Size Matters: Individual Variation in Ectotherm Growth and Asymptotic Size.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard B King

Full Text Available Body size, and, by extension, growth has impacts on physiology, survival, attainment of sexual maturity, fecundity, generation time, and population dynamics, especially in ectotherm animals that often exhibit extensive growth following attainment of sexual maturity. Frequently, growth is analyzed at the population level, providing useful population mean growth parameters but ignoring individual variation that is also of ecological and evolutionary significance. Our long-term study of Lake Erie Watersnakes, Nerodia sipedon insularum, provides data sufficient for a detailed analysis of population and individual growth. We describe population mean growth separately for males and females based on size of known age individuals (847 captures of 769 males, 748 captures of 684 females and annual growth increments of individuals of unknown age (1,152 males, 730 females. We characterize individual variation in asymptotic size based on repeated measurements of 69 males and 71 females that were each captured in five to nine different years. The most striking result of our analyses is that asymptotic size varies dramatically among individuals, ranging from 631-820 mm snout-vent length in males and from 835-1125 mm in females. Because female fecundity increases with increasing body size, we explore the impact of individual variation in asymptotic size on lifetime reproductive success using a range of realistic estimates of annual survival. When all females commence reproduction at the same age, lifetime reproductive success is greatest for females with greater asymptotic size regardless of annual survival. But when reproduction is delayed in females with greater asymptotic size, lifetime reproductive success is greatest for females with lower asymptotic size when annual survival is low. Possible causes of individual variation in asymptotic size, including individual- and cohort-specific variation in size at birth and early growth, warrant further

A dramatic, objective antiandrogen withdrawal response: case report and review of the literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Litwin Alan

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Antiandrogen withdrawal response is an increasingly recognized entity in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. To our knowledge, there have been no reports describing a durable radiologic improvement along with prostate-specific antigen (PSA with discontinuation of the antiandrogen agent bicalutamide. We report a case in which a dramatic decline of serum PSA levels associated with a dramatic improvement in radiologic disease was achieved with bicalutamide discontinuation.

The Challenges and Prospects of Teaching and Learning Dramatic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dramatic education is an all-inclusive academic discipline which uses as tools branches of learning that bear upon the dramatic impulse. It utilizes eclectically each and every single discipline into one unified body of knowledge, so that it can help man to comprehend the nature of experience. Educational drama or Dramatic ...

30 years of data reveal dramatic increase in abundance of brown trout following the removal of a small hydrodam

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birnie-Gauvin, Kim; Larsen, Martin Hage; Nielsen, Jan

2017-01-01

and spawning of fish. In the present study, we present thirty years of data from electrofishing surveys obtained at two sites, both prior to and following the removal of a small-scale hydropower dam in Central Jutland, Denmark. We demonstrate that the dam removal has led to a dramatic increase in trout density......Humans and freshwater ecosystems have a long history of cohabitation. Today, nearly all major rivers of the world have an in-stream structure which changes water flow, substrate composition, vegetation, and fish assemblage composition. The realization of these effects and their subsequent impacts...... on population sustainability and conservation has led to a collective effort aimed to find ways to mitigate these impacts. Barrier removal has recently received greater interest as a potential solution to restore river connectivity, and reestablish high quality habitats, suitable for feeding, refuge...

Theodramatic Rehearsal: Fighting Self-Deception through the Dramatic Imagination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brett Vaden

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This paper seeks to appropriate the insights of dramatic theology for Christian psychology and soul care. According to Kevin Vanhoozer, Scripture is the ‘script’ for human beings’ fitting participation in the acts and deeds of God in the world (i.e., ‘theodrama’. Keeping with this dramatic paradigm, the author will explore what ‘rehearsal’ might entail by drawing from a branch of psychotherapy called ‘psychodrama.’ The main question to be addressed in this appropriation of dramatic theology is, “How might dramatic rehearsal combat self-deception?” The author will only begin to answer this question, but in the attempt it is hoped that further reflection and clarity will be induced.

Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephenson, N L; Das, A J; Condit, R; Russo, S E; Baker, P J; Beckman, N G; Coomes, D A; Lines, E R; Morris, W K; Rüger, N; Alvarez, E; Blundo, C; Bunyavejchewin, S; Chuyong, G; Davies, S J; Duque, A; Ewango, C N; Flores, O; Franklin, J F; Grau, H R; Hao, Z; Harmon, M E; Hubbell, S P; Kenfack, D; Lin, Y; Makana, J-R; Malizia, A; Malizia, L R; Pabst, R J; Pongpattananurak, N; Su, S-H; Sun, I-F; Tan, S; Thomas, D; van Mantgem, P J; Wang, X; Wiser, S K; Zavala, M A

2014-03-06

Forests are major components of the global carbon cycle, providing substantial feedback to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Our ability to understand and predict changes in the forest carbon cycle--particularly net primary productivity and carbon storage--increasingly relies on models that represent biological processes across several scales of biological organization, from tree leaves to forest stands. Yet, despite advances in our understanding of productivity at the scales of leaves and stands, no consensus exists about the nature of productivity at the scale of the individual tree, in part because we lack a broad empirical assessment of whether rates of absolute tree mass growth (and thus carbon accumulation) decrease, remain constant, or increase as trees increase in size and age. Here we present a global analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, showing that for most species mass growth rate increases continuously with tree size. Thus, large, old trees do not act simply as senescent carbon reservoirs but actively fix large amounts of carbon compared to smaller trees; at the extreme, a single big tree can add the same amount of carbon to the forest within a year as is contained in an entire mid-sized tree. The apparent paradoxes of individual tree growth increasing with tree size despite declining leaf-level and stand-level productivity can be explained, respectively, by increases in a tree's total leaf area that outpace declines in productivity per unit of leaf area and, among other factors, age-related reductions in population density. Our results resolve conflicting assumptions about the nature of tree growth, inform efforts to undertand and model forest carbon dynamics, and have additional implications for theories of resource allocation and plant senescence.

Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size

Science.gov (United States)

Stephenson, N.L.; Das, A.J.; Condit, R.; Russo, S.E.; Baker, P.J.; Beckman, N.G.; Coomes, D.A.; Lines, E.R.; Morris, W.K.; Rüger, N.; Álvarez, E.; Blundo, C.; Bunyavejchewin, S.; Chuyong, G.; Davies, S.J.; Duque, Á.; Ewango, C.N.; Flores, O.; Franklin, J.F.; Grau, H.R.; Hao, Z.; Harmon, M.E.; Hubbell, S.P.; Kenfack, D.; Lin, Y.; Makana, J.-R.; Malizia, A.; Malizia, L.R.; Pabst, R.J.; Pongpattananurak, N.; Su, S.-H.; Sun, I-F.; Tan, S.; Thomas, D.; van Mantgem, P.J.; Wang, X.; Wiser, S.K.; Zavala, M.A.

2014-01-01

Forests are major components of the global carbon cycle, providing substantial feedback to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Our ability to understand and predict changes in the forest carbon cycle—particularly net primary productivity and carbon storage - increasingly relies on models that represent biological processes across several scales of biological organization, from tree leaves to forest stands. Yet, despite advances in our understanding of productivity at the scales of leaves and stands, no consensus exists about the nature of productivity at the scale of the individual tree, in part because we lack a broad empirical assessment of whether rates of absolute tree mass growth (and thus carbon accumulation) decrease, remain constant, or increase as trees increase in size and age. Here we present a global analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, showing that for most species mass growth rate increases continuously with tree size. Thus, large, old trees do not act simply as senescent carbon reservoirs but actively fix large amounts of carbon compared to smaller trees; at the extreme, a single big tree can add the same amount of carbon to the forest within a year as is contained in an entire mid-sized tree. The apparent paradoxes of individual tree growth increasing with tree size despite declining leaf-level and stand-level productivity can be explained, respectively, by increases in a tree’s total leaf area that outpace declines in productivity per unit of leaf area and, among other factors, age-related reductions in population density. Our results resolve conflicting assumptions about the nature of tree growth, inform efforts to understand and model forest carbon dynamics, and have additional implications for theories of resource allocation and plant senescence.

Increasing portion sizes of fruits and vegetables in an elementary school lunch program can increase fruit and vegetable consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Nicole; Reicks, Marla; Redden, Joseph P; Mann, Traci; Mykerezi, Elton; Vickers, Zata

2015-08-01

Increasing portion size can increase children's consumption of food. The goal of this study was to determine whether increasing the portion sizes of fruits and vegetables in an elementary school cafeteria environment would increase children's consumption of them. We measured each child's consumption of the fruit and vegetables served in a cafeteria line on a control day (normal cafeteria procedures) and on two intervention days. When we increased the portion size of 3 of the 4 fruits and vegetables by about 50%, children who took those foods increased their consumption of them. Although this was an effective strategy for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among students who took those foods, many children chose not to take any fruits or vegetables. Further efforts are needed to increase children's selection and consumption of fruits and vegetables in an environment of competing foods of higher palatability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Size-dependent mechanical properties of PVA nanofibers reduced via air plasma treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Qiang; Song Xuefeng; Gao Jingyun; Han Xiaobing; Zhao Qing; Yu Dapeng; Jin Yu; Jiang Xingyu

2010-01-01

Organic nanowires/fibers have great potential in applications such as organic electronics and soft electronic techniques. Therefore investigation of their mechanical performance is of importance. The Young's modulus of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers was analyzed by scanning probe microscopy (SPM) methods. Air plasma treatment was used to reduce the nanofibers to different sizes. Size-dependent mechanical properties of PVA nanofibers were studied and revealed that the Young's modulus increased dramatically when the scales became very small (<80 nm).

Size-dependent mechanical properties of PVA nanofibers reduced via air plasma treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Qiang; Jin, Yu; Song, Xuefeng; Gao, Jingyun; Han, Xiaobing; Jiang, Xingyu; Zhao, Qing; Yu, Dapeng

2010-03-05

Organic nanowires/fibers have great potential in applications such as organic electronics and soft electronic techniques. Therefore investigation of their mechanical performance is of importance. The Young's modulus of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers was analyzed by scanning probe microscopy (SPM) methods. Air plasma treatment was used to reduce the nanofibers to different sizes. Size-dependent mechanical properties of PVA nanofibers were studied and revealed that the Young's modulus increased dramatically when the scales became very small (<80 nm).

Learning through Dramatic Story Presentation

Science.gov (United States)

Tindall, Evie

2012-01-01

The use of story with dramatic presentation approaches produces an engaging and powerful instructional choice for today's adult ESL educators. Two engaging and timed-tested approaches are Reader's Theater and Tableau Vivant. Both provide English language learners with content tailored to their abilities in addition to numerable opportunities to…

Economic Effects of Increased Control Zone Sizes in Conflict Resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, Koushik

1998-01-01

A methodology for estimating the economic effects of different control zone sizes used in conflict resolutions between aircraft is presented in this paper. The methodology is based on estimating the difference in flight times of aircraft with and without the control zone, and converting the difference into a direct operating cost. Using this methodology the effects of increased lateral and vertical control zone sizes are evaluated.

Cross-species correlation between queen mating numbers and worker ovary sizes suggests kin conflict may influence ovary size evolution in honeybees

Science.gov (United States)

Rueppell, Olav; Phaincharoen, Mananya; Kuster, Ryan; Tingek, Salim

2011-09-01

During social evolution, the ovary size of reproductively specialized honey bee queens has dramatically increased while their workers have evolved much smaller ovaries. However, worker division of labor and reproductive competition under queenless conditions are influenced by worker ovary size. Little comparative information on ovary size exists in the different honey bee species. Here, we report ovariole numbers of freshly dissected workers from six Apis species from two locations in Southeast Asia. The average number of worker ovarioles differs significantly among species. It is strongly correlated with the average mating number of queens, irrespective of body size. Apis dorsata, in particular, is characterized by numerous matings and very large worker ovaries. The relation between queen mating number and ovary size across the six species suggests that individual selection via reproductive competition plays a role in worker ovary size evolution. This indicates that genetic diversity, generated by multiple mating, may bear a fitness cost at the colony level.

The Psychodrama-Social Dramatics Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Klepac, Richard L.

Social dramatics is a therapeutic and educational program that can act as a mirror to reflect images of the self in action with others. It is the modality for experiential learning to correct social dysfunction by providing models for imitation, opportunities to practice and develop individual forms from that model, and risk free environments for…

Hypercaloric diets with increased meal frequency, but not meal size, increase intrahepatic triglycerides: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Koopman, Karin E; Caan, Matthan W A; Nederveen, Aart J; Pels, Anouk; Ackermans, Mariette T; Fliers, Eric; la Fleur, Susanne E; Serlie, Mireille J

2014-08-01

American children consume up to 27% of calories from high-fat and high-sugar snacks. Both sugar and fat consumption have been implicated as a cause of hepatic steatosis and obesity but the effect of meal pattern is largely understudied. We hypothesized that a high meal frequency, compared to consuming large meals, is detrimental in the accumulation of intrahepatic and abdominal fat. To test this hypothesis, we randomized 36 lean, healthy men to a 40% hypercaloric diet for 6 weeks or a eucaloric control diet and measured intrahepatic triglyceride content (IHTG) using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1) H-MRS), abdominal fat using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and insulin sensitivity using a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp with a glucose isotope tracer before and after the diet intervention. The caloric surplus consisted of fat and sugar (high-fat-high-sugar; HFHS) or sugar only (high-sugar; HS) and was consumed together with, or between, the three main meals, thereby increasing meal size or meal frequency. All hypercaloric diets similarly increased body mass index (BMI). Increasing meal frequency significantly increased IHTG (HFHS mean relative increase of 45%; P = 0.016 and HS mean relative increase of 110%; P = 0.047), whereas increasing meal size did not (2-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] size versus frequency P = 0.03). Abdominal fat increased in the HFHS-frequency group (+63.3 ± 42.8 mL; P = 0.004) and tended to increase in the HS-frequency group (+46.5 ± 50.7 mL; P = 0.08). Hepatic insulin sensitivity tended to decrease in the HFHS-frequency group while peripheral insulin sensitivity was not affected. A hypercaloric diet with high meal frequency increased IHTG and abdominal fat independent of caloric content and body weight gain, whereas increasing meal size did not. This study suggests that snacking, a common feature in the Western diet, independently contributes to hepatic steatosis and obesity. ( www

Permeability enhancers dramatically increase zanamivir absolute bioavailability in rats: implications for an orally bioavailable influenza treatment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric H Holmes

Full Text Available We have demonstrated that simple formulations composed of the parent drug in combination with generally regarded as safe (GRAS permeability enhancers are capable of dramatically increasing the absolute bioavailability of zanamivir. This has the advantage of not requiring modification of the drug structure to promote absorption, thus reducing the regulatory challenges involved in conversion of an inhaled to oral route of administration of an approved drug. Absolute bioavailability increases of up to 24-fold were observed when Capmul MCM L8 (composed of mono- and diglycerides of caprylic/capric acids in glycerol was mixed with 1.5 mg of zanamivir and administered intraduodenally to rats. Rapid uptake (t(max of 5 min and a C(max of over 7200 ng/mL was achieved. Variation of the drug load or amount of enhancer demonstrated a generally linear variation in absorption, indicating an ability to optimize a formulation for a desired outcome such as a targeted C(max for enzyme saturation. No absorption enhancement was observed when the enhancer was given 2 hr prior to drug administration, indicating, in combination with the observed tmax, that absorption enhancement is temporary. This property is significant and aligns well with therapeutic applications to limit undesirable drug-drug interactions, potentially due to the presence of other poorly absorbed polar drugs. These results suggest that optimal human oral dosage forms of zanamivir should be enteric-coated gelcaps or softgels for intraduodenal release. There continues to be a strong need and market for multiple neuraminidase inhibitors for influenza treatment. Creation of orally available formulations of inhibitor drugs that are currently administered intravenously or by inhalation would provide a significant improvement in treatment of influenza. The very simple GRAS formulation components and anticipated dosage forms would require low manufacturing costs and yield enhanced convenience. These results

Dramatic effect of pore size reduction on the dynamics of hydrogen adsorbed in metal–organic materials

KAUST Repository

Nugent, Patrick

2014-07-21

The effects of pore size reduction on the dynamics of hydrogen sorption in metal-organic materials (MOMs) were elucidated by studying SIFSIX-2-Cu and its doubly interpenetrated polymorph SIFSIX-2-Cu-i by means of sorption, inelastic neutron scattering (INS), and computational modeling. SIFSIX-2-Cu-i exhibits much smaller pore sizes, which possess high H2 sorption affinity at low loadings. Experimental H2 sorption measurements revealed that the isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst) for H2 in SIFSIX-2-Cu-i is nearly two times higher than that for SIFSIX-2-Cu (8.6 vs. 4.6 kJ mol-1). The INS spectrum for H2 in SIFSIX-2-Cu-i is rather unique for a porous material, as only one broad peak appears at low energies near 6 meV, which simply increases in intensity with loading until the pores are filled. The value for this rotational transition is lower than that in most neutral metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), including those with open Cu sites (8-9 meV), which is indicative of a higher barrier to rotation and stronger interaction in the channels of SIFSIX-2-Cu-i than the open Cu sites in MOFs. Simulations of H2 sorption in SIFSIX-2-Cu-i revealed two hydrogen sorption sites in the MOM: direct interaction with the equatorial fluorine atom (site 1) and between two equatorial fluorine atoms on opposite walls (site 2). The calculated rotational energy levels and rotational barriers for the two sites in SIFSIX-2-Cu-i are in good agreement with INS data. Furthermore, the rotational barriers and binding energies for site 2 are slightly higher than that for site 1, which is consistent with INS results. The lowest calculated transition for the primary site in SIFSIX-2-Cu is also in good agreement with INS data. In addition, this transition in the non-interpenetrating material is higher than any of the sites in SIFSIX-2-Cu-i, which indicates a significantly weaker interaction with the host as a result of the larger pore size. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014.

Density-functional errors in ionization potential with increasing system size

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whittleton, Sarah R.; Sosa Vazquez, Xochitl A.; Isborn, Christine M., E-mail: cisborn@ucmerced.edu [Chemistry and Chemical Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95343 (United States); Johnson, Erin R., E-mail: erin.johnson@dal.ca [Chemistry and Chemical Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95343 (United States); Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie University, 6274 Coburg Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2 (Canada)

2015-05-14

This work investigates the effects of molecular size on the accuracy of density-functional ionization potentials for a set of 28 hydrocarbons, including series of alkanes, alkenes, and oligoacenes. As the system size increases, delocalization error introduces a systematic underestimation of the ionization potential, which is rationalized by considering the fractional-charge behavior of the electronic energies. The computation of the ionization potential with many density-functional approximations is not size-extensive due to excessive delocalization of the incipient positive charge. While inclusion of exact exchange reduces the observed errors, system-specific tuning of long-range corrected functionals does not generally improve accuracy. These results emphasize that good performance of a functional for small molecules is not necessarily transferable to larger systems.

Generalized Bragg-Williams model for the size-dependent order-disorder transition of bimetallic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y J; Qi, W H; Wang, M P; Liu, J F; Xiong, S Y; Huang, B Y

2011-01-01

Considering the different effects of exterior atoms (face, edge and corner atoms), the Bragg-Williams model is generalized to account for the size, shape and composition-dependent order-disorder transition of bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) with B 2 , L1 0 and L1 2 ordered structures. The results show that the order-disorder temperatures T C,p are different for different shapes even in the identical particle size. The order of order-disorder temperatures of different shapes varies for different sizes. The long-range order parameter decreases with the increase in temperature in all size ranges and decreases smoothly in large sizes, but drops dramatically in small sizes. Moreover, it is also found that the order-disorder temperature of bimetallic NPs rises with increasing particle sizes and decreases with a deviation from the ideal compositions. The present predictions are consistent with the available literature results, indicating its capability in predicting other order-disorder transition phenomena of bimetallic NPs.

Little Eyolf and dramatic tradition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roland Lysell

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The article criticises an Ibsen tradition who has seen the last scene of Little Eyolf as a reconciliation. Instead, the article discusses the improbability of a happy marriage characterised by social engagement. The play is open but it is hardly probable that Rita, with her erotic desire, and Allmers, whose desire has turned into metaphysics, can be happy together. The arguments refer to inner criteria and the constantly present dramatic tradition.

Puppetry and Creative Dramatics in Storytelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Champlin, Connie

The 14 units in this book are designed to help teachers and librarians motivate children to express emotions, pantomime characters, and create a full story environment through puppetry and creative dramatics. Each unit is built around a specific piece of literature, and each provides instructions for the educator concerning the necessary…

Bound to lose: physical incapacitation increases the conceptualized size of an antagonist in men.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel M T Fessler

Full Text Available Because decision-making in situations of potential conflict hinges on assessing many features of the self and the foe, this process can be facilitated by summarizing diverse attributes in a single heuristic representation. Physical size and strength are evolutionarily ancient determinants of victory in conflict, and their relevance is reinforced during development. Accordingly, size and muscularity constitute ready dimensions for a summary representation of relative formidability, a perspective paralleled by the notion that social power is represented using envisioned relative size. Physical incapacitation constitutes a significant tactical disadvantage, hence temporary incapacitation should increase the envisioned size and strength of an antagonist. In Study 1, being bound to a chair increased men's estimates of the size of an angry man and decreased estimates of their own height. Study 2 conceptually replicated these effects: among men for whom standing on a balance board was challenging, the attendant experience of postural instability increased estimates of an angry man's size and muscularity, with similar patterns occurring at a reduced level among all but those whose equilibrium was apparently unaffected by this task.

Dramatics in the Classroom: Making Lessons Come Alive. Fastback 70.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Elizabeth Flory

The contents of this booklet focus on effective techniques for using dramatics in the classroom and are based on the premise that drama can integrate all skills and help to avoid fragmentation in learning. Chapters discuss motivating the dreamers in the classroom, curriculum dramatics--eclectic teaching, training the teacher, transforming the…

Language in african dramatic literature: The example of Ola Rotimi's ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper discusses the use of language in African dramatic literature and identifies the controversy over the choice of a most appropriate language to be used by African playwrights and also X-rays the solution to language problem as proffered by prominent dramatic scholars. These solutions are then narrowed to Ola ...

Collaborative College Playwriting and Performance: A Core Course "Trespassing" onto the Dramatic Arts

Science.gov (United States)

Bedetti, Gabriella

2015-01-01

Arts integration is relevant in the context of the increased demand for creative thinkers in a global economy. However, reaching across disciplinary boundaries is less common in higher education. Arts integration is one way that a literature class can "trespass" onto the dramatic arts. This paper reports on a study of integrating the…

Larger ATV engine size correlates with an increased rate of traumatic brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Butts, C Caleb; Rostas, Jack W; Lee, Y L; Gonzalez, Richard P; Brevard, Sidney B; Frotan, M Amin; Ahmed, Naveed; Simmons, Jon D

2015-04-01

Since the introduction of all-terrain vehicles (ATV) to the United States in 1971, injuries and mortalities related to their use have increased significantly. Furthermore, these vehicles have become larger and more powerful. As there are no helmet requirements or limitations on engine-size in the State of Alabama, we hypothesised that larger engine size would correlate with an increased incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in patients following an ATV crash. Patient and ATV data were prospectively collected on all ATV crashes presenting to a level one trauma centre from September 2010 to May 2013. Collected data included: demographics, age of driver, ATV engine size, presence of helmet, injuries, and outcomes. The data were grouped according to the ATV engine size in cubic centimetres (cc). For the purposes of this study, TBI was defined as any type of intracranial haemorrhage on the initial computed tomography scan. There were 61 patients identified during the study period. Two patients (3%) were wearing a helmet at the time of injury. Patients on an ATV with an engine size of 350 cc or greater had higher Injury Severity Scores (13.9 vs. 7.5, p ≤ 0.05) and an increased incidence of TBI (26% vs. 0%, p ≤ 0.05) when compared to patients on ATV's with an engine size less than 350 cc. Patients on an ATV with an engine size of 350 cc or greater were more likely to have a TBI. The use of a helmet was rarely present in this cohort. Legislative efforts to implement rider protection laws for ATVs are warranted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimentally reducing clutch size reveals a fixed upper limit to egg size in snakes, evidence from the king ratsnake, Elaphe carinata.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Xiang; Du, Wei-Guo; Li, Hong; Lin, Long-Hui

2006-08-01

Snakes are free of the pelvic girdle's constraint on maximum offspring size, and therefore present an opportunity to investigate the upper limit to offspring size without the limit imposed by the pelvic girdle dimension. We used the king ratsnake (Elaphe carinata) as a model animal to examine whether follicle ablation may result in enlargement of egg size in snakes and, if so, whether there is a fixed upper limit to egg size. Females with small sized yolking follicles were assigned to three manipulated, one sham-manipulated and one control treatments in mid-May, and two, four or six yolking follicles in the manipulated females were then ablated. Females undergoing follicle ablation produced fewer, but larger as well as more elongated, eggs than control females primarily by increasing egg length. This finding suggests that follicle ablation may result in enlargement of egg size in E. carinata. Mean values for egg width remained almost unchanged across the five treatments, suggesting that egg width is more likely to be shaped by the morphological feature of the oviduct. Clutch mass dropped dramatically in four- and six-follicle ablated females. The function describing the relationship between size and number of eggs reveals that egg size increases with decreasing clutch size at an ever-decreasing rate, with the tangent slope of the function for the six-follicle ablation treatment being -0.04. According to the function describing instantaneous variation in tangent slope, the maximum value of tangent slope should converge towards zero. This result provides evidence that there is a fixed upper limit to egg size in E. carinata.

A contemporary decennial global sample of changing agricultural field sizes

Science.gov (United States)

White, E.; Roy, D. P.

2011-12-01

In the last several hundred years agriculture has caused significant human induced Land Cover Land Use Change (LCLUC) with dramatic cropland expansion and a marked increase in agricultural productivity. The size of agricultural fields is a fundamental description of rural landscapes and provides an insight into the drivers of rural LCLUC. Increasing field sizes cause a subsequent decrease in the number of fields and therefore decreased landscape spatial complexity with impacts on biodiversity, habitat, soil erosion, plant-pollinator interactions, diffusion of disease pathogens and pests, and loss or degradation in buffers to nutrient, herbicide and pesticide flows. In this study, globally distributed locations with significant contemporary field size change were selected guided by a global map of agricultural yield and literature review and were selected to be representative of different driving forces of field size change (associated with technological innovation, socio-economic conditions, government policy, historic patterns of land cover land use, and environmental setting). Seasonal Landsat data acquired on a decadal basis (for 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010) were used to extract field boundaries and the temporal changes in field size quantified and their causes discussed.

Characterizing mesh size distributions (MSDs) in thermosetting materials using a high-pressure system.

Science.gov (United States)

Larché, J-F; Seynaeve, J-M; Voyard, G; Bussière, P-O; Gardette, J-L

2011-04-21

The thermoporosimetry method was adapted to determine the mesh size distribution of an acrylate thermoset clearcoat. This goal was achieved by increasing the solvent rate transfer by increasing the pressure and temperature. A comparison of the results obtained using this approach with those obtained by DMA (dynamic mechanical analysis) underlined the accuracy of thermoporosimetry in characterizing the macromolecular architecture of thermosets. The thermoporosimetry method was also used to analyze the effects of photoaging on cross-linking, which result from the photodegradation of the acrylate thermoset. It was found that the formation of a three-dimensional network followed by densification generates a modification of the average mesh size that leads to a dramatic decrease of the meshes of the polymer.

