A description of LUSTRA's common field sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berggren, Dan; Bergkvist, Bo; Johansson, Maj-Britt; Melkerud, Per-Arne; Nilsson, Aake; Olsson, Mats; Langvall, Ola; Majdi, Hooshang; Weslien, Per

2004-01-01

arena, and thus LUSTRA has gradually put more focus on the Kyoto process. LUSTRA was evaluated during spring 2002 and the general overall statement was that 'The ambitious goals of the LUSTRA program are very good and seem to be well understood by the participating researchers. However, for a second phase a focus on synthesis and synergy is recommended'. In LUSTRA we are performing integrated research on C fluxes at three common field sites (CFS) situated in a south-north transect in Sweden: Asa, Knottaasen and Flakaliden. Measurements started summer 2000. The intention was to establish a climate gradient through Sweden but keep other environmental parameters rather similar. Also within each site the ambition was to get a hydrological gradient going from dry, over mesic to moist conditions, i.e. from deep lying ground water level to shallow groundwater. According to the advises by the reviewers of LUSTRA phase 1, more focus will be on syntheses during LUSTRA phase 2 (2003-2006). However, measurements at the CFS will be continued during 2003 and 2004. The objectives of this paper are (i) to give a general description of the sites, (ii) to describe the abiotic measurements made at the different sites, including the data base, (iii) to describe the methods used to obtain background information about soils and vegetation (C pools and fluxes) and (iv) to present the background information about soils and vegetation

Sites of extranodal involvement are prognostic in patients with stage 1 follicular lymphoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Shastri, Aditi; Janakiram, Murali; Mantzaris, Ioannis; Yu, Yiting; Londono, Jaime S; Verma, Amit K; Barta, Stefan K

2017-10-03

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common indolent B cell lymphoma in the United States and a quarter of patients present with stage I disease. The objective of this study was to examine if primary site of disease influences survival in early stage lymphoma. The most common extranodal primary sites were the integumentary system (8%), followed by the GI tract (6.4%) and head & neck (5.6%). We stratified patients into a pre-rituximab era (1983-1998) and the rituximab era (1999-2011). In multivariable analysis, integumentary disease was associated with better overall survival (Hazard Ratio [HR], 0.77; Confidence Interval [CI], 0.66-0.9) while primary site FL of the nervous system (HR, 2.40; CI, 1.72-3.38) and the musculoskeletal system (HR, 2.14; CI, 1.44-3.18) were associated with worse overall survival when compared to primary nodal FL. Treatment in the pre-rituximab era, male gender and older age at diagnosis were associated with worse survival. We queried the SEER database from 1983 to 2011. We included all adult patients (>18 years) with histologically confirmed stage I FL, active follow-up, and a single primary tumor. A total of 9,865 patients met eligibility criteria, with 2520 (25%) having an extranodal primary site. We classified the primary sites by organ or anatomic location into 11 sites. Primary site of disease is a prognostic factor for patients with early stage FL and may help identify subsets of patients that could benefit from early, aggressive treatment.

A voice from the high wire: Public involvement in a co-operative siting process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oates, D.J.L.

1995-01-01

The author is a public consultation and communications consultant to the Siting Task Force (STF), Low level Radioactive Waste Management. The STF is a Canadian government-appointed yet independent body implementing a voluntary, co-operative siting process for a long term storage or disposal facility for 1 million cubic metres of LLRW. The presentation will document the experiences of and lessons learned by the author during her role developing and implementing a public involvement program for the process. The Co-operative Siting Process is a new approach to siting controversial facilities. It is based on the belief that communities should accept such a facility in their backyard and not be forced against their will on technical or political grounds. A formal 'ground rules-up-front' process was developed and is now being carried out, with completion slated for April, 1995. Putting these rules and theories into practice has resulted in significant changes being made to the work plan for technical activities, and in a sober second look at the intricacies involved in planning and carrying out a thorough and efficient public involvement program that remain practical and cost-effective. There is a delicate balancing act between meaningful public participation that lays the foundation for trust, confidence and consensus, and public involvement that can result in the process being side-tracked and legitimate solutions and technical activities becoming mired in political and personal agendas

Proposed training program for construction personnel involved in remedial action work at sites contaminated by naturally occurring radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berven, B.A.; Goldsmith, W.A.; Haywood, F.F.; Schiager, K.J.

1979-01-01

Many sites used during the early days of the US atomic energy program are contaminated with radionuclides of the primordial decay chains (uranium, thorium, and actinium series). This contamination consists of residues resulting from refining and processing uranium and thorium. Preparation of these sites for release to unrestricted private use will involve the assistance of construction workers, many of whom have limited knowledge of the hazards associated with radioactive materials. Therefore, there is a need to educate these workers in the fundamentals of radioactive material handling to minimize exposures and possible spread of contamination. This training should disseminate relevant information at an appropriate educational level and should instill a cautious, common-sense attitude toward the handling of radioactive materials. The training should emphasize basic information concerning environmental radiation within a context of relative risk. A multi-media format, including colorful visual aids, demonstration, and discussion, should be used to maximize motivation and retention. A detailed, proposed training program design is presented

Public/stakeholder involvement at two Department of Energy sites: Case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, R.H.

1995-01-01

Efforts to communicate the results of environmental studies and involve the public in environmental decisions have increased nationwide. Outreach efforts at two US Department of Energy sites (i.e., the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State and the Pantex Plant in the Texas Panhandle) have used a broad spectrum of communications media, including technical articles (open literature and symposium publications, annual and topical reports); information brochures and fact sheets; video productions; interactive exhibits, presentations at scientific, technical, civic, and other public meetings; and proactive interactions with the news media and with local, state, federal, and other agencies. In addition, representatives of local communities now operate offsite environmental monitoring stations and Native Americans are involved in studying cultural resources, fisheries, and other issues at Hanford and a program to obtain environmental samples from neighbor's property is underway at the Pantex Plant. All major environmental programs, such as the multi-year effort to reconstruct past radiological doses to offsite human populations at Hanford, are now conducted with open public participation

Public/stakeholder involvement at two Department of Energy sites: Case studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gray, R.H. [Battelle Pantex, Amarillo, TX (United States)

1995-12-31

Efforts to communicate the results of environmental studies and involve the public in environmental decisions have increased nationwide. Outreach efforts at two US Department of Energy sites (i.e., the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State and the Pantex Plant in the Texas Panhandle) have used a broad spectrum of communications media, including technical articles (open literature and symposium publications, annual and topical reports); information brochures and fact sheets; video productions; interactive exhibits, presentations at scientific, technical, civic, and other public meetings; and proactive interactions with the news media and with local, state, federal, and other agencies. In addition, representatives of local communities now operate offsite environmental monitoring stations and Native Americans are involved in studying cultural resources, fisheries, and other issues at Hanford and a program to obtain environmental samples from neighbor`s property is underway at the Pantex Plant. All major environmental programs, such as the multi-year effort to reconstruct past radiological doses to offsite human populations at Hanford, are now conducted with open public participation.

Who and What Does Involvement Involve?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Jeppe Oute; Petersen, Anders; Huniche, Lotte

2015-01-01

This article gives an account of aspects of a multi-sited field study of involvement of relatives in Danish psychiatry. By following metaphors of involvement across three sites of the psychiatric systema family site, a clinical site and a policy sitethe first author (J.O.) investigated how...... theoretical perspective laid out by Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, the aim of this study is to show how the dominant discourse about involvement at the political and clinical sites is constituted by understandings of mentally ill individuals and by political objectives of involvement. The analysis...... the responsibility toward the mental health of the ill individual as well as toward the psychological milieu of the family....

Program Director as Webmaster? Analysis of 131 Anesthesiology Department Web Sites and Program Director Web Site Involvement and Opinion Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Daneshpayeh, Negin; Lee, Howard; Berger, Jeffrey

2013-01-01

The last formal review of academic anesthesiology department Web sites (ADWs) for content was conducted in 2009. ADWs have been rated as very important by medical students in researching residency training programs; however, the rapid evolution of sites require that descriptive statistics must be more current to be considered reliable. We set out to provide an updated overview of ADW content and to better understand residency program directors' (PD) role and comfort with ADWs. Two independent reviewers (ND and HL) analyzed all 131 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited ADWs. A binary system (Yes/No) was used to determine which features were present. Reviewer reliability was confirmed with inter-rater reliability and percentage agreement calculation. Additionally, a blinded electronic survey (Survey Monkey, Portland, OR) was sent to anesthesiology residency PDs via electronic mail investigating the audiences for ADWs, the frequency of updates and the degree of PD involvement. 13% of anesthesiology departments still lack a Web site with a homepage with links to the residency program and educational offerings (18% in 2009). Only half (55%) of Web sites contain information for medical students, including clerkship information. Furthermore, programs rarely contain up-to-date calendars (13%), accreditation cycle lengths (11%), accreditation dates (7%) or board pass rates (6%). The PD survey, completed by 42 of 131 PDs, noted a correlation (r = 0.36) between the number of years as PD and the frequency of Web site updates - less experienced PDs appear to update their sites more frequently (p = 0.03). Although 86% of PDs regarded a Web site as "very" important in recruitment, only 9% felt "very" comfortable with the skills required to advertise and market a Web site. Despite the overall increase in ADW content since 2009, privacy concerns, limited resources and time constraints may prevent PDs from providing the most up-to-date Web sites for

Surgical site infection in orthopedic implants and its common bacteria with their sensitivities to antibiotics, in open reduction internal fixation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, M.Q.; Zardad, M.S.; Khan, A.; Ahmed, S.; Awan, A. S.; Mohammad, T.

2017-01-01

Surgical site infection in orthopaedic implants is a major problem, causing long hospital stay, cost to the patient and is a burden on health care facilities. It increases rate of non-union, osteomyelitis, implant failure, sepsis, multiorgan dysfunction and even death. Surgical site infection is defined as pain, erythema, swelling and discharge from wound site. Surgical site infection in orthopaedic implants is more challenging to the treating orthopaedic surgeon as the causative organism is protected by a biofilm over the implant's surface. Antibiotics cannot cross this film to reach the bacteria's, causing infection. Method: This descriptive case series study includes 132 patients of both genders with ages between 13 years to 60 years conducted at Orthopaedic Unit, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad from 1st October 2015 to 31st March 2016. Patients with close fractures of long bones were included in the study to determine the frequency of surgical site infection in orthopaedic implants and the type of bacteria involved and their sensitivity to various antibiotics. All implants were of stainless steel. The implants used were Dynamic hip screws, Dynamic compression screws, plates, k-wires, Interlocking nails, SIGN nails, Austin Moore prosthesis and tension band wires. Pre-op and post-op antibiotics used were combination of Sulbactum and Cefoperazone which was given 1 hour before surgery and continued for 72 hours after surgery. Patients were followed up to 4 weeks. Pus was taken on culture stick, from those who developed infection. Results were entered in the pro forma. Results: A total of 132 patients of long bone fractures, who were treated with open reduction and internal fixation, were studied. Only 7 patients developed infection. Staphylococcus Aureus was isolated from all 7 patients. Staphylococcus aureus was sensitive to Linezolid, Fusidic Acid, and vancomycin. Cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, Gentamycin and Clindamycin were partially effective. Conclusion

Structural insight to mutation effects uncover a common allosteric site in class C GPCRs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harpsøe, Kasper; Boesgaard, Michael W; Munk, Christian

2017-01-01

MOTIVATION: Class C G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) regulate important physiological functions and allosteric modulators binding to the transmembrane domain constitute an attractive and, due to a lack of structural insight, a virtually unexplored potential for therapeutics and the food industry....... Combining pharmacological site-directed mutagenesis data with the recent class C GPCR experimental structures will provide a foundation for rational design of new therapeutics. RESULTS: We uncover one common site for both positive and negative modulators with different amino acid layouts that can...

Multi-objective decisions in land-use planning involving chemical sites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, B.; Bertelsen, I.; Burchard, V.

1999-01-01

A methodology for land-use planning involving chemical sites has been developed for making decisions in local and regional administrations. The methodology structures the planning process in seven steps, where one can loop through the steps several times.Essential parts of the methodology...... are the specification of objectives and the development of alternatives where the objectives sets the frame in which the alternatives are assessed and compared. The list of objectives includes the following items: safetyand accidents, public distortion and health, environmental impact, cultural and natural heritage...

The concept and evolution of involved site radiation therapy for lymphoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Specht, Lena; Yahalom, Joachim

2015-01-01

We describe the development of radiation therapy for lymphoma from extended field radiotherapy of the past to modern conformal treatment with involved site radiation therapy based on advanced imaging, three-dimensional treatment planning and advanced treatment delivery techniques. Today, radiation...... therapy is part of the multimodality treatment of lymphoma, and the irradiated tissue volume is much smaller than before, leading to highly significant reductions in the risks of long-term complications....

Community Involvement in Tourism Development: A Case Study of Lenggong Valley World Heritage Site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Khadar Nur Zafirah

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the empirical relationship between the economic impact and community involvement in the Lenggong Valley. Recommendations for improvement in development effectiveness through the development of a community centre for economic and social activities, with specific attention given to types of activity and community involvement stimulating the economic development in the Lenggong Valley. Heritage tourism development is a tourism in which arts, culture and heritage form a key attraction for visitors and it can be represented as an area of significant economic benefit to heritage sites. The tourism industry in Hulu Perak became more widespread after Lenggong Valley is recognized as a World Heritage Site. There is shown a positive effect on the development and economic prosperity.

Common integration sites of published datasets identified using a graph-based framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro Vasciaveo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available With next-generation sequencing, the genomic data available for the characterization of integration sites (IS has dramatically increased. At present, in a single experiment, several thousand viral integration genome targets can be investigated to define genomic hot spots. In a previous article, we renovated a formal CIS analysis based on a rigid fixed window demarcation into a more stretchy definition grounded on graphs. Here, we present a selection of supporting data related to the graph-based framework (GBF from our previous article, in which a collection of common integration sites (CIS was identified on six published datasets. In this work, we will focus on two datasets, ISRTCGD and ISHIV, which have been previously discussed. Moreover, we show in more detail the workflow design that originates the datasets.

Human glutaminyl cyclase and bacterial zinc aminopeptidase share a common fold and active site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Misquitta Stephanie A

2004-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Glutaminyl cyclase (QC forms the pyroglutamyl residue at the amino terminus of numerous secretory peptides and proteins. We previously proposed the mammalian QC has some features in common with zinc aminopeptidases. We now have generated a structural model for human QC based on the aminopeptidase fold (pdb code 1AMP and mutated the apparent active site residues to assess their role in QC catalysis. Results The structural model proposed here for human QC, deposited in the protein databank as 1MOI, is supported by a variety of fold prediction programs, by the circular dichroism spectrum, and by the presence of the disulfide. Mutagenesis of the six active site residues present in both 1AMP and QC reveal essential roles for the two histidines (140 and 330, QC numbering and the two glutamates (201 and 202, while the two aspartates (159 and 248 appear to play no catalytic role. ICP-MS analysis shows less than stoichiometric zinc (0.3:1 in the purified enzyme. Conclusions We conclude that human pituitary glutaminyl cyclase and bacterial zinc aminopeptidase share a common fold and active site residues. In contrast to the aminopeptidase, however, QC does not appear to require zinc for enzymatic activity.

Decreasing Risky Behavior on Social Network Sites: The Impact of Parental Involvement in Secondary Education Interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanderhoven, Ellen; Schellens, Tammy; Valcke, Martin

2016-06-01

Teenagers face significant risks when using increasingly popular social network sites. Prevention and intervention efforts to raise awareness about these risks and to change risky behavior (so-called "e-safety" interventions) are essential for the wellbeing of these minors. However, several studies have revealed that while school interventions often affect awareness, they have only a limited impact on pupils' unsafe behavior. Utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior and theories about parental involvement, we hypothesized that involving parents in an e-safety intervention would positively influence pupils' intentions and behavior. In a quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-test measures involving 207 pupils in secondary education, we compared the impact of an intervention without parental involvement with one that included active parental involvement by means of a homework task. We found that whereas parental involvement was not necessary to improve the intervention's impact on risk awareness, it did change intentions to engage in certain unsafe behavior, such as posting personal and sexual information on the profile page of a social network site, and in reducing existing problematic behavior. This beneficial impact was particularly evident for boys. These findings suggest that developing prevention campaigns with active parental involvement is well worth the effort. Researchers and developers should therefore focus on other efficient strategies to involve parents.

G. Nuclear power plant siting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

The selection of a site for a nuclear power site is a complex process involving considerations of public health and safety, engineering design, economics, and environmental impact. Although policies adopted in various countries differ in some details, a common philosophy usually underlies the criteria employed. The author discusses the basic requirements, as they relate to New Zealand, under the headings: engineering and economics; health and safety; environmental factors

Intelligence, creativity, and cognitive control: The common and differential involvement of executive functions in intelligence and creativity

Science.gov (United States)

Benedek, Mathias; Jauk, Emanuel; Sommer, Markus; Arendasy, Martin; Neubauer, Aljoscha C.

2014-01-01

Intelligence and creativity are known to be correlated constructs suggesting that they share a common cognitive basis. The present study assessed three specific executive abilities – updating, shifting, and inhibition – and examined their common and differential relations to fluid intelligence and creativity (i.e., divergent thinking ability) within a latent variable model approach. Additionally, it was tested whether the correlation of fluid intelligence and creativity can be explained by a common executive involvement. As expected, fluid intelligence was strongly predicted by updating, but not by shifting or inhibition. Creativity was predicted by updating and inhibition, but not by shifting. Moreover, updating (and the personality factor openness) was found to explain a relevant part of the shared variance between intelligence and creativity. The findings provide direct support for the executive involvement in creative thought and shed further light on the functional relationship between intelligence and creativity. PMID:25278640

Photoinhibition in common atlantic macroalgae measured on site in Gran Canaria

Science.gov (United States)

Häder, D.-P.; Porst, M.; Lebert, M.

2001-03-01

The photosynthetic quantum yield was analysed in four common atlantic macroalgae, the Rhodophytes Gelidium arbuscula and Halopithys incurvus and the Phaeophytes Halopteris scoparia and Lobophora variegata in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands at their growth site. The fluorescence parameters were measured using a portable pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometer (PAM 2000) instrument and a diving PAM under water without removing the thalli from their growth sites. Solar radiation was monitored continuously above and under water during the whole experimental period using two three-channel dosimeters (European light dosimeter network; ELDONET) (Real Time Computer, Möhrendorf, Germany). These instruments measure solar radiation in three wavelength ranges, ultraviolet (UV)-A, UV-B and photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). In all four algae the effective photosynthetic quantum yield decreased significantly from the optimal values measured after dark adaptation due to exposure to 15 min solar radiation, but at least partially recovered subsequently in the shade within several hours. Increasing the exposure period to 30 min intensified the photoinhibition. In some algae no recovery was observed after this treatment and in others no significant recovery could be detected. Exposure to unfiltered solar radiation caused a significantly higher photoinhibition than PAR-only radiation or PAR plus UV-A. A substantial inhibition was found in all algae at their growth sites in the water column when the sun was at high angles, as measured with the diving PAM.

Increased expression of aphidicolin-induced common fragile sites in Tourette syndrome: The key to understand the genetics of comorbid phenotypes?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gericke, G.S.; Simonic, I.; Cloete, E.; Becker, P.J. [Univ. of Pretoria (South Africa)

1996-02-16

In a comparison of 80 common aphidicolin-induced fragile sites (FS) between 26 DSM-IV Tourette syndrome (TS) and 24 control individuals, the mean of the summed break frequencies following mild aphidicolin pretreatment was significantly higher in TS individuals than in controls (P < 0.001). Other breakpoints encountered during this study, i.e., random breaks, breaks corresponding to rare FS, and breakpoints recorded by others but not listed as common FS according to the Chromosome Coordinating Meeting were listed as category II breakpoints. By using the most significantly different mean FS breakage figures between TS and control individuals, further stepwise discriminant analysis allowed identification of TS individuals from only a few sites in both the common FS and category II breakpoint groups. Future research needs to focus on confirmation of altered common fragile site expression in association with behavioral variation, whether expression of certain discriminatory sites concurs with specific comorbid disorder expression; the nature of the molecular alterations at these FS and the implications of a genomic instability phenotype for the mapping of a primary TS gene or genes. 45 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.

The Oskarshamn model for public involvement in the siting of nuclear facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aahagen, H. [Ahagen and Co (Sweden); CarIsson, Torsten [Mayor, Oskarshamn (Sweden); Hallberg, K. [Local Competence Building, Oskarshamn (Sweden); Andersson, Kjell [Karinta-Konsult, Taeby(Sweden)

1999-12-01

The Oskarshamn model has so far worked extremely well as a tool to achieve openness and public participation. The municipality involvement has been successful in several aspects, e.g.: It has been possible to influence the program, to a large extent, to meet certain municipality conditions and to ensure the local perspective. The local competence has increased to a considerable degree. The activities generated by the six working groups with a total of 40 members have generated a large number of contacts with various organisations, schools, mass media, individuals in the general public and interest groups. For the future, clarification of the disposal method and site selection criteria as well as the site selection process as such is crucial. The municipality has also emphasised the importance of SKB having shown the integration between site selection criteria, the feasibility study and the safety assessment. Furthermore, the programs for the encapsulation facility and the repository must be co-ordinated. For Oskarshamn it will be of utmost importance that the repository is well under way to be realised before the encapsulation facility can be built.

The Oskarshamn model for public involvement in the siting of nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aahagen, H.; CarIsson, Torsten; Hallberg, K.; Andersson, Kjell

1999-01-01

The Oskarshamn model has so far worked extremely well as a tool to achieve openness and public participation. The municipality involvement has been successful in several aspects, e.g.: It has been possible to influence the program, to a large extent, to meet certain municipality conditions and to ensure the local perspective. The local competence has increased to a considerable degree. The activities generated by the six working groups with a total of 40 members have generated a large number of contacts with various organisations, schools, mass media, individuals in the general public and interest groups. For the future, clarification of the disposal method and site selection criteria as well as the site selection process as such is crucial. The municipality has also emphasised the importance of SKB having shown the integration between site selection criteria, the feasibility study and the safety assessment. Furthermore, the programs for the encapsulation facility and the repository must be co-ordinated. For Oskarshamn it will be of utmost importance that the repository is well under way to be realised before the encapsulation facility can be built

Involvement of two classes of binding sites in the interactions of cyclophilin B with peripheral blood T-lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Denys, A; Allain, F; Carpentier, M; Spik, G

1998-12-15

Cyclophilin B (CyPB) is a cyclosporin A (CsA)-binding protein, mainly associated with the secretory pathway, and is released in biological fluids. We recently reported that CyPB specifically binds to T-lymphocytes and promotes enhanced incorporation of CsA. The interactions with cellular binding sites involved, at least in part, the specific N-terminal extension of the protein. In this study, we intended to specify further the nature of the CyPB-binding sites on peripheral blood T-lymphocytes. We first provide evidence that the CyPB binding to heparin-Sepharose is prevented by soluble sulphated glycosaminoglycans (GAG), raising the interesting possibility that such interactions may occur on the T-cell surface. We then characterized CyPB binding to T-cell surface GAG and found that these interactions involved the N-terminal extension of CyPB, but not its conserved CsA-binding domain. In addition, we determined the presence of a second CyPB binding site, which we termed a type I site, in contrast with type II for GAG interactions. The two binding sites exhibit a similar affinity but the expression of the type I site was 3-fold lower. The conclusion that CyPB binding to the type I site is distinct from the interactions with GAG was based on the findings that it was (1) resistant to NaCl wash and GAG-degrading enzyme treatments, (2) reduced in the presence of CsA or cyclophilin C, and (3) unmodified in the presence of either the N-terminal peptide of CyPB or protamine. Finally, we showed that the type I binding sites were involved in an endocytosis process, supporting the hypothesis that they may correspond to a functional receptor for CyPB.

CUTANEOUS INVOLVEMENT IN MULTIPLE MYELOMA AT AN UNUSUAL SITE: A RARE CASE REPORT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lohit Kumar

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Multiple myeloma is a rare cancer. According to the most recent data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER program, multiple myeloma is the second most common haematological malignancy in the U.S. (after non - Hodgkin lymphoma, constitutes 1% of all cancers and constitutes 2% of all cancer deaths. Cutaneous involvement of multiple myeloma during treatment period is uncommon with fewer described in literature. Moreover, metastatic cutaneous involvement at the sole of the foot during treatment period of a IgA kappa type multiple myeloma patient followed by death has not encountered in literature. We have reported such a case

Common chromosomal fragile sites (CFS) may be involved in normal and traumatic cognitive stress memory consolidation and altered nervous system immunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gericke, G S

2010-05-01

Previous reports of specific patterns of increased fragility at common chromosomal fragile sites (CFS) found in association with certain neurobehavioural disorders did not attract attention at the time due to a shift towards molecular approaches to delineate neuropsychiatric disorder candidate genes. Links with miRNA, altered methylation and the origin of copy number variation indicate that CFS region characteristics may be part of chromatinomic mechanisms that are increasingly linked with neuroplasticity and memory. Current reports of large-scale double-stranded DNA breaks in differentiating neurons and evidence of ongoing DNA demethylation of specific gene promoters in adult hippocampus may shed new light on the dynamic epigenetic changes that are increasingly appreciated as contributing to long-term memory consolidation. The expression of immune recombination activating genes in key stress-induced memory regions suggests the adoption by the brain of this ancient pattern recognition and memory system to establish a structural basis for long-term memory through controlled chromosomal breakage at highly specific genomic regions. It is furthermore considered that these mechanisms for management of epigenetic information related to stress memory could be linked, in some instances, with the transfer of the somatically acquired information to the germline. Here, rearranged sequences can be subjected to further selection and possible eventual retrotranscription to become part of the more stable coding machinery if proven to be crucial for survival and reproduction. While linkage of cognitive memory with stress and fear circuitry and memory establishment through structural DNA modification is proposed as a normal process, inappropriate activation of immune-like genomic rearrangement processes through traumatic stress memory may have the potential to lead to undesirable activation of neuro-inflammatory processes. These theories could have a significant impact on the

A successful effort to involve stakeholders in the selection of a site for a corrective action management unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conway, R.; Merkhofer, M.W.; Oms, E.

1995-01-01

As part of the effort to clean up hazardous waste sites, Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico (SNL/NM) adopted a novel approach to involving stakeholders in a key decision associated with its Environmental Restoration (ER) Project. The decision was where to locate a Corrective Action Management Unit (CAMU), an area designed to consolidate, store, and treat wastes generated from cleanup activities. The decision-making approach was a variation of a technique known as multiattribute utility analysis (MUA). Although MUA has rarely been undertaken during normal Project activities, it proved to be a surprisingly effective means for involving stakeholders in the decision process, generating consensus over a selected site, and enhancing public trust and understanding of Project activities. Requirements and criteria for selecting CAMU sites are provided by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) CAMU Final Rule (EPA 1993). Recognizing the lack of experience with the Rule and the importance of community understanding and support, the ER Project sought an approach that would allow stakeholders to participate in the site-selection process

[Analysis on on-site rescue and traumatic features of victims involved in gas explosion accident in Hangzhou].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, X G; Jin, R H; Liu, F P; Han, C M

2017-10-20

Objective: To investigate the situations of on-site rescue and traumatic features of victims involved in gas explosion accident in Hangzhou, so as to provide more data support for emergency medical rescues of the similar incidents of massive casualty. Methods: Two medical workers with a certain clinical experience were sent to Hangzhou 120 emergency medical centers to collect data of the on-site rescue on 21st July, 2017, including ambulance call-outs, on-site command and traffic conditions, and on-site triage and evacuation of the victims. They were then sent to the hospitals receiving the victims to investigate the situations of these victims including the general information (such as gender, age, admitted hospitals, and number of admission, discharge, and transferring in the first two weeks after the accident) and injury assessment [such as injury position and type, injury severity evaluation by New Injury Severity Scoring (NISS), and burn severity evaluation for victims with burns]. Results: (1) A total of 15 ambulances reached the accident site for rescue. The traffic and transportation were jammed and interrupted after this accident. On-site triage and distribution were disorderly conducted. (2) Clinical data of 53 victims were collected, including 24 males and 29 females, with the age of 8 to 70 (34±14) years old. They were sent into 6 hospitals in Hangzhou. Two victims died on the day of accident. Up to two weeks after this accident, 28 (52.8%) victims were discharged from the hospitals and received follow-up in outpatient department. Five victims with severe injuries were transferred to the other hospitals. (3) Based on the results of NISS, the injury severities were mild in 29 (54.7%) cases, moderate in 9 (17.0%) cases, serious in 3 (5.7%) cases, and severe in 12 (22.6%) cases. Those 2 dead victims were classified into the severe category due to the highest NISS score of 75. For all of the victims, skin and soft tissue defects were most common. Six (11

Multidetector CT Patterns of Peritoneal Involvement in Patients with Abdominopelvic Malignancies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yawar, B.; Babar, S.; Rehman, I.; Sana, F.; Javed, F.; Chaudhary, M. Y.

2015-01-01

Objective: To determine the patterns of peritoneal involvement in patients with abdominopelvic malignancies. Study Design:Retrospective observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan, from May 2004 to May 2012. Methodology: Two hundred and three patients with histopathologically proven abdominopelvic malignancies with peritoneal involvement who underwent contrast-enhanced CT abdomen and pelvis were identified through electronic data base system and were included in this study after ethical committee approval. Peritoneal disease pattern, predominant sites of involvement and associated findings of ascites, lymph nodes and metastasis were assessed. Patients with tuberculosis and lymphoproliferative disorders were excluded. Results: The malignancies showing peritoneal involvement, in decreasing order of frequency, were ovarian cancer (n=118), colorectal cancer (n=45), pancreatic cancer (n=11), gastric cancer (n=7), endometrial cancer (n=6), gallbladder/ challenge-carcinoma and hepatocellular cancer (n=5 each), cervical cancer (n=3), renal cell carcinoma (n=2) and transitional cell urinary bladder cancer (n=1). The most common pattern of peritoneal involvement was mixed in 79 patients (39 percentage), omental caking in 74 patients (37 percentage) and nodular deposits in 50 patients (24 percentage). The most common sites of peritoneal involvement were pelvic peritoneum followed by greater omentum. Conclusion: Peritoneal involvement is the commonest with ovarian and colorectal carcinoma. Mixed pattern of peritoneal disease was most frequently seen in these patients followed by omental caking and nodular peritoneal deposits. (author)

DOE site performance assessment activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-07-01

Information on performance assessment capabilities and activities was collected from eight DOE sites. All eight sites either currently dispose of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) or plan to dispose of LLW in the near future. A survey questionnaire was developed and sent to key individuals involved in DOE Order 5820.2A performance assessment activities at each site. The sites surveyed included: Hanford Site (Hanford), Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Nevada Test Site (NTS), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (Paducah), Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (Portsmouth), and Savannah River Site (SRS). The questionnaire addressed all aspects of the performance assessment process; from waste source term to dose conversion factors. This report presents the information developed from the site questionnaire and provides a comparison of site-specific performance assessment approaches, data needs, and ongoing and planned activities. All sites are engaged in completing the radioactive waste disposal facility performance assessment required by DOE Order 5820.2A. Each site has achieved various degrees of progress and have identified a set of critical needs. Within several areas, however, the sites identified common needs and questions

Community Involvement as an Effective Institutional Control at the Weldon Spring Site, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deyo, Y.E.; Pauling, T.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project (WSSRAP) was conducted for the purpose of remediating a portion of a former trinitrotoluene and dinitrotoluene production plant that was operational from 1941 to 1945 and a former uranium refinery that was operational from 1957 to 1966. Surface remediation activities concluded in 2001 with the completion of a 45-acre (.18 square kilometer) on-site engineered disposal facility. Long-term surveillance and maintenance activities at the site were officially transferred to the DOE Office of Legacy Management in 2003. The Weldon Spring Site is located within the St. Louis, Missouri, metropolitan area (population 3 million). DOE's close relationship with surrounding land owners created a need for innovative solutions to long-term surveillance and maintenance issues at the site. Through a Secretarial proclamation, a plan was established for development of a comprehensive public involvement and education program. This program would act as an institutional control to communicate the historical legacy of the site and would make information available about contamination present at the site to guide people in making decisions about appropriate site activities. In August 2002, the Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center opened to the public with exhibits about the history of the area, the remediation work that was completed, and a site information repository that is available to visitors. In addition, the Hamburg Trail for hiking and biking was constructed as a joint DOE/MDC effort. The 8-mile trail travels through both DOE and MDC property; a series of historical markers posted along its length to communicate the history of the area and the remediation work that was done as part of WSSRAP activities. A ramp and viewing platform with informational plaques were constructed on the disposal cell to provide an additional mechanism for public education. With a basic marketing program, site visitor-ship has

New public commons and network of nuclear site regions for the post-Fukushima accident re-vitalization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawada, Tetsuo

2012-01-01

Due to the Fukushima NPP accidents on 11 March 2011, we have deadly lost the regional ties among local people, electricity consumers, and people involved in the nuclear research, development and businesses. Now we need the method to reconstruct the ties and further the activation of locals in accordance to the concept of 'New Public Commons'. And it is the most important key to recover the people's confidence for the nuclear business and promote the new siting and replacement of nuclear power stations. More than forty years have past since the earliest stage of invitation of nuclear power stations to regional areas in Japan. For this period, the efforts for the development of regional industries and the improvement of regional life obtained a level of results. However, now a new turn is required in the regional development, as the perception of wealthy has been gradually changed. The primary objective of this study is to make a network among regional areas where nuclear power stations and related facilities are located. It should further the understanding for nuclear energy, stimulate the 'emergence' through the cooperative works among regional areas. As a result, such efforts will enhance the Social Responsibility of conducts related to the nuclear energy. i.e., Nuclear SR (NSR). The basic frame of the NSR should be re-estimated in the reflection of 3.11 Fukushima NPP accidents. (author)

Are Adolescents Engaged in the Problematic Use of Social Networking Sites More Involved in Peer Aggression and Victimization?

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Ferrer, Belén; Moreno, David; Musitu, Gonzalo

2018-01-01

The problematic use of social networking sites is becoming a major public health concern. Previous research has found that adolescents who engage in a problematic use of social networking sites are likely to show maladjustment problems. However, little is known about its links with peer aggression and victimization. The main goal of this study was to analyze the relationship between problematic use of online social networking sites, peer aggression -overt vs. relational and reactive vs. instrumental-, and peer victimization -overt physical and verbal, and relational-, taking into account gender and age (in early and mid-adolescence). Participants were selected using randomized cluster sampling considering school and class as clusters. A battery of instruments was applied to 1,952 adolescents' secondary students from Spain (Andalusia) (50.4% boys), aged 11 to 16 ( M = 14.07, SD = 1.39). Results showed that girls and 14-16 adolescents were more involved in a problematic use of online social networking sites. Furthermore, adolescents with high problematic use of online social networking sites were more involved in overt-reactive and instrumental-and relational-reactive and instrumental-aggressive behaviors, and self-reported higher levels of overt-physical and verbal-and relational victimization. Even though boys indicated higher levels of all types of victimization, girls with high problematic use of online social networking sites scored the highest on relational victimization. Relating to age, early adolescents (aged 11-14) with higher problematic use of online social networking sites reported the highest levels of overt verbal and relational victimization. Overall, results suggested the co-occurrence of problematic use of online social networking sites, peer aggression and victimization. In addition, results showed the influence that gender and age had on peer victimization. This study highlights the continuity between offline and online domains with regard to

Are Adolescents Engaged in the Problematic Use of Social Networking Sites More Involved in Peer Aggression and Victimization?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Belén Martínez-Ferrer

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The problematic use of social networking sites is becoming a major public health concern. Previous research has found that adolescents who engage in a problematic use of social networking sites are likely to show maladjustment problems. However, little is known about its links with peer aggression and victimization. The main goal of this study was to analyze the relationship between problematic use of online social networking sites, peer aggression –overt vs. relational and reactive vs. instrumental–, and peer victimization –overt physical and verbal, and relational–, taking into account gender and age (in early and mid-adolescence. Participants were selected using randomized cluster sampling considering school and class as clusters. A battery of instruments was applied to 1,952 adolescents' secondary students from Spain (Andalusia (50.4% boys, aged 11 to 16 (M = 14.07, SD = 1.39. Results showed that girls and 14–16 adolescents were more involved in a problematic use of online social networking sites. Furthermore, adolescents with high problematic use of online social networking sites were more involved in overt—reactive and instrumental—and relational—reactive and instrumental—aggressive behaviors, and self-reported higher levels of overt—physical and verbal—and relational victimization. Even though boys indicated higher levels of all types of victimization, girls with high problematic use of online social networking sites scored the highest on relational victimization. Relating to age, early adolescents (aged 11–14 with higher problematic use of online social networking sites reported the highest levels of overt verbal and relational victimization. Overall, results suggested the co-occurrence of problematic use of online social networking sites, peer aggression and victimization. In addition, results showed the influence that gender and age had on peer victimization. This study highlights the continuity between offline

Public involvement in the siting of contentious facilities; Lessons from the radioactive waste repository siting programmes in Canada and the United States, with special reference to the Swedish repository siting process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, P.J.

1997-08-01

This report describes the conclusion of a two-part programme, begun in 1994 with the overall aim of assisting in the development of an acceptable public participation strategy for use in Sweden for the siting of contentious facilities, with particular reference to the ongoing siting programme for a deep repository for spent nuclear fuel. The first part of the work programme, a global review of siting practice, was reported as SSI Rapport 94-15, in November 1994. This recommended further detailed studies of at least two individual programmes, which have now been carried out in Canada and the United States, and are reported on here. They involved face to face meetings with many of the main stake holders in the two programmes and enabled valuable insight to be gained into the potential problems associated with increased public participation, as well as identifying good practice where it exists. The lessons learned have then been applied to the evolving repository siting process in Sweden. 35 refs

Public involvement in the siting of contentious facilities; Lessons from the radioactive waste repository siting programmes in Canada and the United States, with special reference to the Swedish repository siting process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Richardson, P J [Geosciences for Development and the Environment (United Kingdom)

1997-08-01

This report describes the conclusion of a two-part programme, begun in 1994 with the overall aim of assisting in the development of an acceptable public participation strategy for use in Sweden for the siting of contentious facilities, with particular reference to the ongoing siting programme for a deep repository for spent nuclear fuel. The first part of the work programme, a global review of siting practice, was reported as SSI Rapport 94-15, in November 1994. This recommended further detailed studies of at least two individual programmes, which have now been carried out in Canada and the United States, and are reported on here. They involved face to face meetings with many of the main stake holders in the two programmes and enabled valuable insight to be gained into the potential problems associated with increased public participation, as well as identifying good practice where it exists. The lessons learned have then been applied to the evolving repository siting process in Sweden. 35 refs.

Gastrointestinal involvement of recurrent renal cell carcinoma: CT findings and clinicpathologic features

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Hyo Jung; Kim, Hyun Jin; Park, Seung Ho; Lee, Jong Seok; Kim, Ah Young [Dept. of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Ha, Hyun Kwon [Dept. of Radiology, Gangneung Asan Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung (Korea, Republic of)

2017-06-15

To retrospectively evaluate the CT findings and clinicopathologic features in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) involvement of recurrent renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The medical records were reviewed for 15 patients with 19 pathologically proven GI tract metastases of RCC. The CT findings were analyzed to determine the involved sites and type of involvement; lesion size, morphology, and contrast enhancement pattern; and occurrence of lymphadenopathy, ascites and other complications. The most common presentation was GI bleeding (66.7%). The average interval between nephrectomy and the detection of GI involvement was 30.4 ± 37.4 months. GI lesions were most commonly found in the ileum (36.8%) and duodenum (31.6%). A distant metastasis (80%) was more common than a direct invasion from metastatic lesions. The mean lesion size was 34.1 ± 15.0 mm. Intraluminal polypoid masses (63.2%) with hyperenhancement (78.9%) and heterogeneous enhancement (63.2%) were the most common findings. No patients had regional lymphadenopathy. Complications occurred in four patients, with one each of bowel obstruction, intussusception, bile duct dilatation, and pancreatic duct dilatation. GI involvement of recurrent RCC could be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with heterogeneous, hyperenhanced intraluminal polypoid masses in the small bowel on CT scans along with a relative paucity of lymphadenopathy.

A regional study of the radiation environment of Greenham Common, Newbury District and surrounding areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-02-01

This study was commissioned by Newbury District Council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in response to public concern following disclosures about events at Greenham Common in the 1950s, and the suspicion that there may have been an accident involving a nuclear weapon leading to off-site contamination at the airbase. The Greenham Common airbase is at an advanced stage of decommissioning with parts of the site already re-developed for industrial and leisure purposes and material being removed for use in construction of the Newbury by-pass. The success of such developments is critically dependent on public confidence in the quality of the environment, both near the site, and more generally throughout the area. For this reason the study was commissioned with the aims of: I. defining the radiation environment of the whole district and parts of its surrounding areas. II. examining whether there is any evidence of radioactive contamination in the vicinity of the Greenham Common airbase. III. assessing the evidence that there may have been a release of nuclear material from the site. The work involved a collaboration between scientists from the Scottish Universities Research and Reactor Centre, who conducted gamma ray surveys to define the general radiation environment of the area, and Scientists from the University of Southampton who collected an extensive range of samples for high sensitivity radiochemical analyses. This report presents their findings and main conclusions, together with a discussion of the background to the study and its implications. (Author)

US DoE's Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board 15 Years of Community Involvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielson, M.; Brennan, C.A.

2009-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB) from its roots in the early 1990's at the Keystone Center to its current activities. The EM SSAB has a unique mandate to provide input regarding the cleanup of nuclear legacy sites in the United States. Chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the EM SSAB today comprises eight local boards. The Office of Environmental Management has made public participation a fundamental component of its cleanup mission and has found that the EM SSAB has contributed greatly to bringing community values and priorities to the cleanup decision-making processes. Public participation that involves ongoing community engagement has inherent challenges; the EM SSAB has additional challenges that reflect the political and technical nature of the Agency's work. (authors)

Saving the Commons: Community Involvement in the Management ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... full participation of local communities in resource management be set up to help avert further decline of the mangroves and fisheries of Chwaka Bay. Keywords: common property resources, mangroves, fisheries, overexploitation, community management. West Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science Vol. 3 (2) 2004: pp.

Morphometric and histopathological parameters of gonadal development in adult common carp from contaminated and reference sites in Lake Mead, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Patino, R.; Goodbred, S.L.; Draugelis-Dale, R.; Barry, C.E.; Scott, Foott J.; Wainscott, M.R.; Gross, T.S.; Covay, K.J.

2003-01-01

This study examined the hypothesis that exposure to sublethal concentrations of contaminants alters the gonadal condition of feral common carp Cyprinus carpio. Adult common carp in Lake Mead, Nevada, were collected from a contaminated site (Las Vegas Bay) that receives municipal and industrial effluent and from a reference site (Overton Arm) with a relatively low level of contamination. Fish were sampled seven times over a 1-year period extending over two separate spawning seasons. Morphometric and histopathological parameters of gonadal and germ cell development were determined. In males, the pattern of seasonal changes in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) was similar between the sites and showed no clear association with site-specific seasonal temperature profiles. However, Las Vegas Bay males had consistently lower GSI values and, on one of the sampling dates, a lower proportion of sperm relative to other germ cell stages (determined histologically). Further, Las Vegas Bay males had a higher incidence of gonadal macrophage aggregates, which are putative tissue biomarkers of contaminant exposure in fishes. In females, seasonal GSI profiles, the frequency of fish with postovulatory follicles (an index of spawning activity), and the timing of new follicle recruitment all showed differences between sites, but these differences generally matched differences in water temperature profile. Also, the peak size-frequency of full-grown follicles did not differ between sites, and estimates of fecundity for the second spawning season indicated that females from the reference site unexpectedly produced a lower number of gametes, Overall, site differences in gonadal condition were observed in carp of both sexes but they seemed to be associated with site differences in contaminant levels only in males. The apparent lack of association between contaminant level and gonadal condition in female carp from mildly mesotrophic Lake Mead may indicate a lack of contaminant effects in

Over half of breakpoints in gene pairs involved in cancer-specific recurrent translocations are mapped to human chromosomal fragile sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pierce Levi CT

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gene rearrangements such as chromosomal translocations have been shown to contribute to cancer development. Human chromosomal fragile sites are regions of the genome especially prone to breakage, and have been implicated in various chromosome abnormalities found in cancer. However, there has been no comprehensive and quantitative examination of the location of fragile sites in relation to all chromosomal aberrations. Results Using up-to-date databases containing all cancer-specific recurrent translocations, we have examined 444 unique pairs of genes involved in these translocations to determine the correlation of translocation breakpoints and fragile sites in the gene pairs. We found that over half (52% of translocation breakpoints in at least one gene of these gene pairs are mapped to fragile sites. Among these, we examined the DNA sequences within and flanking three randomly selected pairs of translocation-prone genes, and found that they exhibit characteristic features of fragile DNA, with frequent AT-rich flexibility islands and the potential of forming highly stable secondary structures. Conclusion Our study is the first to examine gene pairs involved in all recurrent chromosomal translocations observed in tumor cells, and to correlate the location of more than half of breakpoints to positions of known fragile sites. These results provide strong evidence to support a causative role for fragile sites in the generation of cancer-specific chromosomal rearrangements.

Interprofessional collaboration and family member involvement in intensive care units: emerging themes from a multi-sited ethnography.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeves, Scott; McMillan, Sarah E; Kachan, Natasha; Paradis, Elise; Leslie, Myles; Kitto, Simon

2015-05-01

This article presents emerging findings from the first year of a two-year study, which employed ethnographic methods to explore the culture of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) and family member involvement in eight North American intensive care units (ICUs). The study utilized a comparative ethnographic approach - gathering observation, interview and documentary data relating to the behaviors and attitudes of healthcare providers and family members across several sites. In total, 504 hours of ICU-based observational data were gathered over a 12-month period in four ICUs based in two US cities. In addition, 56 semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a range of ICU staff (e.g. nurses, doctors and pharmacists) and family members. Documentary data (e.g. clinical guidelines and unit policies) were also collected to help develop an insight into how the different sites engaged organizationally with IPC and family member involvement. Directed content analysis enabled the identification and categorization of major themes within the data. An interprofessional conceptual framework was utilized to help frame the coding for the analysis. The preliminary findings presented in this paper illuminate a number of issues related to the nature of IPC and family member involvement within an ICU context. These findings are discussed in relation to the wider interprofessional and health services literature.

Involvement of two classes of binding sites in the interactions of cyclophilin B with peripheral blood T-lymphocytes.

OpenAIRE

Denys, A; Allain, F; Carpentier, M; Spik, G

1998-01-01

Cyclophilin B (CyPB) is a cyclosporin A (CsA)-binding protein, mainly associated with the secretory pathway, and is released in biological fluids. We recently reported that CyPB specifically binds to T-lymphocytes and promotes enhanced incorporation of CsA. The interactions with cellular binding sites involved, at least in part, the specific N-terminal extension of the protein. In this study, we intended to specify further the nature of the CyPB-binding sites on peripheral blood T-lymphocytes...

RECQ5 Helicase Cooperates with MUS81 Endonuclease in Processing Stalled Replication Forks at Common Fragile Sites during Mitosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Di Marco, Stefano; Hasanova, Zdenka; Kanagaraj, Radhakrishnan

2017-01-01

The MUS81-EME1 endonuclease cleaves late replication intermediates at common fragile sites (CFSs) during early mitosis to trigger DNA-repair synthesis that ensures faithful chromosome segregation. Here, we show that these DNA transactions are promoted by RECQ5 DNA helicase in a manner dependent...... on its Ser727 phosphorylation by CDK1. Upon replication stress, RECQ5 associates with CFSs in early mitosis through its physical interaction with MUS81 and promotes MUS81-dependent mitotic DNA synthesis. RECQ5 depletion or mutational inactivation of its ATP-binding site, RAD51-interacting domain...

Facilitating Site Specific and Citizens Advisory Boards: Running Effective Meetings that Involve Complex Technical Issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, J.

2009-01-01

Environmental cleanup issues at federal sites are more often than not on the agendas of meetings of the Site Specific Advisory Boards (SSABs), also called Citizens Advisory Boards (CABs), that exist at most U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites with an Environmental Management (EM) mission. In 1994, when Congress established these committees comprised of local citizens, it enabled community stakeholders to become more directly involved in DOE EM cleanup decisions. This involvement is to help the agency make cost-effective and environmentally sound decisions which lead to faster, safer cleanups. Eight local Boards that fall under the Federal Advisory Committee Act-chartered EM SSAB charter are found in Hanford, Washington; Idaho; Northern New Mexico; Nevada; Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Paducah, Kentucky; Portsmouth, Ohio; and at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. These boards provide advice and recommendations about EM site-specific issues such as cleanup standards (how clean is clean?), environmental restoration, waste management, the stabilization and disposal of non-stockpile nuclear materials, future land use and long-term stewardship, risk assessment and management, and cleanup science and technology activities. These issues are, by their very nature, loaded with complicated technical terms and strategies, scientific data and interpretations, and long histories of studies and reports. The members of SSABs and CABs rotate on and off the Boards according to defined terms of office, thereby routinely opening the Boards' ranks to new members, many of whom are new to the issues. In addition, members of the public who have access to public comment periods at each Board meeting run up against the same daunting menu of obscure acronyms, scientific terms and notations, and an historical trail which is not always evident except to those involved with the issues over many years. How does a facilitator effectively guide such a group of citizens, each of whom arrives to

Involvement of the N-terminal part of cyclophilin B in the interaction with specific Jurkat T-cell binding sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Mariller, C; Haendler, B; Allain, F; Denys, A; Spik, G

1996-07-15

Cyclophilin B (CyPB) is secreted in biological fluids such as blood or milk and binds to a specific receptor present on the human lymphoblastic cell line Jurkat and on human peripheral blood lymphocytes. This study was intended to specify the areas of CyPB that are involved in the interaction with the receptor. A synthetic peptide corresponding to the first 24 N-terminal amino acid residues of CyPB was shown to specifically recognize the receptor. Moreover, modification of Arg18 of CyPB by p-hydroxyphenlglyoxal led to a dramatic loss of affinity for the receptor. However, when this residue was replaced by an alanine residue using site-directed mutagenesis, no modification of the binding properties was found, suggesting that Arg18 is not directly involved but is sufficiently close to the interaction site to interfere with the binding when modified. Competitive binding experiments using a chimaeric protein made up of the 24 N-terminal amino acid residues of CyPB fused to the cyclophilin A core sequence confirmed the involvement of this region of CyPB in receptor binding.

Intrahepatic ascariasis – Common parasite at an uncommon site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Udit Chauhan

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Bacterial infections of the biliary tree are common infections of the biliary system which frequently lead to life-threatening sepsis. Parasitic infections of the biliary tree like ascariasis are not uncommon. Most adult worms reside into the extrahepatic biliary system. Intrahepatic existence is not commonly described. Urgent recognition of the intrahepatic existence of this common parasite is of paramount importance in order to start timely treatment of this lifethreatening infection. Authors described a case of intrahepatic ascariasis in a young male who was diagnosed radiologically and thereafter managed with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and antibiotics.

[Local involvement of the optic nerve by acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardczyk-Meller, Jadwiga; Stefańska, Katarzyna

2005-01-01

The leucemias quite commonly involve the eyes and adnexa. In some cases it causes visual complants. Both, the anterior chamber of the eye and the posterior portion of the globe may sites of acute or chronic leukemia and leucemic relapse. We report an unique case of a 14 years old leucemic patient who suffered visual loss and papilloedema, due to a unilateral local involvement within optic nerve, during second relapse of acute lymphocytic leuemia. In spite of typical treatment of main disease, the boy had died. The authors present typical ophthalmic features of the leucemia, too.

Involved-Site Image-Guided Intensity Modulated Versus 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy in Early Stage Supradiaphragmatic Hodgkin Lymphoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Filippi, Andrea Riccardo, E-mail: andreariccardo.filippi@unito.it [Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Torino (Italy); Ciammella, Patrizia [Radiation Therapy Unit, Department of Oncology and Advanced Technology, ASMN Hospital IRCCS, Reggio Emilia (Italy); Piva, Cristina; Ragona, Riccardo [Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Torino (Italy); Botto, Barbara [Hematology, Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino (Italy); Gavarotti, Paolo [Hematology, University of Torino and Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino (Italy); Merli, Francesco [Hematology Unit, ASMN Hospital IRCCS, Reggio Emilia (Italy); Vitolo, Umberto [Hematology, Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino (Italy); Iotti, Cinzia [Radiation Therapy Unit, Department of Oncology and Advanced Technology, ASMN Hospital IRCCS, Reggio Emilia (Italy); Ricardi, Umberto [Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Torino (Italy)

2014-06-01

Purpose: Image-guided intensity modulated radiation therapy (IG-IMRT) allows for margin reduction and highly conformal dose distribution, with consistent advantages in sparing of normal tissues. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare involved-site IG-IMRT with involved-site 3D conformal RT (3D-CRT) in the treatment of early stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) involving the mediastinum, with efficacy and toxicity as primary clinical endpoints. Methods and Materials: We analyzed 90 stage IIA HL patients treated with either involved-site 3D-CRT or IG-IMRT between 2005 and 2012 in 2 different institutions. Inclusion criteria were favorable or unfavorable disease (according to European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer criteria), complete response after 3 to 4 cycles of an adriamycin- bleomycin-vinblastine-dacarbazine (ABVD) regimen plus 30 Gy as total radiation dose. Exclusion criteria were chemotherapy other than ABVD, partial response after ABVD, total radiation dose other than 30 Gy. Clinical endpoints were relapse-free survival (RFS) and acute toxicity. Results: Forty-nine patients were treated with 3D-CRT (54.4%) and 41 with IG-IMRT (45.6%). Median follow-up time was 54.2 months for 3D-CRT and 24.1 months for IG-IMRT. No differences in RFS were observed between the 2 groups, with 1 relapse each. Three-year RFS was 98.7% for 3D-CRT and 100% for IG-IMRT. Grade 2 toxicity events, mainly mucositis, were recorded in 32.7% of 3D-CRT patients (16 of 49) and in 9.8% of IG-IMRT patients (4 of 41). IG-IMRT was significantly associated with a lower incidence of grade 2 acute toxicity (P=.043). Conclusions: RFS rates at 3 years were extremely high in both groups, albeit the median follow-up time is different. Acute tolerance profiles were better for IG-IMRT than for 3D-CRT. Our preliminary results support the clinical safety and efficacy of advanced RT planning and delivery techniques in patients affected with early stage HL, achieving complete

Endoscopic Findings of Upper Gastrointestinal Involvement in Primary Vasculitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Eun Jeong; Kim, Do Hoon; Chun, Joo Hyun; Ahn, Ji Yong; Choi, Kwi-Sook; Jung, Kee Wook; Lee, Jeong Hoon; Choi, Kee Don; Song, Ho June; Lee, Gin Hyug; Jung, Hwoon-Yong; Kim, Jin Ho; Song, In Hye; Kim, Yong-Gil

2016-07-15

Gastrointestinal involvement in vasculitis may result in life-threatening complications. However, its variable clinical presentations and endoscopic features, and the rarity of the disease, often result in delayed diagnosis. Clinical characteristics, endoscopic features, and histopathological findings were reviewed from medical records. Of 6,477 patients with vasculitis, 148 were diagnosed as primary vasculitis with upper gastrointestinal involvement. Of these, 21 cases (14.2%) were classified as large-vessel vasculitis, 17 cases (11.5%) as medium-vessel vasculitis, and 110 cases (74.3%) as small-vessel vasculitis. According to the specific diagnosis, IgA vasculitis (Henoch-Schönlein purpura) was the most common diagnosis (56.8%), followed by Takayasu arteritis (14.1%), microscopic polyangiitis (10.1%), and polyarteritis nodosa (6.8%). Gastrointestinal symptoms were present in 113 subjects (76.4%), with abdominal pain (78.8%) the most common symptom. Erosion and ulcers were striking endoscopic features, and the second portion of the duodenum was the most frequently involved site. Biopsy specimens were obtained from 124 patients, and only eight (5.4%) presented histopathological signs of vasculitis. Diagnosis of vasculitis involving the upper gastrointestinal tract is difficult. Because of the widespread use of endoscopy, combining clinical features with endoscopic findings may facilitate making appropriate diagnoses; however, the diagnostic yield of endoscopic biopsy is low.

