between the petroleum harbors of the Arabic peninsula and Europe. This short paper gives a summary of the main petroleum harbors activity along the channel from the Red sea to the Mediterranean sea. (J.S.)

GDF15 regulates Kv2.1-mediated outward K+ current through the Akt/mTOR signalling pathway in rat cerebellar granule cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chang-Ying; Huang, An-Qi; Zhou, Meng-Hua; Mei, Yan-Ai

2014-05-15

GDF15 (growth/differentiation factor 15), a novel member of the TGFβ (transforming growth factor β) superfamily, plays critical roles in the central and peripheral nervous systems, but the signal transduction pathways and receptor subtypes involved are not well understood. In the present paper, we report that GDF15 specifically increases the IK (delayed-rectifier outward K+ current) in rat CGNs (cerebellar granule neurons) in time- and concentration-dependent manners. The GDF15-induced amplification of the IK is mediated by the increased expression and reduced lysosome-dependent degradation of the Kv2.1 protein, the main α-subunit of the IK channel. Exposure of CGNs to GDF15 markedly induced the phosphorylation of ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase), Akt and mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), but the GDF15-induced IK densities and increased expression of Kv2.1 were attenuated only by Akt and mTOR, and not ERK, inhibitors. Pharmacological inhibition of the Src-mediated phosphorylation of TGFβR2 (TGFβ receptor 2), not TGFβR1, abrogated the effect of GDF15 on IK amplification and Kv2.1 induction. Immunoprecipitation assays showed that GDF15 increased the tyrosine phosphorylation of TGFβRII in the CGN lysate. The results of the present study reveal a novel regulation of Kv2.1 by GDF15 mediated through the TGFβRII-activated Akt/mTOR pathway, which is a previously uncharacterized Smad-independent mechanism of GDF15 signalling.

(GDF9) gene in the Shal breed of sheep

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

The amplified PCR products were digested with DdeI restriction enzyme. ... Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) is a growth factor and a member of the transforming .... clear that the used PCR and electrophoresis strategies are suitable for ...

Egypt's first subsea completion: A Gulf of Suez case history

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Hawary, A.; Hoffman, J.G.

1996-01-01

A case history of the Gulf of Suez Petroleum Co.'s (Gupco) first subsea completion is provided. The first completion was for Well GS 373-2, a previously drilled and tested exploration well located in the south portion of the gulf of Suez. Subsea technology was used to economically justify development of this one-well marginal field, which was discovered in 1978. Traditional methods proved to be too costly for development, therefore application of a low-cost subsea tree was used to capture the resources. In the Gulf of Suez, many fields have been discovered but have not been developed because of low reserves. These marginal projects can have a profound impact on the revenue and shareholder value if an economic method is used to exploit these opportunities. Platform installation was not feasible because of reserve size, hence the well has remained abandoned until recently. This paper presents a summarized look at subsea completion technology. The cost comparison of traditional development methods will be made, given the local cost structure in Egypt. The application of this technology has some limitations and constraints that will be discussed in the paper. Furthermore, the actual field installation of Egypt's first subsea tree will be summarized. Also included is a discussion on simple remote controls and offshore installation operations

Tendon tissue engineering: adipose-derived stem cell and GDF-5 mediated regeneration using electrospun matrix systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, R; Kumbar, S G; Laurencin, C T; Balian, G; Chhabra, A B

2011-01-01

Tendon tissue engineering with a biomaterial scaffold that mimics the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM) and is biomechanically suitable, and when combined with readily available autologous cells, may provide successful regeneration of defects in tendon. Current repair strategies using suitable autografts and freeze-dried allografts lead to a slow repair process that is sub-optimal and fails to restore function, particularly in difficult clinical situations such as zone II flexor tendon injuries of the hand. We have investigated the effect of GDF-5 on cell proliferation and gene expression by primary rat adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) that were cultured on a poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) PLAGA fiber scaffold and compared to a PLAGA 2D film scaffold. The electrospun scaffold mimics the collagen fiber bundles present in native tendon tissue, and supports the adhesion and proliferation of multipotent ADSCs. Gene expression of scleraxis, the neotendon marker, was upregulated seven- to eightfold at 1 week with GDF-5 treatment when cultured on a 3D electrospun scaffold, and was significantly higher at 2 weeks compared to 2D films with or without GDF-5 treatment. Expression of the genes that encode the major tendon ECM protein, collagen type I, was increased by fourfold starting at 1 week on treatment with 100 ng mL -1 GDF-5, and at all time points the expression was significantly higher compared to 2D films irrespective of GDF-5 treatment. Thus stimulation with GDF-5 can modulate primary ADSCs on a PLAGA fiber scaffold to produce a soft, collagenous musculoskeletal tissue that fulfills the need for tendon regeneration.

Tendon tissue engineering: adipose-derived stem cell and GDF-5 mediated regeneration using electrospun matrix systems.

Science.gov (United States)

James, R; Kumbar, S G; Laurencin, C T; Balian, G; Chhabra, A B

2011-04-01

Tendon tissue engineering with a biomaterial scaffold that mimics the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM) and is biomechanically suitable, and when combined with readily available autologous cells, may provide successful regeneration of defects in tendon. Current repair strategies using suitable autografts and freeze-dried allografts lead to a slow repair process that is sub-optimal and fails to restore function, particularly in difficult clinical situations such as zone II flexor tendon injuries of the hand. We have investigated the effect of GDF-5 on cell proliferation and gene expression by primary rat adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) that were cultured on a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) PLAGA fiber scaffold and compared to a PLAGA 2D film scaffold. The electrospun scaffold mimics the collagen fiber bundles present in native tendon tissue, and supports the adhesion and proliferation of multipotent ADSCs. Gene expression of scleraxis, the neotendon marker, was upregulated seven- to eightfold at 1 week with GDF-5 treatment when cultured on a 3D electrospun scaffold, and was significantly higher at 2 weeks compared to 2D films with or without GDF-5 treatment. Expression of the genes that encode the major tendon ECM protein, collagen type I, was increased by fourfold starting at 1 week on treatment with 100 ng mL(-1) GDF-5, and at all time points the expression was significantly higher compared to 2D films irrespective of GDF-5 treatment. Thus stimulation with GDF-5 can modulate primary ADSCs on a PLAGA fiber scaffold to produce a soft, collagenous musculoskeletal tissue that fulfills the need for tendon regeneration.

Tendon tissue engineering: adipose-derived stem cell and GDF-5 mediated regeneration using electrospun matrix systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James, R [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908 (United States); Kumbar, S G; Laurencin, C T [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030 (United States); Balian, G; Chhabra, A B, E-mail: ac2h@hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908 (United States)

2011-04-15

Tendon tissue engineering with a biomaterial scaffold that mimics the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM) and is biomechanically suitable, and when combined with readily available autologous cells, may provide successful regeneration of defects in tendon. Current repair strategies using suitable autografts and freeze-dried allografts lead to a slow repair process that is sub-optimal and fails to restore function, particularly in difficult clinical situations such as zone II flexor tendon injuries of the hand. We have investigated the effect of GDF-5 on cell proliferation and gene expression by primary rat adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) that were cultured on a poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) PLAGA fiber scaffold and compared to a PLAGA 2D film scaffold. The electrospun scaffold mimics the collagen fiber bundles present in native tendon tissue, and supports the adhesion and proliferation of multipotent ADSCs. Gene expression of scleraxis, the neotendon marker, was upregulated seven- to eightfold at 1 week with GDF-5 treatment when cultured on a 3D electrospun scaffold, and was significantly higher at 2 weeks compared to 2D films with or without GDF-5 treatment. Expression of the genes that encode the major tendon ECM protein, collagen type I, was increased by fourfold starting at 1 week on treatment with 100 ng mL{sup -1} GDF-5, and at all time points the expression was significantly higher compared to 2D films irrespective of GDF-5 treatment. Thus stimulation with GDF-5 can modulate primary ADSCs on a PLAGA fiber scaffold to produce a soft, collagenous musculoskeletal tissue that fulfills the need for tendon regeneration.

Tendon tissue engineering: Adipose 1 derived stem cell and GDF-5 mediated regeneration using electrospun matrix systems

Science.gov (United States)

James, R; Kumbar, S G; Laurencin, C T; Balian, G; Chhabra, A B

2011-01-01

Tendon tissue engineering with a biomaterial scaffold that mimics the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM) and is biomechanically suitable when combined with readily available autologous cells may provide successful regeneration of defects in tendon. Current repair strategies using suitable autografts and freeze-dried allografts lead to a slow repair process that is sub-optimal and fails to restore function, particularly in difficult clinical situations such as zone II flexor tendon injuries of the hand. We have investigated the effect of GDF-5 on cell proliferation and gene expression by primary rat adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) that were cultured on poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) PLAGA fiber scaffold and compared to PLAGA 2D film scaffold. The electrospun scaffold mimics the collagen fiber bundles present in native tendon tissue, and supports the adhesion and proliferation of multipotent ADSCs. Gene expression of scleraxis, the neotendon marker was upregulated 7 – 8 fold at 1 week with GDF-5 treatment when cultured on 3D electrospun scaffold, and was significantly higher at 2 weeks compared to 2D films with or without GDF-5 treatment. Expression of the genes that encode the major tendon ECM protein, collagen type I, was increased by 4 fold starting at 1 week on treatment with 100ng/mL GDF-5, and at all time points the expression was significantly higher compared to 2D films irrespective of GDF-5 treatment. Thus stimulation with GDF-5 can modulate primary ADSCs on PLAGA fiber scaffold to produce a soft, collagenous musculoskeletal tissue that fulfills the need for tendon regeneration. PMID:21436509

Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba: New insights from recent satellite-marine potential field data

Science.gov (United States)

Almalki, Khalid A.; Mahmud, Syed A.

2018-01-01

Previous models and interpretations of crustal geometry and the nature of the crust under the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba have generally been based on a local or small scale and have been limited due to a lack of data. The few studies that present larger scale crustal and uppermost mantle structure were dependent on one type of data with no consideration of other geological and/or geophysical features. Satellite-marine potential field data provide for the first time a full coverage dataset of the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba as well as the Sinai area at the same scale which allows for a better understanding of crustal domains and geometry and the interplay between tectonic events. To that end, our forward models of magnetic and gravity data constrained by seismic data and available geological information in this area suggest that the crustal domains in the Gulf of Aqaba are more complicated than those in the Gulf of Suez. Our result supports continental rifting under most of the Gulf of Suez and a combination of transitional and continental crusts under the Gulf of Aqaba. Yet, there is no evidence of oceanic segment development in these gulfs. Regardless of oceanic or transitional crust, the models support a link between the Arabia and Sinai plates at the central Gulf of Aqaba. The data also support that Red Sea tectonism has no connection to or influence on both gulfs. The result suggests a continuation of lithological elements from land into the eastern part of the Gulf of Suez. Our synthesis and interpretations may play an important role in the reassessment of the tectonic history and extension of this important rift system.

EGF-CFC proteins are essential coreceptors for the TGF-β signals Vg1 and GDF1

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Simon K.; Olale, Felix; Bennett, James T.; Brivanlou, Ali H.; Schier, Alexander F.

2003-01-01

The TGF-β signals Nodal, Activin, GDF1, and Vg1 have been implicated in mesoderm induction and left-right patterning. Nodal and Activin both activate Activin receptors, but only Nodal requires EGF-CFC coreceptors for signaling. We report that Vg1 and GDF1 signaling in zebrafish also depends on EGF-CFC proteins, but not on Nodal signals. Correspondingly, we find that in Xenopus Vg1 and GDF1 bind to and signal through Activin receptors only in the presence of EGF-CFC proteins. These results establish that multiple TGF-β signals converge on Activin receptor/EGF-CFC complexes and suggest a more widespread requirement for coreceptors in TGF-β signaling than anticipated previously. PMID:12514096

76 FR 77222 - Combined Notice of Filings #2

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-12

..., FirstLight Hydro Generating Corporation, FirstLight Power Resources Management, L,GDF SUEZ Energy..., L.L.C. Description: Original Service Agreement Nos. 3156 and 3157-PJM Queue X2-082 to be effective...: Original Service Agreement No. 3153; Queue No. W1-029 to be effective 11/4/2011. Filed Date: 12/5/11...

Environmental Characterization and Radioecological Assessment of Suez Canal Area, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramadan, A.A.; Zaki, A.H.; Diab, M.; Al-Ashry, KH.A.M.

2015-01-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the environmental characteristic and radioecological assessment of the Suez Canal area, Egypt. The hydrochemical parameters including major elements (Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, SO 4 , HCO 3 ) and trace elements (Zn, Pb, Fe, Cu, Cd) of the soil, plant and water samples collected from the Suez Canal area were measured. The natural radioactivity and man-made radionuclides were measured in the same samples.The specific activities of 238 U series, 232 Th series, 40 K and 137 Cs (Bq/kg dry weight) were measured using gamma ray spectrometers based on hyper pure germanium detectors. The absorbed radiation dose rates in air (nGy/h) due to natural radionuclides in soil, and radium equivalent activity index (Bq/kg) were calculated. The average specific activity of 238 U series, 232 Th series and 40 K in soil samples were 12.9, 10.2 and 144.9 Bq/kg, respectively. The activity concentrations of 137 Cs in the different collected samples and 238 U and 232 Th series in plant and water samples were less than the lower detection limit. The average specific activity of 40 K in plant samples was 325.8 Bq/kg. The concentration and distribution pattern of 238 U series in soil can be used to trace the radiological impact of the non-nuclear industries on the Suez Canal area.

Causes of death in a cohort of EDF-GDF employees: comparison between occupational medicine and official statistics data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchand, J.L.; Imbernon, E.; Goldberg, M.

2003-01-01

Background: In an epidemiological study, medical causes of death may be obtained from different sources. In a study on French gas and electricity company (EDF-GDF) workers, they were obtained front the national INSERM database. Additionally, the causes collected by the EDF-GDF occupational physicians, were available for a subset of 1,330 deaths, which occurred between 1989 and 1994. The data from the two sources were compared with each other, in order to assess whether they were globally equivalent, and the potential impact of their differences on the results of epidemiological analyses. Methods: Concordance rates between causes of death in the INSERM and EDF-GDF physicians databases were calculated according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) ninth revision codes and for various causes groups. Causes of death records were also examined in order to clarify the observed divergences. SMRs were computed in order to evaluate the consequences of using each. database in epidemiological analyses. Finally, some SMRs were computed with the two sources and compared with each other. Results: INSERM and EDF-GDF physicians causes belonged to the same causes group in 81 % of cases, but the exact cause was different for- more than half of them. The concordance rate was high for the deaths by AIDS and by cancer, and low for deaths by respiratory system and digestive system diseases. More causes of death were coded as 'unknown' in EDF-GDF physicians data than in INSERM data. The SMRs varied widely depending on whether the INSERM or EDF-GDF physicians causes of death databases were used. Conclusions: Causes of death recorded in the INSERM and EDF-GDF physicians databases are very different. Therefore, using the national mortality rates computed by INSERM with the EDF-GDF physicians causes of death to calculate SMRs is not valid, and it is observed that they may be very different from those computed with INSERM data. In a general way, it should be better to use the

Emergency preparedness and response in case of a fire accident with (UF6) packages tracking Suez Canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salama, M.

2004-01-01

Egypt has a unique problem - the Suez Canal. Radioactive cargo passing regularly through the canal carrying new and spent reactor fuel. Moreover there are also about 1000 metric tons of uranium hexaflouride (UF6) passing through the canal every year. In spite of all precautions taken in the transportation, accidents with packages containing (UF 6 ) and shipped through the Suez Canal, accidents may arise even though the probability is minimal. These accidents, may be accompanied by injuries or death of persons and damage to property. Due to the radiation and criticality hazards of (UF 6 ) and its high risk of chemical toxicity. The probability of a fire accident with a cargo carrying (UF 6 ) during its crossing the Suez Canal can cause serious chemical toxic and radiological hazards, particularly if the accident occurred close or near to one of the three densely populated cities (Port-Said, Ismailia, and Suez), which are located along the Suez Canal, west bank. The government of Egypt has elaborated a national radiological emergency plan inorder to face probable radiological accidents, which may be arised inside the country. Arrangements have been also elaborated for the medical care of any persons who, might be injured or contaminated, or who, have been exposed to severe radiation doses. The motivation of the present paper was undertaken to visualize a fire accident scenario occurring in industrial packages containing UF6 on board of a Cargo crossing the Suez Canal near Port-Said City. The accident scenario and emergency response actions taken during the different phases of the accident are going to be presented and discussed. The proposed emergency response actions taken to face the accident are going to be also presented. The work presented had revealed the importance of public awareness will be needed for populations located in densely populated areas along Suez Canal bank inorder to react timely and effectively to avoid the toxic and radiological hazards

Risks and consequences of a hypothetical radiological accident on nuclear powered submarine traversing Suez canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salama, Mohamed

2008-01-01

Full text: Egypt has unique problem in Suez Canal, although there are, a number of radioactive Cargos traveling through the Canal which includes new and spent reactor fuel and about 100 metric tons of uranium hexafluoride each year, under the regulatory control of the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, there is, still a major problem concerning the passage of a number of nuclear powered vessels and submarines passing through the canal several times each year. The passage of these vessels and submarines has a political situation and not under the regulatory control of the Egyptian regulatory body. In spite of all precautions that are taken, in the nuclear powered vessels and submarines from the point of view of the rugged design of the reactor plant, multiple safety systems and operation with exceptional consideration for safety. Although of all of these a potential for a serious accident may does arise, even though, its probability is minimal. The Government of Egypt has established a national radiological emergency plan in order to cope with any radiological accidents, which may arise inside the country. Suez Canal lies in the north east of Egypt, and passes through a zone of considerable business, agriculture and industrial activities. The zone consists of three populated provinces, Port Said, Ismailia and Suez. According to Suez Canal authority regulations it is not allowed for these vessels and submarines to be landed in port. The motivation of the present paper was undertaken to discuss a hypothetical nuclear reactor accident aboard a nuclear powered submarine occurred during its passage in the Suez Canal. Such an accident will produce a radioactive cloud containing a number of radioactive materials. In such type of accidents contamination and causality zones, could extend to several kilometers. The different phases of the accident are going to be discussed and analyzed. The emergency actions taken during the accident phases are going to be presented. The

The anorectic actions of the TGFβ cytokine MIC-1/GDF15 require an intact brainstem area postrema and nucleus of the solitary tract.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicky Wang-Wei Tsai

Full Text Available Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1/GDF15 modulates food intake and body weight under physiological and pathological conditions by acting on the hypothalamus and brainstem. When overexpressed in disease, such as in advanced cancer, elevated serum MIC-1/GDF15 levels lead to an anorexia/cachexia syndrome. To gain a better understanding of its actions in the brainstem we studied MIC-1/GDF15 induced neuronal activation identified by induction of Fos protein. Intraperitoneal injection of human MIC-1/GDF15 in mice activated brainstem neurons in the area postrema (AP and the medial (m portion of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS, which did not stain with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH. To determine the importance of these brainstem nuclei in the anorexigenic effect of MIC-1/GDF15, we ablated the AP alone or the AP and the NTS. The latter combined lesion completely reversed the anorexigenic effects of MIC-1/GDF15. Altogether, this study identified neurons in the AP and/or NTS, as being critical for the regulation of food intake and body weight by MIC-1/GDF15.

The Suez Canal as a habitat and pathway for marine algae and seagrasses

Science.gov (United States)

Aleem, A. A.

The Suez Canal supports a diversified benthic algal flora; 133 species of benthic algae are now known from the Canal, as compared with only 24 in 1924. The vertical and horizontal distribution of algae is considered in relation to hydrographic factors. The algae display zonation and 3-4 algal belts are distinguished on the Canal banks on buoys and pier supports. Associated fauna include Balanus amphitrite and Brachidontes variabilis, together with various hydroids, sponges, ascidians, asteroids, ophiuroids and crustaceans. Merceriella enigmatica thrives well in brackish water habitats. The algal flora in the Bitter Lakes resembles that in the Red Sea. The number of Red Sea species decreases from Suez to Port Said in the littoral zone. On the other hand, bottom algae predominantly belong to Red Sea flora. Thirty of the species of algae found belong to the Indo-Pacific flora; half of these are new records to the Canal. Several of these Indo-Pacific algae have recently become established in the Eastern Mediterranean, whereas only two of the Mediterranean macro-algal flora (viz. Caulerpa prolifera and Halopteris scoparia) have been found in the Gulf of Suez. Two seagrasses, Halopia ovalis and Thalassia hemprichii, are recorded for the first time in the Canal. Only Halophila stipulacea has found its way into the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, but none of the Mediterranean seagrasses is found either in the Canal or in the Red Sea.

La crisis del Canal de Suez en 1956: el fin de una época en el Medio Oriente y el comienzo de otra

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Efraim Davidi

2009-12-01

Full Text Available La crisis del Canal de Suez (o Campaña de Suez, Guerra de Suez u Operación Kadesh fue una guerra que estalla en 1956 en territorio egipcio. El conflicto que opone a Egipto a una alianza formada por Gran Bretaña, Francia e Israel se produce a consecuencia de la nacionalización del Canal de Suez por el dirigente egipcio Gamal Abdel Nasser. Esta alianza entre dos estados europeos e Israel respondió a intereses comunes: económicos, comerciales y políticos. Durante el curso del mes que siguió a la nacionalización del Canal, un acuerdo secreto fue firmado en Sèvres, en las afueras de Paris, en el cual se selló la cooperación militar de Gran Bretaña, Francia e Israel contra Egipto.______________________ABSTRACT:The Suez Crisis (the Suez War, the Kadesh Operation, or the Suez Campaign is a war on Egyptian territory what started with a tripartite aggression by Great Britain, France and Israel against Egypt in 1956, after the nationalization of the Suez Canal by Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser. The war plot against Egypt was hatched towards the end of October 1956 in a secret meeting in Sèvres, near Paris. The discussions culminated in the signature of the Protocol of Sèvres.

Correlation between GDF-15 gene polymorphism and the formation of collateral circulation in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiao-Ping; Shang, Xiao-Sen; Wang, Yan-Bin; Fu, Zhi-Hua; Gao, Yu; Feng, Tao

2017-12-01

To explore the correlation between growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) -3148C/G polymorphism and the formation of collateral circulation in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Han population of Taiyuan area. The present study included 92 STEMI patients and 56 normal controls based on coronary angiography; STEMI group was divided into collateral group and non-collateral group according to Rentrop's grading method. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing methods were used to detect and analyze the GDF-15 -3148C/G polymorphism in all participants. There was significant difference in GDF-15 -3148C/G CC and GC distribution between STEMI group and control group (p=0.009); the allele frequencies between these two groups were also significant different (p=0.016); and the risk genotype for STEMI was CC with increased OR=2.660. For STEMI group, GDF-15 -3148C/G CC and GC distribution was also significantly different between patients with and without collateral (p=0.048), and CC genotype significantly promote the formation of collateral circulation. However, there were no significant differences in allele frequencies between these two subgroups of STEMI. There was correlation between GDF-15-3148C/G polymorphism and the formation of collateral circulation in patients with acute STEMI.

Emergency preparedness and response in case of a fire accident with UF6 packages traversing the Suez Canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salama, M.

2004-01-01

Egypt has a unique problem, the Suez Canal. Radioactive cargo passes regularly through the canal carrying new and spent reactor fuel. There are also about 1000 metric tonnes of uranium hexafluoride (UF 6 ) passing through the canal every year. In spite of all the precautions taken in the transport, accidents with packages containing UF 6 shipped through the Suez Canal may arise, even though the probability is minimal. Such accidents may be accompanied by injuries to or death of persons and damage to property including radiation and criticality hazards and high chemical toxicity, particularly if the accident occurred close to one of the three densely populated cities (Port Said, Ismailia and Suez), which are located along the west bank of the Suez Canal. The government of Egypt has established a national radiological emergency plan in order to deal with any radiological accidents which may arise inside the country. This paper considers the effect of a fire accident to industrial packages containing UF 6 on board a cargo ship passing along the Suez Canal near Port Said City. The accident scenario and emergency response actions taken during the different phases of the accident are presented and discussed. The paper highlights the importance of public awareness for populations located in densely populated areas along the bank of the Suez Canal, in order to react in a timely and effective way to avoid the toxic and radiological hazards resulting from such a type of accident. The possibility of upgrading the capabilities of civil defence and fire-fighting personnel is also discussed (author)

Wind farm planning at the Gulf of Suez

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clausen, N E; Mortensen, N G; Hansen, J C [Risoe National Lab., Wind Energy Dept., Roskilde (Denmark); Clausager, I [Hedeselskabet A/S, Viborg (Denmark); Pagh Jensen, F [National Environmental Res., Copenhagen (Denmark); Georgy, L; Said, U S [New and Renewable Energy Authority, Egypt, (Egypt)

2004-11-01

The Wind Atlas for Egypt project is an element in a national effort to provide the best possible basis for planning of future environmentally sustainable development and utilization of wind energy resources and technology in Egypt. The present report compiles the data, information and recommendations available for planning of wind farm projects in the Gulf of Suez. (au)

Reduced Dnmt3a increases Gdf5 expression with suppressed satellite cell differentiation and impaired skeletal muscle regeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatazawa, Yukino; Ono, Yusuke; Hirose, Yuma; Kanai, Sayaka; Fujii, Nobuharu L; Machida, Shuichi; Nishino, Ichizo; Shimizu, Takahiko; Okano, Masaki; Kamei, Yasutomi; Ogawa, Yoshihiro

2018-03-01

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism regulating gene expression. In this study, we observed that DNA methyltransferase 3a (Dnmt3a) expression is decreased after muscle atrophy. We made skeletal muscle-specific Dnmt3a-knockout (Dnmt3a-KO) mice. The regeneration capacity after muscle injury was markedly decreased in Dnmt3a-KO mice. Diminished mRNA and protein expression of Dnmt3a were observed in skeletal muscles as well as in satellite cells, which are important for muscle regeneration, in Dnmt3a-KO mice. Dnmt3a-KO satellite cell showed smaller in size (length/area), suggesting suppressed myotube differentiation. Microarray analysis of satellite cells showed that expression of growth differentiation factor 5 (Gdf5) mRNA was markedly increased in Dnmt3a-KO mice. The DNA methylation level of the Gdf5 promoter was markedly decreased in Dnmt3a-KO satellite cells. In addition, DNA methylation inhibitor azacytidine treatment increased Gdf5 expression in wild-type satellite cells, suggesting Gdf5 expression is regulated by DNA methylation. Also, we observed increased inhibitor of differentiation (a target of Gdf5) mRNA expression in Dnmt3a-KO satellite cells. Thus, Dnmt3a appears to regulate satellite cell differentiation via DNA methylation. This mechanism may play a role in the decreased regeneration capacity during atrophy such as in aged sarcopenia.-Hatazawa, Y., Ono, Y., Hirose, Y., Kanai, S., Fujii, N. L., Machida, S., Nishino, I., Shimizu, T., Okano, M., Kamei, Y., Ogawa, Y. Reduced Dnmt3a increases Gdf5 expression with suppressed satellite cell differentiation and impaired skeletal muscle regeneration.

Emergency preparedness and response in case of a fire accident with (UF{sub 6}) packages tracking Suez Canal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salama, M. [National Center for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control (NCNSRC), Nasr City, Cairo (Egypt)

2004-07-01

Egypt has a unique problem - the Suez Canal. Radioactive cargo passing regularly through the canal carrying new and spent reactor fuel. Moreover there are also about 1000 metric tons of uranium hexaflouride (UF6) passing through the canal every year. In spite of all precautions taken in the transportation, accidents with packages containing (UF{sub 6}) and shipped through the Suez Canal, accidents may arise even though the probability is minimal. These accidents, may be accompanied by injuries or death of persons and damage to property. Due to the radiation and criticality hazards of (UF{sub 6}) and its high risk of chemical toxicity. The probability of a fire accident with a cargo carrying (UF{sub 6}) during its crossing the Suez Canal can cause serious chemical toxic and radiological hazards, particularly if the accident occurred close or near to one of the three densely populated cities (Port-Said, Ismailia, and Suez), which are located along the Suez Canal, west bank. The government of Egypt has elaborated a national radiological emergency plan inorder to face probable radiological accidents, which may be arised inside the country. Arrangements have been also elaborated for the medical care of any persons who, might be injured or contaminated, or who, have been exposed to severe radiation doses. The motivation of the present paper was undertaken to visualize a fire accident scenario occurring in industrial packages containing UF6 on board of a Cargo crossing the Suez Canal near Port-Said City. The accident scenario and emergency response actions taken during the different phases of the accident are going to be presented and discussed. The proposed emergency response actions taken to face the accident are going to be also presented. The work presented had revealed the importance of public awareness will be needed for populations located in densely populated areas along Suez Canal bank inorder to react timely and effectively to avoid the toxic and radiological

Sea-level Variation Along the Suez Canal

Science.gov (United States)

Eid, F. M.; Sharaf El-Din, S. H.; Alam El-Din, K. A.

1997-05-01

The variation of sea level at 11 stations distributed along the Suez Canal was studied during the period from 1980 to 1986. The ranges of variation in daily mean sea level at Port Said and Port Tawfik are about 60 and 120 cm, respectively. The minimum range of daily variation is at Kantara (47 cm). The fluctuations of the monthly mean sea level between the two ends of the Suez Canal vary from one season to another. From July to December, the sea level at Port Said is higher than that at Port Tawfik, with the maximum difference (10·5 cm) in September. During the rest of the year, the mean sea level at Port Tawfik is higher than that at Port Said, with the maximum difference (31·5 cm) in March. The long-term variations of the annual mean sea level at both Port Said and Port Tawfik for the period from 1923 to 1986 showed a positive trend. The sea level at Port Said increased by about 27·8 cm century -1while it increased by only 9·1 cm century -1at Port Tawfik. This indicates that the difference between sea level at Port Said and Port Tawfik has decreased with time.

Correlation between GDF-15 gene polymorphism and the formation of collateral circulation in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-ping Chen

Full Text Available Summary Objective: To explore the correlation between growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15 -3148C/G polymorphism and the formation of collateral circulation in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI in Han population of Taiyuan area. Method: The present study included 92 STEMI patients and 56 normal controls based on coronary angiography; STEMI group was divided into collateral group and non-collateral group according to Rentrop's grading method. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR and DNA sequencing methods were used to detect and analyze the GDF-15 -3148C/G polymorphism in all participants. Results: There was significant difference in GDF-15 -3148C/G CC and GC distribution between STEMI group and control group (p=0.009; the allele frequencies between these two groups were also significant different (p=0.016; and the risk genotype for STEMI was CC with increased OR=2.660. For STEMI group, GDF-15 -3148C/G CC and GC distribution was also significantly different between patients with and without collateral (p=0.048, and CC genotype significantly promote the formation of collateral circulation. However, there were no significant differences in allele frequencies between these two subgroups of STEMI. Conclusion: There was correlation between GDF-15-3148C/G polymorphism and the formation of collateral circulation in patients with acute STEMI.

Sustainability in the Power Sector. 2010 Update. Belgium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steinweg, T.; Ten Kate, A.; Racz, K.

2010-11-15

This 2010 series of power company and thematic fact sheets aims to raise public awareness about sustainability issues in the electricity sector and to improve the sustainability of power companies operating in the Netherlands. The fact sheet series investigates the companies' performance on incorporating renewable energy sources into their fuel mix for both generation and supply of electricity, and on their investments and future plans with respect to energy sources at both the Dutch and European level. The 2010 fact sheet series is the annual update that is going into its fourth year, and builds on the work from previous years (available at www.somo.nl), but includes a slightly different range of companies due to a number of recent and pending mergers and acquisitions among power companies with operations in the Netherlands. For the first time this year, Essent is fully incorporated in the RWE company profile. SPE, a company covered for the first time, is included in the company profile of its owner EdF. The Vattenfall and Nuon fact sheets were drafted and reviewed separately, and combined into one company profile afterwards. In total, the 2010 series consist of ten company fact sheets; Delta, Dong Energy, E.ON, EdF, SPE, Eneco, Enel, Gdf Suez/Electrabel, Iberdrola, Nuon/Vattenfall and RWE. The company fact sheets form the basis of three separate reports, covering companies active in (1) The Netherlands, (2) Belgium, and an overview of (3) the largest European companies. This report is the version for Belgium, and covers the following companies, all active on the Belgian market: EdF, GDF Suez/Electrabel, RWE, SPE, Vattenfall/Nuon.

Sustainability in the Power Sector. 2010 Update. Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steinweg, T.; Ten Kate, A.; Racz, K.

2010-11-15

This 2010 series of power company and thematic fact sheets aims to raise public awareness about sustainability issues in the electricity sector and to improve the sustainability of power companies operating in the Netherlands. The fact sheet series investigates the companies' performance on incorporating renewable energy sources into their fuel mix for both generation and supply of electricity, and on their investments and future plans with respect to energy sources at both the Dutch and European level. The 2010 fact sheet series is the annual update that is going into its fourth year, and builds on the work from previous years (available at www.somo.nl), but includes a slightly different range of companies due to a number of recent and pending mergers and acquisitions among power companies with operations in the Netherlands. For the first time this year, Essent is fully incorporated in the RWE company profile. SPE, a company covered for the first time, is included in the company profile of its owner EdF. The Vattenfall and Nuon fact sheets were drafted and reviewed separately, and combined into one company profile afterwards. In total, the 2010 series consist of ten company fact sheets; Delta, Dong Energy, E.ON, EdF, SPE, Eneco, Enel, Gdf Suez/Electrabel, Iberdrola, Nuon/Vattenfall and RWE. The company fact sheets form the basis of three separate reports, covering companies active in (1) The Netherlands, (2) Belgium, and an overview of (3) the largest European companies. This report is the version for Europe, and covers the following companies, all among the largest electricity companies in Europe: EdF, Enel, E.ON, GDF Suez/Electrabel, Iberdrola, RWE, Vattenfall/Nuon.

Invasões Lessepsianas: A Crise Biológica da Abertura do Canal do Suez

OpenAIRE

Barreiros, João P.

2013-01-01

Copyright © 2013 Atlântida - Revista de Cultura. O Canal do Suez (Arábico: سيوسلا ةانق , Qana al-Suwais) é um comprido canal artificial no Egipto a W da Península do Sinai. Mede 163 km de comprimento e é bastante estreito (200 a 300 m de largura média com profundidades entre os 10 e os 15 m) estendendo-se desde Port-Said, no Mediterrâneo, até Suez no Mar Vermelho. (Introdução)

Mites (acari) infesting commensal rats in Suez Canal zone, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

el Kady, G A; Shoukry, A; Ragheb, D A; el Said, A M; Habib, K S; Morsy, T A

1995-08-01

Mites are arthropods distinguished from ticks by usually being microscopical in size and have a hypostome unarmed with tooth-like anchoring processes. They are group in a number of suborders, each with super-families and families including many genera of medical and economic importance. In this paper, commensal rodents (Rattus norvegicus, R. r. alexandrinus and R. r. frugivorous) were surveyed in the Suez Canal Zone for their acari ectoparasites. Four species of mites were recovered. In a descending order of mite indices, they were Eulaelaps stabularis (4.83 on 6 rats), Laelaps nuttalli (3.11 on 27 rats), Ornithonyssus bacoti (1.66 on 9 rats) and Dermanyssus gallinae (0.66 on 24 rats). The overall mite indices in the three governorates were 3.66 in Suez, 2.82 in Ismailia and zero in Port Said. The medical and economic importance of the mites were discussed.

Sorption behaviour of cobalt-60 on Suez Canal bottom sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel Gawad, S.A.; El-Shinawy, R.M.K.; Abdel Malik, W.E.Y.

1981-01-01

Mineralogical, elemental analysis and sorption behaviour of the Suez Canal bottom sediments in the Port Said area were investigated. It was found that the bottom sediment consist mainly of quartz, feldspars and traces of calcite mineral. The cation-exchange capacity was found to increase as the particle size of the sediment decreased. Sorption of 60 Co by the bottom sediment increased with contact time up to 6 h. Variation of the solution pH from 4 to 9 showed limited increase in the sorption of 60 Co. As carrier concentrations increase from 10 -7 N to 10 -3 N, sorption of Co was found to increase linearly following Freundlich isotherm. The presence of Mg 2+ and Fe 3+ in solution depressed the sorption of 60 Co by the sediments. The desorption of 60 Co from bottom sediment with distilled and Suez Canal water was found to increase with contact time. (author)

Activating and deactivating mutations in the receptor interaction site of GDF5 cause symphalangism or brachydactyly type A2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seemann, Petra; Schwappacher, Raphaela; Kjær, Klaus Wilbrandt

2005-01-01

Here we describe 2 mutations in growth and differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) that alter receptor-binding affinities. They cause brachydactyly type A2 (L441P) and symphalangism (R438L), conditions previously associated with mutations in the GDF5 receptor bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 1b...

Marine radioactivity studies in the Suez Canal: Modelling hydrodynamics and dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abril, J.M.; Abdel-Aal, M.M.

1999-01-01

This paper comprises the work carried out under the IAEA Technical Co-operation Project EGY/07/002. The main goal was to develop a modelling study on the dispersion of radioactive pollution in the Suez Canal

Periodontal wound healing/regeneration following the application of rhGDF-5 in a beta-TCP/PLGA carrier in critical-size supra-alveolar periodontal defects in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, David H; Bisch, Frederick C; Herold, Robert W; Pompe, Cornelius; Bastone, Patrizia; Rodriguez, Nancy A; Susin, Cristiano; Wikesjö, Ulf M E

2010-07-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a novel recombinant human GDF-5 (rhGDF-5) construct intended for onlay and inlay indications on periodontal wound healing/regeneration. Contralateral, surgically created, critical-size, 6-mm, supra-alveolar periodontal defects in five adult Hound Labrador mongrel dogs received rhGDF-5 coated onto beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) particles and immersed in a bioresorbable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) composite or the beta-TCP/PLGA carrier alone (control). The rhGDF-5 and control constructs were moulded around the teeth and allowed to set. The gingival flaps were then advanced; flap margins were adapted 3-4 mm coronal to the teeth and sutured. The animals were euthanized at 8 weeks post-surgery when block biopsies were collected for histometric analysis. Healing was generally uneventful. A few sites exhibited minor exposures. Three control sites and one rhGDF-5 site (in separate animals) experienced more extensive wound dehiscencies. The rhGDF-5 and control constructs were easy to apply and exhibited adequate structural integrity to support the mucoperiosteal flaps in this challenging onlay model. Limited residual beta-TCP particles were observed at 8 weeks for both rhGDF-5/beta-TCP/PLGA and beta-TCP/PLGA control sites. The rhGDF-5/beta-TCP/PLGA sites showed significantly greater cementum (2.34 +/- 0.44 versus 1.13 +/- 0.25 mm, p=0.02) and bone (2.92 +/- 0.66 versus 1.21 +/- 0.30 mm, p=0.02) formation compared with the carrier control. Limited ankylosis was observed in four of five rhGDF-5/beta-TCP/PLGA sites but not in control sites. Within the limitations of this study, the results suggest that rhGDF-5 is a promising candidate technology in support of periodontal wound healing/regeneration. Carrier and rhGDF-5 dose optimization are necessary before further advancement of the technology towards clinical evaluation.

Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1/GDF15 slows cancer development but increases metastases in TRAMP prostate cancer prone mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasmin Husaini

Full Text Available Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1/GDF15, a divergent member of the TGF-β superfamily, is over-expressed by many common cancers including those of the prostate (PCa and its expression is linked to cancer outcome. We have evaluated the effect of MIC-1/GDF15 overexpression on PCa development and spread in the TRAMP transgenic model of spontaneous prostate cancer. TRAMP mice were crossed with MIC-1/GDF15 overexpressing mice (MIC-1(fms to produce syngeneic TRAMP(fmsmic-1 mice. Survival rate, prostate tumor size, histopathological grades and extent of distant organ metastases were compared. Metastasis of TC1-T5, an androgen independent TRAMP cell line that lacks MIC-1/GDF15 expression, was compared by injecting intravenously into MIC-1(fms and syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. Whilst TRAMP(fmsmic-1 survived on average 7.4 weeks longer, had significantly smaller genitourinary (GU tumors and lower PCa histopathological grades than TRAMP mice, more of these mice developed distant organ metastases. Additionally, a higher number of TC1-T5 lung tumor colonies were observed in MIC-1(fms mice than syngeneic WT C57BL/6 mice. Our studies strongly suggest that MIC-1/GDF15 has complex actions on tumor behavior: it limits local tumor growth but may with advancing disease, promote metastases. As MIC-1/GDF15 is induced by all cancer treatments and metastasis is the major cause of cancer treatment failure and cancer deaths, these results, if applicable to humans, may have a direct impact on patient care.

Some particularities of impurity center structure in concentrated solid solutions MeF2-GdF3, where Me-Ca2+, Sr2+ and Ba2+

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karelin, V.V.; Orlov, Yu.N.; Bozhevol'nov, V.E.; Ivanov, L.N.

1981-01-01

The monocrystalline CaF 2 -GdF 3 , SrF 2 -GdF 3 and BaF 2 -GdF 3 systems are studied using the methods of EPR, photo-, radio-, cathode- and thermoluminescence. It is shown that the structure of fluorite solid solutions changes considerably with the growth of the rare earth component concentration. At that, in the systems investigated at least three concentration regions can be singled out: (up to 1%; from 1 to 15%, and > 15% GdF 3 ) which are characterized by their certain selection of impurity centres [ru

Lifelong exercise, but not short-term high-intensity interval training, increases GDF11, a marker of successful aging: a preliminary investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Bradley T; Herbert, Peter; Sculthorpe, Nicholas; Grace, Fergal M; Stratton, Daniel; Hayes, Lawrence D

2017-07-01

Lifelong exercise is associated with regulation of skeletal mass and function, reductions in frailty, and successful aging. Yet, the influence of exercise on myostatin and myostatin-interacting factors is relatively under examined in older males. Therefore, we investigated whether serum total myostatin, free myostatin, follistatin, and growth and differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) were altered following high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in a group of 13 lifelong sedentary (SED; 64 [6] years) and 11 lifelong exercising (LEX; 62 [6] years) older males. SED follistatin was moderately greater than LEX pre-HIIT (Cohen's d  = 0.66), and was largely greater post-HIIT (Cohen's d  = 1.22). The HIIT-induced increase in follistatin was large in SED (Cohen's d  = 0.82) and absent in LEX (Cohen's d  = 0.03). GDF11 was higher in LEX pre-HIIT (Cohen's d  = 0.49) and post-HIIT (Cohen's d  = 0.63) compared to SED HIIT resulted in no change to GDF11 in LEX or SED (Cohen's d  = 0.00-0.03). Peak power output and GDF11 were correlated ( r  = 0.603), independent of grouping. Differences in GDF11 with lifelong exercise training, paired with the correlation between GDF11 and peak power output, suggested that GDF11 may be a relevant myostatin-interacting peptide to successful aging in humans, and strategies to maintain this need to be further explored. © 2017 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

Assessment of urban heat islands and impact of climate change on socioeconomic over Suez Governorate using remote sensing and GIS techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Ahmed

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Climate change and its effect on human life and comfort have taken increase attraction. In this paper effect of UHI is analyzed using quantitative thermal, temporal remote sensing and GIS techniques. Series of Landsat TM/ETM, 8 and ASTER images of Suez Governorate acquired in winter season were used to investigate the variation in land surface temperature (LST from 1988 to 2014 as well as land-use/cover change. NDVI NDBI and LST have been used for classification of the study area. Vulnerable areas for UHI have been assessed over Suez district. The effect of UHI was quantitatively described using urban thermal field variance index (UTFVI. Results indicate that there are increases in the overall temperature between years 1988 and 2014. Suez and Al-Arbin districts which are the most populated, highly density built-up and rarely vegetation zones in Suez governorate experiences a huge problem of UHI. UHI phenomenon represents total weight of 40.84% and 46.3% of their areas respectively. It is found that the mean temperature of UHI areas of Al-Arbin and Al-Suez districts was 7.5 above mean of District temperature. While the value of UHI of suburban zone e.g. Ataqa and AL-Ganayin was 2.5 degree above district mean. The results indicate that changes in UTFVI distribution can be predominantly related to the expansion of urban area during the study time period. The hot spot of UTFVI were found mainly in the built-up areas especially densely populated district and in heavily industrial district. It is the vulnerable areas to UHI. Keywords: Climate change, UHI, Suez Canal, Suez Governorate, Land surface temperature, Land/use land/cover change, Urban sprawl

Recent Positioning Techniques for Efficient Port Operations and Development of Suez Canal Corridor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Elhattab

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The current developments in positioning techniques and communication technology have great impact on both construction and operations of ports. The majority of positioning systems for marine traffic are satellite based such as GPS. Virtual Reference Station is one of the recent high precision techniques for GNSS positioning which can be used for smart and efficient port.The advantages of using virtual reference station technique in different port operation and construction have been discussed in this paper. To apply this technique in Suez Canal corridor zone, a design of Continuously Operating Reference Station network has been proposed. This network can be utilized during different construction and operations phases of Suez Canal Corridor project.  

Serum Levels of Human MIC-1/GDF15 Vary in a Diurnal Pattern, Do Not Display a Profile Suggestive of a Satiety Factor and Are Related to BMI.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicky Wang-Wei Tsai

Full Text Available The TGF-b superfamily cytokine MIC-1/GDF15 circulates in the blood of healthy humans. Its levels rise substantially in cancer and other diseases and this may sometimes lead to development of an anorexia/cachexia syndrome. This is mediated by a direct action of MIC-1/GDF15 on feeding centres in the hypothalamus and brainstem. More recent studies in germline gene deleted mice also suggest that this cytokine may play a role in physiological regulation of energy homeostasis. To further characterize the role of MIC-1/GDF15 in physiological regulation of energy homeostasis in man, we have examined diurnal and food associated variation in serum levels and whether variation in circulating levels relate to BMI in human monozygotic twin pairs. We found that the within twin pair differences in serum MIC-1/GDF15 levels were significantly correlated with within twin pair differences in BMI, suggesting a role for MIC-1/GDF15 in the regulation of energy balance in man. MIC-1/GDF15 serum levels altered slightly in response to a meal, but comparison with variation its serum levels over a 24 hour period suggested that these changes are likely to be due to bimodal diurnal variation which can alter serum MIC-1/GDF15 levels by about plus or minus 10% from the mesor. The lack of a rapid and substantial postprandial increase in MIC-1/GDF15 serum levels suggests that MIC1/GDF15 is unlikely to act as a satiety factor. Taken together, our findings suggest that MIC-1/GDF15 may be a physiological regulator of energy homeostasis in man, most probably due to actions on long-term regulation of energy homeostasis.

Quantitative analysis of bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15 and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9 gene expression in calf and adult bovine ovaries

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Hayashi Ken-go

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It has been reported that calf oocytes are less developmentally competent than oocytes obtained from adult cows. Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15 and growth and differentiation factor 9 (GDF9 play critical roles in folliculogenesis, follicular development and ovulation in mammalian ovaries. In the present study, we attempted to compare the expression patterns of BMP15 and GDF9 in the cells of calf and cow ovaries to determine a relationship between the level of these genes and the low developmental competence of calf oocytes. Methods Bovine tissues were collected from 9-11 months-old calves and from 4-6 years-old cows. We characterized the gene expression of BMP15 and GDF9 in calf and adult bovine oocytes and cumulus cells using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (QPCR and in situ hybridization. Immunohistochemical analysis was also performed. Results The expression of BMP15 and GDF9 in cumulus cells of adult ovaries was significantly higher than that in calf ovaries, as revealed by QPCR. GDF9 expression in the oocytes of calf ovaries was significantly higher than in those of the adult ovaries. In contrast, BMP15 expression in the oocytes of calf and adult ovaries was not significantly different. The localization of gene expression and protein were ascertained by histochemistry. Conclusions Our result showed for the first time BMP15 and GDF9 expression in bovine cumulus cells. BMP15 and GDF9 mRNA expression in oocytes and cumulus cells was different in calves and cows.

Time kinetics of bone defect healing in response to BMP-2 and GDF-5 characterised by in vivo biomechanics

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D Wulsten

2011-02-01

Full Text Available This study reports that treatment of osseous defects with different growth factors initiates distinct rates of repair. We developed a new method for monitoring the progression of repair, based upon measuring the in vivo mechanical properties of healing bone. Two different members of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP family were chosen to initiate defect healing: BMP-2 to induce osteogenesis, and growth-and-differentiation factor (GDF-5 to induce chondrogenesis. To evaluate bone healing, BMPs were implanted into stabilised 5 mm bone defects in rat femurs and compared to controls. During the first two weeks, in vivo biomechanical measurements showed similar values regardless of the treatment used. However, 2 weeks after surgery, the rhBMP-2 group had a substantial increase in stiffness, which was supported by the imaging modalities. Although the rhGDF-5 group showed comparable mechanical properties at 6 weeks as the rhBMP-2 group, the temporal development of regenerating tissues appeared different with rhGDF-5, resulting in a smaller callus and delayed tissue mineralisation. Moreover, histology showed the presence of cartilage in the rhGDF-5 group whereas the rhBMP-2 group had no cartilaginous tissue.Therefore, this study shows that rhBMP-2 and rhGDF-5 treated defects, under the same conditions, use distinct rates of bone healing as shown by the tissue mechanical properties. Furthermore, results showed that in vivo biomechanical method is capable of detecting differences in healing rate by means of change in callus stiffness due to tissue mineralisation.

Implementation of a geological disposal facility (GDF) in the UK by the NDA Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD): the potential for interaction between the co-located ILW/LLW and HLW/SF components of a GDF - 16306

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Towler, George; Hicks, Tim; Watson, Sarah; Norris, Simon

2009-01-01

In June 2008 the UK government published a 'White Paper' as part of the 'Managing Radioactive Waste Safety' (MRWS) programme to provide a framework for managing higher activity radioactive wastes in the long-term through geological disposal. The White Paper identifies that there are benefits to disposing all of the UK's higher activity wastes (Low and Intermediate Level Waste (LLW and ILW), High Level Waste (HLW), Spent Fuel (SF), Uranium (U) and Plutonium (Pu)) at the same site, and this is currently the preferred option. It also notes that research will be required to support the detailed design and safety assessment in relation to any potentially detrimental interactions between the different modules. Different disposal system designs and associated Engineered Barrier Systems (EBS) will be required for these different waste types, i.e. ILW/LLW and HLW/SF. If declared as waste U would be disposed as ILW and Pu as HLW/SF. The Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) would therefore comprise two co-located modules (respectively for ILW/LLW and HLW/SF). This paper presents an overview of a study undertaken to assess the implications of co-location by identifying the key Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) interactions that might occur during both the operational and post-closure phases, and their consequences for GDF design, performance and safety. The MRWS programme is currently seeking expressions of interest from communities to host a GDF. Therefore, the study was required to consider a wide range of potential GDF host rocks and consistent, conceptual disposal system designs. Two example disposal concepts (i.e. combinations of host rock, GDF design including wasteform and layout, etc.) were carried forward for detailed assessment and a third for qualitative analysis. Dimensional and 1D analyses were used to identify the key interactions, and 3D models were used to investigate selected interactions in more detail. The results of this study show that it is possible

Evaluation of local site effect in the western side of the Suez Canal area by applying H/V and MASW techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, Emad K.; Shokry, M. M. F.; Hassoup, Awad; Helal, A. M. A.

2016-11-01

The soft sediments are one of the most important factors responsible for the amplification of the seismic ground motion in an area of study. Three components, single-station microtremor measurements were performed at 61 sites along the Suez Canal to estimate the fundamental frequencies of the soil and corresponding H/V amplitude ratios by using the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method. We have applied the investigations of the shear wave velocity for supplementing the existing seismic microzonation of the Suez Canal. The multichannel analysis of surface wave (MASW) tests were done along the Suez Canal in the three cities, Suez, Ismailia, and Port Said using 24 channels digital engineering seismograph with 4.5 Hz geophones from September 2014 to January 2015 to get the shear wave velocity VS30. The SeisImager/SW software was used for analyzing the data, and 1D-shear wave velocity model have achieved for each site. The HVSR curves show that the fundamental frequency values are ranging from 0.57 to 1.08 Hz, and H/V amplitude ratios are ranging from 4.05 to 6.46. The average values of VS30 are (548, 301), (241, 319), (194, 110, 238) for Suez, Ismailia, and Port Said respectively. The average of shear wave velocity up to 30 m depth is estimated and used for site classification based on the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) classification. The majority of the sites was classified as Class D (stiff soil) except one site at Port Said city is classified as Class E (soft soils), and another site in the Suez city is classified as Class C (hard rock).

Molecular characterization and expression of the GDF9 gene in New ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Caixia Sun

Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) has been shown to be involved in regulating ... groups (poor and prolific offspring productions) and cloning and quantitative ... Healthy female New Zealand white rabbits were from the ... C for 30 s; a 5-min extension at 72 .... position is shown in figure 3; the biggest percentage was.

NUCLEOTIDE COMPARISON OF GDF9 GENE IN INDIAN YAK AND GADDI GOAT: HIGH ALTITUDE LIVESTOCK ANIMALS

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Lakshya Veer Singh

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The present study was undertaken to characterize exon 1 and exon 2 sequence of one of fecundity genes: GDF9 (Growth differentiation factor 9, in high altitude livestock animal (Yak and Gaddi goat. Six nucleotide differences were identified between sheep (AF078545 and goats (EF446168 in exon 1 and exon 2. Sequencing revealed nine novel single nucleotide mutations in exon 1 and exon 2 of Indian yak that compared with Bos taurus (GQ922451. These results preliminarily showed that the GDF9 gene might be a major gene that influences prolificacy of Gaddi goats and Indian yak.

Geothermal studies in oilfield districts of Eastern Margin of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt

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Mohamed Abdel Zaher

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Results of geothermal studies carried out at 149 onshore oil wells have been used in evaluation of temperature gradient and heat flow values of the eastern shore of the Gulf of Suez. The investigations included temperature logs in boreholes, calculation of amplitude temperature, geothermal gradients and heat flow. The results obtained indicate that geothermal gradient values are in the ranges of 0.02–0.044 °C/m and regionally averaged mean heat flow values are found to fall in the interval of 45–120 mW/m2. Temperature gradients and heat flow values change from low values eastward to high values toward the axial of Gulf of Suez rift. The result of this research work has been highly successful in identifying new geothermal resources eastward of the Gulf of Suez. Additionally, this study shows that the areas with relatively higher temperature gradients have lower oil window, mature earlier, than those with low gradient values. Thus, high temperature gradients cause to expedite the formation of oil at relatively shallow depths and narrow oil windows. On the other hand, low temperature gradient makes the oil window to be quite broad when locate at high depths.