Third-generation Ah receptor-responsive luciferase reporter plasmids: amplification of dioxin-responsive elements dramatically increases CALUX bioassay sensitivity and responsiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Guochun; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Zhao, Bin; Baston, David S; Zhao, Jing; Heath-Pagliuso, Sharon; Denison, Michael S

2011-10-01

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) and related dioxin-like chemicals are widespread and persistent environmental contaminants that produce diverse toxic and biological effects through their ability to bind to and activate the Ah receptor (AhR) and AhR-dependent gene expression. The chemically activated luciferase expression (CALUX) system is an AhR-responsive recombinant luciferase reporter gene-based cell bioassay that has been used in combination with chemical extraction and cleanup methods for the relatively rapid and inexpensive detection and relative quantitation of dioxin and dioxin-like chemicals in a wide variety of sample matrices. Although the CALUX bioassay has been validated and used extensively for screening purposes, it has some limitations when screening samples with very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals or when there is only a small amount of sample matrix for analysis. Here, we describe the development of third-generation (G3) CALUX plasmids with increased numbers of dioxin-responsive elements, and stable transfection of these new plasmids into mouse hepatoma (Hepa1c1c7) cells has produced novel amplified G3 CALUX cell bioassays that respond to TCDD with a dramatically increased magnitude of luciferase induction and significantly lower minimal detection limit than existing CALUX-type cell lines. The new G3 CALUX cell lines provide a highly responsive and sensitive bioassay system for the detection and relative quantitation of very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals in sample extracts.

Third-Generation Ah Receptor–Responsive Luciferase Reporter Plasmids: Amplification of Dioxin-Responsive Elements Dramatically Increases CALUX Bioassay Sensitivity and Responsiveness

Science.gov (United States)

He, Guochun; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Zhao, Bin; Baston, David S.; Zhao, Jing; Heath-Pagliuso, Sharon; Denison, Michael S.

2011-01-01

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) and related dioxin-like chemicals are widespread and persistent environmental contaminants that produce diverse toxic and biological effects through their ability to bind to and activate the Ah receptor (AhR) and AhR-dependent gene expression. The chemically activated luciferase expression (CALUX) system is an AhR-responsive recombinant luciferase reporter gene–based cell bioassay that has been used in combination with chemical extraction and cleanup methods for the relatively rapid and inexpensive detection and relative quantitation of dioxin and dioxin-like chemicals in a wide variety of sample matrices. Although the CALUX bioassay has been validated and used extensively for screening purposes, it has some limitations when screening samples with very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals or when there is only a small amount of sample matrix for analysis. Here, we describe the development of third-generation (G3) CALUX plasmids with increased numbers of dioxin-responsive elements, and stable transfection of these new plasmids into mouse hepatoma (Hepa1c1c7) cells has produced novel amplified G3 CALUX cell bioassays that respond to TCDD with a dramatically increased magnitude of luciferase induction and significantly lower minimal detection limit than existing CALUX-type cell lines. The new G3 CALUX cell lines provide a highly responsive and sensitive bioassay system for the detection and relative quantitation of very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals in sample extracts. PMID:21775728

Dramatization at Extracurricular Activities as a Means to Enhance Foreign Language Teaching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Valeryevna Kuimova

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of foreign language teaching is to learn to communicate and overcome the language barrier. The article studies dramatization and its appropriateness in foreign language teaching, provides criteria for choosing a literary work for dramatization. The use of dramatization at extracurricular activities develops communication abilities, creativity; enhances motivation to learn a foreign language and strengthens students’ confidence in a foreign language.

Dramatic increase in sea otter mortality from white sharks in California

Science.gov (United States)

Tinker, M. Tim; Hatfield, Brian B.; Harris, Michael D.; Ames, Jack A.

2016-01-01

Although southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) are not considered prey for white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias), sharks do nonetheless bite sea otters. We analyzed spatial and temporal trends in shark bites on sea otters in California, assessing the frequency of shark bite wounds in 1,870 carcasses collected since 1985. The proportion of stranded sea otters having shark bites has increased sharply since 2003, and white shark bites now account for >50% of recovered carcasses. The trend was most pronounced in the southern part of the range, from Estero Bay to Point Conception, where shark bite frequency has increased eightfold. Seasonal trends were also evident: most shark-bitten carcasses are recovered in late summer and fall; however, the period of elevated shark bite frequency has lengthened. The causes of these trends are unclear, but possible contributing factors include increased white shark abundance and/or changes in white shark behavior and distribution. In particular, the spatiotemporal patterns of shark-bitten sea otters match increases in pinniped populations, and the increased availability of marine mammal prey for white sharks may have led to more sharks spending more time in nearshore waters utilized by both sea otters and pinnipeds.

Particle size effects in the catalytic electroreduction of CO₂ on Cu nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Reske, Rulle; Mistry, Hemma; Behafarid, Farzad; Roldan Cuenya, Beatriz; Strasser, Peter

2014-05-14

A study of particle size effects during the catalytic CO2 electroreduction on size-controlled Cu nanoparticles (NPs) is presented. Cu NP catalysts in the 2-15 nm mean size range were prepared, and their catalytic activity and selectivity during CO2 electroreduction were analyzed and compared to a bulk Cu electrode. A dramatic increase in the catalytic activity and selectivity for H2 and CO was observed with decreasing Cu particle size, in particular, for NPs below 5 nm. Hydrocarbon (methane and ethylene) selectivity was increasingly suppressed for nanoscale Cu surfaces. The size dependence of the surface atomic coordination of model spherical Cu particles was used to rationalize the experimental results. Changes in the population of low-coordinated surface sites and their stronger chemisorption were linked to surging H2 and CO selectivities, higher catalytic activity, and smaller hydrocarbon selectivity. The presented activity-selectivity-size relations provide novel insights in the CO2 electroreduction reaction on nanoscale surfaces. Our smallest nanoparticles (~2 nm) enter the ab initio computationally accessible size regime, and therefore, the results obtained lend themselves well to density functional theory (DFT) evaluation and reaction mechanism verification.

Increasing seed size and quality by manipulating BIG SEEDS1 in legume species.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Liangfa; Yu, Jianbin; Wang, Hongliang; Luth, Diane; Bai, Guihua; Wang, Kan; Chen, Rujin

2016-11-01

Plant organs, such as seeds, are primary sources of food for both humans and animals. Seed size is one of the major agronomic traits that have been selected in crop plants during their domestication. Legume seeds are a major source of dietary proteins and oils. Here, we report a conserved role for the BIG SEEDS1 (BS1) gene in the control of seed size and weight in the model legume Medicago truncatula and the grain legume soybean (Glycine max). BS1 encodes a plant-specific transcription regulator and plays a key role in the control of the size of plant organs, including seeds, seed pods, and leaves, through a regulatory module that targets primary cell proliferation. Importantly, down-regulation of BS1 orthologs in soybean by an artificial microRNA significantly increased soybean seed size, weight, and amino acid content. Our results provide a strategy for the increase in yield and seed quality in legumes.

Increasing age and tear size reduce rotator cuff repair healing rate at 1 year.

Science.gov (United States)

Rashid, Mustafa S; Cooper, Cushla; Cook, Jonathan; Cooper, David; Dakin, Stephanie G; Snelling, Sarah; Carr, Andrew J

2017-12-01

Background and purpose - There is a need to understand the reasons why a high proportion of rotator cuff repairs fail to heal. Using data from a large randomized clinical trial, we evaluated age and tear size as risk factors for failure of rotator cuff repair. Patients and methods - Between 2007 and 2014, 65 surgeons from 47 hospitals in the National Health Service (NHS) recruited 447 patients with atraumatic rotator cuff tendon tears to the United Kingdom Rotator Cuff Trial (UKUFF) and 256 underwent rotator cuff repair. Cuff integrity was assessed by imaging in 217 patients, at 12 months post-operation. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influence of age and intra-operative tear size on healing. Hand dominance, sex, and previous steroid injections were controlled for. Results - The overall healing rate was 122/217 (56%) at 12 months. Healing rate decreased with increasing tear size (small tears 66%, medium tears 68%, large tears 47%, and massive tears 27% healed). The mean age of patients with a healed repair was 61 years compared with 64 years for those with a non-healed repair. Mean age increased with larger tear sizes (small tears 59 years, medium tears 62 years, large tears 64 years, and massive tears 66 years). Increasing age was an independent factor that negatively influenced healing, even after controlling for tear size. Only massive tears were an independent predictor of non-healing, after controlling for age. Interpretation - Although increasing age and larger tear size are both risks for failure of rotator cuff repair healing, age is the dominant risk factor.

Hole-Size Increasing PCFs for Blue-Extended Supercontinuum Generation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Simon Toft; Larsen, Casper; Jakobsen, C.

2013-01-01

into the deep-blue in a single mode PCF with varying hole-size and pitch fabricated directly at the draw-tower. The PCFs in this work are fabricated by increasing the pressure on the air holes during the drawing. However, this process alone will lead to an undesirable structure where both the relative hole......Supercontinuum (SC) sources with spectra extending into the deep-blue region below 400 nm are highly desirable in areas such as fluorescent microscopy [1]. Tapering of photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) with high air-fill fractions has proven an effective way of extending the spectra into the deep...... wavelength spectral edge to wavelengths in the deep-blue or even UV. Previous reports on blue-extended SC generation were typically achieved in tapered PCFs where the air-hole structure was preserved [1-4], i.e. the relative hole-size constant. However, such PCFs with high air-fill fractions are inevitably...

On the Major Dramatic Conftict of Shakespeare's the Merchant of Venice

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

蒋文

2000-01-01

"The Merchant of Venice", a master piece with humanist idea by William Shakespeare, presents readers a dramatic conflict between friendship and greediness, love and cruelty.This essay illustrates briefly how this conflict is created, developed and dramatized. At the same time, the root causes for this conflict is analysed.

Video Taping and Abnormal Psychology: Dramatized Clinical Interviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, Michael J.; And Others

1984-01-01

Students in an abnormal psychology course worked in teams to produce dramatizations of diagnostic interviews and then presented them in class. Positive and negative aspects of the activity are discussed. (RM)

Unexpected dramatic increase in CD4+ cell count in a patient with AIDS after enfuvirtide treatment despite persistent viremia and resistance mutations.

Science.gov (United States)

Soria, Alessandro; Cavarelli, Mariangela; Sala, Stefania; Alessandrini, Anna Ida; Scarlatti, Gabriella; Lazzarin, Adriano; Castagna, Antonella

2008-06-01

An unexpected dramatic immune recovery was observed in a patient with full-blown AIDS receiving enfuvirtide-based antiretroviral therapy after multiple treatment failures. A complex interplay of viral and host factors, including the control of X4 viruses and proviral burden, may favor immune restoration with HIV neutralizing activity, despite persistent viremia.

NDA PDP Program PuO2 increased particle size specification and design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, R.S.; Taggart, D.P.; Becker, G.K.; Woon, W.Y.

1996-01-01

Provisions in the National TRU Program Quality Assurance Program Plan require an assessment of performance for nondestructive waste assay (NDA) systems employed in the program. This requirement is in part fulfilled through the use of Performance Demonstration programs. In order to optimize the quality and quantity of information acquired during a given Performance Demonstration Program cycle, the assessment employed is to be carefully specified and designed. The assessment must yield measurement system performance data meaningful with respect to NDA system capability to accommodate attributes of interest known to occur in actual waste forms. The design and specification of the increased particle size PuO 2 PDP working reference materials (WRMs) is directed at providing a straightforward mechanism to assess waste NDA system capability to account for biases introduced by large PuO 2 particles. The increased particle size PuO 2 PDP WRM design addresses actual waste form attributes associated with PuO 2 particle size and distributions thereof, the issue of a known and stable WRM configuration and equally important appropriate certification and tractability considerations

Design incentives to increase vehicle size created from the U.S. footprint-based fuel economy standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitefoot, Kate S.; Skerlos, Steven J.

2012-01-01

The recently amended U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards determine fuel-economy targets based on the footprint (wheelbase by track width) of vehicles such that larger vehicles have lower fuel-economy targets. This paper considers whether these standards create an incentive for firms to increase vehicle size by presenting an oligopolistic-equilibrium model in which automotive firms can modify vehicle dimensions, implement fuel-saving technology features, and trade off acceleration performance and fuel economy. Wide ranges of scenarios for consumer preferences are considered. Results suggest that the footprint-based CAFE standards create an incentive to increase vehicle size except when consumer preference for vehicle size is near its lower bound and preference for acceleration is near its upper bound. In all other simulations, the sales-weighted average vehicle size increases by 2–32%, undermining gains in fuel economy by 1–4 mpg (0.6–1.7 km/L). Carbon-dioxide emissions from these vehicles are 5–15% higher as a result (4.69×10 11 –5.17×10 11 kg for one year of produced vehicles compared to 4.47×10 11 kg with no size changes), which is equivalent to adding 3–10 coal-fired power plants to the electricity grid each year. Furthermore, results suggest that the incentive is larger for light trucks than for passenger cars, which could increase traffic safety risks. - Highlights: ► New U.S. fuel-economy standards may create an incentive to increase vehicle size. ► We model firms as choosing vehicle designs and prices in oligopolistic equilibrium. ► Vehicle size increases 2–32% for 20 out of 21 scenarios of consumer preferences. ► Increases in size reduce fuel economy gains from 5–13%, resulting in 5–15% higher CO 2 emissions. ► Incentive is larger for trucks than cars, which may increase traffic safety risks.

Dramatic pretend play games uniquely improve emotional control in young children.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Thalia R; Lerner, Matthew D

2017-09-15

Pretense is a naturally occurring, apparently universal activity for typically developing children. Yet its function and effects remain unclear. One theorized possibility is that pretense activities, such as dramatic pretend play games, are a possible causal path to improve children's emotional development. Social and emotional skills, particularly emotional control, are critically important for social development, as well as academic performance and later life success. However, the study of such approaches has been criticized for potential bias and lack of rigor, precluding the ability to make strong causal claims. We conducted a randomized, component control (dismantling) trial of dramatic pretend play games with a low-SES group of 4-year-old children (N = 97) to test whether such practice yields generalized improvements in multiple social and emotional outcomes. We found specific effects of dramatic play games only on emotional self-control. Results suggest that dramatic pretend play games involving physicalizing emotional states and traits, pretending to be animals and human characters, and engaging in pretend scenarios in a small group may improve children's emotional control. These findings have implications for the function of pretense and design of interventions to improve emotional control in typical and atypical populations. Further, they provide support for the unique role of dramatic pretend play games for young children, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/2GVNcWKRHPk. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Small-for-Size Liver Transplantation Increases Pulmonary Injury in Rats: Prevention by NIM811

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qinlong Liu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Pulmonary complications after liver transplantation (LT often cause mortality. This study investigated whether small-for-size LT increases acute pulmonary injury and whether NIM811 which improves small-for-size liver graft survival attenuates LT-associated lung injury. Rat livers were reduced to 50% of original size, stored in UW-solution with and without NIM811 (5 μM for 6 h, and implanted into recipients of the same or about twice the donor weight, resulting in half-size (HSG and quarter-size grafts (QSG, respectively. Liver injury increased and regeneration was suppressed after QSG transplantation as expected. NIM811 blunted these alterations >75%. Pulmonary histological alterations were minimal at 5–18 h after LT. At 38 h, neutrophils and monocytes/macrophage infiltration, alveolar space exudation, alveolar septal thickening, oxidative/nitrosative protein adduct formation, and alveolar epithelial cell/capillary endothelial apoptosis became overt in the lungs of QSG recipients, but these alterations were mild in full-size and HSG recipients. Liver pretreatment with NIM811 markedly decreased pulmonary injury in QSG recipients. Hepatic TNFα and IL-1β mRNAs and pulmonary ICAM-1 expression were markedly higher after QSG transplantation, which were all decreased by NIM811. Together, dysfunctional small-for-size grafts produce toxic cytokines, leading to lung inflammation and injury. NIM811 decreased toxic cytokine formation, thus attenuating pulmonary injury after small-for-size LT.

Increased body size along urbanization gradients at both community and intraspecific level in macro-moths.

Science.gov (United States)

Merckx, Thomas; Kaiser, Aurélien; Van Dyck, Hans

2018-05-23

Urbanization involves a cocktail of human-induced rapid environmental changes and is forecasted to gain further importance. Urban-heat-island effects result in increased metabolic costs expected to drive shifts towards smaller body sizes. However, urban environments are also characterized by strong habitat fragmentation, often selecting for dispersal phenotypes. Here, we investigate to what extent, and at which spatial scale(s), urbanization drives body size shifts in macro-moths-an insect group characterized by positive size-dispersal links-at both the community and intraspecific level. Using light and bait trapping as part of a replicated, spatially nested sampling design, we show that despite the observed urban warming of their woodland habitat, macro-moth communities display considerable increases in community-weighted mean body size because of stronger filtering against small species along urbanization gradients. Urbanization drives intraspecific shifts towards increased body size too, at least for a third of species analysed. These results indicate that urbanization drives shifts towards larger, and hence, more mobile species and individuals in order to mitigate low connectivity of ecological resources in urban settings. Macro-moths are a key group within terrestrial ecosystems, and since body size is central to species interactions, such urbanization-driven phenotypic change may impact urban ecosystem functioning, especially in terms of nocturnal pollination and food web dynamics. Although we show that urbanization's size-biased filtering happens simultaneously and coherently at both the inter- and intraspecific level, we demonstrate that the impact at the community level is most pronounced at the 800 m radius scale, whereas species-specific size increases happen at local and landscape scales (50-3,200 m radius), depending on the species. Hence, measures-such as creating and improving urban green infrastructure-to mitigate the effects of urbanization on

Sample size in psychological research over the past 30 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Marszalek, Jacob M; Barber, Carolyn; Kohlhart, Julie; Holmes, Cooper B

2011-04-01

The American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Statistical Inference was formed in 1996 in response to a growing body of research demonstrating methodological issues that threatened the credibility of psychological research, and made recommendations to address them. One issue was the small, even dramatically inadequate, size of samples used in studies published by leading journals. The present study assessed the progress made since the Task Force's final report in 1999. Sample sizes reported in four leading APA journals in 1955, 1977, 1995, and 2006 were compared using nonparametric statistics, while data from the last two waves were fit to a hierarchical generalized linear growth model for more in-depth analysis. Overall, results indicate that the recommendations for increasing sample sizes have not been integrated in core psychological research, although results slightly vary by field. This and other implications are discussed in the context of current methodological critique and practice.

The Role and Importance of the Lease Towards the Farms’ Size Increase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Popescu

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The lease reactivation, within the agrarian relations, at year 1994, was considered as a "normal economic phenomenon". The rent, as a price of the land lease, should equal gratify the interest of those two marketer partners, land owner and leaseholder. The estimations prove the restrictive character of the lease for owner of the land, not through the hectare's quantum, but through the total income size gained by the family, as a result of the farm low size, or of the plot of land gave to lease. The lease as a landed market's action has demonstrated its role within the agriculture farm size increase, merely through the restrictive manufactures factors character at the renters, which has substituted to the households.

The Role and Importance of the Lease Towards the Farms’ Size Increase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Popescu

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The lease reactivation, within the agrarian relations, at year 1994, was considered as a "normal economic phenomenon". The rent, as a price of the land lease, should equal gratify the interest of those two marketer partners, land owner and leaseholder. The estimations prove the restrictive character of the lease for owner of the land, not through the hectare’s quantum, but through the total income size gained by the family, as a result of the farm low size, or of the plot of land gave to lease. The lease as a landed market’s action has demonstrated its role within the agriculture farm size increase, merely through the restrictive manufactures factors character at the renters, which has substituted to the households.

On Dramatic Instruction: Towards a Taxonomy of Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Courtney, Richard

1987-01-01

Examines the many possible methods used by instructors who work with dramatic action: in educational drama, drama therapy, social drama, and theater. Discusses an emergent taxonomy whereby instructors choose either spontaneous/formal, overt/covert/, or intrinsic/extrinsic methods. (JC)

Care initiation area yields dramatic results.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-03-01

The ED at Gaston Memorial Hospital in Gastonia, NC, has achieved dramatic results in key department metrics with a Care Initiation Area (CIA) and a physician in triage. Here's how the ED arrived at this winning solution: Leadership was trained in and implemented the Kaizen method, which eliminates redundant or inefficient process steps. Simulation software helped determine additional space needed by analyzing arrival patterns and other key data. After only two days of meetings, new ideas were implemented and tested.

PROMOTING INCIDENTAL VOCABULARY LEARNING THROUGH VERBAL DRAMATIZATION OF WORDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Looi-Chin Ch’ng

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Despite the fact that explicit teaching of vocabulary is often practised in English as a Second Language (ESL classrooms, it has been proven to be rather ineffective, largely because words are not taught in context. This has prompted the increasing use of incidental vocabulary learning approach, which emphasises on repeated readings as a source for vocabulary learning. By adopting this approach, this study aims to investigate students’ ability in learning vocabulary incidentally via verbal dramatization of written texts. In this case, readers’ theatre (RT is used as a way to allow learners to engage in active reading so as to promote vocabulary learning. A total of 160 diploma students participated in this case study and they were divided equally into two groups, namely classroom reading (CR and RT groups. A proficiency test was first conducted to determine their vocabulary levels. Based on the test results, a story was selected as the reading material in the two groups. The CR group read the story through a normal reading lesson in class while the RT group was required to verbally dramatize the text through readers’ theatre activity. Then, a post-test based on vocabulary levels was carried out and the results were compared. The findings revealed that incidental learning was more apparent in the RT group and their ability to learn words from the higher levels was noticeable through higher accuracy scores. Although not conclusive, this study has demonstrated the potential of using readers’ theatre as a form of incidental vocabulary learning activity in ESL settings.

Studying the Mechanism of Hybrid Nanoparticle Photoresists: Effect of Particle Size on Photopatterning

KAUST Repository

Li, Li

2015-07-28

© 2015 American Chemical Society. Hf-based hybrid photoresist materials with three different organic ligands were prepared by a sol-gel-based method, and their patterning mechanism was investigated in detail. All hybrid nanoparticle resists are patternable using UV exposure. Their particle sizes show a dramatic increase from the initial 3-4 nm to submicron size after exposure, with no apparent inorganic content or thermal property change detected. XPS results showed that the mass percentage of the carboxylic group in the structure of nanoparticles decreased with increasing exposure duration. The particle coarsening sensitivities of those hybrid nanoparticles are consistent with their EUV performance. The current work provides an understanding for the development mechanism and future guidance for the design and processing of high performance resist materials for large-scale microelectronics device fabrication.

Increased litter size and super-ovulation rate in congenic C57BL mice carrying a polymorphic fragment of NFR/N origin at the Fecq4 locus of chromosome 9

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liljander, Maria; Andersson, Åsa Inga Maria; Holmdahl, Rikard

2009-01-01

. In addition, embryos containing the Fecq4 fragment were easy to cultivate in vitro, resulting in a higher yield of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage. We propose that B10.Q.NFR/N-Fecq4 congenic mice may be used to improve breeding or super-ovulation rate in different types of genetically modified mice (on...... describe how the Fecq4 fragment originating form the NFR/N mouse strain will affect B10.Q mice by means of breeding capacity, super-ovulation rate and embryonic development in vitro. Our results show that both the breeding capacity (number of pups produced/breeding cage during a 5 months period......) and the mean litter size are significantly increased in B10.Q.NFR/N-Fecq4 congenic mice. Furthermore. B10.Q.NFR/N-Fecq4 congenic mice (both homozygous and heterozygous) did respond much better to super-ovulation than wild-type mice, resulting in a dramatically increased yield of fertilized 1-cell embryos...

Saturation in Phosphene Size with Increasing Current Levels Delivered to Human Visual Cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosking, William H; Sun, Ping; Ozker, Muge; Pei, Xiaomei; Foster, Brett L; Beauchamp, Michael S; Yoshor, Daniel

2017-07-26

Electrically stimulating early visual cortex results in a visual percept known as a phosphene. Although phosphenes can be evoked by a wide range of electrode sizes and current amplitudes, they are invariably described as small. To better understand this observation, we electrically stimulated 93 electrodes implanted in the visual cortex of 13 human subjects who reported phosphene size while stimulation current was varied. Phosphene size increased as the stimulation current was initially raised above threshold, but then rapidly reached saturation. Phosphene size also depended on the location of the stimulated site, with size increasing with distance from the foveal representation. We developed a model relating phosphene size to the amount of activated cortex and its location within the retinotopic map. First, a sigmoidal curve was used to predict the amount of activated cortex at a given current. Second, the amount of active cortex was converted to degrees of visual angle by multiplying by the inverse cortical magnification factor for that retinotopic location. This simple model accurately predicted phosphene size for a broad range of stimulation currents and cortical locations. The unexpected saturation in phosphene sizes suggests that the functional architecture of cerebral cortex may impose fundamental restrictions on the spread of artificially evoked activity and this may be an important consideration in the design of cortical prosthetic devices. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding the neural basis for phosphenes, the visual percepts created by electrical stimulation of visual cortex, is fundamental to the development of a visual cortical prosthetic. Our experiments in human subjects implanted with electrodes over visual cortex show that it is the activity of a large population of cells spread out across several millimeters of tissue that supports the perception of a phosphene. In addition, we describe an important feature of the production of phosphenes by

Grieg: Songs and dramatic works with orchestra. / Alan Blyth

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Blyth, Alan

1993-01-01

Uuest heliplaadist "Grieg: Songs and dramatic works with orchestra. Barbara Bonney, Randi Stene, Hakan Hagegard, Ruth Tellefsen, Gothenburg Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, Neeme Järvi." CD 437 519 - 2GH

Molecular pathways undergoing dramatic transcriptomic changes during tumor development in the human colon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maglietta Rosalia

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The malignant transformation of precancerous colorectal lesions involves progressive alterations at both the molecular and morphologic levels, the latter consisting of increases in size and in the degree of cellular atypia. Analyzing preinvasive tumors of different sizes can therefore shed light on the sequence of these alterations. Methods We used a molecular pathway-based approach to analyze transcriptomic profiles of 59 colorectal tumors representing early and late preinvasive stages and the invasive stage of tumorigenesis. Random set analysis was used to identify biological pathways enriched for genes differentially regulated in tumors (compared with 59 samples of normal mucosa. Results Of the 880 canonical pathways we investigated, 112 displayed significant tumor-related upregulation or downregulation at one or more stages of tumorigenesis. This allowed us to distinguish between pathways whose dysregulation is probably necessary throughout tumorigenesis and those whose involvement specifically drives progression from one stage to the next. We were also able to pinpoint specific changes within each gene set that seem to play key roles at each transition. The early preinvasive stage was characterized by cell-cycle checkpoint activation triggered by DNA replication stress and dramatic downregulation of basic transmembrane signaling processes that maintain epithelial/stromal homeostasis in the normal mucosa. In late preinvasive lesions, there was also downregulation of signal transduction pathways (e.g., those mediated by G proteins and nuclear hormone receptors involved in cell differentiation and upregulation of pathways governing nuclear envelope dynamics and the G2>M transition in the cell cycle. The main features of the invasive stage were activation of the G1>S transition in the cell cycle, upregulated expression of tumor-promoting microenvironmental factors, and profound dysregulation of metabolic pathways (e

Large increase in nest size linked to climate change: an indicator of life history, senescence and condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Møller, Anders Pape; Nielsen, Jan Tøttrup

2015-11-01

Many animals build extravagant nests that exceed the size required for successful reproduction. Large nests may signal the parenting ability of nest builders suggesting that nests may have a signaling function. In particular, many raptors build very large nests for their body size. We studied nest size in the goshawk Accipiter gentilis, which is a top predator throughout most of the Nearctic. Both males and females build nests, and males provision their females and offspring with food. Nest volume in the goshawk is almost three-fold larger than predicted from their body size. Nest size in the goshawk is highly variable and may reach more than 600 kg for a bird that weighs ca. 1 kg. While 8.5% of nests fell down, smaller nests fell down more often than large nests. There was a hump-shaped relationship between nest volume and female age, with a decline in nest volume late in life, as expected for senescence. Clutch size increased with nest volume. Nest volume increased during 1977-2014 in an accelerating fashion, linked to increasing spring temperature during April, when goshawks build and start reproduction. These findings are consistent with nest size being a reliable signal of parental ability, with large nest size signaling superior parenting ability and senescence, and also indicating climate warming.