Identification of residues involved in nucleotidyltransferase activity of JHP933 from helicobacter pyloriby site-directed mutagenesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ye Xianren

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Helicobacter pylori is a well-known bacterial pathogen involved in the development of peptic ulcer, gastric adenocarcinoma and other forms of gastric cancer. Evidence has suggested that certain strain-specific genes in the plasticity region may play key roles in the pathogenesis of H. pylori-associated gastroduodenal diseases. Therefore there is considerable interest in the strain-specific genes located in the plasticity regions of H. pylori. JHP933 is encoded by the gene in the plasticity region of H. pylori strain J99. Recently, the crystal structure of JHP933 has confirmed it as a nucleotidyltransferase (NTase superfamily protein and a putative active site has been proposed. However, no evidence from direct functional assay has been presented to confirm the active site and little is known about the functional mechanism of JHP933. Here, through superimposition with Cid1/NTP complex structures, we modelled the complex structures of JHP933 with different NTPs. Based on the models and using rational site-directed mutagenesis combined with enzymatic activity assays, we confirm the active site and identify several residues important for the nucleotidyl transferring function of JHP933. Furthermore, mutations of these active site residues result in the abolishment of the nucleotidyltransferase activity of JHP933. This work provides preliminary insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the pathophysiological role in H. pylori infection of JHP933 as a novel NTase superfamily protein.

TB or not TB?: a case of isolated testicular TB with scrotal involvement.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Bhargava, A

2009-06-01

Despite the genitourinary tract being the most common site affected by extrapulmonary TB, isolated testicular TB remains a rare clinical entity. In patients with co-morbidities such as hepatic impairment, treatment proves a challenge, as first-line hepatotoxic pharmaceuticals are contraindicated. Here, we report a case of isolated testicular TB with scrotal involvement, on a background of hepatic dysfunction.

Patterns of failure of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients after involved-site radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holzhaeuser, Eva; Berlin, Maximilian; Bezold, Thomas; Mayer, Arnulf; Schmidberger, Heinz [University Medical Center Mainz, Department of Radiation Oncology and Radiotherapy, Mainz (Germany); Wollschlaeger, Daniel [University Medical Center Mainz, Institute for Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Mainz (Germany); Hess, Georg [University Medical Center Mainz, Department of Internal Medicine, Mainz (Germany)

2017-12-15

Radiotherapy (RT) in combination with chemoimmunotherapy is highly efficient in the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This retrospective analysis evaluated the efficacy of the treatment volume and the dose concept of involved-site RT (ISRT). We identified 60 histologically confirmed stage I-IV DLBCL patients treated with multimodal cytotoxic chemoimmunotherapy and followed by consolidative ISRT from 2005-2015. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate analyses were performed by log-rank test and Mann-Whitney U-test. After initial chemoimmunotherapy (mostly R-CHOP; rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone), 19 (36%) patients achieved complete response (CR), 34 (64%) partial response (PR) or less. Excluded were 7 (12%) patients with progressive disease after chemoimmunotherapy. All patients underwent ISRT with a dose of 40 Gy. After a median follow-up of 44 months, 79% of the patients remained disease free, while 21% presented with failure, progressive systemic disease, or death. All patients who achieved CR after chemoimmunotherapy remained in CR. Of the patients achieving PR after chemotherapy only 2 failed at the initial site within the ISRT volume. No marginal relapse was observed. Ann Arbor clinical stage I/II showed significantly improved PFS compared to stage III/IV (93% vs 65%; p ≤ 0.021). International Prognostic Index (IPI) score of 0 or 1 compared to 2-5 has been associated with significantly increased PFS (100% vs 70%; p ≤ 0.031). Postchemoimmunotherapy status of CR compared to PR was associated with significantly increased PFS (100% vs 68%; p ≤ 0.004) and OS (100% vs 82%; p ≤ 0.026). Only 3 of 53 patients developed grade II late side effects, whereas grade III or IV side effects have not been observed. These data suggest that a reduction of the RT treatment volume from involved-field (IF) to involved-site (IS) is sufficient because

Transparency and Public Involvement in Siting a Nuclear Waste Repository in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lennartz, Hans-Albert; Mussel, Christine; Nies, Alexander

2001-01-01

. In order to receive recommendations for an appropriate answer to this question regarding the German situation, the Federal Minister for the Environment has appointed 15 experts to build the 'Committee on a Selection Procedure for Disposal Sites', called the 'Committee' in this paper. The Committee's mandate is to develop a comprehensible procedure for the selection of sites for radioactive waste disposal in Germany. The procedure shall be built upon well founded criteria and derived in a sound and unprejudiced way. The Committee works independent of any ministerial or political instructions and comprises members of widely different views on nuclear energy in general and radioactive waste management in particular. Funding is available so that the Committee can initiate research projects and be supported by external expertise. It is scheduled that the Committee's final recommendations will be available by 2002. Experience in various countries has made increasingly clear during the recent years, that a scientifically sound and technically satisfying disposal concept is not sufficient in order to gain public acceptance for the selection of a disposal site. In this respect, the Committee considers public participation from the very beginning and in all phases of the selection procedure as an indispensable prerequisite. Only by transparency of the decision process, active public involvement and integration of their proposals chances increase to build up credibility of the responsible decision makers and confidence in their later decisions during the site selection procedure. The paper presents the present status of deliberations regarding public participation before site selection is actually started. It is stressed explicitly that the Committee's development process is not finalised and therefore all thoughts presented in this paper are of a preliminary nature and may be discarded in a later stage of development. In particular, the statements in this paper must not be

Transparency and Public Involvement in Siting a Nuclear Waste Repository in Germany

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lennartz, Hans-Albert; Mussel, Christine [WIBERA/PWIBERA/PriceWaterhouseCoopers Deutsche Rev., Hannover (Germany); Nies, Alexander [Federal Ministry for the Environment, Bonn (Germany)

2001-07-01

. In order to receive recommendations for an appropriate answer to this question regarding the German situation, the Federal Minister for the Environment has appointed 15 experts to build the 'Committee on a Selection Procedure for Disposal Sites', called the 'Committee' in this paper. The Committee's mandate is to develop a comprehensible procedure for the selection of sites for radioactive waste disposal in Germany. The procedure shall be built upon well founded criteria and derived in a sound and unprejudiced way. The Committee works independent of any ministerial or political instructions and comprises members of widely different views on nuclear energy in general and radioactive waste management in particular. Funding is available so that the Committee can initiate research projects and be supported by external expertise. It is scheduled that the Committee's final recommendations will be available by 2002. Experience in various countries has made increasingly clear during the recent years, that a scientifically sound and technically satisfying disposal concept is not sufficient in order to gain public acceptance for the selection of a disposal site. In this respect, the Committee considers public participation from the very beginning and in all phases of the selection procedure as an indispensable prerequisite. Only by transparency of the decision process, active public involvement and integration of their proposals chances increase to build up credibility of the responsible decision makers and confidence in their later decisions during the site selection procedure. The paper presents the present status of deliberations regarding public participation before site selection is actually started. It is stressed explicitly that the Committee's development process is not finalised and therefore all thoughts presented in this paper are of a preliminary nature and may be discarded in a later stage of development. In particular, the

Common site of subchondral insufficiency fractures of the femoral head based on three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iwasaki, Kenyu; Yamamoto, Takuaki; Motomura, Goro; Karasuyama, Kazuyuki; Sonoda, Kazuhiko; Kubo, Yusuke; Iwamoto, Yukihide [Kyushu University, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka (Japan)

2016-01-15

The objective of this study was to investigate the common sites of subchondral insufficiency fractures of the femoral head (SIF) based on three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of MR images. In 33 hips of 31 consecutive patients diagnosed with SIF, 3-D reconstruction of the bone, fracture, and acetabular edge was performed using MR images. These 3-D images were used to measure the fractured areas and clarify the positional relationship between the fracture and degree of acetabular coverage. The fractured area in the anterior portion was significantly larger than in the posterior area. In 11 cases, the fractures contacted the acetabular edge and were distributed on the lateral portion. The indices of acetabular coverage (center-edge angle and acetabular head index) in these cases were less than the normal range. In the remaining 22 cases, the fractures were apart from the acetabular edge and distributed on the mediolateral centerline of the femoral head. The majority of these cases had normal acetabular coverage. The common site of SIF is the anterior portion. In addition, two types of SIF are proposed: (1) Lateral type: the contact stress between the acetabular edge and lateral portion of the femoral head causes SIF based on the insufficient acetabular coverage, and (2) Central type: the contact stress between the acetabular surface and the mediolateral center of the femoral head causes SIF independent from the insufficiency of acetabular coverage. These findings may be useful for considering the treatment and prevention of SIF. (orig.)

Herpes Zoster Involving Penis and Scrotum: An Unusual Occurrence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arshad, A. R.; Alvi, K. Y.; Chaudhary, A. A.

2015-01-01

Herpes zoster is an infectious vesicular skin rash in a dermatomal distribution caused by Varicella zoster virus. It occurs very uncommonly in sacral dermatomes. We describe a case with rash on penis and scrotum due to involvement of S2 dermatome in a young male. The disease followed an uneventful course and the patient recovered completely without any sequelae or complications. This case is being presented to highlight its unusual location and to discuss differentiation from another viral infection commonly seen at this site. (author)

Herpes zoster involving penis and scrotum: an unusual occurrence.

Science.gov (United States)

Arshad, Abdul Rehman; Alvi, Kamran Yousaf; Chaudhary, Ammad Akram

2015-03-01

Herpes zoster is an infectious vesicular skin rash in a dermatomal distribution caused by Varicella zoster virus. It occurs very uncommonly in sacral dermatomes. We describe a case with rash on penis and scrotum due to involvement of S2 dermatome in a young male. The disease followed an uneventful course and the patient recovered completely without any sequelae or complications. This case is being presented to highlight its unusual location and to discuss differentiation from another viral infection commonly seen at this site.

Gastrointestinal system involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Z; Xu, D; Wang, Z; Wang, Y; Zhang, S; Li, M; Zeng, X

2017-10-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem disorder which can affect the gastrointestinal (GI) system. Although GI symptoms can manifest in 50% of patients with SLE, these have barely been reviewed due to difficulty in identifying different causes. This study aims to clarify clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of the four major SLE-related GI system complications: protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), intestinal pseudo-obstruction (IPO), hepatic involvement and pancreatitis. It is a systematic review using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and the major search terms were SLE, PLE, IPO, hepatitis and pancreatitis. A total of 125 articles were chosen for our study. SLE-related PLE was characterized by edema and hypoalbuminemia, with Technetium 99m labeled human albumin scintigraphy ( 99m Tc HAS) and alpha-1-antitrypsin fecal clearance test commonly used as diagnostic test. The most common site of protein leakage was the small intestine and the least common site was the stomach. More than half of SLE-related IPO patients had ureterohydronephrosis, and sometimes they manifested as interstitial cystitis and hepatobiliary dilatation. Lupus hepatitis and SLE accompanied by autoimmune hepatitis (SLE-AIH overlap) shared similar clinical manifestations but had different autoantibodies and histopathological features, and positive anti-ribosome P antibody highly indicated the diagnosis of lupus hepatitis. Lupus pancreatitis was usually accompanied by high SLE activity with a relatively high mortality rate. Early diagnosis and timely intervention were crucial, and administration of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants was effective for most of the patients.

Characterization of a Highly Conserved Binding Site of Mlh1 Required for Exonuclease I-Dependent Mismatch Repair

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dherin, Claudine; Gueneau, Emeric; Francin, Mathilde

2009-01-01

Mlh1 is an essential factor of mismatch repair (MMR) and meiotic recombination. It interacts through its C-terminal region with MutL homologs and proteins involved in DNA repair and replication. In this study, we identified the site of yeast Mlh1 critical for the interaction with Exo1, Ntg2......, and Sgs1 proteins, designated as site S2 by reference to the Mlh1/Pms1 heterodimerization site S1. We show that site S2 is also involved in the interaction between human MLH1 and EXO1 or BLM. Binding at this site involves a common motif on Mlh1 partners that we called the MIP-box for the Mlh1 interacting...... protein box. Direct and specific interactions between yeast Mlh1 and peptides derived from Exo1, Ntg2, and Sgs1 and between human MLH1 and peptide derived from EXO1 and BLM were measured with K(d) values ranging from 8.1 to 17.4 microM. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a mutant of Mlh1 targeted at site S2...

Summary of Epidemiology Studies or Activities Involving Workers at the Savannah River Site or the Surrounding Public: An Update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, K.T.

2002-10-18

There have been numerous health studies or related activities over time that have involved workers at the Savannah River Site (SRS) or the surrounding public. While most of these epidemiology studies or activities have been performed by external agencies, it has proved useful to provide interested parties an overall summary of such activities. The first such summary was provided in an October 1998 report. The 1998 summary was updated in a February 2000 report. This report provides an update on the status or findings of epidemiology studies or activities involving SRS workers or the surrounding public, as an update to the previous summaries.

Facts about the Common Cold

Science.gov (United States)

... different viruses. Rhinovirus is the most common cause, accounting for 10 to 40 percent of colds. Other common cold viruses include coronavirus and ... RSS | Terms Of Use | Privacy | Sitemap Our Family Of Sites ... Introduction Risk Factors Screening Symptoms Tumor Testing Summary '; var ...

Virtual screening with AutoDock Vina and the common pharmacophore engine of a low diversity library of fragments and hits against the three allosteric sites of HIV integrase: participation in the SAMPL4 protein-ligand binding challenge

Science.gov (United States)

Perryman, Alexander L.; Santiago, Daniel N.; Forli, Stefano; Santos-Martins, Diogo; Olson, Arthur J.

2014-04-01

To rigorously assess the tools and protocols that can be used to understand and predict macromolecular recognition, and to gain more structural insight into three newly discovered allosteric binding sites on a critical drug target involved in the treatment of HIV infections, the Olson and Levy labs collaborated on the SAMPL4 challenge. This computational blind challenge involved predicting protein-ligand binding against the three allosteric sites of HIV integrase (IN), a viral enzyme for which two drugs (that target the active site) have been approved by the FDA. Positive control cross-docking experiments were utilized to select 13 receptor models out of an initial ensemble of 41 different crystal structures of HIV IN. These 13 models of the targets were selected using our new "Rank Difference Ratio" metric. The first stage of SAMPL4 involved using virtual screens to identify 62 active, allosteric IN inhibitors out of a set of 321 compounds. The second stage involved predicting the binding site(s) and crystallographic binding mode(s) for 57 of these inhibitors. Our team submitted four entries for the first stage that utilized: (1) AutoDock Vina (AD Vina) plus visual inspection; (2) a new common pharmacophore engine; (3) BEDAM replica exchange free energy simulations, and a Consensus approach that combined the predictions of all three strategies. Even with the SAMPL4's very challenging compound library that displayed a significantly lower amount of structural diversity than most libraries that are conventionally employed in prospective virtual screens, these approaches produced hit rates of 24, 25, 34, and 27 %, respectively, on a set with 19 % declared binders. Our only entry for the second stage challenge was based on the results of AD Vina plus visual inspection, and it ranked third place overall according to several different metrics provided by the SAMPL4 organizers. The successful results displayed by these approaches highlight the utility of the computational

Virtual screening with AutoDock Vina and the common pharmacophore engine of a low diversity library of fragments and hits against the three allosteric sites of HIV integrase: participation in the SAMPL4 protein-ligand binding challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Perryman, Alexander L; Santiago, Daniel N; Forli, Stefano; Martins, Diogo Santos; Olson, Arthur J

2014-04-01

To rigorously assess the tools and protocols that can be used to understand and predict macromolecular recognition, and to gain more structural insight into three newly discovered allosteric binding sites on a critical drug target involved in the treatment of HIV infections, the Olson and Levy labs collaborated on the SAMPL4 challenge. This computational blind challenge involved predicting protein-ligand binding against the three allosteric sites of HIV integrase (IN), a viral enzyme for which two drugs (that target the active site) have been approved by the FDA. Positive control cross-docking experiments were utilized to select 13 receptor models out of an initial ensemble of 41 different crystal structures of HIV IN. These 13 models of the targets were selected using our new "Rank Difference Ratio" metric. The first stage of SAMPL4 involved using virtual screens to identify 62 active, allosteric IN inhibitors out of a set of 321 compounds. The second stage involved predicting the binding site(s) and crystallographic binding mode(s) for 57 of these inhibitors. Our team submitted four entries for the first stage that utilized: (1) AutoDock Vina (AD Vina) plus visual inspection; (2) a new common pharmacophore engine; (3) BEDAM replica exchange free energy simulations, and a Consensus approach that combined the predictions of all three strategies. Even with the SAMPL4's very challenging compound library that displayed a significantly lower amount of structural diversity than most libraries that are conventionally employed in prospective virtual screens, these approaches produced hit rates of 24, 25, 34, and 27 %, respectively, on a set with 19 % declared binders. Our only entry for the second stage challenge was based on the results of AD Vina plus visual inspection, and it ranked third place overall according to several different metrics provided by the SAMPL4 organizers. The successful results displayed by these approaches highlight the utility of the computational

Stakeholder involvement in other sectors. High Voltage Electricity Transmission. Case study: CO_2 capture and storage. Common misconceptions on stakeholder involvement - Reviewing deployment of RES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolsink, Maarten; Komendantova, Nadejda; Kalaydjian, Francois

2017-01-01

Komendantova of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis pointed out that at higher levels of involvement several different ways can be found to share power. These include distributing responsibilities for planning and decision making (partnership) or allocating a majority of seats on review committees to citizen representatives (citizen control). Alongside choosing the right level of involvement, the approach must be tailored to the setting. Ms Komendantova presented the BESTGRID research project in the European Union, which tested and studied alternative approaches to stakeholder engagement in trans-border high-voltage transmission line projects. Different methods may be needed for engaging specific sets of people, according to such factors as age, technological familiarity, geographic situation and possibly national culture. Mr Kalaydjian pointed to the research project SiteChar-CO2, juxtaposing the reasoning of stakeholders in different locations (in Poland and in Scotland) who held different levels of knowledge of carbon capture and storage technology, and who varied in their proximity to the proposed pilot sites. Their views on economics, risks, etc. in each case also had distinct implications in terms of expected actions by national actors or by local site operators. Stakeholder concerns can be mapped into several main areas, which were echoed by the various studies presented in Session 7. Mr Wolsink insisted on the issue of perceived need for the project, and stakeholders' demand to choose among real options. He described a failed wind power development in the early 2000's which excluded local stakeholders with knowledge and interests in the proposed locations, considered only a narrow set of alternatives without meaningful distinctions between them, and utilised a technocratic decision process that selected an implementation with significant opposition when other locations would have been generally acceptable to stakeholders. BESTGRID found that areas

Common recessive limb girdle muscular dystrophies differential diagnosis: why and how?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Cotta

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Limb girdle muscular dystrophies are heterogeneous autosomal hereditary neuromuscular disorders. They produce dystrophic changes on muscle biopsy and they are associated with mutations in several genes involved in muscular structure and function. Detailed clinical, laboratorial, imaging, diagnostic flowchart, photographs, tables, and illustrated diagrams are presented for the differential diagnosis of common autosomal recessive limb girdle muscular dystrophy subtypes diagnosed nowadays at one reference center in Brazil. Preoperative image studies guide muscle biopsy site selection. Muscle involvement image pattern differs depending on the limb girdle muscular dystrophy subtype. Muscle involvement is conspicuous at the posterior thigh in calpainopathy and fukutin-related proteinopathy; anterior thigh in sarcoglycanopathy; whole thigh in dysferlinopathy, and telethoninopathy. The precise differential diagnosis of limb girdle muscular dystrophies is important for genetic counseling, prognostic orientation, cardiac and respiratory management. Besides that, it may probably, in the future, provide specific genetic therapies for each subtype.

Acquired Smell? Mature Females of the Common Green Bottle Fly Shift Semiochemical Preferences from Feces Feeding Sites to Carrion Oviposition Sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodie, Bekka S; Babcock, Tamara; Gries, Regine; Benn, Arlan; Gries, Gerhard

2016-01-01

We investigated foraging decisions by adult females of the common green bottle fly, Lucilia sericata, in accordance with their physiological state. When we gave female flies a choice between visually occluded, fresh canine feces (feeding site) and a CO2-euthanized rat (carrion oviposition site), 3-d-old "protein-starved" females responded equally well to feces and carrion, whereas protein-fed gravid females with mature oocytes responded only to carrion, indicating resource preferences based on a fly's physiological state. Dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) is known to attract gravid L. sericata females to carrion. Therefore, we analyzed headspace from canine feces by gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) and GC/mass spectrometry. In bioassays, of the 17 fecal odorants that elicited GC-EAD responses from fly antennae, a blend of indole and one or more of the alcohols phenol, m-/p-cresol and 1-octen-3-ol proved as attractive to flies as canine feces. Unlike young females, gravid females need to locate carrion for oviposition and distinguish between fresh and aging carrion, the latter possibly detrimental to offspring. Gravid female L. sericata accomplish this task, in part, by responding to trace amounts of DMTS emanating from fresh carrion and by discriminating against carrion as soon it begins to produce appreciable amounts of indole, which is also the second-most abundant semiochemical in fresh canine feces, and apparently serves as an indicator of food rather than oviposition resources. Our results emphasize the importance of studying foraging choices by flies in accordance with their physiological stage.

“Doing the Wrong Things Right” Site Investigations in Soft Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Jamilus, M. H.; Lim, A. J. M. S.; Azhar, A. T. S.; Azmi, M. A. M.

2016-11-01

Site investigation is a very important process by which geotechnical, geological and other relevant information which might affect the construction or performance of a civil engineering or building project is acquired. However, common practice in site investigations is not always in accordance to the standard that has been defined. Reliability on the information obtained depends upon several factors that involves correct procedures and competent workers and also supervision. Several examples on site investigation methods are discussed in this paper. Explanation on the difference between the site investigation methods used for real practices in the field and how it should be done are discussed in detail. Therefore, it is hoped that site investigation should always be uniquely planned and should be an interactive and flexible process of discovery and changes according to the condition of the soil.

The regional issues involved in the siting of power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livingstone, R.

1980-01-01

This paper deals with the regional implications of power station siting in England and Wales and refers to the procedures used by the CEGB to find and develop sites. The resources required for a power station are outlined both for conventional and nuclear stations and the possible development of uses for the rejected heat from power stations as a result of the energy crisis is discussed. (U.K.)

Rock coasts and seabird breeding sites : a common optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Marie, Eveillard-Buchoux

2014-05-01

The North-West coasts of Europe support a lot of part of Northern hemisphere breeding seabirds. In that context, Scotland has a preponderant place and Brittany has southernmost limit of these species areas, for most of them. Outside the breeding season these species live mainly on the open sea and when they do visit the land to breed, they nest on a specific sites : almost all the time they breed on the rock coasts, often on seacliffs. This specific habitat are defines by geomorphological characteristics which offer special forms of the coast. The forms of rock coasts are originally and different because of several proprieties of geology, of lithology, of structures. Breeding seabird, occupying these sites, reveals, in a new light, the richness of these forms and the originals geographic location of the coastline : seabirds prefer nest in exposed coastline like rock caps, rocky points or islands. Seabirds and rock coasts are research topics in environmental geography since several years. However, these combination studies is a new approach in this field and enlargement in the heritage field allows supplement scientific approach. For example, it show that in most important touristic sites, environmental protection measures focused on landscape, habitat or bird, but much more rarely on rock coasts for these intrinsic values. Indeed, in Brittany or in Scotland, seabirds are often stars species in lot of coastal nature reserves, where they're considered like greater ecological heritage. We could see it in touristic promotion field : bird is everywhere, cliff is mostly kept in the dark, as well in leaflets as in speech visitor's guides - without, for example, as a part of this landscape. In all cases, combination of these two heritages is extremely rare. Yet, this current research illustrates the interest and the issue of development of this comparative approach seabirds / rock coasts for optimization of nature tourism and geotourism.

Web vulnerability study of online pharmacy sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzma, Joanne

2011-01-01

Consumers are increasingly using online pharmacies, but these sites may not provide an adequate level of security with the consumers' personal data. There is a gap in this research addressing the problems of security vulnerabilities in this industry. The objective is to identify the level of web application security vulnerabilities in online pharmacies and the common types of flaws, thus expanding on prior studies. Technical, managerial and legal recommendations on how to mitigate security issues are presented. The proposed four-step method first consists of choosing an online testing tool. The next steps involve choosing a list of 60 online pharmacy sites to test, and then running the software analysis to compile a list of flaws. Finally, an in-depth analysis is performed on the types of web application vulnerabilities. The majority of sites had serious vulnerabilities, with the majority of flaws being cross-site scripting or old versions of software that have not been updated. A method is proposed for the securing of web pharmacy sites, using a multi-phased approach of technical and managerial techniques together with a thorough understanding of national legal requirements for securing systems.

Mars Surface System Common Capabilities and Challenges for Human Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Stephen J.; Toups, Larry

2016-01-01

NASA has begun a process to identify and evaluate candidate locations where humans could land, live and work on the martian surface. These locations are referred to as Exploration Zones (EZs). Given current mission concepts, an EZ is a collection of Regions of Interest (ROIs) that are located within approximately 100 kilometers of a centralized landing site. ROIs are areas that are relevant for scientific investigation and/or development/maturation of capabilities and resources necessary for a sustainable human presence. The EZ also contains a landing site and a habitation site that will be used by multiple human crews during missions to explore and utilize the ROIs within the EZ. In parallel with this process, NASA continues to make progress on the Evolvable Mars Campaign examining alternatives that can pioneer an extended human presence on Mars that is Earth independent. This involves ongoing assessments of surface systems and operations to enable a permanent, sustainable human presence. Because of the difficulty in getting equipment and supplies to the surface of Mars, part of these assessments involve identifying those systems and processes that can perform in multiple, sometimes completely unrelated, situations. These assessments have been performed in a very generic surface mission carried out at a very generic surface location. As specific candidate EZs are identified it becomes important to evaluate the current suite of surface systems and operations as they are likely to perform for the specific locations and for the types of operations - both scientific and development - that are proposed for these EZs. It is also important to evaluate the proposed EZs for their suitability to be explored or developed given the range of capabilities and constraints for the types of surface systems and operations being considered within the EMC. This means looking at setting up and operating a field station at a central location within the EZ as well as traversing to and

Scrub typhus: radiological and clinical findings in abdominopelvic involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kun Yung; Song, Ji Soo; Park, Eun Hae; Jin, Gong Yong

2017-03-01

To describe the clinical and radiological findings of abdominopelvic involvement in scrub typhus. Abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) of 78 patients with scrub typhus were evaluated by two readers. The presence of gallbladder wall thickening, arterial inhomogeneous enhancement of the liver, periportal edema, splenic infarction, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, ascites, pleural effusion, and sites of lymphadenopathy were evaluated. Patients were divided into four clinical subgroups according to laboratory findings. Association between imaging findings and subgroups was analyzed by Chi squared test or Fisher's exact test. The most common CT finding was hepatomegaly (74.4%), followed by splenomegaly (66.7%). The majority of patients had at least three areas of abdominopelvic lymphadenopathy (71.8%). Pelvic lymphadenopathy was most commonly seen when eschar was found in the ipsilateral lower extremity (left, n = 5/7; right, n = 8/13). Significant association between hepatic dysfunction and perigastric lymphadenopathy was documented (p = 0.03). Scrub typhus has a spectrum of variable clinical and radiological findings mimicking those of acute hepatitis. Diffuse abdominopelvic lymphadenopathy involving the retroperitoneum and pelvic area may aid in early diagnosis of scrub typhus. Perigastric lymphadenopathy could be a sign of severe scrub typhus combined with hepatic dysfunction.

Oak Ridge Reservation site management plan for the environmental restoration program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-09-01

This report describes the overall approach for addressing environmental contamination on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) National Priorities List site located in east Tennessee. The cleanup strategy reflected in this site management plan (SMP) has been developed to accelerate the transition of areas of concern (AOCs) from characterization to remediation by making decisions at the watershed scale based on recommended land uses. Project scoping involves the use of defined remedial action objectives, which are based in part on the land uses selected for the project sites. To provide a consistent land use approach that accommodates the needs of all stakeholders responsible for the remediation and reutilization of the ORR, a reservation-wide strategy has been developed. The Common Ground process is a stakeholder-driven process to determine preferred land use options for the ORR so that clean-up operations will be based on the most likely and acceptable land uses. DOE utilized the information gathered in the Common Ground process to recommend desired land uses for the ORR. The land uses recommended by DOE as a result of the Common Ground process are being used for planning land and facility use/reuse for the next 25 years. Land uses recommended for the ORR in conducting CERCLA remedial activities are conservation, industrial use, and waste management

Common Childhood Orthopedic Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

... Parents Parents site Sitio para padres General Health Growth & Development Infections Diseases & Conditions Pregnancy & Baby Nutrition & Fitness Emotions & ... pain. Toe Walking Toe walking is common among toddlers as they learn to walk, especially during the ...

Public involvement: the critical path in siting controversial facilities. Proceedings of the Nuclear Energy Low-Level Waste Mangement Program conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

The purpose of the conference was to: exchange information among those responsible for, or interested in, the development of new low-level waste disposal facilities; acquaint participants with past experiences of states and organizations in enfranchising the public in the siting of controversial facilities; and discuss various mechanisms and techniques for effectively involving the public in decision-making processes. The conference addressed four major topics: lessons from past experiences; mechanisms and techniques for public involvement, conflict resolution, and working constructively with the media. A series of presentations on each topic was followed by questions and discussion among presenters and conference participants. Several key points emerged as the conference proceeded

Common carotid artery disease in Takayasu's arteritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamdan, Nabil; Calderon, Luis I; Castro, Pablo and others

2004-01-01

Takayasu's arteritis is a disease of unknown etiology with main involvement of the common carotid 5 artery and its branches. we report the case of a 69 years old female patient with Tokays arteritis with 2 bilateral involvements of the common carotid arteries, treated with percutaneous angioplasty and Stent implantation

Chronic granulomatous disease of childhood. Report of two cases with unusual involvement of the gastric antrum and spleen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orduna, M.; Gonzales de Orbe, G.; Gordillo, M.I.; Serrano, C.; Collado, J.M.; Miralles, M.; Fernandez-Epifanio, J.L.

1989-02-01

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) of childhood is a rare entity. The disease is characterized by recurrent infections with granuloma and abscess formation caused by an inherited defective neutrophil leukocyte function. The most common sites of involvements are the lungs, lymph nodes, skin, liver, spleen and bones. Rarely are other organs affected. Two children with CGD are presented. The children were cousins, the older with bone, lung and splenic involvement. The younger had circumferential thickening of the gastric antrum. (orig./GDG).

Surgical resident involvement is safe for common elective general surgery procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Warren H; Jin, Leah; Canter, Robert J; Martinez, Steve R; Khatri, Vijay P; Gauvin, Jeffrey; Bold, Richard J; Wisner, David; Taylor, Sandra; Chen, Steven L

2011-07-01

Outcomes of surgical resident training are under scrutiny with the changing milieu of surgical education. Few have investigated the effect of surgical resident involvement (SRI) on operative parameters. Examining 7 common general surgery procedures, we evaluated the effect of SRI on perioperative morbidity and mortality and operative time (OpT). The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2005 to 2007) was used to identify 7 cases of nonemergent operations. Cases with simultaneous procedures were excluded. Logistic regression was performed across all procedures and within each procedure incorporating SRI, OpT, and risk-stratifying American College of Surgery National Surgical Quality Improvement Program morbidity and mortality probability scores, which incorporate multiple prognostic individual patient factors. Procedure-specific, SRI-stratified OpTs were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. A total of 71.3% of the 37,907 cases had SRI. Absolute 30-day morbidity for all cases with SRI and without SRI were 3.0% and 1.0%, respectively (p < 0.001); absolute 30-day mortality for all cases with SRI and without SRI were 0.1% and 0.08%, respectively (p < 0.001). After multivariate analysis by specific procedure, SRI was not associated with increased morbidity but was associated with decreased mortality during open right colectomy (odds ratio 0.32; p = 0.01). Across all procedures, SRI was associated with increased morbidity (odds ratio 1.14; p = 0.048) but decreased mortality (odds ratio 0.42; p < 0.001). Mean OpT for all procedures was consistently lower for cases without SRI. SRI has a measurable impact on both 30-day morbidity and mortality and OpT. These data have implications to the impact associated with surgical graduate medical education. Further studies to identify causes of patient morbidity and prevention strategies in surgical teaching environments are warranted. Copyright © 2011 American College of Surgeons

Suprasellar ganglioglioma with unusual diffuse involvement of the entire optico-chiasmal hypothalamic pathway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jalali Rakesh

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Gangliogliomas (GG are mixed glioneuronal tumors of the central nervous system (CNS, occurring mostly in the pediatric population, with common sites being temporal lobes and less commonly in the frontal and parietal lobes. We report a case of a 7-year-old child who presented with bilateral visual defects for 6 months. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI of the brain revealed an intensely enhancing mass lesion with calcification in the sellar and suprasellar region involving the optic chiasm and the left optic nerve. The mass showed almost bilaterally symmetrical diffuse spread along the optic tracts posteriorly and hypothalamus, temporal lobes, thalami and the basal ganglia. The lesion was radiologically indistinguishable from chiasmatic astrocytoma or a germ cell tumor but histopathological features were of a ganglioglioma. While a few optic apparatus gangliogliomas have been reported in the literature, such widespread diffuse involvement of the entire optico-chiasmal hypothalamic pathway is unusual.

Using variable transformations to perform common event analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worrell, R.B.

1977-01-01

Any analytical method for studying the effect of common events on the behavior of a system is considered as being a form of common event analysis. The particular common events that are involved often represent quite different phenomena, and this has led to the development of different kinds of common event analysis. For example, common mode failure analysis, common cause analysis, critical location analysis, etc., are all different kinds of common event analysis for which the common events involved represent different phenomena. However, the problem that must be solved for each of these different kinds of common event analysis is essentially the same: Determine the effect of common events on the behavior of a system. Thus, a technique that is useful in achieving one kind of common event analysis is often useful in achieving other kinds of common event analysis

Aspartic acid 397 in subunit B of the Na+-pumping NADH:quinone oxidoreductase from Vibrio cholerae forms part of a sodium-binding site, is involved in cation selectivity, and affects cation-binding site cooperativity.

Science.gov (United States)

Shea, Michael E; Juárez, Oscar; Cho, Jonathan; Barquera, Blanca

2013-10-25

The Na(+)-pumping NADH:quinone complex is found in Vibrio cholerae and other marine and pathogenic bacteria. NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase oxidizes NADH and reduces ubiquinone, using the free energy released by this reaction to pump sodium ions across the cell membrane. In a previous report, a conserved aspartic acid residue in the NqrB subunit at position 397, located in the cytosolic face of this protein, was proposed to be involved in the capture of sodium. Here, we studied the role of this residue through the characterization of mutant enzymes in which this aspartic acid was substituted by other residues that change charge and size, such as arginine, serine, lysine, glutamic acid, and cysteine. Our results indicate that NqrB-Asp-397 forms part of one of the at least two sodium-binding sites and that both size and charge at this position are critical for the function of the enzyme. Moreover, we demonstrate that this residue is involved in cation selectivity, has a critical role in the communication between sodium-binding sites, by promoting cooperativity, and controls the electron transfer step involved in sodium uptake (2Fe-2S → FMNC).

Lessons learned implementing environmental regulations at non-Department of Energy sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craig, R.B.; Dippo, G.L.

1991-01-01

The Hazardous Waste Remedial Actions Program (HAZWRAP) has been involved in the implementation of environmental regulations at non-Department of Energy (DOE) facilities for > 5 years. If any common thread has been identified in working at these sites, it is that no two sites can be treated the same. Each site and its associated wastes, governing regulations, and environmental conditions are different. The list of technical lessons learned is long, and their applicability to other sites must be looked at for each specific case. That is far too large a task to undertake here. The most important lesson HAZWRAP learned is not technical. Implementing environmental regulations at non-DOE sites is not any different from implementing regulations or anything else done at DOE facilities. The key to success lies in quality, planning, and communication. Taking the time to implement a good quality program based on sound planning and open communication will ensure program success

Common data about region of the former Semipalatinsk test site. Chapter 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

Region of the Semipalatinsk test site is situated on left bank shore of the Irtysh river, on joining of three regions (East Kazakstan region, Pavlodar, Karaganda) and is extended from the river to south-western direction on 180 km. Total square of the site is amount 18.5 thousand sq.km. The territory is presented by flat landscape of dry steppe and semi-desert type passing in south-western direction into hill valley changing by small hill land. There are 5 test sites on territory of the region where places of nuclear explosions were carried out. For all territory is typically presence of river valleys and lake hollows (mainly salty). Today global background from cesium-137 and strontium-90 radionuclides near Semipalatinsk city amounts in average 0,11 Ci/sq.km. By the data of ground gamma-survey radiation background is oscillating within limits of 11-25 μR/h. In the same time on the site region there are local sections of radiation contamination with very high background, in particular, in epicenter of the 'Opytnoe Pole' area is up to 15000 μR/h, on disposal area of the Balapan lake is 11000 μR/h, near dam of the Shagan reservoir is up to 7000 μR/h, near portals of some galleries of the Degelen test site is up to 20000-250000 μR/h and others. Geobotanic status of the site territory is extremely heterogeneous and it is insufficiently studied because of inaccessibility of the region for researches during long time of its activity. The 302 types higher vascular plants were defined during last four seasons of field studies, as well as 800 descriptions of biocenoses are made, 1000 herbarium specimens are gathered

Transition from site selection to site confirmation phase: New challenge to Posiva's communication and public involvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seppaelae, Timo

2001-01-01

In Finland, Posiva Oy is responsible for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel. In the 1990's investigations have been carried out on four intended sites for final disposal. Posiva implemented Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the investigation sites in 1997-1999. The results of the EIA procedure were published in the EIA report which was attached to the application filed to the Government in May 1999 for a policy decision on the construction of the final disposal facility in Olkiluoto in the municipality of Eurajoki. In December 2000, the Finnish Government made a favourable policy decision ( D ecision in Principle ) on the construction of final disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel in Olkiluoto. According to the decision, the facility is in line with the overall good of the society. According to the Government's decision the prerequisites of the policy decision had been met. The municipality of Eurajoki supported the construction of the facility in Olkiluoto and STUK, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, also approved of the advancement of the project. The positive policy decision of the Government will still need to be ratified by the Parliament. The parliamentary proceedings of the policy decision will probably start in February 2001. The policy decision will make it possible for Posiva to concentrate the future site confirmation studies in Olkiluoto, Eurajoki, and construct an underground research facility there. The excavation of the research facility in the bedrock is planned to start in a few years' time. The construction of the final disposal facility is scheduled to start after the year 2010. The transition from the site selection to the site confirmation phase in Eurajoki means a new challenge not only to Posiva's research work but also to Posiva's communication. In addition to meeting the safety criteria, Posiva's activities shall in the future also meet all the criteria specified by the surrounding society

High-Resolution RNA Maps Suggest Common Principles of Splicing and Polyadenylation Regulation by TDP-43

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Gregor Rot

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Many RNA-binding proteins (RBPs regulate both alternative exons and poly(A site selection. To understand their regulatory principles, we developed expressRNA, a web platform encompassing computational tools for integration of iCLIP and RNA motif analyses with RNA-seq and 3′ mRNA sequencing. This reveals at nucleotide resolution the “RNA maps” describing how the RNA binding positions of RBPs relate to their regulatory functions. We use this approach to examine how TDP-43, an RBP involved in several neurodegenerative diseases, binds around its regulated poly(A sites. Binding close to the poly(A site generally represses, whereas binding further downstream enhances use of the site, which is similar to TDP-43 binding around regulated exons. Our RNAmotifs2 software also identifies sequence motifs that cluster together with the binding motifs of TDP-43. We conclude that TDP-43 directly regulates diverse types of pre-mRNA processing according to common position-dependent principles.

Cox17 Protein Is an Auxiliary Factor Involved in the Control of the Mitochondrial Contact Site and Cristae Organizing System.

Science.gov (United States)

Chojnacka, Magdalena; Gornicka, Agnieszka; Oeljeklaus, Silke; Warscheid, Bettina; Chacinska, Agnieszka

2015-06-12

The mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system (MICOS) is a recently discovered protein complex that is crucial for establishing and maintaining the proper inner membrane architecture and contacts with the outer membrane of mitochondria. The ways in which the MICOS complex is assembled and its integrity is regulated remain elusive. Here, we report a direct link between Cox17, a protein involved in the assembly of cytochrome c oxidase, and the MICOS complex. Cox17 interacts with Mic60, thereby modulating MICOS complex integrity. This interaction does not involve Sco1, a partner of Cox17 in transferring copper ions to cytochrome c oxidase. However, the Cox17-MICOS interaction is regulated by copper ions. We propose that Cox17 is a newly identified factor involved in maintaining the architecture of the MICOS complex. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

LARGE VESSEL INVOLVEMENT IN BEHCET’S DISEASE

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AR. Jamshidi F. Davatchi

2004-08-01

Full Text Available Large vessel involvement is one of the hallmarks of Behcet’s disease (BD but its prevalence varies widely due to ethnic variation or environmental factors. The aim of this study is to find the characteristics of vasculo-Behcet (VB in Iran. In a cohort of 4769 patients with BD, those with vascular involvement were selected. Different manifestations of disease were compared with the remaining group of patients. A confidence interval at 95% (CI was calculated for each item. Vascular involvement was seen in 409 cases (8.6%; CI, 0.8. Venous involvement was seen in 396 cases, deep vein thrombosis in 294 (6.2%; CI, 0.7, superficial phlebitis in 108 (2.3%; CI, 0.4 and large vein thrombosis in 45 (0.9%; CI, 0.3. Arterial involvement was seen in 28 patients (25 aneurysms and 4 thromboses. Thirteen patients showed both arterial and venous involvement. The mean age of the patients with VB was slightly higher (P<0.03, but the disease duration was significantly longer (P<0.0003. VB was more common in men. As the presenting sign, ocular lesions were less frequent in VB (P<0.0006, while skin lesions were over 2 times more common in these cases (P<0.000001. VB was associated with a higher frequency of genital aphthosis, skin involvement, joint manifestations, epididymitis, CNS lesions and GI involvement. The juvenile form was less common in VB (P<0.03. High ESR was more frequent in VB (P=0.000002, but the frequency of false positive VDRL, pathergy phenomenon, HLA-B5 or HLA-B27 showed no significant difference between the two groups. In Iranian patients with BD, vascular involvement is not common and large vessel involvement is rare. It may be sex-related, and is more common in well-established disease with multiple organ involvement and longer disease duration.

Ethics of social media research: common concerns and practical considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Megan A; Goniu, Natalie; Moreno, Peter S; Diekema, Douglas

2013-09-01

Social media Websites (SMWs) are increasingly popular research tools. These sites provide new opportunities for researchers, but raise new challenges for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review these research protocols. As of yet, there is little-to-no guidance regarding how an IRB should review the studies involving SMWs. The purpose of this article was to review the common risks inherent in social media research and consider how researchers can consider these risks when writing research protocols. We focused this article on three common research approaches: observational research, interactive research, and survey/interview research. Concomitant with these research approaches, we gave particular attention to the issues pertinent to SMW research, including privacy, consent, and confidentiality. After considering these challenges, we outlined key considerations for both researchers and reviewers when creating or reviewing SMW IRB protocols. Our goal in this article was to provide a detailed examination of relevant ethics and regulatory issues for both researchers and those who review their protocols.

Ethics of Social Media Research: Common Concerns and Practical Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Goniu, Natalie; Moreno, Peter S.; Diekema, Douglas

2013-01-01

Abstract Social media Websites (SMWs) are increasingly popular research tools. These sites provide new opportunities for researchers, but raise new challenges for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review these research protocols. As of yet, there is little-to-no guidance regarding how an IRB should review the studies involving SMWs. The purpose of this article was to review the common risks inherent in social media research and consider how researchers can consider these risks when writing research protocols. We focused this article on three common research approaches: observational research, interactive research, and survey/interview research. Concomitant with these research approaches, we gave particular attention to the issues pertinent to SMW research, including privacy, consent, and confidentiality. After considering these challenges, we outlined key considerations for both researchers and reviewers when creating or reviewing SMW IRB protocols. Our goal in this article was to provide a detailed examination of relevant ethics and regulatory issues for both researchers and those who review their protocols. PMID:23679571

Social Network Sites, Friends, and Celebrities: The Roles of Social Comparison and Celebrity Involvement in Adolescents’ Body Image Dissatisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shirley S. Ho

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This study applies the social comparison theory to examine the effects of adolescents’ engagement in comparison with friends and celebrities on social network sites (SNSs on (a their body image dissatisfaction (BID and (b their drive to be thin (DT or muscular (DM. The study also examines celebrity involvement as an antecedent of the outcome variables. Data were collected through a survey of 1,059 adolescents in Singapore. Regression analyses indicate that SNSs use was related to adolescents’ BID. Specifically, social comparison with friends on SNSs was significantly associated with adolescents’ BID, DT, and DM. Gender differences were also observed—social comparison with celebrities was significantly associated with BID and DT among female adolescents. Celebrity involvement was significantly associated with male BID. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

The role of public involvement in managing political conflict: A comparative case study of public involvement activities in siting low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tzoumis, K.A.

1992-01-01

A model of political conflict based on the components of scope, intensity and visibility is used to rank the degree of conflict for states hosting a low-level radioactive waste facility in the US. Data were gathered from sixty-five telephone interviews and comparisons made with ten national experts. Public involvement and compensation packages (reviewed in Chapter IV) to be potential conflict management tools for practitioners. The role of the governor and the complexity of the siting process are two additional factors that are important in escalating a conflict. Technical factors of complexity and source of the waste along with the past performance of the company handling the facility have no link to conflict. Conflict escalation is proposed as a means towards understanding the agenda-building process

Pressure Sore at an Unusual Site- the Bilateral Popliteal Fossa: A Case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamal Kataria

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Pressure sore is tissue ulceration due to unrelieved pressure, altered sensory perception, and exposure to moisture. Geriatric patients with organic problems and patients with spinal cord injuries are the high-risk groups. Soft tissues over bony prominences are the common sites for ulcer development. About 95% of pressure ulcers occur in the lower part of the body. Ischial tuberosity, greater trochanter, sacrum and heel are common sites. In addition to these, pressure sores at unusual sites like nasal alae, malar eminences, cervical region and medial side of knee have also been described. Only 1.6% of the patients present with sores in areas outside the pelvis and lower extremity. In a paraplegic patient, pressure sores are usually over extensor surface of knee and heel but pressure ulcer over popliteal fossa are extremely rare. We herein report a case of a 36-years-old diabetic and paraplegic male, who presented with multiple bed sores involving the sacral area, heels and bilateral popliteal fossa. Popliteal fossa is an unusual site for pressure sores. Only one similar case has been previously reported in the literature.

Pressure Sore at an Unusual Site- the Bilateral Popliteal Fossa: A Case report

Science.gov (United States)

Kataria, Kamal; Sagar, Sushma; Singhal, Manish; Yadav, Rajni

2012-01-01

Pressure sore is tissue ulceration due to unrelieved pressure, altered sensory perception, and exposure to moisture. Geriatric patients with organic problems and patients with spinal cord injuries are the high-risk groups. Soft tissues over bony prominences are the common sites for ulcer development. About 95% of pressure ulcers occur in the lower part of the body. Ischial tuberosity, greater trochanter, sacrum and heel are common sites. In addition to these, pressure sores at unusual sites like nasal alae, malar eminences, cervical region and medial side of knee have also been described. Only 1.6% of the patients present with sores in areas outside the pelvis and lower extremity. In a paraplegic patient, pressure sores are usually over extensor surface of knee and heel but pressure ulcer over popliteal fossa are extremely rare. We herein report a case of a 36-years-old diabetic and paraplegic male, who presented with multiple bed sores involving the sacral area, heels and bilateral popliteal fossa. Popliteal fossa is an unusual site for pressure sores. Only one similar case has been previously reported in the literature. PMID:29181131

Implementing Site-based Budgeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Sielke, Catherine C.

2001-01-01

Discusses five questions that must be answered before implementing site-based budgeting: Why are we doing this? What budgeting decisions will be devolved to the school site? How do dollars flow from the central office to the site? Who will be involved at the site? How will accountability be achieved? (Author/PKP)

Matching Diabetes and Alcoholism: Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Neurogenesis Are Commonly Involved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge M. Barcia

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Diabetes and alcohol misuse are two of the major challenges in health systems worldwide. These two diseases finally affect several organs and systems including the central nervous system. Hippocampus is one of the most relevant structures due to neurogenesis and memory-related processing among other functions. The present review focuses on the common profile of diabetes and ethanol exposure in terms of oxidative stress and proinflammatory and prosurvival recruiting transcription factors affecting hippocampal neurogenesis. Some aspects around antioxidant strategies are also included. As a global conclusion, the present review points out some common hits on both diseases giving support to the relations between alcohol intake and diabetes.

Tumor Suppressor Genes within Common Fragile Sites Are Active Players in the DNA Damage Response.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Idit Hazan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The role of common fragile sites (CFSs in cancer remains controversial. Two main views dominate the discussion: one suggests that CFS loci are hotspots of genomic instability leading to inactivation of genes encoded within them, while the other view proposes that CFSs are functional units and that loss of the encoded genes confers selective pressure, leading to cancer development. The latter view is supported by emerging evidence showing that expression of a given CFS is associated with genome integrity and that inactivation of CFS-resident tumor suppressor genes leads to dysregulation of the DNA damage response (DDR and increased genomic instability. These two viewpoints of CFS function are not mutually exclusive but rather coexist; when breaks at CFSs are not repaired accurately, this can lead to deletions by which cells acquire growth advantage because of loss of tumor suppressor activities. Here, we review recent advances linking some CFS gene products with the DDR, genomic instability, and carcinogenesis and discuss how their inactivation might represent a selective advantage for cancer cells.

A description of LUSTRA's common field sites[Forestry land use and greenhouse gas emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berggren, Dan [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden). Dept. of Soil Sciences; Bergkvist, Bo [Lund Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Ecology; Johansson, Maj-Britt; Melkerud, Per-Arne; Nilsson, Aake; Olsson, Mats [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden). Dept. of Forest Soils; Langvall, Ola [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Lammhult (Sweden). Asa Experimental Forest; Majdi, Hooshang [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden). Dept. of Ecology and Environmental Research; Weslien, Per [Goeteborg Univ. (Sweden). Botanical Inst.

2004-07-01

participate on the global arena, and thus LUSTRA has gradually put more focus on the Kyoto process. LUSTRA was evaluated during spring 2002 and the general overall statement was that 'The ambitious goals of the LUSTRA program are very good and seem to be well understood by the participating researchers. However, for a second phase a focus on synthesis and synergy is recommended'. In LUSTRA we are performing integrated research on C fluxes at three common field sites (CFS) situated in a south-north transect in Sweden: Asa, Knottaasen and Flakaliden. Measurements started summer 2000. The intention was to establish a climate gradient through Sweden but keep other environmental parameters rather similar. Also within each site the ambition was to get a hydrological gradient going from dry, over mesic to moist conditions, i.e. from deep lying ground water level to shallow groundwater. According to the advises by the reviewers of LUSTRA phase 1, more focus will be on syntheses during LUSTRA phase 2 (2003-2006). However, measurements at the CFS will be continued during 2003 and 2004. The objectives of this paper are (i) to give a general description of the sites, (ii) to describe the abiotic measurements made at the different sites, including the data base, (iii) to describe the methods used to obtain background information about soils and vegetation (C pools and fluxes) and (iv) to present the background information about soils and vegetation.

Titrating the Cost of Plant Toxins Against Predators: a Case Study with Common Duikers, Sylvicapra grimmia.

Science.gov (United States)

Abu Baker, Mohammad A

2015-10-01

Foragers face many variables that influence their food intake. These may include habitat structure, time, climate, resource characteristic, food quality, and plant defenses. I conducted foraging experiments using common duikers that involved: 1) testing the effect of plant toxins on foraging, and 2) titrating toxin intake against safety. I used giving up densities (GUDs, food remaining after foraging) to test for selection among trays containing alfalfa pellets treated with water, with 10% oxalic acid, or 10% quebracho tannin. Pairs of trays were placed within islands of woody vegetation and out in open grass. I also conducted a titration experiment by offering the duikers a choice between a patch with water-treated pellets placed at a risky site, or a patch with one of three oxalic acid-treated pellets at a safe site. This made it possible to determine the concentration of oxalic acid at which the cost of toxin in the safe site equals the predation cost at the risky site. The common duikers showed no selectivity among the three treatments at 10% concentration, however, GUDs in the open grass (i.e., safe) were significantly lower than in the wooded islands (i.e., risky). As the oxalic acid concentration increased at the safe sites, the duiker's food intake from the risky sites increased significantly. The results demonstrate that foraging hazards may come in different forms such as predation and plant toxins, and their interactions may alter habitat use, foraging patterns, and perceptions of risk. These variables occur under natural situations, altering the overall habitat quality.

Intronic PAH gene mutations cause a splicing defect by a novel mechanism involving U1snRNP binding downstream of the 5' splice site

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martínez-Pizarro, Ainhoa; Dembic, Maja; Pérez, Belén

2018-01-01

Phenylketonuria (PKU), one of the most common inherited diseases of amino acid metabolism, is caused by mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene. Recently, PAH exon 11 was identified as a vulnerable exon due to a weak 3' splice site, with different exonic mutations affecting exon 11 ...

CT and MR findings of langerhans cell histiocytois involving the spleen: a case report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pyun, Hae Wook; Kim, Mee Eun; Kim, Jang Ho [Fatima Hospital, Taegu (Korea, Republic of)

2002-02-01

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is systemic disease resulting from the proliferation and dissemination of abnormal histiocytic cells of the Langerhans cell system. Common sites of involvement include the skin, bone, bone marrow, lung, lymph nodes and central nervous system, and the condition manifests in variety of ways. We present the CT and MR findings of a case of LCH involving the spleen, an organ invloved relatively rarely. Post-contrast CT revealed multiple hypodense nodules. T1-weighted MR images of the spleen depicted no definitive lesion, but T2-weighted images showed abnormal low signals scattered throughout this organ. In addition, post-contrast, fat-saturated T1-weighted MR images lesions showed multiple, low-signal-intensity lesions.