GdF-Suez. The challenges of a merger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lepetit, V.

2007-01-01

After 18 months of stamping, the GdF-Suez merger is finally started. This operation will lead to the creation of a major actor of the European energy scene in particular for natural gas and LNG. This paper reviews the stakes of this merger in terms of employment and its impacts on energy prices and markets. One goal of this merger is to gain market shares in electricity and to compete with EdF (Electricite de France), the French electric utility. (J.S.)

Meso- and Micro-scale flow modelling in the Gulf of Suez, Arab Republic of Egypt

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Niels Gylling; Said Said, Usama; Frank, Helmut Paul

2003-01-01

The results of a comprehensive, 10-year wind resource assessment programme in the Gulf of Suez are presented. The primary purpose has been to provide reliable and accurate wind atlas data sets for evaluating the potential wind power output from large electricity producing wind-turbine installatio...... and power density are quite steep. The combination of meso- and micro-scale flow models – here the KAMM/WAsP methodology or the Numerical Wind Atlas – seem necessary in order to make reliable wind resource assessments in all parts of the Gulf of Suez.......The results of a comprehensive, 10-year wind resource assessment programme in the Gulf of Suez are presented. The primary purpose has been to provide reliable and accurate wind atlas data sets for evaluating the potential wind power output from large electricity producing wind-turbine installations......; a secondary purpose has been to evaluate the applicability of current wind resource estimation and siting tools – in particular the European Wind Atlas methodology – to this region where the meso-scale effects are pronounced and the climatic conditions (e.g. atmospheric stability) somewhat extreme. The wind...

Freqüência do gene Miostatina (GDF-8 em rebanhos brasileiros da raça Marchigiana Frequency of myostatin gene (GDF-8 in Marchigiana herds in Brazil

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C.S. Teixeira

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Identificou-se e determinou-se a freqüência do gene miostatina (GDF-8 normal e mutante em rebanhos Marchigiana, em 377 bovinos da raça Marchigiana, criados nos estados de São Paulo e Paraná. Identificaram-se 37,9% de animais normais, 55,2% de portadores e 6,9% homozigotos afetados para musculatura dupla. Estes resultados indicam que os criadores têm interesse na característica musculatura dupla, promovendo, ainda que aleatoriamente, selecão a favor da mutação.The frequency of the normal myostatin gene (GDF-8 and the mutant allele in Marchigiana herds was detected. Three hundred and seventy-seven animals of Marchigiana breed raised in São Paulo and Paraná States, Brazil, were tested. The results showed that 37.9% were homozygous normal animals, 55.2% heterozygous and 6.9% homozygous double muscling. The results suggest the interest of the breeders in having interest in the character double muscling, randomly promoting, the selection in favor of the mutation.

Determination and partitioning of metals in sediments along the Suez Canal by sequential extraction

Science.gov (United States)

Abd El-Azim, H.; El-Moselhy, Kh. M.

2005-06-01

The application of sequential extraction technique was used to determine the chemical association of heavy metals in five different chemical phases (exchangeable F1, bound to carbonate F2, bound to Fe-Mn oxides F3, bound to organic matter F4 and residual F5) for sediment samples collected from the Suez Canal. From the obtained data, it can be seen that the surplus of metal contaminants introduced into the sediment from sources usually exists in relatively unstable chemical forms. A high proportion of the studied metals remained in the residual fraction. Most of remaining portion of metals was bound to ferromanganese oxides fraction. The low concentrations of metals in the exchangeable fraction indicated that the sediments of Suez Canal were relatively unpolluted.

Direct gamma-ray measurement of different radionuclides in the surface water of Suez Canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lasheen, Y.F.; El-Zakla, T.; Seliman, A.F.; Abdel-Rassoul, A.A.

2008-01-01

The radioactivity levels of naturally-occurring 238 U, 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K and anthropogenic 137 Cs in surface water from eight locations in the Suez Canal have been assessed by gamma-ray spectrometry. The samples were further characterized by determination of the common cations and anions using ion chromatography. A comparison of 137 Cs radioactivity levels in surface water from the Suez Canal with those of other sea waters is presented. The radioactivity levels of 238 U, 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K from sea water are also reported. The effect of total dissolved solids (T.D.S.), chloride, sulphate ion concentrations on the radioactivity levels of 238 U, 232 Th and 226 Ra is discussed. (authors)

Mobility and Fate of Pollutants in the Aquifer System of the Northwestern Suez Gulf, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Snousy, Moustafa Gamal; Zawrah, M F; Abdel-Moghny, Th; Ebiad, M A; Rashad, A M; Khalil, Mahmoud M; Abu El Ella, E M; El-Sayed, E; Tantawy, M A

The northwestern part of Suez Gulf region is a strategic area in Egypt. It includes important sources of national income. To achieve the development goals, the government has established huge projects in this area (e.g. establishment and expanding of a large commercial port at Ain Sokhna, many industrial zones as well as tourism projects). The utilization of the Suez Gulf resources and their continuing development mainly depend on the creation of actual pollution control programs. The environmental quality control and pollution reduction activities are important ingredients of any economic development program. These different activities in this area depend mainly on the groundwater that is pumped intensively from different water bearing formations or aquifers. The main objective of the present work is compiling the previous studies from the 1980s up to 2015. These studies are concerned with estimating the concentrations of different pollutants in various ecosystems in the northwestern Suez Gulf region. Also, to provide an explanation for the movement of different pollutants such as organic and heavy metals from contaminated land to ground and surface (Gulf) waters. This issue has not been extensively surveyed before, and this review, gives specific directions for future monitoring and remediation strategies in this region.

Homozygosity for a single base-pair mutation in the oocyte-specific GDF9 gene results in sterility in Thoka sheep

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nicel, Linda; Bishop, Stephen; Pong-Wong, Richardo

2009-01-01

and infertility in homozygotes. Analysis of homozygote ovarian morphology and a number of genes normally activated in growing follicles showed that GDF9 was not involved in oocyte activation, but in subsequent development of the follicle. This study highlights the importance of oocyte factors in regulating...... ovulation rate, although in some cases homozygous ewes are infertile. In the present study we present a detailed characterisation of a novel mutation in growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9), found in Icelandic Thoka sheep. This mutation is a single base change (A1279C) resulting in a non-conservative...... fertility and provides new information for structural analysis and investigation of the potentially important sites of dimerization or translational modifications required to produce biologically active GDF9. It also provides the basis for the utilisation of these animals to enhance sheep production...

Mutational screening of CHX10, GDF6, OTX2, RAX and SOX2 genes in 50 unrelated microphthalmia-anophthalmia-coloboma (MAC) spectrum cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Rodriguez, J; Pelcastre, E L; Tovilla-Canales, J L; Garcia-Ortiz, J E; Amato-Almanza, M; Villanueva-Mendoza, C; Espinosa-Mattar, Z; Zenteno, J C

2010-08-01

Microphthalmia-anophthalmia-coloboma (MAC) are congenital eye malformations causing a significant percentage of visually impairments in children. Although these anomalies can arise from prenatal exposure to teratogens, mutations in well-defined genes originate potentially heritable forms of MAC. Mutations in genes such as CHX10, GDF6, RAX, SOX2 and OTX2, among others, have been recognised in dominant or recessive MAC. SOX2 and OTX2 are the two most commonly mutated genes in monogenic MAC. However, as more numerous samples of MAC subjects would be analysed, a better estimation of the actual involvement of specific MAC-genes could be made. Here, a comprehensive mutational analysis of the CHX10, GDF6, RAX, SOX2 and OTX2 genes was performed in 50 MAC subjects. PCR amplification and direct automated DNA sequencing of all five genes in 50 unrelated subjects. Eight mutations (16% prevalence) were recognised, including four GDF6 mutations (one novel), two novel RAX mutations, one novel OTX2 mutation and one SOX2 mutation. Anophthalmia and nanophthalmia, not previously associated with GDF6 mutations, were observed in two subjects carrying defects in this gene, expanding the spectrum of GDF6-linked ocular anomalies. Our study underscores the importance of genotyping large groups of patients from distinct ethnic origins for improving the estimation of the global involvement of particular MAC-causing genes.

Restoration and Preservation of Engraved Limestone Blocks Discovered in Abu Mousa Excavation, Suez - Egypt

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Nabil A. Abd El-Tawab BADER

2013-03-01

Full Text Available A lot of engraved limestone blocks were discovered at Awlad Abu Musa (east of Suez, Egypt in 1995/2007 by Supreme Council of Antiquities. The stone blocks were seriously affected by archaeological environments during burial environment in agriculture land. They were covered with thick clay layer with soil particles that disfigured them and hid their inscriptions. Prior to the conservation intervention, the materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Chemical analyses of ground water and microbiological study. After the material characterization, the conservation and restoration of the stone blocks were carried out including cleaning, consolidation, reduction of salts, Re-jointing, restoration and completion of lost parts. After that the blocks were exhibited in Suez museum.

Comparative FISH mapping of BMPR1B, BMP15 and GDF9 ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Journal of Genetics; Volume 92; Issue 3. Comparative FISH mapping of BMPR1B, BMP15 and GDF9 fecundity genes on cattle, river buffalo, sheep and goat chromosomes. A. Farhadi V. Genualdo A. Perucatti S. H. Hafezian G. Rahimi-Mianji L. De Lorenzi P. Parma L. Iannuzzi A. Iannuzzi. Research Note ...

Effects of MiR-375-BMPR2 as a Key Factor Downstream of BMP15/GDF9 on the Smad1/5/8 and Smad2/3 Signaling Pathways

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Chang Liu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15 and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9, which are secreted by oocytes, are important regulators of follicular growth and development and ovarian function. These two factors can regulate the proliferation and apoptosis of cumulus cells via modulation of the Smad signaling pathway. Studies have shown that BMP15 and GDF9 can affect the level of miR-375, whereas the target gene of miR-375 is BMPR2, the type II receptor of BMP15 and GDF9. However, whether or how the BMP15/ GDF9-miR-375-BMPR2 pathway affects the proliferation and apoptosis of bovine cumulus cells through regulation of the Smad signaling pathway remains unclear. Methods: In this study, cumulus cells were first obtained from cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs. Appropriate concentrations of BMP15 and GDF9 were added during the in vitro culture process. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8 analyses and flow cytometry were used to determine the effects of BMP15/GDF9 on bovine cumulus cells proliferation and apoptosis. Subsequently, miR-375 mimics, miR-375 inhibitor and BMPR2 siRNA were synthesized and used for transfection experiments. Western Blot analysis was used to detect changes before and after transfection in the expression levels of the BMP15/GDF9 type I receptors ALK4, ALK5 and ALK6; the phosphorylation levels of Smad2/3 and Smad1/5/8, which are key signaling pathway proteins downstream of BMP15/GDF9; the expression levels of PTX3, HAS2 and PTGS2, which are key genes involved in cumulus cells proliferation; and Bcl2/Bax, which are genes involved in apoptosis. Results: The addition of 100 ng/mL BMP15 or 200 ng/mL GDF9 or the combined addition of 50 ng/mL BMP15 and 100 ng/mL GDF9 effectively inhibited bovine cumulus cell apoptosis and promoted cell proliferation. BMP15/GDF9 negatively regulated miR-375 expression and positively regulated BMPR2 expression. High levels of miR-375 and inhibition of BMPR2 resulted in increased expression of ALK

Dimensions of quality of antenatal care service at Suez, Egypt

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Hanan Abbas Abdo Abdel Rahman El Gammal

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The 5 th millennium development goal aims at reducing maternal mortality by 75% by the year 2015. According to the World Health Organization, there was an estimated 358,000 maternal deaths globally in 2008. Developing countries accounted for 99% of these deaths of which three-fifths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. In primary health care (PHC, quality of antenatal care is fundamental and critically affects service continuity. Nevertheless, medical research ignores the issue and it is lacking scientific inquiry, particularly in Egypt. Aim of the Study: The aim of the following study is to assess the quality of antenatal care in urban Suez Governorate, Egypt. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional primary health care center (PHCC based study conducted at five PHCC in urban Suez, Egypt. The total sample size collected from clients, physicians and medical records. Parameters assessed auditing of medical records, assessing provider and pregnant women satisfaction. Results: Nearly 97% of respondents were satisfied about the quality of antenatal care, while provider′s satisfaction was 61% and for file, auditing was 76.5 ° 5.6. Conclusion: The present study shows that client satisfaction, physicians′ satisfaction and auditing of medical record represent an idea about opportunities for improvement.

Dimensions of Quality of Antenatal Care Sservice at Suez, Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman El Gammal, Hanan Abbas Abdo Abdel

2014-01-01

Introduction: The 5th millennium development goal aims at reducing maternal mortality by 75% by the year 2015. According to the World Health Organization, there was an estimated 358,000 maternal deaths globally in 2008. Developing countries accounted for 99% of these deaths of which three-fifths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. In primary health care (PHC), quality of antenatal care is fundamental and critically affects service continuity. Nevertheless, medical research ignores the issue and it is lacking scientific inquiry, particularly in Egypt. Aim of the Study: The aim of the following study is to assess the quality of antenatal care in urban Suez Governorate, Egypt. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional primary health care center (PHCC) based study conducted at five PHCC in urban Suez, Egypt. The total sample size collected from clients, physicians and medical records. Parameters assessed auditing of medical records, assessing provider and pregnant women satisfaction. Results: Nearly 97% of respondents were satisfied about the quality of antenatal care, while provider's satisfaction was 61% and for file, auditing was 76.5 ± 5.6. Conclusion: The present study shows that client satisfaction, physicians’ satisfaction and auditing of medical record represent an idea about opportunities for improvement. PMID:25374861

Some reproductive aspects of the areolate grouper, Epinephelus areolotus from the Gulf of Suez

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Alaa G.M. Osman

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Groupers are primary targets of artisanal, recreational and commercial fisheries in the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez. The reproductive biology of the areolate grouper Epinephelus areolatus, collected from the main landing site in the Gulf of Suez, was investigated, and females accounted for 87.2% of the total fish sampled for a 1:6.8 male to female sex ratio. The monthly analysis of gonado-somatic index values and the monthly distribution of maturity stages showed that the spawning season of E. areolatus was restricted to the period from June to August for both sexes. The length at which 50% of the fish were mature was 24.3 cm for males and 25.5 cm for females, and by referring this value to the corresponding age, it was determined that E. areolatus first attains sexual maturity at 2.04 years for males and 2.23 years for females. The species was characterized by high fecundity, with a mean of 169,952 to 1,433,022 ova per female, and the relative fecundity ranged from 7,081 to 32,569 ova for individuals with a total length between 24.0 and 44.0 cm. The results of this investigation can be utilized to develop suitable management practices for groupers and for planning appropriate control measures. Keywords: Sex ratio, Spawning season, Fecundity, Epinephelus areolatus, Gulf of Suez

Periodontal wound healing/regeneration following implantation of recombinant human growth/differentiation factor-5 (rhGDF-5) in an absorbable collagen sponge carrier into one-wall intrabony defects in dogs: a dose-range study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae-Gyun; Wikesjö, Ulf M E; Cho, Kyoo-Sung; Chai, Jung-Kiu; Pippig, Susanne D; Siedler, Michael; Kim, Chong-Kwan

2009-07-01

Recombinant human growth/differentiation factor-5 (rhGDF-5) is being evaluated as a candidate therapy in support of periodontal regeneration. The objective of this study was to evaluate cementum and alveolar bone formation, and aberrant healing events following surgical implantation of rhGDF-5 in an absorbable collagen sponge (ACS) carrier using an established periodontal defect model. Bilateral 4 x 5 mm (width x depth), one-wall, critical-size, intrabony periodontal defects were surgically created at the mandibular second and fourth pre-molar teeth in 15 Beagle dogs. Five animals received 1 microg/defect and five animals 20 microg/defect rhGDF-5 in unilateral defect sites. Contralateral sites received treatments reported elsewhere. Five animals received rhGDF-5/ACS with 0 (buffer control) and 100 microg/defect rhGDF-5 in contralateral defect sites. The animals were euthanized at 8 weeks post-surgery for histologic and histometric evaluation. Surgical implantation of rhGDF-5 stimulated significant periodontal regeneration. Cementum formation was significantly enhanced in sites implanted with rhGDF-5 (1 and 100 microg) compared with control (phealing/regeneration in intrabony periodontal defects without complications.

Uranium concentrations in sediments of the Suez Canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibrahiem, N.M.; Pimpl, M.

1994-01-01

Suez Canal bottom sediment samples have been analyzed by alpha-spectrometry for the measurement of uranium. This method is based on the extraction of uranium with trioctylphosphine oxide/cyclohexane (TOPO) followed by reextraction and separation on anion exchange resins, and finally electrodeposition. The α-activity of 238 U and 234 U were measured by surface barrier detectors, in Bq/kg dry weight. The obtained results were compared with concentrations determined by γ measurements. The results point to a state of disequilibrium between 238 U and RaeU (radium equivalent uranium) which is attributed to the escape of radon. (author)

Pattern of Blood Stream Infections within Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Kishk, Rania Mohammed; Mandour, Mohamed Fouad; Farghaly, Rasha Mohamed; Ibrahim, Ahmed; Nemr, Nader Attia

2014-01-01

Introduction. Blood stream infection (BSI) is a common problem of newborn in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Monitoring neonatal infections is increasingly regarded as an important contributor to safe and high-quality healthcare. It results in high mortality rate and serious complications. So, our aim was to determine the incidence and the pattern of BSIs in the NICU of Suez Canal University Hospital, Egypt, and to determine its impact on hospitalization, mortality, and morbidity. Methods. This study was a prospective one in which all neonates admitted to the NICUs in Suez Canal University hospital between January, 2013 and June 2013 were enrolled. Blood stream infections were monitored prospectively. The health care associated infection rate, mortality rate, causative organism, and risk factors were studied. Results. A total of 317 neonates were admitted to the NICU with a mortality rate of 36.0%. During this study period, 115/317 (36.3%) developed clinical signs of sepsis and were confirmed as BSIs by blood culture in only 90 neonates with 97 isolates. The total mean length of stay was significantly longer among infected than noninfected neonates (34.5 ± 18.3 and 10.8 ± 9.9 days, resp., P value Suez Canal University Hospital was relatively high with high mortality rate (36.0%).

Confirmation of a second EPR to be built at Penly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2009-01-01

The French government has made public its decision to launch the construction of a second EPR in France. This EPR is planned to be built on the Penly site (northern region of France). EDF will manage this project but other investors like GDF-Suez are invited to participate. The construction works are planned to begin in 2012 for a commissioning in 2017. This reactor will be the fifth EPR being built in the world. (A.C.)

Is GDF5 gene promoter polymorphism +104T/C associated with osteoarthritis in the Eastern of Turkey population?

Science.gov (United States)

Tülüce, Y; Yildirim, I H; Özkol, H; Edi Z, L; Delen, V

2017-08-30

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. Genetic factors have been shown to play important roles in the etiology of OA. The gene growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) has been implicated in skeletal development and joint morphogenesis in human and mice. A functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) +104T/C in the 5'-UTR of GDF5 (rs143383) was reported to be associated with osteoarthritis susceptibility in Han Chinese and Japanese populations. Our objective was to assess whether this SNP was also associated with OA in the Eastern Turkey population.A total of 172 cases including 95 patients with idiopathic OA and 77 control cases were recruited into the study. DNA samples were extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes of all cases by using salting out method. The +104T/C polymorphism was genotyped by PCR-RFLP method. In terms of genotype comparison there wasn't any correlation between patient and control groups. Frequency of C allele was found to be higher in-patient group than control group and statistical analysis showed a poor correlation in allele frequencies of the +104T/C SNP of GDF5 gene between cases and controls (p<0.05). Significant correlation between GDF5 and OA has been reported in Asian population, especially T alleles were found in higher frequencies and related to OA.  Our study did not confirm this association and also in term of T allele. Interestingly, we found higher frequency of C allele in patient group than control group and our results are compatible with the study carried out in Greek population.

A study of Salmonella typhi isolated in Suez Canal area. Biotyping, phage typing and colicinogenic property.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoeb, S; Khalifa, I; el Daly, O; Heiba, A; Farmer, J; Brenner, F; el Batawi, Y

1989-01-01

In this work a total of 82 strains of Salmonella typhi were isolated from Egyptian patients diagnosed as quiry enteric fever. These cases were from Ismalia, Suez and port Said Areas. The strains fell in 16 phage types. Phage types N, 40, E1, and degraded Vi were the commonest phage type in Ismailia, while phage types degraded Vi and C1 were the commonest in Port Said. Phage types Di-N, degraded Vi, A and C1 were the commonest in Suez. Chemotyping of Salmonella typhi showed that the majority of the strains belonged to chemotype I (82%), and the rest belonged to chemotype II (18%). Colicin production was negative and all the strains were susceptible to the currently used antibiotics.

Expression of Hepcidin and Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15 Levels in Thalassemia Patients with Iron Overload and Positive Anti Hepatitis C Virus

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Nuri Dyah Indrasari

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Thalassemia patients who undergo life-long recurrent blood transfusion will experience iron overload in various organs including the liver and possibly suffer from chronic hepatitis C infection which may lead to liver impairment. The liver produces hepcidin, a hormone which plays role in the regulation of iron level in the blood. Various factors may influence hepcidin level in the blood. Chronic hepatitis C causes iron overload and liver impairment. Liver impairment and haemolytic anaemia due to haemoglobinopathy will suppress hepcidin production. Anaemia stimulates growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15 to increase erythropoiesis and suppress hepcidin production. Iron overload causes increase in hepcidin level. Presence of factors which decrease or increase hepcidin production will express various levels of hepcidin. This study aimed to identify the expression of hepcidin and GDF-15 levels in thalassemia patients with iron overload and positive anti-HCV. Information on hepcidin and GDF-15 levels are beneficial in the management of iron overload in thalassemia with positive anti-HCV. Method: This study was a descriptive analytic study in thalassemia patients who had received recurrent blood transfusion ≥ 12 times, suffered from iron overload (transferrin saturation > 55% and ferritin > 1,000 ng/mL, which consisted of 31 individuals with positive anti-HCV and 27 individuals with negative anti-HCV. This study was performed in Thalassemia Centre Department of Child Health and Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, in October 2011–January 2012. Serum hepcidin and GDF-15 examinations were performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA method. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST and alanine aminotransferase (ALT examinations were performed using colorimetry method. Data on ferritin and transferrin saturation were obtained from medical records in the last 3

Regulation of α5 and αV Integrin Expression by GDF-5 and BMP-7 in Chondrocyte Differentiation and Osteoarthritis.

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David Garciadiego-Cázares

Full Text Available The Integrin β1 family is the major receptors of the Extracellular matrix (ECM, and the synthesis and degradation balance of ECM is seriously disrupted during Osteoarthritis (OA. In this scenario, integrins modify their pattern expression and regulate chondrocyte differentiation in the articular cartilage. Members of the Transforming growth factor beta (Tgf-β Superfamily, such as Growth differentiation factor 5 (Gdf-5 and Bone morphogenetic protein 7 (Bmp-7, play a key role in joint formation and could regulate the integrin expression during chondrocyte differentiation and osteoarthritis progression in an experimental OA rat model. Decrease of α5 integrin expression in articular cartilage was related with chondrocyte dedifferentiation during OA progression, while increase of α1, α2, and α3 integrin expression was related with fibrous areas in articular cartilage during OA. Hypertrophic chondrocytes expressed αV integrin and was increased in the articular cartilage of rats with OA. Integrin expression during chondrocyte differentiation was also analyzed in a micromass culture system of mouse embryo mesenchymal cells, micromass cultures was treated with Gdf-5 or Bmp-7 for 4 and 6 days, respectively. Gdf-5 induced the expression of the α5 sub-unit, while Bmp-7 induced the expression of the αV sub-unit. This suggests a switch in signaling for prehypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation towards hypertrophy, where Gdf-5 could maintain the articular chondrocyte phenotype and Bmp-7 would induce hypertrophy. Decrease of Ihh expression during late stages of OA in rat model suggest that the ossification in OA rat knees and endochondral ossification could be activated by Bmp-7 and αV integrin in absence of Ihh. Thus, chondrocyte phenotype in articular cartilage is similar to prehypetrophic chondrocyte in growth plate, and is preserved due to the presence of Indian hedgehog (Ihh, Gdf-5 and α5 integrin to maintain articular cartilage and prevent

Multiple metamorphoses for EdF and GdF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jemain, A.

2004-01-01

The draft of law, modifying the statute of the French electric and gas utilities, Electricite de France (EdF) and Gaz de France (GdF), that the French government has presented to the Council of State, mixes some European and French preoccupations. The reason is the urgency of the planning and the date line of July 1, 2004 with the opening of the gas and power markets to 3.5 millions of professionals. The draft includes the obligations and missions of public utility of both companies, the transposition of the European directives, the conclusions of the negotiation of retirement pensions with the syndicate organizations, and the transformation of both public companies into anonymous companies. Short paper. (J.S.)

Reconstitution of TGFBR2-Mediated Signaling Causes Upregulation of GDF-15 in HCT116 Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Lee

Full Text Available Although inactivating frameshift mutations in the Transforming growth factor beta receptor type 2 (TGFBR2 gene are considered as drivers of microsatellite unstable (MSI colorectal tumorigenesis, consequential alterations of the downstream target proteome are not resolved completely. Applying a click-it chemistry protein labeling approach combined with mass spectrometry in a MSI colorectal cancer model cell line, we identified 21 de novo synthesized proteins differentially expressed upon reconstituted TGFBR2 expression. One candidate gene, the TGF-ß family member Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15, exhibited TGFBR2-dependent transcriptional upregulation causing increased intracellular and extracellular protein levels. As a new TGFBR2 target gene it may provide a link between the TGF-ß branch and the BMP/GDF branch of SMAD-mediated signaling.

Serpulidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Suez Canal: from a Lessepsian migration perspective (a monograph).

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ben-Eliahu, M.N.; ten Hove, H.A.

2011-01-01

Data on Serpulidae collected in the Suez Canal were assembled and analyzed. Five serpulid taxa are reported from the canal for the first time bringing the number of serpulids to at least 16. The Systematic Section compiles revised literature records, confirmed synonymies of the taxa, redescriptions

Phytoplankton variability in relation to some environmental factors in the eastern coast of Suez Gulf, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Nassar, Mohamed Z; El-Din, Nihal G Shams; Gharib, Samiha M

2015-10-01

Water samples were seasonally collected from 12 stations of the eastern coast of Suez Gulf during autumn of 2012 and winter, spring, and summer of 2013 in order to investigate phytoplankton community structure in relation to some physicochemical parameters. The study area harbored a diversified phytoplankton community (138 species), belonging to 67 genera. Four algal groups were represented and classified as Bacillariophyceae (90 species), Dinophyceae (28 species), Cyanophyceae (16 species), and Chlorophyceae (4 species). The results indicated a relative high occurrence of some species namely.; Pleurotaenium trabecula of green algae; Chaetoceros lorenzianus, Proboscia alata var. gracillima, Pseudosolenia calcar-avis, and Pseudo-nitzschia pungens of diatoms; Trichodesmium erythraeum and Pseudoanabaena limnetica of cyanophytes. Most of other algal species were fairly distributed at the selected stations of the study area. The total abundance of phytoplankton was relatively low (average of 2989 unit/L) in the eastern coast of Suez Gulf, as compared its western coast and the northern part of the Red Sea. The diversity of phytoplankton species was relatively high (2.35-3.82 nats) with an annual average of 3.22 nats in the present study. The results concluded that most of eastern coast of Suez Gulf is still healthy, relatively unpolluted, and oligotrophic area, which is clearly achieved by the low values of dissolved phosphate (0.025-0.3 μM), nitrate (0.18-1.26 μM), and dissolved ammonium (0.81-5.36 μM). Even if the occurrence of potentially harmful algae species was low, the study area should be monitored continuously. The dissolved oxygen ranged between 1.77 and 8.41 mg/L and pH values between 7.6 and 8.41. The multiple regression analysis showed that the dissolved nitrate and pH values were the most effective factors that controlled the seasonal fluctuations of phytoplankton along the eastern coast of Suez Gulf during 2012-2013.

On the selection and validation of biological treatment processes. The GDF experience; Le choix et la validation des procedes de traitement biologique. L`experience de GDF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Druelle, V [Gaz de France (GDF), 75 - Paris (France)

1997-12-31

The biological treatment process was selected by Gaz de France (GDF), the French national gas utility, for the de-pollution of an old gas works where the main pollutants are coal tars containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Microorganism-based biological treatment techniques may involve bio-reactors, static ground knolls (where oxygen is brought through drains) and dynamic knolls (where oxygenation is carried out by turning up the soil). Issues on sampling, sorting, process testing, site preparation, process control, etc. are reviewed

On the selection and validation of biological treatment processes. The GDF experience; Le choix et la validation des procedes de traitement biologique. L`experience de GDF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Druelle, V. [Gaz de France (GDF), 75 - Paris (France)

1996-12-31

The biological treatment process was selected by Gaz de France (GDF), the French national gas utility, for the de-pollution of an old gas works where the main pollutants are coal tars containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Microorganism-based biological treatment techniques may involve bio-reactors, static ground knolls (where oxygen is brought through drains) and dynamic knolls (where oxygenation is carried out by turning up the soil). Issues on sampling, sorting, process testing, site preparation, process control, etc. are reviewed

Ascidian introductions through the Suez Canal: The case study of an Indo-Pacific species.

Science.gov (United States)

Rius, Marc; Shenkar, Noa

2012-10-01

Although marine biological invasions via the Suez Canal have been extensively documented, little is known about the introduction of non-indigenous ascidians (Chordata, Ascidiacea), a group containing particularly aggressive invasive species. Here, we used a multidisciplinary approach to study the introduction of the ascidian Herdmania momus into the Mediterranean Sea. We reviewed its taxonomy and global distribution, and analyzed how genetic variation is partitioned between sides of the Suez Canal. The taxonomic revision showed that H. momus currently has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. Genetic data indicated two well-differentiated colonization histories across the eastern Mediterranean. Our findings suggest that the range expansion of H. momus has been greatly facilitated by the combined effect of human-mediated transport and the species' ability to adapt to different environments. The integrative approach presented here is critical to attain a holistic understanding of marine biological invasions, especially when studying groups with a poorly resolved taxonomy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marine radioactivity studies in the Suez Canal. A modelling study on radionuclide dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abril, J.M.; Abdel-Aal, M.M.

2000-01-01

This paper describes work carried out under the IAEA Project EGY/07/002 to study the dispersion of radioactive material in the Suez Canal and the Bitter Lakes. This effort is linked with increased public concern about radiation safety through this important trade route. We apply a sequence of related modelling approaches, covering: (1) hydrodynamics, (2) transport of dissolved pollutants, (3) suspended loads and sediment dynamics, and (4) electrolytic reactions in aqueous suspension and in-sediment water pores. The final stage is a kinetic-reactive transport model for these tidal waters. The hydrodynamics have been studied using both 1D and 2D modelling approaches, and a reasonable calibration has been possible from the data set prepared with the collaboration of the Suez Canal Authority. Diffusion coefficients are calibrated from field tracing experiments included in the IAEA Project. They have been implemented in 1D and 2D models. Suspended matter dynamics and electrolytic reactions are documented from the available literature. Finally, different scenarios of discharges for both conservative and non-conservative radionuclides have been investigated

A genetic association study between growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF 5 polymorphism and knee osteoarthritis in Thai population

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Sura Thanyachai

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective Osteoarthritis (OA is a multi-factorial disease and genetic factor is one of the important etiologic risk factors. Various genetic polymorphisms have been elucidated that they might be associated with OA. Recently, several studies have shown an association between Growth Differentiation Factor 5(GDF5 polymorphism and knee OA. However, the role of genetic predisposing factor in each ethnic group cannot be replicated to all, with conflicting data in the literatures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between GDF5 polymorphism and knee OA in Thai population. Materials and Methods One hundred and ninety three patients aged 54-88 years who attended Ramathibodi Hospital were enrolled. Ninety cases with knee OA according to American College of Rheumatology criteria and one hundred and three cases in control group gave informed consent. Blood sample (5 ml were collected for identification of GDF5 (rs143383 single nucleotide polymorphism by PCR/RFLP according to a standard protocol. This study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee on human experimentation of Ramathibodi Hospital Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University. Odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for the risk of knee OA by genotype (TT, TC and CC and allele (T/C analyses. Results The baseline characteristics between two groups including job, smoking and activity were not different, except age and BMI. The entire cases and controls were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p > 0.05. The OA knee group (n = 90 had genotypic figure which has shown by TT 42.2% (n = 38, TC 45.6% (n = 41 and CC 12% (n = 11, whereas the control group (n = 103 revealed TT 32% (n = 33, TC 45.6% (n = 47, and CC 22.3% (n = 23, respectively. Genotypic TT increased risk of knee OA as compared to CC [OR = 2.41 (P = 0.04, 95%CI = 1.02-5.67]. In the allele analysis, the T allele was found to be significantly associated with knee OA [OR = 1.53 (P = 0

Distribution of the sea squirt Ecteinascidia thurstoni Herdman, 1890 (Ascidiacea: Perophoridae along Suez Canal and Egyptian Red Sea coasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali A-F. A. Gab-Alla

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Ecteinascidia thurstoni is a colonial sea squirt. It has a seasonal rhythm and a tropicaland subtropical distribution; it is usually present during the summer months.It synthesizes a group of molecules called ecteinascidins. One of these is ET-743, a compound that has a most original anti-tumoral activity and is today considered to be one of the most promising substances effective against various solid-type tumors (currently sold under the trade name of Yondelis for the treatment of sarcomas and related tumors; it is undergoing phase II/III clinical trails for other kinds of tumors.Worldwide, Ecteinascidia species represent the only available source of this bioactivecompound, which was first discovered in E. turbinata.During the present study, the ecology of E. thurstoni along the Suez Canal and Red Seawas investigated. Its populations were observed to be highly gregarious due in partto their low larval dispersal, which is very localized; larvae therefore tendto settle close to their parent colonies. It is only recorded in shallow waters (0.5-1.5 mas an epiphyte on the pneumatophores of mangroves by the Red Sea, on the pilings of jetties,and the metal or cement banks of the Suez Canal. The morphometric characteristics(zooid length, zooid weight, colony weight of the Suez Canal population differsignificantly from those of the Red Sea. Studying the distribution of this speciesand locating its different populations along the Suez Canal and Red Sea could helpto characterize their genetics, chemistry and bacterial communities at differentisolated locations.Ultimately, this will help to define the sources of ET-743 and hence promote itsbiosynthesis on a commercial scale.

Risk factors of falls among elderly living in Urban Suez - Egypt

OpenAIRE

Kamel, Mohammed Hany; Abdulmajeed, Abdulmajeed Ahmed; Ismail, Sally El-Sayed

2013-01-01

Introduction Falling is one of the most common geriatric syndromes threatening the independence of older persons. Falls result from a complex and interactive mix of biological or medical, behavioral and environmental factors, many of which are preventable. Studying these diverse risk factors would aid early detection and management of them at the primary care level. Methods This is a cross sectional study about risk factors of falls was conducted to 340 elders in Urban Suez. Those are all pat...

Preparation and Evaluation of Dexamethasone (DEX/Growth and Differentiation Factor-5 (GDF-5 Surface-Modified Titanium Using β-Cyclodextrin-Conjugated Heparin (CD-Hep for Enhanced Osteogenic Activity In Vitro and In Vivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dae Hyeok Yang

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The most ideal implant models in the dental and orthopedic fields to minimize the failure rate of implantation involve the improvement of osseointegration with host bone. Therefore, a focus of this study is the preparation of surface-modified titanium (Ti samples of disc and screw types using dexamethasone (DEX and/or growth and differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5, as well as the evaluation of their efficacies on bone formation in vitro and in vivo. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and contact angle measurement were used to evaluate the surface chemical composition, surface morphology and wettability, respectively. The results showed that implant surfaces were successfully modified with DEX and/or GDF-5, and had rough surfaces along with hydrophilicity. DEX, GDF-5 or DEX/GDF-5 on the surface-modified samples were rapidly released within one day and released for 28 days in a sustained manner. The proliferation and bone formation of MC3T3-E1 cells cultured on pristine and surface-modified implants in vitro were examined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8 assay, as well as the measurements of alkaline phosphatase (ALP activity and calcium deposition, respectively. MC3T3-E1 cells cultured on DEX/GDF-5–Ti showed noticeable ALP activity and calcium deposition in vitro. Active bone formation and strong osseointegration occurred at the interface between DEX/GDF-5–Ti and host bone, as evaluated by micro computed-tomography (micro CT analysis. Surface modification using DEX/GDF-5 could be a good method for advanced implants for orthopaedic and dental applications.

Marine Radioactivity Studies in the Suez Canal, Part I: Hydrodynamics and Transit Times

Science.gov (United States)

Abril, J. M.; Abdel-Aal, M. M.

2000-04-01

This paper describes work carried out under the IAEA Project EGY/07/002 to study the dispersion of radioactive material in the Suez Canal. This effort is linked with the increased public concern about radiation safety through this important trade route. To follow the fate of radioactive wastes along this waterway, we had to solve the hydrodynamics of the water, governed mainly by tides, atmospheric forcing and the drift currents produced by horizontal salinity gradients and by differences in mean sea level (MSL) at the two entrances of the Canal. The hydrodynamics has been studied using both 1-D and 2-D modelling approaches, and a reasonable calibration has been possible from the data set prepared with the collaboration of the Suez Canal Authority. Dispersion of conservative pollutants has been preliminarily studied by using a 1-D-Gaussian approach. Thus, we are computing the path of the plumes and the time evolution of concentrations for different scenarios of discharges and under different seasonal conditions. The transit times can vary enormously during the year, ranging from a few days to several months, depending on the differences in MSL at the two entrances of the Canal.

Serum levels of human MIC-1/GDF15 vary in a diurnal pattern, do not display a profile suggestive of a satiety factor and are related to BMI

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsai, Vicky Wang-Wei; Macia, Laurence; Feinle-Bisset, Christine

2015-01-01

The TGF-b superfamily cytokine MIC-1/GDF15 circulates in the blood of healthy humans. Its levels rise substantially in cancer and other diseases and this may sometimes lead to development of an anorexia/cachexia syndrome. This is mediated by a direct action of MIC-1/GDF15 on feeding centres...

Effects of accelerated closing of the five oldest coal-fired power plants [in the Netherlands]; Effecten van versneld sluiten van de vijf oudste kolencentrales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seebregts, A.J. [ECN Beleidsstudies, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2013-09-15

This memo outlines the possible effects of the early closing of the five oldest coal-fired power plants in the Netherlands, as part of the Dutch Energy Agreement, still to be concluded at this time. It concerns plants from four power producers: RWE/Essent, E.ON, GDF Suez Netherlands and EPZ. The decision or the agreement to reduce coal capacity is likely to affect prices in the Dutch electricity market. The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) must make a judgment about the possible adverse effect within the framework of the (European) cartel legislation. By order of ACM the author has carried out several calculations of which the results and starting points of the calculations are summarized in this paper [Dutch] Deze notitie schetst de mogelijke effecten van het vervroegd sluiten van de vijf oudste kolencentrales in Nederland, als onderdeel van het nog te sluiten Energieakkoord. Het betreft centrales van vier producenten: RWE/Essent, E.ON, GDF Suez Nederland en EPZ. Het besluit c.q. de afspraak om kolenvermogen uit de markt te halen heeft mogelijk invloed op de prijzen op de Nederlandse elektriciteitsmarkt. De ACM moet een oordeel vellen over de mogelijke ongewenstheid van dat effect in het kader van de (Europese) kartelwetgeving. Om een indicatie te krijgen van de effecten, heeft de ACM aan ECN gevraagd een aantal berekeningen uit te voeren. De resultaten en de uitgangspunten van deze berekeningen staan in deze notitie samengevat.

Pattern of Blood Stream Infections within Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rania Mohammed Kishk

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Blood stream infection (BSI is a common problem of newborn in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs. Monitoring neonatal infections is increasingly regarded as an important contributor to safe and high-quality healthcare. It results in high mortality rate and serious complications. So, our aim was to determine the incidence and the pattern of BSIs in the NICU of Suez Canal University Hospital, Egypt, and to determine its impact on hospitalization, mortality, and morbidity. Methods. This study was a prospective one in which all neonates admitted to the NICUs in Suez Canal University hospital between January, 2013 and June 2013 were enrolled. Blood stream infections were monitored prospectively. The health care associated infection rate, mortality rate, causative organism, and risk factors were studied. Results. A total of 317 neonates were admitted to the NICU with a mortality rate of 36.0%. During this study period, 115/317 (36.3% developed clinical signs of sepsis and were confirmed as BSIs by blood culture in only 90 neonates with 97 isolates. The total mean length of stay was significantly longer among infected than noninfected neonates (34.5 ± 18.3 and 10.8 ± 9.9 days, resp., P value < 0.001. The overall mortality rates among infected and noninfected neonates were 38.9% and 34.8%, respectively, with a significant difference. Klebsiella spp. were the most common pathogen (27.8% followed by Pseudomonas (21.6% and Staphylococcus aureus (15.4%. Conclusion. The rate of BSIs in NICU at Suez Canal University Hospital was relatively high with high mortality rate (36.0%.

Investigation of the thermoluminescent response of K2GdF5:Dy3+ crystals to photon radiation and neutron fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Edna C.; Faria, Luiz O.; Santos, Joelan A.L.; Vilela, Eudice C.

2009-01-01

The thermoluminescent (TL) properties of undoped and Dy 3+ doped K 2 GdF 5 crystals were investigated from the point of view of gamma and neutron dosimetry. Crystalline K 2 GdF 5 platelets with thickness of about 1 mm and doped with 0.0, 0.2, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 at.% Dy 3+ ions, synthesized under hydrothermal conditions, were irradiated in order to study TL sensitivity, as well as dose and energy response, reproducibility and fading. As it has been turned out, crystals doped with 5.0 at% Dy 3+ show the most efficient TL response and demonstrate a linear response to doses for all the radiation fields. TL glow curves from Dy 3+ doped K 2 GdF 5 crystals can be deconvoluted into four individual TL peaks centered at 153, 185, 216 and 234 deg C. Concerning the photon fields studied, the maximum TL response has been found for the 52.5 keV photons. The intensity is 15 times more than that of the response for the 662 keV photons from a Cs-137 source. On the other hand, the K 2 GdF 5 crystals doped with 5.0 at % Dy 3+ have also been found to have the better TL response for fast neutron radiation, among all dopants studied. For fast neutron radiation produced by a 241 Am-Be source, the TL responses for doses were also linear and comparable to that of commercial TLD-600, irradiated at same conditions. It has been established that the gamma sensitivity of the crystals is about 0.07% of the neutron sensitivity and the fast neutron sensitivity is about 4.5 % of the thermal neutron sensitivity. These results points out that K 2 Gd 0.95 Dy 0.05 F 5 crystals are good candidates for use in neutron dosimetry applications. (author)

Identification of the first homozygous 1-bp deletion in GDF9 gene leading to primary ovarian insufficiency by using targeted massively parallel sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

França, M M; Funari, M F A; Nishi, M Y; Narcizo, A M; Domenice, S; Costa, E M F; Lerario, A M; Mendonca, B B

2018-02-01

Targeted massively parallel sequencing (TMPS) has been used in genetic diagnosis for Mendelian disorders. In the past few years, the TMPS has identified new and already described genes associated with primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) phenotype. Here, we performed a targeted gene sequencing to find a genetic diagnosis in idiopathic cases of Brazilian POI cohort. A custom SureSelect XT DNA target enrichment panel was designed and the sequencing was performed on Illumina NextSeq sequencer. We identified 1 homozygous 1-bp deletion variant (c.783delC) in the GDF9 gene in 1 patient with POI. The variant was confirmed and segregated using Sanger sequencing. The c.783delC GDF9 variant changed an amino acid creating a premature termination codon (p.Ser262Hisfs*2). This variant was not present in all public databases (ExAC/gnomAD, NHLBI/EVS and 1000Genomes). Moreover, it was absent in 400 alleles from fertile Brazilian women screened by Sanger sequencing. The patient's mother and her unaffected sister carried the c.783delC variant in a heterozygous state, as expected for an autosomal recessive inheritance. Here, the TMPS identified the first homozygous 1-bp deletion variant in GDF9. This finding reveals a novel inheritance pattern of pathogenic variant in GDF9 associated with POI, thus improving the genetic diagnosis of this disorder. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Uptake study of some radionuclides by Suez Canal bottom sediment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Shinawy, R.M.K.; Abdel Fattah, A.T.; Essa, M.W.A.

1986-01-01

Chemical and physical analyses of Suez Canal bottom sediment at its south entrance (Port Taweffek) were carried out. The sediment was separated into its particle size fractions (clay, silt and sand). The different sediment fractions can be arranged with respect to their sorption capacity as follows: clay, natural sediment, sit and sand. The increase of pH results in small increase in the uptake reaching in some cases a maximum value of pH 6 or 8. More significant increase of uptake is observed when the carrier concentration is increased from 10 -6 to 10 -2 M/L

Wind Atlas for the Gulf of Suez Satellite Imagery and Analyses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasager, Charlotte Bay

(SAR) data derived from the European Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS) have been used to make wind speed maps for the Gulf of Suez. 2. “Land cover from Landsat TM imagery”. Landsat Thematic Mapper(TM) data have been used to establish true- and false-colour land cover maps, as well as land cover...... classification maps. 3. “Reporting on satellite information for the Wind Atlas for Egypt”. Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) data from the European Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS) have been used to map the sea- and land-surface temperatures and albedos....

Relationship between sediment morphology and oil pollution along the Suez Canal beaches, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barakat, M.A.K.; Shimy, T.M.; Mostafa, Y.M.

1996-01-01

In this study, marine surface sediments are collected from nine locations along the Suez Canal in order to investigate the relationship between the morphology of sands in the studied beaches and pollution by oil. Basically, the studied samples were analyzed by three techniques: grains-size analysis, microscopic examination, and gas chromatographic (GC) analysis. This study concluded that medium sand is the major class represented in the studied marine sediments. Pollution in these sand grains increases in the irregular grains more so than in the more rounded grains. Also, deep surface points, pitting, and fissures are considered to be good sites to precipitate oil contamination. Also, the presence of iron oxides may be taken as evidence for tanker ballast washings. The heavy fraction (zircon) shows more contamination than the light fraction (quartz) in these samples. Finally, GC profiles have shown two types of samples: one typical of weathered or highly weathered crude oil patterns and the other for samples with very highly weathered profiles. The relationship obtained between morphology studies and both oil content and GC chromatogram profiles indicates that all of the studied locations are suffering from pollution of oil that is spilled while shipping petroleum through the Suez Canal

TGF-β1, GDF-5, and BMP-2 stimulation induces chondrogenesis in expanded human articular chondrocytes and marrow-derived stromal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Meghan K; Huey, Daniel J; Hu, Jerry C; Athanasiou, Kyriacos A

2015-03-01

Replacement of degenerated cartilage with cell-based cartilage products may offer a long-term solution to halt arthritis' degenerative progression. Chondrocytes are frequently used in cell-based FDA-approved cartilage products; yet human marrow-derived stromal cells (hMSCs) show significant translational potential, reducing donor site morbidity and maintaining their undifferentiated phenotype with expansion. This study sought to investigate the effects of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), growth/differentiation factor 5 (GDF-5), and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) during postexpansion chondrogenesis in human articular chondrocytes (hACs) and to compare chondrogenesis in passaged hACs with that of passaged hMSCs. Through serial expansion, chondrocytes dedifferentiated, decreasing expression of chondrogenic genes while increasing expression of fibroblastic genes. However, following expansion, 10 ng/mL TGF-β1, 100 ng/mL GDF-5, or 100 ng/mL BMP-2 supplementation during three-dimensional aggregate culture each upregulated one or more markers of chondrogenic gene expression in both hACs and hMSCs. Additionally, in both cell types, the combination of TGF-β1, GDF-5, and BMP-2 induced the greatest upregulation of chondrogenic genes, that is, Col2A1, Col2A1/Col1A1 ratio, SOX9, and ACAN, and synthesis of cartilage-specific matrix, that is, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and ratio of collagen II/I. Finally, TGF-β1, GDF-5, and BMP-2 stimulation yielded mechanically robust cartilage rich in collagen II and GAGs in both cell types, following 4 weeks maturation. This study illustrates notable success in using the self-assembling method to generate robust, scaffold-free neocartilage constructs using expanded hACs and hMSCs. © 2014 AlphaMed Press.

Present-day stress fields of the Gulf of Suez (Egypt) based on exploratory well data: Non-uniform regional extension and its relation to inherited structures and local plate motion

Science.gov (United States)

Bosworth, William; Durocher, Scott

2017-12-01

The Gulf of Suez is the prototype model of a failed or aborted continental rift. However, the basin is seismically active and the footwalls of several major extensional faults continue to rise at the present time. Furthermore, decadal-length Global Positioning System (GPS) datasets demonstrate that the Sinai micro-plate continues to separate from Africa in a northerly direction at ∼0.15 cm/yr with a Gulf of Suez rift-normal component of ∼0.05 cm/yr. Geologic and GPS observations both indicate that the rift is now undergoing highly-oblique extension. Previous interpretations of borehole breakouts in industry exploration wells suggested that the minimum horizontal stress (Shmin) in the southern Gulf of Suez is presently aligned ∼015°. New subsurface data from the accommodation zone boundary between the Central and Darag (northern) sub-basins similarly identifies an extension direction of approximately N-S. By contrast, in the Central sub-basin itself breakout and drilling-induced fracture (DIF) data indicate NE-SW extension, or rift-normal movement that is similar to the documented older Miocene history of the entire basin. Based on these observations the present-day stress field of the Gulf of Suez is spatially non-uniform. Variations are also present in local and teleseismic datasets. The northern Gulf of Suez shows relatively less seismicity, with very few events greater than M = 3. The central sub-basin is very active, with 17 events M ≥ 3 during the past 45 years, and these suggest NE-SW extension similar to the breakout data. The southern Gulf of Suez is the most seismically active and merges with an area of significant seismicity in the northern Red Sea. In the southern Gulf of Suez the seismicity is complex but focal plane analyses of the two largest historical events indicated NNE-SSW extension, in agreement with the breakout data. Differing interpretations have been proposed for the smaller magnitude seismicity. We suggest that each of the three

Santé et hygiénisme dans les villes du canal de Suez (fin XIXe-1ère moitié du XXe siècle)

OpenAIRE

Frémaux, Céline

2008-01-01

Cet article identifie, à partir des archives de la Compagnie du canal de Suez, les problématiques qui ont favorisé l'émergence de figures de la santé dans les villes qui se sont développées sur les rives du canal de Suez. Il analyse les solutions mises en œuvre par les acteurs de la planification urbaine et de la construction, en lien avec les doctrines hygiénistes développées en Europe.

Mortality among active workers at EDF-GDF: social and occupational disparities and evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poncet, M.; Chevalier, A.; Bumsel, F.; Lahon, G.

2003-01-01

Background: Two studies, conducted in the eighties and the nineties, reported that mortality was lower- in the French national electric and gas company (EDF-GDF) the utility workers than in the general French Population. The purpose of our study was to compare the mortality of these 140.000 utility workers to that of the French population of the same age for the period from 1997 to 2001. Secondly we aimed to assess the disparities of mortality among the workforce according to demographic and socio-professional criteria. Finally, we analyzed the evolution of this mortality over the last twenty years. Methods: We undertook a cross-sectional study using the indirect standardization method. Results: Risk of death was lower in the utility workers than in the French Population (SMR=54% for men, and 58% for women). These differences had increased over the last twenty years for each main cause of death (cancers, cardio-vascular diseases and accidents). The reported excess of brain cancer death risk raises etiologic questions. Moreover; we noticed important social disparities in the workforce, increasing with tune. Conclusion: The well-known 'healthy worker effect' seems to be particularly important in the EDF-GDF company. The workers have a high level of living conditions and good working conditions, although internal social disparities persist. Further studies in other large corporations are greatly needed for comparisons. (author)

Reproductive biology of the Suez Canal spider crab Schizophrys aspera (H. Milne Edwards, 1834: Crustacea: Brachyura: Majidae).

Science.gov (United States)

El-Serehy, Hamed A; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A; Ibrahim, Nesreen K; Al-Misned, Fahad A

2015-11-01

A reproductive biology study of the spider crab Schizophrys aspera (H. Milne Edwards, 1834) was conducted in the Suez Canal from July 2012 to June 2013. The annual sex ratio (Male:Female) of S. aspera was female biased with values of 1:1.25. Out of the four ovarian development stages of this crab, two stages were observed in the Suez Canal throughout the whole year. The ovigerous crab's carapace width varied from 28 to 52 mm. This crab species can spawn during most of the year in the canal water, with a peak during late spring and early winter. The fecundity of ovigerous females ranged between 2349 and 13600 eggs with a mean of 5494 ± 1486 eggs. Female crabs that reached sexual maturity exhibited a minimum carapace width varying between 22 and 46 mm, and fifty percentage of all ovigerous females showed a carapace width of 36 mm.

Desorption of Sr 89, Co 60 and Cs 134 from Suez Canal bottom sediments (Port Tawfeek Area)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Assy, N.B.; Abdel-Fattah, A.T.; El-Shinawy, R.M.K.; Essa, M.W.A.

