Metagenome Assembly at the DOE JGI (Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop: 10K Genomes at a Time)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chain, Patrick

2011-10-13

Patrick Chain of DOE JGI at LANL, Co-Chair of the Metagenome-specific Assembly session, on Metagenome Assembly at the DOE JGIat the Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop held at the DOE JGI on October 12-13, 2011.

MetaVelvet: An Extension of Velvet Assembler to de novo Metagenome Assembly from Short Sequence Reads (Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop: 10K Genomes at a Time)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakakibara, Yasumbumi

2011-10-13

Keio University's Yasumbumi Sakakibara on "MetaVelvet: An Extension of Velvet Assembler to de novo Metagenome Assembly from Short Sequence Reads" at the Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop held at the DOE JGI on October 12-13, 2011.

Integrative structure modeling with the Integrative Modeling Platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Benjamin; Viswanath, Shruthi; Bonomi, Massimiliano; Pellarin, Riccardo; Greenberg, Charles H; Saltzberg, Daniel; Sali, Andrej

2018-01-01

Building models of a biological system that are consistent with the myriad data available is one of the key challenges in biology. Modeling the structure and dynamics of macromolecular assemblies, for example, can give insights into how biological systems work, evolved, might be controlled, and even designed. Integrative structure modeling casts the building of structural models as a computational optimization problem, for which information about the assembly is encoded into a scoring function that evaluates candidate models. Here, we describe our open source software suite for integrative structure modeling, Integrative Modeling Platform (https://integrativemodeling.org), and demonstrate its use. © 2017 The Protein Society.

CasEMBLR: Cas9-Facilitated Multiloci Genomic Integration of in Vivo Assembled DNA Parts in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakociunas, Tadas; Rajkumar, Arun Stephen; Zhang, Jie

2015-01-01

, we present a method for marker-free multiloci integration of in vivo assembled DNA parts. By the use of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated one-step double-strand breaks at single, double and triple integration sites we report the successful in vivo assembly and chromosomal integration of DNA parts. We call our...

Renewable energy integration challenges and solutions

CERN Document Server

Hossain, Jahangir

2014-01-01

This book examines challenges involved in the integration of renewable energy into existing electricity grids. It provides models of power systems to show how the integration will effect conventional grids and various solutions to minimize the impacts.

Assembly and Multiplex Genome Integration of Metabolic Pathways in Yeast Using CasEMBLR.

Science.gov (United States)

Jakočiūnas, Tadas; Jensen, Emil D; Jensen, Michael K; Keasling, Jay D

2018-01-01

Genome integration is a vital step for implementing large biochemical pathways to build a stable microbial cell factory. Although traditional strain construction strategies are well established for the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae, recent advances in CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering allow much higher throughput and robustness in terms of strain construction. In this chapter, we describe CasEMBLR, a highly efficient and marker-free genome engineering method for one-step integration of in vivo assembled expression cassettes in multiple genomic sites simultaneously. CasEMBLR capitalizes on the CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate double-strand breaks in genomic loci, thus prompting native homologous recombination (HR) machinery to integrate exogenously derived homology templates. As proof-of-principle for microbial cell factory development, CasEMBLR was used for one-step assembly and marker-free integration of the carotenoid pathway from 15 exogenously supplied DNA parts into three targeted genomic loci. As a second proof-of-principle, a total of ten DNA parts were assembled and integrated in two genomic loci to construct a tyrosine production strain, and at the same time knocking out two genes. This new method complements and improves the field of genome engineering in S. cerevisiae by providing a more flexible platform for rapid and precise strain building.

A participatory and integrative approach to improve productivity and ergonomics in assembly

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Looze, M.P. de; Rhijn, J.W. van; Deursen, J. van; Tuinzaad, G.H.; Reijneveld, C.N.

2003-01-01

A participatory and integrative approach was applied to improve the productivity and ergonomics of the assembly lines in two factories, producing magnetic stop valves and office furniture, respectively. Main elements of the approach are the active participation of the company and the integration of

Evaluation of the Cow Rumen Metagenome: Assembly by Single Copy Gene Analysis and Single Cell Genome Assemblies (Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop: 10K Genomes at a Time)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sczyrba, Alex

2011-10-13

DOE JGI's Alex Sczyrba on "Evaluation of the Cow Rumen Metagenome" and "Assembly by Single Copy Gene Analysis and Single Cell Genome Assemblies" at the Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop held at the DOE JGI on October 12-13, 2011.

Assembly and Multiplex Genome Integration of Metabolic Pathways in Yeast Using CasEMBLR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakočiūnas, Tadas; Jensen, Emil D.; Jensen, Michael Krogh

2018-01-01

and marker-free integration of the carotenoid pathway from 15 exogenously supplied DNA parts into three targeted genomic loci. As a second proof-of-principle, a total of ten DNA parts were assembled and integrated in two genomic loci to construct a tyrosine production strain, and at the same time knocking......Genome integration is a vital step for implementing large biochemical pathways to build a stable microbial cell factory. Although traditional strain construction strategies are well established for the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae, recent advances in CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome...... engineering allow much higher throughput and robustness in terms of strain construction. In this chapter, we describe CasEMBLR, a highly efficient and marker-free genome engineering method for one-step integration of in vivo assembled expression cassettes in multiple genomic sites simultaneously. Cas...

INTEGRATED APPROACH TO GENERATION OF PRECEDENCE RELATIONS AND PRECEDENCE GRAPHS FOR ASSEMBLY SEQUENCE PLANNING

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2002-01-01

An integrated approach to generation of precedence relations and precedence graphs for assembly sequence planning is presented, which contains more assembly flexibility. The approach involves two stages. Based on the assembly model, the components in the assembly can be divided into partially constrained components and completely constrained components in the first stage, and then geometric precedence relation for every component is generated automatically. According to the result of the first stage, the second stage determines and constructs all precedence graphs. The algorithms of these two stages proposed are verified by two assembly examples.

New faces of porous Prussian blue: interfacial assembly of integrated hetero-structures for sensing applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Biao; Selomulya, Cordelia; Zheng, Gengfeng; Zhao, Dongyuan

2015-11-21

Prussian blue (PB), the oldest synthetic coordination compound, is a classic and fascinating transition metal coordination material. Prussian blue is based on a three-dimensional (3-D) cubic polymeric porous network consisting of alternating ferric and ferrous ions, which provides facile assembly as well as precise interaction with active sites at functional interfaces. A fundamental understanding of the assembly mechanism of PB hetero-interfaces is essential to enable the full potential applications of PB crystals, including chemical sensing, catalysis, gas storage, drug delivery and electronic displays. Developing controlled assembly methods towards functionally integrated hetero-interfaces with adjustable sizes and morphology of PB crystals is necessary. A key point in the functional interface and device integration of PB nanocrystals is the fabrication of hetero-interfaces in a well-defined and oriented fashion on given substrates. This review will bring together these key aspects of the hetero-interfaces of PB nanocrystals, ranging from structure and properties, interfacial assembly strategies, to integrated hetero-structures for diverse sensing.

The design and analysis of integral assembly experiments for CTR neutronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beynon, T.D.; Curtis, R.H.; Lambert, C.

1978-01-01

The use of simple-geometry integral assemblies of lithium metal or lithium compounds for the study of the neutronics of various CTR designs is considered and four recent experiments are analysed. The relatively long mean free path of neutrons in these assemblies produces significantly different design problems from those encountered in similar experiments for fission reactor design. By considering sensitivity profiles for various parameters it is suggested that experiments can be designed to be optimised for data adjustments. (author)

Integrating succession and community assembly perspectives [version 1; referees: 2 approved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cynthia Chang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Succession and community assembly research overlap in many respects, such as through their focus on how ecological processes like dispersal, environmental filters, and biotic interactions influence community structure. Indeed, many recent advances have been made by successional studies that draw on modern analytical techniques introduced by contemporary community assembly studies. However, community assembly studies generally lack a temporal perspective, both on how the forces structuring communities might change over time and on how historical contingency (e.g. priority effects and legacy effects and complex transitions (e.g. threshold effects might alter community trajectories. We believe a full understanding of the complex interacting processes that shape community dynamics across large temporal scales can best be achieved by combining concepts, tools, and study systems into an integrated conceptual framework that draws upon both succession and community assembly theory.

THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF THE PROCESS OF ASSEMBLY AND THREADING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anton Skorkin

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The subject matter of this article is the issues related to the integrated management of assembling operations of fastening and threading elements at all stages of their implementation. The goal is to develop the generalized structure of the data management system of the process of assembly and threading. The objectives are: to justify the principles of managing the assembly and threading process at each stage of the assembly to improve the efficiency of these operations, to study the power, accuracy and performance characteristics of the connections and to draw the conclusion that suggested the theory of assembly management is efficient. The following results are obtained. The article presents the analytical dependencies of the force indexes of threading in the course of the package and sheet assembly, including the tightening force while joining; the assembly of a multilayered package of dissimilar sheet materials was analyzed. On the basis of the theoretical analysis, the dependences of the power indices of threading during the package and sheet assembly were determined. The assembly of the package of sheet materials was investigated, including a multilayered package of dissimilar materials of a “metal-plastic” type. Conclusions. The process of assembling threaded joints with the use of management principles was used; these principles enable increasing the efficiency of the assembly process, reducing the complexity of the basic operations, and improving the quality of the joints obtained. The use adaptive control of the screwing speed on the main threading transitions is suggested for reducing the torque.  The technology of making threaded joints with given properties is developed, the main ways of increasing the efficiency of assembly and threading processes are determined on the basis of the integrated control system for the assembly process.

Deterministic nanoparticle assemblies: from substrate to solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barcelo, Steven J; Gibson, Gary A; Yamakawa, Mineo; Li, Zhiyong; Kim, Ansoon; Norris, Kate J

2014-01-01

The deterministic assembly of metallic nanoparticles is an exciting field with many potential benefits. Many promising techniques have been developed, but challenges remain, particularly for the assembly of larger nanoparticles which often have more interesting plasmonic properties. Here we present a scalable process combining the strengths of top down and bottom up fabrication to generate deterministic 2D assemblies of metallic nanoparticles and demonstrate their stable transfer to solution. Scanning electron and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies of these assemblies suggested the formation of nanobridges between touching nanoparticles that hold them together so as to maintain the integrity of the assembly throughout the transfer process. The application of these nanoparticle assemblies as solution-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) materials is demonstrated by trapping analyte molecules in the nanoparticle gaps during assembly, yielding uniformly high enhancement factors at all stages of the fabrication process. (paper)

Integration in psychotherapy: Reasons and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Álvarez, Héctor; Consoli, Andrés J; Gómez, Beatriz

2016-11-01

Although integration has been formally influencing the field of psychotherapy since the 1930s, its impact gained significant momentum during the 1980s. Practical, theoretical, and scientific reasons help to explain the growing influence of integration in psychotherapy. The field of psychotherapy is characterized by many challenges which integration may change into meaningful opportunities. Nonetheless, many obstacles remain when seeking to advance integration. To appreciate the strength of integration in psychotherapy we describe an integrative, comprehensive approach to service delivery, research, and training. We then discuss the role of integration in the future of psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Challenges and Approach for Making the Top End Optical Assembly for the 4-meter Advanced Technology Solar Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Canzian, Blaise; Barentine, J.; Hull, T.

2012-01-01

L-3 Integrated Optical Systems (IOS) Division has been selected by the National Solar Observatory (NSO) to make the Top End Optical Assembly (TEOA) for the 4-meter Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) to operate at Haleakala, Maui. ATST will perform to a very high optical performance level in a difficult thermal environment. The TEOA, containing the 0.65-meter silicon carbide secondary mirror and support, mirror thermal management system, mirror positioning and fast tip-tilt system, field stop with thermally managed heat dump, thermally managed Lyot stop, safety interlock and control system, and support frame, operates in the "hot spot” at the prime focus of the ATST and so presents special challenges. In this paper, we will describe the L-3 IOS technical approach to meet these challenges, including subsystems for opto-mechanical positioning, rejected and stray light control, wavefront tip-tilt compensation, and thermal management. Key words: ATST, TEOA, L-3 IOS, thermal management, silicon carbide (SiC) mirrors, hexapods, solar astronomy

Nondestructive Assay Data Integration with the SKB-50 Assemblies - FY16 Update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tobin, Stephen Joseph; Fugate, Michael Lynn; Trellue, Holly Renee; DeBaere, Paul; Sjoland, Anders; Liljenfeldt, Henrik; Hu, Jianwei; Backstrom, Ulrika; Bengtsson, Martin; Burr, Tomas; Eliasson, Annika; Favalli, Andrea; Gauld, Ian; Grogan, Brandon; Jansson, Peter; Junell, Henrik; Schwalbach, Peter; Vaccaro, Stefano; Vo, Duc Ta; Wildestrand, Henrik

2016-01-01

A project to research the application of non-destructive assay (NDA) techniques for spent fuel assemblies is underway at the Central Interim Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel (for which the Swedish acronym is Clab) in Oskarshamn, Sweden. The research goals of this project contain both safeguards and non-safeguards interests. These nondestructive assay (NDA) technologies are designed to strengthen the technical toolkit of safeguard inspectors and others to determine the following technical goals more accurately; Verify initial enrichment, burnup, and cooling time of facility declaration for spent fuel assemblies; Detect replaced or missing pins from a given spent fuel assembly to confirm its integrity; and Estimate plutonium mass and related plutonium and uranium fissile mass parameters in spent fuel assemblies. Estimate heat content, and measure reactivity (multiplication).

Nondestructive Assay Data Integration with the SKB-50 Assemblies - FY16 Update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tobin, Stephen Joseph [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Fugate, Michael Lynn [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Trellue, Holly Renee [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); DeBaere, Paul [DG Energy, Luxembourg (Germany); Sjoland, Anders [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, Stockholm (Sweden); Liljenfeldt, Henrik [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hu, Jianwei [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Backstrom, Ulrika [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, Stockholm (Sweden); Vattenfall AB, Stockholm (Sweden); Bengtsson, Martin [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, Stockholm (Sweden); Vattenfall AB, Stockholm (Sweden); Burr, Tomas [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria); Eliasson, Annika [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, Stockholm (Sweden); Favalli, Andrea [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Gauld, Ian [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Grogan, Brandon [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Jansson, Peter [Uppsala Univ. (Sweden); Junell, Henrik [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, Stockholm (Sweden); Schwalbach, Peter [DG Energy, Luxembourg (Germany); Vaccaro, Stefano [DG Energy, Luxembourg (Germany); Vo, Duc Ta [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Wildestrand, Henrik [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, Stockholm (Sweden); Vattenfall AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

2016-10-28

A project to research the application of non-destructive assay (NDA) techniques for spent fuel assemblies is underway at the Central Interim Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel (for which the Swedish acronym is Clab) in Oskarshamn, Sweden. The research goals of this project contain both safeguards and non-safeguards interests. These nondestructive assay (NDA) technologies are designed to strengthen the technical toolkit of safeguard inspectors and others to determine the following technical goals more accurately; Verify initial enrichment, burnup, and cooling time of facility declaration for spent fuel assemblies; Detect replaced or missing pins from a given spent fuel assembly to confirm its integrity; and Estimate plutonium mass and related plutonium and uranium fissile mass parameters in spent fuel assemblies. Estimate heat content, and measure reactivity (multiplication).

Structural integrity assessment and stress measurement of CHASNUPP-1 fuel assembly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waseem

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Fuel assembly of the PWR nuclear power plant is a long and flexible structure. This study has been made in an attempt to find the structural integrity of the fuel assembly (FA of Chashma Nuclear Power Plant-1 (CHASNUPP-1 at room temperature in air. The non-linear contact and structural tensile analysis have been performed using ANSYS 13.0, in order to determine the fuel assembly (FA elongation behaviour as well as the location and values of the stress intensity and stresses developed in axial direction under applied tensile load of 9800 N or 2 g being the fuel assembly handling or lifting load [Y. Zhang et al., Fuel assembly design report, SNERDI, China, 1994]. The finite element (FE model comprises spacer grids, fuel rods, flexible contacts between the fuel rods and grid's supports system and guide thimbles with dash-pots and flow holes, in addition to the spot welds between spacer grids and guide thimbles, has been developed using Shell181, Conta174 and Targe170 elements. FA is a non-straight structure. The actual behavior of the geometry is non-linear due to its curvature or design tolerance. It has been observed that fuel assembly elongation values obtained through FE analysis and experiment [SNERDI Tech. Doc., Mechanical strength and calculation for fuel assembly, Technical Report, F3.2.1, China, 1994] under applied tensile load are comparable and show approximately linear behaviors. Therefore, it seems that the permanent elongation of fuel assembly may not occur at the specified load. Moreover, the values of stresses obtained at different locations of the fuel assembly are also comparable with the stress values of the experiment determined at the same locations through strain gauges. Since the results of both studies (analytical and experimental are comparable, therefore, validation of the FE methodology is confirmed. The stress intensity of the FE model and maximum stresses developed along the guide thimbles in axial direction are

Assembly and method for testing the integrity of stuffing tubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morrison, E.F.

1996-12-31

A stuffing tube integrity checking assembly includes first and second annular seals, with each seal adapted to be positioned about a stuffing tube penetration component. An annular inflation bladder is provided, the bladder having a slot extending longitudinally there along and including a separator for sealing the slot. A first valve is in fluid communication with the bladder for introducing pressurized fluid to the space defined by the bladder when mounted about the tube. First and second releasible clamps are provided. Each clamp assembly is positioned about the bladder for securing the bladder to one of the seals for thereby establishing a fluid-tight chamber about the tube.

Integrated Environmental Modelling: Human decisions, human challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Glynn, Pierre D.

2015-01-01

Integrated Environmental Modelling (IEM) is an invaluable tool for understanding the complex, dynamic ecosystems that house our natural resources and control our environments. Human behaviour affects the ways in which the science of IEM is assembled and used for meaningful societal applications. In particular, human biases and heuristics reflect adaptation and experiential learning to issues with frequent, sharply distinguished, feedbacks. Unfortunately, human behaviour is not adapted to the more diffusely experienced problems that IEM typically seeks to address. Twelve biases are identified that affect IEM (and science in general). These biases are supported by personal observations and by the findings of behavioural scientists. A process for critical analysis is proposed that addresses some human challenges of IEM and solicits explicit description of (1) represented processes and information, (2) unrepresented processes and information, and (3) accounting for, and cognizance of, potential human biases. Several other suggestions are also made that generally complement maintaining attitudes of watchful humility, open-mindedness, honesty and transparent accountability. These suggestions include (1) creating a new area of study in the behavioural biogeosciences, (2) using structured processes for engaging the modelling and stakeholder communities in IEM, and (3) using ‘red teams’ to increase resilience of IEM constructs and use.

Challenges of knowledge integration in small and medium enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kavoos Mohannak

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This study attempts to develop a better understanding of the challenges of knowledge integration (KI within the innovation process in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs. Using several case studies, this study investigates how knowledge integration may be managed within the context of innovation in SMEs. The research places particular focus on identifying the challenges of knowledge integration in SMEs in relation to three aspects of knowledge integration activities, namely knowledge identification, knowledge acquisition, and knowledge sharing. Four distinct tasks emerged in the knowledge integration process, namely team building capability, capturing tacit knowledge, role of knowledge management (KM systems, and technological systemic integration. The paper suggests that managing knowledge integration in SMEs can be best managed by focusing on these four tasks, which in turn will lead to innovation.

Self-assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cells

KAUST Repository

Guldin, S.

2011-09-20

One way to successfully enhance light harvesting of excitonic solar cells is the integration of optical elements that increase the photon path length in the light absorbing layer. Device architectures which incorporate structural order in form of one- or three-dimensional refractive index lattices can lead to the localization of light in specific parts of the spectrum, while retaining the cell\\'s transparency in others. Herein, we present two routes for the integration of photonic crystals (PCs) into dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In both cases, the self-assembly of soft matter plays a key role in the fabrication process of the TiO2 electrode. One approach relies on a combination of colloidal self-assembly and the self-assembly of block copolymers, resulting in a double layer dye-sensitized solar cell with increased light absorption from the 3D PC element. An alternative route is based on the fact that the refractive index of the mesoporous layer can be finely tuned by the interplay between block copolymer self-assembly and hydrolytic TiO2 sol-gel chemistry. Alternating deposition of high and low refractive index layers enables the integration of a 1D PC into a DSC.

Challenges, Solutions, and Quality Metrics of Personal Genome Assembly in Advancing Precision Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenming Xiao

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Even though each of us shares more than 99% of the DNA sequences in our genome, there are millions of sequence codes or structure in small regions that differ between individuals, giving us different characteristics of appearance or responsiveness to medical treatments. Currently, genetic variants in diseased tissues, such as tumors, are uncovered by exploring the differences between the reference genome and the sequences detected in the diseased tissue. However, the public reference genome was derived with the DNA from multiple individuals. As a result of this, the reference genome is incomplete and may misrepresent the sequence variants of the general population. The more reliable solution is to compare sequences of diseased tissue with its own genome sequence derived from tissue in a normal state. As the price to sequence the human genome has dropped dramatically to around $1000, it shows a promising future of documenting the personal genome for every individual. However, de novo assembly of individual genomes at an affordable cost is still challenging. Thus, till now, only a few human genomes have been fully assembled. In this review, we introduce the history of human genome sequencing and the evolution of sequencing platforms, from Sanger sequencing to emerging “third generation sequencing” technologies. We present the currently available de novo assembly and post-assembly software packages for human genome assembly and their requirements for computational infrastructures. We recommend that a combined hybrid assembly with long and short reads would be a promising way to generate good quality human genome assemblies and specify parameters for the quality assessment of assembly outcomes. We provide a perspective view of the benefit of using personal genomes as references and suggestions for obtaining a quality personal genome. Finally, we discuss the usage of the personal genome in aiding vaccine design and development, monitoring host

Electric Field Guided Assembly of One-Dimensional Nanostructures for High Performance Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wing Kam Liu

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Various nanowire or nanotube-based devices have been demonstrated to fulfill the anticipated future demands on sensors. To fabricate such devices, electric field-based methods have demonstrated a great potential to integrate one-dimensional nanostructures into various forms. This review paper discusses theoretical and experimental aspects of the working principles, the assembled structures, and the unique functions associated with electric field-based assembly. The challenges and opportunities of the assembly methods are addressed in conjunction with future directions toward high performance sensors.

Grand challenges for integrated USGS science—A workshop report

Science.gov (United States)

Jenni, Karen E.; Goldhaber, Martin B.; Betancourt, Julio L.; Baron, Jill S.; Bristol, R. Sky; Cantrill, Mary; Exter, Paul E.; Focazio, Michael J.; Haines, John W.; Hay, Lauren E.; Hsu, Leslie; Labson, Victor F.; Lafferty, Kevin D.; Ludwig, Kristin A.; Milly, Paul C. D.; Morelli, Toni L.; Morman, Suzette A.; Nassar, Nedal T.; Newman, Timothy R.; Ostroff, Andrea C.; Read, Jordan S.; Reed, Sasha C.; Shapiro, Carl D.; Smith, Richard A.; Sanford, Ward E.; Sohl, Terry L.; Stets, Edward G.; Terando, Adam J.; Tillitt, Donald E.; Tischler, Michael A.; Toccalino, Patricia L.; Wald, David J.; Waldrop, Mark P.; Wein, Anne; Weltzin, Jake F.; Zimmerman, Christian E.

2017-06-30

Executive SummaryThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has a long history of advancing the traditional Earth science disciplines and identifying opportunities to integrate USGS science across disciplines to address complex societal problems. The USGS science strategy for 2007–2017 laid out key challenges in disciplinary and interdisciplinary arenas, culminating in a call for increased focus on a number of crosscutting science directions. Ten years on, to further the goal of integrated science and at the request of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), a workshop with three dozen invited scientists spanning different disciplines and career stages in the Bureau convened on February 7–10, 2017, at the USGS John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis in Fort Collins, Colorado.The workshop focused on identifying “grand challenges” for integrated USGS science. Individual participants identified nearly 70 potential grand challenges before the workshop and through workshop discussions. After discussion, four overarching grand challenges emerged:Natural resource security,Societal risk from existing and emerging threats,Smart infrastructure development, andAnticipatory science for changing landscapes.Participants also identified a “comprehensive science challenge” that highlights the development of integrative science, data, models, and tools—all interacting in a modular framework—that can be used to address these and other future grand challenges:Earth Monitoring, Analyses, and Projections (EarthMAP)EarthMAP is our long-term vision for an integrated scientific framework that spans traditional scientific boundaries and disciplines, and integrates the full portfolio of USGS science: research, monitoring, assessment, analysis, and information delivery.The Department of Interior, and the Nation in general, have a vast array of information needs. The USGS meets these needs by having a broadly trained and agile scientific workforce. Encouraging and supporting

Integrity Evaluation of Control Rod Assembly for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor due to Drop Impact

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hyun Seung; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Kim, Hyung Kyu; Cheon, Jin Sik; Lee, Chan Bock [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-15

The CA (Control Assembly) of an SFR has a CRA(Control Rod Assembly) with an inner duct and control rod. During an emergency situation, the CRA falls into the duct of the CA for a rapid shut-down. The drop time and impact velocity of the CRA are important parameters with respect to the reactivity insertion time and the structural integrity of the CRA. The objective of this study was to investigate the dynamic behavior and integrity of the CRA owing to a drop impact. The impact analysis of the CRA under normal/abnormal drop conditions was carried out using the commercial FEM code LS-DYNA. Results of the drop impact analysis demonstrated that the CRA maintained structural integrity, and could be safely inserted into the flow hole of the damper under abnormal conditions.

Integrity Evaluation of Control Rod Assembly for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor due to Drop Impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hyun Seung; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Kim, Hyung Kyu; Cheon, Jin Sik; Lee, Chan Bock

2017-01-01

The CA (Control Assembly) of an SFR has a CRA(Control Rod Assembly) with an inner duct and control rod. During an emergency situation, the CRA falls into the duct of the CA for a rapid shut-down. The drop time and impact velocity of the CRA are important parameters with respect to the reactivity insertion time and the structural integrity of the CRA. The objective of this study was to investigate the dynamic behavior and integrity of the CRA owing to a drop impact. The impact analysis of the CRA under normal/abnormal drop conditions was carried out using the commercial FEM code LS-DYNA. Results of the drop impact analysis demonstrated that the CRA maintained structural integrity, and could be safely inserted into the flow hole of the damper under abnormal conditions.

ITER design, integration and assembly studies assisted by virtual reality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keller, D., E-mail: delphine.keller@cea.fr [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 St-Paul-Lez-Durance (France); ITER Organization, Route de Vinon-sur-Verdon, F-13115 St-Paul-Lez-Durance (France); Doceul, L.; Ferlay, F.; Jiolat, G. [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 St-Paul-Lez-Durance (France); Cordier, J.J.; Kuehn, I.; Manfreo, B.; Reich, J. [ITER Organization, Route de Vinon-sur-Verdon, F-13115 St-Paul-Lez-Durance (France)

2013-10-15

Highlights: ► VR technologies applied to Fusion enable to better and faster understand integration issues. ► Problems are solved and validated on a numerical mock up. ► Integration and accessibility issues can be identified in the earliest design. ► VR technologies are very helpful for assembly and maintenance operation simulations. ► New tools for real time simulations of hands-on operations are currently under development. -- Abstract: In a project like ITER where schedule, resources and cost is continuously optimized, emphasis has to be put on developing long lead items first while keeping other designs very low in definition. Hence, at a particular stage of the project, several components have to coexist in the integrated system while handling different level of maturity. Therefore, all the difficulty consists in managing the interfaces between all these components and to minimize the risk of design changes on the most advanced components. As a future exploitant, ITER is in charge of managing these interfaces and to ensure that maintenance of especially safety important class components (SIC) is feasible. These operation and maintenance constraints have to be taken into account since the earliest design of the components itselves. In this context, CEA IRFM is taking the benefit of using its virtual reality (VR) platform and simulation tools to assist ITER Organization in improving the efficiency of the inconsistencies identification and the machine sub-system design optimization. Currently, two contracts are on-going: the first one concerns the cryostat and in-vessel components; the second one concerns the overall Tokamak (TKM) and diagnostic buildings. This paper describes how VR tools applied to fusion and especially to ITER can help design and Integration with taking into account assembly and maintenance requirements at early stage in the design of complex systems.

ITER design, integration and assembly studies assisted by virtual reality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, D.; Doceul, L.; Ferlay, F.; Jiolat, G.; Cordier, J.J.; Kuehn, I.; Manfreo, B.; Reich, J.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► VR technologies applied to Fusion enable to better and faster understand integration issues. ► Problems are solved and validated on a numerical mock up. ► Integration and accessibility issues can be identified in the earliest design. ► VR technologies are very helpful for assembly and maintenance operation simulations. ► New tools for real time simulations of hands-on operations are currently under development. -- Abstract: In a project like ITER where schedule, resources and cost is continuously optimized, emphasis has to be put on developing long lead items first while keeping other designs very low in definition. Hence, at a particular stage of the project, several components have to coexist in the integrated system while handling different level of maturity. Therefore, all the difficulty consists in managing the interfaces between all these components and to minimize the risk of design changes on the most advanced components. As a future exploitant, ITER is in charge of managing these interfaces and to ensure that maintenance of especially safety important class components (SIC) is feasible. These operation and maintenance constraints have to be taken into account since the earliest design of the components itselves. In this context, CEA IRFM is taking the benefit of using its virtual reality (VR) platform and simulation tools to assist ITER Organization in improving the efficiency of the inconsistencies identification and the machine sub-system design optimization. Currently, two contracts are on-going: the first one concerns the cryostat and in-vessel components; the second one concerns the overall Tokamak (TKM) and diagnostic buildings. This paper describes how VR tools applied to fusion and especially to ITER can help design and Integration with taking into account assembly and maintenance requirements at early stage in the design of complex systems

Challenges of Integrating Affordable and Sustainable Housing in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Syed Jamaludin, S. Z. H.; Mahayuddin, S. A.; Hamid, S. H. A.

2018-04-01

Developing countries including Malaysia have begun to comprehend the needs for affordable and sustainable housing development. The majority of the population is still aspiring for a comfortable, safe and reasonably priced house. Households in the low-middle income range face difficulties to find housing that can satisfy their needs and budget. Unfortunately, most of the housing development programs are considering affordability rather than sustainable aspects. Furthermore, developers are more interested in profit and neglect sustainability issues. Thus, the aim of this paper is to review the challenges in integrating affordable housing and sustainable practices in Malaysia. This paper is produced based on an extensive literature review as a basis to develop strategies of integrated affordable and sustainable housing in Malaysia. The challenges are divided into four sections, namely market challenges, professional challenges, societal challenges and technological challenges. The outcomes of this paper will assist in the decision making involving housing development and in enhancing quality of life for sustainable communities.

Human Resource Challenges to Integrating HIV Pre-Exposure ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJRH Managing Editor

These challenges paralleled current challenges related to integration of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and ..... is not additional work but is rather another HIV ... should be added to performance contracts (terms of ... stress and burnout, difficulty adhering to time- ... Similarly, the role of ... (diploma level) nursing officers or clinical.

Challenges in horizontal model integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolczyk, Katrin; Conradi, Carsten

2016-03-11

Systems Biology has motivated dynamic models of important intracellular processes at the pathway level, for example, in signal transduction and cell cycle control. To answer important biomedical questions, however, one has to go beyond the study of isolated pathways towards the joint study of interacting signaling pathways or the joint study of signal transduction and cell cycle control. Thereby the reuse of established models is preferable, as it will generally reduce the modeling effort and increase the acceptance of the combined model in the field. Obtaining a combined model can be challenging, especially if the submodels are large and/or come from different working groups (as is generally the case, when models stored in established repositories are used). To support this task, we describe a semi-automatic workflow based on established software tools. In particular, two frequent challenges are described: identification of the overlap and subsequent (re)parameterization of the integrated model. The reparameterization step is crucial, if the goal is to obtain a model that can reproduce the data explained by the individual models. For demonstration purposes we apply our workflow to integrate two signaling pathways (EGF and NGF) from the BioModels Database.

Investigation of properties of novel silicon pixel assemblies employing thin n-in-p sensors and 3D-integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weigell, Philipp

2013-01-01

Until the end of the 2020 decade the LHC programme will be defining the high energy frontier of particle physics. During this time, three upgrade steps of the accelerator are currently planned to further increase the luminosity and energy reach. In the course of these upgrades the specifications of several parts of the current LHC detectors will be exceeded. Especially, the innermost tracking detectors are challenged by the increasing track densities and the radiation damage. This thesis focuses on the implications for the ATLAS experiment. Here, around 2021/2, after having collected an integrated luminosity of around 300 fb -1 , the silicon and gas detector components of the inner tracker will reach the end of their lifetime and will need to be replaced to ensure sufficient performance for continued running - especially if the luminosity is raised to about 5 x 10 35 cm -2 s -1 as currently planned. An all silicon inner detector is foreseen to be installed. This upgrade demands cost effective pixel assemblies with a minimal material budget, a larger active area fraction as compared to the current detectors, and a higher granularity. Furthermore, the assemblies must be able to withstand received fluences up to 2 . 10 16 n eq /cm 2 . A new pixel assembly concept answering the challenges posed by the high instantaneous luminosities is investigated in this thesis. It employs five novel technologies, namely n-in-p pixel sensors, thin pixel sensors, slim edges with or without implanted sensor sides, and 3D-integration incorporating a new interconnection technology, named Solid Liquid InterDiffusion (SLID) as well as Inter-Chip-Vias (ICVs). n-in-p sensors are cost-effective, since they only need patterned processing on one side. Their performance before and after irradiation is investigated and compared to results obtained with currently used n-in-n sensors. Reducing the thickness of the sensors lowers the amount of multiple scattering within the tracking system and leads

Investigation of properties of novel silicon pixel assemblies employing thin n-in-p sensors and 3D-integration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weigell, Philipp

2013-01-15

Until the end of the 2020 decade the LHC programme will be defining the high energy frontier of particle physics. During this time, three upgrade steps of the accelerator are currently planned to further increase the luminosity and energy reach. In the course of these upgrades the specifications of several parts of the current LHC detectors will be exceeded. Especially, the innermost tracking detectors are challenged by the increasing track densities and the radiation damage. This thesis focuses on the implications for the ATLAS experiment. Here, around 2021/2, after having collected an integrated luminosity of around 300 fb{sup -1}, the silicon and gas detector components of the inner tracker will reach the end of their lifetime and will need to be replaced to ensure sufficient performance for continued running - especially if the luminosity is raised to about 5 x 10{sup 35} cm{sup -2}s{sup -1} as currently planned. An all silicon inner detector is foreseen to be installed. This upgrade demands cost effective pixel assemblies with a minimal material budget, a larger active area fraction as compared to the current detectors, and a higher granularity. Furthermore, the assemblies must be able to withstand received fluences up to 2 . 10{sup 16} n{sub eq}/cm{sup 2}. A new pixel assembly concept answering the challenges posed by the high instantaneous luminosities is investigated in this thesis. It employs five novel technologies, namely n-in-p pixel sensors, thin pixel sensors, slim edges with or without implanted sensor sides, and 3D-integration incorporating a new interconnection technology, named Solid Liquid InterDiffusion (SLID) as well as Inter-Chip-Vias (ICVs). n-in-p sensors are cost-effective, since they only need patterned processing on one side. Their performance before and after irradiation is investigated and compared to results obtained with currently used n-in-n sensors. Reducing the thickness of the sensors lowers the amount of multiple scattering

Apparatus for integrated fuel assembly inspection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, H.J.; Burchill, S.R.

1988-01-01

In a fuel assembly inspection apparatus, the combination is described comprising: (a) an elongated fixture mounted in a stationary upright position; (b) upper means mounted to an upper portion of the fixture and lower means mounted adjacent to a lower portion of the fixture, the upper and lower means being disposed outwardly from a side of the fixture for supporting a nuclear fuel assembly therebetween and extending along the side of the fixture; (c) a bottom carriage having a central opening adapted to receive the fuel assembly therethrough when supported between the upper and lower means such that the bottom carriage being connected only to, and extending in cantilever fashion outwardly from, the side of the fixture for generally vertical movement along the side of the fixture and along the fuel assembly extending along the side of the fixture; (d) drive means for selectively moving the bottom carriage; and (e) means disposed on the bottom carriage for measuring the envelop, of the fuel assembly when the bottom carriage is moved to and stationed at selected axial positions along the fuel assembly

Raman laser spectrometer optical head: qualification model assembly and integration verification

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, G.; Sanz-Palomino, M.; Moral, A. G.; Canora, C. P.; Belenguer, T.; Canchal, R.; Prieto, J. A. R.; Santiago, A.; Gordillo, C.; Escribano, D.; Lopez-Reyes, G.; Rull, F.

2017-08-01

Raman Laser Spectrometer (RLS) is the Pasteur Payload instrument of the ExoMars mission, within the ESA's Aurora Exploration Programme, that will perform for the first time in an out planetary mission Raman spectroscopy. RLS is composed by SPU (Spectrometer Unit), iOH (Internal Optical Head), and ICEU (Instrument Control and Excitation Unit). iOH focuses the excitation laser on the samples (excitation path), and collects the Raman emission from the sample (collection path, composed on collimation system and filtering system). Its original design presented a high laser trace reaching to the detector, and although a certain level of laser trace was required for calibration purposes, the high level degrades the Signal to Noise Ratio confounding some Raman peaks. So, after the bread board campaign, some light design modifications were implemented in order to fix the desired amount of laser trace, and after the fabrication and the commitment of the commercial elements, the assembly and integration verification process was carried out. A brief description of the iOH design update for the engineering and qualification model (iOH EQM) as well as the assembly process are briefly described in this papers. In addition, the integration verification and the first functional tests, carried out with the RLS calibration target (CT), results are reported on.

Integrated Radiation Transport and Nuclear Fuel Performance for Assembly-Level Simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clarno, Kevin T [ORNL; Hamilton, Steven P [ORNL; Philip, Bobby [ORNL; Berrill, Mark A [ORNL; Sampath, Rahul S [ORNL; Allu, Srikanth [ORNL; Pugmire, Dave [ORNL; Dilts, Gary [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Banfield, James E [ORNL

2012-02-01

The Advanced Multi-Physics (AMP) Nuclear Fuel Performance code (AMPFuel) is focused on predicting the temperature and strain within a nuclear fuel assembly to evaluate the performance and safety of existing and advanced nuclear fuel bundles within existing and advanced nuclear reactors. AMPFuel was extended to include an integrated nuclear fuel assembly capability for (one-way) coupled radiation transport and nuclear fuel assembly thermo-mechanics. This capability is the initial step toward incorporating an improved predictive nuclear fuel assembly modeling capability to accurately account for source-terms and boundary conditions of traditional (single-pin) nuclear fuel performance simulation, such as the neutron flux distribution, coolant conditions, and assembly mechanical stresses. A novel scheme is introduced for transferring the power distribution from the Scale/Denovo (Denovo) radiation transport code (structured, Cartesian mesh with smeared materials within each cell) to AMPFuel (unstructured, hexagonal mesh with a single material within each cell), allowing the use of a relatively coarse spatial mesh (10 million elements) for the radiation transport and a fine spatial mesh (3.3 billion elements) for thermo-mechanics with very little loss of accuracy. In addition, a new nuclear fuel-specific preconditioner was developed to account for the high aspect ratio of each fuel pin (12 feet axially, but 1 4 inches in diameter) with many individual fuel regions (pellets). With this novel capability, AMPFuel was used to model an entire 17 17 pressurized water reactor fuel assembly with many of the features resolved in three dimensions (for thermo-mechanics and/or neutronics), including the fuel, gap, and cladding of each of the 264 fuel pins; the 25 guide tubes; the top and bottom structural regions; and the upper and lower (neutron) reflector regions. The final, full assembly calculation was executed on Jaguar using 40,000 cores in under 10 hours to model over 162

Developing An Effective Strategy to Configure Assembly Systems Using Lean Concepts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.Eswaramoorthi

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The manufacturing industry has been pushed to adopt more effective production strategies to meet the challenges of shorter life cycle, higher quality, lower cost and wider variety of customer demands. This increased emphasis on achieving highly adaptive manufacturing with reduction in manufacturing costs and better utilization of manufacturing resources force to implementing new and efficient management techniques in their manufacturing operations. Some of the established tools in this context are lean practices. In manufacturing, assembly is one of the major activities that combine the machined components into final product. Decision on appropriate facility layout and viable assembly sequence (line balancing adaptable to takt time requirement with cost benefit is a challenging task. This paper proposes an integrated cost model for a typical assembly process to determine cost per part more precisely by considering seven types of "contributing factors". This procedure is performed under different takt time conditions to configure the assembly system in terms of cost per piece and to decide the adaptable layout. A prototype assembly system is established in this research to demonstrate the effectiveness of the cost model. The results show that there are significant variations in cost per piece with respect to changes in layout configurations and takt time.

Challenge of Effective Technology Integration into Teaching and Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Ramorola, M. Z.

2013-01-01

South African teachers are faced with challenges in integrating technology effectively into a coherent framework at school level. There seems to be little evidence of technology integration into classroom activities such as systematic planning and implementation of lessons that require learners to think critically, work collaboratively, and use…

Integral measurements on Caliban and Prospero assemblies for nuclear data validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casoli, P.; Authier, N.; Richard, B.; Ducauze-Philippe, M.; Cartier, J.

2011-01-01

How can the quality of nuclear data libraries be checked? Performing reference experiments also called benchmarks allows the testing of evaluated data. During these experiments, integral values such as reaction rates or neutron effective multiplication coefficients are measured. In this paper, the principles of benchmark construction are explained and illustrated with several works performed on the CALIBAN et PROSPERO critical assemblies operated by the Valduc center: benchmarks for dosimetry, activation reactions studies, neutron noise measurements. (authors)

Component design challenges for the ground-based SP-100 nuclear assembly test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markley, R.A.; Disney, R.K.; Brown, G.B.

1989-01-01

The SP-100 ground engineering system (GES) program involves a ground test of the nuclear subsystems to demonstrate their design. The GES nuclear assembly test (NAT) will be performed in a simulated space environment within a vessel maintained at ultrahigh vacuum. The NAT employs a radiation shielding system that is comprised of both prototypical and nonprototypical shield subsystems to attenuate the reactor radiation leakage and also nonprototypical heat transport subsystems to remove the heat generated by the reactor. The reactor is cooled by liquid lithium, which will operate at temperatures prototypical of the flight system. In designing the components for these systems, a number of design challenges were encountered in meeting the operational requirements of the simulated space environment (and where necessary, prototypical requirements) while also accommodating the restrictions of a ground-based test facility with its limited available space. This paper presents a discussion of the design challenges associated with the radiation shield subsystem components and key components of the heat transport systems

CFD Analysis for Advanced Integrated Head Assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jo, Won Ho; Kang, Tae Kyo; Cho, Yeon Ho; Kim, Hyun Min [KEPCO Engineering and Construction Co., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The Integrated Head Assembly (IHA) is permanently installed on the reactor vessel closure head during the normal plant operation and refueling operation. It consists of a number of systems and components such as the head lifting system, seismic support system, Control Element Drive Mechanism (CEDM) cooling system, cable support system, cooling shroud assemblies. With the operating experiences of the IHA, the needs for the design change to the current APR1400 IHA arouse to improve the seismic resistance and to accommodate the convenient maintenance. In this paper, the effects of the design changes were rigorously studied for the various sizes of the inlet openings to assure the proper cooling of the CEDMs. And the system pressure differentials and required flow rate for the CEDM cooling fan were analyzed regarding the various operating conditions for determining the capacity of the fan. As a part of the design process of the AIHA, the number of air inlets and baffle regions are reduced by simplifying the design of the APR1400 IHA. The design change of the baffle regions has been made such that the maximum possible space are occupied inside the IHA cooling shroud shell while avoiding the interference with CEDMs. So, only the air inlet opening was studied for the design change to supply a sufficient cooling air flow for each CEDM. The size and location of the air inlets in middle cooling shroud assembly were determined by the CFD analyses of the AIHA. And the case CFD analyses were performed depending on the ambient air temperature and fan operating conditions. The size of the air inlet openings is increased by comparison with the initial AIHA design, and it is confirmed that the cooling air flow rate for each CEDM meet the design requirement of 800 SCFM ± 10% with the increased air inlets. At the initial analysis, the fan outlet flow rate was assumed as 48.3 lbm/s, but the result revealed that the less outflow rate at the fan is enough to meet the design requirement

Integrating community assembly and biodiversity to better understand ecosystem function: the Community Assembly and the Functioning of Ecosystems (CAFE) approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Bannar-Martin, Katherine H; Kremer, Colin T; Ernest, S K Morgan; Leibold, Mathew A; Auge, Harald; Chase, Jonathan; Declerck, Steven A J; Eisenhauer, Nico; Harpole, Stanley; Hillebrand, Helmut; Isbell, Forest; Koffel, Thomas; Larsen, Stefano; Narwani, Anita; Petermann, Jana S; Roscher, Christiane; Cabral, Juliano Sarmento; Supp, Sarah R

2018-02-01

The research of a generation of ecologists was catalysed by the recognition that the number and identity of species in communities influences the functioning of ecosystems. The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) is most often examined by controlling species richness and randomising community composition. In natural systems, biodiversity changes are often part of a bigger community assembly dynamic. Therefore, focusing on community assembly and the functioning of ecosystems (CAFE), by integrating both species richness and composition through species gains, losses and changes in abundance, will better reveal how community changes affect ecosystem function. We synthesise the BEF and CAFE perspectives using an ecological application of the Price equation, which partitions the contributions of richness and composition to function. Using empirical examples, we show how the CAFE approach reveals important contributions of composition to function. These examples show how changes in species richness and composition driven by environmental perturbations can work in concert or antagonistically to influence ecosystem function. Considering how communities change in an integrative fashion, rather than focusing on one axis of community structure at a time, will improve our ability to anticipate and predict changes in ecosystem function. © 2017 The Authors. Ecology Letters published by CNRS and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Integrative research on environmental and landscape change: PhD students' motivations and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Tress, Bärbel; Tress, Gunther; Fry, Gary

2009-07-01

The growing demand for integrative (interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary) approaches in the field of environmental and landscape change has increased the number of PhD students working in this area. Yet, the motivations to join integrative projects and the challenges for PhD students have so far not been investigated. The aims of this paper were to identify the understanding of PhD students with regard to integrative research, their motivations to join integrative projects, their expectations in terms of integration and results, and to reveal the challenges they face in integrative projects. We collected data by a questionnaire survey of 104 PhD students attending five PhD Master Classes held from 2003 to 2006. We used manual content analysis to analyse the free-text answers. The results revealed that students lack a differentiated understanding of integrative approaches. The main motivations to join integrative projects were the dissertation subject, the practical relevance of the project, the intellectual stimulation of working with different disciplines, and the belief that integrative research is more innovative. Expectations in terms of integration were high. Core challenges for integration included intellectual and external challenges such as lack of knowledge of other disciplines, knowledge transfer, reaching depth, supervision, lack of exchange with other students and time demands. To improve the situation for PhD students, we suggest improving knowledge on integrative approaches, balancing practical applicability with theoretical advancement, providing formal introductions to other fields of research, and enhancing institutional support for integrative PhD projects.

Titanium dioxide nanowire sensor array integration on CMOS platform using deterministic assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Gall, Oren Z; Zhong, Xiahua; Schulman, Daniel S; Kang, Myungkoo; Razavieh, Ali; Mayer, Theresa S

2017-06-30

Nanosensor arrays have recently received significant attention due to their utility in a wide range of applications, including gas sensing, fuel cells, internet of things, and portable health monitoring systems. Less attention has been given to the production of sensor platforms in the μW range for ultra-low power applications. Here, we discuss how to scale the nanosensor energy demand by developing a process for integration of nanowire sensing arrays on a monolithic CMOS chip. This work demonstrates an off-chip nanowire fabrication method; subsequently nanowires link to a fused SiO 2 substrate using electric-field assisted directed assembly. The nanowire resistances shown in this work have the highest resistance uniformity reported to date of 18%, which enables a practical roadmap towards the coupling of nanosensors to CMOS circuits and signal processing systems. The article also presents the utility of optimizing annealing conditions of the off-chip metal-oxides prior to CMOS integration to avoid limitations of thermal budget and process incompatibility. In the context of the platform demonstrated here, directed assembly is a powerful tool that can realize highly uniform, cross-reactive arrays of different types of metal-oxide nanosensors suited for gas discrimination and signal processing systems.

From self-organization to self-assembly: a new materialism?

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Bernadette Bensaude

2016-09-01

While self-organization has been an integral part of academic discussions about the distinctive features of living organisms, at least since Immanuel Kant's Critique of Judgement, the term 'self-assembly' has only been used for a few decades as it became a hot research topic with the emergence of nanotechnology. Could it be considered as an attempt at reducing vital organization to a sort of assembly line of molecules? Considering the context of research on self-assembly I argue that the shift of attention from self-organization to self-assembly does not really challenge the boundary between chemistry and biology. Self-assembly was first and foremost investigated in an engineering context as a strategy for manufacturing without human intervention and did not raise new perspectives on the emergence of vital organization itself. However self-assembly implies metaphysical assumptions that this paper tries to disentangle. It first describes the emergence of self-assembly as a research field in the context of materials science and nanotechnology. The second section outlines the metaphysical implications and will emphasize a sharp contrast between the ontology underlying two practices of self-assembly developed under the umbrella of synthetic biology. And unexpectedly, we shall see that chemists are less on the reductionist side than most synthetic biologists. Finally, the third section ventures some reflections on the kind of design involved in self-assembly practices.

Compliant heterogeneous assemblies of micro-VCSELs as a new materials platform for integrated optoelectronics

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Dongseok; Lee, Sung-Min; Kwong, Anthony; Yoon, Jongseung

2015-03-01

Despite many unique advantages, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) have been available mostly on rigid, planar wafers over restricted areas, thereby limiting their usage for applications that can benefit from large-scale, programmable assemblies, hybrid integration with dissimilar materials and devices, or mechanically flexible constructions. Here, materials design and fabrication strategies that address these limitations of conventional VCSELs are presented. Specialized design of epitaxial materials and etching processes, together with printing-based deterministic assemblies and substrate thermal engineering, enabled defect-free release of microscale VCSELs and their device- and circuit-level implementation on non-native, flexible substrates with performance comparable to devices on the growth substrate.

Sequential induction of three recombination directionality factors directs assembly of tripartite integrative and conjugative elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Haskett, Timothy L; Terpolilli, Jason J; Ramachandran, Vinoy K; Verdonk, Callum J; Poole, Phillip S; O'Hara, Graham W; Ramsay, Joshua P

2018-03-01

Tripartite integrative and conjugative elements (ICE3) are a novel form of ICE that exist as three separate DNA regions integrated within the genomes of Mesorhizobium spp. Prior to conjugative transfer the three ICE3 regions of M. ciceri WSM1271 ICEMcSym1271 combine and excise to form a single circular element. This assembly requires three coordinated recombination events involving three site-specific recombinases IntS, IntG and IntM. Here, we demonstrate that three excisionases-or recombination directionality factors-RdfS, RdfG and RdfM are required for ICE3 excision. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that expression of ICE3 transfer and conjugation genes was induced by quorum sensing. Quorum sensing activated expression of rdfS, and in turn RdfS stimulated transcription of both rdfG and rdfM. Therefore, RdfS acts as a "master controller" of ICE3 assembly and excision. The dependence of all three excisive reactions on RdfS ensures that ICE3 excision occurs via a stepwise sequence of recombination events that avoids splitting the chromosome into a non-viable configuration. These discoveries expose a surprisingly simple control system guiding molecular assembly of these novel and complex mobile genetic elements and highlight the diverse and critical functions of excisionase proteins in control of horizontal gene transfer.

Quantitative computational models of molecular self-assembly in systems biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Marcus; Schwartz, Russell

2017-05-23

Molecular self-assembly is the dominant form of chemical reaction in living systems, yet efforts at systems biology modeling are only beginning to appreciate the need for and challenges to accurate quantitative modeling of self-assembly. Self-assembly reactions are essential to nearly every important process in cell and molecular biology and handling them is thus a necessary step in building comprehensive models of complex cellular systems. They present exceptional challenges, however, to standard methods for simulating complex systems. While the general systems biology world is just beginning to deal with these challenges, there is an extensive literature dealing with them for more specialized self-assembly modeling. This review will examine the challenges of self-assembly modeling, nascent efforts to deal with these challenges in the systems modeling community, and some of the solutions offered in prior work on self-assembly specifically. The review concludes with some consideration of the likely role of self-assembly in the future of complex biological system models more generally.

Impact analysis of spent fuel jacket assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aramayo, G.A.

1994-01-01

As part of the analyses performed in support of the reracking of the High Flux Isotope Reactor pool, it became necessary to prove the structural integrity of the spent fuel jacket assemblies subjected to gravity drop that result from postulated accidents associated with the handling of these assemblies while submerged in the pool. The spent fuel jacket assemblies are an integral part of the reracking project, and serve to house fuel assemblies. The structure integrity of the jacket assemblies from loads that result from impact from a height of 10 feet onto specified targets has been performed analytically using the computer program LS-DYNA3D. Nine attitudes of the assembly at the time of impact have been considered. Results of the analyses show that there is no failure of the assemblies as a result of the impact scenarios considered

The BuzzFeed Marketing Challenge: An Integrative Social Media Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Cowley, Scott W.