Estimating Search Engine Index Size Variability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Van den Bosch, Antal; Bogers, Toine; De Kunder, Maurice

2016-01-01

One of the determining factors of the quality of Web search engines is the size of their index. In addition to its influence on search result quality, the size of the indexed Web can also tell us something about which parts of the WWW are directly accessible to the everyday user. We propose a novel...... method of estimating the size of a Web search engine’s index by extrapolating from document frequencies of words observed in a large static corpus of Web pages. In addition, we provide a unique longitudinal perspective on the size of Google and Bing’s indices over a nine-year period, from March 2006...... until January 2015. We find that index size estimates of these two search engines tend to vary dramatically over time, with Google generally possessing a larger index than Bing. This result raises doubts about the reliability of previous one-off estimates of the size of the indexed Web. We find...

Incretin and islet hormone responses to meals of increasing size in healthy subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsalim, Wathik; Omar, Bilal; Pacini, Giovanni; Bizzotto, Roberto; Mari, Andrea; Ahrén, Bo

2015-02-01

Postprandial glucose homeostasis is regulated through the secretion of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) through the stimulation of insulin secretion and inhibition of glucagon secretion. However, how these processes dynamically adapt to demands created by caloric challenges achieved during daily life is not known. The objective of the study was to explore the adaptation of incretin and islet hormones after mixed meals of increasing size in healthy subjects. Twenty-four healthy lean subjects ingested a standard breakfast after an overnight fast followed, after 4 hours, by a lunch of a different size (511, 743, and 1034 kcal) but with identical nutrient composition together with 1.5 g paracetamol. Glucose, insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, intact GLP-1, and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and paracetamol were measured after the meals. Area under the 180-minute curve (AUC) for insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, GLP-1, and GIP and model-derived β-cell function and paracetamol appearance were calculated. Glucose profiles were similar after the two larger meals, whereas after the smaller meal, there was a postpeak reduction below baseline to a nadir of 3.8 ± 0.1 mmol/L after 75 minutes (P lunch meals of increasing size elicit a caloric-dependent insulin response due to increased β-cell secretion achieved by increased GIP and GLP-1 levels. The adaptation at larger meals results in identical glucose excursions, whereas after a lower caloric lunch, the insulin response is high, resulting in a postpeak suppression of glucose below baseline.

Lepidium meyenii (Maca increases litter size in normal adult female mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gasco Manuel

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Lepidium meyenii, known as Maca, grows exclusively in the Peruvian Andes over 4000 m altitude. It has been used traditionally to increase fertility. Previous scientific studies have demonstrated that Maca increases spermatogenesis and epididymal sperm count. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of Maca on several fertility parameters of female mice at reproductive age. Methods Adult female Balb/C mice were divided at random into three main groups: i Reproductive indexes group, ii Implantation sites group and iii Assessment of uterine weight in ovariectomized mice. Animals received an aqueous extract of lyophilized Yellow Maca (1 g/Kg BW or vehicle orally as treatment. In the fertility indexes study, animals received the treatment before, during and after gestation. The fertility index, gestation index, post-natal viability index, weaning viability index and sex ratio were calculated. Sexual maturation was evaluated in the female pups by the vaginal opening (VO day. In the implantation study, females were checked for implantation sites at gestation day 7 and the embryos were counted. In ovariectomized mice, the uterine weight was recorded at the end of treatment. Results Implantation sites were similar in mice treated with Maca and in controls. All reproductive indexes were similar in both groups of treatment. The number of pups per dam at birth and at postnatal day 4 was significantly higher in the group treated with Maca. VO day occurred earlier as litter size was smaller. Maca did not affect VO day. In ovariectomized mice, the treatment with Maca increased significantly the uterine weights in comparison to their respective control group. Conclusion Administration of aqueous extract of Yellow Maca to adult female mice increases the litter size. Moreover, this treatment increases the uterine weight in ovariectomized animals. Our study confirms for the first time some of the traditional uses of Maca to

INCREASING RETURNS TO SCALE, DYNAMICS OF INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE AND SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF FIRMS

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Ying FAN; Menghui LI; Zengru DI

2006-01-01

A multi-agent model is presented to discuss the market dynamics and the size distribution of firms.The model emphasizes the effects of increasing returns to scale and gives the description of the born and death of adaptive producers. The evolution of market structure and its behavior under the technological shocks are investigated. Its dynamical results are in good agreement with some empirical "stylized facts" of industrial evolution. With the diversity of demand and adaptive growth strategies of firms, the firm size in the generalized model obeys the power-law distribution. Three factors mainly determine the competitive dynamics and the skewed size distributions of firms: 1. Self-reinforcing mechanism; 2. Adaptive firm growing strategies; 3. Demand diversity or widespread heterogeneity in the technological capabilities of firms.

Using dramatic role-play to develop emotional aptitude

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Russell Dinapoli

2009-12-01

Full Text Available As university educators, we need to prepare students for the transition from the information age to what Daniel H. Pink (2005 calls the conceptual age, which is governed by artistry, empathy and emotion, by including in the curricula activities that stimulate both hemispheres of the brain. This can be done by promoting activities that energize what Daniel Goleman (1995 refers to as emotional intelligence, and it further maintains that, as Paul Ekman (2003 suggests, the ability to detect feelings improves communication. Recognizing the need to include in the curricula procedures that help develop students’ right brain aptitudes and enhance their communication skills, I have endeavoured to introduce dramatic scene study as a sustained activity in my English for Specific Purposes courses at the Universidad de Valencia. My aim was to energize the students’ creative and emotional aptitudes, as well as to dynamize effective teamwork. This article sustains that dramatic role-play, based on scripted scene study and related improvisational activities, is one way of achieving this.

Dramatic weight loss associated with commencing clozapine

OpenAIRE

Lally, John; McDonald, Colm

2011-01-01

The authors report the case of a 44-year-old man with a long history of chronic enduring schizophrenia who experienced dramatic weight loss after commencing treatment with clozapine, an antipsychotic medication characteristically associated with the greatest degree of weight gain among medical treatments for schizophrenia. He was obese with a body mass index (BMI) of 41.5 kg/m2, but after commencing clozapine therapy he experienced an improvement in psychotic symptoms and 40% loss of his body...

Consequences of dramatic reductions in state tobacco control funds: Florida, 1998-2000.

Science.gov (United States)

Niederdeppe, J; Farrelly, M C; Hersey, J C; Davis, K C

2008-06-01

This study assessed whether dramatic funding reductions to the Florida Tobacco Control Program (FTCP) influenced trends in recall of the Florida "truth" anti-smoking media campaign, anti-industry attitudes and non-smoking intentions among Florida teens. We used an interrupted time series technique to test for differences in the rates of change in Florida "truth" recall, anti-industry beliefs and non-smoking intentions before and after the FTCP budget cuts using the Florida Anti-tobacco Media Evaluation (FAME) survey, a repeated cross-sectional telephone survey of Florida teens. Recall of the Florida "truth" anti-smoking campaign, anti-industry attitudes, and non-smoking intentions increased dramatically between April 1998 and May 1999. Florida "truth" recall declined after FTCP budget cuts in June 1999. Anti-industry beliefs and non-smoking intentions plateaued or began to decline after the budget cuts. The launch of the national "truth" campaign in February 2000 may have offset otherwise deleterious effects of the budget cuts on anti-industry beliefs, but not smoking intentions. Reductions in tobacco control funding have immediate effects on programme exposure and cognitive precursors to smoking initiation. There is a critical need to maintain and enhance funding for state tobacco control programmes to continue nationwide progress in preventing youth from initiating cigarette smoking.

Dramatization and attraction: new identification tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V I Panteleeva

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The article provides the analysis of identification mechanisms and its presentation patterns in the contemporary megapolis, the reasons for identification challenges emerging in the contemporary multicultural world where the contemporary urban community offers the opportunity for identity transformation, so that the citizens of metropolis are faced with the challenge of finding new identification tools. The notions of «dramatization» and «social attraction» offered in the article for the identity problem analysis in the context of diverse style and taste options of the contemporary urban community serve to form an estimate of the behaviour of an individual who keeps deciding on his own behavioral pattern.

Cellulolytic Protist Numbers Rise and Fall Dramatically in Termite Queens and Kings during Colony Foundation

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Keisuke; Lo, Nathan; Kitade, Osamu; Wakui, Akane

2013-01-01

Among the best-known examples of mutualistic symbioses is that between lower termites and the cellulolytic flagellate protists in their hindguts. Although the symbiosis in worker termites has attracted much attention, there have been only a few studies of protists in other castes. We have performed the first examination of protist population dynamics in queens and kings during termite colony foundation. Protist numbers, as well as measurements of hindgut and reproductive tissue sizes, were undertaken at five time points over 400 days in incipient colonies of Reticulitermes speratus, as well as in other castes of mature colonies of this species. We found that protist numbers increased dramatically in both queens and kings during the first 50 days of colony foundation but began to decrease by day 100, eventually disappearing by day 400. Hindgut width followed a pattern similar to that of protist numbers, while ovary and testis widths increased significantly only at day 400. Kings were found to contain higher numbers of protists than queens in incipient colonies, which may be linked to higher levels of nutrient transfer from kings to queens than vice versa, as is known in some other termite species. Protists were found to be abundant in soldiers from mature colonies but absent in neotenics. This probably reflects feeding of soldiers by workers via proctodeal trophallaxis and of reproductives via stomodeal trophallaxis. The results reveal the dynamic nature of protist numbers during colony foundation and highlight the trade-offs that exist between reproduction and parental care during this critical phase of the termite life cycle. PMID:23376945

Authoring for Engagement in Interactive Dramatic Experiences for Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schoenau-Fog, Henrik; Bruni, Luis Emilio; Khalil, Faysal Fuad

2013-01-01

’s control over communicating a theme. To address this problem, this paper contributes a method for organizing narrative events in a free-roaming virtual environment. The Interactive Dramatic Experience Model (IDEM) retains the freedom of navigation while maintaining the possibility to construct various...

Modeling attitude towards drug treament: the role of internal motivation, external pressure, and dramatic relief.

Science.gov (United States)

Conner, Bradley T; Longshore, Douglas; Anglin, M Douglas

2009-04-01

Motivation for change has historically been viewed as the crucial element affecting responsiveness to drug treatment. Various external pressures, such as legal coercion, may engender motivation in an individual previously resistant to change. Dramatic relief may be the change process that is most salient as individuals internalize such external pressures. Results of structural equation modeling on data from 465 drug users (58.9% male; 21.3% Black, 34.2% Hispanic/Latino, and 35.1% White) entering drug treatment indicated that internal motivation and external pressure significantly and positively predicted dramatic relief and that dramatic relief significantly predicted attitudes towards drug treatment: chi (2) = 142.20, df = 100, p relief is also likely to be high. When dramatic relief is high, attitudes towards drug treatment are likely to be positive. The findings indicate that interventions to get individuals into drug treatment should include processes that promote Dramatic Relief. Implications for addictions health services are discussed.

Surface modification of carbon fibers by a polyether sulfone emulsion sizing for increased interfacial adhesion with polyether sulfone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Haojie [National Engineering Laboratory for Carbon Fiber Technology, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhang, Shouchun, E-mail: zschun@sxicc.ac.cn [National Engineering Laboratory for Carbon Fiber Technology, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China); Lu, Chunxiang [National Engineering Laboratory for Carbon Fiber Technology, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China)

2014-10-30

Highlights: • A polyether sulfone emulsion (PES) sizing was prepared for the first time. • The sizing enhanced the surface activity and wettability of carbon fibers. • Compared to the original sizing, the PES emulsion sizing resulted in an 18.4% increase in the interlaminar shear strength of carbon fiber/PES composites. • Important influences of emulsifier on the fiber surface and composite interface were demonstrated. • The reinforcing mechanisms are the improved fiber surface wettability and interfacial compatibility in composites. - Abstract: Interests on carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites are growing rapidly, but the challenges with poor interfacial adhesion have slowed their adoption. In this work, a polyether sulfone (PES) emulsion sizing was prepared successfully for increased interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber/PES composites. To obtain a high-quality PES emulsion sizing, the key factor, emulsifier concentration, was studied by dynamic light scattering technique. The results demonstrated that the suitable weight ratio of PES to emulsifier was 8:3, and the resulting PES emulsion sizing had an average particle diameter of 117 nm and Zeta potential of −52.6 mV. After sizing, the surface oxygen-containing functional groups, free energy and wettability of carbon fibers increased significantly, which were advantageous to promote molecular-level contact between carbon fiber and PES. Finally, short beam shear tests were performed to evaluate the interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber/PES composites. The results indicated that PES emulsion sizing played a critical role for the enhanced interfacial adhesion in carbon fiber/PES composites, and a 26% increase of interlaminar shear strength was achieved, because of the improved fiber surface wettability and interfacial compatibility between carbon fiber and PES.

Surface modification of carbon fibers by a polyether sulfone emulsion sizing for increased interfacial adhesion with polyether sulfone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Haojie; Zhang, Shouchun; Lu, Chunxiang

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A polyether sulfone emulsion (PES) sizing was prepared for the first time. • The sizing enhanced the surface activity and wettability of carbon fibers. • Compared to the original sizing, the PES emulsion sizing resulted in an 18.4% increase in the interlaminar shear strength of carbon fiber/PES composites. • Important influences of emulsifier on the fiber surface and composite interface were demonstrated. • The reinforcing mechanisms are the improved fiber surface wettability and interfacial compatibility in composites. - Abstract: Interests on carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites are growing rapidly, but the challenges with poor interfacial adhesion have slowed their adoption. In this work, a polyether sulfone (PES) emulsion sizing was prepared successfully for increased interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber/PES composites. To obtain a high-quality PES emulsion sizing, the key factor, emulsifier concentration, was studied by dynamic light scattering technique. The results demonstrated that the suitable weight ratio of PES to emulsifier was 8:3, and the resulting PES emulsion sizing had an average particle diameter of 117 nm and Zeta potential of −52.6 mV. After sizing, the surface oxygen-containing functional groups, free energy and wettability of carbon fibers increased significantly, which were advantageous to promote molecular-level contact between carbon fiber and PES. Finally, short beam shear tests were performed to evaluate the interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber/PES composites. The results indicated that PES emulsion sizing played a critical role for the enhanced interfacial adhesion in carbon fiber/PES composites, and a 26% increase of interlaminar shear strength was achieved, because of the improved fiber surface wettability and interfacial compatibility between carbon fiber and PES

Incision and Landsliding Lead to Coupled Increase in Sediment Flux and Grain Size Export

Science.gov (United States)

Roda-Boluda, D. C.; Brooke, S.; D'Arcy, M. K.; Whittaker, A. C.; Armitage, J. J.

2017-12-01

The rates and grain sizes of sediment fluxes modulate the dynamics and timing of landscape response to tectonics, and dictate the depositional patterns of sediment in basins. Over the last decades, we have gained a good quantitative understanding on how sediment flux and grain size may affect incision and basin stratigraphy. However, we comparably still have limited knowledge on how these variables change with varying tectonic rates. To address this question, we have studied 152 catchments along 8 normal fault-bounded ranges in southern Italy, which are affected by varying fault slip rates and experiencing a transient response to tectonics. Using a data set of 38 new and published 10Be erosion rates, we calibrate a sediment flux predictive equation (BQART), in order to estimate catchment sediment fluxes. We demonstrate that long-term sediment flux is governed by fault slip rates and the tectonically-controlled transient incision, and that sediment flux estimates from the BQART, steady-state assumptions, and incised volumes are highly correlated. This is supported by our 10Be erosion rates, which are controlled by fault slip and incision rates, and the associated landsliding. Based on a new landslide inventory, we show that erosion rate differences are likely due to differences in incision-related landslide activity across these catchments, and that landslides are a major component of sediment fluxes. From a data set of >13000 grain size counts on hillslope grain size supply and fluvial sediment at catchment outlets, we observe that landslides deliver material 20-200% coarser than other sediment sources, and that this coarse supply has an impact on the grain size distributions being exported from the catchments. Combining our sediment flux and grain size data sets, we are able to show that for our catchments, and potentially also for any areas that respond to changes in climate or tectonics via enhanced landsliding, sediment flux and grain size export increase

Acute sleep deprivation increases portion size and affects food choice in young men.

Science.gov (United States)

Hogenkamp, Pleunie S; Nilsson, Emil; Nilsson, Victor C; Chapman, Colin D; Vogel, Heike; Lundberg, Lina S; Zarei, Sanaz; Cedernaes, Jonathan; Rångtell, Frida H; Broman, Jan-Erik; Dickson, Suzanne L; Brunstrom, Jeffrey M; Benedict, Christian; Schiöth, Helgi B

2013-09-01

Acute sleep loss increases food intake in adults. However, little is known about the influence of acute sleep loss on portion size choice, and whether this depends on both hunger state and the type of food (snack or meal item) offered to an individual. The aim of the current study was to compare portion size choice after a night of sleep and a period of nocturnal wakefulness (a condition experienced by night-shift workers, e.g. physicians and nurses). Sixteen men (age: 23 ± 0.9 years, BMI: 23.6 ± 0.6 kg/m(2)) participated in a randomized within-subject design with two conditions, 8-h of sleep and total sleep deprivation (TSD). In the morning following sleep interventions, portion size, comprising meal and snack items, was measured using a computer-based task, in both fasted and sated state. In addition, hunger as well as plasma levels of ghrelin were measured. In the morning after TSD, subjects had increased plasma ghrelin levels (13%, p=0.04), and chose larger portions (14%, p=0.02), irrespective of the type of food, as compared to the sleep condition. Self-reported hunger was also enhanced (pchoice after sleep loss depend on both an individual's hunger status, and the type of food offered. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crown Release Increases Diameter Growth and Bole Sprouting of Pole-Size Yellow Birch

Science.gov (United States)

Gayne G. Erdmann; Ralph M. Jr. Peterson

1971-01-01

During the second and third years after release, dominant, codominant, and intermediate pole-size yellow birch grew nearly twice as fast in diameter as unreleased poles. Growth rates were also related to foliage density. Epicormic sprouting was increased by crown release but most sprouting occured in the second log.

Downstream reduction of rural channel size with contrasting urban effects in small coastal streams of southeastern Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Nanson, G. C.; Young, R. W.

1981-07-01

Although most streams show a downstream increase in channel size corresponding to a downstream increase in flood discharges, those flowing off the Illawarra escarpment of New South Wales show a marked reduction of channel size, accompanied by a down-stream increase in flood frequency in their lower reaches. Within the confined and steeply sloping valleys of the escarpment foothills, bed and bank sediments are relatively coarse and uncohesive, and channels increase in size, corresponding to increasing discharge downstream. However, once these streams emerge into more open rural valleys at lower slopes and are accompanied by extensive floodplains formed of fine cohesive sediment, there is a dramatic reduction in channel size. This decrease in channel size apparently results from a sudden decline in channel slope and associated stream power, the cohesive nature of downstream alluvium, its retention on the channel banks by a dense cover of pasture grasses, and the availability of an extensive floodplain to carry displaced floodwater. Under these conditions floodwaters very frequently spill out over the floodplain and the downstream channel-flow becomes a relatively unimportant component of the total peak discharge. This emphasizes the importance of these floodplains as a part of the total channel system. In situations where urban development has increased peak runoff and reduced the available area of effective floodplain, stream channels formed in this fine alluvium rapidly entrench and increase in cross-sectional area by 2-3 times. Minor man-induced channel alteration and maintenance appears to trigger this enlargement.

Guiding the Noticing: Using a Dramatic Performance Experience to Promote Tellability in Narrative Writing

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Shanetia

2012-01-01

In this article, the author describes her use of dramatic performance to promote tellability in narrative writing within a seventh and eighth grade English and language arts classroom. By experiencing dramatic performance, the students were able to actively and physically perform the writing process: brainstorming, drafting, revising, and editing.…

Early exposure to nonlethal predation risk by size-selective predators increases somatic growth and decreases size at adulthood in threespined sticklebacks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bell, A. M.; Dingemanse, N. J.; Hankison, S. J.; Langenhof, M. B. W.; Rollins, K.

Predation has an important influence on life history traits in many organisms, especially when they are young. When cues of trout were present, juvenile sticklebacks grew faster. The increase in body size as a result of exposure to cues of predators was adaptive because larger individuals were more

Effect of limb regeneration on size increase at molt of the shore crabs Hemigrapsus oregonensis and Pachygrapsus crassipes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuris, A M; Mager, M

1975-09-01

Size increase at molt is reduced following multiple limb regeneration in the shore crabs, Hemigrapsus oregonensis and Pachygrapsus crassipes. Limb loss per se does not influence postmolt size. Effect of increasing number of regenerating limbs is additive. Postmolt size is programmed early in the premolt period of the preceding instar and is probably not readily influenced by water uptake mechanics at ecdysis. A simple model for growth, molting, and regeneration in heavily calcified Crustacea is developed from the viewpoint of adaptive strategies and energetic considerations.

Dramatic weight loss associated with commencing clozapine.

Science.gov (United States)

Lally, John; McDonald, Colm

2011-11-08

The authors report the case of a 44-year-old man with a long history of chronic enduring schizophrenia who experienced dramatic weight loss after commencing treatment with clozapine, an antipsychotic medication characteristically associated with the greatest degree of weight gain among medical treatments for schizophrenia. He was obese with a body mass index (BMI) of 41.5 kg/m(2), but after commencing clozapine therapy he experienced an improvement in psychotic symptoms and 40% loss of his body weight attained through an altered diet and exercise regime, which resulted in him attaining a normal BMI of 24.8 kg/m(2).

Oxidative Damage Does Not Occur in Striped Hamsters Raising Natural and Experimentally Increased Litter Size.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Ya Zhao

Full Text Available Life-history theory assumes that animals can balance the allocation of limited energy or resources to the competing demands of growth, reproduction and somatic maintenance, while consequently maximizing their fitness. However, somatic damage caused by oxidative stress in reproductive female animals is species-specific or is tissue dependent. In the present study, several markers of oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2 and malonadialdehyde, MDA and antioxidant (catalase, CAT and total antioxidant capacity, T-AOC were examined in striped hamsters during different stages of reproduction with experimentally manipulated litter size. Energy intake, resting metabolic rate (RMR, and mRNA expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1 in brown adipose tissue (BAT and UCP3 in skeletal muscle were also examined. H2O2 and MDA levels did not change in BAT and liver, although they significantly decreased in skeletal muscle in the lactating hamsters compared to the non-reproductive group. However, H2O2 levels in the brain were significantly higher in lactating hamsters than non-reproductive controls. Experimentally increasing litter size did not cause oxidative stress in BAT, liver and skeletal muscle, but significantly elevated H2O2 levels in the brain. CAT activity of liver decreased, but CAT and T-AOC activity of BAT, skeletal muscle and the brain did not change in lactating hamsters compared to non-reproductive controls. Both antioxidants did not change with the experimentally increasing litter size. RMR significantly increased, but BAT UCP1 mRNA expression decreased with the experimentally increased litter size, suggesting that it was against simple positive links between metabolic rate, UCP1 expression and free radicals levels. It may suggest that the cost of reproduction has negligible effect on oxidative stress or even attenuates oxidative stress in some active tissues in an extensive range of animal species. But the increasing reproductive effort may

Art-House Cinema, Avant-Garde Film, and Dramatic Modernism

Science.gov (United States)

Cardullo, Bert

2011-01-01

In this article, the author talks about art-house cinema, avant-garde film, and dramatic modernism. He believes that the most important modes of film practice are art-house cinema and the avant-garde, both of which contrast with the classical Hollywood mode of film practice. While the latter is characterized by its commercial imperative, corporate…

A Longitudinal Analysis of Search Engine Index Size

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Van den Bosch, Antal; Bogers, Toine; De Kunder, Maurice

2015-01-01

One of the determining factors of the quality of Web search engines is the size of their index. In addition to its influence on search result quality, the size of the indexed Web can also tell us something about which parts of the WWW are directly accessible to the everyday user. We propose a novel...... method of estimating the size of a Web search engine’s index by extrapolating from document frequencies of words observed in a large static corpus of Web pages. In addition, we provide a unique longitudinal perspective on the size of Google and Bing’s indexes over a nine-year period, from March 2006...... until January 2015. We find that index size estimates of these two search engines tend to vary dramatically over time, with Google generally possessing a larger index than Bing. This result raises doubts about the reliability of previous one-off estimates of the size of the indexed Web. We find...

Observational analyses of dramatic developments of a severe air pollution event in the Beijing area

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ju; Sun, Jielun; Zhou, Mingyu; Cheng, Zhigang; Li, Qingchun; Cao, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Jingjiang

2018-03-01

A rapid development of a severe air pollution event in Beijing, China, at the end of November 2015 was investigated with unprecedented observations collected during the field campaign of the Study of Urban Rainfall and Fog/Haze (SURF-15). Different from previous statistical analyses of air pollution events and their correlations with meteorological environmental conditions in the area, the role of turbulent mixing in the pollutant transfer was investigated in detail. The analyses indicate that the major pollution source associated with high particulate matter of diameter 2.5 µm (PM2.5) was from south of Beijing. Before the day of the dramatic PM2.5 increase, the nighttime downslope flow from the mountains to the west and north of Beijing reduced the surface PM2.5 concentration northwest of Beijing. The nighttime surface stable boundary layer (SBL) not only kept the relatively less-polluted air near the surface, it also shielded the rough surface from the pollutant transfer by southwesterly winds above the SBL, leading to the fast transport of pollutants over the Beijing area at night. As the daytime convective turbulent mixing developed in the morning, turbulent mixing transported the elevated polluted air downward even though the weak surface wind was from northeast, leading to the dramatic increase of the surface PM2.5 concentration in the urban area. As a result of both turbulent mixing and advection processes with possible aerosol growth from secondary aerosol formation under the low-wind and high-humidity conditions, the PM2.5 concentration reached over 700 µg m-3 in the Beijing area by the end of the day. Contributions of the two transporting processes to the PM2.5 oscillations prior to this dramatic event were also analyzed. The study demonstrates the important role of large-eddy convective turbulent mixing in vertical transfer of pollutants and the role of the SBL in not only decoupling vertical transport of trace gases and aerosols but also in

Surface modification of carbon fibers by a polyether sulfone emulsion sizing for increased interfacial adhesion with polyether sulfone

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Haojie; Zhang, Shouchun; Lu, Chunxiang

2014-10-01

Interests on carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites are growing rapidly, but the challenges with poor interfacial adhesion have slowed their adoption. In this work, a polyether sulfone (PES) emulsion sizing was prepared successfully for increased interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber/PES composites. To obtain a high-quality PES emulsion sizing, the key factor, emulsifier concentration, was studied by dynamic light scattering technique. The results demonstrated that the suitable weight ratio of PES to emulsifier was 8:3, and the resulting PES emulsion sizing had an average particle diameter of 117 nm and Zeta potential of -52.6 mV. After sizing, the surface oxygen-containing functional groups, free energy and wettability of carbon fibers increased significantly, which were advantageous to promote molecular-level contact between carbon fiber and PES. Finally, short beam shear tests were performed to evaluate the interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber/PES composites. The results indicated that PES emulsion sizing played a critical role for the enhanced interfacial adhesion in carbon fiber/PES composites, and a 26% increase of interlaminar shear strength was achieved, because of the improved fiber surface wettability and interfacial compatibility between carbon fiber and PES.