1986-01-01

Chemical and physical properties of Suez Canal Bottom Sediments (S.C.B.S) and seawater at Port Tawfeek, the south entrance of Suez Canal, were studied. The (S.C.B.S) was separated into its size fractions (natural sediment, sand, silt and clay). These different sediment fractions were allowed to be in equilibrium with Strontium 89, Cobalt 60 and Cesium 134 solutions. Desorption studies were carried out on these contaminated sediments. The release of Strontium 89 and Cesium 134 was found to be identical and the sequence of this release was as follows : sand> silt> natural sediment> clay. The effect of seawater is 6-8 times that of bidistilled water. In case of Cobalt 60 the above sequence was disturbed and the salinity effect was only 2 times that of bidistilled water. It was also found that Strontium and Cobalt were more easily desorbed from the sand fraction a behaviour which can be explained by their loose attachment to the crystal surface

Surface Modification of Titanium with BMP-2/GDF-5 by a Heparin Linker and Its Efficacy as a Dental Implant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dae Hyeok Yang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, we prepared human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (hBMP-2/human growth and differentiation factor-5 (hGDF-5-coated titanium (Ti disc and screw types for controlled release of the growth factors (GFs. The two growth factors were coated onto Ti with a smooth surface using their specific interaction with heparin, because they have heparin binding sites in their molecular structures. Efficacy of the two growth factor-coated Ti for enhancement of bone formation and osseointegration was compared to pristine Ti, and hBMP-2- and hGDF-5-coated Ti in vivo. The surface chemical composition, surface morphology, and wettability characteristics of the metal samples were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and contact angle measurement, respectively. The initial burst of hBMP-2, hGDF-5, and their combination, occurred within one day of the release study, resulting in 12.5%, 4.5%, and 13.5%/3.2%, and then there was a sustained, even release of these two growth factors from the coated metal for 30 days. In vitro tests revealed that MC3T3-E1 cells cultured on the two growth factor-coated Ti had a higher proliferation rate and a higher activity for alkaline phosphatase (ALP, which led to a larger amount of calcium deposition and larger expressions of type I collagen (COL 1, ALP, and osteocalcin (OCN mRNAs. In vivo animal tests using ten white New Zealand rabbits showed that the two growth factor-coated Ti enhanced bone formation and osseointegration at the interface between the implants and host bone. In addition, histological evaluation showed that bone remodeling, including bone formation by osteoblasts and bone resorption by osteoclasts, actively occurred between the two growth factor-coated Ti and host bone. Consequently, it is suggested that Ti surface modification with the combination of hBMP-2 and hGDF-5 for the two growth factor-coated Ti implants can improve the clinical properties of

The EU's major electricity and gas utilities since market liberalization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuelke, Christian

2011-06-01

A major change has taken place in the company structure of the European electricity and gas markets. Twenty years ago, national or regional monopolies dominated the markets and there was strictly no competition between utilities. But since the liberalization of EU energy markets began in the 1990's, companies like E.ON, GDF Suez, EDF, Enel, and RWE have become European giants with activities in a large number of Member States. The advocates of market liberalization did not expect, or even intend, the emergence of a small number of large utilities that control an increasing part of the EU market. Some observers already claim that liberalization has led to an oligopoly with detrimental consequences for competition. Based on extensive background research, this book presents a fact-based analysis of the changes in the European utility sector since the 1990's. Case studies of the seven largest utilities illustrate how companies adapted their strategies to the changing market environment. The author underlines diverging choices and common trends like geographic expansion into new markets via mergers and acquisitions or diversification of business activities with the aim of using synergies between electricity and gas. Contents: Executive Summary. Introduction. Seven Case Studies of Changing Strategies of Major European Energy Utilities since Market Liberalization (E.ON, GDF Suez, EDF, Enel, RWE, Iberdrola, Vattenfall, Other European Utilities). Overview of Major National and Regional Electricity and Gas Market in the EU (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Nordic, Belgium and the Netherlands, Central and Eastern Europe). Conclusions. Annex. Bibliography

A recurrent, non-penetrant sequence variant, p.Arg266Cys in Growth/Differentiation Factor 3 (GDF3 in a female with unilateral anophthalmia and skeletal anomalies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanya Bardakjian

2017-09-01

Conclusions and importance: Although transfection studies with the p.Arg266Cys mutation have shown that this amino acid substitution is likely to impair function, non-penetrance for the ocular defects was apparent in this family and has been observed in other families with sequence variants in GDF3. We conclude p.Arg266Cys and other GDF3 mutations can be non-penetrant, making pathogenicity more difficult to establish when sequence variants in this gene are present in patients with structural eye defects.

Natural and artificial radionuclides in the Suez Canal bottom sediments and stream water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Tahawy, M.S.; Farouk, M.A.; Ibrahiem, N.M.; El-Mongey, S.A.M.

1994-01-01

Concentration of natural and artificial radionuclides in Suez Canal bottom sediments and stream water have been measured using γ spectrometers based on a hyper-pure Ge detector. The activity concentrations of 238 U series, 232 Th series and 40 K did not exceed 16.0, 15.5 and 500.0 Bq kg -1 dry weight for sediments. The activity concentration of 238 U series and 40 K did not exceed 0.6 and 18.0 Bq l -1 for stream water. (author)

Natural and artificial radionuclides in the Suez Canal bottom sediments and stream water

Science.gov (United States)

El-Tahawy, M. S.; Farouk, M. A.; Ibrahiem, N. M.; El-Mongey, S. A. M.

1994-07-01

Concentration of natural and artificial radionuclides in Suez Canal bottom sediments and stream water have been measured using γ spectrometers based on a hyper-pure Ge detector. The activity concentrations of 238U series, 232Th series and 40K did not exceed 16.0, 15.5 and 500.0 Bq kg-1 dry weight for sediments. The activity concentration of 238U series and 40K did not exceed 0.6 and 18.0 Bq 1-1 for stream water.

The French market of electrical equipment and installation. Control over energy consumption, environmental law and new markets to be conquered draw perspectives for the sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-12-01

This article presents the content of a market study which aimed at identifying the size and dynamics of the French industry of electrical equipment and installation, at comparing financial performance of equipment manufacturers and of installation major companies, at analysing strategies developed by operators to take benefit of growth opportunities in the field of energy efficiency, at identifying new markets to be conquered, and at anticipating capitalistic evolutions. Fifteen companies are presented and analysed within this perspective: ABB, Alstom, Areva, ETDE, General Electric, GDF Suez, the Energy pole of Eiffage, Legrand, Nexans, Rexel, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Sonepar, Spie, and Vinci Energies

The impact of the Nome law on the French market of electricity. How competition intensity will evolve?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-07-01

This article presents the content of a market study which aimed at understanding the Nome law and at assessing its impact on the market, at gathering and analysing key figures of the French market of electricity (energy mix, consumption, gross prices, etc.), at assessing market shares of operators and their evolution, at comparing the commercial position of electricity providers, and at assessing the capacity of alternate operators to challenge EDF's positions. Ten providers have been analysed: Alpiq, Direct Energie, EDF, Electricite de Strasbourg, Enel France, E.ON France, GDF Suez, Gaz Electricite de Grenoble, Poweo, and Soregies

Risk factors of falls among elderly living in urban Suez--Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamel, Mohammed Hany; Abdulmajeed, Abdulmajeed Ahmed; Ismail, Sally El-Sayed

2013-01-01

Falling is one of the most common geriatric syndromes threatening the independence of older persons. Falls result from a complex and interactive mix of biological or medical, behavioral and environmental factors, many of which are preventable. Studying these diverse risk factors would aid early detection and management of them at the primary care level. This is a cross sectional study about risk factors of falls was conducted to 340 elders in Urban Suez. Those are all patients over 60 who attended two family practice centers in Urban Suez. When asked about falling during the past 12 months, 205 elders recalled at least one incident of falling. Of them, 36% had their falls outdoors and 24% mentioned that stairs was the most prevalent site for indoor falls. Falls were also reported more among dependant than independent elderly. Using univariate regression analysis, almost all tested risk factors were significantly associated with falls in the studied population. These risk factors include: living alone, having chronic diseases, using medications, having a physical deficit, being in active, and having a high nutritional risk. However, the multivariate regression analysis proved that the strongest risk factors are low level of physical activity with OR 0.6 and P value 0.03, using a cane or walker (OR 1.69 and P value 0.001) and Impairment of daily living activities (OR 1.7 and P value 0.001). Although falls is a serious problem among elderly with many consequences, it has many preventable risk factors. Health care providers should advice people to remain active and more research is needed in such an important area of Family Practice.

Risk factors of falls among elderly living in Urban Suez - Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Kamel, Mohammed Hany; Abdulmajeed, Abdulmajeed Ahmed; Ismail, Sally El-Sayed

2013-01-01

Introduction Falling is one of the most common geriatric syndromes threatening the independence of older persons. Falls result from a complex and interactive mix of biological or medical, behavioral and environmental factors, many of which are preventable. Studying these diverse risk factors would aid early detection and management of them at the primary care level. Methods This is a cross sectional study about risk factors of falls was conducted to 340 elders in Urban Suez. Those are all patients over 60 who attended two family practice centers in Urban Suez. Results When asked about falling during the past 12 months, 205 elders recalled at least one incident of falling. Of them, 36% had their falls outdoors and 24% mentioned that stairs was the most prevalent site for indoor falls. Falls were also reported more among dependant than independent elderly. Using univariate regression analysis, almost all tested risk factors were significantly associated with falls in the studied population. These risk factors include: living alone, having chronic diseases, using medications, having a physical deficit, being in active, and having a high nutritional risk. However, the multivariate regression analysis proved that the strongest risk factors are low level of physical activity with OR 0.6 and P value 0.03, using a cane or walker (OR 1.69 and P value 0.001) and Impairment of daily living activities (OR 1.7 and P value 0.001). Conclusion Although falls is a serious problem among elderly with many consequences, it has many preventable risk factors. Health care providers should advice people to remain active and more research is needed in such an important area of Family Practice. PMID:23504298

Study of mutations available in first-halfexon 2 of GDF9 gene in crossbred sheep born from crossing of Romanov rams with Kermani ewes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasoul Khodabakhshzadeh

2015-04-01

Full Text Available For decreasing the numberofbreedingewes onpastures and prevention of demolition pastures, Animal breedingprograms are necessary on genes with major effects on litter size in Iranian sheep breeds for Identify effective candidate genes on these economical traits .The GDF9 gene is one of the most important effective factors on litter size in sheep. The aim of the present study was to identify G2, G3 and G4 mutations in exon 2 of GDF9 gene in crossbred sheep (Romanov rams×Kermani ewes using PCR-SSCP. Blood samples were collected from jugular vein of 121 crossbred individuals. Genomic DNA was extracted using salting-out method. Partial region of exon 2 (633 bp segments of GDF9 gene was amplified with designed specific primers. The single stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP patterns of PCR products were studied using acrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver-nitrate staining method. Finally, we obtained 5 banding patterns 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 with frequencies of 0.314, 0.024, 0.289, 0.232 & 0.141, respectively. The sequencing results showed presence 5 mutations in the studied population.

Myostatin (GDF-8) Deficiency Increases Fracture Callus Size, Sox-5 Expression, and Callus Bone Volume

OpenAIRE

Kellum, Ethan; Starr, Harlan; Arounleut, Phonepasong; Immel, David; Fulzele, Sadanand; Wenger, Karl; Hamrick, Mark W.

2008-01-01

Myostatin (GDF-8) is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth and mice lacking myostatin show increased muscle mass. We have previously shown that myostatin deficiency increases bone strength and biomineralization throughout the skeleton, and others have demonstrated that myostatin is expressed during the earliest phase of fracture repair. In order to determine the role of myostatin in fracture callus morphogenesis, we studied fracture healing in mice lacking myostatin. Adult wild-type ...

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): Benefits For Pakistan And Comparison With Suez And Panama Canals

Science.gov (United States)

2017-12-01

ECONOMIC CORRIDOR (CPEC): BENEFITS FOR PAKISTAN AND COMPARISON WITH SUEZ AND PANAMA CANALS by Hanif Ullah Khan December 2017 Thesis...DATE December 2017 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE CHINA PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR (CPEC): BENEFITS FOR...The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is part of China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative and joins two major economic corridors: The Silk Road

[The corvette "Nordstjernen's" voyage to the opening of the Suez Canal--naval medicine in 1869].

Science.gov (United States)

Ongre, Aksel; Pettersen, Jan Sommerfelt; Munch, Johan Storm

2002-06-30

When the Norwegian corvette Nordstjernen was in the North Sea bound for Port Said to be present at the opening of the Suez Canal on 17 November 1869, an officer suffered a rupture of m. triceps brachii when he was drawn into the machinery during a storm. He was put ashore in Harwich; four days after the injury he was hospitalized in Colchester. The voyage was eventful in other ways too. Another officer died from typhoid fever in Ismailia. On the Swedish frigate Vanadis, also present at the opening of the Suez Canal, one of the doctors died from lung infection and was buried in Smyrna; a twelve-feet high column of white marble was taken from the ruins of Aesculap's temple and put on his grave. Denmark was represented by the frigate Sjaelland. During a storm in the North Sea, one seaman fell down on the deck from the foresail yard and suffered contusions and a fracture of the left clavicle. These cases illustrate challenges that faced our ancestors. The accident happened when the ship was in the Netherlands sector of the North Sea as we know it today. Today the Coast Guard could have arranged transport by helicopter and hospitalized the patient in about two hours.

Mutation in the protease cleavage site of GDF9 increases ovulation rate and litter size in heterozygous ewes and causes infertility in homozygous ewes.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, C J H; McNeilly, A S; Benavides, M V; Melo, E O; Moraes, J C F

2014-10-01

Litter size (LS) in sheep is determined mainly by ovulation rate (OR). Several polymorphisms have been identified in the growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) gene that result in an increase in OR and prolificacy of sheep. Screening the databank of the Brazilian Sheep Breeders Association for triplet delivery, we identified flocks of prolific Ile de France ewes. After resequencing of GDF9, a point mutation (c.943C>T) was identified, resulting in a non-conservative amino acid change (p.Arg315Cys) in the cleavage site of the propeptide. This new allele was called Vacaria (FecG(v) ). A flock of half-sib ewes was evaluated for OR in the first three breeding seasons, and Vacaria heterozygotes had higher OR (P develop up to small antral stages, although with abnormal oocyte morphology and altered arrangement of granulosa cells. After the collapse of the oocyte in most follicles, the remaining cells formed clusters that persisted in the ovary. This SNP is useful to improve selection for dam prolificacy and also as a model to investigate GDF9 post-translation processing and the fate of the follicular cells that remain after the oocyte demise. © 2014 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Mosquitoes of the genus Culex in the Suez Canal Governorates.

Science.gov (United States)

Morsy, T A; el Okbi, L M; Kamal, A M; Ahmed, M M; Boshara, E F

1990-06-01

Mosquitoes are among the most annoying and important vectors of human and animal diseases as malaria, filariasis, yellow fever, rift valley fever...etc. In this paper, it was aimed to study the present status of species of genus Culex in the Suez Canal Governorates after the reconstruction and developmental projects. Five species of Culex were identified: C. pipiens, C. univittatus, C. antennatus, C. poicilipes and C. pusillus. The latter species was represented by two specimens. C. pipiens was the commonest species both indoors and outdoors. C. antennatus and C. poicilipes were found only outdoors. C. pipiens was found all the year round particularly in Spring. Other species were found in Spring and Autumn, except C. antennatus which was found in Summer as well. The results were discussed on the light of work done before.

Bio indicator for monitoring radioactive pollution in Suez Canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EL-Assy, N.B.; Abdel Fattah, A.T.; EL-Shinawy, R.M.K.; Essa, M.W.A.

1988-01-01

Elseredie or pinctada radiatata bivalve oyster used as a food stuff in town of Suez; was found to be a good bio indicator for Co-60 and Cs-134. This laboratory study; under similar marine environment including ph, salinity and temperature; indicated that these oysters concentrate Cs-134 in the soft tissue higher than in the shell. This may be due to similarity between Cs and K. Contrary to Cs, co was concentrated in the shell more than in the soft tissue. This was attributed to physico-chemical adsorption of Co by shell. The release (loss) of Co-60 and Cs-134; carried out under the same conditions of the field environment; was found to follow the same trends of their uptake. Release of Cs-134 was fast and di phasic reaction whereas in case of Co-60 it is slow continuous and monophasic reaction

Geothermal studies in oilfield districts of Eastern Margin of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt

OpenAIRE

Mohamed Abdel Zaher; Mohamed El Nuby; Essam Ghamry; Khamis Mansour; Nureddin M. Saadi; Heba Atef

2014-01-01

Results of geothermal studies carried out at 149 onshore oil wells have been used in evaluation of temperature gradient and heat flow values of the eastern shore of the Gulf of Suez. The investigations included temperature logs in boreholes, calculation of amplitude temperature, geothermal gradients and heat flow. The results obtained indicate that geothermal gradient values are in the ranges of 0.02–0.044 °C/m and regionally averaged mean heat flow values are found to fall in the interval of...

Assessment of the impact from transporting radioactive materials in the Suez Canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabek, G.

1987-11-01

A study in Egypt, carried out as the subject of an IAEA research contract, has used the INTERTRAN Code to provide an assessment of doses to handlers and the collective dose to the population, due to transport of radioactive material through the Suez Canal. Calculations were carried out using the data appropriate to the Canal, based on actual statistics and observations and default data built into the Code. The average collective dose per year was calculated to be 4.5 man rem and doses to handlers under normal transport conditions represented 97% of the total. Use of built-in default data gave results 10 6 times higher. 11 refs, 16 tabs

Studies on biting midges of the genus Culicoides in the Suez Canal Zone.

Science.gov (United States)

Morsy, T A; Bebars, M A; Sabry, A H; Ahmed, M M; Abdel Fattah, S A

1989-06-01

The importance of the biting midges of the genus Culicoides being in their role as vector of non periodic filarial worms of the genus Mansonella and Dipetalonema to man and pathogenic virus to livestock. Besides, their painful bite may disappear within an hour or cause an appreciable systemic reaction. In this paper, the four species recorded in the Suez Canal Zone (C. schultzei, C. puncticollis, C. pallidipennis & C. distinctipennis) were redescribed. Also, the hours of activity of the most common and abundant species, C. schultzei was studied. C. neavei Austin, 1912, representing a new record in Egypt.

Shale gas, a French speciality - These French who are successful in shale gas; In Texas, Total is running full gas throttle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cognasse, Olivier; Dupin, Ludovic; Chandes, Camille

2013-01-01

A first article illustrates the strong presence of French companies in the shale gas sector, from the exploitation to gas liquefaction. Some examples are evoked: Total (gas fields and petrochemical), CGG (seismic exploration), Vallourec (tube manufacturer), Nexans (cable manufacturer), Imery and Saint-Gobain (ceramic balls used to maintain cracks opened), Saltel (fracturing), SNF Floerger (extraction), GDF Suez (shale gas export). The interest of some foreign actors in the French shale gas is also evoked. A second article reports the activity of Total in Port Arthur, Texas, where it adapted a huge steam cracker to shale gas. This illustrates the renewal of the American petrochemical industry

Actors of the hydrogen sector in France; Les acteurs de l'hydrogene en France

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-07-01

This document proposes brief presentations (web site address, activities) of actors operating in the hydrogen sector in France. These actors are public actors who can be incentive or financing actors (ADEME, ANR) or research institutions (CNRS, CEA, university and engineering schools, IFP, INERIS, INRETS), private actors like industrial groups (Air Liquide, AREVA, GDF Suez, Total, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault, Saint-Gobain, SNECMA, ST Microelectronics, 3M, Veolia Environnement) or small companies (Alca Torda Applications, Axane, CETH2, Helion, MaHytec, N-GHY, PaxiTech, Sertronic, ULLIT). It also presents the HyPAC platform created by the AFH2 and ADEME), the AFH2 (the French Association for Hydrogen), and regional initiatives

Actors of the hydrogen sector in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

This document proposes brief presentations (web site address, activities) of actors operating in the hydrogen sector in France. These actors are public actors who can be incentive or financing actors (ADEME, ANR) or research institutions (CNRS, CEA, university and engineering schools, IFP, INERIS, INRETS), private actors like industrial groups (Air Liquide, AREVA, GDF Suez, Total, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault, Saint-Gobain, SNECMA, ST Microelectronics, 3M, Veolia Environnement) or small companies (Alca Torda Applications, Axane, CETH2, Helion, MaHytec, N-GHY, PaxiTech, Sertronic, ULLIT). It also presents the HyPAC platform created by the AFH2 and ADEME), the AFH2 (the French Association for Hydrogen), and regional initiatives

The main players; Les acteurs d'influence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delbecq, D.

2012-02-15

About 30 French main players in the field of energy (political parties, administrations, companies, non-governmental organizations and think-tanks) have been reported and dispatched on a chart according to their opinions following 2 axis: pro- versus anti-nuclear energy and pro- versus anti-wind power. The energy sector in France is dominated by 4 companies: EDF, GDF-Suez, Areva and Total, all are strongly pro-nuclear. All the political parties except EELV (Europe-Ecology-Les-Verts) are favourable to nuclear energy. Most non-governmental organizations are favourable to renewable energies, but the FED (Federation Environnement Durable) gathers local associations fighting the installations of wind turbines. (A.C)

Isotopic characterization and genetic origin of crude oils from Gulf of Suez and western desert fields in Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd El Samie, S.G.

2006-01-01

Stable carbon isotopes were used to asses the general characteristics of the western desert and Gulf of Suez crude oils in accordance with hydrocarbon generation, source rocks, thermal gradient and maturation level. The carbon isotopic results of all the analyzed oil samples in both areas lie in the range from -29.62 to -24.11 %. The av. σ 13 C values in the Gulf of Suez reaches about -28.6% and -26.4% in western desert. It was accounted a marginal difference between the two areas by about 2.5 : 3% in carbon-13 isotope of the whole oil indicated two distinct oil types of different organic input and varies in the depositional environment. It was found that Gulf of Suez oils are dominated by marine organic matter (plankton algae) deposited in saline environment. The derived oils from the northern and central provinces of the Gulf are isotopically light, higher in sulfur content, lower in API gravity degree and have Pristane/Phytane (Pr/Ph) ratio less than or equal one (Pr/Ph = 1). In the southern province, about 0.5% isotopic enrichment was recorded in the produced oils from shallower depths, associated with gradual increment in API and maturity level as thermal gradient increase. However, low API gravity degree and less maturity of the Gulf of Suez oils could be related to the rifting temperature that forced and accelerated the expulsion rate and hydrocarbon generation prior reaching higher maturation levels. On the other hand, the produced oils from the western desert fields belong mostly to terrestrial organic debris (with minor marine fragment in some basins) deposited at deeper geological formations. It is characterized by isotopic enrichment, paraffinic waxy oils, low in sulphur content, have Pr/Ph = 1, high in API gravity and maturity level. Hydrocarbon generated from the western desert fields has been controlled by time-temperature effect in the source rocks and reservoirs where the humic organic matter are affected by high temperature over longer period of

Anorexia-cachexia and obesity treatment may be two sides of the same coin: role of the TGF-b superfamily cytokine MIC-1/GDF15.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, V W W; Lin, S; Brown, D A; Salis, A; Breit, S N

2016-02-01

Anorexia-cachexia associated with cancer and other diseases is a common and often fatal condition representing a large area of unmet medical need. It occurs most commonly in advanced cancer and is probably a consequence of molecules released by tumour cells, or tumour-associated interstitial or immune cells. These may then act directly on muscle to cause atrophy and/or may cause anorexia, which then leads to loss of both fat and lean mass. Although the aetiological triggers for this syndrome are not well characterized, recent data suggest that MIC-1/GDF15, a transforming growth factor-beta superfamily cytokine produced in large amounts by cancer cells and as a part of other disease processes, may be an important trigger. This cytokine acts on feeding centres in the hypothalamus and brainstem to cause anorexia leading to loss of lean and fat mass and eventually cachexia. In animal studies, the circulating concentrations of MIC-1/GDF15 required to cause this syndrome are similar to those seen in patients with advanced cancer, and at least some epidemiological studies support an association between MIC-1/GDF15 serum levels and measures of nutrition. This article will discuss its mechanisms of central appetite regulation, and the available data linking this action to anorexia-cachexia syndromes that suggest it is a potential target for therapy of cancer anorexia-cachexia and conversely may also be useful for the treatment of severe obesity.

The strategies of European energy operators. Which strategic and capitalistic evolutions for the sector on a medium term?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-11-01

This article presents the content of a market study which aimed at describing the current regulatory context of energy markets in Europe and the degree of openness to competition, at analysing all figures concerning electricity and natural gas in different countries (production, consumption, balance of trade), at analysing development strategies of electricity providers and gas operators and at assessing their strengths and weaknesses, at comparing financial performance of leader groups and at assessing their financial flexibility, and at anticipating the reconfiguration of the sector on a medium term. Fifteen energy companies or operators have been analysed: Centrica, CEZ, E.ON, EDF, EDP, Enel, ENI, Fortum, Gas Natural, GDF Suez, Iberdrola, RWE, SSE, Vattenfall, Verbund

The Gas Congress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

This document is published before a congress which will address the struggle against climate change, the security of the gas supply chain, the responses of energy groups to environmental and economic challenges, the opening of the gas market, the European energy policy, the future role of gas in the third industrial revolution, and the security of gas supplies. After an introduction briefly discussing these issues and the impacts of the French 'Grenelle de l'Environnement' and the struggle against climate change for gas production and consumption, several interviews are proposed with actors belonging to the AFG (Association Francaise du Gaz), ADEME, European Commission, Total, GDF Suez, other professional bodies, or local communities

Article Review: Lessepsian migration of zooplankton through Suez Canal and its impact on ecological system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Howaida Y. Zakaria

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The marine environment of the East Mediterranean has been considerably impacted in modern times by two man-made changes: the creation of a waterway between the Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean basins and the control of the Nile fresh-water outflow. The opening of the Suez Canal caused a migration generally from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and rarely in the opposite direction as the Red Sea is generally saltier and more nutrient-poor than the Atlantic, so the Red Sea species have advantages over Atlantic species in the salty and nutrient-poor eastern Mediterranean. Accordingly Red Sea species invaded the Mediterranean ecosystem and not vice versa; this phenomenon is known as the Lessepsian migration or erythrean invasion. The composition of zooplankton in the eastern Mediterranean has been shown to include a large proportion of Indo-Pacific and other circumtropical species which have successfully settled and proliferated in this environment. During the present study, an overview is provided on zooplankton migration through Suez Canal and its impact on the ecological system based on published literature. It is also meant with the hydrographic and zooplankton characteristics of the adjacent seas. It is clear that, except jellyfish Rhopilema nomadica, the negative impact of zooplankton Lessepsian migratory species in the Egyptian Mediterranean waters is not evident. Finally, it would be concluded that, a continuous monitoring programme will be needed to record the recent erythrean zooplankton species and follow up the distribution and abundance of those previously recorded as aliens to assess their impacts on the native biodiversity of the Mediterranean.

Europe: a new start for the nuclear energy. BIP-Enerpresse Debate - February 10, 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

This paper contains a synthesis of a debate organised in the context of a gas supply crisis which leads some countries to launch nuclear reactor projects (such as in the United Kingdom) or to carry on their program (France, China). The participants, all representing important French actors (Areva, EDF, GDF Suez, Enel France), are commenting the statement of the French government announcing the construction of a second EPR in France, the evolution of the European institutional context, the legal environment in the United Kingdom and in Italy, the competitiveness and investment issues. They also answer questions about Areva's activity in Europe, the fourth generation reactors, the needs for skilled engineers, technicians and workers, the new start of nuclear energy in Italy

No 3017. Resolution proposal aiming at creating an inquiry commission relative to the project of merger between Gaz de France and Suez, to the conditions of its preparation and announcement and to the consequences of Gaz de France privatization on users and on the energy market balance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balligand, J.P.; Ayrault, J.M.; Hollande, F.; Besson, E.; Migaud, D.; Emmanuelli, H.; Brottes, F.; Bataille, Ch.; Ducout, P.; Gaubert, J.; Habib, D.

2006-04-01

On February 25, 2006, the French government took the decision of merging together Gaz de France and Suez energy companies as an answer to Enel's project of takeover bid on Suez. This document wonders about: the real motivations of Gaz de France (the French gas utility) privatization, the possible intervention of public authorities in Enel and Veolia companies project of controlling the Suez group, the governing way of the share-holding government and the preservation of its industrial interests, and the consequences for consumers. Therefore, the creation of a parliamentary inquiry commission is requested to shade light on these different points and to give notice of any bad practices in this affair. (J.S.)

75 FR 57911 - Application To Export Electric Energy; GDF SUEZ Energy Marketing NA, Inc.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-23

... reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system. Copies of this application will be made available, upon... electric energy from the United States to Canada pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act. DATES... purchased from electric utilities, Federal power marketing agencies and other entities within the United...

Reproductive biology of the milk shark Rhizoprionodon acutus (Rüppell, 1837 from the Gulf of Suez, Red Sea, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amgad M. Shaaban

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The milk shark, Rhizoprionodon acutus (Rüppell, 1837, is one of the most abundant shark species landed at Ataka fishing port at the Gulf of Suez. A total of 357 individuals (165 males and 192 females were collected from the trawl and artisanal fisheries. Males ranged from 44.6 to 88.5 cm TL, while females ranged from 47.8 to 97.2 cm TL. The total sex ratio was estimated at 1:1.16 for males and females respectively. Lengths at 50% maturity were estimated to be 76.5 cm TL for males and 74 cm TL for females. Females possess one functional ovary and two functional uteri. The vitellogenesis and gestation occur concurrently and thus females seem to have a reproductive cycle of one year with no resting period. The mean embryo lengths in different months and the presence of neonates in virtually all months, however, indicated that parturition takes place throughout the year with a peak in summer. Length and weight at birth, depending on term embryos and neonates ranged from 39.5 to 44.6 cm TL (mean 42.05 ± 2.55. Ovarian fecundity ranged from one to nine (mean 5.56 ± 0.33. Uterine fecundity ranged from one to six embryos (mean 3.22 ± 0.24. The sex ratio of embryos was approximately 1:1. Keywords: Gulf of Suez, Rhizoprionodon acutus, Reproductive biology

The Mediterranean as a Hub of Maritime Trade and the Role of the New Suez Canal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vittorio Amato

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Freight is a key variable of the economy, has a crucial role in the spatial relationships between different and distant markets and, to that extent, represents the physical medium by which exchanges of goods are realized, constituting the backbone of world trade. Throughout history, man has always sought methods by which speed up and simplify the connections between the many points of the globe both through the use of increasingly efficient technologies, and through the construction of new ways of access frequently changing physical morphology of territories. This process is still evolving, and in fact in 2015 there has been a new change that has affected one of the major hubs of the world: the Suez Canal. The Canal doubling is a strong signal of change as not only induces to reflect on current developments within the mode of transport, in particular the increasing race to the naval gigantism, but it also implies a newfound centrality of the Mediterranean Sea which, thanks to the new infrastructure, will increase its transit flows. This involves, on the one hand, an increase in business opportunities, and on the other, the formation of new hierarchies between the port systems of the countries that surround it. The underlying theme of the essay revolves around the recent trend of the modern shipping, and on variables that influenced the decision to double the channel. It will analyze the “New Suez Canal“ and its real capacity to attract more transit flows both in quantitative terms and in relation to the types of ships that can cross it and in relation to the origin of these flows. Finally the focus will be on port and logistics systems of the Mediterranean countries in order to understand which of them is more ready to seize any new opportunities involved.

Estimating the Mean Circulation and Water Exchange of the Gulf of Suez-Red Sea via a Validated One-Way Atmospheric-Hydrodynamic Coupled Model

Science.gov (United States)

Eladawy, Ahmed; Shaltout, Mohamed; Sousa, Magda Catarina; Dias, João Miguel; Nadaoka, Kazuo

2018-05-01

The Gulf of Suez, Northern Islands protected area, and Hurghada zone are experiencing mega developments in all sectors including tourism, industry, and logistics. The need for moderately accurate near-shore hydrodynamic models is increasing to support the sustainable development of this oceanic area. This can be accomplished by following a nesting approach including the downscaling of global atmospheric and oceanic models into local models using higher resolution datasets. This work aims to present the development of a one-way coupling between atmospheric and hydrodynamic models for the Gulf of Suez (GOS) to understand the local oceanic characteristics and processes. The Regional Climate Model system (RegCM4) is used to simulate moderate resolution atmospheric features and its results are used to force a local dedicated application of Delft3D model. The results indicate that the predicted water level, water temperature, and evaporation accurately follow in situ measurements, remotely sensed data, and re-analysis data. The results suggest that the annual sea surface temperature is averaged at 23 °C, while the annual average of evaporation rates equals 8.02 mm/day. The study suggests that the water level displays a marked seasonal and spatial variation. Moreover, the water balance in the Gulf of Suez was controlled by the difference between inflows and outflows through the Straits of Gubal and by the net precipitation. In addition, the water balance indicated a net loss of approximately 3.9 × 10-3 m of water during 2013. Moreover, the exchange through the Straits of Gubal showed a two-way exchange with a net inflow of 0.0007 Sv, where the outflow dominated in the surface layer along the western coast and the inflow dominated in the lower layers along the middle of the Straits. To conclude, the one-way coupling modeling technique proved to be a reliable tool for studying local features of the GOS region.

Hydrogen and fuel cell activity report - France 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

The report gathers the main outstanding facts which occurred in France in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells in 2009. After having noticed some initiatives (French commitment in renewable energy production, new role for the CEA, cooperation between different research and industrial bodies, development of electric vehicles, research programs), the report presents several projects and programs regarding hydrogen: ANR programs, creation of a national structure, basic research by the CEA and CNRS, demonstration projects (H2E), transport applications (a hybrid 307 by Peugeot, the Althytude project by GDF and Suez, the Hychain European project by Air Liquide, a dirigible airship, an ultra-light aviation project, a submarine), some stationary applications (the Myrte project, a wind energy project), activity in small and medium-sized enterprises, regional initiatives, colloquiums and meetings.

EDF, AREVA, Alstom and the others: where is the problem?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

After having recalled the context of the Messmer plan of 1974 according to which the roles of the different actors of the nuclear sector were clearly distributed, this article describes and comments the evolution of this context, notably after the N4 threshold has been reached: the French industry has lost many experts (they are retired), the concurrence has evolved as well as relationships between clients and providers. The article outlines that a new balance between the main actors is now needed. It comments the case of the EPR, the emergence of new PWR concepts, the different roles EDF, AREVA, GDF-Suez or Total may have depending on the project (they can be client, investor, or operator). Principles for a new strategy and operation for this sector and its actors are formulated

News from the world

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2014-01-01

This document gathers information from around the world concerning nuclear industry. The most relevant follow. A new closure head has been installed on the Callaway reactor. For the first time in Russia, the installation of the reactor vessel of the unit 1 of the Leningrad-II plant has been made through the upper part of the containment building not yet closed. This new way of doing simplifies the installation of the reactor vessel and saves time. Florida authorities have given their consent for the construction of 2 AP1000 reactors on the Turkey Point site. The unit 2 of the Atucha plant (Argentina, 745 MW PWR) diverged for the first time on June 3, 2014. In Namibia, the Husab uranium mine came into production in May 2014. Within the framework of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative, Uzbekistan has returned to Russia its whole inventory (5 kg) of ultra high enriched uranium. Chinese authorities have launched an initiative for a better international cooperation in the field of nuclear safety. The draft law on energy transition provides that the French Nuclear Safety Authority will have the right to sanction any plant operator who does not comply with its decisions. The works for building the ice walls intended to block contaminated underground waters, have begun at the Fukushima nuclear plant. GDF-Suez and Toshiba have agreed to build together 3 reactors in the northwestern region of England. All the European Union members have agreed to revise the directive on nuclear safety in order to reinforce the community framework for controlling the safety standards of nuclear facilities on European soil. (A.C.)

Energy transfer phenomena in GdF sub 3 :Mn co-doped with Ce sup 3 sup + , Pr sup 3 sup + or Zr sup 4 sup +

CERN Document Server

Kobayashi, M; Ishii, M; Solovieva, N; Nikl, M

2003-01-01

We studied the effects of Mn sup 2 sup + doping and Ce sup 3 sup + or Pr sup 3 sup + or Zr sup 4 sup + co-doping on the scintillation characteristics of GdF sub 3 powder crystals including excitation-emission spectra and decay time for UV excitation, light yield (LY) and luminescence spectra for X-rays. In GdF sub 3 :Mn sup 2 sup + , the dominant Mn sup 2 sup + emission occurred at 515 nm with a decay constant tau - 24 ms for excitation at 275 nm. The LY increased monotonically as the Mn sup 2 sup + concentration decreased from 1 at.% down to 20 at.ppm, indicating very efficient Gd sup 3 sup + -> Mn sup 2 sup + energy transfer and possible concentration quenching at large Mn sup 2 sup + concentrations. The maximum LY for X-rays was about 19% of Gd sub 2 O sub 2 S:Pr sup 3 sup + , Ce sup 3 sup + , one of the brightest ceramics scintillators employed in X-ray computed tomography. While efficient energy transfers of Ce sup 3 sup + -> Gd sup 3 sup + and Ce sup 3 sup + -> (Gd sup 3 sup +) sub n -> Mn sup 2 sup + w...

Boundary layer structure observed by Shipborne Doppler Sonar in the Suez Canal zone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fiocco, G. (Rome Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Fisica); Mastrantonio, G.; Ricotta, A. (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Frascati (Italy). Lab. per il Plasma nello Spazio)

Observations of the boundary layer with a monostatic Sonar and other instrumentation were carried out in the Suez canal zone in January and March 1979, from the Italian m.v. Salernum on its way to and from a GARP assignment. The Sonar was operated almost continuously throughout the passages. In addition to the intensity records, an off-line Doppler analysis involving the use of the fast Fourier transform of the digitized Sonar echoes has provided the vertical component w of the velocity. In general, because of efficient filtering and of the good quality of the data, a vertical profile of w has been determined for each transmitted pulse. During a prolonged stay in the Bitter lakes vertical profiles of temperature and humidity were also obtained by deploying a tethered balloon. Large temporal and spatial temperature contrasts exist in the canal zone due to the presence of the desert and of large and small bodies of water. The ensuring phenomenology during the time of observation was quite varied.

The INERIS at the heart of energy transition - INERISmag Nr 35. Clean energy - hydrogen, an energy vector for the future. Storage of electrochemical energy - To assess and to improve the safety of batteries. Methanization - Biogas: an energy which valorises organic wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-11-01

The first article of this magazine proposes a brief comment on the content of the bill project related to energy transition and green growth, and briefly outlines the role the INERIS is to play in this perspective. The second article addresses the perspectives of development of the use of hydrogen as an energy vector, and evokes the GHRYD project in which the INERIS is involved with GDF Suez, the Dunkirk urban community and other partners, and which is based on the use of a mix of hydrogen, methane and natural gas for mobility and household applications. The third article evokes works and researches undertaken to improve the safety of batteries. The last article briefly evokes INERIS activities on the safety of the methanization process, and in investigating characteristics of bio-wastes and domestic wastes with respect to French and European standards

EU Energy Law. Volume 2. EU Competition Law and Energy Markets. 2. ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabau, E.; Jones, C.; Hancher, L.; Kjoelbye, L.; Landes, V.; Van der Woude, M.

2007-09-01

This completely revised and reworked second edition: incorporates the conclusions and consequences of the Sectoral Energy Competition Enquiry; contains an entirely reworked section on anti-competitive agreements and practices; examines in detail the developments in individual cases concerning long-term capacity reservation and sales/purchase agreements; considers recent developments on cases concerning collusion on price and quantity restrictions; looks into detail at the consequences of the Sectoral enquiry on abuse of a dominant position, particularly regarding discrimination in network access; revises the section on merger control to take account of developments in the methodology in defining markets and defining dominance /significant impediment of competition from the Sectoral enquiry; includes major new merger cases: Endesa, GDF/Suez, E.ON/MOL, DONG; and finally updates the State Aid section to take account of new decisions on renewable support schemes, security of supply

Civil nuclear. Which abilities for tomorrow?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2010-01-01

As the nuclear sector is entering a revival period with tens of reactors under construction and hundreds of projects, this sector is also facing recruitment challenges as an important part of its personnel will be retired (in 2009, EDF stated that nearly forty per cent of its nuclear engineers and technicians will be retired in a five year time), and as young generations seem less interested in scientific education and more particularly in nuclear science. Therefore, some of the main actors like EDF and GDF Suez organize information campaigns towards students and young graduates. As France exports to China its teaching expertise in the field of nuclear energy, and as EDF has created a European Foundation for tomorrow's energies to develop and value energy education, some suggest the creation of an international institute for nuclear education

Competition at the attack of EdF's dams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, O.; Gateaud, P.; Dupin, L.

2010-01-01

The exploitation of French hydroelectric dams is at the eve of a big upheaval. EdF, the historical operator, and GdF Suez the French number two of hydropower generation are going to face the strong competition of the big European energy groups. France will open 20% of its hydroelectric potential to competition in order to be in agreement with the opening of energy markets imposed by the European Union, and to increase by 10% the hydroelectric power as requested by the French government policy. The candidates will have to fulfill 3 criteria: investing to increase production, reducing the environmental impacts, and accepting the principle of paying fees. However, some of the French dams suffer from serious pathologies and the health of thousands of small dams remains unknown because of the lack of available data. (J.S.)

Boundary layer structure observed by Shipborne Doppler Sodar in the Suez Canal zone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiocco, G.; Mastrantonio, G.; Ricotta, A.

1980-01-01

Observations of the boundary layer with a monostatic Sodar and other instrumentation were carried out in the Suez canal zone in January and March 1979, from the Italian m.v. Salernum on its way to and from a GARP assignment. The Sodar was operated almost continuously throughout the passages. In addition to the intensity records, an off-line Doppler analysis involving the use of the fast Fourier transform of the digitized Sodar echoes has provided the vertical component w of the velocity. In general, because of efficient filtering and of the good quality of the data, a vertical profile of w has been determined for each transmitted pulse. During a prolonged stay in the Bitter lakes vertical profiles of temperature and humidity were also obtained by deploying a tethered balloon. Large temporal and spatial temperature contrasts exist in the canal zone due to the presence of the desert and of large and small bodies of water. The ensuring phenomenology during the time of observation was quite varied. (author)

Potential migration of buoyant LNAPL from intermediate level waste (ILW) emplaced in a geological disposal facility (GDF) for U.K. radioactive waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Benbow, Steven J; Rivett, Michael O; Chittenden, Neil; Herbert, Alan W; Watson, Sarah; Williams, Steve J; Norris, Simon

2014-10-15

A safety case for the disposal of Intermediate Level (radioactive) Waste (ILW) in a deep geological disposal facility (GDF) requires consideration of the potential for waste-derived light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) to migrate under positive buoyancy from disposed waste packages. Were entrainment of waste-derived radionuclides in LNAPL to occur, such migration could result in a shorter overall travel time to environmental or human receptors than radionuclide migration solely associated with the movement of groundwater. This paper provides a contribution to the assessment of this issue through multiphase-flow numerical modelling underpinned by a review of the UK's ILW inventory and literature to define the nature of the associated ILW LNAPL source term. Examination has been at the waste package-local GDF environment scale to determine whether proposed disposal of ILW would lead to significant likelihood of LNAPL migration, both from waste packages and from a GDF vault into the local host rock. Our review and numerical modelling support the proposition that the release of a discrete free phase LNAPL from ILW would not present a significant challenge to the safety case even with conservative approximations. 'As-disposed' LNAPL emplaced with the waste is not expected to pose a significant issue. 'Secondary LNAPL' generated in situ within the disposed ILW, arising from the decomposition of plastics, in particular PVC (polyvinyl chloride), could form the predominant LNAPL source term. Released high molecular weight phthalate plasticizers are judged to be the primary LNAPL potentially generated. These are expected to have low buoyancy-based mobility due to their very low density contrast with water and high viscosity. Due to the inherent uncertainties, significant conservatisms were adopted within the numerical modelling approach, including: the simulation of a deliberately high organic material--PVC content wastestream (2D03) within an annular grouted waste package

Developing a generic environmental safety case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, Lucy

2014-01-01

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has been charged with implementing the United Kingdom government's policy for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste by planning, building and operating a geological disposal facility (GDF). Within the NDA, we - the Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) - are tasked with the development of a GDF. The UK government has also decided that a process of voluntarism and partnership will be followed to identify a suitable site for the GDF. To date there is no volunteer community and the site selection process to find a volunteer host community is under review. RWMD has an ongoing role to provide advice to UK radioactive waste producers on the conditioning and packaging of wastes and to undertake disposability assessments of waste packaging proposals to determine their suitability for eventual disposal in a GDF. We also need to demonstrate our confidence that a GDF would be safe. Therefore RWMD has published a generic Environmental Safety Case (ESC) (NDA, 2010) to demonstrate that we are confident that a GDF could be developed to meet the guidelines set down by the environmental regulators (EA/NIEA, 2009) in a range of geological settings. The ESC includes reference case calculations that are used as a benchmark for disposability assessments. (author)

The French gas industry in the world

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Gourrierec, Meline

2015-01-01

After a first article which briefly outlines the importance of the gas world market (in a context of increase of energy demand and of necessity of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions), and indicates the important roles played by French companies who intervene on the whole supply chain (Total, GDF Suez, EDF) or as engineering companies Technip, Gaztransport Technigaz or GTT (the last one is specialized in marine engineering and intervenes in the LNG sector), an interview of the State Secretary in charge of Foreign Trade is proposed. It addresses the presence and intervention of French companies as natural gas tends to become the first fuel in the energy mix for OECD countries, the present and future role of the French gas industry and the importance for France of this international profile, the French policy to support the development of this industry, how the French gas industry may intervene in international diplomatic relationships, and how France and its industry have contributed to an access for all to energy at the international level. The next article describes the development of GDF Suez activities in Latin America (in Uruguay, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Costa Rica and Peru). The activities of the EDF group in the gas sector are then presented: development of infrastructures (notably the methane harbour of Dunkerque). In an interview, the manager of the LNG market strategy for Total presents and comments the LNG's role in Total's strategy, the perspectives of the LNG market and the influence of a low oil price, the Total's position with respect to shale gas exploitation, the planned developments and investments for the LNG sector, the use of LNG in the transport sector, the impact of the Yamat LNG project in the Arctic region. Then, an interview of the GTT chairman is proposed; it addresses the fact that Total sold its shares to a Singapore investment company, the activities and clients, the issue of international regulations, and the objectives of this

Is our medical school socially accountable? The case of Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosny, Somaya; Ghaly, Mona; Boelen, Charles

2015-04-01

Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University (FOM/SCU) was established as community oriented school with innovative educational strategies. Social accountability represents the commitment of the medical school towards the community it serves. To assess FOM/SCU compliance to social accountability using the "Conceptualization, Production, Usability" (CPU) model. FOM/SCU's practice was reviewed against CPU model parameters. CPU consists of three domains, 11 sections and 31 parameters. Data were collected through unstructured interviews with the main stakeholders and documents review since 2005 to 2013. FOM/SCU shows general compliance to the three domains of the CPU. Very good compliance was shown to the "P" domain of the model through FOM/SCU's innovative educational system, students and faculty members. More work is needed on the "C" and "U" domains. FOM/SCU complies with many parameters of the CPU model; however, more work should be accomplished to comply with some items in the C and U domains so that FOM/SCU can be recognized as a proactive socially accountable school.

Hydrogen and fuel cell activity report - France 2010

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

The report gathers the main outstanding facts which occurred in France in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells in 2010. After having noticed some initiatives (the Grenelle II law, an investment package, the new role of the CEA, the new role of the IFP), the report presents several projects and programs regarding hydrogen: ANR programs, creation of a national structure (the HyPaC platform), regional initiatives and local actions, colloquiums and meetings in France and in the world, research projects (photo-synthesis as a new electric energy source), a technical-economic investigation (HyFrance3), demonstrator projects (the Althytude project by GDF and Suez, the Plathee hybrid locomotive by the SNCF, the H2E project, the Zero CO 2 sailing boat, and the Myrte project), educational applications, activity in small and medium-sized enterprises (CETH, SAGIM, HYCAN, McPhy, N-GHY).

Hydrogen and fuel cell activity report - France 2010; Rapport d'activites Hydrogene et Piles a combustible - France 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-07-01

The report gathers the main outstanding facts which occurred in France in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells in 2010. After having noticed some initiatives (the Grenelle II law, an investment package, the new role of the CEA, the new role of the IFP), the report presents several projects and programs regarding hydrogen: ANR programs, creation of a national structure (the HyPaC platform), regional initiatives and local actions, colloquiums and meetings in France and in the world, research projects (photo-synthesis as a new electric energy source), a technical-economic investigation (HyFrance3), demonstrator projects (the Althytude project by GDF and Suez, the Plathee hybrid locomotive by the SNCF, the H2E project, the Zero CO{sub 2} sailing boat, and the Myrte project), educational applications, activity in small and medium-sized enterprises (CETH, SAGIM, HYCAN, McPhy, N-GHY).

Draft resolution aimed at creating an inquiry commission related to the EPR sector - Nr 1251

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baupin, Denis; Pompili, Barbara; Rugy, Francois De; Abeille, Laurence; Alauzet, Eric; Allain, Brigitte; Attard, Isabelle; Auroi, Danielle; Bonneton, Michele; Cavard, Christophe; Coronado, Sergio; Lambert, Francois-Michel; Mamere, Noel; Massonneau, Veronique; Molac, Paul; Roumegas, Jean-Louis; Sas, Eva

2013-01-01

This draft resolution is based on several problems and issues raised by the construction of the EPR reactor in Flamanville and dealing with the perspectives for this specific sector. The authors outline that the construction may finally take almost twice as long as initially foreseen, that the budget has been multiplied by two and a half, that the safety of this installation is still a matter of questions (notably for the control-command system, for the resistance to a plane crash, and with respect with lessons learned from the Fukushima accident), and that the involved partners (GDF Suez, ENEL, Centrica, Siemens) are becoming always more hesitant. They evoke the problems faced by other EPRs under construction in Finland and in China, and state that export perspectives seem to lead to a failure. The draft resolution proposes the creation of an inquiry commission to examine these issues

Structural interpretation of seismic data of Abu Rudeis-Sidri area, Northern Central Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hesham Shaker Zahra

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The 2D and 3D seismic data are interpreted to evaluate the subsurface geologic structures in the Abu Rudeis-Sidri area that occupy the northern central part of the Gulf of Suez. The 2D seismic data are used for determination of the structural configurations and the tectonic features which is analyzed through the study of interpretation with the available geologic data, in which the geo-seismic depth maps for the main interesting tops (Kareem, Nukhul, Matulla, Raha and Nubia Formations are represented. Such maps reflect that, the Miocene structure of Abu Rudeis-Sidri area is an asymmetrical NW-SE trending anticlinal feature dissected by a set of NW-SE fault system (clysmic. Added, the Pre-Miocene structure of the studied area is very complex, where the area is of NE dip and affected by severe faulting through varying stratigraphic levels.

Heparin functionalization increases retention of TGF-β2 and GDF5 on biphasic silk fibroin scaffolds for tendon/ligament-to-bone tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Font Tellado, Sònia; Chiera, Silvia; Bonani, Walter; Poh, Patrina S P; Migliaresi, Claudio; Motta, Antonella; Balmayor, Elizabeth R; van Griensven, Martijn

2018-05-01

The tendon/ligament-to-bone transition (enthesis) is a highly specialized interphase tissue with structural gradients of extracellular matrix composition, collagen molecule alignment and mineralization. These structural features are essential for enthesis function, but are often not regenerated after injury. Tissue engineering is a promising strategy for enthesis repair. Engineering of complex tissue interphases such as the enthesis is likely to require a combination of biophysical, biological and chemical cues to achieve functional tissue regeneration. In this study, we cultured human primary adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AdMCs) on biphasic silk fibroin scaffolds with integrated anisotropic (tendon/ligament-like) and isotropic (bone/cartilage like) pore alignment. We functionalized those scaffolds with heparin and explored their ability to deliver transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2) and growth/differentiation factor 5 (GDF5). Heparin functionalization increased the amount of TGF-β2 and GDF5 remaining attached to the scaffold matrix and resulted in biological effects at low growth factor doses. We analyzed the combined impact of pore alignment and growth factors on AdMSCs. TGF-β2 and pore anisotropy synergistically increased the expression of tendon/ligament markers and collagen I protein content. In addition, the combined delivery of TGF-β2 and GDF5 enhanced the expression of cartilage markers and collagen II protein content on substrates with isotropic porosity, whereas enthesis markers were enhanced in areas of mixed anisotropic/isotropic porosity. Altogether, the data obtained in this study improves current understanding on the combined effects of biological and structural cues on stem cell fate and presents a promising strategy for tendon/ligament-to-bone regeneration. Regeneration of the tendon/ligament-to-bone interphase (enthesis) is of significance in the repair of ruptured tendons/ligaments to bone to improve implant integration and

A 12-year cavern abandonment test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brouard B.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In 1997-1998, an abandonment test was performed in a 950-m deep, 8000-m3 salt cavern operated by GDF SUEZ at Etrez, France. In this relatively small brine-filled cavern, which had been kept idle for 15 years before the test, thermal equilibrium was reached. A special system was designed to monitor leaks, which proved to be exceedingly small. In these conditions, brine permeation and cavern creep closure are the only factors to play significant roles in pressure evolution. This test strongly suggested that obtaining an equilibrium pressure such that the effects of these two factors were exactly equal would be reached in the long term. Four years later, pressure monitoring in the closed cavern resumed. Pressure evolution during the 2002-2009 period confirmed that cavern brine pressure will remain constant and significantly smaller than geostatic pressure in the long term, precluding any risk of fracturing and brine seepage to the overburden layers.

The French market of wind energy and its perspectives. Which evolution for the competition landscape in a disrupting regulatory context?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-11-01

This article presents the content of a market study which aimed at providing an overview of the development of wind energy in France after market lift-off, at assessing the influence of Grenelle II on this sector, at assessing the competitiveness of wind energy with respect to other production sources, and at analysing strategies of equipment manufacturers and operators on a market where competitive positions are from being fixed. The report proposes an overview of the French wind energy market (legal context, growth dynamics, market valorisation, cost structure and profitability, support measures), analyses the positions and challenges of wind turbine manufacturers (the front end of the sector) and of wind farm developers and operators (the back end of the sector). Several manufacturers (Areva, Enercon, Gamesa, GE Energy, Nordex, REpower, Siemens and Vestas) and developers and operators (Boralex, EDF Energies Nouvelles, EDP Renovavels, Eolfi, GDF Suez, Iberdrola Renovables, Poweo, Theolia) have been analysed

ACACIA Project - Development of a Post-Combustion CO2 Capture Process. Case of the DMXTM Process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez, A.; Briot, P.; Raynal, L.; Broutin, P.; Gimenez, M.; Soazic, M.; Cessat, P.; Saysset, S.