2017-01-01

This article presents the BuzzFeed Marketing Challenge, which helps students gain integrative real-world marketing experience by selecting a target market, then creating, publishing, and promoting an article for the target market on entertainment publisher BuzzFeed.com. The challenge is for students to effectively use marketing strategy and…

Barriers and Challenges in the Integrated Design Process Approcach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudstrup, Mary-Ann

2006-01-01

ABSTRACT: In the future, it will be a huge challenge to make sustainable building design by using a more holistic and innovative approach in order to be able to decrease or reduce the use of energy for heating and cooling in new building projects. This is seen in the perspective of the Kyoto agre....... It also describes the barriers and the challenges that must be overcome when trying to cross the borders between the two fields of engineering and architecture to design sustainable architecture....... agreement for reducing the global heating. This paper will briefly present the method of the Integrated Design Process, IDP [1]. It describes the background and means for developing a new method for designing integrated architecture in an interdisciplinary approach between architecture and engineering...

Heterogeneous MEMS device assembly and integration

Science.gov (United States)

Topart, Patrice; Picard, Francis; Ilias, Samir; Alain, Christine; Chevalier, Claude; Fisette, Bruno; Paultre, Jacques E.; Généreux, Francis; Legros, Mathieu; Lepage, Jean-François; Laverdière, Christian; Ngo Phong, Linh; Caron, Jean-Sol; Desroches, Yan

2014-03-01

In recent years, smart phone applications have both raised the pressure for cost and time to market reduction, and the need for high performance MEMS devices. This trend has led the MEMS community to develop multi-die packaging of different functionalities or multi-technology (i.e. wafer) approaches to fabricate and assemble devices respectively. This paper reports on the fabrication, assembly and packaging at INO of various MEMS devices using heterogeneous assembly at chip and package-level. First, the performance of a giant (e.g. about 3 mm in diameter), electrostatically actuated beam steering mirror is presented. It can be rotated about two perpendicular axes to steer an optical beam within an angular cone of up to 60° in vector scan mode with an angular resolution of 1 mrad and a response time of 300 ms. To achieve such angular performance relative to mirror size, the microassembly was performed from sub-components fabricated from 4 different wafers. To combine infrared detection with inertial sensing, an electroplated proof mass was flip-chipped onto a 256×1 pixel uncooled bolometric FPA and released using laser ablation. In addition to the microassembly technology, performance results of packaged devices are presented. Finally, to simulate a 3072×3 pixel uncooled detector for cloud and fire imaging in mid and long-wave IR, the staggered assembly of six 512×3 pixel FPAs with a less than 50 micron pixel co-registration is reported.

Assembly and integration of geo-scientific knowledge and arguments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gierszewki, P.; Gautschi, A.; Nguyen, T.S.; Laaksohaju, M.; Rohlig, K.J.; Peake, T.; Peltier, R.; Pitkanen, P.; Skagius Elert, K.; Sykes, J.F.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this working group was to consider the assembly and integration of geo-scientific knowledge and arguments. In an introductory presentation, K. Skagius Elert presented 'Assessment of Uncertainty and Confidence in Site Descriptive Models Experience from the On-going Site Investigation Programme in Sweden'. The detailed description of concepts and procedures established at SKB for the development of a Site Descriptive Model (SDM) provided a starting point for the discussion of the working group. The SDM components and the procedures to achieve them were used as 'references' for the discussion of comparable elements in other national programmes. The observations have been placed into two broad themes: 1. How to manage the integration? 2. How to handle uncertainties? No specific prescription was identified for either of these questions; rather a range of suggestions were noted based on experience. The appropriate solution will depend on the organisation, the site, the state of the programme, and other factors. A final observation from the working group was on the handling of evolution of the site with time. This topic incorporates aspects of both site integration and uncertainty management. Specifically, the integrated site description model (SDM) noted above represents a description of the site as it presently exists. This description takes into account the site history, but does not describe its evolution. The latter involves a number of uncertainties. This time evolution of the site can be described through Scenarios. The definition of scenarios, similar to the definition of the SDM, is an integrated and multidisciplinary process in order to ensure a self-consistent description. It will involve use of common assumptions. Since it involves the future and the associated uncertainties, it can be useful to draw on expert panels to help define the key assumptions and outlines for scenarios. (authors)

Study of the Electrolytic Reduction of Uranium Oxide in LiCl-Li2O Molten Salts with an Integrated Cathode Assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sung Bin; Seo, Chung Seok; Kang, Dae Seung; Kwon, Seon Gil; Park, Seong Won

2005-01-01

The electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide in a LiCl-Li 2 O molten salt system has been studied in a 10 g U 3 O 3 /batch-scale experimental apparatus with an integrated cathode assembly at 650 .deg. C. The integrated cathode assembly consists of an electric conductor, the uranium oxide to be reduced and the membrane for loading the uranium oxide. From the cyclic voltammograms for the LiCl-3 wt% Li 3 O system and the U 3 O 3 -LiCl-3 wt% Li 2 O system according to the materials of the membrane in the cathode assembly, the mechanisms of the predominant reduction reactions in the electrolytic reactor cell were to be understood; direct and indirect electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide. Direct and indirect electrolytic reductions have been performed with the integrated cathode assembly. Using the 325-mesh stainless steel screen the uranium oxide failed to be reduced to uranium metal by a direct and indirect electrolytic reduction because of a low current efficiency and with the porous magnesia membrane the uranium oxide was reduced successfully to uranium metal by an indirect electrolytic reduction because of a high current efficiency.

Optimization of Two-Level Disassembly/Remanufacturing/Assembly System with an Integrated Maintenance Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zouhour Guiras

2018-04-01

Full Text Available With an increase of environmental pressure on economic activities, reverse flow is increasingly important. It seeks to save resources, eliminate waste, and improve productivity. This paper investigates the optimization of the disassembly, remanufacturing and assembly system, taking into account assembly-disassembly system degradation. An analytical model is developed to consider disassembly, remanufacturing of used/end-of-life product and assembly of the finished product. The finished product is composed of remanufactured and new components. A maintenance policy is sequentially integrated to reduce the system unavailability. The aim of this study is to help decision-makers, under certain conditions, choose the most cost-effective process for them to satisfy the customer as well as to adapt to the potential risk that can perturb the disassembly-assembly system. A heuristic is developed to determine the optimal ordered date of the used end-of-life product as well as the optimum release dates of new external components. The results reveal that considering some remanufacturing and purchase components costs, the proposed model is more economical in comparison with a model without remanufactured parts. Numerical results are provided to illustrate the impact of the variation of the ordering cost and quality of the used end-of-life product on the system profitability. Finally, the risk due to system repair periods is discussed, which has an impact on managerial decision-making.

Photonic integrated circuits: new challenges for lithography

Science.gov (United States)

Bolten, Jens; Wahlbrink, Thorsten; Prinzen, Andreas; Porschatis, Caroline; Lerch, Holger; Giesecke, Anna Lena

2016-10-01

In this work routes towards the fabrication of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and the challenges their fabrication poses on lithography, such as large differences in feature dimension of adjacent device features, non-Manhattan-type features, high aspect ratios and significant topographic steps as well as tight lithographic requirements with respect to critical dimension control, line edge roughness and other key figures of merit not only for very small but also for relatively large features, are highlighted. Several ways those challenges are faced in today's low-volume fabrication of PICs, including the concept multi project wafer runs and mix and match approaches, are presented and possible paths towards a real market uptake of PICs are discussed.

Fuel Assembly Damping Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Kanghee; Kang, Heungseok; Oh, Dongseok; Yoon, Kyungho; Kim, Hyungkyu; Kim, Jaeyong [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

This paper summary the fuel assembly damping data in air/in still water/under flow, released from foreign fuel vendors, compared our data with the published data. Some technical issues in fuel assembly damping measurement testing are also briefly discussed. Understanding of each fuel assembly damping mechanisms according to the surrounding medium and flow velocity can support the fuel design improvement in fuel assembly dynamics and structural integrity aspect. Because the upgraded requirements of the newly-developed advanced reactor system will demands to minimize fuel design margin in integrity evaluation, reduction in conservatism of fuel assembly damping can contribute to alleviate the fuel design margin for sure. Damping is an energy dissipation mechanism in a vibrating mechanical structure and prevents a resonant structure from having infinite vibration amplitudes. The sources of fuel assembly damping are various from support friction to flow contribution, and it can be increased by the viscosity or drag of surrounding fluid medium or the average velocity of water flowing. Fuel licensing requires fuel design evaluation in transient or accidental condition. Dynamic response analysis of fuel assembly is to show fuel integrity and requires information on assembly-wise damping in dry condition and under wet or water flowing condition. However, damping measurement test for the full-scale fuel assembly prototype is not easy to carry out because of the scale (fuel prototype, test facility), unsteadiness of test data (scattering, random sampling and processing), instrumentation under water flowing (water-proof response measurement), and noise. LWR fuel technology division in KAERI is preparing the infra structure for damping measurement test of full-scale fuel assembly, to support fuel industries and related research activities. Here is a preliminary summary of fuel assembly damping, published in the literature. Some technical issues in fuel assembly damping

Sequential induction of three recombination directionality factors directs assembly of tripartite integrative and conjugative elements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy L Haskett

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Tripartite integrative and conjugative elements (ICE3 are a novel form of ICE that exist as three separate DNA regions integrated within the genomes of Mesorhizobium spp. Prior to conjugative transfer the three ICE3 regions of M. ciceri WSM1271 ICEMcSym1271 combine and excise to form a single circular element. This assembly requires three coordinated recombination events involving three site-specific recombinases IntS, IntG and IntM. Here, we demonstrate that three excisionases-or recombination directionality factors-RdfS, RdfG and RdfM are required for ICE3 excision. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that expression of ICE3 transfer and conjugation genes was induced by quorum sensing. Quorum sensing activated expression of rdfS, and in turn RdfS stimulated transcription of both rdfG and rdfM. Therefore, RdfS acts as a "master controller" of ICE3 assembly and excision. The dependence of all three excisive reactions on RdfS ensures that ICE3 excision occurs via a stepwise sequence of recombination events that avoids splitting the chromosome into a non-viable configuration. These discoveries expose a surprisingly simple control system guiding molecular assembly of these novel and complex mobile genetic elements and highlight the diverse and critical functions of excisionase proteins in control of horizontal gene transfer.

Engineering within the assembly, verification, and integration (AIV) process in ALMA

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Bernhard; McMullin, Joseph P.; Whyborn, Nicholas D.; Duvall, Eugene

2010-07-01

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is a joint project between astronomical organizations in Europe, North America, and East Asia, in collaboration with the Republic of Chile. ALMA will consist of at least 54 twelve-meter antennas and 12 seven-meter antennas operating as an interferometer in the millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelength range. It will be located at an altitude above 5000m in the Chilean Atacama desert. As part of the ALMA construction phase the Assembly, Verification and Integration (AIV) team receives antennas and instrumentation from Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), verifies that the sub-systems perform as expected, performs the assembly and integration of the scientific instrumentation and verifies that functional and performance requirements are met. This paper aims to describe those aspects related to the AIV Engineering team, its role within the 4-station AIV process, the different phases the group underwent, lessons learned and potential space for improvement. AIV Engineering initially focused on the preparation of the necessary site infrastructure for AIV activities, on the purchase of tools and equipment and on the first ALMA system installations. With the first antennas arriving on site the team started to gather experience with AIV Station 1 beacon holography measurements for the assessment of the overall antenna surface quality, and with optical pointing to confirm the antenna pointing and tracking capabilities. With the arrival of the first receiver AIV Station 2 was developed which focuses on the installation of electrical and cryogenic systems and incrementally establishes the full connectivity of the antenna as an observing platform. Further antenna deliveries then allowed to refine the related procedures, develop staff expertise and to transition towards a more routine production process. Stations 3 and 4 deal with verification of the antenna with integrated electronics by the AIV Science Team and is not covered

Investigation of Properties of Novel Silicon Pixel Assemblies Employing Thin n-in-p Sensors and 3D-Integration

CERN Document Server

Weigell, Philipp

Until the end of the 2020 decade the LHC programme will be defining the high energy frontier of particle physics. During this time, three upgrade steps of the accelerator are currently planned to further increase the luminosity and energy reach. In the course of these upgrades the specifications of several parts of the current LHC detectors will be exceeded. Especially, the innermost tracking detectors are challenged by the increasing track densities and the radiation damage. This thesis focuses on the implications for the ATLAS experiment. Here, around 2021/2, after having collected an integrated luminosity of around 300/fb¹ , the silicon and gas detector components of the inner tracker will reach the end of their lifetime and will need to be replaced to ensure sufficient performance for continued running|especially if the luminosity is raised to about 5x10^35/(cm²s¹ ) as currently planned. An all silicon inner detector is foreseen to be installed. This upgrade demands cost-effective pixel assemblies with...

Integration of micro nano and bio technologies with layer-by-layer self-assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Kommireddy, Dinesh Shankar

In the past decade, layer-by-layer (LbL) nanoassembly has been used as a tool for immobilization and surface modification of materials with applications in biology and physical sciences. Often, in such applications, LbL assembly is integrated with various techniques to form functional surface coatings and immobilized matrices. In this work, integration of LbL with microfabrication and microfluidics, and tissue engineering are explored. In an effort to integrate microfabrication with LbL nanoassembly, microchannels were fabricated using soft-lithography and the surface of these channels was used for the immobilization of materials using LbL and laminar flow patterning. Synthesis of poly(dimethyldiallyl ammonium chloride)/poly(styrene sulfonate) and poly(dimethyldiallyl ammonium chloride)/bovine serum albumin microstrips is demonstrated with the laminar flow microfluidic reactor. Resulting micropatterns are 8-10 mum wide, separated with few micron gaps. The width of these microstrips as well as their position in the microchannel is controlled by varying the flow rate, time of interaction and concentration of the individual components, which is verified by numerical simulation. Spatially resolved pH sensitivity was observed by modifying the surface of the channel with a pH sensitive dye. In order to investigate the integration of LbL assembly with tissue engineering, glass substrates were coated with nanoparticle/polyelectrolyte layers, and two different cell types were used to test the applicability of these coatings for the surface modification of medical implants. Titanium dioxide (TiO 2), silicon dioxide, halloysite and montmorillonite nanoparticles were assembled with oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. In-vitro cytotoxicity tests of the nanoparticle substrates on human dermal firbroblasts (HDFs) showed that the nanoparticle surfaces do not have toxic effects on the cells. HDFs retained their phenotype on the nanoparticle coatings, by synthesizing type

Comparison of Normalized and Unnormalized Single Cell and Population Assemblies (MICW - Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop: 10K Genomes at a Time)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hugenholtz, Phil

2011-10-12

University of Queensland's Phil Hugenholtz on "Comparison of Normalized and Unnormalized Single Cell and Population Assemblies" at the Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop held at the DOE JGI on October 12-13, 2011.

Self-Esteem Challenges of Nursing Students: An Integrative Review

OpenAIRE

KEOGH, BRIAN

2016-01-01

Introduction: Self-esteem among nursing students is important in providing high-quality serviceto clients, yet each study in this field has described only a portion of existing relevant knowledge.Integrative review studies are the best practice for identification of existing nursing knowledge.The purpose of this study was to determine self-esteem challenges among nursing students. Methods: An integrative review was conducted in this study. The databases ProQuest, Medlineon PubMed, Science Dir...

Integrating Photovoltaic Systems in Power System: Power Quality Impacts and Optimal Planning Challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aida Fazliana Abdul Kadir

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is an overview of some of the main issues in photovoltaic based distributed generation (PVDG. A discussion of the harmonic distortion produced by PVDG units is presented. The maximum permissible penetration level of PVDG in distribution system is also considered. The general procedures of optimal planning for PVDG placement and sizing are also explained in this paper. The result of this review shows that there are different challenges for integrating PVDG in the power systems. One of these challenges is integrated system reliability whereas the amount of power produced by renewable energy source is consistent. Thus, the high penetration of PVDG into grid can decrease the reliability of the power system network. On the other hand, power quality is considered one of the challenges of PVDG whereas the high penetration of PVDGs can lead to more harmonic propagation into the power system network. In addition to that, voltage fluctuation of the integrated PVDG and reverse power flow are two important challenges to this technology. Finally, protection of power system with integrated PVDG is one of the most critical challenges to this technology as the current protection schemes are designed for unidirectional not bidirectional power flow pattern.

Next-generation transcriptome assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin, Jeffrey A.; Wang, Zhong

2011-09-01

Transcriptomics studies often rely on partial reference transcriptomes that fail to capture the full catalog of transcripts and their variations. Recent advances in sequencing technologies and assembly algorithms have facilitated the reconstruction of the entire transcriptome by deep RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), even without a reference genome. However, transcriptome assembly from billions of RNA-seq reads, which are often very short, poses a significant informatics challenge. This Review summarizes the recent developments in transcriptome assembly approaches - reference-based, de novo and combined strategies-along with some perspectives on transcriptome assembly in the near future.

Probabilistic reasoning for assembly-based 3D modeling

KAUST Repository

Chaudhuri, Siddhartha; Kalogerakis, Evangelos; Guibas, Leonidas; Koltun, Vladlen

2011-01-01

Assembly-based modeling is a promising approach to broadening the accessibility of 3D modeling. In assembly-based modeling, new models are assembled from shape components extracted from a database. A key challenge in assembly-based modeling

Integrating an Academic Electronic Health Record: Challenges and Success Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Herbert, Valerie M; Connors, Helen

2016-08-01

Technology is increasing the complexity in the role of today's nurse. Healthcare organizations are integrating more health information technologies and relying on the electronic health record for data collection, communication, and decision making. Nursing faculty need to prepare graduates for this environment and incorporate an academic electronic health record into a nursing curriculum to meet student-program outcomes. Although the need exists for student preparation, some nursing programs are struggling with implementation, whereas others have been successful. To better understand these complexities, this project was intended to identify current challenges and success strategies of effective academic electronic health record integration into nursing curricula. Using Rogers' 1962 Diffusion of Innovation theory as a framework for technology adoption, a descriptive survey design was used to gain insights from deans and program directors of nursing schools involved with the national Health Informatics & Technology Scholars faculty development program or Cerner's Academic Education Solution Consortium, working to integrate an academic electronic health record in their respective nursing schools. The participants' experiences highlighted approaches used by these schools to integrate these technologies. Data from this project provide nursing education with effective strategies and potential challenges that should be addressed for successful academic electronic health record integration.

Becoming Earth Independent: Human-Automation-Robotics Integration Challenges for Future Space Exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Marquez, Jessica J.

2016-01-01

Future exploration missions will require NASA to integrate more automation and robotics in order to accomplish mission objectives. This presentation will describe on the future challenges facing the human operator (astronaut, ground controllers) as we increase the amount of automation and robotics in spaceflight operations. It will describe how future exploration missions will have to adapt and evolve in order to deal with more complex missions and communication latencies. This presentation will outline future human-automation-robotic integration challenges.

Self-Esteem Challenges of Nursing Students: An Integrative Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leila Valizadeh

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Self-esteem among nursing students is important in providing high-quality serviceto clients, yet each study in this field has described only a portion of existing relevant knowledge.Integrative review studies are the best practice for identification of existing nursing knowledge.The purpose of this study was to determine self-esteem challenges among nursing students. Methods: An integrative review was conducted in this study. The databases ProQuest, Medlineon PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar and Iran Medix were used for the review. The articleswere retrieved in three steps, including searching by search terms, reviewing the proceedingsbased on inclusion criteria and final retrieval and assessment of the available full texts. We used alist of keywords, including nursing, self-esteem and challenges and mixed them with "AND" and"OR" as a search strategy. Papers were included and eligible if they were associated with problemsrelated to nursing students’ self-esteem. Those studies that focused only on the self-esteem ofregistered nurses or patients were excluded. Search results were limited to the years 1960-2014. Results: Our findings showed three major challenges, including challenges associated withinconsistency in determining the level of students’ self-esteem, self-esteem associated challengesin professionalism of students, and the psychosocial challenges pertaining to the consequences oflow self-esteem. Conclusion: The findings suggest there is a need for more qualitative research to explore thefactors that contribute to self-esteem in nursing students with a particular focus on the factorsthat increase or decrease self-esteem. In addition, strategies to maintain and increase self-esteemneed to be designed, implemented and evaluated.

Design of an integral missile shield in integrated head assembly for pressurized water reactor at commercial nuclear plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baliga, Ravi; Watts, Tom Neal; Kamath, Harish

2015-01-01

In ICONE22, the authors presented the Integrated Head Assembly (IHA) design concept implemented at Callaway Nuclear Power Plant in Missouri, USA. The IHA concept is implemented to reduce the outage duration and the associated radiation exposure to the workers by reducing critical path time during Plant Refueling Outage. One of the head area components in the IHA is a steel missile shield designed to protect the Control Rod Drive Mechanism (CRDM) assembly from damaging other safety-related components in the vicinity in the Containment. Per Federally implemented General Design Criteria for commercial nuclear plants in the USA, the design of Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) must provide protection from the damages caused by a postulated event of CRDM housing units and their associated parts disengaging from the reactor vessel assembly. This event is considered as a Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) and assumes that once the CRDM housing unit and their associated parts disengage from the reactor vessel internals assembly, they travel upward by the water jet with the following sequence of events: Per Reference 1, the drive shaft and control rod cluster are forced out of the reactor core by the differential pressure across the drive shaft with the assumption that the drive shaft and control rod cluster, latched together, are fully inserted when the accident occurs. After the travel, the rod cluster control spider will impact the lower side of the upper support plate inside the reactor vessel fracturing the flexure arms in the joint freeing the drive shaft from the control rod cluster. The control rod cluster is stopped by the upper support plate and will remain below the upper support plate during this accident. However, the drive shaft will continue to accelerate in the upward direction until it is stopped by a safety feature in the IHA. The integral missile shield as a safety feature in the IHA is designed to stop the CRDM drive shaft from moving further up in the

Characteristics of an integrated cathode assembly for the electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide in a LiCl-Li2O molten salt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sung Bin Park; Byung Heung Park; Sang Mun Jeong; Jin Mok Hur; Chung Seok Seo; Seong Won Park; Seung-Hoon Choi

2006-01-01

Electrochemical behavior of the reduction of uranium oxide was studied in a LiCl-Li 2 O molten salt system with an integrated cathode assembly. The mechanism for the electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide was studied through cyclic voltammetry. By means of a chronopotentiometry, the effects of the thickness of the uranium oxide, the thickness of the MgO membrane and the material of the conductor of an integrated cathode assembly on the overpotential of the cathode were investigated. From the voltamograms, the reduction potential of the uranium oxide and Li 2 O was obtained and the two mechanisms of the electrolytic reduction were considered with regard to the applied cathode potential. From the chronopotentiograms, the exchange current, the transfer coefficient and the maximum allowable current based on the Tafel behavior were obtained with regard to the thickness of the uranium oxide, and of the MgO membrane and the material of the conductor of an integrated cathode assembly. (author)

Transport and handling LHC components A permanent challenge

CERN Document Server

Bertone, C

2004-01-01

The LHC project, collider and experiments, is an assembly of thousands of elements, large or small, heavy or light, fragile or robust. Each element has its own transport requirements that constitute a real challenge to handle. Even simple manoeuvres could lead to difficulties in integration, routing and execution due to the complex environment and confined underground spaces. Examples of typical LHC elements transport and handling will be detailed such as the 16-m long, 34-t heavy, fragile cryomagnets from the surface to the final destination in the tunnel, or the delicate cryogenic cold-boxes down to pits and detector components. This challenge did not only require a lot of imagination but also a close cooperation between all the involved parties, in particular with colleagues from safety, cryogenics, civil engineering, integration and logistics.

AutoAssemblyD: a graphical user interface system for several genome assemblers.

Science.gov (United States)

Veras, Adonney Allan de Oliveira; de Sá, Pablo Henrique Caracciolo Gomes; Azevedo, Vasco; Silva, Artur; Ramos, Rommel Thiago Jucá

2013-01-01

Next-generation sequencing technologies have increased the amount of biological data generated. Thus, bioinformatics has become important because new methods and algorithms are necessary to manipulate and process such data. However, certain challenges have emerged, such as genome assembly using short reads and high-throughput platforms. In this context, several algorithms have been developed, such as Velvet, Abyss, Euler-SR, Mira, Edna, Maq, SHRiMP, Newbler, ALLPATHS, Bowtie and BWA. However, most such assemblers do not have a graphical interface, which makes their use difficult for users without computing experience given the complexity of the assembler syntax. Thus, to make the operation of such assemblers accessible to users without a computing background, we developed AutoAssemblyD, which is a graphical tool for genome assembly submission and remote management by multiple assemblers through XML templates. AssemblyD is freely available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/autoassemblyd. It requires Sun jdk 6 or higher.

Challenges of decentralisation in Ghana: district assembly's ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and the various legislations on decentralisation articulate the explicit objectives of the policy which includes responsiveness to community needs. The rationale behind Ghana's decentralisation programme and the functions of the District Assemblies (DAs) therefore provide a ...

In-Space Assembly Capability Assessment for Potential Human Exploration and Science Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Jefferies, Sharon A.; Jones, Christopher A.; Arney, Dale C.; Stillwagen, Frederic H.; Chai, Patrick R.; Hutchinson, Craig D.; Stafford, Matthew A.; Moses, Robert W.; Dempsey, James A.; Rodgers, Erica M.;

Magnetic self-assembly of small parts

Science.gov (United States)

Shetye, Sheetal B.

Modern society's propensity for miniaturized end-user products is compelling electronic manufacturers to assemble and package different micro-scale, multi-technology components in more efficient and cost-effective manners. As the size of the components gets smaller, issues such as part sticking and alignment precision create challenges that slow the throughput of conventional robotic pick-n-place systems. As an alternative, various self-assembly approaches have been proposed to manipulate micro to millimeter scale components in a parallel fashion without human or robotic intervention. In this dissertation, magnetic self-assembly (MSA) is demonstrated as a highly efficient, completely parallel process for assembly of millimeter scale components. MSA is achieved by integrating permanent micromagnets onto component bonding surfaces using wafer-level microfabrication processes. Embedded bonded powder methods are used for fabrication of the magnets. The magnets are then magnetized using pulse magnetization methods, and the wafers are then singulated to form individual components. When the components are randomly mixed together, self-assembly occurs when the intermagnetic forces overcome the mixing forces. Analytical and finite element methods (FEM) are used to study the force interactions between the micromagnets. The multifunctional aspects of MSA are presented through demonstration of part-to-part and part-to-substrate assembly of 1 mm x 1mm x 0.5 mm silicon components. Part-to-part assembly is demonstrated by batch assembly of free-floating parts in a liquid environment with the assembly yield of different magnetic patterns varying from 88% to 90% in 20 s. Part-to-substrate assembly is demonstrated by assembling an ordered array onto a fixed substrate in a dry environment with the assembly yield varying from 86% to 99%. In both cases, diverse magnetic shapes/patterns are used to control the alignment and angular orientation of the components. A mathematical model is

SIMULTANEOUS INTEGRATION OF WATER AND ENERGY: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junior Lorenzo Llanes

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Process Integration (PI is a tool that for over forty years has demonstrated its strength to provide optimal solutions to complex problems. The interaction of exchange systems of energy and water networks is a typical case of such problems. The gradual increase in the consumption of water and energy has determined the development of methodologies that take into account the simultaneous integration of these resources. This paper aims to present a literature review related to the simultaneous integration of water and energy. First, general items related to this research field are presented, emphasizing the approaches to simultaneous integration (Pinch Analysis and Mathematical Programming. Some recent cases of studies, demonstrating the strength of these tools mainly focus to sugar industry, are also presented. Finally some of the challenges to be faced by the simultaneous integration of water and energy for the diversification of the Cuban sugar industry are presented.

Challenges in Incorporating Climate Change Adaptation into Integrated Water Resources Management

Science.gov (United States)

Kirshen, P. H.; Cardwell, H.; Kartez, J.; Merrill, S.

2011-12-01

Over the last few decades, integrated water resources management (IWRM), under various names, has become the accepted philosophy for water management in the USA. While much is still to be learned about how to actually carry it out, implementation is slowly moving forward - spurred by both legislation and the demands of stakeholders. New challenges to IWRM have arisen because of climate change. Climate change has placed increased demands on the creativities of planners and engineers because they now must design systems that will function over decades of hydrologic uncertainties that dwarf any previous hydrologic or other uncertainties. Climate and socio-economic monitoring systems must also now be established to determine when the future climate has changed sufficiently to warrant undertaking adaptation. The requirements for taking some actions now and preserving options for future actions as well as the increased risk of social inequities in climate change impacts and adaptation are challenging experts in stakeholder participation. To meet these challenges, an integrated methodology is essential that builds upon scenario analysis, risk assessment, statistical decision theory, participatory planning, and consensus building. This integration will create cross-disciplinary boundaries for these disciplines to overcome.

Photon Upconversion and Molecular Solar Energy Storage by Maximizing the Potential of Molecular Self-Assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimizuka, Nobuo; Yanai, Nobuhiro; Morikawa, Masa-Aki

2016-11-29

The self-assembly of functional molecules into ordered molecular assemblies and the fulfillment of potentials unique to their nanotomesoscopic structures have been one of the central challenges in chemistry. This Feature Article provides an overview of recent progress in the field of molecular self-assembly with the focus on the triplet-triplet annihilation-based photon upconversion (TTA-UC) and supramolecular storage of photon energy. On the basis of the integration of molecular self-assembly and photon energy harvesting, triplet energy migration-based TTA-UC has been achieved in varied molecular systems. Interestingly, some molecular self-assemblies dispersed in solution or organogels revealed oxygen barrier properties, which allowed TTA-UC even under aerated conditions. The elements of molecular self-assembly were also introduced to the field of molecular solar thermal fuel, where reversible photoliquefaction of ionic crystals to ionic liquids was found to double the molecular storage capacity with the simultaneous pursuit of switching ionic conductivity. A future prospect in terms of innovating molecular self-assembly toward molecular systems chemistry is also discussed.

Towards an Integrated QR Code Biosensor: Light-Driven Sample Acquisition and Bacterial Cellulose Paper Substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Mingquan; Jiang, Qisheng; Liu, Keng-Ku; Singamaneni, Srikanth; Chakrabartty, Shantanu

2018-06-01

This paper addresses two key challenges toward an integrated forward error-correcting biosensor based on our previously reported self-assembled quick-response (QR) code. The first challenge involves the choice of the paper substrate for printing and self-assembling the QR code. We have compared four different substrates that includes regular printing paper, Whatman filter paper, nitrocellulose membrane and lab synthesized bacterial cellulose. We report that out of the four substrates bacterial cellulose outperforms the others in terms of probe (gold nanorods) and ink retention capability. The second challenge involves remote activation of the analyte sampling and the QR code self-assembly process. In this paper, we use light as a trigger signal and a graphite layer as a light-absorbing material. The resulting change in temperature due to infrared absorption leads to a temperature gradient that then exerts a diffusive force driving the analyte toward the regions of self-assembly. The working principle has been verified in this paper using assembled biosensor prototypes where we demonstrate higher sample flow rate due to light induced thermal gradients.

Monocular Camera/IMU/GNSS Integration for Ground Vehicle Navigation in Challenging GNSS Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dennis Akos

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Low-cost MEMS-based IMUs, video cameras and portable GNSS devices are commercially available for automotive applications and some manufacturers have already integrated such facilities into their vehicle systems. GNSS provides positioning, navigation and timing solutions to users worldwide. However, signal attenuation, reflections or blockages may give rise to positioning difficulties. As opposed to GNSS, a generic IMU, which is independent of electromagnetic wave reception, can calculate a high-bandwidth navigation solution, however the output from a self-contained IMU accumulates errors over time. In addition, video cameras also possess great potential as alternate sensors in the navigation community, particularly in challenging GNSS environments and are becoming more common as options in vehicles. Aiming at taking advantage of these existing onboard technologies for ground vehicle navigation in challenging environments, this paper develops an integrated camera/IMU/GNSS system based on the extended Kalman filter (EKF. Our proposed integration architecture is examined using a live dataset collected in an operational traffic environment. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed integrated system provides accurate estimations and potentially outperforms the tightly coupled GNSS/IMU integration in challenging environments with sparse GNSS observations.

Monocular camera/IMU/GNSS integration for ground vehicle navigation in challenging GNSS environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Tianxing; Guo, Ningyan; Backén, Staffan; Akos, Dennis

2012-01-01

Low-cost MEMS-based IMUs, video cameras and portable GNSS devices are commercially available for automotive applications and some manufacturers have already integrated such facilities into their vehicle systems. GNSS provides positioning, navigation and timing solutions to users worldwide. However, signal attenuation, reflections or blockages may give rise to positioning difficulties. As opposed to GNSS, a generic IMU, which is independent of electromagnetic wave reception, can calculate a high-bandwidth navigation solution, however the output from a self-contained IMU accumulates errors over time. In addition, video cameras also possess great potential as alternate sensors in the navigation community, particularly in challenging GNSS environments and are becoming more common as options in vehicles. Aiming at taking advantage of these existing onboard technologies for ground vehicle navigation in challenging environments, this paper develops an integrated camera/IMU/GNSS system based on the extended Kalman filter (EKF). Our proposed integration architecture is examined using a live dataset collected in an operational traffic environment. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed integrated system provides accurate estimations and potentially outperforms the tightly coupled GNSS/IMU integration in challenging environments with sparse GNSS observations.

Monocular Camera/IMU/GNSS Integration for Ground Vehicle Navigation in Challenging GNSS Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Tianxing; Guo, Ningyan; Backén, Staffan; Akos, Dennis

2012-01-01

Low-cost MEMS-based IMUs, video cameras and portable GNSS devices are commercially available for automotive applications and some manufacturers have already integrated such facilities into their vehicle systems. GNSS provides positioning, navigation and timing solutions to users worldwide. However, signal attenuation, reflections or blockages may give rise to positioning difficulties. As opposed to GNSS, a generic IMU, which is independent of electromagnetic wave reception, can calculate a high-bandwidth navigation solution, however the output from a self-contained IMU accumulates errors over time. In addition, video cameras also possess great potential as alternate sensors in the navigation community, particularly in challenging GNSS environments and are becoming more common as options in vehicles. Aiming at taking advantage of these existing onboard technologies for ground vehicle navigation in challenging environments, this paper develops an integrated camera/IMU/GNSS system based on the extended Kalman filter (EKF). Our proposed integration architecture is examined using a live dataset collected in an operational traffic environment. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed integrated system provides accurate estimations and potentially outperforms the tightly coupled GNSS/IMU integration in challenging environments with sparse GNSS observations. PMID:22736999

Assembling large, complex environmental metagenomes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howe, A. C. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences; Jansson, J. [USDOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Walnut Creek, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Division; Malfatti, S. A. [USDOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Walnut Creek, CA (United States); Tringe, S. G. [USDOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Walnut Creek, CA (United States); Tiedje, J. M. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences; Brown, C. T. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Computer Science and Engineering

2012-12-28

The large volumes of sequencing data required to sample complex environments deeply pose new challenges to sequence analysis approaches. De novo metagenomic assembly effectively reduces the total amount of data to be analyzed but requires significant computational resources. We apply two pre-assembly filtering approaches, digital normalization and partitioning, to make large metagenome assemblies more computationaly tractable. Using a human gut mock community dataset, we demonstrate that these methods result in assemblies nearly identical to assemblies from unprocessed data. We then assemble two large soil metagenomes from matched Iowa corn and native prairie soils. The predicted functional content and phylogenetic origin of the assembled contigs indicate significant taxonomic differences despite similar function. The assembly strategies presented are generic and can be extended to any metagenome; full source code is freely available under a BSD license.

Challenges and opportunities in integration of design and control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huusom, Jakob Kjøbsted

2015-01-01

Process synthesis and design of plant operation are related topics but current industrial practice solves these problems sequentially. The implication of this sequential strategy may result in design of processing systems which are very hard to control. This paper presents a discussion on drivers...... for an integrated approach and outlines the challenges in formulation of such a multi-objective synthesis problem. This discussion is viewed in relation to some of the changing trends in the industry. Significant results have been published which in different ways seek to handle the integrated problem. Further...

Robotically Assembled Aerospace Structures: Digital Material Assembly using a Gantry-Type Assembler

Science.gov (United States)

Trinh, Greenfield; Copplestone, Grace; O'Connor, Molly; Hu, Steven; Nowak, Sebastian; Cheung, Kenneth; Jenett, Benjamin; Cellucci, Daniel

2017-01-01

This paper evaluates the development of automated assembly techniques for discrete lattice structures using a multi-axis gantry type CNC machine. These lattices are made of discrete components called "digital materials." We present the development of a specialized end effector that works in conjunction with the CNC machine to assemble these lattices. With this configuration we are able to place voxels at a rate of 1.5 per minute. The scalability of digital material structures due to the incremental modular assembly is one of its key traits and an important metric of interest. We investigate the build times of a 5x5 beam structure on the scale of 1 meter (325 parts), 10 meters (3,250 parts), and 30 meters (9,750 parts). Utilizing the current configuration with a single end effector, performing serial assembly with a globally fixed feed station at the edge of the build volume, the build time increases according to a scaling law of n4, where n is the build scale. Build times can be reduced significantly by integrating feed systems into the gantry itself, resulting in a scaling law of n3. A completely serial assembly process will encounter time limitations as build scale increases. Automated assembly for digital materials can assemble high performance structures from discrete parts, and techniques such as built in feed systems, parallelization, and optimization of the fastening process will yield much higher throughput.

DOE JGI Quality Metrics; Approaches to Scaling and Improving Metagenome Assembly (Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop: 10K Genomes at a Time)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Copeland, Alex; Brown, C. Titus

2011-10-13

DOE JGI's Alex Copeland on "DOE JGI Quality Metrics" and Michigan State University's C. Titus Brown on "Approaches to Scaling and Improving Metagenome Assembly" at the Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop held at the DOE JGI on October 12-13, 2011.

Optimizing Transcriptome Assemblies for Eleusine indica Leaf and Seedling by Combining Multiple Assemblies from Three De Novo Assemblers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shu Chen

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Due to rapid advances in sequencing technology, increasing amounts of genomic and transcriptomic data are available for plant species, presenting enormous challenges for biocomputing analysis. A crucial first step for a successful transcriptomics-based study is the building of a high-quality assembly. Here, we utilized three different de novo assemblers (Trinity, Velvet, and CLC and the EvidentialGene pipeline tr2aacds to assemble two optimized transcript sets for the notorious weed species, . Two RNA sequencing (RNA-seq datasets from leaf and aboveground seedlings were processed using three assemblers, which resulted in 20 assemblies for each dataset. The contig numbers and N50 values of each assembly were compared to study the effect of read number, k-mer size, and in silico normalization on assembly output. The 20 assemblies were then processed through the tr2aacds pipeline to remove redundant transcripts and to select the transcript set with the best coding potential. Each assembly contributed a considerable proportion to the final transcript combination with the exception of the CLC-k14. Thus each assembler and parameter set did assemble better contigs for certain transcripts. The redundancy, total contig number, N50, fully assembled contig number, and transcripts related to target-site herbicide resistance were evaluated for the EvidentialGene and Trinity assemblies. Comparing the EvidentialGene set with the Trinity assembly revealed improved quality and reduced redundancy in both leaf and seedling EvidentialGene sets. The optimized transcriptome references will be useful for studying herbicide resistance in and the evolutionary process in the three allotetraploid offspring.

TPX assembly plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knutson, D.

1993-01-01

The TPX machine will be assembled in the TFTR Test Cell at the Plasma Physics Laboratory, utilizing the existing TFTR machine foundation. Preparation of the area for assembly will begin after completion of the decontamination and decommissioning phase on TFTR and certification that the radiation levels remaining, if any, are consistent with the types of operations planned. Assembly operations begin with the arrival of the first components, and conclude, approximately 24 months later, with the successful completion of the integrated systems tests and the achievement of a first plasma

Assembly tool design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanamori, Naokazu; Nakahira, Masataka; Ohkawa, Yoshinao; Tada, Eisuke; Seki, Masahiro

1996-06-01

The reactor core of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is assembled with a number of large and asymmetric components within a tight tolerance in order to assure the structural integrity for various loads and to provide the tritium confinement. In addition, the assembly procedure should be compatible with remote operation since the core structures will be activated by 14-MeV neutrons once it starts operation and thus personal access will be prohibited. Accordingly, the assembly procedure and tool design are quite essential and should be designed from the beginning to facilitate remote operation. According to the ITER Design Task Agreement, the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) has performed design study to develop the assembly procedures and associated tool design for the ITER tokamak assembly. This report describes outlines of the assembly tools and the remaining issues obtained in this design study. (author)

GAViT: Genome Assembly Visualization Tool for Short Read Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Syed, Aijazuddin; Shapiro, Harris; Tu, Hank; Pangilinan, Jasmyn; Trong, Stephan

2008-03-14

It is a challenging job for genome analysts to accurately debug, troubleshoot, and validate genome assembly results. Genome analysts rely on visualization tools to help validate and troubleshoot assembly results, including such problems as mis-assemblies, low-quality regions, and repeats. Short read data adds further complexity and makes it extremely challenging for the visualization tools to scale and to view all needed assembly information. As a result, there is a need for a visualization tool that can scale to display assembly data from the new sequencing technologies. We present Genome Assembly Visualization Tool (GAViT), a highly scalable and interactive assembly visualization tool developed at the DOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI).

When lithography meets self-assembly: a review of recent advances in the directed assembly of complex metal nanostructures on planar and textured surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Robert A.; Menumerov, Eredzhep; Neretina, Svetlana

2017-07-01

One of the foremost challenges in nanofabrication is the establishment of a processing science that integrates wafer-based materials, techniques, and devices with the extraordinary physicochemical properties accessible when materials are reduced to nanoscale dimensions. Such a merger would allow for exacting controls on nanostructure positioning, promote cooperative phenomenon between adjacent nanostructures and/or substrate materials, and allow for electrical contact to individual or groups of nanostructures. With neither self-assembly nor top-down lithographic processes being able to adequately meet this challenge, advancements have often relied on a hybrid strategy that utilizes lithographically-defined features to direct the assembly of nanostructures into organized patterns. While these so-called directed assembly techniques have proven viable, much of this effort has focused on the assembly of periodic arrays of spherical or near-spherical nanostructures comprised of a single element. Work directed toward the fabrication of more complex nanostructures, while still at a nascent stage, has nevertheless demonstrated the possibility of forming arrays of nanocubes, nanorods, nanoprisms, nanoshells, nanocages, nanoframes, core-shell structures, Janus structures, and various alloys on the substrate surface. In this topical review, we describe the progress made in the directed assembly of periodic arrays of these complex metal nanostructures on planar and textured substrates. The review is divided into three broad strategies reliant on: (i) the deterministic positioning of colloidal structures, (ii) the reorganization of deposited metal films at elevated temperatures, and (iii) liquid-phase chemistry practiced directly on the substrate surface. These strategies collectively utilize a broad range of techniques including capillary assembly, microcontact printing, chemical surface modulation, templated dewetting, nanoimprint lithography, and dip-pen nanolithography and

Characterization of the Caliban and Prospero Critical Assemblies Neutron Spectra for Integral Measurements Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Casoli, P.; Authier, N.; Jacquet, X.; Cartier, J.

2014-04-01

Caliban and Prospero are two highly enriched uranium metallic core reactors operated on the CEA Center of Valduc. These critical assemblies are suitable for integral experiments, such as fission yields measurements or perturbation measurements, which have been carried out recently on the Caliban reactor. Different unfolding methods, based on activation foils and fission chambers measurements, are used to characterize the reactor spectra and especially the Caliban spectrum, which is very close to a pure fission spectrum.

Dynamic Self-Assembly of Gold/Polymer Nanocomposites: pH-Encoded Switching between 1D Nanowires and 3D Nanosponges.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qi; Xu, Tian-Yi; Zhao, Cai-Xin; Jin, Wei-Hang; Wang, Qian; Qu, Da-Hui

2017-10-05

The design of tunable dynamic self-assembly of nanoparticles with switchable assembled dimensions and morphologies is a challenging goal whose realization is vital for the evolution of smart nanomaterials. Herein, we report on chitosan polymer as an effective supramolecular "glue" for aldehyde-modified Au nanoparticles to reversibly modulate the states of self-assembled nanocomposites. By simultaneous integration of dynamic covalent Schiff base interactions and noncovalent hydrogen bonds, the chitosan/Au nanocomposites could reversibly transform their assembled morphologies from one-dimensional nanowires to three-dimensional nanosponges in response to the variation of pH value. Moreover, the obtained nanosponges could be used as an efficient pH-controlled cargo release system. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A puzzle assembly strategy for fabrication of large engineered cartilage tissue constructs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nover, Adam B; Jones, Brian K; Yu, William T; Donovan, Daniel S; Podolnick, Jeremy D; Cook, James L; Ateshian, Gerard A; Hung, Clark T

2016-03-21

Engineering of large articular cartilage tissue constructs remains a challenge as tissue growth is limited by nutrient diffusion. Here, a novel strategy is investigated, generating large constructs through the assembly of individually cultured, interlocking, smaller puzzle-shaped subunits. These constructs can be engineered consistently with more desirable mechanical and biochemical properties than larger constructs (~4-fold greater Young׳s modulus). A failure testing technique was developed to evaluate the physiologic functionality of constructs, which were cultured as individual subunits for 28 days, then assembled and cultured for an additional 21-35 days. Assembled puzzle constructs withstood large deformations (40-50% compressive strain) prior to failure. Their ability to withstand physiologic loads may be enhanced by increases in subunit strength and assembled culture time. A nude mouse model was utilized to show biocompatibility and fusion of assembled puzzle pieces in vivo. Overall, the technique offers a novel, effective approach to scaling up engineered tissues and may be combined with other techniques and/or applied to the engineering of other tissues. Future studies will aim to optimize this system in an effort to engineer and integrate robust subunits to fill large defects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Target Assembly Facility

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Target Assembly Facility integrates new armor concepts into actual armored vehicles. Featuring the capability ofmachining and cutting radioactive materials, it...

Burnable absorber-integrated Guide Thimble (BigT) - 1. Design concepts and neutronic characterization on the fuel assembly benchmarks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yahya, Mohd-Syukri; Yu, Hwanyeal; Kim, Yonghee

2016-01-01

This paper presents the conceptual designs of a new burnable absorber (BA) for the pressurized water reactor (PWR), which is named 'Burnable absorber-integrated Guide Thimble' (BigT). The BigT integrates BA materials into standard guide thimble in a PWR fuel assembly. Neutronic sensitivities and practical design considerations of the BigT concept are points of highlight in the first half of the paper. Specifically, the BigT concepts are characterized in view of its BA material and spatial self-shielding variations. In addition, the BigT replaceability requirement, bottom-end design specifications and thermal-hydraulic considerations are also deliberated. Meanwhile, much of the second half of the paper is devoted to demonstrate practical viability of the BigT absorbers via comparative evaluations against the conventional BA technologies in representative 17x17 and 16x16 fuel assembly lattices. For the 17x17 lattice evaluations, all three BigT variants are benchmarked against Westinghouse's existing BA technologies, while in the 16x16 assembly analyses, the BigT designs are compared against traditional integral gadolinia-urania rod design. All analyses clearly show that the BigT absorbers perform as well as the commercial BA technologies in terms of reactivity and power peaking management. In addition, it has been shown that sufficiently high control rod worth can be obtained with the BigT absorbers in place. All neutronic simulations were completed using the Monte Carlo Serpent code with ENDF/B-VII.0 library. (author)

Challenges and options for large scale integration of wind power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tande, John Olav Giaever

2006-01-01

Challenges and options for large scale integration of wind power are examined. Immediate challenges are related to weak grids. Assessment of system stability requires numerical simulation. Models are being developed - validation is essential. Coordination of wind and hydro generation is a key for allowing more wind power capacity in areas with limited transmission corridors. For the case study grid depending on technology and control the allowed wind farm size is increased from 50 to 200 MW. The real life example from 8 January 2005 demonstrates that existing marked based mechanisms can handle large amounts of wind power. In wind integration studies it is essential to take account of the controllability of modern wind farms, the power system flexibility and the smoothing effect of geographically dispersed wind farms. Modern wind farms contribute to system adequacy - combining wind and hydro constitutes a win-win system (ml)

Self assembly of organic nanostructures and dielectrophoretic assembly of inorganic nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Dholakia, Geetha; Kuo, Steven; Allen, E. L.

2007-03-01

Self assembly techniques enable the organization of organic molecules into nanostructures. Currently engineering strategies for efficient assembly and routine integration of inorganic nanoscale objects into functional devices is very limited. AC Dielectrophoresis is an efficient technique to manipulate inorganic nanomaterials into higher dimensional structures. We used an alumina template based sol-gel synthesis method for the growth of various metal oxide nanowires with typical diameters of 100-150 nm, ranging in length from 3-10 μm. Here we report the dielectrophoretic assembly of TiO2 nanowires, an important material for photocatalysis and photovoltaics, onto interdigitated devices. Self assembly in organic nanostructures and its dependence on structure and stereochemistry of the molecule and dielectrophoretic field dependence in the assembly of inorganic nanowires will be compared and contrasted. Tunneling spectroscopy and DOS of these nanoscale systems will also be discussed.

Integration of renewables. Status and challenges in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheung, Kat

2011-08-12

This Working Paper gives an overview of the status and challenges of integrating an increasing share of variable renewables in China, with a focus on areas of generation, power transmission, demand-side management and policy. Some of these areas are intertwined with the nature and design of China's electricity power market and pricing mechanism, which have an impact on the effectiveness of the country's targets to accommodate larger shares of renewables.

European Socio-Economic Integration Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons Learned

CERN Document Server

Korres, George

2013-01-01

Economic integration is one of the most noteworthy issues in international economic policy at the end of the twentieth century. The recent examples of the European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) have raised important questions about the economic integration process and the possible establishment of economic unions in other parts of the world.  Against the backdrop of the financial crisis in Europe and prospects of increasing integration in Asia, this volume showcases research from an international array of researchers to provide a basic understanding of the current issues, problems, challenges, and opportunities for achieving integration, addressing both empirical and theoretical aspects of such topics as monetary union, social policy reform and social union, public finance and technology policy.  The chapters in Part 1 are focused primarily on economic issues, while Part 2 covers on social policy, the welfare state, and political reforms, with a particular emphasis on the ...

LEU WWR-M2 fuel assemblies burnable test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirsanov, G.A.; Konoplev, K.A.; Pikulik, R.G.; Sajkov, Yu. P.; Tchmshkyan, D.V.; Tedoradze, L.V.; Zakharov, A.S.

2000-01-01

The results of in-pile irradiation tests of LEU WWR-M2 fuel assemblies with reduced enrichment of fuel are submitted in the report. The tests are made according to the Russian Program on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR). United States Department of Energy and the Ministry of Atomic Energy of Russian Federation jointly fund this Program. The irradiation tests of 5 WWR-M2 experimental assemblies are carried out at WWR-M reactor of the Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI). The information on assembly design and technique of irradiation tests is presented. In the irradiation tests the integrity of fuel assemblies is periodically measured. The report presents the data for the integrity maintained during the burnup of 5 fuel assemblies up to 45%. These results demonstrate the high reliability of the experimental fuel assemblies within the guaranteed burnup limits specified by the manufacturer. The tests are still in progress; it is planned to test and analyze the change in integrity for burnup of up to 70% - 75% or more. LEU WWR-M2 fuel assemblies are to be offered for export by their Novosibirsk manufacturer. Currently, HEU WWR-M2 fuel assemblies are used in Hungary, Ukraine and Vietnam. LEU WWR-M2 fuel assemblies were designed as a possible replacement for the HEU WWR-M2 fuel assemblies in those countries, but their use can be extended to other research reactors. (author)

Nuclear reactor seismic fuel assembly grid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anthony, A.J.

1977-01-01

The strength of a nuclear reactor fuel assembly is enhanced by increasing the crush strength of the zircaloy spacer grids which locate and support the fuel elements in the fuel assembly. Increased resistance to deformation as a result of laterally directed forces is achieved by increasing the section modulus of the perimeter strip through bending the upper and lower edges thereof inwardly. The perimeter strip is further rigidized by forming, in the central portion thereof, dimples which extend inwardly with respect to the fuel assembly. The integrity of the spacer grid may also be enhanced by providing back-up arches for some or all of the integral fuel element locating springs and the strength of the fuel assembly may be further enhanced by providing, intermediate its ends, a steel seismic grid. 13 claims, 6 figures

Single Cell and Metagenomic Assemblies: Biology Drives Technical Choices and Goals (Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop: 10K Genomes at a Time)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stepanauskas, Ramunas

2011-10-13

DOE JGI's Tanja Woyke, chair of the Single Cells and Metagenomes session, delivers an introduction, followed by Bigelow Laboratory's Ramunas Stepanauskas on "Single Cell and Metagenomic Assemblies: Biology Drives Technical Choices and Goals" at the Metagenomics Informatics Challenges Workshop held at the DOE JGI on October 12-13, 2011.

Benchmark assemblies of the Los Alamos critical assemblies facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowdy, E.J.

1986-01-01

Several critical assemblies of precisely known materials composition and easily calculated and reproducible geometries have been constructed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Some of these machines, notably Jezebel, Flattop, Big Ten, and Godiva, have been used as benchmark assemblies for the comparison of the results of experimental measurements and computation of certain nuclear reaction parameters. These experiments are used to validate both the input nuclear data and the computational methods. The machines and the applications of these machines for integral nuclear data checks are described. (author)

Benchmark assemblies of the Los Alamos Critical Assemblies Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowdy, E.J.