Expert Radiation Oncologist Interpretations of Involved-Site Radiation Therapy Guidelines in the Management of Hodgkin Lymphoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoppe, Bradford S. [University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Hoppe, Richard T., E-mail: rhoppe@stanford.edu [Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford, California (United States)

2015-05-01

Purpose: Recently, involved-site radiation therapy (ISRT) guidelines have been developed and published to replace the previous concept of involved-field radiation therapy for patients with lymphoma. However, these ISRT guidelines may be interpreted in different ways, posing difficulties for prospective clinical trials. This study reports survey results regarding interpretation of the ISRT guidelines. Methods and Materials: Forty-four expert lymphoma radiation oncologists were asked to participate in a survey that included 7 different cases associated with 9 questions. The questions pertained to ISRT contouring and asked respondents to choose between 2 different answers (no “correct” answer) and a third write-in option allowed. Results: Fifty-two percent of those surveyed responded to the questionnaire. Among those who responded, 72% have practiced for >10 years, 46% have treated >20 Hodgkin lymphoma cases annually, and 100% were familiar with the ISRT concept. Among the 9 questions associated with the 7 cases, 3 had concordance among the expert radiation oncologists of greater than 70%. Six of the questions had less than 70% concordance (range, 56%-67%). Conclusions: Even among expert radiation oncologists, interpretation of ISRT guidelines is variable. Further guidance for ISRT field design will be needed to reduce variability among practicing physicians.

Stakeholder Involvement in Swedish Nuclear Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elam, Mark; Sundqvist, Goeran

2006-01-01

The focus in this paper is on past, current and emerging patterns of stakeholder involvement in the siting of a deep repository for final disposal of Sweden's spent nuclear fuel. In particular, we concentrate on how the two municipalities of Oskarshamn and Oesthammar have acted as engaged stakeholders, and have gained recognition as such, in the siting process. In general: How has stakeholder involvement gained acceptance as an activity of value in the siting of major waste facilities? What are the issues currently subject to stakeholder involvement and how have these been decided upon? An effect of the history of nuclear activity in Oskarshamn and Oesthammar is that stakeholder involvement over a final repository can be divided into social and technical issues. Both municipalities have out of tradition, as part of their social acceptance of a new repository, been prepared to surrender extended involvement in key safety issues. They have been prepared to do this because they also see themselves being able to delegate these safety issues to the government authorities SSI and SKI. These two authorities have been acceptable to the two municipalities as their legitimate 'technological guardians'. As physical geology re-enters the siting process for a deep repository, Oskarshamn appear more prepared to break with tradition than Oesthammar. Oskarshamn are currently demanding transparency from SKB in relation to the exact technical and geological criteria they will use to choose between them and Oesthammar as a repository site. In contrast to Oesthammar, Oskarshamn are preparing with the expected help of SKI and SSI to dispute their geology and its relation to nuclear safety with SKB if they consider it necessary. If Oskarshamn act to draw safety issues in relation to alternative methods and sitings into the EIA process where might this lead? As environmental groups now enter the process (three groups were granted funding in the first round - 2005) the character of site

Evidence of Hybridization between Common Gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) and Butler’s Gartersnakes (Thamnophis butleri) in Wisconsin (USA).

Science.gov (United States)

Joshua M. Kapfer,; Sloss, Brian L.; Gregor W. Schuurman,; Paloski, Rori A.; Jeffrey M. Lorch,

2013-01-01

Snakes within the genus Thamnophis (Gartersnakes and Ribbonsnakes) are often found in sympatry throughout their geographic distributions. Past work has indicated that some sympatric species within this genus may hybridize, but research of this nature is limited. We attempted to determine whether hybridization occurs between two Thamnophis species native to the upper midwestern United States: Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) and the Butler's Gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri). We sampled snakes (n = 411) across 26 locations in Wisconsin, including sites where both species coexist and sites where only Common Gartersnakes are found. We conducted genetic analyses on tissue collected from individuals field-identified as Common Gartersnakes or Butler's Gartersnakes. To verify the results of our field-collected data, we analyzed tissues from juvenile snakes (n = 4) suspected to be the offspring of a Common Gartersnake and a Butler's Gartersnake that were housed together in a captive situation. Of the field-collected snakes analyzed, eight snakes were consistent with expected Common × Butler's Gartersnake hybrids. All four of the captive offspring analyzed resolved as putative hybrids, corresponding with our field-collected samples. Butler's Gartersnake is a globally rare species, endemic only to the upper midwestern United States. Studies involving the potential for hybridization between common and uncommon species are useful from a conservation perspective. The low incidence of hybridization we observed would indicate that hybridization between these species is uncommon. Further research investigating rates of hybridization would help assess any potential threat posed by outbreeding between common and rare gartersnakes in this region of the United States.

Public interest group involvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shelley, P.

1986-01-01

Including public interest groups in the siting process for nuclear waste disposal facilities is of great importance. Controversial sitings often result in litigation, but involving public interest groups early in the process will lessen the change of this. They act as surrogates for the general public and should be considered as members of the team. It is important to remember though, that all public interest groups are different. In choosing public panels such as public advisory committees, members should not be chosen on the basis of some quota. Opposition groups should not be excluded. Also, it is important to put the right person in charge of the committee. The goal of public involvement is to identify the conflicts. This must be done during the decision process, because conflicts must be known before they can be eliminated. Regarding litigation, it is important to ease through and around legal battles. If the siting process has integrity and a good faith effort has been shown, the court should uphold the effort. In addition, it is important to be negotiable and to eliminate shortcuts

A computational model of the LGI1 protein suggests a common binding site for ADAM proteins.

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Emanuela Leonardi

Full Text Available Mutations of human leucine-rich glioma inactivated (LGI1 gene encoding the epitempin protein cause autosomal dominant temporal lateral epilepsy (ADTLE, a rare familial partial epileptic syndrome. The LGI1 gene seems to have a role on the transmission of neuronal messages but the exact molecular mechanism remains unclear. In contrast to other genes involved in epileptic disorders, epitempin shows no homology with known ion channel genes but contains two domains, composed of repeated structural units, known to mediate protein-protein interactions.A three dimensional in silico model of the two epitempin domains was built to predict the structure-function relationship and propose a functional model integrating previous experimental findings. Conserved and electrostatic charged regions of the model surface suggest a possible arrangement between the two domains and identifies a possible ADAM protein binding site in the β-propeller domain and another protein binding site in the leucine-rich repeat domain. The functional model indicates that epitempin could mediate the interaction between proteins localized to different synaptic sides in a static way, by forming a dimer, or in a dynamic way, by binding proteins at different times.The model was also used to predict effects of known disease-causing missense mutations. Most of the variants are predicted to alter protein folding while several other map to functional surface regions. In agreement with experimental evidence, this suggests that non-secreted LGI1 mutants could be retained within the cell by quality control mechanisms or by altering interactions required for the secretion process.

Linking neuroscientific research on decision making to the educational context of novice students assigned to a multiple-choice scientific task involving common misconceptions about electrical circuits

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Patrice ePotvin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to identify the brain-based mechanisms of uncertainty and certainty associated with answers to multiple-choice questions involving common misconceptions about electric circuits. Twenty-two (22 scientifically novice participants (humanities and arts college students were asked, in an fMRI study, whether or not they thought the light bulbs in images presenting electric circuits were lighted up correctly, and if they were certain or uncertain of their answers. When participants reported that they were unsure of their responses, analyses revealed significant activations in brain areas typically involved in uncertainty (anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula cortex, and superior/dorsomedial frontal cortex and in the left middle/superior temporal lobe. Certainty was associated with large bilateral activations in the occipital and parietal regions usually involved in visuospatial processing. Correct-and-certain answers were associated with activations that suggest a stronger mobilization of visual attention resources when compared to incorrect-and-certain answers. These findings provide insights into brain-based mechanisms of uncertainty that are activated when common misconceptions, identified as such by science education research literature, interfere in decision making in a school-like task. We also discuss the implications of these results from an educational perspective.

Route Selection with Unspecified Sites Using Knowledge Based Genetic Algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Kanoh, Hitoshi; Nakamura, Nobuaki; Nakamura, Tomohiro

This paper addresses the problem of selecting a route to a given destination that traverses several non-specific sites (e.g. a bank, a gas station) as requested by a driver. The proposed solution uses a genetic algorithm that includes viral infection. The method is to generate two populations of viruses as domain specific knowledge in addition to a population of routes. A part of an arterial road is regarded as a main virus, and a road that includes a site is regarded as a site virus. An infection occurs between two points common to a candidate route and the virus, and involves the substitution of the intersections carried by the virus for those on the existing candidate route. Crossover and infection determine the easiest-to-drive and quasi-shortest route through the objective landmarks. Experiments using actual road maps show that this infection-based mechanism is an effective way of solving the problem. Our strategy is general, and can be effectively used in other optimization problems.

Two distinctive β subunits are separately involved in two binding sites of imidacloprid with different affinities in Locusta migratoria manilensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Haibo; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Yixi; Liu, Zewen

2017-08-01

Due to great diversity of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes in insects, one β subunit may be contained in numerous nAChR subtypes. In the locust Locusta migratoria, a model insect species with agricultural importance, the third β subunits (Locβ3) was identified in this study, which reveals at least three β subunits in this insect species. Imidacloprid was found to bind nAChRs in L. migratoria central nervous system at two sites with different affinities, with K d values of 0.16 and 10.31nM. The specific antisera (L1-1, L2-1 and L3-1) were raised against fusion proteins at the large cytoplasmic loop of Locβ1, Locβ2 and Locβ3 respectively. Specific immunodepletion of Locβ1 with antiserum L1-1 resulted in the selective loss of the low affinity binding site for imidacloprid, whereas the immunodepletion of Locβ3 with L3-1 caused the selective loss of the high affinity site. Dual immunodepletion with L1-1 and L3-1 could completely abolish imidacloprid binding. In contrast, the immunodepletion of Locβ2 had no significant effect on the specific [ 3 H]imidacloprid binding. Taken together, these data indicated that Locβ1 and Locβ3 were respectively contained in the low- and high-affinity binding sites for imidacloprid in L. migratoria, which is different to the previous finding in Nilaparvata lugens that Nlβ1 was in two binding sites for imidacloprid. The involvement of two β subunits separately in two binding sites may decrease the risk of imidacloprid resistance due to putative point mutations in β subunits in L. migratoria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Causes of Fatal Accidents Involving Cranes in the Australian Construction Industry

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Ehsan Gharaie

2015-05-01

Full Text Available In ten years from 2004 to 2013, 359 workers died in the Australian construction industry because of work related causes. This paper investigates crane-related fatalities in order to find the upstream causation of such accidents. The National Coroners’ Information System (NCIS database was searched to identify fatal accidents in the construction industry involving the use of a crane.  The narrative description of the cases provided in the coroners’ findings and associated documents were content analysed to identify the contributing causal factors within the context of each case. The findings show that the most frequent crane-related accident types were those that were struck by load, and electrocution. The most prevalent immediate circumstance causes were layout of the site and restricted space. The two most commonly identified shaping factors were physical site constraints and design of construction process. Inadequate risk management system was identified as the main originating influence on the accidents. This paper demonstrates that a systemic causation model can provide considerable insight into how originating influences, shaping factors, and immediate circumstances combine to produce accidents. This information is extremely useful in informing the development of prevention strategies, particularly in the case of commonly occurring accident types.

Epilithic and endolithic bacterial communities in limestone from a Maya archaeological site.

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, Christopher J; Perry, Thomas D; Bearce, Kristen A; Hernandez-Duque, Guillermo; Mitchell, Ralph

2006-01-01

Biodeterioration of archaeological sites and historic buildings is a major concern for conservators, archaeologists, and scientists involved in preservation of the world's cultural heritage. The Maya archaeological sites in southern Mexico, some of the most important cultural artifacts in the Western Hemisphere, are constructed of limestone. High temperature and humidity have resulted in substantial microbial growth on stone surfaces at many of the sites. Despite the porous nature of limestone and the common occurrence of endolithic microorganisms in many habitats, little is known about the microbial flora living inside the stone. We found a large endolithic bacterial community in limestone from the interior of the Maya archaeological site Ek' Balam. Analysis of 16S rDNA clones demonstrated disparate communities (endolithic: >80% Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Low GC Firmicutes; epilithic: >50% Proteobacteria). The presence of differing epilithic and endolithic bacterial communities may be a significant factor for conservation of stone cultural heritage materials and quantitative prediction of carbonate weathering.

Childhood antecedents of incarceration and criminal justice involvement among homeless veterans.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Jack; Rosenheck, Robert A

2013-10-01

Although criminal justice involvement and incarceration are common problems for homeless veterans, few studies have examined childhood risk factors for criminal justice involvement among veterans. This study examined the association between three types of childhood problems, family instability, conduct disorder behaviors, and childhood abuse, and criminal justice involvement and incarceration in adulthood. Data from 1,161 homeless veterans across 19 sites participating in the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program were examined. After controlling for sociodemographics and mental health diagnoses, veterans who reported more conduct disorder behaviors during childhood tended to report more criminal charges of all types, more convictions, and longer periods of incarceration during adulthood. However, the variance explained in criminal behavior by childhood was not large, suggesting that there are other factors that affect the trajectory by which homeless veterans become involved in the criminal justice system. Further research is needed to intervene in the pathway to the criminal justice system and guide efforts to prevent incarceration among veterans. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Common Technologies for Environmental Research Infrastructures in ENVRIplus

Science.gov (United States)

Paris, Jean-Daniel

2016-04-01

Environmental and geoscientific research infrastructures (RIs) are dedicated to distinct aspects of the ocean, atmosphere, ecosystems, or solid Earth research, yet there is significant commonality in the way they conceive, develop, operate and upgrade their observation systems and platforms. Many environmental Ris are distributed network of observatories (be it drifting buoys, geophysical observatories, ocean-bottom stations, atmospheric measurements sites) with needs for remote operations. Most RIs have to deal with calibration and standardization issues. RIs use a variety of measurements technologies, but this variety is based on a small, common set of physical principles. All RIs have set their own research and development priorities, and developed their solution to their problems - however many problems are common across RIs. Finally, RIs may overlap in terms of scientific perimeter. In ENVRIplus we aim, for the first time, to identify common opportunities for innovation, to support common research and development across RIs on promising issues, and more generally to create a forum to spread state of the art techniques among participants. ENVRIplus activities include 1) measurement technologies: where are the common types of measurement for which we can share expertise or common development? 2) Metrology : how do we tackle together the diversified challenge of quality assurance and standardization? 3) Remote operations: can we address collectively the need for autonomy, robustness and distributed data handling? And 4) joint operations for research: are we able to demonstrate that together, RIs are able to provide relevant information to support excellent research. In this process we need to nurture an ecosystem of key players. Can we involve all the key technologists of the European RIs for a greater mutual benefit? Can we pave the way to a growing common market for innovative European SMEs, with a common programmatic approach conducive to targeted R&D? Can we

Pre-Operative Skin Antisepsis with Chlorhexidine Gluconate and Povidone-Iodine to Prevent Port-Site Infection in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Prospective Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Spaziani, Erasmo; Di Filippo, Annalisa; Orelli, Simone; Fiorini, Flavia; Spaziani, Martina; Tintisona, Orlando; Torcasio, Angelo; De Cesare, Alessandro; Picchio, Marcello

2018-04-01

Skin preparation with antiseptic agents is commonly recommended for incisional site cleansing before surgery. We present the result of a prospective case series submitted to a scheduled pre-operative antiseptic procedure combining chlorhexidine gluconate and povidone-iodine before elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Consecutive patients underwent pre-operative standardized cleansing of the operation site combining chlorhexidine gluconate and povidone-iodine. Patients were reviewed one week and four weeks post-operatively. Post-operative infection was observed in seven patients (4.3%). All observed infections were port-site infections, always located at the level of the umbilical incision. In all cases infections involved skin and subcutaneous tissue. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in five patients (71.4%) and miscellaneous aerobic gram-positive bacteria in two subjects (28.6%). Post-operative hospital stay was the only factor significantly associated with the development of port-site infections. Port-site infections are a common complication after elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The proposed pre-operative disinfection procedure is effective in reducing port-site infections. Reducing hospital stay may contribute to limiting the occurrence of this complication.

Structure of a prokaryotic sodium channel pore reveals essential gating elements and an outer ion binding site common to eukaryotic channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaya, David; Findeisen, Felix; Abderemane-Ali, Fayal; Arrigoni, Cristina; Wong, Stephanie; Nurva, Shailika Reddy; Loussouarn, Gildas; Minor, Daniel L

2014-01-23

Voltage-gated sodium channels (NaVs) are central elements of cellular excitation. Notwithstanding advances from recent bacterial NaV (BacNaV) structures, key questions about gating and ion selectivity remain. Here, we present a closed conformation of NaVAe1p, a pore-only BacNaV derived from NaVAe1, a BacNaV from the arsenite oxidizer Alkalilimnicola ehrlichei found in Mono Lake, California, that provides insight into both fundamental properties. The structure reveals a pore domain in which the pore-lining S6 helix connects to a helical cytoplasmic tail. Electrophysiological studies of full-length BacNaVs show that two elements defined by the NaVAe1p structure, an S6 activation gate position and the cytoplasmic tail "neck", are central to BacNaV gating. The structure also reveals the selectivity filter ion entry site, termed the "outer ion" site. Comparison with mammalian voltage-gated calcium channel (CaV) selectivity filters, together with functional studies, shows that this site forms a previously unknown determinant of CaV high-affinity calcium binding. Our findings underscore commonalities between BacNaVs and eukaryotic voltage-gated channels and provide a framework for understanding gating and ion permeation in this superfamily. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A case of disseminated hydatid disease by surgery involving multiple organs

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Asli Tanrivermis Sayit

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Hydatid disease is the most common parasitic infection in the world, and is caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus. The most common site of this disease is the liver (75%, followed by the lungs, kidney, bones, and brain. Multiple abdominal organ and peritoneal involvement can also be seen in some cases. The dissemination of hydatid cyst disease can develop spontaneously or secondary to trauma or surgery. Here, we present the case of a 69-year-old man with multiple cyst hydatidosis, who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis approximately 20 years previously. Computed tomography of the abdomen shows the multiple active and inactive cystic lesions in the liver, spleen, right kidney, and mesentery. This patient required surgery several times, as well as medical treatment, after the rupture of a mesenteric hydatid cyst during the appendectomy. Combined anthelmintic treatment was recommended to the patient who refused further surgical treatment.

Integrated fate and toxicity assessment for site contaminants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacDonell, Margaret; Peterson, John; Finster, Molly; Douglas, R.

2007-01-01

Understanding the fate and toxicity of environmental contaminants is essential to framing practical management decisions. Forms and bioavailable concentrations often change over time due to natural physical, chemical, and biological processes. For some sites, hundreds of contaminants may be of initial interest, and even small projects can involve a substantial number of contaminants. With multiple assessments common, attention to effectiveness and efficiency is important, and integrating fate and toxicity information provides a valuable way to focus the analyses. Fate assessments help identify what forms may be present where and when, while toxicity information indicates what health effects could result if people were exposed. The integration process is illustrated by an application for the Hanford site, to support long-term management decisions for the cesium and strontium capsules. Fate data, health-based benchmarks, and related toxicity information were effectively combined to indicate performance targets for chemicals and radionuclides identified for capsule leachate that could migrate to groundwater. More than 50 relevant benchmarks and toxicity context were identified for 15 of the 17 study contaminants; values for chronic drinking water exposure provided the common basis for selected indicators. For two chemicals, toxicity information was identified from the scientific literature to guide the performance targets. (authors)

Bald eagle site management plan for the Hanford Site, south-central Washington

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzner, R.F.; Weiss, S.G.

1994-12-01

The CERCLA remedial investigations of waste sites on the Hanford Site will involve lands containing or adjacent to a bald eagle nest, winter concentration areas, or communal night roost. Because these CERCLA investigations may affect bald eagles, the DOE has prepared this Bald Eagle Site Management Plan (BESMP). However, it is intended that this BESMP be used or updated so as to be also applicable to future activities that affect bald eagles on the Hanford Site. Bald eagles regularly use the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford Site in south-central Washington State during winter months for roosting, perching, and foraging. Each of these activities requires buffer zones to protect eagles from human disturbances. Buffer zones developed in this plan follow recommended guidelines and are intended to be used in planning. If Hanford Site activities in the vicinity of identified bald eagle use areas are carried out in accordance with this plan, such actions are not likely to adversely affect the eagles or their habitat. Activities that may be exceptions will involve informal or formal (whichever is appropriate) consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service as required by the Endangered Species Act

Six independent fucose-binding sites in the crystal structure of Aspergillus oryzae lectin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Makyio, Hisayoshi [Structural Biology Research Center, Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0801 (Japan); Shimabukuro, Junpei; Suzuki, Tatsuya [Department of Applied Bioorganic Chemistry, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu-shi, Gifu 501-1193 (Japan); Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Yoshida Ushinomiya-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan); Imamura, Akihiro; Ishida, Hideharu [Department of Applied Bioorganic Chemistry, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu-shi, Gifu 501-1193 (Japan); Kiso, Makoto [Department of Applied Bioorganic Chemistry, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu-shi, Gifu 501-1193 (Japan); Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Yoshida Ushinomiya-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan); Ando, Hiromune, E-mail: hando@gifu-u.ac.jp [Department of Applied Bioorganic Chemistry, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu-shi, Gifu 501-1193 (Japan); Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Yoshida Ushinomiya-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan); Kato, Ryuichi, E-mail: ryuichi.kato@kek.jp [Structural Biology Research Center, Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0801 (Japan)

2016-08-26

The crystal structure of AOL (a fucose-specific lectin of Aspergillus oryzae) has been solved by SAD (single-wavelength anomalous diffraction) and MAD (multi-wavelength anomalous diffraction) phasing of seleno-fucosides. The overall structure is a six-bladed β-propeller similar to that of other fucose-specific lectins. The fucose moieties of the seleno-fucosides are located in six fucose-binding sites. Although the Arg and Glu/Gln residues bound to the fucose moiety are common to all fucose-binding sites, the amino-acid residues involved in fucose binding at each site are not identical. The varying peak heights of the seleniums in the electron density map suggest that each fucose-binding site has a different carbohydrate binding affinity. - Highlights: • The six-bladed β-propeller structure of AOL was solved by seleno-sugar phasing. • The mode of fucose binding is essentially conserved at all six binding sites. • The seleno-fucosides exhibit slightly different interactions and electron densities. • These findings suggest that the affinity for fucose is not identical at each site.

Six independent fucose-binding sites in the crystal structure of Aspergillus oryzae lectin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makyio, Hisayoshi; Shimabukuro, Junpei; Suzuki, Tatsuya; Imamura, Akihiro; Ishida, Hideharu; Kiso, Makoto; Ando, Hiromune; Kato, Ryuichi

2016-01-01

The crystal structure of AOL (a fucose-specific lectin of Aspergillus oryzae) has been solved by SAD (single-wavelength anomalous diffraction) and MAD (multi-wavelength anomalous diffraction) phasing of seleno-fucosides. The overall structure is a six-bladed β-propeller similar to that of other fucose-specific lectins. The fucose moieties of the seleno-fucosides are located in six fucose-binding sites. Although the Arg and Glu/Gln residues bound to the fucose moiety are common to all fucose-binding sites, the amino-acid residues involved in fucose binding at each site are not identical. The varying peak heights of the seleniums in the electron density map suggest that each fucose-binding site has a different carbohydrate binding affinity. - Highlights: • The six-bladed β-propeller structure of AOL was solved by seleno-sugar phasing. • The mode of fucose binding is essentially conserved at all six binding sites. • The seleno-fucosides exhibit slightly different interactions and electron densities. • These findings suggest that the affinity for fucose is not identical at each site.

Plutonium uptake by common soil aerobes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

John, Seth; Rugglero, Christy; Hersman, Larry; Neu, Mary

2000-01-01

Radionuclide contamination in soils and groundwater poses a risk to both human and environmental health. The DOE has identified 12 sites with significant U contamination in the soils and ground water, and 10 sites with Pu contamination.1 It is important to study the interactions of common soil microbes with these radionuclides both to understand the environmental fate of these contaminants and to evaluate the potential of biological techniques to remediate contaminated soils and water

Hanford Site Development Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rinne, C.A.; Curry, R.H.; Hagan, J.W.; Seiler, S.W.; Sommer, D.J.; Yancey, E.F.

1990-01-01

The Hanford Site Development Plan (Site Development Plan) is intended to guide the short- and long-range development and use of the Hanford Site. All acquisition, development, and permanent facility use at the Hanford Site will conform to the approved plan. The Site Development Plan also serves as the base document for all subsequent studies that involve use of facilities at the Site. This revision is an update of a previous plan. The executive summary presents the highlights of the five major topics covered in the Site Development Plan: general site information, existing conditions, planning analysis, Master Plan, and Five-Year Plan. 56 refs., 67 figs., 31 tabs

Hanford Site Development Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rinne, C.A.; Curry, R.H.; Hagan, J.W.; Seiler, S.W.; Sommer, D.J. (Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (USA)); Yancey, E.F. (Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA))

1990-01-01

The Hanford Site Development Plan (Site Development Plan) is intended to guide the short- and long-range development and use of the Hanford Site. All acquisition, development, and permanent facility use at the Hanford Site will conform to the approved plan. The Site Development Plan also serves as the base document for all subsequent studies that involve use of facilities at the Site. This revision is an update of a previous plan. The executive summary presents the highlights of the five major topics covered in the Site Development Plan: general site information, existing conditions, planning analysis, Master Plan, and Five-Year Plan. 56 refs., 67 figs., 31 tabs.

SitesIdentify: a protein functional site prediction tool

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doig Andrew J

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The rate of protein structures being deposited in the Protein Data Bank surpasses the capacity to experimentally characterise them and therefore computational methods to analyse these structures have become increasingly important. Identifying the region of the protein most likely to be involved in function is useful in order to gain information about its potential role. There are many available approaches to predict functional site, but many are not made available via a publicly-accessible application. Results Here we present a functional site prediction tool (SitesIdentify, based on combining sequence conservation information with geometry-based cleft identification, that is freely available via a web-server. We have shown that SitesIdentify compares favourably to other functional site prediction tools in a comparison of seven methods on a non-redundant set of 237 enzymes with annotated active sites. Conclusion SitesIdentify is able to produce comparable accuracy in predicting functional sites to its closest available counterpart, but in addition achieves improved accuracy for proteins with few characterised homologues. SitesIdentify is available via a webserver at http://www.manchester.ac.uk/bioinformatics/sitesidentify/

Analysis of Multi-Criteria Evaluation Method of Landfill Site Selection for Municipal Solid Waste Management

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammed, Habiba Ibrahim; Majid, Zulkepli; Yusof, Norhakim Bin; Bello Yamusa, Yamusa

2018-03-01

Landfilling remains the most common systematic technique of solid waste disposal in most of the developed and developing countries. Finding a suitable site for landfill is a very challenging task. Landfill site selection process aims to provide suitable areas that will protect the environment and public health from pollution and hazards. Therefore, various factors such as environmental, physical, socio-economic, and geological criteria must be considered before siting any landfill. This makes the site selection process vigorous and tedious because it involves the processing of large amount of spatial data, rules and regulations from different agencies and also policy from decision makers. This allows the incorporation of conflicting objectives and decision maker preferences into spatial decision models. This paper particularly analyzes the multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) method of landfill site selection for solid waste management by means of literature reviews and surveys. The study will help the decision makers and waste management authorities to choose the most effective method when considering landfill site selection.

Analysis of Multi-Criteria Evaluation Method of Landfill Site Selection for Municipal Solid Waste Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Mohammed Habiba

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Landfilling remains the most common systematic technique of solid waste disposal in most of the developed and developing countries. Finding a suitable site for landfill is a very challenging task. Landfill site selection process aims to provide suitable areas that will protect the environment and public health from pollution and hazards. Therefore, various factors such as environmental, physical, socio-economic, and geological criteria must be considered before siting any landfill. This makes the site selection process vigorous and tedious because it involves the processing of large amount of spatial data, rules and regulations from different agencies and also policy from decision makers. This allows the incorporation of conflicting objectives and decision maker preferences into spatial decision models. This paper particularly analyzes the multi-criteria evaluation (MCE method of landfill site selection for solid waste management by means of literature reviews and surveys. The study will help the decision makers and waste management authorities to choose the most effective method when considering landfill site selection.

Comparison of conventional vs. modular hydrogen refueling stations and on-site production vs. delivery.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hecht, Ethan S. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); Pratt, Joseph William [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-03-01

To meet the needs of public and private stakeholders involved in the development, construction, and operation of hydrogen fueling stations needed to support the widespread roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, this work presents publicly available station templates and analyses. These ‘Reference Stations’ help reduce the cost and speed the deployment of hydrogen stations by providing a common baseline with which to start a design, enable quick assessment of potential sites for a hydrogen station, identify contributors to poor economics, and suggest areas of research. This work presents layouts, bills of materials, piping and instrumentation diagrams, and detailed analyses of five new station designs. In the near term, delivered hydrogen results in a lower cost of hydrogen compared to on-site production via steam methane reforming or electrolysis, although the on-site production methods have other advantages. Modular station concepts including on-site production can reduce lot sizes from conventional assemble-on-site stations.

The Oesophageal Involvement of Pemphigus Vulgaris Patients and Comparison with Skin Findings

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Sıla Şeremet

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Background and Design: The pemphigus family includes a number of disease which feature intraepidermal blisters with acantholysis. Pemphigus vulgaris(PV is the most common form of pemphigus, affects the skin and mucous membranes. Although oral mucosa is the most commonly affected site, all stratified squamous epithelium can be involved like pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, conjunctiva, vaginal, penile, and anal mucosa. We planned our study aiming to find frequency of oesophagus involvement in PV patients and to compare them immunohistopathologically with skin findings.Material and Method: Twenty three female and seven male patients, who were admitted to The Health Ministry Vakıf Gureba Education and Research Hospital, Dermatology Clinic, in between January 2004 and March 2005, and were accepted as PV according to clinical and immunohistopathological findings. Mucosal biopsies were taken by oesophagoscopy from patients in the same time with skin biopsies for DIF examination. Antibody titers in serum was detected by indirect immunofluorescein method.Results: DIF was positive in twenty eight patients while two patients had negative results. During oesophagoscopy, macroscopically nine patients (%30 had esophageal lesions supporting pemphigus vulgaris.When a relationship were examined between dysphagia with endoscopic pemphigus vulgaris findings, skin involvement, oral mucosal involvement, genital mucosal involvement, skin DIF positivity, oesophagus DIF positivity, IIF positivity, no meaningful difference was found istatistically. In our study, four patients had endoscopic findings and nineteen patients had positive DIF results although they did not have gastrointestinal symptoms. When relationship between oesophageal DIF positivity and skin DIF positivity was examined, there was a positive correlation meaningfully. Conclusion: According to our article we believe that upper GI endoscopy is a useful and neccessary diagnostic method in pemphigus vulgaris

Abdominal and pelvic lymph node involvement in non-Hodgkin lymphoma: CT manifestations in Chinese patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Ning; Liu Ying; Chen Yu; Lin Dongmei; Shi Mulan

2004-01-01

Objective: To study the CT manifestations of abdominal and pelvic lymph nodes in non- Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of Chinese patients, and to investigate their correlation with pathology subtypes. Methods: The CT images of 241 patients with enlargement of abdominal and pelvic lymph nodes involved by NHL were reviewed. Of them, 96 patients whose clinical and imaging data fulfilled the requirement for analysis were included. According to the Clinical Schema for the Lymphoid System, patients were divided into 3 subtypes, indolent lymphoma (IL; n=31), aggressive lymphoma (AL; n=61), very aggressive lymphoma (VAL; n=2), and unclassified lymphoma (UCL; n=2), respectively. Abdominal and pelvic CT scans were undertaken in 46 patients, abdominal CT only in 47 cases, and pelvic CT only in 3 cases. CT with iv contrast administration was obtained in 80 patients. Anatomic sites involved were nominated as retroperitoneal (i.e. paraaortic), abdominal (including paracardiac, gastrohepatic, hepatic hilar, and mesenteric etc), retrocrural, diaphragmatic, common iliac, internal iliac, external iliac, and inguinal nodes, respectively. Size, number, discreteness, and density of the nodal lesions were analyzed, and correlated with pathology subtypes. The minimal dimension of the largest node was measured. Results: (1) Size: Most of the nodes were ≤2 cm in size, 60.5% (219/362 sites) in IL and AL, 56.6% (77/136 sites) in IL, and 62.8%(142/226 sites) in AL, respectively. There was no statistical significant difference of the nodal size between IL and AL in each location (χ 2 =0.341, P=0.559). (2) Number: Mesentery had the largest number of node involvement (6.5 vs 5 nodes on an median, IL vs AL), with retroperitoneum placed second (4 vs 4 nodes, IL vs AL. (3) Discreteness: Most of the nodes were discrete with an incidence of 77.1% (279/362 sites, IL and AL), and 74.3% (101/136 sites) in IL, 78.8% (178/226 sites) in AL, respectively. No statistical significant discrepancy was found between

Employing Common Limit Range Property to Prove Unified Metrical Common Fixed Point Theorems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Imdad

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the role of “common limit range property” to ascertain the existence of common fixed point in metric spaces satisfying an implicit function essentially due to the paper of Ali and Imdad (2008. As an application to our main result, we derive a fixed point theorem for four finite families of self-mappings which can be utilized to derive common fixed point theorems involving any finite number of mappings. Our results improve and extend a host of previously known results including the ones contained in the paper of Ali and Imdad (2008. We also furnish some illustrative examples to support our main results.

Recurrent hydatosis at the site of non-union humerus fracture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohsen Nourbakhsh

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Hydatid disease is still endemic in several regions of the world and is caused by two species of tapeworms, Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus alveolaris. It primary involves liver and lung, and bone involvement is relatively rare (0.2-4%, where it is most commonly seen in the spine. The skeletal involvement is usually due to secondary extension such as hematogenous spread. The disease has usually a silent manifestation until a complication exists; so, many cases are diagnosed intraoperatively. Treatment of hydatid disease because of its bone involvement and spillage of fluid with subsequent contamination seeding is difficult, so it has a high mortality rate and many cases will recur. Therefore, we can prevent these occurrences if we treat hydatid disease completely and in the primary stage. Adjuvant medical treatment, if the diagnosis is known, prevents systemic spread and recurrence. Here, we present a primary recurrent hydatosis at the site of non-union humerus fracture. We have pointed out osseous hydatosis as one of the important differential diagnoses in destructive bone lesions and the necessity of its radical resection.

Stakeholder involvement in Swedish nuclear waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elam, Mark; Sundqvist, Goeran

2006-09-01

This report concerning Swedish nuclear waste management has been produced as part of a cross national research project: CARL - A Social Science Research Project into the Effects of Stakeholder involvement on Decision-Making in Radioactive Waste Management. Besides Sweden, the participating countries are Belgium, Canada, Finland, Slovenia and United Kingdom. A social science research team, working for three years, is in the first phase conducting research in their own countries in order to produce 6 country reports. During the next years the focus will shift to comparisons of stakeholder involvement practices in the participating countries. The report addresses current practices of Swedish nuclear waste management and their historical development. The main focus is on past, current and emerging patterns of stakeholder involvement in the siting of a deep repository for the final disposal of Sweden's spent nuclear fuel. The general questions attended to in the report are: Who are the main stakeholders, and how have they emerged and gained recognition as such? What are the issues currently subject to stakeholder involvement and how have these been decided upon? How is stakeholder involvement organized locally and nationally and how has this changed over time? How has stakeholder involvement gained acceptance as an activity of value in the siting of major waste facilities? The report have attempted to show the development of stakeholder involvement in the siting of a final repository for Sweden's spent nuclear fuel as resembling something other than a straightforward linear process of improvement and refinement. Stakeholder involvement has developed, over the past 15 years or so, into something more like a patchwork of different shapes and forms. Some of the forces that may well contribute to the further elaboration of the patchwork of stakeholder involvement have been pointed out, contingently modifying once more its overall colour and orientation. Questions have been

Stakeholder involvement in Swedish nuclear waste management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elam, Mark; Sundqvist, Goeran [Goeteborg Univ. (Sweden). Section for Science and Technology Studies

2006-09-15

This report concerning Swedish nuclear waste management has been produced as part of a cross national research project: CARL - A Social Science Research Project into the Effects of Stakeholder involvement on Decision-Making in Radioactive Waste Management. Besides Sweden, the participating countries are Belgium, Canada, Finland, Slovenia and United Kingdom. A social science research team, working for three years, is in the first phase conducting research in their own countries in order to produce 6 country reports. During the next years the focus will shift to comparisons of stakeholder involvement practices in the participating countries. The report addresses current practices of Swedish nuclear waste management and their historical development. The main focus is on past, current and emerging patterns of stakeholder involvement in the siting of a deep repository for the final disposal of Sweden's spent nuclear fuel. The general questions attended to in the report are: Who are the main stakeholders, and how have they emerged and gained recognition as such? What are the issues currently subject to stakeholder involvement and how have these been decided upon? How is stakeholder involvement organized locally and nationally and how has this changed over time? How has stakeholder involvement gained acceptance as an activity of value in the siting of major waste facilities? The report have attempted to show the development of stakeholder involvement in the siting of a final repository for Sweden's spent nuclear fuel as resembling something other than a straightforward linear process of improvement and refinement. Stakeholder involvement has developed, over the past 15 years or so, into something more like a patchwork of different shapes and forms. Some of the forces that may well contribute to the further elaboration of the patchwork of stakeholder involvement have been pointed out, contingently modifying once more its overall colour and orientation. Questions

Evidence for a common mucosal immune system in the pig.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Heather L; Obradovic, Milan R

2015-07-01

The majority of lymphocytes activated at mucosal sites receive instructions to home back to the local mucosa, but a portion also seed distal mucosa sites. By seeding distal sites with antigen-specific effector or memory lymphocytes, the foundation is laid for the animal's mucosal immune system to respond with a secondary response should to this antigen be encountered at this site in the future. The common mucosal immune system has been studied quite extensively in rodent models but less so in large animal models such as the pig. Reasons for this paucity of reported induction of the common mucosal immune system in this species may be that distal mucosal sites were examined but no induction was observed and therefore it was not reported. However, we suspect that the majority of investigators simply did not sample distal mucosal sites and therefore there is little evidence of immune response induction in the literature. It is our hope that more pig immunologists and infectious disease experts who perform mucosal immunizations or inoculations on pigs will sample distal mucosal sites and report their findings, whether results are positive or negative. In this review, we highlight papers that show that immunization/inoculation using one route triggers mucosal immune system induction locally, systemically, and within at least one distal mucosal site. Only by understanding whether immunizations at one site triggers immunity throughout the common mucosal immune system can we rationally develop vaccines for the pig, and through these works we can gather evidence about the mucosal immune system that may be extrapolated to other livestock species or humans. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mock Site Licensing Demonstration Project. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roop, R.D.

1986-06-01

The Mock Site Licensing Demonstration Project developed the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Siting Simulation, a role-playing exercise designed to facilitate the process of siting and licensing disposal facilities for low-level waste (LLW). This report describes the development, contant, and usefulness of the siting simulation. The simulation was designed by Harvard University's Program on Negotiation; it can be conducted at a workshop or conference, involves 14 or more participants, and requires about eight hours to complete. The simulation consists of two sessions. In the first, participants negotiate the selection of siting criteria, and in the second, a preferred site for a facility is chosen from three candidate sites. The project sponsored two workshops (in Boston, Massachusetts and Richmond, Virginia) in which the simulation was conducted for persons involved in planning for LLW. It is concluded that the siting simulation can be useful in three ways: (1) as a tool for information dissemination, (2) as a vehicle that can foste communication among parties in conflict, and (3) as a step toward consensus building and conflict resolution. The DOE National Low-Level Waste Management Program is now making the siting simulation available for use by states, regional compacts, and other organizations involved in development of LLW disposal facilities

Nuclear site selection studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gharib, A.; Zohoorian Izadpanah, A.A.; Iranmanesh, H.

2000-01-01

It is of special importance, especially from the nuclear safety viewpoint, to select suitable sites for different nuclear structures with the considered future activities. Site selection sometimes involves high costs not necessarily for merely selecting of site but for some preliminary measures to be taken so as the site may have the necessary characteristics. The more suitable the natural characteristics of the site for the considered project, the more successful and efficient the project, the lower the project costs and the longer the project operation period. If so, the project will cause the growth of public culture and sustainable socioeconomic development. This paper is the result of the conclusion of numerous massive reports of this activity in the preliminary phase based on theories, practices and the related safety principles on this ground as well as the application of data and information of the past and a glance to the future. The conception of need for a site for medium structures and nuclear research projects and how to perform this process are presented step by step here with a scientific approach to its selection during the investigations. In this study, it is practically described how the site is selected, by determining and defining the characteristics of research and nuclear projects with medium structures and also its fitting to the optimum site. The discovered sites typically involve the best advantages in technical and economic aspects and no particular contrast with the concerned structures

Identification of cisplatin-binding sites on the large cytoplasmic loop of the Na+/K+-ATPase.

Science.gov (United States)

Šeflová, Jaroslava; Čechová, Petra; Štenclová, Tereza; Šebela, Marek; Kubala, Martin

2018-12-01

Cisplatin is the most widely used chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of various types of cancer; however, its administration brings also numerous side effects. It was demonstrated that cisplatin can inhibit the Na + /K + -ATPase (NKA), which can explain a large part of the adverse effects. In this study, we have identified five cysteinyl residues (C452, C456, C457, C577, and C656) as the cisplatin binding sites on the cytoplasmic loop connecting transmembrane helices 4 and 5 (C45), using site-directed mutagenesis and mass spectrometry experiments. The identified residues are known to be susceptible to glutathionylation indicating their involvement in a common regulatory mechanism.

Evaluation of pemphigus cases involving oral mucosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Karagöz, Gizem; Bektaş-Kayhan, Kivanç; Ünür, Meral

2014-09-01

Pemphigus, defines a group of disorders in autoimmune etiology which could be life-threatening and clinical manifestations are mainly epithelial blistering affecting cutaneous and/or mucosal surfaces including oral mucosa. The aim of our study is to evaluate the clinical appearance of pemphigus with oral involvement by reported 15 pemphigus cases. This retrospective study of 15 cases of pemphigus obtained over a period of 7 years from 2006 to 2013 in Istanbul University, Dentistry Faculty, Oral Medicine and Surgery Department was designed. Age distribution of pemphigus was from 15 to 59 years with an average age of 41.3 years. Of the 15 patients, the male:female ratio was 1:2.75 (4 male, 11 female). The most common clinical various of pemphigus was pemphigus vulgaris, diagnosed in all patients. The buccal mucosa (34.3%) was the most commonly affected site followed by tongue (20%), gingiva (17.1%), palate (11.4%), lips (11.4%) and floor of mouth (5.7%). Our explanation of this conclusion, while speculative, is that socioeconomic situation related stress in males and hormonal changes like pregnancy and menostasis in females; systemic disease and using drugs; dental trauma and bruxism could be responsible for flare up in the disease.

Quantifying siting difficulty: a case study of US transmission line siting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vajjhala, S.P. [Resources for the Future, Washington DC (United States); Fischbeck, P.S. [Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Departments of Social and Decision Sciences and Engineering and Public Policy

2007-01-15

The worldwide demand for new energy infrastructures has been paralleled in recent years by the increasing difficulty of siting major facilities. Siting difficulty is the subject of widespread discussion, but because of the complexity of the problem, potential solutions are not obvious or well understood. This paper presents a two-step policy-level framework that first develops an empirical measure of siting difficulty and then qualitatively assesses its major causes. The approach is based on the creation and aggregation of four siting indicators that are independent of the common causes and localized effects of siting problems. The proposed framework is demonstrated for the case of US transmission line siting. Results of the analyses reveal significant variations in state siting difficulty and industry experts' perceptions of its dominant causes, with implications for the long-term success of Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and knowledge transfer among siting professionals in the deregulated industry. (author)

Pharmacy technician involvement in community pharmacy medication therapy management.

Science.gov (United States)

Lengel, Matthew; Kuhn, Catherine H; Worley, Marcia; Wehr, Allison M; McAuley, James W

To assess the impact of technician involvement on the completion of medication therapy management (MTM) services in a community pharmacy setting and to describe pharmacists' and technicians' perceptions of technician involvement in MTM-related tasks and their satisfaction with the technician's role in MTM. Prospective observational study. In the fall of 2015, pharmacists and selected technicians from 32 grocery store-based community pharmacies were trained to use technicians within MTM services. Completed MTM claims were evaluated at all pharmacies for 3 months before training and 3 months after training. An electronic survey, developed with the use of competencies taught in the training and relevant published literature, was distributed via e-mail to trained employees 3 months after training. The total number of completed MTM claims at the 32 pharmacy sites was higher during the posttraining time period (2687 claims) versus the pretraining period (1735 claims). Of the 182 trained participants, 112 (61.5%) completed the survey. Overall, perceived technician involvement was lower than expected. However, identifying MTM opportunities was the most commonly reported technician MTM task, with 62.5% of technicians and 47.2% of pharmacists reporting technician involvement. Nearly one-half of technicians (42.5%) and pharmacists (44.0%) agreed or strongly agreed they were satisfied with the technician's role in MTM services, and 40.0% of technicians agreed that they were more satisfied with their work in the pharmacy after involvement in MTM. Three months after initial training of technicians in MTM, participation of technicians was lower than expected. However, the technicians involved most often reported identifying MTM opportunities for pharmacists, which may be a focus for future technician trainings. In addition, technician involvement in MTM services may increase satisfaction with many aspects of work for actively involved technicians. Copyright © 2018 American

Enhanced On-Site Waste Management of Plasterboard in Construction Works: A Case Study in Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Jiménez-Rivero

2017-03-01

Full Text Available On-site management of construction waste commonly determines its destination. In the case of plasterboard (PB, on-site segregation becomes crucial for closed-loop recycling. However, PB is commonly mixed with other wastes in Spain. In this context, the involvement of stakeholders that can contribute to reversing this current situation is needed. This paper analyzes on-site waste management of PB in Spain through a pilot study of a construction site, with the main objective of identifying best practices to increase waste prevention, waste minimization, and the recyclability of the waste. On-site visits and structured interviews were conducted. The results show five management stages: PB distribution (I; PB installation (II; Construction waste storage at the installation area (III; PB waste segregation at the installation area (IV and PB waste transfer to the PB container and storage (V. The proposed practices refer to each stage and include the merging of Stages III and IV. This measure would avoid the mixing of waste fractions in Stage III, maximizing the recyclability of PB. In addition, two requisites for achieving enhanced management are analyzed: ‘Training and commitment’ and ‘fulfilling the requirements established by the current regulation’. The results show that foremen adopted a more pessimistic attitude than installers towards a joint commitment for waste management. Moreover, not all supervisors valued the importance of a site waste management plan, regulated by the Royal Decree 105/2008 in Spain.

Finding erotic oases: locating the sites of men's same-sex anonymous sexual encounters.

Science.gov (United States)

Tewksbury, Richard

2008-01-01

Because anonymous sexual relations between two men are widely considered deviant many men seeking such activities look to erotic oases-natural environments appropriated for covert, often furtive sexual purposes. Previous research on erotic oases has focused on characteristics of involved men and processes of locating, negotiating with, and consummating sexual relations with others. This study draws on one major Web site listing of "cruising places" in the United States to identify common locations for erotic oases. Results show that the most common locations identified as erotic oases by users are public parks, adult bookstores, health clubs, and college campuses. Locations most likely to be listed as believed to be under law enforcement surveillance are outdoor, high traffic locations. Based on these results existing research has only begun to examine the most common locations for this highly stigmatized, deviant behavior and subculture.

Comparison of Higher Fashion Involvement Group and Lower Fashion Involvement Group in Taiwan

OpenAIRE

Huang, Yu-Chiao

2013-01-01

Fashion collaboration becomes a common marketing strategy for many fashion brands in order to attract consumers’ attentions and stand out from competitors. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the formation of consumers’ attitudes toward fashion collaboration. First, it intends to distinguish different types of consumers, which are higher fashion involvement and lower fashion involvement. Second, by utiliseing four different variables, which are prior attitudes, product fit, brand, ...

Public involvement in environmental surveillance at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanf, R.W. Jr.; Patton, G.W.; Woodruff, R.K.; Poston, T.M.

1994-08-01

Environmental surveillance at the Hanford Site began during the mid-1940s following the construction and start-up of the nation's first plutonium production reactor. Over the past approximately 45 years, surveillance operations on and off the Site have continued, with virtually all sampling being conducted by Hanford Site workers. Recently, the US Department of Energy Richland Operations Office directed that public involvement in Hanford environmental surveillance operations be initiated. Accordingly, three special radiological air monitoring stations were constructed offsite, near hanford's perimeter. Each station is managed and operated by two local school teaches. These three stations are the beginning of a community-operated environmental surveillance program that will ultimately involve the public in most surveillance operations around the Site. The program was designed to stimulate interest in Hanford environmental surveillance operations, and to help the public better understand surveillance results. The program has also been used to enhance educational opportunities at local schools

Association of Gleason Risk Groups with Metastatic Sites in Prostate ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prostate cancer is the second most common non cutaneous male malignancy worldwide. Gleason composite score is used for risk classification. The most common site of metastasis in prostate cancer is the bone among others. The site and number of metastasis affect overall survival. The ability to predict the metastatic site ...

Advances in characterizing ubiquitylation sites by mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sylvestersen, K.B.; Young, C.; Nielsen, M.L.

2013-01-01

of ubiquitylation is a two-fold challenge that involves the mapping of ubiquitylation sites and the determination of ubiquitin chain topology. This review focuses on the technical advances in the mass spectrometry-based characterization of ubiquitylation sites, which have recently involved the large...

Five Theses on the Common

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gigi Roggero

2011-01-01

Full Text Available I present five theses on the common within the context of the transformations of capitalist social relations as well as their contemporary global crisis. My framework involves ‘‘cognitive capitalism,’’ new processes of class composition, and the production of living knowledge and subjectivity. The commons is often discussed today in reference to the privatizationand commodification of ‘‘common goods.’’ This suggests a naturalistic and conservative image of the common, unhooked from the relations of production. I distinguish between commons and the common: the first model is related to Karl Polanyi, the second to Karl Marx. As elaborated in the postoperaista debate, the common assumes an antagonistic double status: it is boththe plane of the autonomy of living labor and it is subjected to capitalist ‘‘capture.’’ Consequently, what is at stake is not the conservation of ‘‘commons,’’ but rather the production of the common and its organization into new institutions that would take us beyond the exhausted dialectic between public and private.

Pharmacophore screening of the protein data bank for specific binding site chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Campagna-Slater, Valérie; Arrowsmith, Andrew G; Zhao, Yong; Schapira, Matthieu

2010-03-22

A simple computational approach was developed to screen the Protein Data Bank (PDB) for putative pockets possessing a specific binding site chemistry and geometry. The method employs two commonly used 3D screening technologies, namely identification of cavities in protein structures and pharmacophore screening of chemical libraries. For each protein structure, a pocket finding algorithm is used to extract potential binding sites containing the correct types of residues, which are then stored in a large SDF-formatted virtual library; pharmacophore filters describing the desired binding site chemistry and geometry are then applied to screen this virtual library and identify pockets matching the specified structural chemistry. As an example, this approach was used to screen all human protein structures in the PDB and identify sites having chemistry similar to that of known methyl-lysine binding domains that recognize chromatin methylation marks. The selected genes include known readers of the histone code as well as novel binding pockets that may be involved in epigenetic signaling. Putative allosteric sites were identified on the structures of TP53BP1, L3MBTL3, CHEK1, KDM4A, and CREBBP.

MRI findings of multiple sclerosis involving the brainstem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jeong Hoon; Jeong, Hae Woong; Kim, Hyun Jin; Cho, Jae Kwoeng; Kim, Chang Soo

2001-01-01

To describe MRI findings of multiple sclerosis involving the brainstem. Among 35 cases of clinically definite multiple sclerosis, the authors retrospectively analysed 20 in which the brainstem was involved. MR images were analysed with regard to involvement sites in the brainstem or other locations, signal intensity, multiplicity, shape, enhancement pattern, and contiguity of brainstem lesions with cisternal or ventricular CSF space. The brainstem was the only site of involvement in five cases (25%), while simultaneous involvement of the brainstem and other sites was observed in 15 cases (75%). No case involved only the midbrain or medulla oblongata, and simultaneous involvement of the midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata was noted in 12 cases (60%). The most frequently involved region of the brainstem was the medulla oblongata (n=13; 90%), followed by the pons (n=17; 85%) and the midbrain (n=16; 80%). Compared with normal white matter, brainstem lesions showed low signal intensity on T1 weighted images, and high signal intensity on T2 weighted, proton density weighted, and FLAIR images. In 17 cases (85%), multiple intensity was observed, and the shape of lesions varied: oval, round, elliptical, patchy, crescentic, confluent or amorphous were seen on axial MR images, and in 14 cases (82%), coronal or sagittal scanning showed that lesions were long and tubular. Contiguity between brainstem lesions and cisternal or ventricular CSF space was seen in all cases (100%) involving midbrain (16/16) and medulla oblongata (18/18) and in 15 of 17 (88%) involving the pons. Contrast enhancement was apparent in 7 of 12 cases (58%). In the brainstem, MRI demonstrated partial or total contiguity between lesions and cisternal or ventricular CSF space, and coronal or sagittal images showed that lesions were long and tubuler

Division site positioning in bacteria: one size does not fit all.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leigh Graham Monahan

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Spatial regulation of cell division in bacteria has been a focus of research for decades. It has been well studied in two model rod-shaped organisms, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, with the general belief that division site positioning occurs as a result of the combination of two negative regulatory systems, Min and nucleoid occlusion. These systems influence division by preventing the cytokinetic Z ring from forming anywhere other than midcell. However, evidence is accumulating for the existence of additional mechanisms that are involved in controlling Z ring positioning both in these organisms and in several other bacteria. In some cases the decision of where to divide is solved by variations on a common evolutionary theme, and in others completely different proteins and mechanisms are involved. Here we review the different ways bacteria solve the problem of finding the right place to divide. It appears that a one-size-fits-all model does not apply, and that individual species have adapted a division-site positioning mechanism that best suits their lifestyle, environmental niche and mode of growth to ensure equal partitioning of DNA for survival of the next generation.

Hepatic CYP1A involved in metabolism and sequestration of PCDD, PCDF and coplanar PCB congeners in common cormorants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kubota, A.; Iwata, H.; Tanabe, S. [Ehime Univ., Matsuyama (Japan); Yoneda, K.; Tobata, S. [Japan Wildlife Research Center, Tokyo (Japan)

2004-09-15

Wildlife is chronically exposed to complex mixtures of dioxin-like compounds via the gastrointestinal tract, whereas laboratory animals, in most cases, are administered with single or repeated dose of a defined congener through various routes for a short period. The validity of such experimental approach for their toxicokinetics is completely unproven, and many questions still remain to be resolved. Exposure to dioxin-like compounds activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and regulates the transcription of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A and other target genes. Altered expression of CYP1A is linked with production of reactive oxygen species and metabolic activation of PHAHs. Therefore, measurement of CYP expression levels is considered as a useful approach to assess the environmental exposure to dioxin-like compounds and their effects. Common cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) contained considerable amount of persistent organochlorines such as dioxin-like compounds, PCBs and DDTs. Our recent study verified contamination status of PCDD/DFs and Co-PCBs and immunochemically detected CYP1A-like protein in hepatic microsomal fraction using an anti-rat CYP1A1 polyclonal antibody. However, no comprehensive data is available on whether CYP protein expressions are influenced by PCDD/DFs and Co-PCBs, and are involved in their toxicokinetics. This study therefore investigates the effects of PCDD/DFs and Co-PCBs on CYP protein expressions in Lake Biwa populations of common cormorants. The role of CYP proteins related to congener profiles of residue concentration and tissue distribution will also be discussed.