2014-01-01

The objective of the ACACIA project was to develop processes for post-combustion CO 2 capture at a lower cost and with a higher energetic efficiency than first generation processes using amines such as Monoethanolamine (MEA) which are now considered for the first Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) demonstrators. The partners involved in this project were: Rhodia (Solvay since then), Arkema, Lafarge, GDF SUEZ, Veolia Environnement, IFP Energies nouvelles, IRCE Lyon, LMOPS, LTIM, LSA Armines. To validate the relevance of the breakthrough processes studied in this project, techno-economic evaluations were carried out with comparison to the reference process using a 30 wt% MEA solvent. These evaluation studies involved all the industrial partners of the project, each partner bringing specific cases of CO 2 capture on their industrial facilities. From these studies, only the process using de-mixing solvent, DMX TM , developed by IFPEN appears as an alternative solution to the MEA process. (authors)

Shale gas in Algeria: a new disaster for the population, a new income for its government

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-10-01

After having outlined that the access to information on activities and projects of companies committed in the exploration and exploitation of non conventional hydrocarbons is generally very difficult in European countries, and that opacity is almost absolute in Maghreb countries, the authors try to shed a light on these activities in Algeria. They first outline that Total and GDF-Suez are both giant gas companies which are well settled in Algeria, and that Europe and France are top clients of Algeria as far as gas is concerned. They also notice that, as authorized by a new law and in reference with announced reserves, negotiations will take place between the Sonatrach (the public Algerian oil and gas company) and international firms. They finally briefly outline the various environmental threats associated with this exploitation (threat on agriculture, water pollution), and notices that, even though it somehow supports these activities, Europe is saying that it supports a Mediterranean sustainable development

Gas market is today strategical

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darricarrere, Y.L.

2006-01-01

The energy market, and in particular the gas market, is today seething with excitement. In France, in Europe and in the rest of the world, the energy stakes are in the center of preoccupations. This article is an interview of Y.L. Darricarrere, general director of the gas and electricity division of Total group, who explains his opinions about the opening of European and French energy markets, presents the ambitions of Total group on these markets, and comments some recent events of the European energy scene: concentration between gas and electric utilities, the Suez and Gaz de France (GdF) project of merger, the risks linked with the coming in of national companies from producing countries, like Gazprom and Sonatrach, on the European market, the restriction of access of foreign companies to hydrocarbon reserves in Russia and Latin America (come back of the 'energy nationalism'), Total's policy for anticipating the increase of the world energy demand and the depletion of fossil fuel reserves. (J.S.)

Geothermal heat - The second stream for geothermal sectors; Electricity production: industries are facing the geological unexpected events; Heat networks: a new boom in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minster, Jean-Francois; Appert, Olivier; Moisant, Francois; Salha, Bernard; Tardieu, Bernard; Florette, Marc; Basilico, Laurent

2013-01-01

A first article proposes an overview of recent development in the field of geothermal power (individual heat pumps, urban heating networks, electricity production in volcanic context, and possibility of non conventional fields). These developments are notably interesting in a context of an evolving energy mix. Some benefits of geothermal power are outlined: a reliable and predictable production, and a low footprint. An installation of deep geothermal power in Alsace is presented. By evoking the construction of three high-energy geothermal power stations by GDF Suez in Sumatra, a second article outlines the high costs associated with exploration drilling which can face geological difficulties. It indicates and comments the distribution of costs among exploration, confirmation, authorizations, drilling, steam collection, electric plant, and connection to the grid. The third and last article comments the development of heat networks in France, and more particularly in the Parisian Basin which has the highest concentration of low-energy geothermal exploitations

An optimization planning technique for Suez Canal Network in Egypt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abou El-Ela, A.A.; El-Zeftawy, A.A.; Allam, S.M.; Atta, Gasir M. [Electrical Engineering Dept., Faculty of Eng., Shebin El-Kom (Egypt)

2010-02-15

This paper introduces a proposed optimization technique POT for predicting the peak load demand and planning of transmission line systems. Many of traditional methods have been presented for long-term load forecasting of electrical power systems. But, the results of these methods are approximated. Therefore, the artificial neural network (ANN) technique for long-term peak load forecasting is modified and discussed as a modern technique in long-term load forecasting. The modified technique is applied on the Egyptian electrical network dependent on its historical data to predict the electrical peak load demand forecasting up to year 2017. This technique is compared with extrapolation of trend curves as a traditional method. The POT is applied also to obtain the optimal planning of transmission lines for the 220 kV of Suez Canal Network (SCN) using the ANN technique. The minimization of the transmission network costs are considered as an objective function, while the transmission lines (TL) planning constraints are satisfied. Zafarana site on the Red Sea coast is considered as an optimal site for installing big wind farm (WF) units in Egypt. So, the POT is applied to plan both the peak load and the electrical transmission of SCN with and without considering WF to develop the impact of WF units on the electrical transmission system of Egypt, considering the reliability constraints which were taken as a separate model in the previous techniques. The application on SCN shows the capability and the efficiently of the proposed techniques to obtain the predicting peak load demand and the optimal planning of transmission lines of SCN up to year 2017. (author)

Assessment of genetic diversity and relationships among Egyptian mango (Mangifera indica L.) cultivers grown in Suez Canal and Sinai region using RAPD markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansour, Hassan; Mekki, Laila E; Hussein, Mohammed A

2014-01-01

DNA-based RAPD (Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA) markers have been used extensively to study genetic diversity and relationships in a number of fruit crops. In this study, 10 (7 commercial mango cultivars and 3 accessions) mango genotypes traditionally grown in Suez Canal and Sinai region of Egypt, were selected to assess genetic diversity and relatedness. Total genomic DNA was extracted and subjected to RAPD analysis using 30 arbitrary 10-mer primers. Of these, eleven primers were selected which gave 92 clear and bright fragments. A total of 72 polymorphic RAPD bands were detected out of 92 bands, generating 78% polymorphisms. The mean PIC values scores for all loci were of 0.85. This reflects a high level of discriminatory power of a marker and most of these primers produced unique band pattern for each cultivar. A dendrogram based on Nei's Genetic distance co-efficient implied a moderate degree of genetic diversity among the cultivars used for experimentation, with some differences. The hybrid which had derived from cultivar as female parent was placed together. In the cluster, the cultivars and accessions formed separate groups according to bearing habit and type of embryo and the members in each group were very closely linked. Cluster analysis clearly showed two main groups, the first consisting of indigenous to the Delta of Egypt cultivars and the second consisting of indigenous to the Suez Canal and Sinai region. From the analysis of results, it appears the majority of mango cultivars originated from a local mango genepool and were domesticated later. The results indicated the potential of RAPD markers for the identification and management of mango germplasm for breeding purposes.

Marine Radioactivity Studies in the Suez Canal, Part II: Field Experiments and a Modelling Study of Dispersion

Science.gov (United States)

Abril, J. M.; Abdel-Aal, M. M.; Al-Gamal, S. A.; Abdel-Hay, F. A.; Zahar, H. M.

2000-04-01

In this paper we take advantage of the two field tracing experiments carried out under the IAEA project EGY/07/002, to develop a modelling study on the dispersion of radioactive pollution in the Suez Canal. The experiments were accomplished by using rhodamine B as a tracer, and water samples were measured by luminescence spectrometry. The presence of natural luminescent particles in the canal waters limited the use of some field data. During experiments, water levels, velocities, wind and other physical parameters were recorded to supply appropriate information for the modelling work. From this data set, the hydrodynamics of the studied area has been reasonably described. We apply a 1-D-Gaussian and 2-D modelling approaches to predict the position and the spatial shape of the plume. The use of different formulations for dispersion coefficients is studied. These dispersion coefficients are then applied in a 2-D-hydrodynamic and dispersion model for the Bitter Lake to investigate different scenarios of accidental discharges.

Predictors of job satisfaction among practicing dentists at hospitals in Suez Canal Area, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Fahim, Ayman Ekram

2013-03-01

The aim of this study was to measure the level of job satisfaction and the work factors associated with it among practicing dentists in Suez Canal governorates hospitals. Four hundred forty nine dentists were contacted, and 277 agreed to participate (response rate 61.7%). They were surveyed through a self-administered questionnaire based on items from the Dentist Satisfaction Survey (DSS) questionnaire, which included 29 questions covering items related to the overall satisfaction level and work environment factors; answers were reported on 5 point Likert scale. The mean score of overall job satisfaction among studied dentists was 3.24 out of 5. As regards work environment factors, the most satisfying aspect was patient relations (3.71) and the least was personal time (2.71). Multiple regression analysis model verified that patient relations, value of income, personal time, staff, and training opportunities accounted for 36% of variation in overall job satisfaction score. The majority of the variance was explained by patient relations. This study suggests that patient relations, perception of income, personal time, staff, and specialty training are important work environment factors for job satisfaction among the dentists. These findings might help policy makers to design plans to increase the level of job satisfaction among dentists at their workplaces.

Conventional method for the calculation of the global energy cost of buildings; Methode conventionnelle de calcul du cout global energetique des batiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2002-05-01

A working group driven by Electricite de France (EdF), Chauffage Fioul and Gaz de France (GdF) companies has been built with the sustain of several building engineering companies in order to clarify the use of the method of calculation of the global energy cost of buildings. This global cost is an economical decision help criterion among others. This press kit presents, first, the content of the method (input data, calculation of annual expenses, calculation of the global energy cost, display of results and limitations of the method). Then it fully describes the method and its appendixes necessary for its implementation: economical and financial context, general data of the project in progress, environmental data, occupation and comfort level, variants, investment cost of energy systems, investment cost for the structure linked with the energy system, investment cost for other invariant elements of the structure, calculation of consumptions (space heating, hot water, ventilation), maintenance costs (energy systems, structure), operation and exploitation costs, tariffs and consumption costs and taxes, actualized global cost, annualized global cost, comparison between variants. The method is applied to a council building of 23 flats taken as an example. (J.S.)

Turismo de eventos: los cruceros españoles en la inauguración del canal de suez de 1869

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaetano Cerchiello

2015-01-01

Full Text Available El 17 de noviembre de 1869 tuvo lugar el solemne acto de inauguración del Canal de Suez. Largamente celebrado por los medios de información, el histórico acontecimiento atrajo visitantes de toda Europa, generando asimismo la promoción de varios viajes organizados. Tras una breve introducción sobre los principales hechos que condujeron a la apertura de la nueva ruta marítima, este artículo se ocupa de dos singulares proyectos de cruceros turísticos españoles, en una época en la que los viajes de recreo al extranjero, y el turismo en general, sólo proliferaban entre las élites foráneas. Su estudio ayuda a esclarecer, por otra parte, algunos rasgos diferenciales de las primeras experiencias crucerísticas en España, que habían empezado a llevarse a cabo desde mediados del siglo XIX.

Predictors of job satisfaction among practicing dentists at hospitals in Suez Canal Area, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayman Ekram Fahim

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The aim of this study was to measure the level of job satisfaction and the work factors associated with it among practicing dentists in Suez Canal governorates hospitals. Materials and Methods: Four hundred forty nine dentists were contacted, and 277 agreed to participate (response rate 61.7%. They were surveyed through a self-administered questionnaire based on items from the Dentist Satisfaction Survey (DSS questionnaire, which included 29 questions covering items related to the overall satisfaction level and work environment factors; answers were reported on 5 point Likert scale. Results: The mean score of overall job satisfaction among studied dentists was 3.24 out of 5. As regards work environment factors, the most satisfying aspect was patient relations (3.71 and the least was personal time (2.71. Multiple regression analysis model verifi ed that patient relations, value of income, personal time, staff, and training opportunities accounted for 36% of variation in overall job satisfaction score. The majority of the variance was explained by patient relations. Conclusions: This study suggests that patient relations, perception of income, personal time, staff, and specialty training are important work environment factors for job satisfaction among the dentists. These fi ndings might help policy makers to design plans to increase the level of job satisfaction among dentists at their workplaces.

Gas market is today strategical; Le marche du gaz est aujourd'hui strategique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darricarrere, Y.L. [Total, 92 - Courbevoie (France)

2006-07-01

The energy market, and in particular the gas market, is today seething with excitement. In France, in Europe and in the rest of the world, the energy stakes are in the center of preoccupations. This article is an interview of Y.L. Darricarrere, general director of the gas and electricity division of Total group, who explains his opinions about the opening of European and French energy markets, presents the ambitions of Total group on these markets, and comments some recent events of the European energy scene: concentration between gas and electric utilities, the Suez and Gaz de France (GdF) project of merger, the risks linked with the coming in of national companies from producing countries, like Gazprom and Sonatrach, on the European market, the restriction of access of foreign companies to hydrocarbon reserves in Russia and Latin America (come back of the 'energy nationalism'), Total's policy for anticipating the increase of the world energy demand and the depletion of fossil fuel reserves. (J.S.)

The strategies of development of electricity and natural gas providers in France. High gross prices, tariff maintenance...: how do alternate operators come through?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-11-01

This article presents the content of a market study which aimed at gathering and analysing key figures of the electricity and natural gas markets, at assessing the actual degree of opening to competition of these French markets, at comparing the position and offers of providers, at identifying the best commercial and marketing practices, and at assessing the impact of the GDF Suez merge and of the arrival of E.ON and Enel in France. A first volume addresses the strategic perspectives for electricity and natural gas providers on the French market: current status and perspectives of the French markets of electricity and natural gas, strategic orientations of operators, scenarios of reconfiguration of French markets of electricity and natural gas by 2012. The second volume proposes a deep analysis of position and perspectives of 22 electricity and natural gas providers: Alterna, Atel Energie, Direct Energie, Distrigaz, EDF, Electrabel, Electricite de Strasbourg, Enel, Enercoop, E.ON, Endesa, Gas Natural, Gaz de France, Gazprom, Gaz Electricite de Grenoble, HEWenergies, Poweo, Soregies, Tegaz, Usine d'Electricite de Metz, Vialis

Research publications in medical journals (1992-2013) by family medicine authors - suez canal university-egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdulmajeed, Abdulmajeed A; Ismail, Mosleh A; Nour-Eldein, Hebatallah

2014-01-01

Research in family medicine (FM) provides an important contribution to its discipline. Family medicine research can contribute to many areas of primary care, ranging from the early diagnosis to equitable health care. Publication productivity is important in academic settings as a marker for career advancement. To describe the publications by family medicine researcher authors between 1992 and 2013. All full text, original articles published by family medicine researcher; author with affiliation to the Suez Canal University were collected using the internet and hand search. The journals that published for family medicine researcher authors were identified. Author characteristics were described. The trend of publications was described. All articles were analyzed for their characteristics, including the themes and study designs according to predefined criteria. Along 22 years, 149 research articles were published by 48 family medicine authors in 39 medical journals. The largest category in publications was related to Family physician/Health service (FP-HS, n = 52 articles), followed by 'Patient' category (n = 42). All the studies were quantitative; the largest group was represented by cross-sectional studies (76.5%). The publication productivity by family medicine researchers are going to be increased. FP-HS and patient topics were mostly addressed in publications. Cross-sectional studies exceeded any other designs. There is need to put more emphasis on intervention studies. Continuous assessment and improvement of FM research production and publication is recommended.

Physico-chemical conditions for plankton in Lake Timsah, a saline lake on the Suez Canal

Science.gov (United States)

El-Serehy, H. A. H.; Sleigh, M. A.

1992-02-01

Lake Timsah receives high salinity water from the Suez Canal, mainly from the south, and freshwater from a Nile canal and other sources, producing a salinity stratification with surface salinities of 20-40‰ and over 40‰ in deeper water. Water temperature at a depth of 50-70 cm fell to below 20 °C in winter and rose to above 30 °C in summer; oxygen concentration at the same depth ranged between 6-10 mg l -1 and the pH was 8·1-8·3, and at mid-day this water was supersaturated with oxygen through 6-8 months of the year. The main chemical nutrients reached their highest levels in winter (December-February) and their lowest levels in summer (May-August), silicate varying between 1-7 μ M, phosphate between 0·1 and 0·8 μ M and nitrate between 4-10 μ M; nitrite varied in a more complex manner, usually between 0·25 and 0·4 μ M. The atomic ratio of N/P was generally well above the Redfield ratio level, except for a few months in midwinter. These nutrient concentrations are high in comparison with those of unpolluted seas of the region, but are typical of the more eutrophic coastal waters in most parts of the world.

Using Remote Sensing and Gis Techniques For Assessment The Environmental Changes in The Area Surrounding Suez Canal, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Youssef, A.M.; EL Baroudy, A.A.

2008-01-01

Multi-temporal Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) data were utilized in a Geographic Information System (GIS) to evaluate changes in landuse II and cover in the area surrounds the Suez Canal, Egypt. The area is bounded by the Great Bitter Lake from the south, El Qantara city from the north, Nile Delta from the west, and Sinai Peninsula from the east. The area witnessed a rapid development in the past three decades, and the environmental changes were very remarkable. The data collected by Landsat sensors, TM (1984) and ETM+ (2000) were used to conduct a change detection and landuse analysis over the area of study. Both images were spatially registered and band four (Near Infra-Red) was radiometrically normalized to eliminate the atmospheric and sun luminance variation. Band algebra techniques were implemented to generate a reflectance difference image. On the other hand, the images were classified with supervised (maximum likelihood) technique with the help of ground truth data to provide the landuse maps for 1984 and 2000 periods. These maps were converted to GIS environment and final landuse changes have been provided

The French market of energy services and its outlook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2011-11-01

The trend of rise of energy prices, the will of CO 2 emissions abatement, the increasing dependence of Europe with respect to energy supplies are as many factors in favor of the development of energy services and in particular of the energy efficiency ones. The European directive under preparation in 2011 fixes an energy saving goal of 1.5% per year to the energy suppliers. It aims at promoting the energy audits, at renovating the public buildings and at developing the communicating meters. France is already committed in all these topics with ambitious programmes. The mechanism of energy saving certificates has already entered its second phase with a 345 TWh goal by the end of 2013, i.e. 6 times higher than in the previous programme. Energy saving is the new eldorado of energy service suppliers. Energy suppliers (EdF, GDF-Suez..) are broadening their offers with energy diagnostic and energy consumption control tools. Exploitation and installation service companies (Cofely, Dalkia, ETDE, Vinci) and equipment manufacturers (Schneider Electric) count on energy efficiency contracts and public-private partnerships. However, such tools are not fully satisfactory yet and the die is far to be cast. Energy suppliers, operators, fitters and manufacturers are in a head-on competition on energy services. This study analyses the impact of the European directive on energy services. It draws up an appraisal of the mechanism of energy saving certificates and shows the stakes of the second phase. It evaluates the size of the 3 main service market segments (energy supply, exploitation, installation). It analyses the strategy and positioning of the different categories of energy service suppliers, and anticipates the evolutions of the competition game. (J.S.)

Research publications in medical journals (1992-2013 by family medicine authors - Suez Canal University-Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulmajeed A Abdulmajeed

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Research in family medicine (FM provides an important contribution to its discipline. Family medicine research can contribute to many areas of primary care, ranging from the early diagnosis to equitable health care. Publication productivity is important in academic settings as a marker for career advancement. Objective: To describe the publications by family medicine researcher authors between 1992 and 2013. Materials and Methods: All full text, original articles published by family medicine researcher; author with affiliation to the Suez Canal University were collected using the internet and hand search. The journals that published for family medicine researcher authors were identified. Author characteristics were described. The trend of publications was described. All articles were analyzed for their characteristics, including the themes and study designs according to predefined criteria. Results: Along 22 years, 149 research articles were published by 48 family medicine authors in 39 medical journals. The largest category in publications was related to Family physician/Health service (FP-HS, n = 52 articles, followed by ′Patient′ category (n = 42. All the studies were quantitative; the largest group was represented by cross-sectional studies (76.5%. Conclusions: The publication productivity by family medicine researchers are going to be increased. FP-HS and patient topics were mostly addressed in publications. Cross-sectional studies exceeded any other designs. There is need to put more emphasis on intervention studies. Continuous assessment and improvement of FM research production and publication is recommended.

Nuclear energy education and training in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

In its continuing use of nuclear power, France faces numerous challenges, including the operation and maintenance of its existing array of reactors, waste management, the decommissioning of obsolete reactors, and research and development for future nuclear systems. All of these efforts must recognize and conform to international requirements. These activities mean that all participants in the French nuclear industry must continually update their approaches and skills, with respect to both domestic and worldwide nuclear power development. This requirement calls for the hiring and training of thousands of scientists and engineers each year in France and its partner or customer countries. Over the next ten years, domestic and international nuclear power activities in France will call for the recruitment of about 13,000 engineers with Master of Science or Ph.D. degrees, and 10,000 science technicians and operators with Bachelor of Science degrees. The chief employers will be EDF, AREVA, GDF-Suez, national agencies such as the Agence nationale pour la gestion des dechets radioactifs (ANDRA), sub-contractors, and R and D agencies such as the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), and the technical safety organization, Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN). France has made a commitment to support countries that are ready to create the human, institutional, and technical conditions required to establish a civilian nuclear energy programme that meets all the requirements of safety, security, non-proliferation and environmental protection for present and future generations. These efforts are conducted through the France International Nuclear Agency (AFNI). In response to the need for competence-building in nuclear energy production, France now offers training opportunities in both French and English education programmes. Partnerships created by French nuclear energy participants and by AFNI can provide dedicated programmes

The EU's Major Electricity and Gas Utilities since Market Liberalization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulke, Ch.

2010-07-01

A major change has taken place in the company structure of the European electricity and gas markets. Twenty years ago, national or regional monopolies dominated the markets and there was strictly no competition between utilities. But since the liberalization of EU energy markets began in the 1990's, companies like E.ON, GDF Suez, EDF, Enel, and RWE have become European giants with activities in a large number of Member States. The advocates of market liberalization did not expect, or even intend, the emergence of a small number of large utilities that control an increasing part of the EU market. Some observers already claim that liberalization has led to an oligopoly with detrimental consequences for competition. Based on extensive background research, this book presents a fact-based analysis of the changes in the European utility sector since the 1990's. Case studies of the seven largest utilities illustrate how companies adapted their strategies to the changing market environment. The author underlines diverging choices and common trends like geographic expansion into new markets via mergers and acquisitions or diversification of business activities with the aim of using synergies between electricity and gas. (author)

Aims and first assessments of the French hydrogen pathways project HyFrance3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Le Duigou, Alain [CEA/DEN/DANS/I-Tese, Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Quemere, Marie-Marguerite [EDF R et D, Moret sur Loing (France). Dept. EPI; Marion, Pierre [IFP, Rueil Malmaison (FR)] (and others)

2010-07-01

The HyFrance Group was originally formed in France to support the European project HyWays, by providing (former projects HyFrance1 and HyFrance2) the French data and possible hydrogen pathways according to national specificities. HyFrance3 is a new project that focuses on the economic competitiveness of different steps of the hydrogen chain, from the production to end usage, at the time horizon of 2030 in France. The project is coordinated by CEA with the other partners being: ADEME (co-funding), AFH2, CNRS, IFP, Air Liquide, EdF, GdF Suez, TOTAL, ALPHEA. The project is divided into 4 sub-projects, that address present and future French hydrogen industrial markets for chemical and refinery uses, the analysis of the interplay between wind energy production and storage of hydrogen for different automotive requirements (refuelling stations, BtL plants, H2/NG mix), massive hydrogen storage to balance various offer and demand characteristics, and the supply network (pipeline option competitiveness vs. trucked in supply) to distribute hydrogen in a French region for automotive applications. Technical and economical issues, as well as GHG emissions, are addressed. (orig.)

The EU's Major Electricity and Gas Utilities since Market Liberalization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulke, Ch.

2010-01-01

A major change has taken place in the company structure of the European electricity and gas markets. Twenty years ago, national or regional monopolies dominated the markets and there was strictly no competition between utilities. But since the liberalization of EU energy markets began in the 1990's, companies like E.ON, GDF Suez, EDF, Enel, and RWE have become European giants with activities in a large number of Member States. The advocates of market liberalization did not expect, or even intend, the emergence of a small number of large utilities that control an increasing part of the EU market. Some observers already claim that liberalization has led to an oligopoly with detrimental consequences for competition. Based on extensive background research, this book presents a fact-based analysis of the changes in the European utility sector since the 1990's. Case studies of the seven largest utilities illustrate how companies adapted their strategies to the changing market environment. The author underlines diverging choices and common trends like geographic expansion into new markets via mergers and acquisitions or diversification of business activities with the aim of using synergies between electricity and gas. (author)

Definition of soil characteristics and ground response at the northwestern part of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed Adel, M E; Deif, A; El-Hadidy, S; Sayed, S R Moustafa; El Werr, A

2008-01-01

The area of interest represents the industrial part of Ain El-Sokhna new port, located in the northwestern part of the seismically active Gulf of Suez zone. The main objective of the current study is to estimate the site characteristics of the area of interest in terms of the fundamental frequency and the corresponding peak amplitude using noise measurements. The microtremor measurements were performed at 44 sites distributed over the study area in order to calculate the horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) spectral ratio. The standard spectral ratio (SSR) is used in addition to the numerical modelling of horizontal shear (SH) waves in soil at selected sites in order to have a comparison with the H/V spectral ratio. The required 1D soil models for the numerical modelling of SH-waves were derived from 220 P-wave shallow seismic refraction profiles in addition to 30 SH-wave profiles. Maps of the fundamental frequency (f 0 ) and its corresponding H/V peak amplitude (A 0 ) were provided, and a range of site conditions in the area were shown. The amplification factor results derived from the SSR technique are very similar to those derived from the H/V spectral ratio. In most cases, the H/V spectral ratio proved to be suitable for calculating the fundamental resonance. Results were found to be compatible with the surface geology of the area of interest

Caprellidae (Crustacea: Peracarida: Amphipoda) from the Red Sea and Suez Canal, with the redescription of Metaprotella africana and Paradeutella multispinosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeina, Amr F; Guerra-García, José M

2016-04-06

The Caprellidae from the Red Sea are reviewed based on the literature data and new collections from the Hurghada coasts. So far, only six valid species has been reported from the Red Sea and Suez Canal: Caprella equilibra Say, 1818, Hemiaegina minuta Mayer, 1890, Metaprotella africana Mayer, 1903, Paracaprella pusilla Mayer, 1890 and Paradeutella multispinosa Schellenberg, 1928 and Pseudocaprellina pambanensis Sundara Raj, 1927. The type material of M. africana (deposited in the Muséum nacional d'Histoire naturelle, Paris) and Paradeutella multispinosa (deposited in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin) are redescribed and illustrated in detail. P. pambanensis and H. minuta were the most abundant species in the collections along the northern coast. Most of the sampling effort has been focused on algae from shallow waters; additional substrates such as sediments, hydroids and coral rubble, especially from areas deeper than 15 meters should be explored. The number of caprellid species in the Red Sea is low compared to adjacent waters, as the Mediterranean Sea. However, further research and more extensive caprellid collections should be conducted along the coasts of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan and Eritrea, which are still unexplored.

Effect of human ZP3 monoclonal antibody on expression of GDF-9 and number of theca cells in ovary of mice (Mus musculus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lilik Indahwati, M.Sc.

2018-06-01

the expression of growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9 and number of theca cells in the ovaries of mice (Mus musculus. Methods: Our study employed a true experiment posttest-only control group design of 48 mice that were divided into the control and three mAb hZP3-treatment groups (20, 40, and 60 μg. Mice in each group were terminated on days 10, 15, and 20. GDF-9 expression was measured by immunohistochemistry and the number of theca cells was counted. Results: Analysis of the effects of mAb hZP3 (at 20–60 μg on the expression of GDF-9 and amount of theca cells did not show significant differences. Similar findings were observed throughout the study period (at 10–20 days. Therefore, mAb hZP3 had no effect on GDF-9 expression and theca cells. Conclusion: This study showed that mAb hZP3 can be considered to be an effective and safe immunocontraception. الكلمات المفتاحية: ج د ف-٩, عوامل النمو, الأجسام المضادة أحادية المنشأ, خلايا ثيكا, Keywords: GDF-9, Growth factors, Monoclonal antibody, Theca cells

The role of growth differentiation factor 15 in the pathogenesis of primary myelofibrosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchiyama, Tatsuki; Kawabata, Hiroshi; Miura, Yasuo; Yoshioka, Satoshi; Iwasa, Masaki; Yao, Hisayuki; Sakamoto, Soichiro; Fujimoto, Masakazu; Haga, Hironori; Kadowaki, Norimitsu; Maekawa, Taira; Takaori-Kondo, Akifumi

2015-01-01

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a pleiotropic cytokine that belongs to the transforming growth factor-β superfamily. Elevated serum concentrations of this cytokine have been reported in patients with various malignancies. To assess the potential roles of GDF15 in hematologic malignancies, we measured its serum levels in patients with these diseases. We found that serum GDF15 levels were elevated in almost all these patients, particularly in patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Immunohistochemical staining of bone marrow (BM) specimens revealed that GDF15 was strongly expressed by megakaryocytes, which may be sources of increased serum GDF15 in PMF patients. Therefore, we further assessed the contribution of GDF15 to the pathogenesis of PMF. Recombinant human (rh) GDF15 enhanced the growth of human BM mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs), and it enhanced the potential of these cells to support human hematopoietic progenitor cell growth in a co-culture system. rhGDF15 enhanced the growth of human primary fibroblasts, but it did not affect their expression of profibrotic genes. rhGDF15 induced osteoblastic differentiation of BM-MSCs in vitro, and pretreatment of BM-MSCs with rGDF15 enhanced the induction of bone formation in a xenograft mouse model. These results suggest that serum levels of GDF15 in PMF are elevated, that megakaryocytes are sources of this cytokine in BM, and that GDF15 may modulate the pathogenesis of PMF by enhancing proliferation and promoting osteogenic differentiation of BM-MSCs

Nuclear and energies. Synthesis of significant events from June 2013 to December 2013

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenail, Bernard; Ducroux, Guy; Lamorlette, Guy; Seyve, Claude; Simonnet, Jacques; Bordier, Jean-Claude; Justin, Francois; Darricau, Aime; Seyve, Claude; Raisonnier, Daniele; Lenail, Bernard; Deleigne, Francoise

2013-12-01

The first two articles concern the energy sector, generally speaking. Among them, the first one addresses the issue of energy transition (perspectives in France, situation in Germany where transition appears to be expensive and polluting with some perverse effects, a world shock wave created by shale gases, proposition by EDF to extend power station life duration from 40 to 50 years, EDF's commitment in nuclear revival in the UK and withdrawal from the USA, new strategy for GDF-Suez) and the second one current events in the renewable energy sector (in China, Germany, UK and Canada, French policy, wind energy bids in France). A second set of articles addresses the nuclear sector: recent evolutions of the uranium industry (mining activities and locations), the back end of the fuel cycle and the dismantling (activities of AREVA, public debate on Cigeo and building permit for ICEDA in France, activities and measures in Germany, in England, in the USA, and in Japan, study performed by the Nuclear Energy Agency on the economic aspect of the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle), the situation of nuclear reactors (perspectives in the world for 2050, perspectives, activities and important events in France, Belgium, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Finland, including the EPR, Turkey, Poland, Czech Republic, Belarus, Russia, China, South Korea, India, Pakistan, Japan, USA and Brazil), the deconstruction of nuclear power plants (legal framework in France, wastes as a major issue for dismantling, industrial challenges of dismantling). The last set of articles concern social and societal aspects of the nuclear sector: recent events in France (for AREVA regarding staff and investments, anti-nuclear activities and momentum), the Cigeo project of geological disposal of high-activity nuclear wastes, hostages in Niger, and diplomatic advances about the Iranian nuclear programme issue

A contrução do canal de Suez e a formação do conflito: a força de paz brasileira na Faixa de Gaza

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisca Carla Santos Ferrer

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Apesar de ocorrerem ainda inúmeros conflitos, após 1945 as nações uniram-se em busca de paz. A ONU passou a intervir em conflitos armados sempre que achasse necessário para a manutenção da paz. Entretanto, o imperialismo havia deixado suas marcas em diversos países da África, que após a Segunda Guerra Mundial se lançaram na luta por independência. Este foi o caso de Suez. No presente artigo apresentamos nossa análise sobre a formação do conflito árabe-israelense na Faixa de Gaza e da efetiva participação brasileira, como força de paz enviada pela ONU, na Guerra dos Seis Dias.

Master's and doctoral theses in family medicine and their publication output, Suez Canal University, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Nour-Eldein, Hebatallah; Mansour, Nadia M; Abdulmajeed, Abdulmajeed A

2015-01-01

The completion of a thesis is a significant requirement for both a Master's and a doctorate degree in general practice/family medicine (GP/FM). A postgraduate thesis is a well-planned, time-intensive activity carried out over several years. The quality of the theses can be judged by the proportion of published papers. This study aimed to describe Master's and doctoral theses in family medicine and their publications between 1982 and 2014. GP/FM degree theses were reviewed at the Faculty of Medicine and central Suez Canal libraries. Several characteristics were extracted from each thesis relating to the main researcher, supervisors, themes, and study methods according to predefined criteria. Publications from the theses were described. Over 33 years, 208 theses were completed by 173 GP/FM researchers. The majority of the theses were for Master's degrees (84.1%). Regarding the study design, most of the degree theses were cross-sectional studies (76.9%). The adult population was targeted in 33.7% of research theses. Nonprobability sampling was used in 51%. Rural communities were the setting of research in 43.8%, and primary health center (PHC)-based studies in 59.1%. The "Patient" category exceeded the other categories (28.4%). Publication from theses started in the second decade of research production. Of the degree theses, 21.6% original articles were published. Only 13.3% of articles from theses were published in PubMed-indexed journals. The researcher was first author in 62.2% of published articles. The production of GP/FM theses and their publications are going to increase. Continuous assessment and planning for GP/FM studies are recommended.

Genetic deletion of growth differentiation factor 15 augments renal damage in both type 1 and type 2 models of diabetes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mazagova, Magdalena; Buikema, Hendrik; van Buiten, Azuwerus; Duin, Marry; Goris, Maaike; Sandovici, Maria; Henning, Robert H.; Deelman, Leo E.

2013-01-01

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is emerging as valuable biomarker in cardiovascular disease and diabetic kidney disease. Also, GDF15 represents an early response gene induced after tissue injury and studies performed in GDF15 knockout (KO) mice suggest that GDF15 plays a protective role

Genetic deletion of growth differentiation factor 15 augments renal damage in both type 1 and type 2 models of diabetes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mazagova, Magdalena; Buikema, Hendrik; van Buiten, Azuwerus; Duin, Marry; Goris, Maaike; Sandovici, Maria; Henning, Robert H.; Deelman, Leo E.

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is emerging as valuable biomarker in cardiovascular disease and diabetic kidney disease. Also, GDF15 represents an early response gene induced after tissue injury and studies performed in GDF15 knockout (KO) mice suggest that GDF15 plays a protective role

Gdf5 progenitors give rise to fibrocartilage cells that mineralize via hedgehog signaling to form the zonal enthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dyment, Nathaniel A; Breidenbach, Andrew P; Schwartz, Andrea G; Russell, Ryan P; Aschbacher-Smith, Lindsey; Liu, Han; Hagiwara, Yusuke; Jiang, Rulang; Thomopoulos, Stavros; Butler, David L; Rowe, David W

2015-09-01

The sequence of events that leads to the formation of a functionally graded enthesis is not clearly defined. The current study demonstrates that clonal expansion of Gdf5 progenitors contributes to linear growth of the enthesis. Prior to mineralization, Col1+ cells in the enthesis appose Col2+ cells of the underlying primary cartilage. At the onset of enthesis mineralization, cells at the base of the enthesis express alkaline phosphatase, Indian hedgehog, and ColX as they mineralize. The mineralization front then extends towards the tendon midsubstance as cells above the front become encapsulated in mineralized fibrocartilage over time. The hedgehog (Hh) pathway regulates this process, as Hh-responsive Gli1+ cells within the developing enthesis mature from unmineralized to mineralized fibrochondrocytes in response to activated signaling. Hh signaling is required for mineralization, as tissue-specific deletion of its obligate transducer Smoothened in the developing tendon and enthesis cells leads to significant reductions in the apposition of mineralized fibrocartilage. Together, these findings provide a spatiotemporal map of events - from expansion of the embryonic progenitor pool to synthesis of the collagen template and finally mineralization of this template - that leads to the formation of the mature zonal enthesis. These results can inform future tendon-to-bone repair strategies to create a mechanically functional enthesis in which tendon collagen fibers are anchored to bone through mineralized fibrocartilage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is Growth Differentiation Factor 11 a Realistic Therapeutic for Aging-Dependent Muscle Defects?

Science.gov (United States)

Harper, Shavonn C; Brack, Andrew; MacDonnell, Scott; Franti, Michael; Olwin, Bradley B; Bailey, Beth A; Rudnicki, Michael A; Houser, Steven R

2016-04-01

This "Controversies in Cardiovascular Research" article evaluates the evidence for and against the hypothesis that the circulating blood level of growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) decreases in old age and that restoring normal GDF11 levels in old animals rejuvenates their skeletal muscle and reverses pathological cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac dysfunction. Studies supporting the original GDF11 hypothesis in skeletal and cardiac muscle have not been validated by several independent groups. These new studies have either found no effects of restoring normal GDF11 levels on cardiac structure and function or have shown that increasing GDF11 or its closely related family member growth differentiation factor 8 actually impairs skeletal muscle repair in old animals. One possible explanation for what seems to be mutually exclusive findings is that the original reagent used to measure GDF11 levels also detected many other molecules so that age-dependent changes in GDF11 are still not well known. The more important issue is whether increasing blood [GDF11] repairs old skeletal muscle and reverses age-related cardiac pathologies. There are substantial new and existing data showing that GDF8/11 can exacerbate rather than rejuvenate skeletal muscle injury in old animals. There is also new evidence disputing the idea that there is pathological hypertrophy in old C57bl6 mice and that GDF11 therapy can reverse cardiac pathologies. Finally, high [GDF11] causes reductions in body and heart weight in both young and old animals, suggestive of a cachexia effect. Our conclusion is that elevating blood levels of GDF11 in the aged might cause more harm than good. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Study on the thermoluminescent properties of K2YF5 and K2GdF5 crystals doped with optically active trivalent ions for gamma and neutrons dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Edna Carla da

2008-01-01

In this work, the thermoluminescent (TL) properties of both double potassium yttrium fluoride (K 2 YF 5 ) and double potassium gadolinium fluoride (K 2 GdF 5 ) crystals doped with optically active rare earth ions were investigated from the point of view of gamma and neutron dosimetry. Crystalline platelets with thickness of about 1 mm, synthesized under hydrothermal conditions, were irradiated in order to study TL sensitivity, as well as dose and energy response, reproducibility and fading, in terms of Ce 3+ , Tb 3+ , Dy 3+ , e Pr 3+ concentrations. The K 2 YF 5 crystals doped with 1.0 at por cent Dy 3+ have been found to have an excellent linear TL response to X and gamma photons, in the range of 0.01 to 10 mGy. The TL output is comparable to that of CaS0 4 :Mn dosemeters. The main peak at 130 deg C has been found to have a TL response for 41.1 keV X-ray energy 32 times higher than that for 662 keV gamma rays. This fact points out that the K 2 Y 0.99 Dy 0.01 F 5 crystals have great potential for X-rays diagnostic and/or industrial radiography. On the other hand, the K 2 GdF 5 crystals doped with 5.0 at por cent Dy 3+ have been found to have the better TL response for gamma and fast neutron radiation, among the dopants studied. For gamma fields the TL response was linear for doses ranging from 0.1 to 200 mGy. The TL peak around 200 deg C can be deconvoluted into four individual peaks, all of them with linear behavior. For fast neutron radiation produced by an 241 Am B e source, the TL responses for doses ranging from 0.6 to 12 mSv were also linear and comparable to that of commercial TLD-600, irradiated at same conditions. The TL emission due to neutrons was in the high temperature range, above 200 deg C. These results points out that K 2 Gd 0.95 Dy 0.05 F 5 crystals are good candidates for use in neutron dosimetry applications. (author)

Neurotrophic effects of growth/differentiation factor 5 in a neuronal cell line.

Science.gov (United States)

Toulouse, André; Collins, Grace C; Sullivan, Aideen M

2012-04-01

The neurotrophin growth/differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) is studied as a potential therapeutic agent for Parkinson's disease as it is believed to play a role in the development and maintenance of the nigrostriatal system. Progress in understanding the effects of GDF5 on dopaminergic neurones has been hindered by the use of mixed cell populations derived from primary cultures or in vivo experiments, making it difficult to differentiate between direct and indirect effects of GDF5 treatment on neurones. In an attempt to establish an useful model to study the direct neuronal influence of GDF5, we have characterised the effects of GDF5 on a human neuronal cell line, SH-SY5Y. Our results show that GDF5 has the capability to promote neuronal but not dopaminergic differentiation. We also show that it promotes neuronal survival in vitro following a 6-hydroxydopamine insult. Our results show that application of GDF5 to SH-SY5Y cultures induces the SMAD pathway which could potentially be implicated in the intracellular transmission of GDF5's neurotrophic effects. Overall, our study shows that the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line provides an excellent neuronal model to study the neurotrophic effects of GDF5.

road-map for smart grids and electricity systems integrating renewable energy sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebec, Gaelle; Moisan, Francois; Gioria, Michel

2009-12-01

The vision of smart grids and electricity systems elaborated in this road-map was drawn up on the basis of consultation and talks with a group of experts from industry (EDF, AREVA, GDF-Suez), public research bodies (SUPELEC, Ecole des Mines, INES, universities), grid operators (ERDF, RTE), local authorities' groups (FNCCR) and ADEME. In the course of these working sessions the experts expressed their opinions intuitu personae. The views outlined in this road-map are not to be assimilated with the official positions of the corporations or research organisations to which the members of the group belong. The visions of smart electricity grids and systems integrating renewable energies in 2020 and in 2050 are in sharp contrast. This contrast was deliberately sought out, for two reasons: - to offer the most exhaustive panorama possible of imaginable futures; - to avoid neglecting a critical technological, organisational or socioeconomic bottleneck that might be associated with a possible scenario left out of the discussion. Accordingly, in seeking contrasting visions the group arrived at extreme representations and even caricatures of the future, which nonetheless help define the outer limit of possibilities, and the scope within which the actual situation will most likely be situated in 2020 and in 2050

Growth differentiation factor 3 is induced by bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP-6) and BMP-7 and increases luteinizing hormone receptor messenger RNA expression in human granulosa cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jia; Yoshino, Osamu; Osuga, Yutaka; Akiyama, Ikumi; Harada, Miyuki; Koga, Kaori; Fujimoto, Akihisa; Yano, Tetsu; Taketani, Yuji

2012-04-01

To examine the relevance of growth differentiation factor 3 (GDF-3) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) cytokines in human ovary. Molecular studies. Research laboratory. Eight women undergoing salpingo-oophorectomy and 30 women undergoing ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization. Localizing GDF-3 protein in human ovaries; granulosa cells (GC) cultured with GDF-3, BMP-6, or BMP-7 followed by RNA extraction. The localization of GDF-3 protein in normal human ovaries via immunohistochemical analysis, GDF-3 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression evaluation via quantitative real-time reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and evaluation of the effect of GDF-3 on leuteinizing hormone (LH) receptor mRNA expression via quantitative real-time RT-PCR. In the ovary, BMP cytokines, of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily, are known as a luteinization inhibitor by suppressing LH receptor expression in GC. Growth differentiation factor 3, a TGF-β superfamily cytokine, is recognized as an inhibitor of BMP cytokines in other cells. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that GDF-3 was strongly detected in the GC of antral follicles. An in vitro assay revealed that BMP-6 or BMP-7 induced GDF-3 mRNA in GC. Also, GDF-3 increased LH receptor mRNA expression and inhibited the effect of BMP-7, which suppressed the LH receptor mRNA expression in GC. GDF-3, induced with BMP-6 and BMP-7, might play a role in folliculogenesis by inhibiting the effect of BMP cytokines. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transforming growth factor 15 increased in severe aplastic anemia patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Yuanyuan; Wang, Honglei; Liu, Chunyan; Cao, Qiuying; Fu, Rong; Wang, Huaquan; Wang, Ting; Qi, Weiwei; Shao, Zonghong

2017-10-01

The patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) usually rely on red cell transfusion which lead to secondary iron overload. Transforming growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) plays an important role in erythropoiesis and iron regulation. In this study, we investigated the level of GDF-15 and other indexes of iron metabolism in SAA patients to explore the correlation with GDF-15 and iron overload in SAA. The levels of serum GDF-15, hepcidin (Hepc), and erythropoietin (EPO) were determined by ELISA. The levels of serum iron (SI), ferritin, TIBC, and transferrin saturation (TS) were measured by an auto analyzer. Iron staining of bone marrow cells was used for testing extracellular and intracellular iron. The GDF-15 level in the experimental group was higher than that of the case-control group and normal control group (all p < 0.05). The Hepc level in the experimental group and case-control group were both higher than that of healthy controls (all p < 0.05). The Hepc level was significantly lower in the experimental group patients who had excessive GDF-15 (r = -0.766, p = 0.000). There was a positive correlation between the level of GDF15 and EPO in the experimental group (r = 0.68, p < 0.000). The level of GDF15 in SAA patients was positively correlated with SI levels (r = 0.537, p = 0.008), TS levels (r = 0.466, p = 0.025), and sideroblasts (%) (r = 0.463, p = 0.026). Moreover, there was a positive correlation between GDF-15 level and blood transfusion-dependent time (r = 0.739, p = 0.000). Our data indicated that GDF-15 plays an important role in iron metabolism in SAA. GDF-15 might be a novel target for SAA therapy.

Growth/differentiation factor-5: a candidate therapeutic agent for periodontal regeneration? A review of pre-clinical data.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Yolanda R; Dickinson, Douglas P; Wikesjö, Ulf M E

2010-03-01

Therapeutic concepts involving the application of matrix, growth and differentiation factors have been advocated in support of periodontal wound healing/regeneration. Growth/differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5), a member of the bone morphogenetic protein family, represents one such factor. The purpose of this review is to provide a background of the therapeutic effects of GDF-5 expressed in various musculoskeletal settings using small and large animal platforms. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify all reports in the English language evaluating GDF-5 using the PubMed and Google search engines, and a manual search of the reference lists from the electronically retrieved reports. Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts from a total of 69 reports, 22 of which were identified as pre-clinical (in vivo) evaluations of GDF-5. The full-length article of the 22 pre-clinical reports was then reviewed. Various applications including cranial and craniofacial bone formation, spine fusion, long bone fracture healing, cartilage, and tendon/ligament repair using a variety of small and large animal platforms evaluating GDF-5 as a therapeutic agent were identified. A majority of studies, using biomechanical, radiographic, and histological analysis, demonstrated significant dose-dependent effects of GDF-5. These include increased/enhanced local bone formation, fracture healing/repair, and cartilage and tendon/ligament formation. GDF-5 frequently was shown to accelerate wound maturation. Several studies demonstrated GDF-5 to be a realistic alternative to autograft bone. Studies using pre-clinical models and human histology suggest GDF-5 may also increase/enhance periodontal wound healing/regeneration. GDF-5 appears a promising therapeutic agent for periodontal wound healing/regeneration as GDF-5 supports/accelerates bone and tendon/ligament formation in several musculoskeletal settings including periodontal tissues.

PI3K/Akt is involved in brown adipogenesis mediated by growth differentiation factor-5 in association with activation of the Smad pathway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinoi, Eiichi; Iezaki, Takashi; Fujita, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Takumi; Odaka, Yoshiaki; Ozaki, Kakeru; Yoneda, Yukio, E-mail: yyoneda@p.kanazawa-u.ac.jp

2014-07-18

Highlights: • Akt is preferentially phosphorylated in BAT and sWAT of aP2-GDF5 mice. • PI3K/Akt signaling is involved in GDF5-induced brown adipogenesis. • PI3K/Akt signaling regulates GDF5-induced Smad5 phosphorylation. - Abstract: We have previously demonstrated promotion by growth differentiation factor-5 (GDF5) of brown adipogenesis for systemic energy expenditure through a mechanism relevant to activating the bone morphological protein (BMP) receptor/mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (Smad)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1α (PGC-1α) pathway. Here, we show the involvement of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway in brown adipogenesis mediated by GDF5. Overexpression of GDF5 in cells expressing adipocyte protein-2 markedly accelerated the phosphorylation of Smad1/5/8 and Akt in white and brown adipose tissues. In brown adipose tissue from heterozygous GDF5{sup Rgsc451} mutant mice expressing a dominant-negative (DN) GDF5 under obesogenic conditions, the basal phosphorylation of Smad1/5/8 and Akt was significantly attenuated. Exposure to GDF5 not only promoted the phosphorylation of both Smad1/5/8 and Akt in cultured brown pre-adipocytes, but also up-regulated Pgc1a and uncoupling protein-1 expression in a manner sensitive to the PI3K/Akt inhibitor Ly294002 as well as retroviral infection with DN-Akt. GDF5 drastically promoted BMP-responsive luciferase reporter activity in a Ly294002-sensitive fashion. Both Ly294002 and DN-Akt markedly inhibited phosphorylation of Smad5 in the nuclei of brown pre-adipocytes. These results suggest that PI3K/Akt signals play a role in the GDF5-mediated brown adipogenesis through a mechanism related to activation of the Smad pathway.

Nuclear factor-κB is a common upstream signal for growth differentiation factor-5 expression in brown adipocytes exposed to pro-inflammatory cytokines and palmitate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinoi, Eiichi; Iezaki, Takashi; Ozaki, Kakeru; Yoneda, Yukio, E-mail: yyoneda@p.kanazawa-u.ac.jp

2014-10-03

Highlights: • GDF5 expression is up-regulated by IL-1β, TNF-α and palmitate in brown pre-adipocytes. • NF-κB stimulates promoter activity and expression of GDF5 in brown pre-adipocytes. • Recruitment of NF-κB to the GDF5 promoter is facilitated in BAT from ob/ob mice. • An NF-κB inhibitor prevents upregulation of GDF5 expression in brown pre-adipocytes. - Abstract: We have previously demonstrated that genetic and acquired obesity similarly led to drastic upregulation in brown adipose tissue (BAT), rather than white adipose tissue, of expression of both mRNA and corresponding protein for the bone morphogenic protein/growth differentiation factor (GDF) member GDF5 capable of promoting brown adipogenesis. In this study, we evaluated expression profiles of GDF5 in cultured murine brown pre-adipocytes exposed to pro-inflammatory cytokines and free fatty acids (FFAs), which are all shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of obesity. Both interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were effective in up-regulating GDF5 expression in a concentration-dependent manner, while similar upregulation was seen in cells exposed to the saturated FFA palmitate, but not to the unsaturated FFA oleate. In silico analysis revealed existence of the putative nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) binding site in the 5′-flanking region of mouse GDF5, whereas introduction of NF-κB subunits drastically facilitated both promoter activity and expression of GDF5 in brown pre-adipocytes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed significant facilitation of the recruitment of NF-κB to the GDF5 promoter in lysed extracts of BAT from leptin-deficient ob/ob obese mice. Upregulation o GDF5 expression was invariably inhibited by an NF-κB inhibitor in cultured brown pre-adipocytes exposed to IL-1β, TNF-α and palmitate. These results suggest that obesity leads to upregulation of GDF5 expression responsible for the promotion of brown adipogenesis through a mechanism

Physical inactivity is associated with decreased growth differentiation factor 11 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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Tanaka R

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Rie Tanaka,1 Hisatoshi Sugiura,1 Mitsuhiro Yamada,1 Tomohiro Ichikawa,1 Akira Koarai,1 Naoya Fujino,1 Satoru Yanagisawa,1 Katsuhiro Onodera,1 Tadahisa Numakura,1 Kei Sato,1 Yorihiko Kyogoku,1 Hirohito Sano,1 Shun Yamanaka,1 Tatsuma Okazaki,1 Tsutomu Tamada,1 Motohiko Miura,2 Tsuneyuki Takahashi,3 Masakazu Ichinose1 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan; 2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tohoku Rosai Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan; 3Department of Internal Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Wakabayashi Hospital, Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai, Japan Background: Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11 is reported to possess anti-aging and rejuvenating effects, including muscle regeneration and to be highly expressed in skeletal muscle. Recently, we demonstrated that the levels of plasma GDF11 were decreased in COPD. However, the effect of decreased circulating GDF11 in the pathophysiology of COPD remains unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the plasma GDF11 levels and various clinical parameters in patients with COPD. Patients and methods: Eighteen ex-smokers as control subjects and 70 COPD patients participated in the current study. We measured the levels of plasma GDF11 using immunoblotting, lung function, physical activity using a triaxial accelerometer, quadriceps strength, exercise capacity, and systemic inflammatory markers. We investigated the association between the levels of plasma GDF11 and these clinical parameters. Results: The levels of plasma GDF11 in the COPD patients had significant positive correlations with the data of lung function. Furthermore, the levels of plasma GDF11 were significantly correlated with the physical activity, quadriceps strength, and exercise capacity. Moreover, the levels of plasma GDF11 were significantly correlated with the data of inflammatory markers. Although various factors were

Master′s and doctoral theses in family medicine and their publication output, Suez Canal University, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hebatallah Nour-Eldein

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The completion of a thesis is a significant requirement for both a Master′s and a doctorate degree in general practice/family medicine (GP/FM. A postgraduate thesis is a well-planned, time-intensive activity carried out over several years. The quality of the theses can be judged by the proportion of published papers. Objective: This study aimed to describe Master′s and doctoral theses in family medicine and their publications between 1982 and 2014. Materials and Methods: GP/FM degree theses were  reviewed at the Faculty of Medicine and central Suez Canal libraries. Several characteristics were extracted from each thesis relating to the main researcher, supervisors, themes, and study methods according to predefined criteria. Publications from the theses were described. Results: Over 33 years, 208 theses were completed by 173 GP/FM researchers. The majority of the theses were for Master′s degrees (84.1%. Regarding the study design, most of the degree theses were cross-sectional studies (76.9%. The adult population was targeted in 33.7% of  research theses. Nonprobability sampling was used in 51%. Rural communities were the setting of research in 43.8%, and primary health center (PHC-based studies in 59.1%. The "Patient" category exceeded the other categories (28.4%. Publication from theses started in the second decade of research production. Of the degree theses, 21.6% original articles were published. Only 13.3% of articles from theses were published in PubMed-indexed journals. The researcher was first author in 62.2% of published articles. Conclusion: The production of GP/FM theses and their publications are going to increase. Continuous assessment and planning for GP/FM studies are recommended.