1985-01-01

Several critical assemblies of precisely known materials composition and easily calculated and reproducible geometries have been constructed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Some of these machines, notably Jezebel, Flattop, Big Ten, and Godiva, have been used as benchmark assemblies for the comparison of the results of experimental measurements and computation of certain nuclear reaction parameters. These experiments are used to validate both the input nuclear data and the computational methods. The machines and the applications of these machines for integral nuclear data checks are described

Benchmark assemblies of the Los Alamos critical assemblies facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowdy, E.J.

1985-01-01

Several critical assemblies of precisely known materials composition and easily calculated and reproducible geometries have been constructed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Some of these machines, notably Jezebel, Flattop, Big Ten, and Godiva, have been used as benchmark assemblies for the comparison of the results of experimental measurements and computation of certain nuclear reaction parameters. These experiments are used to validate both the input nuclear data and the computational methods. The machines and the applications of these machines for integral nuclear data checks are described

Improving transcriptome construction in non-model organisms: integrating manual and automated gene definition in Emiliania huxleyi.

OpenAIRE

Feldmesser, Ester; Rosenwasser, Shilo; Vardi, Assaf; Ben-Dor, Shifra

2014-01-01

Background The advent of Next Generation Sequencing technologies and corresponding bioinformatics tools allows the definition of transcriptomes in non-model organisms. Non-model organisms are of great ecological and biotechnological significance, and consequently the understanding of their unique metabolic pathways is essential. Several methods that integrate de novo assembly with genome-based assembly have been proposed. Yet, there are many open challenges in defining genes, particularly whe...

Modelling reversible execution of robotic assembly

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, Johan Sund; Ellekilde, Lars Peter; Schultz, Ulrik Pagh

2018-01-01

Programming robotic assembly for industrial small-batch production is challenging; hence, it is vital to increase robustness and reduce development effort in order to achieve flexible robotic automation. A human who has made an assembly error will often simply undo the process until the error is ...

Promoting better integration of health information systems: best practices and challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Michelsen, K.; Brand, H.; Achterberg, P.; Wilkinson, J.

2015-01-01

Health Evidence Network Synthesis Report [Promoting better integration of health information systems: best practices and challenges K Michelsen, H Brand, P Achterberg, J Wilkinson - 2015 ... Authors Kai Michelsen Department of International Health, Maastricht University Maastricht,

Flexible integration of free-standing nanowires into silicon photonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bigeng; Wu, Hao; Xin, Chenguang; Dai, Daoxin; Tong, Limin

2017-06-14

Silicon photonics has been developed successfully with a top-down fabrication technique to enable large-scale photonic integrated circuits with high reproducibility, but is limited intrinsically by the material capability for active or nonlinear applications. On the other hand, free-standing nanowires synthesized via a bottom-up growth present great material diversity and structural uniformity, but precisely assembling free-standing nanowires for on-demand photonic functionality remains a great challenge. Here we report hybrid integration of free-standing nanowires into silicon photonics with high flexibility by coupling free-standing nanowires onto target silicon waveguides that are simultaneously used for precise positioning. Coupling efficiency between a free-standing nanowire and a silicon waveguide is up to ~97% in the telecommunication band. A hybrid nonlinear-free-standing nanowires-silicon waveguides Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a racetrack resonator for significantly enhanced optical modulation are experimentally demonstrated, as well as hybrid active-free-standing nanowires-silicon waveguides circuits for light generation. These results suggest an alternative approach to flexible multifunctional on-chip nanophotonic devices.Precisely assembling free-standing nanowires for on-demand photonic functionality remains a challenge. Here, Chen et al. integrate free-standing nanowires into silicon waveguides and show all-optical modulation and light generation on silicon photonic chips.

The Modern Hearing Aid – an Extreme System Integration Challenge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Ivan Harald Holger

(Application Specific Integrated Circuit) to produce a competitive advantage in terms of size and features. This presentation will give a brief insight into the hearing aid market and industry and a brief view of the historic development of hearing aids. The system integration challenge will be illustrated......People with reduced hearing generally want to hide this disability and thus the size of hearing aids is constantly decreasing in the effort to make them virtually invisible. However, as for all other modern electrical devices more and more features are constantly added to hearing aids driven...

Human Assisted Assembly Processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

CALTON,TERRI L.; PETERS,RALPH R.

2000-01-01

Automatic assembly sequencing and visualization tools are valuable in determining the best assembly sequences, but without Human Factors and Figure Models (HFFMs) it is difficult to evaluate or visualize human interaction. In industry, accelerating technological advances and shorter market windows have forced companies to turn to an agile manufacturing paradigm. This trend has promoted computerized automation of product design and manufacturing processes, such as automated assembly planning. However, all automated assembly planning software tools assume that the individual components fly into their assembled configuration and generate what appear to be a perfectly valid operations, but in reality the operations cannot physically be carried out by a human. Similarly, human figure modeling algorithms may indicate that assembly operations are not feasible and consequently force design modifications; however, if they had the capability to quickly generate alternative assembly sequences, they might have identified a feasible solution. To solve this problem HFFMs must be integrated with automated assembly planning to allow engineers to verify that assembly operations are possible and to see ways to make the designs even better. Factories will very likely put humans and robots together in cooperative environments to meet the demands for customized products, for purposes including robotic and automated assembly. For robots to work harmoniously within an integrated environment with humans the robots must have cooperative operational skills. For example, in a human only environment, humans may tolerate collisions with one another if they did not cause much pain. This level of tolerance may or may not apply to robot-human environments. Humans expect that robots will be able to operate and navigate in their environments without collisions or interference. The ability to accomplish this is linked to the sensing capabilities available. Current work in the field of cooperative

Biomedical Applications of Self-Assembling Peptides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Radmalekshahi, Mazda; Lempsink, Ludwijn; Amidi, Maryam; Hennink, Wim E.; Mastrobattista, Enrico

2016-01-01

Self-assembling peptides have gained increasing attention as versatile molecules to generate diverse supramolecular structures with tunable functionality. Because of the possibility to integrate a wide range of functional domains into self-assembling peptides including cell attachment sequences,

Assembly and Integration Process of the First High Density Detector Array for the Atacama Cosmology Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yaqiong; Choi, Steve; Ho, Shuay-Pwu; Crowley, Kevin T.; Salatino, Maria; Simon, Sara M.; Staggs, Suzanne T.; Nati, Federico; Wollack, Edward J.

2016-01-01

The Advanced ACTPol (AdvACT) upgrade on the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) consists of multichroicTransition Edge Sensor (TES) detector arrays to measure the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarization anisotropies in multiple frequency bands. The first AdvACT detector array, sensitive to both 150 and 230 GHz, is fabricated on a 150 mm diameter wafer and read out with a completely different scheme compared to ACTPol. Approximately 2000 TES bolometers are packed into the wafer leading to both a much denser detector density and readout circuitry. The demonstration of the assembly and integration of the AdvACT arrays is important for the next generation CMB experiments, which will continue to increase the pixel number and density. We present the detailed assembly process of the first AdvACT detector array.

The challenge of integrating evidence-based design.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Caren S

2009-01-01

This paper discusses the integration of evidence-based design (EBD) into the design process as an innovation, illuminates the significance and progress of the diffusion of this innovation, and identifies EBD advocates and the consequences of meeting the EBD challenge. A free tool for engaging in EBD is explored. Healthcare designers are leading the EBD charge, because their clients depend on it. But not all designers engage in EBD, because it may be beyond the resources of a firm or outside its culture. However, as with other meaningful design innovations, designers who do not practice EBD could fall by the wayside. EBD is a product of the diffusion of the innovation of evidence-based medicine. The academy (i.e., the collective of institutions of higher education), design organizations, design communities, and the media all contribute to the diffusion of EBD. However, the quantity, quality, and understandability of evidence continue to challenge its broad adoption. InformeDesign®, a free, Internet-based tool, presents information to designers in a concise, understandable way. Firms must invest in EBD incrementally as a value-added component of design to meet current and future challenges. It is important for designers to realize that engaging in EBD is not a rejection of creativity, but a means by which to elevate their design solutions. ©2009 VENDOME GROUP, LLC

Impact Analysis for Fuel Assemblies in Spent Fuel Storage Rack

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Jinho

2013-01-01

The design and structural integrity evaluation of a spent fuel storage rack (SFSR) utilized for storing and protecting the spent fuel assemblies generated during the operation of a reactor are very important in terms of nuclear safety and waste management. The objective of this study is to show the validity of the SFSR design as well as fuel assembly through a structural integrity evaluation based on a numerical analysis. In particular, a dynamic time history analysis considering the gaps between the fuel assemblies and the walls of the storage cell pipes in the SFSR was performed to check the structural integrity of the fuel assembly and storage cell pipe

Impact Analysis for Fuel Assemblies in Spent Fuel Storage Rack

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Jinho [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-07-01

The design and structural integrity evaluation of a spent fuel storage rack (SFSR) utilized for storing and protecting the spent fuel assemblies generated during the operation of a reactor are very important in terms of nuclear safety and waste management. The objective of this study is to show the validity of the SFSR design as well as fuel assembly through a structural integrity evaluation based on a numerical analysis. In particular, a dynamic time history analysis considering the gaps between the fuel assemblies and the walls of the storage cell pipes in the SFSR was performed to check the structural integrity of the fuel assembly and storage cell pipe.

Integration of scholastic curriculum in computergames – impossible or a design challenge?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Lasse Juel

The present paper argues that integration of scholastic knowledge in computer games is a design challenge and one that will only work if you preserve the computer game as a game. This is important cause if you don’t adhere to or understand the dynamics of computer games you run the risk of destro......The present paper argues that integration of scholastic knowledge in computer games is a design challenge and one that will only work if you preserve the computer game as a game. This is important cause if you don’t adhere to or understand the dynamics of computer games you run the risk...... of destroying your own goal. In order to integrate the scholastic curriculum in computer games for a learning purpose it is and can not be stressed enough important to preserve the action-outcome circle inside the game world. Stated in simpler terms this means that users of learning games must see...

Employee health services integration: meeting the challenge. Successful program.

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Y C

1998-02-01

1. The first step of a successful Employee Health Service integration is to have a plan supported by management. The plan must be presented to the employees prior to implementation in a "user friendly" manner. 2. Prior to computerization of employee health records, a record order system must be developed to prevent duplication and to enhance organization. 3. Consistency of services offered must be maintained. Each employee must have the opportunity to receive the same service. Complexity of services will determine the site of delivery. 4. Integration is a new and challenging development for the health care field. Flexibility and brainstorming are necessary in an attempt to meet both employee and employer needs.

Integrative Governance of Environmental Water in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin: Evolving Challenges and Emerging Pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Bischoff-Mattson, Zachary; Lynch, Amanda H

2017-07-01

Integration, a widely promoted response to the multi-scale complexities of social-environmental sustainability, is diversely and sometimes poorly conceptualized. In this paper we explore integrative governance, which we define as an iterative and contextual process for negotiating and advancing the common interest. We ground this definition in a discussion of institutional factors conditioning integrative governance of environmental water in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin. The Murray-Darling Basin is an iconic system of social-ecological complexity, evocative of large-scale conservation challenges in other developed arid river basins. Our critical assessment of integrative governance practices in that context emerges through analysis of interviews with policy participants and documents pertaining to environmental water management in the tri-state area of southwestern New South Wales, northwestern Victoria, and the South Australian Riverland. We identify four linked challenges: (i) decision support for developing socially robust environmental water management goals, (ii) resource constraints on adaptive practice, (iii) inter-state differences in participatory decision-making and devolution of authority, and (iv) representative inclusion in decision-making. Our appraisal demonstrates these as pivotal challenges for integrative governance in the common interest. We conclude by offering a perspective on the potential for supporting integrative governance through the bridging capacity of Australia's Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.

Structural integrity of rod cluster control assembly of Chashma Nuclear Power Plant -1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siddiqui, A.; Zafar, F.; Murtaza, G.

2008-01-01

This study has been made in an attempt to verify the structural integrity of Rod Cluster Control Assembly (RCCA) of Chashma Nuclear Power Plant-1(CHASNUPP-1) using ANSYS computer code. The CHASNUPP-1 (PWR type, 300 MWe capacity, unit 1) was built by China at Chashma (District Mianwali), Pakistan. The plant is successfully operating since 2000. The rod cluster control assemblies (RCCA) are used to control fast reactivity changes in PWR type reactors during the normal operation and accident conditions. To fulfill this function the RCCA is stepped upwards or downwards by control rod drive mechanism (CRDM). The stepping action produces a large amount of acceleration. The load produced during stepping is normally considered as limiting one. In this work we have considered the experimental results of a test conducted in China. The test was performed to measure the acceleration produced in upward and downward stepping by CRDM on RCCA, at room temperatures, both in air and static water. The test results showed acceleration (g, m/s 2 ) values, 10.8 - 51.0 and 46.4 - 78.0, in air and static water environments, respectively. Making the analysis on conservative side we selected the highest value of acceleration, 78 g, for our study. To ensure the structural strength, a finite element model of CHASNUPP-1 RCCA has been developed simulating the loading conditions prevailing during reactor operation. This model has been analyzed using the Finite Element Code. The Maximum Stress intensity obtained through this analysis, 186 MPa, is less than the yield stress of RCCA material (∼SS 321), 205 MPa, thus fulfills its structural integrity criteria. (authors)

Contact assembly of cell-laden hollow microtubes through automated micromanipulator tip locating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Huaping; Shi, Qing; Guo, Yanan; Li, Yanan; Sun, Tao; Huang, Qiang; Fukuda, Toshio

2017-01-01

This paper presents an automated contact assembly method to fabricate a cell-laden microtube based on accurate locating of the micromanipulator tip. Essential for delivering nutrients in thick engineered tissues, a vessel-mimetic microtube can be precisely assembled through microrobotic contact biomanipulation. The biomanipulation is a technique to spatially order and immobilize cellular targets with high precision. However, due to image occlusion during contact, it is challenging to locate the micromanipulator tip for fully automated assembly. To achieve pixel-wise tracking and locating of the tip in contact, a particle filter algorithm integrated with a determined level set model is employed here. The model ensures precise convergence of the micromanipulator’s contour during occlusion. With the converged active contour, the algorithm is able to pixel-wisely separate the micromanipulator from the low-contrast background and precisely locate the tip with error around 1 pixel (2 µ m at 4  ×  magnification). As a result, the cell-laden microtube is automatically assembled at six layers/min, which is effective enough to fabricate vessel-mimetic constructs for vascularization in tissue engineering. (paper)

INTEGRATION OF SHIP HULL ASSEMBLY SEQUENCE PLANNING, SCHEDULING AND BUDGETING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Remigiusz Romuald Iwańkowicz

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The specificity of the yard work requires the particularly careful treatment of the issues of scheduling and budgeting in the production planning processes. The article presents the method of analysis of the assembly sequence taking into account the duration of individual activities and the demand for resources. A method of the critical path and resource budgeting were used. Modelling of the assembly was performed using the acyclic graphs. It has been shown that the assembly sequences can have very different feasible budget regions. The proposed model is applied to the assembly processes of large-scale welded structures, including the hulls of ships. The presented computational examples have a simulation character. They show the usefulness of the model and the possibility to use it in a variety of analyses.

Integrating complex functions: coordination of nuclear pore complex assembly and membrane expansion of the nuclear envelope requires a family of integral membrane proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneiter, Roger; Cole, Charles N

2010-01-01

The nuclear envelope harbors numerous large proteinaceous channels, the nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), through which macromolecular exchange between the cytosol and the nucleoplasm occurs. This double-membrane nuclear envelope is continuous with the endoplasmic reticulum and thus functionally connected to such diverse processes as vesicular transport, protein maturation and lipid synthesis. Recent results obtained from studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae indicate that assembly of the nuclear pore complex is functionally dependent upon maintenance of lipid homeostasis of the ER membrane. Previous work from one of our laboratories has revealed that an integral membrane protein Apq12 is important for the assembly of functional nuclear pores. Cells lacking APQ12 are viable but cannot grow at low temperatures, have aberrant NPCs and a defect in mRNA export. Remarkably, these defects in NPC assembly can be overcome by supplementing cells with a membrane fluidizing agent, benzyl alcohol, suggesting that Apq12 impacts the flexibility of the nuclear membrane, possibly by adjusting its lipid composition when cells are shifted to a reduced temperature. Our new study now expands these findings and reveals that an essential membrane protein, Brr6, shares at least partially overlapping functions with Apq12 and is also required for assembly of functional NPCs. A third nuclear envelope membrane protein, Brl1, is related to Brr6, and is also required for NPC assembly. Because maintenance of membrane homeostasis is essential for cellular survival, the fact that these three proteins are conserved in fungi that undergo closed mitoses, but are not found in metazoans or plants, may indicate that their functions are performed by proteins unrelated at the primary sequence level to Brr6, Brl1 and Apq12 in cells that disassemble their nuclear envelopes during mitosis.

Challenges of Integrated Water Resources Management in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamad Ali Fulazzaky

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The increased demands for water and land in Indonesia as a consequence of the population growth and economic development has reportedly have been accelerated from the year to year. The spatial and temporal variability of human induced hydrological changes in a river basin could affect quality and quantity of water. The challenge is that integrated water resources management (IWRM should cope with complex issues of water in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner, without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. Even though the government of Indonesia has adopted new paradigm for water resources management by the enactment of Law No. 7/2004 on water resources, the implementation of IWRM may face the technical and managerial challenges. This paper briefly reviews the implementation of IWRM and related principles and provides an overview of potential water-related issues and progress towards implementation of IWRM in Indonesia. The availability of water and a broader range of water-related issues are identified. The recommended actions for improving the future IWRM are suggested. Challenges to improve the capacity buildings of IWRM related to enabling environment, institutional frameworks and management instruments are verified to contribute to the future directions for efficient problem-solving ability.

Integrated groundwater management: An overview of concepts and challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Jakeman, Anthony J.; Barreteau, Olivier; Hunt, Randall J.; Rinaudo, Jean-Daniel; Ross, Andrew; Jakeman, Anthony J.; Barreteau, Olivier; Hunt, Randall J.; Rinaudo, Jean-Daniel; Ross, Andrew

2016-01-01

Managing water is a grand challenge problem and has become one of humanity’s foremost priorities. Surface water resources are typically societally managed and relatively well understood; groundwater resources, however, are often hidden and more difficult to conceptualize. Replenishment rates of groundwater cannot match past and current rates of depletion in many parts of the world. In addition, declining quality of the remaining groundwater commonly cannot support all agricultural, industrial and urban demands and ecosystem functioning, especially in the developed world. In the developing world, it can fail to even meet essential human needs. The issue is: how do we manage this crucial resource in an acceptable way, one that considers the sustainability of the resource for future generations and the socioeconomic and environmental impacts? In many cases this means restoring aquifers of concern to some sustainable equilibrium over a negotiated period of time, and seeking opportunities for better managing groundwater conjunctively with surface water and other resource uses. However, there are many, often-interrelated, dimensions to managing groundwater effectively. Effective groundwater management is underpinned by sound science (biophysical and social) that actively engages the wider community and relevant stakeholders in the decision making process. Generally, an integrated approach will mean “thinking beyond the aquifer”, a view which considers the wider context of surface water links, catchment management and cross-sectoral issues with economics, energy, climate, agriculture and the environment. The aim of the book is to document for the first time the dimensions and requirements of sound integrated groundwater management (IGM). The primary focus is on groundwater management within its system, but integrates linkages beyond the aquifer. The book provides an encompassing synthesis for researchers, practitioners and water resource managers on the concepts and

Handling apparatus for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shallenberger, J.M.; Hornak, L.P.; Desmarchais, W.E.

1978-01-01

An apparatus is disclosed for handling radioactive fuel assembly during transfer operations. The radioactive fuel assembly is drawn up into a shielding sleeve which substantially reduces the level of radioactivity immediately surrounding the sleeve thereby permitting direct access by operating personnel. The lifting assembly which draws the fuel assembly up within the shielding sleeve is mounted to and forms an integral part of the handling apparatus. The shielding sleeve accompanies the fuel assembly during all of the transfer operations

Psychotherapy integration in the treatment of personality disorders: a commentary.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Dana L; Beutler, Larry E; Castonguay, Louis G

2012-02-01

Whereas research on the treatment of personality disorders over the past several decades has focused primarily on comparing the efficacy of various treatment packages associated with different theoretical models, there is increasing evidence that the field would benefit from focusing more attention on developing integrative treatments that are both informed by research and capable of scientific verification. The articles assembled for this special section each propose a different approach to integrative treatment for personality disorders. In this commentary, we outline a number of reasons for making such a shift to more integrative treatments, consider some of the potential challenges to integration, and discuss the different approaches to integration illustrated in these articles. We highlight some of the difficult tradeoffs that must be made in developing an integrative approach and discuss similarities and differences in the response to such challenges by the contributors to this special section. Finally, we point to several areas for future research that we believe will contribute to the development of increasingly effective treatments for individuals with personality disorders.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Integration of HIS : Case Study from Zanzibar

OpenAIRE

Nyella, Edwin

2007-01-01

This thesis presents an in-depth theoretically underpinned empirical analysis of the challenges to integrate the fragmented health information systems within the Zanzibar health care system. The research is situated in the broader topic of health sector reforms, which advocate and implement a number of healthcare organizational changes in which decentralization and integration of the disparate health information systems is one of them. The study sought to meet three objectives: 1) to under...

Tipping Points and Balancing Acts: Grand Challenges and Synergistic Opportunities of Integrating Research and Education, Science and Solutions

Science.gov (United States)

McCaffrey, M. S.; Stroeve, J. C.

2011-12-01

The "Grand Challenges" to address Global Change identified by the International Council for Science (ICSU) and its partners through the Earth System Sustainability Initiative-improving forecasting, enhancing and integrating observation systems, confining and minimizing global environmental change, responding effectively to change, as well as innovating and evaluating these efforts-require an integrative approach that engages and inspires society in general and young people in particular. What are some of the effective strategies-and stumbling blocks-in being able to make Earth System science and related sustainability efforts relevant and practical to non-technical audiences? Recent climate education projects have pioneered new strategies toward linking and infusing research with education, science with solutions. For example, the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN), a National Science Digital Library Pathway funded by NSF, has approached this integral approach by "closing the loop" between climate and energy topics, identifying and annotating high quality online resources relating to the carbon cycle and related topics. The Inspiring Climate Education Excellence (ICEE) project, funded by NASA, offers professional development for teachers that infuses climate science with solutions as an emerging "best practice" while being sensitive to the emotional, psychological and political aspects of avoiding "gloom and doom" on one hand or advocating for particular policy solutions on another. Other examples includes NASA's climate website (http://climate.nasa.gov ), which serves as a robust, engaging portal for climate research and data, especially for educators. The recent PBS series Earth: The Operators' Manual and related book and website are other recent example of how climate science research, education and solutions can be incorporated in a way that is appealing and informative. The Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) has given assemblies in

Challenges Implementing Work-Integrated Learning in Human Resource Management University Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Rook, Laura

2017-01-01

The examination of work-integrated learning (WIL) programs in the undergraduate Human Resource Management (HRM) curriculum is an area under-represented in the Australian literature. This paper identifies the challenges faced in implementing WIL into the HRM undergraduate curriculum. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 38…

Challenges faced by international nurses when migrating: an integrative literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pung, L-X; Goh, Y-S

2017-03-01

Results from this literature review were used to identify the challenges faced by international nurses in their host countries following migration. The increasing strain of nursing shortages in the healthcare system has led to the recruitment of international nurses among many countries. However, following migration, international nurses are faced with challenges that may result in poor integration with their host countries. Using Cooper's five stages for integrative research reviews, a literature search was conducted across seven databases using a PRISMA search strategy. Additional manual searches were also conducted on the end-references of the retrieved articles. The authors then independently reviewed the selected articles using the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal form to extract and generate the themes for the review. Twenty-four articles were selected for the review. The themes generated included: (i) difficulty orientating; (ii) a longing for what is missing; (iii) professional development and devaluing; (iv) communication barriers; (v) discrimination and marginalization; (vi) personal and professional differences; and (vii) a meaningful support system. By identifying the challenges faced by international nurses, interventions that ensure equal treatment (e.g. multifaceted transition programmes and culturally sensitive 'buddy' systems) can be implemented to help international nurses adapt to their new environments. Adequate communication can be achieved by encouraging international nurses to speak English and learn the colloquial language and non-verbal behaviours used by native nurses. With good integration international nurses may be able to reach their full career potential as professional nurses in their host countries. The adaptation process is a dynamic process that requires effort from both international and native nurses. Thus, any strategies that are developed and implemented must be multifaceted. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

SCT Barrel Assembly Complete

CERN Multimedia

L. Batchelor

As reported in the April 2005 issue of the ATLAS eNews, the first of the four Semiconductor Tracker (SCT) barrels, complete with modules and services, arrived safely at CERN in January of 2005. In the months since January, the other three completed barrels arrived as well, and integration of the four barrels into the entire barrel assembly commenced at CERN, in the SR1 building on the ATLAS experimental site, in July. Assembly was completed on schedule in September, with the addition of the innermost layer to the 4-barrel assembly. Work is now underway to seal the barrel thermal enclosure. This is necessary in order to enclose the silicon tracker in a nitrogen atmosphere and provide it with faraday-cage protection, and is a delicate and complicated task: 352 silicon module powertapes, 352 readout-fibre bundles, and over 400 Detector Control System sensors must be carefully sealed into the thermal enclosure bulkhead. The team is currently verifying the integrity of the low mass cooling system, which must be d...

Electron transfer dynamics across self-assembled N-(2-mercaptoethyl) octadecanamide/mycolic acid layers: impedimetric insights into the structural integrity and interaction with anti-mycolic acid antibodies

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ozoemena, KI

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The integrity and properties of mycolic acid (MA) antigens integrated into a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of N-(2-mercaptoethyl)octadecanamide, (MEODA), on a gold electrode have been interrogated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical...

Integrative Mixed Methods Data Analytic Strategies in Research on School Success in Challenging Circumstances

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Eunice E.; McDougall, Douglas E.; Pollon, Dawn; Herbert, Monique; Russell, Pia

2008-01-01

There are both conceptual and practical challenges in dealing with data from mixed methods research studies. There is a need for discussion about various integrative strategies for mixed methods data analyses. This article illustrates integrative analytic strategies for a mixed methods study focusing on improving urban schools facing challenging…

Fuel assembly reconstitution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgado, Mario M.; Oliveira, Monica G.N.; Ferreira Junior, Decio B.M.; Santos, Barbara O. dos; Santos, Jorge E. dos

2009-01-01

Fuel failures have been happened in Nuclear Power Plants worldwide, without lost of integrity and safety, mainly for the public, environment and power plants workers. The most common causes of these events are corrosion (CRUD), fretting and pellet cladding interaction. These failures are identified by increasing the activity of fission products, verified by chemical analyses of reactor coolant. Through these analyses, during the fourth operation cycle of Angra 2 Nuclear Power Plant, was possible to observe fuel failure indication. This indication was confirmed in the end of the cycle during the unloading of reactor core through leakage tests of fuel assembly, using the equipment called 'In Mast Sipping' and 'Box Sipping'. After confirmed, the fuel assembly reconstitution was scheduled, and happened in April, 2007, where was identified the cause and the fuel rod failure, which was substitute by dummy rods (zircaloy). The cause was fretting by 'debris'. The actions to avoid and prevent fuel assemblies failures are important. The goals of this work are to describe the methodology of fuel assembly reconstitution using the FARE (Fuel Assembly Reconstitution Equipment) system, to describe the results of this task in economic and security factors of the company and show how the fuel assembly failures are identified during operation and during the outage. (author)

Extreme-Scale De Novo Genome Assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Georganas, Evangelos [Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (United States); Hofmeyr, Steven [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Joint Genome Inst.; Egan, Rob [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Computational Research Division; Buluc, Aydin [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Joint Genome Inst.; Oliker, Leonid [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Joint Genome Inst.; Rokhsar, Daniel [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Computational Research Division; Yelick, Katherine [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Joint Genome Inst.

2017-09-26

De novo whole genome assembly reconstructs genomic sequence from short, overlapping, and potentially erroneous DNA segments and is one of the most important computations in modern genomics. This work presents HipMER, a high-quality end-to-end de novo assembler designed for extreme scale analysis, via efficient parallelization of the Meraculous code. Genome assembly software has many components, each of which stresses different components of a computer system. This chapter explains the computational challenges involved in each step of the HipMer pipeline, the key distributed data structures, and communication costs in detail. We present performance results of assembling the human genome and the large hexaploid wheat genome on large supercomputers up to tens of thousands of cores.

Biosynthesis: Reprogramming assembly lines

Science.gov (United States)

Menon, Binuraj R. K.; Jenner, Matthew

2018-03-01

Rational engineering of biosynthetic assembly lines for production of new compounds is an attractive prospect, yet it presents many challenges. Learning from biology, some of the rules for expanding the chemical diversity of non-ribosomal peptides have been uncovered in two recent studies.

Developing 21st century skills in chemistry classrooms: Opportunities and challenges of STEAM integration

Science.gov (United States)

Hadinugrahaningsih, Tritiyatma; Rahmawati, Yuli; Ridwan, Achmad

2017-08-01

The paper portrays the first year of two-year study in integration Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) in chemistry learning. The research focused on developing 21st-century skills of chemistry students in secondary schools. The 21st-century skills as a set of abilities that students need to develop in facing the future challenge which involves learning, literacy, and life skills. The study was conducted in two secondary schools both public and private school in topics of hydrocarbon, petroleum, solubility, and acid base in year 10 and 11. The qualitative methodology was applied to explore the students' learning experiences and understanding the research context. Data was collected through observation, interview, reflective journal, and 21st-century rubric. The STEAM approach was integrated through modification of project-based learning model. The students had opportunities to develop their own projects by integrating chemistry and STEAM principles to their project. The results show that students have developed their critical and creative thinking, problem-solving skills, collaboration and argumentation skills, leadership and responsibility, information and literacy skills. The researchers faced the challenges of integrating STEAM within the chemistry curricula, empowering students, and managing the teaching and time resources. Students have started to challenge their critical and creative thinking within the existing learning environments. Integrating STEAM into chemistry learning has developed students' 21st-century skills in those three areas. Teachers also learned to develop their competencies for being facilitators and agents of change, in addition to skills development in dealing with students' differences.

Storage method for spent fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajiri, Hiroshi.

1992-01-01

In the present invention, spent fuel assemblies are arranged at a dense pitch in a storage rack by suppressing the reactivity of the assemblies, to increase storage capacity for the spent fuel assemblies. That is, neutron absorbers are filled in the cladding tube of an absorbing rod, and the diameter thereof is substantially equal with that of a fuel rod. A great amount of the absorbing rods are arranged at the outer circumference of the fuel assembly. Then, they are fixed integrally to the fuel assembly and stored in a storage rack. In this case, the storage rack may be constituted only with angle materials which are inexpensive and installed simply. With such a constitution, in the fuel assembly having absorbing rods wound therearound, neutrons are absorbed by absorbing rods and the reactivity is lowered. Accordingly, the assembly arrangement pitch in the storage rack can be made dense. As a result, the storage capacity for the assemblies is increased. (I.S.)

Rocket Assembly and Checkout Facility

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — FUNCTION: Integrates, tests, and calibrates scientific instruments flown on sounding rocket payloads. The scientific instruments are assembled on an optical bench;...

Classification of assembly techniques for micro products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Hans Nørgaard; Tosello, Guido; Gegeckaite, Asta

2005-01-01

of components and level of integration are made. This paper describes a systematic characterization of micro assembly methods. This methodology offers the opportunity of a cross comparison among different techniques to gain a choosing principle of the favourable micro assembly technology in a specific case...

49 CFR 570.10 - Wheel assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... bead through one full wheel revolution and note runout in excess of one-eighth of an inch. (c) Mounting... 49 Transportation 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Wheel assemblies. 570.10 Section 570.10... Pounds or Less § 570.10 Wheel assemblies. (a) Wheel integrity. A tire rim, wheel disc, or spider shall...

Integrating Ethics into International Business Teaching: Challenges and Methodologies in the Greater China Context

Science.gov (United States)

Whitla, Paul

2011-01-01

This paper examines the process of integrating ethics into the teaching of international business within the Greater China region. An example of how ethics is integrated into a required undergraduate international business course at a Hong Kong based university is presented. The contextual challenges of developing a course for use in the Greater…

49 CFR 571.209 - Standard No. 209; Seat belt assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... seat belt assembly to fit the user, including such hardware that may be integral with a buckle... the proper use of the assembly, stressing particularly the importance of wearing the assembly snugly... of Standard No. 208. (a)(1) A manual seat belt assembly, which is subject to the requirements of S5.1...

Approach to the E-ELT dome and main structure challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Bilbao, Armando; Murga, Gaizka; Gómez, Celia; Llarena, Javier

2014-07-01

The E-ELT as a whole could be classified as an extremely challenging project. More precisely, it should be defined as an array of many different sub-challenges, which comprise technical, logistical and managerial matters. This paper reviews some of these critical challenges, in particular those related to the Dome and the Main Structure, suggesting ways to face them in the most pragmatic way possible. Technical challenges for the Dome and the Main Structure are mainly related to the need to upscale current design standards to an order of magnitude larger design. Trying a direct design escalation is not feasible; it would not work. A design effort is needed to cross hybridize current design standards with technologies coming from other different applications. Innovative design is therefore not a wish but a must. And innovative design comes along with design risk. Design risk needs to be tackled from two angles: on the one hand through thorough design validation analysis and on the other hand through extensive pre-assembly and testing. And, once again, full scale integrated pre-assembly and testing of extremely large subsystems is not always possible. Therefore, defining a comprehensive test plan for critical components, critical subsystems and critical subassemblies becomes essential. Logistical challenges are linked to the erection site. Cerro Armazones is a remote site and this needs to be considered when evaluating transport and erection requirements. But it is not only the remoteness of the site that needs to be considered. The size of both Dome and Main Structure require large construction cranes and a well defined erection plan taking into account pre-assembly strategies, limited plan area utilization, erection sequence, erection stability during intermediate stages and, very specifically, efficient coordination between the Dome and the Main Structure erection processes. Managerial issues pose another set of challenges in this project. Both the size of the

Sub-15 nm nano-pattern generation by spacer width control for high density precisely positioned self-assembled device nanomanufacturing

KAUST Repository

Rojas, Jhonathan Prieto; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2012-01-01

We present a conventional micro-fabrication based thin film vertical sidewall (spacer) width controlled nano-gap fabrication process to create arrays of nanopatterns for high density precisely positioned self-assembled nanoelectronics device integration. We have used conventional optical lithography to create base structures and then silicon nitride (Si 3N4) based spacer formation via reactive ion etching. Control of Si3N4 thickness provides accurate control of vertical sidewall (spacer) besides the base structures. Nano-gaps are fabricated between two adjacent spacers whereas the width of the gap depends on the gap between two adjacent base structures minus width of adjacent spacers. We demonstrate the process using a 32 nm node complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) platform to show its compatibility for very large scale heterogeneous integration of top-down and bottom-up fabrication as well as conventional and selfassembled nanodevices. This process opens up clear opportunity to overcome the decade long challenge of high density integration of self-assembled devices with precise position control. © 2012 IEEE.

Sub-15 nm nano-pattern generation by spacer width control for high density precisely positioned self-assembled device nanomanufacturing

KAUST Repository

Rojas, Jhonathan Prieto

2012-08-01

We present a conventional micro-fabrication based thin film vertical sidewall (spacer) width controlled nano-gap fabrication process to create arrays of nanopatterns for high density precisely positioned self-assembled nanoelectronics device integration. We have used conventional optical lithography to create base structures and then silicon nitride (Si 3N4) based spacer formation via reactive ion etching. Control of Si3N4 thickness provides accurate control of vertical sidewall (spacer) besides the base structures. Nano-gaps are fabricated between two adjacent spacers whereas the width of the gap depends on the gap between two adjacent base structures minus width of adjacent spacers. We demonstrate the process using a 32 nm node complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) platform to show its compatibility for very large scale heterogeneous integration of top-down and bottom-up fabrication as well as conventional and selfassembled nanodevices. This process opens up clear opportunity to overcome the decade long challenge of high density integration of self-assembled devices with precise position control. © 2012 IEEE.

Assembly of Repeat Content Using Next Generation Sequencing Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

labutti, Kurt; Kuo, Alan; Grigoriev, Igor; Copeland, Alex

2014-03-17

Repetitive organisms pose a challenge for short read assembly, and typically only unique regions and repeat regions shorter than the read length, can be accurately assembled. Recently, we have been investigating the use of Pacific Biosciences reads for de novo fungal assembly. We will present an assessment of the quality and degree of repeat reconstruction possible in a fungal genome using long read technology. We will also compare differences in assembly of repeat content using short read and long read technology.

Application of virtual reality tools for assembly of WEST components: Comparison between simulations and physical mockups

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pilia, Arnaud, E-mail: arnaud.pilia@cea.fr; Brun, Cyril; Doceul, Louis; Gargiulo, Laurent; Hatchressian, Jean-Claude; Keller, Delphine; Le, Roland; Poli, Serge; Zago, Bertrand

2015-10-15

Highlights: • VR technologies applied to Fusion enable better and faster understanding of integration issues. • Assembly problems are solved and validated on a numerical mockup. • Integration and accessibility issues can be identified in the earliest design on numerical mockup. • Problems are solved and validated on a physical mockup. • VR technologies are very helpful for assembly and maintenance operation simulations. - Abstract: The WEST project (Tungsten (W) Environment in Steady state Tokamak) is an upgrade of the existing fusion machine, Tore Supra. The goal is to equip the tokamak with a fully cooled tungsten divertor and to transform the machine in a test platform open to all ITER partners. The main assembly challenge of this project consists of an implementation of two magnet systems, called divertors, with an accuracy of 1 mm. Indeed, each divertor has about 4 m as diameter and has a heavy weight of 10 tons; also it introduces piece by piece in the original vessel through tight ports then assembled inside. To ensure a perfect fitting between these new components and a very constrained environment, it is necessary to use the latest CAD technologies available. Beyond conventional CAD tools, the virtual reality (VR) room of the institute provides several useful tools. Thanks to the 185″ stereoscopic 3D screen and a force feedback arm linked to clash detection software developed by the CEA LIST, a new way to carry out design and assembly studies was performed. In order to improve VR results, metrology data (3D scan) enhance simulations. Therefore, it becomes possible to be aware of the real size of a component and future difficulties in assembling it. At last, performance of such simulations is evaluated and compared to physical mockup in order to bring enhancement to the VR tools, before to be compared to the real operations on Tore Supra. The aim is to build a design tool that helps the designer since early stage of the design of complex systems

Application of virtual reality tools for assembly of WEST components: Comparison between simulations and physical mockups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilia, Arnaud; Brun, Cyril; Doceul, Louis; Gargiulo, Laurent; Hatchressian, Jean-Claude; Keller, Delphine; Le, Roland; Poli, Serge; Zago, Bertrand

2015-01-01

Highlights: • VR technologies applied to Fusion enable better and faster understanding of integration issues. • Assembly problems are solved and validated on a numerical mockup. • Integration and accessibility issues can be identified in the earliest design on numerical mockup. • Problems are solved and validated on a physical mockup. • VR technologies are very helpful for assembly and maintenance operation simulations. - Abstract: The WEST project (Tungsten (W) Environment in Steady state Tokamak) is an upgrade of the existing fusion machine, Tore Supra. The goal is to equip the tokamak with a fully cooled tungsten divertor and to transform the machine in a test platform open to all ITER partners. The main assembly challenge of this project consists of an implementation of two magnet systems, called divertors, with an accuracy of 1 mm. Indeed, each divertor has about 4 m as diameter and has a heavy weight of 10 tons; also it introduces piece by piece in the original vessel through tight ports then assembled inside. To ensure a perfect fitting between these new components and a very constrained environment, it is necessary to use the latest CAD technologies available. Beyond conventional CAD tools, the virtual reality (VR) room of the institute provides several useful tools. Thanks to the 185″ stereoscopic 3D screen and a force feedback arm linked to clash detection software developed by the CEA LIST, a new way to carry out design and assembly studies was performed. In order to improve VR results, metrology data (3D scan) enhance simulations. Therefore, it becomes possible to be aware of the real size of a component and future difficulties in assembling it. At last, performance of such simulations is evaluated and compared to physical mockup in order to bring enhancement to the VR tools, before to be compared to the real operations on Tore Supra. The aim is to build a design tool that helps the designer since early stage of the design of complex systems

Self-assembling peptide-based building blocks in medical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acar, Handan; Srivastava, Samanvaya; Chung, Eun Ji; Schnorenberg, Mathew R.; Barrett, John C.; LaBelle, James L.; Tirrell, Matthew

2017-02-01

Peptides and peptide-conjugates, comprising natural and synthetic building blocks, are an increasingly popular class of biomaterials. Self-assembled nanostructures based on peptides and peptide-conjugates offer advantages such as precise selectivity and multifunctionality that can address challenges and limitations in the clinic. In this review article, we discuss recent developments in the design and self-assembly of various nanomaterials based on peptides and peptide-conjugates for medical applications, and categorize them into two themes based on the driving forces of molecular self-assembly. First, we present the self-assembled nanostructures driven by the supramolecular interactions between the peptides, with or without the presence of conjugates. The studies where nanoassembly is driven by the interactions between the conjugates of peptide-conjugates are then presented. Particular emphasis is given to in vivo studies focusing on therapeutics, diagnostics, immune modulation and regenerative medicine. Finally, challenges and future perspectives are presented.

Administrative Challenges to the Integration of Oral Health With Primary Care

Science.gov (United States)

Maxey, Hannah L.; Randolph, Courtney; Gano, Laura; Kochhar, Komal

2017-01-01

Inadequate access to preventive oral health services contributes to oral health disparities and is a major public health concern in the United States. Federally Qualified Health Centers play a critical role in improving access to care for populations affected by oral health disparities but face a number of administrative challenges associated with implementation of oral health integration models. We conducted a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis with health care executives to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of successful oral health integration in Federally Qualified Health Centers. Four themes were identified: (1) culture of health care organizations; (2) operations and administration; (3) finance; and (4) workforce. PMID:27218701

Incorporating "motivation" into the functional analysis of challenging behavior: on the interactive and integrative potential of the motivating operation.

Science.gov (United States)

Langthorne, Paul; McGill, Peter; O'Reilly, Mark

2007-07-01

Sensitivity theory attempts to account for the variability often observed in challenging behavior by recourse to the "aberrant motivation" of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In this article, we suggest that a functional analysis based on environmental (challenging environments) and biological (challenging needs) motivating operations provides a more parsimonious and empirically grounded account of challenging behavior than that proposed by sensitivity theory. It is argued that the concept of the motivating operation provides a means of integrating diverse strands of research without the undue inference of mentalistic constructs. An integrated model of challenging behavior is proposed, one that remains compatible with the central tenets of functional analysis.

W(h)ither the Oracle? Cognitive biases and other human challenges of integrated environmental modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Glynn, Pierre D.; Ames, D.P.; Quinn, N. W. T.; Rizzoli, A.E.

2014-01-01

Integrated environmental modeling (IEM) can organize and increase our knowledge of the complex, dynamic ecosystems that house our natural resources and control the quality of our environments. Human behavior, however, must be taken into account. Human biases/heuristics reflect adaptation over our evolutionary past to frequently experienced situations that affected our survival and that provided sharply distinguished feedbacks at the level of the individual. Unfortunately, human behavior is not adapted to the more diffusely experienced, less frequently encountered, problems and issues that IEM typically seeks to address in the simulation of natural resources and environments. While seeking inspiration from the prophetic traditions of the Oracle of Delphi, several human biases are identified that may affect how the science base of IEM is assembled, and how IEM results are interpreted and used. These biases are supported by personal observations, and by the findings of behavioral scientists. A process for critical analysis is proposed that solicits explicit accounting and cognizance of potential human biases. A number of suggestions are made to address the human challenges of IEM, in addition to maintaining attitudes of watchful humility, open-mindedness, honesty, and transparent accountability. These include creating a new area of study in the behavioral biogeosciences, using structured processes for engaging the modeling and stakeholder community in IEM, and using “red teams” to increase resilience of IEM constructs and use.

Orthology Guided Assembly in highly heterozygous crops

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ruttink, Tom; Sterck, Lieven; Rohde, Antje

2013-01-01

to outbreeding crop species hamper De Bruijn Graph-based de novo assembly algorithms, causing transcript fragmentation and the redundant assembly of allelic contigs. If multiple genotypes are sequenced to study genetic diversity, primary de novo assembly is best performed per genotype to limit the level......Despite current advances in next-generation sequencing data analysis procedures, de novo assembly of a reference sequence required for SNP discovery and expression analysis is still a major challenge in genetically uncharacterized, highly heterozygous species. High levels of polymorphism inherent...... of polymorphism and avoid transcript fragmentation. Here, we propose an Orthology Guided Assembly procedure that first uses sequence similarity (tBLASTn) to proteins of a model species to select allelic and fragmented contigs from all genotypes and then performs CAP3 clustering on a gene-by-gene basis. Thus, we...

Hapsembler: An Assembler for Highly Polymorphic Genomes

Science.gov (United States)

Donmez, Nilgun; Brudno, Michael

As whole genome sequencing has become a routine biological experiment, algorithms for assembly of whole genome shotgun data has become a topic of extensive research, with a plethora of off-the-shelf methods that can reconstruct the genomes of many organisms. Simultaneously, several recently sequenced genomes exhibit very high polymorphism rates. For these organisms genome assembly remains a challenge as most assemblers are unable to handle highly divergent haplotypes in a single individual. In this paper we describe Hapsembler, an assembler for highly polymorphic genomes, which makes use of paired reads. Our experiments show that Hapsembler produces accurate and contiguous assemblies of highly polymorphic genomes, while performing on par with the leading tools on haploid genomes. Hapsembler is available for download at http://compbio.cs.toronto.edu/hapsembler.

Integrating precision cancer medicine into healthcare—policy, practice, and research challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabrielle Bertier

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Precision medicine (PM can be defined as a predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory healthcare service delivery model. Recent developments in molecular biology and information technology make PM a reality today through the use of massive amounts of genetic, ‘omics’, clinical, environmental, and lifestyle data. With cancer being one of the most prominent public health threats in developed countries, both the research community and governments have been investing significant time, money, and efforts in precision cancer medicine (PCM. Although PCM research is extremely promising, a number of hurdles still remain on the road to an optimal integration of standardized and evidence-based use of PCM in healthcare systems. Indeed, PCM raises a number of technical, organizational, ethical, legal, social, and economic challenges that have to be taken into account in the development of an appropriate health policy framework. Here, we highlight some of the more salient issues regarding the standards needed for integration of PCM into healthcare systems, and we identify fields where more research is needed before policy can be implemented. Key challenges include, but are not limited to, the creation of new standards for the collection, analysis, and sharing of samples and data from cancer patients, and the creation of new clinical trial designs with renewed endpoints. We believe that these issues need to be addressed as a matter of priority by public health policymakers in the coming years for a better integration of PCM into healthcare.

"Artificial micro organs"--a microfluidic device for dielectrophoretic assembly of liver sinusoids.

Science.gov (United States)

Schütte, Julia; Hagmeyer, Britta; Holzner, Felix; Kubon, Massimo; Werner, Simon; Freudigmann, Christian; Benz, Karin; Böttger, Jan; Gebhardt, Rolf; Becker, Holger; Stelzle, Martin

2011-06-01

In order to study possible toxic side effects of potential drug compounds in vitro a reliable test system is needed. Predicting liver toxicity presents a major challenge of particular importance as liver cells grown in a cell culture suffer from a rapid loss of their liver specific functions. Therefore we are developing a new microfluidic test system for liver toxicity. This test system is based on an organ-like liver 3D co-culture of hepatocytes and endothelial cells. We devised a microfluidic chip featuring cell culture chambers with integrated electrodes for the assembly of liver sinusoids by dielectrophoresis. Fluid channels enable an organ-like perfusion with culture media and test compounds. Different chamber designs were studied and optimized with regard to dielectrophoretic force distribution, hydrodynamic flow profile, and cell trapping rate using numeric simulations. Based on simulation results a microchip was injection-moulded from COP. This chip allowed the assembly of viable hepatocytes and endothelial cells in a sinusoid-like fashion.

A Qualitative Study Exploring Moral Distress Among Pediatric Resuscitation Team Clinicians: Challenges to Professional Integrity.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Tessy A; Thammasitboon, Satid; Balmer, Dorene F; Roy, Kevin; McCullough, Laurence B

2016-07-01

Our study objectives were to explore moral distress among pediatric team clinicians within the context of resuscitation experiences, and determine whether there were any distinctively ethical perspectives on moral distress that could be conceptualized as challenges to professional integrity, rather than to previously described psychological responses of clinicians. Descriptive, exploratory qualitative study. A large tertiary pediatric academic hospital in Houston, TX. Twenty-five PICU resuscitation team clinicians were interviewed from December 2012 to April 2013. None. All clinicians reported experiencing moral distress during certain resuscitations. Twenty-one of 25 clinicians reflected and acknowledged that their sense of professional integrity had been challenged during those resuscitation events. Four main components of resuscitation experience that induced moral distress were identified: 1) experiences where there was lack of understanding of the big picture; 2) experiences where there was suboptimal team leadership; 3) experiences where there was variable meanings to the word "resuscitation"; and 4) experiences were there was uncertainty of role responsibility. The perception of moral distress exists among pediatric clinicians during resuscitations and could be conceptualized as challenges to professional integrity. This ethical framework offers an alternative approach to understanding and investigating the complex layers of moral distress.

Digital Libraries: The Challenge of Integrating Instagram with a Taxonomy for Content Management

OpenAIRE

Simona Ibba; Filippo Eros Pani

2016-01-01

Interoperability and social implication are two current challenges in the digital library (DL) context. To resolve the problem of interoperability, our work aims to find a relationship between the main metadata schemas. In particular, we want to formalize knowledge through the creation of a metadata taxonomy built with the analysis and the integration of existing schemas associated with DLs. We developed a method to integrate and combine Instagram metadata and hashtags. The final result is a ...

Quantifying quality in DNA self-assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Wagenbauer, Klaus F.; Wachauf, Christian H.; Dietz, Hendrik

2014-01-01

Molecular self-assembly with DNA is an attractive route for building nanoscale devices. The development of sophisticated and precise objects with this technique requires detailed experimental feedback on the structure and composition of assembled objects. Here we report a sensitive assay for the quality of assembly. The method relies on measuring the content of unpaired DNA bases in self-assembled DNA objects using a fluorescent de-Bruijn probe for three-base ‘codons’, which enables a comparison with the designed content of unpaired DNA. We use the assay to measure the quality of assembly of several multilayer DNA origami objects and illustrate the use of the assay for the rational refinement of assembly protocols. Our data suggests that large and complex objects like multilayer DNA origami can be made with high strand integration quality up to 99%. Beyond DNA nanotechnology, we speculate that the ability to discriminate unpaired from paired nucleic acids in the same macromolecule may also be useful for analysing cellular nucleic acids. PMID:24751596

Digital gene expression analysis based on integrated de novo transcriptome assembly of sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L. Lam].

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiang Tao

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. [Lam.] ranks among the top six most important food crops in the world. It is widely grown throughout the world with high and stable yield, strong adaptability, rich nutrient content, and multiple uses. However, little is known about the molecular biology of this important non-model organism due to lack of genomic resources. Hence, studies based on high-throughput sequencing technologies are needed to get a comprehensive and integrated genomic resource and better understanding of gene expression patterns in different tissues and at various developmental stages. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Illumina paired-end (PE RNA-Sequencing was performed, and generated 48.7 million of 75 bp PE reads. These reads were de novo assembled into 128,052 transcripts (≥ 100 bp, which correspond to 41.1 million base pairs, by using a combined assembly strategy. Transcripts were annotated by Blast2GO and 51,763 transcripts got BLASTX hits, in which 39,677 transcripts have GO terms and 14,117 have ECs that are associated with 147 KEGG pathways. Furthermore, transcriptome differences of seven tissues were analyzed by using Illumina digital gene expression (DGE tag profiling and numerous differentially and specifically expressed transcripts were identified. Moreover, the expression characteristics of genes involved in viral genomes, starch metabolism and potential stress tolerance and insect resistance were also identified. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The combined de novo transcriptome assembly strategy can be applied to other organisms whose reference genomes are not available. The data provided here represent the most comprehensive and integrated genomic resources for cloning and identifying genes of interest in sweet potato. Characterization of sweet potato transcriptome provides an effective tool for better understanding the molecular mechanisms of cellular processes including development of leaves and storage roots

On-Chip Single-Plasmon Nanocircuit Driven by a Self-Assembled Quantum Dot.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaofei; Jiang, Ping; Razinskas, Gary; Huo, Yongheng; Zhang, Hongyi; Kamp, Martin; Rastelli, Armando; Schmidt, Oliver G; Hecht, Bert; Lindfors, Klas; Lippitz, Markus

2017-07-12

Quantum photonics holds great promise for future technologies such as secure communication, quantum computation, quantum simulation, and quantum metrology. An outstanding challenge for quantum photonics is to develop scalable miniature circuits that integrate single-photon sources, linear optical components, and detectors on a chip. Plasmonic nanocircuits will play essential roles in such developments. However, for quantum plasmonic circuits, integration of stable, bright, and narrow-band single photon sources in the structure has so far not been reported. Here we present a plasmonic nanocircuit driven by a self-assembled GaAs quantum dot. Through a planar dielectric-plasmonic hybrid waveguide, the quantum dot efficiently excites narrow-band single plasmons that are guided in a two-wire transmission line until they are converted into single photons by an optical antenna. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of fully on-chip plasmonic nanocircuits for quantum optical applications.