Improving web site performance using commercially available analytical tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogle, James A

2010-10-01

It is easy to accurately measure web site usage and to quantify key parameters such as page views, site visits, and more complex variables using commercially available tools that analyze web site log files and search engine use. This information can be used strategically to guide the design or redesign of a web site (templates, look-and-feel, and navigation infrastructure) to improve overall usability. The data can also be used tactically to assess the popularity and use of new pages and modules that are added and to rectify problems that surface. This paper describes software tools used to: (1) inventory search terms that lead to available content; (2) propose synonyms for commonly used search terms; (3) evaluate the effectiveness of calls to action; (4) conduct path analyses to targeted content. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) uses SurfRay's Behavior Tracking software (Santa Clara CA, USA, and Copenhagen, Denmark) to capture and archive the search terms that have been entered into the site's Google Mini search engine. The AAOS also uses Unica's NetInsight program to analyze its web site log files. These tools provide the AAOS with information that quantifies how well its web sites are operating and insights for making improvements to them. Although it is easy to quantify many aspects of an association's web presence, it also takes human involvement to analyze the results and then recommend changes. Without a dedicated resource to do this, the work often is accomplished only sporadically and on an ad hoc basis.

Alternative financing methods. Improving regulatory effectiveness in Federal/State siting actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, D.J.

1977-03-01

This nation has experienced repeated energy crises during the past decade but, in spite of the announcement of grandiose national plans, still does not have an integrated national energy policy. The basic elements of such a policy in simplified form are: development of a common data base; a national fuels policy; electrical need determination (other fuel need determination); plant site and transmission corridor locations; site approval; construction supervision and management of secondary environmental costs; and continuing environmental monitoring of operating plants. The financing of energy planning depends on the assignment of lead responsibility for each element of energy policy making and the intergovernmental relationships involved. Several financial sources are required including Federal general appropriations, state general funds, and applicant fees. The recommended basic financing, however, would flow from a Federal Energy Tax (F.E.T.) coupled with tax credit provisions for state efforts

Molecular Alterations Associated with DNA Repair in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Are Associated with Sites of Recurrence.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Margaret D; Dong, Lei; Wan, Jim; Deneve, Jeremiah L; Dickson, Paxton V; Behrman, Stephen W; Shibata, David; Martin, Mike G; Glazer, Evan S

2018-02-10

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the deadliest malignancies with a rising incidence. Mutational analysis of PDAC has provided valuable information but has not yet dramatically changed the therapeutic landscape due to the number of variations detected in any one individual. The pattern of molecular alterations-gene mutations, variations in copy number, and changes in gene expression-has been described in the literature. The purpose of this study is to further investigate the molecular alterations in recurrent or metastatic PDAC based on the site of disease. Molecular alterations in patients with recurrent or metastatic PDAC from 2007 to 2015 were analyzed. The most common molecular alterations found in PDAC tumors from the pancreas were compared to metastatic PDAC specimens from the liver, lung, peritoneum, and other locations. Means were compared with a two-tailed Student's t test or ANOVA as appropriate. Rates of molecular alterations among the different groups were compared with Pearson's χ 2 . Two thousand five hundred fifty-two patients with PDAC were identified in a retrospective database, and the 15 most common molecular alterations were utilized for analysis. The most common alterations among all patients were mutations in KRAS and PTEN (59 and 62%, respectively), with differences in prevalence by site of metastasis (p = 0.042 and p = 0.037, respectively). KRAS mutations were more commonly found in metastasis in the lung (72%) than in other sites (59%, p = 0.042). Low expression of ERCC1 was found in 49% of lung metastases from PDAC but only 15% in PDAC in the pancreas (p molecular alterations significantly associated with site of metastatic disease were involved in DNA maintenance, repair, replication, or transcription (each p molecular alterations warrants further investigation.

Design of an environmental site assessment template for open radioactive site contamination : a radioecological risk approach and case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, T.

2004-01-01

To reduce redundancy, cost, and time, while at the same time ultimately increasing the effectiveness of the radioactive risk management process, a logical framework incorporating risk assessments (human cancer and environmental risks) into the environmental site assessment process was designed for radioactive open site contamination. Risk-based corrective action is becoming an increasingly more acceptable approach for the remediation of contaminated sites. In the past, cleanup goals were usually established without any regard to the risk involved, by mandating remediation goals based solely on maximum contamination levels. Now, a multi-stage environmental site assessment template has been developed on a radioecological approach. The template gives a framework for making environmentally sound decisions based on relevant regulations and guidelines. The first stage involves the comparison of the background screening activity level to the regulated activity level, the second stage involves the use of site-specific information to determine the risk involved with the contamination, and the third stage provides a remediation decision matrix based on results from the first two stages. This environmental site assessment template is unique because it incorporates the modified Canadian National Classification System for radioactive contaminated sites and two different types of risk assessments (human cancer risks and the newly designed ecological risk) into the decision making process. The template was used to assess a radiologically contaminated site at the Canadian Forces Base at Suffield (Alberta) as a case study, and it reaffirms the Department of National Defence's action as appropriate. This particular site is a Class 3, has an overall insignificant human cancer risk ( -6 ) and a low environmental risk, and conforms to all regulated guidelines. Currently, it is restricted and should be left as is, provided that the subsurface is not disturbed. (author)

Solvent extraction for remediation of manufactured gas plant sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luthy, R.G.; Dzombak, D.A.; Peters, C.; Ali, M.A.; Roy, S.B.

1992-12-01

This report presents the results of an initial assessment of the feasibility of solvent extraction for removing coal tar from the subsurface or for treating contaminated soil excavated at manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites. In situ solvent extraction would involve injection, recovery, and reclamation for reinjection of an environmentally-benign, water-miscible solvent. Accelerated dissolution and removal of coaltar from the subsurface might be desirable as a remedial approach if excavation is not practical (e.g., the site underlies facilities in current use), direct pumping of coal tar is ineffective, and bioremediation is not feasible because of the presence of high concentrations of coal tar. Both laboratory experiments and engineering evaluations were performed to provide a basis for the initial feasibility assessment. Laboratory work included identification and evaluation of promising solvents, measurement of fundamental properties of coal tar-solvent-water systems, and measurement of rates of dissolution of coal tar in porous media into flowing solvent-water solutions. Engineering evaluations involved identification of common hydrogeologic features and contaminant distributions at MGP sites, and identification and evaluation of possible injection-recovery well deployment schemes. A coupled flow-chemistry model was developed for simulation of the in situ process and evaluation of the well deployment schemes. Results indicate that in situsolvent extraction may be able to recover a significant amount of coal tar from the subsurface within a reasonable time frame (on the order of one year or so) provided that subsurface conditions are conducive to process implementation. Some important implementation issues remain to be addressed

Design principles for global commons: Natural resources and emerging technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul C. Stern

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Ostrom’s design principles for managing common pool resources were developed largely by examining local commons involving natural resources. This paper enumerates several key characteristics that distinguish such commons from more complex commons involving global resources and the risks of emerging technologies. It considers the degree to which the design principles transfer to those commons and concludes that although they have considerable external validity, the list needs some modification and elaboration to apply to global resources and risk commons. A list of design principles is offered for global resource commons and the risks of emerging technologies. Applying Ostrom’s approach to global resources and emerging technologies can improve understanding and expand the solution set for these problems from international treaties, top-down national regulation, and interventions in market pricing systems to include non-governmental institutions that embody principles of self-governance.

Gaucher disease with jawbone involvement: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmadieh, Azadeh; Farnad, Fariborz; Sedghizadeh, Parish P

2014-11-05

Gaucher disease is an autosomal recessive systemic condition, and the most common of the lysosomal storage disorders. It is characterized by lipid accumulation in certain cells and organs, particularly macrophages, which appear on light microscopy as 'Gaucher cells' or vacuolated lipid-laden reticuloendothelial cells. Long bone involvement is common in Gaucher disease, whereas craniofacial bone involvement is extremely rare. Reports confirming the diagnoses of Gaucher disease involving craniofacial bones by histopathologic evidence are even rarer. A 46-year-old Caucasian Ashkenazi Jewish woman with Gaucher disease presented with jawbone pain and lytic radiographic lesions of her mandible. Surgical biopsy of a mandibular lesion revealed Gaucher cells infiltrating the mandible, which correlated with radiographic and clinical findings, supporting a diagnosis of Gaucher disease with jawbone involvement. Lysosomal storage diseases can have head and neck manifestations, and bone involvement in Gaucher disease is common. Therefore, careful consideration of signs and symptoms and medical history, with a thorough review of systems, is important when evaluating patients with lysosomal storage disorders to rule out head and neck involvement of disease. Biopsy may be warranted in some cases for more definitive diagnosis of painful jawbone lesions and to rule out other odontogenic and non-odontogenic conditions in the differential diagnosis.

CERCLA site assessment workbook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-08-01

This contains comments for each chapter of exercises (in Vol. 1) which illustrate how to conduct site assessments for CERCLA regulation. A through analysis of the exercises is provided so that work and solutions from Vol 1 can be critiqued and comments are also included on the strategy of site assessment whereas the exercises illustrate the principles involved. Covered exercises include the following: A preliminary assessment of a ground water site; waste characteristics and characterization of sources; documentation of observed releases and actual contamination of targets; the strategy of an SI at a surface water site; the soil exposure pathway; the air pathway

Epidemiological study of overlapping of involved organs in functional gastrointestinal disorders in the Chinese naval servicemen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zi-kai WANG

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Objective　To study the overlapping of involved organs in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs occurring in the Chinese naval servicemen, and to provide a sound basis for its diagnosis and treatment. Methods　From November 2006 to April 2007, a questionnaire survey was conducted in 8600 officers and soldiers of Chinese naval force in three regions using randomized, stratified, multistage sampling method. All respondents completed the Rome Ⅲ Modular Questionnaire. The collected data were double input by EpiData3.02 software and analyzed by SPSS 13.0 software. Results　7454 valid questionnaires were retrieved. The incidence of overlapping was 46.7% involving two to five sites. In two-site overlap of FGIDs, the incidence of overlap functional gastroduodenal disorder (FGD and functional bowel disorder (FBD was shown to be highest (51.2%, 339/662, followed by the overlap of functional esophageal disorder (FED and FBD (15.4%, 102/662. In three-site overlap of FGIDs, the overlapping rate of FED, FGD and FBD was the highest (44.4%, 151/340, followed by that of FGD, FBD and functional abdominal pain syndrome (FAPS (20.3%, 69/340. The commonest four-site overlap of FGIDs included FED, FGD, FBD and FAPS (57.7%, 94/163. The five-site overlap of FGIDs was the combination of FED, FGD, FBD, FAPS and functional anorectal disorder (FAD. The incidence of FGIDs in southern military region was 49.8% (987/1983, which was higher than that of northern (31.8%, 1064/3351 and eastern (23.8%, 533/2240 regions. The incidence of FGIDs of single organ was 44.9% in southern military region, which was lower than 59.0% in eastern and 58.4% in northern region. The incidence of the illness involving two to five sites were higher in southern military region as compared with that of eastern and northern regions. Conclusions　The rate of overlapping of FGIDs at different sites is common in the Chinese naval servicemen. There is a difference in rate of overlapping

Site decommissioning management plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fauver, D.N.; Austin, J.H.; Johnson, T.C.; Weber, M.F.; Cardile, F.P.; Martin, D.E.; Caniano, R.J.; Kinneman, J.D.

1993-10-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has identified 48 sites contaminated with radioactive material that require special attention to ensure timely decommissioning. While none of these sites represent an immediate threat to public health and safety they have contamination that exceeds existing NRC criteria for unrestricted use. All of these sites require some degree of remediation, and several involve regulatory issues that must be addressed by the Commission before they can be released for unrestricted use and the applicable licenses terminated. This report contains the NRC staff's strategy for addressing the technical, legal, and policy issues affecting the timely decommissioning of the 48 sites and describes the status of decommissioning activities at the sites

Site decommissioning management plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fauver, D.N.; Austin, J.H.; Johnson, T.C.; Weber, M.F.; Cardile, F.P.; Martin, D.E.; Caniano, R.J.; Kinneman, J.D.

1993-10-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has identified 48 sites contaminated with radioactive material that require special attention to ensure timely decommissioning. While none of these sites represent an immediate threat to public health and safety they have contamination that exceeds existing NRC criteria for unrestricted use. All of these sites require some degree of remediation, and several involve regulatory issues that must be addressed by the Commission before they can be released for unrestricted use and the applicable licenses terminated. This report contains the NRC staff`s strategy for addressing the technical, legal, and policy issues affecting the timely decommissioning of the 48 sites and describes the status of decommissioning activities at the sites.

LIPOMA OF THE HEEL: A COMMON BENIGN TUMOR OVER UNCOMMON SITE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirat

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Lipoma is a universal benign tumour which is uncommon in foot and especially in sole region. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of foot lesions. A case of lipoma of heel of five years duration in a 48 year s old housewife is described in which FNAC was inconclusive. However findings of imaging studies suggested diagnosis of lipoma w hich was confirmed on histopathological examination of the excised mass. Literature has been reviewed emphasising rarity of site lesion.

The involvement of coordinative interactions in the binding of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase to titanium dioxide-Localization of a putative binding site.

Science.gov (United States)

Dayan, Avraham; Babin, Gilad; Ganoth, Assaf; Kayouf, Nivin Samir; Nitoker Eliaz, Neta; Mukkala, Srijana; Tsfadia, Yossi; Fleminger, Gideon

2017-08-01

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys are widely used in orthodontic and orthopedic implants by virtue to their high biocompatibility, mechanical strength, and high resistance to corrosion. Biointegration of the implants with the tissue requires strong interactions, which involve biological molecules, proteins in particular, with metal oxide surfaces. An exocellular high-affinity titanium dioxide (TiO 2 )-binding protein (TiBP), purified from Rhodococcus ruber, has been previously studied in our lab. This protein was shown to be homologous with the orthologous cytoplasmic rhodococcal dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (rhDLDH). We have found that rhDLDH and its human homolog (hDLDH) share the TiO 2 -binding capabilities with TiBP. Intrigued by the unique TiO 2 -binding properties of hDLDH, we anticipated that it may serve as a molecular bridge between Ti-based medical structures and human tissues. The objective of the current study was to locate the region and the amino acids of the protein that mediate the protein-TiO 2 surface interaction. We demonstrated the role of acidic amino acids in the nonelectrostatic enzyme/dioxide interactions at neutral pH. The observation that the interaction of DLDH with various metal oxides is independent of their isoelectric values strengthens this notion. DLDH does not lose its enzymatic activity upon binding to TiO 2 , indicating that neither the enzyme undergoes major conformational changes nor the TiO 2 binding site is blocked. Docking predictions suggest that both rhDLDH and hDLDH bind TiO 2 through similar regions located far from the active site and the dimerization sites. The putative TiO 2 -binding regions of both the bacterial and human enzymes were found to contain a CHED (Cys, His, Glu, Asp) motif, which has been shown to participate in metal-binding sites in proteins. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Langerhans' cell histiocytosis: pathology, imaging and treatment of skeletal involvement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azouz, E. Michel [University of Miami, Pediatric Radiology Section, Department of Radiology, Miami, FL (United States); Saigal, Gaurav [McGill University, Department of Medical Imaging, Quebec (Canada); Rodriguez, Maria M. [University of Miami, Department of Pathology, Miami, FL (United States); Podda, Antonello [University of Miami, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Miami, FL (United States)

2005-02-01

Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH) is manifested in a variety of ways, the most common being the eosinophilic granuloma, a localized, often solitary bone lesion that occurs predominantly in the pediatric age group. The hallmark of LCH is the proliferation and accumulation of a specific histiocyte: the Langerhans' cell. In bone this may cause pain and adjacent soft-tissue swelling, but some lesions are asymptomatic. LCH can involve any bone, but most lesions occur in the skull (especially the calvarium and temporal bones), the pelvis, spine, mandible, ribs, and tubular bones. Imaging diagnosis of the disease in bone is first based on the plain radiographic appearance, which is usually a central destructive, aggressive-looking lesion. In the skull, the lesions develop in the diploic space, are lytic, and their edges may be beveled, scalloped or confluent (geographic), or show a ''button sequestrum.'' Vertebral body involvement usually causes collapse, resulting in vertebra plana. With significant recent improvements in the quality of gamma cameras, imaging techniques, and in studying children, bone scintigraphy at diagnosis and on follow-up usually reveals the sites of active disease, especially when the involvement is polyostotic. CT and MR imaging are very useful in providing detailed cross-sectional anatomic detail of the involved bone, including the bone marrow and the adjacent soft tissues. CT is better suited for demonstrating bone detail and MR imaging for bone marrow and soft-tissue involvement. (orig.)

Analysis of protein carbonylation - pitfalls and promise in commonly used methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rogowska-Wrzesinska, A.; Wojdyla, K.; Nedic, O.

2014-01-01

that research scientists are becoming more eager to be able to measure accurately the level of oxidized protein in biological materials, and to determine the precise site of the oxidative attack on the protein, in order to get insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of diseases....... Several methods for measuring protein carbonylation have been implemented in different laboratories around the world. However, to date no methods prevail as the most accurate, reliable, and robust. The present paper aims at giving an overview of the common methods used to determine protein carbonylation...... in biological material as well as to highlight the limitations and the potential. The ultimate goal is to give quick tips for a rapid decision making when a method has to be selected and taking into consideration the advantage and drawback of the methods....

Analysis of protein carbonylation-pitfalls and promise in commonly used methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rogowska-Wrzesinska, Adelina; Wojdyla, K; Nedić, O

2014-01-01

that research scientists are becoming more eager to be able to measure accurately the level of oxidized protein in biological materials, and to determine the precise site of the oxidative attack on the protein, in order to get insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of diseases....... Several methods for measuring protein carbonylation have been implemented in different laboratories around the world. However, to date no methods prevail as the most accurate, reliable, and robust. The present paper aims at giving an overview of the common methods used to determine protein carbonylation...... in biological material as well as to highlight the limitations and the potential. The ultimate goal is to give quick tips for a rapid decision making when a method has to be selected and taking into consideration the advantage and drawback of the methods....

Direct instrumental identification of catalytically active surface sites

Science.gov (United States)

Pfisterer, Jonas H. K.; Liang, Yunchang; Schneider, Oliver; Bandarenka, Aliaksandr S.

2017-09-01

The activity of heterogeneous catalysts—which are involved in some 80 per cent of processes in the chemical and energy industries—is determined by the electronic structure of specific surface sites that offer optimal binding of reaction intermediates. Directly identifying and monitoring these sites during a reaction should therefore provide insight that might aid the targeted development of heterogeneous catalysts and electrocatalysts (those that participate in electrochemical reactions) for practical applications. The invention of the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) and the electrochemical STM promised to deliver such imaging capabilities, and both have indeed contributed greatly to our atomistic understanding of heterogeneous catalysis. But although the STM has been used to probe and initiate surface reactions, and has even enabled local measurements of reactivity in some systems, it is not generally thought to be suited to the direct identification of catalytically active surface sites under reaction conditions. Here we demonstrate, however, that common STMs can readily map the catalytic activity of surfaces with high spatial resolution: we show that by monitoring relative changes in the tunnelling current noise, active sites can be distinguished in an almost quantitative fashion according to their ability to catalyse the hydrogen-evolution reaction or the oxygen-reduction reaction. These data allow us to evaluate directly the importance and relative contribution to overall catalyst activity of different defects and sites at the boundaries between two materials. With its ability to deliver such information and its ready applicability to different systems, we anticipate that our method will aid the rational design of heterogeneous catalysts.

Ginseng gintonin activates the human cardiac delayed rectifier K+ channel: involvement of Ca2+/calmodulin binding sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sun-Hye; Lee, Byung-Hwan; Kim, Hyeon-Joong; Jung, Seok-Won; Kim, Hyun-Sook; Shin, Ho-Chul; Lee, Jun-Hee; Kim, Hyoung-Chun; Rhim, Hyewhon; Hwang, Sung-Hee; Ha, Tal Soo; Kim, Hyun-Ji; Cho, Hana; Nah, Seung-Yeol

2014-09-01

Gintonin, a novel, ginseng-derived G protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand, elicits [Ca(2+)]i transients in neuronal and non-neuronal cells via pertussis toxin-sensitive and pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins. The slowly activating delayed rectifier K(+) (I(Ks)) channel is a cardiac K(+) channel composed of KCNQ1 and KCNE1 subunits. The C terminus of the KCNQ1 channel protein has two calmodulin-binding sites that are involved in regulating I(Ks) channels. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of gintonin-mediated activation of human I(Ks) channel activity by expressing human I(Ks) channels in Xenopus oocytes. We found that gintonin enhances IKs channel currents in concentration- and voltage-dependent manners. The EC50 for the I(Ks) channel was 0.05 ± 0.01 μg/ml. Gintonin-mediated activation of the I(Ks) channels was blocked by an LPA1/3 receptor antagonist, an active phospholipase C inhibitor, an IP3 receptor antagonist, and the calcium chelator BAPTA. Gintonin-mediated activation of both the I(Ks) channel was also blocked by the calmodulin (CaM) blocker calmidazolium. Mutations in the KCNQ1 [Ca(2+)]i/CaM-binding IQ motif sites (S373P, W392R, or R539W)blocked the action of gintonin on I(Ks) channel. However, gintonin had no effect on hERG K(+) channel activity. These results show that gintonin-mediated enhancement of I(Ks) channel currents is achieved through binding of the [Ca(2+)]i/CaM complex to the C terminus of KCNQ1 subunit.

Growth Rate and Relocation Movements of Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) Nestlings in Relation to Age

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Gunnar R.; Chalfoun, Anna D.

2012-01-01

Relocation by dependent young is a survival strategy that occurs among a wide range of taxa. The Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) lays its eggs on bare substrate and, once hatched, nestlings may relocate to new sites daily. We located and monitored eight Common Nighthawk nests in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, quantified inter-use-site distances in relation to nestling age, and calculated a nestling growth rate curve. Common Nighthawk nestlings grow in a nearly linear fashion. Nestlings moved up to 48 m in a single day and larger, older nestlings tended to move greater distances between daily use-sites.

Multi-site study of diffusion metric variability: effects of site, vendor, field strength, and echo time on regions-of-interest and histogram-bin analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Helmer, K G; Chou, M-C; Preciado, R I; Gimi, B; Rollins, N K; Song, A; Turner, J; Mori, S

2016-02-27

It is now common for magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) based multi-site trials to include diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) as part of the protocol. It is also common for these sites to possess MR scanners of different manufacturers, different software and hardware, and different software licenses. These differences mean that scanners may not be able to acquire data with the same number of gradient amplitude values and number of available gradient directions. Variability can also occur in achievable b-values and minimum echo times. The challenge of a multi-site study then, is to create a common protocol by understanding and then minimizing the effects of scanner variability and identifying reliable and accurate diffusion metrics. This study describes the effect of site, scanner vendor, field strength, and TE on two diffusion metrics: the first moment of the diffusion tensor field (mean diffusivity, MD), and the fractional anisotropy (FA) using two common analyses (region-of-interest and mean-bin value of whole brain histograms). The goal of the study was to identify sources of variability in diffusion-sensitized imaging and their influence on commonly reported metrics. The results demonstrate that the site, vendor, field strength, and echo time all contribute to variability in FA and MD, though to different extent. We conclude that characterization of the variability of DTI metrics due to site, vendor, field strength, and echo time is a worthwhile step in the construction of multi-center trials.

Model for predicting the restoration of and ammonium migration from in situ mine sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1979-01-01

There are many uranium deposits which are too deep, too poor in quality or too small in extent to be economically strip mined. It now appears that this uranium can be mined using in situ leaching processes. One component of the lixiviant is necessarily a cation and, during the course of mining, the ion exchange sites of the minerals in the mine zone become saturated with this cation. Ammonium is the cation now commonly used. Clearly, any restoration procedure or question involving the rate of cation migration with the groundwater all necessarily involve the process of ion exchange coupled with flow in porous media. The equations describing this process are presented in this paper and numerical solutions obtained. 16 refs

Analysis of the Proteolytic Processing of ABCA3: Identification of Cleavage Site and Involved Proteases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole Hofmann

Full Text Available ABCA3 is a lipid transporter in the limiting membrane of lamellar bodies in alveolar type II cells. Mutations in the ABCA3 gene cause respiratory distress syndrome in new-borns and childhood interstitial lung disease. ABCA3 is N-terminally cleaved by an as yet unknown protease, a process believed to regulate ABCA3 activity.The exact site where ABCA3 is cleaved was localized using mass spectrometry (MS. Proteases involved in ABCA3 processing were identified using small molecule inhibitors and siRNA mediated gene knockdown. Results were verified by in vitro digestion of a synthetic peptide substrate mimicking ABCA3's cleavage region, followed by MS analysis.We found that cleavage of ABCA3 occurs after Lys174 which is located in the proteins' first luminal loop. Inhibition of cathepsin L and, to a lesser extent, cathepsin B resulted in attenuation of ABCA3 cleavage. Both enzymes showed activity against the ABCA3 peptide in vitro with cathepsin L being more active.We show here that, like some other proteins of the lysosomal membrane, ABCA3 is a substrate of cathepsin L. Therefore, cathepsin L may represent a potential target to therapeutically influence ABCA3 activity in ABCA3-associated lung disease.

Common Vestibular Disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimitrios G. Balatsouras

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The three most common vestibular diseases, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV, Meniere's disease (MD and vestibular neuritis (VN, are presented in this paper. BPPV, which is the most common peripheral vestibular disorder, can be defined as transient vertigo induced by a rapid head position change, associated with a characteristic paroxysmal positional nystagmus. Canalolithiasis of the posterior semicircular canal is considered the most convincing theory of its pathogenesis and the development of appropriate therapeutic maneuvers resulted in its effective treatment. However, involvement of the horizontal or the anterior canal has been found in a significant rate and the recognition and treatment of these variants completed the clinical picture of the disease. MD is a chronic condition characterized by episodic attacks of vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus, aural pressure and a progressive loss of audiovestibular functions. Presence of endolymphatic hydrops on postmortem examination is its pathologic correlate. MD continues to be a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Patients with the disease range from minimally symptomatic, highly functional individuals to severely affected, disabled patients. Current management strategies are designed to control the acute and recurrent vestibulopathy but offer minimal remedy for the progressive cochlear dysfunction. VN is the most common cause of acute spontaneous vertigo, attributed to acute unilateral loss of vestibular function. Key signs and symptoms are an acute onset of spinning vertigo, postural imbalance and nausea as well as a horizontal rotatory nystagmus beating towards the non-affected side, a pathological headimpulse test and no evidence for central vestibular or ocular motor dysfunction. Vestibular neuritis preferentially involves the superior vestibular labyrinth and its afferents. Symptomatic medication is indicated only during the acute phase to relieve the vertigo and nausea

Ethics Review for a Multi-Site Project Involving Tribal Nations in the Northern Plains.

Science.gov (United States)

Angal, Jyoti; Petersen, Julie M; Tobacco, Deborah; Elliott, Amy J

2016-04-01

Increasingly, Tribal Nations are forming ethics review panels, which function separately from institutional review boards (IRBs). The emergence of strong community representation coincides with a widespread effort supported by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and other federal agencies to establish a single IRB for all multi-site research. This article underscores the value of a tribal ethics review board and describes the tribal oversight for the Safe Passage Study-a multi-site, community-based project in the Northern Plains. Our experience demonstrates the benefits of tribal ethics review and makes a strong argument for including tribal oversight in future regulatory guidance for multi-site, community-based research. © The Author(s) 2016.

S100A4: a common mediator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, fibrosis and regeneration in diseases?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schneider, M.; Sheikh, S.P.; Hansen, Jakob Lerche

2008-01-01

and neuronal injuries. Common to all these diseases is the involvement of fibrotic and inflammatory processes, i.e. processes greatly dependent on tissue remodelling, cell motility and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Therefore, the basic biological mechanisms behind S100A4's effects are emerging. S100A4...... belongs to the S100 family of proteins that contain two Ca2+-binding sites including a canonical EF-hand motif. S100A4 is involved in the regulation of a wide range of biological effects including cell motility, survival, differentiation and contractility. S100A4 has both intracellular and extracellular...... effects. Hence, S100A4 interacts with cytoskeletal proteins and enhances metastasis of several types of cancer cells. In addition, S100A4 is secreted by unknown mechanisms, thus, paracrinely stimulating a variety of cellular responses, including angiogenesis and neuronal growth. Although many cellular...

General aspects of siting and safety considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rutgers, E.

1980-01-01

The siting process from site selection to the different stages of review by the regulatory body is described. Special attention is payed to the role and responsibilities of the licensing authority. Next, the basic considerations involved in the siting process are reviewed. They include system planning, engineering, safety, environmental impact (including land use) and economics. Case studies illustrating different aspects of the siting process (e.g. site selection) are presented. (orig.)

Genome-wide retroviral insertional tagging of genes involved in cancer in Cdkn2a-deficient mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Anders H; Turner, Geoffrey; Trubetskoy, Alla

2002-01-01

We have used large-scale insertional mutagenesis to identify functional landmarks relevant to cancer in the recently completed mouse genome sequence. We infected Cdkn2a(-/-) mice with Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV) to screen for loci that can participate in tumorigenesis in collaboration...... retroviral integration sites and mapped them against the mouse genome sequence databases from Celera and Ensembl. In addition to 17 insertions targeting gene loci known to be cancer-related, we identified a total of 37 new common insertion sites (CISs), of which 8 encode components of signaling pathways...... that are involved in cancer. The effectiveness of large-scale insertional mutagenesis in a sensitized genetic background is demonstrated by the preference for activation of MAP kinase signaling, collaborating with Cdkn2a loss in generating the lymphoid and myeloid tumors. Collectively, our results show that large...

Common Fixed Point Theorems in Fuzzy Metric Spaces Satisfying -Contractive Condition with Common Limit Range Property

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunny Chauhan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to emphasize the role of “common limit range property” to ascertain the existence of common fixed point in fuzzy metric spaces. Some illustrative examples are furnished which demonstrate the validity of the hypotheses and degree of utility of our results. We derive a fixed point theorem for four finite families of self-mappings which can be utilized to derive common fixed point theorems involving any finite number of mappings. As an application to our main result, we prove an integral-type fixed point theorem in fuzzy metric space. Our results improve and extend a host of previously known results including the ones contained in Imdad et al. (2012.

EFFECTS OF BASKETBALL GAMES ON COMMON ABILITIES OF ASSOCIATES INVOLVED

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Budimir Bijelić

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Basketball is a sports discipline and activity distinguished by a number of advan- tages and therefore it is suitable to be included in different SPORT FOR ALL organiza- tion. This Paper has dealt with research of the effects of basketball games on certain motor and function abiliteies of associates regularly involved. 53 male associates, age 35-50, have undergone testing for seven motor variables where 2 km long walking activity (fitness index = general motor ability mean criteria variable. Systems of predictive motr and criteria variables have been tested in complian- ce with the methodology of Eurofit battery for adults. Based on the results obtained therein and related statistical analysis it has been found that 61 % of variability for criteria variable can be explained by the system of six predictive variables: lying - rising up in sitting position; leaning up forward in sitting position; standing on one leg - “flamingo”; jumping up; hand tapping and flexible han- ging down in bending motions. This statistical effect (at the level of p =.00 has accomplished the overall system of predictive motor variables, but not a snigle variable could have any special statistical effects on criteria variable UKK-2 km

Cardio-pulmonary involvement in systemic sclerosis: A study at a tertiary care center

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geetakiran Arakkal

2017-01-01

Conclusions: In our patients, pulmonary involvement was more common than cardiac involvement. Interstitial lung disease and cardiac involvement were more commonly seen in diffuse systemic sclerosis whereas pulmonary hypertension was more frequent in limited systemic sclerosis. Hence, it is important to screen the patients for cardiopulmonary involvement for early diagnosis and treatment and a better prognostic outcome.

CERCLA site assessment workbook, Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-08-01

This workbook provides instructions for planning, implementing, and reporting site assessments under CERCLA, commonly referred to as Superfund. Site assessment consists of two information-gathering steps: the remedial preliminary assessment (PA) and the site inspection (SI). The information obtained is then used to estimate, or score, a site's relative risk to public health and the environment. The score is derived via the hazard ranking system (HRS). Although the workbook and its exercises can be adapted to group study, it is designed primarily for use by an individual

Radiologically detectable musculoskeletal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jimenez, M. M.; Manjon, P.; Diaz de Bustamante, T.; Galindo, M.; Buj, M. J.; Cabezudo, J.

2000-01-01

We show a wide spectrum of musculoskeletal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that can be detected by radiological examination. We determined the indications of different imaging techniques in the diagnosis and follow-up of this disease. We reviewed the clinical and radiological histories of 37 patients diagnosed as having SLE on the basis of serological and musculoskeletal criteria. We assessed the personal data of each patient, the association of the disease with autoimmune processes, serology, treatment and radiological findings using plain X ray, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR). Of the 37 cases reviewed, only ten presented changes in one or more of the imaging studies performed. the most common radiological finding was symmetric poly arthritis located at different sites. Other signs included avascular necrosis (late and early), inflammation and tendon and/or ligament rupture, nonerosive deforming arthropathies , soft tissue calcifications and arthritis (staphylococcal and tuberculous). A direct correlation was established between the anticardiolipin antibody titer, steroid doses and avascular necrosis. In SLE, radiologically detectable osteoarticular lesions are uncommon. Symmetric polyarthritis is the earliest lesion and that occurring most frequently. Other signs do not appear as often, with the exception of osteonecrosis, which usually occurs late. It developed early and was unusually aggressive in two youths with elevated anticardiolipin antibody titers and substantial systemic involvement in our series. The contributions of ultrasound and MR in the assessment of musculoskeletal involvement in SLE are especially relevant in the study of inflammations and tendon rupture and in the management of avascular necrosis, respectively. (Author) 17 refs

In vitro synthesis of a lipid-linked trisaccharide involved in synthesis of enterobacterial common antigen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barr, K.; Nunes-Edwards, P.; Rick, P.D.

1989-01-01

The heteropolysaccharide chains of enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) are made up of linear trisaccharide repeat units with the structure----3)-alpha-D-Fuc4NAc-(1----4)- beta-D-ManNAcA-(1----4)-alpha-D-GlcNAc-(1----, where Fuc4NAc is 4-acetamido-4,6-dideoxy-D-galactose, ManNAcA is N-acetyl-D-mannosaminuronic acid, and GlcNAc is N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. The assembly of these chains involves lipid-linked intermediates, and both GlcNAc-pyrophosphorylundecaprenol (lipid I) and ManNAcA-GlcNAc-pyrophosphorylundecaprenol (lipid II) are intermediates in ECA biosynthesis. In this study we demonstrated that lipid II serves as the acceptor of Fuc4NAc residues in the assembly of the trisaccharide repeat unit of ECA chains. Incubation of Escherichia coli membranes with UDP-GlcNAc, UDP-[14C]ManNAcA, and TDP-[3H]Fuc4NAc resulted in the synthesis of a radioactive glycolipid (lipid III) that contained both [14C]ManNAcA and [3H]Fuc4NAc. The oligosaccharide moiety of lipid III was identified as a trisaccharide by gel-permeation chromatography, and the in vitro synthesis of lipid III was dependent on prior synthesis of lipids I and II. Accordingly, the incorporation of [3H]Fuc4NAc into lipid III from the donor TDP-[3H]Fuc4NAc was dependent on the presence of both UDP-GlcNAc and UDP-ManNAcA in the reaction mixtures. In addition, the in vitro synthesis of lipid III was abolished by tunicamycin. Direct conversion of lipid II to lipid III was demonstrated in two-stage reactions in which membranes were initially incubated with UDP-GlcNAc and UDP-[14C]ManNAcA to allow the synthesis of radioactive lipid II

Lymph node involvement in gastric cancer for different tumor sites and T stage: Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer (IRGGC) experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Leo, Alberto; Marrelli, Daniele; Roviello, Franco; Bernini, Marco; Minicozzi, AnnaMaria; Giacopuzzi, Simone; Pedrazzani, Corrado; Baiocchi, Luca Gian; de Manzoni, Giovanni

2007-09-01

The aim of lymphadenectomy is to clear all the metastatic nodes achieving a complete removal of the tumor; nevertheless, its role in gastric cancer has been very much debated. The frequency of node metastasis in each lymphatic station according to the International Gastric Cancer Association, was studied in 545 patients who underwent D2 or D3 lymphadenectomy from June 1988 to December 2002. Upper third early cancers have shown an involvement of N2 celiac nodes in 25%. In advanced cancers, there was a high frequency of metastasis in the right gastroepiploic (from 10% in T2 to 50% in T4) and in the paraaortic nodes (26% in T2, 32% in T3, 38 % in T4). N3 left paracardial nodes involvement was observed in an important share of middle third tumors (17% in T3, 36% in T4). Splenic hilum nodes metastasis were common in T3 and T4 cancers located in the upper (39%) and middle (17%) stomach. N2 nodal involvement was frequent in lower third advanced cancers. Metastasis in M left paracardial and short gastric nodes were observed in a small percentage of cases. Given the nodal diffusion in our gastric cancer patients, extended lymphadenectomy is still a rationale to obtain radical resection.

Unique Construction and Social Experiences in Residential Remediation Sites - 13423

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Paul; Scarborough, Rebecca [Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc. 2749 Lockport Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14305 (United States)

2013-07-01

Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc., (Sevenson) has performed several radiological remediation projects located in residential urban areas. Over the course of these projects, there has been a wide variety of experiences encountered from construction related issues to unique social situations. Some of the construction related issues included the remediation of interior basements where contaminated material was located under the footers of the structure or was used in the mortar between cinder block or field stone foundations. Other issues included site security, maintaining furnaces or other utilities, underpinning, backfilling and restoration. In addition to the radiological hazards associated with this work there were occupational safety and industrial hygiene issues that had to be addressed to ensure the safety and health of neighboring properties and residents. The unique social situations at these job sites have included arson, theft/stolen property, assault/battery, prostitution, execution of arrest warrants for residents, discovery of drugs and paraphernalia, blood borne pathogens, and unexploded ordnance. Some of these situations have become a sort of comical urban legend throughout the organization. One situation had historical significance, involving the demolition of a house to save a tree older than the Declaration of Independence. All of these projects typically involve the excavation of early 20. century items such as advertisement signs, various old bottles (milk, Listerine, perfume, whisky) and other miscellaneous common trash items. (authors)

Unique Construction and Social Experiences in Residential Remediation Sites - 13423

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Paul; Scarborough, Rebecca

2013-01-01

Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc., (Sevenson) has performed several radiological remediation projects located in residential urban areas. Over the course of these projects, there has been a wide variety of experiences encountered from construction related issues to unique social situations. Some of the construction related issues included the remediation of interior basements where contaminated material was located under the footers of the structure or was used in the mortar between cinder block or field stone foundations. Other issues included site security, maintaining furnaces or other utilities, underpinning, backfilling and restoration. In addition to the radiological hazards associated with this work there were occupational safety and industrial hygiene issues that had to be addressed to ensure the safety and health of neighboring properties and residents. The unique social situations at these job sites have included arson, theft/stolen property, assault/battery, prostitution, execution of arrest warrants for residents, discovery of drugs and paraphernalia, blood borne pathogens, and unexploded ordnance. Some of these situations have become a sort of comical urban legend throughout the organization. One situation had historical significance, involving the demolition of a house to save a tree older than the Declaration of Independence. All of these projects typically involve the excavation of early 20. century items such as advertisement signs, various old bottles (milk, Listerine, perfume, whisky) and other miscellaneous common trash items. (authors)

Submandibular Gland Involvement in Early Stage Oral Cavity Carcinomas: Can the Gland be left behind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashfaq, K.; Ashfaq, M.; Ahmed, A.; Khan, M.; Azhar, M.

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine the frequency of submandibular gland involvement in early oral cavity tumors. Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of Study: ENT Department, CMH, Rawalpindi, from January 2008 to December 2011. Methodology: Data of 110 oral cavity tumors operated over 2008 - 2011 was retrieved from ENT OPD, tumor registry in AFIP and from Head and Neck Oncology Forum Registry. Cases of oral cavity tumors that had undergone elective neck dissections were retrospectively studied for invasion of the submandibular gland, TNM Staging, perineural, perivascular, lymphovascular invasion, site specific frequency of oral cavity tumors and frequency of lymph node metastasis. Results: Tumors of tongue were the most common constituting 42%, squamous cell carcinoma was the histological diagnosis in 90% cases. Sixty eight (61.8%) cases were node negative. Selective neck dissection was done in 55.5% of the cases. Submandibular gland was involved in 2 cases (1.8%). Conclusion: Submandibular gland metastasis from early oral cavity tumors is rare; any neoplastic involvement of the gland usually occurs via direct spread. (author)

An Unusual Trocar Site Hernia after Prostatectomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryan K. Schmocker

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Trocar site hernias are rare complications after laparoscopic surgery but most commonly occur at larger trocar sites placed at the umbilicus. With increased utilization of the laparoscopic approach the incidence of trocar site hernia is increasing. We report a case of a trocar site hernia following an otherwise uncomplicated robotic prostatectomy at a 12 mm right lower quadrant port. The vermiform appendix was incarcerated within the trocar site hernia. Subsequent appendectomy and primary repair of the hernia were performed without complication.

Managing environmental liabilities at manufactured gas sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, G.S.; Ammann, P.R.; Kolbe, A.L.

1994-01-01

Many gas and electric utilities have inherited environmental liabilities from some of the more than 1,500 former manufactured gas plants (MGPs) which supplied a major source of energy in the US from the early 1800s to the mid 1900s. Common materials found at these sites include coal and oil tars, tar/water emulsions, sludges, spent oxides (including cyanide compounds), lampblack, ash, and clinker. There are several issues related to the cleanup of these former MGP sites that benefit from strategic management. First, utilities faced with near-term decisions can carefully analyze and document the value and impact of alternative strategies under various uncontrollable ''future states of the world'', expanding the analysis to review the more global, long-term impacts of near-term decisions, while at the same time creating the necessary documentation in case prudence becomes an issue in the future. Second, throughout the site assessment and remedial process, utilities can employ decision analytic tools to map out possible remediation, cost recovery, and litigation strategies as well as their potential costs, thus providing early information to focus management attention and expenditures on areas with the highest benefit. Third, in many states, utilities are and will be involved in rate hearings concerning the recovery of environmental costs, requiring attention to questions concerning who should pay--the ratepayer or the shareholder. This paper describes analytical tools and economic arguments that have been sued by several utilities to address management of these environmental liabilities

Involving patients in setting priorities for healthcare improvement: a cluster randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Boivin, Antoine; Lehoux, Pascale; Lacombe, Réal; Burgers, Jako; Grol, Richard

2014-02-20

Patients are increasingly seen as active partners in healthcare. While patient involvement in individual clinical decisions has been extensively studied, no trial has assessed how patients can effectively be involved in collective healthcare decisions affecting the population. The goal of this study was to test the impact of involving patients in setting healthcare improvement priorities for chronic care at the community level. Cluster randomized controlled trial. Local communities were randomized in intervention (priority setting with patient involvement) and control sites (no patient involvement). Communities in a canadian region were required to set priorities for improving chronic disease management in primary care, from a list of 37 validated quality indicators. Patients were consulted in writing, before participating in face-to-face deliberation with professionals. Professionals established priorities among themselves, without patient involvement. A total of 172 individuals from six communities participated in the study, including 83 chronic disease patients, and 89 health professionals. The primary outcome was the level of agreement between patients' and professionals' priorities. Secondary outcomes included professionals' intention to use the selected quality indicators, and the costs of patient involvement. Priorities established with patients were more aligned with core generic components of the Medical Home and Chronic Care Model, including: access to primary care, self-care support, patient participation in clinical decisions, and partnership with community organizations (p Priorities established by professionals alone placed more emphasis on the technical quality of single disease management. The involvement intervention fostered mutual influence between patients and professionals, which resulted in a 41% increase in agreement on common priorities (95%CI: +12% to +58%, p priorities. Patient involvement can change priorities driving healthcare

Qualified public involvement in the decision making process of siting a waste repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, Danielle Monegalha; Almeida, Ivan Pedro Salati de

2009-01-01

The main objective of this paper is to identify the most important characteristics required for the qualification of local communities for participating in the process of defining a specific site for a radioactive waste repository. It also compares the strategies used by Hungary, United Kingdom and Belgium to stimulate the public participation in the decision-making process of building and operating a radioactive waste repository, considering both the stepwise process and the spontaneous candidacy. Two main aspects are discussed as prerequisites to constitute a qualified public. The first aspect is how well the person or entity can be considered an effective representative of the community affected by the repository. This means the conditions the representative has to speak on behalf of the community and participate in the decision making process as its voice. The second characteristic is the level and quality of the information that the community and its representatives must have to participate actively in the decision-making process and what can be done to improve this status. Referring to the strategy to public involvement, this paper discusses the importance of transparency in the process, aiming the credibility of the entrepreneur as the first pace to gaining the confidence of the public affected by the project. Implementing an open dialog and listening to the needs and claims of the population are the first steps to being accepted as a true partner of the community. Preliminary discussions and explanations are important to introduce the subject and to reduce beliefs of false threats in the affected community. The constitution of a local committee is suggested, to act as a legal and formal channel to facilitate the partnership between local community, neighbors and the entrepreneur in order to achieve a positive result in the whole process. (author)

Fixed-site physical protection system modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, L.D.

1975-01-01

An evaluation of a fixed-site safeguard security system must consider the interrelationships of barriers, alarms, on-site and off-site guards, and their effectiveness against a forcible adversary attack whose intention is to create an act of sabotage or theft. A computer model has been developed at Sandia Laboratories for the evaluation of alternative fixed-site security systems. Trade-offs involving on-site and off-site response forces and response times, perimeter alarm systems, barrier configurations, and varying levels of threat can be analyzed. The computer model provides a framework for performing inexpensive experiments on fixed-site security systems for testing alternative decisions, and for determining the relative cost effectiveness associated with these decision policies

Retroperitoneal fibrosis with pancreatic involvement – radiological appearance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zielonko, Joanna; Obołończyk, Łukasz

2011-01-01

Retroperitoneal fibrosis or Ormond’s disease is an uncommon process characterized by fibrous tissue proliferation in the retroperitoneum, usually involving the aorta, inferior vena cava and iliac vessels. Obstructive hydronephrosis is often observed due to ureteral entrapment. This report presents a case of the peripancreatic location of the disease. The role of CT and MRI in establishing diagnosis of retroperitoneal fibrosis in an atypical site is discussed. A 52-year-old woman with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis was admitted to hospital because of pain suggesting renal colic. The patient was subjected to ultrasound, CT, and MRI which did not confirm urolithiasis but revealed pancreatic infiltration. Partial pancreatectomy, left-sided adrenalectomy and splenectomy were performed. Retroperitoneal fibrosis was diagnosed in the histopathological examination. A few weeks after surgery, a complication such as pancreatitis developed. Repeat CT confirmed it and showed right hydronephrosis secondary to ureteral involvement by a mass adjacent to the common iliac artery (defined as a typical manifestation of retroperitoneal fibrosis). Nephrostomy and conservative treatment improved the clinical state of the patient. No progression of the process was observed in the follow-up examinations. Atypical retroperitoneal fibrosis remains a diagnostic challenge. Imaging techniques CT and MRI are useful tools for evaluating the extent of Ormond’s disease. An unusual distribution of the process (e.g. peripancreatic location reported in this study) requires histopathological assessment to establish the final diagnosis

Near-Site Transportation Infrastructure Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viebrock, J.M.; Mote, N.

1992-02-01

There are 122 commercial nuclear facilities from which spent nuclear fuel will be accepted by the Federal Waste Management System (FWMS). Since some facilities share common sites and some facilities are on adjacent sites, 76 sites were identified for the Near-Site Transportation Infrastructure (NSTI) project. The objective of the NSTI project was to identify the options available for transportation of spent-fuel casks from each of these commercial nuclear facility sites to the main transportation routes -- interstate highways, commercial rail lines and navigable waterways available for commercial use. The near-site transportation infrastructure from each site was assessed, based on observation of technical features identified during a survey of the routes and facilities plus data collected from referenced information sources. The potential for refurbishment of transportation facilities which are not currently operational was also assessed, as was the potential for establishing new transportation facilities

Interspinous bursitis is common in polymyalgia rheumatica, but is not associated with spinal pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Camellino, Dario; Paparo, Francesco; Morbelli, Silvia; Cutolo, Maurizio; Sambuceti, Gianmario; Cimmino, Marco A

2014-12-01

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a common inflammatory disease in older people characterized by shoulder and/or pelvic girdle, and cervical and, occasionally, lumbar pain. Interspinous bursitis has been suggested as a potential cause of spinal symptoms. We evaluated, by 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography integrated with computed tomography (PET/CT), the vertebral structures involved in PMR in a cohort of consecutive, untreated patients. Sixty-five consecutive patients with PMR were studied. After a standardized physical examination, which included evaluation of pain and tenderness in the vertebral column, they underwent FDG-PET/CT. Sites of increased uptake and their correlation with spontaneous and provoked pain were recorded. For comparison, FDG-PET/CT was performed also in 65 age- and sex-matched controls and in 10 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The most frequent site of spontaneous and provoked pain was the cervical portion. FDG uptake was more frequent in the lumbar portion than at any other location, and in the cervical rather than in the thoracic portion (P bursitis (r = 0.34, P = 0.007). None of the control patients and one out of ten RA patients showed interspinous bursitis. Interspinous bursitis is a frequent finding in the lumbar spine of patients with PMR. However, it is not associated with clinical symptoms and can hardly explain the spinal pain reported by the patients. Cervical pain is more frequent than lumbar pain in PMR patients and may be caused by shoulder girdle involvement.

Inter-modal Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel from Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmid, St.; Thrower, A.; Best, R.E.

2009-01-01

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to ship most commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) by rail in sealed transportation, aging and disposal (TAD) canisters. Based on current and projected dry SNF storage programs, DOE believes the majority of commercial nuclear sites would have the capacity to load and prepare large-capacity, canister-based dry storage canisters such as the proposed TAD systems. Thus, only a small fraction of SNF, such as odd lots and SNF not meeting TAD criteria, is projected for truck (highway) shipment. However, at some commercial facilities rail tracks do not extend to the site, or on-site rail does not extend to the site's proposed loading spot, and inter-modal transfers will be required. Advance coordination between DOE and commercial site operators, commercial carriers, specialized carriers and riggers, and state, tribal and local routing officials will be necessary to establish inter-modal transfer areas and obtain necessary permits to move heavy loads over highways. Although inter-modal transfers can involve a number of steps and several different entities acting in close coordination, such moves are commonly performed by industry and the system requirements are well-understood. (authors)

On multi-site damage identification using single-site training data

Science.gov (United States)

Barthorpe, R. J.; Manson, G.; Worden, K.

2017-11-01

This paper proposes a methodology for developing multi-site damage location systems for engineering structures that can be trained using single-site damaged state data only. The methodology involves training a sequence of binary classifiers based upon single-site damage data and combining the developed classifiers into a robust multi-class damage locator. In this way, the multi-site damage identification problem may be decomposed into a sequence of binary decisions. In this paper Support Vector Classifiers are adopted as the means of making these binary decisions. The proposed methodology represents an advancement on the state of the art in the field of multi-site damage identification which require either: (1) full damaged state data from single- and multi-site damage cases or (2) the development of a physics-based model to make multi-site model predictions. The potential benefit of the proposed methodology is that a significantly reduced number of recorded damage states may be required in order to train a multi-site damage locator without recourse to physics-based model predictions. In this paper it is first demonstrated that Support Vector Classification represents an appropriate approach to the multi-site damage location problem, with methods for combining binary classifiers discussed. Next, the proposed methodology is demonstrated and evaluated through application to a real engineering structure - a Piper Tomahawk trainer aircraft wing - with its performance compared to classifiers trained using the full damaged-state dataset.

Measuring site occupancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rogowska-Wrzesinska, Adelina; Wojdyla, Katarzyna; Williamson, James

2014-01-01

occupancy of the modification site. We show that, on one hand, heavily modified cysteines are not necessarily involved in the response to oxidative stress. On the other hand residues with low modification level can be dramatically affected by mild oxidative imbalance. We make use of high resolution mass...... peptides corresponding to 90 proteins. Only 6 modified peptides changed significantly under mild oxidative stress. Quantitative information allowed us to determine relative modification site occupancy of each identified modified residue and pin point heavily modified ones. The method proved to be precise...... and sensitive enough to detect and quantify endogenous levels of oxidative stress on proteome-wide scale and brings a new perspective on the role of the modification site occupancy in cellular redox response....

Decommissioning: guiding principles and best practices for involving local stakeholders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keyes, D.

2005-01-01

Full text: A wide range of nuclear facilities covering the entire nuclear fuel cycle have been constructed and operated for many years worldwide. For communities where the facilities are located, concerns about safety and environmental contamination are paramount. Working together with elected officials, local community leaders and the public at large during the earliest planning stages will help alleviate concerns about facility operation and ultimate disposition, and will result in better decisions about facility design, location, construction, operation and, ultimately, decommissioning. Such comprehensive community involvement has been the exception rather than the norm. Now that older facilities are being considered for decommissioning, efforts to involve local stakeholders and alleviate their concerns face major challenges. This is particularly true where some residual radioactive contamination will remain onsite and future use of the site may need to be restricted. Plans for stakeholder involvement at the decommissioning stage should be carefully designed and provide for honest, authentic and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders affected by decommissioning decisions. A set of principles and best practices is proposed to help guide the design and implementation of effective community involvement programs. The principles and best practices are drawn from the experiences of public involvement practitioners in a variety of environmental contamination applications. Successful community involvement is the result of a carefully crafted set of coordinated activities conducted over the long term. Ideally, facility decommissioning is simply the end stage of the involvement process, or the beginning of a site stewardship process in those cases where decommissioning does not produce an uncontaminated site. In either case, decommissioning will not be a new, unexpected event, and stakeholders could be involved just as they have been over the life of the facility. In

Pilot-Scale Demonstration of In-Situ Chemical Oxidation Involving Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compounds - Design and Deployment Guidelines (Parris Island, SC, U.S. Marine Corp Recruit Depot, Site 45 Pilot Study)

Science.gov (United States)

A pilot-scale in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) demonstration, involving subsurface injections of sodium permanganate (NaMnO4), was performed at the US Marine Corp Recruit Depot (MCRD), site 45 (Parris Island (PI), SC). The ground water was originally contaminated with perchloroe...

Decision aiding techniques for site remediation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van de Walle, B

1996-09-18

Decision making problems in the nuclear domain are known for their complexity since they usually involve a wide range of technical, social, and political considerations. Site restoration is a typical example of a complex nuclear decision problem, and more and more decision makers realize that they need new tools to assist in the decision making process. This paper reports on multi-criteria decision analysis, a powerful tool for handling complex decisions involving multiple criteria. The motivation to use multi-criteria decision analysis in the domain of site restoration is illustrated. New developments and challenges in this field are addressed.