Can Genetics Predict Sports Injury? The Association of the Genes GDF5, AMPD1, COL5A1 and IGF2 on Soccer Player Injury Occurrence

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Kiah McCabe

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Genetics plays an integral role in athletic performance and is increasingly becoming recognised as an important risk factor for injury. Ankle and knee injuries are the most common injuries sustained by soccer players. Often these injuries result in players missing training and matches, which can incur significant costs to clubs. This study aimed to identify genotypes associated with ankle and knee injuries in soccer players and how these impacted the number of matches played. 289 soccer players, including 46 professional, 98 semi-professional and 145 amateur players, were genetically tested. Ankle and knee injuries and the number of matches played were recorded during the 2014/15 season. Four genes were assessed in relation to injury. Genotypes found to be associated with injury included the TT (nucleobase genotype of the GDF5 gene, TT and CT (nucleobase genotypes of AMPD1 gene, TT genotype of COL5A1 and GG (nucleobase genotype of IGF2 gene. These genes were also associated with a decrease in the number of matches played.

Oil pollution in the Red Sea - Environmental monitoring of an oilfield in a Coral area, Gulf of Suez

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dicks, B

1984-01-01

The Red Sea is rapidly developing as one of the world's largest offshore oil production areas. It also comprises a wide range of tropical marine habitats, many of which are internationally recognised for their conservation, scientific, economic or recreational value. Past oil production, refining and transport have resulted in chronic pollution of some areas, and environmental programmes to protect new areas of development from pollution damage are assuming increasing importance. At the initiative of an Egyptian oil company operating in the Gulf of Suez, an environmental protection and management scheme has been prepared for a new offshore oilfield and marine terminal at Ras Budran. This paper describes the form of the scheme and the results of its component environmental surveys. The development area comprises rich and diverse marine communities of fringing coral reefs, nearshore lagoons, seagrass beds, sandy beaches and fine sediments offshore. A baseline survey was designed following detailed discussion of the scope of the development with the company and a preliminary site visit, and the fieldwork was completed in October 1980. On the basis of the findings of the survey, a series of recommendations was made to the company, aimed at reducing environmental impacts during construction and operation to a minimum and acceptable level. These were subsequently implemented and the results of a post-construction survey in February 1983 are reported which show that environmental damage to the nearshore habitats during the construction phase had been relatively small and localised. Recently, the biological information obtained from the two surveys has also been incorporated into oil spill contingency plans.

The trajectory prediction of spacecraft by grey method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qiyue; Wang, Zhongyu; Zhang, Zili; Wang, Yanqing; Zhou, Weihu

2016-01-01

The real-time and high-precision trajectory prediction of a moving object is a core technology in the field of aerospace engineering. The real-time monitoring and tracking technology are also significant guarantees of aerospace equipment. A dynamic trajectory prediction method called grey dynamic filter (GDF) which combines the dynamic measurement theory and grey system theory is proposed. GDF can use coordinates of the current period to extrapolate coordinates of the following period. At meantime, GDF can also keep the instantaneity of measured coordinates by the metabolism model. In this paper the optimal model length of GDF is firstly selected to improve the prediction accuracy. Then the simulation for uniformly accelerated motion and variably accelerated motion is conducted. The simulation results indicate that the mean composite position error of GDF prediction is one-fifth to that of Kalman filter (KF). By using a spacecraft landing experiment, the prediction accuracy of GDF is compared with the KF method and the primitive grey method (GM). The results show that the motion trajectory of spacecraft predicted by GDF is much closer to actual trajectory than the other two methods. The mean composite position error calculated by GDF is one-eighth to KF and one-fifth to GM respectively. (paper)

State of the art and potential of biomethane vehicle fuel Joint study by ADEME, AFGNV, ATEE Club Biogaz, GDF SUEZ, IFP, MEEDDAT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-11-01

This document presents approaches to producing biomethane vehicle fuel and the resources involved. The potential of each type of resource and the production costs are described in this report. Lastly, the contribution of this gaseous biofuel to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is evaluated. (author)

Epithermal neutron activation analysis of major and trace elements in Red Sea scleractinian corals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdo, S.Y.; Sherif, M.M.; Frontasyeva, M.V.

2017-01-01

Five corals belonging to common scleractinian reef-building species, and collected from Gulf of Suez, Egypt were subjected to neutron activation analysis. The content of 26 elements: Na, Mg, Cl, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Sr, Sb, I, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Gd, Hf, Th, and U was experimentally determined. Ca and Sr have the highest content i.e. 38.4-39.5% and 0.73-0.78% respectively while, the content of all other elements was within the ranges reported for the worldwide corals. For a better understanding of the coral exoskeleton elemental content, the partition coefficient calculated for all determined elements showed a wide range of values varying from 2 × 10 -4 in the case of Cl to 2 × 10 3 for Ce and other insoluble elements. Although all corals were collected in the vicinity of the Port Suez no traces of anthropogenic contamination were evidenced. (author)

Two new Myxidium species (Myxosporea: Myxidiidae) infecting the gallbladder of African flying fish, Cheilopogon nigricans and Suez fusilier, Caesio suevicus from the Red Sea, Egypt: a morphological and morphometric study.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdel-Baki, Abdel-Azeem Sh

2009-08-01

Myxidium maamouni sp. n. and Myxidium aydai sp. n. were described from the gallbladder of the African flying fish Cheilopogon nigricans and Suez fusilier Caesio suevicus, respectively. Fishes were collected from the Red Sea at Al-Quseir, Egypt. M. maamouni have irregular to mostly rounded polysporous plasmodia with diameter of 27 microm. Spores were sigmoid or S-shaped and sometimes spindle-shaped in the frontal view with smooth valves. They measured 13.5 x 8.0 x 8.2 microm in size. Their polar capsules were equal pyriform and measured 7.0 x 3.2 microm in size with nine to 12 coils. Spores of M. aydai were spindle-shaped in the frontal view with thin smooth valves. They measured 23.0 x 5.6 x 5.5 microm in size. Their polar capsules were pyriform and measured 7.2 x 3.4 microm in size with eight to nine coils.

78 FR 15802 - United States-Israel Free Trade Area Implementation Act; Re-Designation of Qualifying Industrial...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-12

... Cairo, and Suez Canal zones in Egypt under the IFTA Act to provide that all present and future... customs control that comprise the Greater Cairo zone, the Alexandria zone, the Suez Canal zone, the... Central Delta zone, the Greater Cairo zone, and the Suez Canal zone, as specified on maps and materials on...

Fasting exacerbates hepatic growth differentiation factor 15 to promote fatty acid β-oxidation and ketogenesis via activating XBP1 signaling in liver

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Meiyuan Zhang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Liver coordinates a series of metabolic adaptations to maintain systemic energy balance and provide adequate nutrients for critical organs, tissues and cells during starvation. However, the mediator(s implicated in orchestrating these fasting-induced adaptive responses and the underlying molecular mechanisms are still obscure. Here we show that hepatic growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15 is regulated by IRE1α-XBP1s branch and promotes hepatic fatty acids β-oxidation and ketogenesis upon fasting. GDF15 expression was exacerbated in liver of mice subjected to long-term fasted or ketogenic diet feeding. Abrogation of hepatic Gdf15 dramatically attenuated hepatic β-oxidation and ketogenesis in fasted mice or mice with STZ-initiated type I diabetes. Further study revealed that XBP1s activated Gdf15 transcription via binding to its promoter. Elevated GDF15 in liver reduced lipid accumulation and impaired NALFD development in obese mice through enhancing fatty acids oxidation in liver. Therefore, our results demonstrate a novel and critical role of hepatic GDF15 activated by IRE1α-XBP1s branch in regulating adaptive responses of liver upon starvation stress. Keywords: Fasting, Fatty acid β-oxidation, Ketogenesis, GDF15, XBP1, NAFLD

The effects of dolomitization on petrophysical properties and fracture distribution within rift-related carbonates (Hammam Faraun Fault Block, Suez Rift, Egypt)

Science.gov (United States)

Korneva, I.; Bastesen, E.; Corlett, H.; Eker, A.; Hirani, J.; Hollis, C.; Gawthorpe, R. L.; Rotevatn, A.; Taylor, R.

2018-03-01

Petrographic and petrophysical data from different limestone lithofacies (skeletal packstones, matrix-supported conglomerates and foraminiferal grainstones) and their dolomitized equivalents within a slope carbonate succession (Eocene Thebes Formation) of Hammam Faraun Fault Block (Suez Rift, Egypt) have been analyzed in order to link fracture distribution with mechanical and textural properties of these rocks. Two phases of dolomitization resulted in facies-selective stratabound dolostones extending up to two and a half kilometers from the Hammam Faraun Fault, and massive dolostones in the vicinity of the fault (100 metres). Stratabound dolostones are characterized by up to 8 times lower porosity and 6 times higher frequency of fractures compared to the host limestones. Precursor lithofacies type has no significant effect on fracture frequency in the stratabound dolostones. At a distance of 100 metres from the fault, massive dolostones are present which have 0.5 times porosity of precursor limestones, and lithofacies type exerts a stronger control on fracture frequency than the presence of dolomitization (undolomitized vs. dolomitized). Massive dolomitization corresponds to increased fracture intensity in conglomerates and grainstones but decreased fracture intensity in packstones. This corresponds to a decrease of grain/crystal size in conglomerates and grainstones and its increase in packstones after massive dolomitization. Since fractures may contribute significantly to the flow properties of a carbonate rock, the work presented herein has significant applicability to hydrocarbon exploration and production from limestone and dolostone reservoirs, particularly where matrix porosities are low.

Development of hydrogen market: the outlook for demand, wing energy production, mass storage and distribution to vehicles in the regions; Developpement des marches de l'hydrogene demande prospective dans l'industrie, production par energie eolienne, stockage massif et distribution aux vehicules en region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Le Duigou, A. [CEA Saclay, DEN/DANS/I-Tese, 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Quemere, M.M. [EDF R and D, 77 - Moret-Sur- Loing (France); Marion, P.; Decarre, S. [IFP Energies nouvelles, 92 - Rueil-Malmaison (France); Sinegre, L.; Nadau, L.; Pierre, H. [GDF SUEZ, DRI, 93 - La Plaine Saint Denis (France); Menanteau, Ph. [LEPII, Universite de Grenoble - CNRS, 38 (France); Rastetter, A. [ALPHEA, EURODEV Center, 57 - Forbach (France); Cuni, A.; Barbier, F. [Air Liquide, 75 - Paris (France); Mulard, Ph. [Total, La Defense, Raffige Marketing, 92 - Courbevoie (France); Alleau, Th. [AFH2, 75 - Paris (France); Antoine, L. [ADEME, Agence de l' Environnement et de la Maitrise de l' Energie, 75 - Paris (France)

2011-03-15

The HyFrance3 project has provided a national framework for reflection, debate and strategic exchange between major public and industrial research players, namely for their hydrogen technology arms in France (Air Liquide, Total Refining and Marketing, EDF R and D, GDF SUEZ, CNRS-LEPII Energies Nouvelles, AFH2, ALPHEA, ADEME (co-financing and partner) and the CEA (coordinator)). This project focuses on studying the landscape, trends and economic competitiveness of some links in the hydrogen chain, for industrial and energy applications, over a period referred to as 'short term' (2020-2030). Four study subjects were tackled: the prospective demand for hydrogen in industry (analysis of the current situation and outlook for 2030, in particular for refining based on two scenarios on mobility), production of hydrogen for transport uses from wind-produced electricity, mass storage that would have to be set up in the Rhone Alpes and PACA regions, to balance supply that is subject to deliberate (maintenance) or involuntary interruptions, and the distribution of hydrogen in the region, for automobile use (gas station network in the Rhone Alpes and PACA regions) by 2050 (with end period all-in costs between 0.4 eur/kg and 0.6 eur/kg, as a function of the price of energy and the distance from the storage site). (authors)

Development of hydrogen market: the outlook for demand, wing energy production, mass storage and distribution to vehicles in the regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Duigou, A.; Quemere, M.M.; Marion, P.; Decarre, S.; Sinegre, L.; Nadau, L.; Pierre, H.; Menanteau, Ph.; Rastetter, A.; Cuni, A.; Barbier, F.; Mulard, Ph.; Alleau, Th.; Antoine, L.

2011-01-01

The HyFrance3 project has provided a national framework for reflection, debate and strategic exchange between major public and industrial research players, namely for their hydrogen technology arms in France (Air Liquide, Total Refining and Marketing, EDF R and D, GDF SUEZ, CNRS-LEPII Energies Nouvelles, AFH2, ALPHEA, ADEME (co-financing and partner) and the CEA (coordinator). This project focuses on studying the landscape, trends and economic competitiveness of some links in the hydrogen chain, for industrial and energy applications, over a period referred to as 'short term' (2020-2030). Four study subjects were tackled: the prospective demand for hydrogen in industry (analysis of the current situation and outlook for 2030, in particular for refining based on two scenarios on mobility), production of hydrogen for transport uses from wind-produced electricity, mass storage that would have to be set up in the Rhone Alpes and PACA regions, to balance supply that is subject to deliberate (maintenance) or involuntary interruptions, and the distribution of hydrogen in the region, for automobile use (gas station network in the Rhone Alpes and PACA regions) by 2050 (with end period all-in costs between 0.4 eur/kg and 0.6 eur/kg, as a function of the price of energy and the distance from the storage site). (authors)

A prospective, randomized pilot study on the safety and efficacy of recombinant human growth and differentiation factor-5 coated onto β-tricalcium phosphate for sinus lift augmentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Felix P; Becker, Jürgen; Terheyden, Hendrik; Capsius, Björn; Wagner, Wilfried

2010-11-01

The aim of this prospective, randomized clinical trial was to investigate the potential of recombinant human growth and differentiation factor-5 (rhGDF-5) coated onto β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) (rhGDF-5/β-TCP) to support bone formation after sinus lift augmentation. In total, 31 patients participated in this multicenter clinical trial. They required a two-stage unilateral maxillary sinus floor augmentation (residual bone height augmentation with rhGDF-5/β-TCP and a 3-month healing period, (b) augmentation with rhGDF-5/β-TCP and a 4-month healing period and (c) medical device β-TCP mixed with autologous bone and a 4-month healing period. The primary study objective was the area of newly formed bone within the augmented area as assessed by histomorphometric evaluation of trephine bur biopsies. The osseous regeneration was similar in each treatment group; the amount of newly formed bone ranged between 28% (± 15.5%) and 31.8% (± 17.9%). Detailed analysis of histological data will be published elsewhere. As secondary efficacy variables, the augmentation height at the surgery site was measured by radiography. The largest augmentation was radiologically achieved in the rhGDF-5/β-TCP - 3-month and the rhGDF-5/β-TCP - 4-month treatment groups. As safety parameters, adverse events were recorded and anti-drug antibody levels were evaluated. Most of the adverse events were judged as unrelated to the study medication. Four out of 47 (8.5%) implants failed in patients treated with rhGDF-5/β-TCP, a result that is in agreement with the general implant failure rate of 5-15%. Transiently very low amounts of anti-rhGDF-5 antibodies were detected in some patients who received rhGDF-5, which was not related to the bone formation outcome. rhGDF-5/β-TCP was found to be effective and safe as the control treatment with autologous bone mixed β-TCP in sinus floor augmentation. Thus, further investigation regarding efficacy and safety will be carried out in larger patient

Grout disposal facility vault exhauster: Technical background document on demonstration of best available control technology for toxics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glissmeyer, J.A.; Glantz, C.S.; Rittman, P.D.

1994-09-01

The Grout Disposal Facility (GDF) is currently operated on the US Department of Energy's Hanford Site. The GDF is located near the east end of the Hanford Site's 200 East operations area, and is used for the treatment and disposal of low-level radioactive liquid wastes. In the grout treatment process, selected radioactive wastes from double-shell tanks are mixed with grout-forming solids; the resulting grout slurry is pumped to near-surface concrete vaults for solidification and permanent disposal. As part of this treatment process, small amounts of toxic particles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be released to the atmosphere through the GDF's exhaust system. This analysis constitutes a Best Available Control Technology for Toxics (T-BACT) study, as required in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC 173-460) to support a Notice of Construction for the operation of the GDF exhaust system at a modified flow rate that exceeds the previously permitted value. This report accomplishes the following: assesses the potential emissions from the GDF; estimates air quality impacts to the public from toxic air pollutants; identifies control technologies that could reduce GDF emissions; evaluates impacts of the control technologies; and recommends appropriate emissions controls

Nonviral Gene Delivery of Growth and Differentiation Factor 5 to Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Injected into a 3D Bovine Intervertebral Disc Organ Culture System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Bucher

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Intervertebral disc (IVD cell therapy with unconditioned 2D expanded mesenchymal stem cells (MSC is a promising concept yet challenging to realize. Differentiation of MSCs by nonviral gene delivery of growth and differentiation factor 5 (GDF5 by electroporation mediated gene transfer could be an excellent source for cell transplantation. Human MSCs were harvested from bone marrow aspirate and GDF5 gene transfer was achieved by in vitro electroporation. Transfected cells were cultured as monolayers and as 3D cultures in 1.2% alginate bead culture. MSC expressed GDF5 efficiently for up to 21 days. The combination of GDF5 gene transfer and 3D culture in alginate showed an upregulation of aggrecan and SOX9, two markers for chondrogenesis, and KRT19 as a marker for discogenesis compared to untransfected cells. The cells encapsulated in alginate produced more proteoglycans expressed in GAG/DNA ratio. Furthermore, GDF5 transfected MCS injected into an IVD papain degeneration organ culture model showed a partial recovery of the GAG/DNA ratio after 7 days. In this study we demonstrate the potential of GDF5 transfected MSC as a promising approach for clinical translation for disc regeneration.

Growth/differentiation factor 15 promotes EGFR signalling, and regulates proliferation and migration in the hippocampus of neonatal and young adult mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrillo-García, Carmen; Prochnow, Sebastian; Simeonova, Ina K; Strelau, Jens; Hölzl-Wenig, Gabriele; Mandl, Claudia; Unsicker, Klaus; von Bohlen Und Halbach, Oliver; Ciccolini, Francesca

2014-02-01

The activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) affects multiple aspects of neural precursor behaviour, including proliferation and migration. Telencephalic precursors acquire EGF responsiveness and upregulate EGFR expression at late stages of development. The events regulating this process and its significance are still unclear. We here show that in the developing and postnatal hippocampus (HP), growth/differentiation factor (GDF) 15 and EGFR are co-expressed in primitive precursors as well as in more differentiated cells. We also provide evidence that GDF15 promotes responsiveness to EGF and EGFR expression in hippocampal precursors through a mechanism that requires active CXC chemokine receptor (CXCR) 4. Besides EGFR expression, GDF15 ablation also leads to decreased proliferation and migration. In particular, lack of GDF15 impairs both processes in the cornu ammonis (CA) 1 and only proliferation in the dentate gyrus (DG). Importantly, migration and proliferation in the mutant HP were altered only perinatally, when EGFR expression was also affected. These data suggest that GDF15 regulates migration and proliferation by promoting EGFR signalling in the perinatal HP and represent a first description of a functional role for GDF15 in the developing telencephalon.

Strategic Studies Quarterly. Volume 6, Number 2. Summer 2012

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-01

Our Brick Moon The Great Pyramid of Giza took an estimated 20 years to build...Suez Canal from Egypt foundered in 1956 when confronted with the fiscal realities of their relative economic decline.1 The most viable option for...0.4 0.8 Others: 152.1 9.4 16.7 Brazil 33.5 2.1 3.7 Egypt 4.3 0.3 0.5 South Africa 4.5 0.3 0.5 Total 1,611.4 99.9 100.3 * The DoD

Gender Dimensions Framework Application

OpenAIRE

Rubin, D.

2011-01-01

This is a presentation of the The Gender Dimensions Framework (GDF). The GDF was developed to provide guidance to USAID staff and partner organizations for working with USAID projects looking at promoting equitable opportunities in agricultural value chains. The GDF contemplates four dimensions: access to and control over key productive assets (tangible and intangible); beliefs and perceptions; practices and participation, and legal frameworks. CCRA-7 (Gendered Knowledge)

The united kingdom's changing requirements for spent fuel storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hodgson, Z.; Hambley, D.I.; Gregg, R.; Ross, D.N.

2013-01-01

The UK is adopting an open fuel cycle, and is necessarily moving to a regime of long term storage of spent fuel, followed by geological disposal once a geological disposal facility (GDF) is available. The earliest GDF receipt date for legacy spent fuel is assumed to be 2075. The UK is set to embark on a programme of new nuclear build to maintain a nuclear energy contribution of 16 GW. Additionally, the UK are considering a significant expansion of nuclear energy in order to meet carbon reduction targets and it is plausible to foresee a scenario where up to 75 GW from nuclear power production could be deployed in the UK by the mid 21. century. Such an expansion, could lead to spent fuel storage and its disposal being a dominant issue for the UK Government, the utilities and the public. If the UK were to transition a closed fuel cycle, then spent fuel storage should become less onerous depending on the timescales. The UK has demonstrated a preference for wet storage of spent fuel on an interim basis. The UK has adopted an approach of centralised storage, but a 16 GW new build programme and any significant expansion of this may push the UK towards distributed spent fuel storage at a number of reactors station sites across the UK

Knockdown of platinum-induced growth differentiation factor 15 abrogates p27-mediated tumor growth delay in the chemoresistant ovarian cancer model A2780cis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meier, Julia C; Haendler, Bernard; Seidel, Henrik; Groth, Philip; Adams, Robert; Ziegelbauer, Karl; Kreft, Bertolt; Beckmann, Georg; Sommer, Anette; Kopitz, Charlotte

2015-01-01

Molecular mechanisms underlying the development of resistance to platinum-based treatment in patients with ovarian cancer remain poorly understood. This is mainly due to the lack of appropriate in vivo models allowing the identification of resistance-related factors. In this study, we used human whole-genome microarrays and linear model analysis to identify potential resistance-related genes by comparing the expression profiles of the parental human ovarian cancer model A2780 and its platinum-resistant variant A2780cis before and after carboplatin treatment in vivo. Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) was identified as one of five potential resistance-related genes in the A2780cis tumor model. Although A2780-bearing mice showed a strong carboplatin-induced increase of GDF15 plasma levels, the basal higher GDF15 plasma levels of A2780cis-bearing mice showed no further increase after short-term or long-term carboplatin treatment. This correlated with a decreased DNA damage response, enhanced AKT survival signaling and abrogated cell cycle arrest in the carboplatin-treated A2780cis tumors. Furthermore, knockdown of GDF15 in A2780cis cells did not alter cell proliferation but enhanced cell migration and colony size in vitro. Interestingly, in vivo knockdown of GDF15 in the A2780cis model led to a basal-enhanced tumor growth, but increased sensitivity to carboplatin treatment as compared to the control-transduced A2780cis tumors. This was associated with larger necrotic areas, a lobular tumor structure and increased p53 and p16 expression of the carboplatin-treated shGDF15-A2780cis tumors. Furthermore, shRNA-mediated GDF15 knockdown abrogated p27 expression as compared to control-transduced A2780cis tumors. In conclusion, these data show that GDF15 may contribute to carboplatin resistance by suppressing tumor growth through p27. These data show that GDF15 might serve as a novel treatment target in women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer

Growth/differentiation factor-5: pre-clinical and clinical evaluations of periodontal regeneration and alveolar augmentation--review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jaebum; Wikesjö, Ulf M E

2014-08-01

Growth/differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5) plays critical roles in mesenchymal cell differentiation and stimulates human periodontal ligament cell proliferation. Potentially, GDF-5 may also play roles in wound healing including periodontal regeneration and alveolar augmentation. The objective of this review was to provide up-to-date information from pre-clinical/clinical studies evaluating GDF-5 for these indications. A comprehensive search using PubMed and Google search engines was conducted to identify reports on GDF-5 applied to periodontal and alveolar indications. Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts from a total of 479 reports. Full-length articles of 17 pre-clinical and four clinical studies were selected and reviewed. Canine-, porcine- and non-human primate-based models as well as human clinical trials were used in the evaluation of GDF-5 in support of periodontal regeneration and alveolar augmentation. An absorbable collagen sponge (ACS), β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and a poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) were evaluated as candidate carriers for GDF-5 using various dose and healing intervals demonstrating significantly enhanced periodontal regeneration/alveolar augmentation including cementum, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone with limited, if any, adverse effects. Growth/differentiation factor-5 supports periodontal regeneration/alveolar augmentation without aberrant healing events documented in qualified pre-clinical models and clinical pilot studies. In perspective, GDF-5 appears a promising technology for periodontal regeneration/alveolar augmentation. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Follicular localization of growth differentiation factor 8 and its receptors in normal and polycystic ovary syndrome ovaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Ting-Ting; Chang, Hsun-Ming; Hu, Xiao-Ling; Leung, Peter C K; Zhu, Yi-Min

2018-05-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age and its etiology has not been characterized. Growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF8) is a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily that plays a critical role in the regulation of ovarian functions. However, the expression pattern of GDF8 in the human ovary is not yet clear. This study examined the cellular distribution of GDF8 and its putative cellular receptors (ACVR2A, ACVR2B, and ALK5) in a series of normal (n = 34) and PCOS ovaries (n = 14). The immunostaining of GDF8, ACVR2A, ACVR2B, and ALK5 was detected in the oocytes regardless of the developmental stage. All these proteins were localized in antral follicles in normal and PCOS ovaries, and the expression of these proteins increased with increasing follicle diameter. A significantly higher expression of GDF8 was detected in the granulosa cells than in the matched theca cells (TCs). These proteins were also localized in the luteal cells of the corpus luteum. Granulosa cells and TCs of large antral follicles in PCOS ovaries display a higher expression of these proteins. The higher expression levels of GDF8 and its functional receptors (ACVR2A, ACVR2B, and ALK5) in antral follicles of PCOS ovaries than those in normal ovaries suggest the possible involvement of dysregulated GDF8 in the pathogenesis of PCOS.

Association of catalase gene polymorphisms with catalase activity and susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus in the Suez Canal area, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghaly, M S; Ghattas, M H; Labib, S M

2012-10-01

The present study evaluated the relationship of genetic variants in both promoter (-262 C/T) and in exonic (389 C/T) regions of the catalase (CAT) gene to CAT activity and risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Suez Canal-area patients. CAT gene polymorphisms were assessed by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). CAT activity was measured by using a spectrophotometer. We compared the frequencies of CAT 389 C/T and -262 C/T polymorphic variants between SLE patients (n = 103) and healthy controls (n = 103). CAT 389 C/T is associated with SLE susceptibility, with the T allele being significantly more frequent among SLE patients than healthy controls. There was no association, however, between CAT activity and genotypes of 389 C/T. We did not observe significant differences in the prevalence of CAT -262 C/T polymorphic variants in SLE patients and controls, however, we found that patients with the CAT -262 CT and TT genotypes had low CAT activity, and these genotypes showed a significant association with thrombocytopaenia, leukopaenia and the presence of anti-snRNP in SLE patients. In conclusion, the present study supports the notion of in vivo oxidative stress in SLE as indicated by the decrease in CAT activity. The allelic variations in the CAT gene -262 are more likely to affect the expression or the function of the enzyme. Since CAT may be pathogenetically linked to SLE, and owing to its free-radical origin, it appears reasonable to target lipid peroxidation by dietary and/or pharmacological antioxidants.

Analysis of the similar epicenter earthquakes on 22 January 2013 and 01 June 2013, Central Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Toni, Mostafa; Barth, Andreas; Ali, Sherif M.; Wenzel, Friedemann

2016-09-01

On 22 January 2013 an earthquake with local magnitude ML 4.1 occurred in the central part of the Gulf of Suez. Six months later on 1 June 2013 another earthquake with local magnitude ML 5.1 took place at the same epicenter and different depths. These two perceptible events were recorded and localized by the Egyptian National Seismological Network (ENSN) and additional networks in the region. The purpose of this study is to determine focal mechanisms and source parameters of both earthquakes to analyze their tectonic relation. We determine the focal mechanisms by applying moment tensor inversion and first motion analysis of P- and S-waves. Both sources reveal oblique focal mechanisms with normal faulting and strike-slip components on differently oriented faults. The source mechanism of the larger event on 1 June in combination with the location of aftershock sequence indicates a left-lateral slip on N-S striking fault structure in 21 km depth that is in conformity with the NE-SW extensional Shmin (orientation of minimum horizontal compressional stress) and the local fault pattern. On the other hand, the smaller earthquake on 22 January with a shallower hypocenter in 16 km depth seems to have happened on a NE-SW striking fault plane sub-parallel to Shmin. Thus, here an energy release on a transfer fault connecting dominant rift-parallel structures might have resulted in a stress transfer, triggering the later ML 5.1 earthquake. Following Brune's model and using displacement spectra, we calculate the dynamic source parameters for the two events. The estimated source parameters for the 22 January 2013 and 1 June 2013 earthquakes are fault length (470 and 830 m), stress drop (1.40 and 2.13 MPa), and seismic moment (5.47E+21 and 6.30E+22 dyn cm) corresponding to moment magnitudes of MW 3.8 and 4.6, respectively.

Far East LPG sales will grow faster than in West

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-01-01

LPG sales through 2010 in regions east of the Suez Canal (East of Suez) will grow at more than twice those in regions west of the canal. East-of-Suez sales will grow at more than 4.0%/year, compared to slightly less than 2.0%/year growth in sales West of Suez. East-of-Suez sales will reach 92 million tons/year (tpy) by 2010, accounting for 39% of the worldwide total. This share was 31% in1995 and only 27% in 1990. LPG sales worldwide will reach 192 million tons in 2000 and 243 million tpy by 2010. In 1995, they were 163 million tons. These are some of the major conclusions of a recent study by Frank R. Spadine, Christine Kozar, and Rudy Clark of New York City-based consultant Poten and Partners Inc. Details of the study are in the fall report ''World Trade in LPG 1990--2010''. This paper discusses demand segments, seaborne balance, Western sources, largest trading region, North American supplies, and other supplies

Diffusion Filters for Variational Data Assimilation of Sea Surface Temperature in an Intermediate Climate Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuefeng Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Sequential, adaptive, and gradient diffusion filters are implemented into spatial multiscale three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR as alternative schemes to model background error covariance matrix for the commonly used correction scale method, recursive filter method, and sequential 3DVAR. The gradient diffusion filter (GDF is verified by a two-dimensional sea surface temperature (SST assimilation experiment. Compared to the existing DF, the new GDF scheme shows a superior performance in the assimilation experiment due to its success in extracting the spatial multiscale information. The GDF can retrieve successfully the longwave information over the whole analysis domain and the shortwave information over data-dense regions. After that, a perfect twin data assimilation experiment framework is designed to study the effect of the GDF on the state estimation based on an intermediate coupled model. In this framework, the assimilation model is subject to “biased” initial fields from the “truth” model. While the GDF reduces the model bias in general, it can enhance the accuracy of the state estimation in the region that the observations are removed, especially in the South Ocean. In addition, the higher forecast skill can be obtained through the better initial state fields produced by the GDF.

Development of an engineering design process and associated systems and procedures for a UK geological disposal facility - 59160

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rendell, Philip; Breen, Brendan; Clark, Alastair; Reece, Steve; O'Grady, Henry

2012-01-01

In the United Kingdom the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has been charged with implementing Government policy for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste. The UK Government is leading a site selection process based on voluntarism and partnership with local communities interested in hosting such a facility and as set out in the 'Managing Radioactive Waste Safely' White Paper (2008). The NDA has set up the Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) as the body responsible for planning, building and operating a geological disposal facility (GDF). RWMD will develop into a separately regulated Site Licence Company (SLC) responsible for the construction, operation and closure of the facility. RWMD will be the Design Authority for the GDF; requiring a formal process to ensure that the knowledge and integrity of the design is maintained. In 2010 RWMD published 'Geological Disposal - Steps towards implementation' which described the preparatory work that it is undertaking in planning the future work programme, and the phases of work needed to deliver the programme. RWMD has now developed a process for the design of the GDF to support this work. The engineering design process follows a staged approach, encompassing options development, requirements definition, and conceptual and detailed designs. Each stage finishes with a 'stage gate' comprising a technical review and a specific set of engineering deliverables. The process is intended to facilitate the development of the most appropriate design of GDF, and to support the higher level needs of both the project and the community engagement programmes. The process incorporates elements of good practices derived from other work programmes; including process mapping, issues and requirements management, and progressive design assurance. A set of design principles have been established, and supporting design guidance notes are being produced. In addition a requirements management system is being

Introducing computer-assisted training sessions in the clinical skills lab at the Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosny, Somaya; Mishriky, Adel M; Youssef, Mirella

2008-01-01

The Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University clinical skills lab was established in 1981 as the first skills lab in Egypt to cope with innovation in medical education adopted since school inauguration in 1978. Students are trained using their peers or models. Training is done weekly, guided by checklists tested for validity and reliability and updated regularly. Students receive immediate feedback on their performance. Recently, the number of students has increased, leading to challenges in providing adequate supervision and training experiences. A project to design and implement a computer-assisted training (CAT) system seemed to be a plausible solution. To assess the quality of a newly developed CAT product, faculty and students' satisfaction with it, and its impact on the learning process. The project involved preparation of multimedia video-films with a web interface for links of different scientific materials. The project was implemented on second year students. A quality check was done to assess the product's scientific content, and technical quality using questionnaires filled by 84 faculty members (139 filled forms) and 175 students (924 filled forms). For assessment of impact, results of examinations after project implementation were compared with results of 2nd year students of previous 3 years. More faculty (96.3%) were satisfied with the product and considered its quality good to excellent, compared to 93.9% of students, p < 0.001. Most faculty (76.2%) have agreed on its suitability for self-learning, while most students considered the product would be suitable after modification. The percentage of students' failures was lower after project implementation, compared to previous 3 years, p < 0.05. CAT materials developed for training of second year students in skills lab proved to be of good scientific content and quality, and suitable for self-learning. Their use was associated with lower failure rates among students. A randomized trial is recommended

Provenance, diagenesis, tectonic setting and reservoir quality of the sandstones of the Kareem Formation, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Zaid, Samir M.

2013-09-01

The Middle Miocene Kareem sandstones are important oil reservoirs in the southwestern part of the Gulf of Suez basin, Egypt. However, their diagenesis and provenance and their impact on reservoir quality, are virtually unknown. Samples from the Zeit Bay Oil Field, and the East Zeit Oil Field represent the Lower Kareem (Rahmi Member) and the Upper Kareem (Shagar Member), were studied using a combination of petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical techniques. The Lower Rahmi sandstones have an average framework composition of Q95F3.4R1.6, and 90% of the quartz grains are monocrystalline. By contrast, the Upper Shagar sandstones are only slightly less quartzose with an average framework composition of Q76F21R3 and 82% of the quartz grains are monocrystalline. The Kareem sandstones are mostly quartzarenite with subordinate subarkose and arkose. Petrographical and geochemical data of sandstones indicate that they were derived from granitic and metamorphic terrains as the main source rock with a subordinate quartzose recycled sedimentary rocks and deposited in a passive continental margin of a syn rift basin. The sandstones of the Kareem Formation show upward decrease in maturity. Petrographic study revealed that dolomite is the dominant cement and generally occurs as fine to medium rhombs pore occluding phase and locally as a grain replacive phase. Authigenic quartz occurs as small euhedral crystals, locally as large pyramidal crystals in the primary pores. Authigenic anhydrites typically occur as poikilotopic rhombs or elongate laths infilling pores but also as vein filling cement. The kaolinite is a by-product of feldspar leaching in the presence of acidic fluid produced during the maturation of organic matter in the adjacent Miocene rocks. Diagenetic features include compaction; dolomite, silica and anhydrite cementation with minor iron-oxide, illite, kaolinite and pyrite cements; dissolution of feldspars, rock fragments. Silica dissolution, grain replacement and

Statistical methods and errors in family medicine articles between 2010 and 2014-Suez Canal University, Egypt: A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nour-Eldein, Hebatallah

2016-01-01

With limited statistical knowledge of most physicians it is not uncommon to find statistical errors in research articles. To determine the statistical methods and to assess the statistical errors in family medicine (FM) research articles that were published between 2010 and 2014. This was a cross-sectional study. All 66 FM research articles that were published over 5 years by FM authors with affiliation to Suez Canal University were screened by the researcher between May and August 2015. Types and frequencies of statistical methods were reviewed in all 66 FM articles. All 60 articles with identified inferential statistics were examined for statistical errors and deficiencies. A comprehensive 58-item checklist based on statistical guidelines was used to evaluate the statistical quality of FM articles. Inferential methods were recorded in 62/66 (93.9%) of FM articles. Advanced analyses were used in 29/66 (43.9%). Contingency tables 38/66 (57.6%), regression (logistic, linear) 26/66 (39.4%), and t-test 17/66 (25.8%) were the most commonly used inferential tests. Within 60 FM articles with identified inferential statistics, no prior sample size 19/60 (31.7%), application of wrong statistical tests 17/60 (28.3%), incomplete documentation of statistics 59/60 (98.3%), reporting P value without test statistics 32/60 (53.3%), no reporting confidence interval with effect size measures 12/60 (20.0%), use of mean (standard deviation) to describe ordinal/nonnormal data 8/60 (13.3%), and errors related to interpretation were mainly for conclusions without support by the study data 5/60 (8.3%). Inferential statistics were used in the majority of FM articles. Data analysis and reporting statistics are areas for improvement in FM research articles.

Recombinant growth differentiation factor 11 influences short-term memory and enhances Sox2 expression in middle-aged mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Min; Jadavji, Nafisa M; Yoo, Hyung-Suk; Smith, Patrice D

2018-04-02

Previous evidence suggests that a significant decline in cognitive ability begins during middle-age and continues to deteriorate with increase in age. Recent work has demonstrated the potential rejuvenation impact of growth differentiation factor-11 (GDF-11) in aged mice. We carried out experiments to evaluate the impact of a single dose of recombinant (rGDF-11) on short-term visual and spatial memory in middle-aged male mice. On the novel object recognition task, we observed middle-aged mice treated rGDF-11 showed improved performance on the novel object recognition task. However, middle-aged mice did not show increased expression of phosphorylated-Smad2/3, a downstream effector of GDF-11. We noted however that the expression of the transcription factor, Sox2 was increased within the dentate gyrus. Our data suggest that a single injection of rGDF-11 contributes to improvements in cognitive function of middle-aged animals, which may be critical in the preservation of short-term memory capacity in old age. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nuclear safety training program (NSTP) for dismantling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cretskens, Pieter; Lenie, Koen; Mulier, Guido

2014-01-01

European Control Services (GDF Suez) has developed and is still developing specific training programs for the dismantling and decontamination of nuclear installations. The main topic in these programs is nuclear safety culture. We therefore do not focus on technical training but on developing the right human behavior to work in a 'safety culture' environment. The vision and techniques behind these programs have already been tested in different environments: for example the dismantling of the BN MOX Plant in Dessel (Belgium), Nuclear Safety Culture Training for Electrabel NPP Doel..., but also in the non-nuclear industry. The expertise to do so was found in combining the know-how of the Training and the Nuclear Department of ECS. In training, ECS is one of the main providers of education in risky tasks, like elevation and manipulation of charges, working in confined spaces... but it does also develop training on demand to improve safety in a certain topic. Radiation Protection is the core business in the Nuclear Department with a presence on most of the nuclear sites in Belgium. Combining these two domains in a nuclear safety training program, NSTP, is an important stage in a dismantling project due to specific contamination, technical and other risks. It increases the level of safety and leads to a harmonization of different working cultures. The modular training program makes it possible to evaluate constantly as well as in group or individually. (authors)

Hydrogen - A new green energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnu, Franck

2013-01-01

A set of articles proposes an overview of the role hydrogen might have as energy in the energy transition policy, a review of different areas of research related to the hydrogen sector, and presentations of some remarkable innovations in different specific fields. Hydrogen might be an asset in energy transition because production modes (like electrolysis) result in an almost carbon-free or at least low-carbon hydrogen production. Challenges and perspectives are evoked: energy storage for intermittent energies (the MYRTE platform), the use of a hydrogen-natural mix (GRHYD program), the development of fuel cells for transport applications, and co-generation (Japan is the leader). Different French research organisations are working on different aspects and areas: the H2E program by Air Liquide, fuel cell technologies by GDF Suez, power electrolyzers and cells by Areva. Some aspects and research areas are more specifically detailed: high temperature electrolysis (higher efficiencies, synthesis of methane from hydrogen), fuel cells (using less platinum, and using ceramics for high temperatures), the perspective of solid storage solutions (hydrogen bottles in composite materials, development of 'hydrogen sponges', search for new hydrides). Innovations concern a project car, storage and production (Greenergy Box), the McPhy Energy storage system, an electric bicycle with fuel cell, easy to transport storage means by Air Liquide and Composites Aquitaine, development of energy autonomy, fuel cells for cars, electrolyzers using the Proton Exchange Membrane or PEM technology

Tribulus terrestris Alters the Expression of Growth Differentiation Factor 9 and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15 in Rabbit Ovaries of Mothers and F1 Female Offspring

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Although previous research has demonstrated the key role of the oocyte-derived factors, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 15 and growth differentiation factor (GDF) 9, in follicular development and ovulation, there is a lack of knowledge on the impact of external factors, which females are exposed to during folliculogenesis, on their expression. The present study investigated the effect of the aphrodisiac Tribulus terrestris on the GDF9 and BMP15 expression in the oocytes and cumulus cells at mRNA and protein levels during folliculogenesis in two generations of female rabbits. The experiment was conducted with 28 New Zealand rabbits. Only the diet of the experimental mothers group was supplemented with a dry extract of T. terrestris for the 45 days prior to insemination. The expression of BMP15 and GDF9 genes in the oocytes and cumulus cells of mothers and F1 female offspring was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The localization of the GDF9 and BMP15 proteins in the ovary tissues was determined by immunohistochemical analysis. The BMP15 and GDF9 transcripts were detected in the oocytes and cumulus cells of rabbits from all groups. T. terrestris caused a decrease in the BMP15 mRNA level in the oocytes and an increase in the cumulus cells. The GDF9 mRNA level increased significantly in both oocytes and cumulus cells. The downregulated expression of BMP15 in the treated mothers’ oocytes was inherited in the F1 female offspring born to treated mothers. BMP15 and GDF9 show a clearly expressed sensitivity to the bioactive compounds of T. terrestris. PMID:26928288

ISSLS PRIZE IN BASIC SCIENCE 2018: Growth differentiation factor-6 attenuated pro-inflammatory molecular changes in the rabbit anular-puncture model and degenerated disc-induced pain generation in the rat xenograft radiculopathy model.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyazaki, Shingo; Diwan, Ashish D; Kato, Kenji; Cheng, Kevin; Bae, Won C; Sun, Yang; Yamada, Junichi; Muehleman, Carol; Lenz, Mary E; Inoue, Nozomu; Sah, Robert L; Kawakami, Mamoru; Masuda, Koichi

2018-04-01

To elucidate the effects of growth differentiation factor-6 (GDF6) on: (i) gene expression of inflammatory/pain-related molecules and structural integrity in the rabbit intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration model, and (ii) sensory dysfunction and changes in pain-marker expression in dorsal nerve ganglia (DRGs) in the rat xenograft radiculopathy model. Forty-six adolescent rabbits received anular-puncture in two non-consecutive lumbar IVDs. Four weeks later, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or GDF6 (1, 10 or 100 µg) was injected into the nucleus pulposus (NP) of punctured discs and followed for 4 weeks for gene expression analysis and 12 weeks for structural analyses. For pain assessment, eight rabbits were sacrificed at 4 weeks post-injection and NP tissues of injected discs were transplanted onto L5 DRGs of 16 nude rats to examine mechanical allodynia. The rat DRGs were analyzed immunohistochemically. In GDF6-treated rabbit NPs, gene expressions of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, vascular endothelial growth factor, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2, and nerve growth factor were significantly lower than those in the PBS group. GDF6 injections resulted in partial restoration of disc height and improvement of MRI disc degeneration grades with statistical significance in rabbit structural analyses. Allodynia induced by xenograft transplantation of rabbit degenerated NPs onto rat DRGs was significantly reduced by GDF6 injection. Staining intensities for ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule-1 and calcitonin gene-related peptide in rat DRGs of the GDF6 group were significantly lower than those of the PBS group. GDF6 injection may change the pathological status of degenerative discs and attenuate degenerated IVD-induced pain.

Can the Green Deal be fair too? Exploring new possibilities for alleviating fuel poverty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guertler, Pedro

2012-01-01

Energy efficiency and social programmes have failed to stem the dramatic increase in the number of fuel poor households in recent years. As the 2016 deadline for eradicating fuel poverty nears, energy efficiency and fuel poverty programmes are undergoing significant changes. The ambitions for Britain's Green Deal, the overhaul of supplier obligations alongside the winding down of Warm Front, and the introduction of an incentive for renewable heat combine to form a sea change in how energy efficiency and fuel poverty objectives are financed and delivered. Green Deal Finance (GDF) eliminates the up-front capital cost of energy efficiency measures to the household by linking repayments to energy savings and spreading them over many years. This paper asks whether and how GDF could be beneficial to fuel poor households. Using scenarios modelled on the English House Condition Survey, it explores the extent to which fuel poverty could be reduced, allowing for repayments incurred by GDF. It examines how much further fuel poverty could be alleviated were the capital cost subsidised or repayments supported, and concludes that a flexible design for GDF is necessary if it is to contribute to alleviating fuel poverty. - Highlights: ► The potential impact of Green Deal finance (GDF) on fuel poverty (FP) is explored. ► GDF based on actual energy use rather than notional need is better at reducing FP. ► Additional subsidy by energy companies improves the impact of GDF on FP. ► However, the resultant increases in energy bills would negate much of this effect. ► Government support for repayments could be fairer and go further.

Tribulus terrestris Alters the Expression of Growth Differentiation Factor 9 and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15 in Rabbit Ovaries of Mothers and F1 Female Offspring.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Desislava Abadjieva

Full Text Available Although previous research has demonstrated the key role of the oocyte-derived factors, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP 15 and growth differentiation factor (GDF 9, in follicular development and ovulation, there is a lack of knowledge on the impact of external factors, which females are exposed to during folliculogenesis, on their expression. The present study investigated the effect of the aphrodisiac Tribulus terrestris on the GDF9 and BMP15 expression in the oocytes and cumulus cells at mRNA and protein levels during folliculogenesis in two generations of female rabbits. The experiment was conducted with 28 New Zealand rabbits. Only the diet of the experimental mothers group was supplemented with a dry extract of T. terrestris for the 45 days prior to insemination. The expression of BMP15 and GDF9 genes in the oocytes and cumulus cells of mothers and F1 female offspring was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. The localization of the GDF9 and BMP15 proteins in the ovary tissues was determined by immunohistochemical analysis. The BMP15 and GDF9 transcripts were detected in the oocytes and cumulus cells of rabbits from all groups. T. terrestris caused a decrease in the BMP15 mRNA level in the oocytes and an increase in the cumulus cells. The GDF9 mRNA level increased significantly in both oocytes and cumulus cells. The downregulated expression of BMP15 in the treated mothers' oocytes was inherited in the F1 female offspring born to treated mothers. BMP15 and GDF9 show a clearly expressed sensitivity to the bioactive compounds of T. terrestris.

Tribulus terrestris Alters the Expression of Growth Differentiation Factor 9 and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15 in Rabbit Ovaries of Mothers and F1 Female Offspring.

Science.gov (United States)

Abadjieva, Desislava; Kistanova, Elena

2016-01-01

Although previous research has demonstrated the key role of the oocyte-derived factors, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 15 and growth differentiation factor (GDF) 9, in follicular development and ovulation, there is a lack of knowledge on the impact of external factors, which females are exposed to during folliculogenesis, on their expression. The present study investigated the effect of the aphrodisiac Tribulus terrestris on the GDF9 and BMP15 expression in the oocytes and cumulus cells at mRNA and protein levels during folliculogenesis in two generations of female rabbits. The experiment was conducted with 28 New Zealand rabbits. Only the diet of the experimental mothers group was supplemented with a dry extract of T. terrestris for the 45 days prior to insemination. The expression of BMP15 and GDF9 genes in the oocytes and cumulus cells of mothers and F1 female offspring was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The localization of the GDF9 and BMP15 proteins in the ovary tissues was determined by immunohistochemical analysis. The BMP15 and GDF9 transcripts were detected in the oocytes and cumulus cells of rabbits from all groups. T. terrestris caused a decrease in the BMP15 mRNA level in the oocytes and an increase in the cumulus cells. The GDF9 mRNA level increased significantly in both oocytes and cumulus cells. The downregulated expression of BMP15 in the treated mothers' oocytes was inherited in the F1 female offspring born to treated mothers. BMP15 and GDF9 show a clearly expressed sensitivity to the bioactive compounds of T. terrestris.

Neurotrophic effects of growth/differentiation factor 5 in a neuronal cell line

OpenAIRE

Toulouse, André; Collins, Grace C.; Sullivan, Aideen M.

2012-01-01

The neurotrophin growth/differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) is studied as a potential therapeutic agent for Parkinson's disease as it is believed to play a role in the development and maintenance of the nigrostriatal system. Progress in understanding the effects of GDF5 on dopaminergic neurones has been hindered by the use of mixed cell populations derived from primary cultures or in vivo experiments, making it difficult to differentiate between direct and indirect effects of GDF5 treatment on ne...

Predictive value of long-term changes of growth differentiation factor-15 over a 27-year-period for heart failure and death due to coronary heart disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Fluschnik, Nina; Ojeda, Francisco; Zeller, Tanja; Jørgensen, Torben; Kuulasmaa, Kari; Becher, Peter Moritz; Sinning, Christoph; Blankenberg, Stefan; Westermann, Dirk

2018-01-01

Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), Cystatin C and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been discussed as biomarkers for prediction of cardiac diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of single and repeated measurements of GDF-15 compared to Cystatin C and CRP for incidence of heart failure (HF) and death due to coronary heart disease (CHD) in the general population. Levels of GDF-15, CRP and Cystatin C were determined in three repeated measurements collected 5 years apart in the DAN-MONICA (Danish-Multinational MONitoring of trends and determinants in Cardiovascular disease) cohort (participants at baseline n = 3785). Cox regression models adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors revealed significantly increased hazard ratios (HR) for GDF-15 for incident HF 1.36 (HR per interquartile range (IQR) increase, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16; 1.59) and for death from CHD 1.51 (HR per IQR increase, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.75) (both with p<0.001). Joint modeling of time-to-event and longitudinal GDF-15 over a median 27-year follow-up period showed that the marker evolution was positively associated with death of CHD (HR per IQR increase 3.02 95% CI: (2.26, 4.04), p < 0.001) and HF (HR per IQR increase 2.12 95% CI: (1.54, 2.92), p<0.001). However using Cox models with follow-up time starting at the time of the third examination, serial measurement of GDF-15, modeled as changes between the measurements, did not improve prediction over that of the most recent measurement. GDF-15 is a promising biomarker for prediction of HF and death due to CHD in the general population, which may provide prognostic information to already established clinical biomarkers. Repeated measurements of GDF-15 displayed only a slight improvement in the prediction of these endpoints compared to a single measurement.

Mapping Geological Structures In Wadi Ghoweibaarea, Northwest Gulf Of Suez, Egypt, Using Aster-Spot Data Fusion And Aster DEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdeen, M.M.; Hassan, S.M.; EL-Kazzaz, Y.A.H.A.; Attia, G.M.; Yehia, M.A.

2009-01-01

Practical and economical constraints prompt the need of obtaining lithological and structural information for development of desert areas with reduced field effort. The fusion of multi-sensor satellite data is an effective mean of exploiting the complimentary nature of different data types. This technique allows fusion of spectral-spectral information of multi-source data with high accuracy. In the present study, fusion of SPOT and ASTER data was applied to test the potentiality of this technique in mapping geological formations and structural lineaments in Wadi Ghoweiba area, to the west of the northwestern tip of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt. ASTER data is characterized by a wide range of spectral bands (14 bands), while SPOT panchromatic data is characterized by high (10 meters) spatial resolution. Based on spectral characteristic analysis (SCA) of the 3 VNIR and the 6 SWIR bands of ASTER data, two false-color band-ratio images (1/3, 2/5, and 4/ 9) and (1/5, 8/9, and 4/6) in R, G, B were produced for better lithological discrimination. SPOT panchromatic image data was fused with ASTER band ratio images data using principal component (PC) and color normalization or Brovey transformation techniques. The fused images proved to be excellent for lithological discrimination. ASTER data includes bands 3N (Nadir) and 3B (Backward) that are acquired in the spectral range of near infrared region (from 0.78 to 0.86 microns) allowing extraction of digital elevation model (DEM). Three-dimensional perspective views were generated by draping SPOT-ASTER ratio fused images over ASTER DEM. This technique was used to enhance morphologically-defined structures. The fused images and the 3D perspective views were interpreted to produce a photo geological-structural map that was verified using the available geological maps and subsequent field check. The produced photo geological map indicates that fusion of SPOT and ASTER ratio image's data is a reliable technique for geological mapping

Meat and Livestock Association Plenary Lecture 2005. Oocyte signalling molecules and their effects on reproduction in ruminants.

Science.gov (United States)

McNatty, Kenneth P; Lawrence, Stephen; Groome, Nigel P; Meerasahib, Mohammed F; Hudson, Norma L; Whiting, Lynda; Heath, Derek A; Juengel, Jennifer L

2006-01-01

Sheep (Ovis aries) are a highly diverse species, with more than 900 different breeds that vary significantly in their physiological characteristics, including ovulation rate and fecundity. From examination of inherited patterns of ovulation rate, several breeds have been identified with point mutations in two growth factor genes that are expressed in oocytes. Currently, five different point mutations have been identified in the BMP15 (GDF9b) gene and one in GDF9. Animals heterozygous for the GDF9 and/or the BMP15 mutations have higher ovulation rates than their wild-type counterparts. In contrast, those homozygous for any of the aforementioned BMP15 or GDF9 mutations are sterile owing to arrested follicular development. In bovine and ovine ovaries, GDF9 was expressed exclusively in oocytes throughout follicular growth from the primordial stage of development, whereas in sheep BMP15 was expressed exclusively in oocytes from the primary stage: no data for the ontogeny of BMP15 expression are currently available for cattle. In vitro, ovine growth differentiation factor 9 (oGDF9) has no effect on (3)H-thymidine incorporation by either bovine or ovine granulosa cells, whereas ovine bone morphogenetic protein 15 (oBMP15) has modest (1.2- to 1.6-fold; P reproduction in mammals, including rodents, humans and ruminants. Moreover, in vivo manipulation of these oocyte signalling molecules provides new opportunities for the management of the fertility of ruminants.