Integrated simulation challenges with the DeepWind floating vertical axis wind turbine concept

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Verelst, David; Aagaard Madsen, Helge; Borg, Michael

2015-01-01

This paper presents the experiences and challenges with concurrently carrying out numerical model development, integrated simulations and design of a novel floating vertical axis wind turbine, the DeepWind concept. The floating VAWT modelling capabilities of the aero-hydro-elastic HAWC2 simulation...

Nanoparticle assemblies and superstructures

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kotov, Nicholas A

2006-01-01

... building blocks of larger and more complex systems. Therefore, the present challenge of nanoscale science is to shift from making certain building blocks to organizing them in one-, two-, and three-dimensional structures. Such assemblies and superstructures are the next logical step in the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this re...

An integrated approach for determining plutonium mass in spent fuel assemblies with nondestructive assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swinhoe, Martyn T.; Tobin, Stephen J.; Fensin, Mike L.; Menlove, Howard O.

2009-01-01

be part of a system that cost-effectively meets the burnup credit needs of a repository. Behind each of these reasons is a regulatory structure with MC and A requirements. In the case of the IAEA, the accountable quantity is elemental plutonium. The material in spent fuel (fissile isotopes, fission products, etc.) emits signatures that provide information about the content and history of the fuel. A variety of nondestructive assay (NDA) techniques are available to quantify these signatures. The effort presented in this paper is investigation of the capabilities of 12 NDA techniques. For these 12, none is conceptually capable of independently determining the Pu content in a spent fuel assembly while at the same time being able to detect the diversion of a significant quantity of rods. For this reason the authors are investigating the capability of 12 NDA techniques with the end goal of integrating a few techniques together into a system that is capable of measuring Pu mass in an assembly. The work described here is the beginning of what is anticipated to be a five year effort: (1) two years of modeling to select the best technologies, (2) one year fabricating instruments and (3) two years measuring spent fuel. This paper describes the first two years of this work. In order to cost effectively and robustly model the performance of the 12 NDA techniques, an 'assembly library' was created. The library contains the following: (a) A diverse range of PWR spent fuel assemblies (burnup, enrichment, cooling time) similar to that which exists in spent pools today and in the future. (b) Diversion scenarios that capture a range of possible rod removal options. (c) The spatial and isotopic detail needed to accurately quantify the capability of all the NDA techniques so as to enable integration. It is our intention to make this library available to other researchers in the field for inter-comparison purposes. The performance of each instrument will be quantified for the full

Probabilistic reasoning for assembly-based 3D modeling

KAUST Repository

Chaudhuri, Siddhartha

2011-01-01

Assembly-based modeling is a promising approach to broadening the accessibility of 3D modeling. In assembly-based modeling, new models are assembled from shape components extracted from a database. A key challenge in assembly-based modeling is the identification of relevant components to be presented to the user. In this paper, we introduce a probabilistic reasoning approach to this problem. Given a repository of shapes, our approach learns a probabilistic graphical model that encodes semantic and geometric relationships among shape components. The probabilistic model is used to present components that are semantically and stylistically compatible with the 3D model that is being assembled. Our experiments indicate that the probabilistic model increases the relevance of presented components. © 2011 ACM.

Combining de novo and reference-guided assembly with scaffold_builder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Silva, G.G.; Dutilh, B.E.; Matthews, T.D.; Elkins, K.; Schmieder, R.; Dinsdale, E.A.; Edwards, R.A.

2013-01-01

Genome sequencing has become routine, however genome assembly still remains a challenge despite the computational advances in the last decade. In particular, the abundance of repeat elements in genomes makes it difficult to assemble them into a single complete sequence. Identical repeats shorter

Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Data in Mixed Methods Research--Challenges and Benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Almalki, Sami

2016-01-01

This paper is concerned with investigating the integration of quantitative and qualitative data in mixed methods research and whether, in spite of its challenges, it can be of positive benefit to many investigative studies. The paper introduces the topic, defines the terms with which this subject deals and undertakes a literature review to outline…

MUSE: Challenges to integrate the Multi-Disciplinary field of BB access in one project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fatome, J.; Pitois, S.; Kamagate, A.; Maillotte, H.; Massoubre., D.; González-Herráez, G.-H.; Smedt, A. de; Brink, R. van den

2006-01-01

The present paper discusses the managerial challenges of the MUSE integrated project on multi service broadband access. It addresses different aspects such as matrix organisation, project office, consensus process, standardisation, dissemination, and quality control.

Description of the PMAD DC test bed architecture and integration sequence

Science.gov (United States)

Beach, R. F.; Trash, L.; Fong, D.; Bolerjack, B.

1991-01-01

NASA-LEWIS is responsible for the development, fabrication, and assembly of the electric power system (EPS) for the Space Station Freedom (SSF). The SSF power system is radically different from previous spacecraft power systems in both the size and complexity of the system. Unlike past spacecraft power systems, the SSF EPS will grow and be maintained on orbit and must be flexible to meet challenging user power needs. The SSF power system is also unique in comparison with terrestrial power systems because it is dominated by power electronic converters which regulate and control the power. A description is provided of the Power Management and Distribution DC Testbed which was assembled to support the design and early evaluation of the SSF EPS. A description of the integration process used in the assembly sequence is also given along with a description of the support facility.

Challenges in integrating the concept of ecosystem services and values in landscape planning, management and decision making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groot, de R.S.; Alkemade, J.R.M.; Braat, L.; Hein, L.G.; Willemen, L.L.J.M.

2010-01-01

Despite the growing body of literature on ecosystem services, still many challenges remain to structurally integrate ecosystem services in landscape planning, management and design. This paper therefore aims to provide an overview of the challenges involved in applying ecosystem service assessment

Moving NASA Beyond Low Earth Orbit: Future Human-Automation-Robotic Integration Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Marquez, Jessica

2016-01-01

This presentation will provide an overview of current human spaceflight operations. It will also describe how future exploration missions will have to adapt and evolve in order to deal with more complex missions and communication latencies. Additionally, there are many implications regarding advanced automation and robotics, and this presentation will outline future human-automation-robotic integration challenges.

Comprehensive profiling of retroviral integration sites using target enrichment methods from historical koala samples without an assembled reference genome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pin Cui

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Background. Retroviral integration into the host germline results in permanent viral colonization of vertebrate genomes. The koala retrovirus (KoRV is currently invading the germline of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus and provides a unique opportunity for studying retroviral endogenization. Previous analysis of KoRV integration patterns in modern koalas demonstrate that they share integration sites primarily if they are related, indicating that the process is currently driven by vertical transmission rather than infection. However, due to methodological challenges, KoRV integrations have not been comprehensively characterized. Results. To overcome these challenges, we applied and compared three target enrichment techniques coupled with next generation sequencing (NGS and a newly customized sequence-clustering based computational pipeline to determine the integration sites for 10 museum Queensland and New South Wales (NSW koala samples collected between the 1870s and late 1980s. A secondary aim of this study sought to identify common integration sites across modern and historical specimens by comparing our dataset to previously published studies. Several million sequences were processed, and the KoRV integration sites in each koala were characterized. Conclusions. Although the three enrichment methods each exhibited bias in integration site retrieval, a combination of two methods, Primer Extension Capture and hybridization capture is recommended for future studies on historical samples. Moreover, identification of integration sites shows that the proportion of integration sites shared between any two koalas is quite small.

The challenges of lean manufacturing implementation in kitting assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Fansuri, A. F. H.; Rose, A. N. M.; Nik Mohamed, N. M. Z.; Ahmad, H.

2017-10-01

Literature studies shows that lean manufacturing goes way back with the original founder Eli Whitney in year 1799. The main purpose of lean manufacturing is to identify and eliminate waste in production. The application of lean manufacturing can be carried out in any industrial processes with regards to the understanding of lean principles, theories and practices. Kitting is one of the important aspects in a successful production. The continuous supply of materials from store to production has to be systematic and able to achieve lean standard for it to be successful. The objective of this paper is to review the implementation of lean manufacturing in kitting assembly. Previous papers show that, the implementation of lean manufacturing in kitting assembly may be beneficial to the organization such as reduce in space occupancy, part shortages, lead time and manpower. Based on previous research, some industries may tend to change between kitting and line stocking which are due to lack of understanding when implementing kitting and causes longer lead time and materials overflow in store. With a proper understanding on what to kit, where to kit, how to kit, why to kit and who kits the material with a standardised process flow may ensure the success of kitting.

Integration and disintegration processes of ethnic communities in a globalized world: challenges and trends

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Paronikian

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The article examines the challenges and trends in integration and disintegration processes of ethnic communities in the world of globalization. Established that ethnic disintegration is inevitable consequence of ethnic integration, and its intensity depends on what method is carried Integration: voluntary or forced. What is important is the fact that in the era of globalization integration and disintegration processes of ethnic communities that are inherent in the very essence of ethnicity, greatly amplified. It was found that entering to the cultural field of ethnic communities of other ethnic entities, penalized sustainable ethnic balance, contributes to the phenomenon of «rejection of other» causes of ethnic conflict and the consequent threat of disintegration of ethnic communities. Disintegration often leads to weakening of the linkages and interactions between components of the integrated system in a multi-ethnic society. However, the author concludes that the process of disintegration cannot be regarded as unambiguously negative because, on the one hand, it contributes to the weakening and decline; and sometimes division of multi-ethnic countries, but on the other hand - it contributes to the birth of the new and revival of the old nation-states, which is particularly important in conditions of transformation of the global community towards the post-industrial and information epoch in the future. In general, the integration and disintegration change each other depending on global processes and their transformations. Therefore, in the era of globalization’s challenges it is important is the effective management of these processes to prevent adverse effects.

Integrated sulphur management : gas, oil sands, reclamation and the challenges of fluctuating demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pineau, R.

2009-01-01

International Commodities Export Corporation is a privately held company that provides fully integrated service offerings to add maximum value in designing, building, owning, and operating sulphur assets. The company also offers in-house, engineering, procurement and project management, as well as supply management, transportation and distribution services. It also has expertise in marine transportation. This presentation discussed integrated sulphur management, with particular focus on gas, oil sands, reclamation and the challenges of fluctuating demand. The presentation provided an overview of the sulphur market and oil sands sulphur. Key considerations for oil sands producers were also presented. The challenges of fluctuating demand include price and volume considerations; logistics; geography and distance to market; export/offshore versus domestic/United States; seasonal considerations; and an inelastic sulphur market. The presentation concluded with a status update of ICEC's initiative and the advantages of Prince Rupert, an economically viable export infrastructure to producers without onsite forming facilities. figs

Environmental performance and financial report integrity: challenges for the mining sector in Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Mayangsari, S.

2018-01-01

This study investigates the influence of environmental performance on the financial report integrity. The statistics used were primary data from interviews with senior members of the mining sector regarding environmental issues, as well as secondary data using Financial Report 2016. The samples were listed mining companies with semester data. Questionnaires were used to measure their perceptions of the challenges concerning climate change faced by the mining sector. The results of this research show that regulatory interventions will be critical to environmental issues. This study employed KLD as a proxy for environmental performance, correlated with other variables regarding the integrity of disclosure. The outcome indicates that environmental issues will increase the integrity of financial reports.

Accomplishments in Field Period Assembly for NCSX. This is how we did it

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viola, Michael; Edwards, J.; Brown, T.; Dudek, L.; Ellis, R.; Heitzenroeder, P.; Strykowsky, R.; Cole, Michael

2009-01-01

The National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) was a collaborative effort between ORNL and PPPL. PPPL provided the assembly techniques with guidance from ORNL to meet design criteria. The individual vacuum vessel segments, modular coils, trim coils, and toroidal field coils components were delivered to the Field Period Assembly (FPA) crew who then would complete the component assemblies and then assemble the final three field period assemblies, each consisting of two sets of three modular coils assembled over a 120o vacuum vessel segment with the trim coils and toroidal field coils providing the outer layer. The requirements for positioning the modular coils were found to be most demanding. The assembly tolerances required for accurate positioning of the field coil windings in order to generate sufficiently accurate magnetic fields strained state of the art techniques in metrology and alignment and required constant monitoring of assembly steps with laser trackers, measurement arms, and photogrammetry. The FPA activities were being performed concurrently while engineering challenges were being resolved. For example, it was determined that high friction electrically isolated shims were needed between the modular coil interface joints and low distortion welding was required in the nose region of those joints. This took months of analysis and development yet the assembly was not significantly impacted because other assembly tasks could be performed in parallel with ongoing assembly tasks as well as tasks such as advance tooling setup preparation for the eventual welding tasks. The crew technicians developed unique, accurate time saving techniques and tooling which provided significant cost and schedule savings. Project management displayed extraordinary foresight and every opportunity to gain advanced knowledge and develop techniques was taken advantage of. Despite many risk concerns, the cost and schedule performance index was maintained nearly 1.0 during the

Controlled capillary assembly of magnetic Janus Particles at fluid-fluid interfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xie, Q.; Davies, G.B.; Harting, J.D.R.

2016-01-01

Capillary interactions can be used to direct assembly of particles adsorbed at fluid-fluid interfaces. Precisely controlling the magnitude and direction of capillary interactions to assemble particles into favoured structures for materials science purposes is desirable but challenging. In this

Integrating Test-Form Formatting into Automated Test Assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Diao, Qi; van der Linden, Wim J.

2013-01-01

Automated test assembly uses the methodology of mixed integer programming to select an optimal set of items from an item bank. Automated test-form generation uses the same methodology to optimally order the items and format the test form. From an optimization point of view, production of fully formatted test forms directly from the item pool using…

Ceramic Integration Technologies for Advanced Energy Systems: Critical Needs, Technical Challenges, and Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Mrityunjay

2010-01-01

Advanced ceramic integration technologies dramatically impact the energy landscape due to wide scale application of ceramics in all aspects of alternative energy production, storage, distribution, conservation, and efficiency. Examples include fuel cells, thermoelectrics, photovoltaics, gas turbine propulsion systems, distribution and transmission systems based on superconductors, nuclear power generation and waste disposal. Ceramic integration technologies play a key role in fabrication and manufacturing of large and complex shaped parts with multifunctional properties. However, the development of robust and reliable integrated systems with optimum performance requires the understanding of many thermochemical and thermomechanical factors, particularly for high temperature applications. In this presentation, various needs, challenges, and opportunities in design, fabrication, and testing of integrated similar (ceramic ceramic) and dissimilar (ceramic metal) material www.nasa.gov 45 ceramic-ceramic-systems have been discussed. Experimental results for bonding and integration of SiC based Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) LDI fuel injector and advanced ceramics and composites for gas turbine applications are presented.

A comparative evaluation of genome assembly reconciliation tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Alhakami, Hind; Mirebrahim, Hamid; Lonardi, Stefano

2017-05-18

The majority of eukaryotic genomes are unfinished due to the algorithmic challenges of assembling them. A variety of assembly and scaffolding tools are available, but it is not always obvious which tool or parameters to use for a specific genome size and complexity. It is, therefore, common practice to produce multiple assemblies using different assemblers and parameters, then select the best one for public release. A more compelling approach would allow one to merge multiple assemblies with the intent of producing a higher quality consensus assembly, which is the objective of assembly reconciliation. Several assembly reconciliation tools have been proposed in the literature, but their strengths and weaknesses have never been compared on a common dataset. We fill this need with this work, in which we report on an extensive comparative evaluation of several tools. Specifically, we evaluate contiguity, correctness, coverage, and the duplication ratio of the merged assembly compared to the individual assemblies provided as input. None of the tools we tested consistently improved the quality of the input GAGE and synthetic assemblies. Our experiments show an increase in contiguity in the consensus assembly when the original assemblies already have high quality. In terms of correctness, the quality of the results depends on the specific tool, as well as on the quality and the ranking of the input assemblies. In general, the number of misassemblies ranges from being comparable to the best of the input assembly to being comparable to the worst of the input assembly.

The design of reconfigurable assembly stations for high variety and mass customisation manufacturing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Padayachee, Jared

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The economical production of mass customised and high variety goods is a challenge facing modern manufacturers. This challenge is being addressed, in part, by the on-going development of technologies that facilitate the manufacturing of these goods. Existing technologies require either excessive inbuilt flexibility or frequent changes to the machine set up to provide the manufacturing functions required for the customisation process. This paper presents design principles for automated assembly stations within the scope of mass customisation. Design principles are presented that minimise the hardware and operating complexities of assembly stations, allowing stations to be easily automated for concurrent mixed model assembly with a First In First Out (FIFO scheduling policy. A reconfigurable assembly station is developed to demonstrate how the proposed design methods simplify the creation and operation of an assembly station for a product family of flashlights.

Reframing the challenges to integrated care: a complex-adaptive systems perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Tsasis

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Despite over two decades of international experience and research on health systems integration, integrated care has not developed widely. We hypothesized that part of the problem may lie in how we conceptualize the integration process and the complex systems within which integrated care is enacted. This study aims to contribute to discourse regarding the relevance and utility of a complex-adaptive systems (CAS perspective on integrated care.Methods: In the Canadian province of Ontario, government mandated the development of fourteen Local Health Integration Networks in 2006. Against the backdrop of these efforts to integrate care, we collected focus group data from a diverse sample of healthcare professionals in the Greater Toronto Area using convenience and snowball sampling. A semi-structured interview guide was used to elicit participant views and experiences of health systems integration. We use a CAS framework to describe and analyze the data, and to assess the theoretical fit of a CAS perspective with the dominant themes in participant responses.Results: Our findings indicate that integration is challenged by system complexity, weak ties and poor alignment among professionals and organizations, a lack of funding incentives to support collaborative work, and a bureaucratic environment based on a command and control approach to management. Using a CAS framework, we identified several characteristics of CAS in our data, including diverse, interdependent and semi-autonomous actors; embedded co-evolutionary systems; emergent behaviours and non-linearity; and self-organizing capacity. Discussion and Conclusion: One possible explanation for the lack of systems change towards integration is that we have failed to treat the healthcare system as complex-adaptive. The data suggest that future integration initiatives must be anchored in a CAS perspective, and focus on building the system's capacity to self-organize. We conclude that

Reframing the challenges to integrated care: a complex-adaptive systems perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Tsasis

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Despite over two decades of international experience and research on health systems integration, integrated care has not developed widely. We hypothesized that part of the problem may lie in how we conceptualize the integration process and the complex systems within which integrated care is enacted. This study aims to contribute to discourse regarding the relevance and utility of a complex-adaptive systems (CAS perspective on integrated care. Methods: In the Canadian province of Ontario, government mandated the development of fourteen Local Health Integration Networks in 2006. Against the backdrop of these efforts to integrate care, we collected focus group data from a diverse sample of healthcare professionals in the Greater Toronto Area using convenience and snowball sampling. A semi-structured interview guide was used to elicit participant views and experiences of health systems integration. We use a CAS framework to describe and analyze the data, and to assess the theoretical fit of a CAS perspective with the dominant themes in participant responses. Results: Our findings indicate that integration is challenged by system complexity, weak ties and poor alignment among professionals and organizations, a lack of funding incentives to support collaborative work, and a bureaucratic environment based on a command and control approach to management. Using a CAS framework, we identified several characteristics of CAS in our data, including diverse, interdependent and semi-autonomous actors; embedded co-evolutionary systems; emergent behaviours and non-linearity; and self-organizing capacity.  Discussion and Conclusion: One possible explanation for the lack of systems change towards integration is that we have failed to treat the healthcare system as complex-adaptive. The data suggest that future integration initiatives must be anchored in a CAS perspective, and focus on building the system's capacity to self-organize. We conclude that

An assembly sequence planning method based on composite algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enfu LIU

2016-02-01

Full Text Available To solve the combination explosion problem and the blind searching problem in assembly sequence planning of complex products, an assembly sequence planning method based on composite algorithm is proposed. In the composite algorithm, a sufficient number of feasible assembly sequences are generated using formalization reasoning algorithm as the initial population of genetic algorithm. Then fuzzy knowledge of assembly is integrated into the planning process of genetic algorithm and ant algorithm to get the accurate solution. At last, an example is conducted to verify the feasibility of composite algorithm.

Tuning peptide self-assembly by an in-tether chiral center

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Kuan; Xiong, Wei; Li, Hu; Zhang, Pei-Yu; Yin, Feng; Zhang, Qianling; Jiang, Fan; Li, Zigang

2018-01-01

The self-assembly of peptides into ordered nanostructures is important for understanding both peptide molecular interactions and nanotechnological applications. However, because of the complexity and various self-assembling pathways of peptide molecules, design of self-assembling helical peptides with high controllability and tunability is challenging. We report a new self-assembling mode that uses in-tether chiral center-induced helical peptides as a platform for tunable peptide self-assembly with good controllability. It was found that self-assembling behavior was governed by in-tether substitutional groups, where chirality determined the formation of helical structures and aromaticity provided the driving force for self-assembly. Both factors were essential for peptide self-assembly to occur. Experiments and theoretical calculations indicate long-range crystal-like packing in the self-assembly, which was stabilized by a synergy of interpeptide π-π and π-sulfur interactions and hydrogen bond networks. In addition, the self-assembled peptide nanomaterials were demonstrated to be promising candidate materials for applications in biocompatible electrochemical supercapacitors.

Mesoscopic Self-Assembly: A Shift to Complexity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massimo eMastrangeli

2015-06-01

Full Text Available By focusing on the construction of thermodynamically stable structures, the self-assembly of mesoscopic systems has proven capable of formidable achievements in the bottom-up engineering of micro- and nanosystems. Yet, inspired by an analogous evolution in supramolecular chemistry, synthetic mesoscopic self-assembly may have a lot more ahead, within reach of a shift toward fully three-dimensional architectures, collective interactions of building blocks and kinetic control. All over these challenging fronts, complexity holds the key.

A participatory and integrative approach to increase productivity and comfort in assembly

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Looze, M.P. de; Rhijn, G. van; Tuinzaad, B.; Deursen, J. van

2000-01-01

Manufacturers of manually assembled products are more and more forced to improve the flow of assembly orders together with a more efficient employment, in order to meet increasing demands on short delivery times, high product variety, good quality and low manufacturing costs. At the same time, the

Liaison based assembly design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ames, A.; Kholwadwala, D.; Wilson, R.H.

1996-12-01

Liaison Based Assembly Design extends the current information infrastructure to support design in terms of kinematic relationships between parts, or liaisons. These liaisons capture information regarding contact, degrees-of-freedom constraints and containment relationships between parts in an assembly. The project involved defining a useful collection of liaison representations, investigating their properties, and providing for maximum use of the data in downstream applications. We tested our ideas by implementing a prototype system involving extensions to Pro/Engineer and the Archimedes assembly planner. With an expanded product model, the design system is more able to capture design intent. When a product update is attempted, increased knowledge availability improves our ability to understand the effect of design changes. Manufacturing and analysis disciplines benefit from having liaison information available, so less time is wasted arguing over incomplete design specifications and our enterprise can be more completely integrated.

Altered Escherichia coli membrane protein assembly machinery allows proper membrane assembly of eukaryotic protein vitamin K epoxide reductase.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatahet, Feras; Blazyk, Jessica L; Martineau, Eugenie; Mandela, Eric; Zhao, Yongxin; Campbell, Robert E; Beckwith, Jonathan; Boyd, Dana

2015-12-08

Functional overexpression of polytopic membrane proteins, particularly when in a foreign host, is often a challenging task. Factors that negatively affect such processes are poorly understood. Using the mammalian membrane protein vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKORc1) as a reporter, we describe a genetic selection approach allowing the isolation of Escherichia coli mutants capable of functionally expressing this blood-coagulation enzyme. The isolated mutants map to components of membrane protein assembly and quality control proteins YidC and HslV. We show that changes in the VKORc1 sequence and in the YidC hydrophilic groove along with the inactivation of HslV promote VKORc1 activity and dramatically increase its expression level. We hypothesize that such changes correct for mismatches in the membrane topogenic signals between E. coli and eukaryotic cells guiding proper membrane integration. Furthermore, the obtained mutants allow the study of VKORc1 reaction mechanisms, inhibition by warfarin, and the high-throughput screening for potential anticoagulants.

Ultrafast-laser-inscribed 3D integrated photonics: challenges and emerging applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gross S.

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Since the discovery that tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses can induce a highly localised and permanent refractive index modification in a large number of transparent dielectrics, the technique of ultrafast laser inscription has received great attention from a wide range of applications. In particular, the capability to create three-dimensional optical waveguide circuits has opened up new opportunities for integrated photonics that would not have been possible with traditional planar fabrication techniques because it enables full access to the many degrees of freedom in a photon. This paper reviews the basic techniques and technological challenges of 3D integrated photonics fabricated using ultrafast laser inscription as well as reviews the most recent progress in the fields of astrophotonics, optical communication, quantum photonics, emulation of quantum systems, optofluidics and sensing.

Engineering β-sheet peptide assemblies for biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhiqiang; Cai, Zheng; Chen, Qiling; Liu, Menghua; Ye, Ling; Ren, Jiaoyan; Liao, Wenzhen; Liu, Shuwen

2016-03-01

Hydrogels have been widely studied in various biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering, cell culture, immunotherapy and vaccines, and drug delivery. Peptide-based nanofibers represent a promising new strategy for current drug delivery approaches and cell carriers for tissue engineering. This review focuses on the recent advances in the use of self-assembling engineered β-sheet peptide assemblies for biomedical applications. The applications of peptide nanofibers in biomedical fields, such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, immunotherapy, and vaccines, are highlighted. The current challenges and future perspectives for self-assembling peptide nanofibers in biomedical applications are discussed.

Omics Informatics: From Scattered Individual Software Tools to Integrated Workflow Management Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Tianle; Zhang, Aidong

2017-01-01

Omic data analyses pose great informatics challenges. As an emerging subfield of bioinformatics, omics informatics focuses on analyzing multi-omic data efficiently and effectively, and is gaining momentum. There are two underlying trends in the expansion of omics informatics landscape: the explosion of scattered individual omics informatics tools with each of which focuses on a specific task in both single- and multi- omic settings, and the fast-evolving integrated software platforms such as workflow management systems that can assemble multiple tools into pipelines and streamline integrative analysis for complicated tasks. In this survey, we give a holistic view of omics informatics, from scattered individual informatics tools to integrated workflow management systems. We not only outline the landscape and challenges of omics informatics, but also sample a number of widely used and cutting-edge algorithms in omics data analysis to give readers a fine-grained view. We survey various workflow management systems (WMSs), classify them into three levels of WMSs from simple software toolkits to integrated multi-omic analytical platforms, and point out the emerging needs for developing intelligent workflow management systems. We also discuss the challenges, strategies and some existing work in systematic evaluation of omics informatics tools. We conclude by providing future perspectives of emerging fields and new frontiers in omics informatics.

Organic Coasts? Regulatory Challenges of Certifying Integrated Shrimp-Mangrove Production Systems in Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, Tran Thi Thu; Bush, Simon R.; Mol, Arthur P. J.; van Dijk, Han

2012-01-01

The Vietnamese government aims to expand the scale of Naturland certified organic production in integrated shrimp-mangrove farming systems across the coast of Ca Mau province by 2015. In doing so the division between public and private regulation has become blurred. We analyze the government's goal by examining the regulatory challenges of using…

Sub-cell turning to accomplish micron-level alignment of precision assemblies

Science.gov (United States)

Kumler, James J.; Buss, Christian

2017-08-01

Higher performance expectations for complex optical systems demand tighter alignment requirements for lens assembly alignment. In order to meet diffraction limited imaging performance over wide spectral bands across the UV and visible wavebands, new manufacturing approaches and tools must be developed if the optical systems will be produced consistently in volume production. This is especially applicable in the field of precision microscope objectives for life science, semiconductor inspection and laser material processing systems. We observe a rising need for the improvement in the optical imaging performance of objective lenses. The key challenge lies in the micron-level decentration and tilt of each lens element. One solution for the production of high quality lens systems is sub-cell assembly with alignment turning. This process relies on an automatic alignment chuck to align the optical axis of a mounted lens to the spindle axis of the machine. Subsequently, the mount is cut with diamond tools on a lathe with respect to the optical axis of the mount. Software controlled integrated measurement technology ensures highest precision. In addition to traditional production processes, further dimensions can be controlled in a very precise manner, e.g. the air gaps between the lenses. Using alignment turning simplifies further alignment steps and reduces the risk of errors. This paper describes new challenges in microscope objective design and manufacturing, and addresses difficulties with standard production processes. A new measurement and alignment technique is described, and strengths and limitations are outlined.

Workload analyse of assembling process

Science.gov (United States)

Ghenghea, L. D.

2015-11-01

The workload is the most important indicator for managers responsible of industrial technological processes no matter if these are automated, mechanized or simply manual in each case, machines or workers will be in the focus of workload measurements. The paper deals with workload analyses made to a most part manual assembling technology for roller bearings assembling process, executed in a big company, with integrated bearings manufacturing processes. In this analyses the delay sample technique have been used to identify and divide all bearing assemblers activities, to get information about time parts from 480 minutes day work time that workers allow to each activity. The developed study shows some ways to increase the process productivity without supplementary investments and also indicated the process automation could be the solution to gain maximum productivity.

Directed Self-Assembly of Nanodispersions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furst, Eric M [University of Delaware

2013-11-15

Directed self-assembly promises to be the technologically and economically optimal approach to industrial-scale nanotechnology, and will enable the realization of inexpensive, reproducible and active nanostructured materials with tailored photonic, transport and mechanical properties. These new nanomaterials will play a critical role in meeting the 21st century grand challenges of the US, including energy diversity and sustainability, national security and economic competitiveness. The goal of this work was to develop and fundamentally validate methods of directed selfassembly of nanomaterials and nanodispersion processing. The specific aims were: 1. Nanocolloid self-assembly and interactions in AC electric fields. In an effort to reduce the particle sizes used in AC electric field self-assembly to lengthscales, we propose detailed characterizations of field-driven structures and studies of the fundamental underlying particle interactions. We will utilize microscopy and light scattering to assess order-disorder transitions and self-assembled structures under a variety of field and physicochemical conditions. Optical trapping will be used to measure particle interactions. These experiments will be synergetic with calculations of the particle polarizability, enabling us to both validate interactions and predict the order-disorder transition for nanocolloids. 2. Assembly of anisotropic nanocolloids. Particle shape has profound effects on structure and flow behavior of dispersions, and greatly complicates their processing and self-assembly. The methods developed to study the self-assembled structures and underlying particle interactions for dispersions of isotropic nanocolloids will be extended to systems composed of anisotropic particles. This report reviews several key advances that have been made during this project, including, (1) advances in the measurement of particle polarization mechanisms underlying field-directed self-assembly, and (2) progress in the

Integrative self-assembly of functional hybrid nanoconstructs by inorganic wrapping of single biomolecules, biomolecule arrays and organic supramolecular assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Avinash J; Li, Mei; Mann, Stephen

2013-08-21

Synthesis of functional hybrid nanoscale objects has been a core focus of the rapidly progressing field of nanomaterials science. In particular, there has been significant interest in the integration of evolutionally optimized biological systems such as proteins, DNA, virus particles and cells with functional inorganic building blocks to construct mesoscopic architectures and nanostructured materials. However, in many cases the fragile nature of the biomolecules seriously constrains their potential applications. As a consequence, there is an on-going quest for the development of novel strategies to modulate the thermal and chemical stabilities, and performance of biomolecules under adverse conditions. This feature article highlights new methods of "inorganic molecular wrapping" of single or multiple protein molecules, individual double-stranded DNA helices, lipid bilayer vesicles and self-assembled organic dye superstructures using inorganic building blocks to produce bio-inorganic nanoconstructs with core-shell type structures. We show that spatial isolation of the functional biological nanostructures as "armour-plated" enzyme molecules or polynucleotide strands not only maintains their intact structure and biochemical properties, but also enables the fabrication of novel hybrid nanomaterials for potential applications in diverse areas of bionanotechnology.

Integrative self-assembly of functional hybrid nanoconstructs by inorganic wrapping of single biomolecules, biomolecule arrays and organic supramolecular assemblies

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Avinash J.; Li, Mei; Mann, Stephen

2013-07-01

Synthesis of functional hybrid nanoscale objects has been a core focus of the rapidly progressing field of nanomaterials science. In particular, there has been significant interest in the integration of evolutionally optimized biological systems such as proteins, DNA, virus particles and cells with functional inorganic building blocks to construct mesoscopic architectures and nanostructured materials. However, in many cases the fragile nature of the biomolecules seriously constrains their potential applications. As a consequence, there is an on-going quest for the development of novel strategies to modulate the thermal and chemical stabilities, and performance of biomolecules under adverse conditions. This feature article highlights new methods of ``inorganic molecular wrapping'' of single or multiple protein molecules, individual double-stranded DNA helices, lipid bilayer vesicles and self-assembled organic dye superstructures using inorganic building blocks to produce bio-inorganic nanoconstructs with core-shell type structures. We show that spatial isolation of the functional biological nanostructures as ``armour-plated'' enzyme molecules or polynucleotide strands not only maintains their intact structure and biochemical properties, but also enables the fabrication of novel hybrid nanomaterials for potential applications in diverse areas of bionanotechnology.

Virtualization for Cost-Effective Teaching of Assembly Language Programming

Science.gov (United States)

Cadenas, José O.; Sherratt, R. Simon; Howlett, Des; Guy, Chris G.; Lundqvist, Karsten O.

2015-01-01

This paper describes a virtual system that emulates an ARM-based processor machine, created to replace a traditional hardware-based system for teaching assembly language. The virtual system proposed here integrates, in a single environment, all the development tools necessary to deliver introductory or advanced courses on modern assembly language…

Completion of the Design of the Top End Optical Assembly for ATST

Science.gov (United States)

Canzian, Blaise; Barentine, J.

2013-01-01

L-3 Integrated Optical Systems (IOS) Division has been selected by the National Solar Observatory (NSO) to make the Top End Optical Assembly (TEOA) for the 4-meter Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) to operate at Haleakala, Maui. ATST will perform to a very high optical performance level in a difficult operational environment. The TEOA (including a 0.65-meter silicon carbide secondary mirror and support, mirror thermal management system, mirror positioning and fast tip-tilt system, field stop with thermally managed heat dump, Lyot stop, safety interlock and control system, and support frame) operates in the “hot spot” at the prime focus of the ATST, presenting unusual challenges. L-3 IOS has passed Critical Design Review of the TEOA. In this paper, we describe L-3 IOS success meeting technical challenges, including our solutions for optic fabrication, opto-mechanical positioning, rejected and stray light control, wavefront tip-tilt compensation, and thermal management and control.

Building block synthesis using the polymerase chain assembly method.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchand, Julie A; Peccoud, Jean

2012-01-01

De novo gene synthesis allows the creation of custom DNA molecules without the typical constraints of traditional cloning assembly: scars, restriction site incompatibility, and the quest to find all the desired parts to name a few. Moreover, with the help of computer-assisted design, the perfect DNA molecule can be created along with its matching sequence ready to download. The challenge is to build the physical DNA molecules that have been designed with the software. Although there are several DNA assembly methods, this section presents and describes a method using the polymerase chain assembly (PCA).

Three invariant Hi-C interaction patterns: Applications to genome assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Oddes, Sivan; Zelig, Aviv; Kaplan, Noam

2018-06-01

Assembly of reference-quality genomes from next-generation sequencing data is a key challenge in genomics. Recently, we and others have shown that Hi-C data can be used to address several outstanding challenges in the field of genome assembly. This principle has since been developed in academia and industry, and has been used in the assembly of several major genomes. In this paper, we explore the central principles underlying Hi-C-based assembly approaches, by quantitatively defining and characterizing three invariant Hi-C interaction patterns on which these approaches can build: Intrachromosomal interaction enrichment, distance-dependent interaction decay and local interaction smoothness. Specifically, we evaluate to what degree each invariant pattern holds on a single locus level in different species, cell types and Hi-C map resolutions. We find that these patterns are generally consistent across species and cell types but are affected by sequencing depth, and that matrix balancing improves consistency of loci with all three invariant patterns. Finally, we overview current Hi-C-based assembly approaches in light of these invariant patterns and demonstrate how local interaction smoothness can be used to easily detect scaffolding errors in extremely sparse Hi-C maps. We suggest that simultaneously considering all three invariant patterns may lead to better Hi-C-based genome assembly methods. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrated Quality Control of Precision Assemblies using Computed Tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stolfi, Alessandro

coor-dinate measuring machines (CMMs) when working with complex and fragile parts. This Ph.D. project at DTU Mechanical Engineering concerns the applicability of CT for quality control of precision assem-blies. Investigations to quantify the accuracy of CT measurements, reference artefacts to correct...

Three-Dimensional Self-Assembled Photonic Crystal Waveguide

Science.gov (United States)

Baek, Kang-Hyun

Photonic crystals (PCs), two- or three-dimensionally periodic, artificial, and dielectric structures, have a specific forbidden band for electromagnetic waves, referred to as photonic bandgap (PBG). The PBG is analogous to the electronic bandgap in natural crystal structures with periodic atomic arrangement. A well-defined and embedded planar, line, or point defect within the PCs causes a break in its structural periodicity, and introduces a state in the PBG for light localization. It offers various applications in integrated optics and photonics including optical filters, sharp bending light guides and very low threshold lasers. Using nanofabrication processes, PCs of the 2-D slab-type and 3-D layer-by-layer structures have been investigated widely. Alternatively, simple and low-cost self-assembled PCs with full 3-D PBG, inverse opals, have been suggested. A template with face centered cubic closed packed structure, opal, may initially be built by self-assembly of colloidal spheres, and is selectively removed after infiltrating high refractive index materials into the interstitials of spheres. In this dissertation, the optical waveguides utilizing the 3-D self-assembled PCs are discussed. The waveguides were fabricated by microfabrication technology. For high-quality colloidal silica spheres and PCs, reliable synthesis, self-assembly, and characterization techniques were developed. Its theoretical and experimental demonstrations are provided and correlated. They suggest that the self-assembled PCs with PBG are feasible for the applications in integrated optics and photonics.

Optimal production planning for PCB assembly

CERN Document Server

Ho, William

2006-01-01

Focuses on the optimization of the Printed circuit board (PCB) assembly lines' efficiency. This book integrates the component sequencing and the feeder arrangement problems together for the pick-and-place machine and the chip shooter machines.

Genome Sequence Databases (Overview): Sequencing and Assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lapidus, Alla L.

2009-01-01

From the date its role in heredity was discovered, DNA has been generating interest among scientists from different fields of knowledge: physicists have studied the three dimensional structure of the DNA molecule, biologists tried to decode the secrets of life hidden within these long molecules, and technologists invent and improve methods of DNA analysis. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of DNA occupies a special place among the methods developed. Thanks to the variety of sequencing technologies available, the process of decoding the sequence of genomic DNA (or whole genome sequencing) has become robust and inexpensive. Meanwhile the assembly of whole genome sequences remains a challenging task. In addition to the need to assemble millions of DNA fragments of different length (from 35 bp (Solexa) to 800 bp (Sanger)), great interest in analysis of microbial communities (metagenomes) of different complexities raises new problems and pushes some new requirements for sequence assembly tools to the forefront. The genome assembly process can be divided into two steps: draft assembly and assembly improvement (finishing). Despite the fact that automatically performed assembly (or draft assembly) is capable of covering up to 98% of the genome, in most cases, it still contains incorrectly assembled reads. The error rate of the consensus sequence produced at this stage is about 1/2000 bp. A finished genome represents the genome assembly of much higher accuracy (with no gaps or incorrectly assembled areas) and quality ({approx}1 error/10,000 bp), validated through a number of computer and laboratory experiments.

Dynamic Self-Assembly of Homogenous Microcyclic Structures Controlled by a Silver-Coated Nanopore.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Rui; Lin, Yao; Ying, Yi-Lun; Liu, Xiao-Yuan; Shi, Xin; Hu, Yong-Xu; Long, Yi-Tao; Tian, He

2017-07-01

The self-assembly of nanoparticles is a challenging process for organizing precise structures with complicated and ingenious structures. In the past decades, a simple, high-efficiency, and reproducible self-assembly method from nanoscale to microscale has been pursued because of the promising and extensive application prospects in bioanalysis, catalysis, photonics, and energy storage. However, microscale self-assembly still faces big challenges including improving the stability and homogeneity as well as pursuing new assembly methods and templates for the uniform self-assembly. To address these obstacles, here, a novel silver-coated nanopore is developed which serves as a template for electrochemically generating microcyclic structures of gold nanoparticles at micrometers with highly homogenous size and remarkable reproducibility. Nanopore-induced microcyclic structures are further applied to visualize the diffusion profile of ionic flux. Based on this novel strategy, a nanopore could potentially facilitate the delivery of assembled structures for many practical applications including drug delivery, cellular detection, catalysis, and plasmonic sensing. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

THE CHALLENGES FOR MARKETING DISTANCE EDUCATION IN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT An Integrated Approach

OpenAIRE

Reweved by Natalija LEPKOVA

2009-01-01

THE CHALLENGES FOR MARKETING DISTANCE EDUCATION IN ONLINEENVIRONMENT An Integrated ApproachEdited by Prof. Dr. Ugur DEMIRAY,Assist. Prof. Dr. N. Serdar SEVER,Print ISBN 978-975-06-0596-3, Electronic ISBN 978-975-98590-6-0,732pp. 2009, Anadolu University, Eskisehir-Turkey(Available from http://www.midasebook.com)Reviewed by Associate Professor, Natalija LEPKOVADoctor of technological sciencesDepartment of Construction Economicsand Property ManagementVilnius Gediminas Technical University,LITHU...

Muscle assembly: a titanic achievement?

Science.gov (United States)

Gregorio, C C; Granzier, H; Sorimachi, H; Labeit, S

1999-02-01

The formation of perfectly aligned myofibrils in striated muscle represents a dramatic example of supramolecular assembly in eukaryotic cells. Recently, considerable progress has been made in deciphering the roles that titin, the third most abundant protein in muscle, has in this process. An increasing number of sarcomeric proteins (ligands) are being identified that bind to specific titin domains. Titin may serve as a molecular blueprint for sarcomere assembly and turnover by specifying the precise position of its ligands within each half-sarcomere in addition to functioning as a molecular spring that maintains the structural integrity of the contracting myofibrils.

Performance Improvement of Receivers Based on Ultra-Tight Integration in GNSS-Challenged Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Qin

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Ultra-tight integration was first proposed by Abbott in 2003 with the purpose of integrating a global navigation satellite system (GNSS and an inertial navigation system (INS. This technology can improve the tracking performances of a receiver by reconfiguring the tracking loops in GNSS-challenged environments. In this paper, the models of all error sources known to date in the phase lock loops (PLLs of a standard receiver and an ultra-tightly integrated GNSS/INS receiver are built, respectively. Based on these models, the tracking performances of the two receivers are compared to verify the improvement due to the ultra-tight integration. Meanwhile, the PLL error distributions of the two receivers are also depicted to analyze the error changes of the tracking loops. These results show that the tracking error is significantly reduced in the ultra-tightly integrated GNSS/INS receiver since the receiver’s dynamics are estimated and compensated by an INS. Moreover, the mathematical relationship between the tracking performances of the ultra-tightly integrated GNSS/INS receiver and the quality of the selected inertial measurement unit (IMU is derived from the error models and proved by the error comparisons of four ultra-tightly integrated GNSS/INS receivers aided by different grade IMUs.

"Excuse me, where's the registration desk?" Report on Integrating Systems for the Robot Challenge AAAI 2002

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Perzanowski, Dennis; Schultz, Alan C; Adams, William; Bugajska, Magda; Abramson, M; MacMahon, M; Atrash, A; Coblenz, M

2002-01-01

...., and the Naval Research Laboratory -- collaborated and integrated their various robotic systems and interfaces to attempt The Robot Challenge held at the AAAI 2002 annual conference in Edmonton, Alberta...

Development of the ITER IOIS assembly tool and mock-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Kyoungo; Kim, Dongjin; Park, Hyunki; Ahn, Heejae; Kim, Kyoungkyu; Yoo, Yongsoo; Watson, Emma; Shaw, Robert

2014-01-01

The ITER toroidal field coils (TFCs) are connected by 3 different connecting structures as follows; Outer Intercoil Structure (OIS), Inner Intercoil Structure (IIS), Intermediate Outer Intercoil Structure (IOIS). In assessing the assembly, requirements and environmental conditions of each Intercoil structure, the IOIS and IIS assembly were thought to be the most challenging compared to the OIS assembly due to the very limited assembly space available and the strict requirements requested by IO, especially the IOIS assembly, which has particularly difficult installation requirements including complicated shear pin assemblies. A conceptual and preliminary design has been developed by the Korean domestic agency (KODA) for the sub assembly and final assembly phase; the tool includes the ability to control both IOIS plates simultaneously. For design verification of the IOIS assembly tool mentioned above, structural analysis has been carried out considering seismic event. Also, a half sized mock-up has been fabricated and tested according to assembly procedures. In this paper, a description of tool design and the results of analysis and mock-test will be introduced

Nuclear fuel: modelling the advanced plutonium assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaoua, Th.; Lenain, R.

2004-01-01

The benefits of modeling in the nuclear sector are illustrated by the example of the design study for a new plutonium fuel assembly, APA, capable of ensuring maximum consumption of this fuel in pressurized-water reactors. Beyond the physical design of the assembly and its integration into the reactor, this serves for the working out of a complete materials flow and assists in modeling production from the entire inventory of nuclear power stations. (authors)

Nuclear fuel: modelling the advanced plutonium assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

N'kaoua, Th.; Lenain, R.

2002-01-01

The benefits of modeling in the nuclear sector are illustrated by the example of the design study for a new plutonium fuel assembly, APA, capable of ensuring maximum consumption of this fuel in pressurized-water reactors. Beyond the physical design of the assembly and its integration into the reactor, this serves for the working out of a complete materials flow and assists in modeling production from the entire inventory of nuclear power stations. (authors)

The integrative future of taxonomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vences Miguel

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Taxonomy is the biological discipline that identifies, describes, classifies and names extant and extinct species and other taxa. Nowadays, species taxonomy is confronted with the challenge to fully incorporate new theory, methods and data from disciplines that study the origin, limits and evolution of species. Results Integrative taxonomy has been proposed as a framework to bring together these conceptual and methodological developments. Here we review perspectives for an integrative taxonomy that directly bear on what species are, how they can be discovered, and how much diversity is on Earth. Conclusions We conclude that taxonomy needs to be pluralistic to improve species discovery and description, and to develop novel protocols to produce the much-needed inventory of life in a reasonable time. To cope with the large number of candidate species revealed by molecular studies of eukaryotes, we propose a classification scheme for those units that will facilitate the subsequent assembly of data sets for the formal description of new species under the Linnaean system, and will ultimately integrate the activities of taxonomists and molecular biologists.

Toward high throughput optical metamaterial assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontana, Jake; Ratna, Banahalli R

2015-11-01

Optical metamaterials have unique engineered optical properties. These properties arise from the careful organization of plasmonic elements. Transitioning these properties from laboratory experiments to functional materials may lead to disruptive technologies for controlling light. A significant issue impeding the realization of optical metamaterial devices is the need for robust and efficient assembly strategies to govern the order of the nanometer-sized elements while enabling macroscopic throughput. This mini-review critically highlights recent approaches and challenges in creating these artificial materials. As the ability to assemble optical metamaterials improves, new unforeseen opportunities may arise for revolutionary optical devices.

Thermal battery automated assembly station conceptual design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacobs, D

1988-08-01

Thermal battery assembly involves many operations which are labor- intense. In August 1986, a project team was formed at GE Neutron Devices to investigate and evaluate more efficient and productive battery assembly techniques through the use of automation. The result of this study was the acceptance of a plan to automate the piece part pellet fabrication and battery stacking operations by using computerized pellet presses and robots which would be integrated by a main computer. This report details the conceptual design and development plan to be followed in the fabrication, development, and implementation of a thermal battery automated assembly station. 4 figs., 8 tabs.

Integrating Mercury Science and Policy in the Marine Context: Challenges and Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Kathleen F.; Evers, David C.; Warner, Kimberly A.; King, Susannah L.; Selin, Noelle E.

2014-01-01

Mercury is a global pollutant and presents policy challenges at local, regional, and global scales. Mercury poses risks to the health of people, fish, and wildlife exposed to elevated levels of mercury, most commonly from the consumption of methylmercury in marine and estuarine fish. The patchwork of current mercury abatement efforts limits the effectiveness of national and multi-national policies. This paper provides an overview of the major policy challenges and opportunities related to mercury in coastal and marine environments, and highlights science and policy linkages of the past several decades. The U.S. policy examples explored here point to the need for a full life cycle approach to mercury policy with a focus on source reduction and increased attention to: (1) the transboundary movement of mercury in air, water, and biota; (2) the coordination of policy efforts across multiple environmental media; (3) the cross-cutting issues related to pollutant interactions, mitigation of legacy sources, and adaptation to elevated mercury via improved communication efforts; and (4) the integration of recent research on human and ecological health effects into benefits analyses for regulatory purposes. Stronger science and policy integration will benefit national and international efforts to prevent, control, and minimize exposure to methylmercury. PMID:22901766

Superlattices assembled through shape-induced directional binding

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Fang; Yager, Kevin G.; Zhang, Yugang; Xin, Huolin; Gang, Oleg

2015-04-01

Organization of spherical particles into lattices is typically driven by packing considerations. Although the addition of directional binding can significantly broaden structural diversity, nanoscale implementation remains challenging. Here we investigate the assembly of clusters and lattices in which anisotropic polyhedral blocks coordinate isotropic spherical nanoparticles via shape-induced directional interactions facilitated by DNA recognition. We show that these polyhedral blocks--cubes and octahedrons--when mixed with spheres, promote the assembly of clusters with architecture determined by polyhedron symmetry. Moreover, three-dimensional binary superlattices are formed when DNA shells accommodate the shape disparity between nanoparticle interfaces. The crystallographic symmetry of assembled lattices is determined by the spatial symmetry of the block's facets, while structural order depends on DNA-tuned interactions and particle size ratio. The presented lattice assembly strategy, exploiting shape for defining the global structure and DNA-mediation locally, opens novel possibilities for by-design fabrication of binary lattices.

A classification scheme for LWR fuel assemblies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moore, R.S.; Williamson, D.A.; Notz, K.J.

1988-11-01

With over 100 light water nuclear reactors operating nationwide, representing designs by four primary vendors, and with reload fuel manufactured by these vendors and additional suppliers, a wide variety of fuel assembly types are in existence. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, both the Systems Integration Program and the Characteristics Data Base project required a classification scheme for these fuels. This scheme can be applied to other areas and is expected to be of value to many Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management programs. To develop the classification scheme, extensive information on the fuel assemblies that have been and are being manufactured by the various nuclear fuel vendors was compiled, reviewed, and evaluated. It was determined that it is possible to characterize assemblies in a systematic manner, using a combination of physical factors. A two-stage scheme was developed consisting of 79 assembly types, which are grouped into 22 assembly classes. The assembly classes are determined by the general design of the reactor cores in which the assemblies are, or were, used. The general BWR and PWR classes are divided differently but both are based on reactor core configuration. 2 refs., 15 tabs.

A classification scheme for LWR fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, R.S.; Williamson, D.A.; Notz, K.J.

1988-11-01

With over 100 light water nuclear reactors operating nationwide, representing designs by four primary vendors, and with reload fuel manufactured by these vendors and additional suppliers, a wide variety of fuel assembly types are in existence. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, both the Systems Integration Program and the Characteristics Data Base project required a classification scheme for these fuels. This scheme can be applied to other areas and is expected to be of value to many Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management programs. To develop the classification scheme, extensive information on the fuel assemblies that have been and are being manufactured by the various nuclear fuel vendors was compiled, reviewed, and evaluated. It was determined that it is possible to characterize assemblies in a systematic manner, using a combination of physical factors. A two-stage scheme was developed consisting of 79 assembly types, which are grouped into 22 assembly classes. The assembly classes are determined by the general design of the reactor cores in which the assemblies are, or were, used. The general BWR and PWR classes are divided differently but both are based on reactor core configuration. 2 refs., 15 tabs

Fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomata, Terumitsu.

1993-01-01

Among fuel pellets to be loaded to fuel cans of a fuel assembly, fuel pellets having a small thermal power are charged in a region from the end of each of spacers up to about 50mm on the upstream of coolants that flow vertically at the periphery of fuel rods. Coolants at the periphery of fuel rods are heated by the heat generation, to result in voids. However, since cooling effect on the upstream of the spacers is low due to influences of the spacers. Further, since the fuel pellets disposed in the upstream region have small thermal power, a void coefficient is not increased. Even if a thermal power exceeding cooling performance should be generated, there is no worry of causing burnout in the upstream region. Even if burnout should be caused, safety margin and reliability relative to burnout are improved, to increase an allowable thermal power, thereby enabling to improve integrity and reliability of fuel rods and fuel assemblies. (N.H.)

Dynamics of assembly production flow

Science.gov (United States)

Ezaki, Takahiro; Yanagisawa, Daichi; Nishinari, Katsuhiro

2015-06-01

Despite recent developments in management theory, maintaining a manufacturing schedule remains difficult because of production delays and fluctuations in demand and supply of materials. The response of manufacturing systems to such disruptions to dynamic behavior has been rarely studied. To capture these responses, we investigate a process that models the assembly of parts into end products. The complete assembly process is represented by a directed tree, where the smallest parts are injected at leaves and the end products are removed at the root. A discrete assembly process, represented by a node on the network, integrates parts, which are then sent to the next downstream node as a single part. The model exhibits some intriguing phenomena, including overstock cascade, phase transition in terms of demand and supply fluctuations, nonmonotonic distribution of stockout in the network, and the formation of a stockout path and stockout chains. Surprisingly, these rich phenomena result from only the nature of distributed assembly processes. From a physical perspective, these phenomena provide insight into delay dynamics and inventory distributions in large-scale manufacturing systems.