Decision aiding techniques for site remediation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van de Walle, B.

1996-01-01

Decision making problems in the nuclear domain are known for their complexity since they usually involve a wide range of technical, social, and political considerations. Site restoration is a typical example of a complex nuclear decision problem, and more and more decision makers realize that they need new tools to assist in the decision making process. This paper reports on multi-criteria decision analysis, a powerful tool for handling complex decisions involving multiple criteria. The motivation to use multi-criteria decision analysis in the domain of site restoration is illustrated. New developments and challenges in this field are addressed

Relapsing polychondritis and airway involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Ernst, Armin; Rafeq, Samaan; Boiselle, Phillip; Sung, Arthur; Reddy, Chakravarthy; Michaud, Gaetane; Majid, Adnan; Herth, Felix J F; Trentham, David

2009-04-01

To assess the prevalence and characteristics of airway involvement in relapsing polychondritis (RP). Retrospective chart review and data analysis of RP patients seen in the Rheumatology Clinic and the Complex Airway Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from January 2004 through February 2008. RP was diagnosed in 145 patients. Thirty-one patients had airway involvement, a prevalence of 21%. Twenty-two patients were women (70%), and they were between 11 and 61 years of age (median age, 42 years) at the time of first symptoms. Airway symptoms were the first manifestation of disease in 17 patients (54%). Dyspnea was the most common symptom in 20 patients (64%), followed by cough, stridor, and hoarseness. Airway problems included the following: subglottic stenosis (n = 8; 26%); focal and diffuse malacia (n = 15; 48%); and focal stenosis in different areas of the bronchial tree in the rest of the patients. Twelve patients (40%) required and underwent intervention including balloon dilatation, stent placement, tracheotomy, or a combination of the above with good success. The majority of patients experienced improvement in airway symptoms after intervention. One patient died during the follow-up period from the progression of airway disease. The rest of the patients continue to undergo periodic evaluation and intervention. In this largest cohort described in the English language literature, we found symptomatic airway involvement in RP to be common and at times severe. The nature of airway problems is diverse, with tracheomalacia being the most common. Airway intervention is frequently required and in experienced hands results in symptom improvement.

Change is good: variations in common biological mechanisms in the epsilonproteobacterial genera Campylobacter and Helicobacter.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbreath, Jeremy J; Cody, William L; Merrell, D Scott; Hendrixson, David R

2011-03-01

Microbial evolution and subsequent species diversification enable bacterial organisms to perform common biological processes by a variety of means. The epsilonproteobacteria are a diverse class of prokaryotes that thrive in diverse habitats. Many of these environmental niches are labeled as extreme, whereas other niches include various sites within human, animal, and insect hosts. Some epsilonproteobacteria, such as Campylobacter jejuni and Helicobacter pylori, are common pathogens of humans that inhabit specific regions of the gastrointestinal tract. As such, the biological processes of pathogenic Campylobacter and Helicobacter spp. are often modeled after those of common enteric pathogens such as Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli. While many exquisite biological mechanisms involving biochemical processes, genetic regulatory pathways, and pathogenesis of disease have been elucidated from studies of Salmonella spp. and E. coli, these paradigms often do not apply to the same processes in the epsilonproteobacteria. Instead, these bacteria often display extensive variation in common biological mechanisms relative to those of other prototypical bacteria. In this review, five biological processes of commonly studied model bacterial species are compared to those of the epsilonproteobacteria C. jejuni and H. pylori. Distinct differences in the processes of flagellar biosynthesis, DNA uptake and recombination, iron homeostasis, interaction with epithelial cells, and protein glycosylation are highlighted. Collectively, these studies support a broader view of the vast repertoire of biological mechanisms employed by bacteria and suggest that future studies of the epsilonproteobacteria will continue to provide novel and interesting information regarding prokaryotic cellular biology.

The Detection and Analysis of Chromosome Fragile Sites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerregaard, Victoria A; Özer, Özgün; Hickson, Ian D

2018-01-01

A fragile site is a chromosomal locus that is prone to form a gap or constriction visible within a condensed metaphase chromosome, particularly following exposure of cells to DNA replication stress. Based on their frequency, fragile sites are classified as either common (CFSs; present in all...... for detection and analysis of chromosome fragile sites....

Hanford Site environmental management specification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grygiel, M.L.

1998-06-10

The US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (RL) uses this Hanford Site Environmental Management Specification (Specification) to document top-level mission requirements and planning assumptions for the prime contractors involved in Hanford Site cleanup and infrastructure activities under the responsibility of the US Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management. This Specification describes at a top level the activities, facilities, and infrastructure necessary to accomplish the cleanup of the Hanford Site and assigns this scope to Site contractors and their respective projects. This Specification also references the key National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), and safety documentation necessary to accurately describe the cleanup at a summary level. The information contained in this document reflects RL`s application of values, priorities, and critical success factors expressed by those involved with and affected by the Hanford Site project. The prime contractors and their projects develop complete baselines and work plans to implement this Specification. These lower-level documents and the data that support them, together with this Specification, represent the full set of requirements applicable to the contractors and their projects. Figure 1-1 shows the relationship of this Specification to the other basic Site documents. Similarly, the documents, orders, and laws referenced in this specification represent only the most salient sources of requirements. Current and contractual reference data contain a complete set of source documents.

Hanford Site environmental management specification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grygiel, M.L.

1998-01-01

The US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (RL) uses this Hanford Site Environmental Management Specification (Specification) to document top-level mission requirements and planning assumptions for the prime contractors involved in Hanford Site cleanup and infrastructure activities under the responsibility of the US Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management. This Specification describes at a top level the activities, facilities, and infrastructure necessary to accomplish the cleanup of the Hanford Site and assigns this scope to Site contractors and their respective projects. This Specification also references the key National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), and safety documentation necessary to accurately describe the cleanup at a summary level. The information contained in this document reflects RL's application of values, priorities, and critical success factors expressed by those involved with and affected by the Hanford Site project. The prime contractors and their projects develop complete baselines and work plans to implement this Specification. These lower-level documents and the data that support them, together with this Specification, represent the full set of requirements applicable to the contractors and their projects. Figure 1-1 shows the relationship of this Specification to the other basic Site documents. Similarly, the documents, orders, and laws referenced in this specification represent only the most salient sources of requirements. Current and contractual reference data contain a complete set of source documents

Sprucing up the site - update

CERN Multimedia

2009-01-01

As mentioned in a previous article the Bulletin will be publishing regular short updates following the consolidation work going on around the CERN sites: All internal lighting is being replaced in the office buildings on the Prevessin site. Work has started in building 866 and will move to 864 and 865 later. New energy-efficient lights are being installed, which will reduce electricity consumption by 30 -50%, and in the common areas like corridors the lighting will be switched on by motion sensors. Also in the Prevessin site, the lines in the car parks are being repainted. This will continue in the Meyrin site later. Work has started in Building 30 to completely refurbish the AT Auditorium.

Vulvovaginitis and other common childhood gynaecological conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Garden, Anne S

2011-04-01

Paediatric gynaecological problems, especially those involving the vulvar area, are common in childhood. The conditions frequently seen include recurrent bacterial vulvovaginitis, vulvar irritation, labial adhesions and dermatological conditions. The presentation and management of these conditions will be reviewed.

Siting guidelines and their role in repository site selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanlon, C.L.

1985-01-01

The first requirement of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act was for the Secretary of Energy to issue general guidelines for siting repositories. The guidelines were to specify detailed geologic considerations that would be the primary criteria for the selection of sites in various host rocks, as well as factors that would qualify or disqualify any site from development as a repository. These guidelines were clearly intended to provide not only the framework for the siting program but also the stimulus for establishing effective communication and consultation among the parties involved in the program. The Act further required that the guidelines be a factor in the development of all future decision documents of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, including the environmental assessments that would accompany the nomination of sites for characterization, the site-characterization plans that are to be prepared before the sinking of exploratory shafts at any candidate site, and the environmental impact statement that is to support the recommendation of a site for development as a repository. More than two years after its passage, the intention of the Act for the guidelines has been realized. Concurred in by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on June 22, 1984, and issued by the Department in November 1984, the guidelines include postclosure technical guidelines that apply to conditions governing the long-term performance of the repository system; preclosure technical guidelines that apply to conditions governing the siting, construction, operation, and closure of the repository; and system guidelines whose objective is to ensure that the regulatory requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are met

Site, year and cultivar effects on relationships between periderm nutrient contents and common scab severity

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Krištůfek, Václav; Diviš, J.; Omelka, M.; Kopecký, J.; Ságová-Marečková, M.

2015-01-01

Roč. 92, č. 4 (2015), s. 473-482 ISSN 1099-209X R&D Projects: GA MZe QJ1210359 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : common potato scab * Streptomyces scabies * micronutrients * common scab resistance Subject RIV: GF - Plant Pathology, Vermin, Weed, Plant Protection Impact factor: 1.159, year: 2015

Ecology and the Tragedy of the Commons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Roopnarine

2013-02-01

Full Text Available This paper develops mathematical models of the tragedy of the commons analogous to ecological models of resource consumption. Tragedies differ fundamentally from predator–prey relationships in nature because human consumers of a resource are rarely controlled solely by that resource. Tragedies do occur, however, at the level of the ecosystem, where multiple species interactions are involved. Human resource systems are converging rapidly toward ecosystem-type systems as the number of exploited resources increase, raising the probability of system-wide tragedies in the human world. Nevertheless, common interests exclusive of exploited commons provide feasible options for avoiding tragedy in a converged world.

Comparative digital cartilage histology for human and common osteoarthritis models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedersen DR

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Douglas R Pedersen, Jessica E Goetz, Gail L Kurriger, James A MartinDepartment of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USAPurpose: This study addresses the species-specific and site-specific details of weight-bearing articular cartilage zone depths and chondrocyte distributions among humans and common osteoarthritis (OA animal models using contemporary digital imaging tools. Histological analysis is the gold-standard research tool for evaluating cartilage health, OA severity, and treatment efficacy. Historically, evaluations were made by expert analysts. However, state-of-the-art tools have been developed that allow for digitization of entire histological sections for computer-aided analysis. Large volumes of common digital cartilage metrics directly complement elucidation of trends in OA inducement and concomitant potential treatments.Materials and methods: Sixteen fresh human knees, 26 adult New Zealand rabbit stifles, and 104 bovine lateral plateaus were measured for four cartilage zones and the cell densities within each zone. Each knee was divided into four weight-bearing sites: the medial and lateral plateaus and femoral condyles.Results: One-way analysis of variance followed by pairwise multiple comparisons (Holm–Sidak method at a significance of 0.05 clearly confirmed the variability between cartilage depths at each site, between sites in the same species, and between weight-bearing articular cartilage definitions in different species.Conclusion: The present study clearly demonstrates multisite, multispecies differences in normal weight-bearing articular cartilage, which can be objectively quantified by a common digital histology imaging technique. The clear site-specific differences in normal cartilage must be taken into consideration when characterizing the pathoetiology of OA models. Together, these provide a path to consistently analyze the volume and variety of histologic slides necessarily generated

Siting simulation for low-level waste disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roop, R.D.; Rope, R.C.

1985-01-01

The Mock Site Licensing Demonstration Project has developed the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Siting Simulation, a role-playing exercise designed to facilitate the process of siting and licensing disposal facilities for low-level waste (LLW). This paper describes the development, content, and usefulness of the siting simulation. The simulation can be conducted at a workshop or conference, involves 14 or more participants, and requires about eight hours to complete. The simulation consists of two sessions; in the first, participants negotiate the selection of siting criteria, and in the second, a preferred disposal site is chosen from three candidate sites. The project has sponsored two workshops (in Boston, Massachusetts and Richmond, Virginia) in which the simulation has been conducted for persons concerned with LLW management issues. It is concluded that the simulation can be valuable as a tool for disseminating information about LLW management; a vehicle that can foster communication; and a step toward consensus building and conflict resolution. The DOE National Low-Level Waste Management Program is now making the siting simulation available for use by states, regional compacts, and other organizations involved in development of LLW disposal facilities

Siting controversial facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baird, R.D.; Blacker, P.B.

1985-01-01

There is often significant difficulty involved with siting controversial facilities. The social and political problems are frequently far more difficult to resolve than the technical and economic issues. The tendancy for most developing organizations is to address only technical issues in the search for a technically optimal site, to the exclusion of such weighting considerations as the social and political climate associated with potential sites--an approach which often imperils the success of the project. The site selection processes currently suggested is summarized and two contemporary examples of their application are cited. The difference between developers' real objectives and the objectives they have implicitly assumed by adopting the recommended approaches without augmentation are noted. The resulting morass of public opposition is attributed to the failure to consider the needs of individuals and groups who stand to be negatively impacted by the development. A comprehensive implementation strategy which addresses non-technical consideration in parallel with technical ones is presented and evaluated

Abdominopelvic actinomycosis: spectrum of imaging findings and common mimickers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Triantopoulou, Charikleia; Molen, Aart Van der; Es, Ad CMG Van; Giannila, Maria

2014-01-01

Actinomycosis is a rare suppurative disease that may mimic other inflammatory conditions on imaging. Its invasive nature may lead to mass formation and atypical presentation thus making accurate diagnosis quite difficult. To describe the different aspects of abdominopelvic actinomycosis on cross-sectional imaging and indicate discriminative findings from other inflammatory or neoplastic diseases. In our study we analyzed 18 patients (15 women, 3 men; age range, 25–75 years; mean age, 50 years) with pathologically proved abdominopelvic actinomycosis. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) had been performed in all patients. Eleven patients had a history of using intrauterine contraceptive devices. Bowel site, wall thickness and enhancement degree, inflammatory infiltration, and features of peritoneal or pelvic mass were evaluated at CT. The sigmoid colon was most commonly involved. Most patients showed concentric bowel wall-thickening, enhancing homogenously and inflammatory infiltration of pericolonic fat was mostly diffuse. In 11 patients, one or more pelvic abscesses were revealed, while a peritoneal or pelvic mass adjacent to the involved bowel segment was seen in three cases. Infiltration into the abdominal wall was seen in three cases while in one case there was thoracic dissemination. Actinomycosis is related not only to long-term use of intrauterine contraceptive devices and should be included in the differential diagnosis when cross-sectional imaging studies show concentric bowel wall-thickening, intense contrast enhancement, regional pelvic or peritoneal masses, and extensive inflammatory fat infiltration with abscess formation

Canada, Copyright, and the Common Good

Science.gov (United States)

Haslett, K. Mark

2009-01-01

Advocacy on public policy issues such as copyright is a common concern of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL). Duane Webster has been instrumental in facilitating a collaborative approach to such advocacy. Part of this involves concerted efforts to ensure that fair use (United…

Ethics in research involving prisoners.

Science.gov (United States)

Pont, Jörg

2008-01-01

Research involving prisoners repeatedly went astray during the last century, culminating in the cruel medical experiments inside the Nazi concentration camps that gave rise to the Nuremberg Code. However, prisoners continued to become victims of scientific exploitation by the rapidly evolving biomedical research industry. The common roots of these abuses were the flawed philosophy that the needs of the society outweigh the needs of the individual and the researchers' view that prisoners are cheap, easy to motivate and stable research subjects. Prisoners are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse by research because their freedom for consent can easily be undermined, and because of learning disabilities, illiteracy and language barriers prevailing within prisoner populations. Therefore, penal laws of some countries supported by a number of internationally agreed documents prohibit research involving prisoners completely. However, prisoners must also be regarded as vulnerable to the specific health problems in prisons, e.g. transmissible diseases, mental disorders and suicide - problems that need to be addressed by research involving prisoners. Additionally, the participation of prisoner patients in research they directly can benefit from should be provided. Hence, it must be a common objective to find the right balance between protection from exploitation and access to research beneficial to prisoners.

LLNL Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Potable Water System Operations Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ocampo, R. P. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Bellah, W. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-09-14

The existing Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Site 300 drinking water system operation schematic is shown in Figures 1 and 2 below. The sources of water are from two Site 300 wells (Well #18 and Well #20) and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Hetch-Hetchy water through the Thomas shaft pumping station. Currently, Well #20 with 300 gallons per minute (gpm) pump capacity is the primary source of well water used during the months of September through July, while Well #18 with 225 gpm pump capacity is the source of well water for the month of August. The well water is chlorinated using sodium hypochlorite to provide required residual chlorine throughout Site 300. Well water chlorination is covered in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Chlorination Plan (“the Chlorination Plan”; LLNL-TR-642903; current version dated August 2013). The third source of water is the SFPUC Hetch-Hetchy Water System through the Thomas shaft facility with a 150 gpm pump capacity. At the Thomas shaft station the pumped water is treated through SFPUC-owned and operated ultraviolet (UV) reactor disinfection units on its way to Site 300. The Thomas Shaft Hetch- Hetchy water line is connected to the Site 300 water system through the line common to Well pumps #18 and #20 at valve box #1.

Feasibility of phytoremediation of common soil and groundwater pollutants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trapp, Stefan; Rein, Arno; Clause, Lauge

2014-01-01

This report is the D eliverable D 4.3 and was done within the Timbre project WP4. It introduces into the various clean - up techniques that apply plants, evaluates the feasibility of phytoremediation of common soil and groundwater pollutants, and the knowle dge collected for this purpose was appl......This report is the D eliverable D 4.3 and was done within the Timbre project WP4. It introduces into the various clean - up techniques that apply plants, evaluates the feasibility of phytoremediation of common soil and groundwater pollutants, and the knowle dge collected for this purpose...... was applied to the two Timbre sites : Hunedoara (Romania) and Szprotawa (Poland). Phytoremediation is the technique to clean up (remediate) contaminated sites using plants, typically trees. The principles of the data were deta iled, with focus on obstacles (phytotoxicity) and factors stimulating success...

Computer-Based Testing: Test Site Security.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosen, Gerald A.

Computer-based testing places great burdens on all involved parties to ensure test security. A task analysis of test site security might identify the areas of protecting the test, protecting the data, and protecting the environment as essential issues in test security. Protecting the test involves transmission of the examinations, identifying the…

Observations of territorial breeding common ravens caching eggs of greater sage-grouse

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Kristy B.; Coates, Peter S.

2015-01-01

Previous investigations using continuous video monitoring of greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus nests have unambiguously identified common ravens Corvus corax as an important egg predator within the western United States. The quantity of greater sage-grouse eggs an individual common raven consumes during the nesting period and the extent to which common ravens actively hunt greater sage-grouse nests are largely unknown. However, some evidence suggests that territorial breeding common ravens, rather than nonbreeding transients, are most likely responsible for nest depredations. We describe greater sage-grouse egg depredation observations obtained opportunistically from three common raven nests located in Idaho and Nevada where depredated greater sage-grouse eggs were found at or in the immediate vicinity of the nest site, including the caching of eggs in nearby rock crevices. We opportunistically monitored these nests by counting and removing depredated eggs and shell fragments from the nest sites during each visit to determine the extent to which the common raven pairs preyed on greater sage-grouse eggs. To our knowledge, our observations represent the first evidence that breeding, territorial pairs of common ravens cache greater sage-grouse eggs and are capable of depredating multiple greater sage-grouse nests.

Synthesis of common management concerns associated with dam removal

Science.gov (United States)

Tullos, Desiree D.; Collins, Mathias J.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Bountry, Jennifer A.; Connolly, Patrick J.; Shafroth, Patrick B.; Wilcox, Andrew C.

2016-01-01

Managers make decisions regarding if and how to remove dams in spite of uncertainty surrounding physical and ecological responses, and stakeholders often raise concerns about certain negative effects, regardless of whether or not these concerns are warranted at a particular site. We used a dam-removal science database supplemented with other information sources to explore seven frequently-raised concerns, herein Common Management Concerns (CMCs). We investigate the occurrence of these concerns and the contributing biophysical controls. The CMCs addressed are: degree and rate of reservoir sediment erosion, excessive channel incision upstream of reservoirs, downstream sediment aggradation, elevated downstream turbidity, drawdown impacts on local water infrastructure, colonization of reservoir sediments by non-native plants, and expansion of invasive fish. Biophysical controls emerged for some of the concerns, providing managers with information to assess whether a given concern is likely to occur at a site. To fully assess CMC risk, managers should concurrently evaluate site conditions and identify the ecosystem or human uses that will be negatively affected if the biophysical phenomenon producing the CMC occurs. We show how many CMCs have one or more controls in common, facilitating the identification of multiple risks at a site, and demonstrate why CMC risks should be considered in the context of other factors like natural watershed variability and disturbance history.

Commons problems, common ground: Earth-surface dynamics and the social-physical interdisciplinary frontier

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarus, E.

2015-12-01

In the archetypal "tragedy of the commons" narrative, local farmers pasture their cows on the town common. Soon the common becomes crowded with cows, who graze it bare, and the arrangement of open access to a shared resource ultimately fails. The "tragedy" involves social and physical processes, but the denouement depends on who is telling the story. An economist might argue that the system collapses because each farmer always has a rational incentive to graze one more cow. An ecologist might remark that the rate of grass growth is an inherent control on the common's carrying capacity. And a geomorphologist might point out that processes of soil degradation almost always outstrip processes of soil production. Interdisciplinary research into human-environmental systems still tends to favor disciplinary vantages. In the context of Anthropocene grand challenges - including fundamental insight into dynamics of landscape resilience, and what the dominance of human activities means for processes of change and evolution on the Earth's surface - two disciplines in particular have more to talk about than they might think. Here, I use three examples - (1) beach nourishment, (2) upstream/downstream fluvial asymmetry, and (3) current and historical "land grabbing" - to illustrate a range of interconnections between physical Earth-surface science and common-pool resource economics. In many systems, decision-making and social complexity exert stronger controls on landscape expression than do physical geomorphological processes. Conversely, human-environmental research keeps encountering multi-scale, emergent problems of resource use made 'common-pool' by water, nutrient and sediment transport dynamics. Just as Earth-surface research can benefit from decades of work on common-pool resource systems, quantitative Earth-surface science can make essential contributions to efforts addressing complex problems in environmental sustainability.

Siting nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yellin, J.; Joskow, P.L.

1980-01-01

The first edition of this journal is devoted to the policies and problems of siting nuclear power plants and the question of how far commercial reactors should be placed from urban areas. The article is divided into four major siting issues: policies, risk evaluation, accident consequences, and economic and physical constraints. One concern is how to treat currently operating reactors and those under construction that were established under less-stringent criteria if siting is to be used as a way to limit the consequences of accidents. Mehanical cost-benefit analyses are not as appropriate as the systematic use of empirical observations in assessing the values involved. Stricter siting rules are justified because (1) opposition because of safety is growing: (2) remote siting will make the industry more stable; (3) the conflict is eliminated between regulatory policies and the probability basis for nuclear insurance; and (4) joint ownership of utilities and power-pooling are increasing. 227 references, 7 tables

Stakeholder involvement in the decommissioning of Dounreay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrisson, Norman; LOVE, June; Murray, Marc

2006-01-01

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) was established in the 1950's to pioneer the development of nuclear energy within the UK. Today its primary mission is to decommission UK's former nuclear research sites and restore its environment in a way that is safe and secure, environmentally friendly, value for money and publicly Acceptable. UKAEA Dounreay celebrated its 50 birthday in 2005, having pioneered the development of fast reactor technology since 1955. Today the site is now leading the way in decommissioning. The Dounreay nuclear site licence covers an area of approximately 140 acres and includes 3 reactors: the Dounreay Material Test Reactor (DMTR), the Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR), and the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR). In addition there are 180 facilities on site which have supported the fast reactor programme, including a fuel reprocessing capability, laboratories and administration buildings. The reactors are now all in advanced stages of decommissioning. In October 2000 the Dounreay Site Restoration Plan (DSRP) was published to provide a framework for the site's restoration. The plan's objective was to reduce the site's hazards progressively by decontaminating and dismantling the plant, equipment and facilities, remediating contaminated ground and treating and packaging waste so it is suitable for long term storage or disposal. Whilst hailed as the most detailed plan integrating some 1500 activities and spanning 60 years it was criticised for having no stakeholder involvement. In response to this criticism, UKAEA developed a process for public participation over the following 2 years and launched its stakeholder engagement programme in October 2002. In order to provide a larger platform for the engagement process an advertisement was placed in the Scottish media inviting people to register as stakeholders in the Dounreay Site Restoration Plan. The stakeholder list now total over 1000. In October 2002 UKAEA launched their commitment to public

Environmental Regulatory Compliance Plan for site: Draft characterization of the Yucca Mountain site:Draft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The objective of the EMMP is to document compliance with the NWPA. To do so, a summary description of site characterization activites is provided, based on the consultation draft of the SCP. Subsequent chpaters identify those technical areas having the potential to be impacted by site characterization activities and the monitoring plans proposed to identify whether those impacts acutally occur. Should monitoring confirm the potential for significant adverse impact, mitigative measures will be developed. In the context of site characterization, mitigation is defined as those changes in site characterization activities that serve to avoid or minimize, to the maximum extent practicle, any significant adverse environmental impacts. Although site characterization activies involve both surface and subsurface activities, it is the surface-based aspect of site characterization that is addressed in detailed by the EMMP. The schedule and duration of these activities is given in the consultation draft of the SCP. A breif summary of all proposed activities is given in the EMMP. 10 refs., 8 figs

Geology Laxemar. Site descriptive modelling SDM-Site Laxemar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wahlgren, Carl-Henric (Geological Survey of Sweden, Uppsala (Sweden)); Curtis, Philip; Hermanson, Jan; Forssberg, Ola; Oehman, Johan (Golder Associates AB (Sweden)); Fox, Aaron; La Pointe, Paul (Golder Associates Inc (United States)); Drake, Henrik (Dept. of Earth Sciences, Univ. of Goeteborg, Goeteborg (Sweden)); Triumf, Carl-Axel; Mattsson, Haakan; Thunehed, Hans (GeoVista AB, Luleaa (Sweden)); Juhlin, Christopher (Dept. of Earth Sciences, Uppsala Univ., Uppsala (Sweden))

2008-11-15

The geological work during the SDM Site Laxemar modelling stage has involved the continued development of deterministic models for rock domains (RSM) and deformation zones (ZSM), the identification and deterministic modelling of fracture domains (FSM), and the development of statistical models for fractures and minor deformation zones (geological discrete fracture network (DFN) modelling). The geological DFN model addresses fractures/structures with a size of less than 1 km, which is the lower cut-off of structures included in the deterministic modelling of deformation zones. In order to take account of variability in data resolution, deterministic models for rock domains and deformation zones are presented in both regional and local scale model volumes, while the geological DFN model is valid only within specific fracture domains inside the Laxemar local model volume. The geological and geophysical data that constitute the basis for the SDM-Site Laxemar modelling work comprise all data that have been acquired from Laxemar, i.e. all data that were available at the data freeze for SDM-Site Laxemar at August 31, 2007. Selected quality controlled data from the complementary cored borehole KLX27A have also been utilised in the modelling work. Data from the following investigations were acquired during the complete site investigation between the data freezes for Laxemar 1.2 and SDM-Site Laxemar as defined above: A revised bedrock geological map at the ground surface. Geological and geophysical data from 40 new cored boreholes and 14 percussion boreholes. Sampling and subsequent modal and geochemical analytical work of bedrock samples taken in connection with excavations in southern Laxemar. Detailed mapping of fractures and rock units along 10 trench excavations and 2 large surface exposures (drill sites for KLX09 and KLX11A/KLX20A). Special studies involving more detailed characterisation of deformation zones identified in the geological single-hole interpretation

The Community Environmental Monitoring Program: Reducing Public Perception of Risk through Stakeholder Involvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

William T. Hartwell

2007-01-01

The Community Environmental Monitoring Program (CEMP) has promoted stakeholder involvement, awareness, and understanding of radiological surveillance in communities surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS) since 1981. It involves stakeholders in the operation, data collection, and dissemination of information obtained from a network of 29 stations across a wide area of Nevada, Utah and California. It is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration's Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) and administered by the Desert Research Institute (DRI) of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Integration of a near real-time communications system, a public web site, training workshops for involved stakeholders, and educational programs all help to alleviate public perception of risk of health effects from past activities conducted at the NTS

The effect of types of banner ad, Web localization, and customer involvement on Internet users' attitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jengchung Victor; Ross, William H; Yen, David C; Akhapon, Lerdsuwankij

2009-02-01

In this study, three characteristics of Web sites were varied: types of banner ad, Web localization, and involvement in purchasing a product. The dependent variable was attitude toward the site. In laboratory experiments conducted in Thailand and Taiwan, participants browsed versions of a Web site containing different types of banner ads and products. As a within-participants factor, each participant browsed both a standardized English-language Web site and a localized Web site. Results showed that animated (rather than static) banner ads, localized versions (rather than a standardized version) of Web sites, and high (rather than low) product involvement led to favorable attitudes toward the site.

Genome-Wide Investigation of WRKY Transcription Factors Involved in Terminal Drought Stress Response in Common Bean.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jing; Chen, Jibao; Wang, Lanfen; Wang, Shumin

2017-01-01

WRKY transcription factor plays a key role in drought stress. However, the characteristics of the WRKY gene family in the common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are unknown. In this study, we identified 88 complete WRKY proteins from the draft genome sequence of the "G19833" common bean. The predicted genes were non-randomly distributed in all chromosomes. Basic information, amino acid motifs, phylogenetic tree and the expression patterns of PvWRKY genes were analyzed, and the proteins were classified into groups 1, 2, and 3. Group 2 was further divided into five subgroups: 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, and 2e. Finally, we detected 19 WRKY genes that were responsive to drought stress using qRT-PCR; 11 were down-regulated, and 8 were up-regulated under drought stress. This study comprehensively examines WRKY proteins in the common bean, a model food legume, and it provides a foundation for the functional characterization of the WRKY family and opportunities for understanding the mechanisms of drought stress tolerance in this plant.

Involving youth in program decision-making: how common and what might it do for youth?

Science.gov (United States)

Akiva, Thomas; Cortina, Kai S; Smith, Charles

2014-11-01

The strategy of sharing program decision-making with youth in youth programs, a specific form of youth-adult partnership, is widely recommended in practitioner literature; however, empirical study is relatively limited. We investigated the prevalence and correlates of youth program decision-making practices (e.g., asking youth to help decide what activities are offered), using single-level and multilevel methods with a cross-sectional dataset of 979 youth attending 63 multipurpose after-school programs (average age of youth = 11.4, 53 % female). The prevalence of such practices was relatively high, particularly for forms that involved low power sharing such as involving youth in selecting the activities a program offers. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed positive associations between youth program decision-making practices and youth motivation to attend programs. We also found positive correlations between decision-making practices and youth problem-solving efficacy, expression efficacy, and empathy. Significant interactions with age suggest that correlations with problem solving and empathy are more pronounced for older youth. Overall, the findings suggest that involving youth in program decision-making is a promising strategy for promoting youth motivation and skill building, and in some cases this is particularly the case for older (high school-age) youth.

Geology, Bedrock, Tabular data involving the location of design specifics for wells related to the Low-level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) Site Characterization., Published in 1998, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC State | GIS Inventory — Geology, Bedrock dataset current as of 1998. Tabular data involving the location of design specifics for wells related to the Low-level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) Site...

The voluntary siting process: The solution to siting in the Northeast Compact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deshais, J.B.

1995-01-01

The date: June 10, 1991. The decision: the announcement of three 'candidate sites' for a low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) facility in Connecticut following statewide screening. The debate: the right of the citizens of the state to refuse to have this type of facility in their 'backyard' versus the State's responsibility to provide for the safe management of LLRW generated within its borders. The debacle: vigorous opposition, political involvement, no opportunity for effective dialogue with the candidate towns. The end: a legislative mandate to terminate the siting process. This series of events, familiar to those in the business of attempting to site and develop unwanted and unwelcome facilities, would have thwarted efforts to provide for disposal capacity in the Northeast Compact region. Connecticut's efforts to site a LLRW disposal facility pursuant to a traditional 'decide-announce-defend' approach had apparently failed. New Jersey, its partner in the Compact, was also ready to proceed with a similar process that would lead to the naming of several candidate sites, but suspended its efforts to review other siting alternatives. The problem: a new approach was needed. The answer: both states would pursue voluntary siting for the LLRW facilities. The result: the best chance for successful development of LLRW disposal capacity in the Northeast Compact region

Truth, not truce: "common ground" on abortion, a movement within both movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, J R

1995-01-01

This sociological study examines the "common ground" movement that arose among abortion activists in the US during the 1980s. The first application of the term "common ground" to joint efforts by abortion activists on both sides of the issue is traced, and its meaning to early organizers is described. Discussion continues on the complicated and elusive efforts on the part of grassroots organizations and conflict resolution groups to practice the common ground approach to abortion. The five characteristics of the seminal common ground group in St. Louis were that it resulted from a combined pro-life and pro-choice initiative, it involved activists who publicly distinguished common ground from moral compromise or political accommodation, the activists remained loyal to their abortion activities, the activists agreed to cooperate in efforts aimed at reducing the pressures on women to abort, and common ground involved identifying the overlaps in emerging social thinking. The conceptual difficulties involved with use of the term are included in the reasons given for its virtual disappearance from abortion reporting in the press, which was busy relaying incidents of violence at abortion clinics. The election of President Clinton also stole the momentum from the common ground movement. While the future of movements based on the concept of "common ground" as envisioned by the St. Louis group remains precarious, depending for success as it does on actually changing society, this use of the term bears witness that conflicting loyalties do not preclude the promotion of common good. This meaning of the term is worth pursuing in cultural controversies such as that posed by abortion.

Site characterization plan overview: Yucca Mountain Site, Nevada Research and Development Area, Nevada: Consultation Draft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The consultation draft of the site characterization plan is a lengthy document that describes in considerable detail the program that will be conducted to characterize the geologic, hydrologic, and other conditions relevant to the suitability of the site for a repository. The overview presented here consists of brief summaries of important topics covered in the consultation draft of the site-characterization plan; it is not a substitute for the site-characterization plan. The arrangement of the overview is similar to that of the plan itself, with brief descriptions of the disposal system -- the site, the repository, and the waste package -- preceding the discussion of the characterization program to be carried out at the Yucca Mountain site. It is intended primarily for the management staff of organizations involved in the DOE's repository program -- staff who might wish to understand the general scope of the site-characterization program, the activities to be conducted, and the facilities to be constructed rather than the technical details of site characterization. 22 figs., 1 tab

Quattor: managing (complex) grid sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jouvin, M

2008-01-01

Quattor is a tool developed to efficiently manage fabrics with hundreds or thousands of Linux machines, while still being able to manage smaller clusters easily. It was originally developed inside the European Data Grid (EDG) project and is now in use at more than 50 grid sites running gLite middleware, ranging from small LCG T3s to very large sites like CERN. Quattor's ability to factorize and to reuse common parts of service configurations permitted the development of the QWG templates: a complete set of standard templates to configure the OS and gLite middleware. Any site can just import and customize the configuration without editing the bulk of the templates. Collaboration around these templates results in a very efficient sharing of installation and configuration information between those sites using them

Locating Common Ground: An Exploration of Adult Educator Practices that Support Parent Involvement for School-Age Children

Science.gov (United States)

Shiffman, Catherine Dunn

2013-01-01

This article explores linkages between adult educator practices and the parent involvement needs of adult students with school-age children. A comparative case study examined the knowledge, experiential, self-efficacy, and social capital dimensions of adult educator practices that inform parent involvement efforts. One English as a Second Language…

Vertebral osteomyelitis without disc involvement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamani, I.; Syed, I.; Saifuddin, A. E-mail: asaifuddin@aol.com; Green, R.; MacSweeney, F

2004-10-01

Vertebral osteomyelitis is most commonly due to pyogenic or granulomatous infection and typically results in the combined involvement of the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebral bodies. Non-infective causes include the related conditions of chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) and SAPHO (synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis) syndrome. Occasionally, these conditions may present purely within the vertebral body, resulting in various combinations of vertebral marrow oedema and sclerosis, destructive lesions of the vertebral body and pathological vertebral collapse, thus mimicking neoplastic disease. This review illustrates the imaging features of vertebral osteomyelitis without disc involvement, with emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.

Diagnostic errors in interpretation of pediatric musculoskeletal radiographs at common injury sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bisset, George S.; Crowe, James

2014-01-01

Extremity pain represents one of the most common reasons for obtaining conventional radiographs in childhood. Despite the frequency of these examinations little is known about the incidence of diagnostic errors by interpreting pediatric radiologists. The purpose of this study was to develop a standard error rate of pediatric radiologists by double-reading of extremity radiographs (elbow, wrists, knees and ankles) in children presenting with a history of trauma or pain. During a 6-month period all major extremity radiographs (excluding digits) obtained at a large pediatric referral hospital for evaluation of pain or trauma were reviewed by two senior pediatric radiologists and compared to the official interpretation. All radiographs were interpreted initially by a board-certified pediatric radiologist with a Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ). We reviewed 3,865 radiographic series in children and young adults 2-20 years of age. We tabulated misses and overcalls. We did not assess the clinical significance of the errors. There were 61 miss errors and 44 overcalls in 1,235 abnormal cases and 2,630 normal cases, for a 1.6% miss rate and a 1.1% overcall rate. Misses and overcalls were most common in the ankle. Interpretive errors by pediatric radiologists reviewing certain musculoskeletal radiographs are relatively infrequent. Diagnostic errors in the form of a miss or overcall occurred in 2.7% of the radiographs. (orig.)

Gains of ubiquitylation sites in highly conserved proteins in the human lineage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Dong Seon

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Post-translational modification of lysine residues of specific proteins by ubiquitin modulates the degradation, localization, and activity of these target proteins. Here, we identified gains of ubiquitylation sites in highly conserved regions of human proteins that occurred during human evolution. Results We analyzed human ubiquitylation site data and multiple alignments of orthologous mammalian proteins including those from humans, primates, other placental mammals, opossum, and platypus. In our analysis, we identified 281 ubiquitylation sites in 252 proteins that first appeared along the human lineage during primate evolution: one protein had four novel sites; four proteins had three sites each; 18 proteins had two sites each; and the remaining 229 proteins had one site each. PML, which is involved in neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration, acquired three sites, two of which have been reported to be involved in the degradation of PML. Thirteen human proteins, including ERCC2 (also known as XPD and NBR1, gained human-specific ubiquitylated lysines after the human-chimpanzee divergence. ERCC2 has a Lys/Gln polymorphism, the derived (major allele of which confers enhanced DNA repair capacity and reduced cancer risk compared with the ancestral (minor allele. NBR1 and eight other proteins that are involved in the human autophagy protein interaction network gained a novel ubiquitylation site. Conclusions The gain of novel ubiquitylation sites could be involved in the evolution of protein degradation and other regulatory networks. Although gains of ubiquitylation sites do not necessarily equate to adaptive evolution, they are useful candidates for molecular functional analyses to identify novel advantageous genetic modifications and innovative phenotypes acquired during human evolution.

A study of institutional origins and change in a Canadian urban commons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James P. Robson

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Kenora is a small city located in northwestern Ontario, Canada. The study presented here focuses on Tunnel Island, 300 acres of forested land adjacent to Kenora’s downtown. The island is used and valued by both city residents and members of three nearby Ojibway nations. As a multiple-use, common-pool resource accessed by different groups for a range of non-extractive activities, the site has become an experiment in multicultural commons governance, and presents an excellent opportunity to examine the origins and development of institutions for managing collective environmental resources in an urban setting. Using participant observation, internet- and field-based user surveys, and semi-structured interviews, our research finds that grassroots ‘governance’ of the site is emerging through subtle processes of individual and social construction, with the strategies and norms (codes of conduct employed by users providing relative harmony on the trails, which suggests functioning commons institutions. Nevertheless, values-based and epistemic tensions exist among users, pointing to governance challenges for planned joint management of the site, and specifically the need to develop formal, legitimate, and yet flexible and inclusive arrangements that can operate in conjunction with the social practice of existing users.

Common DNA methylation alterations in multiple brain regions in autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Ladd-Acosta, C; Hansen, K D; Briem, E; Fallin, M D; Kaufmann, W E; Feinberg, A P

2014-08-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are increasingly common neurodevelopmental disorders defined clinically by a triad of features including impairment in social interaction, impairment in communication in social situations and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests, with considerable phenotypic heterogeneity among individuals. Although heritability estimates for ASD are high, conventional genetic-based efforts to identify genes involved in ASD have yielded only few reproducible candidate genes that account for only a small proportion of ASDs. There is mounting evidence to suggest environmental and epigenetic factors play a stronger role in the etiology of ASD than previously thought. To begin to understand the contribution of epigenetics to ASD, we have examined DNA methylation (DNAm) in a pilot study of postmortem brain tissue from 19 autism cases and 21 unrelated controls, among three brain regions including dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, temporal cortex and cerebellum. We measured over 485,000 CpG loci across a diverse set of functionally relevant genomic regions using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip and identified four genome-wide significant differentially methylated regions (DMRs) using a bump hunting approach and a permutation-based multiple testing correction method. We replicated 3/4 DMRs identified in our genome-wide screen in a different set of samples and across different brain regions. The DMRs identified in this study represent suggestive evidence for commonly altered methylation sites in ASD and provide several promising new candidate genes.

Respiratory muscle involvement in sarcoidosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Schreiber, Tina; Windisch, Wolfram

2018-07-01

In sarcoidosis, muscle involvement is common, but mostly asymptomatic. Currently, little is known about respiratory muscle and diaphragm involvement and function in patients with sarcoidosis. Reduced inspiratory muscle strength and/or a reduced diaphragm function may contribute to exertional dyspnea, fatigue and reduced health-related quality of life. Previous studies using volitional and non-volitional tests demonstrated a reduced inspiratory muscle strength in sarcoidosis compared to control subjects, and also showed that respiratory muscle function may even be significantly impaired in a subset of patients. Areas covered: This review examines the evidence on respiratory muscle involvement and its implications in sarcoidosis with emphasis on pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of respiratory muscle dysfunction. The presented evidence was identified by a literature search performed in PubMed and Medline for articles about respiratory and skeletal muscle function in sarcoidosis through to January 2018. Expert commentary: Respiratory muscle involvement in sarcoidosis is an underdiagnosed condition, which may have an important impact on dyspnea and health-related quality of life. Further studies are needed to understand the etiology, pathogenesis and extent of respiratory muscle involvement in sarcoidosis.

Development and implementation of an analytical quality assurance plan at the Hanford site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuhl-Klinger, K.J.; Taylor, C.D.; Kawabata, K.K.

1995-08-01

The Hanford Analytical Services Quality Assurance Plan (HASQAP) provides a uniform standard for onsite and offsite laboratories performing analytical work in support of Hanford Site environmental cleanup initiatives. The Hanford Site is a nuclear site that originated during World War 11 and has a legacy of environmental clean up issues. In early 1993, the need for and feasibility of developing a quality assurance plan to direct all analytical activities performed to support environmental cleanup initiatives set forth in the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order were discussed. Several group discussions were held and from them came the HASQAP. This document will become the quality assurance guidance document in a Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. This paper presents the mechanics involved in developing a quality assurance plan for this scope of activity, including the approach taken to resolve the variability of quality control requirements driven by numerous regulations. It further describes the consensus building process and how the goal of uniting onsite and offsite laboratories as well as inorganic, organic, and radioanalytic disciplines under a common understanding of basic quality control concepts was achieved

Strategic planning model for achieving stakeholder involvement in environmental at DOE weapons complex sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, G.

1994-01-01

Within today's reality a public manager often needs to develop cooperative relationships among a number of individual, program, and organizational stakeholders to accomplish particular projects, programs, or policies. A DOE site manager charged with accomplishing environmental restoration and conversion at former weapons production sites is no exception. Important reasons for this include the technical and political complexity of the clean-up problem; limits on the funding, authority, and other resources available to DOE; authority, responsibilities, and interests of other stakeholders; and the ever present potential for conflict among stakeholders, and power of any one to hinder, if not halt, the clean-up process if conflicts aren't managed and cooperative relationships established and maintained

Opinion on the radio-ecological monitoring of waters around nuclear installations and on the management of old nuclear waste warehousing sites: 18 recommendations to improve information, transparency and dialogue with involved parties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

After a presentation of the different actors (agencies, institutions, companies) involved in the activities of the various French nuclear installations (base nuclear installations and those concerning the national defence), this report describes the radio-ecological monitoring performed around these nuclear sites: water surveillance on these sites and within their environment, regulatory requirements on effluents and surveillance, information provided by operators and by institutional organisations, assessment of the radio-ecological status of nuclear sites and of potential environmental and health impacts. It describes regulatory obligation in terms of public information, information and communication actions, and gives an assessment of the High committee about public information quality. It discusses ways to improve this quality for a higher transparency, to reinforce the role of local information commissions (CLI), and improve site monitoring. All these aspects are grouped in 18 recommendations

Evaluation of Stomach Involvement of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: Single Center Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Sevki Uyanik

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Gastrointestinal tract is the most common site of involvement in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. Appropriate treatment regiments were not defined because of rare involvement. In the present study we aimed to evaluate treatment response of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients with stomach involvement.    Methodology: 26 patients with stomach involvement were retrospectively analyzed between 01/01/1998 and 01/06/2014. Descriptive statistic was performed to analyze data.Results: 20 of the patients (76.9% were composed of primary stomach non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 6 of the patients (23.1% were composed of patients secondary involvement of the advanced stage disease. All of the patients were subtypes of B cell lymphoma. 3 of the patients (11.5% was indolent, 22 of the patients (84.6% was aggressive, and 1 of them (3.8% was very aggressive. Diffuse large B cell lymphoma was 72.9%; Maltoma was 8.7%, and Mantle cell lymphoma was %3.8. Complete response was achieved at 10 patients, partial response was achieved in 1 patient, and 7 patients were failed to response the treatment. Treatment response, and overall survival of low grade and high grade patients, both according to Ann-Arbor and Lugano classification systems were similar. Patients with elevated sedimentation rate had significant lower survival than patients with normal sedimentation rate (p=0.027.Discussion: Together with the data from recent studies, aggressive treatment approach without organ preservation should not be performed on patients without higher inflammatory response and early stage presentation. Sedimentation rate might help to clinicians for the treatment of choice. 

Site acceptability and power availability: needed institutional changes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haggard, J.E.

1975-01-01

Timely assurance of power plant site availability is threatened by institutional inabilities to resolve often competing environmental/energy requirements. Institutional changes are needed. The issue of site approval should be separated from that of plant approval. A ''one-stop'' forum for site approval, modeled after Washington State's Thermal Power Plant Siting Act, is needed. The one-stop process utilizes one forum composed of officials drawn from all agencies involved in site related issues. A joint Federal/State Siting Council, with sole jurisdiction over site approval, is recommended. The State Council would have a determinative vote on all issues not otherwise preempted by federal legislation. 21 references. (U.S.)

Bone marrow involvement by lymphoproliferative disorders after renal transplantation: PTLD. Int. Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morteza Izadi

2012-01-01

Conclusions: Renal recipients with BM PTLD represent worse outcome and more unfavorable histopathological phenomenon than in other organ involvements. Moreover, a concomitant PTLD involvement site in liver was found which necessitates full hepatic evaluation for a potential complication by the disease in renal recipients whose BM is involved.

Commonization of HIV/AIDS services in Nigeria: the need, the processes and the prospects.

Science.gov (United States)

Oleribe, Obinna Ositadimma; Oladipo, Olabisi; Osita-Oleribe, Princess; Nwachukwu, Chukwuemeka; Nkwopara, Frank; Ekom, Ekei; Nwabuzor, Solomon; Iyalla, Grace; Onyewuchi, Kenneth; Olutola, Ayodotun; Nwanyanwu, Okey; Nsubuga, Peter

2014-01-01

With the first case of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) identified in 1986, the management of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria has evolved through the years. The emergency phase of the HIV/AIDS program, aimed at containing the HIV/AIDS epidemic within a short time frame, was carried out by international agencies that built structures separate from hospitals' programs. It is imperative that Nigeria shifts from the previous paradigm to the concept of Commonization of HIV to achieve sustainability. Commonization ensures that HIV/AIDS is seen as a health condition like others. It involves making HIV services available at all levels of healthcare. Excellence & Friends Management Consult (EFMC) undertook this process by conducting HIV tests in people's homes and work places, referring infected persons for treatment and follow up, establishing multiple HIV testing points and HIV services in private and public primary healthcare facilities. EFMC integrated HIV services within existing hospital care structures and trained all healthcare workers at all supported sites on HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment modalities. Commonization has improved the uptake of HIV testing and counseling and enrolment into HIV care as more people are aware that HIV services are available. It has integrated HIV services into general hospital services and minimized the cost of HIV programming as the existing structures and personnel in healthcare facilities are utilized for HIV services. Commonization of HIV services i.e. integrating HIV care into the existing fabric of the healthcare system, is highly recommended for a sustainable and efficient healthcare system as it makes HIV services acceptable by all.

Geothermal Well Site Restoration and Plug and Abandonment of Wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rinehart, Ben N.

1994-08-01

A report is presented on the final phase of an energy research program conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) involving two geothermal well sites in the State of Louisiana-the Gladys McCall site and the Willis Hulin site. The research program was intended to improve geothermal technology and to determine the efficacy of producing electricity commercially from geopressured resource sites. The final phase of the program consisted of plug and abandonment (P&A) of the wells and restoration of the well sites. Restoration involved (a) initial soil and water sampling and analysis; (b) removal and disposal of well pads, concrete, utility poles, and trash; (c) plugging of monitor and freshwater wells; and (d) site leveling and general cleanup. Restoration of the McCall site required removal of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), which was costly and time-consuming. Exhibits are included that provide copies of work permits and authorizations, P&A reports and procedures, daily workover and current conditions report, and cost and salvage reports. Site locations, grid maps, and photographs are provided.

Coevolving residues of (beta/alpha)(8)-barrel proteins play roles in stabilizing active site architecture and coordinating protein dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Hongbo; Xu, Feng; Hu, Hairong; Wang, Feifei; Wu, Qi; Huang, Qiang; Wang, Honghai

2008-12-01

Indole-3-glycerol phosphate synthase (IGPS) is a representative of (beta/alpha)(8)-barrel proteins-the most common enzyme fold in nature. To better understand how the constituent amino-acids work together to define the structure and to facilitate the function, we investigated the evolutionary and dynamical coupling of IGPS residues by combining statistical coupling analysis (SCA) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The coevolving residues identified by the SCA were found to form a network which encloses the active site completely. The MD simulations showed that these coevolving residues are involved in the correlated and anti-correlated motions. The correlated residues are within van der Waals contact and appear to maintain the active site architecture; the anti-correlated residues are mainly distributed on opposite sides of the catalytic cavity and coordinate the motions likely required for the substrate entry and product release. Our findings might have broad implications for proteins with the highly conserved (betaalpha)(8)-barrel in assessing the roles of amino-acids that are moderately conserved and not directly involved in the active site of the (beta/alpha)(8)-barrel. The results of this study could also provide useful information for further exploring the specific residue motions for the catalysis and protein design based on the (beta/alpha)(8)-barrel scaffold.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in common moles (Talpa europaea)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krijger, I.M.; Cornelissen, J.B.W.J.; Wisselink, H.J.; Meerburg, B.G.

2014-01-01

Background The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in common moles, Talpa europaea, was investigated in order to determine whether moles can serve as an indicator species for T. gondii infections in livestock. Findings In total, 86 moles were caught from 25 different sites in the Netherlands. Five

Minutes and group memories from all NERBC/USGS-RPA power plant siting task force meetings through October, 1980. Appendix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-11-01

The New England River Basins Commission/United States Geological Survey-Resource Planning Analysis Office (NERBC/USGS-RPA) Power Plant Siting Task Force has formerly met seven times between July 1979 and August 1980. At the first meeting on July 13, 1979, the members agreed that there were many problems with the current process of selecting sites for power plants in New England, and that they would work by consensus to find solutions for these problems. At the second meeting on October 19, 1979, NERBC staff presented information on the site selection and approval processes in New England. The Task Force began a preliminary discussion of problems in these processes, and agreed that the initial scope of work of the Task Force would focus on issues in site selection. At the third meeting on January 18, 1980, the Task Force began initial discussions in three areas: imperfections in the site selection process, stakeholders in the site selection process, and principles to guide solutions to the problems in site selection. On March 7, 1980, at the fourth meeting, the Task Force continued discussions on imperfections, stakeholders, and principles. At the fifth meeting on May 2, 1980, the Task Force reached a wide range of agreements on the difficulties encountered in the site selection process and on the principles guiding problem solving in site selection. At the sixth meeting on May 29, 1980, the Task Force focused on solutions to the problems identified at earlier meetings. Groups of Task Force members constructed eight different scenarios describing alternative power plant siting processes. In July 1980, the Task Force met for the seventh time and refined the eight scenarios, paring them down to five. An attempt was made to develop two scenarios using the common elements from the five. One of these two graphic models was based on government involvement in the site selection process, and the other was based on stakeholder involvement in the process

Site-SpecificCu Labeling of the Serine Protease, Active Site Inhibited Factor Seven Azide (FVIIai-N), Using Copper Free Click Chemistry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jeppesen, Troels E; Kristensen, Lotte K; Nielsen, Carsten H

2018-01-01

A method for site-specific radiolabeling of the serine protease active site inhibited factor seven (FVIIai) with64Cu has been applied using a biorthogonal click reaction. FVIIai binds to tissue factor (TF), a trans-membrane protein involved in hemostasis, angiogenesis, proliferation, cell migrati...

The observational approach for site remediation at federal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, R.S.; Gianti, S.J.

1989-11-01

The observational approach, developed by geotechnical engineers to cope with the uncertainty associated with subsurface construction such as tunnels and dams, can be applied to hazardous waste site remediation. During the last year, the observational approach has gained increasing attention as a means of addressing the uncertainties involved in site remediation. In order to evaluate the potential advantages and constraints of applying the observational approach to site restoration at federal facilities, a panel of scientists and engineers from Pacific Northwest Laboratory and CH2M Hill was convened. Their review evaluated potential technical and institutional advantages and constraints that may affect the use of the observational approach for site remediation. This paper summarizes the panel's comments and conclusions about the application of the observational approach to site remediation at federal facilities. Key issues identified by the panel include management of uncertainty, cost and schedule, regulations and guidance, public involvement, and implementation. 5 refs

Biological Soil Crust Web Site

Science.gov (United States)

www.soilcrust.org Crust 101 Advanced Gallery References CCERS site Links Biological Soil Crusts Textbook Corrections Level of Development Index Biological soil crusts are the community of organisms , mosses, liverworts and lichens. A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crusts of Western U.S. Drylands: Common

Declassification and restoration of nuclear sites; Declassement et restauration des sites nucleaires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noynaert, L; Rahier, A; Deboodt, P; Massaut, V

1998-09-01

The report describes the legal and technical aspects of the declassification and restoration of nuclear sites. This involves a number of technical and administrative operations. Different declassification strategies are discussed. The evaluation of the risks and impact on the environment are discussed as well as research and development needs, costs and possible sources for funding.