Biomarkers of cardiovascular stress and incident chronic kidney disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Jennifer E; Hwang, Shih-Jen; Wollert, Kai C; Larson, Martin G; Cheng, Susan; Kempf, Tibor; Vasan, Ramachandran S; Januzzi, James L; Wang, Thomas J; Fox, Caroline S

2013-11-01

Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), soluble ST2 (sST2), and high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) are emerging predictors of adverse clinical outcomes. We examined whether circulating concentrations are related to the development of kidney disease in the community. Plasma GDF-15, sST2, and hsTnI concentrations were measured in 2614 Framingham Offspring cohort participants (mean age 57 years, 54% women) at the sixth examination cycle (1995-1998). Associations of biomarkers with incident chronic kidney disease [CKD, eGFR statistically significant in primary analyses. Participants were followed over a mean of 9.5 years. Higher plasma GDF-15 was associated with incident CKD [multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.9 per 1-U increase in log-GDF-15, 95% CI 1.6-2.3, P statistic increased from 0.826 to 0.845 (P = 0.0007), and categorical net reclassification was 6.3% (95% CI, 2.7-9.9%). Higher circulating GDF-15 is associated with incident renal outcomes and improves risk prediction of incident CKD. These findings may provide insights into the mechanisms of renal injury.

Freeze-dried allograft-mediated gene or protein delivery of growth and differentiation factor 5 reduces reconstructed murine flexor tendon adhesions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svensson, Sys Hasslund; Dadali, Tulin; Ulrich-Vinther, Michael

2014-01-01

reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and in vivo bioluminescent imaging. We then reconstructed flexor digitorum longus (FDL) tendons of the mouse hindlimb with allografts loaded with low and high doses of recombinant GDF-5 protein and r......Advances in allograft processing have opened new horizons for clinical adaptation of flexor tendon allografts as delivery scaffolds for antifibrotic therapeutics. Recombinant adeno-associated-virus (rAAV) gene delivery of the growth and differentiation factor 5 (GDF-5) has been previously...... associated with antifibrotic effects in a mouse model of flexor tendoplasty. In this study, we compared the effects of loading freeze-dried allografts with different doses of GDF-5 protein or rAAV-Gdf5 on flexor tendon healing and adhesions. We first optimized the protein and viral loading parameters using...

Evaluation of generalized degrees of freedom for sparse estimation by replica method

Science.gov (United States)

Sakata, A.

2016-12-01

We develop a method to evaluate the generalized degrees of freedom (GDF) for linear regression with sparse regularization. The GDF is a key factor in model selection, and thus its evaluation is useful in many modelling applications. An analytical expression for the GDF is derived using the replica method in the large-system-size limit with random Gaussian predictors. The resulting formula has a universal form that is independent of the type of regularization, providing us with a simple interpretation. Within the framework of replica symmetric (RS) analysis, GDF has a physical meaning as the effective fraction of non-zero components. The validity of our method in the RS phase is supported by the consistency of our results with previous mathematical results. The analytical results in the RS phase are calculated numerically using the belief propagation algorithm.

Natural Gas Storage Seismic Monitoring Suivi sismique des stockages de gaz naturel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mari J.L.

2011-02-01

Full Text Available IFP Energies nouvelles, CGGVeritas and GDF Suez have conducted together, since 1980, a series of seismic monitoring experiments in order to detect and follow the movements of the gas plume in natural gas geologic storages. Surface and well seismic surveys were carried out at different stages of the storage life. Permanent receiver arrays have been set down in wells. Permanent sources have been designed. Sources and receivers have been used to follow continuously the storage cycle during several years, providing time measurement accuracy within a tenth of a millisecond. Gas intrusion into an aquifer leads to an increase in the arrival times of reflections beneath the storage reservoir and to a variation of the reflection amplitudes at top and bottom of the reservoirs. Progressive variations of the seismic parameters may be followed during the initial infill period. Further movements of the gas plume with the annual in/out cycles are more difficult to follow, because of the simultaneous presence of gas and water in the pores. Arrival time variations of some tenths of a millisecond may be detected and measured. Saturations, using accurate picking of the arrival times, can be estimated in favourable cases. Because of the higher density of carbon dioxide, when stored in a supercritical phase, sensitivity of the seismic parameters, velocity, density and acoustic impedance to saturation variations will be about twice smaller for CO2 storages than it is for methane. IFP Energies nouvelles, la CGGVeritas et GDF Suez ont mené ensemble, depuis 1980, de nombreuses expériences de monitoring sismique afin de détecter et de suivre les mouvements du gaz dans des stockages géologiques de gaz naturel. Des acquisitions ont été réalisées à différents stades de la vie du stockage tant en sismique de surface qu’en sismique de puits. Des antennes de récepteurs permanentes ont été construites et implantées dans des puits. Des sources permanentes ont �

Building

OpenAIRE

Seavy, Ryan

2014-01-01

Building for concrete is temporary. The building of wood and steel stands against the concrete to give form and then gives way, leaving a trace of its existence behind. Concrete is not a building material. One does not build with concrete. One builds for concrete. MARCH

Asia, North America lead way in growth of NGL, LPG trade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otto, K.; Gist, R.; Whitley, C.; Haun, R.

1998-01-01

Recent analyses of world NGL trade indicate that important changes in LPG supply and demand are under way in Asia and North America. LPG markets in the 1990s reflect a rapidly shifting balance between East-of-Suez and West-of-Suez markets. This shift has increased concern about availability of future LPG supplies for Asia. The paper discusses world developments, East versus West of Suez, end uses and supplies in Asia, Canadian ethane, propane, butane, and natural gasoline, Mexican ethane, LPG, and natural gasoline, US ethane, propane, butanes, and iso-C 4 and C 5

Intervention of Mr Nicolas Sarkozy, Government minister, minister of economy, finances and industry. Energy debate - Thursday April 15, 2004 - French house of commons; Intervention de M. Nicolas Sarkozy, ministre d'Etat, ministre de l'economie, des finances et de l'industrie. Debat sur l'energie - jeudi 15 avril 2004 - assemblee nationale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarkozy, N.

2004-04-01

In this talk, the French minister of economy, finances and industry recalls, first, some important key dates of the French energy history (creation of the French electric and gas utilities (EdF and GdF) in 1946, first petroleum shock in 1973 and the start-up of the French nuclear program) and then, presents the present day energy policy and the constraints that control the French energy choices: the lack of oil and gas resources in the French territory, and the problem of the global warming. According to these constraints, the French government has defined 4 main axes: energy mastery (thermal insulation of buildings, abatement of road speed limits, development of railway and river transport, financial incentives), development of renewable energy sources, renewal of the nuclear park with the launching of the European Pressurized reactor (EPR), and development of research programs in the domain of energy. The last part presents the new European framework of the French energy policy with the change of EdF and GdF juridical statuses and the progressive convergence of the different European energy policies towards a common model. (J.S.)

Talk given by M. Nicolas Sarkozy on April 27, 2004 at the Senate. Declaration about energy from the government. Taken from the integral proceedings published on the Senate Internet site; Discours de M. Nicolas Sarkozy, le 27 avril 2004 au Senat. Declaration du Gouvernement sur l'energie. A partir du compte rendu integral publie sur le site internet du Senat

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarkozy, N.

2004-04-01

In this talk, the French minister of economy, finances and industry presents the main trends of the French national energy plan. He recalls, first, some important key dates of the French energy history (creation of the French electric and gas utilities (EdF and GdF) in 1946, first petroleum shock in 1973 and the start-up of the French nuclear program) and presents the constraints that control today's French energy choices: the lack of oil and gas resources in the French territory, and the problem of the global warming. Taking into account these constraints, the French government has defined 4 main priorities: energy mastery (thermal insulation of buildings, abatement of road speed limits, financial incentives), development of renewable energy sources and, in particular, the offshore wind power and the bio-fuels, renewal of the nuclear park with the launching of the European Pressurized reactor (EPR), and development of research programs in the domain of energy. The last part presents the new European framework of the energy markets and the necessity of changing EdF and GdF juridical statuses to meet the European competition. (J.S.)

Growth/differentiation factor-5 significantly enhances periodontal wound healing/regeneration compared with platelet-derived growth factor-BB in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Hyuk-Rak; Wikesjö, Ulf M E; Park, Jung-Chul; Kim, Young-Taek; Bastone, Patrizia; Pippig, Susanne D; Kim, Chong-Kwan

2010-08-01

Recombinant human growth/differentiation factor-5 (rhGDF-5) in a particulate beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) carrier is being evaluated to support periodontal regeneration. The objective of this study was to evaluate periodontal wound healing/regeneration following an established clinical (benchmark) protocol including surgical implantation of rhGDF-5/beta-TCP in comparison with that following implantation of recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor-BB (rhPDGF) combined with a particulate beta-TCP biomaterial using an established canine defect model. Bilateral, 4 x 5 mm (width x depth), one-wall, critical-size, intrabony periodontal defects were surgically created at the mandibular second and fourth pre-molar teeth in five adult Beagle dogs. Defect sites were randomized to receive rhGDF-5/beta-TCP or the rhPDGF construct followed by wound closure for primary intention healing. The animals were sacrificed following an 8-week healing interval for histological and histometric examination. Clinical healing was generally uneventful. Sites receiving rhGDF-5/beta-TCP exhibited a significantly enhanced cementum formation compared with sites receiving the rhPDGF construct, averaging (+/-SD) 4.49+/-0.48 versus 2.72+/-0.91 mm (palveolar bone. Both protocols displayed beta-TCP residues apparently undergoing resorption. Application of both materials appears safe, as they were associated with limited, if any, adverse events. rhGDF-5/beta-TCP shows a significant potential to support/accelerate periodontal wound healing/regeneration. Application of rhGDF-5/beta-TCP appears safe and should be further evaluated in human clinical trials.

Growth differentiation factor 15 deficiency protects against atherosclerosis by attenuating CCR2-mediated macrophage chemotaxis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jager, S.C.A.; Bermúdez, B.; Bot, I.; Koenen, R.R.; Bot, M.; Kavelaars, A.; de Waard, V.; Heijnen, C.J.; Muriana, F.J.G.; Weber, C.; van Berkel, T.J.C.; Kuiper, J.; Lee, S.J.; Abia, R.; Biessen, E.A.L.

2011-01-01

Growth differentiation factor (GDF) 15 is a member of the transforming growth factor. (TGF-beta) superfamily, which operates in acute phase responses through a currently unknown receptor. Elevated GDF-15 serum levels were recently identified as a risk factor for acute coronary syndromes. We show

Building Better Buildings: Sustainable Building Activities in California Higher Education Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Sowell, Arnold; Eichel, Amanda; Alevantis, Leon; Lovegreen, Maureen

2003-01-01

This article outlines the activities and recommendations of California's sustainable building task force, discusses sustainable building activities in California's higher education systems, and highlights key issues that California is grappling with in its implementation of sustainable building practices. (EV)

Plasma growth differentiation factor-15 independently predicts all-cause and cardiovascular mortality as well as deterioration of kidney function in type 1 diabetic patients with nephropathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lajer, Maria Stenkil; Jorsal, Anders; Tarnow, Lise

2010-01-01

Growth deferentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is involved in inflammation and apoptosis. Expression is induced in the heart in response to ischemia and in atherosclerotic plaques. The aim of this study was to investigate GDF-15 levels in relation to all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and mo...

78 FR 34966 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; Removal of Gasoline...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-11

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wisconsin; Removal of Gasoline Vapor Recovery From Southeast... specifically installed at gasoline dispensing facilities (GDF) and capture the refueling fuel vapors at the gasoline pump nozzle. The system carries the vapors back to the underground storage tank at the GDF to...

Application of marker selection to enhance estimation of genetic effects and gene interaction in cattle

Science.gov (United States)

Selection on important genetic markers can improve estimates of additive and dominance association effects. A composite population of beef cattle was selected for intermediate frequencies of myostatin (GDF8) F94L and µ-calpain (CAPN1) polymorphisms. Important additive associations of the GDF8 locu...

Geophysical Constraints on the Hydrogeologic and Structural Settings of the Gulf of Suez Rift-Related Basins: Case Study from the El Qaa Plain, Sinai, Egypt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahmed, M; Sauck, William; Sultan, Mohamed; Yan, Eugene; Soliman, Farouk; Rashed, Mohamed

2013-11-09

Groundwater has been identified as one of the major freshwater sources that can potentially meet the growing demands of Egypt’s population. Gravity data (from 381 ground gravity stations) were collected, processed, and analyzed together with the available aeromagnetic (800 line-km) data to investigate the hydrogeologic and structural settings, areal distribution, geometry, and water storage of the aquifers in El Qaa coastal plain in the southwest Sinai Peninsula, and to assess their longevity given projected extraction rates. Findings include (1) complete Bouguer anomaly and total magnetic intensity maps show two connected sub-basins separated by a narrow saddle with an average basin length of 43 km and an average width of 12 km; (2) two-dimensional modeling of both gravity and magnetic data indicates basin fill with a maximum thickness of 3.5 km; (3) using anomalous residual gravity, the volume of water in storage was estimated at 40–56 km3; and (4) progressive increases in extraction rates over time will deplete up to 40 % of the aquifers’ volume in 200–230 years and will cause the water quality to deteriorate due to seawater intrusion in 45 years. Similar geophysical exploration campaigns, if conducted over the entire coastal plains of the Red Sea and the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba, could assist in the development of sound and sustainable management schemes for the freshwater resources in these areas. The adopted techniques could pave the way toward the establishment of sustainable utilization schemes for a much larger suite of similar aquifers worldwide.

Myostatin-like proteins regulate synaptic function and neuronal morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Augustin, Hrvoje; McGourty, Kieran; Steinert, Joern R; Cochemé, Helena M; Adcott, Jennifer; Cabecinha, Melissa; Vincent, Alec; Halff, Els F; Kittler, Josef T; Boucrot, Emmanuel; Partridge, Linda

2017-07-01

Growth factors of the TGFβ superfamily play key roles in regulating neuronal and muscle function. Myostatin (or GDF8) and GDF11 are potent negative regulators of skeletal muscle mass. However, expression of myostatin and its cognate receptors in other tissues, including brain and peripheral nerves, suggests a potential wider biological role. Here, we show that Myoglianin (MYO), the Drosophila homolog of myostatin and GDF11, regulates not only body weight and muscle size, but also inhibits neuromuscular synapse strength and composition in a Smad2-dependent manner. Both myostatin and GDF11 affected synapse formation in isolated rat cortical neuron cultures, suggesting an effect on synaptogenesis beyond neuromuscular junctions. We also show that MYO acts in vivo to inhibit synaptic transmission between neurons in the escape response neural circuit of adult flies. Thus, these anti-myogenic proteins act as important inhibitors of synapse function and neuronal growth. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Building performance simulation for sustainable buildings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hensen, J.L.M.

2010-01-01

This paper aims to provide a general view of the background and current state of building performance simulation, which has the potential to deliver, directly or indirectly, substantial benefits to building stakeholders and to the environment. However the building simulation community faces many

Growth-differentiation factor 15 for long-term prognostication in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome: an Invasive versus Conservative Treatment in Unstable coronary Syndromes (ICTUS) substudy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Damman, Peter; Kempf, Tibor; Windhausen, Fons; van Straalen, Jan P.; Guba-Quint, Anja; Fischer, Johan; Tijssen, Jan G. P.; Wollert, Kai C.; de Winter, Robbert J.; Hirsch, Alexander

2014-01-01

No five-year long-term follow-up data is available regarding the prognostic value of GDF-15. Our aim is to evaluate the long-term prognostic value of admission growth-differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) regarding death or myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary

Building a capacity building manual

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Clinton, DD

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Organizations 2010 Building a capacity building manual Daniel D. Clinton, Jr., P.E., F.NSPE Chair, WFEO Capacity Building Committee Dr Andrew Cleland, FIPENZ, Chief Executive, IPENZ, NZ Eng David Botha, FSAICE, Executive Director, SAICE, SA Dawit... 2010 Tertiary level University curricula Coaches and mentors Facilities EXCeeD Remuneration of Academics Experiential training Outreach to Students Students chapters Young members forum World Federation of Engineering Organizations 2010 Post...

Storage is absolutely necessary to balance supply and demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2009-01-01

Before liberalization, gas storage was built to balance supply and demand (on a seasonal basis), as well as for broader security of supply concerns. With liberalization, companies started to use storage in a more flexible way as they were no longer obliged to prioritize security of supply. The decline in swing production in the North Sea should have triggered an increase in storage capacity. However, in the UK, investment in storage was neglected until too late. The major points of interest in continental Europe are as follows: due to geological constraints, Latvia is the only Baltic state to have underground storage; storage capacity represents 49% of annual Austria demand; Germany has the biggest European storage facility; in Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Portugal, just one company in each country has all the storage capacity; in Romania, Romgaz has 92% of storage capacity; in the Czech Republic, RWE owns 75% of the storage; in Slovakia, GDF SUEZ and E.ON have most of the capacity; and storage in Ukraine represents a huge opportunity with a capacity of 34 bcm (billion cubic meters). In oil, strategic stocks are a reality and have been used but in gas, strategic stocks do not exist except 5.1 bcm in Italy, 1 bcm in Spain and 1.2 bcm are being built in Hungary. Some possible EU changes could have an impact on the entire European gas market. Just outside EU-27, Ukraine has a form of strategic storage which represents 10% of its suppliers' annual supplies

Non conventional hydrocarbons in Maghreb - an announced ecocide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balvet, Jacqueline; Espagne, Vincent; Rondeleux, Nejma; Dupont, Stephane

2015-01-01

Whereas gas and oil companies did not succeed in the development of shale gas exploration and exploitation in Europe for different reasons (citizen mobilisation against these projects, resources much smaller than expected), these companies are looking in other directions, notably the Maghreb region (North Africa) which is an important hydrocarbon supplier for European countries. This publication proposes an overview of the situation in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia regarding this exploitation. It first recalls health and pollution impacts and consequences of hydraulic fracturing, and also the impact of hydrocarbon consumption on climate change. It indicates assessments made by the EIA of resources of shale gas and shale oil in the three countries, and outlines that these assessments might be too high as it has been the case in other countries. An overview of the situation of the three countries is then proposed, starting with Algeria: the third world shale gas reserve, presence of Total and GDF-Suez as investors with Sonatrach (the Algerian company) keeping a large majority, existence of a law which authorises the exploitation of non conventional hydrocarbons, and a very strong mobilisation of populations in the Algerian Sahara. The case of Morocco is then addressed: high dependence on imports but important non conventional reserves, exploitation of several sites, good conditions awarded to multinational companies, a focus on two important investors (Chevron and Repsol), start of a citizen mobilisation. The case of Tunisia is finally addressed: discovery of 'miraculous' deposits, overview of investors, a new but absolutely iniquitous legal framework, mobilisation of local associations

Growth differentiation factor 9 reverses activin A suppression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein expression and progesterone production in human granulosa-lutein cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Feng-Tao; Cheung, Anthony P; Klausen, Christian; Huang, He-Feng; Leung, Peter C K

2010-10-01

We have reported that growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) can enhance activin A (β(A)β(A))-induced inhibin B (αβ(B)) secretion in human granulosa-lutein (hGL) cells, but its effects on steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), ovarian steroidogenic enzymes, and progesterone production are unknown. We undertook this study to further evaluate GDF9 in this regard. hGL cells from women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment were cultured with and without small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection targeted at inhibin α-subunit or GDF9 before treatment with GDF9, activin A, FSH, or combinations. We compared StAR, P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme, and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase expression in hGL cells and progesterone levels in culture media after these treatments. mRNA, protein, and hormone levels were assessed with real-time RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and ELISA, respectively. Data were analyzed by ANOVA followed by Tukey's test. Activin A alone reduced basal and FSH-induced progesterone production by decreasing the expression of StAR protein, which regulates the rate-limiting step in steroidogenesis but not P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. GDF9 attenuated these activin A effects on StAR and progesterone. After transfection of α-subunit siRNA, activin A level increased (P progesterone production were attenuated (P progesterone secretion than those observed with activin A treatment alone. GDF9 attenuates the suppressive effects of activin A on StAR expression and progesterone production by increasing the expression of inhibin B, which acts as an activin A competitor.

Role of hypoxia and growth and differentiation factor-5 on differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells towards intervertebral nucleus pulposus-like cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JV Stoyanov

2011-06-01

Full Text Available There is evidence that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs can differentiate towards an intervertebral disc (IVD-like phenotype. We compared the standard chondrogenic protocol using transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFß to the effects of hypoxia, growth and differentiation factor-5 (GDF5, and coculture with bovine nucleus pulposus cells (bNPC. The efficacy of molecules recently discovered as possible nucleus pulposus (NP markers to differentiate between chondrogenic and IVD-like differentiation was evaluated. MSCs were isolated from human bone marrow and encapsulated in alginate beads. Beads were cultured in DMEM (control supplemented with TGFß or GDF5 or under indirect coculture with bNPC. All groups were incubated at low (2 % or normal (20 % oxygen tension for 28 days. Hypoxia increased aggrecan and collagen II gene expression in all groups. The hypoxic GDF5 and TGFß groups demonstrated most increased aggrecan and collagen II mRNA levels and glycosaminoglycan accumulation. Collagen I and X were most up-regulated in the TGFß groups. From the NP markers, cytokeratin-19 was expressed to highest extent in the hypoxic GDF5 groups; lowest expression was observed in the TGFß group. Levels of forkhead box F1 were down-regulated by TGFß and up-regulated by coculture with bNPC. Carbonic anhydrase 12 was also down-regulated in the TGFß group and showed highest expression in the GDF5 group cocultured with bNPC under hypoxia. Trends in gene expression regulation were confirmed on the protein level using immunohistochemistry. We conclude that hypoxia and GDF5 may be suitable for directing MSCs towards the IVD-like phenotype.

APPLICATION OF GAS DYNAMICAL FRICTION FOR PLANETESIMALS. II. EVOLUTION OF BINARY PLANETESIMALS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grishin, Evgeni; Perets, Hagai B. [Physics Department, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003 (Israel)

2016-04-01

One of the first stages of planet formation is the growth of small planetesimals and their accumulation into large planetesimals and planetary embryos. This early stage occurs long before the dispersal of most of the gas from the protoplanetary disk. At this stage gas–planetesimal interactions play a key role in the dynamical evolution of single intermediate-mass planetesimals (m{sub p} ∼ 10{sup 21}–10{sup 25} g) through gas dynamical friction (GDF). A significant fraction of all solar system planetesimals (asteroids and Kuiper-belt objects) are known to be binary planetesimals (BPs). Here, we explore the effects of GDF on the evolution of BPs embedded in a gaseous disk using an N-body code with a fiducial external force accounting for GDF. We find that GDF can induce binary mergers on timescales shorter than the disk lifetime for masses above m{sub p} ≳ 10{sup 22} g at 1 au, independent of the binary initial separation and eccentricity. Such mergers can affect the structure of merger-formed planetesimals, and the GDF-induced binary inspiral can play a role in the evolution of the planetesimal disk. In addition, binaries on eccentric orbits around the star may evolve in the supersonic regime, where the torque reverses and the binary expands, which would enhance the cross section for planetesimal encounters with the binary. Highly inclined binaries with small mass ratios, evolve due to the combined effects of Kozai–Lidov (KL) cycles with GDF which lead to chaotic evolution. Prograde binaries go through semi-regular KL evolution, while retrograde binaries frequently flip their inclination and ∼50% of them are destroyed.

Egypt`s potential for geothermal energy use and underground storage of thermal energy; Moeglichkeiten zur Nutzung geothermischer Energie und zur unterirdischen thermischen Energiespeicherung in Aegypten

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abbas, A M; Sanner, B; Knoblich, K [Giessen Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Angewandte Geowissenschaften

1997-12-01

Egypt belongs to the arid to extremely arid zone. Hot springs or wells are chiefly distributed over the areas of the Golf of Suez shoreline, along the Red Sea coast and in the Bahariya, Dakhla and Kharga oasis in the Western Desert. The Red Sea with it`s branches into the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba/Jordan valley is the northern end of the East African Rift, which is tectonically active and yields further south known geothermal resources (e.g. in Kenya). Thus, a relatively high het flow zone exists on the eastern border of the Gulf of Suez, on Sinai peninsula. The hot springs of Ayun Musa, Hammam Faraon and El Sokhna are located there. Hammam Faroun is the hottest spring in Egypt with water temperature of approx. 70 C. This paper compiles previous studies from Egypt to elucidate the geothermal potential of Egypt and opportunities to make use of it. (orig.) [Deutsch] Aegypten gehoert zur ariden bis extrem ariden Zone. Heisse Quellen oder erbohrte heisse Waesser finden sich hauptsaechlich entlang der Kueste des Golfs von Suez und des Roten Meeres, sowie in den Oasen Bahariya, Dakhla und Kharga in der westlichen Wueste. Das Rote Meer mit seinen Verzweigungen in den Golf von Suez und in den Golf von Akaba/Jordangraben bildet den noerdlichen Abschluss des Ostafrikanischen Grabensystems, das tektonisch sehr aktiv ist und weiter suedlich (z.B. in Kenia) bekannte geothermische Ressourcen bietet. Eine Zone mit hohem geothermischen Waermefluss befindet sich dementsprechend auch am oestlichen Rand des Golfs von Suez, der zur Halbinsel Sinai gehoehrt. Hier werden die heissen Quellen von Ayun Musa, Hammam Faraon und El Sokhna angetroffen. Hammam Faraon ist die heisseste Quelle Aegyptens mit Wassertemperaturen von etwa 70 C. Die vorliegende Arbeit versucht, einige fruehere Studien aus Aegypten zusammenzufassen und das geothermische Potential Aegyptens mit den Moeglichkeiten seiner Nutzung aufzuzeigen. (orig.)

The Eco-Efficiency and Sustainable National Projects in Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khaled Gaber EL Sakty

2015-08-01

Full Text Available As national mega projects, the Suez Canal Area Development Project and New Suez Canal have logistically imposed two main questions. First, how the project can spot the preferred solution for balancing the business and environmental concerns? Second, how the project can enhance the trade-off between those two dimensions. In order to answer these two questions, the efficient frontier between the profitability and the environmental impact needs to be investigated. Three Levels of Thinking has to be applied. In Marlog 2, the Operational Thinking has been discussed using different supply chain approaches including SCOR and Lean Thinking. In Marlog 3, the Tactical Thinking has been explained for global growth opportunities including thinking process and value chain philosophy. This year, the Strategic Thinking approach will be discussed for improving the Eco-efficiency in logistics clusters with the application for the Suez Canal Logistics Corridor project.  The main purpose of this paper is to explore the eco-efficiency solution and the concept of eco-topology for the national mega project to transfer the Suez Canal region into a global logistics corridor.

The Procedures for Transit of Ships Carrying Radioactive Materials in Regional Waters and Sea Ports of Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, F.A.; Riad, N.

2005-01-01

According to the Egyptian Legislation related to the safe transport of radioactive materials, a license is required for transit of ships carrying radioactive materials in the Egyptian territorial water and sea harbors of Egypt including Suez Canal. The License is granted, upon a written application to NCNSRC-AEA. All the procedures and conditions for granting the license have been developed according to the International and Egyptian Legislation. The procedures for transit of ships carrying radioactive material in Suez Canal are also constructed. The NCNSRC-AEA experts are entitled to accept or refuse the transit of ships carrying radioactive material in the Egyptian territorial water and its sea harbors including Suez Canal according to the national and international regulations

Bellanca building, Yellowknife : building envelope retrofit project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rajewski, G. [A.D. Williams Engineering Inc., Edmonton, AB (Canada)

2008-07-01

The Bellanca building is a ten-story, commercial office building, located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The owner was concerned about annual fuel consumption, relative to other buildings of similar size. Tenants reported cold drafts and some ice build-up had been reported in the past, on the exterior of the cladding. In addition, some water penetration had occurred during rainfall. This presentation provided background information on the Bellanca building and discussed a building envelope retrofit project. A.D. Williams was hired in late 2006 in order to provide an opinion on the present condition of the building envelope. This presentation described the site investigation and presented an interior and exterior review of the building. It also presented a thermographic survey in order to map thermal anomalies and establish trends. Following acceptance of the report on findings, one of five options was selected for further development. This included removal of existing cladding, exterior gypsum wallboard, fiberglass insulation and application of BASF Walltite CT foam, sheathing, rigid insulation, drainage plane and new cladding. The preliminary design was then presented. This paper also described the tender and award of the contract; construction phase; and substantial completion of the project. tabs, figs.

Smart buildings: Energy efficient conditioning of building occupants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zeiler, W.; Houten, van M.A.; Boxem, G.; Vehler, R.; Verhoeven, M.; Fremouw, M.

2009-01-01

To further optimize energy performance of buildings, intelligent building control offers new possibilities. Intelligent Software Agents (ISA) can be implemented at different levels of building automation. Individual agents for individual climate control for each user of the building in combination

Danish building typologies and building stock analyses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wittchen, Kim Bjarne; Kragh, Jesper

energy savings in residential buildings. The intension with this analysis was to investigate the possible energy reduction in Denmark if the same approach had been taken for the entire Danish building stock. The report concludes that the ZeroHome initiative clearly results in energy savings, but far from...... enough to meet the government’s plan to make Danish buildings free from use of fossil fuels by 2035. This will probably require around 50 % energy savings in the Danish building stock as a whole. However, the project has proven that dedicated engagement of locals can speed up market penetration...... for energy savings in the existing Building stock....

A low-molecular-weight compound K7174 represses hepcidin: possible therapeutic strategy against anemia of chronic disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tohru Fujiwara

Full Text Available Hepcidin is the principal iron regulatory hormone, controlling the systemic absorption and remobilization of iron from intracellular stores. The expression of the hepcidin gene, HAMP, is increased in patients with anemia of chronic disease. Previously, the synthetic compound K7174 was identified through chemical screening as a novel inhibitor of the adhesion of monocytes to cytokine-stimulated endothelial cells. K7174 also ameliorated anemia induced by inflammatory cytokines in mice, which suggests a possible involvement of hepcidin regulation. The present study was performed to assess the impact of K7174 on hepcidin expression in a human hematoma cell line and in mice in vivo. We first demonstrated that K7174 treatment in HepG2 cells significantly decreased HAMP expression. Then, we conducted microarray analysis to determine the molecular mechanism by which K7174 inhibits HAMP expression. Transcriptional profiling confirmed the downregulation of HAMP. Surprisingly, we found that K7174 strongly induced GDF15, known as a negative regulator of HAMP expression. Western blotting analysis as well as ELISA confirmed the induction of GDF15 by K7174 treatment. Furthermore, K7174-mediated HAMP suppression was rescued by the silencing of GDF15 expression. Interestingly, we found that K7174 also upregulates CEBPB. Promoter analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that CEBPB could contribute to K7174-mediated transcriptional activation of GDF15. Subsequently, we also examined whether K7174 inhibits hepcidin expression in mice. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis with liver samples from K7174-treated mice demonstrated significant upregulation of Gdf15 and downregulation of Hamp expression, as compared to control mice. Furthermore, serum hepcidin concentration was also significantly decreased in K7174-treated mice. In conclusion, K7174 inhibits hepcidin expression partly by inducing GDF15. K-7174 may be a potential therapeutic option to treat

Can the Growth/Differentiation Factor-15 Be a Surrogate Target in Chronic Heart Failure Biomarker-Guided Therapy?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander E. Berezin

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Heart failure (HF biomarker-guided therapy is a promising method, which directs to the improvement of clinical status, attenuation of admission/readmission to the hospital and reduction in mortality rate. Many biological markers, like inflammatory cytokines, are under consideration as a surrogate target for HF treatment, while there are known biomarkers with established predictive value, such as natriuretic peptides. However, discovery of new biomarkers reflecting various underlying mechanisms of HF and appearing to be surrogate targets for biomarker-guided therapy is fairly promising. Nowadays, growth/differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15 is suggested a target biomarker for HF treatment. Although elevated level of GDF-15 is associated with HF development, progression, and prognosis, there is no represented evidence regarding the direct comparison of this biomarker with other clinical risk predictors and biomarkers. Moreover, GDF-15 might serve as a contributor to endothelial progenitor cells (EPC dysfunction by inducing EPC death/autophagy and limiting their response to angiopoetic and reparative effects. The short communication was discussed whether GDF-15 is good molecular target for HF biomarker-guided therapy.

Presentation of the results 97

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

Gaz de France (GDF) presents in a press kit the main results achieved in 1997. The European community has formulated a project of definition of rules concerning the natural gas market. Minima values for annual consumptions have been defined and the consumption and use of natural gas in EC countries is described. The financial results of GDF in 1997 are compared with previous years. Net sales grew by nearly 1 billion french francs to reach 55 billion. Overall sales were down by 4% but the share of natural gas in french energy consumption increased and sales to industrial users went up in particular due to new cogeneration plants installed in 1996. A comparison of gas prices in Europe is given for the years 1985 to 1998. The efforts of GDF to offer increased quality of services concerning in particular safety aspects as checking programs and installation of new safeguard appliances are described. The efforts of GDF to increase the energy market share of natural gas resulted in the development of new products like cogeneration, air conditioning and fuels for automotive needs. (C.B.)

Compliance with building energy regulations for new-build dwellings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, Wei; Garmston, Helen

2012-01-01

Despite increasingly stringent building energy regulations worldwide, non-compliance exists in practice. This paper examines the profile of compliance with building energy regulations for new-build dwellings. In total 404 new-build dwellings completed in the UK from 2006 to 2009 were investigated. Only a third of these dwellings were evidenced as being compliant with Building Regulations Part L (England and Wales). Such low compliance casts a serious concern over the achievability of the UK Government's target for all new-build homes to be ‘zero carbon’ from 2016. Clearly evidenced was a lack of knowledge of Part L and its compliance requirements among the supply and building control sides of new-build dwellings. The results also indicate that the compliance profile was influenced by factors including Standard Assessment Procedure (UK Government's methodology for energy efficiency) calculation submissions, learning and experience of builders and building controls with Part L, use of Part L1A checklist, the introduction of energy performance certificate (EPC), build method, dwelling type, and project size. Better compliance was associated with flats over houses and timber frame over masonry. The use of EPC and Part L1A checklist should be encouraged. Key to addressing the lack of compliance with building energy regulations is training. -- Highlights: ► There exists a lack of compliance, worldwide, with building energy regulations. ► The implementation of England and Wales building energy regulations is problematic. ► Training, learning and experience of builders and building control are critical. ► Energy performance certificate and Part L 2006 checklist helped achieve compliance. ► Flats achieved better compliance over houses; and timber frame over masonry.

Solar energy in buildings solved by building information modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Chudikova, B.; Faltejsek, M.

2018-03-01

Building lead us to use renewable energy sources for all types of buildings. The use of solar energy is the alternatives that can be applied in a good ratio of space, price, and resultant benefits. Building Information Modelling is a modern and effective way of dealing with buildings with regard to all aspects of the life cycle. The basis is careful planning and simulation in the pre-investment phase, where it is possible to determine the effective result and influence the lifetime of the building and the cost of its operation. By simulating, analysing and insert a building model into its future environment where climate conditions and surrounding buildings play a role, it is possible to predict the usability of the solar energy and establish an ideal model. Solar systems also very affect the internal layout of buildings. Pre-investment phase analysis, with a view to future aspects, will ensure that the resulting building will be both low-energy and environmentally friendly.

Journal of Genetics | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The expression level of the GDF9 gene was highest in the ovary, and was significantly increased (P< 0.05) compared with the other tissues. The liver had the second highest expression, and the heart and spleen had the least expression in New Zealand white rabbits. In the prolific group, the expression quantity of the GDF9 ...

Building 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Den Ouden, C.; Steemers, T.C.

1992-01-01

This is the first volume of Building 2000, a pilot project of the Commission's R and D-programme 'Solar Energy Applications to Buildings' with the purpose of encouraging the adoption of solar architecture in large buildings. In this first rich illustrated volume the results of the design studies illustrating passive solar architecture in buildings in the European Community are presented in particular for the building categories as mentioned in the subtitle. In a second volume, a similar series of studies is presented for the building categories: office buildings, public buildings and hotels and holiday complexes. Several Design Support Workshops were organized during the Building 2000 programme during which Building 2000 design teams could directly exchange ideas with the various design advice experts represented at these workshops. In the second part of the Building 2000 final report a summary of a selection of many reports is presented (15 papers), as produced by Design Support experts. Most of the design support activities resulted in changes of the various designs, as have been reported by the design teams in the brochures presented in the first part of this book. It is to be expected that design aids and simulation tools for passive solar options, daylighting concepts, comfort criteria etc., will be utilized more frequently in the future. This will result in a better exchange of information between the actual design practitioners and the European R and D community. This technology transfer will result in buildings with a higher quality with respect to energy and environmental issues

Building 2000

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Den Ouden, C [EGM Engineering BV, Dordrecht (Netherlands); Steemers, T C [Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium)

1992-01-01

This is the first volume of Building 2000, a pilot project of the Commission's R and D-programme 'Solar Energy Applications to Buildings' with the purpose of encouraging the adoption of solar architecture in large buildings. In this first rich illustrated volume the results of the design studies illustrating passive solar architecture in buildings in the European Community are presented in particular for the building categories as mentioned in the subtitle. In a second volume, a similar series of studies is presented for the building categories: office buildings, public buildings and hotels and holiday complexes. Several Design Support Workshops were organized during the Building 2000 programme during which Building 2000 design teams could directly exchange ideas with the various design advice experts represented at these workshops. In the second part of the Building 2000 final report a summary of a selection of many reports is presented (15 papers), as produced by Design Support experts. Most of the design support activities resulted in changes of the various designs, as have been reported by the design teams in the brochures presented in the first part of this book. It is to be expected that design aids and simulation tools for passive solar options, daylighting concepts, comfort criteria etc., will be utilized more frequently in the future. This will result in a better exchange of information between the actual design practitioners and the European R and D community. This technology transfer will result in buildings with a higher quality with respect to energy and environmental issues.

The sick-building syndrome; Das Sick-Building-Syndrom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henne, A.; Neumann, H.F.; Winneke, G.

1992-12-31

The sick-building syndrome is characterized by the presence of general, non-specific symptoms (e.g., headache, tiredness, respiratory problems, eye trouble, vertigo, nausea, unspecific hypersensitivity) in association with a particular indoor ambience. It is clearly distinguishable from `building-related illness`, referring to a well-defined clinical syndrome due to staying in a building and for which a cause can, in general, be established. Disorders in the case of the sick-building syndrome are manifold and confirmed objectifiable results are hardly available so far. Yet there are some organ-related methods for the confirmation of findings concerning, for instance, the eyes, the skin and the area of the nose. The causes of the incidence of sick-building syndrome are more or less unclear. It is a multifactorial phenomenon involving physical, biological, chemical, individual-specific and psychological factors. Buildings where sick-building syndrome occurs typically exhibit certain properties. The European Community has already made proposals for the investigation of incriminated buildings. A systematic survey by questionnaire together with individual interviews plays an import part towards clarifying the syndrome. (orig./UWA) [Deutsch] Das Sick-Building-Syndrom beschreibt das Vorhandensein von allgemeinen, nicht spezifischen Symptomen (z.B. Kopfschmerzen, Muedigkeit, Atembeschwerden, Augenreizungen, Schwindelgefuehl, Uebelkeit, unspezifische Ueberempfindlichkeit), assoziiert mit einer besonderen Innenraumumgebung. Deutlich hiervon abzugrenzen ist die ``Building related illness``, bei der ein klinisch definiertes Krankheitsbild vorliegt, das durch den Aufenthalt im Gebaeude verursacht wird und fuer das im allgemeinen eine Ursache ermittelt werden kann. Das Beschwerdebild beim Sick-Building-Syndrom ist vielfaeltig, und gesicherte, objektivierbare Befunde liegen hierzu bisher kaum vor. Dennoch gibt es einige organbezogenen Methoden zur Befundabsicherung, z.B. fuer das

Energy Efficiency, Building Productivity and the Commercial Buildings Market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, D.W.

2002-05-16

The energy-efficiency gap literature suggests that building buyers are often short-sighted in their failure to apply life-cycle costing principles to energy efficient building technologies, with the result that under investment in these advanced technology occurs. This study examines the reasons this behavior may occur, by analyzing the pressures that market forces place on purchasers of buildings. Our basic conclusion is that the fundamental manner in which the buildings sector does business creates pressures to reduce initial capital outlays and to hedge against a variety of risks, including the ability of building owners to capture benefits from energy efficiency. Starting from the position that building buyers' willingness to pay drives choices over building attributes, we examine basic market principles, the structure of the buildings market, including the role of lenders, and policies that promote penetration of energy efficient technologies. We conclude that greater attention to buyers, and to the incentives and constraints they face, would promote a better understanding of building investment choices and contribute to better policies to promote the penetration of these technologies into markets.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on the Biodegradation Process of some Organic Pollutants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Shahawy, M.R.

2014-01-01

Water samples were collected from Ras Gemsa on western coast of Suez Gulf, then microbiologically and chemically analyzed. The total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) was at concentration of 357 ppm and exceeded the known permissible limits ranged from 5 to 100 ppm according to the receiving water bulk. On the other hand the biodegrading bacterial counts ( CFU ) clearly reflected the great adaptation of endogenous bacteria to use hydrocarbons as a sole source of carbon. The ratio of biodegrading bacteria to heterotrophic ones was about 3.3%. Five hydrocarbon degrading bacteria were isolated from Suez Gulf Consortia. One isolate HD1 were selected to be promising due to its capacity of hydrocarbon degradation, this promising isolate was characterized and identified by API system as Bacillus subtilis. The biodegradation kinetics of radiated polluted water samples by B. subtilis and the Suez Gulf consortium was monitored gravimetrically. The results showed that The Suez Gulf consortium had more biodegradation capacity than the single isolate B. subtilis overall radiation doses applied and non-radiated polluted water sample. The data showed a significant increase of the biodegradability with increase of radiation doses used

Irregular Shaped Building Design Optimization with Building Information Modelling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee Xia Sheng

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This research is to recognise the function of Building Information Modelling (BIM in design optimization for irregular shaped buildings. The study focuses on a conceptual irregular shaped “twisted” building design similar to some existing sculpture-like architectures. Form and function are the two most important aspects of new buildings, which are becoming more sophisticated as parts of equally sophisticated “systems” that we are living in. Nowadays, it is common to have irregular shaped or sculpture-like buildings which are very different when compared to regular buildings. Construction industry stakeholders are facing stiff challenges in many aspects such as buildability, cost effectiveness, delivery time and facility management when dealing with irregular shaped building projects. Building Information Modelling (BIM is being utilized to enable architects, engineers and constructors to gain improved visualization for irregular shaped buildings; this has a purpose of identifying critical issues before initiating physical construction work. In this study, three variations of design options differing in rotating angle: 30 degrees, 60 degrees and 90 degrees are created to conduct quantifiable comparisons. Discussions are focused on three major aspects including structural planning, usable building space, and structural constructability. This research concludes that Building Information Modelling is instrumental in facilitating design optimization for irregular shaped building. In the process of comparing different design variations, instead of just giving “yes or no” type of response, stakeholders can now easily visualize, evaluate and decide to achieve the right balance based on their own criteria. Therefore, construction project stakeholders are empowered with superior evaluation and decision making capability.

Exhaust systems for combustion products: solutions and innovations; Les systemes d'evacuation des produits de combustion: solutions et innovations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-06-01

This document summarizes the content of a conference-debate organized by Cegibat, the information service of Gaz de France (GdF) for building engineering professionals, about the exhaust systems for gas boilers: 1 - overview of airtight systems: horizontal suction-grip duct, vertical suction-grip duct, collective ducts for tight boilers, separate ducts; 2 - example of products: separate ducts; reuse of an individual smoke duct; 3 - overview of non-airtight exhaust systems: individual smoke ducts, collective smoke ducts, ventilation-gas systems; 4 - examples of non-airtight systems: diagnosis and rehabilitation of smoke ducts, low pressure mechanical exhaust system; 5 - works in progress and perspectives of evolution. (J.S.)

Danish building typologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wittchen, Kim Bjarne; Kragh, Jesper

The objective of TABULA is to develop a harmonised building typology for European countries. Each national building typology will consist of a set of residential model buildings with characteristic energy-related properties (element areas of the thermal building envelope, U-values, supply system...... efficiencies). The model buildings will each represent a specific construction period of the country in question and a specific building size. Furthermore the number of buildings, flats and the overall floor areas will be given, which are represented by the different building types of the national typologies....

Detection of polymorphism in booroola gene and growth ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

[12] and Davis et al [17], forced PCR–RFLP DNA test was used to detect the mutations of FecB and GDF9 in Lori breed sheep. The primer sequences used for the FecB AvaII site and. GDF9 HhaI site are presented in Table 1. Polymerase chain reactions were performed in a. 25 μL reaction mixture containing approximately.

Sea transport of radioactive materials in Egypt (invited paper)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Shinawy, R.M.K.; Gomaa, M.A.

1998-01-01

In Egypt the national regulations for safe transport of radioactive materials (RAM) are based on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations. In addition, regulations for the safe transport of these materials through the Suez Canal (SC) were laid down by the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA) and the Suez Canal Authority (SCA). They are continuously updated to meet the increased knowledge and the experience gained. The technical and protective measures taken during transport of RAM through SC are mentioned. Assessment of the impact of transporting radioactive materials through the Suez Canal using the INTERTRAN computer code was carried out in cooperation with IAEA. The transported activities and empty containers, the number of vessels carrying RAM through the Canal from 1963 to 1996 and their nationalities are also discussed. The protective measures are mentioned. (author)

BREEAM [Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method] BRE [Building Research Establishment] assessment method for buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldwin, R.

1994-01-01

Buildings account for a large share of environmental impacts in their construction, use, and demolition. In western Europe, buildings account for ca 50% of primary energy use (hence CO 2 output), far outweighing the contribution of the transport and industrial sectors. Other impacts from building energy use include the use of chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons for cooling. In the United Kingdom, the Building Research Establishment (BRE) has developed a certificate system for environmental labelling of buildings so that the performance of the building against a set of defined environmental criteria can be made visible to clients. This system thus rewards positive actions to improve the environmental performance of buildings and assists in marketing to an environmentally aware clientele. Issues included in assessments for awarding the certificate are addressed under three main headings: global issues and use of resources, local issues, and indoor issues. Global issues include ozone depletion and CO 2 emissions; local issues include public health and water conservation; and indoor issues include air quality and lighting. 8 refs., 1 tab

Building 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Den Ouden, C.; Steemers, T.C.

1992-01-01

This is the second volume of Building 2000, a pilot project of the Commission's R and D-programme 'Solar Energy Applications to Buildings' with the purpose of encouraging the adoption of solar architecture in large buildings. In this second rich illustrated volume the results of the design studies illustrating passive solar architecture in buildings in the European Community are presented in particular for the building categories as mentioned in the subtitle. In the first volume, a similar series of studies is presented for the building categories: schools, laboratories and universities, and sports and educational centres. Several Design Support Workshops were organized during the Building 2000 programme during which Building 2000 design teams could directly exchange ideas with the various design advice experts represented at these workshops. In the second part of the Building 2000 final report a summary of a selection of many reports is presented (11 papers), as produced by Design Support experts. Most of the design support activities resulted in changes of the various designs, as have been reported by the design teams in the brochures presented in the first part of this book. It is to be expected that design aids and simulation tools for passive solar options, daylighting concepts, comfort criteria etc., will be utilized more frequently in the future. This will result in a better exchange of information between the actual design practitioners and the European R and D community. This technology transfer will result in buildings with a higher quality with respect to energy and environmental issues

Building 2000

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Den Ouden, C [EGM Engineering BV, Dordrecht (Netherlands); Steemers, T C [Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium)

1992-01-01

This is the second volume of Building 2000, a pilot project of the Commission's R and D-programme 'Solar Energy Applications to Buildings' with the purpose of encouraging the adoption of solar architecture in large buildings. In this second rich illustrated volume the results of the design studies illustrating passive solar architecture in buildings in the European Community are presented in particular for the building categories as mentioned in the subtitle. In the first volume, a similar series of studies is presented for the building categories: schools, laboratories and universities, and sports and educational centres. Several Design Support Workshops were organized during the Building 2000 programme during which Building 2000 design teams could directly exchange ideas with the various design advice experts represented at these workshops. In the second part of the Building 2000 final report a summary of a selection of many reports is presented (11 papers), as produced by Design Support experts. Most of the design support activities resulted in changes of the various designs, as have been reported by the design teams in the brochures presented in the first part of this book. It is to be expected that design aids and simulation tools for passive solar options, daylighting concepts, comfort criteria etc., will be utilized more frequently in the future. This will result in a better exchange of information between the actual design practitioners and the European R and D community. This technology transfer will result in buildings with a higher quality with respect to energy and environmental issues.

Building founding method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tateno, Seiya; Hirako, Shizuka.

1996-01-01

The lower portion of a reactor building is buried at a level of a base rock. In the step of building construction, the base rock around the building is dug of keeping a construction space. The base rock present between the digging line and the building is replaced with an artificial base rock comprising aggregates and cement having a building constraining force substantially equal with that of the lower supporting base rock to obtain constraining force for the side portion of the building. The building itself is made of concrete steels. As the material for replacing the base rock between the digging line and the building, non-reinforced concrete having no steels may provide sufficient function. The burying depth is determined so as to align the surface of the base rock with the level of the base floor of the building. With such procedures, since it is not necessary to increase the area of the lower portion of the building, the amount of the materials for the building can be reduced. In addition, the earthquakes stability can be ensured without changing the shape of the building. (I.N.)

Integrating Responsive Building Elements in Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haase, Matthias; Amato, Alex; Heiselberg, Per

2006-01-01

energy strategies to develop guidelines and procedures for estimation of environmental performance of responsive building elements and integrated building concepts This paper introduces the ideas of this collaborative work and discusses its usefulness for Hong Kong and China. Special focus was put...

Global building physics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rode, Carsten

2013-01-01

High ambitions are set for the building physics performance of buildings today. No single technology can achieve fulfilment of these ambitions alone. Integrated, multi-facetted solutions and optimization are necessary. A holistic, or ‘global’, technological perspective is needed, which includes all...... aspects of the building as defined in building engineering. We live in an international society and building solutions are developed across country borders. Building physics is a global theme. The International Association of Building Physics has global appeal. This brief article reports the keynote...

Global Building Physics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rode, Carsten

2012-01-01

High ambitions are set for the building physics performance of buildings today. No single technology can achieve fulfilment of these ambitions alone. Integrated, multi-facetted solutions and optimization are necessary. A holistic, or “global”, technological perspective is needed, which includes all...... aspects of the building as defined in building engineering. We live in an international society and building solutions are developed across country borders. Building physics is a global theme. The International Association of Building Physics has global appeal. The keynote lecture and this brief paper...

Significance of Building Maintenance Management on Life-Span of Buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md Azree Othuman Mydin

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The attentions and skills of maintenance are required for the construction of buildings in this twenty-first century. Because much architectural education is still focused on the one-of-a-kind assignment, encouraging the notion of personal fulfillment through leaving a mark for off-springs and obtaining a design award by means of concept drawings. Due to the reason that many building designers (architects, engineers, technicians are not encompassed in the subsequent maintenance of the building, they just regard it as other specialists’ responsibilities. In all likelihood, the building user-to-be has no formal role: the building contractors just fulfill their accountabilities to complete the building in compliance with the contract documents, not to care occupier’s needs and wants. This paper will focus on the important of building maintenance management on the life-span of buildings.

Using Remote Sensing and Spatial Analyses Techniques For Optimum Land Use Planning, West of Suez Canal, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elnahry, A.H.; Mohamed, E.S.; Nasar, N.

2008-01-01

The current study aims at using remote sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques for optimum landuse planning of the area located north Ismaillia - south Port Said Governorates on the western side of Suez Canal. It is bounded by longitudes 32 degree 10 and 32 degree 20 E and latitudes 30 0 4 rand 31 0 00' N. Great part of this area is under reclamation and suffering from improper landuse. Ten geomorphologic units were recognized i.e. clay flats, decantation basins, overflow basins, sand sheets, gypsiferous flats, old river terraces, sand flats, turtle backs, lake beds, and recent river terraces. Using US Soil Taxonomy, two soil orders could be identified; Entisols and Aridisols which are represented by ten great groups: Typic Haplosalids, Typic Haplogypsids, Typic Toriorthents, Vertic Argigypsids, Vertic Torrijluvents, Vertic Natrargids ,Typic Torripsamments, Typic Torrifluvens, Aquic Torriorthents and Typic Psammaquents. Surface and ground water with respect to salinity and alkalinity hazards were investigated ,where surface water of the main canals was classified as C2-S 1, C3-S 1 ,C4-S2 and C4-S4, meanwhile the ground water was classified as C3-S 1, C3 -S 1 ,C4-S2 ,C4-SI and C4-S4 .Optimum landuse planning of the studied area includes three approaches i.e., physical planning, optimum cropping pattern and other uses. Physical planning includes designing of three geospatial models. I-treatment plant site selection model. 2-central village site selection model and 3- shortest path for new Canal model. Current cropping pattern was obtained by matching the crop requirements with soil characteristics, where soils of high sand flats and low gypsiferrous flats are currently highly suitable (S2) for sugar beat, alfalfa and cotton, soils of low sand flats are currently highly suitable (S2) for olive, citrus and melon, soils of low recent river terraces are currently highly suitable (S2) for sugar beat, cotton, corn and rice ,soils of moderately

Building Languages

Science.gov (United States)

... Glossary Contact Information Information For… Media Policy Makers Building Languages Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Communicating ... any speech and only very loud sounds. Close × “Building Blocks” “Building Blocks” refers to the different skills ...

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR BUILDINGS RECONSTRUCTION OF HISTORICAL BUILDING OF ODESSA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

POSTERNAK I. М.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Formulation of the problem. As one of perspective forms of integration various complexes act in town-planning structure. In the course of formation of plans of social and economic development of large cities even more often there is a situation when for increase of efficiency of used resources concentration of efforts is necessary not simply, but also new progressive forms of the organization of building manufacture. Purpose. To offer the organizational structure using in practice the saved up scientific and technical potential for reconstruction of buildings of historical building of Odessa 1820 … 1920 years under standards power efficiency and to execute researches engineering architectonics residential buildings of historical building of a city of Odessa. Conclusion. It is offered to create in the city of Odessa "the Corporate scientific and technical complex town-planning power reconstruction "CSTC T-PPR", as innovative organizational structure which uses in practice the saved up scientific and technical potential for reconstruction of buildings of historical building of Odessa under standards power efficiency. It is considered engineering architectonics residential buildings of historical building of a city of Odessa, in particular, not looking on diverse buildings of inhabited appointment of Odessa, for them there are defining factors on which probably to make their grouping and at the same time to allocate the general lines inherent to a housing estate as a whole. It is resulted a general characteristic and classification of residential buildings of historical building of a city of Odessa ХІХ … beginnings ХХ centuries It is allocated and expanded classification of such buildings of inhabited appointment by duration of residing at them.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS HISTORICAL BUILDING OF ODESSA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

POSTERNAK I. М.