Time from HIV infection to virological suppression: dramatic fall from 2007 to 2016.

Science.gov (United States)

Medland, Nicholas A; Nicholson, Suellen; Chow, Eric P F; Read, Timothy R H; Bradshaw, Catriona S; Denham, Ian; Fairley, Christopher K

2017-11-13

Time from HIV infection to virological suppression: dramatic fall from 2007 to 2016. We examined the time from HIV infection to virological suppression in MSM who were first diagnosed at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre between 2007 and 2016. Retrospective cohort. Date of infection was imputed from the testing history or serological evidence of recent infection (negative or indeterminate western blot) or baseline CD4 cell count. Date of virological suppression was determined using clinical viral load data. We analysed predictors of diagnosis with serological evidence of recent infection (logistic regression) and time from diagnosis to suppression and from infection to suppression (Cox regression) using demographic, clinical, and behavioral covariates. Between 2007 and 2016, the median time from HIV infection to diagnosis fell from 6.8 to 4.3 months (P = 0.001), from diagnosis to suppression fell from 22.7 to 3.2 months (P < 0.0001), and from infection to suppression fell from 49.0 to 9.6 months (P < 0.0001). Serological evidence of recent infection increased from 15.6 to 34.3% (P < 0.0001) of diagnoses. In the multivariate analyses, age, being recently arrived from a non-English speaking country, history of IDU, other sexually transmitted infections, and sexual risk were not associated with any of these measures. The duration of infectiousness in MSM diagnosed with HIV infection at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre in Victoria has fallen dramatically between 2007 and 2016 and the proportion diagnosed with serological evidence of recent infection has increased. This effect is observed across all population subgroups and marks a positive milestone for the treatment as prevention paradigm.

Socio-Dramatic Affective-Relational Intervention for Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome & High Functioning Autism: Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Lerner, Matthew D.; Mikami, Amori Yee; Levine, Karen

2011-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a novel intervention called "socio-dramatic affective-relational intervention" (SDARI), intended to improve social skills among adolescents with Asperger syndrome and high functioning autism diagnoses. SDARI adapts dramatic training activities to focus on in vivo practice of areas of social skill…

Rationality on the rise: Why relative risk aversion increases with stake size

OpenAIRE

Fehr-Duda, Helga; Bruhin, Adrian; Epper, Thomas F.; Schubert, Renate

2008-01-01

How does risk tolerance vary with stake size? This important question cannot be adequately answered if framing effects, nonlinear probability weighting, and heterogeneity of preference types are neglected. We show that, contrary to gains, no coherent change in relative risk aversion is observed for losses. The increase in relative risk aversion over gains cannot be captured by the curvature of the utility function. It is driven predominantly by a change in probability weighting of a majority ...

The dramatic extraction construction in French

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Abeillé

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Relying on spoken corpora (Corpaix, CRFP and on previous studies (Sabio 1995, 1996, we identify a construction common in spoken French, which we analyze as a particular case of extraction:a. dix sept ans il a. (Seventeen years he has [Corpaix]b. deux cigarettes j'ai fumé. (Two cigarettes I smoked [on the fly]The construction can only be a root clause and a declarative clause. Its interpretation is that of a thetic proposition. On the other hand, it is not associated with a unique information structure, since it is compatible with a focus-ground partition, with the extracted constotunet as a narrow focus, or with an all focus interpretation. We call this construction ‘dramatic extraction’, and the extracted element a ‘center’ (i.e. a focus or a figure. We formalize our analysis in the HPSG grammar.

FGFR3 regulates brain size by controlling progenitor cell proliferation and apoptosis during embryonic development.

Science.gov (United States)

Inglis-Broadgate, Suzanne L; Thomson, Rachel E; Pellicano, Francesca; Tartaglia, Michael A; Pontikis, Charlie C; Cooper, Jonathan D; Iwata, Tomoko

2005-03-01

Mice with the K644E kinase domain mutation in fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (Fgfr3) (EIIa;Fgfr3(+/K644E)) exhibited a marked enlargement of the brain. The brain size was increased as early as E11.5, not secondary to the possible effect of Fgfr3 activity in the skeleton. Furthermore, the mutant brains showed a dramatic increase in cortical thickness, a phenotype opposite to that in FGF2 knockout mice. Despite this increased thickness, cortical layer formation was largely unaffected and no cortical folding was observed during embryonic days 11.5-18.5 (E11.5-E18.5). Measurement of cortical thickness revealed an increase of 38.1% in the EIIa;Fgfr3(+/K644E) mice at E14.5 and the advanced appearance of the cortical plate was frequently observed at this stage. Unbiased stereological analysis revealed that the volume of the ventricular zone (VZ) was increased by more than two fold in the EIIa;Fgfr3(+/K644E) mutants at E14.5. A relatively mild increase in progenitor cell proliferation and a profound decrease in developmental apoptosis during E11.5-E14.5 most likely accounts for the dramatic increase in total telecephalic cell number. Taken together, our data suggest a novel function of Fgfr3 in controlling the development of the cortex, by regulating proliferation and apoptosis of cortical progenitors.

A contemporary decennial global Landsat sample of changing agricultural field sizes

Science.gov (United States)

White, Emma; Roy, David

2014-05-01

Agriculture has caused significant human induced Land Cover Land Use (LCLU) change, with dramatic cropland expansion in the last century and significant increases in productivity over the past few decades. Satellite data have been used for agricultural applications including cropland distribution mapping, crop condition monitoring, crop production assessment and yield prediction. Satellite based agricultural applications are less reliable when the sensor spatial resolution is small relative to the field size. However, to date, studies of agricultural field size distributions and their change have been limited, even though this information is needed to inform the design of agricultural satellite monitoring systems. Moreover, the size of agricultural fields is a fundamental description of rural landscapes and provides an insight into the drivers of rural LCLU change. In many parts of the world field sizes may have increased. Increasing field sizes cause a subsequent decrease in the number of fields and therefore decreased landscape spatial complexity with impacts on biodiversity, habitat, soil erosion, plant-pollinator interactions, and impacts on the diffusion of herbicides, pesticides, disease pathogens, and pests. The Landsat series of satellites provide the longest record of global land observations, with 30m observations available since 1982. Landsat data are used to examine contemporary field size changes in a period (1980 to 2010) when significant global agricultural changes have occurred. A multi-scale sampling approach is used to locate global hotspots of field size change by examination of a recent global agricultural yield map and literature review. Nine hotspots are selected where significant field size change is apparent and where change has been driven by technological advancements (Argentina and U.S.), abrupt societal changes (Albania and Zimbabwe), government land use and agricultural policy changes (China, Malaysia, Brazil), and/or constrained by

K-ras2 Activation and Genome Instability Increase Proliferation and Size of FAP Adenomas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Rapallo

1999-01-01

Full Text Available The possible role of K‐ras2 mutations and aneuploidy toward increase of proliferation and adenoma size in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP adenomas is not known. The present study addresses these issues by investigating 147 colorectal adenomas obtained from four FAP patients. The majority of adenomas had size lower than or equal to 10 mm (86%, low grade dysplasia (63%, and were preferentially located in the right colon (60%. Normal mucosa samples were obtained from 19 healthy donors. Three synchronous adenocarcinomas were also investigated. K‐ras2 mutation spectrum was analysed by PCR and Sequence Specific Oligonucleotide (SSO hybridization, while flow cytometry (FCM was used for evaluating degree of DNA ploidy and S‐phase fraction. Overall, incidences of K‐ras2 mutations, DNA aneuploidy and high S‐phase values (>7.2% were 6.6%, 5.4% and 10.5%, respectively. In particular, among the adenomas with size lower than 5 mm, K‐ras2 mutation and DNA aneuploidy frequencies were only slightly above 1%. Statistically significant correlations were found between K‐ras2 and size, DNA ploidy and size and K‐ras2 and S‐phase (p. In particular, among the wild type K‐ras2 adenomas, high S‐phase values were detected in 8% of the cases versus 57% among the K‐ras2 mutated adenomas (p=0.0005. The present series of FAP adenomas indicates that K‐ras2 activation and gross genomic changes play a role toward a proliferative gain and tumour growth in size.

The Effect of Dramatized Instruction on Speaking Ability of Imam Ali University EFL Learners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadegh Khosronejad

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Teaching language as a second or foreign language, undoubtedly, is so demanding and seeking to find methods for facilitating this prominent practice whets the appetite of any practitioner who works in this field. Research shows that using drama in the classroom as a means of teaching helps students learn socially, academically, and developmentally. This study was an attempt to determine the effect of dramatized instruction on the speaking ability of EFL learners of Imam Ali University. Sixty EFL male students at the intermediate level participated in the study. Their age range was 19-22. Two instruments were utilized in this study; pretest, and posttest.  The data were analyzed through t-test. The data analysis indicated that the mean scores of the experimental group students (M = 72.80 were significantly different (3.29>2; df = 58 from the control group students (M = 65.39. In other words, the experimental group outperformed the control group in the posttest significantly. Moreover, the findings indicated that dramatized instruction does have a great effect on the speaking skills. This study supported the idea of effectiveness of dramatized instruction on developing speaking skill and the teachers can help the learners at lower levels promote their speaking skill through dramatized instruction in EFL classes.

Circulating serum trefoil factors increase dramatically during pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Samson, Mie Hessellund; Vestergaard, E M; Milman, N

2008-01-01

Trefoil factors (TFF1-3) are 7-12 kDa peptides secreted by mucosal surfaces, with changing levels of expression reflected in serum concentrations. The genes for the peptides are located on chromosome 21, the chromosome duplicated in trisomy 21. We studied the levels of circulating TFFs in pregnant...

Observational analyses of dramatic developments of a severe air pollution event in the Beijing area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Li

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A rapid development of a severe air pollution event in Beijing, China, at the end of November 2015 was investigated with unprecedented observations collected during the field campaign of the Study of Urban Rainfall and Fog/Haze (SURF-15. Different from previous statistical analyses of air pollution events and their correlations with meteorological environmental conditions in the area, the role of turbulent mixing in the pollutant transfer was investigated in detail. The analyses indicate that the major pollution source associated with high particulate matter of diameter 2.5 µm (PM2.5 was from south of Beijing. Before the day of the dramatic PM2.5 increase, the nighttime downslope flow from the mountains to the west and north of Beijing reduced the surface PM2.5 concentration northwest of Beijing. The nighttime surface stable boundary layer (SBL not only kept the relatively less-polluted air near the surface, it also shielded the rough surface from the pollutant transfer by southwesterly winds above the SBL, leading to the fast transport of pollutants over the Beijing area at night. As the daytime convective turbulent mixing developed in the morning, turbulent mixing transported the elevated polluted air downward even though the weak surface wind was from northeast, leading to the dramatic increase of the surface PM2.5 concentration in the urban area. As a result of both turbulent mixing and advection processes with possible aerosol growth from secondary aerosol formation under the low-wind and high-humidity conditions, the PM2.5 concentration reached over 700 µg m−3 in the Beijing area by the end of the day. Contributions of the two transporting processes to the PM2.5 oscillations prior to this dramatic event were also analyzed. The study demonstrates the important role of large-eddy convective turbulent mixing in vertical transfer of pollutants and the role of the SBL in not only decoupling vertical transport of trace gases and

Meeting increased logistical demands : Developing as a small- and medium-sized system supplier

OpenAIRE

Carlsson, Inga-Lill

2009-01-01

Many subcontractors choose to implement a strategy of “system supply” in order to meetincreasing global competition. They are then confronted with increased demands to take agreater overall responsibility in this role. It is important to investigate the implications of theseresponsibilities before investing in developing the organization, especially for a small- ormedium-sized subcontractor with limited resources. The customer’s view of different demandsdoes not necessarily correspond to how ...

Dietary fatty acid enrichment increases egg size and quality of yellow seahorse Hippocampus kuda.

Science.gov (United States)

Saavedra, M; Masdeu, M; Hale, P; Sibbons, C M; Holt, W V

2014-02-01

Seahorses populations in the wild have been declining and to restore them a better knowledge of seahorse reproduction is required. This study examines the effect of dietary quality on seahorse fecundity and egg quality. Two different diets were tested with Hippocampus kuda females: frozen mysis (control) and frozen mysis enriched with a liposome spray containing essential fatty acids. Diets were given to females (two groups of five) over a seven week period. After this period, males (fed the control diet) and females were paired and the eggs dropped by the females were collected. Fatty acid profile were analysed and eggs were counted and measured. Results showed that females fed on enriched mysis had larger eggs and that these had a higher content of total polyunsaturated fatty acids. The size of the egg was especially affected in the first spawn, where egg size for females fed the enriched diet was significantly higher than the egg size from control females. This effect was reduced in the following spawning where no significant differences were found. Egg size is an important quality descriptor as seahorse juveniles originating from smaller eggs and/or eggs of poor quality will have less chances of overcoming adverse conditions in the wild and consequently have lower survival and growth rates. This study shows that enriching frozen mysis with polyunsaturated fatty acids increases egg size and egg quality of H. kuda. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kazakhstan's Pension System: Pressures for Change and Dramatic Reforms

OpenAIRE

Seitenova, Ai-Gul S.; Becker, Charles M.

2003-01-01

Five years ago, Kazakhstan embarked on a dramatic reform of its pension and social security system in order to move from an unsustainable public defined benefit ("solidarity") system to one of defined mandatory contributions (accumulative system). While assessment of long-run success is premature, early results have exceeded expectations. This paper considers the reform's rationale and initial impact: Why did the Government of Kazakhstan decide to introduce a new pension system? What advantag...

Seed maturation in Arabidopsis thaliana is characterized by nuclear size reduction and increased chromatin condensation.

Science.gov (United States)

van Zanten, Martijn; Koini, Maria A; Geyer, Regina; Liu, Yongxiu; Brambilla, Vittoria; Bartels, Dorothea; Koornneef, Maarten; Fransz, Paul; Soppe, Wim J J

2011-12-13

Most plant species rely on seeds for their dispersal and survival under unfavorable environmental conditions. Seeds are characterized by their low moisture content and significantly reduced metabolic activities. During the maturation phase, seeds accumulate storage reserves and become desiccation-tolerant and dormant. Growth is resumed after release of dormancy and the occurrence of favorable environmental conditions. Here we show that embryonic cotyledon nuclei of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds have a significantly reduced nuclear size, which is established at the beginning of seed maturation. In addition, the chromatin of embryonic cotyledon nuclei from mature seeds is highly condensed. Nuclei regain their size and chromatin condensation level during germination. The reduction in nuclear size is controlled by the seed maturation regulator ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE 3, and the increase during germination requires two predicted nuclear matrix proteins, LITTLE NUCLEI 1 and LITTLE NUCLEI 2. Our results suggest that the specific properties of nuclei in ripe seeds are an adaptation to desiccation, independent of dormancy. We conclude that the changes in nuclear size and chromatin condensation in seeds are independent, developmentally controlled processes.

Gold Nanoparticles Size Design and Control by Poly(N,N′-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate)

OpenAIRE

Cortez-Lemus, Norma A.; Licea-Claverie, Angel; Paraguay-Delgado, Francisco; Alonso-Nuñez, Gabriel

2015-01-01

Poly(N,N′-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEM) with different molecular weights was used to stabilize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) obtained by in situ reduction of tetrachloroauric acid using citrates under acidic conditions and in organic/alcoholic medium. The influence of the pH value on gold nanoparticle size in the presence of PDEAEM was investigated. Results show that the pH of the reacting mixture has a dramatic effect on the size, polydispersity, and morphology of the resulting AuNPs...

Group heterogeneity increases the risks of large group size: a longitudinal study of productivity in research groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Cummings, Jonathon N; Kiesler, Sara; Bosagh Zadeh, Reza; Balakrishnan, Aruna D

2013-06-01

Heterogeneous groups are valuable, but differences among members can weaken group identification. Weak group identification may be especially problematic in larger groups, which, in contrast with smaller groups, require more attention to motivating members and coordinating their tasks. We hypothesized that as groups increase in size, productivity would decrease with greater heterogeneity. We studied the longitudinal productivity of 549 research groups varying in disciplinary heterogeneity, institutional heterogeneity, and size. We examined their publication and citation productivity before their projects started and 5 to 9 years later. Larger groups were more productive than smaller groups, but their marginal productivity declined as their heterogeneity increased, either because their members belonged to more disciplines or to more institutions. These results provide evidence that group heterogeneity moderates the effects of group size, and they suggest that desirable diversity in groups may be better leveraged in smaller, more cohesive units.

The effect of nanocrystalline magnetite size on arsenic removal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.T. Mayo et al

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Higher environmental standards have made the removal of arsenic from water an important problem for environmental engineering. Iron oxide is a particularly interesting sorbent to consider for this application. Its magnetic properties allow relatively routine dispersal and recovery of the adsorbent into and from groundwater or industrial processing facilities; in addition, iron oxide has strong and specific interactions with both As(III and As(V. Finally, this material can be produced with nanoscale dimensions, which enhance both its capacity and removal. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential arsenic adsorption by nanoscale iron oxides, specifically magnetite (Fe3O4 nanoparticles. We focus on the effect of Fe3O4 particle size on the adsorption and desorption behavior of As(III and As(V. The results show that the nanoparticle size has a dramatic effect on the adsorption and desorption of arsenic. As particle size is decreased from 300 to 12 nm the adsorption capacities for both As(III and As(V increase nearly 200 times. Interestingly, such an increase is more than expected from simple considerations of surface area and suggests that nanoscale iron oxide materials sorb arsenic through different means than bulk systems. The desorption process, however, exhibits some hysteresis with the effect becoming more pronounced with small nanoparticles. This hysteresis most likely results from a higher arsenic affinity for Fe3O4 nanoparticles. This work suggests that Fe3O4 nanocrystals and magnetic separations offer a promising method for arsenic removal.

Deposition of Nanostructured Thin Film from Size-Classified Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Camata, Renato P.; Cunningham, Nicholas C.; Seol, Kwang Soo; Okada, Yoshiki; Takeuchi, Kazuo

2003-01-01

Materials comprising nanometer-sized grains (approximately 1_50 nm) exhibit properties dramatically different from those of their homogeneous and uniform counterparts. These properties vary with size, shape, and composition of nanoscale grains. Thus, nanoparticles may be used as building blocks to engineer tailor-made artificial materials with desired properties, such as non-linear optical absorption, tunable light emission, charge-storage behavior, selective catalytic activity, and countless other characteristics. This bottom-up engineering approach requires exquisite control over nanoparticle size, shape, and composition. We describe the design and characterization of an aerosol system conceived for the deposition of size classified nanoparticles whose performance is consistent with these strict demands. A nanoparticle aerosol is generated by laser ablation and sorted according to size using a differential mobility analyzer. Nanoparticles within a chosen window of sizes (e.g., (8.0 plus or minus 0.6) nm) are deposited electrostatically on a surface forming a film of the desired material. The system allows the assembly and engineering of thin films using size-classified nanoparticles as building blocks.

Athenian and Shakespearean Tragedies in Oceania: Teaching Dramatic Literatures in Fiji

Science.gov (United States)

Anae, Nicole

2013-01-01

This paper presents a theorised classroom-based narrative discussing the author's interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of English dramatic literatures--in particular, Sophocles' "Oedipus the King" and Shakespeare's "Macbeth"--to i-Taukei, Indo-Fijian and Pacific Islander tertiary students at a South Pacific university.…

Founding weaver ant queens (Oecophylla longinoda) increase production and nanitic worker size when adopting non-nestmate pupae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ouagoussounon, Issa; Offenberg, Joachim; Sinzogan, Antonio

2015-01-01

Weaver ants (Oecophylla longinoda Latreille) are used commercially to control pest insects and for protein production. In this respect fast colony growth is desirable for managed colonies. Transplantation of non-nestmate pupae to incipient colonies has been shown to boost colony growth. Our...... of 300 pupae increased total colony size more than 10-fold whereas 100 pupae increased the size 5.6 fold, compared to control. This increase was due not only to the individuals added in the form of pupae but also to an increased per capita brood production by the resident queen, triggered by the adopted...... objectives were to find the maximum number of pupae a founding queen can handle, and to measure the associated colony growth. Secondly, we tested if transplantation of pupae led to production of larger nanitic workers (defined as unusually small worker ants produced by founding queens in their first batch...

When larger brains do not have more neurons: Increased numbers of cells are compensated by decreased average cell size across mouse individuals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzana eHerculano-Houzel

2015-06-01

Full Text Available There is a strong trend toward increased brain size in mammalian evolution, with larger brains composed of more and larger neurons than smaller brains across species within each mammalian order. Does the evolution of increased numbers of brain neurons, and thus larger brain size, occur simply through the selection of individuals with more and larger neurons, and thus larger brains, within a population? That is, do individuals with larger brains also have more, and larger, neurons than individuals with smaller brains, such that allometric relationships across species are simply an extension of intraspecific scaling? Here we show that this is not the case across adult male mice of a similar age. Rather, increased numbers of neurons across individuals are accompanied by increased numbers of other cells and smaller average cell size of both types, in a trade-off that explains how increased brain mass does not necessarily ensue. Fundamental regulatory mechanisms thus must exist that tie numbers of neurons to numbers of other cells and to average cell size within individual brains. Finally, our results indicate that changes in brain size in evolution are not an extension of individual variation in numbers of neurons, but rather occur through step changes that must simultaneously increase numbers of neurons and cause cell size to increase, rather than decrease.

The expressive potential in a dramatic text: Brecht's A Respectable Wedding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarina Podbevšek

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the linguistic shaping of a dramatic text and its influence on the text’s stage speech realisation, using the Slovenian translation of Brecht’s one-act play Malomeščanska svatba as an example. A dramatic text typically has a specific – and also graphically visible – textual and linguistic structure that indicates its speech intention. A linguistic analysis of Brecht’s text reveals a great speech potential, both in the stage directions (especially the stage directions for pauses, silence, spoken execution and in the dialogue (characteristic linguistic elements for spontaneous speech. A short comparison of the text with the stage speech performance shows that the actor used not only prosody (especially pauses to semantically enrich and rhythmically organise the written language, but also linguistic interventions into the lexical and syntactic structure (repetition, addition, omission, etc.. The great speech potential of the text thus stimulated the actor’s speech and interpretive creativity.

Increase in tracheal investment with beetle size supports hypothesis of oxygen limitation on insect gigantism.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaiser, Alexander; Klok, C Jaco; Socha, John J; Lee, Wah-Keat; Quinlan, Michael C; Harrison, Jon F

2007-08-07

Recent studies have suggested that Paleozoic hyperoxia enabled animal gigantism, and the subsequent hypoxia drove a reduction in animal size. This evolutionary hypothesis depends on the argument that gas exchange in many invertebrates and skin-breathing vertebrates becomes compromised at large sizes because of distance effects on diffusion. In contrast to vertebrates, which use respiratory and circulatory systems in series, gas exchange in insects is almost exclusively determined by the tracheal system, providing a particularly suitable model to investigate possible limitations of oxygen delivery on size. In this study, we used synchrotron x-ray phase-contrast imaging to visualize the tracheal system and quantify its dimensions in four species of darkling beetles varying in mass by 3 orders of magnitude. We document that, in striking contrast to the pattern observed in vertebrates, larger insects devote a greater fraction of their body to the respiratory system, as tracheal volume scaled with mass1.29. The trend is greatest in the legs; the cross-sectional area of the trachea penetrating the leg orifice scaled with mass1.02, whereas the cross-sectional area of the leg orifice scaled with mass0.77. These trends suggest the space available for tracheae within the leg may ultimately limit the maximum size of extant beetles. Because the size of the tracheal system can be reduced when oxygen supply is increased, hyperoxia, as occurred during late Carboniferous and early Permian, may have facilitated the evolution of giant insects by allowing limbs to reach larger sizes before the tracheal system became limited by spatial constraints.

Dramatic Change in Jupiter's Great Red Spot from Spacecraft Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Amy A.; Wong, Michael H.; Rogers, John H.; Orton, Glenn S.; de Pater, Imke; Asay-Davis, Xylar; Carlson, Robert W.; Marcus, Philip S.

2015-01-01

Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) is one of its most distinct and enduring features. Since the advent of modern telescopes, keen observers have noted its appearance and documented a change in shape from very oblong to oval, confirmed in measurements from spacecraft data. It currently spans the smallest latitude and longitude size ever recorded. Here we show that this change has been accompanied by an increase in cloud/haze reflectance as sensed in methane gas absorption bands, increased absorption at wavelengths shorter than 500 nanometers, and increased spectral slope between 500 and 630 nanometers. These changes occurred between 2012 and 2014, without a significant change in internal tangential wind speeds; the decreased size results in a 3.2 day horizontal cloud circulation period, shorter than previously observed. As the GRS has narrowed in latitude, it interacts less with the jets flanking its north and south edges, perhaps allowing for less cloud mixing and longer UV irradiation of cloud and aerosol particles. Given its long life and observational record, we expect that future modeling of the GRS's changes, in concert with laboratory flow experiments, will drive our understanding of vortex evolution and stability in a confined flow field crucial for comparison with other planetary atmospheres.

Stated response to increased enforcement density and penalty size for speeding and driving unbelted.