Spinal cheiro-oral syndrome: a common neurological entity in an unusual site.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Hung-Sheng; Yin, Hsin-Ling; Chui, Chi; Lui, Chun-Chung; Chen, Wei-Hsi

2011-01-01

Cheiro-oral syndrome (COS) is an established neurological entity characterized by a sensory impairment confined to the mouth angle and ipsilateral finger(s)/ hand. The current understanding of localization is a concomitant involvement of the spinothalamic and trigeminothalamic tract between the cortex and pons. The cervical spinal cord has not been mentioned in this situation yet, and this unusual location may heretofore increase the risk of misdiagnosis. Six patients who presented with unilateral COS due to cervical cord disorder are reported. All patients were women and their age ranged between 42 and 70 years. Their neurological deficits included unilateral paraesthesiae restricted to cheirooral distribution, positive radicular sign, and mild change of tendon reflex. Cervical spinal stenosis at middle/lower cervical spine with variable magnitude of cord compression and intrinsic cord damage was found. A diagnostic dilemma obviously arises from the lack of tangible neurological signs or typical pattern of myelopathy, in addition to the previous concept of cerebral involvement. A benign course ensued in all reported patients. Cheiro-oral syndrome can be an early neurological sign for cervical cord disorder; it further suggests that it is a strong neurological but weak localizing sign. A reciprocal influence of multiple factors is considered to generate COS at the cervical cord. Therefore, an absence of brain pathology should lead to a thorough examination of the cervical cord in case of COS.

A systematic examination of the use of Online social networking sites for sexual health promotion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hellard Margaret E

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In recent years social networking sites (SNSs have grown rapidly in popularity. The popularity of these sites, along with their interactive functions, offer a novel environment in which to deliver health promotion messages. The aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which SNSs are currently being used for sexual health promotion and describe the breadth of these activities. Methods We conducted a systematic search of published scientific literature, electronic sources (general and scientific search engines, blogs and SNSs (Facebook, MySpace to identify existing sexual health promotion activities using SNSs. Health promotion activities were eligible for inclusion if they related to sexual health or behaviour, utilised one or more SNSs, and involved some element of health promotion. Information regarding the source and type of health promotion activity, target population and site activity were extracted. Results 178 sexual health promotion activities met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review; only one activity was identified through a traditional systematic search of the published scientific literature. Activities most commonly used one SNS, were conducted by not-for-profit organisations, targeted young people and involved information delivery. Facebook was the most commonly used SNS (used by 71% of all health promotion activities identified, followed by MySpace and Twitter. Seventy nine percent of activities on MySpace were considered inactive as there had been no online posts within the past month, compared to 22% of activities using Facebook and 14% of activities using Twitter. The number of end-users and posts in the last seven days varied greatly between health promotion activities. Conclusions SNSs are being used for sexual health promotion, although the extent to which they are utilised varies greatly, and the vast majority of activities are unreported in the scientific literature. Future studies

A systematic examination of the use of Online social networking sites for sexual health promotion

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background In recent years social networking sites (SNSs) have grown rapidly in popularity. The popularity of these sites, along with their interactive functions, offer a novel environment in which to deliver health promotion messages. The aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which SNSs are currently being used for sexual health promotion and describe the breadth of these activities. Methods We conducted a systematic search of published scientific literature, electronic sources (general and scientific search engines, blogs) and SNSs (Facebook, MySpace) to identify existing sexual health promotion activities using SNSs. Health promotion activities were eligible for inclusion if they related to sexual health or behaviour, utilised one or more SNSs, and involved some element of health promotion. Information regarding the source and type of health promotion activity, target population and site activity were extracted. Results 178 sexual health promotion activities met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review; only one activity was identified through a traditional systematic search of the published scientific literature. Activities most commonly used one SNS, were conducted by not-for-profit organisations, targeted young people and involved information delivery. Facebook was the most commonly used SNS (used by 71% of all health promotion activities identified), followed by MySpace and Twitter. Seventy nine percent of activities on MySpace were considered inactive as there had been no online posts within the past month, compared to 22% of activities using Facebook and 14% of activities using Twitter. The number of end-users and posts in the last seven days varied greatly between health promotion activities. Conclusions SNSs are being used for sexual health promotion, although the extent to which they are utilised varies greatly, and the vast majority of activities are unreported in the scientific literature. Future studies should examine the key

A systematic examination of the use of online social networking sites for sexual health promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Judy; Pedrana, Alisa E; Sacks-Davis, Rachel; Hellard, Margaret E; Chang, Shanton; Howard, Steve; Keogh, Louise; Hocking, Jane S; Stoove, Mark A

2011-07-21

In recent years social networking sites (SNSs) have grown rapidly in popularity. The popularity of these sites, along with their interactive functions, offer a novel environment in which to deliver health promotion messages. The aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which SNSs are currently being used for sexual health promotion and describe the breadth of these activities. We conducted a systematic search of published scientific literature, electronic sources (general and scientific search engines, blogs) and SNSs (Facebook, MySpace) to identify existing sexual health promotion activities using SNSs. Health promotion activities were eligible for inclusion if they related to sexual health or behaviour, utilised one or more SNSs, and involved some element of health promotion. Information regarding the source and type of health promotion activity, target population and site activity were extracted. 178 sexual health promotion activities met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review; only one activity was identified through a traditional systematic search of the published scientific literature. Activities most commonly used one SNS, were conducted by not-for-profit organisations, targeted young people and involved information delivery. Facebook was the most commonly used SNS (used by 71% of all health promotion activities identified), followed by MySpace and Twitter. Seventy nine percent of activities on MySpace were considered inactive as there had been no online posts within the past month, compared to 22% of activities using Facebook and 14% of activities using Twitter. The number of end-users and posts in the last seven days varied greatly between health promotion activities. SNSs are being used for sexual health promotion, although the extent to which they are utilised varies greatly, and the vast majority of activities are unreported in the scientific literature. Future studies should examine the key factors for success among those

Artificially regenerating longleaf pine on wet sites: preliminary analysis of effects of site preparation treatments on early survival and growth

Science.gov (United States)

Benjamin O. Knapp; G. Geoff Wang; Joan L. Walker

2010-01-01

Our study, conducted over two years on poorly drained, sandy sites in Onslow County, NC, compared the effects of eight common site preparation treatments on early survival and growth of planted longleaf pine seedlings. Through two growing seasons, we found survival to be similar across all treatments (p = 0.8806), but root collar diameter was greatest with combinations...

Cleanup around an old waste site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandergaast, G.; Moffett, D.; Lawrence, B.E.

1988-01-01

42,500 m 3 of contaminated soil were removed from off-site areas around an old, low-level radioactive waste site near Port Hope, Ontario. The cleanup was done by means of conventional excavation equipment to criteria developed by Eldorado specific to the land use around the company's waste management facility. These cleanup criteria were based on exposure analyses carried out for critical receptors in two different scenarios. The excavated soils, involving eight different landowners, were placed on the original burial area of the waste management facility. Measures were also undertaken to stabilize the soils brought on-site and to ensure that there would be no subsequent recontamination of the off-site areas

Variation and Commonality in Phenomenographic Research Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Akerlind, Gerlese S.

2012-01-01

This paper focuses on the data analysis stage of phenomenographic research, elucidating what is involved in terms of both commonality and variation in accepted practice. The analysis stage of phenomenographic research is often not well understood. This paper helps to clarify the process, initially by collecting together in one location the more…

The disposal of Canada's nuclear fuel waste: site screening and site evaluation technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davison, C.C.; Brown, A.; Everitt, R.A.; Gascoyne, M.; Kozak, E.T.; Lodha, G.S.; Martin, C.D.; Soonawala, N.M.; Stevenson, D.R.; Thorne, G.A.; Whitaker, S.H.

1994-06-01

The concept for the disposal of Canada's nuclear fuel waste is to dispose of the waste in an underground vault, nominally at 500 m to 1000 m depth, at a suitable site in plutonic rock of the Canadian Shield. The feasibility of this concept and assessments of its impact on the environment and human health, will be documented by AECL in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This report is one of nine primary references for the EIS. It describes the approach and methods that would be used during the siting stage of the disposal project to identify a preferred candidate disposal site and to confirm its suitability for constructing a disposal facility. The siting stage is divided into two distinct but closely related substages, site screening and site evaluation. Site screening would mainly involve reconnaissance investigations of siting regions of the Shield to identify potential candidate areas where suitable vault locations are likely to exist. Site screening would identify a small number of candidate areas where further detailed investigations were warranted. Site evaluation would involve progressively more detailed surface and subsurface investigations of the candidate areas to first identify potentially suitable vault locations within the candidate areas, and then characterize these potential disposal sites to identify the preferred candidate location for constructing the disposal vault. Site evaluation would conclude with the construction of exploratory shafts and tunnels at the preferred vault location, and underground characterization would be done to confirm the suitability of the preferred candidate site. An integrated program of geological, geophysical, hydrogeological, geochemical and geomechanical investigations would be implemented to obtain the geoscience information needed to assess the suitability of the candidate siting areas and candidate sites for locating a disposal vault. The candidate siting areas and candidate disposal vault sites would be

Site Decommissioning Management Plan. Supplement 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fauver, D.N.; Weber, M.F.; Johnson, T.C.; Kinneman, J.D.

1995-11-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has identified 51 sites contaminated with radioactive material that require special attention to ensure timely decommissioning. While none of these sites represent an immediate threat to public health and safety, they have contamination that exceeds existing NRC criteria for unrestricted use. All of these sites require some degree of remediation, and several involve regulatory issues that must be addressed by the Commission before they can be released for unrestricted use and the applicable licenses terminated. This report contains the NRC stairs strategy for addressing the technical, legal, and policy issues affecting the timely decommissioning of the 51 sites and describes the status of decommissioning activities at the sites. This is supplement number one to NUREG-1444, which was published in October 1993

Mutational analyses of the signals involved in the subcellular location of DSCR1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henrique-Silva Flávio

2002-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Down syndrome is the most frequent genetic disorder in humans. Rare cases involving partial trisomy of chromosome 21 allowed a small chromosomal region common to all carriers, called Down Syndrome Critical Region (DSCR, to be determined. The DSCR1 gene was identified in this region and is expressed preferentially in the brain, heart and skeletal muscle. Recent studies have shown that DSCR1 belongs to a family of proteins that binds and inhibits calcineurin, a serine-threonine phosphatase. The work reported on herein consisted of a study of the subcellular location of DSCR1 and DSCR1-mutated forms by fusion with a green fluorescent protein, using various cell lines, including human. Results The protein's location was preferentially nuclear, independently of the isoform, cell line and insertion in the GFP's N- or C-terminal. A segment in the C-terminal, which is important in the location of the protein, was identified by deletion. On the other hand, site-directed mutational analyses have indicated the involvement of some serine and threonine residues in this event. Conclusion In this paper, we discuss the identification of amino acids which can be important for subcellular location of DSCR1. The involvement of residues that are prone to phosphorylation suggests that the location and function of DSCR1 may be regulated by kinases and/or phosphatases.

Site-specific fab fragment biotinylation at the conserved nucleotide binding site for enhanced Ebola detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Mustafaoglu, Nur; Alves, Nathan J; Bilgicer, Basar

2015-07-01

The nucleotide binding site (NBS) is a highly conserved region between the variable light and heavy chains at the Fab domains of all antibodies, and a small molecule that we identified, indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), binds specifically to this site. Fab fragment, with its small size and simple production methods compared to intact antibody, is good candidate for use in miniaturized diagnostic devices and targeted therapeutic applications. However, commonly used modification techniques are not well suited for Fab fragments as they are often more delicate than intact antibodies. Fab fragments are of particular interest for sensor surface functionalization but immobilization results in damage to the antigen binding site and greatly reduced activity due to their truncated size that allows only a small area that can bind to surfaces without impeding antigen binding. In this study, we describe an NBS-UV photocrosslinking functionalization method (UV-NBS(Biotin) in which a Fab fragment is site-specifically biotinylated with an IBA-EG11-Biotin linker via UV energy exposure (1 J/cm(2)) without affecting its antigen binding activity. This study demonstrates successful immobilization of biotinylated Ebola detecting Fab fragment (KZ52 Fab fragment) via the UV-NBS(Biotin) method yielding 1031-fold and 2-fold better antigen detection sensitivity compared to commonly used immobilization methods: direct physical adsorption and NHS-Biotin functionalization, respectively. Utilization of the UV-NBS(Biotin) method for site-specific conjugation to Fab fragment represents a proof of concept use of Fab fragment for various diagnostic and therapeutic applications with numerous fluorescent probes, affinity molecules and peptides. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Urban ambiances as common ground?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Paul Thibaud

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to point out various arguments which question ambiance as a common ground of everyday urban experience. Such a project involves four major points. First, we have to move beyond the exclusive practical aspects of everyday life and bring the sensory to the forefront. Under such conditions, sensory cultures emerge where feeling and acting come together. Second, we must put common experience into perspectiveby initiating a dual dynamics of socialising the sensory and sensitising social life. Ambiances involve a complex web comprised of an ‘existential’ dimension (empathy with the ambient world, a ‘contextual’ dimension (degree of presence in the situation, and an ‘interactional’ dimension (forms of sociability expressed in the tonality. Third, we have to initiate a political ecology of ambiances in order to better understand how ambiances deal with fundamental design and planning issues. Far from being neutral, the notion of ambiance appears to be bound up with the socio-aesthetic strategies underpinning changes to the sensory urban environment of the future. Fourth, we have to question what in situ experience is all about. Three major research pointers enable to address this issue: the embodiment of situated experiences, the porous nature of sensory spaces, and the sensory efficiency of the build environment. Ambiances sensitize urban design as well as social lifeforms.

BcCFEM1, a CFEM Domain-Containing Protein with Putative GPI-Anchored Site, Is Involved in Pathogenicity, Conidial Production, and Stress Tolerance in Botrytis cinerea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenjun Zhu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available We experimentally isolated and characterized a CFEM protein with putative GPI-anchored site BcCFEM1 in Botrytis cinerea. BcCFEM1 contains a CFEM (common in several fungal extracellular membrane proteins domain with the characteristic eight cysteine residues at N terminus, and a predicted GPI modification site at C terminus. BcCFEM1 was significantly up-regulated during early stage of infection on bean leaves and induced chlorosis in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves using Agrobacterium infiltration method. Targeted deletion of BcCFEM1 in B. cinerea affected virulence, conidial production and stress tolerance, but not growth rate, conidial germination, colony morphology, and sclerotial formation. However, over expression of BcCFEM1 did not make any observable phenotype change. Therefore, our data suggested that BcCFEM1 contributes to virulence, conidial production, and stress tolerance. These findings further enhance our understanding on the sophisticated pathogenicity of B. cinerea beyond necrotrophic stage, highlighting the importance of CFEM protein to B. cinerea and other broad-host-range necrotrophic pathogens.

Old radioactive waste storage sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

After a recall of the regulatory context for the management of old sites used for the storage of radioactive wastes with respect with their activity, the concerned products, the disposal or storage type, this document describes AREVA's involvement in the radioactive waste management process in France. Then, for the different kinds of sites (currently operated sites having radioactive waste storage, storage sites for uranium mineral processing residues), it indicates their location and name, their regulatory status and their control authority, the reference documents. It briefly presents the investigation on the long term impact of uranium mineral processing residues on health and environment, evokes some aspects of public information transparency, and presents the activities of an expertise group on old uranium mines. The examples of the sites of Bellezane (uranium mineral processing residues) and COMURHEX Malvesi (assessment of underground and surface water quality at the vicinity of this installation) are given in appendix

Bacterial communities of two ubiquitous Great Barrier Reef corals reveals both site- and species-specificity of common bacterial associates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E Charlotte E Kvennefors

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Coral-associated bacteria are increasingly considered to be important in coral health, and altered bacterial community structures have been linked to both coral disease and bleaching. Despite this, assessments of bacterial communities on corals rarely apply sufficient replication to adequately describe the natural variability. Replicated data such as these are crucial in determining potential roles of bacteria on coral. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE of the V3 region of the 16S ribosomal DNA was used in a highly replicated approach to analyse bacterial communities on both healthy and diseased corals. Although site-specific variations in the bacterial communities of healthy corals were present, host species-specific bacterial associates within a distinct cluster of gamma-proteobacteria could be identified, which are potentially linked to coral health. Corals affected by "White Syndrome" (WS underwent pronounced changes in their bacterial communities in comparison to healthy colonies. However, the community structure and bacterial ribotypes identified in diseased corals did not support the previously suggested theory of a bacterial pathogen as the causative agent of the syndrome. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first study to employ large numbers of replicated samples to assess the bacterial communities of healthy and diseased corals, and the first culture-independent assessment of bacterial communities on WS affected Acroporid corals on the GBR. Results indicate that a minimum of 6 replicate samples are required in order to draw inferences on species, spatial or health-related changes in community composition, as a set of clearly distinct bacterial community profiles exist in healthy corals. Coral bacterial communities may be both site and species specific. Furthermore, a cluster of gamma-proteobacterial ribotypes may represent a group of specific common coral and marine

Primary cutaneous amyloidosis involving the external ears along with the classical sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khaitan Binod

2001-01-01

Full Text Available A 26- year- old woman had multiple itchy persistent gradually progressive papular lesions on the forearms and shins for 10 and 4 years respectively. She also noticed similar lesions on both the ears for 4 years. There were no systemic symptoms. Cutaneous examination revealed multiple 2-3 mm discrete firm hyperpigmented papules on the extensors of forearms, shins and earlobes. Skin biopsy from all sites demonstrated deposits of amyloid in the papillary dermis. The patient was treated with cyclophosphamide 50 mg daily orally. There was more than 50% improvement in her lesions.

Nuclear power plant site selection: a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lugasi, Y.; Mehrez, A.; Sinuany-Stern, Z.

1985-01-01

Selecting the site for a nuclear power plant involves the evaluation of numerous criteria and the professional judgment of various experts. The Israel Atomic Energy Commission has been concerned with the problem of selecting a site for a nuclear power station. Previous studies have been performed by the commission to identify potential sites. There were initial screenings where potential sites were chosen according to various minimal criteria and international standards. Only sites that met all the criteria were chosen. A study was made to find the most preferred site among the potential sites that met all the criteria. Two mathematical approaches were used: Keeney's multiattribute utility function and Saaty's eigenvalue prioritization technique. Both models ranked the same site as the most desirable; however, the models differed in their ranking of the other sites

Development of Tools and Techniques to Survey, Assess, Stabilise, Monitor and Preserve Underwater Archaeological Sites: SASMAP

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory, D. J.

2015-08-01

SASMAP's purpose is to develop new technologies and best practices in order to locate, assess and manage Europe's underwater cultural heritage in a more effective way than is possible today. SASMAP has taken an holistic- and process- based approach to investigating underwater environments and the archaeological sites contained therein. End user of the results of SASMAP are severalfold; i) to benefiet the SMEs involved in the project and development of their products for the offshore industry (not just for archaeological purposes) ii) a better understanding of the marine environment and its effect on archaeological materials iii) the collation of the results from the project into guidelines that can be used by cultural resource managers to better administer and optimise developer lead underwater archaeological project within Europe in accordance with European legislation (Treaty of Valetta (1992). Summarily the project has utilised a down scaling approach to localise archaeological sites at a large scale regional level. This has involved using innovative satellite imagery to obtain seamless topography maps over coastal areas and the seabed (accurate to a depth of 6m) as well as the development of a 3D sub bottom profiler to look within the seabed. Results obtained from the downscaling approach at the study areas in the project (Greece and Denmark) have enabled geological models to be developed inorder to work towards predictive modelling of where submerged prehistoric sites may be encountered. Once sites have been located an upscaling approach has been taken to assessing an individual site and the materials on and within it in order to better understand the state of preservation and dynamic conditions of a site and how it can best be preserved through in situ preservation or excavation. This has involved the development of equipment to monitor the seabed environment (open water and in sediments), equipment for sampling sediments and assessing the state of

MPL-net at ARM Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Spinhirne, J. D.; Welton, E. J.; Campbell, J. R.; Berkoff, T. A.; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The NASA MPL-net project goal is consistent data products of the vertical distribution of clouds and aerosol from globally distributed lidar observation sites. The four ARM micro pulse lidars are a basis of the network to consist of over twelve sites. The science objective is ground truth for global satellite retrievals and accurate vertical distribution information in combination with surface radiation measurements for aerosol and cloud models. The project involves improvement in instruments and data processing and cooperation with ARM and other partners.

Occult Pelvic Lymph Node Involvement in Bladder Cancer: Implications for Definitive Radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldsmith, Benjamin; Baumann, Brian C.; He, Jiwei; Tucker, Kai; Bekelman, Justin; Deville, Curtiland; Vapiwala, Neha [Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Vaughn, David; Keefe, Stephen M. [Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Guzzo, Thomas; Malkowicz, S. Bruce [Department of Urology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Christodouleas, John P., E-mail: christojo@uphs.upenn.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)

2014-03-01

Purpose: To inform radiation treatment planning for clinically staged, node-negative bladder cancer patients by identifying clinical factors associated with the presence and location of occult pathologic pelvic lymph nodes. Methods and Materials: The records of patients with clinically staged T1-T4N0 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder undergoing radical cystectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy at a single institution were reviewed. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between preoperative clinical variables and occult pathologic pelvic or common iliac lymph nodes. Percentages of patient with involved lymph node regions entirely encompassed within whole bladder (perivesicular nodal region), small pelvic (perivesicular, obturator, internal iliac, and external iliac nodal regions), and extended pelvic clinical target volume (CTV) (small pelvic CTV plus common iliac regions) were calculated. Results: Among 315 eligible patients, 81 (26%) were found to have involved pelvic lymph nodes at the time of surgery, with 38 (12%) having involved common iliac lymph nodes. Risk of occult pathologically involved lymph nodes did not vary with clinical T stage. On multivariate analysis, the presence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) on preoperative biopsy was significantly associated with occult pelvic nodal involvement (odds ratio 3.740, 95% confidence interval 1.865-7.499, P<.001) and marginally associated with occult common iliac nodal involvement (odds ratio 2.307, 95% confidence interval 0.978-5.441, P=.056). The percentages of patients with involved lymph node regions entirely encompassed by whole bladder, small pelvic, and extended pelvic CTVs varied with clinical risk factors, ranging from 85.4%, 95.1%, and 100% in non-muscle-invasive patients to 44.7%, 71.1%, and 94.8% in patients with muscle-invasive disease and biopsy LVI. Conclusions: Occult pelvic lymph node rates are substantial for all clinical subgroups, especially patients with LVI on biopsy. Extended

Neurocognitive Profiles in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Gene Mutation Site

Science.gov (United States)

D’Angelo, Maria Grazia; Lorusso, Maria Luisa; Civati, Federica; Comi, Giacomo Pietro; Magri, Francesca; Del Bo, Roberto; Guglieri, Michela; Molteni, Massimo; Turconi, Anna Carla; Bresolin, Nereo

2011-01-01

The presence of nonprogressive cognitive impairment is recognized as a common feature in a substantial proportion of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. To investigate the possible role of mutations along the dystrophin gene affecting different brain dystrophin isoforms and specific cognitive profiles, 42 school-age children affected with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, subdivided according to sites of mutations along the dystrophin gene, underwent a battery of tests tapping a wide range of intellectual, linguistic, and neuropsychologic functions. Full-scale intelligence quotient was approximately 1 S.D. below the population average in the whole group of dystrophic children. Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and mutations located in the distal portion of the dystrophin gene (involving the 140-kDa brain protein isoform, called Dp140) were generally more severely affected and expressed different patterns of strengths and impairments, compared with patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and mutations located in the proximal portion of the dystrophin gene (not involving Dp140). Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and distal mutations demonstrated specific impairments in visuospatial functions and visual memory (which seemed intact in proximally mutated patients) and greater impairment in syntactic processing. PMID:22000308

Multi-site Study of Diffusion Metric Variability: Characterizing the Effects of Site, Vendor, Field Strength, and Echo Time using the Histogram Distance

Science.gov (United States)

Helmer, K. G.; Chou, M-C.; Preciado, R. I.; Gimi, B.; Rollins, N. K.; Song, A.; Turner, J.; Mori, S.

2016-01-01

MRI-based multi-site trials now routinely include some form of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in their protocol. These studies can include data originating from scanners built by different vendors, each with their own set of unique protocol restrictions, including restrictions on the number of available gradient directions, whether an externally-generated list of gradient directions can be used, and restrictions on the echo time (TE). One challenge of multi-site studies is to create a common imaging protocol that will result in a reliable and accurate set of diffusion metrics. The present study describes the effect of site, scanner vendor, field strength, and TE on two common metrics: the first moment of the diffusion tensor field (mean diffusivity, MD), and the fractional anisotropy (FA). We have shown in earlier work that ROI metrics and the mean of MD and FA histograms are not sufficiently sensitive for use in site characterization. Here we use the distance between whole brain histograms of FA and MD to investigate within- and between-site effects. We concluded that the variability of DTI metrics due to site, vendor, field strength, and echo time could influence the results in multi-center trials and that histogram distance is sensitive metrics for each of these variables. PMID:27350723

Multi-site Study of Diffusion Metric Variability: Characterizing the Effects of Site, Vendor, Field Strength, and Echo Time using the Histogram Distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Helmer, K G; Chou, M-C; Preciado, R I; Gimi, B; Rollins, N K; Song, A; Turner, J; Mori, S

2016-02-27

MRI-based multi-site trials now routinely include some form of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in their protocol. These studies can include data originating from scanners built by different vendors, each with their own set of unique protocol restrictions, including restrictions on the number of available gradient directions, whether an externally-generated list of gradient directions can be used, and restrictions on the echo time (TE). One challenge of multi-site studies is to create a common imaging protocol that will result in a reliable and accurate set of diffusion metrics. The present study describes the effect of site, scanner vendor, field strength, and TE on two common metrics: the first moment of the diffusion tensor field (mean diffusivity, MD), and the fractional anisotropy (FA). We have shown in earlier work that ROI metrics and the mean of MD and FA histograms are not sufficiently sensitive for use in site characterization. Here we use the distance between whole brain histograms of FA and MD to investigate within- and between-site effects. We concluded that the variability of DTI metrics due to site, vendor, field strength, and echo time could influence the results in multi-center trials and that histogram distance is sensitive metrics for each of these variables.

Tannic acid and chromic chloride-induced binding of protein to red cells: a preliminary study of possible binding sites and reaction mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, A F; Reed, M I

1990-07-01

The binding mechanisms and binding sites involved in the tannic acid and chromic chloride-induced binding of protein to red cells were investigated using the binding of IgA paraprotein to red cells as model systems. Inhibition studies of these model systems using amino acid homopolymers and compounds (common as red cell membrane constituents) suggest that the mechanisms involved are similar to those proposed for the conversion of hide or skin collagen to leather, as in commercial tanning. These studies also suggest that tannic acid-induced binding of IgA paraprotein to red cells involves the amino acid residues of L-arginine, L-lysine, L-histidine, and L-proline analogous to tanning with phenolic plant extracts. The amino acid residues of L-aspartate, L-glutamate and L-asparagine are involved in a similar manner in chronic chloride-induced binding of protein to red cells.

Involved Node, Site, Field and Residual Volume Radiotherapy for Lymphoma: A Comparison of Organ at Risk Dosimetry and Second Malignancy Risks.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, L; Sethugavalar, B; Robertshaw, H; Bayman, E; Thomas, E; Gilson, D; Prestwich, R J D

2015-07-01

Recent radiotherapy guidelines for lymphoma have included involved site radiotherapy (ISRT), involved node radiotherapy (INRT) and irradiation of residual volume after full-course chemotherapy. In the absence of late toxicity data, we aim to compare organ at risk (OAR) dose-metrics and calculated second malignancy risks. Fifteen consecutive patients who had received mediastinal radiotherapy were included. Four radiotherapy plans were generated for each patient using a parallel pair photon technique: (i) involved field radiotherapy (IFRT), (ii) ISRT, (iii) INRT, (iv) residual post-chemotherapy volume. The radiotherapy dose was 30 Gy in 15 fractions. The OARs evaluated were: breasts, lungs, thyroid, heart, oesophagus. Relative and absolute second malignancy rates were estimated using the concept of organ equivalent dose. Significance was defined as P risks of second cancers were significantly higher with IFRT compared with ISRT for lung, breast and thyroid; INRT and residual volume resulted in significantly lower relative risks compared with ISRT for lung, breast and thyroid. The median excess absolute risks of second cancers were consistently lowest for the residual technique and highest for IFRT in terms of thyroid, lung and breast cancers. The risk of oesophageal cancer was similar for all four techniques. Overall, the absolute risk of second cancers was very similar for ISRT and INRT. Decreasing treatment volumes from IFRT to ISRT, INRT or residual volume reduces radiation exposure to OARs. Second malignancy modelling suggests that this reduction in treatment volumes will lead to a reduction in absolute excess second malignancy. Little difference was observed in second malignancy risks between ISRT and INRT, supporting the use of ISRT in the absence of a pre-chemotherapy positron emission tomography scan in the radiotherapy treatment position. Copyright © 2015 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of common variants in 16 genes involved in the regulation of neurotransmitter release in ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Mora, Cristina; Cormand, Bru; Ramos-Quiroga, Josep Antoni; Hervás, Amaia; Bosch, Rosa; Palomar, Glòria; Nogueira, Mariana; Gómez-Barros, Núria; Richarte, Vanesa; Corrales, Montse; Garcia-Martinez, Iris; Corominas, Roser; Guijarro, Silvina; Bigorra, Aitana; Bayés, Mònica; Casas, Miguel; Ribasés, Marta

2013-06-01

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder characterized by inappropriate difficulties to sustain attention, control impulses and modulate activity level. Although ADHD is one of the most prevalent childhood psychiatric disorders, it also persists into adulthood in around 30-50% of the cases. Based on the effect of psychostimulants used in the pharmacological treatment of ADHD, dysfunctions in neuroplasticity mechanisms and synapses have been postulated to be involved in the pathophysiology of ADHD. With this background, we evaluated, both in childhood and adulthood ADHD, the role of several genes involved in the control of neurotransmitter release through synaptic vesicle docking, fusion and recycling processes by means of a population-based association study. We analyzed single nucleotide polymorphisms across 16 genes in a clinical sample of 950 ADHD patients (506 adults and 444 children) and 905 controls. Single and multiple-marker analyses identified several significant associations after correcting for multiple testing with a false discovery rate (FDR) of 15%: (i) the SYT2 gene was strongly associated with both adulthood and childhood ADHD (p=0.001, OR=1.49 (1.18-1.89) and p=0.007, OR=1.37 (1.09-1.72), respectively) and (ii) STX1A was found associated with ADHD only in adults (p=0.0041; OR=1.28 (1.08-1.51)). These data provide preliminary evidence for the involvement of genes that participate in the control of neurotransmitter release in the genetic predisposition to ADHD through a gene-system association study. Further follow-up studies in larger cohorts and deep-sequencing of the associated genomic regions are required to identify sequence variants directly involved in ADHD. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

COMPARISON OF THE POPULATIONS OF COMMON WOOD-NYMPH BUTTERFLIES IN BURNED PRAIRIE, UNBURNED PRAIRIE AND OLD FIELD GRASSES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hahn, M.; Walton, R.

2007-01-01

Common wood-nymph butterfl ies are found throughout the United States and Canada. However, not much is known about how they overwinter or their preferences for particular grasses and habitats. In this study, the impact of prairie management plans on the abundance of the wood-nymph population was assessed, as well as the preference of these butterfl ies for areas with native or non-native grasses. The abundance of common wood-nymph butterfl ies was determined using Pollard walks; more common wood-nymph butterfl ies were found in the European grasses than were found in the burned and unburned prairie sites. The majority of the vegetation at each of the three sites was identifi ed and documented. Using a 1 X 3 ANOVA analysis, it was determined there were signifi cantly more butterfl ies in the European grasses than in the burned and unburned prairie sites (p < 0.0005). There was no signifi cant difference between the burned and unburned treatments of the prairie on the common wood-nymph population. A multiple variable linear regression model described the effect of temperature and wind speed on the number of observed common wood-nymph butterfl ies per hour (p = 0.026). These preliminary results need to be supplemented with future studies. Quadrat analysis of the vegetation from all three sites should be done to search for a correlation between common wood-nymph butterfl y abundance per hour and the specifi c types or quantity of vegetation at each site. The effect of vegetation height and density on the observer’s visual fi eld should also be assessed.

Nuclear Power Plant project site selection geotechnical considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katti, V.J.; Banerjee, D.C.

1997-01-01

During the selection of a site for Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and Radioactive Waste Plant (RWP), geotechnical investigations play a significant role in deciding merits and demerits of the sites. Any accidents in these units can play havoc on mankind and may leave bitter imprints on generations to come. Hence proper care has to be taken at the early stage for selecting the sites. Site selection procedure is a complicated one, because it involves experts from various disciplines like geology, geophysics, civil, mechanical electrical engineering, health-physics and other fields

Is synaesthesia more common in autism?

OpenAIRE

Baron-Cohen, Simon; Johnson, Donielle; Asher, Julian; Wheelwright, Sally; Fisher, Simon E; Gregersen, Peter K; Allison, Carrie

2013-01-01

Background Synaesthesia is a neurodevelopmental condition in which a sensation in one modality triggers a perception in a second modality. Autism (shorthand for Autism Spectrum Conditions) is a neurodevelopmental condition involving social-communication disability alongside resistance to change and unusually narrow interests or activities. Whilst on the surface they appear distinct, they have been suggested to share common atypical neural connectivity. Methods In the present study, we carried...

Model of OSBP-Mediated Cholesterol Supply to Aichi Virus RNA Replication Sites Involving Protein-Protein Interactions among Viral Proteins, ACBD3, OSBP, VAP-A/B, and SAC1.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa-Sasaki, Kumiko; Nagashima, Shigeo; Taniguchi, Koki; Sasaki, Jun

2018-04-15

Positive-strand RNA viruses, including picornaviruses, utilize cellular machinery for genome replication. Previously, we reported that each of the 2B, 2BC, 2C, 3A, and 3AB proteins of Aichi virus (AiV), a picornavirus, forms a complex with the Golgi apparatus protein ACBD3 and phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase IIIβ (PI4KB) at viral RNA replication sites (replication organelles [ROs]), enhancing PI4KB-dependent phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P) production. Here, we demonstrate AiV hijacking of the cellular cholesterol transport system involving oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP), a PI4P-binding cholesterol transfer protein. AiV RNA replication was inhibited by silencing cellular proteins known to be components of this pathway, OSBP, the ER membrane proteins VAPA and VAPB (VAP-A/B), the PI4P-phosphatase SAC1, and PI-transfer protein β. OSBP, VAP-A/B, and SAC1 were present at RNA replication sites. We also found various previously unknown interactions among the AiV proteins (2B, 2BC, 2C, 3A, and 3AB), ACBD3, OSBP, VAP-A/B, and SAC1, and the interactions were suggested to be involved in recruiting the component proteins to AiV ROs. Importantly, the OSBP-2B interaction enabled PI4P-independent recruitment of OSBP to AiV ROs, indicating preferential recruitment of OSBP among PI4P-binding proteins. Protein-protein interaction-based OSBP recruitment has not been reported for other picornaviruses. Cholesterol was accumulated at AiV ROs, and inhibition of OSBP-mediated cholesterol transfer impaired cholesterol accumulation and AiV RNA replication. Electron microscopy showed that AiV-induced vesicle-like structures were close to ER membranes. Altogether, we conclude that AiV directly recruits the cholesterol transport machinery through protein-protein interactions, resulting in formation of membrane contact sites between the ER and AiV ROs and cholesterol supply to the ROs. IMPORTANCE Positive-strand RNA viruses utilize host pathways to modulate the lipid composition of

Coordinated site characterization and performance assessment - an iterative approach for the site evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papp, T.; Ericsson, L.O.; Thegerstroem, C.; Almen, K.E.

1995-01-01

SKB planning for siting a deep repository involves feasibility studies in 5-10 municipalities surface based characterization and drilling on two candidate sites and detailed characterization of one site including a shaft to proposed repository depth. The selection of a site or the detailed layout of the repository defines characteristics that might influence safety in a broad sense. There is a strong ling between the safety, technical (engineering) and functional aspects. The site selection will be based on general geoscientific information, i.e. mechanical stability, ground-water chemistry, slow ground-water movements and complicating factors like high potential for mineralization. The general layout of the repository in the actual geological structure of the site must be done with regard to a number of guidelines, e.g. to hydraulically separate the parts of the repository containing the spent nuclear fuel from those for other types of long lived waste and to separate the two stages of the spent fuel repository so they can be handled separately in the licensing process. When the various parts of the repository have been tentatively located the consequence of the multiple barrier principle is that the layout of the various parts should be made with the aim to utilize the available natural barrier system at the site as well as possible. (authors). 2 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

Application of quality assurance/quality control to waste management processes at the Hanford site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, D.H.; Vance, L.W.; Saget, R.P.; Sastry, A.M.

1990-01-01

The Hanford Site contains hazardous, radioactive and mixed wastes. The State of Washington and EPA both have regulatory and oversight responsibility for the ERRA program. A landmark agreement, the first of its kind in the USA, was signed in May 1989 between DOE, EPA and the State of Washington Department of Ecology which binds DOE to specific actions and milestones over a 30 year period. Public participation is provided throughout the process. This document is commonly known as the 'Tri-Party Agreement'. The paper discusses examples of unique waste management and ERRA activities subject to the quality assurance program and the considerations involved in designing an appropriate QA Program for Hanford's new mission. (orig./DG)

Discordant lymphoma consisting of splenic mantle cell lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma involving the bone marrow and peripheral blood: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caracciolo Francesco

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Discordant lymphomas are rare entities characterized by the simultaneous presence of two distinct types of lymphomas in different anatomic sites. We describe a very rare case of simultaneous occurrence of splenic mantle cell lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma involving the bone marrow and peripheral blood. Case presentation We report the case of a 60-year-old asymptomatic Caucasian woman in whom discordant lymphomas were discovered when a slight lymphocytosis and a conspicuous splenomegaly were observed. The different morphological, immunophenotypical and immunohistochemical features found in the different pathologic samples obtained from peripheral blood, bone marrow and spleen sections made it possible to differentiate two types of non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas: a mantle cell lymphoma infiltrating the spleen and a marginal zone lymphoma involving both the bone marrow and peripheral blood. Since a similar IgH gene rearrangement was found both in the bone marrow and in the spleen, the hypothesis of a common origin, followed by a different clonal selection of the neoplastic lymphocytes may be taken into consideration. Conclusion Our case emphasizes the usefulness of investigating simultaneous specimens from different anatomic sites from the same patient and the relevant diagnostic role of splenectomy.

High volume medical web sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, B; Elliott, G

2000-01-01

In 1998, 22 million individuals reported surfing the web for medical information, and this number will increase to over 30 million by 2000. Fifteen of the highest volume medical web sites are described in this paper. Sponsorship and/or ownership of the fifteen sites varied. The government sponsors one, and some are the products of well-known educational institutions. One site is supported by a consumer health organization, and the American Medical Association was in the top 15. However, the most common owners are commercial, for-profit businesses. Attributes of the ideal site were categorized, and include a robust privacy and disclosure statement with an emphasis on education and an appropriate role for advertising. The covering of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) should be in a balanced and unbiased manner. There has to be an emphasis on knowledge based evidence as opposed to testimonials, and sources should be timely and reviewed. Bibliographies of authors need to be available. Hyperlinking to other web resources is valuable, as even the largest of sites cannot come close to covering all of medicine.

Determination of factors associated with natural soil suppressivity to potato common scab.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marketa Sagova-Mareckova

Full Text Available Common scab of potatoes is a disease, which is difficult to manage due to complex interactions of the pathogenic bacteria (Streptomyces spp. with soil, microbial community and potato plants. In Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in the Czech Republic two sites (Vyklantice and Zdirec were selected for a study of common scab disease suppressivity. At both sites, a field with low disease severity occurs next to one with high severity and the situation was regularly observed over four decades although all four fields undergo a crop rotation. In the four fields, quantities of bacteria, actinobacteria and the gene txtB from the biosynthetic gene cluster of thaxtomin, the main pathogenicity factor of common scab, were analyzed by real-time PCR. Microbial community structure was compared by terminal fragment length polymorphism analysis. Soil and potato periderm were characterized by contents of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Quality of organic matter was assessed by high performance liquid chromatography of soil extracts. The study demonstrated that the suppressive character of the fields is locally specific. At Zdirec, the suppressivity was associated with low txtB gene copies in bulk soil, while at Vyklantice site it was associated with low txtB gene copies in the tuberosphere. The differences were discussed with respect to the effect of abiotic conditions at Zdirec and interaction between potato plant and soil microbial community at Vyklantice. Soil pH, Ca soil content or cation concentrations, although different were not in the range to predict the disease severity. Low severity of common scab was associated with low content of soil C, N, C/N, Ca and Fe suggesting that oligotrophic conditions may be favorable to common scab suppression.

Determination of factors associated with natural soil suppressivity to potato common scab.

Science.gov (United States)

Sagova-Mareckova, Marketa; Daniel, Ondrej; Omelka, Marek; Kristufek, Vaclav; Divis, Jiri; Kopecky, Jan

2015-01-01

Common scab of potatoes is a disease, which is difficult to manage due to complex interactions of the pathogenic bacteria (Streptomyces spp.) with soil, microbial community and potato plants. In Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in the Czech Republic two sites (Vyklantice and Zdirec) were selected for a study of common scab disease suppressivity. At both sites, a field with low disease severity occurs next to one with high severity and the situation was regularly observed over four decades although all four fields undergo a crop rotation. In the four fields, quantities of bacteria, actinobacteria and the gene txtB from the biosynthetic gene cluster of thaxtomin, the main pathogenicity factor of common scab, were analyzed by real-time PCR. Microbial community structure was compared by terminal fragment length polymorphism analysis. Soil and potato periderm were characterized by contents of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Quality of organic matter was assessed by high performance liquid chromatography of soil extracts. The study demonstrated that the suppressive character of the fields is locally specific. At Zdirec, the suppressivity was associated with low txtB gene copies in bulk soil, while at Vyklantice site it was associated with low txtB gene copies in the tuberosphere. The differences were discussed with respect to the effect of abiotic conditions at Zdirec and interaction between potato plant and soil microbial community at Vyklantice. Soil pH, Ca soil content or cation concentrations, although different were not in the range to predict the disease severity. Low severity of common scab was associated with low content of soil C, N, C/N, Ca and Fe suggesting that oligotrophic conditions may be favorable to common scab suppression.

Unusual Structure of the attB Site of the Site-Specific Recombination System of Lactobacillus delbrueckii Bacteriophage mv4

Science.gov (United States)

Auvray, Frédéric; Coddeville, Michèle; Ordonez, Romy Catoira; Ritzenthaler, Paul

1999-01-01

The temperate phage mv4 integrates its genome into the chromosome of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus by site-specific recombination within the 3′ end of a tRNASer gene. Recombination is catalyzed by the phage-encoded integrase and occurs between the phage attP site and the bacterial attB site. In this study, we show that the mv4 integrase functions in vivo in Escherichia coli and we characterize the bacterial attB site with a site-specific recombination test involving compatible plasmids carrying the recombination sites. The importance of particular nucleotides within the attB sequence was determined by site-directed mutagenesis. The structure of the attB site was found to be simple but rather unusual. A 16-bp DNA fragment was sufficient for function. Unlike most genetic elements that integrate their DNA into tRNA genes, none of the dyad symmetry elements of the tRNASer gene were present within the minimal attB site. No inverted repeats were detected within this site either, in contrast to the lambda site-specific recombination model. PMID:10572145

An unusual case of common carotid artery pseudoaneurysm caused ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Arun Kumar Agnihotri

pseudoaneurysm involving the right common carotid artery. Sewing needle ( ... displacement of tracheal shadow towards the left ... CT scan of brain was not done in this case as there are no .... function and allergies to CT contrast material12.

Initial thoracic involvement in lymphoma. CT assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bustos, A.; Corredoira, J.; Ferreiros, J.; Cabeza, B.; Jorquera, M.; Pedrosa, I.; Martinez, R.; Fernandez, C.

2002-01-01

To analyze the initial thoracic involvement by CT in a consecutive series of patients with lymphoma. A retrospective analysis was made of thoracic CT studies made at the time of diagnosis of 259 patients with lymphoma. Mediastinal pulmonary, pleural, pericardial and chest wall involvement was assessed by CT. Of 259 patients (129 men y 130 women), 56 had Hodgkin's disease (HD) and 203 had non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Forty-two percent (42.5%, 110/259) of the patients had chest involvement on CT: 33 of 56 patients with HD (58.9%) and 77 of 203 patients with NHL (37.9%). All the patients with thoracic HD) and 71.4% of patients with thoracic NHL, had mediastinal lymph node involvement. of the patients with thoracic involvement 12.1% (4/33) of the patient with HD and 23.3% (18/77) of the patients with NHL had pulmonary involvement. Thoracic involvement on CT was more frequent in HD. Mediastinal lymph node involvement was the most common finding fundamentally in HD. Pulmonary disease always occurred in the presence of mediastinal lymph node involvement in HD but could occur as an isolated finding in NHL. (Author) 24 refs

Long-term monitoring for closed special sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N.W.; Sedlet, J.

1987-01-01

A methodology is presented for planning and implementing a long-term environmental monitoring program for closed special radioactive waste disposal sites. The steps in the method involve collection of the available background information on the site history, site and area characteristics, waste inventory, pathway analysis, prior monitoring programs, applicable standards, and the legal/regulatory requirements. This information is coupled with factors such as experience, half-life, radionuclide migration rates, and potential hazard to develop a monitoring program. As an example, a site-specific long-term monitoring program is described for the AMAX site using the available information. Sampling techniques and practices for the monitoring program are discussed and techniques and practices expected to be available in the future are considered. 7 references, 2 tables

Characterization of Enzymatic Activity of MlrB and MlrC Proteins Involved in Bacterial Degradation of Cyanotoxins Microcystins.

Science.gov (United States)

Dziga, Dariusz; Zielinska, Gabriela; Wladyka, Benedykt; Bochenska, Oliwia; Maksylewicz, Anna; Strzalka, Wojciech; Meriluoto, Jussi

2016-03-16

Bacterial degradation of toxic microcystins produced by cyanobacteria is a common phenomenon. However, our understanding of the mechanisms of these processes is rudimentary. In this paper several novel discoveries regarding the action of the enzymes of the mlr cluster responsible for microcystin biodegradation are presented using recombinant proteins. In particular, the predicted active sites of the recombinant MlrB and MlrC were analyzed using functional enzymes and their inactive muteins. A new degradation intermediate, a hexapeptide derived from linearized microcystins by MlrC, was discovered. Furthermore, the involvement of MlrA and MlrB in further degradation of the hexapeptides was confirmed and a corrected biochemical pathway of microcystin biodegradation has been proposed.

Characterization of Enzymatic Activity of MlrB and MlrC Proteins Involved in Bacterial Degradation of Cyanotoxins Microcystins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dariusz Dziga

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Bacterial degradation of toxic microcystins produced by cyanobacteria is a common phenomenon. However, our understanding of the mechanisms of these processes is rudimentary. In this paper several novel discoveries regarding the action of the enzymes of the mlr cluster responsible for microcystin biodegradation are presented using recombinant proteins. In particular, the predicted active sites of the recombinant MlrB and MlrC were analyzed using functional enzymes and their inactive muteins. A new degradation intermediate, a hexapeptide derived from linearized microcystins by MlrC, was discovered. Furthermore, the involvement of MlrA and MlrB in further degradation of the hexapeptides was confirmed and a corrected biochemical pathway of microcystin biodegradation has been proposed.

Use of Quantile Regression to Determine the Impact on Total Health Care Costs of Surgical Site Infections Following Common Ambulatory Procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Margaret A; Tian, Fang; Wallace, Anna E; Nickel, Katelin B; Warren, David K; Fraser, Victoria J; Selvam, Nandini; Hamilton, Barton H

2017-02-01

To determine the impact of surgical site infections (SSIs) on health care costs following common ambulatory surgical procedures throughout the cost distribution. Data on costs of SSIs following ambulatory surgery are sparse, particularly variation beyond just mean costs. We performed a retrospective cohort study of persons undergoing cholecystectomy, breast-conserving surgery, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and hernia repair from December 31, 2004 to December 31, 2010 using commercial insurer claims data. SSIs within 90 days post-procedure were identified; infections during a hospitalization or requiring surgery were considered serious. We used quantile regression, controlling for patient, operative, and postoperative factors to examine the impact of SSIs on 180-day health care costs throughout the cost distribution. The incidence of serious and nonserious SSIs was 0.8% and 0.2%, respectively, after 21,062 anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, 0.5% and 0.3% after 57,750 cholecystectomy, 0.6% and 0.5% after 60,681 hernia, and 0.8% and 0.8% after 42,489 breast-conserving surgery procedures. Serious SSIs were associated with significantly higher costs than nonserious SSIs for all 4 procedures throughout the cost distribution. The attributable cost of serious SSIs increased for both cholecystectomy and hernia repair as the quantile of total costs increased ($38,410 for cholecystectomy with serious SSI vs no SSI at the 70th percentile of costs, up to $89,371 at the 90th percentile). SSIs, particularly serious infections resulting in hospitalization or surgical treatment, were associated with significantly increased health care costs after 4 common surgical procedures. Quantile regression illustrated the differential effect of serious SSIs on health care costs at the upper end of the cost distribution.

Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disease involving the pituitary gland.

Science.gov (United States)

Meriden, Zina; Bullock, Grant C; Bagg, Adam; Bonatti, Hugo; Cousar, John B; Lopes, M Beatriz; Robbins, Mark K; Cathro, Helen P

2010-11-01

Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are heterogeneous lesions with variable morphology, immunophenotype, and molecular characteristics. Multiple distinct primary lesions can occur in PTLD, rarely with both B-cell and T-cell characteristics. Lesions can involve both grafted organs and other sites; however, PTLD involving the pituitary gland has not been previously reported. We describe a patient who developed Epstein-Barr virus-negative PTLD 13 years posttransplantation involving the terminal ileum and pituitary, which was simultaneously involved by a pituitary adenoma. Immunohistochemistry of the pituitary lesion showed expression of CD79a, CD3, and CD7 with clonal rearrangements of both T-cell receptor gamma chain (TRG@) and immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH@) genes. The terminal ileal lesion was immunophenotypically and molecularly distinct. This is the first report of pituitary PTLD and illustrates the potentially complex nature of PTLD. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The photostability of the commonly used biotin-4-fluorescein probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Haack, Richard A; Swift, Kerry M; Ruan, Qiaoqiao; Himmelsbach, Richard J; Tetin, Sergey Y

2017-08-15

Biotin-4-fluorescein (B4F) is a commonly used fluorescent probe for studying biotin-(strept)avidin interactions. During a characterization study of an anti-biotin antibody, using B4F as the probe, we noticed a discrepancy in the expected and experimentally determined number of biotin binding sites. Analytical testing showed that the biotin moiety in the probe undergoes a photosensitized oxidation to produce a mixture of biotin sulfoxides which has the potential to impact the quantitation of binding sites using this fluorescent probe. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NGNP Site Selection Status Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holbrook, Mark

2006-01-01

This report provides an overview of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing process, the preliminary site activities that have taken place in the current fiscal year (FY-06), and the site-related plans for FY-07. The NRC maintains oversight of the construction and operation of a facility throughout its lifetime to assure compliance with the Commission's regulations for the protection of public health and safety, the common defense and security, and the environment. To implement this process, all nuclear power plant applications must undergo a safety review, an environmental review, and antitrust review by the NRC.

Architecture and Development of DCMP Web Site

Science.gov (United States)

Bariakhtar, Irina

2003-03-01

The multi-tier implementation of DCMP Web site is discussed. It is based upon newly developed PHP technology. The technology allows for creating dynamic content and scalable solutions for Web site capabilities. There are several aspects as to what type of information is to be on the site. First, it should serve the immediate needs of the researchers in the field, namely, conferences, journals, news, funds, etc. This is currently available on the site, but can be extended and improved if needed. Second, the site will reflect the connection between Condensed matter physics and the technological breakthroughs that drive the economy. Third, the site will carry an educational mission helping educate the general public, and on the other hand, help young people to start their careers in the field. The content of the DCMP Web site is under active development. It depends upon wide involvement of DCMP members.

Common tumour, uncommon presentation: massive lipoma in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

b. Retroperitoneal masses are notoriously malignant. Although they are seen commonly in adults, they have ... gastrointestinal symptoms. A detailed examination re- vealed an ill-defined mass in the abdomen, involving the ... that occurs in adolescents and young adults [7]. As these tumours have variable proportions of fat ...

Road accidents involving bicycles: configurations and injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Orsi, Chiara; Montomoli, Cristina; Otte, Dietmar; Morandi, Anna

2017-12-01

This study analyzed the most common types of accident involving bicycles and compared the frequency of injuries. The data source was the database of German In-Depth Accident Study (GIDAS). Cases consist of bicycles and their riders involved in accidents between 2000 and 2010. In most collisions, the bicycle impacted with a car. The percentage of injured bicyclists was higher in collisions with a heavy vehicle and decreased when the bicycle impacted with lighter vehicles. A high percentage of injured bicyclists in single accidents was observed; the most severe injury was more frequently to head and extremities. Accidents involving a car and a bicycle with the right of way in a bicycle path represented about 20% of involved and injured bicyclists. The ten most frequent configurations represented about 60% of involved and injured bicyclists. These results contribute to understand the dangerous scenarios for bicyclists and to suggest preventive actions.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Potable Water System Operations Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ocampo, Ruben P. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Bellah, Wendy [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2016-03-04

The existing Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Site 300 drinking water system operation schematic is shown in Figures 1 and 2 below. The sources of water are from two Site 300 wells (Well #18 and Well #20) and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Hetch-Hetchy water through the Thomas shaft pumping station. Currently, Well #20 with 300 gallons per minute (gpm) pump capacity is the primary source of well water used during the months of September through July, while Well #18 with 225 gpm pump capacity is the source of well water for the month of August. The well water is chlorinated using sodium hypochlorite to provide required residual chlorine throughout Site 300. Well water chlorination is covered in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Chlorination Plan (“the Chlorination Plan”; LLNL-TR-642903; current version dated August 2013). The third source of water is the SFPUC Hetch-Hetchy Water System through the Thomas shaft facility with a 150 gpm pump capacity. At the Thomas shaft station the pumped water is treated through SFPUC-owned and operated ultraviolet (UV) reactor disinfection units on its way to Site 300. The Thomas Shaft Hetch- Hetchy water line is connected to the Site 300 water system through the line common to Well pumps #18 and #20 at valve box #1.

Integration of a working site in its regional context

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Couture, J.

1986-01-01

This paper shows how a local representative has felt the decision of construction of the Paluel nuclear power plant and the problems involved, and how it has been tried to resolve them: insertion in the site, reception of the population of this big working site [fr

Secondary pancreatic involvement by a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presenting as acute pancreatitis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

M Wasif Saif; Sapna Khubchandani; Marek Walczak

2007-01-01

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. More than 50% of patients have some site of extra-nodal involvement at diagnosis,including the gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow.However, a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presenting as acute pancreatitis is rare. A 57-year-old female presented with abdominal pain and matted lymph nodes in her axilla. She was admitted with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed diffusely enlarged pancreas due to infiltrative neoplasm and peripancreatic lymphadenopathy. Biopsy of the axillary mass revealed a large B-cell lymphoma.The patient was classified as stage Ⅳ, based on the Ann Arbor Classification, and as having a high-risk lymphoma,based on the International Prognostic Index. She was started on chemotherapy with CHOP (cyclophosphamide,doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone). Within a week after chemotherapy, the patient's abdominal pain resolved. Follow-up CT scan of the abdomen revealed a marked decrease in the size of the pancreas and peripancreatic lymphadenopathy. A literature search revealed only seven cases of primary involvement of the pancreas in B-cell lymphoma presenting as acute pancreatitis. However, only one case of secondary pancreatic involvement by B-cell lymphoma presenting as acute pancreatitis has been published. Our case appears to be the second report of such a manifestation.Both cases responded well to chemotherapy.