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Summary. Raising of problem. As one of perspective forms of integration various complexes act in town- planning structure. In the course of formation of plans of social and economic development of large cities even more often there is a situation when for increase of efficiency of used resources concentration of efforts is necessary not simply, but also new progressive forms of the organization of building manufacture. Purpose. To offer the organizational structure using in practice the saved up scientific and technical potential for reconstruction of buildings of historical building of Odessa 1820 … 1920 years under standards power efficiency and to execute researches engineering architectonics residential buildings of historical building of a city of Odessa. Conclusion. It is offered to create in the city of Odessa "the Corporate scientific and technical complex town-planning power reconstruction "CSTC T-PPR", as innovative organizational structure which uses in practice the saved up scientific and technical potential for reconstruction of buildings of historical building of Odessa under standards power efficiency. It is considered engineering architectonics residential buildings of historical building of a city of Odessa, in particular, not looking on diverse buildings of inhabited appointment of Odessa, for them there are defining factors on which probably to make their grouping and at the same time to allocate the general lines inherent to a housing estate as a whole. It is resulted a general characteristic and classification of residential buildings of historical building of a city of Odessa ХІХ beginnings ХХ centuries It is allocated and expanded classification of such buildings of inhabited appointment by duration of residing at them.

Reactor building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebata, Sakae.

1990-01-01

At least one valve rack is disposed in a reactor building, on which pipeways to a main closure valve, valves and bypasses of turbines are placed and contained. The valve rack is fixed to the main body of the building or to a base mat. Since the reactor building is designed as class A earthquake-proofness and for maintaining the S 1 function, the valve rack can be fixed to the building main body or to the base mat. With such a constitution, the portions for maintaining the S 1 function are concentrated to the reactor building. As a result, the dispersion of structures of earthquake-proof portion corresponding to the reference earthquake vibration S 1 can be prevented. Accordingly, the conditions for the earthquake-proof design of the turbine building and the turbine/electric generator supporting rack are defined as only the class B earthquake-proof design conditions. In view of the above, the amount of building materials can be saved and the time for construction can be shortened. (I.S.)

Building integrated photovoltaics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ritzen, M.J.; Vroon, Z.A.E.P.; Geurts, C.P.W.; Reinders, Angèle; Verlinden, Pierre; Sark, Wilfried; Freundlich, Alexandre

2017-01-01

Photovoltaic (PV) installations can be realized in different situations and on different scales, such as at a building level. PV installations at the building level can either be added to the building envelope, which is called building added PV (BAPV), or they can be integrated into the building

Better Buildings Neighborhood Program: BetterBuildings Lowell Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heslin, Thomas

2014-01-31

The City of Lowell set four goals at the beginning of the Better Buildings Neighborhood Program: 1. Improve the Downtown Historic Park District’s Carbon Footprint 2. Develop a sustainable and replicable model for energy efficiency in historic buildings 3. Create and retain jobs 4. Promote multi-stakeholder partnerships The City of Lowell, MA was awarded $5 million in May 2010 to conduct energy efficiency retrofits within the downtown National Historical Park (NHP). The City’s target was to complete retrofits in 200,000 square feet of commercial space and create 280 jobs, while adhering to the strict historical preservation regulations that govern the NHP. The development of a model for energy efficiency in historic buildings was successfully accomplished. BetterBuildings Lowell’s success in energy efficiency in historic buildings was due to the simplicity of the program. We relied strongly on the replacement of antiquated HVAC systems and air sealing and a handful of talented energy auditors and contractors. BetterBuildings Lowell was unique for the Better Buildings Neighborhood Program because it was the only program that focused solely on commercial properties. BetterBuildings Lowell did target multi-family properties, which were reported as commercial, but the majority of the building types and uses were commercial. Property types targeted were restaurants, office buildings, museums, sections of larger buildings, mixed use buildings, and multifamily buildings. This unique fabric of building type and use allows for a deeper understanding to how different properties use energy. Because of the National Historical Park designation of downtown Lowell, being able to implement energy efficiency projects within a highly regulated historical district also provided valuable research and precedent proving energy efficiency projects can be successfully completed in historical districts and historical buildings. Our program was very successful in working with the local

Building Maintenance in Old Buildings Conservation Approach: An Overview of Related Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brit Kayan

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Building maintenance in conservation of old buildings is one of the approaches applied within the built environment of Malaysia. For instance, it is realised that these old buildings contribute an important significance to our nation's priceless heritage and unique historical development. However, most of these buildings' maintenance is influenced by related problems that affect the overall building conservation approach. Therefore, these old buildings face problems which greatly affect their overall condition and performance: building structure; building appearance and aesthetic; building materials and building character. In most critical situations, there is a greater possibility that we could lose the cultural significance and heritage values of these old buildings through ignoring the related problems. This paper tries to identify the related problems, reveal the findings and discuss suitable approaches to conserving these old buildings.

Courthouse Prototype Building

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malhotra, Mini [ORNL; New, Joshua Ryan [ORNL; Im, Piljae [ORNL

2018-02-01

As part of DOE's support of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 and IECC, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) apply a suite of prototype buildings covering 80% of the commercial building floor area in the U.S. for new construction. Efforts have started on expanding the prototype building suite to cover 90% of the commercial building floor area in the U.S., by developing prototype models for additional building types including place of worship, public order and safety, public assembly. Courthouse is courthouse is a sub-category under the “Public Order and Safety" building type category; other sub-categories include police station, fire station, and jail, reformatory or penitentiary.ORNL used building design guides, databases, and documented courthouse projects, supplemented by personal communication with courthouse facility planning and design experts, to systematically conduct research on the courthouse building and system characteristics. This report documents the research conducted for the courthouse building type and proposes building and system characteristics for developing a prototype building energy model to be included in the Commercial Building Prototype Model suite. According to the 2012 CBECS, courthouses occupy a total of 436 million sqft of floor space or 0.5% of the total floor space in all commercial buildings in the US, next to fast food (0.35%), grocery store or food market (0.88%), and restaurant or cafeteria (1.2%) building types currently included in the Commercial Prototype Building Model suite. Considering aggregated average, courthouse falls among the larger with a mean floor area of 69,400 sqft smaller fuel consumption intensity building types and an average of 94.7 kBtu/sqft compared to 77.8 kBtu/sqft for office and 80 kBtu/sqft for all commercial buildings.Courthouses range in size from 1000 sqft to over a million square foot building gross square feet and 1 courtroom to over 100 courtrooms. Small courthouses

Effects of honey to mobilize endogenous stem cells in efforts intestinal and ovarian tissue regeneration in rats with protein energy malnutrition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Heru Prasetyo

2016-05-01

Conclusions: Expression of CD34+ and CD45+, which significantly different in treatment 2 (2. Furthermore, increase of immune response (decrease Hsp70 expression and increased PGE2 in intestinal tissue. Increased immune response causes expression of GDF-9 in ovarian tissue. Decreased of Hsp70 expression, increased PGE2 and increased GDF-9 followed the process of regeneration of the intestinal and ovarian tissue.

Belgium: National approach to ageing management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

In Belgium, the licenses for operation of the nuclear power plants granted by Royal Decree do not specify a fixed lifetime. The oldest plants, Doel 1&2 and Tihange 1, have been operational since 1975. The 2003 law regarding the exit from nuclear power limits the operation of nuclear power plants to 40 years. However, in October 2009, the Belgian government declared that they intended to make it legally possible for Doel 1&2 and Tihange 1 to operate until 2025, which would mean a total lifetime of 50 years (this statement was confirmed by the Belgian government in June 2012, only for the Tihange 1 plant). The Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) published in 2009 a strategic note regarding the requirements of long-term operation for Doel 1&2 and Tihange 1. Electrabel GDF SUEZ started its LTO programme in order to respond to these requirements. The LTO programme consisted of the following areas of concern, identified in the FANC strategic note: − Preconditions for long-term operation considering the IAEA expectations; − Ageing management; − Design re-evaluation; − Knowledge, competence and behaviour management. The note also stated that the long-term operation of the plants should be evaluated within the framework of the fourth ten-yearly PSR, based upon IAEA NS-G-2.10. As such a license renewal was not required for LTO and the LTO approval will be integrated in the approval process of the 4th PSR. In its strategic note, the Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control explicitly states that the AMP has to be in conformity with the USNRC 10CFR54 and IAEA SRS 57

ImBuild: Impact of building energy efficiency programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scott, M.J.; Hostick, D.J.; Belzer, D.B.

1998-04-01

As part of measuring the impact of government programs on improving the energy efficiency of the Nation`s building stock, the Department of Energy Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs (BTS) is interested in assessing the economic impacts of its portfolio of programs, specifically the potential impact on national employment and income. The special-purpose version of the IMPLAN model used in this study is called ImBuild. In comparison with simple economic multiplier approaches, such as Department of Commerce RIMS 2 system, ImBuild allows for more complete and automated analysis of the economic impacts of energy efficiency investments in buildings. ImBuild is also easier to use than existing macroeconomic simulation models. The authors conducted an analysis of three sample BTS energy programs: the residential generator-absorber heat exchange gas heat pump (GAX heat pump), the low power sulfur lamp (LPSL) in residential and commercial applications, and the Building America program. The GAX heat pump would address the market for the high-efficiency residential combined heating and cooling systems. The LPSL would replace some highly efficient fluorescent commercial lighting. Building America seeks to improve the energy efficiency of new factory-built, modular, manufactured, and small-volume, site-built homes through use of systems engineering concepts and early incorporation of new products and processes, and by increasing the demand for more energy-efficient homes. The authors analyze a scenario for market penetration of each of these technologies devised for BTS programs reported in the BTS GPRA Metrics Estimates, FY99 Budget Request, December 19, 1997. 46 figs., 4 tabs.

Environmental effect of structural solutions and building materials to a building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haapio, Appu; Viitaniemi, Pertti

2008-01-01

The field of building environmental assessment tools has become a popular research area over the past decade. However, how the service life of a building affects the results of the environmental assessment of a building has not been emphasised previously. The aim of this study is to analyse how different structural solutions and building materials affect the results of the environmental assessment of a whole building over the building's life cycle. Furthermore, how the length of the building's service life affects the results is analysed. The environmental assessments of 78 single-family houses were calculated for this study. The buildings have different wall insulations, claddings, window frames, and roof materials, and the length of the service life varies from 60 years up to 160 years. The current situation and the future of the environmental assessment of buildings are discussed. In addition, topics for further research are suggested; for example, how workmanship affects the service life and the environmental impact of a building should be studied

Solar building

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Luxin

2014-01-01

In my thesis I describe the utilization of solar energy and solar energy with building integration. In introduction it is also mentioned how the solar building works, trying to make more people understand and accept the solar building. The thesis introduces different types of solar heat collectors. I compared the difference two operation modes of solar water heating system and created examples of solar water system selection. I also introduced other solar building applications. It is conv...

Building envelope

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Gibberd, Jeremy T

2009-01-01

Full Text Available for use in the building. This is done through photovoltaic and solar water heating panels and wind turbines. Ideally these are integrated in the design of the building envelope to improve the aesthetic quality of the building and minimise material... are naturally ventilated. Renewable energy The building envelope includes renewable energy generation such as photovoltaics, wind turbines and solar water heaters and 10% of the building’s energy requirements are generated from these sources. Views All...

Challenges in Commercial Buildings | Buildings | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

systems Assessing the energy and economic impacts of various technologies, giving priority to those that standardized language for commercial building energy audit data that can be used by software developers to exchange data between audit tools, and can be required by building owners and audit program managers to

Building energy analysis tool

Science.gov (United States)

Brackney, Larry; Parker, Andrew; Long, Nicholas; Metzger, Ian; Dean, Jesse; Lisell, Lars

2016-04-12

A building energy analysis system includes a building component library configured to store a plurality of building components, a modeling tool configured to access the building component library and create a building model of a building under analysis using building spatial data and using selected building components of the plurality of building components stored in the building component library, a building analysis engine configured to operate the building model and generate a baseline energy model of the building under analysis and further configured to apply one or more energy conservation measures to the baseline energy model in order to generate one or more corresponding optimized energy models, and a recommendation tool configured to assess the one or more optimized energy models against the baseline energy model and generate recommendations for substitute building components or modifications.

Challenges for the future of natural gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadonneix, P.

1997-01-01

This paper reports on the closure talk from P. Gadonneix, president of Gaz de France (GdF) company, who draws out the perspectives of development of the French national company in the context of an increasing natural gas demand with new competition and with an evolution of the European regulations: perspectives of demand and production, the dependency of Europe, the competition with other energy sources, the European deregulation of natural gas market, the strategy of Gaz de France, the relation with consumers, the development of distribution systems, the promotion of new products, the environmental qualities of natural gas and the development of clean technologies, the construction of new pipelines within the national territory, the partnerships of GdF with other national companies, the socio-economical actions of GdF (employment etc..). (J.S.)

Sustainable Building Operation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jesper Ole

2009-01-01

of sustainable building operation and a survey amongst building administrators from the private and the social housing sector. Our results show that there are many good examples on sustainable building operation in Danish housing estates, where local building managers, residents etc. have gained impressive......Energy-savings in the existing building stock have becomes a main goal in national and international policies. Often focus is on building-renovations, whereas the potential of sustainable building operation to a large extent has been neglected. Nevertheless, international research as well...... as practical experiences from Danish housing estates indicates that there are large potentials for energy savings by focusing on the operation of the buildings. We suggest that in order to achieve sustainability in the existing housing, renovation and operations should be seen as integrated parts...

Sick building syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tjandra Y. Aditama

2002-06-01

Full Text Available Sick building syndrome describes a number of mostly unspesific complaints of some occupants of the building. The exact pathophysiological mechanism remains elusive. It is a multi factorial event which may include physical, chemical, biological as well as psycological factors. In many cases it is due to insufficient maintenance of the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning system in the building. Sign and symptoms can be uncomfortable and even disabling, which may include mucus membrane irritation, neurotoxic symptoms, asthma like symptoms, skin complaints, gastrointestinal symptoms and other related symptoms. There are various investigation methods to diagnose sick building syndrome, and on site assessment of the building is extremely useful. Prevention through a proactive air quality monitoring program is far more desirable than dealing with an actual sick building. Indoor air and the sick building symdrome serves as a paradigm of modern occupational and environmental medicine. (Med J Indones 2002; 11:124-31Keywords: indoor air pollution, sick building syndrome, building related illness

Applied building physics

CERN Document Server

Hens, Hugo S L C

2012-01-01

The energy crises of the 1970s, persisting moisture problems, complaints about sick buildings, thermal, visual and olfactory discomfort, and the move towards more sustainability in building construction have pushed Building Physics to the forefront of building innovation. The societal pressure to diminish energy consumption in buildings without impairing usability acted as a trigger to activate the whole notion of performance based design and construction. As with all engineering sciences, Building Physics is oriented towards application, which is why, after a first book on fundamentals this s

Assessment Framework of Building Facade in Optimizing Indoor Thermal Comfort of Green Building Index (GBI Certified Office Building

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Tharim Asniza Hamimi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available During the past decade, the construction industry has seen a new trend in the development of “green” or “sustainable” construction concept around the world with vast support from prominent organization, together with the introduction of sustainable building codes. The establishment of green building certification systems worldwide is seen as one of the most efforts in the emerging green building movement. In order to support the development of the “green” and “sustainable” concept in Malaysia, Green Building Index (GBI was launched by the government on 21 May 2009 that created to promote sustainability in the built environment and raise awareness of environmental issues. However, the construction industry seems to have focused only on findings the “right mechanism” for an environmentally sustainable “final result” in order for the building to be certified as green with the lacking of continuous assessment on the building performance after the certifications. This study is purposely conducted to investigate the performance of various rated Green Building Index (GBI Non-Residential New Construction office buildings and the influence on Indoor Thermal Comfort (ITC of the selected buildings. The aim is to develop an assessment framework for optimum green building architectural façade to be used for office buildings in Malaysia as well as to analyse the occupants’ perception, satisfaction and performance in the selected Green Building Index (GBI rated office indoor environment. This research is still in its infancy; therefore the paper is focused on research aims, research scope and methodology, and expected deliverables for the proposed research.

Building Performance Simulation for Sustainable Energy Use in Buildings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hensen, J.L.M.

2010-01-01

This paper aims to provide a general view of the background and current state of building performance simulation, which has the potential to deliver, directly or indirectly, substantial benefits to building stakeholders and to the environment. However the building simulation community faces many

Building performance simulation for sustainable building design and operation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hensen, J.L.M.

2011-01-01

This paper aims to provide a general view of the background and current state of building performance simulation, which has the potential to deliver, directly or indirectly, substantial benefits to building stakeholders and to the environment. However the building simulation community faces many

49 CFR 41.110 - New DOT owned buildings and additions to buildings.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false New DOT owned buildings and additions to buildings....110 New DOT owned buildings and additions to buildings. (a) DOT Operating Administrations responsible for the design and construction of new DOT Federally owned buildings will ensure that each building is...

Virtual building environments (VBE) - Applying information modeling to buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bazjanac, Vladimir

2004-06-21

A Virtual Building Environment (VBE) is a ''place'' where building industry project staffs can get help in creating Building Information Models (BIM) and in the use of virtual buildings. It consists of a group of industry software that is operated by industry experts who are also experts in the use of that software. The purpose of a VBE is to facilitate expert use of appropriate software applications in conjunction with each other to efficiently support multidisciplinary work. This paper defines BIM and virtual buildings, and describes VBE objectives, set-up and characteristics of operation. It informs about the VBE Initiative and the benefits from a couple of early VBE projects.

Adsorption - desorption equilibria of some radionuclides in sediment - sea water system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Assy, N.B.; Fattah, A.T.A.; El-Shinawy, R.M.K.; Essa, M.W.A.

1991-01-01

Chemical and physical properties of Suez Canal bottom sediments (SCBS) and sea water at port Tawfeek area, the south entrance of Suez canal, have been studied. The SCBS was separated into its size fractions (natural sediment, sand, silt and clay). These different sediment fractions were allowed to be in equilibrium with 89 Sr, 60 Co and 134 Cs solutions. Desorption studies were carried out on these contaminated sediments. (author) 16 refs.; 1 fig.; 1 tab

OpenBAN: An Open Building ANalytics Middleware for Smart Buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pandarasamy Arjunan

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Towards the realization of smart building applications, buildings are increasingly instrumented with diverse sensors and actuators. These sensors generate large volumes of data which can be analyzed for optimizing building operations. Many building energy management tasks such as energy forecasting, disaggregation, among others require complex analytics leveraging collected sensor data. While several standalone and cloud-based systems for archiving, sharing and visualizing sensor data have emerged, their support for analyzing sensor data streams is primitive and limited to rule-based actions based on thresholds and simple aggregation functions. We develop OpenBAN, an open source sensor data analytics middleware for buildings, to make analytics an integral component of modern smart building applications. OpenBAN provides a framework of extensible sensor data processing elements for identifying various building context, which different applications can leverage. We validate the capabilities of OpenBAN by developing three representative real-world applications which are deployed in our test-bed buildings: (i household energy disaggregation, (ii detection of sprinkler usage from water meter data, and (iii electricity demand forecasting. We also provide a preliminary system performance of OpenBAN when deployed in the cloud and locally.

Bore pile foundation tall buildings closed in the heritage building

Science.gov (United States)

Triastuti, Nusa Setiani

2017-11-01

Bore pile foundation for high building surroundings heritage building should be not damage. Construction proses must good, no necking, no mixed deep water, no sliding soil, nonporous concrete. Objective the execution of bore pile so that heritage buildings and neighboring buildings that are old do not experience cracks, damage and tilting. The survey methodology was observe the process of the implementation of the dominant silt, clay soil, in addition a limited space and to analyze the results of loading tests, investigations of soil and daily reports. Construction process determines the success of the structure bore pile in high building structure bearing, without damaging a heritage building. Attainment the hard soil depth, density concrete, observable clean reinforcement in the implementation. Monitoring the implementation of, among others, the face of the ground water little reduce in the area and outside the footprint of the building, no impact of vibration drilling equipment, watching the mud content on the water coming out at the time of drilling, concrete volume was monitored each 2 m bore depth of pile, The result researched heritage building was not damage. The test results bore pile axial, lateral analyzed the results have the appropriate force design required.

Retrofitting Listed Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Torben Valdbjørn

2011-01-01

The paper presents a case study where the energy demand for a listed building constructed in 1900 is reduced. Many older buildings are listed and have restrictions that include the entire building or that include only its exterior. For the building presented, only its exterior facade is listed. T...

Multidisciplinary Energy Assessment of Tertiary Buildings: Automated Geomatic Inspection, Building Information Modeling Reconstruction and Building Performance Simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faustino Patiño-Cambeiro

2017-07-01

Full Text Available There is an urgent need for energy efficiency in buildings within the European framework, considering its environmental implications, and Europe’s energy dependence. Furthermore, the need for enhancing and increasing productivity in the building industry turns new technologies and building energy performance simulation environments into extremely interesting solutions towards rigorous analysis and decision making in renovation within acceptable risk levels. The present work describes a multidisciplinary approach for the estimation of the energy performance of an educational building. The research involved data acquisition with advanced geomatic tools, the development of an optimized building information model, and energy assessment in Building Performance Simulation (BPS software. Interoperability issues were observed in the different steps of the process. The inspection and diagnostic phases were conducted in a timely, accurate manner thanks to automated data acquisition and subsequent analysis using Building Information Modeling based tools (BIM-based tools. Energy simulation was performed using Design Builder, and the results obtained were compared with those yielded by the official software tool established by Spanish regulations for energy certification. The discrepancies between the results of both programs have proven that the official software program is conservative in this sense. This may cause the depreciation of the assessed buildings.

Team Building e a enfermagem Team Building e enfermería Team Building and nursing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filipa Homem

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Num ambiente de insatisfação crescente e de imprevisibilidade como é o da enfermagem, cada vez mais é fundamental motivar as equipas, conferindo-lhes competências pessoais, relacionais, comunicacionais e, acima de tudo, fomentar o trabalho em equipa e consequentemente a produtividade. O Team Building, surge assim como uma estratégia eficaz para obter resultados positivos. Por ser uma estratégia ainda pouco utilizada em Portugal, decidimos realizar este artigo teórico sobre o assunto e refletir sobre a sua pertinência e potencialidades nas equipas de enfermagem, tendo definido como objetivos: aprofundar conhecimentos sobre Team Building, contextualizar o Team Building no âmbito das teorias organizacionais, descrever diferentes modelos de Team Building e refletir sobre a utilidade do Team Building na qualidade da prestação de cuidados de enfermagem. Deste modo, foram pesquisados artigos na plataforma eletrónica de bases de dados EBSCO, assim como consultada literatura relacionada com a psicologia organizacional. Com a presente pesquisa conclui-se que esta estratégia de dinamização de equipas é útil no âmbito da enfermagem, podendo melhorar a comunicação e relações interpessoais, identificar pontos fortes e fracos das equipas, proporcionar maior satisfação no trabalho e, deste modo, aumentar a qualidade dos cuidados de saúde prestados.En un ambiente de creciente descontento y de imprevisibilidad como el de la enfermería, es cada vez más primordial motivar a los equipos, dándoles competencias personales, relacionales, y, sobre todo, fomentar el trabajo en equipo y consecuentemente la productividad. El Team Building surge así como una estrategia eficaz para lograr resultados positivos. Al ser una estrategia aún poco utilizada en Portugal, se decidió realizar este artículo teórico sobre el asunto y reflexionar sobre la pertinencia y el potencial de los equipos de enfermería, para lo que se definieron los objetivos

Building Process and Architectural Planning Characteristics of Daehan Hospital Main Building

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geauchul LEE

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the introduction process of Daehan Hospital from Japan as the modern medical facility in Korea, and the architectural planning characteristics as a medical facility through the detailed building process of Daehan Hospital main building. The most noticeable characteristic of Daehan Hospital is that it was designed and constructed not by Korean engineers but by Japanese engineers. Therefore, Daehan Hospital was influenced by Japanese early modern medical facility, and Japanese engineers modeled Daehan Hospital main building on Tokyo Medical School main building which was constructed in 1876 as the first national medical school and hospital. The architectural type of Tokyo Medical School main building was a typical school architecture in early Japanese modern period which had a middle corridor and a pseudo Western-style tower, but Tokyo Medical School main building became the model of a medical facility as the symbol of the medical department in Tokyo Imperial University. This was the introduction and transplantation process of Japanese modern ‘model’ like as other modern systems and technologies during the Korean modern transition period. However, unlike Tokyo Medical School main building, Daehan Hospital main building was constructed not as a wooden building but as a masonry building. Comparing with the function of Daehan Hospital main building, its architectural form and construction costs was excessive scale, which was because Japanese Resident-General of Korea had the intention of ostentation that Japanese modernity was superior to Korean Empire.

[Building Process and Architectural Planning Characteristics of Daehan Hospital Main Building].

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Geauchul

2016-04-01

This paper explores the introduction process of Daehan Hospital from Japan as the modern medical facility in Korea, and the architectural planning characteristics as a medical facility through the detailed building process of Daehan Hospital main building. The most noticeable characteristic of Daehan Hospital is that it was designed and constructed not by Korean engineers but by Japanese engineers. Therefore, Daehan Hospital was influenced by Japanese early modern medical facility, and Japanese engineers modeled Daehan Hospital main building on Tokyo Medical School main building which was constructed in 1876 as the first national medical school and hospital. The architectural type of Tokyo Medical School main building was a typical school architecture in early Japanese modern period which had a middle corridor and a pseudo Western-style tower, but Tokyo Medical School main building became the model of a medical facility as the symbol of the medical department in Tokyo Imperial University. This was the introduction and transplantation process of Japanese modern 'model' like as other modern systems and technologies during the Korean modern transition period. However, unlike Tokyo Medical School main building, Daehan Hospital main building was constructed not as a wooden building but as a masonry building. Comparing with the function of Daehan Hospital main building, its architectural form and construction costs was excessive scale, which was because Japanese Resident-General of Korea had the intention of ostentation that Japanese modernity was superior to Korean Empire.

The Eco-Efficiency and Sustainable National Projects in Egypt

OpenAIRE

Khaled Gaber EL Sakty

2015-01-01

As national mega projects, the Suez Canal Area Development Project and New Suez Canal have logistically imposed two main questions. First, how the project can spot the preferred solution for balancing the business and environmental concerns? Second, how the project can enhance the trade-off between those two dimensions. In order to answer these two questions, the efficient frontier between the profitability and the environmental impact needs to be investigated. Three Levels of Thinking has to...

Grandidierella bonnieroides Stephensen, 1948 (Amphipoda, Aoridae)-first record of an established population in the Mediterranean Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Brutto, Sabrina Lo; Iaciofano, Davide; Lubinevsky, Hadas; Galil, Bella S

2016-03-17

The first record in the Mediterranean Sea of the invasive aorid amphipod crustacean Grandidierella bonnieroides is presented. A widespread circumtropical species, recorded off the Saudi coast of the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, it may have been introduced into the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. This tube-builder species of soft bottoms recently established a population in the polluted Haifa Bay, Israel. Further, this is the first Mediterranean record of the genus.

1998 results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadonneix, P.

1998-01-01

This document presents the financial and commercial results of Gaz de France (GdF) company for 1998. The following points are presented successively: financial results (budget results, turnover, self-financing capacity, investments, debt situation), commercial results (some remarkable numbers and records, the tertiary and residential market, the industrial market, cogeneration and natural gas for vehicles), the strategy, 1998 realizations and perspectives (the natural gas energy in the 21. century, the development of GdF, the gas distribution and services (development of the French distribution system, export of the know-how, development of services), the transportation and storage systems threw Europe (densification of the pipeline network, the key-position of France, the north-south equilibrium of the distribution network), the natural gas production by GdF, the diversification of supplies, and the main daughter companies abroad). (J.S.)

Building control. Technical building systems: Automation and management; Building Control. Technische Gebaeudesysteme: Automation und Bewirtschaftung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kranz, H.R.; Baenninger, M.; Bieler, P.; Brettschneider, J.P.; Damnig, A.; Fassbender, H.W.; Friedrichs, K.; Gauchel, J.; Hegewald, B.; Kaelin, W.; Lezius, A.; Markert, H.; Oehler, A.; Otto, J.; Puettmer, M. Jr.; Rohrbacher, H.; Schuerdt, K.; Vogt, D.; Wittling, J.

1995-12-31

Cost-optimised management and maintenance of buildings can no longer be carried out without electronic data processing. The present anthology gives a comprehensive overview of the planning and operation of building automation systems. The following topics are discussed: ecological cooling and facade concepts, facility management, jeopardy alarm technology, building automation, communication technology, open communication and networks, building system technology, norms and directives, building right and law. A special abstract has been prepared for each of the 23 chapters. (BWI). 260 figs., 161 refs. [Deutsch] Kostenoptimiertes Management, Bewirtschaftung und Instandhaltung von Gebaeuden sind ohne EDV nicht mehr denkbar. Das vorliegende Buch gibt einen umfassenden Ueberblick ueber Planung und Betrieb von Gebaeudeautomationssystemen. Es wird dabei auf folgende Themenkomplexe eingegangen: Oekologische Kuehl- und Fassadenkonzepte; Facility Management, Gefahrenmeldetechnik, Gebaeudeautomation; Kommunikationstechnik, offenen Kommunikation und Netzwerke; Gebaeudesystemtechnik und Installationsbus; Energiemanagement; Betreibererfahrungen; Normen und Richtlinien; Baurecht und Gesetz. Fuer alle 23 Einzelkapitel wurde eine gesonderte inhaltliche Erschliessung durchgefuehrt. (BWI)

MAJOR PROJECTS THAT INFLUENCE WORLD TRADE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GEORGE CORNEL DUMITRESCU

2014-11-01

Full Text Available In 1869, with the opening of the Suez Canal, world trade entered a new era of development. The commercial routes linking the Far East to the western countries were shortened considerably as compared to the maritime corridor around the Cape of Good Hope. In 1914, the opening of the Panama Canal sealed the new deal in world trade, opening for business the shortest commercial routes around the world. After 145 years from the inauguration of the Suez Canal, world trade is on the eve of a new expansion. Two major projects: the expansion of both the Suez and Panama canals, planned to be completed in the next two years, will double their transit capacity. This paper does a comparative analysis of these two strategic projects, underlining the main benefits for Egypt, Panama and world trade, based on the available statistical data, reports and literature in the field.

Biodegradation of petroleum oil by certain bacterial strains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakaria, A.E.M.

1998-01-01

Balaeam base oil was chosen as a model oil in the present study through which some abiotic treatments were implemented aiming at attenuating its naphthenic and aromatic contents; such as the adsorptive technique and the gamma-irradiation technique . In an attempt to apply the biodegrading bacteria as oil pollutant bio indicators upon coastal water samples, a correlation between hydrocarbon concentration and the relative enumeration of the bacterial oil degraders was detected for some litter locations along the mediterranean Sea shore west and east Delta, Suez canal. and suez gulf. 24 petroleum utilizing bacterial isolates were isolated from El-Zayteia port (suez) and identified by morphological, physiological and environmental examination . the biodegradation capacity of the isolates towards the chosen model oil and its separate components was studied in comparison with the standard isolate pseudomonas aeruginosa. Further, the role of the bacterial plasmids taking part in the biodegradation process was investigated as well

Environmental and Irradiation Effect on the Biosynthesis of Bio surfactant by Some Local Bacterial Isolates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghoneimy, E.; Ahmed, S.; Desouki, S.; Rasmy, W.; El-Shahawy, M.

2010-01-01

Twenty eight bacterial isolates were isolated from The Suez Gulf sea water from the coast of the El-Nasr Petroleum Company on Suez Canal and formation water from overhead of an oil well in western desert of Egypt named (M68). Sixteen bacterial isolates were obtained from The Suez Gulf sea water. Twelve bacterial isolates were obtained from formation water (M68). The bacterial isolates were screened for bio surfactant production by using emulsification activity and haemolytic activity. The most potent two isolates N8 and S8 were selected according to three parameters; the ability of isolate to grow and produce surfactant on wide range of ph, temperature and salinity. The most promising bacterial isolates were subjected to different doses of gamma irradiation in a trial to improve their abilities for bio surfactant production which resulted in a passive effect on bio surfactant production

Potential Retrofit of Existing Sultan Ismail Parliament Building, Johor to Green Building

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasin Mohd Norazam

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The concept of retrofitting an existing building towards green building was introduced to move towards greener development. This paper investigates the benefits of retrofitting an existing building to green building. The potential retrofit of the existing Sultan Ismail Parliament building was also determined and later the elements of the building to be retrofitted were proposed. The Sultan Ismail Parliament building is one of the newest development that serves as the Johor state administrative center under Iskandar Malaysia. Therefore, this paper focuses on whether the existing building has fulfilled all of the green building elements. A set of questionnaire was distributed to the targeted respondents who were the engineers, architects, technicians, staffs and those who were involved in the development of the Sultan Ismail Parliament building. A total of 60 respondents was involved. Based on the analyzed data, it shows that the existing building has fulfilled only one of the green building elements which is the Indoor Environmental Quality. The items that scored 3.5 and above mean index under this element include the daylight glare is not bothering, the ventilation in the building is adequate, inspections are done regularly, smoking regulation is implemented and the number of openings of windows and doors is sufficient. While it shows that other elements were only partially fulfilled. The criteria that achieved below 3.5 mean index values is considered to be the potential elements that could be used for future retrofitting initiative.

Auxiliary buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lakner, I.; Lestyan, E.

1979-01-01

The nuclear power station represents a complicated and a particular industrial project. Consequently, the design of the auxiliary buildings serving the power station (offices, kitchen, refreshment room, workshops, depots, water treatment plant building, boiler houses, etc.) requires more attention than usual. This chapter gives a short survey of the auxiliary buildings already completed and discusses the problems of their design, location and structure. (author)

Building thermography as a tool in energy audits and building commissioning procedure

Science.gov (United States)

Kauppinen, Timo

2007-04-01

A Building Commissioning-project (ToVa) was launched in Finland in the year 2003. A comprehensive commissioning procedure, including the building process and operation stage was developed in the project. This procedure will confirm the precise documentation of client's goals, definition of planning goals and the performance of the building. It is rather usual, that within 1-2 years after introduction the users complain about the defects or performance malfunctions of the building. Thermography is one important manual tool in verifying the thermal performance of the building envelope. In this paper the results of one pilot building (a school) will be presented. In surveying the condition and energy efficiency of buildings, various auxiliary means are needed. We can compare the consumption data of the target building with other, same type of buildings by benchmarking. Energy audit helps to localize and determine the energy saving potential. The most general and also most effective auxiliary means in monitoring the thermal performance of building envelopes is an infrared camera. In this presentation some examples of the use of thermography in energy audits are presented.

Laboratory Building

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrera, Joshua M. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2015-03-01

This report is an analysis of the means of egress and life safety requirements for the laboratory building. The building is located at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) in Albuquerque, NM. The report includes a prescriptive-based analysis as well as a performance-based analysis. Following the analysis are appendices which contain maps of the laboratory building used throughout the analysis. The top of all the maps is assumed to be north.

Improving building energy efficiency in India: State-level analysis of building energy efficiency policies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Sha; Tan, Qing; Evans, Meredydd; Kyle, Page; Vu, Linh; Patel, Pralit L.

2017-11-01

India is expected to add 40 billion m2 of new buildings till 2050. Buildings are responsible for one third of India’s total energy consumption today and building energy use is expected to continue growing driven by rapid income and population growth. The implementation of the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) is one of the measures to improve building energy efficiency. Using the Global Change Assessment Model, this study assesses growth in the buildings sector and impacts of building energy policies in Gujarat, which would help the state adopt ECBC and expand building energy efficiency programs. Without building energy policies, building energy use in Gujarat would grow by 15 times in commercial buildings and 4 times in urban residential buildings between 2010 and 2050. ECBC improves energy efficiency in commercial buildings and could reduce building electricity use in Gujarat by 20% in 2050, compared to the no policy scenario. Having energy codes for both commercial and residential buildings could result in additional 10% savings in electricity use. To achieve these intended savings, it is critical to build capacity and institution for robust code implementation.

ICT Enhanced Buildings Potentials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansson, Per

2007-01-01

component systems that are accessed and integrated in the real world of building use in different contexts. The ICT systems may be physically or virtually embedded in the building. Already in 1982 AT&T established the 'intelligent buildings', IB, concept due to marketing reasons and the Informart building...... with focus on virtual building models support, new services and user environment definitions and development, virtual spaces and augmented reality, intelligent building components, application ontologies, and ICT systems integration to illustrate ICT enhanced buildings potentials and R&D needs.  ...

BIM. Building Information Model. Special issue; BIM. Building Information Model. Themanummer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Gelder, A.L.A. [Arta and Consultancy, Lage Zwaluwe (Netherlands); Van den Eijnden, P.A.A. [Stichting Marktwerking Installatietechniek, Zoetermeer (Netherlands); Veerman, J.; Mackaij, J.; Borst, E. [Royal Haskoning DHV, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Kruijsse, P.M.D. [Wolter en Dros, Amersfoort (Netherlands); Buma, W. [Merlijn Media, Waddinxveen (Netherlands); Bomhof, F.; Willems, P.H.; Boehms, M. [TNO, Delft (Netherlands); Hofman, M.; Verkerk, M. [ISSO, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Bodeving, M. [VIAC Installatie Adviseurs, Houten (Netherlands); Van Ravenswaaij, J.; Van Hoven, H. [BAM Techniek, Bunnik (Netherlands); Boeije, I.; Schalk, E. [Stabiplan, Bodegraven (Netherlands)

2012-11-15

A series of 14 articles illustrates the various aspects of the Building Information Model (BIM). The essence of BIM is to capture information about the building process and the building product. [Dutch] In 14 artikelen worden diverse aspecten m.b.t. het Building Information Model (BIM) belicht. De essentie van BIM is het vastleggen van informatie over het bouwproces en het bouwproduct.

Analysis of Embodied Environmental Impacts of Korean Apartment Buildings Considering Major Building Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seungjun Roh

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Because the reduction in environmental impacts (EIs of buildings using life-cycle assessment (LCA has been emphasized as a practical strategy for the sustainable development of the construction industry, studies are required to analyze not only the operational environmental impacts (OEIs of buildings, but also the embodied environmental impacts (EEIs of building materials. This study aims to analyze the EEIs of Korean apartment buildings on the basis of major building materials as part of research with the goal of reducing the EIs of buildings. For this purpose, six types of building materials (ready-mixed concrete, reinforcement steel, concrete bricks, glass, insulation, and gypsum for apartment buildings were selected as major building materials, and their inputs per unit area according to the structure types and plans of apartment buildings were derived by analyzing the design and bills of materials of 443 apartment buildings constructed in South Korea. In addition, a life-cycle scenario including the production, construction, maintenance, and end-of-life stage was constructed for each major building material. The EEIs of the apartment buildings were quantitatively assessed by applying the life-cycle inventory database (LCI DB and the Korean life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA method based on damage-oriented modeling (KOLID, and the results were analyzed.

Η ΚΡΙΣΗ ΤΟΥ ΣΟΥΕΖ (1956) ΚΑΙ ΟΙ ΕΠΙΠΤΩΣΕΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΣΤΙΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΟΓΑΛΛΙΚΕΣ ΣΧΕΣΕΙΣ

OpenAIRE

ΦΛΙΤΟΥΡΗΣ, ΛΑΜΠΡΟΣ Α.

2004-01-01

Lambros Flitouris, The Suez Crisis and the Greek-French Relations The Suez crisis in 1956 constitutes an important point in the development of the international relations at the period of the cold war. 1956 is a landmark year for the appointment of the Arabic nationalism as a basic constitutive element of the anti-colonialist wave that convulsed the world. During this period, the relations of Greece with the states involved in the crisis were to a large extent precarious. The anti-imperialist...

Sustainable Buildings in Interaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elle, Morten

2007-01-01

The first attempts to build sustainable buildings in Denmark were typically located on the countryside. The basic idea was to create buildings that were independent of the technical infrastructure. District heating has, however, been the dominating solution to heating in buildings in Denmark......, and the focus on sustainable building have gradually turned from special houses on the countryside to normally looking houses in the urban fabric, integrated in the technical infrastructure. Some new built urban areas in Denmark will, however, not have to be supplied with district heating – these developments...... are going to consist of passive houses. The first sustainable buildings were built by their users, and the user – building interaction still play a decisive role for the performance of the present sustainable buildings. The users have to understand how the building functions. Urban design is essential...

Green Buildings and Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Joseph G; MacNaughton, Piers; Laurent, Jose Guillermo Cedeno; Flanigan, Skye S; Eitland, Erika Sita; Spengler, John D

2015-09-01

Green building design is becoming broadly adopted, with one green building standard reporting over 3.5 billion square feet certified to date. By definition, green buildings focus on minimizing impacts to the environment through reductions in energy usage, water usage, and minimizing environmental disturbances from the building site. Also by definition, but perhaps less widely recognized, green buildings aim to improve human health through design of healthy indoor environments. The benefits related to reduced energy and water consumption are well-documented, but the potential human health benefits of green buildings are only recently being investigated. The objective of our review was to examine the state of evidence on green building design as it specifically relates to indoor environmental quality and human health. Overall, the initial scientific evidence indicates better indoor environmental quality in green buildings versus non-green buildings, with direct benefits to human health for occupants of those buildings. A limitation of much of the research to date is the reliance on indirect, lagging and subjective measures of health. To address this, we propose a framework for identifying direct, objective and leading "Health Performance Indicators" for use in future studies of buildings and health.

Kayenta Township Building & Safety Department, Tribal Green Building Code Summit Presentation

Science.gov (United States)

Tribal Green Building Code Summit Presentation by Kayenta Township Building & Safety Department showing how they established the building department, developed a code adoption and enforcement process, and hired staff to carry out the work.

Green buildings pay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Naboni, Emanuele; Edwards, Brian

The new edition of ‘Green Buildings Pay’ authored by Brian Edwards and Emanuele Naboni explores the business and professional benefits which derive from architectural design driven by sustainability. With a new sub-title ‘Green Buildings Pay: design, productivity and ecology’ the book argues...... that environmental design has altered how we design, construct and manage buildings. The book has relevance to those who not only design and engineer buildings but to those who commission architecture and those who occupy the products of this process. Hence, the user is a key consideration. The book examines via...... a number of LEED and BREEAM cases the buildings which flow from corporate environmental responsibility. A number of office and university buildings are examined from three main perspectives- the architect, client and user. One key finding is that architectural innovation has been driven by ecological...

Refurbishment and school buildings management in a smart building environment

Science.gov (United States)

Di Giuda, Giuseppe Martino; Villa, Valentina; Tagliabue, Lavinia Chiara; Giana, Paolo Ettore; Rinaldi, Stefano; Ciribini, Angelo Luigi Camillo

2018-05-01

Building Information Modelling is a methodology, which is able to take into account many data, both geometrical and non-geometrical, in order to evaluate at the actual condition of the asset. The project has the scope of evaluating the conditions of different school buildings, in order to develop a way to choose the best-tailored management solution to the owner. A further step is the management and planning of design solutions during the life cycle customized on monitored buildings' conditions. The research work focuses on providing a support decisions concerning the gap between the present building state laws and the current state of the existing buildings. The process will be developed in an expanded BIM environment, using sensors, which will give back the state of the consistency of the actual conditions to enable the buildings to adapt themselves in the best way into their specific constraints and boundaries. The results of the study are (i) a complete workflow to make decision and the possibility to shape the decision process on an objective through a scientific approach, (ii) evaluate the current state of the asset and (iii) manage maintenance in the lifespan. Further development will take in consideration all the aspects related to management of big data environment generated by a smart buildings system.

Building America

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brad Oberg

2010-12-31

IBACOS researched the constructability and viability issues of using high performance windows as one component of a larger approach to building houses that achieve the Building America 70% energy savings target.

2001-2003 ''public utility'' contract between the French government and Gaz de France; Contrat de ''service public'' 2001-2003 entre l'etat et Gaz de France

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2002-07-01

The ''public utility'' contract aims at specifying the actions of Gaz de France (GdF), the French gas utility, in terms of national development and public utility presence at the local scale. It extends and completes the 'contract of group' established between the government and GdF in the domain of quality of the services offered to clients, development of gas infrastructures and extension of gas supplies, and sustainable development. (J.S.)

Main Introduction Way of Indo-Pacific and Red Sea Originated Benthic Foraminifers to the Eastern Mediterranean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Engin MERİÇ

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Majority of the alien foraminifers recorded in the eastern Mediterranean are Indo-Pacific originated and entered the Mediterranean via Suez Canal. In this study, current literature on the alien benthic foraminiferal fauna of the eastern Mediterranean was reviewed and the main dispersal pathways are determined. Distribution patterns of the alien species suggests that most of the species are introduced via Suez Canal and expand their range of distributions in a counter-clockwise manner by the general surface currents of the eastern Mediterranean. However, not all, but some of the species have also been dispersed westwards along the North African coast and reached central Mediterranean. Locally abundant records of Euthymonacha polita (Chapman, Coscinospira acicularis (Batsch and Amphistegina lobifera in the Aegean Sea indicates that Suez Canal may not be the only vector for the Indo-Pacific species to enter eastern Mediterranean and submarine springs help these thermophilic species to form establish populations in cool waters of the northern Aegean and the Sea of Marmara

Heavy metals and hydrocarbon concentrations in water, sediments and tissue of Cyclope neritea from two sites in Suez Canal, Egypt and histopathological effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharaf, Hesham M; Shehata, Abdalla M

2015-01-01

Heavy metals and hydrocarbons are of the most common marine pollutants around the world. The present study aimed to assess the concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals in tissues of the snail cyclope neritea, water and sediments from two sites of the study area (Temsah lake and Suez canal) represent polluted and unpolluted sites respectively. The results showed that, the levels of the heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Co, Mg and Zn) in the polluted area have reached harmful limits recorded globally. Lead in water, sediment and tissue of the snail reached to 0.95 ppm, 4.54 ppm and 7.93 ppm respectively. Cadmium reached 0.31 ppm, 1.15 ppm and 3.08 ppm in the corresponding samples. Cobalt was not detected in water, but it reached 1.42 ppm and 10.36 ppm in the sediment and snails tissue respectively. Magnesium in water, sediment and tissue of the snail reached 3.73 ppm, 9.44 ppm and12.6 ppm respectively. Zinc reached 0.11 ppm, 3.89 ppm and 12.60ppm in the corresponding samples. Meanwhile, hydrocarbons in the polluted area (site1) reached 110.10 μg/L, 980.15 μg/g and 228.00 μg/g in water sediment and digestive gland tissues of the snails respectively. Whereas, hydrocarbons in the unpolluted area (site2) were estimated as 14.20 μg/L, 55.60 μg/g and 22.66 μg/g in water, sediment and tissue of the snails respectively. The combination of histopathological image with monitoring of the metal level in the digestive gland of the present snail provides an important tool for early detection of impending environmental problems and potential public health issues. Petroleum hydrocarbons are toxic to the marine fauna when present above certain limit in the marine water. The major detoxification organ in molluscs is the digestive gland, which has been used as a bioindicator organ for toxicity assessment. The effect of high crude oil on the digestive gland tubules of exposed snails when examined microscopically reveals a series of histological changes which indicates that the

Object Based Building Extraction and Building Period Estimation from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Data

Science.gov (United States)

Comert, Resul; Kaplan, Onur

2018-04-01

The aim of this study is to examine whether it is possible to estimate the building periods with respect to the building heights in the urban scale seismic performance assessment studies by using the building height retrieved from the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data. For this purpose, a small area, which includes eight residential reinforced concrete buildings, was selected in Eskisehir (Turkey) city center. In this paper, the possibilities of obtaining the building heights that are used in the estimation of building periods from UAV based data, have been investigated. The investigations were carried out in 3 stages; (i) Building boundary extraction with Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA), (ii) height calculation for buildings of interest from nDSM and accuracy assessment with the terrestrial survey. (iii) Estimation of building period using height information. The average difference between the periods estimated according to the heights obtained from field measurements and from the UAV data is 2.86 % and the maximum difference is 13.2 %. Results of this study have shown that the building heights retrieved from the UAV data can be used in the building period estimation in the urban scale vulnerability assessments.

Buildings Interoperability Landscape

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hardin, Dave [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Stephan, Eric G. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Wang, Weimin [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Corbin, Charles D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Widergren, Steven E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2015-12-31

Through its Building Technologies Office (BTO), the United States Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (DOE-EERE) is sponsoring an effort to advance interoperability for the integration of intelligent buildings equipment and automation systems, understanding the importance of integration frameworks and product ecosystems to this cause. This is important to BTO’s mission to enhance energy efficiency and save energy for economic and environmental purposes. For connected buildings ecosystems of products and services from various manufacturers to flourish, the ICT aspects of the equipment need to integrate and operate simply and reliably. Within the concepts of interoperability lie the specification, development, and certification of equipment with standards-based interfaces that connect and work. Beyond this, a healthy community of stakeholders that contribute to and use interoperability work products must be developed. On May 1, 2014, the DOE convened a technical meeting to take stock of the current state of interoperability of connected equipment and systems in buildings. Several insights from that meeting helped facilitate a draft description of the landscape of interoperability for connected buildings, which focuses mainly on small and medium commercial buildings. This document revises the February 2015 landscape document to address reviewer comments, incorporate important insights from the Buildings Interoperability Vision technical meeting, and capture thoughts from that meeting about the topics to be addressed in a buildings interoperability vision. In particular, greater attention is paid to the state of information modeling in buildings and the great potential for near-term benefits in this area from progress and community alignment.

Residential and commercial buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Svendsen, Svend; Furbo, S.

2012-11-15

Low-energy buildings can make a major contribution to general sustainable development by providing a solution to problems related to the use of fossil fuels. The EPBD (EU Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings) requirements that by 2020 new building shall be constructed to use nearly zero energy, and no fossil fuels, can be accomplished by combining low-energy buildings with renewable energy via low-temperature district heating in cities and suburbs, and via heat pumps for low-density settlements. Based on experience with passive houses, low-energy buildings meeting the energy performance requirements of 2020 are expected to cost only a few percent more than conventional buildings. The very large and rapid changes needed in the energy performance of buildings is a challenge for the building sector, but one that can be overcome by better methods of developing products and designing, constructing and operating buildings. Simulation-based analysis and optimisation, and considerations of durability, will be important here. Building may thus be transformed from an experience-based sector to one based on knowledge and research, with high-quality sustainable products and good business opportunities. (Author)

Building sustainability

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mass Media

2007-11-01

Full Text Available particu- lar social environment also being awarded. If a building can be used by the community after hours, it should be awarded extra points.” School sports facilities or meeting halls in corporate buildings, are some example. Multi-purpose use..., architect and senior researcher for the CSIR’s Built Environment Unit, the integra- tion of sustainability in building design cannot begin soon enough before it is too late. He says: “Unfortunately nothing is in place in South Africa. For a start...

Re-Assessing Green Building Performance: A Post Occupancy Evaluation of 22 GSA Buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fowler, Kimberly M.; Rauch, Emily M.; Henderson, Jordan W.; Kora, Angela R.

2010-06-01

2nd report on the performance of GSA's sustainably designed buildings. The purpose of this study was to provide an overview of measured whole building performance as it compares to GSA and industry baselines. The PNNL research team found the data analysis illuminated strengths and weaknesses of individual buildings as well as the portfolio of buildings. This section includes summary data, observations that cross multiple performance metrics, discussion of lessons learned from this research, and opportunities for future research. The summary of annual data for each of the performance metrics is provided in Table 25. The data represent 1 year of measurements and are not associated with any specific design features or strategies. Where available, multiple years of data were examined and there were minimal significant differences between the years. Individually focused post occupancy evaluation (POEs) would allow for more detailed analysis of the buildings. Examining building performance over multiple years could potentially offer a useful diagnostic tool for identifying building operations that are in need of operational changes. Investigating what the connection is between the building performance and the design intent would offer potential design guidance and possible insight into building operation strategies. The 'aggregate operating cost' metric used in this study represents the costs that were available for developing a comparative industry baseline for office buildings. The costs include water utilities, energy utilities, general maintenance, grounds maintenance, waste and recycling, and janitorial costs. Three of the buildings that cost more than the baseline in Figure 45 have higher maintenance costs than the baseline, and one has higher energy costs. Given the volume of data collected and analyzed for this study, the inevitable request is for a simple answer with respect to sustainably designed building performance. As previously stated

Guidelines for Using Building Information Modeling for Energy Analysis of Buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Reeves

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Building energy modeling (BEM, a subset of building information modeling (BIM, integrates energy analysis into the design, construction, and operation and maintenance of buildings. As there are various existing BEM tools available, there is a need to evaluate the utility of these tools in various phases of the building lifecycle. The goal of this research was to develop guidelines for evaluation and selection of BEM tools to be used in particular building lifecycle phases. The objectives of this research were to: (1 Evaluate existing BEM tools; (2 Illustrate the application of the three BEM tools; (3 Re-evaluate the three BEM tools; and (4 Develop guidelines for evaluation, selection and application of BEM tools in the design, construction and operation/maintenance phases of buildings. Twelve BEM tools were initially evaluated using four criteria: interoperability, usability, available inputs, and available outputs. Each of the top three BEM tools selected based on this initial evaluation was used in a case study to simulate and evaluate energy usage, daylighting performance, and natural ventilation for two academic buildings (LEED-certified and non-LEED-certified. The results of the case study were used to re-evaluate the three BEM tools using the initial criteria with addition of the two new criteria (speed and accuracy, and to develop guidelines for evaluating and selecting BEM tools to analyze building energy performance. The major contribution of this research is the development of these guidelines that can help potential BEM users to identify the most appropriate BEM tool for application in particular building lifecycle phases.

Energy management systems in buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lush, D. M.