Thermal Aspects Related to Power Assemblies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PLESCA, A.

2010-02-01

Full Text Available In many cases when a power assembly based on power semiconductors is used, catastrophic failure is the result of steep temperature gradient in the localized temperature distribution. Hence, an optimal heatsink design for certain industrial applications has become a real necessity. In this paper, the Pro/ENGINEER software with the thermal simulation integrated tool, Pro/MECHANICA, has been used for thermal study of a specific power semiconductor assembly. A series of steady-state and transient thermal simulations have been performed. The experimental tests have confirmed the simulation results. Therefore, the use of specific 3D modeling and simulation software allows to design special power semiconductor assemblies with a better thermal transfer between its heatsink and power electronic components at given operating conditions.

A general design strategy for block copolymer directed self-assembly patterning of integrated circuits contact holes using an alphabet approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, He; Bao, Xin-Yu; Tiberio, Richard; Wong, H-S Philip

2015-02-11

Directed self-assembly (DSA) is a promising lithography candidate for technology nodes beyond 14 nm. Researchers have shown contact hole patterning for random logic circuits using DSA with small physical templates. This paper introduces an alphabet approach that uses a minimal set of small physical templates to pattern all contacts configurations on integrated circuits. We illustrate, through experiments, a general and scalable template design strategy that links the DSA material properties to the technology node requirements.

Surface Assembly of the End Cap Muon Spectrometer

CERN Multimedia

S. Palestini

Before the final installation in the ATLAS detector, the chambers of the inner and middle forward stations of the Muon spectrometer are integrated and assembled on large support structures. Work on the sectors of the Thin Gap Chamber (TGC) Big Wheels (trigger chambers) and of the Muon Drift Tube (MDT) Big Wheels (precision tracking chambers) started early this year, and has recently expanded to all the foreseen working areas, covering most the surface of building 180. Several operations are performed, often in parallel, by different teams: final integration of the detectors, assembly of the support structures, installation and test of services, installation of chambers, and final tests. Control of the geometry is performed frequently both on assembly tooling and on complete sectors. The final tests verify the response of the detectors and of the electronics, including read-out and trigger electronics, the alignment system, and the detector control. The sectors are designed as a unit that can be fully commis...

European radiographers' challenges from mammography education and clinical practice - an integrative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Metsälä, Eija; Richli Meystre, Nicole; Pires Jorge, José; Henner, Anja; Kukkes, Tiina; Sá Dos Reis, Cláudia

2017-06-01

This study aims to identify European radiographers' challenges in clinical performance in mammography and the main areas of mammography that require more and better training. An extensive search was performed to identify relevant studies focused on clinical practice, education and training in mammography published between January 2010 and December 2015 in the English language. The data were analysed by using deductive thematic analysis. A total of 27 full text articles were read, evaluating their quality. Sixteen articles out of 27 were finally selected for this integrative review. The main challenges of radiographers' mammography education/training can be divided into three groups: training needs, challenges related to radiographers, and challenges related to the organization of education. The most common challenges of clinical performance in mammography among European radiographers involved technical performance, the quality of practices, and patient-centeredness. The introduction of harmonized mammography guidelines across Europe may serve as an evidence-based tool to be implemented in practice and education. However, the variability in human and material resources as well as the different cultural contexts should be considered during this process. • Radiographers' awareness of their professional identity and enhancing multiprofessional cooperation in mammography. • Radiographers' responsibilities regarding image quality (IQ) and optimal breast imaging performance. • Patient-centred mammography services focusing on the psychosocial needs of the patient. • Challenges: positioning, QC-testing, IQ-assessment, optimization of breast compression, communication, teamwork, and patient-centred care. • Introduction of evidence-based guidelines in Europe to harmonize mammography practice and education.

Supracolloidal Architectures Self-Assembled in Microdroplets.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xuejiao; Tian, Feng; Liu, Xin; Parker, Richard M; Lan, Yang; Wu, Yuchao; Yu, Ziyi; Scherman, Oren A; Abell, Chris

2015-10-26

We demonstrate a novel method for the formation of a library of structured colloidal assemblies by exploiting the supramolecular heteroternary host-guest interaction between cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) and methyl viologen- and naphthalene-functionalised particles. The approach is dependent upon compartmentalisation in microdroplets generated by a microfluidic platform. Though the distribution of colloidal particles encapsulated within each microdroplet followed a Poisson distribution, tuning the concentration of the initial colloidal particle suspensions provided some level of control over the structure of the formed colloidal assemblies. This ability to direct the assembly of complementarily-functionalised colloids through a supramolecular interaction, without the need for complex modification of the colloidal surface or external stimuli, presents an exciting new approach towards the design of structured colloidal materials with the potential to produce many challenging structures. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Engineering of automated assembly of beam-shaping optics

Science.gov (United States)

Haag, Sebastian; Sinhoff, Volker; Müller, Tobias; Brecher, Christian

2014-03-01

Beam-shaping is essential for any kind of laser application. Assembly technologies for beam-shaping subassemblies are subject to intense research and development activities and their technical feasibility has been proven in recent years while economic viability requires more efficient engineering tools for process planning and production ramp up of complex assembly tasks for micro-optical systems. The work presented in this paper aims for significant reduction of process development and production ramp up times for the automated assembly of micro-optical subassemblies for beam-collimation and beam-tilting. The approach proposed bridges the gap between the product development phase and the realization of automation control through integration of established software tools such as optics simulation and CAD modeling as well as through introduction of novel software tools and methods to efficiently describe active alignment strategies. The focus of the paper is put on the methodological approach regarding the engineering of assembly processes for beam-shaping micro-optics and the formal representation of assembly objectives similar to representation in mechanical assemblies. Main topic of the paper is the engineering methodology for active alignment processes based on the classification of optical functions for beam-shaping optics and corresponding standardized measurement setups including adaptable alignment algorithms. The concepts are applied to industrial use-cases: (1) integrated collimation module for fast- and slow-axis and (2) beam-tilting subassembly consisting of a fast-axis collimator and micro-lens array. The paper concludes with an overview of current limitations as well as an outlook on the next development steps considering adhesive bonding processes.

Design strategies for self-assembly of discrete targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madge, Jim; Miller, Mark A.

2015-01-01

Both biological and artificial self-assembly processes can take place by a range of different schemes, from the successive addition of identical building blocks to hierarchical sequences of intermediates, all the way to the fully addressable limit in which each component is unique. In this paper, we introduce an idealized model of cubic particles with patterned faces that allows self-assembly strategies to be compared and tested. We consider a simple octameric target, starting with the minimal requirements for successful self-assembly and comparing the benefits and limitations of more sophisticated hierarchical and addressable schemes. Simulations are performed using a hybrid dynamical Monte Carlo protocol that allows self-assembling clusters to rearrange internally while still providing Stokes-Einstein-like diffusion of aggregates of different sizes. Our simulations explicitly capture the thermodynamic, dynamic, and steric challenges typically faced by self-assembly processes, including competition between multiple partially completed structures. Self-assembly pathways are extracted from the simulation trajectories by a fully extendable scheme for identifying structural fragments, which are then assembled into history diagrams for successfully completed target structures. For the simple target, a one-component assembly scheme is most efficient and robust overall, but hierarchical and addressable strategies can have an advantage under some conditions if high yield is a priority

INTEGRATION CHALLENGES OF UNIVERSITY AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (UIMS TO MOODLE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jyldyzbek J. Jakshylykov

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: in 2006 an International Ataturk Ala-Too University (IAAU began to adopt internationally recognised Bologna system, which was initiated by the Ministry of Science and Education of Kyrgyz Republic because of problems of managerial and educational problems at universities in Kyrgyzstan. Consequently, IAAU had to improve its information and grading system and created University Information and Manage¬ment System (UIMS, which was developed by the university professional team including the author. At the same time, the university began to apply a Moodle software, which delivers open source management system programs, in order to appropriately manage teaching proc esses and manage courses online. Materials and Methods: the methodological basis of the research are descriptive method, analysis, and comparison. Results: however, the IAAU faced some challenged issues in the application of the two innovation, which was the integration challenges of those Moodle and UIMS. Hence, the main purpose of this study is to demonstrate benefits of Moodle and UIMS linking challenges. at first, this paper informs Moodle functions, features, advantages and disadvantages in a shortly manner and UIMS management features and primary functions, which included six fundamentally crucial processes with some graphical representations. In addition, the analysis and methodologies of two systems through identifying advantages and disadvantages for the possible integ ration. Discussion and Conclusions: at the end, some challenged issues were identified from analysis results, also Moodle and UIMS benefits were demonstrated in the International Ataturk Ala-Too University.

Challenges and solutions ensuring EUVL photomask integrity

Science.gov (United States)

Brux, O.; Dreß, P.; Schmalfuß, H.; Jonckheere, R.; Koolen-Hermkens, W.

2012-06-01

Industry roadmaps indicate that the introduction of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) is on track for high volume manufacturing. Although, there has been significant progress in each of the individual subsets of the EUVL infrastructure, the absolute management of the process outside of the scanner and up to the point-of-exposure has been highlighted as critical requirement for the adoption of EUVL. Significant changes in the EUV system environment and mask architecture are driving a zero process tolerance level. Any unforeseen contamination introduced to the scanner environment from the EUV mask could cause considerable downtime and yield loss. Absolute mask integrity at the point-of-exposure must be guaranteed. EUV mask cleaning processes-of-record have been developed and introduced to the industry [1]. The issue is not longer "how to clean the mask" but, "how to keep it clean". With the introduction of EUVL, mask cleanliness extends out beyond the traditional mask cleaning tool. Complete control of contamination and/or particles during transportation, handling and storage will require a holistic approach to mask management. A new environment specifically for EUV mask integrity must be developed and fully tested for the sub 16nm half-pitch node introduction. The SUSS MaskTrack Pro (MTP) InSync was introduced as the solution for EUV mask integrity. SUSS demonstrated the fully automated handling of EUV masks into and out of a Dual Pod System [2]. Intrinsic cleanliness of each individual handling and storage step of the inner pod (EIP) and EUV mask inside the MTP InSync Tool was investigated and reported. A target specification of a PRP cleaning by measuring particles down to 150nm size. A dynamic capture rate of larger 97% at 200nm particle size based on PSLs was achieved; for EIP cleaning, a dry-cleaning technology is under investigation. During feasibility studies high particle removal efficiency (PRE) results larger 99% has been achieved for particles down

Simulating power integration in Latin America to assess challenges, opportunities, and threats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochoa, Camila; Dyner, Isaac; Franco, Carlos J.

2013-01-01

Integration of electricity markets started to spread under the world-wide trend to economic liberalization. While some regions are managing better than others, lessons, both political and technical, highlight challenges ahead that need to be overcome. Since the early 2000s, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru have decided to integrate their electricity markets, eventually creating an enormous Latin American electricity exchange, ranging from Mexico to Chile. This poses opportunities and threats to the region as it involves cooperation, trust, and the will to overcome difficulties that may arise. In this direction, we developed a system dynamics model, linked to an iterative algorithm, to assess the likely effects of integration on both system expansion and security of supply. The model helps us understand the logic of the long-term system behavior under different policies, assuming Market Coupling as the dispatch mechanism. Based on theoretical grounds and after analyzing simulation results under different scenarios, we conclude that the integration of electricity markets may render important opportunities regarding security of supply and efficiency; and consequently energy might be supplied at lower prices, using “cleaner” technologies. However, benefits largely depend on policy, regulation, and technical issues. - Highlights: • We model the likely long-term dynamics of regional integration in Latin America. • The approach includes a dispatch algorithm linked to a system dynamics model. • The model simulates the evolution of installed capacity and prices. • We conclude: electricity integration may provide security of supply and efficiency. • Benefits of integration largely depend on policy, regulation, and technical issues

Cyber-Security Challenges with SMEs in Developing Economies: Issues of Confidentiality, Integrity & Availability (CIA)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yeboah-Boateng, Ezer Osei

The essence of this study is first to highlight the cyber-security challenges confronting SMEs in developing economies, and to model a framework for safeguarding their assets, to ensure continuous optimal business operations, and to participate and compete securely in the ubiquitous cyber......, to develop customer-centric strategies. While connectivity is indispensable for achieving business success, being connected also implies being exposed to a myriad of cyber-security challenges, such as vulnerabilities of confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA). As vulnerabilities are exploited...... cognitive map (FCM) approach is also used to show the implications of vulnerabilities amongst SMEs asset disposal policies....

GaAs photovoltaics and optoelectronics using releasable multilayer epitaxial assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Jongseung; Jo, Sungjin; Chun, Ik Su; Jung, Inhwa; Kim, Hoon-Sik; Meitl, Matthew; Menard, Etienne; Li, Xiuling; Coleman, James J; Paik, Ungyu; Rogers, John A

2010-05-20

Compound semiconductors like gallium arsenide (GaAs) provide advantages over silicon for many applications, owing to their direct bandgaps and high electron mobilities. Examples range from efficient photovoltaic devices to radio-frequency electronics and most forms of optoelectronics. However, growing large, high quality wafers of these materials, and intimately integrating them on silicon or amorphous substrates (such as glass or plastic) is expensive, which restricts their use. Here we describe materials and fabrication concepts that address many of these challenges, through the use of films of GaAs or AlGaAs grown in thick, multilayer epitaxial assemblies, then separated from each other and distributed on foreign substrates by printing. This method yields large quantities of high quality semiconductor material capable of device integration in large area formats, in a manner that also allows the wafer to be reused for additional growths. We demonstrate some capabilities of this approach with three different applications: GaAs-based metal semiconductor field effect transistors and logic gates on plates of glass, near-infrared imaging devices on wafers of silicon, and photovoltaic modules on sheets of plastic. These results illustrate the implementation of compound semiconductors such as GaAs in applications whose cost structures, formats, area coverages or modes of use are incompatible with conventional growth or integration strategies.

Self-Assembly of Microscale Parts through Magnetic and Capillary Interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madan Dubey

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Self-assembly is a promising technique to overcome fundamental limitations with integrating, packaging, and general handling of individual electronic-related components with characteristic lengths significantly smaller than 1 mm. Here we describe the use of magnetic and capillary forces to self-assemble 280 µm sized silicon building blocks into interconnected structures which approach a three-dimensional crystalline configuration. Integrated permanent magnet microstructures provided magnetic forces, while a low-melting-point solder alloy provided capillary forces. A finite element model of forces between the magnetic features demonstrated the utility of magnetic forces at this size scale. Despite a slight departure from designed dimensions in the actual fabricated parts, the combination of magnetic and capillary forces improved the assembly yield to 8%, over approximately 0.1% achieved previously with capillary forces alone.

Integrated Testing of a Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly and a Temperature-Swing Adsorption Compressor for Closed-Loop Air Revitalization

Science.gov (United States)

Knox, J. C.; Mulloth, Lila; Frederick, Kenneth; Affleck, Dave

2003-01-01

Accumulation and subsequent compression of carbon dioxide that is removed from space cabin are two important processes involved in a closed-loop air revitalization scheme of the International Space Station (ISS). The carbon dioxide removal assembly (CDRA) of ISS currently operates in an open loop mode without a compressor. This paper describes the integrated test results of a flight-like CDRA and a temperature-swing adsorption compressor (TSAC) for carbon dioxide removal and compression. The paper provides details of the TSAC operation at various CO2 loadings and corresponding performance of CDRA.

Integration of Mobile Manipulators in an Industrial Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Ole; Bøgh, Simon; Schou, Casper

2015-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this study has been to evaluate the technology of autonomous mobile manipulation in a real world industrial manufacturing environment. The objective has been to obtain experience in the integration with existing equipment and determine key challenges in maturing...... reports from such a real-world industrial experiment with two mobile manipulators. Design/methodology/approach – In the experiment, autonomous industrial mobile manipulators are integrated into the actual manufacturing environment of the pump manufacturer Grundfos. The two robots together solve the task...... of producing rotors; a task constituted by several sub-tasks ranging from logistics to complex assembly. With a total duration of 10 days, the experiment includes workspace adaptation, safety regulations, rapid robot instruction and running production. Findings – With a setup time of less than one day...

An Integrated Picture of Star Formation, Metallicity Evolution, and Galactic Stellar Mass Assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Cowie, L. L.; Barger, A. J.

2008-10-01

We present an integrated study of star formation and galactic stellar mass assembly from z = 0.05 to 1.5 and galactic metallicity evolution from z = 0.05 to 0.9 using a very large and highly spectroscopically complete sample selected by rest-frame NIR bolometric flux in the GOODS-N. We assume a Salpeter IMF and fit Bruzual & Charlot models to compute the galactic stellar masses and extinctions. We determine the expected formed stellar mass density growth rates produced by star formation and compare them with the growth rates measured from the formed stellar mass functions by mass interval. We show that the growth rates match if the IMF is slightly increased from the Salpeter IMF at intermediate masses (~10 M⊙). We investigate the evolution of galaxy color, spectral type, and morphology with mass and redshift and the evolution of mass with environment. We find that applying extinction corrections is critical when analyzing galaxy colors; e.g., nearly all of the galaxies in the green valley are 24 μm sources, but after correcting for extinction, the bulk of the 24 μm sources lie in the blue cloud. We find an evolution of the metallicity-mass relation corresponding to a decrease of 0.21 +/- 0.03 dex between the local value and the value at z = 0.77 in the 1010-1011 M⊙ range. We use the metallicity evolution to estimate the gas mass of the galaxies, which we compare with the galactic stellar mass assembly and star formation histories. Overall, our measurements are consistent with a galaxy evolution process dominated by episodic bursts of star formation and where star formation in the most massive galaxies (gtrsim1011 M⊙) ceases at z Technology, the University of California, and NASA and was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

The Integration of Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, DemandResponse and Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities for Evaluatorsand Planners

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vine, Edward

2007-05-29

This paper explores the feasibility of integrating energyefficiency program evaluation with the emerging need for the evaluationof programs from different "energy cultures" (demand response, renewableenergy, and climate change). The paper reviews key features andinformation needs of the energy cultures and critically reviews theopportunities and challenges associated with integrating these withenergy efficiency program evaluation. There is a need to integrate thedifferent policy arenas where energy efficiency, demand response, andclimate change programs are developed, and there are positive signs thatthis integration is starting to occur.

Integration of leprosy services into the General Health Service in Sri Lanka: overcoming challenges to implementation in a remote district.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijesinghe, Thushanthi S; Wijesinghe, Pushpa Ranjan

2013-01-01

Sri Lanka took a policy decision to integrate leprosy services into the general health services (GHS) in 1999. This paper aims to summarize the emergence of new, specific challenges and how they were overcome during the integration of leprosy services to the GHS in a remote, leprosy endemic district in Sri Lanka. In this article, the regional epidemiologist as the team leader describes the principles used for transition to an effective integrated model of leprosy services from a centralized leprosy control model in the district. In addition, rationale for integration is viewed from the epidemiological and operational perspectives. National and district leprosy epidemiological data from secondary sources are also reviewed for corroborating the effectiveness of integration. Challenges surfaced were mainly related to the transfer of ownership of the programme, selection of appropriate service providing institutions easily accessible to clients, sustainability of leprosy services at the GHS, ensuring participation of all stakeholders in capacity building programmes and co-ordination of patient care in the absence of a dermatologist in the district. An empowered district team leader with specified roles and responsibilities, his sound technical and managerial know how and ability to translate 'team work' concept to practice were found to be essential for successful implementation of integration. Decision-making powers at the district level and flexibility to introduce new, area-specific changes to the centrally prepared core activities of integration were also vital to overcome locally surfaced challenges.

Development of an Advanced Recycle Filter Tank Assembly for the ISS Urine Processor Assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Link, Dwight E., Jr.; Carter, Donald Layne; Higbie, Scott

2010-01-01

Recovering water from urine is a process that is critical to supporting larger crews for extended missions aboard the International Space Station. Urine is collected, preserved, and stored for processing into water and a concentrated brine solution that is highly toxic and must be contained to avoid exposure to the crew. The brine solution is collected in an accumulator tank, called a Recycle Filter Tank Assembly (RFTA) that must be replaced monthly and disposed in order to continue urine processing operations. In order to reduce resupply requirements, a new accumulator tank is being developed that can be emptied on orbit into existing ISS waste tanks. The new tank, called the Advanced Recycle Filter Tank Assembly (ARFTA) is a metal bellows tank that is designed to collect concentrated brine solution and empty by applying pressure to the bellows. This paper discusses the requirements and design of the ARFTA as well as integration into the urine processor assembly.

Reconstitutable control assembly having removable control rods with detachable split upper end plugs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gjertsen, R.K.; Knott, R.P.; Sparrow, J.A.

1989-01-01

This patent describes, in a reconstitutable control assembly for use with a nuclear fuel assembly, the control assembly including a spider structure and at least one control rod, an attachment joint for detachable fastening the control rod to the spider structure. The attachment joint comprising: a hollow connecting finger on the spider structure; and an elongated detachable split upper end plug on the control rod having a pair of separate upper and lower plug portions, the upper plug portion having integrally-connected tandemly- arranged upper, middle and lower sections. The lower plug portion having integrally-connected tandemly-arranged upper, middle and lower segments

Development of a virtual manufacturing assembly simulation system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulrahman M Al-Ahmari

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Assembly operations are a key component of modern manufacturing systems. Designing, planning, and conducting assembly operations represent an important part of the cost of a product. Virtual reality provides an efficient and cost-effective solution to manufacturing design, planning, and prototyping. Still there are certain issues (such as data translation, integration of various hardware and software systems, and real-time collision detection faced while applying this advanced technology to the assembly domain. For example, existing works focus on using virtual reality systems and environments mainly to design new products and to plan for assembly. Little focus has been given to develop virtual reality environments that contribute to train operators on assembly operations and to bridge the gap between design and implementation/execution of assembly. Therefore, the research work presented in this article focuses on developing a fully functional virtual manufacturing assembly simulation system that solves the issues related to virtual reality environments. The proposed system uses a virtual environment to create an interactive workbench that can be used for evaluating assembly decisions and training assembly operations. It is a comprehensive system that provides visual, auditory, tactile, as well as force feedback. The system works successfully even with large components.

Optical Assembly and Characterization System for Nano-Photonics Research

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

freedoms) 3 (3) Carried out initial research work related to semiconductor membrane transfer printing. Based on the customer designed PDMS stamp...for optical characterization and membrane printing/assembly. The system has the following features: Micro-precision alignment with integrated 50 nm...a FL300-12 Automated Alignment System was acquired from Ficontec (USA) Corporation for optical characterization and membrane printing/assembly. The

Gigadalton-scale shape-programmable DNA assemblies

Science.gov (United States)

Wagenbauer, Klaus F.; Sigl, Christian; Dietz, Hendrik

2017-12-01

Natural biomolecular assemblies such as molecular motors, enzymes, viruses and subcellular structures often form by self-limiting hierarchical oligomerization of multiple subunits. Large structures can also assemble efficiently from a few components by combining hierarchical assembly and symmetry, a strategy exemplified by viral capsids. De novo protein design and RNA and DNA nanotechnology aim to mimic these capabilities, but the bottom-up construction of artificial structures with the dimensions and complexity of viruses and other subcellular components remains challenging. Here we show that natural assembly principles can be combined with the methods of DNA origami to produce gigadalton-scale structures with controlled sizes. DNA sequence information is used to encode the shapes of individual DNA origami building blocks, and the geometry and details of the interactions between these building blocks then control their copy numbers, positions and orientations within higher-order assemblies. We illustrate this strategy by creating planar rings of up to 350 nanometres in diameter and with atomic masses of up to 330 megadaltons, micrometre-long, thick tubes commensurate in size to some bacilli, and three-dimensional polyhedral assemblies with sizes of up to 1.2 gigadaltons and 450 nanometres in diameter. We achieve efficient assembly, with yields of up to 90 per cent, by using building blocks with validated structure and sufficient rigidity, and an accurate design with interaction motifs that ensure that hierarchical assembly is self-limiting and able to proceed in equilibrium to allow for error correction. We expect that our method, which enables the self-assembly of structures with sizes approaching that of viruses and cellular organelles, can readily be used to create a range of other complex structures with well defined sizes, by exploiting the modularity and high degree of addressability of the DNA origami building blocks used.

Polymer cantilever platform for dielectrophoretic assembly of carbon nanotubes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansson, Alicia; Calleja, M.; Dimaki, Maria

2004-01-01

A polymer cantilever platform for dielectrophoretic assembly of carbon nanotubes has been designed and realized. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes from aqueous solution have been assembled between two metal electrodes that are separated by 2 mu m and embedded in the polymer cantilever. The entire chip......, except for the metallic electrodes and wiring, was fabricated in the photoresist SU-8. SU-8 allows for an inexpensive, flexible and fast fabrication method, and the cantilever platform provides a hydrophobic surface that should be well suited for nanotube assembly. The device can be integrated in a micro...

In vitro reconstitution of chaperone-mediated human RISC assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Naruse, Ken; Matsuura-Suzuki, Eriko; Watanabe, Mariko; Iwasaki, Shintaro; Tomari, Yukihide

2018-01-01

To silence target mRNAs, small RNAs and Argonaute (Ago) proteins need to be assembled into RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs). Although the assembly of Drosophila melanogaster RISC was recently reconstituted by Ago2, the Dicer-2/R2D2 heterodimer, and five chaperone proteins, the absence of a reconstitution system for mammalian RISC assembly has posed analytical challenges. Here we describe reconstitution of human RISC assembly using Ago2 and five recombinant chaperone proteins: Hsp90β, Hsc70, Hop, Dnaja2, and p23. Our data show that ATP hydrolysis by both Hsp90β and Hsc70 is required for RISC assembly of small RNA duplexes but not for that of single-stranded RNAs. The reconstitution system lays the groundwork for further studies of small RNA-mediated gene silencing in mammals. © 2018 Naruse et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

Controllable assembly of silver nanoparticles induced by femtosecond laser direct writing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Huan; Liu, Sen; Zhang, Yong-Lai; Wang, Jian-Nan; Wang, Lei; Xia, Hong; Chen, Qi-Dai; Sun, Hong-Bo; Ding, Hong

2015-01-01

We report controllable assembly of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) for patterning of silver microstructures. The assembly is induced by femtosecond laser direct writing (FsLDW). A tightly focused femtosecond laser beam is capable of trapping and driving Ag NPs to form desired micropatterns with a high resolution of ∼190 nm. Taking advantage of the ‘direct writing’ feature, three microelectrodes have been integrated with a microfluidic chip; two silver-based microdevices including a microheater and a catalytic reactor have been fabricated inside a microfluidic channel for chip functionalization. The FsLDW-induced programmable assembly of Ag NPs may open up a new way to the designable patterning of silver microstructures toward flexible fabrication and integration of functional devices. (focus issue paper)

High-power fused assemblies enabled by advances in fiber-processing technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Wiley, Robert; Clark, Brett

2011-02-01

The power handling capabilities of fiber lasers are limited by the technologies available to fabricate and assemble the key optical system components. Previous tools for the assembly, tapering, and fusion of fiber laser elements have had drawbacks with regard to temperature range, alignment capability, assembly flexibility and surface contamination. To provide expanded capabilities for fiber laser assembly, a wide-area electrical plasma heat source was used in conjunction with an optimized image analysis method and a flexible alignment system, integrated according to mechatronic principles. High-resolution imaging and vision-based measurement provided feedback to adjust assembly, fusion, and tapering process parameters. The system was used to perform assembly steps including dissimilar-fiber splicing, tapering, bundling, capillary bundling, and fusion of fibers to bulk optic devices up to several mm in diameter. A wide range of fiber types and diameters were tested, including extremely large diameters and photonic crystal fibers. The assemblies were evaluated for conformation to optical and mechanical design criteria, such as taper geometry and splice loss. The completed assemblies met the performance targets and exhibited reduced surface contamination compared to assemblies prepared on previously existing equipment. The imaging system and image analysis algorithms provided in situ fiber geometry measurement data that agreed well with external measurement. The ability to adjust operating parameters dynamically based on imaging was shown to provide substantial performance benefits, particularly in the tapering of fibers and bundles. The integrated design approach was shown to provide sufficient flexibility to perform all required operations with a minimum of reconfiguration.

Binaural integration: a challenge to overcome for children with hearing loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Karen A; Cushing, Sharon L; Easwar, Vijayalakshmi; Polonenko, Melissa J; Papsin, Blake C

2017-12-01

Access to bilateral hearing can be provided to children with hearing loss by fitting appropriate hearing devices to each affected ear. It is not clear, however, that bilateral input is properly integrated through hearing devices to promote binaural hearing. In the present review, we examine evidence indicating that abnormal binaural hearing continues to be a challenge for children with hearing loss despite early access to bilateral input. Behavioral responses and electrophysiological data in children, combined with data from developing animal models, reveal that deafness in early life disrupts binaural hearing and that present hearing devices are unable to reverse these changes and/or promote expected development. Possible limitations of hearing devices include mismatches in binaural place, level, and timing of stimulation. Such mismatches could be common in children with hearing loss. One potential solution is to modify present device fitting beyond providing audibility to each ear by implementing binaural fitting targets. Efforts to better integrate bilateral input could improve spatial hearing in children with hearing loss.

The Detector Control System of the ATLAS SemiCondutor Tracker during Macro-Assembly and Integration

CERN Document Server

Abdesselam, A; Basiladze, S; Bates, R L; Bell, P; Bingefors, N; Böhm, J; Brenner, R; Chamizo-Llatas, M; Clark, A; Codispoti, G; Colijn, A P; D'Auria, S; Dorholt, O; Doherty, F; Ferrari, P; Ferrère, D; Górnicki, E; Koperny, S; Lefèvre, R; Lindquist, L-E; Malecki, P; Mikulec, B; Mohn, B; Pater, J; Pernegger, H; Phillips, P; Robichaud-Véronneau, A; Robinson, D; Roe, S; Sandaker, H; Sfyrla, A; Stanecka, E; Stastny, J; Viehhauser, G; Vossebeld, J; Wells, P

2008-01-01

The ATLAS SemiConductor Tracker (SCT) is one of the largest existing semiconductor detectors. It is situated between the Pixel detector and the Transition Radiation Tracker at one of the four interaction points of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). During 2006-2007 the detector was lowered into the ATLAS cavern and installed in its final position. For the assembly, integration and commissioning phase, a complete Detector Control System (DCS) was developed to ensure the safe operation of the tracker. This included control of the individual powering of the silicon modules, a bi-phase cooling system and various types of sensors monitoring the SCT environment and the surrounding test enclosure. The DCS software architecture, performance and operational experience will be presented in the view of a validation of the DCS for the final SCT installation and operation phase.

Lessons learned and new challenges for integrated assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carnes, S.A.; Reed, R.M.

1995-12-31

One of the first government-sponsored demands for integrated assessment to support decision making in the United States is embodied in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Over the past 25 years, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has supported federal agencies` in evaluating health and environmental impacts as required by NEPA. Many of ORNL`s efforts have focused on complex, programmatic assessments that break new ground and require and integrate expertise from a wide range of technical disciplines. Examples of ORNL projects that illustrate the use of integrated assessment approaches include environmental documentation for: (1) the Department of the Army`s Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program, (2) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission`s licensing activities related to the Owens River Basin in eastern California and along a 500-mile reach of the upper Ohio River, and (3) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s decision regarding restart of the undamaged reactor (Unit 1) at Three Mile Island. Our discussion of these examples illustrates successful integrated assessment approaches and identifies new challenges facing integrated assessment activities.

Integrating climate change adaptation in energy planning and decision-making - Key challenges and opportunities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olhoff, Anne; Olsen, Karen Holm

2011-01-01

management framework is used as the basis for identifying key challenges and opportunities to enhance the integration of climate change adaptation in energy planning and decision-making. Given its importance for raising awareness and for stimulating action by planners and decision-makers, emphasis is placed......Energy systems are significantly vulnerable to current climate variability and extreme events. As climate change becomes more pronounced, the risks and vulnerabilities will be exacerbated. To date, energy sector adaptation issues have received very limited attention. In this paper, a climate risk...... barriers to integration of climate risks and adaptive responses in energy planning and decision making. Both detailed assessments of the costs and benefits of integrating adaptation measures and rougher ‘order of magnitude’ estimates would enhance awareness raising and momentum for action....

Accurate DNA assembly and genome engineering with optimized uracil excision cloning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cavaleiro, Mafalda; Kim, Se Hyeuk; Seppala, Susanna

2015-01-01

Simple and reliable DNA editing by uracil excision (a.k.a. USER cloning) has been described by several research groups, but the optimal design of cohesive DNA ends for multigene assembly remains elusive. Here, we use two model constructs based on expression of gfp and a four-gene pathway that pro......Simple and reliable DNA editing by uracil excision (a.k.a. USER cloning) has been described by several research groups, but the optimal design of cohesive DNA ends for multigene assembly remains elusive. Here, we use two model constructs based on expression of gfp and a four-gene pathway...... that produces β-carotene to optimize assembly junctions and the uracil excision protocol. By combining uracil excision cloning with a genomic integration technology, we demonstrate that up to six DNA fragments can be assembled in a one-tube reaction for direct genome integration with high accuracy, greatly...... facilitating the advanced engineering of robust cell factories....

Ultra-Portable Smartphone Controlled Integrated Digital Microfluidic System in a 3D-Printed Modular Assembly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Yafia

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Portable sensors and biomedical devices are influenced by the recent advances in microfluidics technologies, compact fabrication techniques, improved detection limits and enhanced analysis capabilities. This paper reports the development of an integrated ultraportable, low-cost, and modular digital microfluidic (DMF system and its successful integration with a smartphone used as a high-level controller and post processing station. Low power and cost effective electronic circuits are designed to generate the high voltages required for DMF operations in both open and closed configurations (from 100 to 800 V. The smartphone in turn commands a microcontroller that manipulate the voltage signals required for droplet actuation in the DMF chip and communicates wirelessly with the microcontroller via Bluetooth module. Moreover, the smartphone acts as a detection and image analysis station with an attached microscopic lens. The holder assembly is fabricated using three-dimensional (3D printing technology to facilitate rapid prototyping. The holder features a modular design that enables convenient attachment/detachment of a variety of DMF chips to/from an electrical busbar. The electrical circuits, controller and communication system are designed to minimize the power consumption in order to run the device on small lithium ion batteries. Successful controlled DMF operations and a basic colorimetric assay using the smartphone are demonstrated.

Targeted assembly of short sequence reads.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

René L Warren

Full Text Available As next-generation sequence (NGS production continues to increase, analysis is becoming a significant bottleneck. However, in situations where information is required only for specific sequence variants, it is not necessary to assemble or align whole genome data sets in their entirety. Rather, NGS data sets can be mined for the presence of sequence variants of interest by localized assembly, which is a faster, easier, and more accurate approach. We present TASR, a streamlined assembler that interrogates very large NGS data sets for the presence of specific variants by only considering reads within the sequence space of input target sequences provided by the user. The NGS data set is searched for reads with an exact match to all possible short words within the target sequence, and these reads are then assembled stringently to generate a consensus of the target and flanking sequence. Typically, variants of a particular locus are provided as different target sequences, and the presence of the variant in the data set being interrogated is revealed by a successful assembly outcome. However, TASR can also be used to find unknown sequences that flank a given target. We demonstrate that TASR has utility in finding or confirming genomic mutations, polymorphisms, fusions and integration events. Targeted assembly is a powerful method for interrogating large data sets for the presence of sequence variants of interest. TASR is a fast, flexible and easy to use tool for targeted assembly.

Pre-assembling electric circuits of braided conductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mercado Gomez, Martin Elias

1999-01-01

The present article has for object to give to know an innovative concept of pre-assembling electric circuits for distribution of normal and regulated power, to the work position like integral subsystems of the calls intelligent buildings

Light-Controlled Swarming and Assembly of Colloidal Particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianhua Zhang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Swarms and assemblies are ubiquitous in nature and they can perform complex collective behaviors and cooperative functions that they cannot accomplish individually. In response to light, some colloidal particles (CPs, including light active and passive CPs, can mimic their counterparts in nature and organize into complex structures that exhibit collective functions with remote controllability and high temporospatial precision. In this review, we firstly analyze the structural characteristics of swarms and assemblies of CPs and point out that light-controlled swarming and assembly of CPs are generally achieved by constructing light-responsive interactions between CPs. Then, we summarize in detail the recent advances in light-controlled swarming and assembly of CPs based on the interactions arisen from optical forces, photochemical reactions, photothermal effects, and photoisomerizations, as well as their potential applications. In the end, we also envision some challenges and future prospects of light-controlled swarming and assembly of CPs. With the increasing innovations in mechanisms and control strategies with easy operation, low cost, and arbitrary applicability, light-controlled swarming and assembly of CPs may be employed to manufacture programmable materials and reconfigurable robots for cooperative grasping, collective cargo transportation, and micro- and nanoengineering.

Opto-mechanical assembly procurement for the National Ignition Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

House, W.; Simon, T.

1999-01-01

A large number of the small optics procurements for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) will be in the form of completely assembled, tested, and cleaned subsystems. These subsystems will be integrated into the NIF at LLNL. To accomplish this task, the procurement packages will include, optical and mechanical drawings, acceptance test and cleanliness requirements. In January 1999, the first such integrated opto-mechanical assembly was received and evaluated at LLNL. With the successful completion of this important trial procurement, we were able to establish the viability of purchasing clean, ready to install, opto-mechanical assemblies from vendors within the optics industry. 32 vendors were chosen from our supplier database for quote, then five were chosen to purchase from. These five vendors represented a cross section of the optics industry. From a ''value'' catalog supplier (that did the whole job internally) to a partnership between three specialty companies, these vendors demonstrated they have the ingenuity and capability to deliver cost competitive, NIF-ready, opto- mechanical assemblies. This paper describes the vendor selection for this procurement, technical requirements including packaging, fabrication, coating, and cleanliness specifications, then testing and verification. It also gives real test results gathered from inspections performed at LLNL that show how our vendors scored on the various requirements. Keywords: Opto-Mechanical, assembly, NIF, packaging, shipping, specifications, procurement, MIL-STD-1246C, surface cleanliness

Design of novel supramolecular self-assembly creating ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

Metal–organic composite materials with appropriate building blocks which can assemble into structures with specific and desired frameworks are challenging both for their solid state technology and for their chemical architecture. Of special interest is the construction of a microporous network that can exhibit reversible guest ...

DNA-templated photonic arrays and assemblies: design principles and future opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Wu; Bonnard, Vanessa; Burley, Glenn A

2011-07-11

Molecular photonics is a rapidly developing and multi-disciplinary field of research involving the construction of molecular assemblies comprising photoactive building blocks that are responsive to a light stimulus. A salient challenge in this field is the controlled assembly of these building blocks with nanoscale precision. DNA exhibits considerable promise as an architecture for the templated assembly of photoactive materials. In this Concept Article we describe the progress that has been made in the area of DNA photonics, in which DNA acts as a platform for the construction of optoelectronic assemblies, thin films and devices. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Patterning of self-assembled monolayers by phase-shifting mask and its applications in large-scale assembly of nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Fan; Zhang, Dakuan; Wang, Jianyu; Sheng, Yun; Wang, Xinran; Chen, Kunji; Zhou, Minmin [Key Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials and School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Yan, Shancheng [Key Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials and School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); School of Geography and Biological Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210046 (China); Shen, Jiancang; Pan, Lijia; Shi, Yi, E-mail: yshi@nju.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials and School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Micro-structures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

2015-01-26

A nonselective micropatterning method of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) based on laser and phase-shifting mask (PSM) is demonstrated. Laser beam is spatially modulated by a PSM, and periodic SAM patterns are generated sequentially through thermal desorption. Patterned wettability is achieved with alternating hydrophilic/hydrophobic stripes on octadecyltrichlorosilane monolayers. The substrate is then used to assemble CdS semiconductor nanowires (NWs) from a solution, obtaining well-aligned NWs in one step. Our results show valuably the application potential of this technique in engineering SAMs for integration of functional devices.

Smart integrated microsystems: the energy efficiency challenge (Conference Presentation) (Plenary Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Benini, Luca

2017-06-01

The "internet of everything" envisions trillions of connected objects loaded with high-bandwidth sensors requiring massive amounts of local signal processing, fusion, pattern extraction and classification. From the computational viewpoint, the challenge is formidable and can be addressed only by pushing computing fabrics toward massive parallelism and brain-like energy efficiency levels. CMOS technology can still take us a long way toward this goal, but technology scaling is losing steam. Energy efficiency improvement will increasingly hinge on architecture, circuits, design techniques such as heterogeneous 3D integration, mixed-signal preprocessing, event-based approximate computing and non-Von-Neumann architectures for scalable acceleration.

The Challenge of Integrating Renewable Generation in the Alberta Electricity Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Kent Fellows

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Renewable electric generation is forecast to enjoy an increasing share of total capacity and supply regimes in the future. Alberta is no exception to this trend, having initiated policy incentives in response to calls for increasing the fraction of wind and solar energy available to the province over the next decade.1 This call is coming from various sectors including advocacy groups, the provincial government and some utilities. The University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy convened a roundtable discussion on Sept. 15, 2015. Given the wide-ranging aspects of increased renewables integration (for example the policy options, economic forces and engineering/technical issues the topic demands attention from a wide range of experts and stakeholders. To that end, we endeavoured to group expert panellists and representatives of utilities, public agencies, academe and consumer groups to consider the planning necessary to integrate new renewable capacity into the existing and future grid system in the province and its potential impact. The purpose of the roundtable was to facilitate and foster a knowledge exchange between interested and knowledgeable parties while also aggregating this knowledge into a more complete picture of the challenges and potential strategies associated with increased renewables integration in the Alberta electricity grid.

A Framework for Geometric Reasoning About Human Figures and Factors in Assembly Processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calton, Terri L.

1999-07-20

Automatic assembly sequencing and visualization tools are valuable in determining the best assembly sequences, but without Human Factors and Figure Models (HFFMs) it is difficult to evaluate or visualize human interaction. In industry, accelerating technological advances and shorter market windows have forced companies to turn to an agile manufacturing paradigm. This trend has promoted computerized automation of product design and manufacturing processes, such as automated assembly planning. However, all automated assembly planning software tools assume that the individual components fly into their assembled configuration and generate what appear to be perfectly valid operations, but in reality some operations cannot physically be carried out by a human. For example, the use of a ratchet may be reasoned feasible for an assembly operation; however, when a hand is placed on the tool the operation is no longer feasible, perhaps because of inaccessibility, insufficient strength or human interference with assembly components. Similarly, human figure modeling algorithms may indicate that assembly operations are not feasible and consequently force design modifications, however, if they had the capability to quickly generate alternative assembly sequences, they might have identified a feasible solution. To solve this problem, HFFMs must be integrated with automated assembly planning which allows engineers to quickly verify that assembly operations are possible and to see ways to make the designs even better. This paper presents a framework for integrating geometry-based assembly planning algorithms with commercially available human figure modeling software packages. Experimental results to selected applications along with lessons learned are presented.

Reverse osmosis integrity monitoring in water reuse: The challenge to verify virus removal - A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pype, Marie-Laure; Lawrence, Michael G; Keller, Jurg; Gernjak, Wolfgang

2016-07-01

A reverse osmosis (RO) process is often included in the treatment train to produce high quality reuse water from treated effluent for potable purposes because of its high removal efficiency for salinity and many inorganic and organic contaminants, and importantly, it also provides an excellent barrier for pathogens. In order to ensure the continued protection of public health from pathogen contamination, monitoring RO process integrity is necessary. Due to their small sizes, viruses are the most difficult class of pathogens to be removed in physical separation processes and therefore often considered the most challenging pathogen to monitor. To-date, there is a gap between the current log credit assigned to this process (determined by integrity testing approved by regulators) and its actual log removal capability as proven in a variety of laboratory and pilot studies. Hence, there is a challenge to establish a methodology that more closely links to the theoretical performance. In this review, after introducing the notion of risk management in water reuse, we provide an overview of existing and potentially new RO integrity monitoring techniques, highlight their strengths and drawbacks, and debate their applicability to full-scale treatment plants, which open to future research opportunities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Force-controlled robotic assembly processes of rigid and flexible objects methodologies and applications

CERN Document Server

Ghalyan, Ibrahim Fahad Jasim

2016-01-01

This book provides comprehensive and integrated approaches for rigid and flexible object assembly. It presents comparison studies with the available force-guided robotic processes and covers contact-state modeling, scheme control strategies, and position searching algorithms. Further, it includes experimental validations for different assembly situations, including those for the assembly of industrial parts taken from the automotive industry. .

Diversity of anaerobic microbes in spacecraft assembly clean rooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Probst, Alexander; Vaishampayan, Parag; Osman, Shariff; Moissl-Eichinger, Christine; Andersen, Gary L; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

2010-05-01

Although the cultivable and noncultivable microbial diversity of spacecraft assembly clean rooms has been previously documented using conventional and state-of-the-art molecular techniques, the occurrence of obligate anaerobes within these clean rooms is still uncertain. Therefore, anaerobic bacterial communities of three clean-room facilities were analyzed during assembly of the Mars Science Laboratory rover. Anaerobic bacteria were cultured on several media, and DNA was extracted from suitable anaerobic enrichments and examined with conventional 16S rRNA gene clone library, as well as high-density phylogenetic 16S rRNA gene microarray (PhyloChip) technologies. The culture-dependent analyses predominantly showed the presence of clostridial and propionibacterial strains. The 16S rRNA gene sequences retrieved from clone libraries revealed distinct microbial populations associated with each clean-room facility, clustered exclusively within gram-positive organisms. PhyloChip analysis detected a greater microbial diversity, spanning many phyla of bacteria, and provided a deeper insight into the microbial community structure of the clean-room facilities. This study presents an integrated approach for assessing the anaerobic microbial population within clean-room facilities, using both molecular and cultivation-based analyses. The results reveal that highly diverse anaerobic bacterial populations persist in the clean rooms even after the imposition of rigorous maintenance programs and will pose a challenge to planetary protection implementation activities.

Rehabilitation-specific challenges and advantages in the integration of migrant physicians in Germany: a multiperspective qualitative interview study in rehabilitative settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, E; Hänel, P; Klingler, C

2018-07-01

In Germany, rehabilitative healthcare institutions increasingly rely on migrant physicians to meet their staffing needs. Yet until now, research on the integration of migrant physicians has focussed entirely on the acute care setting. This study is the first to address the specific advantages and challenges to integration in the field of rehabilitative medicine where a high number of migrant physicians work. From the experiences of migrant physicians and their colleagues, we provide actionable suggestions to counteract potential sources of conflict and thereby improve the integration of migrant physicians in the German workforce. We conducted a qualitative interview study. We conducted 23 interviews with a total of 26 participants occupying a variety of roles in two different rehabilitation centres (maximum variation sampling). Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and parsed through thematic analysis. Our research revealed advantages and challenges to integration in three distinct areas: rehabilitative care institutions, competencies of migrant professionals and interpersonal relations. The first set of issues hinges on the work processes within rehabilitative hospitals, professional prospects there and the location of the institutions themselves. Second, migrant physicians may encounter difficulties because of limited linguistic skills and country-specific knowledge. And finally, aspects of their interactions with care teams and patients may constitute barriers to integration. Some of the factors influencing the integration of migrant physicians are the same in both rehabilitative and acute medicine, but the rehabilitative setting presents distinct advantages and challenges that are worthy of study in their own right. We outline several measures which could help overcome challenges to the integration of migrant physicians, including those associated with professional relationships. Further research is needed to develop concrete support programmes

Multifunctional Materials Based on Self Assembly of Molecular Nanostructures

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Stupp, Samuel

2001-01-01

.... The objective was to integrate self assembly, encoded in the triblock structure, luminescent properties, and the properties characteristic of materials that have macroscopically polar structure...

Dielectrophoretic self-assembly of polarized light emitting poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) nanofibre arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Riordan, A; Iacopino, D; Lovera, P; Floyd, L; Reynolds, K; Redmond, G

2011-01-01

Conjugated polymer based 1D nanostructures are attractive building blocks for future opto-electronic nanoscale devices and systems. However, a critical challenge remains the lack of manipulation methods that enable controlled and reliable positioning and orientation of organic nanostructures in a fast, reliable and scalable manner. To address this challenge, we explore dielectrophoretic assembly of discrete poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) nanofibres and demonstrate site selective assembly and orientation of these fibres. Nanofibre arrays were assembled preferentially at receptor electrode edges, being aligned parallel to the applied electric field with a high order parameter fit (∼0.9) and exhibiting an emission dichroic ratio of ∼ 4.0. As such, the dielectrophoretic method represents a fast, reliable and scalable self-assembly approach for manipulation of 1D organic nanostructures. The ability to fabricate nanofibre arrays in this manner could be potentially important for exploration and development of future nanoscale opto-electronic devices and systems.

Layer-by-Layer-Assembled High-Performance Broadband Antireflection Coatings

KAUST Repository

Shimomura, Hiroomi; Gemici, Zekeriyya; Cohen, Robert E.; Rubner, Michael F.

2010-01-01

uniformity, thickness control, roughness control, mechanical durability, and incorporation of a diverse set of functional organic molecules into nanoparticle thin films are major challenges. We have used the electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly technique

3D bioprinting for reconstructive surgery: Principles, applications and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Jessop, Zita M; Al-Sabah, Ayesha; Gardiner, Matthew D; Combellack, Emman; Hawkins, Karl; Whitaker, Iain S

2017-09-01

Despite the increasing laboratory research in the growing field of 3D bioprinting, there are few reports of successful translation into surgical practice. This review outlines the principles of 3D bioprinting including software and hardware processes, biocompatible technological platforms and suitable bioinks. The advantages of 3D bioprinting over traditional tissue engineering techniques in assembling cells, biomaterials and biomolecules in a spatially controlled manner to reproduce native tissue macro-, micro- and nanoarchitectures are discussed, together with an overview of current progress in bioprinting tissue types relevant for plastic and reconstructive surgery. If successful, this platform technology has the potential to biomanufacture autologous tissue for reconstruction, obviating the need for donor sites or immunosuppression. The biological, technological and regulatory challenges are highlighted, with strategies to overcome these challenges by using an integrated approach from the fields of engineering, biomaterial science, cell biology and reconstructive microsurgery. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Non-uniform self-assembly : On the anisotropic architecture of α-synuclein supra-fibrillar aggregates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Semerdzhiev, Slav A.; Shvadchak, Volodymyr V.; Subramaniam, Vinod; Claessens, Mireille M.A.E.

2017-01-01

Although the function of biopolymer hydrogels in nature depends on structural anisotropy at mesoscopic length scales, the self-assembly of such anisotropic structures in vitro is challenging. Here we show that fibrils of the protein α-synuclein spontaneously self-assemble into structurally

Flexture plate motion-transfer mechanism, beam-splitter assembly, and interferometer incorporating the same

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carangelo, Robert M. (Glastonbury, CT); Dettori, Mark D. (Farmington, CT); Grigely, Lawrence J. (South Windsor, CT); Murray, Terence C. (Winchester, MA); Solomon, Peter R. (West Hartford, CT); Van Dine, C. Peter (Bolton, CT); Wright, David D. (Vershire, VT)

1996-01-01

A multiplicity of one-piece flexure plates are assembled in pairs to provide a support system on which a retroreflector may be mounted for reciprocal motion. Combined with balance bodies, the flexure plates provide a support system having portions that are dynamically and statically balanced with one another, irrespective of orientation, so as to thereby immunize the unit against extraneous forces. The motion transfer assembly is especially adapted for use to support a moving retroreflector in a two-arm interferometer that may further include a beamsplitter assembly constructed from a one-piece, integrally formed body, the body having convergent, optically flat planar surfaces of specular reflectance, and means for adjustably mounting a beamsplitter therein. The spectrometer is of modular construction, and employs an integrated clocking sub-assembly as well as a light-weight voice-coil motor.

IWR-solution for the ITER vacuum vessel assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, H., E-mail: huapeng@lut.fi [Laboratory of Intelligent Machines, Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland); Handroos, H. [Laboratory of Intelligent Machines, Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland); Pela, P. [Tekes (Finland); Wang, Y. [Laboratory of Intelligent Machines, Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland)

2011-10-15

The assembly of ITER vacuum vessel (VV) is still a very big challenge as the process can only be done from inside the VV. The welding of the VV assembly is carried out using the dedicated robotic systems. The main functions of the robots are: (i) measuring the actual space between every two sectors, (ii) positioning of the 150 kg splice plates between the sector shells, (iii) welding the splice plates to the sector shells, (iv) NDT of the welds, (v) repairing, including machining of the welds, (vi) He-leak tests of the welds, and (vii) the non-planned functions that may turn out. This paper presents a reasonable method to assemble the ITER VV. In this article, one parallel mobile robot, running on the track rail fixed on the wall inside the VV, is designed and tested. The assembling process, carried out by the mobile robot together with the welding robot, is presented.

Interfaces and Integration of Medical Image Analysis Frameworks: Challenges and Opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Covington, Kelsie; McCreedy, Evan S; Chen, Min; Carass, Aaron; Aucoin, Nicole; Landman, Bennett A

2010-05-25

Clinical research with medical imaging typically involves large-scale data analysis with interdependent software toolsets tied together in a processing workflow. Numerous, complementary platforms are available, but these are not readily compatible in terms of workflows or data formats. Both image scientists and clinical investigators could benefit from using the framework which is a most natural fit to the specific problem at hand, but pragmatic choices often dictate that a compromise platform is used for collaboration. Manual merging of platforms through carefully tuned scripts has been effective, but exceptionally time consuming and is not feasible for large-scale integration efforts. Hence, the benefits of innovation are constrained by platform dependence. Removing this constraint via integration of algorithms from one framework into another is the focus of this work. We propose and demonstrate a light-weight interface system to expose parameters across platforms and provide seamless integration. In this initial effort, we focus on four platforms Medical Image Analysis and Visualization (MIPAV), Java Image Science Toolkit (JIST), command line tools, and 3D Slicer. We explore three case studies: (1) providing a system for MIPAV to expose internal algorithms and utilize these algorithms within JIST, (2) exposing JIST modules through self-documenting command line interface for inclusion in scripting environments, and (3) detecting and using JIST modules in 3D Slicer. We review the challenges and opportunities for light-weight software integration both within development language (e.g., Java in MIPAV and JIST) and across languages (e.g., C/C++ in 3D Slicer and shell in command line tools).