Science.gov (United States)

Hössinger, Reinhard; Berger, Wolfgang J

2012-11-01

To what extent can traffic offences be reduced through stronger enforcement, higher penalties, and the provision of information to road users? This question was addressed with respect to the offences of "speeding" and "driving unbelted." Data were collected by a telephone survey of admitted speeders, followed by 438 face-to-face stated response interviews. Based on the data collected, separate statistical models were developed for the two offences. The models predict the behavioral effect of increasing enforcement density and/or penalty size as well as the additional effect of providing information to car drivers. All three factors are predicted to be effective in reducing speeding. According to the model, one additional enforcement event per year will cause a driver to reduce his current frequency of speeding by 5%. A penalty increase of 10 Euros is predicted to have the same effect. An announcement of stronger enforcement or higher fines is predicted to have an additional effect on behavior, independent of the actual magnitudes of increase in enforcement or fines. With respect to the use of a seat belt, however, neither an increase in enforcement density nor its announcement is predicted to have a significant effect on driver behavior. An increase in the penalty size is predicted to raise the stated wearing rate, which is already 90% in Austria. It seems that both the fear of punishment and the motivation for driving unbelted are limited, so that there is only a weak tradeoff between the two. This may apply to most traffic offences, with the exception of speeding, which accounts for over 80% of tickets alone, whereas all other offences account for less than 3% each. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of strategies to increase the validity of findings from association studies: size vs. replication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kallischnigg Gerd

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The capacity of multiple comparisons to produce false positive findings in genetic association studies is abundantly clear. To address this issue, the concept of false positive report probability (FPRP measures "the probability of no true association between a genetic variant and disease given a statistically significant finding". This concept involves the notion of prior probability of an association between a genetic variant and a disease, making it difficult to achieve acceptable levels for the FPRP when the prior probability is low. Increasing the sample size is of limited efficiency to improve the situation. Methods To further clarify this problem, the concept of true report probability (TRP is introduced by analogy to the positive predictive value (PPV of diagnostic testing. The approach is extended to consider the effects of replication studies. The formula for the TRP after k replication studies is mathematically derived and shown to be only dependent on prior probability, alpha, power, and number of replication studies. Results Case-control association studies are used to illustrate the TRP concept for replication strategies. Based on power considerations, a relationship is derived between TRP after k replication studies and sample size of each individual study. That relationship enables study designers optimization of study plans. Further, it is demonstrated that replication is efficient in increasing the TRP even in the case of low prior probability of an association and without requiring very large sample sizes for each individual study. Conclusions True report probability is a comprehensive and straightforward concept for assessing the validity of positive statistical testing results in association studies. By its extension to replication strategies it can be demonstrated in a transparent manner that replication is highly effective in distinguishing spurious from true associations. Based on the generalized TRP

An investigation of the general regularity of size dependence of reaction kinetics of nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Zixiang; Duan, Huijuan; Xue, Yongqiang; Li, Ping

2015-01-01

In the processes of preparation and application of nanomaterials, the chemical reactions of nanoparticles are often involved, and the size of nanoparticles has dramatic influence on the reaction kinetics. Nevertheless, there are many conflicts on regularities of size dependence of reaction kinetic parameters, and these conflicts have not been explained so far. In this paper, taking the reaction of nano-ZnO (average diameter is from 20.96 to 53.31 nm) with acrylic acid solution as a system, the influence regularities of the particle size on the kinetic parameters were researched. The regularities were consistent with that in most literatures, but inconsistent with that in a few of literatures, the reasons for the conflicts were interpreted. The reasons can be attributed to two factors: one is improper data processing for fewer data points, and the other is the difference between solid particles and porous particles. A general regularity of the size dependence of reaction kinetics for solid particles was obtained. The regularity shows that with the size of nanoparticles decreasing, the rate constant and the reaction order increase, while the apparent activation energy and the pre-exponential factor decrease; and the relationships of the logarithm of rate constant, the logarithm of pre-exponential factor, and the apparent activation energy to the reciprocal of the particle size are linear, respectively

Contingent association between the size of the social support network and osteoporosis among Korean elderly women.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seungwon; Seo, Da Hea; Kim, Kyoung Min; Lee, Eun Young; Kim, Hyeon Chang; Kim, Chang Oh; Youm, Yoosik; Rhee, Yumie

2017-01-01

To investigate the association between the number of personal ties (or the size of the social support network) and the incidence of osteoporosis among older women in Korea. Data from the Korean Urban Rural Elderly Study were used. Bone density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine (L1-L4) and femur neck. T-score, the standardized bone density compared with what is normally expected in a healthy young adult, was measured and the presence of osteoporosis was determined, if the T-score was social support network size was measured by self-responses (number of confidants and spouse). Of the 1,846 participants, 44.9% were diagnosed with osteoporosis. The association between the social support network size and the incidence of osteoporosis was curvilinear in both bivariate and multivariate analyses. Having more people in one's social support network size was associated with lower risk of osteoporosis until it reached around four. Increasing the social support network size beyond four, in contrast, was associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis. This association was contingent on the average intimacy level of the social network. At the highest average intimacy level ("extremely close"), increasing the number of social support network members from one to six was associated with linear decrease in the predicted probability of osteoporosis from 45% to 30%. However, at the lowest average intimacy level ("not very close"), the predicted probability of osteoporosis dramatically increased from 48% to 80% as the size of the social network increased from one to six. Our results show that maintaining a large and intimate social support network is associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis among elderly Korean women, while a large but less-intimate social relationship is associated with a higher risk.

Discrimination, developmental science, and the law: addressing dramatic shifts in civil rights jurisprudence.

Science.gov (United States)

Levesque, Roger J R

2014-01-01

The civil rights movement fostered dramatic shifts in legal responses to discrimination based on race, gender, and a host of other group characteristics. The legal system now evinces yet another dramatic shift, as it moves from considering difference to focusing on neutrality, from efforts that seek to counter subjugation to those that adopt a "color-blind" approach. The shifting approach already has reached laws regulating responses to the group that spurred massive civil rights reform: minority youth. The shift requires a different body of empirical evidence to address it and a new look at equality jurisprudence. This article notes the need to turn to the current understanding of prejudice and discrimination for guidance, and uses, as illustration, developmental science to shed light on the development, manifestation, and alleviation of invidious discrimination. Using that understanding, the analysis details how the legal system can benefit from that research and better address discrimination in light of dramatic changes in law. The article articulates the need to address discrimination by recognizing and enlisting the law's inculcative powers through multiple sites of inculcation, ranging from families, schools, health and justice systems to religious and community groups. The discussion concludes with brief suggestions for reform benefiting from understandings of prejudice and its expression. (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Competitive helping increases with the size of biological markets and invades defection.

Science.gov (United States)

Barclay, Pat

2011-07-21

Cooperation between unrelated individuals remains a puzzle in evolutionary biology. Recent work indicates that partner choice can select for high levels of helping. More generally, helping can be seen as but one strategy used to compete for partners within a broader biological market, yet giving within such markets has received little mathematical investigation. In the present model, individuals help others to attract attention from them and thus receive a larger share of any help actively or passively provided by those others. The evolutionarily stable level of helping increases with the size of the biological market and the degree of partner choice. Furthermore, if individuals passively produce some no-cost help to partners, competitive helping can then invade populations of non-helpers because helpers directly benefit from increasing their access to potential partners. This framework of competitive helping demonstrates how high helping can be achieved and why different populations may differ in helping levels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Litter size of Danish crossbred sows increased without changes in sow body dimensions over a thirteen year period

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, S. E.; Kristensen, A. R.; Moustsen, V. Aa

2018-01-01

dimensions and litter size was also investigated. Depth, width, length and height were measured from 405 Danish crossbred sows in 10 different herds, classified in groups of parity 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and ≥ 7. By Linear Mixed-Effects Models with depth, width, length and height in turn as response variable......The purpose of this study was to investigate if body dimensions of Danish crossbred sows (Yorkshire x Landrace) had increased compared to a previous Danish study from 2004. In addition, and as an expected potential benefit of increased body dimensions, a potential correlation between body...... and parity and herd as explanatory variables, estimated means, 5th and 95th percentiles, minimum and maximum observation were recorded. Furthermore, a weighted index for litter size (denoted as the “litter size potential”) was used as response variable with depth, width, length, height and parity...

Dramatic response to levetiracetam in post-ischaemic Holmes’ tremor

Science.gov (United States)

Striano, P; Elefante, Andrea; Coppola, Antonietta; Tortora, Fabio; Zara, Federico; Minetti, Carlo

2009-01-01

Holmes’ tremor refers to an unusual combination of rest, postural and kinetic tremor of extremities. Common causes of Holmes’ tremor include stroke, trauma, vascular malformations and multiple sclerosis, with lesions involving the thalamus, brain stem or cerebellum. Although some drugs (eg, levodopa and dopaminergic drugs, clonazepam and propranolol) have been occasionally reported to give some benefit, medical treatment of Holmes’ tremor is unsatisfactory, and many patients require thalamic surgery to achieve satisfactory control. We report a patient in whom post-ischaemic Holmes’ tremor dramatically responded to levetiracetam treatment. PMID:21686707

Erotic Language as Dramatic Action in Plays by Lyly and Shakespeare

Science.gov (United States)

Knoll, Gillian

2012-01-01

This study closely examines the language of desire in the dramatic works of John Lyly and William Shakespeare, and argues that contemplative and analytical speeches about desire function as modes of action in their plays. Erotic speeches do more than express desire in a purely descriptive or perlocutionary capacity distinct from the action of the…

The Devil and his Dramatic Function in Calderon’s Autos Sacramentales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Iglesias Feijoo

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In some Calderón’s autos sacramentales the character of the Devil draws the plot and establishes the dramatic action as a demiurge. He elaborates plans and strategies to confuse the Man, but he always fails. This function approaches the autos to the metatheater. Finally certain parallels with Shakespeare are suggested.

Who gets custody now? Dramatic changes in children's living arrangements after divorce.

Science.gov (United States)

Cancian, Maria; Meyer, Daniel R; Brown, Patricia R; Cook, Steven T

2014-08-01

This article reexamines the living arrangements of children following their parents' divorce, using Wisconsin Court Records, updating an analysis that showed relatively small but significant increases in shared custody in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These changes have accelerated markedly in the intervening years: between 1988 and 2008, the proportion of mothers granted sole physical custody fell substantially, the proportion of parents sharing custody increased dramatically, and father-sole custody remained relatively stable. We explore changes in the correlates of alternative custody outcomes, showing that some results from the earlier analysis still hold (for example, cases with higher total family income are more likely to have shared custody), but other differences have lessened (shared-custody cases have become less distinctive as they have become more common). Despite the considerable changes in marriage and divorce patterns over this period, we do not find strong evidence that the changes in custody are related to changes in the characteristics of families experiencing a divorce; rather, changes in custody may be the result of changes in social norms and the process by which custody is determined.

Founding weaver ant queens (Oecophylla longinoda) increase production and nanitic worker size when adopting non-nestmate pupae.

Science.gov (United States)

Ouagoussounon, Issa; Offenberg, Joachim; Sinzogan, Antonio; Adandonon, Appolinaire; Kossou, Dansou; Vayssières, Jean-François

2015-01-01

Weaver ants (Oecophylla longinoda Latreille) are used commercially to control pest insects and for protein production. In this respect fast colony growth is desirable for managed colonies. Transplantation of non-nestmate pupae to incipient colonies has been shown to boost colony growth. Our objectives were to find the maximum number of pupae a founding queen can handle, and to measure the associated colony growth. Secondly, we tested if transplantation of pupae led to production of larger nanitic workers (defined as unusually small worker ants produced by founding queens in their first batch of offspring). Forty-five fertilized queens were divided into three treatments: 0 (control), 100 or 300 non-nestmate pupae transplanted to each colony. Pupae transplantation resulted in highly increased growth rates, as pupae were readily adopted by the queens and showed high proportions of surviving (mean = 76%). However, survival was significantly higher when 100 pupae were transplanted compared to transplantation of 300 pupae, indicating that queens were unable to handle 300 pupae adequately and that pupae require some amount of nursing. Nevertheless, within the 60-day experiment the transplantation of 300 pupae increased total colony size more than 10-fold whereas 100 pupae increased the size 5.6 fold, compared to control. This increase was due not only to the individuals added in the form of pupae but also to an increased per capita brood production by the resident queen, triggered by the adopted pupae. The size of hatching pupae produced by the resident queen also increased with the number of pupae transplanted, leading to larger nanitic workers in colonies adopting pupae. In conclusion, pupae transplantation may be used to produce larger colonies with larger worker ants and may thus reduce the time to produce weaver ant colonies for commercial purposes. This in turn may facilitate the implementation of the use of weaver ants.

Energy Efficiency Services Sector: Workforce Size and Expectations for Growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldman, Charles; Fuller, Merrian C.; Stuart, Elizabeth; Peters, Jane S.; McRae, Marjorie; Albers, Nathaniel; Lutzenhiser, Susan; Spahic, Mersiha

2010-03-22

The energy efficiency services sector (EESS) is poised to become an increasingly important part of the U.S. economy. Climate change and energy supply concerns, volatile and increasing energy prices, and a desire for greater energy independence have led many state and national leaders to support an increasingly prominent role for energy efficiency in U.S. energy policy. The national economic recession has also helped to boost the visibility of energy efficiency, as part of a strategy to support economic recovery. We expect investment in energy efficiency to increase dramatically both in the near-term and through 2020 and beyond. This increase will come both from public support, such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and significant increases in utility ratepayer funds directed toward efficiency, and also from increased private spending due to codes and standards, increasing energy prices, and voluntary standards for industry. Given the growing attention on energy efficiency, there is a concern among policy makers, program administrators, and others that there is an insufficiently trained workforce in place to meet the energy efficiency goals being put in place by local, state, and federal policy. To understand the likelihood of a potential workforce gap and appropriate response strategies, one needs to understand the size, composition, and potential for growth of the EESS. We use a bottom-up approach based upon almost 300 interviews with program administrators, education and training providers, and a variety of EESS employers and trade associations; communications with over 50 sector experts; as well as an extensive literature review. We attempt to provide insight into key aspects of the EESS by describing the current job composition, the current workforce size, our projections for sector growth through 2020, and key issues that may limit this growth.

Perspective: Size selected clusters for catalysis and electrochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Halder, Avik; Curtiss, Larry A.; Fortunelli, Alessandro; Vajda, Stefan

2018-03-01

Size-selected clusters containing a handful of atoms may possess noble catalytic properties different from nano-sized or bulk catalysts. Size- and composition-selected clusters can also serve as models of the catalytic active site, where an addition or removal of a single atom can have a dramatic effect on their activity and selectivity. In this perspective, we provide an overview of studies performed under both ultra-high vacuum and realistic reaction conditions aimed at the interrogation, characterization, and understanding of the performance of supported size-selected clusters in heterogeneous and electrochemical reactions, which address the effects of cluster size, cluster composition, cluster-support interactions, and reaction conditions, the key parameters for the understanding and control of catalyst functionality. Computational modeling based on density functional theory sampling of local minima and energy barriers or ab initio molecular dynamics simulations is an integral part of this research by providing fundamental understanding of the catalytic processes at the atomic level, as well as by predicting new materials compositions which can be validated in experiments. Finally, we discuss approaches which aim at the scale up of the production of well-defined clusters for use in real world applications.

The Mixmasters: A Smart Marketing Mix Helps a Small College Dramatically Increase Student Enrollments.

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, R. Dana; Stark, Ken

1983-01-01

Adrian College's steady increase and confidence in enrollment projections stem from a research-based, thoughtfully planned, carefully implemented, highly controlled marketing programs. Four major elements of a successful marketing mix are identified: product, price, place, promotion. (MLW)

MicroCT and microMRI imaging of a prenatal mouse model of increased brain size

Science.gov (United States)

López, Elisabeth K. N.; Stock, Stuart R.; Taketo, Makoto M.; Chenn, Anjen; Ravosa, Matthew J.

2008-08-01

There are surprisingly few experimental models of neural growth and cranial integration. This and the dearth of information regarding fetal brain development detract from a mechanistic understanding of cranial integration and its relevance to the patterning of skull form, specifically the role of encephalization on basicranial flexion. To address this shortcoming, our research uses transgenic mice expressing a stabilized form of β-catenin to isolate the effects of relative brain size on craniofacial development. These mice develop highly enlarged brains due to an increase in neural precursors, and differences between transgenic and wild-type mice are predicted to result solely from variation in brain size. Comparisons of wild-type and transgenic mice at several prenatal ages were performed using microCT (Scanco Medical MicroCT 40) and microMRI (Avance 600 WB MR spectrometer). Statistical analyses show that the larger brain of the transgenic mice is associated with a larger neurocranium and an altered basicranial morphology. However, body size and postcranial ossification do not seem to be affected by the transgene. Comparisons of the rate of postcranial and cranial ossification using microCT also point to an unexpected effect of neural growth on skull development: increased fetal encephalization may result in a compensatory decrease in the level of cranial ossification. Therefore, if other life history factors are held constant, the ontogeny of a metabolically costly structure such as a brain may occur at the expense of other cranial structures. These analyses indicate the benefits of a multifactorial approach to cranial integration using a mouse model.

Roles of gibberellic acid and zinc sulphate in increasing size and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PRECIOUS

2009-12-15

Dec 15, 2009 ... to fruit characteristics (fruit, pit and pulp weight, pulp/pit weight ratio, fruit length and diameter, pit length and ... weather, high soil salinity levels and infertile soil. The size .... 77 (at 70% of their final size, mid august) of the BBCH scale (Sanz-. Cortés et .... metabolism and compartmentalization of sugar and its.

An investigation into the dramatic increase in deaths from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The first author collected the information on a cause of death form, a data form and an audit tool. As part of the quality-improvement project, 10 items were assessed to determine whether doctors adhered to treatment protocols, and 10 items were assessed to determine whether nurses adhered to nursing orders and basic ...

An investigation into the dramatic increase in deaths from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2008-11-13

Nov 13, 2008 ... to determine whether doctors adhered to prescribed GE treatment protocols; ... Methodology: A cross-sectional study design was used. ... contributed to GE deaths: Medical and nursing care were of a high ... In more than nine out of ten cases the doctors and nurses in the hospital rendered medical care in ...

Enhanced Sucrose Loading Improves Rice Yield by Increasing Grain Size.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liang; Lu, Qingtao; Wen, Xiaogang; Lu, Congming

2015-12-01

Yield in cereals is a function of grain number and size. Sucrose (Suc), the main carbohydrate product of photosynthesis in higher plants, is transported long distances from source leaves to sink organs such as seeds and roots. Here, we report that transgenic rice plants (Oryza sativa) expressing the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) phloem-specific Suc transporter (AtSUC2), which loads Suc into the phloem under control of the phloem protein2 promoter (pPP2), showed an increase in grain yield of up to 16% relative to wild-type plants in field trials. Compared with wild-type plants, pPP2::AtSUC2 plants had larger spikelet hulls and larger and heavier grains. Grain filling was accelerated in the transgenic plants, and more photoassimilate was transported from the leaves to the grain. In addition, microarray analyses revealed that carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism was enhanced in the leaves and grain of pPP2::AtSUC2 plants. Thus, enhancing Suc loading represents a promising strategy to improve rice yield to feed the global population. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Recovery of aging-related size increase of skin epithelial cells: in vivo mouse and in vitro human study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor Sokolov

Full Text Available The size increase of skin epithelial cells during aging is well-known. Here we demonstrate that treatment of aging cells with cytochalasin B substantially decreases cell size. This decrease was demonstrated on a mouse model and on human skin cells in vitro. Six nude mice were treated by topical application of cytochalasin B on skin of the dorsal left midsection for 140 days (the right side served as control for placebo treatment. An average decrease in cell size of 56±16% resulted. A reduction of cell size was also observed on primary human skin epithelial cells of different in vitro age (passages from 1 to 8. A cell strain obtained from a pool of 6 human subjects was treated with cytochalasin B in vitro for 12 hours. We observed a decrease in cell size that became statistically significant and reached 20-40% for cells of older passage (6-8 passages whereas no substantial change was observed for younger cells. These results may be important for understanding the aging processes, and for cosmetic treatment of aging skin.

Demographic population model for American shad: will access to additional habitat upstream of dams increase population sizes?

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Julianne E.; Hightower, Joseph E.

2012-01-01

American shad Alosa sapidissima are in decline in their native range, and modeling possible management scenarios could help guide their restoration. We developed a density-dependent, deterministic, stage-based matrix model to predict the population-level results of transporting American shad to suitable spawning habitat upstream of dams on the Roanoke River, North Carolina and Virginia. We used data on sonic-tagged adult American shad and oxytetracycline-marked American shad fry both above and below dams on the Roanoke River with information from other systems to estimate a starting population size and vital rates. We modeled the adult female population over 30 years under plausible scenarios of adult transport, effective fecundity (egg production), and survival of adults (i.e., to return to spawn the next year) and juveniles (from spawned egg to age 1). We also evaluated the potential effects of increased survival for adults and juveniles. The adult female population size in the Roanoke River was estimated to be 5,224. With no transport, the model predicted a slow population increase over the next 30 years. Predicted population increases were highest when survival was improved during the first year of life. Transport was predicted to benefit the population only if high rates of effective fecundity and juvenile survival could be achieved. Currently, transported adults and young are less likely to successfully out-migrate than individuals below the dams, and the estimated adult population size is much smaller than either of two assumed values of carrying capacity for the lower river; therefore, transport is not predicted to help restore the stock under present conditions. Research on survival rates, density-dependent processes, and the impacts of structures to increase out-migration success would improve evaluation of the potential benefits of access to additional spawning habitat for American shad.

Dramatic Influence of an Anionic Donor on the Oxygen-Atom Transfer Reactivity of a MnV–Oxo Complex

Science.gov (United States)

Neu, Heather M; Quesne, Matthew G; Yang, Tzuhsiung; Prokop-Prigge, Katharine A; Lancaster, Kyle M; Donohoe, James; DeBeer, Serena; de Visser, Sam P; Goldberg, David P

2014-01-01

Addition of an anionic donor to an MnV(O) porphyrinoid complex causes a dramatic increase in 2-electron oxygen-atom-transfer (OAT) chemistry. The 6-coordinate [MnV(O)(TBP8Cz)(CN)]− was generated from addition of Bu4N+CN− to the 5-coordinate MnV(O) precursor. The cyanide-ligated complex was characterized for the first time by Mn K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and gives Mn–O=1.53 Å, Mn–CN=2.21 Å. In combination with computational studies these distances were shown to correlate with a singlet ground state. Reaction of the CN− complex with thioethers results in OAT to give the corresponding sulfoxide and a 2e−-reduced MnIII(CN)− complex. Kinetic measurements reveal a dramatic rate enhancement for OAT of approximately 24 000-fold versus the same reaction for the parent 5-coordinate complex. An Eyring analysis gives ΔH≠=14 kcal mol−1, ΔS≠=−10 cal mol−1 K−1. Computational studies fully support the structures, spin states, and relative reactivity of the 5- and 6-coordinate MnV(O) complexes. PMID:25256417

REPERCUSSIONS OF THE INCREASE IN GROUP SIZE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: THE PERSPECTIVE OF EDUCATORS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Casla, Marta

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This work describes some of the consequences of new regulations on nurseries in the Madrid area that are related to ratios and group size (especially after the decree 18/2008. Analyses are based on educators and education staff’s point of view. Special emphasis is made on consequences on children behavior. Two hundred and seventy seven professionals that belonged to more than 53 nurseries of Madrid area voluntarily answered a survey with open questions about educative process and child’s behavior. Qualitative and quantitative analyses show that, from educator’s point of view, increasing ratio child-educator has consequences in the variables explored. Main effects were found for the activities made in classrooms (loosing educative standards, hygiene and supply routines (loosing intrinsic values and autonomy support, space and time distribution, support staff organization and relation with families (reduced to quick information interchanges. Directors, classroom tutors and support educators perceive these changes in a similar fashion. The vast majority perceived changes on children’s behavior- increases in the number of conflicts and anxiety. These results agree with previous research on the influence of child-educators ratios and group size on quality of education. Implications for child development are discussed. This paper is published in Spanish.

Texture-Based Differences in Eating Rate Reduce the Impact of Increased Energy Density and Large Portions on Meal Size in Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

McCrickerd, Keri; Lim, Charlotte Mh; Leong, Claudia; Chia, Edwin M; Forde, Ciaran G

2017-06-01

Background: Large portions and high dietary energy density promote overconsumption at meal times. This could be reduced by eating slowly. Objective: Two studies investigated whether texture-based reductions in eating rate and oral processing moderate consumption at breakfast in combination with variations in energy density and portion size. Methods: Adults attended 4 breakfast sessions (2 × 2 repeated-measures design) to consume rice porridge, combining a 45% reduction in eating rate [thin porridge (140 g/min) compared with thick porridge (77 g/min)] with a 77% increase in energy density (0.57 compared with 1.01 kcal/g) in study 1 [ n = 61; aged 21-48 y; body mass index (BMI; in kg/m 2 ): 16-29] and a 50% increase in portion size (100% compared with 150%) in study 2 ( n = 53; aged 21-42 y; BMI: 16-29). Oral processing behaviors were coded by using webcams. Porridge intake was measured alongside changes in rated appetite. Results: Increases in energy density and portion size led to increases of 80% and 13% in energy intake at breakfast, respectively ( P portion size increased the weight of food consumed (13%). The thicker porridges were consumed at a slower rate and led to 11-13% reductions in food weight and energy intake compared with the thin versions ( P portion ( P portions, and natural variations in food texture to design meals that promote reductions in energy intake while maintaining satiety. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Nanoscale size effects on the mechanical properties of platinum thin films and cross-sectional grain morphology

KAUST Repository

Abbas, K

2015-12-10

© 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd. The mechanical behavior of polycrystalline Pt thin films is reported for thicknesses of 75 nm, 100 nm, 250 nm, and 400 nm. These thicknesses correspond to transitions between nanocrystalline grain morphology types as found in TEM studies. Thinner samples display a brittle behavior, but as thickness increases the grain morphology evolves, leading to a ductile behavior. During evolution of the morphology, dramatic differences in elastic moduli (105-160 GPa) and strengths (560-1700 MPa) are recorded and explained by the variable morphology. This work suggests that in addition to the in-plane grain size of thin films, the transitions in cross-sectional morphologies of the Pt films significantly affect their mechanical behavior.

Dramatic response to nivolumab in xeroderma pigmentosum skin tumor.

Science.gov (United States)

Chambon, Fanny; Osdoit, Sophie; Bagny, Kelly; Moro, Anne; Nguyen, Jacqueline; Réguerre, Yves

2018-02-01

We report the case of a 6-year-old female with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) who developed a nonoperable scalp tumor, treated with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) therapy (nivolumab). She presented with a sarcomatoid carcinoma of the scalp with bone lysis as well as vascular and meningeal contact. Nivolumab was initiated because it has emerged as a promising immunotherapy. We observed a dramatic tumor response with excellent tolerance. However, while on nivolumab therapy she developed two large skin melanomas and several squamous cell carcinomas, which have been resected. These results demonstrate that cancer immunotherapy in patients with XP can be impressive but complex and warrants further investigation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Estimating sample size for landscape-scale mark-recapture studies of North American migratory tree bats

Science.gov (United States)

Ellison, Laura E.; Lukacs, Paul M.