Sigma A recognition sites in the Bacillus subtilis genome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jarmer, Hanne Østergaard; Larsen, Thomas Schou; Krogh, Anders Stærmose

2001-01-01

A hidden Markov model of sigma (A) RNA polymerase cofactor recognition sites in Bacillus subtilis, containing either the common or the extended -10 motifs, has been constructed based on experimentally verified sigma (A) recognition sites. This work suggests that more information exists...... at the initiation site of transcription in both types of promoters than previously thought. When tested on the entire B. subtilis genome, the model predicts that approximately half of the sigma (A) recognition sites are of the extended type. Some of the response-regulator aspartate phosphatases were among...

Artificial Intelligence Support for Landing Site Selection on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Rongier, G.; Pankratius, V.

2017-12-01

Mars is a key target for planetary exploration; a better understanding of its evolution and habitability requires roving in situ. Landing site selection is becoming more challenging for scientists as new instruments generate higher data volumes. The involved engineering and scientific constraints make site selection and the anticipation of possible onsite actions into a complex optimization problem: there may be multiple acceptable solutions depending on various goals and assumptions. Solutions must also account for missing data, errors, and potential biases. To address these problems, we propose an AI-informed decision support system that allows scientists, mission designers, engineers, and committees to explore alternative site selection choices based on data. In particular, we demonstrate first results of an exploratory case study using fuzzy logic and a simulation of a rover's mobility map based on the fast marching algorithm. Our system computes favorability maps of the entire planet to facilitate landing site selection and allows a definition of different configurations for rovers, science target priorities, landing ellipses, and other constraints. For a rover similar to NASA's Mars 2020 rover, we present results in form of a site favorability map as well as four derived exploration scenarios that depend on different prioritized scientific targets, all visualizing inherent tradeoffs. Our method uses the NASA PDS Geosciences Node and the NASA/ICA Integrated Database of Planetary Features. Under common assumptions, the data products reveal Eastern Margaritifer Terra and Meridiani Planum to be the most favorable sites due to a high concentration of scientific targets and a flat, easily navigable surface. Our method also allows mission designers to investigate which constraints have the highest impact on the mission exploration potential and to change parameter ranges. Increasing the elevation limit for landing, for example, provides access to many additional

Remediation of a former fuel loading site using phytoremediation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotecha, P [Jacques Whitford Environment Ltd., Mont-Royal, PQ (Canada)

2001-07-01

The degradation and/or removal of pollutants from a contaminated medium is caused, mediated, and/or assisted by vegetation is defined as phytoremediation. It is a method widely used for the degradation, removal, and/or stabilisation of soils, sludges, sediments, or wastewaters. Some of the substances that can be cleaned up using phytoremediation are heavy metals, radionucleotides, petroleum hydrocarbons, energetics, chlorinated hydrocarbons, biocides, metalloids, nutrients, salts, and volatile organic contaminants. A former fuel loading site currently owned by Ultramar was remediated by Jacques Whitford Environment Limited using phytoremediation. A gasoline loading facility, a fuel loading facility, and a berm along an adjacent creek were all located at the site. All buildings and petroleum equipment had been removed in the mid-1980s, and the site is now vacant. The first phase involved the revegetation of the site with a phytoremediation grass cover and hybrid poplars, then the tree roots were allowed to infiltrate the ground to act as intake paths for contaminated water, the tree roots acted as a barrier to the contaminants headed to the river. Some of the advantages of phytoremediation are: low cost technique that can be applied using solar-powered ecotechnology in situ, wide applicability, involves minimum site disruption, has wide public acceptance, produces were few by-products requiring disposal, if any, and the harvested material can be easily disposed of in cases involving plant harvesting. The outcome of the project was also presented.

Mental Representation of Fractions: It All Depends on Whether They Are Common or Uncommon.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fuchang

2017-08-13

This study examined whether common and uncommon fractions are mentally represented differently and whether common ones are used in accessing the magnitudes of uncommon ones. In Experiments 1 and 2, college education majors, most of whom were female, Caucasian, and in their early 20s, made comparisons involving common and uncommon fractions. In Experiment 3, participants were presented with comparison tasks involving uncommon fractions and asked to describe the strategies which they used in making such comparisons. Analysis of reaction times and error rates support the hypothesis that for common fractions, it is their holistic real value, rather than their individual components, that gets represented. For uncommon fractions, the access of their magnitudes is a process of retrieving and using a known common one having a similar value. Such results suggest that the development of the cognizance of the magnitudes of fractions may be principally a matter of common ones only and that learners' handling of uncommon fractions may be greatly facilitated through instructions on matching them with common ones having a similar value.

Influence of economic factor and site milestones on the salience of environmental issues at Department of Energy sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Connor, S.; Yin, J.

1997-01-01

The change in the US Department of Energy's (DOE) mission from nuclear weapons production to remediation and restoration of its installations, in 1989, challenged all citizens around the nation's weapons complex to get involved in DOE's environmental management decision-making process. The purpose of this study is to determine whether, and to what extent, economic factors and site milestones influence the rise and fall of environmental issues and participation. One might believe that citizen participation would be influenced by economic conditions, particularly with the down-sizing that occurred at many DOE sites. Another factor that might influence salience of environmental issues is the occurrence of crucial events, or site milestones. Important events occurring at DOE installations are well publicized by local and national media, and citizens' interest and opinions are influenced by media. In this study, the authors use the number of comments expressed by the public and Indian tribes as a measure of public involvement and salience of issues. Their study, using multiple regression analysis, examined the relationships between the number of comments expressed and the economic conditions as indicated by monthly unemployment rates, and the relationship between the number of comments expressed and the occurrence of crucial site events or milestones

Remaining Sites Verification Package for the 100-B-26 Spillway. Attachment to Waste Site Reclassification Form 2006-052

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dittmer, L.M.

2006-01-01

The 100-B-26 Spillway waste site is a spillway that served as an emergency discharge point for the 132-C-2 outfall in the event that the 100-B-15 river effluent pipelines were blocked, damaged, or undergoing maintenance. The selected action involved demonstrating through confirmatory sampling that cleanup goals have been met and proposing a reclassification of this site to No Action. The results of the confirmatory sampling demonstrate that residual contaminant concentrations remaining in the soil beneath the riprap are more protective of groundwater and the Columbia River than the risk they would pose if the site was remediated

MDEP Common Position CP-DICWG-13. Common position on spurious actuation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-01-01

would be those which are plausible and that have not been previously addressed. For example, a potential spurious actuation may not be of concern if the cause was the failure of multiple independent systems. As such, the potential for this spurious actuation may be considered implausible. However, a potential spurious actuation due to a single system failing may be considered plausible, particularly if it relies on the failed system to prevent itself from causing the spurious actuation. Spurious actuations are a cross-cutting safety issue that can affect multiple disciplines. Adequate resolution to this issue may necessarily involve personnel with expertise in safety analysis, human factors, I and C, electrical, probabilistic analysis, etc. Therefore, evaluating spurious actuations necessitates a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure that the consequences of spurious actuations on plant safety are fully understood and accounted for. This common position addresses the I and C review role. Other technical disciplines will need to establish their roles in addressing this issue. The Digital Instrumentation and Controls Working Group (DICWG) has agreed that a common position on this topic is warranted given the increase of use of Digital I and C in new reactor designs, its safety implications, and the need to develop a common understanding from the perspectives of regulatory authorities. This action follows the DICWG examination of the regulatory requirements of the participating members and of relevant industry standards and IAEA documents. The DICWG proposes a common position based on its recent experience with the new reactor application reviews and operating plant issues

The Quality of Information about Hip Fractures in Turkish Internet Sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatih Küçükdurmaz

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Aim: Internet has been the most commonly used way to access information now. Patients and their families search information about diseases and treatment methods on web. Our aim is to check the information quality of Turkish language based web sites that mention about hip fractures. Material and Method: We made a search by the word ‘hip fracture’ with three web search engines which are most popular in Turkey. We evaluated the most commonly visited first 10 sites and scored them according to a standard form. Results: Nine of the 30 web sites were include useful information for patients about the subject. The total score was 7.0 (min.:2, max.:14, SD: 4.81 Discussion: The web sites designed in Turkish that contains information about the health topics was found to be inadequate. This incomplete and incorrect information can lead to the users false informed about the topic. In this regard, the development of new sites is needed that can objectively accreditate health-related sites.

Hypereosinophilic syndrome with hepatic involvement in a young child

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Mi Ran; Goo, Hyun Woo; Hong, Seong Sook; Yoon, Chong Hyun [Ulsan University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2003-09-01

Hypereosinophilic syndrome, whose etiology in unknown, involves the infiltration of various organs by a large number of eosinophils. The sites of involvement are the heart, skin, lung, liver, nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract. The disorder occurs mostly in middle-aged men and is characterized by striking peripheral eosinophilia. There have been few reports of hypereosinophilic syndrome in patients younger than 15 years and the disease also shows a predilection for males. We report a case of hypereosinophilic syndrome with hepatic involvement in a 17-month-old girl, and correlate the imaging features with the pathologic findings.

Hypereosinophilic syndrome with hepatic involvement in a young child

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Mi Ran; Goo, Hyun Woo; Hong, Seong Sook; Yoon, Chong Hyun

2003-01-01

Hypereosinophilic syndrome, whose etiology in unknown, involves the infiltration of various organs by a large number of eosinophils. The sites of involvement are the heart, skin, lung, liver, nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract. The disorder occurs mostly in middle-aged men and is characterized by striking peripheral eosinophilia. There have been few reports of hypereosinophilic syndrome in patients younger than 15 years and the disease also shows a predilection for males. We report a case of hypereosinophilic syndrome with hepatic involvement in a 17-month-old girl, and correlate the imaging features with the pathologic findings

Development of a QTL-environment-based predictive model for node addition rate in common bean.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Li; Gezan, Salvador A; Eduardo Vallejos, C; Jones, James W; Boote, Kenneth J; Clavijo-Michelangeli, Jose A; Bhakta, Mehul; Osorno, Juan M; Rao, Idupulapati; Beebe, Stephen; Roman-Paoli, Elvin; Gonzalez, Abiezer; Beaver, James; Ricaurte, Jaumer; Colbert, Raphael; Correll, Melanie J

2017-05-01

This work reports the effects of the genetic makeup, the environment and the genotype by environment interactions for node addition rate in an RIL population of common bean. This information was used to build a predictive model for node addition rate. To select a plant genotype that will thrive in targeted environments it is critical to understand the genotype by environment interaction (GEI). In this study, multi-environment QTL analysis was used to characterize node addition rate (NAR, node day - 1 ) on the main stem of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L). This analysis was carried out with field data of 171 recombinant inbred lines that were grown at five sites (Florida, Puerto Rico, 2 sites in Colombia, and North Dakota). Four QTLs (Nar1, Nar2, Nar3 and Nar4) were identified, one of which had significant QTL by environment interactions (QEI), that is, Nar2 with temperature. Temperature was identified as the main environmental factor affecting NAR while day length and solar radiation played a minor role. Integration of sites as covariates into a QTL mixed site-effect model, and further replacing the site component with explanatory environmental covariates (i.e., temperature, day length and solar radiation) yielded a model that explained 73% of the phenotypic variation for NAR with root mean square error of 16.25% of the mean. The QTL consistency and stability was examined through a tenfold cross validation with different sets of genotypes and these four QTLs were always detected with 50-90% probability. The final model was evaluated using leave-one-site-out method to assess the influence of site on node addition rate. These analyses provided a quantitative measure of the effects on NAR of common beans exerted by the genetic makeup, the environment and their interactions.

Consultation draft: Site characterization plan overview, Deaf Smith County Site, Texas: Nuclear Waste Policy Act (Section 113)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) is preparing a site characterization plan for the candidate site in Deaf Smith County, Texas. The DOE has provided, for information and review, a consultation draft of the plan to the State of Texas and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The site characterization plan is a lengthy document that describes in considerable detail the program that will be conducted to characterize the geologic, hydrologic, and other conditions relevant to the suitability of the site for a repository. The overview presented here consists of brief summaries of important topics covered in the consultation draft of the site characterization plan; it is not a substitute for the site characterization plan. The arrangement of the overview is similar to that of the plan itself, with brief descriptions of the repository system - the site, the repository, and the waste package - preceding the discussion of the characterization program to be carried out at the Deaf Smith County site. It is intended primarily for the management staff of organizations involved in the DOE's repository program or other persons who might wish to understand the general scope of the site-characterization program, the activities to be conducted, and the facilities to be constructed rather than the technical details of site characterization. 15 figs., 1 tab

A common-sense probabilistic approach to assessing inadvertent human intrusion into low-level radioactive waste at the Nevada Test Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Black, P.; Hooten, M.; Black, K.; Moore, B.; Rawlinson, S.; Barker, L.

1997-01-01

Each site disposing of low-level radioactive waste is required to prepare and maintain a site-specific performance assessment (1) to determine potential risks posed by waste management systems to the public, and the environment, and (2) to compare these risks to established performance objectives. The DOE Nevada Operations Office, Waste Management Program recently completed a one-year study of site-specific scenarios for inadvertent human intrusion by drilling into buried low-level radioactive waste sites, as part of ongoing performance assessment studies. Intrusion scenarios focus on possible penetration of buried waste through drilling for sources of groundwater. The probability of drilling penetration into waste was judged to be driven primarily by two settlement scenarios: (1) scattered individual homesteaders, and (2) a community scenario consisting of a cluster of settlers that share drilling and distribution systems for groundwater. Management control factors include institutional control, site knowledge, placards and markers, surface barriers, and subsurface barriers. The Subject Matter Experts concluded that institutional control and site knowledge may be important factors for the first few centuries, but are not significant over the evaluation period of 10,000 years. Surface barriers can be designed that would deter the siting of a drill rig over the waste site to an effectiveness of 95%. Subsurface barriers and placards and markers will not as effectively prevent inadvertent human intrusion. Homestead and community scenarios were considered by the panel to render a site-specific probability of around 10% for inadvertent human intrusion. If management controls are designed and implemented effectively, then the probability of inadvertent human intrusion can be reduced to less than 1%

Rocketdyne division annual site environmental report, Santa Susana Field Laboratory and De Soto Sites, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

1993-12-14

This annual report discusses environmental monitoring at two manufacturing and test operations sites operated in the Los Angeles area by the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International Corporation. These are identified as the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) and the De Soto site. These sites have been used for manufacturing, R&D, engineering, and testing in a broad range of technical fields, primarily rocket engine propulsion and nuclear reactor technology. The De Soto site is essentially light industry with some laboratory-scale R&D and has little potential impact on the environment. The SSFL site, because of its large size (2,668 acres), warranted comprehensive monitoring to assure protection of the environment. The purpose of this report is to present information on environmental and effluent monitoring primarily for the regulatory agencies involved in controlling environmental remediation, i.e., the U.S. DOE, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the California State Department of Health Services (DHS) Radiologic Health Branch (RHB). For that reason, information concentrates on Area IV at SSFL as this is the site of the former nuclear operations. While the major area of interest is radiological, this report also includes a discussion of nonradiological monitoring at SSFL.

Rocketdyne division annual site environmental report, Santa Susana Field Laboratory and De Soto Site, 1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

1992-12-03

This annual report discusses environmental monitoring at two manufacturing and test operations sites operated in the Los Angeles area by the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International Corporation. These are identified as the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) and the De Soto site. These sites have been used for manufacturing, R&D, engineering, and testing in a broad range of technical fields, primarily rocket engine propulsion and nuclear reactor technology. The De Soto site is essentially light industry with some laboratory-scale R&D and has little potential impact on the environment. The SSFL site, because of its large size (2.668 acres), warranted comprehensive monitoring to assure protection of the environment. The purpose of this report is to present information on environmental and effluent monitoring primarily for the regulatory agencies involved in controlling operations with nuclear fuel or nuclear reactors. i.e., the U.S. DOE and the California State Department of Health Services (DHS). Radiologic Health Branch (RHB). For that reason. information concentrates on Area IV at SSFL as this is the site of the former nuclear operations. While the major area of interest is radiological, this report also includes a discussion of nonradiological monitoring at SSFL.

Rocketdyne division annual site environmental report, Santa Susana Field Laboratory and De Soto Sites, 1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

1994-10-21

This annual report discusses environmental monitoring at two manufacturing and test operations sites operated in the Los Angeles area by the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International Corporation. These are identified as the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) and the De Soto site. These sites have been used for manufacturing, R&D, engineering, and testing in a broad range of technical fields, primarily rocket engine propulsion and nuclear reactor technology. The De Soto site is essentially light industry with some laboratory-scale R&D and has little potential impact on the environment. The SSFL site, because of its large size (2,668 acres), warranted comprehensive monitoring to assure protection of the environment. The purpose of this report is to present information on environmental and effluent monitoring primarily for the regulatory agencies involved in controlling environmental remediation, i.e., the U.S. DOE, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the California State Department of Health Services (DHS) Radiologic Health Branch (RHB). For that reason, information concentrates on Area IV at SSFL as this is the site of the former nuclear operations. While the major area of interest is radiological, this report also includes a discussion of nonoradiological monitoring at SSFL.

Ligand-bound Structures and Site-directed Mutagenesis Identify the Acceptor and Secondary Binding Sites of Streptomyces coelicolor Maltosyltransferase GlgE*

Science.gov (United States)

Syson, Karl; Stevenson, Clare E. M.; Miah, Farzana; Barclay, J. Elaine; Tang, Minhong; Gorelik, Andrii; Rashid, Abdul M.; Lawson, David M.; Bornemann, Stephen

2016-01-01

GlgE is a maltosyltransferase involved in α-glucan biosynthesis in bacteria that has been genetically validated as a target for tuberculosis therapies. Crystals of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis enzyme diffract at low resolution so most structural studies have been with the very similar Streptomyces coelicolor GlgE isoform 1. Although the donor binding site for α-maltose 1-phosphate had been previously structurally defined, the acceptor site had not. Using mutagenesis, kinetics, and protein crystallography of the S. coelicolor enzyme, we have now identified the +1 to +6 subsites of the acceptor/product, which overlap with the known cyclodextrin binding site. The sugar residues in the acceptor subsites +1 to +5 are oriented such that they disfavor the binding of malto-oligosaccharides that bear branches at their 6-positions, consistent with the known acceptor chain specificity of GlgE. A secondary binding site remote from the catalytic center was identified that is distinct from one reported for the M. tuberculosis enzyme. This new site is capable of binding a branched α-glucan and is most likely involved in guiding acceptors toward the donor site because its disruption kinetically compromises the ability of GlgE to extend polymeric substrates. However, disruption of this site, which is conserved in the Streptomyces venezuelae GlgE enzyme, did not affect the growth of S. venezuelae or the structure of the polymeric product. The acceptor subsites +1 to +4 in the S. coelicolor enzyme are well conserved in the M. tuberculosis enzyme so their identification could help inform the design of inhibitors with therapeutic potential. PMID:27531751

Public participation in decision-making for contaminated sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, J.E.; Sharp, S.L.

2000-01-01

Public participation is critical in environmental decision-making. This paper provides three examples of public participation in the decision making process. The first example illustrates the effectiveness of public involvement when incorporated at the beginning of a project. The second example shows the loss of trust by a community resulting from the lack of public involvement. The third example demonstrates public involvement in making risk-based decisions for corrective action in a non-radiological situation. The first site is the Los Alamos National Laboratory where a lawsuit filed by local citizens led to an independent audit of the laboratory's compliance with the Clean Air Act for radionuclides. The audit team involved the public extensively, resulting in close interaction during the audit and a better understanding by the public of the regulations. The second site is the Rocky Flats Plant nuclear weapons facility, which is being decommissioned and the surrounding property will ultimately be available for public use. The Department of Energy proposed a cleanup level but the level was developed with little public input and has been criticized widely by local residents. As a result, the target cleanup levels are being reevaluated by an independent contractor with oversight from a panel of local members of the public. Working with the independent contractor, the panel proposed new cleanup standards to the Department of Energy. The third site is a bulk oil and terminal where chemicals have migrated offsite into a residential area. Facility owners have initiated a public involvement program to help the community understand the potential risks involved and alternatives for remedial action. The public is playing a key role in the risk-based decision making process. Each of these examples illustrates the importance of public participation in different situations. (author)

A helping hand: artificial nest site provisioning increases breeding ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Common white terns Gygis alba lay a single egg balanced on rocks or branches and consequently are at risk of low nesting success. A novel technique of hollowing out coconut husks and providing artificial nest sites was developed on Cousine Island, Seychelles. Our study aimed to critically assess whether common white ...

Stake holders involvement in emergency preparedness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oudiz, A.

2002-01-01

The management of a nuclear crisis involves many actors apart from the radiation protection and nuclear safety experts. More than stakeholders involvement, what is at stake is a better co-operation and mutual understanding amongst the various actors. This mutual understanding requires that a minimal common nuclear risk culture exists. Presently, in France, the representation of the nuclear risk is split into two clear-cut misconceptions: risk denial or catastrophe, with almost nothing in between. In order to contribute to building progressively a common nuclear risk culture, the information about the risk and its management needs to be discussed and criticized by various actors, including non institutional actors who play an important role for the diffusion of the risk culture. Hence, IPSN decided in year 2000 to elaborate a specific feature allowing information and debate on the nuclear risk and its short and long terms management. It will take the form of a CD-ROM, which is currently elaborated by a task group taking into account: - the 'social expectancies', as they have been identified by a sociologist, - the available documents about the nuclear risk, the crisis and its management, which were analysed. The analysis shows that there is a need for a new type of feature. The feature contains first a common bulk which addresses all types of nuclear accidents and then, specific developments for each type of accidents occurring in different nuclear installations. Specialists in CD-ROM design are involved in the project. It is very important to design the structure of the CD-ROM in such a way as it presents the technical information in an understandable manner for non-specialists. This CD-ROM, which should be widely distributed and will serve as a support for debates, may contribute to building up progressively a common risk culture. It should help to aim at a better mutual understanding between experts and lay people whose points of view about the nuclear risk

NAGRA - Sites for geological repositories - Geological surveys for stage 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

This brochure published by the Swiss National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (NAGRA) examines the aims involved in the selection of sites for deep geological repositories for nuclear wastes in Switzerland. Various methods involved in their implementation are described. These include 3D-seismology, deep probe drillings, shallow drillings as well as field studies, gravimetric measurements and the study of the electrical properties of the ground and rock involved. These factors are discussed in detail. Maps are presented of the locations that are to be surveyed and details of the selected perimeters are shown. Also, the layout of a sample drilling site is presented. A timescale for the various surveys and work to be done is presented

[Parental involvement in cognitive-behavioral therapy for children with anxiety disorders].

Science.gov (United States)

Aydın, Arzu

2014-01-01

A growing body of literature suggests that parents play a critical role in the development and/or maintenance of child anxiety. One of the main purposes of this article is to identify common parental involvement techniques and most common obstacles derived from parents in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with anxious children. Another purpose of the present study is to revise empirical studies comparing child-focused CBT with and without parental involvement. The PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE and PubMed databases were searched to identify articles in English that were published between the years of 1990 and 2012 (October) using the following keywords; (1) anxiety, (2) cognitive behavioral therapy, (3) parental involvement. Studies were only included in this review if they were comparing the treatment effect of child-only CBT and CBT with additional parental components. Thirteen studies were introduced in the context of method (diagnosis of children, age range of children, follow-up, results, etc.) and therapy characteristics (number of sessions, frequency of sessions, treatment components both child focused CBT and CBT with parental involvement, etc.). The common techniques of therapy with parental involvement are psychoeducation, contingency management, cognitive restructuring, reducing parental anxiety, improving parent-child relationship, and relapse prevention. Parental psychopathology, parental inappropriate expectations and family dysfunctions are important difficulties derived from parents in CBT with anxious children. The results of the studies suggested that parental involvement have increased the efficacy of the treatment in CBT especially working with young children and having at least one anxious parent.

Individual magnetization reversal of a square dot matrix by common current excitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elyasi, Mehrdad; Bhatia, Charanjit S; Yang, Hyunsoo

2015-01-01

We have proposed a method for magnetization reversal of individual sites of a 2 by 2 matrix of perpendicularly magnetized dots by common current excitation. The spin-polarized current signal consists of a dc-biased ac part followed by a pure dc one. The amplitude of the dc and ac parts of the current, as well as the phase and duration of the ac current, determine the reversal sites through the magnetostatic interaction among the dots. We show that the individual selectivity in magnetization reversal occurs through two consecutive steps, dephasing of the matrix dyadic pairs dynamics followed by nonlinear dephasing of the individual elements. This method can be utilized to increase the storage density of magnetic random access memory by enabling common access for four or more bits. (paper)

Examining the Reading Level of Internet Medical Information for Common Internal Medicine Diagnoses.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchinson, Nora; Baird, Grayson L; Garg, Megha

2016-06-01

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend that health materials be written at a grade 6-7 reading level, which has generally not been achieved in online reading materials. Up to the present time, there have not been any assessments focused on the reading level of online educational materials across the most popular consumer Web sites for common internal medicine diagnoses. In this study, we examined the readability of open-access online health information for 9 common internal medicine diagnoses. Nine of the most frequently encountered inpatient and ambulatory internal medicine diagnoses were selected for analysis. In November and December 2014, these diagnoses were used as search terms in Google, and the top 5 Web sites across all diagnoses and a diagnosis-specific site were analyzed across 5 validated reading indices. On average, the lowest reading grade-level content was provided by the NIH (10.7), followed by WebMD (10.9), Mayo Clinic (11.3), and diagnosis-specific Web sites (11.5). Conversely, Wikipedia provided content that required the highest grade-level readability (14.6). The diagnoses with the lowest reading grade levels were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (10.8), followed by diabetes (10.9), congestive heart failure (11.7), osteoporosis (11.7) and hypertension (11.7). Depression had the highest grade-level readability (13.8). Despite recommendations for patient health information to be written at a grade 6-7 reading level, our examination of online educational materials pertaining to 9 common internal medicine diagnoses revealed reading levels significantly above the NIH recommendation. This was seen across both diagnosis-specific and general Web sites. There is a need to improve the readability of online educational materials made available to patients. These improvements have the potential to greatly enhance patient awareness, engagement, and physician-patient communication. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Categorization of potential breeding sites of dengue vectors in Johor, Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyamah, M A; Sulaiman, S; Omar, B

2010-04-01

This cross-sectional study was to compare and categorize potential breeding sites of dengue vectors, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus at three different places, namely, an urban (Taman Permas Jaya, Johor Bahru, Johor), a suburban (Kg. Melayu Gelang Patah, Johor Bahru, Johor) and a rural (Felda Simpang Waha, Kota Tinggi, Johor) habitats in Malaysia. Larval surveys were conducted once in every two months at each habitat over a period of 11 months from August 2000 until June 2001. There was a significant difference between the three study sites in terms of potential breeding sites inspected (psuburban (29.35)>urban habitat (16.97). Both breeding sites and potential breeding sites were the nominator and the total number of containers inspected as the denominator in the formula of PCI, thus the latter could be a potential indicator to initiate anti-dengue campaign at the community level to rid off potential Aedes breeding sites. The three most common potential breeding sites of Aedes species were similar for urban and suburban habitats (flower pots, pails and bowls respectively). However, flower pots, vases and tyres were the three most common potential breeding sites for the rural habitat. Another finding in this study was that various types of larval habitats were found indoors and outdoors for both species.

Primary Angle Closure and Sequence Variants within MicroRNA Binding Sites of Genes Involved in Eye Development.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haihong Shi

Full Text Available The formation of primary angle closure (PAC and primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG is regulated by a tissue remodeling pathway that plays a critical role in eye development. MicroRNAs (miRNAs are powerful gene expression regulators and may exert their effects on tissue remodeling genes. This study investigated the associations between gene variants (single-nucleotide polymorphism, SNP in miRNA binding sites in the 3'-UTR region of genes involved in eye development and PAC.The sample consisted of 232 PAC subjects and 306 controls obtained from a population-based cohort in the Funing District of Jiangsu, China. The markers include 9 SNPs in the COL11A1, PCMTD1, ZNRF3, MTHFR, and ALPPL2 genes respectively. SNP genotyping was performed with a TaqMan-MGB probe using an RT-PCR system.Of the 9 SNPs studied, the frequency of the minor A allele of COL11A1 rs1031820 was higher in the PAC group than in the control group in allele analysis (p = 0.047. The genotype analysis indicated that MTHFR rs1537514 is marginally associated with PAC (p = 0.014. The CC genotype of rs1537514 was present solely in the PAC group. However, the differences lost significance after Bonferroni correction.Our study reveals a possible association of COL11A1 and MTHFR with PAC in the Han Chinese population. These results will contribute to an improved understanding of the genetic basis of PACG.

A Phenomenological Study of Parental Involvement and the Undergraduate College Student Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Garrison, David Michael

2013-01-01

Parents highly involved in the academic lives of their college-going children have become increasingly common and yet the effect of such involvement on students is poorly understood by student services administrators and faculty. The purpose of this study was to better define the phenomenon of parental involvement in college through an…

Parental Involvement in Elementary Children's Religious Education: A Phenomenological Inquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Bunnell, Peter W.; Yocum, Russell; Koyzis, Anthony; Strohmyer, Karin

2018-01-01

Biblical texts mandate parental involvement in children's religious education. Researchers consider it important as well. Through analysis of interviews, site documents, and a focus group this phenomenological study seeks to provide a rich description of parents' experience with involvement in the religious education of their elementary children.…

Investigations involving oxidation-reduction (REDOX) pretreatment in conjunction with biological remediation of contaminated soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montemagno, C.D.; Peters, R.W.; Tyree, A.

1991-01-01

Oxidation-reduction (REDOX) reactions are among the most important reactions involved in the environmental engineering field. Oxidation is a reaction in which the oxidation state of the treated compound is increased, i.e., the material loses electrons. Reduction involves the addition of a chemical (reducing) agent which lowers the oxidation state of a substance, i.e., the material gains electrons. Both processes of oxidation and reduction occur together. All REDOX reactions are thermodynamically based. There are a number of oxidizing agents which have been reported in the technical literature for treatment of refractory organic compounds. Common oxidizing agents include: hydrogen peroxide, ozone, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and combinations thereof, such as UV/ozone and UV/peroxide. A gradient of REDOX reactions is possible, depending on such factors as the oxidation-reduction reaction conditions, the availability of electron donors and acceptors, and the nature of the organic compounds involved. A review of the technical literature revealed that the majority of the oxidation-reduction applications have been in the areas of wastewater treatment and groundwater remediation, with very little attention devoted to the potential of using REDOX technologies for remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soils. In this particular study, feasibility studies were performed on gasoline- contaminated soil. These studies focused on three major phases: 1) containment of the contamination by addition of tailoring agents to the soil, 2) biological remediation either performed in situ or on-site (using a slurry reactor system), and 3) pretreatment of the contaminated soils using REDOX systems, prior to biological remediation. This particular paper focuses on the third phase of the project, aimed at ''softening'' the refractory organics resulting in the formation of organic compounds which are more amenable to biological degradation. This paper focuses its attention on the use of

Investigations involving oxidation-reduction (REDOX) pretreatment in conjunction with biological remediation of contaminated soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montemagno, C. D. [Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL (United States); Peters, R. W.; Tyree, A.

1991-07-01

Oxidation-reduction (REDOX) reactions are among the most important reactions involved in the environmental engineering field. Oxidation is a reaction in which the oxidation state of the treated compound is increased, i.e., the material loses electrons. Reduction involves the addition of a chemical (reducing) agent which lowers the oxidation state of a substance, i.e., the material gains electrons. Both processes of oxidation and reduction occur together. All REDOX reactions are thermodynamically based. There are a number of oxidizing agents which have been reported in the technical literature for treatment of refractory organic compounds. Common oxidizing agents include: hydrogen peroxide, ozone, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and combinations thereof, such as UV/ozone and UV/peroxide. A gradient of REDOX reactions is possible, depending on such factors as the oxidation-reduction reaction conditions, the availability of electron donors and acceptors, and the nature of the organic compounds involved. A review of the technical literature revealed that the majority of the oxidation-reduction applications have been in the areas of wastewater treatment and groundwater remediation, with very little attention devoted to the potential of using REDOX technologies for remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soils. In this particular study, feasibility studies were performed on gasoline- contaminated soil. These studies focused on three major phases: 1) containment of the contamination by addition of tailoring agents to the soil, 2) biological remediation either performed in situ or on-site (using a slurry reactor system), and 3) pretreatment of the contaminated soils using REDOX systems, prior to biological remediation. This particular paper focuses on the third phase of the project, aimed at ''softening'' the refractory organics resulting in the formation of organic compounds which are more amenable to biological degradation. This paper focuses its attention on the use of

Better estimation of protein-DNA interaction parameters improve prediction of functional sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O'Flanagan Ruadhan A

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Characterizing transcription factor binding motifs is a common bioinformatics task. For transcription factors with variable binding sites, we need to get many suboptimal binding sites in our training dataset to get accurate estimates of free energy penalties for deviating from the consensus DNA sequence. One procedure to do that involves a modified SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment method designed to produce many such sequences. Results We analyzed low stringency SELEX data for E. coli Catabolic Activator Protein (CAP, and we show here that appropriate quantitative analysis improves our ability to predict in vitro affinity. To obtain large number of sequences required for this analysis we used a SELEX SAGE protocol developed by Roulet et al. The sequences obtained from here were subjected to bioinformatic analysis. The resulting bioinformatic model characterizes the sequence specificity of the protein more accurately than those sequence specificities predicted from previous analysis just by using a few known binding sites available in the literature. The consequences of this increase in accuracy for prediction of in vivo binding sites (and especially functional ones in the E. coli genome are also discussed. We measured the dissociation constants of several putative CAP binding sites by EMSA (Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay and compared the affinities to the bioinformatics scores provided by methods like the weight matrix method and QPMEME (Quadratic Programming Method of Energy Matrix Estimation trained on known binding sites as well as on the new sites from SELEX SAGE data. We also checked predicted genome sites for conservation in the related species S. typhimurium. We found that bioinformatics scores based on SELEX SAGE data does better in terms of prediction of physical binding energies as well as in detecting functional sites. Conclusion We think that training binding site detection

Clinical implications of mast cell involvement in allergic conjunctivitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Elieh Ali Komi, D; Rambasek, T; Bielory, L

2018-03-01

The conjunctiva is a common site for the allergic inflammatory response due to it being highly vascularized, having constant exposure to environmental pollutants and allergenic pollens and having a unique conjunctival associated lymphoid tissue. The primary morbidity of anterior surface conjunctival disorders that include allergic conjunctivitis and tear film disorders is associated with its high frequency of involvement rather than its severity, although the more chronic forms can involve the cornea and lead to sight-threatening conditions. Ocular allergy is associated with IgE-mediated mast cell activation in conjunctival tissue leading to the release of preformed mediators including histamine and proteases and subsequent de novo formation of lipid-derived mediators and cytokines that trigger a cascade of cellular and molecular events leading to extensive migration and infiltration of inflammatory cells to the ocular surface. The trafficking of neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes to the ocular surface is due to establishing various chemokine gradients (mainly CCL11, CCL24, CCL5, MCP-3, and MCP-4), cell surface expression of adhesion molecules (such as VCAM-1 the ligand for VLA-4), and leukocyte adhesion to vascular endothelium. The release of preformed mediators underlies the acute ocular surface response while the secondary influx of inflammatory cells leading to the recruitment and activation of eosinophils and the subsequent activation of Th2 and Th1 lymphocytes at the level of the conjunctiva reflects the late-phase reaction. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Development of a laboratory niche Web site.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimenstein, Izak B; Dimenstein, Simon I

2013-10-01

This technical note presents the development of a methodological laboratory niche Web site. The "Grossing Technology in Surgical Pathology" (www.grossing-technology.com) Web site is used as an example. Although common steps in creation of most Web sites are followed, there are particular requirements for structuring the template's menu on methodological laboratory Web sites. The "nested doll principle," in which one object is placed inside another, most adequately describes the methodological approach to laboratory Web site design. Fragmentation in presenting the Web site's material highlights the discrete parts of the laboratory procedure. An optimally minimal triad of components can be recommended for the creation of a laboratory niche Web site: a main set of media, a blog, and an ancillary component (host, contact, and links). The inclusion of a blog makes the Web site a dynamic forum for professional communication. By forming links and portals, cloud computing opens opportunities for connecting a niche Web site with other Web sites and professional organizations. As an additional source of information exchange, methodological laboratory niche Web sites are destined to parallel both traditional and new forms, such as books, journals, seminars, webinars, and internal educational materials. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Frequency of Genital Involvement in Women with Oral Lichen Planus in Southern Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Davarmanesh

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Lichen Planus is a chronic mucocutaneous disease of immunological basis and unknown etiology. women with oral lichen planus may have concomitant manifestations in vulvovaginal areas. Objective. To determine the frequency and risk factors of genital involvement in a group of Iranian women affected by oral lichen planus. Methods. Thirty-six women with clinical and histopathological diagnosis of oral lichen planus were evaluated for demographic, historical, and clinical parameters of the oral disease. All the patients were referred for careful vulvovaginal examination, as well as histopathological assessment upon clinical indication. Results. Nineteen patients complained from genital symptoms but the number of women with the final diagnosis of genital lichen planus (=2 was too small to show any correlation with the parameters evaluated. Conclusion. In spite of low genital involvement possibly due to inadequate patient population, lack of follow-up visits, and contribution of genetic or ethnic factors, for conservative patient care, women with the oral lichen planus in particular those having some relevant genital symptoms, should preferably be referred for careful vulvovaginal examination. Multicenter cohort studies on women of different geographical regions or ethnicities who have genital lichen planus alone or in combination with other common sites are encouraged.

Site safety progress review of spent fuel central interim storage facility. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurpinar, A.; Serva, L.; Giuliani

1995-01-01

Following the request of the Czech Power Board (CEZ) and within the scope of the Technical Cooperation Project CZR/9/003, a progress review of the site safety of the Spent Fuel Central Interim Storage Facility (SFCISF) was performed. The review involved the first two stages of the works comprising the regional survey and identification of candidate sites for the underground and surface storage options. Five sites have been identified as a result of the previous works. The following two stages will involved the identification of the preferred candidate sites for the two options and the final site qualification. The present review had the purpose of assessing the work already performed and making recommendations for the next two stages of works

Unified Common Fixed Point Theorems for a Hybrid Pair of Mappings via an Implicit Relation Involving Altering Distance Function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunny Chauhan

2014-01-01

implicit relation, we prove a new coincidence and common fixed point theorem for a hybrid pair of occasionally coincidentally idempotent mappings in a metric space employing the common limit range property. Our main result improves and generalizes a host of previously known results. We also utilize suitable illustrative examples to substantiate the realized improvements in our results.

Intra-site Secure Transport Vehicle test and evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, S.

1995-01-01

In the past many DOE and DoD facilities involved in handling nuclear material realized a need to enhance the safely and security for movement of sensitive materials within their facility, or ''intra-site''. There have been prior efforts to improve on-site transportation; however, there remains a requirement for enhanced on-site transportation at a number of facilities. The requirements for on-site transportation are driven by security, safety, and operational concerns. The Intra-site Secure Transport Vehicle (ISTV) was designed to address these concerns specifically for DOE site applications with a standardized vehicle design. This paper briefly reviews the ISTV design features providing significant enhancement of onsite transportation safety and security, and also describes the test and evaluation activities either complete of underway to validate the vehicle design and operation

[Modular risk analysis for assessing multiple waste sites]: Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whelan, G.

1994-01-01

This document contains proceedings from the Integrated Planning Workshop from Strategic Planning to Baselining and Other Objectives. Topics discussed include: stakeholder involvement; regulations; future site use planning; site integration and baseline methods; risk analysis in decision making; land uses; and economics in decision making. Individual records have been processed separately for the database

Usability Testing in a Library Web Site Redesign Project.

Science.gov (United States)

McMullen, Susan

2001-01-01

Discusses the need for an intuitive library information gateway to meet users' information needs and describes the process involved in redesigning a library Web site based on experiences at Roger Williams University. Explains usability testing methods that were used to discover how users were interacting with the Web site interface. (Author/LRW)

Assessment of mixed hazardous and radioactive waste sites at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLaughlin, T.J.; Cramer, K.H.; Lamar, D.A.; Sherwood, D.R.; Stenner, R.D.; Schulze, W.B.

1987-10-01

The US Department of Energy and Pacific Northwest Laboratory recently completed a preliminary assessment of 685 inactive hazardous waste sites located on the Hanford Site. The preliminary assessment involved collecting historical data and individual site information, conducting site inspections, and establishing an environmental impact priority, using the Hazard Ranking System, for each of these 685 sites. This preliminary assessment was the first step in the remediation process required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. This paper presents the results of that preliminary assessment. 10 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Real-time single-molecule tethered particle motion experiments reveal the kinetics and mechanisms of Cre-mediated site-specific recombination

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Hsiu-Fang

2012-01-01

Tyrosine family recombinases (YRs) are widely utilized in genome engineering systems because they can easily direct DNA rearrangement. Cre recombinases, one of the most commonly used types of YRs, catalyze site-specific recombination between two loxP sites without the need for high-energy cofactors, other accessory proteins or a specific DNA target sequence between the loxP sites. Previous structural, analytical ultracentrifuge and electrophoretic analyses have provided details of the reaction kinetics and mechanisms of Cre recombinase activity; whether there are reaction intermediates or side pathways involved has been left unaddressed. Using tethered particle motion (TPM), the Cre-mediated site-specific recombination process has been delineated, from beginning to end, at the single-molecule level, including the formation of abortive complexes and wayward complexes blocking inactive nucleoprotein complexes from entering the recombination process. Reversibility in the strand-cleavage/-ligation process and the formation of a thermally stable Holliday junction intermediate were observed within the Cre-mediated site-specific recombination process. Rate constants for each elementary step, which explain the overall reaction outcomes under various conditions, were determined. Taking the findings of this study together, they demonstrate the potential of single-molecule methodology as an alternative approach for exploring reaction mechanisms in detail. PMID:22467208

MDEP Common Position No DICWG08. Common position on the impact of cyber security features on digital I and C safety systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

Cyber security measures are generally implemented at nuclear facilities to protect against cyber-attacks that may compromise safety. The implementation of such cyber security measures may vary based on site specific requirements and each country's regulatory frameworks. Safety measures and cyber security measures for a nuclear power plant should be designed and implemented so that they do not compromise one another. This common position is intended to only apply to systems classified to the highest level of safety. The Digital Instrumentation and Controls Working Group (DICWG) has agreed that a common position on this topic is warranted given the increase of use of Digital I and C in new reactor designs, its safety implications, and the need to develop a common understanding from the perspectives of regulatory authorities. This action follows the DICWG examination of the regulatory requirements of the participating members and of relevant industry standards and IAEA documents. The DICWG proposes a common position based on its recent experience with the new reactor application reviews and operating plant issues

On-Site Detection as a Countermeasure to Chemical Warfare/Terrorism.

Science.gov (United States)

Seto, Y

2014-01-01

On-site monitoring and detection are necessary in the crisis and consequence management of wars and terrorism involving chemical warfare agents (CWAs) such as sarin. The analytical performance required for on-site detection is mainly determined by the fatal vapor concentration and volatility of the CWAs involved. The analytical performance for presently available on-site technologies and commercially available on-site equipment for detecting CWAs interpreted and compared in this review include: classical manual methods, photometric methods, ion mobile spectrometry, vibrational spectrometry, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, sensors, and other methods. Some of the data evaluated were obtained from our experiments using authentic CWAs. We concluded that (a) no technologies perfectly fulfill all of the on-site detection requirements and (b) adequate on-site detection requires (i) a combination of the monitoring-tape method and ion-mobility spectrometry for point detection and (ii) a combination of the monitoring-tape method, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry with counterflow introduction, and gas chromatography with a trap and special detectors for continuous monitoring. The basic properties of CWAs, the concept of on-site detection, and the sarin gas attacks in Japan as well as the forensic investigations thereof, are also explicated in this article. Copyright © 2014 Central Police University.

Siting and public acceptance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Lise, Pasquale.

1977-01-01

The paper discusses the problem of nuclear power plant siting according to presently applicable legislation in Italy, taking into account urban and environmental aspects. Act No 393 of 2 August 1975 on the siting of nuclear plants introduced a significant change in that prior to its adoption, the competence to license nuclear installations was divided amongst so many bodies that approval was inevitably delayed. Act No. 393 lays down the siting procedure which involves authorities at regional and State level and provides a step by step consultation of the Communes concerned and gives them a time limit for replying to the proposed project, while enabling the necessary scientific, environmental and urban investigations to be made. Thus although ultimate decisions rest with the State, the regional bodies representing the public have a voice in them. In such planning the authorities must take into account the public interest, from the environmental and social angles as well as political and economic interests. (NEA) [fr

Adolescent bullying involvement and perceived family, peer and school relations: commonalities and differences across race/ethnicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Spriggs, Aubrey L; Iannotti, Ronald J; Nansel, Tonja R; Haynie, Denise L

2007-09-01

Although bullying is recognized as a serious problem in the United States, little is known about racial/ethnic differences in bullying risk. This study examined associations between bullying and family, peer, and school relations for white, black and Hispanic adolescents. A nationally representative sample (n = 11,033) of adolescents in grades six to ten participated in the 2001 Health Behaviors in School-Aged Children survey, self-reporting bullying involvement and information on family, peer and school relations. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression analyses controlling for gender, age and affluence were stratified by race/ethnicity. Nine percent of respondents were victims of bullying, 9% were bullies, and 3% were bully-victims. Black adolescents reported a significantly lower prevalence of victimization than white and Hispanic students. Multivariate results indicated modest racial/ethnic variation in associations between bullying and family, peer, and school factors. Parental communication, social isolation, and classmate relationships were similarly related to bullying across racial/ethnic groups. Living with two biological parents was protective against bullying involvement for white students only. Furthermore, although school satisfaction and performance were negatively associated with bullying involvement for white and Hispanic students, school factors were largely unrelated to bullying among black students. Although school attachment and performance were inconsistently related to bullying behavior across race/ethnicity, bullying behaviors are consistently related to peer relationships across black, white, and Hispanic adolescents. Negative associations between family communication and bullying behaviors for white, black, and Hispanic adolescents suggest the importance of addressing family interactions in future bullying prevention efforts.

Ophaceous Gout Involving the Whole Spine: An Unusual Case Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Min Woo; Lee, Ji Hae; Cho, Woo Ho [Dept. of Radiology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2012-02-15

Gout is a relatively common, crystal deposition disease, in which monosodium urate crystals are deposited in joint and periarticular tissues of the extremities. Involvement of the spine is exceedingly rare. Most patients with spinal gout present with symptomatic spinal cord compression. Diffuse involvement of tophi deposition inside the spinal central canal has not been reported. We now present a case of chronic tophaceous gout with extensive spinal involvement that resulted in diffuse spinal cord compression and led to paraplegia.

Ophaceous Gout Involving the Whole Spine: An Unusual Case Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Min Woo; Lee, Ji Hae; Cho, Woo Ho

2012-01-01

Gout is a relatively common, crystal deposition disease, in which monosodium urate crystals are deposited in joint and periarticular tissues of the extremities. Involvement of the spine is exceedingly rare. Most patients with spinal gout present with symptomatic spinal cord compression. Diffuse involvement of tophi deposition inside the spinal central canal has not been reported. We now present a case of chronic tophaceous gout with extensive spinal involvement that resulted in diffuse spinal cord compression and led to paraplegia.

In-field inspection support software: A status report on the Common Inspection On-site Software Package (CIOSP) project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novatchev, Dimitre; Titov, Pavel; Siradjov, Bakhtiiar; Vlad, Ioan; Xiao Jing

2001-01-01

Full text: IAEA has invested much thought and effort into developing software that can assist inspectors during their inspection work. Experience with such applications has been steadily growing and IAEA has recently commissioned a next-generation software package. This kind of software accommodates inspection tasks that can vary substantially in function depending on the type of installation being inspected as well as ensures that the resulting software package has a wide range of usability and can preclude excessive development of plant-specific applications. The Common Inspection On-site Software Package is being developed in the Department of Safeguards to address the limitations of the existing software and to expand its coverage of the inspection process. CIOSP is 'common' in that it is aimed at providing support for as many facilities as possible with the minimum re-configuration. At the same time it has to cater to varying needs of individual facilities, different instrumentation and verification methods used. A component-based approach was taken to successfully tackle the challenges that the development of this software presented. CIOSP consists of the following major components: A framework into which individual plug-ins supporting various inspection activities can integrate at run-time; A central data store containing all facility configuration data and all data collected during inspections; A local data store, which resides on the inspector's computer, where the current inspection's data is stored; A set of services used by all plug-ins (i.e. data transformation, authentication, replication services etc.). This architecture allows for incremental development and extension of the software with plug-ins that support individual inspection activities. The core set of components along with the framework, the Inventory Verification, Book Examination and Records and Reports Comparison plug-ins have been developed. The development of the Short Notice Random

[Pulmonary involvement in connective tissue disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Bartosiewicz, Małgorzata

2016-01-01

The connective tissue diseases are a variable group of autoimmune mediated disorders characterized by multiorgan damage. Pulmonary complications are common, usually occur after the onset of joint symptoms, but can also be initially presenting complaint. The respiratory system may be involved in all its component: airways, vessels, parenchyma, pleura and respiratory muscles. Lung involvement is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in the connective tissue diseases. Clinical course is highly variable - can range from mild to rapidly progressive, some processes are reversible, while others are irreversible. Thus, the identification of reversible disease , and separately progressive disease, are important clinical issues. The frequency, clinical presentation, prognosis and responce to therapy are different, depending on the pattern of involvement as well as on specyfic diagnostic method used to identify it. High- resolution computed tompography plays an important role in identifying patients with respiratory involvement. Pulmonary function tests are a sensitive tool detecting interstitial lung disease. In this article, pulmonary lung involvement accompanying most frequently apperaing connective tissue diseases - rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, lupus erythematosus, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, Sjögrens syndrome and mixed connective tissue disaese are reviewed.

Deconstructing IgG4-related disease involvement of midline structures: Comparison to common mimickers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanzillotta, Marco; Campochiaro, Corrado; Trimarchi, Matteo; Arrigoni, Gianluigi; Gerevini, Simonetta; Milani, Raffaella; Bozzolo, Enrica; Biafora, Matteo; Venturini, Elena; Cicalese, Maria Pia; Stone, John H; Sabbadini, Maria Grazia; Della-Torre, Emanuel

2017-07-01

A series of destructive and tumefactive lesions of the midline structures have been recently added to the spectrum of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). We examined the clinical, serological, endoscopic, radiological, and histological features that might be of utility in distinguishing IgG4-RD from other forms of inflammatory conditions with the potential to involve the sinonasal area and the oral cavity. We studied 11 consecutive patients with erosive and/or tumefactive lesions of the midline structures referred to our tertiary care center. All patients underwent serum IgG4 measurement, flow cytometry for circulating plasmablast counts, nasal endoscopy, radiological studies, and histological evaluation of tissue specimens. The histological studies included immunostaining studies to assess the number of IgG4 + plasma cells/HPF for calculation of the IgG4+/IgG + plasma cell ratio. Five patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), three with cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions (CIMDL), and three with IgG4-RD were studied. We found no clinical, endoscopic, or radiological findings specific for IgG4-RD. Increased serum IgG4 and plasmablasts levels were not specific for IgG4-RD. Rather, all 11 patients had elevated blood plasmablast concentrations, and several patients with GPA and CIMDL had elevated serum IgG4 levels. Storiform fibrosis and an IgG4+/IgG + plasma cell ratio >20% on histological examination, however, were observed only in patients with IgG4-RD. Histological examination of bioptic samples from the sinonasal area and oral cavity represents the mainstay for the diagnosis of IgG4-RD involvement of the midline structures.

Transcriptional Dysregulation of MYC Reveals Common Enhancer-Docking Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jurian Schuijers

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Summary: Transcriptional dysregulation of the MYC oncogene is among the most frequent events in aggressive tumor cells, and this is generally accomplished by acquisition of a super-enhancer somewhere within the 2.8 Mb TAD where MYC resides. We find that these diverse cancer-specific super-enhancers, differing in size and location, interact with the MYC gene through a common and conserved CTCF binding site located 2 kb upstream of the MYC promoter. Genetic perturbation of this enhancer-docking site in tumor cells reduces CTCF binding, super-enhancer interaction, MYC gene expression, and cell proliferation. CTCF binding is highly sensitive to DNA methylation, and this enhancer-docking site, which is hypomethylated in diverse cancers, can be inactivated through epigenetic editing with dCas9-DNMT. Similar enhancer-docking sites occur at other genes, including genes with prominent roles in multiple cancers, suggesting a mechanism by which tumor cell oncogenes can generally hijack enhancers. These results provide insights into mechanisms that allow a single target gene to be regulated by diverse enhancer elements in different cell types. : Schuijers et al. show that a conserved CTCF site at the promoter of the MYC oncogene plays an important role in enhancer-promoter looping with tumor-specific super-enhancers. Perturbation of this site provides a potential therapeutic vulnerability. Keywords: gene regulation, super-enhancers, chromosome structure, enhancer docking

Structural features of single-stranded integron cassette attC sites and their role in strand selection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Bouvier

2009-09-01

Full Text Available We recently showed that cassette integration and deletion in integron platforms were occurring through unconventional site-specific recombination reactions involving only the bottom strand of attC sites. The lack of sequence conservation among attC sites led us to hypothesize that sequence-independent structural recognition determinants must exist within attC sites. The structural data obtained from a synaptic complex of the Vibrio cholerae integrase with the bottom strand of an attC site has shown the importance of extra helical bases (EHB inside the stem-loop structure formed from the bottom strand. Here, we systematically determined the contribution of three structural elements common to all known single-stranded attC site recombination substrates (the EHBs, the unpaired central spacer (UCS, and the variable terminal structure (VTS to strand choice and recombination. Their roles have been evaluated in vivo in the attIxattC reaction context using the suicide conjugation assay we previously developed, but also in an attCxattC reaction using a deletion assay. Conjugation was used to deliver the attC sites in single-stranded form. Our results show that strand choice is primarily directed by the first EHB, but the presence of the two other EHBs also serves to increase this strand selection. We found that the structure of the central spacer is essential to achieve high level recombination of the bottom strand, suggesting a dual role for this structure in active site exclusion and for hindering the reverse reaction after the first strand exchange. Moreover, we have shown that the VTS has apparently no role in strand selectivity.

Patterns of failure following high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue for relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: implications for the use of adjuvant involved field radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mundt, Arno J.; Williams, Stephanie F.; Hallahan, Dennis; Weichselbaum, Ralph R.