Morphology and Pattern Control of Diphenylalanine Self-Assembly via Evaporative Dewetting.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jiarui; Qin, Shuyu; Wu, Xinglong; Chu, And Paul K

2016-01-26

Self-assembled peptide nanostructures have unique physical and biological properties and promising applications in electrical devices and functional molecular recognition. Although solution-based peptide molecules can self-assemble into different morphologies, it is challenging to control the self-assembly process. Herein, controllable self-assembly of diphenylalanine (FF) in an evaporative dewetting solution is reported. The fluid mechanical dimensionless numbers, namely Rayleigh, Marangoni, and capillary numbers, are introduced to control the interaction between the solution and FF molecules in the self-assembly process. The difference in the film thickness reflects the effects of Rayleigh and Marangoni convection, and the water vapor flow rate reveals the role of viscous fingering in the emergence of aligned FF flakes. By employing dewetting, various FF self-assembled patterns, like concentric and spokelike, and morphologies, like strips and hexagonal tubes/rods, can be produced, and there are no significant lattice structural changes in the FF nanostructures.

Community assembly of the worm gut microbiome

Science.gov (United States)

Gore, Jeff

It has become increasingly clear that human health is strongly influenced by the bacteria that live within the gut, known collectively as the gut microbiome. This complex community varies tremendously between individuals, but understanding the sources that lead to this heterogeneity is challenging. To address this challenge, we are using a bottom-up approach to develop a predictive understanding of how the microbiome assembles and functions within a simple and experimentally tractable gut, the gut of the worm C. elegans. We have found that stochastic community assembly in the C. elegansintestine is sufficient to produce strong inter-worm heterogeneity in community composition. When worms are fed with two neutrally-competing fluorescently labeled bacterial strains, we observe stochastically-driven bimodality in community composition, where approximately half of the worms are dominated by each bacterial strain. A simple model incorporating stochastic colonization suggests that heterogeneity between worms is driven by the low rate at which bacteria successfully establish new intestinal colonies. We can increase this rate experimentally by feeding worms at high bacterial density; in these conditions the bimodality disappears. We have also characterized all pairwise interspecies competitions among a set of eleven bacterial species, illuminating the rules governing interspecies community assembly. These results demonstrate the potential importance of stochastic processes in bacterial community formation and suggest a role for C. elegans as a model system for ecology of host-associated communities.

Comparing genome guided assembly and phased variants based assembly approach to separate the homoeolog transcripts in tetraploid peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Science.gov (United States)

Homoeologous copies of transcripts are abundant in many self-pollinating species including tetraploid peanut, and can impose a challenge to build a transcriptome reference without the merging of homoeologs. De novo transcriptome assembly of tetraploid OLin with single kmer and multiple kmer approach...

Micro-‘‘factory’’ for self-assembled peptide nanostructures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castillo, Jaime; Rodriguez-Trujíllo, Romén; Gauthier, Sébastian

2011-01-01

This study describes an integrated micro ‘‘factory’’ for the preparation of biological self-assembled peptide nanotubes and nanoparticles on a polymer chip, yielding controlled growth conditions. Self-assembled peptides constitute attractive building blocks for the fabrication of biological...... nanostructures due to the mild conditions of their synthesis process. This biological material can form nanostructures in a rapid way and the synthesis method is less expensive as compared to that of carbon nanotubes or silicon nanowires. The present article thus reports on the on-chip fabrication of self-assembled...

The upgrade of integrity analysis module and the mechanical behavior evaluation for the assembly duct

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Byoung Oon; Lee, Dong Uk; Kim, Young Il [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

2002-05-01

The high neutron fluxes and operating temperatures associated with KALIMER are inducing the important radiation damage phenomena, which can cause significant dimensional changes in the core components of the reactor.The thermo-mechanical analysis of the assembly ducts for KALIMER are mainly performed to evaluate the following items.1) change of reactivity. 2) force at pads on core assemblies. 3) withdrawal force at refueling. 4) loading and refueling deviation of assembly ducts. 5) bowing modes for control assembly. In this report, the model for the evaluation of reactivity change as well as the refueling model and the withdrawl force model are upgraded. And the reactivity change is considered as the most important parameter among the above items. Therefore, the sensitivity analyses mainly associated with reactivity change are carried out. As the results, the pad gap between the assembly ducts preliminary driven for keeping the (-) reactivity change. 9 refs., 24 figs., 2 tabs. (Author)

Architecturing hierarchical function layers on self-assembled viral templates as 3D nano-array electrodes for integrated Li-ion microbatteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yihang; Zhang, Wei; Zhu, Yujie; Luo, Yanting; Xu, Yunhua; Brown, Adam; Culver, James N; Lundgren, Cynthia A; Xu, Kang; Wang, Yuan; Wang, Chunsheng

2013-01-09

This work enables an elegant bottom-up solution to engineer 3D microbattery arrays as integral power sources for microelectronics. Thus, multilayers of functional materials were hierarchically architectured over tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) templates that were genetically modified to self-assemble in a vertical manner on current-collectors, so that optimum power and energy densities accompanied with excellent cycle-life could be achieved on a minimum footprint. The resultant microbattery based on self-aligned LiFePO(4) nanoforests of shell-core-shell structure, with precise arrangement of various auxiliary material layers including a central nanometric metal core as direct electronic pathway to current collector, delivers excellent energy density and stable cycling stability only rivaled by the best Li-ion batteries of conventional configurations, while providing rate performance per foot-print and on-site manufacturability unavailable from the latter. This approach could open a new avenue for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications, which would significantly benefit from the concept that electrochemically active components be directly engineered and fabricated as an integral part of the integrated circuit (IC).

Bringing Wellness to Schools: Opportunities and Challenges to Mental Health Integration in School Health Centers

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Karen; Guo, Sisi; Ijadi-Maghsoodi, Roya; Puffer, Maryjane; Kataoka, Sheryl H.

2016-01-01

Objective School-based health centers (SBHCs) reduce mental health access-to-care barriers and improve educational outcomes for youth. This qualitative study evaluates the innovations and challenges of a unique network of SBHCs in a large, urban school district, as they attempt to integrate health, mental health, and educational services. Methods The 43 participants sampled included mental health providers, primary care providers, and care coordinators at 14 SBHCs. Semi-structured interviews with each participant were audio-recorded and transcribed. Themes were identified and coded using Atlas.ti 5.1, and collapsed into three domains: Operations, Partnership, and Engagement. Results Interviews revealed provider models ranging from single agencies offering both health and mental health services to co-located services. Sites with the Health Agency providing at least some mental health services reported more mental health screenings. Many sites utilized SBHC coordinators and coordination team meetings to facilitate relationships between schools and Health Agency and Community Mental Health Clinic providers. Partnership challenges included confidentiality policies and staff turnover. Participants also highlighted student and parent engagement, through culturally sensitive services, peer health advocates, and “drop-in” lunches. Conclusions Staffing and operational models are critical in the success of health-mental health-education integration. Among the provider models observed, the combined health and mental health provider model offered the most integrated services. Despite barriers, providers and schools have begun to implement novel solutions for operational problems and family engagement in mental health services. Implications for future SBHCs as an integrated model are described. PMID:27417895

The Challenges in Applying Magnetroesistive Sensors on the 'Curiosity' Rover

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Michael R.

2013-01-01

Magnetoresistive Sensors were selected for use on the motor encoders throughout the Curiosity Rover for motor position feedback devices. The Rover contains 28 acuators with a corresponding number of encoder assemblies. The environment on Mars provides opportunities for challenges to any hardware design. The encoder assemblies presented several barriers that had to be vaulted in order to say the rover was ready to fly. The environment and encoder specific design features provided challenges that had to be solved in time to fly.

Bridging the Chasm: Challenges, Opportunities, and Resources for Integrating a Dissemination and Implementation Science Curriculum into Medical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Ginossar, Tamar; Heckman, Carolyn J; Cragun, Deborah; Quintiliani, Lisa M; Proctor, Enola K; Chambers, David A; Skolarus, Ted; Brownson, Ross C

2018-01-01

Physicians are charged with implementing evidence-based medicine, yet few are trained in the science of Dissemination and Implementation (D&I). In view of the potential of evidence-based training in D&I to help close the gap between research and practice, the goal of this review is to examine the importance of D&I training in medical education, describe challenges to implementing such training, and provide strategies and resources for building D&I capacity. We conducted (1) a systematic review to identify US-based D&I training efforts and (2) a critical review of additional literature to inform our evaluation of the challenges and opportunities of integrating D&I training in medical education. Out of 269 unique articles reviewed, 11 described US-based D&I training. Although vibrant and diverse training opportunities exist, their capacity is limited, and they are not designed to meet physicians' needs. Synthesis of relevant literature using a critical review approach identified challenges inherent to changing medical education, as well as challenges related to D&I science. Finally, selected strategies and resources are available for facilitating incorporation of D&I training into medical education and overcoming existing challenges. Integrating D&I training in the medical education curriculum, and particularly in residency and fellowship training, holds promise for bridging the chasm between scientific discoveries and improved patient care and outcomes. However, unique challenges should be addressed, including the need for greater evidence.

Self-assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cells

KAUST Repository

Guldin, S.; Docampo, P.; Hü ttner, S.; Kohn, P.; Stefik, M.; Snaith, H. J.; Wiesner, U.; Steiner, U.

2011-01-01

) into dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In both cases, the self-assembly of soft matter plays a key role in the fabrication process of the TiO2 electrode. One approach relies on a combination of colloidal self-assembly and the self-assembly of block

In situ 3D nanoprinting of free-form coupling elements for hybrid photonic integration

Science.gov (United States)

Dietrich, P.-I.; Blaicher, M.; Reuter, I.; Billah, M.; Hoose, T.; Hofmann, A.; Caer, C.; Dangel, R.; Offrein, B.; Troppenz, U.; Moehrle, M.; Freude, W.; Koos, C.

2018-04-01

Hybrid photonic integration combines complementary advantages of different material platforms, offering superior performance and flexibility compared with monolithic approaches. This applies in particular to multi-chip concepts, where components can be individually optimized and tested. The assembly of such systems, however, requires expensive high-precision alignment and adaptation of optical mode profiles. We show that these challenges can be overcome by in situ printing of facet-attached beam-shaping elements. Our approach allows precise adaptation of vastly dissimilar mode profiles and permits alignment tolerances compatible with cost-efficient passive assembly techniques. We demonstrate a selection of beam-shaping elements at chip and fibre facets, achieving coupling efficiencies of up to 88% between edge-emitting lasers and single-mode fibres. We also realize printed free-form mirrors that simultaneously adapt beam shape and propagation direction, and we explore multi-lens systems for beam expansion. The concept paves the way to automated assembly of photonic multi-chip systems with unprecedented performance and versatility.

Nondestructive testing of nuclear reactor components integrity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mala, M.; Miklos, M.

2011-01-01

Nuclear energy must respond to current challenges in the energy market. The significant parameters are increase of the nuclear fuel price, closed fuel cycle, reduction and safe and the final disposal of high level radioactive waste. Nowadays, the discussions on suitable energy mix are taking place not only here in Czech Republic, but also in many other European countries. It is necessary to establish an appropriate ratio among the production of electricity from conventional, nuclear and renewable energy sources. Also, it is necessary to find ways how to streamline the economy, central part of the nuclear fuel cycle and thereby to increase the competitiveness of nuclear energy. This streamlining can be carried out by improving utilization of existing nuclear fuel with maintaining a high degree of nuclear facilities safety. Increasing operational reliability and safety together with increasing utilization of nuclear fuel place increasing demands on monitoring of changes during fuel burnup. The potential fuel assembly damages in light water reactors are prevented by the introduction of new procedures and programs of the fuel assembly monitoring. One of them is the Post Irradiation Inspection Program (PIIP) which is a good tool for monitoring of chemical regime impact on the fuel assembly cladding behavior. Main nondestructive techniques that are used at nuclear power plants for the fuel assembly integrity evaluation are ultrasonic measurements, eddy current measurements, radiographic testing, acoustic techniques and others. Ultrasonic system is usual tool for leak fuel rod evaluation and it is also used at Temelin NPP. Since 2009, Temelin NPP has cooperated with Research Center Rez Ltd in frame of PIIP program at both units WWER 1000. This program was established for US VVantage6 fuel assemblies and also it continues for Russian TVSA-T fuel assemblies. (author)

Self-assembled gemcitabine-gadolinium nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging and cancer therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lele; Tong, Rong; Li, Mengyuan; Kohane, Daniel S

2016-03-01

Nanoparticles with combined diagnostic and therapeutic functions are promising tools for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Here, we demonstrate a theranostic nanoparticle that integrates an active gemcitabine metabolite and a gadolinium-based magnetic resonance imaging agent via a facile supramolecular self-assembly synthesis, where the anti-cancer drug gemcitabine-5'-monophosphate (a phosphorylated active metabolite of the anti-cancer drug gemcitabine) was used to coordinate with Gd(III) to self-assemble into theranostic nanoparticles. The formulation exhibits a strong T1 contrast signal for magnetic resonance imaging of tumors in vivo, with enhanced retention time. Furthermore, the nanoparticles did not require other inert nanocarriers or excipients and thus had an exceptionally high drug loading (55 wt%), resulting in the inhibition of MDA-MB-231 tumor growth in mice. Recent advances in nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have spurred the development of "theranostic" multifunctional nanoparticles, which combine therapeutic and diagnostic functionalities in a single formulation. Developing simple and efficient synthetic strategies for the construction of nanotheranostics with high drug loading remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate a theranostic nanoparticle that integrates high loadings of an active gemcitabine metabolite and a gadolinium-based magnetic resonance imaging agent via a facile synthesis. The nanoparticles were better T1 contrast agents than currently used Gd-DTPA and had prolonged retention in tumor. Moreover they exhibited enhanced in vivo antitumor activity compared to free drug in a breast cancer xenograft mouse model. The strategy provides a scalable way to fabricate nanoparticles that enables enhancement of both therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Challenges and Opportunities for Integrating Social Science Perspectives into Climate and Global Change Assessments

Science.gov (United States)

Larson, E. K.; Li, J.; Zycherman, A.

2017-12-01

Integration of social science into climate and global change assessments is fundamental for improving understanding of the drivers, impacts and vulnerability of climate change, and the social, cultural and behavioral challenges related to climate change responses. This requires disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge as well as integrational and translational tools for linking this knowledge with the natural and physical sciences. The USGCRP's Social Science Coordinating Committee (SSCC) is tasked with this challenge and is working to integrate relevant social, economic and behavioral knowledge into processes like sustained assessments. This presentation will discuss outcomes from a recent SSCC workshop, "Social Science Perspectives on Climate Change" and their applications to sustained assessments. The workshop brought academic social scientists from four disciplines - anthropology, sociology, geography and archaeology - together with federal scientists and program managers to discuss three major research areas relevant to the USGCRP and climate assessments: (1) innovative tools, methods, and analyses to clarify the interactions of human and natural systems under climate change, (2) understanding of factors contributing to differences in social vulnerability between and within communities under climate change, and (3) social science perspectives on drivers of global climate change. These disciplines, collectively, emphasize the need to consider socio-cultural, political, economic, geographic, and historic factors, and their dynamic interactions, to understand climate change drivers, social vulnerability, and mitigation and adaptation responses. They also highlight the importance of mixed quantitative and qualitative methods to explain impacts, vulnerability, and responses at different time and spatial scales. This presentation will focus on major contributions of the social sciences to climate and global change research. We will discuss future directions for

Nuclear Fuel Assembly Assessment Project and Image Categorization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindsey, C.S.; Lindblad, T.; Waldemark, K. [Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden); Hildingsson, Lars [Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate, Stockholm (Sweden)

1998-07-01

A project has been underway to add digital imaging and processing to the inspection of nuclear fuel by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The ultimate goals are to provide the inspector not only with the advantages of Ccd imaging, such as high sensitivity and digital image enhancements, but also with an intelligent agent that can analyze the images and provide useful information about the fuel assemblies in real time. The project is still in the early stages and several interesting sub-projects have been inspired. Here we give first a review of the work on the fuel assembly image analysis and then give a brief status report on one of these sub-projects that concerns automatic categorization of fuel assembly images. The technique could be of benefit to the general challenge of image categorization

New Sustainable Model of Biorefineries: Biofactories and Challenges of Integrating Bio- and Solar Refineries.

Science.gov (United States)

Abate, Salvatore; Lanzafame, Paola; Perathoner, Siglinda; Centi, Gabriele

2015-09-07

The new scenario for sustainable (low-carbon) chemical and energy production drives the development of new biorefinery concepts (indicated as biofactories) with chemical production at the core, but flexible and small-scale production. An important element is also the integration of solar energy and CO2 use within biobased production. This concept paper, after shortly introducing the motivation and recent trends in this area, particularly at the industrial scale, and some of the possible models (olefin and intermediate/high-added-value chemicals production), discusses the opportunities and needs for research to address the challenge of integrating bio- and solar refineries. Aspects discussed regard the use of microalgae and CO2 valorization in biorefineries/biofactories by chemo- or biocatalysis, including possibilities for their synergetic cooperation and symbiosis, as well as integration within the agroenergy value chain. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Strategies for Integrated Analysis of Genetic, Epigenetic, and Gene Expression Variation in Cancer: Addressing the Challenges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thingholm, Louise Bruun; Andersen, Lars; Makalic, Enes

2016-01-01

to integration strategies used for analyzing genetic risk factors for cancer. We critically examine the ability of these strategies to handle the complexity of the human genome and also accommodate information about the biological and functional interactions between the elements that have been measured......The development and progression of cancer, a collection of diseases with complex genetic architectures, is facilitated by the interplay of multiple etiological factors. This complexity challenges the traditional single-platform study design and calls for an integrated approach to data analysis...

Accident Analysis of High Density Storage Rack for Fresh Fuel Assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, K. J.; Lee, M. J.; Jin, H. U.; Park, J. H.; Shin, S. Y.

2009-01-01

Recently KONES and KNF have developed the so called suspension-type High Density Storage Rack (HDSR) for fresh fuel assemblies. The USNRC OT position paper specifies that the design of the rack must ensure the functional integrity of the fuel racks under all credible fuel assembly drop events. In this context the functional integrity means the criticality safety. That is to say, the drop events must not bring any danger to the criticality safety of HDSR. This paper shows the results of the analysis carried out to demonstrate the regulatory compliance of the proposed racks under postulated accidental drop events

The Focal Plane Assembly for the Athena X-Ray Integral Field Unit Instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, B. D.; Van Weers, H.; van der Kuur, J.; den Hartog, R.; Akamatsu, H.; Argan, A.; Bandler, S. R.; Barbera, M.; Barret, D.; Bruijn, M. P.;

Integrating adaptive management and ecosystem services concepts to improve natural resource management: Challenges and opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Epanchin-Niell, Rebecca S.; Boyd, James W.; Macauley, Molly K.; Scarlett, Lynn; Shapiro, Carl D.; Williams, Byron K.

2018-05-07

resource systems, both must confront the analytical challenges of systems modeling—in terms of complexity, dynamics, and uncertainty.Given this affinity, the integration of ecosystem services analysis and adaptive management poses few conceptual hurdles. In this report, we synthesize discussions from two workshops that considered ways in which adaptive management approaches and ecosystem service concepts may be complementary, such that integrating them into a common framework may lead to improved natural resource management outcomes. Although the literature on adaptive management and ecosystem services is vast and growing, the report focuses specifically on the integration of these two concepts rather than aiming to provide new definitions or an indepth review or primer of the concepts individually.Key issues considered include the bidirectional links between adaptive decision making and ecosystem services, as well as the potential benefits and inevitable challenges arising in the development and use of an integrated framework. Specifically, the workshops addressed the following questions:How can application of ecosystem service analysis within an adaptive decision process improve the outcomes of management and advance understanding of ecosystem service identification, production, and valuation?How can these concepts be integrated in concept and practice?What are the constraints and challenges to integrating adaptive management and ecosystem services?And, should the integration of these concepts be moved forward to wider application—and if so, how?

Combining independent de novo assemblies optimizes the coding transcriptome for nonconventional model eukaryotic organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Cerveau, Nicolas; Jackson, Daniel J

2016-12-09

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are arguably the most revolutionary technical development to join the list of tools available to molecular biologists since PCR. For researchers working with nonconventional model organisms one major problem with the currently dominant NGS platform (Illumina) stems from the obligatory fragmentation of nucleic acid material that occurs prior to sequencing during library preparation. This step creates a significant bioinformatic challenge for accurate de novo assembly of novel transcriptome data. This challenge becomes apparent when a variety of modern assembly tools (of which there is no shortage) are applied to the same raw NGS dataset. With the same assembly parameters these tools can generate markedly different assembly outputs. In this study we present an approach that generates an optimized consensus de novo assembly of eukaryotic coding transcriptomes. This approach does not represent a new assembler, rather it combines the outputs of a variety of established assembly packages, and removes redundancy via a series of clustering steps. We test and validate our approach using Illumina datasets from six phylogenetically diverse eukaryotes (three metazoans, two plants and a yeast) and two simulated datasets derived from metazoan reference genome annotations. All of these datasets were assembled using three currently popular assembly packages (CLC, Trinity and IDBA-tran). In addition, we experimentally demonstrate that transcripts unique to one particular assembly package are likely to be bioinformatic artefacts. For all eight datasets our pipeline generates more concise transcriptomes that in fact possess more unique annotatable protein domains than any of the three individual assemblers we employed. Another measure of assembly completeness (using the purpose built BUSCO databases) also confirmed that our approach yields more information. Our approach yields coding transcriptome assemblies that are more likely to be

Stress analysis of fuel assemblies under seismic load

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiselev, A.; Krutko, E.; Kiselev, I.; Tutnov, A.

2011-01-01

One of the important parts of fuel assemblies (FA) safety validation is their strength estimation under the dynamic loads, such as the vibration effects caused by the work of reactor units and the seismic exposure of an earthquake, leading to extreme inertia loads on all elements of the NPP. Taking into account structural features of FA and a very large mass, the exposure of seismic loads can lead to significant deformation of fuel assemblies. It is necessary to assess the magnitude of the force interaction between the FA in case of an earthquake to estimate the strength and performance of fuel assemblies. It is also necessary to compute FA bending forms and maximum values for further RPS control rods inserting time estimation, and for disassembly possibility justification of the core and individual FA after the earthquake. The problem of WWER-1000 core dynamic behavior modeling with TVS-2M fuel assemblies under the seismic loads exposure using the finite element method is described. Each fuel assembly is represented by equivalent rod finite element model. The reactor core is simulated by 163 fuel assemblies in accordance with the reactor core construction. Stiffness characteristics of fuel assemblies are determined on the results of a series of static and dynamic TVS-2M FA field tests. The special algorithm was developed to consider the fuel rod slippage effect during deformation. The special contact elements are introduced into the model of the core to take into account the interaction of fuel assemblies with their neighbors and with core barrel. Solution of the dynamic equilibrium equations system of finite element model is implemented by direct integration using the explicit scheme. Parallel algorithms for numerical integration on multiprocessor computers with graphics processing unit is developed to improve the efficiency of calculations. Values of nodes displacement in finite element model of reactor core as a function of seismic excitation time are obtained

Integrating and Analyzing Psychosocial and Stage Theories To Challenge the Development of the Injured Collegiate Athlete.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Laura L.

2003-01-01

Integrated a psychosocial developmental theory (the Kubler-Ross Stage Theory) and a psychological stage theory (the Ross Stage Theory) and a psychological stage theory (the Chickering and Reisser psychosocial and developmental theory) for challenging injured collegiate student-athletes' personal development. A search of online databases from…

305 Building 2 ton bridge crane and monorail assembly analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Axup, M.D.

1995-12-01

The analyses in the appendix of this document evaluate the integrity of the existing bridge crane structure, as depicted on drawing H-3-34292, for a bridge crane and monorail assembly with a load rating of 2 tons. This bridge crane and monorail assembly is a modification of a 1 1/2 ton rated manipulator bridge crane which originally existed in the 305 building

Integrated Payment And Delivery Models Offer Opportunities And Challenges For Residential Care Facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Grabowski, David C; Caudry, Daryl J; Dean, Katie M; Stevenson, David G

2015-10-01

Under health care reform, new financing and delivery models are being piloted to integrate health and long-term care services for older adults. Programs using these models generally have not included residential care facilities. Instead, most of them have focused on long-term care recipients in the community or the nursing home. Our analyses indicate that individuals living in residential care facilities have similarly high rates of chronic illness and Medicare utilization when compared with matched individuals in the community and nursing home, and rates of functional dependency that fall between those of their counterparts in the other two settings. These results suggest that the residential care facility population could benefit greatly from models that coordinated health and long-term care services. However, few providers have invested in the infrastructure needed to support integrated delivery models. Challenges to greater care integration include the private-pay basis for residential care facility services, which precludes shared savings from reduced Medicare costs, and residents' preference for living in a home-like, noninstitutional environment. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Lenalidomide induces lipid raft assembly to enhance erythropoietin receptor signaling in myelodysplastic syndrome progenitors.

Science.gov (United States)

McGraw, Kathy L; Basiorka, Ashley A; Johnson, Joseph O; Clark, Justine; Caceres, Gisela; Padron, Eric; Heaton, Ruth; Ozawa, Yukiyasu; Wei, Sheng; Sokol, Lubomir; List, Alan F

2014-01-01

Anemia remains the principal management challenge for patients with lower risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). Despite appropriate cytokine production and cellular receptor display, erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) signaling is impaired. We reported that EpoR signaling is dependent upon receptor localization within lipid raft microdomains, and that disruption of raft integrity abolishes signaling capacity. Here, we show that MDS erythroid progenitors display markedly diminished raft assembly and smaller raft aggregates compared to normal controls (p = 0.005, raft number; p = 0.023, raft size). Because lenalidomide triggers raft coalescence in T-lymphocytes promoting immune synapse formation, we assessed effects of lenalidomide on raft assembly in MDS erythroid precursors and UT7 cells. Lenalidomide treatment rapidly induced lipid raft formation accompanied by EpoR recruitment into raft fractions together with STAT5, JAK2, and Lyn kinase. The JAK2 phosphatase, CD45, a key negative regulator of EpoR signaling, was displaced from raft fractions. Lenalidomide treatment prior to Epo stimulation enhanced both JAK2 and STAT5 phosphorylation in UT7 and primary MDS erythroid progenitors, accompanied by increased STAT5 DNA binding in UT7 cells, and increased erythroid colony forming capacity in both UT7 and primary cells. Raft induction was associated with F-actin polymerization, which was blocked by Rho kinase inhibition. These data indicate that deficient raft integrity impairs EpoR signaling, and provides a novel strategy to enhance EpoR signal fidelity in non-del(5q) MDS.

ULtiMATE system for rapid assembly of customized TAL effectors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junjiao Yang

Full Text Available Engineered TAL-effector nucleases (TALENs and TALE-based constructs have become powerful tools for eukaryotic genome editing. Although many methods have been reported, it remains a challenge for the assembly of designer-based TALE repeats in a fast, precise and cost-effective manner. We present an ULtiMATE (USER-based Ligation Mediated Assembly of TAL Effector system for speedy and accurate assembly of customized TALE constructs. This method takes advantage of uracil-specific excision reagent (USER to create multiple distinct sticky ends between any neighboring DNA fragments for specific ligation. With pre-assembled templates, multiple TALE DNA-binding domains could be efficiently assembled in order within hours with minimal manual operation. This system has been demonstrated to produce both functional TALENs for effective gene knockout and TALE-mediated gene-specific transcription activation (TALE-TA. The feature of both ease-of-operation and high efficiency of ULtiMATE system makes it not only an ideal method for biologic labs, but also an approach well suited for large-scale assembly of TALENs and any other TALE-based constructions.

Diverse Supramolecular Nanofiber Networks Assembled by Functional Low-Complexity Domains.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Bolin; Wang, Xinyu; Cui, Mengkui; Gui, Xinrui; Mao, Xiuhai; Liu, Yan; Li, Ke; Chu, Cenfeng; Pu, Jiahua; Ren, Susu; Wang, Yanyi; Zhong, Guisheng; Lu, Timothy K; Liu, Cong; Zhong, Chao

2017-07-25

Self-assembling supramolecular nanofibers, common in the natural world, are of fundamental interest and technical importance to both nanotechnology and materials science. Despite important advances, synthetic nanofibers still lack the structural and functional diversity of biological molecules, and the controlled assembly of one type of molecule into a variety of fibrous structures with wide-ranging functional attributes remains challenging. Here, we harness the low-complexity (LC) sequence domain of fused in sarcoma (FUS) protein, an essential cellular nuclear protein with slow kinetics of amyloid fiber assembly, to construct random copolymer-like, multiblock, and self-sorted supramolecular fibrous networks with distinct structural features and fluorescent functionalities. We demonstrate the utilities of these networks in the templated, spatially controlled assembly of ligand-decorated gold nanoparticles, quantum dots, nanorods, DNA origami, and hybrid structures. Owing to the distinguishable nanoarchitectures of these nanofibers, this assembly is structure-dependent. By coupling a modular genetic strategy with kinetically controlled complex supramolecular self-assembly, we demonstrate that a single type of protein molecule can be used to engineer diverse one-dimensional supramolecular nanostructures with distinct functionalities.

Current status of the post boiling transition research in Japan. Integrity evaluation of nuclear fuel assemblies after boiling transition and development of rewetting correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hara, Takashi; Mizokami, Shinya; Kudo, Yoshiro; Komura, Seiichi; Nagata, Yoshifumi; Morooka, Shinichi

2003-01-01

Development of rewetting correlation formula was the key to predict fuel-cladding temperature after Boiling Transition (BT). Japanese BWR utilities and vendors performed some tests of rewetting and made two rewetting correlation formulas. The effect on fuel integrity after BT depends on temperature of fuel rod and time of dryout. Main cause of losing fuel integrity during BWR's Anticipated Operational Occurrences (AOO) after BT is embrittlement of the claddings due to oxidation. Ballooning of fuel rod is excepted because its pressure boundary isn't broken. In Japan, the Standards Committee of Atomic Energy Society of Japan (AESJ) is making post BT standard. This standard provides guidelines based on the latest knowledge to judge fuel integrity in case of BT and the validity of reusing the fuel assembly that experienced BT in BWRs. (author)

Integral test of International Reactor Dosimetry and Fusion File with Li{sub 2}O assembly and DT neutron source at JAEA/FNS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sato, Satoshi, E-mail: sato.satoshi92@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); Kwon, Saerom; Ohta, Masayuki [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); Ochiai, Kentaro [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Rokkasho-mura, Kamikita-gun, Aomori-ken (Japan); Konno, Chikara [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan)

2016-11-01

In order to validate a new library of dosimetry cross section data, International Reactor Dosimetry and Fusion File release 1.0 (IRDFF 1.0), not only for DT neutrons but also for neutrons with energy of less than 14 MeV, we perform an integral test with a Li{sub 2}O rectangular assembly of 60.7 cm in thickness and a DT neutron source at JAEA/FNS. We place a lot of activation foils at depths of 10.1 cm and 30.4 cm for measurements of dosimetry reaction rates in small space along the central axis in the assembly, measure decay gamma-rays from the activation foils with high-purity Ge detectors after the DT neutron irradiation by the foil activation technique, and deduce a variety of dosimetry reaction rates. We calculate the reaction rates by using a Monte Carlo code MCNP5-1.40 and the nuclear data library ENDF/B-VII.1 with the IRDFF-v.1.05 as the response functions for the dosimetry reactions. The calculation results generally show good agreements with the measured ones, and it can be confirmed that most of the data in IRDFF-v.1.05 are valid for the neutron field in the Li{sub 2}O assembly with the DT neutrons.

Mounting Systems for Structural Members, Fastening Assemblies Thereof, and Vibration Isolation Systems Including the Same

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Ken (Inventor); Hindle, Timothy (Inventor); Barber, Tim Daniel (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Mounting systems for structural members, fastening assemblies thereof, and vibration isolation systems including the same are provided. Mounting systems comprise a pair of mounting brackets, each clamped against a fastening assembly forming a mounting assembly. Fastening assemblies comprise a spherical rod end comprising a spherical member having a through opening and an integrally threaded shaft, first and second seating members on opposite sides of the spherical member and each having a through opening that is substantially coaxial with the spherical member through opening, and a partially threaded fastener that threadably engages each mounting bracket forming the mounting assembly. Structural members have axial end portions, each releasably coupled to a mounting bracket by the integrally threaded shaft. Axial end portions are threaded in opposite directions for permitting structural member rotation to adjust a length thereof to a substantially zero strain position. Structural members may be vibration isolator struts in vibration isolation systems.

LFI Radiometric Chain Assembly (RCA) data handling ``Rachel''

Science.gov (United States)

Malaspina, M.; Franceschi, E.; Battaglia, P.; Binko, P.; Butler, R. C.; D'Arcangelo, O.; Fogliani, S.; Frailis, M.; Franceschet, C.; Galeotta, S.; Gasparo, F.; Gregorio, A.; Lapolla, M.; Leonardi, R.; Maggio, G.; Mandolesi, N.; Manzato, P.; Maris, M.; Meharga, M.; Meinhold, P.; Morisset, N.; Pasian, F.; Perrotta, F.; Rohlfs, R.; Sandri, M.; Tomasi, M.; Türler, M.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2009-12-01

Planck's Low Frequency Instrument is an array of 22 pseudo-correlation radiometers at 30, 44, and 70 GHz. Before integrating the overall array assembly, a first set of tests has been performed for each radiometer chain assembly (RCA), consisting of two radiometers. In this paper, we describe Rachel, a software application which has been purposely developed and used during the RCA test campaign to carry out both near-realtime on-line data analysis and data storage (in FITS format) of the raw output from the radiometric chains.

LFI Radiometric Chain Assembly (RCA) data handling 'Rachel'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malaspina, M; Franceschi, E; Butler, R C; Mandolesi, N; Battaglia, P; Franceschet, C; Lapolla, M; Binko, P; Meharga, M; D'Arcangelo, O; Fogliani, S; Frailis, M; Galeotta, S; Gasparo, F; Maggio, G; Manzato, P; Maris, M; Gregorio, A; Leonardi, R; Meinhold, P

2009-01-01

Planck's Low Frequency Instrument is an array of 22 pseudo-correlation radiometers at 30, 44, and 70 GHz. Before integrating the overall array assembly, a first set of tests has been performed for each radiometer chain assembly (RCA), consisting of two radiometers. In this paper, we describe Rachel, a software application which has been purposely developed and used during the RCA test campaign to carry out both near-realtime on-line data analysis and data storage (in FITS format) of the raw output from the radiometric chains.

An efficient approach to BAC based assembly of complex genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Visendi, Paul; Berkman, Paul J; Hayashi, Satomi; Golicz, Agnieszka A; Bayer, Philipp E; Ruperao, Pradeep; Hurgobin, Bhavna; Montenegro, Juan; Chan, Chon-Kit Kenneth; Staňková, Helena; Batley, Jacqueline; Šimková, Hana; Doležel, Jaroslav; Edwards, David

2016-01-01

There has been an exponential growth in the number of genome sequencing projects since the introduction of next generation DNA sequencing technologies. Genome projects have increasingly involved assembly of whole genome data which produces inferior assemblies compared to traditional Sanger sequencing of genomic fragments cloned into bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs). While whole genome shotgun sequencing using next generation sequencing (NGS) is relatively fast and inexpensive, this method is extremely challenging for highly complex genomes, where polyploidy or high repeat content confounds accurate assembly, or where a highly accurate 'gold' reference is required. Several attempts have been made to improve genome sequencing approaches by incorporating NGS methods, to variable success. We present the application of a novel BAC sequencing approach which combines indexed pools of BACs, Illumina paired read sequencing, a sequence assembler specifically designed for complex BAC assembly, and a custom bioinformatics pipeline. We demonstrate this method by sequencing and assembling BAC cloned fragments from bread wheat and sugarcane genomes. We demonstrate that our assembly approach is accurate, robust, cost effective and scalable, with applications for complete genome sequencing in large and complex genomes.

Challenges and opportunities for integrating lake ecosystem modelling approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Mooij, Wolf M.; Trolle, Dennis; Jeppesen, Erik; Arhonditsis, George; Belolipetsky, Pavel V.; Chitamwebwa, Deonatus B.R.; Degermendzhy, Andrey G.; DeAngelis, Donald L.; Domis, Lisette N. De Senerpont; Downing, Andrea S.; Elliott, J. Alex; Ruberto, Carlos Ruberto; Gaedke, Ursula; Genova, Svetlana N.; Gulati, Ramesh D.; Hakanson, Lars; Hamilton, David P.; Hipsey, Matthew R.; Hoen, Jochem 't; Hulsmann, Stephan; Los, F. Hans; Makler-Pick, Vardit; Petzoldt, Thomas; Prokopkin, Igor G.; Rinke, Karsten; Schep, Sebastiaan A.; Tominaga, Koji; Van Dam, Anne A.; Van Nes, Egbert H.; Wells, Scott A.; Janse, Jan H.

2010-01-01

A large number and wide variety of lake ecosystem models have been developed and published during the past four decades. We identify two challenges for making further progress in this field. One such challenge is to avoid developing more models largely following the concept of others ('reinventing the wheel'). The other challenge is to avoid focusing on only one type of model, while ignoring new and diverse approaches that have become available ('having tunnel vision'). In this paper, we aim at improving the awareness of existing models and knowledge of concurrent approaches in lake ecosystem modelling, without covering all possible model tools and avenues. First, we present a broad variety of modelling approaches. To illustrate these approaches, we give brief descriptions of rather arbitrarily selected sets of specific models. We deal with static models (steady state and regression models), complex dynamic models (CAEDYM, CE-QUAL-W2, Delft 3D-ECO, LakeMab, LakeWeb, MyLake, PCLake, PROTECH, SALMO), structurally dynamic models and minimal dynamic models. We also discuss a group of approaches that could all be classified as individual based: super-individual models (Piscator, Charisma), physiologically structured models, stage-structured models and trait-based models. We briefly mention genetic algorithms, neural networks, Kalman filters and fuzzy logic. Thereafter, we zoom in, as an in-depth example, on the multi-decadal development and application of the lake ecosystem model PCLake and related models (PCLake Metamodel, Lake Shira Model, IPH-TRIM3D-PCLake). In the discussion, we argue that while the historical development of each approach and model is understandable given its 'leading principle', there are many opportunities for combining approaches. We take the point of view that a single 'right' approach does not exist and should not be strived for. Instead, multiple modelling approaches, applied concurrently to a given problem, can help develop an integrative

Self-assembly from milli- to nanoscales: methods and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mastrangeli, M; Celis, J-P; Abbasi, S; Varel, C; Böhringer, K F; Van Hoof, C

2009-01-01

The design and fabrication techniques for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanodevices are progressing rapidly. However, due to material and process flow incompatibilities in the fabrication of sensors, actuators and electronic circuitry, a final packaging step is often necessary to integrate all components of a heterogeneous microsystem on a common substrate. Robotic pick-and-place, although accurate and reliable at larger scales, is a serial process that downscales unfavorably due to stiction problems, fragility and sheer number of components. Self-assembly, on the other hand, is parallel and can be used for device sizes ranging from millimeters to nanometers. In this review, the state-of-the-art in methods and applications for self-assembly is reviewed. Methods for assembling three-dimensional (3D) MEMS structures out of two-dimensional (2D) ones are described. The use of capillary forces for folding 2D plates into 3D structures, as well as assembling parts onto a common substrate or aggregating parts to each other into 2D or 3D structures, is discussed. Shape matching and guided assembly by magnetic forces and electric fields are also reviewed. Finally, colloidal self-assembly and DNA-based self-assembly, mainly used at the nanoscale, are surveyed, and aspects of theoretical modeling of stochastic assembly processes are discussed. (topical review)

Molecular Precision at Micrometer Length Scales: Hierarchical Assembly of DNA-Protein Nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiffels, Daniel; Szalai, Veronika A; Liddle, J Alexander

2017-07-25

Robust self-assembly across length scales is a ubiquitous feature of biological systems but remains challenging for synthetic structures. Taking a cue from biology-where disparate molecules work together to produce large, functional assemblies-we demonstrate how to engineer microscale structures with nanoscale features: Our self-assembly approach begins by using DNA polymerase to controllably create double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) sections on a single-stranded template. The single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) sections are then folded into a mechanically flexible skeleton by the origami method. This process simultaneously shapes the structure at the nanoscale and directs the large-scale geometry. The DNA skeleton guides the assembly of RecA protein filaments, which provides rigidity at the micrometer scale. We use our modular design strategy to assemble tetrahedral, rectangular, and linear shapes of defined dimensions. This method enables the robust construction of complex assemblies, greatly extending the range of DNA-based self-assembly methods.

Towards an integrated approach to emergency management: interdisciplinary challenges for research and practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Webersik

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This article presents an interdisciplinary vision for large-scale integrated emergency management that has been inspired by the transition from platform centric to inte-grated operations in the oil and gas fields, which uses remote emergency control centres collaborating virtually with local responders. The article discusses some of the most salient research challenges for integrated emergency management, including the role of mobile technology, human-centred sensing, citizen participation and social media, and the socio-cultural determinants of disaster management. The purpose of this article is to frame an integrated emergency management approach that adopts a multi-disciplinary approach, including human computer interaction, information systems, computer science, development studies and organization science employing different methodologies.Most importantly, we need to better understand the socio-cultural determinants of how people prepare to, respond and perceive disasters, in order to evaluate whether and what kind of information and communication technology (ICT support is appropriate. There is need for more research as to why in some regions local people ignore official orders to evacuate, and rather follow the advice of local leaders, elders or religious leaders. In other instances, disasters are seen as 'acts of God' thus shaping disaster preparedness and response.

What Challenges and Benefits Can Non-Formal Law and Language Integrated Learning Bring to University Students?

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Atabekova, Atabekova; Gorbatenko, Rimma; Belousov, Aleksandr; Grebnev, Ruslan; Sheremetieva, Olga

2016-01-01

The paper explores the ways in which non-formal content and language integrated learning within university studies can affect students' academic progress. The research has included theoretical and empirical studies. The article focuses on the observation of students' learning process, draws attention to challenges and benefits students experienced…

Integrating Environmental and Human Health Databases in the Great Lakes Basin: Themes, Challenges and Future Directions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate L. Bassil

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Many government, academic and research institutions collect environmental data that are relevant to understanding the relationship between environmental exposures and human health. Integrating these data with health outcome data presents new challenges that are important to consider to improve our effective use of environmental health information. Our objective was to identify the common themes related to the integration of environmental and health data, and suggest ways to address the challenges and make progress toward more effective use of data already collected, to further our understanding of environmental health associations in the Great Lakes region. Environmental and human health databases were identified and reviewed using literature searches and a series of one-on-one and group expert consultations. Databases identified were predominantly environmental stressors databases, with fewer found for health outcomes and human exposure. Nine themes or factors that impact integration were identified: data availability, accessibility, harmonization, stakeholder collaboration, policy and strategic alignment, resource adequacy, environmental health indicators, and data exchange networks. The use and cost effectiveness of data currently collected could be improved by strategic changes to data collection and access systems to provide better opportunities to identify and study environmental exposures that may impact human health.

Precise Truss Assembly Using Commodity Parts and Low Precision Welding

Science.gov (United States)

Komendera, Erik; Reishus, Dustin; Dorsey, John T.; Doggett, W. R.; Correll, Nikolaus

2014-01-01

Hardware and software design and system integration for an intelligent precision jigging robot (IPJR), which allows high precision assembly using commodity parts and low-precision bonding, is described. Preliminary 2D experiments that are motivated by the problem of assembling space telescope optical benches and very large manipulators on orbit using inexpensive, stock hardware and low-precision welding are also described. An IPJR is a robot that acts as the precise "jigging", holding parts of a local structure assembly site in place, while an external low precision assembly agent cuts and welds members. The prototype presented in this paper allows an assembly agent (for this prototype, a human using only low precision tools), to assemble a 2D truss made of wooden dowels to a precision on the order of millimeters over a span on the order of meters. The analysis of the assembly error and the results of building a square structure and a ring structure are discussed. Options for future work, to extend the IPJR paradigm to building in 3D structures at micron precision are also summarized.

Challenges and opportunities for more integrated regional food security policy in the Caribbean Community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristen Lowitt

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The Caribbean Community (CARICOM has recognized regional integration as an important development strategy for addressing the unique vulnerabilities of its member small island developing states (SIDS. Food security in the Caribbean is a fundamental social and ecological challenge in which the dynamics of regional integration are increasingly playing out. CARICOM members have subsequently identified a number of shared food security problems and have endorsed regional goals and approaches to address them; however, progress towards solutions has been slow. Recognizing that evidence-based studies on the potential factors limiting sustained progress are lacking, we undertook a comparative policy analysis to understand better the various approaches and framings of food security at national and regional levels with a view to assessing coherence. We identify considerable divergence in how regional and local policy institutions frame and approach food security problems in CARICOM and then identify ways through which the policy integration objectives for enhanced regional food security might be progressed, with a particular focus on social learning.

Self-Assembled Smart Nanocarriers for Targeted Drug Delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Wei; Li, Junbai; Decher, Gero

2016-02-10

Nanostructured drug-carrier systems promise numerous benefits for drug delivery. They can be engineered to precisely control drug-release rates or to target specific sites within the body with a specific amount of therapeutic agent. However, to achieve the best therapeutic effects, the systems should be designed for carrying the optimum amount of a drug to the desired target where it should be released at the optimum rate for a specified time. Despite numerous attempts, fulfilling all of these requirements in a synergistic way remains a huge challenge. The trend in drug delivery is consequently directed toward integrated multifunctional carrier systems, providing selective recognition in combination with sustained or triggered release. Capsules as vesicular systems enable drugs to be confined for controlled release. Furthermore, carriers modified with recognition groups can enhance the capability of encapsulated drug efficacy. Here, recent advances are reviewed regarding designing and preparing assembled capsules with targeting ligands or size controllable for selective recognition in drug delivery. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Integrated circuits based on conjugated polymer monolayer.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mengmeng; Mangalore, Deepthi Kamath; Zhao, Jingbo; Carpenter, Joshua H; Yan, Hongping; Ade, Harald; Yan, He; Müllen, Klaus; Blom, Paul W M; Pisula, Wojciech; de Leeuw, Dago M; Asadi, Kamal

2018-01-31

It is still a great challenge to fabricate conjugated polymer monolayer field-effect transistors (PoM-FETs) due to intricate crystallization and film formation of conjugated polymers. Here we demonstrate PoM-FETs based on a single monolayer of a conjugated polymer. The resulting PoM-FETs are highly reproducible and exhibit charge carrier mobilities reaching 3 cm 2  V -1  s -1 . The high performance is attributed to the strong interactions of the polymer chains present already in solution leading to pronounced edge-on packing and well-defined microstructure in the monolayer. The high reproducibility enables the integration of discrete unipolar PoM-FETs into inverters and ring oscillators. Real logic functionality has been demonstrated by constructing a 15-bit code generator in which hundreds of self-assembled PoM-FETs are addressed simultaneously. Our results provide the state-of-the-art example of integrated circuits based on a conjugated polymer monolayer, opening prospective pathways for bottom-up organic electronics.

Hydrazine-mediated construction of nanocrystal self-assembly materials.

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Zhou, Ding; Liu, Min; Lin, Min; Bu, Xinyuan; Luo, Xintao; Zhang, Hao; Yang, Bai

2014-10-28

Self-assembly is the basic feature of supramolecular chemistry, which permits to integrate and enhance the functionalities of nano-objects. However, the conversion of self-assembled structures to practical materials is still laborious. In this work, on the basis of studying one-pot synthesis, spontaneous assembly, and in situ polymerization of aqueous semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), NC self-assembly materials are produced and applied to design high performance white light-emitting diode (WLED). In producing self-assembly materials, the additive hydrazine (N2H4) is curial, which acts as the promoter to achieve room-temperature synthesis of aqueous NCs by favoring a reaction-controlled growth, as the polyelectrolyte to weaken inter-NC electrostatic repulsion and therewith facilitate the one-dimensional self-assembly, and in particular as the bifunctional monomers to polymerize with mercapto carboxylic acid-modified NCs via in situ amidation reaction. This strategy is versatile for mercapto carboxylic acid-modified aqueous NCs, for example CdS, CdSe, CdTe, CdSe(x)Te(1-x), and Cd(y)Hg(1-y)Te. Because of the multisite modification with carboxyl, the NCs act as macromonomers, thus producing cross-linked self-assembly materials with excellent thermal, solvent, and photostability. The assembled NCs preserve strong luminescence and avoid unpredictable fluorescent resonance energy transfer, the main problem in design WLED from multiple NC components. These advantages allow the fabrication of NC-based WLED with high color rendering index (86), high luminous efficacy (41 lm/W), and controllable color temperature.

Self assembly of anisotropic particles with critical Casimir forces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nguyễn, Trúc Anh

2016-01-01

Building new materials with structures on the micron and nanoscale presents a grand challenge currently. It requires fine control in the assembly of well-designed building blocks, and understanding of the mechanical, thermodynamic, and opto-electronic properties of the resulting structures. Patchy

Challenges in graphene integration for high-frequency electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Giannazzo, F.; Fisichella, G.; Greco, G.; Roccaforte, F.

2016-06-01

This paper provides an overview of the state-of-the-art research on graphene (Gr) for high-frequency (RF) devices. After discussing current limitations of lateral Gr RF transistors, novel vertical devices concepts such as the Gr Base Hot Electron Transistor (GBHET) will be introduced and the main challenges in Gr integration within these architectures will be discussed. In particular, a GBHET device based on Gr/AlGaN/GaN heterostructure will be considered. An approach to the fabrication of this heterostructure by transfer of CVD grown Gr on copper to the AlGaN surface will be presented. The morphological and electrical properties of this system have been investigated at nanoscale by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM). In particular, local current-voltage measurements by the CAFM probe revealed the formation of a Schottky contact with low barrier height (˜0.41 eV) and excellent lateral uniformity between Gr and AlGaN. Basing on the electrical parameters extracted from this characterization, the theoretical performances of a GBHET formed by a metal/Al2O3/Gr/AlGaN/GaN stack have been evaluated.