2014-01-01

Concern for migratory tree-roosting bats in North America has grown because of possible population declines from wind energy development. This concern has driven interest in estimating population-level changes. Mark-recapture methodology is one possible analytical framework for assessing bat population changes, but sample size requirements to produce reliable estimates have not been estimated. To illustrate the sample sizes necessary for a mark-recapture-based monitoring program we conducted power analyses using a statistical model that allows reencounters of live and dead marked individuals. We ran 1,000 simulations for each of five broad sample size categories in a Burnham joint model, and then compared the proportion of simulations in which 95% confidence intervals overlapped between and among years for a 4-year study. Additionally, we conducted sensitivity analyses of sample size to various capture probabilities and recovery probabilities. More than 50,000 individuals per year would need to be captured and released to accurately determine 10% and 15% declines in annual survival. To detect more dramatic declines of 33% or 50% survival over four years, then sample sizes of 25,000 or 10,000 per year, respectively, would be sufficient. Sensitivity analyses reveal that increasing recovery of dead marked individuals may be more valuable than increasing capture probability of marked individuals. Because of the extraordinary effort that would be required, we advise caution should such a mark-recapture effort be initiated because of the difficulty in attaining reliable estimates. We make recommendations for what techniques show the most promise for mark-recapture studies of bats because some techniques violate the assumptions of mark-recapture methodology when used to mark bats.

Grain size increase in pentacene thin films prepared in low-pressure gas ambient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokoyama, Takamichi; Park, Chang Bum; Nagashio, Kosuke; Kita, Koji; Toriumi, Akira

2009-01-01

We studied a mechanism of grain size increase (that is, island density decrease) in pentacene film prepared in hydrogen (H 2 ) ambient. The island densities of pentacene films prepared in helium and deuterium were lower than those of vacuum-deposited films. This indicates that the decrease in the island density was not due to the chemical interaction between H 2 and pentacene or the substrate surface. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the island density indicates that there is no difference in the surface diffusion energy in a vacuum and in H 2 . We also improved mobility significantly in the pentacene thin film transistor fabricated on film grown in H 2 ambient on a chemically treated substrate.

Simultaneous aerosol size distribution and turbidity measurements over St. Louis during METROMEX 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laulainen, N.S.; Alkezweeny, A.J.; Thorp, J.M.

1978-01-01

An experiment designed to measure aerosol size distributions and turbidity simultaneously over a metropolitan area is described. The particle volume size distributions measured in the city plume are found to be bimodal, with the total particle volume in the fine or submicron mode decreasing dramatically above the inversion. Aerosol extinction coefficients derived from sunphotometer optical depth measurements at four wavelengths are compared to those calculated from the measured size distributions using Mie theory with several different particle refractive indices. The accuracy of the experimental method for determining the aerosol extinction coefficient prevented any meaningful choice of the real part of particle refractive index between 1.5--1.6 and an imaginary part between 0 and -0.1i. Improvements to this type of experiment are discussed

Indentation Size Effects in Single Crystal Copper as Revealed by Synchrotron X-ray Microdiffraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, G.; Budiman, A. S.; Nix, W. D.; Tamura, N.; Patel, J. R.

2007-11-19

The indentation size effect (ISE) has been observed in numerous nanoindentation studies on crystalline materials; it is found that the hardness increases dramatically with decreasing indentation size - a 'smaller is stronger' phenomenon. Some have attributed the ISE to the existence of strain gradients and the geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs). Since the GND density is directly related to the local lattice curvature, the Scanning X-ray Microdiffraction ({mu}SXRD) technique, which can quantitatively measure relative lattice rotations through the streaking of Laue diffractions, can used to study the strain gradients. The synchrotron {mu}SXRD technique we use - which was developed at the Advanced Light Source (ALS), Berkeley Lab - allows for probing the local plastic behavior of crystals with sub-micrometer resolution. Using this technique, we studied the local plasticity for indentations of different depths in a Cu single crystal. Broadening of Laue diffractions (streaking) was observed, showing local crystal lattice rotation due to the indentation-induced plastic deformation. A quantitative analysis of the streaking allows us to estimate the average GND density in the indentation plastic zones. The size dependence of the hardness, as found by nanoindentation, will be described, and its correlation to the observed lattice rotations will be discussed.

Cluster size matters: Size-driven performance of subnanometer clusters in catalysis, electrocatalysis and Li-air batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Vajda, Stefan

2015-03-01

This paper discusses the strongly size-dependent performance of subnanometer cluster based catalysts in 1) heterogeneous catalysis, 2) electrocatalysis and 3) Li-air batteries. The experimental studies are based on I. fabrication of ultrasmall clusters with atomic precision control of particle size and their deposition on oxide and carbon based supports; II. test of performance, III. in situand ex situ X-ray characterization of cluster size, shape and oxidation state; and IV.electron microscopies. Heterogeneous catalysis. The pronounced effect of cluster size and support on the performance of the catalyst (catalyst activity and the yield of Cn products) will be illustrated on the example of nickel and cobalt clusters in Fischer-Tropsch reaction. Electrocatalysis. The study of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) on size-selected palladium clusters supported on ultrananocrystalline diamond show pronounced size effects. While Pd4 clusters show no reaction, Pd6 and Pd17 clusters are among the most active catalysts known (in in terms of turnover rate per Pd atom). The system (soft-landed Pd4, Pd6, or Pd17 clusters on an UNCD Si coated electrode) shows stable electrochemical potentials over several cycles, and the characterization of the electrodes show no evidence for evolution or dissolution of either the support Theoretical calculations suggest that this striking difference may be a demonstration that bridging Pd-Pd sites, which are only present in three-dimensional clusters, are active for the oxygen evolution reaction in Pd6O6. Li-air batteries. The studies show that sub-nm silver clusters have dramatic size-dependent effect on the lowering of the overpotential, charge capacity, morphology of the discharge products, as well as on the morphology of the nm size building blocks of the discharge products. The results suggest that by precise control of the active surface sites on the cathode, the performance of Li-air cells can be significantly improved

Media and identification processes: a ritual and dramatic construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salomé Sola-Morales

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The present theoretical paper analyzes the way mediatic communication construct identifications. The thesis proposed is that the media configure ritually and dramatically identifications made by individuals and groups. First of all, we show the limitations of the concept of “identity” and we propose to use “identification” instead. Second, we explore the extent of social drama theory and role theory and we open it to new theoretical challenges and perspectives. Thirdly, it is shown that the concept of "ritual" is very useful to understand and interpret the identity construction through the media. All this leads us to conclude that both the theatricality and rituality are key to understanding the processes of identification that individuals and groups make in relation to the media.

Rapid Increase in Genome Size as a Consequence of Transposable Element Hyperactivity in Wood-White (Leptidea) Butterflies.

Science.gov (United States)

Talla, Venkat; Suh, Alexander; Kalsoom, Faheema; Dinca, Vlad; Vila, Roger; Friberg, Magne; Wiklund, Christer; Backström, Niclas

2017-10-01

Characterizing and quantifying genome size variation among organisms and understanding if genome size evolves as a consequence of adaptive or stochastic processes have been long-standing goals in evolutionary biology. Here, we investigate genome size variation and association with transposable elements (TEs) across lepidopteran lineages using a novel genome assembly of the common wood-white (Leptidea sinapis) and population re-sequencing data from both L. sinapis and the closely related L. reali and L. juvernica together with 12 previously available lepidopteran genome assemblies. A phylogenetic analysis confirms established relationships among species, but identifies previously unknown intraspecific structure within Leptidea lineages. The genome assembly of L. sinapis is one of the largest of any lepidopteran taxon so far (643 Mb) and genome size is correlated with abundance of TEs, both in Lepidoptera in general and within Leptidea where L. juvernica from Kazakhstan has considerably larger genome size than any other Leptidea population. Specific TE subclasses have been active in different Lepidoptera lineages with a pronounced expansion of predominantly LINEs, DNA elements, and unclassified TEs in the Leptidea lineage after the split from other Pieridae. The rate of genome expansion in Leptidea in general has been in the range of four Mb/Million year (My), with an increase in a particular L. juvernica population to 72 Mb/My. The considerable differences in accumulation rates of specific TE classes in different lineages indicate that TE activity plays a major role in genome size evolution in butterflies and moths. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Estimating search engine index size variability: a 9-year longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Bosch, Antal; Bogers, Toine; de Kunder, Maurice

One of the determining factors of the quality of Web search engines is the size of their index. In addition to its influence on search result quality, the size of the indexed Web can also tell us something about which parts of the WWW are directly accessible to the everyday user. We propose a novel method of estimating the size of a Web search engine's index by extrapolating from document frequencies of words observed in a large static corpus of Web pages. In addition, we provide a unique longitudinal perspective on the size of Google and Bing's indices over a nine-year period, from March 2006 until January 2015. We find that index size estimates of these two search engines tend to vary dramatically over time, with Google generally possessing a larger index than Bing. This result raises doubts about the reliability of previous one-off estimates of the size of the indexed Web. We find that much, if not all of this variability can be explained by changes in the indexing and ranking infrastructure of Google and Bing. This casts further doubt on whether Web search engines can be used reliably for cross-sectional webometric studies.

DRAMATIC CHANGE IN JUPITER'S GREAT RED SPOT FROM SPACECRAFT OBSERVATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, Amy A.; Wong, Michael H.; De Pater, Imke; Rogers, John H.; Orton, Glenn S.; Carlson, Robert W.; Asay-Davis, Xylar; Marcus, Philip S.

2014-01-01

Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) is one of its most distinct and enduring features. Since the advent of modern telescopes, keen observers have noted its appearance and documented a change in shape from very oblong to oval, confirmed in measurements from spacecraft data. It currently spans the smallest latitude and longitude size ever recorded. Here we show that this change has been accompanied by an increase in cloud/haze reflectance as sensed in methane gas absorption bands, increased absorption at wavelengths shorter than 500 nm, and increased spectral slope between 500 and 630 nm. These changes occurred between 2012 and 2014, without a significant change in internal tangential wind speeds; the decreased size results in a 3.2 day horizontal cloud circulation period, shorter than previously observed. As the GRS has narrowed in latitude, it interacts less with the jets flanking its north and south edges, perhaps allowing for less cloud mixing and longer UV irradiation of cloud and aerosol particles. Given its long life and observational record, we expect that future modeling of the GRS's changes, in concert with laboratory flow experiments, will drive our understanding of vortex evolution and stability in a confined flow field crucial for comparison with other planetary atmospheres

DRAMATIC CHANGE IN JUPITER'S GREAT RED SPOT FROM SPACECRAFT OBSERVATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simon, Amy A. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Code 690, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Wong, Michael H.; De Pater, Imke [Astronomy Department, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Rogers, John H. [British Astronomical Association, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0DU (United Kingdom); Orton, Glenn S.; Carlson, Robert W. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Asay-Davis, Xylar [Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegraphenberg A 31, 14473 Potsdam (Germany); Marcus, Philip S. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California Berkeley, 6121 Etcheverry Hall, Mailstop 1740, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2014-12-20

Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) is one of its most distinct and enduring features. Since the advent of modern telescopes, keen observers have noted its appearance and documented a change in shape from very oblong to oval, confirmed in measurements from spacecraft data. It currently spans the smallest latitude and longitude size ever recorded. Here we show that this change has been accompanied by an increase in cloud/haze reflectance as sensed in methane gas absorption bands, increased absorption at wavelengths shorter than 500 nm, and increased spectral slope between 500 and 630 nm. These changes occurred between 2012 and 2014, without a significant change in internal tangential wind speeds; the decreased size results in a 3.2 day horizontal cloud circulation period, shorter than previously observed. As the GRS has narrowed in latitude, it interacts less with the jets flanking its north and south edges, perhaps allowing for less cloud mixing and longer UV irradiation of cloud and aerosol particles. Given its long life and observational record, we expect that future modeling of the GRS's changes, in concert with laboratory flow experiments, will drive our understanding of vortex evolution and stability in a confined flow field crucial for comparison with other planetary atmospheres.

Proteoglycan depletion and size reduction in lesions of early grade chondromalacia of the patella.

Science.gov (United States)

Väätäinen, U; Häkkinen, T; Kiviranta, I; Jaroma, H; Inkinen, R; Tammi, M

1995-10-01

To determine the content and molecular size of proteoglycans (PGs) in patellar chondromalacia (CM) and control cartilages as a first step in investigating the role of matrix alterations in the pathogenesis of this disease. Chondromalacia tissue from 10 patients was removed with a surgical knife. Using identical techniques, apparently healthy cartilage of the same site was obtained from 10 age matched cadavers (mean age 31 years in both groups). Additional pathological cartilage was collected from 67 patients with grades II-IV CM (classified according to Outerbridge) using a motorised shaver under arthroscopic control. The shaved cartilage chips were collected with a dense net from the irrigation fluid of the shaver. The content of tissue PGs was determined by Safranin O precipitation or uronic acid content, and the molecular size by mobility on agarose gel electrophoresis. The mean PG content of the CM tissue samples with a knife was dramatically reduced, being only 15% of that in controls. The cartilage chips collected from shaving operations of grades II, III, and IV CM showed a decreasing PG content: 9%, 5%, and 1% of controls, respectively. Electrophoretic analysis of PGs extracted with guanidium chloride from the shaved tissue samples suggested a significantly reduced size of aggrecans in the mild (grade II) lesions. These data show that there is already a dramatic and progressive depletion of PGs in CM grade II lesions. This explains the softening of cartilage, a typical finding in the arthroscopic examination of CM. The PG size reduction observed in grade II implicates proteolytic attack as a factor in the pathogenesis of CM.

Effect of penile-extender device in increasing penile size in men with shortened penis: preliminary results.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikoobakht, Mohammadreza; Shahnazari, Alireza; Rezaeidanesh, Maedeh; Mehrsai, Abdolrasoul; Pourmand, Gholamreza

2011-11-01

It has been suggested that the application of penile-extender devices increases penile length and circumference. However, there are a few scientific studies in this field. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a penile-extender (Golden Erect(®) , Ronas Tajhiz Teb, Tehran, Iran) in increasing penile size. This prospective study was performed on subjects complaining about "short penis" who were presented to our clinic between September 15, 2008 and December 15, 2008. After measuring the penile length in flaccid and stretched forms and penile circumference, patients were instructed to wear Golden Erect(®) , 4-6 hours per day during the first 2 weeks and then 9 hours per day until the end of the third month. The subjects were also trained how to increase the force of the device during determined intervals. The patients were visited at the end of the first and third months, and penile length and circumference were measured and compared with baseline. The primary end point of the study was changes in flaccid and stretched penile lengths compared with the baseline size during the 3 months follow-up. Twenty-three cases with a mean age of 26.5 ± 8.1 years entered the study. The mean flaccid penile length increased from 8.8 ± 1.2 cm to 10.1 ± 1.2 cm and 10.5 ± 1.2 cm, respectively, in the first and third months of follow-up, which was statistically significant (P penis (9.3 ± 0.86 cm vs. 8.8 ± 0.66 cm, P penis girth enhancement using penile extender. Performing more studies is recommended. © 2010 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

The impact of Lean bundles on hospital performance: does size matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hyari, Khalil; Abu Hammour, Sewar; Abu Zaid, Mohammad Khair Saleem; Haffar, Mohamed

2016-10-10

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of the implementation of Lean bundles on hospital performance in private hospitals in Jordan and evaluate how much the size of organization can affect the relationship between Lean bundles implementation and hospital performance. Design/methodology/approach The research is considered as quantitative method (descriptive and hypothesis testing). Three statistical techniques were adopted to analyse the data. Structural equation modeling techniques and multi-group analysis were used to examine the research's hypothesis, and to perform the required statistical analysis of the data from the survey. Reliability analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to test the construct validity, reliability and measurement loadings that were performed. Findings Lean bundles have been identified as an effective approach that can dramatically improve the organizational performance of private hospitals in Jordan. Main Lean bundles - just in time, human resource management, and total quality management are applicable to large, small and medium hospitals without significant differences in advantages that depend on size. Originality/value According to the researchers' best knowledge, this is the first research that studies the impact of Lean bundles implementation in healthcare sector in Jordan. This research also makes a significant contribution for decision makers in healthcare to increase their awareness of Lean bundles.

Dramatic effect of pore size reduction on the dynamics of hydrogen adsorbed in metal–organic materials

KAUST Repository

Nugent, Patrick; Pham, Tony; McLaughlin, Keith; Georgiev, Peter A.; Lohstroh, Wiebke; Embs, Jan Peter; Zaworotko, Michael J.; Space, Brian; Eckert, Juergen

2014-01-01

-2-Cu-i is nearly two times higher than that for SIFSIX-2-Cu (8.6 vs. 4.6 kJ mol-1). The INS spectrum for H2 in SIFSIX-2-Cu-i is rather unique for a porous material, as only one broad peak appears at low energies near 6 meV, which simply increases

AUTOMATIC ESTIMATION OF SIZE PARAMETERS USING VERIFIED COMPUTERIZED STEREOANALYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter R Mouton

2011-05-01

Full Text Available State-of-the-art computerized stereology systems combine high-resolution video microscopy and hardwaresoftware integration with stereological methods to assist users in quantifying multidimensional parameters of importance to biomedical research, including volume, surface area, length, number, their variation and spatial distribution. The requirement for constant interactions between a trained, non-expert user and the targeted features of interest currently limits the throughput efficiency of these systems. To address this issue we developed a novel approach for automatic stereological analysis of 2-D images, Verified Computerized Stereoanalysis (VCS. The VCS approach minimizes the need for user interactions with high contrast [high signal-to-noise ratio (S:N] biological objects of interest. Performance testing of the VCS approach confirmed dramatic increases in the efficiency of total object volume (size estimation, without a loss of accuracy or precision compared to conventional computerized stereology. The broad application of high efficiency VCS to high-contrast biological objects on tissue sections could reduce labor costs, enhance hypothesis testing, and accelerate the progress of biomedical research focused on improvements in health and the management of disease.

NMR Study of Solvation Effect on Geometry of Proton-Bound Homodimers of Increasing Size

KAUST Repository

Gurinov, Andrei A.

2017-10-24

Hydrogen bond geometries in the proton-bound homodimers of quinoline and acridine derivatives in an aprotic polar solution have been experimentally studied using 1H NMR at 120 K. The reported results show that increase of the dielec-tric permittivity of the medium results in contraction of the N…N distance. The degree of contraction depends on the homodimer\\'s size and its substituent-specific solvation features. Neither of these effects can be reproduced using conven-tional implicit solvent models employed in computational studies. In general, the N…N distance in the homodimers of pyridine, quinoline, and acridine derivatives decreases in the sequence gas phase > solid state > polar solvent.

NMR Study of Solvation Effect on Geometry of Proton-Bound Homodimers of Increasing Size

KAUST Repository

Gurinov, Andrei A.; Denisov, Gleb S.; Borissova, Alexandra O.; Goloveshkin, Alexander S.; Greindl, Julian; Limbach, Hans-Heinrich; Shenderovich, Ilya G.

2017-01-01

Hydrogen bond geometries in the proton-bound homodimers of quinoline and acridine derivatives in an aprotic polar solution have been experimentally studied using 1H NMR at 120 K. The reported results show that increase of the dielec-tric permittivity of the medium results in contraction of the N…N distance. The degree of contraction depends on the homodimer's size and its substituent-specific solvation features. Neither of these effects can be reproduced using conven-tional implicit solvent models employed in computational studies. In general, the N…N distance in the homodimers of pyridine, quinoline, and acridine derivatives decreases in the sequence gas phase > solid state > polar solvent.

Increase of efficiency and reliability of liquid fuel combustion in small-sized boilers

Science.gov (United States)

Roslyakov, P. V.; Proskurin, Yu V.; Ionkin, I. L.

2017-11-01

One of the ways to increase the efficiency of using fuels is to create highly efficient domestic energy equipment, in particular small-sized hot-water boilers in autonomous heating systems. Increasing the efficiency of the boiler requires a reduction in the temperature of the flue gases leaving, which, in turn, can be achieved by installing additional heating surfaces. The purpose of this work was to determine the principal design solutions and to develop a draft design for a high-efficiency 3-MW hot-water boiler using crude oil as its main fuel. Ensuring a high efficiency of the boiler is realized through the use of an external remote economizer, which makes it possible to reduce the dimensions of the boiler, facilitate the layout of equipment in a limited size block-modular boiler house and virtually eliminate low-temperature corrosion of boiler heat exchange surfaces. In the article the variants of execution of the water boiler and remote economizer are considered and the preliminary design calculations of the remote economizer for various schemes of the boiler layout in the Boiler Designer software package are made. Based on the results of the studies, a scheme was chosen with a three-way boiler and a two-way remote economizer. The design of a three-way fire tube hot water boiler and an external economizer with an internal arrangement of the collectors, providing for its location above the boiler in a block-modular boiler house and providing access for servicing both a remote economizer and a hot water boiler, is proposed. Its mass-dimensional and design parameters are determined. In the software package Boiler Designer thermal, hydraulic and aerodynamic calculations of the developed fire tube boiler have been performed. Optimization of the boiler design was performed, providing the required 94% efficiency value for crude oil combustion. The description of the developed flue and fire-tube hot water boiler and the value of the main design and technical and

Perception of contextual size illusions by honeybees in restricted and unrestricted viewing conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Scarlett R; Avarguès-Weber, Aurore; Garcia, Jair E; Stuart-Fox, Devi; Dyer, Adrian G

2017-11-29

How different visual systems process images and make perceptual errors can inform us about cognitive and visual processes. One of the strongest geometric errors in perception is a misperception of size depending on the size of surrounding objects, known as the Ebbinghaus or Titchener illusion. The ability to perceive the Ebbinghaus illusion appears to vary dramatically among vertebrate species, and even populations, but this may depend on whether the viewing distance is restricted. We tested whether honeybees perceive contextual size illusions, and whether errors in perception of size differed under restricted and unrestricted viewing conditions. When the viewing distance was unrestricted, there was an effect of context on size perception and thus, similar to humans, honeybees perceived contrast size illusions. However, when the viewing distance was restricted, bees were able to judge absolute size accurately and did not succumb to visual illusions, despite differing contextual information. Our results show that accurate size perception depends on viewing conditions, and thus may explain the wide variation in previously reported findings across species. These results provide insight into the evolution of visual mechanisms across vertebrate and invertebrate taxa, and suggest convergent evolution of a visual processing solution. © 2017 The Author(s).

The pack size effect: Influence on consumer perceptions of portion sizes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hieke, Sophie; Palascha, Aikaterini; Jola, Corinne; Wills, Josephine; Raats, Monique M.

2016-01-01

Larger portions as well as larger packs can lead to larger prospective consumption estimates, larger servings and increased consumption, described as 'portion-size effects' and 'pack size effects'. Although related, the effects of pack sizes on portion estimates have received less attention. While

Emergence of dramatic literary form in the classical period and its effect on the English Renaissance drama

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrejević Ana M.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In the literary-historical and theoretical sense, the ancient drama established the initial genre of drama as the basis for its future evolution. Despite the poetic differences in understanding the certain elements of drama, ancient authors established a basis for continuity of development of European drama in future centuries, literary periods and stylistic formations. Diachronic perspective of the drama development in English literature will also play a certain role in the centuries that follow. However, the existence of a rich national dramatic tradition in England had, after all, greater impact on dramatic literature, which will allow classical models only to steer the development of drama in the right direction, not allowing the authors to be captured in rules and uniformity. University wits, with their adaptation of ancient drama conventions and their combination with traditional medieval elements, created the model for a comedy and a tragedy which needed only a natural skill of a genius to use them in proportion and to raise them to a higher level of dramatic art. Then, fortunately, William Shakespeare, who will achieve that aesthetic-axiological dramatic scale, appears. Like many great writers, Shakespeare was not a founder of a new tradition, but the culmination of an existing one, like Veselin Kostić put it. The appearance of the classical interpretation of drama and great interest in Seneca, Terence and Plautus quickly found its way from the academic circles to the national theaters and Shakespeare did not remain immune to these influences.

Using Patient Demographics and Statistical Modeling to Predict Knee Tibia Component Sizing in Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Anna N; Neher, Robert E; Bell, Tyler; Grimm, James

2018-06-01

Preoperative planning is important to achieve successful implantation in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, traditional TKA templating techniques are not accurate enough to predict the component size to a very close range. With the goal of developing a general predictive statistical model using patient demographic information, ordinal logistic regression was applied to build a proportional odds model to predict the tibia component size. The study retrospectively collected the data of 1992 primary Persona Knee System TKA procedures. Of them, 199 procedures were randomly selected as testing data and the rest of the data were randomly partitioned between model training data and model evaluation data with a ratio of 7:3. Different models were trained and evaluated on the training and validation data sets after data exploration. The final model had patient gender, age, weight, and height as independent variables and predicted the tibia size within 1 size difference 96% of the time on the validation data, 94% of the time on the testing data, and 92% on a prospective cadaver data set. The study results indicated the statistical model built by ordinal logistic regression can increase the accuracy of tibia sizing information for Persona Knee preoperative templating. This research shows statistical modeling may be used with radiographs to dramatically enhance the templating accuracy, efficiency, and quality. In general, this methodology can be applied to other TKA products when the data are applicable. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elevated insulin and reduced insulin like growth factor binding protein-3/prostate specific antigen ratio with increase in prostate size in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sreenivasulu, Karli; Nandeesha, Hanumanthappa; Dorairajan, Lalgudi Narayanan; Rajappa, Medha; Vinayagam, Vickneshwaran

2017-06-01

Insulin and insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have growth promoting effects, while insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) has growth inhibitory effects. The present study was designed to assess the concentrations of insulin, IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and their association with prostate size in patients with BPH. Ninety 90 BPH cases and 90 controls were enrolled in the study. Insulin, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, PSA, testosterone and estradiol were estimated in both the groups. Insulin, IGF-1 and estradiol were increased and IGFBP-3/PSA was decreased in BPH cases when compared with controls. Insulin (r=0.64, p=0.001) and IGF-1 (r=0.22, p=0.03) were positively correlated and IGFBP-3/PSA (r=-0.316, p=0.002) were negatively correlated with prostate size in BPH. Multivariate analysis showed that insulin (p=0.001) and IGFBP-3/PSA (p=0.004) predicts the prostate size in patients with BPH. Insulin was increased and IGFBP-3/PSA was reduced in BPH patients with increased prostate size. At a cutoff concentration of 527.52, IGFBP-3/PSA ratio was found to differentiate benign growth of prostate from normal prostate with 96% sensitivity and 96% specificity. Insulin is elevated and IGFBP-3/PSA is reduced with increase prostate size in BPH cases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Paradise, pleasure and desire: Edenic delight in some late-medieval dramatic fragments

OpenAIRE

James, Sarah

2017-01-01

This paper explores the biblical Paradise and its relationship with the concept of delight or pleasure. In the first section it discusses the changing descriptions and interpretations of Paradise, from the biblical text to later medieval works; it goes on to explore the Augustinian and Thomist philosophies of pleasure and delight. Finally it brings together three late-medieval dramatic texts, all of which share an interest in Paradise, and explores the ways in which these texts utilise the co...

Dramatic Increases in Maternal Opioid Use and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

... Alcohol Club Drugs Cocaine Fentanyl Hallucinogens Inhalants Heroin Marijuana MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly) Methamphetamine Opioids Over-the-Counter Medicines Prescription Medicines Steroids (Anabolic) Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2/Spice) Synthetic Cathinones (Bath Salts) Tobacco/ ...