1996-01-01

Purpose: Recent data have suggested a benefit to involved-field radiotherapy (IFRT) in conjunction with high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and autologous stem cell rescue (SCR) in patients with metastatic breast cancer, advanced neuroblastoma and relapsed/refractory Hodgkin's disease. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a similar role exists for IFRT in patients with relapsed/refractory Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) undergoing HDCT. Methods/Materials: Forty-nine adult patients with refractory (17) or relapsed (32) NHL underwent HDCT with SCR between 9/90 and 9/95. The most common histology was diffuse large cell (42.8%). Initial stages were I (3), II (23), III (5) and IV (18). All patients had a history of conventional chemotherapy (median regimens 2, range 1-3), 17 (34.7%) had previous RT. Treatment consisted of conventional dose induction chemotherapy followed by high-dose intensification with cytoxan, busulfan and either ara-C or VP-16. Seven patients (14.3%) received IFRT (median dose 34.5 Gy, range 20-45 Gy) to eleven sites of persistent disease following HDCT (HDCT+IFRT). Patients treated with RT to sites of progressive disease following HDCT (salvage RT) were not included in the HDCT+IFRT group. No patient received total body irradiation (TBI). One hundred sixty four sites were identified. Sites were designated as amenable or not to IFRT and divided into those achieving a complete response to induction (IndCR) and those which did not (non-IndCR). An amenable site is defined as disease localized to either an organ or nodal chain and encompassable within a standard RT portal. Relapse sites were designated as in previous (involved) sites (present prior to HDCT) or in new (uninvolved) sites. Median followup was 19.7 months (range, 1-57.3 months). Results: The 4-year actuarial progression-free (PFS), cause-specific (CSS) and overall (OS) survivals of the entire group were 36.4%, 45.9% and 34.9%, respectively. Excluding toxic deaths, 20 (47.6%) patients

Appreciating "Thirdspace": An Alternative Way of Viewing and Valuing Site-Specific Dance Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Munjee, Tara

2014-01-01

Site-specific dance performance involves the presentation of choreography in connection with a site. The context of the site combined with a viewer's personal history, beliefs, and identity impact the reading and appreciation of the performance. Although both stage and site dance performance valuing elicit multiple interpretations of artistic…

Leukemic meningitis involving the cauda equina: a case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Dong Hyun; Kim, Ho Kyun; Lee, Young Hwan

2008-01-01

The CNS involvement by leukemia may either be meningeal or parenchymal, although meningeal infiltration of leukemic cells, known as leukemic meningitis is more common. We report a case of leukemic meningitis involving the cauda equina in a patient with an acute lymphoblastic crisis which transformed from the chronic phase of chronic myeloid leukemia. An MR image revealed diffuse enlargement and peripheral ring enhancement of the nerve roots of the cauda equina

Leukemic meningitis involving the cauda equina: a case report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Dong Hyun; Kim, Ho Kyun; Lee, Young Hwan [School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2008-07-15

The CNS involvement by leukemia may either be meningeal or parenchymal, although meningeal infiltration of leukemic cells, known as leukemic meningitis is more common. We report a case of leukemic meningitis involving the cauda equina in a patient with an acute lymphoblastic crisis which transformed from the chronic phase of chronic myeloid leukemia. An MR image revealed diffuse enlargement and peripheral ring enhancement of the nerve roots of the cauda equina.

Cardiac involvement in genotype-positive Fabry disease patients assessed by cardiovascular MR.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozor, Rebecca; Grieve, Stuart M; Tchan, Michel C; Callaghan, Fraser; Hamilton-Craig, Christian; Denaro, Charles; Moon, James C; Figtree, Gemma A

2016-02-15

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has the potential to provide early detection of cardiac involvement in Fabry disease. We aimed to gain further insight into this by assessing a cohort of Fabry patients using CMR. Fifty genotype-positive Fabry subjects (age 45±2 years; 50% male) referred for CMR and 39 matched controls (age 40±2 years; 59% male) were recruited. Patients had a mean Mainz severity score index of 15±2 (range 0-46), reflecting an overall mild degree of disease severity. Compared with controls, Fabry subjects had a 34% greater left ventricular mass (LVM) index (82±5 vs 61±2 g/m(2), p=0.001) and had a significantly greater papillary muscle contribution to total LVM (13±1 vs 6±0.5%, pgadolinium enhancement (LGE) was present in 15 Fabry subjects (9/21 males and 6/23 females). The most common site for LGE was the basal inferolateral wall (93%, 14/15). There was a positive association between LVM index and LGE. Despite this, there were two males and three females with no LVH that displayed LGE. Of Fabry subjects who were not on enzyme replacement therapy at enrolment (n=28), six were reclassified as having cardiac involvement (four LVH-negative/LGE-positive, one LVH-positive/LGE-positive and one LVH-positive/LGE-negative). CMR was able to detect cardiac involvement in 48% of this Fabry cohort, despite the overall mild disease phenotype of the cohort. Of those not on ERT, 21% were reclassified as having cardiac involvement allowing improved risk stratification and targeting of therapy. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Standard protocol for evaluation of environmental transfer factors around NPP sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hegde, A.G.; Verma, P.C.; Rao, D.D.

2009-01-01

This document presents the standard procedures for evaluation of site specific environmental transfer factors around NPP sites. The scope of this document is to provide standard protocol to be followed for evaluation of environmental transfer factors around NPP sites. The studies on transfer factors are being carried out at various NPP sites under DAE-BRNS projects for evaluation of site specific transfer factors for radionuclides released from power plants. This document contains a common methodology in terms of sampling, processing, measurements and analysis of elemental/radionuclides, while keeping the site specific requirements also in place. (author)

Virtual-site correlation mean field approach to criticality in spin systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, Aditi; Sen, Ujjwal

2013-01-01

We propose a virtual-site correlation mean field theory for dealing with interacting many-body systems. It involves a coarse-graining technique that terminates a step before the mean field theory: While mean field theory deals with only single-body physical parameters, the virtual-site correlation mean field theory deals with single- as well as two-body ones, and involves a virtual site for every interaction term in the Hamiltonian. We generalize the theory to a cluster virtual-site correlation mean field, that works with a fundamental unit of the lattice of the many-body system. We apply these methods to interacting Ising spin systems in several lattice geometries and dimensions, and show that the predictions of the onset of criticality of these models are generally much better in the proposed theories as compared to the corresponding ones in mean field theories

Exploratory Study of Common and Challenging Ethical Dilemmas Experienced by Professional School Counselors

Science.gov (United States)

Bodenhorn, Nancy

2006-01-01

Results of a survey asking public school counselors in Virginia to indicate their most common and most challenging ethical dilemmas are presented. Ninety-two school counselors reported that the most common and challenging ethical dilemmas included those involving student confidentiality, dual relationship with faculty, parental rights, and acting…

Common approach to common interests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-06-01

In referring to issues confronting the energy field in this region and options to be exercised in the future, I would like to mention the fundamental condition of the utmost importance. That can be summed up as follows: any subject in energy area can never be solved by one country alone, given the geographical and geopolitical characteristics intrinsically possessed by energy. So, a regional approach is needed and it is especially necessary for the main players in the region to jointly address problems common to them. Though it may be a matter to be pursued in the distant future, I am personally dreaming a 'Common Energy Market for Northeast Asia,' in which member countries' interests are adjusted so that the market can be integrated and the region can become a most economically efficient market, thus formulating an effective power to encounter the outside. It should be noted that Europe needed forty years to integrate its market as the unified common market. It is necessary for us to follow a number of steps over the period to eventually materialize our common market concept, too. Now is the time for us to take a first step to lay the foundation for our descendants to enjoy prosperity from such a common market.

Natural phenomena analyses, Hanford Site, Washington

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tallman, A.M.

1989-01-01

Probabilistic seismic hazard studies completed for the Washington Public Power Supply System's Nuclear Plant 2 and for the US Department of Energy's N Reactor sites, both on the Hanford Site, suggested that the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory seismic exposure estimates were lower than appropriate, especially for sites near potential seismic sources. A probabilistic seismic hazard assessment was completed for those areas that contain process and/or waste management facilities. the lower bound magnitude of 5.0 is used in the hazard analysis and the characteristics of small-magnitude earthquakes relatively common to the Hanford Site are addressed. The recommended ground motion for high-hazard facilities is somewhat higher than the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory model and the ground motion from small-magnitude earthquakes is addressed separately from the moderate- to large-magnitude earthquake ground motion. The severe wind and tornado hazards determined for the Hanford Siste are in agreement with work completed independently using 43 years of site data. The low-probability, high-hazard, design-basis flood at the Hanford Site is dominated by dam failure on the Columbia River. Further evaluation of the mechanisms and probabilities of such flooding is in progress. The Hanford Site is downwind from several active Cascade volcanoes. Geologic and historical data are used to estimate the ashfall hazard

Site remediation: The naked truth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calloway, J.M.

1991-01-01

The objective of any company faced with an environmental site remediation project is to perform the cleanup effectively at the lowest possible cost. Today, there are a variety of techniques being applied in the remediation of sites involving soils and sludges. The most popular include: stabilization, incineration, bioremediation and off-site treatment. Dewatering may also play an integral role in a number of these approaches. Selecting the most cost-effective technique for remediation of soils and sludges can be a formidable undertaking, namely because it is often difficult to quantify certain expenses in advance of the project. In addition to providing general cost guidelines for various aspects of soil and sludge remediation, this paper will show how some significant cost factors can be affected by conditions related to specific remediation projects and the cleanup technology being applied

Azithromycin in DuraSite® for the treatment of blepharitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jodi Luchs

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Jodi LuchsDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USAAbstract: Blepharitis is a common inflammatory disease of the eyelid. Posterior blepharitis affects the posterior lamella of the eyelid and involves inflammation of the meibomian glands, whereas anterior blepharitis affects the anterior lamella of the eyelid and the eyelashes; either version can be inflammatory or infectious in nature. Each of these conditions can incite or propagate the other; anterior blepharitis, if not treated, can lead to meibomian gland disease, and vice versa. Blepharitis is typically chronic, and can be associated with a variety of systemic diseases such as dermatitis, as well as ocular diseases such as dry eye, conjunctivitis, or keratitis. The standard treatment regimen historically consists of lid hygiene with warm compresses and eyelid scrubs, although these treatment modalities may have limited efficacy for many patients, especially those with more severe disease. Adjunctive treatment includes systemic and topical antibiotics, topical corticosteroids, and tear replacement therapy. Topical antibiotics are recommended to decrease the bacterial load, and topical corticosteroids may help in cases of severe inflammation. Azithromycin ophthalmic solution 1% in DuraSite® (AzaSite®; Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Durham, North Carolina, USA has been proposed as a novel treatment for posterior blepharitis, based on its well-known anti-infective profile, its antiinflammatory properties, its excellent tissue penetration, and its regulatory approval for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. This review focuses on an off-label indication for topical azithromycin 1% in DuraSite for the treatment of blepharitis.Keywords: lid margin disease, meibomian gland disease

Use of social networking sites by parents of very low birth weight infants: experiences and the potential of a dedicated site.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabbert, Tatjana I; Metze, Boris; Bührer, Christoph; Garten, Lars

2013-12-01

The objective of this study was to study the experiences of parents of preterm infants who use social networking sites and the potential of such sites for gathering information and facilitating personal exchange. An anonymous self-reporting questionnaire was administered to parents of infants below 1,500 g birth weight born between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010 in two tertiary neonatal intensive care units. Of the 278 families who were sent a questionnaire, 141 responded; 53.6 % of respondents claimed to be presently members of online social networking sites. However, only 10.7 and 18.6 % used the Internet to exchange information about their infants during the NICU stay and after discharge, respectively. Most (64.0 %) responding parents considered that currently available commercial Internet sites inadequately met their need to exchange information as parents of preterm infants. Overall, 79.1 % of respondents reported that they would be interested in joining a native-language online networking site providing (1) general information on prematurity, (2) explanations of abbreviations commonly used in a hospital setting, and (3) details of common medical problems and the treatment thereof, including the availability of local therapists and follow-up services. Also, parents wanted to engage in personal exchange online not only with other parents but also with medical staff. The support of parents of hospitalized preterm infants by neonatal nurses and doctors could be extended by developing an expert-controlled, online networking site providing reliable and updated information and facilitating personal exchange among parents.

Mangling the models: Real-life experiences in voluntary siting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roche, C.S.

1993-01-01

Social scientists are accumulating a growing body of research to guide the development of communications models for siting controversial facilities. The models emphasize building consensus by involving all stakeholders, including opponents, in the decision-making process from its earliest stages. Communications should focus on issues and concerns that are most relevant to the people in the involved community. Finally, trust must be built through local control of the decision-making process. This paper presents experiences in the voluntary siting process for the Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) facility for spent nuclear fuel in three locations: Grant County, North Dakota, Fremont County, Wyoming, and the Mescalero Apache nation in New Mexico

Large vessel involvement by IgG4-related disease

Science.gov (United States)

Perugino, Cory A.; Wallace, Zachary S.; Meyersohn, Nandini; Oliveira, George; Stone, James R.; Stone, John H.

2016-01-01

Abstract Objectives: IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an immune-mediated fibroinflammatory condition that can affect multiple organs and lead to tumefactive, tissue-destructive lesions. Reports have described inflammatory aortitis and periaortitis, the latter in the setting of retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF), but have not distinguished adequately between these 2 manifestations. The frequency, radiologic features, and response of vascular complications to B cell depletion remain poorly defined. We describe the clinical features, radiology findings, and treatment response in a cohort of 36 patients with IgG4-RD affecting large blood vessels. Methods: Clinical records of all patients diagnosed with IgG4-RD in our center were reviewed. All radiologic studies were reviewed. We distinguished between primary large blood vessel inflammation and secondary vascular involvement. Primary involvement was defined as inflammation in the blood vessel wall as a principal focus of disease. Secondary vascular involvement was defined as disease caused by the effects of adjacent inflammation on the blood vessel wall. Results: Of the 160 IgG4-RD patients in this cohort, 36 (22.5%) had large-vessel involvement. The mean age at disease onset of the patients with large-vessel IgG4-RD was 54.6 years. Twenty-eight patients (78%) were male and 8 (22%) were female. Thirteen patients (36%) had primary IgG4-related vasculitis and aortitis with aneurysm formation comprised the most common manifestation. This affected 5.6% of the entire IgG4-RD cohort and was observed in the thoracic aorta in 8 patients, the abdominal aorta in 4, and both the thoracic and abdominal aorta in 3. Three of these aneurysms were complicated by aortic dissection or contained perforation. Periaortitis secondary to RPF accounted for 27 of 29 patients (93%) of secondary vascular involvement by IgG4-RD. Only 5 patients demonstrated evidence of both primary and secondary blood vessel involvement. Of those treated with

Associations between Polygenic Risk for Psychiatric Disorders and Substance Involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Carey, Caitlin E; Agrawal, Arpana; Bucholz, Kathleen K; Hartz, Sarah M; Lynskey, Michael T; Nelson, Elliot C; Bierut, Laura J; Bogdan, Ryan

2016-01-01

Despite evidence of substantial comorbidity between psychiatric disorders and substance involvement, the extent to which common genetic factors contribute to their co-occurrence remains understudied. In the current study, we tested for associations between polygenic risk for psychiatric disorders and substance involvement (i.e., ranging from ever-use to severe dependence) among 2573 non-Hispanic European-American participants from the Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) for cross-disorder psychopathology (CROSS) were generated based on the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium's Cross-Disorder meta-analysis and then tested for associations with a factor representing general liability to alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, nicotine, and opioid involvement (GENSUB). Follow-up analyses evaluated specific associations between each of the five psychiatric disorders which comprised CROSS-attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (AUT), bipolar disorder (BIP), major depressive disorder (MDD), and schizophrenia (SCZ)-and involvement with each component substance included in GENSUB. CROSS PRS explained 1.10% of variance in GENSUB in our sample (p cannabis use, (B) MDD PRS and severe cocaine dependence, (C) SCZ PRS and non-problem cannabis use and severe cannabis dependence, and (D) SCZ PRS and severe cocaine dependence. These results suggest that shared covariance from common genetic variation contributes to psychiatric and substance involvement comorbidity.

Neuronal involvement in cisplatin neuropathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krarup-Hansen, A; Helweg-Larsen, Susanne Elisabeth; Schmalbruch, H

2007-01-01

of large dorsal root ganglion cells. Motor conduction studies, autonomic function and warm and cold temperature sensation remained unchanged at all doses of cisplatin treatment. The results of these studies are consistent with degeneration of large sensory neurons whereas there was no evidence of distal......Although it is well known that cisplatin causes a sensory neuropathy, the primary site of involvement is not established. The clinical symptoms localized in a stocking-glove distribution may be explained by a length dependent neuronopathy or by a distal axonopathy. To study whether the whole neuron...

Neuronal involvement in cisplatin neuropathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krarup-Hansen, A; Helweg-Larsen, Susanne Elisabeth; Schmalbruch, H

2007-01-01

Although it is well known that cisplatin causes a sensory neuropathy, the primary site of involvement is not established. The clinical symptoms localized in a stocking-glove distribution may be explained by a length dependent neuronopathy or by a distal axonopathy. To study whether the whole neuron...... of the foot evoked by a tactile probe showed similar changes to those observed in SNAPs evoked by electrical stimulation. At these doses, somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) from the tibial nerve had increased latencies of peripheral, spinal and central responses suggesting loss of central processes...

Microbial effects on radioactive wastes at SLB sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colombo, P.

1982-01-01

The objectives of this study are to determine the significance of microbial degradation of organic wastes on radionuclide migration on shallow land burial for humid and arid sites, establish which mechanisms predominate and ascertain the conditions under which these mechanisms operate. Factors contolling gaseous eminations from low-level radioactive waste disposal sites are assessed. Importance of gaseous fluxes of methane, carbon dioxide and possibly hydrogen from the site stems from the inclusion of tritium and/or 14 C into the elemental composition of these compounds. In that the primary source of these gases is the biodegradation of organic components of the waste materials, primary emphasis of the study involved on examination of the biochemical pathways producing methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen, and the environmental parameters controlling the activity of the microbial community involved. Although the methane and carbon dioxide production rate indicates the degradation rate of the organic substances in the waste, it does not predict the methane evolution rate from the trench site. Methane fluxes from the soil surface are equivalent to the net synthesis minus the quantity oxidized by the microbial community as the gas passes through the soil profile. Gas studies were performed at three commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal sites (West Valley, New York; Beatty, Nevada; Maxey Flats, Kentucky) during the period 1976 to 1978. The results of these studies are presented. 3 tables

WE-G-BRA-04: Common Errors and Deficiencies in Radiation Oncology Practice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kry, S; Dromgoole, L; Alvarez, P; Lowenstein, J; Molineu, A; Taylor, P; Followill, D [UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: Dosimetric errors in radiotherapy dose delivery lead to suboptimal treatments and outcomes. This work reviews the frequency and severity of dosimetric and programmatic errors identified by on-site audits performed by the IROC Houston QA center. Methods: IROC Houston on-site audits evaluate absolute beam calibration, relative dosimetry data compared to the treatment planning system data, and processes such as machine QA. Audits conducted from 2000-present were abstracted for recommendations, including type of recommendation and magnitude of error when applicable. Dosimetric recommendations corresponded to absolute dose errors >3% and relative dosimetry errors >2%. On-site audits of 1020 accelerators at 409 institutions were reviewed. Results: A total of 1280 recommendations were made (average 3.1/institution). The most common recommendation was for inadequate QA procedures per TG-40 and/or TG-142 (82% of institutions) with the most commonly noted deficiency being x-ray and electron off-axis constancy versus gantry angle. Dosimetrically, the most common errors in relative dosimetry were in small-field output factors (59% of institutions), wedge factors (33% of institutions), off-axis factors (21% of institutions), and photon PDD (18% of institutions). Errors in calibration were also problematic: 20% of institutions had an error in electron beam calibration, 8% had an error in photon beam calibration, and 7% had an error in brachytherapy source calibration. Almost all types of data reviewed included errors up to 7% although 20 institutions had errors in excess of 10%, and 5 had errors in excess of 20%. The frequency of electron calibration errors decreased significantly with time, but all other errors show non-significant changes. Conclusion: There are many common and often serious errors made during the establishment and maintenance of a radiotherapy program that can be identified through independent peer review. Physicists should be cautious, particularly

WE-G-BRA-04: Common Errors and Deficiencies in Radiation Oncology Practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kry, S; Dromgoole, L; Alvarez, P; Lowenstein, J; Molineu, A; Taylor, P; Followill, D

2015-01-01

Purpose: Dosimetric errors in radiotherapy dose delivery lead to suboptimal treatments and outcomes. This work reviews the frequency and severity of dosimetric and programmatic errors identified by on-site audits performed by the IROC Houston QA center. Methods: IROC Houston on-site audits evaluate absolute beam calibration, relative dosimetry data compared to the treatment planning system data, and processes such as machine QA. Audits conducted from 2000-present were abstracted for recommendations, including type of recommendation and magnitude of error when applicable. Dosimetric recommendations corresponded to absolute dose errors >3% and relative dosimetry errors >2%. On-site audits of 1020 accelerators at 409 institutions were reviewed. Results: A total of 1280 recommendations were made (average 3.1/institution). The most common recommendation was for inadequate QA procedures per TG-40 and/or TG-142 (82% of institutions) with the most commonly noted deficiency being x-ray and electron off-axis constancy versus gantry angle. Dosimetrically, the most common errors in relative dosimetry were in small-field output factors (59% of institutions), wedge factors (33% of institutions), off-axis factors (21% of institutions), and photon PDD (18% of institutions). Errors in calibration were also problematic: 20% of institutions had an error in electron beam calibration, 8% had an error in photon beam calibration, and 7% had an error in brachytherapy source calibration. Almost all types of data reviewed included errors up to 7% although 20 institutions had errors in excess of 10%, and 5 had errors in excess of 20%. The frequency of electron calibration errors decreased significantly with time, but all other errors show non-significant changes. Conclusion: There are many common and often serious errors made during the establishment and maintenance of a radiotherapy program that can be identified through independent peer review. Physicists should be cautious, particularly

Viewing Generativity and Social Capital as Underlying Factors of Parent Involvement

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Sharon; Patel, Nimisha

2015-01-01

Parent involvement in education is a multifaceted support that has many well-documented benefits for students of all ages. Parent involvement is also a common expression of generativity as defined in Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. The activities parents engage in during their children's educational pursuits, as well as their…

Geology Laxemar. Site descriptive modelling SDM-Site Laxemar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wahlgren, Carl-Henric; Curtis, Philip; Hermanson, Jan; Forssberg, Ola; Oehman, Johan; Fox, Aaron; La Pointe, Paul; Drake, Henrik; Triumf, Carl-Axel; Mattsson, Haakan; Thunehed, Hans; Juhlin, Christopher

2008-11-01

The geological work during the SDM Site Laxemar modelling stage has involved the continued development of deterministic models for rock domains (RSM) and deformation zones (ZSM), the identification and deterministic modelling of fracture domains (FSM), and the development of statistical models for fractures and minor deformation zones (geological discrete fracture network (DFN) modelling). The geological DFN model addresses fractures/structures with a size of less than 1 km, which is the lower cut-off of structures included in the deterministic modelling of deformation zones. In order to take account of variability in data resolution, deterministic models for rock domains and deformation zones are presented in both regional and local scale model volumes, while the geological DFN model is valid only within specific fracture domains inside the Laxemar local model volume. The geological and geophysical data that constitute the basis for the SDM-Site Laxemar modelling work comprise all data that have been acquired from Laxemar, i.e. all data that were available at the data freeze for SDM-Site Laxemar at August 31, 2007. Selected quality controlled data from the complementary cored borehole KLX27A have also been utilised in the modelling work. Data from the following investigations were acquired during the complete site investigation between the data freezes for Laxemar 1.2 and SDM-Site Laxemar as defined above: A revised bedrock geological map at the ground surface. Geological and geophysical data from 40 new cored boreholes and 14 percussion boreholes. Sampling and subsequent modal and geochemical analytical work of bedrock samples taken in connection with excavations in southern Laxemar. Detailed mapping of fractures and rock units along 10 trench excavations and 2 large surface exposures (drill sites for KLX09 and KLX11A/KLX20A). Special studies involving more detailed characterisation of deformation zones identified in the geological single-hole interpretation

Essential histidyl residues at the active site(s) of sucrose-phosphate synthase from Prosopis juliflora.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, A K; Pathre, U V; Sane, P V

1998-11-10

Chemical modification of sucrose-phosphate synthase (EC 2.4.1.14) from Prosopis juliflora by diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEP) and photo-oxidation in the presence of rose bengal (RB) which modify the histidyl residues of the protein resulted in the inactivation of the enzyme activity. This inactivation was dependent on the concentration of the modifying reagent and the time of incubation and followed pseudo-first order kinetics. For both the reagents, the inactivation was maximum at pH 7.5, which is consistent with the involvement and presence of histidine residues at the active site of the enzyme. Substrates, UDPG and F6P protected the enzyme against the inactivation by the modifying reagents suggesting that the histidine residues may be involved in the binding of these substrates and are essential for the catalytic activity. Specificity of DEP was indicated by an increase in absorbance at 240 nm along with concomitant inactivation of the enzyme and reactivation of the modified enzyme by hydroxylamine. These results strongly suggest the presence of histidine residue(s) at or near the active site of the enzyme.

Growing risk avoidance in Asian oncology site selection: how trends in site selection are limiting growth of the Asia cancer trial landscape

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Horsburgh D

2013-12-01

Full Text Available David Horsburgh,1 Yi-Chen Josey Lee,2 Elvira Zenaida Lansang,1 Ken J Lee,3 Malcolm Ogg,4 Karen Wai1 1Feasibility and Site Identification Asia, Quintiles East Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore; 2Feasibility and Site Identification Asia, Quintiles East Asia Pte Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Site Services Asia, Quintiles East Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore; 4Global Integrated Site Services, Quintiles, Green Park, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom Background: Asia-Pacific represents the fastest-growing region for clinical trials, with growth in oncology studies being a strong contributor. Such demand has seen a rapid change in Asia's total site pool and the number of experienced and inexperienced, or naïve, sites being activated. Given the perceived risks involved with naïve sites, this study aims to investigate changes in the rate of naïve site selection and how this risk management may influence future growth within the region. Methods: Rates of total naïve and experienced sites initiated per year, per protocol, and the relative contribution of each to the yearly site total were analyzed. Data was collected from Quintiles internal metrics as well as from the publicly available ClinicalTrials.gov database and was filtered to include oncology studies involving at least one Asian country, between the years 2000 and 2012. Results and discussion: Despite a general increase in the number of sites activated overall, the contribution of naïve sites to the yearly total fell to 20% in 2012. Experienced sites were heavily favored, with reliance on the existing site network preferred to expansion through naïve sites. This is likely a result of the perceived challenges with using inexperienced sites and the industry desire to avoid this risk. However, fluctuations in naïve sites activation suggest that the limited level of growth in the site pool may not be enough to sustain demand, with sudden outreaches to naïve sites necessary as current site pool capacity is occasionally

Autism spectrum disorders and drug addiction: Common pathways, common molecules, distinct disorders?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick E. Rothwell

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs and drug addiction do not share substantial comorbidity or obvious similarities in etiology or symptomatology. It is thus surprising that a number of recent studies implicate overlapping neural circuits and molecular signaling pathways in both disorders. The purpose of this review is to highlight this emerging intersection and consider implications for understanding the pathophysiology of these seemingly distinct disorders. One area of overlap involves neural circuits and neuromodulatory systems in the striatum and basal ganglia, which play an established role in addiction and reward but are increasingly implicated in clinical and preclinical studies of ASDs. A second area of overlap relates to molecules like Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP and methyl CpG-binding protein-2 (MECP2, which are best known for their contribution to the pathogenesis of syndromic ASDs, but have recently been shown to regulate behavioral and neurobiological responses to addictive drug exposure. These shared pathways and molecules point to common dimensions of behavioral dysfunction, including the repetition of behavioral patterns and aberrant reward processing. The synthesis of knowledge gained through parallel investigations of ASDs and addiction may inspire the design of new therapeutic interventions to correct common elements of striatal dysfunction.

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Drug Addiction: Common Pathways, Common Molecules, Distinct Disorders?

Science.gov (United States)

Rothwell, Patrick E

2016-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and drug addiction do not share substantial comorbidity or obvious similarities in etiology or symptomatology. It is thus surprising that a number of recent studies implicate overlapping neural circuits and molecular signaling pathways in both disorders. The purpose of this review is to highlight this emerging intersection and consider implications for understanding the pathophysiology of these seemingly distinct disorders. One area of overlap involves neural circuits and neuromodulatory systems in the striatum and basal ganglia, which play an established role in addiction and reward but are increasingly implicated in clinical and preclinical studies of ASDs. A second area of overlap relates to molecules like Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) and methyl CpG-binding protein-2 (MECP2), which are best known for their contribution to the pathogenesis of syndromic ASDs, but have recently been shown to regulate behavioral and neurobiological responses to addictive drug exposure. These shared pathways and molecules point to common dimensions of behavioral dysfunction, including the repetition of behavioral patterns and aberrant reward processing. The synthesis of knowledge gained through parallel investigations of ASDs and addiction may inspire the design of new therapeutic interventions to correct common elements of striatal dysfunction.

Mesoscale carbon sequestration site screening and CCS infrastructure analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Keating, Gordon N; Middleton, Richard S; Stauffer, Philip H; Viswanathan, Hari S; Letellier, Bruce C; Pasqualini, Donatella; Pawar, Rajesh J; Wolfsberg, Andrew V

2011-01-01

We explore carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) at the meso-scale, a level of study between regional carbon accounting and highly detailed reservoir models for individual sites. We develop an approach to CO(2) sequestration site screening for industries or energy development policies that involves identification of appropriate sequestration basin, analysis of geologic formations, definition of surface sites, design of infrastructure, and analysis of CO(2) transport and storage costs. Our case study involves carbon management for potential oil shale development in the Piceance-Uinta Basin, CO and UT. This study uses new capabilities of the CO(2)-PENS model for site screening, including reservoir capacity, injectivity, and cost calculations for simple reservoirs at multiple sites. We couple this with a model of optimized source-sink-network infrastructure (SimCCS) to design pipeline networks and minimize CCS cost for a given industry or region. The CLEAR(uff) dynamical assessment model calculates the CO(2) source term for various oil production levels. Nine sites in a 13,300 km(2) area have the capacity to store 6.5 GtCO(2), corresponding to shale-oil production of 1.3 Mbbl/day for 50 years (about 1/4 of U.S. crude oil production). Our results highlight the complex, nonlinear relationship between the spatial deployment of CCS infrastructure and the oil-shale production rate.

YUCCA MOUNTAIN SITE DESCRIPTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simmons, A.M.

2004-01-01

The ''Yucca Mountain Site Description'' summarizes, in a single document, the current state of knowledge and understanding of the natural system at Yucca Mountain. It describes the geology; geochemistry; past, present, and projected future climate; regional hydrologic system; and flow and transport within the unsaturated and saturated zones at the site. In addition, it discusses factors affecting radionuclide transport, the effect of thermal loading on the natural system, and tectonic hazards. The ''Yucca Mountain Site Description'' is broad in nature. It summarizes investigations carried out as part of the Yucca Mountain Project since 1988, but it also includes work done at the site in earlier years, as well as studies performed by others. The document has been prepared under the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management quality assurance program for the Yucca Mountain Project. Yucca Mountain is located in Nye County in southern Nevada. The site lies in the north-central part of the Basin and Range physiographic province, within the northernmost subprovince commonly referred to as the Great Basin. The basin and range physiography reflects the extensional tectonic regime that has affected the region during the middle and late Cenozoic Era. Yucca Mountain was initially selected for characterization, in part, because of its thick unsaturated zone, its arid to semiarid climate, and the existence of a rock type that would support excavation of stable openings. In 1987, the United States Congress directed that Yucca Mountain be the only site characterized to evaluate its suitability for development of a geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel

Cranial nerve involvement in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oezyar, E.; Atahan, I.L.; Akyol, F.H.; Guerkaynak, M.; Zorlu, A.F.

1994-01-01

Between 1975 and 1989, 23 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients presenting with cranial nerve involvement (CNI) of one or more nerves at the time of diagnosis were treated and followed-up in our department. All patients were irradiated with curative intent, and total doses of 50 to 70 Gy (median 65 Gy) were delivered to the nasopharynx. Cranial nerves VI, III, V, IV, IX, and XII were the most commonly involved nerves. The total response rate of cranial nerves was 74% in a median follow-up time of 2 years, with the highest rate observed in the third and sixth cranial nerves. All complete responses except two were observed in the first month after radiotherapy. (author)

Modeling Site Heterogeneity with Posterior Mean Site Frequency Profiles Accelerates Accurate Phylogenomic Estimation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Huai-Chun; Minh, Bui Quang; Susko, Edward; Roger, Andrew J

2018-03-01

Proteins have distinct structural and functional constraints at different sites that lead to site-specific preferences for particular amino acid residues as the sequences evolve. Heterogeneity in the amino acid substitution process between sites is not modeled by commonly used empirical amino acid exchange matrices. Such model misspecification can lead to artefacts in phylogenetic estimation such as long-branch attraction. Although sophisticated site-heterogeneous mixture models have been developed to address this problem in both Bayesian and maximum likelihood (ML) frameworks, their formidable computational time and memory usage severely limits their use in large phylogenomic analyses. Here we propose a posterior mean site frequency (PMSF) method as a rapid and efficient approximation to full empirical profile mixture models for ML analysis. The PMSF approach assigns a conditional mean amino acid frequency profile to each site calculated based on a mixture model fitted to the data using a preliminary guide tree. These PMSF profiles can then be used for in-depth tree-searching in place of the full mixture model. Compared with widely used empirical mixture models with $k$ classes, our implementation of PMSF in IQ-TREE (http://www.iqtree.org) speeds up the computation by approximately $k$/1.5-fold and requires a small fraction of the RAM. Furthermore, this speedup allows, for the first time, full nonparametric bootstrap analyses to be conducted under complex site-heterogeneous models on large concatenated data matrices. Our simulations and empirical data analyses demonstrate that PMSF can effectively ameliorate long-branch attraction artefacts. In some empirical and simulation settings PMSF provided more accurate estimates of phylogenies than the mixture models from which they derive.

Common Courses for Common Purposes:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schaub Jr, Gary John

2014-01-01

(PME)? I suggest three alternative paths that increased cooperation in PME at the level of the command and staff course could take: a Nordic Defence College, standardized national command and staff courses, and a core curriculum of common courses for common purposes. I conclude with a discussion of how...

Deciphering common recognition principles of nucleoside mono/di and tri-phosphates binding in diverse proteins via structural matching of their binding sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhagavat, Raghu; Srinivasan, Narayanaswamy; Chandra, Nagasuma

2017-09-01

Nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) ligands are of high biological importance and are essential for all life forms. A pre-requisite for them to participate in diverse biochemical processes is their recognition by diverse proteins. It is thus of great interest to understand the basis for such recognition in different proteins. Towards this, we have used a structural bioinformatics approach and analyze structures of 4677 NTP complexes available in Protein Data Bank (PDB). Binding sites were extracted and compared exhaustively using PocketMatch, a sensitive in-house site comparison algorithm, which resulted in grouping the entire dataset into 27 site-types. Each of these site-types represent a structural motif comprised of two or more residue conservations, derived using another in-house tool for superposing binding sites, PocketAlign. The 27 site-types could be grouped further into 9 super-types by considering partial similarities in the sites, which indicated that the individual site-types comprise different combinations of one or more site features. A scan across PDB using the 27 structural motifs determined the motifs to be specific to NTP binding sites, and a computational alanine mutagenesis indicated that residues identified to be highly conserved in the motifs are also most contributing to binding. Alternate orientations of the ligand in several site-types were observed and rationalized, indicating the possibility of some residues serving as anchors for NTP recognition. The presence of multiple site-types and the grouping of multiple folds into each site-type is strongly suggestive of convergent evolution. Knowledge of determinants obtained from this study will be useful for detecting function in unknown proteins. Proteins 2017; 85:1699-1712. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

1993 report on Hanford Site land disposal restrictions for mixed wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Black, D.

1993-04-01

Since the early 1940s, the contractors at the Hanford Site have been involved in the production and purification of nuclear defense materials. These production activities have resulted in the generation of large quantities of liquid and solid radioactive mixed waste (RMW). This waste is subject to regulation under authority of both the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 2 (RCRA) and Atomic Energy Act 3 . This report covers mixed waste only. Hazardous waste that is not contaminated with radionuclides is not addressed in this report. The Washington State Department of Ecology, US Environmental Protection Agency, and US Department of Energy have entered into an agreement, the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order 1 (commonly referred to as the Tri-Party Agreement) to bring the Hanford Site operations into compliance with dangerous waste regulations. The Tri-Party Agreement required development of the original land disposal restrictions (LDR) plan and its annual updates to comply with LDR requirements for RMW. This report is the third update of the plan first issued in 1990. The Tri-Party Agreement requires, and the baseline plan and annual update reports provide, the information that follows: Waste characterization information; storage data; treatment information; waste reduction information; schedule; and progress

Siting regions for deep geological repositories. Nagra’s proposals for stage 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

This brochure published by the Swiss National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (NAGRA) discusses the selection of sites for deep geological repositories for nuclear wastes in Switzerland. The procedure proposed for the selection process is explained. The four sites for possible repositories of high-level radioactive waste as well as for low and intermediate-level wastes are described and rated with respect to the various safety factors involved. The reasons for the long-term safety measures proposed and the geological barriers involved are discussed. The four proposals for depository sites are looked at in more detail. The paper is well illustrated with several diagrams and tables

Wildflowers of the Savannah River Site

Science.gov (United States)

T. Segar

2015-01-01

This guidebook is a resource to help field personnel (nonbotanists) identify plants on the Savannah River Site (SRS) premises. Although not a complete flora guide, this publication contains information about 123 plant species found on the SRS. Plants are listed by their common names and arranged by the color of the flower.

A site-specific and multi-element isotopic approach to origin inference of sugars in foods and beverages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, M.L.; Martin, G.J.; Guillou, C.

1991-01-01

A strategy is presented for the characterization of sugars according to their botanical origin. The samples fermented in standardized conditions can be described in the multi-dimensional space of the overall carbon isotope ratio of ethanol measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and of the specific hydrogen isotope parameters of the methyl and methylene sites derived from nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of site-specific natural isotope fractionation (SNIF-NMR method). In the comparison of natural juices, the deuterium and oxygen-18 parameters of water extracted from the juice and from the end fermentation medium also contain information on the origin of the product. The isotopic effects of the concentration processes leading to concentrated juices, musts and syrups can be estimated and taken into account in interpreting the data. The classification power of this multi-element and multi-site approach is illustrated by discriminant analyses involving selected isotopic variables associated with pineapple, apple and barley sugars, compared to beet and cane sugars which are common sources of enrichment. The ability of the method to detect adulteration by exogenous sugars is improved when environmental conditions can be taken into account. (authors)

Rate of cardiovascular system involvement and gender distribution in Behcets disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yalcin Bas

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Behcets disease is a systemic vasculitis affecting arteries and veins. According to the International Working Group on diagnostic criteria, a clinical description of other non-recurrent oral ulceration, at least two of findings of their examinations; genital ulceration, eye lesions, skin lesions and pathergy test positivity to be accompanied. Vascular involvement is very important symptom in determining the prognosis of the disease that is commonly observed. In this study, 581 Behcets patients who were treated between 1993-2009 were reviewed. 52 patients with cardiovascular involvement retrospectively reviewed. Total cardiovascular system involvements were found to be 9% in Behcets disease patients. 41 thrombophlebit, 11 deep venous thrombosis, 4 aneurysm cases were found. Pulmonary artery aneurysms in 2 of them, 1 in the abdominal aorta, 1 of which was found in the femoral artery. All of aneurysm and deep vein thrombosis and 77% of thrombophlebitis were male. As a result, together with common skin and mucosal involvement severe systemic symptoms such as the cardiovascular system involvement were significantly found in Behcets disease. Moreover, a high percentage of these findings is seen in men have been identified. [J Contemp Med 2011; 1(2.000: 46-49

Discovery of multiple interacting partners of gankyrin, a proteasomal chaperone and an oncoprotein--evidence for a common hot spot site at the interface and its functional relevance.

Science.gov (United States)

Nanaware, Padma P; Ramteke, Manoj P; Somavarapu, Arun K; Venkatraman, Prasanna

2014-07-01

Gankyrin, a non-ATPase component of the proteasome and a chaperone of proteasome assembly, is also an oncoprotein. Gankyrin regulates a variety of oncogenic signaling pathways in cancer cells and accelerates degradation of tumor suppressor proteins p53 and Rb. Therefore gankyrin may be a unique hub integrating signaling networks with the degradation pathway. To identify new interactions that may be crucial in consolidating its role as an oncogenic hub, crystal structure of gankyrin-proteasome ATPase complex was used to predict novel interacting partners. EEVD, a four amino acid linear sequence seems a hot spot site at this interface. By searching for EEVD in exposed regions of human proteins in PDB database, we predicted 34 novel interactions. Eight proteins were tested and seven of them were found to interact with gankyrin. Affinity of four interactions is high enough for endogenous detection. Others require gankyrin overexpression in HEK 293 cells or occur endogenously in breast cancer cell line- MDA-MB-435, reflecting lower affinity or presence of a deregulated network. Mutagenesis and peptide inhibition confirm that EEVD is the common hot spot site at these interfaces and therefore a potential polypharmacological drug target. In MDA-MB-231 cells in which the endogenous CLIC1 is silenced, trans-expression of Wt protein (CLIC1_EEVD) and not the hot spot site mutant (CLIC1_AAVA) resulted in significant rescue of the migratory potential. Our approach can be extended to identify novel functionally relevant protein-protein interactions, in expansion of oncogenic networks and in identifying potential therapeutic targets. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment Method for Nonlinear Soil Sites based on the Hazard Spectrum of Bedrock Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahm, Dae Gi; Seo, Jeong Moon; Choi, In Kil

2011-01-01

For the probabilistic safety assessment of the nuclear power plants (NPP) under seismic events, the rational probabilistic seismic hazard estimation should be performed. Generally, the probabilistic seismic hazard of NPP site is represented by the uniform hazard spectrum (UHS) for the specific annual frequency. In most case, since that the attenuation equations were defined for the bedrock sites, the standard attenuation laws cannot be applied to the general soft soil sites. Hence, for the probabilistic estimation of the seismic hazard of soft soil sites, a methodology of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) coupled with nonlinear dynamic analyses of the soil column are required. Two methods are commonly used for the site response analysis considering the nonlinearity of sites. The one is the deterministic method and another is the probabilistic method. In the analysis of site response, there exist many uncertainty factors such as the variation of the magnitude and frequency contents of input ground motion, and material properties of soil deposits. Hence, nowadays, it is recommended that the adoption of the probabilistic method for the PSHA of soft soil deposits considering such uncertainty factors. In this study, we estimated the amplification factor of the surface of the soft soil deposits with considering the uncertainties of the input ground motions and the soil material properties. Then, we proposed the probabilistic methodology to evaluate the UHS of the soft soil site by multiplying the amplification factor to that of the bedrock site. The proposed method was applied to four typical target sites of KNGR and APR1400 NPP site categories

Hanford Site Environmental Management Specification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DAILY, J.L.

2001-01-01

The US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (RL) has established a document hierarchy as part of its integrated management system. The Strategic Plan defines the vision, values, missions, strategic goals, high-level outcomes, and the basic strategies in achieving those outcomes. As shown in Figure 1-1, the Site Specification derives requirements from the Strategic Plan and documents the top-level mission technical requirements for the work involved in the RL Hanford Site cleanup and infrastructure activities under the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management (EM). It also provides the basis for all contract technical requirements. Since this is limited to the EM work, neither the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) nor the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) non-EM science activities are included. Figure 1-1 also shows the relationship between this Site Specification and the other Site management and planning documents. Similarly, the documents, orders, and laws referenced in this document represent only the most salient sources of requirements. Current and contractual reference data contain a complete set of source documents

Developing a registry of workers involved in nanotechnology: BASF experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

David, Raymond M; Nasterlack, Michael; Engel, Stefan; Conner, Patrick R

2011-06-01

To assist BASF in the establishment of a registry of workers involved in nanotechnology. The initial step was a complete inventory of nanomaterials and sites of use. Guidance was developed to clarify which particulate nanomaterials were to be included in the survey. Site management was then contacted by the medical department to obtain a list of workers. The time line for collecting data ranged from several months to a year, depending on the information needed, and presented challenges based on the lack of global definition and labeling of nanomaterials. Less than 50 nanomaterials are used as raw materials in less than 10% of the sites globally. In North America, less than 5% of sites and 5% workers use nanomaterials. Further work is required to integrate the inventory, registry, and exposure assessments.

Usability and Accessibility of Air Force Intranet Web Sites

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Bentley, Richard S

2006-01-01

.... This research effort seeks to establish an understanding of how well common practice usability design principles and government mandated accessibility guidelines are followed by Air Force intranet web sites...

Common occupational classification system - revision 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stahlman, E.J.; Lewis, R.E.

1996-05-01

Workforce planning has become an increasing concern within the DOE community as the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ER/WM or EM) seeks to consolidate and refocus its activities and the Office of Defense Programs (DP) closes production sites. Attempts to manage the growth and skills mix of the EM workforce while retaining the critical skills of the DP workforce have been difficult due to the lack of a consistent set of occupational titles and definitions across the complex. Two reasons for this difficulty may be cited. First, classification systems commonly used in industry often fail to cover in sufficient depth the unique demands of DOE`s nuclear energy and research community. Second, the government practice of contracting the operation of government facilities to the private sector has introduced numerous contractor-specific classification schemes to the DOE complex. As a result, sites/contractors report their workforce needs using unique classification systems. It becomes difficult, therefore, to roll these data up to the national level necessary to support strategic planning and analysis. The Common Occupational Classification System (COCS) is designed to overcome these workforce planning barriers. The COCS is based on earlier workforce planning activities and the input of technical, workforce planning, and human resource managers from across the DOE complex. It provides a set of mutually-exclusive occupation titles and definitions that cover the broad range of activities present in the DOE complex. The COCS is not a required record-keeping or data management guide. Neither is it intended to replace contractor/DOE-specific classification systems. Instead, the system provides a consistent, high- level, functional structure of occupations to which contractors can crosswalk (map) their job titles.

Towards sustainable and robust on-site domestic wastewater treatment for all citizens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mgana, S.

2003-01-01

In most developing countries commonly practiced domestic wastewater treatment systems predominantly constitute anaerobic treatment process. The anaerobic treatment units mostly installed are on-site at residential dwellings.

However the commonly installed units, viz., traditional pit

Transcriptional Dysregulation of MYC Reveals Common Enhancer-Docking Mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuijers, Jurian; Manteiga, John Colonnese; Weintraub, Abraham Selby; Day, Daniel Sindt; Zamudio, Alicia Viridiana; Hnisz, Denes; Lee, Tong Ihn; Young, Richard Allen

2018-04-10

Transcriptional dysregulation of the MYC oncogene is among the most frequent events in aggressive tumor cells, and this is generally accomplished by acquisition of a super-enhancer somewhere within the 2.8 Mb TAD where MYC resides. We find that these diverse cancer-specific super-enhancers, differing in size and location, interact with the MYC gene through a common and conserved CTCF binding site located 2 kb upstream of the MYC promoter. Genetic perturbation of this enhancer-docking site in tumor cells reduces CTCF binding, super-enhancer interaction, MYC gene expression, and cell proliferation. CTCF binding is highly sensitive to DNA methylation, and this enhancer-docking site, which is hypomethylated in diverse cancers, can be inactivated through epigenetic editing with dCas9-DNMT. Similar enhancer-docking sites occur at other genes, including genes with prominent roles in multiple cancers, suggesting a mechanism by which tumor cell oncogenes can generally hijack enhancers. These results provide insights into mechanisms that allow a single target gene to be regulated by diverse enhancer elements in different cell types. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increasing cadmium and zinc levels in wild common eiders breeding along Canada's remote northern coastline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mallory, Mark L.; Braune, Birgit M.; Robertson, Gregory J.; Gilchrist, H. Grant; Mallory, Conor D.; Forbes, Mark R.; Wells, Regina

2014-01-01

The common eider (Somateria mollissima) is an abundant sea duck breeding around the circumpolar Arctic, and is an important component of subsistence and sport harvest in some regions. We determined hepatic cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) concentrations in the livers of breeding females sampled during three time periods including 1992/3, 2001/2 and 2008 at three sites spanning 53.7°N–75.8°N in the eastern Canadian Arctic. At all sites, concentrations of both Cd and Zn increased ∼ 300% over this time period. The reasons for this rapid increase in concentrations are unclear. - Highlights: • Cd and Zn analyzed in common eider (Somateria mollissima) liver tissue in Canadian Arctic from sites spanning 3000 km. • ∼ 300% increase in concentrations observed over ∼ 20 years • Levels of both elements considered high and near levels thought to pose concerns for wildlife health

Dashboard applications to monitor experiment activities at sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andreeva, Julia; Gaidioz, Benjamin; Grigoras, Costin; Kokoszkiewicz, Lukasz; Lanciotti, Elisa; Rocha, Ricardo; Saiz, Pablo; Santinelli, Roberto; Sidorova, Irina; Sciaba, Andrea [CERN, European Organization for Nuclear Research (Switzerland); Belforte, Stefano [INFN Trieste (Italy); Boehm, Max [EDS, an HP Company, Plano, TX (United States); Casajus, Adrian [Universitat de Barcelona (Spain); Flix, Josep [PIC, Port d' Informacio CientIfica, Bellaterra (Spain); Tsaregorodtsev, Andrei, E-mail: Elisa.Lanciotti@cern.c, E-mail: Pablo.Saiz@cern.c [CPPM Marseille (France)

2010-04-01

In the framework of a distributed computing environment, such as WLCG, monitoring has a key role in order to keep under control activities going on in sites located in different countries and involving people based in many different sites. To be able to cope with such a large scale heterogeneous infrastructure, it is necessary to have monitoring tools providing a complete and reliable view of the overall performance of the sites. Moreover, the structure of a monitoring system critically depends on the object to monitor and on the users it is addressed to. In this article we will describe two different monitoring systems both aimed to monitor activities and services provided in the WLCG framework, but designed in order to meet the requirements of different users: Site Status Board has an overall view of the services available in all the sites supporting an experiment, whereas Siteview provides a complete view of all the activities going on at a site, for all the experiments supported by the site.

Dashboard applications to monitor experiment activities at sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreeva, Julia; Gaidioz, Benjamin; Grigoras, Costin; Kokoszkiewicz, Lukasz; Lanciotti, Elisa; Rocha, Ricardo; Saiz, Pablo; Santinelli, Roberto; Sidorova, Irina; Sciaba, Andrea; Belforte, Stefano; Boehm, Max; Casajus, Adrian; Flix, Josep; Tsaregorodtsev, Andrei

2010-01-01

In the framework of a distributed computing environment, such as WLCG, monitoring has a key role in order to keep under control activities going on in sites located in different countries and involving people based in many different sites. To be able to cope with such a large scale heterogeneous infrastructure, it is necessary to have monitoring tools providing a complete and reliable view of the overall performance of the sites. Moreover, the structure of a monitoring system critically depends on the object to monitor and on the users it is addressed to. In this article we will describe two different monitoring systems both aimed to monitor activities and services provided in the WLCG framework, but designed in order to meet the requirements of different users: Site Status Board has an overall view of the services available in all the sites supporting an experiment, whereas Siteview provides a complete view of all the activities going on at a site, for all the experiments supported by the site.

Geological evolution, palaeoclimate and historical development of the Forsmark and Laxemar-Simpevarp areas. Site descriptive modelling SDM-Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soederbaeck, Bjoern [ed.

2008-06-15

The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) is undertaking site characterization at two different locations, the Forsmark and Laxemar-Simpevarp areas, with the objective of siting a geological repository for spent nuclear fuel. The site investigations started in 2002 and were completed in 2007. The analysis and modelling of data from the site investigations, which have taken place during and after these investigations, provide a foundation for the development of an integrated, multidisciplinary site descriptive model (SDM) for each of the two sites. A site descriptive model constitutes a description of the site and its regional setting, covering the current state of the geosphere and the biosphere, as well as those natural processes that affect or have affected their long-term development. Hitherto, a number of reports presenting preliminary site descriptive models for Forsmark and Laxemar-Simpevarp have been published. In these reports, the evolutionary and historical aspects of the site were included in a separate chapter. The present report comprises a further elaboration of the evolutionary and historical information included in the preliminary SDM reports, but presented here in a separate, supplementary report to the final site description, SDM-Site. The report is common to the two investigated areas, and the overall objective is to describe the long-term geological evolution, the palaeoclimate, and the post-glacial development of ecosystems and of the human population at the two sites. The report largely consists of a synthesis of information derived from the scientific literature and other sources not related to the site investigations. However, considerable information from the site investigations that has contributed to our understanding of the past development at each site is also included. This unique synthesis of both published information in a regional perspective and new site-specific information breaks new ground in our understanding

Geological evolution, palaeoclimate and historical development of the Forsmark and Laxemar-Simpevarp areas. Site descriptive modelling SDM-Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soederbaeck, Bjoern

2008-06-01

The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) is undertaking site characterization at two different locations, the Forsmark and Laxemar-Simpevarp areas, with the objective of siting a geological repository for spent nuclear fuel. The site investigations started in 2002 and were completed in 2007. The analysis and modelling of data from the site investigations, which have taken place during and after these investigations, provide a foundation for the development of an integrated, multidisciplinary site descriptive model (SDM) for each of the two sites. A site descriptive model constitutes a description of the site and its regional setting, covering the current state of the geosphere and the biosphere, as well as those natural processes that affect or have affected their long-term development. Hitherto, a number of reports presenting preliminary site descriptive models for Forsmark and Laxemar-Simpevarp have been published. In these reports, the evolutionary and historical aspects of the site were included in a separate chapter. The present report comprises a further elaboration of the evolutionary and historical information included in the preliminary SDM reports, but presented here in a separate, supplementary report to the final site description, SDM-Site. The report is common to the two investigated areas, and the overall objective is to describe the long-term geological evolution, the palaeoclimate, and the post-glacial development of ecosystems and of the human population at the two sites. The report largely consists of a synthesis of information derived from the scientific literature and other sources not related to the site investigations. However, considerable information from the site investigations that has contributed to our understanding of the past development at each site is also included. This unique synthesis of both published information in a regional perspective and new site-specific information breaks new ground in our understanding

Common Ground Between Three Cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gloria Dunnivan

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The Triwizard program with Israel brought together students from three different communities: an Israeli Arab school, an Israeli Jewish school, and an American public school with few Jews and even fewer Muslims. The two Israeli groups met in Israel to find common ground and overcome their differences through dialogue and understanding. They communicated with the American school via technology such as video-conferencing, Skype, and emails. The program culminated with a visit to the U.S. The goal of the program was to embark upon a process that would bring about intercultural awareness and acceptance at the subjective level, guiding all involved to develop empathy and an insider's view of the other's culture. It was an attempt to have a group of Israeli high school students and a group of Arab Israeli students who had a fearful, distrustful perception of each other find common ground and become friends. TriWizard was designed to have participants begin a dialogue about issues, beliefs, and emotions based on the premise that cross-cultural training strategies that are effective in changing knowledge are those that engage the emotions, and actively develop empathy and an insider's views of another culture focused on what they have in common. Participants learned that they could become friends despite their cultural differences.