Integration Process for the Habitat Demonstration Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Tracy; Merbitz, Jerad; Kennedy, Kriss; Tri, Terry; Howe, A. Scott

2010-01-01

The Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) is an experimental exploration habitat technology and architecture test platform designed for analog demonstration activities The HDU project has required a team to integrate a variety of contributions from NASA centers and outside collaborators and poses a challenge in integrating these disparate efforts into a cohesive architecture To complete the development of the HDU from conception in June 2009 to rollout for operations in July 2010, a cohesive integration strategy has been developed to integrate the various systems of HDU and the payloads, such as the Geology Lab, that those systems will support The utilization of interface design standards and uniquely tailored reviews have allowed for an accelerated design process Scheduled activities include early fit-checks and the utilization of a Habitat avionics test bed prior to equipment installation into HDU A coordinated effort to utilize modeling and simulation systems has aided in design and integration concept development Modeling tools have been effective in hardware systems layout, cable routing and length estimation, and human factors analysis Decision processes on the shell development including the assembly sequence and the transportation have been fleshed out early on HDU to maximize the efficiency of both integration and field operations Incremental test operations leading up to an integrated systems test allows for an orderly systems test program The HDU will begin its journey as an emulation of a Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) for 2010 field testing and then may evolve to a Pressurized Core Module (PCM) for 2011 and later field tests, depending on agency architecture decisions The HDU deployment will vary slightly from current lunar architecture plans to include developmental hardware and software items and additional systems called opportunities for technology demonstration One of the HDU challenges has been designing to be prepared for the integration of

The integration of renewable energy in the French electricity system: what challenges for optimization?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathieu, Mathilde; Ruedinger, Andreas; Pescia, Dimitri

2016-01-01

Based on research reports and dialogue through expert seminars organized by IDDRI and Agora Energiewende in 2015, this Working Paper proposes a synthesis of the main challenges for the integration of renewable energies using an analysis of the electricity system and its potential for optimization over different time frames: the potential evolution of electricity systems at the regional and national levels in France between now and 2030; an analysis of the needs and options for flexibility services beyond production systems; the potential for optimization of instruments to encourage short-term integration in line with changes in regulation regarding RES support schemes. Achieving the targets for renewable energy development (RES-E) in France (40% share of the electricity consumption) and in Europe (approximately 50%) by 2030 poses new integration challenges. The successful transformation of the electricity system based on a significant renewable component requires a systemic approach which takes into account: the evolution of demand and supply (for electricity and all energy), the interactions and competition between flexibility options for system stabilization (interconnections, active demand-side management, storage), the development of relevant infrastructure and articulation between the technical system and market design. A forward-looking analysis of electricity systems helps to assess this increase in flexibility requirements while identifying several optimization options to facilitate RES integration, starting with regional coordination. France already has a flexible electricity system, thanks notably to its hydro potential. Even so, its evolution towards 40% RES by 2030 calls for some strategic choices. On the one hand, drawing up a long-term trajectory for the evolution of electricity demand - in terms of volume as well as the nature of needs addressed - seems essential to bring coherence to the evolution of the technology portfolio and to increase the

Red Assembly: the work remains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leslie Witz

Full Text Available This issue of Kronos is dedicated to Terry Flynn, assistant curator at the Ann Bryant Art Gallery, who was instrumental in the successful installing of 'Red Assembly' there in 2015. Friend, colleague, artist and inspiration. Hamba Kahle. The work that emerged from the encounter with Red, an art installation by Simon Gush and his collaborators, in the workshop 'Red Assembly', held in East London in August 2015, is assembled here in Kronos, the journal of southern African histories based at the University of the Western Cape, and previously in parallax, the cultural studies journal based at the University of Leeds published in May 2016. What is presented there and here is not simply more work, work that follows, or even additional works. Rather, it is the work that arises as a response to a question that structured our entire project: does Red, now also installed in these two journals, have the potential to call the discourse of history into question? This article responds to this question through several pairings: theft - gift; copy - rights; time - history; kronos - chronos. Here we identify a reversal in this installation of the gift into the commodity, and another with regard to conventional historical narratives which privilege the search for sources and origins. A difference between (the historian's search for origination and (the artist's originality becomes visible in a conversation between and over the historic and the artistic that does not simply try to rescue History by means of the work of art. It is in this sense that we invite the displacements, detours, and paths made possible through Simon Gush's Red, the 'Red Assembly' workshop and the work/gift of installation and parallaxing. To gesture beyond 'histories' is the provocation to which art is neither cause nor effect. Thinking with the work of art, that is, grasping thought in the working of art, has extended the sense of history's limit and the way the limit of history is

Integration of Environmental Issues in a Physics Course: 'Physics by Inquiry' High School Teachers' Integration Models and Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Kimori, David Abiya

As we approach the second quarter of the twenty-first century, one may predict that the environment will be among the dominant themes in the political and educational discourse. Over the past three decades, particular perspectives regarding the environment have begun to emerge: (i) realization by human beings that we not only live on earth and use its resources at an increasingly high rate but we also actually belong to the earth and the total ecology of all living systems, (ii) there are strong interactions among different components of the large and complex systems that make up our environment, and (iii) the rising human population and its impact on the environment is a great concern (Hughes & Mason, 2014). Studies have revealed that although the students do not have a deep understanding of environmental issues and lack environmental awareness and attitudes necessary for protecting the environment, they have great concern for the environment (Chapman & Sharma, 2001; Fien, Yencken, & Sykes, 2002). However, addressing environmental issues in the classroom and other disciplines has never been an easy job for teachers (Pennock & Bardwell, 1994; Edelson, 2007). Using multiple case studies, this study investigated how three purposefully selected physics teachers teaching a 'Physics by Inquiry' course integrated environmental topics and issues in their classroom. Particularly this study looked at what integration models and practices the three physics teachers employed in integrating environmental topics and issues in their classroom and what challenges the teachers faced while integrating environmental topics in their classrooms. Data collection methods including field notes taken from observations, teachers' interviews and a collection of artifacts and documents were used. The data were coded analyzed and organized into codes and categories guided by Fogarty (1991) models of curriculum integration and Ham and Sewing (1988) four categories of barriers to environmental

Helping To Integrate The Visually Challenged Into Mainstream Society Through A Low-Cost Braille Device

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Desirée Jordan

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The visually challenged are often alienated from mainstream society because of their disabilities. This problem is even more pronounced in developing countries which often do not have the resources necessary to integrate this people group into their communities or even help them to become independent. It should therefore be the aim of governments in developing countries to provide this vulnerable people group with access to assistive technologies at a low cost. This paper describes an ongoing project that aims to provide low-cost assistive technologies to the visually challenged in Barbados. As a part of this project a study was conducted on a sample of visually challenged members of the Barbados Association for the Blind and Deaf to determine their ICT skills, knowledge of Braille and their use of assistive technologies. An analysis of the results prompted the design and creation of a low-cost Braille device prototype. The cost of this prototype was about one-half that of a commercially available device and can be used without a screen reader. This device should help create equal opportunities for the visually challenged in Barbados and other developing countries. It should also allow the visually challenged to become more independent.

Overcoming communication challenges in integrative supportive cancer care: The integrative physician, the psycho-oncologist, and the patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Arye, Eran; Shavit, Efrat; Wiental, Haya; Schiff, Elad; Agour, Olga; Samuels, Noah

2016-12-01

Complementary/integrative medicine (CIM) services are increasingly being integrated into conventional supportive cancer care, presenting a number of challenges to communication between healthcare professionals (HCPs). The purpose of the present study was to explore the impact of the communication between integrative physicians (IPs) trained in CIM and social workers (SWs) working as psycho-oncologists in the same oncology setting. We examine whether IP-SW communication correlates with the number of patient-SW sessions, as provided within the oncology department. SW-IP communication, defined as a summary of the IP consultation sent to the patient's SW, was compared to SW-patient communication, defined as the number of psycho-oncology treatment sessions. Of 344 patients referred by their oncology HCP for IP consultation, 91 were referred by an SW and 253 by an oncologist or nurse. IP-to-SW summaries were provided for 150 patients referred by a non-SW HCP (43.6%), and for 91 of SW-referred patients (26.5%). In all, 32 patients referred to the IP had no psycho-oncology interaction with an SW; 58 only one meeting; and 254 with ≥2 interactions, with 119 having >6 sessions. SW-patient interactions were greater with higher rates of IP-SW communication, for both patients referred by an SW (79.1%) and those referred by a non-SW HCP (77.3%) when compared to patients for whom no summary was provided (64.1%; p= 0.02). A greater level of IP-SW communication, measured by the provision of an IP summary to the patient's SW, was found to correlate with a higher rate of SW-patient interactions. The use of a structured two-way referral-summary between IPs and SWs has the potential to advance the SW-patient psycho-oncology interaction, within an integrative supportive cancer care setting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multicriteria Analysis of Assembling Buildings from Steel Frame Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Miniotaite, Ruta

2017-10-01

Steel frame structures are often used in the construction of public and industrial buildings. They are used for: all types of slope roofs; walls of newly-built public and industrial buildings; load bearing structures; roofs of renovated buildings. The process of assembling buildings from steel frame structures should be analysed as an integrated process influenced by such factors as construction materials and machinery used, the qualification level of construction workers, complexity of work, available finance. It is necessary to find a rational technological design solution for assembling buildings from steel frame structures by conducting a multiple criteria analysis. The analysis provides a possibility to evaluate the engineering considerations and find unequivocal solutions. The rational alternative of a complex process of assembling buildings from steel frame structures was found through multiple criteria analysis and multiple criteria evaluation. In multiple criteria evaluation of technological solutions for assembling buildings from steel frame structures by pairwise comparison method the criteria by significance are distributed as follows: durability is the most important criterion in the evaluation of alternatives; the price (EUR/unit of measurement) of a part of assembly process; construction workers’ qualification level (category); mechanization level of a part of assembling process (%), and complexity of assembling work (in points) are less important criteria.

Integration Science and Technology of Silicon-Based Ceramics and Composites:Technical Challenges and Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, M.

2013-01-01

Ceramic integration technologies enable hierarchical design and manufacturing of intricate ceramic and composite parts starting with geometrically simpler units that are subsequently joined to themselves and/or to metals to create components with progressively higher levels of complexity and functionality. However, for the development of robust and reliable integrated systems with optimum performance for high temperature applications, detailed understanding of various thermochemical and thermomechanical factors is critical. Different technical approaches are required for the integration of ceramic to ceramic and ceramic to metal systems. Active metal brazing, in particular, is a simple and cost-effective method to integrate ceramic to metallic components. Active braze alloys usually contain a reactive filler metal (e.g., Ti, Cr, V, Hf etc) that promotes wettability and spreading by inducing chemical reactions with the ceramics and composites. In this presentation, various examples of brazing of silicon nitride to themselves and to metallic systems are presented. Other examples of joining of ceramic composites (C/SiC and SiC/SiC) using ceramic interlayers and the resulting microstructures are also presented. Thermomechanical characterization of joints is presented for both types of systems. In addition, various challenges and opportunities in design, fabrication, and testing of integrated similar (ceramic-ceramic) and dissimilar (ceramic-metal) material systems will be discussed. Potential opportunities and need for the development of innovative design philosophies, approaches, and integrated system testing under simulated application conditions will also be presented.

Modification of the ANC Nodal Code for analysis of PWR assembly bow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franceschini, Fausto; Fetterman, Robert J.; Little, David C.

2008-01-01

Refueling operations at certain PWR cores have revealed fuel assemblies with assembly bow that was higher than expected. As the fuel assemblies bow, the gaps between assemblies change from the uniform nominal configuration. This causes a change in the water volume which affects neutron moderation and thereby power distribution, fuel depletion history, rod internal pressure, etc., with non-trivial impacts on the safety analysis. Westinghouse has developed a new methodology for incorporation of assembly bow in its reload safety analysis package. As part of the new process, the standard Westinghouse reactor physics tool for core analysis, the Advanced Nodal Code ANC, has been modified. The modified ANC, ANCGAP, enables explicit treatment of three-dimensional gap distributions in its neutronic calculations; its accuracy is similar to that of the standard ANC, as demonstrated through an extensive benchmark campaign conducted over a variety of fuel compositions and challenging gap configurations. These features make ANCGAP a crucial tool in the Westinghouse assembly bow package. (authors)

Modification of the ANC Nodal Code for analysis of PWR assembly bow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franceschini, Fausto; Fetterman, Robert J.; Little, David C. [Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, Pittsburgh PA (United States)

2008-07-01

Refueling operations at certain PWR cores have revealed fuel assemblies with assembly bow that was higher than expected. As the fuel assemblies bow, the gaps between assemblies change from the uniform nominal configuration. This causes a change in the water volume which affects neutron moderation and thereby power distribution, fuel depletion history, rod internal pressure, etc., with non-trivial impacts on the safety analysis. Westinghouse has developed a new methodology for incorporation of assembly bow in its reload safety analysis package. As part of the new process, the standard Westinghouse reactor physics tool for core analysis, the Advanced Nodal Code ANC, has been modified. The modified ANC, ANCGAP, enables explicit treatment of three-dimensional gap distributions in its neutronic calculations; its accuracy is similar to that of the standard ANC, as demonstrated through an extensive benchmark campaign conducted over a variety of fuel compositions and challenging gap configurations. These features make ANCGAP a crucial tool in the Westinghouse assembly bow package. (authors)

Support of Construction and Verification of Out-of-Pile Fuel Assembly Test Facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Nam Gyu; Kim, K. T.; Park, J. K.

2006-12-01

Fuel assembly and components should be verified by the out-of-pile test facilities in order to load the developed fuel in reactor. Even though most of the component-wise tests have been performed using the facilities in land, the assembly-wise tests has been depended on the oversees' facility due to the lack of the facilities. KAERI started to construct the assembly-wise mechanical/hydraulic test facilities and KNF, as an end user, is supporting the mechanical/hydraulic test facility construction by using the technologies studied through the fuel development programs. The works performed are as follows: - Test assembly shipping container design and manufacturing support - Fuel handling tool design : Gripper, Upper and lower core simulators for assembly mechanical test facility, Internals for assembly hydraulic test facility - Manufacture of test specimens : skeleton and assembly for preliminary functional verification of assembly mechanical/hydraulic test facilities, two assemblies for the verification of assembly mechanical/hydraulic test facilities, Instrumented rod design and integrity evaluation - Verification of assembly mechanical/hydraulic test facilities : test data evaluation

Support of Construction and Verification of Out-of-Pile Fuel Assembly Test Facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Nam Gyu; Kim, K. T.; Park, J. K. [KNF, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)] (and others)

2006-12-15

Fuel assembly and components should be verified by the out-of-pile test facilities in order to load the developed fuel in reactor. Even though most of the component-wise tests have been performed using the facilities in land, the assembly-wise tests has been depended on the oversees' facility due to the lack of the facilities. KAERI started to construct the assembly-wise mechanical/hydraulic test facilities and KNF, as an end user, is supporting the mechanical/hydraulic test facility construction by using the technologies studied through the fuel development programs. The works performed are as follows: - Test assembly shipping container design and manufacturing support - Fuel handling tool design : Gripper, Upper and lower core simulators for assembly mechanical test facility, Internals for assembly hydraulic test facility - Manufacture of test specimens : skeleton and assembly for preliminary functional verification of assembly mechanical/hydraulic test facilities, two assemblies for the verification of assembly mechanical/hydraulic test facilities, Instrumented rod design and integrity evaluation - Verification of assembly mechanical/hydraulic test facilities : test data evaluation.

The development of flow test technology for PWR fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Moon Ki; Cha, Chong Hee; Chung, Chang Hwan; Chun, Se Young; Song, Chul Hwa; Chung, Heung Joon; Won, Soon Yeun; Cho, Yeong Rho; Kim, Bok Deuk

1988-05-01

KAERI has an extensive program to develope PWR fuel assembly. In relation to the program, development of flow test technology is needed to evaluate the thermal hydraulic compactibility and mechanical integrity of domestically fabricated nuclear fuels. A high-pressure and high-temperature flow test facility was designed to test domestically fabricated fuel assembly. The test section of the facility has capacity of a 6x6 full length PWR fuel assembly. A flow test rig was designed and installed at Cold Test Loop to carry out model experiments with 5x5 rod assembly under atmosphere pressure to get information about the characteristics of pressure loss of spacer grids and velocity distribution in the subchannels. LDV measuring technology was established using TSI's Laser Dopper Velocimeter 9100-3 System

IRaPPA: information retrieval based integration of biophysical models for protein assembly selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Moal, Iain H; Barradas-Bautista, Didier; Jiménez-García, Brian; Torchala, Mieczyslaw; van der Velde, Arjan; Vreven, Thom; Weng, Zhiping; Bates, Paul A; Fernández-Recio, Juan

2017-06-15

In order to function, proteins frequently bind to one another and form 3D assemblies. Knowledge of the atomic details of these structures helps our understanding of how proteins work together, how mutations can lead to disease, and facilitates the designing of drugs which prevent or mimic the interaction. Atomic modeling of protein-protein interactions requires the selection of near-native structures from a set of docked poses based on their calculable properties. By considering this as an information retrieval problem, we have adapted methods developed for Internet search ranking and electoral voting into IRaPPA, a pipeline integrating biophysical properties. The approach enhances the identification of near-native structures when applied to four docking methods, resulting in a near-native appearing in the top 10 solutions for up to 50% of complexes benchmarked, and up to 70% in the top 100. IRaPPA has been implemented in the SwarmDock server ( http://bmm.crick.ac.uk/∼SwarmDock/ ), pyDock server ( http://life.bsc.es/pid/pydockrescoring/ ) and ZDOCK server ( http://zdock.umassmed.edu/ ), with code available on request. moal@ebi.ac.uk. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Elucidating dominant pathways of the nano-particle self-assembly process.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Xiangze; Li, Bin; Qiao, Qin; Zhu, Lizhe; Lu, Zhong-Yuan; Huang, Xuhui

2016-09-14

Self-assembly processes play a key role in the fabrication of functional nano-structures with widespread application in drug delivery and micro-reactors. In addition to the thermodynamics, the kinetics of the self-assembled nano-structures also play an important role in determining the formed structures. However, as the self-assembly process is often highly heterogeneous, systematic elucidation of the dominant kinetic pathways of self-assembly is challenging. Here, based on mass flow, we developed a new method for the construction of kinetic network models and applied it to identify the dominant kinetic pathways for the self-assembly of star-like block copolymers. We found that the dominant pathways are controlled by two competing kinetic parameters: the encounter time Te, characterizing the frequency of collision and the transition time Tt for the aggregate morphology change from rod to sphere. Interestingly, two distinct self-assembly mechanisms, diffusion of an individual copolymer into the aggregate core and membrane closure, both appear at different stages (with different values of Tt) of a single self-assembly process. In particular, the diffusion mechanism dominates the middle-sized semi-vesicle formation stage (with large Tt), while the membrane closure mechanism dominates the large-sized vesicle formation stage (with small Tt). Through the rational design of the hydrophibicity of the copolymer, we successfully tuned the transition time Tt and altered the dominant self-assembly pathways.

Steering Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Molecular Nanostructures via Halogen Exchange

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kriete, Björn; Bondarenko, Anna S.; Jumde, Varsha R.; Franken, Linda E.; Minnaard, Adriaan J.; Jansen, Thomas L. C.; Knoester, Jasper; Pshenichnikov, Maxim S.

2017-01-01

In the field of self-assembly, the quest for gaining control over the supramolecular architecture without affecting the functionality of the individual molecular building blocks is intrinsically challenging. By using a combination of synthetic chemistry, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy,

Ethical Challenges when Interviewing Close Relatives Together – An Integrative Review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Voltelen, Barbara; Konradsen, Hanne; Østergaard, Birte

and search terms. Results In total 17 articles were located, 9 containing relevant information about dyadic interviewing, only dealing subtly with questions of ethics. Another 8 articles addressed both dyadic interviewing and ethical considerations. Findings were divided into three different themes......Background and purpose Interviewing two interrelated persons (or more) simultaneously might pose different ethical considerations than interviewing just one person. Such ethical considerations, however, remain largely undescribed in literature, challenging the researcher who wishes to conduct them....... The purpose of this study is to describe the special ethical perspectives concerning joint interviews with interrelated persons. Method An integrative review was performed. A search was conducted in Pub Med, Cinahl, Philosophers Index and Academic Search from 1980 -2014. Data corpus from the 17 articles...

Feasible reactor power cutback logic development for an integral reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Soon-Kyoo; Lee, Chung-Chan; Choi, Suhn; Kang, Han-Ok

2013-01-01

Major features of integral reactors that have been developed around the world recently are simplified operating systems and passive safety systems. Even though highly simplified control system and very reliable components are utilized in the integral reactor, the possibility of major component malfunction cannot be ruled out. So, feasible reactor power cutback logic is required to cope with the malfunction of components without inducing reactor trip. Simplified reactor power cutback logic has been developed on the basis of the real component data and operational parameters of plant in this study. Due to the relatively high rod worth of the integral reactor the control rod assembly drop method which had been adapted for large nuclear power plants was not desirable for reactor power cutback of the integral reactor. Instead another method, the control rod assembly control logic of reactor regulating system controls the control rod assembly movements, was chosen as an alternative. Sensitivity analyses and feasibility evaluations were performed for the selected method by varying the control rod assembly driving speed. In the results, sensitivity study showed that the performance goal of reactor power cutback system could be achieved with the limited range of control rod assembly driving speed. (orig.)

Early Child Development and Nutrition: A Review of the Benefits and Challenges of Implementing Integrated Interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurley, Kristen M; Yousafzai, Aisha K; Lopez-Boo, Florencia

2016-03-01

Poor nutrition (substandard diet quantity and/or quality resulting in under- or overnutrition) and the lack of early learning opportunities contribute to the loss of developmental potential and life-long health and economic disparities among millions of children aged early child development (ECD) or nutrition have been linked to positive child development and/or nutritional status, and recommendations currently advocate for the development and testing of integrated interventions. We reviewed the theoretical and practical benefits and challenges of implementing integrated nutrition and ECD interventions along with the evidence for best practice and benefit-cost and concluded that the strong theoretical rationale for integration is more nuanced than the questions that the published empirical evidence have addressed. For example, further research is needed to 1) answer questions related to how integrated messaging influences caregiver characteristics such as well-being, knowledge, and behavior and how these influence early child nutrition and development outcomes; 2) understand population and nutritional contexts in which integrated interventions are beneficial; and 3) explore how varying implementation processes influence the efficacy, uptake, and cost-benefit of integrated nutrition and ECD interventions. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Amino Acid Availability Modulates Vacuolar H+-ATPase Assembly*

Science.gov (United States)

Stransky, Laura A.; Forgac, Michael

2015-01-01

The vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) is an ATP-dependent proton pump composed of a peripheral ATPase domain (V1) and a membrane-integral proton-translocating domain (V0) and is involved in many normal and disease processes. An important mechanism of regulating V-ATPase activity is reversible assembly of the V1 and V0 domains. Increased assembly in mammalian cells occurs under various conditions and has been shown to involve PI3K. The V-ATPase is necessary for amino acid-induced activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), which is important in controlling cell growth in response to nutrient availability and growth signals. The V-ATPase undergoes amino acid-dependent interactions with the Ragulator complex, which is involved in recruitment of mTORC1 to the lysosomal membrane during amino acid sensing. We hypothesized that changes in the V-ATPase/Ragulator interaction might involve amino acid-dependent changes in V-ATPase assembly. To test this, we measured V-ATPase assembly by cell fractionation in HEK293T cells treated with and without amino acids. V-ATPase assembly increases upon amino acid starvation, and this effect is reversed upon readdition of amino acids. Lysosomes from amino acid-starved cells possess greater V-ATPase-dependent proton transport, indicating that assembled pumps are catalytically active. Amino acid-dependent changes in both V-ATPase assembly and activity are independent of PI3K and mTORC1 activity, indicating the involvement of signaling pathways distinct from those implicated previously in controlling assembly. By contrast, lysosomal neutralization blocks the amino acid-dependent change in assembly and reactivation of mTORC1 after amino acid starvation. These results identify an important new stimulus for controlling V-ATPase assembly. PMID:26378229

Lightweight IMM Multi-Junction Photovoltaic Flexible Blanket Assembly, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — DSS's recently completed successful NASA SBIR Phase 1 program has established a TRL 3/4 classification for an innovative IMM PV Integrated Modular Blanket Assembly...

Fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Makoto.

1991-01-01

In a fuel assembly in which spectral shift type moderator guide members are arranged, the moderator guide member has a flow channel resistance member, that provides flow resistance against the moderators, in the upstream of a moderator flowing channel, by which the ratio of removing coolants is set greater at the upstream than downstream. With such a constitution, the void distribution increasing upward in the channel box except for the portion of the moderator guide member is moderated by the increase of the area of the void region that expands downward in the guide member. Accordingly, the axial power distribution is flattened throughout the operation cycle and excess distortion is eliminated to improve the fuel integrity. (T.M.)

Plant X-tender: An extension of the AssemblX system for the assembly and expression of multigene constructs in plants

Science.gov (United States)

Machens, Fabian; Coll, Anna; Baebler, Špela; Messerschmidt, Katrin; Gruden, Kristina

2018-01-01

Cloning multiple DNA fragments for delivery of several genes of interest into the plant genome is one of the main technological challenges in plant synthetic biology. Despite several modular assembly methods developed in recent years, the plant biotechnology community has not widely adopted them yet, probably due to the lack of appropriate vectors and software tools. Here we present Plant X-tender, an extension of the highly efficient, scar-free and sequence-independent multigene assembly strategy AssemblX, based on overlap-depended cloning methods and rare-cutting restriction enzymes. Plant X-tender consists of a set of plant expression vectors and the protocols for most efficient cloning into the novel vector set needed for plant expression and thus introduces advantages of AssemblX into plant synthetic biology. The novel vector set covers different backbones and selection markers to allow full design flexibility. We have included ccdB counterselection, thereby allowing the transfer of multigene constructs into the novel vector set in a straightforward and highly efficient way. Vectors are available as empty backbones and are fully flexible regarding the orientation of expression cassettes and addition of linkers between them, if required. We optimised the assembly and subcloning protocol by testing different scar-less assembly approaches: the noncommercial SLiCE and TAR methods and the commercial Gibson assembly and NEBuilder HiFi DNA assembly kits. Plant X-tender was applicable even in combination with low efficient homemade chemically competent or electrocompetent Escherichia coli. We have further validated the developed procedure for plant protein expression by cloning two cassettes into the newly developed vectors and subsequently transferred them to Nicotiana benthamiana in a transient expression setup. Thereby we show that multigene constructs can be delivered into plant cells in a streamlined and highly efficient way. Our results will support faster

Plant X-tender: An extension of the AssemblX system for the assembly and expression of multigene constructs in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Lukan, Tjaša; Machens, Fabian; Coll, Anna; Baebler, Špela; Messerschmidt, Katrin; Gruden, Kristina

2018-01-01

Cloning multiple DNA fragments for delivery of several genes of interest into the plant genome is one of the main technological challenges in plant synthetic biology. Despite several modular assembly methods developed in recent years, the plant biotechnology community has not widely adopted them yet, probably due to the lack of appropriate vectors and software tools. Here we present Plant X-tender, an extension of the highly efficient, scar-free and sequence-independent multigene assembly strategy AssemblX, based on overlap-depended cloning methods and rare-cutting restriction enzymes. Plant X-tender consists of a set of plant expression vectors and the protocols for most efficient cloning into the novel vector set needed for plant expression and thus introduces advantages of AssemblX into plant synthetic biology. The novel vector set covers different backbones and selection markers to allow full design flexibility. We have included ccdB counterselection, thereby allowing the transfer of multigene constructs into the novel vector set in a straightforward and highly efficient way. Vectors are available as empty backbones and are fully flexible regarding the orientation of expression cassettes and addition of linkers between them, if required. We optimised the assembly and subcloning protocol by testing different scar-less assembly approaches: the noncommercial SLiCE and TAR methods and the commercial Gibson assembly and NEBuilder HiFi DNA assembly kits. Plant X-tender was applicable even in combination with low efficient homemade chemically competent or electrocompetent Escherichia coli. We have further validated the developed procedure for plant protein expression by cloning two cassettes into the newly developed vectors and subsequently transferred them to Nicotiana benthamiana in a transient expression setup. Thereby we show that multigene constructs can be delivered into plant cells in a streamlined and highly efficient way. Our results will support faster

Molecular Assemblies, Genes and Genomics Integrated Efficiently (MAGGIE)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baliga, Nitin S

2011-05-26

Final report on MAGGIE. We set ambitious goals to model the functions of individual organisms and their community from molecular to systems scale. These scientific goals are driving the development of sophisticated algorithms to analyze large amounts of experimental measurements made using high throughput technologies to explain and predict how the environment influences biological function at multiple scales and how the microbial systems in turn modify the environment. By experimentally evaluating predictions made using these models we will test the degree to which our quantitative multiscale understanding wilt help to rationally steer individual microbes and their communities towards specific tasks. Towards this end we have made substantial progress towards understanding evolution of gene families, transcriptional structures, detailed structures of keystone molecular assemblies (proteins and complexes), protein interactions, biological networks, microbial interactions, and community structure. Using comparative analysis we have tracked the evolutionary history of gene functions to understand how novel functions evolve. One level up, we have used proteomics data, high-resolution genome tiling microarrays, and 5' RNA sequencing to revise genome annotations, discover new genes including ncRNAs, and map dynamically changing operon structures of five model organisms: For Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, Pyrococcus furiosis, Sulfolobus solfataricus, Methanococcus maripaludis and Haiobacterium salinarum NROL We have developed machine learning algorithms to accurately identify protein interactions at a near-zero false positive rate from noisy data generated using tagfess complex purification, TAP purification, and analysis of membrane complexes. Combining other genome-scale datasets produced by ENIGMA (in particular, microarray data) and available from literature we have been able to achieve a true positive rate as high as 65% at almost zero false positives

Surface-Assisted Self-Assembly Strategies Leading to Supramolecular Hydrogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Vigier-Carrière, Cécile; Boulmedais, Fouzia; Schaaf, Pierre; Jierry, Loïc

2018-02-05

Localized molecular self-assembly processes leading to the growth of nanostructures exclusively from the surface of a material is one of the great challenges in surface chemistry. In the last decade, several works have been reported on the ability of modified or unmodified surfaces to manage the self-assembly of low-molecular-weight hydrogelators (LMWH) resulting in localized supramolecular hydrogel coatings mainly based on nanofiber architectures. This Minireview highlights all strategies that have emerged recently to initiate and localize LMWH supramolecular hydrogel formation, their related fundamental issues and applications. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Identifying gene-environment interactions in schizophrenia: contemporary challenges for integrated, large-scale investigations.

Science.gov (United States)

van Os, Jim; Rutten, Bart P; Myin-Germeys, Inez; Delespaul, Philippe; Viechtbauer, Wolfgang; van Zelst, Catherine; Bruggeman, Richard; Reininghaus, Ulrich; Morgan, Craig; Murray, Robin M; Di Forti, Marta; McGuire, Philip; Valmaggia, Lucia R; Kempton, Matthew J; Gayer-Anderson, Charlotte; Hubbard, Kathryn; Beards, Stephanie; Stilo, Simona A; Onyejiaka, Adanna; Bourque, Francois; Modinos, Gemma; Tognin, Stefania; Calem, Maria; O'Donovan, Michael C; Owen, Michael J; Holmans, Peter; Williams, Nigel; Craddock, Nicholas; Richards, Alexander; Humphreys, Isla; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas; Leweke, F Markus; Tost, Heike; Akdeniz, Ceren; Rohleder, Cathrin; Bumb, J Malte; Schwarz, Emanuel; Alptekin, Köksal; Üçok, Alp; Saka, Meram Can; Atbaşoğlu, E Cem; Gülöksüz, Sinan; Gumus-Akay, Guvem; Cihan, Burçin; Karadağ, Hasan; Soygür, Haldan; Cankurtaran, Eylem Şahin; Ulusoy, Semra; Akdede, Berna; Binbay, Tolga; Ayer, Ahmet; Noyan, Handan; Karadayı, Gülşah; Akturan, Elçin; Ulaş, Halis; Arango, Celso; Parellada, Mara; Bernardo, Miguel; Sanjuán, Julio; Bobes, Julio; Arrojo, Manuel; Santos, Jose Luis; Cuadrado, Pedro; Rodríguez Solano, José Juan; Carracedo, Angel; García Bernardo, Enrique; Roldán, Laura; López, Gonzalo; Cabrera, Bibiana; Cruz, Sabrina; Díaz Mesa, Eva Ma; Pouso, María; Jiménez, Estela; Sánchez, Teresa; Rapado, Marta; González, Emiliano; Martínez, Covadonga; Sánchez, Emilio; Olmeda, Ma Soledad; de Haan, Lieuwe; Velthorst, Eva; van der Gaag, Mark; Selten, Jean-Paul; van Dam, Daniella; van der Ven, Elsje; van der Meer, Floor; Messchaert, Elles; Kraan, Tamar; Burger, Nadine; Leboyer, Marion; Szoke, Andrei; Schürhoff, Franck; Llorca, Pierre-Michel; Jamain, Stéphane; Tortelli, Andrea; Frijda, Flora; Vilain, Jeanne; Galliot, Anne-Marie; Baudin, Grégoire; Ferchiou, Aziz; Richard, Jean-Romain; Bulzacka, Ewa; Charpeaud, Thomas; Tronche, Anne-Marie; De Hert, Marc; van Winkel, Ruud; Decoster, Jeroen; Derom, Catherine; Thiery, Evert; Stefanis, Nikos C; Sachs, Gabriele; Aschauer, Harald; Lasser, Iris; Winklbaur, Bernadette; Schlögelhofer, Monika; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Borgwardt, Stefan; Walter, Anna; Harrisberger, Fabienne; Smieskova, Renata; Rapp, Charlotte; Ittig, Sarah; Soguel-dit-Piquard, Fabienne; Studerus, Erich; Klosterkötter, Joachim; Ruhrmann, Stephan; Paruch, Julia; Julkowski, Dominika; Hilboll, Desiree; Sham, Pak C; Cherny, Stacey S; Chen, Eric Y H; Campbell, Desmond D; Li, Miaoxin; Romeo-Casabona, Carlos María; Emaldi Cirión, Aitziber; Urruela Mora, Asier; Jones, Peter; Kirkbride, James; Cannon, Mary; Rujescu, Dan; Tarricone, Ilaria; Berardi, Domenico; Bonora, Elena; Seri, Marco; Marcacci, Thomas; Chiri, Luigi; Chierzi, Federico; Storbini, Viviana; Braca, Mauro; Minenna, Maria Gabriella; Donegani, Ivonne; Fioritti, Angelo; La Barbera, Daniele; La Cascia, Caterina Erika; Mulè, Alice; Sideli, Lucia; Sartorio, Rachele; Ferraro, Laura; Tripoli, Giada; Seminerio, Fabio; Marinaro, Anna Maria; McGorry, Patrick; Nelson, Barnaby; Amminger, G Paul; Pantelis, Christos; Menezes, Paulo R; Del-Ben, Cristina M; Gallo Tenan, Silvia H; Shuhama, Rosana; Ruggeri, Mirella; Tosato, Sarah; Lasalvia, Antonio; Bonetto, Chiara; Ira, Elisa; Nordentoft, Merete; Krebs, Marie-Odile; Barrantes-Vidal, Neus; Cristóbal, Paula; Kwapil, Thomas R; Brietzke, Elisa; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Gadelha, Ary; Maric, Nadja P; Andric, Sanja; Mihaljevic, Marina; Mirjanic, Tijana

2014-07-01

Recent years have seen considerable progress in epidemiological and molecular genetic research into environmental and genetic factors in schizophrenia, but methodological uncertainties remain with regard to validating environmental exposures, and the population risk conferred by individual molecular genetic variants is small. There are now also a limited number of studies that have investigated molecular genetic candidate gene-environment interactions (G × E), however, so far, thorough replication of findings is rare and G × E research still faces several conceptual and methodological challenges. In this article, we aim to review these recent developments and illustrate how integrated, large-scale investigations may overcome contemporary challenges in G × E research, drawing on the example of a large, international, multi-center study into the identification and translational application of G × E in schizophrenia. While such investigations are now well underway, new challenges emerge for G × E research from late-breaking evidence that genetic variation and environmental exposures are, to a significant degree, shared across a range of psychiatric disorders, with potential overlap in phenotype. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Construction of a controllable β-carotene biosynthetic pathway by decentralized assembly strategy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Wenping; Liu, Min; Lv, Xiaomei; Lu, Wenqiang; Gu, Jiali; Yu, Hongwei

2014-01-01

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an important platform organism for the synthesis of a great number of natural products. However, the assembly of controllable and genetically stable heterogeneous biosynthetic pathways in S. cerevisiae still remains a significant challenge. Here, we present a strategy for reconstructing controllable multi-gene pathways by employing the GAL regulatory system. A set of marker recyclable integrative plasmids (pMRI) was designed for decentralized assembly of pathways. As proof-of-principle, a controllable β-carotene biosynthesis pathway (∼16 kb) was reconstructed and optimized by repeatedly using GAL10-GAL1 bidirectional promoters with high efficiency (80-100%). By controling the switch time of the pathway, production of 11 mg/g DCW of total carotenoids (72.57 mg/L) and 7.41 mg/g DCW of β-carotene was achieved in shake-flask culture. In addition, the engineered yeast strain exhibited high genetic stability after 20 generations of subculture. The results demonstrated a controllable and genetically stable biosynthetic pathway capable of increasing the yield of target products. Furthermore, the strategy presented in this study could be extended to construct other pathways in S. cerevisisae. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Seismic Response Analysis of Assembled Reactor Vessel Internals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Je, Sang-Yun; Chang, Yoon-Suk; Kang, Sung-Sik

2015-01-01

RVIs (Reactor Vessel Internals) perform important safe-related functions such as upholding the nuclear fuel assembly as well as providing the coolant passage of the reactor core and supporting the control rod drive mechanism. Therefore, the components including RVIs have to be designed and constructed taking into account the structural integrity under various accident scenarios. The reliable seismic analysis is essentially demanded to maintain the safe-related functions of RVIs. In this study, a modal analysis was performed based on the previous researches to examine values of frequencies, mode shapes and participation factors. Subsequently, the structural integrity respecting to the earthquake was evaluated through a response spectrum analysis by using the output variables of modal analysis. In this study, the structural integrity of the assembled RVIs was carried out against the seismic event via the modal and response spectrum analyses. Even though 287MPa of the maximum stress value occurred at the connected region between UGS and CSA, which was lower than its allowable value. At present, fluid-structure interaction effects are being examined for further realistic simulation, which will be reported in the near future

Detailed channel thermal-hydraulic calculation of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhukov, A.V.; Sorokin, A.P.; Ushakov, P.A.; Yur'ev, Yu.S.

1981-01-01

The system of equations of mass balance, quantity of motion and energy used in calculation of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies is obtained. The equation system is obtained on the base of integral equations of hydrodynamics interaction in assemblies of smooth fuel elements and fuel elements with wire packing. The calculation results of coolant heating distributions by the fast reactor assembly channels are presented. The analysis of the results obtained shows that interchannel exchange essentially uniforms the coolant heating distribution in the peripheral range of the assembly but it does not remove non-uniformity caused by power distribution non-uniformity in the cross section. Geometry of the peripheral assembly range plays an essential role in the heating distribution. Change of the calculation gap between the peripheral fuel elements and assembly shells can result either in superheating or in subcooling in the peripheral channels relatively to joint internal channels of the assembly. Heat supply to the coolant passing through interassembly gaps decreases temperature in the assembly periphery and results in the increase of temperature non-uniformity by the perimeter of peripheral fuel elements. It is concluded that the applied method of the channel-by-channel calculation is ef-- fective in thermal-physical calculation of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies and it permits to solve a wide range of problems [ru

Toward allotetraploid cotton genome assembly: integration of a high-density molecular genetic linkage map with DNA sequence information

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Cotton is the world’s most important natural textile fiber and a significant oilseed crop. Decoding cotton genomes will provide the ultimate reference and resource for research and utilization of the species. Integration of high-density genetic maps with genomic sequence information will largely accelerate the process of whole-genome assembly in cotton. Results In this paper, we update a high-density interspecific genetic linkage map of allotetraploid cultivated cotton. An additional 1,167 marker loci have been added to our previously published map of 2,247 loci. Three new marker types, InDel (insertion-deletion) and SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) developed from gene information, and REMAP (retrotransposon-microsatellite amplified polymorphism), were used to increase map density. The updated map consists of 3,414 loci in 26 linkage groups covering 3,667.62 cM with an average inter-locus distance of 1.08 cM. Furthermore, genome-wide sequence analysis was finished using 3,324 informative sequence-based markers and publicly-available Gossypium DNA sequence information. A total of 413,113 EST and 195 BAC sequences were physically anchored and clustered by 3,324 sequence-based markers. Of these, 14,243 ESTs and 188 BACs from different species of Gossypium were clustered and specifically anchored to the high-density genetic map. A total of 2,748 candidate unigenes from 2,111 ESTs clusters and 63 BACs were mined for functional annotation and classification. The 337 ESTs/genes related to fiber quality traits were integrated with 132 previously reported cotton fiber quality quantitative trait loci, which demonstrated the important roles in fiber quality of these genes. Higher-level sequence conservation between different cotton species and between the A- and D-subgenomes in tetraploid cotton was found, indicating a common evolutionary origin for orthologous and paralogous loci in Gossypium. Conclusion This study will serve as a valuable genomic resource

Nursing education challenges and solutions in Sub Saharan Africa: an integrative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bvumbwe, Thokozani; Mtshali, Ntombifikile

2018-01-01

The Lancet Commission and the Global Health Workforce Alliance reported that professional education has generally not kept up the pace of health care challenges. Sub Saharan Africa needs an effective and efficient nursing education system to build an adequate, competent and relevant nursing workforce necessary for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. The Plan of Action for Scaling up Quality Nursing and Midwifery Education and Practice for the African Region 2012 - 2022 provided a framework for scale up of nurses and midwives. This integrative review examined literature on nursing education challenges and solutions in Sub Saharan Africa to inform development of a model for improving the quality, quantity and relevance of nursing education at local level. A search of PubMed, Medline on EBCSOhost and Google Scholar was conducted using key words: nursing education, challenges, solutions and/ or Africa. Published works from 2012 to 2016 were reviewed to explore reports about challenges and solution in nursing education in Sub Saharan Africa. Full texts of relevant studies were retrieved after reading the tittles and abstracts. Critical appraisal was undertaken and the findings of the relevant studies were analysed using thematic analysis. Twenty articles and five grey sources were included. Findings of the review generally supports World Health Organisation framework for transformative and scale up of health professions education. Six themes emerged; curriculum reforms, profession regulation, transformative teaching strategies, collaboration and partnership, capacity building and infrastructure and resources. Challenges and solutions in nursing education are common within countries. The review shows that massive investment by development partners is resulting in positive development of nursing education in Sub Saharan Africa. However, strategic leadership, networking and partnership to share expertise and best practices are critical. Sub Saharan Africa

Pressure effects on lipids and bio-membrane assemblies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas J. Brooks

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Membranes are amongst the most important biological structures; they maintain the fundamental integrity of cells, compartmentalize regions within them and play an active role in a wide range of cellular processes. Pressure can play a key role in probing the structure and dynamics of membrane assemblies, and is also critical to the biology and adaptation of deep-sea organisms. This article presents an overview of the effect of pressure on the mesostructure of lipid membranes, bilayer organization and lipid–protein assemblies. It also summarizes recent developments in high-pressure structural instrumentation suitable for experiments on membranes.

Barriers and challenges in integration of anthroposophic medicine in supportive breast cancer care.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Arye, Eran; Schiff, Elad; Levy, Moti; Raz, Orit Gressel; Barak, Yael; Bar-Sela, Gil

2013-01-01

In the last decade, more and more oncology centers are challenged with complementary medicine (CM) integration within supportive breast cancer care. Quality of life (QOL) improvement and attenuation of oncology treatment side effects are the core objectives of integrative CM programs in cancer care. Yet, limited research is available on the use of specific CM modalities in an integrative setting and on cancer patients' compliance with CM consultation. Studies are especially warranted to view the clinical application of researched CM modalities, such as anthroposophic medicine (AM), a unique CM modality oriented to cancer supportive care. Our objective was to characterize consultation patterns provided by physicians trained in CM following oncology health-care practitioners' referral of patients receiving chemotherapy. We aimed to identify characteristics of patients who consulted with AM and to explore patients' compliance to AM treatment. Of the 341 patients consulted with integrative physicians, 138 were diagnosed with breast cancer. Following integrative physician consultation, 56 patients were advised about AM treatment and 285 about other CM modalities. Logistic multivariate regression model found that, compared with patients receiving non-anthroposophic CM, the AM group had significantly greater rates of previous CM use [EXP(B) = 3.25, 95% C.I. 1.64-6.29, p = 0.001] and higher rates of cancer recurrence at baseline (p = 0.038). Most AM users (71.4%) used a single AM modality, such as mistletoe (viscum album) injections, oral AM supplements, or music therapy. Compliance with AM modalities following physician recommendation ranged from 44% to 71% of patients. We conclude that AM treatment provided within the integrative oncology setting is feasible based on compliance assessment. Other studies are warranted to explore the effectiveness of AM in improving patients' QOL during chemotherapy.

Digital Libraries: The Challenge of Integrating Instagram with a Taxonomy for Content Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simona Ibba

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Interoperability and social implication are two current challenges in the digital library (DL context. To resolve the problem of interoperability, our work aims to find a relationship between the main metadata schemas. In particular, we want to formalize knowledge through the creation of a metadata taxonomy built with the analysis and the integration of existing schemas associated with DLs. We developed a method to integrate and combine Instagram metadata and hashtags. The final result is a taxonomy, which provides innovative metadata with respect to the classification of resources, as images of Instagram and the user-generated content, that play a primary role in the context of modern DLs. The possibility of Instagram to localize the photos inserted by users allows us to interpret the most relevant and interesting informative content for a specific user type and in a specific location and to improve access, visibility and searching of library content.

The Self- and Directed Assembly of Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Benjamin David

This thesis explores the self- and directed assembly of nanowires. Specifically, we examine the driving forces behind nanowire self-assembly and the macro-structures that are formed. Particle-dense, oriented nanowire structures show promise in the fields of photonics, energy, sensing, catalysis, and electronics. Arrays of spherical particles have already found uses in electronic inks, sensing arrays, and many other commercial applications; but, it is a challenge to create specific arrays of morphologically and/or compositionally anisotropic particles. The following chapters illuminate the interactions that drive the assembly of anisotropic particles in high density solutions in the absence of applied fields or solution drying. Special emphasis is placed on the structures that are formed. The properties of micro- and nanoparticles and their assembly are introduced in Chapter 1. In particular, the properties of shape and material anisotropic particles are highlighted, while challenges in producing desired arrays are discussed. In this thesis, metallic nanowires of increasing complexity were used to examine the self-assembly behavior of both shape and material anisotropic particles. Nanowires were synthesized through templated electrodeposition. In this process, porous alumina membranes served as a template in which metal salts were reduced to form particles. Upon template dissolution, billions of nominally identical particles were released. We specifically focused on segmented, metallic nanowires 2-13 mum in length and 180 to 350 nm in diameter. Since these particles have strong van der Waals (VDWs) attractions, an electrostatically repulsive coating was necessary to prevent aggregation; we used small molecule, DNA, or amorphous silica coatings. Nanowires and their coatings were characterized by electron microscopy. In order to study self-assembly behavior, particle-dense aqueous suspensions were placed within an assembly chamber defined by a silicone spacer. The

Direct Assembly of Magnetic Janus Particles at a Droplet Interface

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xie, Qingguang; Davies, Gary B.; Harting, Jens

2017-01-01

Self-assembly of nanoparticles at fluid-fluid interfaces is a promising route to fabricate functional materials from the bottom-up. However, directing and controlling particles into highly tunable and predictable structures, while essential, is a challenge. We present a liquid interface assisted

Analysis of metabolomic data: tools, current strategies and future challenges for omics data integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Cambiaghi, Alice; Ferrario, Manuela; Masseroli, Marco

2017-05-01

Metabolomics is a rapidly growing field consisting of the analysis of a large number of metabolites at a system scale. The two major goals of metabolomics are the identification of the metabolites characterizing each organism state and the measurement of their dynamics under different situations (e.g. pathological conditions, environmental factors). Knowledge about metabolites is crucial for the understanding of most cellular phenomena, but this information alone is not sufficient to gain a comprehensive view of all the biological processes involved. Integrated approaches combining metabolomics with transcriptomics and proteomics are thus required to obtain much deeper insights than any of these techniques alone. Although this information is available, multilevel integration of different 'omics' data is still a challenge. The handling, processing, analysis and integration of these data require specialized mathematical, statistical and bioinformatics tools, and several technical problems hampering a rapid progress in the field exist. Here, we review four main tools for number of users or provided features (MetaCoreTM, MetaboAnalyst, InCroMAP and 3Omics) out of the several available for metabolomic data analysis and integration with other 'omics' data, highlighting their strong and weak aspects; a number of related issues affecting data analysis and integration are also identified and discussed. Overall, we provide an objective description of how some of the main currently available software packages work, which may help the experimental practitioner in the choice of a robust pipeline for metabolomic data analysis and integration. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Genomes correction and assembling: present methods and tools

Science.gov (United States)

Wojcieszek, Michał; Pawełkowicz, Magdalena; Nowak, Robert; Przybecki, Zbigniew

2014-11-01

Recent rapid development of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies provided significant impact into genomics field of study enabling implementation of many de novo sequencing projects of new species which was previously confined by technological costs. Along with advancement of NGS there was need for adjustment in assembly programs. New algorithms must cope with massive amounts of data computation in reasonable time limits and processing power and hardware is also an important factor. In this paper, we address the issue of assembly pipeline for de novo genome assembly provided by programs presently available for scientist both as commercial and as open - source software. The implementation of four different approaches - Greedy, Overlap - Layout - Consensus (OLC), De Bruijn and Integrated resulting in variation of performance is the main focus of our discussion with additional insight into issue of short and long reads correction.

Political Leadership and Challenges of National Integration and Development in Nigeria: The Way Forward

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akinbi Joseph Olukayode

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Concrete and genuine national integration and development have been elusive in Nigeria, which has been a thing of serious concern to scholars. The study interrogates why true integration and meaningful development have been elusive in the country? This constitutes the key problem of the study. The historical method of research and analysis was employed in the study as the paper under discussion covers the past, the present and likely implications on the future of the country. The major findings in the paper revealed various factors or challenges as been responsible for this abysmal state of affairsand which Nigerian political leaders have been battling with. The paper examines some of these challenges which among others include: the elusiveness of a national leader, corruption and mismanagement of material and human resources, lack of proper accountability on the part of Nigerian political leaders, the crushing economic depression which manifested in high cost of living, poverty, mass unemployment and dissatisfaction among the citizenry, problems of democratic consolidation, the Niger Delta environmental crisis, religious crisis and the recent Boko Haram scourge which had proved intractable for Nigerian government. The implication of the totality of all these factors has the effect of partly contributing to Nigeria perambulating at the same spot or even dancing backward rather than progressing, thereby making stability, true nation building, national integration and development elusive to the Nigerian nation. Recommendations proffered towards curbing the problems in the paper include: the need to learn from history, the need for improved electioneering culture, declaration of assets by political leaders to enhance accountability, respect for the secularity of Nigeria, creation of jobs and putting in place of people oriented programmes and the need for re-orientation of both leaders and followers in Nigeria.

A Design for an Orbital Assembly Facility for Complex Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Feast, S.; Bond, A.

A design is presented for an Operations Base Station (OBS) in low earth orbit that will function as an integral part of a space transportation system, enabling assembly and maintenance of a Cis-Lunar transportation infrastructure and integration of vehicles for other high energy space missions to be carried out. Construction of the OBS assumes the use of the SKYLON Single-Stage-to-Orbit (SSTO) spaceplane, which imposes design and assembly constraints due to its payload mass limits and payload bay dimensions. It is assumed that the space transport infrastructure and high mission energy vehicles would also make use of SKYLON to deploy standard transport equipment and stages bound by these same constraints. The OBS is therefore a highly modular arrangement, incorporating some of these other vehicle system elements in its layout design. Architecturally, the facilities of the OBS are centred around the Assembly Dock which is in the form of a large cylindrical spaceframe structure with two large doors on either end incorporating a skin of aluminised Mylar to enclose the dock. Longitudinal rails provide internal tether attachments to anchor vehicles and components while manipulators are used for the handling and assembling of vehicle structures. The exterior of the OBS houses the habitation modules for workforce and vehicle crews along with propellant farms and other operational facilities.

Electrostatic Self-Assembly Enabling Integrated Bulk and Interfacial Sodium Storage in 3D Titania-Graphene Hybrid.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Gui-Liang; Xiao, Lisong; Sheng, Tian; Liu, Jianzhao; Hu, Yi-Xin; Ma, Tianyuan; Amine, Rachid; Xie, Yingying; Zhang, Xiaoyi; Liu, Yuzi; Ren, Yang; Sun, Cheng-Jun; Heald, Steve M; Kovacevic, Jasmina; Sehlleier, Yee Hwa; Schulz, Christof; Mattis, Wenjuan Liu; Sun, Shi-Gang; Wiggers, Hartmut; Chen, Zonghai; Amine, Khalil

2018-01-10

Room-temperature sodium-ion batteries have attracted increased attention for energy storage due to the natural abundance of sodium. However, it remains a huge challenge to develop versatile electrode materials with favorable properties, which requires smart structure design and good mechanistic understanding. Herein, we reported a general and scalable approach to synthesize three-dimensional (3D) titania-graphene hybrid via electrostatic-interaction-induced self-assembly. Synchrotron X-ray probe, transmission electron microscopy, and computational modeling revealed that the strong interaction between titania and graphene through comparably strong van der Waals forces not only facilitates bulk Na + intercalation but also enhances the interfacial sodium storage. As a result, the titania-graphene hybrid exhibits exceptional long-term cycle stability up to 5000 cycles, and ultrahigh rate capability up to 20 C for sodium storage. Furthermore, density function theory calculation indicated that the interfacial Li + , K + , Mg 2+, and Al 3+ storage can be enhanced as well. The proposed general strategy opens up new avenues to create versatile materials for advanced battery systems.

Electrostatic Self-Assembly Enabling Integrated Bulk and Interfacial Sodium Storage in 3D Titania-Graphene Hybrid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Gui-Liang [Chemical; Xiao, Lisong [Center; Sheng, Tian [Collaborative; Liu, Jianzhao [Chemical; Hu, Yi-Xin [Chemical; Department; Ma, Tianyuan [Chemical; Amine, Rachid [Materials; Xie, Yingying [Chemical; Zhang, Xiaoyi [X-ray Science; Liu, Yuzi [Nanoscience; Ren, Yang [X-ray Science; Sun, Cheng-Jun [X-ray Science; Heald, Steve M. [X-ray Science; Kovacevic, Jasmina [Center; Sehlleier, Yee Hwa [Center; Schulz, Christof [Center; Mattis, Wenjuan Liu [Microvast Power Solutions, 12603; Sun, Shi-Gang [Collaborative; Wiggers, Hartmut [Center; Chen, Zonghai [Chemical; Amine, Khalil [Chemical

2017-12-15

Room temperature sodium-ion batteries have attracted increased attention for energy storage due to the natural abundance of sodium. However, it remains a huge challenge to develop versatile electrode materials with favorable properties, which requires smart structure design and good mechanistic understanding. Herein, we reported a general and scalable approach to synthesize 3D titania-graphene hybrid via electrostatic-interaction-induced self-assembly. Synchrotron X-ray probe, transmission electron microscopy and computational modeling revealed that the strong interaction between Titania and graphene through comparably strong van-der-Waals forces not only facilitates bulk Na+ intercalation but also enhances the interfacial sodium storage. As a result, the titania-graphene hybrid exhibits exceptional long-term cycle stability up to 5000 cycles, and ultrahigh rate capability up to 20 C for sodium storage. Furthermore, density function theory calculation indicated that the interfacial Li+, K+, Mg2+ and Al3+ storage can be enhanced as well. The proposed general strategy opens up new avenues to create versatile materials for advanced battery systems.