1979-07-01

An investigation is made of the range of possibilities available from three types of systems (automatic control devices, building envelope, and the occupants) in buildings. The following subjects are discussed: general (buildings, design and personnel); new buildings (envelope, designers, energy and load calculations, plant design, general design parameters); existing buildings (conservation measures, general energy management, air conditioned buildings, industrial buildings); man and motivation (general, energy management and documentation, maintenance, motivation); automatic energy management systems (thermostatic controls, optimized plant start up, air conditioned and industrial buildings, building automatic systems). (MCW)

Building calculations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Bjarne Christian; Hansen, Svend Ole

Textbook on design of large panel building including rules on robustness and a method for producing the Statical documentattion......Textbook on design of large panel building including rules on robustness and a method for producing the Statical documentattion...

Buildings interoperability landscape - Draft

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hardin, Dave B. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Stephan, Eric G. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Wang, Weimin [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Corbin, Charles D. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Widergren, Steven E. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2015-02-01

Buildings are an integral part of our nation’s energy economy. The advancement in information and communications technology (ICT) has revolutionized energy management in industrial facilities and large commercial buildings. As ICT costs decrease and capabilities increase, buildings automation and energy management features are transforming the small-medium commercial and residential buildings sectors. A vision of a connected world in which equipment and systems within buildings coordinate with each other to efficiently meet their owners’ and occupants’ needs, and where buildings regularly transact business with other buildings and service providers (such as gas and electric service providers) is emerging. However, while the technology to support this collaboration has been demonstrated at various degrees of maturity, the integration frameworks and ecosystems of products that support the ability to easily install, maintain, and evolve building systems and their equipment components are struggling to nurture the fledging business propositions of their proponents.

Dutch Building Decree

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scholten, N.P.M.

2000-01-01

On the 1 October 1992 a change in the Dutch building legislation took effect: the revised Housing Act, the Building Decree and the technical documents related to this legislation came into force. This publication contains an English translation of the Building Decree. In order to give an idea of the

Improving building performance using smart building concept: Benefit cost ratio comparison

Science.gov (United States)

Berawi, Mohammed Ali; Miraj, Perdana; Sayuti, Mustika Sari; Berawi, Abdur Rohim Boy

2017-11-01

Smart building concept is an implementation of technology developed in the construction industry throughout the world. However, the implementation of this concept is still below expectations due to various obstacles such as higher initial cost than a conventional concept and existing regulation siding with the lowest cost in the tender process. This research aims to develop intelligent building concept using value engineering approach to obtain added value regarding quality, efficiency, and innovation. The research combined quantitative and qualitative approach using questionnaire survey and value engineering method to achieve the research objectives. The research output will show additional functions regarding technology innovation that may increase the value of a building. This study shows that smart building concept requires higher initial cost, but produces lower operational and maintenance costs. Furthermore, it also confirms that benefit-cost ratio on the smart building was much higher than a conventional building, that is 1.99 to 0.88.

Building Evidence for Health: Green Buildings, Current Science, and Future Challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Cedeño-Laurent, J G; Williams, A; MacNaughton, P; Cao, X; Eitland, E; Spengler, J; Allen, J

2018-04-01

Civilizational challenges have questioned the status quo of energy and material consumption by humans. From the built environment perspective, a response to these challenges was the creation of green buildings. Although the revolutionary capacity of the green building movement has elevated the expectations of new commercial construction, its rate of implementation has secluded the majority of the population from its benefits. Beyond reductions in energy usage and increases in market value, the main strength of green buildings may be the procurement of healthier building environments. Further pursuing the right to healthy indoor environments could help the green building movement to attain its full potential as a transformational public health tool. On the basis of 40 years of research on indoor environmental quality, we present a summary of nine environment elements that are foundational to human health. We posit the role of green buildings as a critical research platform within a novel sustainability framework based on social-environmental capital assets.

Training Solutions to the Global Challenges of a Nuclear Renaissance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garces, M.; Chan, S.; Leo, C.; Garcia, S.; Vidal, B.

2010-01-01

From East Asia to the United States and all over Europe, the nuclear re-birth is generating demands the training simulation vendors had not faced before. Companies involved in the planning, design, construction and operation of new plants increasingly require simulation tools to satisfy very different needs, all of them on a large scale: education and support of inexperienced newcomer staff, human factors analysis and control room design, e-learning, verification and validation of I and C systems or training and licensing of crews before the actual installations are complete. There is a full set of applications already available to the whole industry to satisfy these needs. End-user friendly Thunder Real-Time Executive (T-REX), poised to become the standard simulation platform for U.S. plants, makes it possible to provide full-scope simulator and simulator exercises to students and others on a memory stick or over the internet. AREVA EPR full-scope training simulator, based on the ALICES integrated object-oriented simulation environment, becomes an engineering simulator for the Flamanville 3 plant under construction in Normandy; the same will happen to the Taishan 1 and 2 simulators in Guangdong (China) while UniStar plans to apply this approach to the future EPR's to be built in the United States. SIREP PWR Basic Principle Simulator, with simplified models which can run on an ordinary PC, is used at GDF SUEZ offices in Brussels to implement their Nuclear Trainees Program. EDF Training Department chooses On-line Micro Simulation (MicroSel), which can be managed with Learning Management Systems, for classroom and stand-alone learning of the basic characteristics of French reactors. All these are examples of how extensive R and D and innovation programs implemented by the simulator providers, some of them under way here in Spain, will help to overcome some of the challenges of the current nuclear expansion.

Building valve amplifiers

CERN Document Server

Jones, Morgan

2013-01-01

Building Valve Amplifiers is a unique hands-on guide for anyone working with tube audio equipment--as an electronics hobbyist, audiophile or audio engineer. This 2nd Edition builds on the success of the first with technology and technique revisions throughout and, significantly, a major new self-build project, worked through step-by-step, which puts into practice the principles and techniques introduced throughout the book. Particular attention has been paid to answering questions commonly asked by newcomers to the world of the valve, whether audio enthusiasts tackling their first build or

U.S. Department of Energy Commercial Reference Building Models of the National Building Stock

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deru, M.; Field, K.; Studer, D.; Benne, K.; Griffith, B.; Torcellini, P.; Liu, B.; Halverson, M.; Winiarski, D.; Rosenberg, M.; Yazdanian, M.; Huang, J.; Crawley, D.

2011-02-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building Technologies Program has set the aggressive goal of producing marketable net-zero energy buildings by 2025. This goal will require collaboration between the DOE laboratories and the building industry. We developed standard or reference energy models for the most common commercial buildings to serve as starting points for energy efficiency research. These models represent fairly realistic buildings and typical construction practices. Fifteen commercial building types and one multifamily residential building were determined by consensus between DOE, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and represent approximately two-thirds of the commercial building stock.

Commercial Buildings Characteristics, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-04-29

Commercial Buildings Characteristics 1992 presents statistics about the number, type, and size of commercial buildings in the United States as well as their energy-related characteristics. These data are collected in the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), a national survey of buildings in the commercial sector. The 1992 CBECS is the fifth in a series conducted since 1979 by the Energy Information Administration. Approximately 6,600 commercial buildings were surveyed, representing the characteristics and energy consumption of 4.8 million commercial buildings and 67.9 billion square feet of commercial floorspace nationwide. Overall, the amount of commercial floorspace in the United States increased an average of 2.4 percent annually between 1989 and 1992, while the number of commercial buildings increased an average of 2.0 percent annually.

Building performance simulation as a design tool for refurbishment of buildings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hensen, J.L.M.; Bartak, M.; Drkal, F.; Dunovska, T.; Lain, M.; Matuska, T.; Schwarzer, J.; Sourek, B.; Bednar, T.

2004-01-01

This paper attempts to outline the current state-of-the-art regarding the use of building performance simulation as a design tool for refurbishment of buildings. This is illus-trated by means of three recent studies for conversion of historical buildings (an early 20th century factory, and a water

Measurement in Sustainable Building

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hale, Lara

2018-01-01

Measurement is a necessary aspect of planning and constructing buildings. However, recent attempts to integrate the social dimension of sustainable building into building design and specifications demand measurement of non-technical qualities, such as well-being. The Active House Alliance, in lieu...... and continued provision of sustainable buildings to market demand....

Healthy Buildings '88

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berglund, B.; Lindvall, T.; Maansson, L.G.

1988-06-01

The Healthy Buildings '88 Conference focuses on the technical solutions and functional requirements contributing to Healthy Buildings for people to live and work in. The main object of the Conference is to give architects, consultants, real-estate owners and manufacturers of building materials recommendations on choice of materials and choice of systems and on how to combine materials and systems. The program includes overview lectures, plenary symposia with invited speakers, workshops, poster presentations and an exhibition of scientific, educational and technical material. One part of the conference is devoted to the problem of radon in residential buildings

Building perservation practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pilegaard, Marie Kirstine

, and they indicate the importance of this story to be preserved. The professionals, who cooperate on the preservation efforts for the cultural environments today, all emphasizes the communication of the story, but using different approaches towards the processes of reading, interpreting and communicating. The role...... planning? In this paper I will focus on the communication of the architects working with building preservation and planning, how they communicate the building, the interventions and the storytelling in practice. The methods used by the architects are based on a practice, where some skills are learned...... through education, such as documentation of buildings and the restoration as a way of communicating the architect's intervention on the building, meanwhile the communication of the buildings history is seen as a "natural" skill and the methods are not questioned in the practice. The storytelling has today...

Building materials. Stichwort Baustoff

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rohwer, W

1981-01-01

To handle building materials properly, one must know about their characteristics. This pocket book will be of help: structured like a glossary, it gives brief descriptions of the most common building materials. It is small and handy enough to be a constant companion to resident engineers, foremen, gangers, building tradesmen, and construction workers and an aid in their training. The following groups of building materials are discussed: Natural stone; units for brick walls, floors, and roofs; mortar and concrete (definitions, binders, aggregates, additives, admixtures, mixing water); special types of plaster and rendering; light-weight building boards and wood wool basis; multilayer light-weight building boards; gypsum plasterboards; chimney construction; sewers; thermal insulation and sound section; structural steels; plastics.

Environmental Evaluation of Building Materials of 5 Slovak Buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Porhincak, Milan; Estokova, Adriana

2013-11-01

Building activity has recently led to the deterioration of environment and has become unsustainable. Several strategies have been introduced in order to minimize consumption of energy and resulting CO2 emissions having their origin in the operational phase. But also other stages of Life Cycle should are important to identify the overall environmental impact of construction sector. In this paper 5 similar Slovak buildings (family houses) were analyzed in terms of environmental performance of building materials used for their structures. Evaluation included the weight of used materials, embodied energy and embodied CO2 and SO2 emissions. Analysis has proven that the selection of building materials is an important factor which influences the environmental profile. Findings of the case study indicated that materials like concrete, ceramic or thermal insulation materials based on polystyrene and mineral wool are ones with the most negative environmental impact.

Building Momentum: National Trends and Prospects for High-Performance Green Buildings.

Science.gov (United States)

2003

This report is an outgrowth of the Green Building Roundtable of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held in conjunction with the U.S. Green Building Council on April 24, 2002. The roundtable brought together diverse interests to educate members of Congress on green building trends and generated discussion about the economic…

Optimizing Energy Consumption in Building Designs Using Building Information Model (BIM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Egwunatum Samuel

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Given the ability of a Building Information Model (BIM to serve as a multi-disciplinary data repository, this paper seeks to explore and exploit the sustainability value of Building Information Modelling/models in delivering buildings that require less energy for their operation, emit less CO2 and at the same time provide a comfortable living environment for their occupants. This objective was achieved by a critical and extensive review of the literature covering: (1 building energy consumption, (2 building energy performance and analysis, and (3 building information modeling and energy assessment. The literature cited in this paper showed that linking an energy analysis tool with a BIM model helped project design teams to predict and create optimized energy consumption. To validate this finding, an in-depth analysis was carried out on a completed BIM integrated construction project using the Arboleda Project in the Dominican Republic. The findings showed that the BIM-based energy analysis helped the design team achieve the world’s first 103% positive energy building. From the research findings, the paper concludes that linking an energy analysis tool with a BIM model helps to expedite the energy analysis process, provide more detailed and accurate results as well as deliver energy-efficient buildings. The study further recommends that the adoption of a level 2 BIM and the integration of BIM in energy optimization analyse should be made compulsory for all projects irrespective of the method of procurement (government-funded or otherwise or its size.

Measures taken by the building authorities in order to reduce radiation risks in buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tell, Wilhelm

1980-01-01

The Swedish radon commission has recommended that the risk of radiation and radon emission from the ground be considered when planning for new settlements, building materials with high radioactivity not be allowed for new buildings, and existing buildings with high levels of radioactivity be traced and improved. Maps of gamma radiation from the ground are being worked out showing areas with levels higher than 30 μR/h. Within such areas buildings should be planned taking the ultimate limits for new buildings into account. Building permits are granted for construction of new structures or extensive renovations if it can be shown that radiation levels within the buildings will be within legal limits: 70 Bq/m 3 for new buildings and 200 Bq/m 3 for existing ones. The radon commission has suggested that buildings with a radon daughter concentration exceeding 400 Bq/m 3 should be found and levels reduced to 200 Bq/m 3

Building energy, building leadership : recommendations for the adoption, development, and implementation of a commercial building energy code in Manitoba

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akerstream, T. [Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Allard, K. [City of Thompson, Thompson, MB (Canada); Anderson, N.; Beacham, D. [Manitoba Office of the Fire Commissioner, Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Andrich, R. [The Forks North Portage Partnership, MB (Canada); Auger, A. [Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Office of Energy Efficiency; Downs, R.G. [Shindico Realty Inc., Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Eastwood, R. [Number Ten Architectural Group, Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Hewitt, C. [SMS Engineering Ltd., Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Joshi, D. [City of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Klassen, K. [Manitoba Dept. of Energy Science and Technology, Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Phillips, B. [Unies Ltd., Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Wiebe, R. [Ben Wiebe Construction Ltd., Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Woelk, D. [Bockstael Construction Ltd., Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Ziemski, S. [CREIT Management LLP, Winnipeg, MB (Canada)

2006-09-15

This report presented a strategy and a set of recommendations for the adoption, development and implementation of an energy code for new commercial construction in Manitoba. The report was compiled by an advisory committee comprised of industry representatives and government agency representatives. Recommendations were divided into 4 categories: (1) advisory committee recommendations; (2) code adoption recommendations; (3) code development recommendations; and (4) code implementation recommendations. It was suggested that Manitoba should adopt an amended version of the Model National Energy Code for Buildings (1997) as a regulation under the Buildings and Mobile Homes Act. Participation in a national initiative to update the Model National Energy Code for Buildings was also advised. It was suggested that the energy code should be considered as the first step in a longer-term process towards a sustainable commercial building code. However, the code should be adopted within the context of a complete market transformation approach. Other recommendations included: the establishment of a multi-stakeholder energy code task group; the provision of information and technical resources to help build industry capacity; the establishment of a process for energy code compliance; and an ongoing review of the energy code to assess impacts and progress. Supplemental recommendations for future discussion included the need for integrated design by building design teams in Manitoba; the development of a program to provide technical assistance to building design teams; and collaboration between post-secondary institutions to develop and deliver courses on integrated building design to students and professionals. 17 refs.

Building integration of PCM for natural cooling of buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Álvarez, Servando; Cabeza, Luisa F.; Ruiz-Pardo, Alvaro; Castell, Albert; Tenorio, José Antonio

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A brief overview of PCM solutions for buildings is provided. ► Some weaknesses of existing PCM solutions for buildings were identified. ► New solutions for PCM integration in buildings are proposed. ► Proposed solutions overcome identified weaknesses of existing solutions. - Abstract: The use of night cooling ventilation in addition of phase change materials (PCMs) is a very powerful strategy for reducing the cooling demand of buildings. Nevertheless, there are inherent drawbacks in the way things have been doing so far: (a) The limited area of contact between PCM and the air; (b) the very low convective heat transfer coefficients which prevents the use of significant amounts of PCM and (c) the very low utilization factor of the cool stored due to the large phase shift between the time when cool is stored and time when it is required by the building. In this paper, we present innovative solutions using PCM to overcome the above situation. Compared with existing solutions, innovative solutions proposed, increase the contact area between PCM and air by a factor of approximately 3.6, increase the convective heat transfer coefficient significantly, and improve the utilization factor due to the inclusion of active control systems which allow the cold stored be actually used when required

Building-related symptoms and inflammatory potency of dust from office buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Allermann, L; Pejtersen, J; Gunnarsen, L

2007-01-01

UNLABELLED: The aim was to investigate the association between building-related symptoms (BRS) in office buildings and the inflammatory potency of dust (PD). Furthermore, the association between dust potency and various building characteristics was investigated. Occupants of 22 office buildings...... received a retrospective questionnaire about BRS (2301 respondents). Dust was collected from groups of offices and building characteristics were recorded. The potency of a dust sample to induce interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion from the lung epithelial cell line A549 was measured as the slope of the initial...... linear part of the concentration-response curve. Symptoms of the central nervous system (CNS) were associated with the potency of surface dust (OR = 1.4). This association may be due to an association between an index of CNS symptoms and dust potency in offices of 1-6 occupants (OR = 1.5). No single...

Energy savings potential from improved building controls for the US commercial building sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez, Nick; Katipamula, Srinivas; Wang, Weimin; Xie, Yulong; Zhao, Mingjie

2017-09-27

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Building Technologies Office (BTO) sponsored a study to determine the potential national savings achievable in the commercial building sector through widespread deployment of best practice controls, elimination of system and component faults, and use of better sensing. Detailed characterization of potential savings was one source of input to set research, development, and deployment (RD&D) goals in the field of building sensors and controls. DOE’s building energy simulation software, EnergyPlus, was employed to estimate the potential savings from 34 measures in 9 building types and across 16 climates representing almost 57% of commercial building sector energy consumption. In addition to estimating savings from individual measures, three packages of measures were created to estimate savings from the packages. These packages represented an 1) efficient building, 2) typical building, and 3) inefficient building. To scale the results from individual measures or a package to the national scale, building weights by building type and climate locations from the Energy Information Administration’s 2012 Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) were used. The results showed significant potential for energy savings across all building types and climates. The total site potential savings from individual measures by building type and climate location ranged between 0% and 25%. The total site potential savings by building type aggregated across all climates (using the CBECS building weights) for each measure varied between 0% and 16%. The total site potential savings aggregated across all building types and climates for each measure varied between 0% and 11%. Some individual measures had negative savings because correcting underlying operational problems (e.g., inadequate ventilation) resulted in increased energy consumption. When combined into packages, the overall national savings potential is estimated to be 29

Future Green Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mathiesen, Brian Vad; Drysdale, David; Lund, Henrik

an energy system integration perspective, heat savings, electricity savings, and user behavioural aspects as well as energy storage and household level flexibility. Many reports on green or sustainable buildings focus only on savings levels and disregard the cost of renewable energy production. Some reports......Efficient buildings are essential for an affordable Danish energy supply in 2050. The purpose of this report is to describe the contribution and role of the building sector in a 100% renewable energy future, as well as the transitions that are necessary in the building sector to support this change....... The report builds on a literature review encompassing more than 50 reports and research papers over the last 10 years and more than a two decades knowledge about the interactions between different components of the energy sector. The review has been focused on aspects such as cost-effective solutions from...

Modern frame structure buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

В. М. Першаков

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the design, construction and implementation of reinforced concrete frame structures with span 18, 21 m for agricultural production buildings, hall-premises of public buildings and buildings of agricultural aviation. Structures are prefabricated frame buildings and have such advantages as large space inside the structure and lower cost compared with other facilities with same purpose

Building Acoustics

Science.gov (United States)

Cowan, James

This chapter summarizes and explains key concepts of building acoustics. These issues include the behavior of sound waves in rooms, the most commonly used rating systems for sound and sound control in buildings, the most common noise sources found in buildings, practical noise control methods for these sources, and the specific topic of office acoustics. Common noise issues for multi-dwelling units can be derived from most of the sections of this chapter. Books can be and have been written on each of these topics, so the purpose of this chapter is to summarize this information and provide appropriate resources for further exploration of each topic.

Building Software with Gradle

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva; Studer, Etienne

2014-01-01

In this presentation, we will give an overview of the key concepts and main features of Gradle, the innovative build system that has become the de-facto standard in the enterprise. We will cover task declaration and task graph execution, incremental builds, multi-project builds, dependency management, applying plugins, extracting reusable build logic, bootstrapping a build, and using the Gradle daemon. By the end of this talk, you will have a good understanding of what makes Gradle so powerful yet easy to use. You will also understand why companies like Pivotal, LinkedIn, Google, and other giants with complex builds count on Gradle. About the speakers Etienne is leading the Tooling Team at Gradleware. He has been working as a developer, architect, project manager, and CTO over the past 15 years. He has spent most of his time building software products from the ground up and successfully shipping them to happy customers. He had ...

Wall envelopes in office buildings: design trend and implications on cooling load of buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibrahim, N.; Ahmed, A.Z.; Ahmed, S.S.

2006-01-01

The wall envelope is a vital element of a building especially to a high rise building where its wall to building volume ratio is higher compared to other building forms. As well as a means of architectural expression, the wall envelope protects and regulates the indoor environment. In recent years there have been many applications of glass products and cladding systems in high-rise buildings built in Kuala Lumpur. This paper describes a recent research and survey on wall envelope designs adopted in 33 high-rise office buildings built in the central business district of Kuala Lumpur since 1990. This research adopts component design analysis to identify dominant trends on wall envelope design for the surveyed buildings. The paper seeks to discourse the implications of this design trend on energy consumption of high-rise office buildings in the country

Tribal Green Building Toolkit

Science.gov (United States)

This Tribal Green Building Toolkit (Toolkit) is designed to help tribal officials, community members, planners, developers, and architects develop and adopt building codes to support green building practices. Anyone can use this toolkit!

Design and development of Building energy simulation Software for prefabricated cabin type of industrial building (PCES)

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jun; Li, Ri Yi

2018-06-01

Building energy simulation is an important supporting tool for green building design and building energy consumption assessment, At present, Building energy simulation software can't meet the needs of energy consumption analysis and cabinet level micro environment control design of prefabricated building. thermal physical model of prefabricated building is proposed in this paper, based on the physical model, the energy consumption calculation software of prefabricated cabin building(PCES) is developed. we can achieve building parameter setting, energy consumption simulation and building thermal process and energy consumption analysis by PCES.

Building-related symptoms and inflammatory potency of dust from office buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Allermann, Leila; Pejtersen, Jan; Gunnarsen, Lars Bo

2007-01-01

Abstract The aim was to investigate the association between building-related symptoms (BRS) in office buildings and the inflammatory potency of dust (PD). Furthermore, the association between dust potency and various building characteristics was investigated. Occupants of 22 office buildings...... received a retrospective questionnaire about BRS (2301 respondents). Dust was collected from groups of offices and building characteristics were recorded. The potency of a dust sample to induce interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion from the lung epithelial cell line A549 was measured as the slope of the initial...... linear part of the concentration- response curve. Symptoms of the central nervous system (CNS) were associated with the potency of surface dust (OR ¼ 1.4). This association may be due to an association between an index of CNS symptoms and dust potency in offices of 1-6 occupants (OR ¼ 1.5). No single...

CERN's newest building

CERN Multimedia

Anaïs Vernède

2011-01-01

With a growing number of users looking for offices, the shortage of space has become acute, particularly for physicists. Building 42, inaugurated on Friday 11 February, offers almost 300 new work-spaces and a particularly pleasant working environment.   Mauro Dell’Ambrogio, the Swiss State Secretary for Education and Research (left), Rolf Heuer , CERN Director-General (centre), and Mark Muller, President of the Government of the Republic and Canton of Geneva and Head of the Department of Construction and Information Technology (right) at the opening of Building 42 on 11 February, 2011.   Construction work for the new Building 42 began in January 2009, thanks to support from the Swiss foundation FIPOI (Fondation des immeubles pour les organisations internationales). After two years of work, the building, an extension of Building 40, is ready to accommodate physicists from around the world who have come to work on the LHC. "We had more than 25 external contractors working...

Building Energy Efficiency in India: Compliance Evaluation of Energy Conservation Building Code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Sha; Evans, Meredydd; Delgado, Alison

2014-03-26

India is experiencing unprecedented construction boom. The country doubled its floorspace between 2001 and 2005 and is expected to add 35 billion m2 of new buildings by 2050. Buildings account for 35% of total final energy consumption in India today, and building energy use is growing at 8% annually. Studies have shown that carbon policies will have little effect on reducing building energy demand. Chaturvedi et al. predicted that, if there is no specific sectoral policies to curb building energy use, final energy demand of the Indian building sector will grow over five times by the end of this century, driven by rapid income and population growth. The growing energy demand in buildings is accompanied by a transition from traditional biomass to commercial fuels, particularly an increase in electricity use. This also leads to a rapid increase in carbon emissions and aggravates power shortage in India. Growth in building energy use poses challenges to the Indian government. To curb energy consumption in buildings, the Indian government issued the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) in 2007, which applies to commercial buildings with a connected load of 100 kW or 120kVA. It is predicted that the implementation of ECBC can help save 25-40% of energy, compared to reference buildings without energy-efficiency measures. However, the impact of ECBC depends on the effectiveness of its enforcement and compliance. Currently, the majority of buildings in India are not ECBC-compliant. The United Nations Development Programme projected that code compliance in India would reach 35% by 2015 and 64% by 2017. Whether the projected targets can be achieved depends on how the code enforcement system is designed and implemented. Although the development of ECBC lies in the hands of the national government – the Bureau of Energy Efficiency under the Ministry of Power, the adoption and implementation of ECBC largely relies on state and local governments. Six years after ECBC�

77 FR 24494 - Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings; Green Building Advisory Committee...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-24

... Federal High-Performance Green Buildings; Green Building Advisory Committee; Notification of Upcoming... agenda for the May 9, 2012, meeting of the Green Building Advisory Committee Meeting (the Committee). The... Sandler, Designated Federal Officer, Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings, Office of...

77 FR 66616 - Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings; Green Building Advisory Committee...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-06

... Federal High-Performance Green Buildings; Green Building Advisory Committee; Notification of Upcoming... and agenda for the November 27, 2012, meeting of the Green Building Advisory Committee Meeting (the... Green Buildings, Office of Government-wide Policy, General Services Administration, 1275 First Street NE...

78 FR 21368 - Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings; Green Building Advisory Committee...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-10

... Federal High-Performance Green Buildings; Green Building Advisory Committee; Notification of Upcoming... and agenda for the May 1, 2013, meeting of the Green Building Advisory Committee Meeting (the... Green Buildings, Office of Government-wide Policy, General Services Administration, 1275 First Street NE...

Role of Growth Differentiation Factor 9 and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15 in Ovarian Function and Their Importance in Mammalian Female Fertility — A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda Cavallari de Castro

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Growth factors play an important role during early ovarian development and folliculogenesis, since they regulate the migration of germ cells to the gonadal ridge. They also act on follicle recruitment, proliferation/atresia of granulosa cells and theca, steroidogenesis, oocyte maturation, ovulation and luteinization. Among the growth factors, the growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9 and the bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15, belong to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β superfamily, have been implicated as essential for follicular development. The GDF9 and BMP15 participate in the evolution of the primordial follicle to primary follicle and play an important role in the later stages of follicular development and maturation, increasing the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein expression, plasminogen activator and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR. These factors are also involved in the interconnections between the oocyte and surrounding cumulus cells, where they regulate absorption of amino acids, glycolysis and biosynthesis of cholesterol cumulus cells. Even though the mode of action has not been fully established, in vitro observations indicate that the factors GDF9 and BMP15 stimulate the growth of ovarian follicles and proliferation of cumulus cells through the induction of mitosis in cells and granulosa and theca expression of genes linked to follicular maturation. Thus, seeking greater understanding of the action of these growth factors on the development of oocytes, the role of GDF9 and BMP15 in ovarian function is summarized in this brief review.

Building lifespan: effect on the environmental impact of building components in a Danish perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marsh, Rob

2017-01-01

of building lifespan are inadequately addressed. The aim of this research is therefore to explore how environmental impact from building components is affected by building lifespans of 50, 80, 100 and 120 years in a Danish context. LCAs are undertaken for 792 parametric variations of typical construction...... solutions, covering all primary building components and based on contemporary practice. A full statistical analysis is carried out, which shows a significant statistical correlation between changes in building lifespan and environmental impact for all primary building components, except windows......Construction professionals must now integrate environmental concerns with life cycle assessment (LCA) early in the procurement process. Building lifespan is important to LCA, since results must be normalized on an annualized basis for comparison. However, the scientific literature shows that issues...

Green Building Tools for Tribes

Science.gov (United States)

Tribal green building tools and funding information to support tribal building code adoption, healthy building, siting, energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation, green building materials, recycling and adaptation and resilience.

BUILDING 341 Seismic Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halle, J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-06-15

The Seismic Evaluation of Building 341 located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California has been completed. The subject building consists of a main building, Increment 1, and two smaller additions; Increments 2 and 3.

Safe transport of radioactive materials in Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Shinawy, R.M.K.

1994-01-01

In Egypt the national regulations for safe transport of radioactive materials (RAM) are based on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations. In addition, regulations for the safe transport of these materials through the Suez Canal (SC) were laid down by the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA) and the Suez Canal Authority (SCA). They are continuously updated to meet the increased knowledge and the gained experience. The technical and protective measures taken during transport of RAM through SC are mentioned. Assessment of the impact of transporting radioactive materials through the Suez Canal using the INTERTRAN computer code was carried out in cooperation with IAEA. The transported activities and empty containers, the number of vessels carrying RAM through the canal from 1963 and 1991 and their nationalities are also discussed. The protective measures are mentioned. A review of the present situation of the radioactive wastes storage facilities at the Atomic Energy site at Inshas is given along with the regulation for safe transportation and disposal of radioactive wastes. (Author)

Regression Tree-Based Methodology for Customizing Building Energy Benchmarks to Individual Commercial Buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Kaskhedikar, Apoorva Prakash

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, commercial buildings represent about 40% of the United State's energy consumption of which office buildings consume a major portion. Gauging the extent to which an individual building consumes energy in excess of its peers is the first step in initiating energy efficiency improvement. Energy Benchmarking offers initial building energy performance assessment without rigorous evaluation. Energy benchmarking tools based on the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) database are investigated in this thesis. This study proposes a new benchmarking methodology based on decision trees, where a relationship between the energy use intensities (EUI) and building parameters (continuous and categorical) is developed for different building types. This methodology was applied to medium office and school building types contained in the CBECS database. The Random Forest technique was used to find the most influential parameters that impact building energy use intensities. Subsequently, correlations which were significant were identified between EUIs and CBECS variables. Other than floor area, some of the important variables were number of workers, location, number of PCs and main cooling equipment. The coefficient of variation was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the new model. The customization technique proposed in this thesis was compared with another benchmarking model that is widely used by building owners and designers namely, the ENERGY STAR's Portfolio Manager. This tool relies on the standard Linear Regression methods which is only able to handle continuous variables. The model proposed uses data mining technique and was found to perform slightly better than the Portfolio Manager. The broader impacts of the new benchmarking methodology proposed is that it allows for identifying important categorical variables, and then incorporating them in a local, as against a global, model framework for EUI

Green commercial building insurance in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yu Xin Ou; Chew, Boon Cheong; Loo, Heoy Shin; Tan, Lay Hong

2017-03-01

Green building construction is growing tremendously globally even in Malaysia. Currently, there are approximate 636 buildings have registered and to be certified with Green Building Index. Among these buildings, 45 buildings have already fulfilled the requirements and fully certified. The other buildings still under provisional certification stage. Malaysia had adopted Green Building Index in 2009 to support a move to promote green building concept. Malaysia starts to move towards green building because Malaysian construction and building industry realizes that both energy consumed and waste produced are reduced without irreversible impacts to ecosystems. Consequently, insurance companies such as Fireman's Fund from America has started the green building insurance policies for their green building in the year of 2006, while Malaysia still remain the coverage for green buildings using conventional property insurance. There are lacks of efforts to be seen from insurance companies to propose green building insurance for these green buildings. There are a few factors which can take into consideration for insurance companies to start the very first green building insurance in Malaysia. Although there are challenges, some efficient strategies have been identified to overcome the problems. The methods used in this research topic is qualitative research. The results obtained shows that green commercial building insurance has a huge business opportunity in Malaysia because the number of green commercial buildings are increasing tremendously in Malaysia. It is a favor to implement green building insurance in Malaysia. Furthermore, insurance companies can consider to add in extra coverage in standard building policy to provide extra protection for non-certified green buildings which have the intention to rebuilt in green when damage happens. Generally, it is very important to introduce green commercial buildings insurance into Malaysia so that all of the green commercial

Daylight case study building. A working document of Task 21. Daylight in buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kristensen, P E

1997-05-01

This report describes 16 buildings, that have been selected as Task 21 case studies. Totally 15 buildings will be monitored and described according to the procedures developed in Task 21. One case study building is in design stage, the new ISE Headquarters in Freiburg, and this project has been selected as a case study on building design. The monitoring programme for the buildings runs through 1997 until mid 1998. The present document serves as a basic document describing the case studies, until the projects will be described in more detail, including monitoring results, towards the end of the Task. (au)

Impact of Building Design Parameters on Thermal Energy Flexibility in a Low-Energy Building

OpenAIRE

Sarran, Lucile; Foteinaki, Kyriaki; Gianniou, Panagiota; Rode, Carsten

2017-01-01

This work focuses on demand-side management potential for the heating grid in residential buildings. The possibility to increase the flexibility provided to the heat network through specific building design is investigated. The role of different parts of the building structure on thermal flexibility is assessed through a parameter variation on a building model. Different building designs are subjected to heat cut-offs, and flexibility is evaluated with respect to comfort preservation and heat...

Digital Handover of Data from Building Projects to Building Operation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Per Anker

2006-01-01

pro-jects to building operation. This project started in 2004 with research and analyses fol-lowed by development of a proposal for client requirements and in 2005 a first test on a real construction project has been carried out. After revision of the requirements a second test will be started early...... and construction and on the other side in building opera-tion and facilities management. In Denmark the government has launched a development program called Digital Construction and one of the projects concerns specifying require-ments for building clients in relation to digital handover of data from construction...... by a consortium called DACaPo consisting of a building client/facilities manager, a consulting company, a contractor and a university institute. This paper presents some of the results from the project with the main focus on the initial research....

Hawaii-Okinawa Building Evaluations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metzger, I.; Salasovich, J.

2013-05-01

NREL conducted energy evaluations at the Itoman City Hall building in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, and the Hawaii State Capitol building in Honolulu, Hawaii. This report summarizes the findings from the evaluations, including the best practices identified at each site and opportunities for improving energy efficiency and renewable energy. The findings from this evaluation are intended to inform energy efficient building design, energy efficiency technology, and management protocols for buildings in subtropical climates.

Energy Efficiency Building Code for Commercial Buildings in Sri Lanka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Busch, John; Greenberg, Steve; Rubinstein, Francis; Denver, Andrea; Rawner, Esther; Franconi, Ellen; Huang, Joe; Neils, Danielle

2000-09-30

1.1.1 To encourage energy efficient design or retrofit of commercial buildings so that they may be constructed, operated, and maintained in a manner that reduces the use of energy without constraining the building function, the comfort, health, or the productivity of the occupants and with appropriate regard for economic considerations. 1.1.2 To provide criterion and minimum standards for energy efficiency in the design or retrofit of commercial buildings and provide methods for determining compliance with them. 1.1.3 To encourage energy efficient designs that exceed these criterion and minimum standards.

Energy Efficiency Building Code for Commercial Buildings in Sri Lanka

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busch, John; Greenberg, Steve; Rubinstein, Francis; Denver, Andrea; Rawner, Esther; Franconi, Ellen; Huang, Joe; Neils, Danielle

2000-01-01

1.1.1 To encourage energy efficient design or retrofit of commercial buildings so that they may be constructed, operated, and maintained in a manner that reduces the use of energy without constraining the building function, the comfort, health, or the productivity of the occupants and with appropriate regard for economic considerations. 1.1.2 To provide criterion and minimum standards for energy efficiency in the design or retrofit of commercial buildings and provide methods for determining compliance with them. 1.1.3 To encourage energy efficient designs that exceed these criterion and minimum standards

Radon in buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, N.M.; Finn, M.

1995-01-01

This guide is intended to inform designers, contractors, householders and other building owners about radon in buildings and to provide guidance where it has been decided to take action to reduce radon levels. It gives some pointers to good practice insofar as it relates to non complex buildings of normal design and construction. Reference is made to the usual ways of reducing l;levels of radon and guidance is given on sources of further information. I

use of the RESRAD-BUILD code to calculate building surface contamination limits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faillace, E.R.; LePoire, D.; Yu, C.

1996-01-01

Surface contamination limits in buildings were calculated for 226 Ra, 230 Th, 232 Th, and natural uranium on the basis of 1 mSv y -1 (100 mrem y -1 ) dose limit. The RESRAD-BUILD computer code was used to calculate these limits for two scenarios: building occupancy and building renovation. RESRAD-BUILD is a pathway analysis model designed to evaluate the potential radiological dose incurred by individuals working or living inside a building contaminated with radioactive material. Six exposure pathways are considered in the RESRAD-BUILD code: (1) external exposure directly from the source; (2) external exposure from materials deposited on the floor; (3) external exposure due to air submersion; (4) inhalation of airborne radioactive particles; (5) inhalation of aerosol indoor radon progeny; and (6) inadvertent ingestion of radioactive material, either directly from the sources or from materials deposited on the surfaces. The code models point, line, area, and volume sources and calculates the effects of radiation shielding, building ventilation, and ingrowth of radioactive decay products. A sensitivity analysis was performed to determine how variations in input parameters would affect the surface contamination limits. In most cases considered, inhalation of airborne radioactive particles was the primary exposure pathway. However, the direct external exposure contribution from surfaces contaminated with 226 Ra was in some cases the dominant pathway for building occupancy depending on the room size, ventilation rates, and surface release fractions. The surface contamination limits are most restrictive for 232 Th, followed by 230 Th, natural uranium, and 226 Ra. The results are compared with the surface contamination limits in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Regulatory Guide 1.86, which are most restrictive for 226 Ra and 230 Th, followed by 232 Th, and are least restrictive for natural uranium

Synthetic building materials for transport buildings and structures

Science.gov (United States)

Gerasimova, Vera

2017-10-01

The most effective building materials account for the highest growth not only in construction of residential and public buildings, but also other capital projects including roadways, bridges, drainage, communications and other engineering projects. Advancement in the technology of more efficient and ecologically responsible insulation materials have been a priority for safety, minimal maintenance and longevity of finished construction projects. The practical use of modern building materials such as insulation, sound reduction and low energy consumption are a benefit in cost and application compared to the use of outdated heavier and labor-intensive materials. The most efficient way for maximizing insolation and sound proofing should be done during the design stages of the project according to existing codes and regulations that are required by Western Government. All methods and materials that are used need to be optimized in order to reach a high durability and low operational and maintenance cost exceeding more than 50 years of the life of the building, whether it is for public, industrial or residential use. Western construction techniques and technologies need to be applied and adapted by the Russian Federation to insure the most productive successful methods are being implemented. The issues of efficient insulation materials are outlined in this article.

Building 431 fire tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvares, N.J.; Beason, D.G.; Ford, H.W.; Magee, M.W.

1977-01-01

An extensive discussion of considerations for fire protection in the LLL mirror fusion test facility (MFTF) is presented. Because of the large volume and high bays of the building, sufficient data on fire detection is unavailable. Results of fire detection tests using controlled fire sources in the building are presented. Extensive data concerning the behavior of the building atmosphere are included. Candidate fire detection instrumentation and extinguishing systems for use in the building are briefly reviewed

Building energy governance in Shanghai

Science.gov (United States)

Kung, YiHsiu Michelle

With Asia's surging economies and urbanization, the region is adding to its built environment at an unprecedented rate, especially those population centers in China and India. With numerous existing buildings, plus a new building boom, construction in these major Asian cities has caused momentous sustainability challenges. This dissertation focuses on China's leading city, Shanghai, to explore and assess its existing commercial building energy policies and practices. Research estimates that Shanghai's commercial buildings might become a key challenge with regard to energy use and CO2 emissions as compared to other major Asian cities. Relevant building energy policy instruments at national and local levels for commercial buildings are reviewed. In addition, two benchmarks are established to further assess building energy policies in Shanghai. The first benchmark is based on the synthesis of relevant criteria and policy instruments as recommended by professional organizations, while the second practical benchmark is drawn from an analysis of three global cities: New York, London and Tokyo. Moreover, two large-scale commercial building sites - Shanghai IKEA and Plaza 66 - are selected for investigation and assessment of their efforts on building energy saving measures. Detailed building energy savings, CO2 reductions, and management cost reductions based on data availability and calculations are presented with the co-benefits approach. The research additionally analyzes different interventions and factors that facilitate or constrain the implementation process of building energy saving measures in each case. Furthermore, a multi-scale analytical framework is employed to investigate relevant stakeholders that shape Shanghai's commercial building energy governance. Research findings and policy recommendations are offered at the close of this dissertation. Findings and policy recommendations are intended to facilitate commercial building energy governance in Shanghai and

A Study to Compare the Cost of Operation and Maintenance in Green Building Index (GBI and Non-Green Building Index (Non-GBI Rated Building in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ping Lee Zheng

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Urges for sustainable development had pushed the government and professional bodies to respond and react by implementing regulations where possible to direct development in that manner. However, the outcome in most financial conferences and dialogues on sustainable buildings flagged on high construction and maintenance cost. Thus, this study is conducted to collect and analyze actual building operation and maintenance cost between GBI and Non-GBI rated buildings in Malaysia which are more than 2 years fully operated buildings. There are two categories of selected buildings which are residential and non-residential type of building. Each category of the building consists of similar building’s characteristic such as geographic location, mode of operation, building heights, total numbers of floors and units. The scope of building’s maintenance for this study is mainly on wear and tear of the wall painting, electrical light fittings, ceiling panels, roofing system and mechanical services like water pump system are recorded for their replacement frequency of service and the cost involved within a consistent period of 12 months operation at cost percentage saving of 78.9% and 40.4% for residential and non-residential buildings respectively compare against Non-GBI rated buildings. Electricity consumption for GBI rated buildings are lower than Non-GBI rated buildings which recorded at the cost variance of 23.8% and 6.3% and water consumption at 35.9% and 44.0% for the above mentioned two main categories of selected case study buildings. Results from this study conclude major savings on residential buildings category in term of maintenance cost and electricity consumption for GBI rated buildings. Whereby, non-residential category of buildings, GBI rated building had been proven to obtain significant savings in terms of maintenance cost and water consumption.

Net positive energy buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romero, A.; Barreiro, E.; Sanchez Zabala, V.

2010-01-01

Buildings are great consumers of energy, being responsible for almost 36% of CO2 emissions in Europe. Though there are many initiatives towards the reduction of energy consumption and CO2 emissions in buildings, many of the alternatives are diminished due to a lack of a unique and holistic approach to the problem. This paper reports a new innovative concept of Positive Energy Buildings (EB+), as well as an integral methodology that covers the overall design process for achieving them. The methodology evaluates energy efficiency solutions at different scales, from building site to generation systems. An educational building design in Navarra serves as a case study to check the feasibility of the proposed methodology. The study concludes that the key to achieve a Positive Energy Building is a minimized energy demand, complemented by efficient facilities and enhanced by distributed power generation from renewable sources. (Author).

Building the green way.

Science.gov (United States)

Lockwood, Charles

2006-06-01

Just five or six years ago, the term "green building" evoked visions of barefoot, tie-dyed, granola-munching denizens. There's been a large shift in perception. Of course, green buildings are still known for conserving natural resources by, for example, minimizing on-site grading, using alternative materials, and recycling construction waste. But people now see the financial advantages as well. Well-designed green buildings yield lower utility costs, greater employee productivity, less absenteeism, and stronger attraction and retention of workers than standard buildings do. Green materials, mechanical systems, and furnishings have become more widely available and considerably less expensive than they used to be-often cheaper than their standard counterparts. So building green is no longer a pricey experiment; just about any company can do it on a standard budget by following the ten rules outlined by the author. Reliable building-rating systems like the U.S. Green Building Council's rigorous Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program have done much to underscore the benefits of green construction. LEED evaluates buildings and awards points in several areas, such as water efficiency and indoor environmental quality. Other rating programs include the UK's BREEAM (Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method) and Australia's Green Star. Green construction is not simply getting more respect; it is rapidly becoming a necessity as corporations push it fully into the mainstream over the next five to ten years. In fact, the author says, the owners of standard buildings face massive obsolescence. To avoid this problem, they should carry out green renovations. Corporations no longer have an excuse for eschewing environmental and economic sustainability. They have at their disposal tools proven to lower overhead costs, improve productivity, and strengthen the bottom line.

Nuclear reactor buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagashima, Shoji; Kato, Ryoichi.

1985-01-01

Purpose: To reduce the cost of reactor buildings and satisfy the severe seismic demands in tank type FBR type reactors. Constitution: In usual nuclear reactor buildings of a flat bottom embedding structure, the flat bottom is entirely embedded into the rock below the soils down to the deck level of the nuclear reactor. As a result, although the weight of the seismic structure can be decreased, the amount of excavating the cavity is significantly increased to inevitably increase the plant construction cost. Cross-like intersecting foundation mats are embedded to the building rock into a thickness capable withstanding to earthquakes while maintaining the arrangement of equipments around the reactor core in the nuclear buildings required by the system design, such as vertical relationship between the equipments, fuel exchange systems and sponteneous drainings. Since the rock is hard and less deformable, the rigidity of the walls and the support structures of the reactor buildings can be increased by the embedding into the rock substrate and floor responsivity can be reduced. This enables to reduce the cost and increasing the seismic proofness. (Kamimura, M.)

Proceedings of the CIB World Building Congress 2004 : Building for the future. CD-ROM ed.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

This conference provided an opportunity to exchange information on recent building and construction research. The main issues were arranged into the following sessions: building techniques; buildings and the environment; building processes; sustainable construction; performance based buildings and regulatory systems; revaluing construction; and, construction in developing countries. The presentations evaluated best practices in construction with reference to a wide range of topics, including heat, air and moisture transfer in buildings, roofing materials, energy conservation, building economics, urban sustainability and the future needs of the construction industry. The conference featured 40 presentations, of which 6 have been indexed separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs. ,figs.

Green Building Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Many organizations have developed model codes or rating systems that communities may use to develop green building programs or revise building ordinances. Some of the major options are listed on this page.

Building guide : how to build Xyce from source code.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keiter, Eric Richard; Russo, Thomas V.; Schiek, Richard Louis; Sholander, Peter E.; Thornquist, Heidi K.; Mei, Ting; Verley, Jason C.

2013-08-01

While Xyce uses the Autoconf and Automake system to configure builds, it is often necessary to perform more than the customary %E2%80%9C./configure%E2%80%9D builds many open source users have come to expect. This document describes the steps needed to get Xyce built on a number of common platforms.

INDUCON building concept; INDUCON-rakennuskonsepti

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarja, A.; Laine, J.; Pulakka, S.; Saari, M. [VTT Building and Transport, Espoo (Finland)

2003-08-01

The new and stronger requirements: lifetime economy, functionality in use and in changes of use, technical lifetime performance, energy efficiency, healthy, safety, ecology and local culture, are serving a challenge for the building technology. Additionally the pressure towards decreasing the construction costs with the increase of productivity of the work and capital is increased. The objective of this research work has been to respond the challenges described above with creating alternative building concepts, which could allow production of individually designed apartment and office buildings, including methodology and methods to optimise the building concepts and individual buildings in relation to the lifetime quality. Building concept is a repeatable and documented way of design and construction, which can result in individual buildings with an optimised and high lifetime quality. Lifetime quality is the capability of a building to fulfil the requirements of the users, owners and society during entire design period of the building. The INDUCON building concept is focused on the following issues: Classified and optimised lifetime quality (incl. the viewpoints of functionality, performance, economy, ecology and culture), and the realisation of industrial production on an advanced level (incl. new models of building design and construction, simplification of building systems and products, decrease of the number of parts of buildings, improvement of finishing of the prefabricated components and modules, and improving the interaction and compatibility of structures and building service systems). As a result are presented: systematised and classified definitions of performance properties of buildings; corresponding specifications of building systems, modules and components; design principles, process descriptions; examples (incl. Routings of technical building services, specification and classification of the health and comfort properties of indoor air, calculations

Salt weathering in Egyptian limestone after laboratory simulations with continuous flow of salt solutions at different temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Aly, Nevin; Gomez-Heras, Miguel; Hamed, Ayman; Alvarez de Buergo, Monica

2013-04-01

weathering in Egyptian limestone after laboratory simulations with continuous flow of salt solutions at different temperatures Nevin Aly Mohamed (1), Miguel Gomez - Heras(2), Ayman Hamed Ahmed (1), and Monica Alvarez de Buergo(2). (1) Faculty of Pet. & Min. Engineering- Suez Canal University, Suez, Egypt, (2) Instituto de Geociencias (CSIC-UCM) Madrid. Spain. Limestone is one of the most frequent building stones in Egypt and is used since the time of ancient Egyptians and salt weathering is one of the main threats to its conservation. Most of the limestone used in historical monuments in Cairo is a biomicrite extracted from the Mid-Eocene Mokattam Group. During this work, cylindrical samples (2.4 cm diameter and approx. 4.8 cm length) were subjected, in a purpose-made simulation chamber, to simulated laboratory weathering tests with fixed salt concentration (10% weight NaCl solution), at different temperatures, which were kept constant throughout each test (10, 20, 30, 40 oC). During each test, salt solutions flowed continuously imbibing samples by capilarity. Humidity within the simulation chamber was reduced using silica gel to keep it low and constant to increase evaporation rate. Temperature, humidity inside the simulation chamber and samples weight were digitally monitored during each test. Results show the advantages of the proposed experimental methodology using a continuous flow of salt solutions and shed light on the effect of temperature on the dynamics of salt crystallization on and within samples. Research funded by mission sector of high education ministry, Egypt and Geomateriales S2009/MAT-1629.

Iterative model building, structure refinement and density modification with the PHENIX AutoBuild wizard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terwilliger, Thomas C.; Grosse-Kunstleve, Ralf W.; Afonine, Pavel V.; Moriarty, Nigel W.; Zwart, Peter H.; Hung, Li-Wei; Read, Randy J.; Adams, Paul D.

2008-01-01

The highly automated PHENIX AutoBuild wizard is described. The procedure can be applied equally well to phases derived from isomorphous/anomalous and molecular-replacement methods. The PHENIX AutoBuild wizard is a highly automated tool for iterative model building, structure refinement and density modification using RESOLVE model building, RESOLVE statistical density modification and phenix.refine structure refinement. Recent advances in the AutoBuild wizard and phenix.refine include automated detection and application of NCS from models as they are built, extensive model-completion algorithms and automated solvent-molecule picking. Model-completion algorithms in the AutoBuild wizard include loop building, crossovers between chains in different models of a structure and side-chain optimization. The AutoBuild wizard has been applied to a set of 48 structures at resolutions ranging from 1.1 to 3.2 Å, resulting in a mean R factor of 0.24 and a mean free R factor of 0.29. The R factor of the final model is dependent on the quality of the starting electron density and is relatively independent of resolution

Integrated petrophysical and sedimentological study of the Middle Miocene Nullipore Formation (Ras Fanar Field, Gulf of Suez, Egypt): An approach to volumetric analysis of reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Afife, Mohamed M.; Sallam, Emad S.; Faris, Mohamed

2017-10-01

This study aims to integrate sedimentological, log and core analyses data of the Middle Miocene Nullipore Formation at the Ras Fanar Field (west central Gulf of Suez, Egypt) to evaluate and reconstruct a robust petrophysical model for this reservoir. The Nullipore Formation attains a thickness ranging from 400 to 980 ft and represents a syn-rift succession of the Middle Miocene marine facies. It consists of coralline-algal-reefal limestone, dolomitic limestone and dolostone facies, with few clay and anhydrite intercalations. Petrographically, seven microfacies types (MF1 to MF7) have been recognized and assembled genetically into three related facies associations (FA1 to FA3). These associations accumulated in three depositional environments: 1) peritidal flat, 2) restricted lagoon, and 3) back-shoal environments situated on a shallow inner ramp (homoclinal) setting. The studied rocks have been influenced by different diagenetic processes (dolomitization, cementation, compaction, authigenesis and dissolution), which led to diminishing and/or enhancing the reservoir quality. Three superimposed 3rd-order depositional sequences are included in the Nullipore succession displaying both retrogradational and aggradational packages of facies. Given the hydrocarbon potential of the Nullipore Formation, conventional well logs of six boreholes and core analyses data from one of these wells (RF-B12) are used to identify electrofacies zones of the Nullipore Formation. The Nullipore Formation has been subdivided into three electrofacies zones (the Nullipore-I, Nullipore-II, and Nullipore-III) that are well-correlated with the three depositional sequences. Results of petrographical studies and log analyses data have been employed in volumetric calculations to estimate the amount of hydrocarbon-in-place and then the ultimate recovery of the Nullipore reservoir. The volumetric calculations indicate that the total volume of oil-in-place is 371 MMSTB at 50% probability (P50), whereas

Integrating Environmentally Responsive Elements in Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heiselberg, Per

2006-01-01

Significant improvement have been achieved on efficiency improvements of specific building elements like the building envelope and building equipment and services and whilst most building elements still offer opportunities for efficiency improvements, the greatest future potential lie with techno......Significant improvement have been achieved on efficiency improvements of specific building elements like the building envelope and building equipment and services and whilst most building elements still offer opportunities for efficiency improvements, the greatest future potential lie...

Radon in buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connell, J.J.

1991-01-01

This guide is intended to inform designers, householders and other building owners about the radon problem and to help in deciding if there is need to take any action to reduce radon levels in their homes or other buildings.It explains what radon is, how it enters buildings and what effect it may have on health. Reference is made to some of the usual ways of reducing the level of radon and guidance is given on some sources of assistance

The RENUE resource centre. Design study of building-integrated PV in a zero-carbon exhibition building

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Webb, R.

2001-07-01

Studies at the RENUE building in London are described. The RENUE project is a renewable energy and urban sustainability demonstration of comfortable and elegant buildings which are zero-carbon users. Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) systems are a factor in the zero-CO{sub 2} building. The building should be of special interest to protagonists of renewable energy, building designers and the PV industry.

How to use Building Information Systems for a transition towards Sustainable Building Operation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Itard, L.C.M.; Joosstens, F; Heiselberg, Per Kvols

2016-01-01