Asymmetric Membranes Containing Micron-Size Silicon for High Performance Lithium Ion Battery Anode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrd, Ian; Wu, Ji

2016-01-01

Micron-size Si anode is notorious for having extremely poor cycle life. It is mainly caused by the large volume change (∼300%) and poor mechanical strength of the Si electrode. Satisfying methods to address this issue are seriously lacking in literature. In this study, novel single-layer, double-layer and triple-layer asymmetric membranes containing micron-size silicon have been fabricated using a simple phase inversion method to dramatically improve its cyclability. The electrochemical performance of these asymmetric membranes as lithium ion battery anodes are evaluated and compared to pure micron-size Si powders and carbonaceous asymmetric membranes. All three types of asymmetric membrane electrodes demonstrate significantly enhanced stability as compared to pure Si powders. The single-layer asymmetric membrane has the largest capacity degradation due to the loss of pulverized Si powders from the membrane surface, only 40% of whose capacity can be retained in 100 cycles. But this performance is still much better than pure micron-size silicon electrode. After being coated with nanoporous carbonaceous layers on both sides of a single-layer asymmetric membrane to make a triple-layer asymmetric membrane (sandwich structure), the capacity retention is notably increased to 88% in 100 cycles at 610 mAh g"−"1 and 0.5C. The enhanced stability is attributed to the extra nanoporous coatings that can prevent the fractured Si powders from being leached out and allow facile lithium ion diffusions. Such a novel, efficient and scalable method may provide beneficiary guidance for designing high capacity lithium ion battery anodes with large volume change issues.

A review of finite size effects in quasi-zero dimensional superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bose, Sangita; Ayyub, Pushan

2014-11-01

Quantum confinement and surface effects (SEs) dramatically modify most solid state phenomena as one approaches the nanometer scale, and superconductivity is no exception. Though we may expect significant modifications from bulk superconducting properties when the system dimensions become smaller than the characteristic length scales for bulk superconductors-such as the coherence length or the penetration depth-it is now established that there is a third length scale which ultimately determines the critical size at which Cooper pairing is destroyed. In quasi-zero-dimensional (0D) superconductors (e.g. nanocrystalline materials, isolated or embedded nanoparticles), one may define a critical particle diameter below which the mean energy level spacing arising from quantum confinement becomes equal to the bulk superconducting energy gap. The so-called Anderson criterion provides a remarkably accurate estimate of the limiting size for the destabilization of superconductivity in nanosystems. This review of size effects in quasi-0D superconductors is organized as follows. A general summary of size effects in nanostructured superconductors (section 1) is followed by a brief overview of their synthesis (section 2) and characterization using a variety of techniques (section 3). Section 4 reviews the size-evolution of important superconducting parameters-the transition temperature, critical fields and critical current-as the Anderson limit is approached from above. We then discuss the effect of thermodynamic fluctuations (section 5), which become significant in confined systems. Improvements in fabrication methods and the increasing feasibility of addressing individual nanoparticles using scanning probe techniques have lately opened up new directions in the study of nanoscale superconductivity. Section 6 reviews both experimental and theoretical aspects of the recently discovered phenomena of 'parity effect' and 'shell effect' that lead to a strong, non-monotonic size

A review of finite size effects in quasi-zero dimensional superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bose, Sangita; Ayyub, Pushan

2014-01-01

Quantum confinement and surface effects (SEs) dramatically modify most solid state phenomena as one approaches the nanometer scale, and superconductivity is no exception. Though we may expect significant modifications from bulk superconducting properties when the system dimensions become smaller than the characteristic length scales for bulk superconductors—such as the coherence length or the penetration depth—it is now established that there is a third length scale which ultimately determines the critical size at which Cooper pairing is destroyed. In quasi-zero-dimensional (0D) superconductors (e.g. nanocrystalline materials, isolated or embedded nanoparticles), one may define a critical particle diameter below which the mean energy level spacing arising from quantum confinement becomes equal to the bulk superconducting energy gap. The so-called Anderson criterion provides a remarkably accurate estimate of the limiting size for the destabilization of superconductivity in nanosystems. This review of size effects in quasi-0D superconductors is organized as follows. A general summary of size effects in nanostructured superconductors (section 1) is followed by a brief overview of their synthesis (section 2) and characterization using a variety of techniques (section 3). Section 4 reviews the size-evolution of important superconducting parameters—the transition temperature, critical fields and critical current—as the Anderson limit is approached from above. We then discuss the effect of thermodynamic fluctuations (section 5), which become significant in confined systems. Improvements in fabrication methods and the increasing feasibility of addressing individual nanoparticles using scanning probe techniques have lately opened up new directions in the study of nanoscale superconductivity. Section 6 reviews both experimental and theoretical aspects of the recently discovered phenomena of ‘parity effect’ and ‘shell effect’ that lead to a strong, non

Positive family history of aortic dissection dramatically increases dissection risk in family members.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Wei-Guo; Chou, Alan S; Mok, Salvior C M; Ziganshin, Bulat A; Charilaou, Paris; Zafar, Mohammad A; Sieller, Richard S; Tranquilli, Maryann; Rizzo, John A; Elefteriades, John A

2017-08-01

Although family members of patients with aortic dissection (AoD) are believed to be at higher risk of AoD, the prognostic value of family history (FH) of aortic dissection (FHAD) in family members of patients with AoD has not been studied rigorously. We seek examine how much a positive FHAD increases the risk of developing new aortic dissection (AoD) among first-degree relatives. Patients with AoD at our institution were analyzed for information of FHAD. Positive FHAD referred to that AoD occurred in index patient and one or more first-degree relatives. Negative FHAD was defined as the condition in which only one case of AoD (the index patient) occurred in the family. The age at AoD, exposure years in adulthood before AoD, and annual probability of AoD among first-degree relatives were compared between patients with negative and positive FHADs. FHAD was positive in 32 and negative in 68 among the 100 AoD patients with detailed family history information. Mean age at dissection was 59.9±14.7years. Compared to negative FHAD, patients with positive FHAD dissected at significantly younger age (54.7±16.8 vs 62.4±13.0years, p=0.013), had more AoD events in first-degree relatives (2.3±0.6 vs 1.0±0.0, pfamily members, with a higher annual probability of aortic dissection, a shorter duration of "exposure time" before dissection occurs and a lower mean age at time of dissection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

How to Know when Dramatic Change Is on Track: Leading Indicators of School Turnarounds

Science.gov (United States)

Kowal, Julie; Ableidinger, Joe

2011-01-01

In recent years, national policymakers have placed new emphasis on "school turnarounds" as a strategy for rapid, dramatic improvement in chronically failing schools, calling on education leaders to turn around performance in the 5,000 lowest-achieving schools nationwide. This goal may seem daunting, given the dismal success rates of…

Exploring Lyric, Epic, and Dramatic Voices: Stages of Incandescence in the Poetry of the Aged.

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, M. Ann

1992-01-01

Identifies true relationships between the psyche and the lyric, epic, and dramatic voices of poetry. Shows how the acts of identifying, responding to, and composing in these three voices engage healing, inspiration, and active imagination among the aging. (SR)

Modelling the effect of size-asymmetric competition on size inequality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Camilla Ruø; Weiner, Jacob

2017-01-01

Abstract The concept of size asymmetry in resource competition among plants, in which larger individuals obtain a disproportionate share of contested resources, appears to be very straightforward, but the effects of size asymmetry on growth and size variation among individuals have proved...... to be controversial. It has often been assumed that competition among individual plants in a population has to be size-asymmetric to result in higher size inequality than in the absence of competition, but here we question this inference. Using very simple, individual-based models, we investigate how size symmetry...... of competition affects the development in size inequality between two competing plants and show that increased size inequality due to competition is not always strong evidence for size-asymmetric competition. Even absolute symmetric competition, in which all plants receive the same amount of resources...

Single-shot beam size measurements using visible-light interferometry at CESR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, S.T., E-mail: sw565@cornell.edu [Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-based Science and Education, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); Holtzapple, R. [Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 (United States); Rubin, D.L. [Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-based Science and Education, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States)

2017-03-01

A new primary mirror for a visible-light beam size monitor (vBSM) was designed and installed in the Cornell Electron-Positron Storage Ring (CESR). The vertical angular acceptance of the mirror was doubled to allow double-slit interferometry with large slit separation (>12 mm). In addition, the diffraction associated with the first generation mirror has been eliminated. The resolution of the vertical beam size measurements has been dramatically improved but is ultimately limited by the beam motion. Two fast-response detectors, a Photomultiplier Tube (PMT) array and a gated camera, were employed to study the beam motion. The advantages and limitations of both devices are discussed in this paper. The gated camera was also used to measure single-shot beam width and motion of each bunch in a multi-bunch train. We measured significantly more horizontal motion of electron as compared to positron bunch trains in otherwise identical machine condition. This difference may be a signature for the difference between electron cloud build-up for positron bunch trains versus ions effects characteristic of electron bunch trains. - Highlights: • A new extraction mirror for synchrotron radiation was designed and installed in CESR. • The sensitivity of interferometer was increased and the diffraction effect was eliminated. • Two fast-response detectors were employed to study the effect of beam motion. • First time single-shot bunch-by-bunch horizontal beam size measurements using interferometry was observed from gated camera. • The difference in single bunch horizontal dynamics was observed between a positron and an electron train.

Common Noctule Bats Are Sexually Dimorphic in Migratory Behaviour and Body Size but Not Wing Shape.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Teague O'Mara

Full Text Available Within the large order of bats, sexual size dimorphism measured by forearm length and body mass is often female-biased. Several studies have explained this through the effects on load carrying during pregnancy, intrasexual competition, as well as the fecundity and thermoregulation advantages of increased female body size. We hypothesized that wing shape should differ along with size and be under variable selection pressure in a species where there are large differences in flight behaviour. We tested whether load carrying, sex differential migration, or reproductive advantages of large females affect size and wing shape dimorphism in the common noctule (Nyctalus noctula, in which females are typically larger than males and only females migrate long distances each year. We tested for univariate and multivariate size and shape dimorphism using data sets derived from wing photos and biometric data collected during pre-migratory spring captures in Switzerland. Females had forearms that are on average 1% longer than males and are 1% heavier than males after emerging from hibernation, but we found no sex differences in other size, shape, or other functional characters in any wing parameters during this pre-migratory period. Female-biased size dimorphism without wing shape differences indicates that reproductive advantages of big mothers are most likely responsible for sexual dimorphism in this species, not load compensation or shape differences favouring aerodynamic efficiency during pregnancy or migration. Despite large behavioural and ecological sex differences, morphology associated with a specialized feeding niche may limit potential dimorphism in narrow-winged bats such as common noctules and the dramatic differences in migratory behaviour may then be accomplished through plasticity in wing kinematics.

Prevention of the Portion Size Effect

NARCIS (Netherlands)

I. Versluis (Iris)

2016-01-01

markdownabstractAn increase in the portion size leads to an increase in energy intake, a phenomenon which is also referred to as the portion size effect. The increase in portion sizes in recent years is regarded as an important contributor to the increase in the prevalence of obesity. Hence, the aim

Container size influences snack food intake independently of portion size.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchiori, David; Corneille, Olivier; Klein, Olivier

2012-06-01

While larger containers have been found to increase food intake, it is unclear whether this effect is driven by container size, portion size, or their combination, as these variables are usually confounded. The study was advertised as examining the effects of snack food consumption on information processing and participants were served M&M's for free consumption in individual cubicles while watching a TV show. Participants were served (1) a medium portion of M&M's in a small (n=30) or (2) in a large container (n=29), or (3) a large portion in a large container (n=29). The larger container increased intake by 129% (199 kcal) despite holding portion size constant, while controlling for different confounding variables. This research suggests that larger containers stimulate food intake over and above their impact on portion size. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dramatic dwindling of the power spectrum of high order harmonics by shrinking of the gap size in bowtie nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hosseinzadeh, F.; Batebi, S., E-mail: s-batebi@guilan.ac.ir [University of Guilan, Department of Faculty of Science (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Soofi, M. Q. [Shahid Beheshti University, Laser and Plasma Research Institute (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2017-03-15

Our work is based on high harmonic generation in a gaseous medium (helium ion), by exploiting gold bowtie nanostructures as laser field amplifiers. As the result of emission of a laser pulse, the wave function of the atom varies with time; so, it is necessary to solve 1D time-dependent Schrödinger equation by means of split operator method. By illumination of a short duration, long wavelength three color laser pulse inside the gap, the enhanced field not only changes with time, but also varies in space. In this work we considered this space inhomogeneity in linear and nonlinear schemes. We show that in nonlinear case, the plateau region is more extended. We also show that in larger gaps, cutoff occurs on higher frequencies. But limitation of electron motion in bowtie nanostructures leads to the choice of an optimum 16 nm gap size in our case. We predict that, by the superposition of supercontinuum harmonics, a 26 attosecond pulse can be generated.

Socio-dramatic affective-relational intervention for adolescents with asperger syndrome & high functioning autism: pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lerner, Matthew D; Mikami, Amori Yee; Levine, Karen

2011-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a novel intervention called 'socio-dramatic affective-relational intervention' (SDARI), intended to improve social skills among adolescents with Asperger syndrome and high functioning autism diagnoses. SDARI adapts dramatic training activities to focus on in vivo practice of areas of social skill deficit among this population. SDARI was administered as a six-week summer program in a community human service agency. Nine SDARI participants and eight age- and diagnosis-group matched adolescents not receiving SDARI were compared on child- and parent-report of social functioning at three week intervals beginning six weeks prior to intervention and ending six weeks post-intervention. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) was used to estimate growth trends between groups to assess treatment outcomes and post-treatment maintenance. Results indicated significant improvement and post-treatment maintenance among SDARI participants on several measures of child social functioning. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

STABILIZING CLOUD FEEDBACK DRAMATICALLY EXPANDS THE HABITABLE ZONE OF TIDALLY LOCKED PLANETS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Jun; Abbot, Dorian S.; Cowan, Nicolas B.

2013-01-01

The habitable zone (HZ) is the circumstellar region where a planet can sustain surface liquid water. Searching for terrestrial planets in the HZ of nearby stars is the stated goal of ongoing and planned extrasolar planet surveys. Previous estimates of the inner edge of the HZ were based on one-dimensional radiative-convective models. The most serious limitation of these models is the inability to predict cloud behavior. Here we use global climate models with sophisticated cloud schemes to show that due to a stabilizing cloud feedback, tidally locked planets can be habitable at twice the stellar flux found by previous studies. This dramatically expands the HZ and roughly doubles the frequency of habitable planets orbiting red dwarf stars. At high stellar flux, strong convection produces thick water clouds near the substellar location that greatly increase the planetary albedo and reduce surface temperatures. Higher insolation produces stronger substellar convection and therefore higher albedo, making this phenomenon a stabilizing climate feedback. Substellar clouds also effectively block outgoing radiation from the surface, reducing or even completely reversing the thermal emission contrast between dayside and nightside. The presence of substellar water clouds and the resulting clement surface conditions will therefore be detectable with the James Webb Space Telescope.

Dramatics and education: Different directions and approaches to the application of drama/theatre techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stamenković Ivana

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes, from the perspective of drama pedagogy, two basic directions in the application of drama and/or theatre techniques in the educational context which mainly differ primarily according to who applies them in practice with children and the young - teachers or professional actors.. Then the most prominent approaches of individual authors are singled out from each agent. Although there are certain similarities among them, we wanted also to show their differences, evident in theoretical, pedagogical and practical orientations. In this context the opinions about the importance of dramatics for education, and about the effects of the use of different approaches, levels and the ways of the application of drama/theatre techniques are singled out, showing at the same time different roles, levels and ways of participating students. This theme is important for promoting dramatics pedagogy, which is not at a high level of development in our country, in spite of the fact that many authors are engaged in theoretical and/or practical work in this area.

Gold Nanoparticles Size Design and Control by Poly(N,N′-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norma A. Cortez-Lemus

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Poly(N,N′-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (PDEAEM with different molecular weights was used to stabilize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs obtained by in situ reduction of tetrachloroauric acid using citrates under acidic conditions and in organic/alcoholic medium. The influence of the pH value on gold nanoparticle size in the presence of PDEAEM was investigated. Results show that the pH of the reacting mixture has a dramatic effect on the size, polydispersity, and morphology of the resulting AuNPs. Moreover, the size of the nanoparticles (NPs may be modified by changing the solution’s pH or by changing the solvent type. Electron microscope images showed that the sizes of AuNPs coated with PDEAEM were not sensitive to the variation of the polymer molecular weight in the range between 9000 and 29300 g/mol; however their aggregation behavior depended strongly on the polymer molecular weight as revealed by dynamic light scattering studies. AuNPs stabilized with PDEAEM (AuNP@PDEAEM are stable in water at acidic pH and in organic polar solvents.

A tetraethylene glycol coat gives gold nanoparticles long in vivo half-lives with minimal increase in size

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Willett JDS

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Julian DS Willett, Marlon G Lawrence, Jennifer C Wilder, Oliver Smithies† Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA †Dr Oliver Smithies passed away on January 10, 2017 Abstract: In this study, we describe the experiments determining whether coating gold nanoparticles with tetraethylene glycol (TEG provides pharmacologically relevant advantages, such as increased serum half-life and resistance to protein adsorption. Monodisperse TEG-coated, NaBH4-reduced gold nanoparticles with a hydrodynamic size comparable to albumin were synthesized by reducing gold chloride with NaBH4 under alkaline conditions in the presence of TEG-SH. The particles were characterized by gel electrophoresis, column chromatography, and transmission electron microscopy. The nanoparticles were subsequently injected intravenously into mice, and their half-lives and final destinations were determined via photometric analysis, light microscopy (LM, and transmission electron microscopy. The TEG particles had a long half-life (~400 minutes that was not influenced by splenectomy. After 500 minutes of injection, TEG particles were found in kidney proximal tubule cell vesicles and in spleen red and white pulp. The particles induced apoptosis in the spleen red pulp but not in white pulp or the kidney. Some of the TEG particles appeared to have undergone ligand exchange reactions that increased their charge. The TEG particles were shown to be resistant to nonspecific protein adsorption, as judged by gel electrophoresis and column chromatography. These results demonstrate that naturally monodisperse, small-sized gold nanoparticles coated with TEG have long in vivo plasma half-lives, are minimally toxic, and are resistant to protein adsorption. This suggests that a TEG coating should be considered as an alternative to a polyethylene glycol coating, which is polydisperse and of much larger size. Keywords

Sustainable Sizing.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinette, Kathleen M; Veitch, Daisy

2016-08-01

To provide a review of sustainable sizing practices that reduce waste, increase sales, and simultaneously produce safer, better fitting, accommodating products. Sustainable sizing involves a set of methods good for both the environment (sustainable environment) and business (sustainable business). Sustainable sizing methods reduce (1) materials used, (2) the number of sizes or adjustments, and (3) the amount of product unsold or marked down for sale. This reduces waste and cost. The methods can also increase sales by fitting more people in the target market and produce happier, loyal customers with better fitting products. This is a mini-review of methods that result in more sustainable sizing practices. It also reviews and contrasts current statistical and modeling practices that lead to poor fit and sizing. Fit-mapping and the use of cases are two excellent methods suited for creating sustainable sizing, when real people (vs. virtual people) are used. These methods are described and reviewed. Evidence presented supports the view that virtual fitting with simulated people and products is not yet effective. Fit-mapping and cases with real people and actual products result in good design and products that are fit for person, fit for purpose, with good accommodation and comfortable, optimized sizing. While virtual models have been shown to be ineffective for predicting or representing fit, there is an opportunity to improve them by adding fit-mapping data to the models. This will require saving fit data, product data, anthropometry, and demographics in a standardized manner. For this success to extend to the wider design community, the development of a standardized method of data collection for fit-mapping with a globally shared fit-map database is needed. It will enable the world community to build knowledge of fit and accommodation and generate effective virtual fitting for the future. A standardized method of data collection that tests products' fit methodically

Efficient perovskite light-emitting diodes featuring nanometre-sized crystallites

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Zhengguo; Kerner, Ross A.; Zhao, Lianfeng; Tran, Nhu L.; Lee, Kyung Min; Koh, Tae-Wook; Scholes, Gregory D.; Rand, Barry P.

2017-01-01

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials are emerging as highly attractive semiconductors for use in optoelectronics. In addition to their use in photovoltaics, perovskites are promising for realizing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) due to their high colour purity, low non-radiative recombination rates and tunable bandgap. Here, we report highly efficient perovskite LEDs enabled through the formation of self-assembled, nanometre-sized crystallites. Large-group ammonium halides added to the perovskite precursor solution act as a surfactant that dramatically constrains the growth of 3D perovskite grains during film forming, producing crystallites with dimensions as small as 10 nm and film roughness of less than 1 nm. Coating these nanometre-sized perovskite grains with longer-chain organic cations yields highly efficient emitters, resulting in LEDs that operate with external quantum efficiencies of 10.4% for the methylammonium lead iodide system and 9.3% for the methylammonium lead bromide system, with significantly improved shelf and operational stability.

Energetic constraints, size gradients, and size limits in benthic marine invertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Sebens, Kenneth P

2002-08-01

Populations of marine benthic organisms occupy habitats with a range of physical and biological characteristics. In the intertidal zone, energetic costs increase with temperature and aerial exposure, and prey intake increases with immersion time, generating size gradients with small individuals often found at upper limits of distribution. Wave action can have similar effects, limiting feeding time or success, although certain species benefit from wave dislodgment of their prey; this also results in gradients of size and morphology. The difference between energy intake and metabolic (and/or behavioral) costs can be used to determine an energetic optimal size for individuals in such populations. Comparisons of the energetic optimal size to the maximum predicted size based on mechanical constraints, and the ensuing mortality schedule, provides a mechanism to study and explain organism size gradients in intertidal and subtidal habitats. For species where the energetic optimal size is well below the maximum size that could persist under a certain set of wave/flow conditions, it is probable that energetic constraints dominate. When the opposite is true, populations of small individuals can dominate habitats with strong dislodgment or damage probability. When the maximum size of individuals is far below either energetic optima or mechanical limits, other sources of mortality (e.g., predation) may favor energy allocation to early reproduction rather than to continued growth. Predictions based on optimal size models have been tested for a variety of intertidal and subtidal invertebrates including sea anemones, corals, and octocorals. This paper provides a review of the optimal size concept, and employs a combination of the optimal energetic size model and life history modeling approach to explore energy allocation to growth or reproduction as the optimal size is approached.

Critical success factors simplified implementing the powerful drivers of dramatic business improvement

CERN Document Server

Howell, Marvin T

2010-01-01

Critical-to-success factors (CSFs) have become essential elements to strategic planning and no business can achieve consistent success without effectively adopting them. To take full advantage of CSFs, however, an organization must first understand what they are and how they can be used to drive organizational initiatives and processes. Critical Success Factors Simplified: Implementing the Powerful Drivers of Dramatic Business Improvement provides a concise manual on CSFs that will teach you how to identify and select the right CSFs, measure their impact, and adjust them as needed to reach your goals.

Large and abundant flowers increase indirect costs of corollas: a study of coflowering sympatric Mediterranean species of contrasting flower size.

Science.gov (United States)

Teixido, Alberto L; Valladares, Fernando

2013-09-01

Large floral displays receive more pollinator visits but involve higher production and maintenance costs. This can result in indirect costs which may negatively affect functions like reproductive output. In this study, we explored the relationship between floral display and indirect costs in two pairs of coflowering sympatric Mediterranean Cistus of contrasting flower size. We hypothesized that: (1) corolla production entails direct costs in dry mass, N and P, (2) corollas entail significant indirect costs in terms of fruit set and seed production, (3) indirect costs increase with floral display, (4) indirect costs are greater in larger-flowered sympatric species, and (5) local climatic conditions influence indirect costs. We compared fruit set and seed production of petal-removed flowers and unmanipulated control flowers and evaluated the influence of mean flower number and mean flower size on relative fruit and seed gain of petal-removed and control flowers. Fruit set and seed production were significantly higher in petal-removed flowers in all the studied species. A positive relationship was found between relative fruit gain and mean individual flower size within species. In one pair of species, fruit gain was higher in the large-flowered species, as was the correlation between fruit gain and mean number of open flowers. In the other pair, the correlation between fruit gain and mean flower size was also higher in the large-flowered species. These results reveal that Mediterranean environments impose significant constraints on floral display, counteracting advantages of large flowers from the pollination point of view with increased indirect costs of such flowers.

Boronophenylalanine uptake in C6 glioma model is dramatically increased by L-DOPA preloading

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Capuani, S. [CNR-INFM SOFT, Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, Rome (Italy); Enrico Fermi Center, Compendio Viminale, Rome (Italy)], E-mail: silvia.capuani@roma1.infn.it; Gili, T. [CNR-INFM SOFT, Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, Rome (Italy); Enrico Fermi Center, Compendio Viminale, Rome (Italy); Bozzali, M. [Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 306, Rome (Italy); Russo, S. [Victor Horsley Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London (United Kingdom); Porcari, P. [CNR-INFM SOFT, Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, Rome (Italy); Cametti, C. [CNR-INFM SOFT, Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, Rome (Italy); Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, Rome (Italy); Muolo, M. [Department of Biological Science, University ' Rome III' , Viale G. Marconi 446, Rome (Italy); D' Amore, E. [Serv. Qual./Sicurezza Sperim. Anim., Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome (Italy); Maraviglia, B. [Enrico Fermi Center, Compendio Viminale, Rome (Italy); Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 306, Rome (Italy); Lazzarino, G. [Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, Catania (Italy); Pastore, F.S. [Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Neurosurgery, University ' Tor Vergata' , Via Montpellier 1, Rome (Italy)

2009-07-15

One of the main limitations for BNCT effectiveness is the insufficient intake of {sup 10}B nuclei within tumour cells. This work was aimed at investigating the use of L-DOPA as enhancer for boronophenylalanine (BPA) uptake in the C6 glioma model. The investigation was first performed in vitro, and then extended in vivo to the animal model. BPA accumulation in C6 glioma cells was assessed, using radiowave dielectric spectroscopy (RDS), with and without L-DOPA preloading. C6 glioma cells were also implanted in the brain of 25 rats, randomly assigned to two experimental branches: (1) intra-carotid BPA infusion; (2) intra-carotid BPA infusion after pre-treatment with L-DOPA, administrated 24 h before BPA infusion. All animals were sacrificed, and assessment of BPA concentrations in tumour tissue, normal brain, and blood samples was performed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). L-DOPA preloading induced a massive increase of BPA concentration either in vitro on C6 glioma cells or in vivo in the animal model tumour. Moreover, no significant difference was found in the normal brain and blood samples between the two animal groups. This study suggests the potential use of L-DOPA as enhancer for BPA accumulation in malignant gliomas eligible for BNCT.

Boronophenylalanine uptake in C6 glioma model is dramatically increased by L-DOPA preloading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capuani, S.; Gili, T.; Bozzali, M.; Russo, S.; Porcari, P.; Cametti, C.; Muolo, M.; D'Amore, E.; Maraviglia, B.; Lazzarino, G.; Pastore, F.S.