Integrated cancer therapy combined radiotherapy and immunotherapy. The challenge of using Gc protein-derived macrophage activating factor (GcMAF) as a key molecule

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uto, Yoshihiro; Hori, Hitoshi

2013-01-01

Radiation oncologists know the conflict between radiotherapy and immunotherapy, but now challenged trails of the integrative cancer therapies combined radiation therapy and various immunoreaction/immune therapies begin. We therefore review the recent results of basic research and clinical trial of the integrated cancer therapies which combined radiotherapy and various immune therapies/immunoreaction, and the challenged studies of combined use of radiotherapy and our developed cancer immunotherapy using serum GcMAF which is human serum containing Gc protein-derived macrophage activating factor (GcMAF). (author)

Implementation of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses strategy: challenges and recommendations in Botswana.

Science.gov (United States)

Mupara, Lucia U; Lubbe, Johanna C

2016-01-01

Under-five mortality has been a major public health challenge from time immemorial. In response to this challenge, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund developed the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) strategy and presented it to the whole world as a key approach to reduce child morbidity and mortality. Botswana started to implement the IMCI strategy in 1998. Reductions in the under-five mortality rate (U5MR) have been documented, although the reduction is not on par with the expected Millennium Development Goal 4 predictions. A quantitative study was done to identify the problems IMCI implementers face when tending children under 5 years in the Gaborone Health District of Botswana. The study population was made up of all the IMCI-trained and registered nurses, and systematic sampling was used to randomly select study participants. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The study findings indicated challenges related to low training coverage, health systems, and the unique features of the IMCI strategy. The comprehensive implementation of the IMCI strategy has the potential to significantly influence the U5MR in Botswana.

Implementation of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses strategy: challenges and recommendations in Botswana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia U. Mupara

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Under-five mortality has been a major public health challenge from time immemorial. In response to this challenge, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund developed the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI strategy and presented it to the whole world as a key approach to reduce child morbidity and mortality. Botswana started to implement the IMCI strategy in 1998. Reductions in the under-five mortality rate (U5MR have been documented, although the reduction is not on par with the expected Millennium Development Goal 4 predictions. Design: A quantitative study was done to identify the problems IMCI implementers face when tending children under 5 years in the Gaborone Health District of Botswana. The study population was made up of all the IMCI-trained and registered nurses, and systematic sampling was used to randomly select study participants. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Results: The study findings indicated challenges related to low training coverage, health systems, and the unique features of the IMCI strategy. Conclusions: The comprehensive implementation of the IMCI strategy has the potential to significantly influence the U5MR in Botswana.

Challenges in process integration of catalytic DC plasma synthesis of vertically aligned carbon nanofibres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melechko, Anatoli V; Pearce, Ryan C; Hensley, Dale K; Simpson, Michael L; McKnight, Timothy E

2011-01-01

The ability to synthesize free-standing, individual carbon nanofibres (CNFs) aligned perpendicularly to a substrate has enabled fabrication of a large array of devices with nanoscale functional elements, including electron field emission sources, electrochemical probes, neural interface arrays, scanning probes, gene delivery arrays and many others. This was made possible by development of a catalytic plasma process, with DC bias directing the alignment of nanofibres. Successful implementation of prototypical devices has uncovered numerous challenges in the integration of this synthesis process as one of the steps in device fabrication. This paper is dedicated to these engineering and fundamental difficulties that hinder further device development. Relatively high temperature for catalytic synthesis, electrical conductivity of the substrate to maintain DC discharge and other difficulties place restrictions on substrate material. Balancing non-catalytic carbon film deposition and substrate etching, non-uniformity of plasma due to growth of the high aspect ratio structures, plasma instabilities and other factors lead to challenges in controlling the plasma. Ultimately, controlling the atomistic processes at the catalyst nanoparticle (NP) and the behaviour of the NP is the central challenge of plasma nanosynthesis of vertically aligned CNFs.

Quantum-Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) Focal Plane Assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Jhabvala, Murzy; Jhabvala, Christine A.; Ewin, Audrey J.; Hess, Larry A.; Hartmann, Thomas M.; La, Anh T.

2012-01-01

A paper describes the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS), a QWIP-based instrument intended to supplement the Operational Land Imager (OLI) for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM). The TIRS instrument is a far-infrared imager operating in the pushbroom mode with two IR channels: 10.8 and 12 microns. The focal plane will contain three 640x512 QWIP arrays mounted on a silicon substrate. The silicon substrate is a custom-fabricated carrier board with a single layer of aluminum interconnects. The general fabrication process starts with a 4-in. (approx.10-cm) diameter silicon wafer. The wafer is oxidized, a single substrate contact is etched, and aluminum is deposited, patterned, and alloyed. This technology development is aimed at incorporating three large-format infrared detecting arrays based on GaAs QWIP technology onto a common focal plane with precision alignment of all three arrays. This focal plane must survive the rigors of flight qualification and operate at a temperature of 43 K (-230 C) for five years while orbiting the Earth. The challenges presented include ensuring thermal compatibility among all the components, designing and building a compact, somewhat modular system and ensuring alignment to very tight levels. The multi-array focal plane integrated onto a single silicon substrate is a new application of both QWIP array development and silicon wafer scale integration. The Invar-based assembly has been tested to ensure thermal reliability.

Radiation-Engineered Functionalized Nanogels as Platform for Biomedical Nanocarriers and Bio-Hybrid, Hierarchically Assembled Nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dispenza, C.; Sabatino, M.-A.; Alessi, S.; Spadaro, G.

2011-01-01

Radiation technologies can be considered as choice methodologies for the creation of new functional materials at the nanoscale, the challenge being now the integration of these and other novel nanomaterials into new materials and products. The possibility of generating nanoscalar PVP-based hydrogels particles, with reactive functional groups for subsequent bioconjugation, using industrial type accelerators has been demonstrated. These functional nanoparticles are under evaluation as nanocarriers for targeted release of drugs, but can also be considered as useful building blocks for the assembly of nanostructured materials with controlled architecture. In particular, molecular recognition strategies can be developed to tailor the structural and functional properties of the composite by attaching complementary sequences of molecules from biological source (peptides or oligonucleotides) that will tie nanoparticles together. Under the present CRP, biodegradable nanoparticles will be developed using xyloglucan, a relatively inexpensive polysaccharide as base material, in alternative to PVP. Chemical modification of xyloglucan will be attempted with the purpose of generating radiation cleavable crosslinked micro/nanoparticles. These micro/nanoparticles will incorporate stabilizers (antioxidants, such as quercetin) or pro-degrading agents (enzymes) and will be either dispersed into a biodegradable film forming polymer or self-assembled to form a supramolecular networked film or scaffold. For the purpose, suitable surface modification will be pursued either to promote compatibilisation with the matrix polymer or to efficiently drive the self-assembly process. UV or quantum beam irradiation will be investigated as trigger for the release of the entrapped actives from micro/nanoparticles. (author)

Radiation-Engineered Functionalized Nanogels as Platform for Biomedical Nanocarriers and Bio-Hybrid, Hierarchically Assembled Nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dispenza, C.; Sabatino, M. -A.; Alessi, S.; Spadaro, G.

2011-07-01

Radiation technologies can be considered as choice methodologies for the creation of new functional materials at the nanoscale, the challenge being now the integration of these and other novel nanomaterials into new materials and products. The possibility of generating nanoscalar PVP-based hydrogels particles, with reactive functional groups for subsequent bioconjugation, using industrial type accelerators has been demonstrated. These functional nanoparticles are under evaluation as nanocarriers for targeted release of drugs, but can also be considered as useful building blocks for the assembly of nanostructured materials with controlled architecture. In particular, molecular recognition strategies can be developed to tailor the structural and functional properties of the composite by attaching complementary sequences of molecules from biological source (peptides or oligonucleotides) that will tie nanoparticles together. Under the present CRP, biodegradable nanoparticles will be developed using xyloglucan, a relatively inexpensive polysaccharide as base material, in alternative to PVP. Chemical modification of xyloglucan will be attempted with the purpose of generating radiation cleavable crosslinked micro/nanoparticles. These micro/nanoparticles will incorporate stabilizers (antioxidants, such as quercetin) or pro-degrading agents (enzymes) and will be either dispersed into a biodegradable film forming polymer or self-assembled to form a supramolecular networked film or scaffold. For the purpose, suitable surface modification will be pursued either to promote compatibilisation with the matrix polymer or to efficiently drive the self-assembly process. UV or quantum beam irradiation will be investigated as trigger for the release of the entrapped actives from micro/nanoparticles. (author)

All-Organic High-Performance Piezoelectric Nanogenerator with Multilayer Assembled Electrospun Nanofiber Mats for Self-Powered Multifunctional Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Maity, Kuntal; Mandal, Dipankar

2018-05-30

Rapid development of wearable electronics, piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG), has been paid a special attention because of its sustainable and accessible energy generation. In this context, we present a simple yet highly efficient design strategy to enhance the output performance of an all-organic PNG (OPNG) based on multilayer assembled electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofiber (NF) mats where vapor-phase polymerized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-coated PVDF NFs are assembled as electrodes and neat PVDF NFs are utilized as an active component. In addition to the multilayer assembly, electrode compatibility and durability remain a challenging task to mitigate the primary requirements of wearable electronics. A multilayer networked three-dimensional structure integrated with a compatible electrode thereby provides enhanced output voltage and current (e.g., open-circuit voltage, V oc ≈ 48 V, and short-circuit current, I sc ≈ 6 μA, upon 8.3 kPa of the applied stress amplitude) with superior piezoelectric energy conversion efficiency of 66% compared to the single-mat device. Besides, OPNG also shows ultrasensitivity toward human movements such as foot strikes and walking. The weight measurement mapping is critically explored by principal component analysis that may have enormous applications in medical diagnosis to smart packaging industries. More importantly, fatigue test under continuous mechanical impact (over 6 months) shows great promise as a robust wearable mechanical energy harvester.

Pixel Detector Trial Assembly Test in the SR1 building

CERN Multimedia

D. Giugni

2004-01-01

During the last two months the Pixel group [LBL, Milan and Wuppertal] made a successful integration test on the mechanics of the barrel. The scope of the test was to qualify the integration procedures and the various assembling tools. The test took place in the clean room of the SR1 building at CERN, where the detector has been assembled around a dummy beam pipe made of Stainless Steel. The process is rather complex: the shells come in two parts and they have to be clamped together to get the full shell. This operation is carried out by a dedicated tool which is shown to the right in the picture below. The layer 1 shell is clamped around a "service" pipe that will be used for moving the full layer to the integration tool [ITT] which is visible on the left. View of the tools devoted to the Pixel barrel integration in the SR1 building Also visible in the picture is the global frame that is actually held by the tool. It will engage the layers sliding onto the rails. The first two layers are sequentially...

Enabling Graph Appliance for Genome Assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Rina [ORNL; Graves, Jeffrey A [ORNL; Lee, Sangkeun (Matt) [ORNL; Sukumar, Sreenivas R [ORNL; Shankar, Mallikarjun [ORNL

2015-01-01

In recent years, there has been a huge growth in the amount of genomic data available as reads generated from various genome sequencers. The number of reads generated can be huge, ranging from hundreds to billions of nucleotide, each varying in size. Assembling such large amounts of data is one of the challenging computational problems for both biomedical and data scientists. Most of the genome assemblers developed have used de Bruijn graph techniques. A de Bruijn graph represents a collection of read sequences by billions of vertices and edges, which require large amounts of memory and computational power to store and process. This is the major drawback to de Bruijn graph assembly. Massively parallel, multi-threaded, shared memory systems can be leveraged to overcome some of these issues. The objective of our research is to investigate the feasibility and scalability issues of de Bruijn graph assembly on Cray s Urika-GD system; Urika-GD is a high performance graph appliance with a large shared memory and massively multithreaded custom processor designed for executing SPARQL queries over large-scale RDF data sets. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no research on representing a de Bruijn graph as an RDF graph or finding Eulerian paths in RDF graphs using SPARQL for potential genome discovery. In this paper, we address the issues involved in representing a de Bruin graphs as RDF graphs and propose an iterative querying approach for finding Eulerian paths in large RDF graphs. We evaluate the performance of our implementation on real world ebola genome datasets and illustrate how genome assembly can be accomplished with Urika-GD using iterative SPARQL queries.

Assembly constraints drive co-evolution among ribosomal constituents.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallik, Saurav; Akashi, Hiroshi; Kundu, Sudip

2015-06-23

Ribosome biogenesis, a central and essential cellular process, occurs through sequential association and mutual co-folding of protein-RNA constituents in a well-defined assembly pathway. Here, we construct a network of co-evolving nucleotide/amino acid residues within the ribosome and demonstrate that assembly constraints are strong predictors of co-evolutionary patterns. Predictors of co-evolution include a wide spectrum of structural reconstitution events, such as cooperativity phenomenon, protein-induced rRNA reconstitutions, molecular packing of different rRNA domains, protein-rRNA recognition, etc. A correlation between folding rate of small globular proteins and their topological features is known. We have introduced an analogous topological characteristic for co-evolutionary network of ribosome, which allows us to differentiate between rRNA regions subjected to rapid reconstitutions from those hindered by kinetic traps. Furthermore, co-evolutionary patterns provide a biological basis for deleterious mutation sites and further allow prediction of potential antibiotic targeting sites. Understanding assembly pathways of multicomponent macromolecules remains a key challenge in biophysics. Our study provides a 'proof of concept' that directly relates co-evolution to biophysical interactions during multicomponent assembly and suggests predictive power to identify candidates for critical functional interactions as well as for assembly-blocking antibiotic target sites. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Directed Evolution to Engineer Monobody for FRET Biosensor Assembly and Imaging at Live-Cell Surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Limsakul, Praopim; Peng, Qin; Wu, Yiqian; Allen, Molly E; Liang, Jing; Remacle, Albert G; Lopez, Tyler; Ge, Xin; Kay, Brian K; Zhao, Huimin; Strongin, Alex Y; Yang, Xiang-Lei; Lu, Shaoying; Wang, Yingxiao

2018-04-19

Monitoring enzymatic activities at the cell surface is challenging due to the poor efficiency of transport and membrane integration of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensors. Therefore, we developed a hybrid biosensor with separate donor and acceptor that assemble in situ. The directed evolution and sequence-function analysis technologies were integrated to engineer a monobody variant (PEbody) that binds to R-phycoerythrin (R-PE) dye. PEbody was used for visualizing the dynamic formation/separation of intercellular junctions. We further fused PEbody with the enhanced CFP and an enzyme-specific peptide at the extracellular surface to create a hybrid FRET biosensor upon R-PE capture for monitoring membrane-type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) activities. This biosensor revealed asymmetric distribution of MT1-MMP activities, which were high and low at loose and stable cell-cell contacts, respectively. Therefore, directed evolution and rational design are promising tools to engineer molecular binders and hybrid FRET biosensors for monitoring molecular regulations at the surface of living cells. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenge problem and milestones for : Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freeze, Geoffrey A.; Wang, Yifeng; Howard, Robert; McNeish, Jerry A.; Schultz, Peter Andrew; Arguello, Jose Guadalupe, Jr.

2010-09-01

This report describes the specification of a challenge problem and associated challenge milestones for the Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC) supporting the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Campaign. The NEAMS challenge problems are designed to demonstrate proof of concept and progress towards IPSC goals. The goal of the Waste IPSC is to develop an integrated suite of modeling and simulation capabilities to quantitatively assess the long-term performance of waste forms in the engineered and geologic environments of a radioactive waste storage or disposal system. The Waste IPSC will provide this simulation capability (1) for a range of disposal concepts, waste form types, engineered repository designs, and geologic settings, (2) for a range of time scales and distances, (3) with appropriate consideration of the inherent uncertainties, and (4) in accordance with robust verification, validation, and software quality requirements. To demonstrate proof of concept and progress towards these goals and requirements, a Waste IPSC challenge problem is specified that includes coupled thermal-hydrologic-chemical-mechanical (THCM) processes that describe (1) the degradation of a borosilicate glass waste form and the corresponding mobilization of radionuclides (i.e., the processes that produce the radionuclide source term), (2) the associated near-field physical and chemical environment for waste emplacement within a salt formation, and (3) radionuclide transport in the near field (i.e., through the engineered components - waste form, waste package, and backfill - and the immediately adjacent salt). The initial details of a set of challenge milestones that collectively comprise the full challenge problem are also specified.

Challenge problem and milestones for: Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeze, Geoffrey A.; Wang, Yifeng; Howard, Robert; McNeish, Jerry A.; Schultz, Peter Andrew; Arguello, Jose Guadalupe Jr.

2010-01-01

This report describes the specification of a challenge problem and associated challenge milestones for the Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC) supporting the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Campaign. The NEAMS challenge problems are designed to demonstrate proof of concept and progress towards IPSC goals. The goal of the Waste IPSC is to develop an integrated suite of modeling and simulation capabilities to quantitatively assess the long-term performance of waste forms in the engineered and geologic environments of a radioactive waste storage or disposal system. The Waste IPSC will provide this simulation capability (1) for a range of disposal concepts, waste form types, engineered repository designs, and geologic settings, (2) for a range of time scales and distances, (3) with appropriate consideration of the inherent uncertainties, and (4) in accordance with robust verification, validation, and software quality requirements. To demonstrate proof of concept and progress towards these goals and requirements, a Waste IPSC challenge problem is specified that includes coupled thermal-hydrologic-chemical-mechanical (THCM) processes that describe (1) the degradation of a borosilicate glass waste form and the corresponding mobilization of radionuclides (i.e., the processes that produce the radionuclide source term), (2) the associated near-field physical and chemical environment for waste emplacement within a salt formation, and (3) radionuclide transport in the near field (i.e., through the engineered components - waste form, waste package, and backfill - and the immediately adjacent salt). The initial details of a set of challenge milestones that collectively comprise the full challenge problem are also specified.

Dielectrophoretic assembly of carbon nanotube devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dimaki, Maria

The purpose of this project has been to assemble single-walled carbon nanotubes on electrodes at the tip of a biocompatible cantilever and use these for chemical species sensing in air and liquid, for example in order to measure the local activity from ion channels in the cell membrane....... The electrical resistance of carbon nanotubes has been shown to be extremely sensitive to gas molecules. Dielectrophoresis is a method capable of quickly attracting nanotubes on microelectrodes by using an electric field, thus enabling nanotube integration in microsystems. Dielectrophoresis offers also....... A model for the dielectrophoretic assembly of carbon nanotubes on microelectrodes was developed and several simulations were conducted using values from the available literature for the various key parameters. The model can give qualitative results regarding the parameters dominating the dielectrophoretic...

Integrated deterministic and probabilistic safety assessment: Concepts, challenges, research directions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zio, Enrico

2014-01-01

Highlights: • IDPSA contributes to robust risk-informed decision making in nuclear safety. • IDPSA considers time-dependent interactions among component failures and system process. • Also, IDPSA considers time-dependent interactions among control and operator actions. • Computational efficiency by advanced Monte Carlo and meta-modelling simulations. • Efficient post-processing of IDPSA output by clustering and data mining. - Abstract: Integrated deterministic and probabilistic safety assessment (IDPSA) is conceived as a way to analyze the evolution of accident scenarios in complex dynamic systems, like nuclear, aerospace and process ones, accounting for the mutual interactions between the failure and recovery of system components, the evolving physical processes, the control and operator actions, the software and firmware. In spite of the potential offered by IDPSA, several challenges need to be effectively addressed for its development and practical deployment. In this paper, we give an overview of these and discuss the related implications in terms of research perspectives

Integrated deterministic and probabilistic safety assessment: Concepts, challenges, research directions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zio, Enrico, E-mail: enrico.zio@ecp.fr [Ecole Centrale Paris and Supelec, Chair on System Science and the Energetic Challenge, European Foundation for New Energy – Electricite de France (EDF), Grande Voie des Vignes, 92295 Chatenay-Malabry Cedex (France); Dipartimento di Energia, Politecnico di Milano, Via Ponzio 34/3, 20133 Milano (Italy)

2014-12-15

Highlights: • IDPSA contributes to robust risk-informed decision making in nuclear safety. • IDPSA considers time-dependent interactions among component failures and system process. • Also, IDPSA considers time-dependent interactions among control and operator actions. • Computational efficiency by advanced Monte Carlo and meta-modelling simulations. • Efficient post-processing of IDPSA output by clustering and data mining. - Abstract: Integrated deterministic and probabilistic safety assessment (IDPSA) is conceived as a way to analyze the evolution of accident scenarios in complex dynamic systems, like nuclear, aerospace and process ones, accounting for the mutual interactions between the failure and recovery of system components, the evolving physical processes, the control and operator actions, the software and firmware. In spite of the potential offered by IDPSA, several challenges need to be effectively addressed for its development and practical deployment. In this paper, we give an overview of these and discuss the related implications in terms of research perspectives.

Controlled Synthesis of Nanowire Assemblies by Ion-Track Template Electrodeposition

OpenAIRE

Rauber, Markus

2012-01-01

The development of methods that allow the organization of nanostructures into integrated arrangements is crucial to realizing applications based on nanowires. Although various such methods exist, the direct synthesis of complex nanowire structures is one of the most suitable approaches for translating a large quantity of nanostructures into micro-/macroscale dimensions. In particular, three-dimensional (3-D) nanowire assemblies with a high integration level and adjustable connecti...

Integrating chemical and biological status assessment: Assembling lines of evidence for the evaluation of river ecosystem risk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz Gracia, Isabel; Sabater, Sergi

2014-01-01

This paper describes various approaches to evaluating ecological risk in rivers affected by multiple chemical stressors, with emphasis on biofilm and invertebrate community responses. Metrics should be considered as different lines of evidence that, when weighted, form an advanced weight of evidence approach to establishing the environmental risk on a basin scale. Combination of field surveys to obtain observational data of communities, in situ experiments, toxicological sediment tests and a good chemical description of the medium (water and sediment) helps give an integrative view of the chemical and biological state of a river ecosystem. The greater and more distinct the variables used, the greater is our ability to identify the effects of major stressors impairing communities. Weight of evidence is an integrative methodology for tackling the challenge of determining causal relations and applying this knowledge in the decision-making processes of river management.

Main results of post-irradiation examinations of new-generation fuel assemblies VVER-1000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zvir, E.; Markov, D.; Polenok, V.; Zhitelev, V.; Kobylyansky, G.

2009-01-01

To increase the competitiveness of Russian nuclear fuel at the foreign market and to improve its technical and economic performance in order to provide a necessary level of safety, it is necessary to solve certain important tasks: Increase of fuel burn-up; Extension of operational lifetime of fuel assemblies and operational reliability of nuclear fuel; Introduction of cost-beneficial and flexible fuel cycles. Alternative fuel assemblies TVSA VVER-1000 and TVS-2 are used as a basis to optimize the nuclear fuel and develop advanced fuel cycles for nuclear power plants with VVER-1000 reactor types. Four fuel assemblies TVSA operated during 1 and up to 6 reactor cycles, reference fuel assembly TVS-2 operated during three reactor cycles and achieved an average fuel burnup of 48MW·day/kgU as well as failed fuel assembly TVS-2 operated during one cycle were examined at RIAR in recent years. The main objectives of these examinations were to obtain experimental data in support of operational integrity of products or to find out reasons of their failure. The performed post-irradiation examinations confirmed the operational integrity of alternative fuel assemblies TVSA including their geometrical stability up to the average fuel burnup of 55 MW·day/kgU over the fuel assembly (FA) (up to the maximal fuel burnup of ∼73 MW·day/kgU in fuel rods) and of TVS-2 up to the average fuel burnup of 48 MW·day/kgU over the fuel assembly. The changes introduced in the design of VVER-1000 fuel assembly during the development of alternative fuel assembly TVSA and TVS-2 did not make any negative effect on fuel rods. It was proved that causes of fuel rod failure were not related to design features of fuel assemblies. The design features and operating conditions of fuel assemblies under examinations are briefly described. Post-irradiation examinations proved the geometrical stability of fuel assemblies TVSA and TVS-2 under operation up to the fuel burnup of ∼50 MW day/kgU, as for the

Fuel assembly design for APR1400 with low CBC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hah, Chang Joo, E-mail: changhah@kings.ac.kr [Department of NPP Engineering, KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-29

APR 1400 is a PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) with rated power of 3983 MWth and 241 assemblies. Recently, demand for extremely longer cycle up to 24 months is increasing with challenge of higher critical boron concentration (CBC). In this paper, assembly design method of selecting Gd-rods is introduced to reduce CBC. The purpose of the method is to lower the critical boron concentration of the preliminary core loading pattern (PLP), and consequently to achieve more negative or less positive moderator temperature coefficient (MTC). In this method, both the ratio of the number of low-Gd rod to the number of high-Gd rod (r) and assembly average Gd wt% (w) are the decision variables. The target function is the amount of soluble boron concentration reduction, which can be converted to Δk{sub TARGET}. A set of new designed fuel assembly satisfies an objective function, min [f=∑{sub i}(Δk{sub FA}−Δk{sub i})], and enables a final loading pattern to reach a target CBC. The constraints required to determine a set of Δk are physically realizable pair, (r,w), and the sum of Δk of new designed assemblies as close to Δk{sub TARGET} as possible. New Gd-bearing assemblies selected based on valid pairs of (r,w) are replaced with existing assemblies in a PLP. This design methodology is applied to Shin-Kori Unit 3 Cycle 1 used as a reference model. CASMO-3/MASTER code is used for depletion calculation. CASMO-3/MASTER calculations with new designed assemblies produce lower CBC than the expected CBC, proving that the proposed method works successful.

Assembly factors for the membrane arm of human complex I.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Byron; Carroll, Joe; Ding, Shujing; Fearnley, Ian M; Walker, John E

2013-11-19

Mitochondrial respiratory complex I is a product of both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. The integration of seven subunits encoded in mitochondrial DNA into the inner membrane, their association with 14 nuclear-encoded membrane subunits, the construction of the extrinsic arm from 23 additional nuclear-encoded proteins, iron-sulfur clusters, and flavin mononucleotide cofactor require the participation of assembly factors. Some are intrinsic to the complex, whereas others participate transiently. The suppression of the expression of the NDUFA11 subunit of complex I disrupted the assembly of the complex, and subcomplexes with masses of 550 and 815 kDa accumulated. Eight of the known extrinsic assembly factors plus a hydrophobic protein, C3orf1, were associated with the subcomplexes. The characteristics of C3orf1, of another assembly factor, TMEM126B, and of NDUFA11 suggest that they all participate in constructing the membrane arm of complex I.

Bioprinting synthetic self-assembling peptide hydrogels for biomedical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loo, Yihua; Hauser, Charlotte A E

2016-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a disruptive technology for creating organotypic constructs for high-throughput screening and regenerative medicine. One major challenge is the lack of suitable bioinks. Short synthetic self-assembling peptides are ideal candidates. Several classes of peptides self-assemble into nanofibrous hydrogels resembling the native extracellular matrix. This is a conducive microenvironment for maintaining cell survival and physiological function. Many peptides also demonstrate stimuli-responsive gelation and tuneable mechanical properties, which facilitates extrusion before dispensing and maintains the shape fidelity of the printed construct in aqueous media. The inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability bodes well for in vivo applications as implantable tissues and drug delivery matrices, while their short length and ease of functionalization facilitates synthesis and customization. By applying self-assembling peptide inks to bioprinting, the dynamic complexity of biological tissue can be recreated, thereby advancing current biomedical applications of peptide hydrogel scaffolds. (paper)

Sequence assembly

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheibye-Alsing, Karsten; Hoffmann, S.; Frankel, Annett Maria

2009-01-01

Despite the rapidly increasing number of sequenced and re-sequenced genomes, many issues regarding the computational assembly of large-scale sequencing data have remain unresolved. Computational assembly is crucial in large genome projects as well for the evolving high-throughput technologies and...... in genomic DNA, highly expressed genes and alternative transcripts in EST sequences. We summarize existing comparisons of different assemblers and provide a detailed descriptions and directions for download of assembly programs at: http://genome.ku.dk/resources/assembly/methods.html....

Most advanced HTP fuel assembly design for EPR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francillon, Eric; Kiehlmann, Horst-Dieter

2006-01-01

End 2003, the Finnish electricity utility Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO) signed the contract for building an EPR in Olkiluoto (Finland). Mid 2004, the French electricity utility EDF selected an EPR to be built in France. In 2005, Framatome ANP, an AREVA and Siemens company, announced that they will be pursuing a design certification in the U.S. The EPR development is based on the latest PWR product lines of former Framatome (N4) and Siemens Nuklear (Konvoi). As an introductory part, different aspects of the EPR core characteristics connected to fuel assembly design are presented. It includes means of ensuring reactivity control like hybrid AIC/B4C control rod absorbers and gadolinium as burnable absorber integrated in fuel rods, and specific options for in-core instrumentation, such as Aeroball type instrumentation. Then the design requirements for the EPR fuel assembly are presented in term of very high burnup capacity, rod cladding and fuel assembly reliability. Framatome ANP fuel assembly product characteristics meeting these requirements are then described. EPR fuel assembly design characteristics benefit from the experience feedback of the latest fuel assembly products designed within Framatome ANP, leading to resistance to assembly deformation, high fuel rod restraint and prevention of handling hazards. EPR fuel assembly design features the best components composing the cornerstones of the upgraded family of fuel assemblies that FRAMATOME ANP proposes today. This family is based on a set of common characteristics and associated features, which include the HMP grid as bottom end spacer, the MONOBLOC guide tube and the Robust FUELGUARD as lower tie plate, the use of the M5 Alloy, as cladding and structure material. This fully re-crystallized, ternary Zr-Nb-O alloy produces radically improved in-reactor corrosion, very low hydrogen uptake and growth and an excellent creep behavior, which are described there. EPR fuel assembly description also includes fuel rod

Early Child Development and Nutrition: A Review of the Benefits and Challenges of Implementing Integrated Interventions1234

Science.gov (United States)

Hurley, Kristen M; Yousafzai, Aisha K; Lopez-Boo, Florencia

2016-01-01

Poor nutrition (substandard diet quantity and/or quality resulting in under- or overnutrition) and the lack of early learning opportunities contribute to the loss of developmental potential and life-long health and economic disparities among millions of children aged child development (ECD) or nutrition have been linked to positive child development and/or nutritional status, and recommendations currently advocate for the development and testing of integrated interventions. We reviewed the theoretical and practical benefits and challenges of implementing integrated nutrition and ECD interventions along with the evidence for best practice and benefit-cost and concluded that the strong theoretical rationale for integration is more nuanced than the questions that the published empirical evidence have addressed. For example, further research is needed to 1) answer questions related to how integrated messaging influences caregiver characteristics such as well-being, knowledge, and behavior and how these influence early child nutrition and development outcomes; 2) understand population and nutritional contexts in which integrated interventions are beneficial; and 3) explore how varying implementation processes influence the efficacy, uptake, and cost-benefit of integrated nutrition and ECD interventions. PMID:26980819

Integral measurements on Caliban and Prospero assemblies for nuclear data validation; Mesures integrales sur les assemblages Caliban et Prospero pour la validation des donnees nucleaires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casoli, P.; Authier, N.; Richard, B. [CEA Valduc, 21 - Is-sur-Tille (France); Ducauze-Philippe, M.; Cartier, J. [CEA Bruyeres-le-Chatel, 91 (France)

2011-07-15

How can the quality of nuclear data libraries be checked? Performing reference experiments also called benchmarks allows the testing of evaluated data. During these experiments, integral values such as reaction rates or neutron effective multiplication coefficients are measured. In this paper, the principles of benchmark construction are explained and illustrated with several works performed on the CALIBAN et PROSPERO critical assemblies operated by the Valduc center: benchmarks for dosimetry, activation reactions studies, neutron noise measurements. (authors)

BWR 9 X 9 Fuel Assembly Thermal-Hydraulic Tests (2): Hydraulic Vibration Test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshiaki Tsukuda; Katsuichiro Kamimura; Toshiitsu Hattori; Akira Tanabe; Noboru Saito; Masahiko Warashina; Yuji Nishino

2002-01-01

Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation (NUPEC) conducted thermal-hydraulic projects for verification of thermal-hydraulic design reliability for BWR high-burnup 8 x 8 and 9 x 9 fuel assemblies, entrusted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). As a part of the NUPEC thermal-hydraulic projects, hydraulic vibration tests using full-scale test assemblies simulating 9 x 9 fuel assemblies were carried out to evaluate BWR fuel integrity. The test data were applied to development of a new correlation for the estimation of fuel rod vibration amplitude. (authors)

Integral data for fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, P.J.; Poenitz, W.P.; McFarlane, H.F.

1988-01-01

Requirements at Argonne National Laboratory to establish the best estimates and uncertainties for LMR design parameters have lead to an extensive evaluation of the available critical experiment database. Emphasis has been put upon selection of a wide range of cores, including both benchmark, assemblies covering a range of spectra and compositions and power reactor mock-up assemblies with diverse measured parameters. The integral measurements have been revised, where necessary, using the most recent reference data and a covariance matrix constructed. A sensitivity database has been calculated, embracing all parameters, which enables quantification of the relevance of the integral data to parameters calculated with ENDF/B-V.2 cross sections

Self-assembling hybrid diamond–biological quantum devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albrecht, A; B Plenio, M; Koplovitz, G; Yochelis, S; Paltiel, Y; Retzker, A; Nevo, Y; Shoseyov, O; Jelezko, F; Porath, D

2014-01-01

The realization of scalable arrangements of nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond remains a key challenge on the way towards efficient quantum information processing, quantum simulation and quantum sensing applications. Although technologies based on implanting NV-centers in bulk diamond crystals or hybrid device approaches have been developed, they are limited by the achievable spatial resolution and by the intricate technological complexities involved in achieving scalability. We propose and demonstrate a novel approach for creating an arrangement of NV-centers, based on the self-assembling capabilities of biological systems and their beneficial nanometer spatial resolution. Here, a self-assembled protein structure serves as a structural scaffold for surface functionalized nanodiamonds, in this way allowing for the controlled creation of NV-structures on the nanoscale and providing a new avenue towards bridging the bio–nano interface. One-, two- as well as three-dimensional structures are within the scope of biological structural assembling techniques. We realized experimentally the formation of regular structures by interconnecting nanodiamonds using biological protein scaffolds. Based on the achievable NV-center distances of 11 nm, we evaluate the expected dipolar coupling interaction with neighboring NV-centers as well as the expected decoherence time. Moreover, by exploiting these couplings, we provide a detailed theoretical analysis on the viability of multiqubit quantum operations, suggest the possibility of individual addressing based on the random distribution of the NV intrinsic symmetry axes and address the challenges posed by decoherence and imperfect couplings. We then demonstrate in the last part that our scheme allows for the high-fidelity creation of entanglement, cluster states and quantum simulation applications. (papers)

Self-assembling hybrid diamond-biological quantum devices

Science.gov (United States)

Albrecht, A.; Koplovitz, G.; Retzker, A.; Jelezko, F.; Yochelis, S.; Porath, D.; Nevo, Y.; Shoseyov, O.; Paltiel, Y.; Plenio, M. B.

2014-09-01

The realization of scalable arrangements of nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond remains a key challenge on the way towards efficient quantum information processing, quantum simulation and quantum sensing applications. Although technologies based on implanting NV-centers in bulk diamond crystals or hybrid device approaches have been developed, they are limited by the achievable spatial resolution and by the intricate technological complexities involved in achieving scalability. We propose and demonstrate a novel approach for creating an arrangement of NV-centers, based on the self-assembling capabilities of biological systems and their beneficial nanometer spatial resolution. Here, a self-assembled protein structure serves as a structural scaffold for surface functionalized nanodiamonds, in this way allowing for the controlled creation of NV-structures on the nanoscale and providing a new avenue towards bridging the bio-nano interface. One-, two- as well as three-dimensional structures are within the scope of biological structural assembling techniques. We realized experimentally the formation of regular structures by interconnecting nanodiamonds using biological protein scaffolds. Based on the achievable NV-center distances of 11 nm, we evaluate the expected dipolar coupling interaction with neighboring NV-centers as well as the expected decoherence time. Moreover, by exploiting these couplings, we provide a detailed theoretical analysis on the viability of multiqubit quantum operations, suggest the possibility of individual addressing based on the random distribution of the NV intrinsic symmetry axes and address the challenges posed by decoherence and imperfect couplings. We then demonstrate in the last part that our scheme allows for the high-fidelity creation of entanglement, cluster states and quantum simulation applications.

Bacteriophage Assembly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anastasia A. Aksyuk

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Bacteriophages have been a model system to study assembly processes for over half a century. Formation of infectious phage particles involves specific protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions, as well as large conformational changes of assembly precursors. The sequence and molecular mechanisms of phage assembly have been elucidated by a variety of methods. Differences and similarities of assembly processes in several different groups of bacteriophages are discussed in this review. The general principles of phage assembly are applicable to many macromolecular complexes.

Challenges of Aircraft Design Integration

Science.gov (United States)

2003-03-01

predicted by the conceptual stick model and the full FEM of the Challenger wing without winglets . Advanced aerodynamic wing design methods To design wings...Piperni, E. Laurendeau Advanced Aerodynamics Bombardier Aerospace 400 CMte Vertu Road Dorval, Quebec, Canada, H4S 1Y9 Fassi.Kafyeke @notes.canadair.ca Tel...514) 855-7186 Abstract The design of a modern airplane brings together many disciplines: structures, aerodynamics , controls, systems, propulsion

Progress of EMBarrel assembly

CERN Multimedia

Chalifour, M

2002-01-01

The assembly of the sixteen "M" modules into a vertical axis cylinder has been achieved last Friday, completing the first wheel of the Electromagnetic Barrel Calorimeter (see picture). With this, an important milestone in the construction of the ATLAS detector has been reached. Future steps are the rotation of the cylinder axis into horizontal position, in order to integrate the presamplers and heat exchangers by the end of October. The transportation of the wheel and its insertion into the cryostat is the next major milestone, and is planned for the beginning of 2003. The construction of the modules (the so-called "P" modules) of the second wheel is ongoing at Saclay, Annecy and CERN, and will be completed in the coming months. The assembly of the second wheel should start at CERN in February, and its insertion in the cryostat is scheduled for June 2003. This achievement is the result of a successful collaboration of all institutes involved in the construction of the EM Barrel, namely Annecy, Saclay and CE...

An integrated framework for design, management and operation of reconfigurable assembly systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Manzini, Massimo; Unglert, Johannes Markus; Gyulai, Dávid; Colledani, Marcello; Jauregui Becker, Juan Manuel; Monostori, László; Urgo, Marcello

2017-01-01

Manufacturing has to cope with the continuously increasing variety of products, change of volumes and shortening product life cycles. These trends also affect the automotive sector: the frequent introduction of new models, materials and assembly technologies put the suppliers of make-to-order parts

Towards micro-assembly of hybrid MOEMS components on a reconfigurable silicon free-space micro-optical bench

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bargiel, S; Gorecki, C; Rabenorosoa, K; Clévy, C; Lutz, P

2010-01-01

The 3D integration of hybrid chips is a viable approach for the micro-optical technologies to reduce the costs of assembly and packaging. In this paper a technology platform for the hybrid integration of MOEMS components on a reconfigurable silicon free-space micro-optical bench (FS-MOB) is presented. In this approach a desired optical component (e.g. micromirror, microlens) is integrated with a removable and adjustable silicon holder which can be manipulated, aligned and fixed in the precisely etched rail of the silicon baseplate by use of a robotic micro-assembly station. An active-based gripping system allows modification of the holder position on the baseplate with nanometre precision. The fabrication processes of the micromachined parts of the micro-optical bench, based on bulk micromachining of standard silicon wafer and SOI wafer, are described. The successful assembly of the holders, equipped with a micromirror and a refractive glass ball microlens, on the baseplate rail is demonstrated.

Self-assembly of subwavelength nanostructures with symmetry breaking in solution

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Tian, Xiang-Dong; Chen, Shu; Zhang, Yue-Jiao; Dong, Jin-Chao; Panneerselvam, Rajapandiyan; Zhang, Yun; Yang, Zhi-Lin; Li, Jian-Feng; Tian, Zhong-Qun

2016-01-01

Nanostructures with symmetry breaking can allow the coupling between dark and bright plasmon modes to induce strong Fano resonance. However, it is still a daunting challenge to prepare bottom-up self-assembled subwavelength asymmetric nanostructures with appropriate gaps between the nanostructures especially below 5 nm in solution. Here we present a viable self-assembly method to prepare symmetry-breaking nanostructures consisting of Ag nanocubes and Au nanospheres both with tunable size (90-250 nm for Au nanospheres; 100-160 nm for Ag nanocubes) and meanwhile control the nanogaps through ultrathin silica shells of 1-5 nm thickness. The Raman tag of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) assists the self-assembly process and endows the subwavelength asymmetric nanostructures with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity. Moreover, thick silica shells (above 50 nm thickness) can be coated on the self-assembled nanostructures in situ to stabilize the whole nanostructures, paving the way toward bioapplications. Single particle scattering spectroscopy with a 360° polarization resolution is performed on individual Ag nanocube and Au nanosphere dimers, correlated with high-resolution TEM characterization. The asymmetric dimers exhibit strong configuration and polarization dependence Fano resonance properties. Overall, the solution-based self-assembly method reported here is opening up new opportunities to prepare diverse multicomponent nanomaterials with optimal performance.Nanostructures with symmetry breaking can allow the coupling between dark and bright plasmon modes to induce strong Fano resonance. However, it is still a daunting challenge to prepare bottom-up self-assembled subwavelength asymmetric nanostructures with appropriate gaps between the nanostructures especially below 5 nm in solution. Here we present a viable self-assembly method to prepare symmetry-breaking nanostructures consisting of Ag nanocubes and Au nanospheres both with tunable size (90-250 nm

Industrial-scale spray layer-by-layer assembly for production of biomimetic photonic systems.

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Krogman, K C; Cohen, R E; Hammond, P T; Rubner, M F; Wang, B N

2013-12-01

Layer-by-layer assembly is a powerful and flexible thin film process that has successfully reproduced biomimetic photonic systems such as structural colour. While most of the seminal work has been carried out using slow and ultimately unscalable immersion assembly, recent developments using spray layer-by-layer assembly provide a platform for addressing challenges to scale-up and manufacturability. A series of manufacturing systems has been developed to increase production throughput by orders of magnitude, making commercialized structural colour possible. Inspired by biomimetic photonic structures we developed and demonstrated a heat management system that relies on constructive reflection of near infrared radiation to bring about dramatic reductions in heat content.

State of the Art and Challenges for Offshore Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bela H. Buck

2018-05-01

Full Text Available By moving away from coastal waters and hence reducing pressure on nearshore ecosystems, offshore aquaculture can be seen as a possible step towards the large-scale expansion of marine food production. Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA in nearshore water bodies has received increasing attention and could therefore play a role in the transfer of aquaculture operations to offshore areas. IMTA holds scope for multi-use of offshore areas and can bring environmental benefits from making use of waste products and transforming these into valuable co-products. Furthermore, they may act as alternative marine production systems and provide scope for alternative income options for coastal communities, e.g., by acting as nodes for farm operation and maintenance requirements. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge on the implications of the exposed nature of offshore and open ocean sites on the biological, technological and socio-economic performance of IMTA. Of particular interest is improving knowledge about resource flows between integrated species in hydrodynamic challenging conditions that characterize offshore waters.

Membrane protein resistance of oligo(ethylene oxide) self-assembled monolayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaish, Amit; Vanderah, David J; Vierling, Ryan; Crawshaw, Fay; Gallagher, D Travis; Walker, Marlon L

2014-10-01

As part of an effort to develop biointerfaces for structure-function studies of integral membrane proteins (IMPs) a series of oligo(ethylene oxide) self-assembled monolayers (OEO-SAMs) were evaluated for their resistance to protein adsorption (RPA) of IMPs on Au and Pt. Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) was used to determine SAM thicknesses and compare the RPA of HS(CH2)3O(CH2CH2O)6CH3 (1), HS(CH2)3O(CH2CH2O)6H (2), [HS(CH2)3]2CHO(CH2CH2O)6CH3 (3) and [HS(CH2)3]2CHO(CH2CH2O)6H (4), assembled from water. For both substrates, SAM thicknesses for 1 to 4 were found to be comparable indicating SAMs with similar surface coverages and OEO chain order and packing densities. Fibrinogen (Fb), a soluble plasma protein, and rhodopsin (Rd), an integral membrane G-protein coupled receptor, adsorbed to the SAMs of 1, as expected from previous reports, but not to the hydroxy-terminated SAMs of 2 and 4. The methoxy-terminated SAMs of 3 were resistant to Fb but, surprisingly, not to Rd. The stark difference between the adsorption of Rd to the SAMs of 3 and 4 clearly indicate that a hydroxy-terminus of the OEO chain is essential for high RPA of IMPs. The similar thicknesses and high RPA of the SAMs of 2 and 4 show the conditions of protein resistance (screening the underlying substrate, packing densities, SAM order, and conformational mobility of the OEO chains) defined from previous studies on Au are applicable to Pt. In addition, the SAMs of 4, exhibiting the highest resistance to Fb and Rd, were placed in contact with undiluted fetal bovine serum for 2h. Low protein adsorption (≈12.4ng/cm(2)), obtained under these more challenging conditions, denote a high potential of the SAMs of 4 for various applications requiring the suppression of non-specific protein adsorption. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Assembly of viral genomes from metagenomes

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Saskia L Smits

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Viral infections remain a serious global health issue. Metagenomic approaches are increasingly used in the detection of novel viral pathogens but also to generate complete genomes of uncultivated viruses. In silico identification of complete viral genomes from sequence data would allow rapid phylogenetic characterization of these new viruses. Often, however, complete viral genomes are not recovered, but rather several distinct contigs derived from a single entity, some of which have no sequence homology to any known proteins. De novo assembly of single viruses from a metagenome is challenging, not only because of the lack of a reference genome, but also because of intrapopulation variation and uneven or insufficient coverage. Here we explored different assembly algorithms, remote homology searches, genome-specific sequence motifs, k-mer frequency ranking, and coverage profile binning to detect and obtain viral target genomes from metagenomes. All methods were tested on 454-generated sequencing datasets containing three recently described RNA viruses with a relatively large genome which were divergent to previously known viruses from the viral families Rhabdoviridae and Coronaviridae. Depending on specific characteristics of the target virus and the metagenomic community, different assembly and in silico gap closure strategies were successful in obtaining near complete viral genomes.

Holistic Considerations in Optimizing a Sterile Product Package to Ensure Container Closure Integrity.

Science.gov (United States)

Degrazio, Fran L

2018-01-01

A new major chapter dealing with container closure integrity was released by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention. Chapter provides a significant amount of education and guidance concerning test methodologies to prove that a system is integral and safe for use. The test method used is only one of the major considerations in approaching the challenge of proving an integral system. This paper takes a holistic review of all the major considerations needed in qualifying a new vial system for container closure integrity. There is substantial interplay among many aspects in the process of sealing a vial. This review helps to define major risks that need to be considered and mitigated and reinforces the need to understand the maximum allowable leakage limit that is acceptable for a specific drug application. A typical risk-based approach considers materials, test methods, process, people, environment, and equipment. Each of these aspects is considered in some detail along with a recommended process flow for building a best practice, science-based approach. This approach will inform decision making for evaluating the correct combination of components and assuring they are assembled and tested in an appropriate manner. This work, once completed, can be the basis for a vial system platform or specific drug application qualification. LAY ABSTRACT: Container closure integrity is a fundamental requirement of every sterile drug package. With recent upgrading of compendia standards and guidance around this issue, there is an opportunity to better define a best practice approach to a complicated subject. It is important to recognize that there is substantial interplay among the components of the system, the process of assembly, and the test methods that are used. This paper takes a holistic approach to discussing these issues and identifying the risks that must be considered in assuring an integral container over the shelf life of a drug product. © PDA, Inc. 2018.

Fast assembly of ordered block copolymer nanostructures through microwave annealing.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaojiang; Harris, Kenneth D; Wu, Nathanael L Y; Murphy, Jeffrey N; Buriak, Jillian M

2010-11-23

Block copolymer self-assembly is an innovative technology capable of patterning technologically relevant substrates with nanoscale precision for a range of applications from integrated circuit fabrication to tissue interfacing, for example. In this article, we demonstrate a microwave-based method of rapidly inducing order in block copolymer structures. The technique involves the usage of a commercial microwave reactor to anneal block copolymer films in the presence of appropriate solvents, and we explore the effect of various parameters over the polymer assembly speed and defect density. The approach is applied to the commonly used poly(styrene)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) and poly(styrene)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) families of block copolymers, and it is found that the substrate resistivity, solvent environment, and anneal temperature all critically influence the self-assembly process. For selected systems, highly ordered patterns were achieved in less than 3 min. In addition, we establish the compatibility of the technique with directed assembly by graphoepitaxy.

Integrated challenge test: a new approach evaluating quantitative risk assessment of Listeria in ready to eat foods

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Paolo Matteini

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The study was aimed to predict the maximum concentration of Listeria monocytogenes during the shelf life in chicken liver paté. The prediction has been performed using the integrated challenge test: a test based on the interaction between indigenous lactic flora and L. monocytogenes and their growth parameters. Two different approaches were investigated: the former is based on the time difference between the onset of the L. monocytogenes and the lactic flora stationary phases, while the latter is based on the lactic flora concentration capable to induct the stationary phase of L. monocytogenes. Three different strains of L. monocytogenes, isolated from meat products, were used to perform three challenge tests. Triplicate samples from three different batches of liver paté were inoculated with a single-strain inoculum of 1.8 Log CFU/g. Samples were then stored at 4°C, 8°C and 12°C. Lactobacillus spp. (ISO 15214:1998 and L. monocytogenes (UNI EN ISO 11290-02:2005 plate counts were performed daily on each sample until the stationary phase was reached by both populations. The challenge test results were input in the Combase software to determine the growth parameters, later used for the calculation method. Predictive data were then statically assessed against the results of two additional challenge tests using triplicate samples from two different batches, the same strains and the same single-strain inoculum. Samples from the first batch were stored for 5 days at 4°C + 5 days at 8°C + 5 days at 12°C; samples from the second batch were stored for 3 days at 4°C + 3 days at 8°C + 4 days at 12°C. The results obtained showed that both approaches provided results very close to the reality. Therefore the Integrated challenge test is useful to determine the maximum concentration of L. monocytogenes, by simply knowing the concentration of the concerned microbial populations at a given time.

Direct Electron Transfer of Enzymes in a Biologically Assembled Conductive Nanomesh Enzyme Platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung-Woo; Lee, Ki-Young; Song, Yong-Won; Choi, Won Kook; Chang, Joonyeon; Yi, Hyunjung

2016-02-24

Nondestructive assembly of a nanostructured enzyme platform is developed in combination of the specific biomolecular attraction and electrostatic coupling for highly efficient direct electron transfer (DET) of enzymes with unprecedented applicability and versatility. The biologically assembled conductive nanomesh enzyme platform enables DET-based flexible integrated biosensors and DET of eight different enzyme with various catalytic activities. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improving Phrap-based assembly of the rat using "reliable" overlaps.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Roberts

2008-03-01

Full Text Available The assembly methods used for whole-genome shotgun (WGS data have a major impact on the quality of resulting draft genomes. We present a novel algorithm to generate a set of "reliable" overlaps based on identifying repeat k-mers. To demonstrate the benefits of using reliable overlaps, we have created a version of the Phrap assembly program that uses only overlaps from a specific list. We call this version PhrapUMD. Integrating PhrapUMD and our "reliable-overlap" algorithm with the Baylor College of Medicine assembler, Atlas, we assemble the BACs from the Rattus norvegicus genome project. Starting with the same data as the Nov. 2002 Atlas assembly, we compare our results and the Atlas assembly to the 4.3 Mb of rat sequence in the 21 BACs that have been finished. Our version of the draft assembly of the 21 BACs increases the coverage of finished sequence from 93.4% to 96.3%, while simultaneously reducing the base error rate from 4.5 to 1.1 errors per 10,000 bases. There are a number of ways of assessing the relative merits of assemblies when the finished sequence is available. If one views the overall quality of an assembly as proportional to the inverse of the product of the error rate and sequence missed, then the assembly presented here is seven times better. The UMD Overlapper with options for reliable overlaps is available from the authors at http://www.genome.umd.edu. We also provide the changes to the Phrap source code enabling it to use only the reliable overlaps.

The Planck-LFI Radiometer Electronics Box Assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Herreros, J. M.; Gómez, M. F.; Rebolo, R.; Chulani, H.; Rubiño-Martin, J. A.; Hildebrandt, S. R.; Bersanelli, M.; Butler, R. C.; Miccolis, M.; Peña, A.; Pereira, M.; Torrero, F.; Franceschet, C.; López, M.; Alcalá, C.

2009-12-01

The Radiometer Electronics Box Assembly (REBA) is the control and data processing on board computer of the Low Frequency Instrument (LFI) of the Planck mission (ESA). The REBA was designed and built incorporating state of the art processors, communication interfaces and real time operating system software in order to meet the scientific performance of the LFI. We present a technical summary of the REBA, including a physical, functional, electrical, mechanical and thermal description. Aspects of the design and development, the assembly, the integration and the verification of the equipment are provided. A brief description of the LFI on board software is given including the Low-Level Software and the main functionalities and architecture of the Application Software. The compressor module, which has been developed as an independent product, later integrated in the application, is also described in this paper. Two identical engineering models EM and AVM, the engineering qualification model EQM, the flight model FM and flight spare have been manufactured and tested. Low-level and Application software have been developed. Verification activities demonstrated that the REBA hardware and software fulfil all the specifications and perform as required for flight operation.

The Planck-LFI Radiometer Electronics Box Assembly