2009-01-01

One of the main limitations for BNCT effectiveness is the insufficient intake of 10 B nuclei within tumour cells. This work was aimed at investigating the use of L-DOPA as enhancer for boronophenylalanine (BPA) uptake in the C6 glioma model. The investigation was first performed in vitro, and then extended in vivo to the animal model. BPA accumulation in C6 glioma cells was assessed, using radiowave dielectric spectroscopy (RDS), with and without L-DOPA preloading. C6 glioma cells were also implanted in the brain of 25 rats, randomly assigned to two experimental branches: (1) intra-carotid BPA infusion; (2) intra-carotid BPA infusion after pre-treatment with L-DOPA, administrated 24 h before BPA infusion. All animals were sacrificed, and assessment of BPA concentrations in tumour tissue, normal brain, and blood samples was performed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). L-DOPA preloading induced a massive increase of BPA concentration either in vitro on C6 glioma cells or in vivo in the animal model tumour. Moreover, no significant difference was found in the normal brain and blood samples between the two animal groups. This study suggests the potential use of L-DOPA as enhancer for BPA accumulation in malignant gliomas eligible for BNCT.

Measuring agglomerate size distribution and dependence of localized surface plasmon resonance absorbance on gold nanoparticle agglomerate size using analytical ultracentrifugation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zook, Justin M; Rastogi, Vinayak; Maccuspie, Robert I; Keene, Athena M; Fagan, Jeffrey

2011-10-25

Agglomeration of nanoparticles during measurements in relevant biological and environmental media is a frequent problem in nanomaterial property characterization. The primary problem is typically that any changes to the size distribution can dramatically affect the potential nanotoxicity or other size-determined properties, such as the absorbance signal in a biosensor measurement. Herein we demonstrate analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) as a powerful method for measuring two critical characteristics of nanoparticle (NP) agglomerates in situ in biological media: the NP agglomerate size distribution, and the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorbance spectrum of precise sizes of gold NP agglomerates. To characterize the size distribution, we present a theoretical framework for calculating the hydrodynamic diameter distribution of NP agglomerates from their sedimentation coefficient distribution. We measure sedimentation rates for monomers, dimers, and trimers, as well as for larger agglomerates with up to 600 NPs. The AUC size distributions were found generally to be broader than the size distributions estimated from dynamic light scattering and diffusion-limited colloidal aggregation theory, an alternative bulk measurement method that relies on several assumptions. In addition, the measured sedimentation coefficients can be used in nanotoxicity studies to predict how quickly the agglomerates sediment out of solution under normal gravitational forces, such as in the environment. We also calculate the absorbance spectra for monomer, dimer, trimer, and larger gold NP agglomerates up to 600 NPs, to enable a better understanding of LSPR biosensors. Finally, we validate a new method that uses these spectra to deconvolute the net absorbance spectrum of an unknown bulk sample and approximate the proportions of monomers, dimers, and trimers in a polydisperse sample of small agglomerates, so that every sample does not need to be measured by AUC. These results

Dramatic increase of nitrite levels in hearts of anoxia-exposed crucian carp supporting a role in cardioprotection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandvik, Guro K.; Nilsson, Göran E.; Jensen, Frank Bo

2012-01-01

the generation of reactive oxygen species upon reoxygenation. The crucian carp naturally survives extended periods without oxygen in an active state, which has made it a model for studying how evolution has solved the problems of anoxic survival. We investigated the role of nitrite and NO in the anoxia...... increases in nitrite, S-nitrosothiols (SNO) and iron-nitrosyl (FeNO) compounds in anoxic heart tissue. Nitrite levels were maintained in anoxic brain, liver and gill tissues, whereas SNO and FeNO increased in a tissue-specific manner. Reoxygenation reestablished normoxic values. We conclude that nitrite...

No evidence that sex and transposable elements drive genome size variation in evening primroses.

Science.gov (United States)

Ågren, J Arvid; Greiner, Stephan; Johnson, Marc T J; Wright, Stephen I

2015-04-01

Genome size varies dramatically across species, but despite an abundance of attention there is little agreement on the relative contributions of selective and neutral processes in governing this variation. The rate of sex can potentially play an important role in genome size evolution because of its effect on the efficacy of selection and transmission of transposable elements (TEs). Here, we used a phylogenetic comparative approach and whole genome sequencing to investigate the contribution of sex and TE content to genome size variation in the evening primrose (Oenothera) genus. We determined genome size using flow cytometry for 30 species that vary in genetic system and find that variation in sexual/asexual reproduction cannot explain the almost twofold variation in genome size. Moreover, using whole genome sequences of three species of varying genome sizes and reproductive system, we found that genome size was not associated with TE abundance; instead the larger genomes had a higher abundance of simple sequence repeats. Although it has long been clear that sexual reproduction may affect various aspects of genome evolution in general and TE evolution in particular, it does not appear to have played a major role in genome size evolution in the evening primroses. © 2015 The Author(s).

Founder representation and effective population size in old versus young breeds-genetic diversity of Finnish and Nordic Spitz.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumpulainen, M; Anderson, H; Svevar, T; Kangasvuo, I; Donner, J; Pohjoismäki, J

2017-10-01

Finnish Spitz is 130-year-old breed and has been highly popular in Finland throughout its history. Nordic Spitz is very similar to Finnish Spitz by origin and use, but is a relatively recent breed with much smaller population size. To see how breed age and breeding history have influenced the current population, we performed comprehensive population genetic analysis using pedigree data of 28,119 Finnish and 9,009 Nordic Spitzes combined with genomewide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from 135 Finnish and 110 Nordic Spitzes. We found that the Finnish Spitz has undergone repeated male bottlenecks resulting in dramatic loss of genetic diversity, reflected by 20 effective founders (f a ) and mean heterozygosity (Hz) of 0.313. The realized effective population size in the breed based on pedigree analysis (N¯ec) is 168, whereas the genetic effective population size (N eg ) computed the decay of linkage disequilibrium (r 2 ) is only 57 individuals. Nordic Spitz, although once been near extinction, has not been exposed to similar repeated bottlenecks than Finnish Spitz and had f a of 27 individuals. However, due to the smaller total population size, the breed has also smaller effective population size than Finnish Spitz (N¯ec = 98 and N eg  = 49). Interestingly, the r 2 data show that the effective population size has contracted dramatically since the establishment of the breed, emphasizing the role of breed standards as constrains for the breeding population. Despite the small population size, Nordic Spitz still maintains SNP heterozygosity levels similar to mixed breed dogs (mean Hz = 0.409). Our study demonstrates that although pedigree analyses cannot provide estimates of the present diversity within a breed, the effective population sizes inferred from them correlate with the genotyping results. The genetic relationships of the northern Spitz breeds and the benefits of the open breed registry are discussed. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Effect of meal size and body size on specific dynamic action and gastric processing in decapod crustaceans.

Science.gov (United States)

McGaw, Iain J; Curtis, Daniel L

2013-11-01

Meal size and animal size are important factors affecting the characteristics of the specific dynamic action (SDA) response across a variety of taxa. The effects of these two variables on the SDA of decapod crustaceans are based on just a couple of articles, and are not wholly consistent with the responses reported for other aquatic ectotherms. Therefore, the effects of meal size and animal size on the characteristics of SDA response were investigated in a variety of decapod crustaceans from different families. A 6 fold increase in meal size (0.5%-3% body mass) resulted a pronounced increase in the duration of increased oxygen consumption, resulting in an increase in the SDA of Callinectes sapidus, Cancer gracilis, Hemigrapsus nudus, Homarus americanus, Pugettia producta and Procambarus clarkii. Unlike many other aquatic ectotherms a substantial increase between meal sizes was required, with meal size close to their upper feeding limit (3% body mass), before changes were evident. In many organisms increases in both duration and scope contribute to the overall SDA, here changes in scope as a function of meal size were weak, suggesting that a similar amount of energy is required to upregulate gastric processes, regardless of meal size. The SDA characteristics were less likely to be influenced by the size of the animal, and there was no difference in the SDA (kJ) as a function of size in H. americanus or Cancer irroratus when analysed as mass specific values. In several fish species characteristics of the SDA response are more closely related to the transit times of food, rather than the size of a meal. To determine if a similar trend occurred in crustaceans, the transit rates of different sized meals were followed through the digestive system using a fluoroscope. Although there was a trend towards larger meals taking longer to pass through the gut, this was only statistically significant for P. clarkii. There were some changes in transit times as a function of animal

Increased fibrosis: A novel means by which GH influences white adipose tissue function.

Science.gov (United States)

Householder, Lara A; Comisford, Ross; Duran-Ortiz, Silvana; Lee, Kevin; Troike, Katie; Wilson, Cody; Jara, Adam; Harberson, Mitchell; List, Edward O; Kopchick, John J; Berryman, Darlene E

2018-04-01

White adipose tissue (WAT) fibrosis - the buildup of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, primarily collagen - is now a recognized hallmark of tissue dysfunction and is increased with obesity and lipodystrophy. While growth hormone (GH) is known to increase collagen in several tissues, no previous research has addressed its effect on ECM in WAT. Thus, the purpose of this study is to determine if GH influences WAT fibrosis. This study examined WAT from four distinct strains of GH-altered mice (bGH and GHA transgenic mice as well as two tissue specific GH receptor gene disrupted lines, fat growth hormone receptor knockout or FaGHRKO and liver growth hormone receptor knockout or LiGHRKO mice). Collagen content and adipocyte size were studied in all cohorts and compared to littermate controls. In addition, mRNA expression of fibrosis-associated genes was assessed in one cohort (6month old male bovine GH transgenic and WT mice) and cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with GH. Collagen stained area was increased in WAT from bGH mice, was depot-dependent, and increased with age. Furthermore, increased collagen content was associated with decreased adipocyte size in all depots but more dramatic changes in the subcutaneous fat pad. Notably, the increase in collagen was not associated with an increase in collagen gene expression or other genes known to promote fibrosis in WAT, but collagen gene expression was increased with acute GH administration in 3T3-LI cells. In contrast, evaluation of 6month old GH antagonist (GHA) male mice showed significantly decreased collagen in the subcutaneous depot. Lastly, to assess if GH induced collagen deposition directly or indirectly (via IGF-1), fat (Fa) and liver (Li) specific GHRKO mice were evaluated. Decreased fibrosis in FaGHRKO and increased fibrosis in LiGHRKO mice suggest GH is primarily responsible for the alterations in collagen. Our results show that GH action is positively associated with an increase in WAT collagen content as

Dramatic Outburst Reveals Nearest Black Hole

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

Scientists have discovered the closest black hole yet, a mere 1,600 light years from Earth. Its discovery was heralded by four of the most dramatic rapid X-ray intensity changes ever seen from one star. Astronomers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the National Science Foundation's National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) announced their findings at the American Astronomical Society's meeting in Atlanta. The black hole in the constellation Sagittarius, along with a normal star dubbed V4641 Sgr, form a violent system that briefly flooded part of our Milky Way Galaxy with X-rays and ejected subatomic particles moving at nearly the speed of light one day last September. At the peak of its X-ray output, V4641 Sgr was the brightest X-ray emitter in the sky. Astronomers call this type of system an X-ray nova because it suddenly becomes a bright source of X-rays, but this object shows characteristics never seen in an X-ray nova. "V4641 Sgr turns on and off so fast that it seems to represent a new subclass of X-ray novae," said Donald A. Smith, postdoctoral associate in MIT's Center for Space Research. Smith worked on data from this object with MIT principal research scientist Ronald Remillard and NRAO astronomer Robert Hjellming. "In X-rays, the intensity rose by a factor of more than 1,000 in seven hours, then dropped by a factor of 100 in two hours," Remillard said. The radio emission was seen as an image of an expanding "jet" of particles shooting out from the binary system. After reaching a maximum, the radio intensity dropped by a factor of nearly 40 within two days. "Radio telescopes give us a quick glimpse of something moving at a fantastically high velocity," Hjellming said. Black holes harbor enormous gravitational force that can literally rip the gas away from a nearby star. This transfer of gas is visible in many forms of radiation. Both orbiting X-ray telescopes and ground-based radio and optical telescopes saw the outburst of V4641

Hierarchical complexity and the size limits of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Heim, Noel A; Payne, Jonathan L; Finnegan, Seth; Knope, Matthew L; Kowalewski, Michał; Lyons, S Kathleen; McShea, Daniel W; Novack-Gottshall, Philip M; Smith, Felisa A; Wang, Steve C

2017-06-28

Over the past 3.8 billion years, the maximum size of life has increased by approximately 18 orders of magnitude. Much of this increase is associated with two major evolutionary innovations: the evolution of eukaryotes from prokaryotic cells approximately 1.9 billion years ago (Ga), and multicellular life diversifying from unicellular ancestors approximately 0.6 Ga. However, the quantitative relationship between organismal size and structural complexity remains poorly documented. We assessed this relationship using a comprehensive dataset that includes organismal size and level of biological complexity for 11 172 extant genera. We find that the distributions of sizes within complexity levels are unimodal, whereas the aggregate distribution is multimodal. Moreover, both the mean size and the range of size occupied increases with each additional level of complexity. Increases in size range are non-symmetric: the maximum organismal size increases more than the minimum. The majority of the observed increase in organismal size over the history of life on the Earth is accounted for by two discrete jumps in complexity rather than evolutionary trends within levels of complexity. Our results provide quantitative support for an evolutionary expansion away from a minimal size constraint and suggest a fundamental rescaling of the constraints on minimal and maximal size as biological complexity increases. © 2017 The Author(s).

Warm water temperatures and shifts in seasonality increase trout recruitment but only moderately decrease adult size in western North American tailwaters

Science.gov (United States)

Dibble, Kimberly L.; Yackulic, Charles B.; Kennedy, Theodore A.

2018-01-01

Dams throughout western North America have altered thermal regimes in rivers, creating cold, clear “tailwaters” in which trout populations thrive. Ongoing drought in the region has led to highly publicized reductions in reservoir storage and raised concerns about potential reductions in downstream flows. Large changes in riverine thermal regimes may also occur as reservoir water levels drop, yet this potential impact has received far less attention. We analyzed historic water temperature and fish population data to anticipate how trout may respond to future changes in the magnitude and seasonality of river temperatures. We found that summer temperatures were inversely related to reservoir water level, with warm temperatures associated with reduced storage and with dams operated as run-of-river units. Variation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) recruitment was linked to water temperature variation, with a 5-fold increase in recruitment occurring at peak summer temperatures (18 °C vs. 7 °C) and a 2.5-fold increase in recruitment when peak temperatures occurred in summer rather than fall. Conversely, adult trout size was only moderately related to temperature. Rainbow and brown trout (Salmo trutta) size decreased by ~24 mm and 20 mm, respectively, as mean annual and peak summer temperatures increased. Further, rainbow trout size decreased by ~29 mm with an earlier onset of cold winter temperatures. While increased recruitment may be the more likely outcome of a warmer and drier climate, density-dependent growth constraints could exacerbate temperature-dependent growth reductions. As such, managers may consider implementing flows to reduce recruitment or altering infrastructure to maintain coldwater reservoir releases.

Asymmetric forceps increase fighting success among males of similar size in the maritime earwig

Science.gov (United States)

Munoz, Nicole E.; Zink, Andrew G.

2012-01-01

Extreme asymmetric morphologies are hypothesized to serve an adaptive function that counteracts sexual selection for symmetry. However direct tests of function for asymmetries are lacking, particularly in the context of animal weapons. The weapon of the maritime earwig, Anisolabis maritima, exhibits sizeable variation in the extent of directional asymmetry within and across body sizes, making it an ideal candidate for investigating the function of asymmetry. In this study, we characterized the extent of weapon asymmetry, characterized the manner in which asymmetric weapons are used in contests, staged dyadic contests between males of different size classes and analyzed the correlates of fighting success. In contests between large males, larger individuals won more fights and emerged as the dominant male. In contests between small males, however, weapon asymmetry was more influential in predicting overall fighting success than body size. This result reveals an advantage of asymmetric weaponry among males that are below the mean size in the population. A forceps manipulation experiment suggests that asymmetry may be an indirect, correlate of a morphologically independent factor that affects fighting ability. PMID:22984320

Dramatic Response of a Case ofRecurrent Basal Cell Carcinoma toSystemic Chemotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Mohammadianpanah

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Basal cell carcinoma (BCC is the most common cancer among humans, and the standard treatment is surgery. Other modalities are reserved as a second line of treatment. Topical chemotherapy may be used in primary BCC. Systemic chemotherapy has no role in the primary treatment of BCC, although it may be efficacious in metastatic cases. We report the case of a patient with persistent recurrent BCC following multiple surgeries and radiotherapy, who achieved a dramatic response with a cisplatinand 5-flourouracil chemotherapy regimen.

Price Increases from Online Privacy

OpenAIRE

Ward, Michael R.; Chen, Yu-Ching

2001-01-01

Consumers value keeping some information about them private from potential marketers. E-commerce dramatically increases the potential for marketers to accumulate otherwise private information about potential customers. Online marketers claim that this information enables them to better market their products. Policy makers are currently drafting rules to regulate the way in which these marketers can collect, store, and share this information. However, there is little evidence yet either of con...

Chemical composition, crystal size and lattice structural changes after incorporation of strontium into biomimetic apatite.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Z Y; Lam, W M; Yang, C; Xu, B; Ni, G X; Abbah, S A; Cheung, K M C; Luk, K D K; Lu, W W

2007-03-01

Recently, strontium (Sr) as ranelate compound has become increasingly popular in the treatment of osteoporosis. However, the lattice structure of bone crystal after Sr incorporation is yet to be extensively reported. In this study, we synthesized strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite (Sr-HA) with different Sr content (0.3%, 1.5% and 15% Sr-HA in mole ratio) to simulate bone crystals incorporated with Sr. The changes in chemical composition and lattice structure of apetite after synthetic incorporation of Sr were evaluated to gain insight into bone crystal changes after incorporation of Sr. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed that 0.3% and 1.5% Sr-HA exhibited single phase spectrum, which was similar to that of HA. However, 15% Sr-HA induced the incorporation of HPO4(2-) and more CO3(2-), the crystallinity reduced dramatically. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the crystal length and width of 0.3% and 1.5% Sr-HA increased slightly. Meanwhile, the length and width distribution were broadened and the aspect ratio decreased from 10.68+/-4.00 to 7.28+/-2.80. The crystal size and crystallinity of 15% Sr-HA dropped rapidly, which may suggest that the fundamental crystal structure is changed. The findings from this work indicate that current clinical dosage which usually results in Sr incorporation of below 1.5% may not change chemical composition and lattice structure of bone, while it will broaden the bone crystal size distribution and strengthen the bone.

Dramatic Change in Jupiter's Great Red Spot

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, A. A.; Wong, M. H.; Rogers, J. H.; Orton, G. S.; de Pater, I.; Asay-Davis, X.; Carlson, R. W.; Marcus, P. S.

2015-01-01

Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) is one of its most distinct and enduring features, having been continuously observed since the 1800's. It currently spans the smallest latitude and longitude size ever recorded. Here we show analyses of 2014 Hubble spectral imaging data to study the color, structure and internal dynamics of this long-live storm.

Tornado outbreak variability follows Taylor's power law of fluctuation scaling and increases dramatically with severity.

Science.gov (United States)

Tippett, Michael K; Cohen, Joel E

2016-02-29

Tornadoes cause loss of life and damage to property each year in the United States and around the world. The largest impacts come from 'outbreaks' consisting of multiple tornadoes closely spaced in time. Here we find an upward trend in the annual mean number of tornadoes per US tornado outbreak for the period 1954-2014. Moreover, the variance of this quantity is increasing more than four times as fast as the mean. The mean and variance of the number of tornadoes per outbreak vary according to Taylor's power law of fluctuation scaling (TL), with parameters that are consistent with multiplicative growth. Tornado-related atmospheric proxies show similar power-law scaling and multiplicative growth. Path-length-integrated tornado outbreak intensity also follows TL, but with parameters consistent with sampling variability. The observed TL power-law scaling of outbreak severity means that extreme outbreaks are more frequent than would be expected if mean and variance were independent or linearly related.

Tornado outbreak variability follows Taylor's power law of fluctuation scaling and increases dramatically with severity

Science.gov (United States)

Tippett, Michael K.; Cohen, Joel E.

2016-01-01

Tornadoes cause loss of life and damage to property each year in the United States and around the world. The largest impacts come from ‘outbreaks' consisting of multiple tornadoes closely spaced in time. Here we find an upward trend in the annual mean number of tornadoes per US tornado outbreak for the period 1954–2014. Moreover, the variance of this quantity is increasing more than four times as fast as the mean. The mean and variance of the number of tornadoes per outbreak vary according to Taylor's power law of fluctuation scaling (TL), with parameters that are consistent with multiplicative growth. Tornado-related atmospheric proxies show similar power-law scaling and multiplicative growth. Path-length-integrated tornado outbreak intensity also follows TL, but with parameters consistent with sampling variability. The observed TL power-law scaling of outbreak severity means that extreme outbreaks are more frequent than would be expected if mean and variance were independent or linearly related. PMID:26923210

Trends in size of tropical deforestation events signal increasing dominance of industrial-scale drivers

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Kemen G.; González-Roglich, Mariano; Schaffer-Smith, Danica; Schwantes, Amanda M.; Swenson, Jennifer J.

2017-05-01

Deforestation continues across the tropics at alarming rates, with repercussions for ecosystem processes, carbon storage and long term sustainability. Taking advantage of recent fine-scale measurement of deforestation, this analysis aims to improve our understanding of the scale of deforestation drivers in the tropics. We examined trends in forest clearings of different sizes from 2000-2012 by country, region and development level. As tropical deforestation increased from approximately 6900 kha yr-1 in the first half of the study period, to >7900 kha yr-1 in the second half of the study period, >50% of this increase was attributable to the proliferation of medium and large clearings (>10 ha). This trend was most pronounced in Southeast Asia and in South America. Outside of Brazil >60% of the observed increase in deforestation in South America was due to an upsurge in medium- and large-scale clearings; Brazil had a divergent trend of decreasing deforestation, >90% of which was attributable to a reduction in medium and large clearings. The emerging prominence of large-scale drivers of forest loss in many regions and countries suggests the growing need for policy interventions which target industrial-scale agricultural commodity producers. The experience in Brazil suggests that there are promising policy solutions to mitigate large-scale deforestation, but that these policy initiatives do not adequately address small-scale drivers. By providing up-to-date and spatially explicit information on the scale of deforestation, and the trends in these patterns over time, this study contributes valuable information for monitoring, and designing effective interventions to address deforestation.

Body size shifts and early warning signals precede the historic collapse of whale stocks.

Science.gov (United States)

Clements, Christopher F; Blanchard, Julia L; Nash, Kirsty L; Hindell, Mark A; Ozgul, Arpat

2017-06-22

Predicting population declines is a key challenge in the face of global environmental change. Abundance-based early warning signals have been shown to precede population collapses; however, such signals are sensitive to the low reliability of abundance estimates. Here, using historical data on whales harvested during the 20th century, we demonstrate that early warning signals can be present not only in the abundance data, but also in the more reliable body size data of wild populations. We show that during the period of commercial whaling, the mean body size of caught whales declined dramatically (by up to 4 m over a 70-year period), leading to early warning signals being detectable up to 40 years before the global collapse of whale stocks. Combining abundance and body size data can reduce the length of the time series required to predict collapse, and decrease the chances of false positive early warning signals.

Does increasing the size of bi-weekly samples of records influence results when using the Global Trigger Tool? An observational study of retrospective record reviews of two different sample sizes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mevik, Kjersti; Griffin, Frances A; Hansen, Tonje E; Deilkås, Ellen T; Vonen, Barthold

2016-04-25

To investigate the impact of increasing sample of records reviewed bi-weekly with the Global Trigger Tool method to identify adverse events in hospitalised patients. Retrospective observational study. A Norwegian 524-bed general hospital trust. 1920 medical records selected from 1 January to 31 December 2010. Rate, type and severity of adverse events identified in two different samples sizes of records selected as 10 and 70 records, bi-weekly. In the large sample, 1.45 (95% CI 1.07 to 1.97) times more adverse events per 1000 patient days (39.3 adverse events/1000 patient days) were identified than in the small sample (27.2 adverse events/1000 patient days). Hospital-acquired infections were the most common category of adverse events in both the samples, and the distributions of the other categories of adverse events did not differ significantly between the samples. The distribution of severity level of adverse events did not differ between the samples. The findings suggest that while the distribution of categories and severity are not dependent on the sample size, the rate of adverse events is. Further studies are needed to conclude if the optimal sample size may need to be adjusted based on the hospital size in order to detect a more accurate rate of adverse events. 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/

Design and deployment strategies for small and medium sized reactors (SMRs) to overcome loss of economies of scale and incorporate increased proliferation resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuznetsov, V.

2007-01-01

The designers of innovative small and medium sized reactors pursue new design and deployment strategies making use of certain advantages provided by smaller reactor size and capacity to achieve reduced design complexity and simplified operation and maintenance requirements, and to provide for incremental capacity increase through multi-module plant clustering. Competitiveness of SMRs (Small and Medium size Reactor) depends on the incorporated strategies to overcome loss of economies of scale but equally it depends on finding appropriate market niches for such reactors. For many less developed countries, these are the features of enhanced proliferation resistance and increased robustness of barriers for sabotage protection that may ensure the progress of nuclear power. For such countries, small reactors without on-site refuelling, designed for infrequent replacement of well-contained fuel cassette(s) in a manner that impedes clandestine diversion of nuclear fuel material, may provide a solution. Based on the outputs of recent IAEA activities for innovative SMRs, the paper provides a summary of the state-of-the-art in approaches to improve SMR competitiveness and incorporate enhanced proliferation resistance and energy security. (author)

Relativistic distances, sizes, lengths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strel'tsov, V.N.

1992-01-01

Such notion as light or retarded distance, field size, formation way, visible size of a body, relativistic or radar length and wave length of light from a moving atom are considered. The relation between these notions is cleared up, their classification is given. It is stressed that the formation way is defined by the field size of a moving particle. In the case of the electromagnetic field, longitudinal sizes increase proportionally γ 2 with growing charge velocity (γ is the Lorentz-factor). 18 refs

Covariate adjustments in randomized controlled trials increased study power and reduced biasedness of effect size estimation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Paul H

2016-08-01

This study aims to show that under several assumptions, in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), unadjusted, crude analysis will underestimate the Cohen's d effect size of the treatment, and an unbiased estimate of effect size can be obtained only by adjusting for all predictors of the outcome. Four simulations were performed to examine the effects of adjustment on the estimated effect size of the treatment and power of the analysis. In addition, we analyzed data from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study (older adults aged 65-94), an RCT with three treatment arms and one control arm. We showed that (1) the number of unadjusted covariates was associated with the effect size of the treatment; (2) the biasedness of effect size estimation was minimized if all covariates were adjusted for; (3) the power of the statistical analysis slightly decreased with the number of adjusted noise variables; and (4) exhaustively searching the covariates and noise variables adjusted for can lead to exaggeration of the true effect size. Analysis of the ACTIVE study data showed that the effect sizes adjusting for covariates of all three treatments were 7.39-24.70% larger than their unadjusted counterparts, whereas the effect size would be elevated by at most 57.92% by exhaustively searching the variables adjusted for. All covariates of the outcome in RCTs should be adjusted for, and if the effect of a particular variable on the outcome is unknown, adjustment will do more good than harm. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dramatic effect of levetiracetam in early-onset epileptic encephalopathy due to STXBP1 mutation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dilena, Robertino; Striano, Pasquale; Traverso, Monica; Viri, Maurizio; Cristofori, Gloria; Tadini, Laura; Barbieri, Sergio; Romeo, Antonino; Zara, Federico

2016-01-01

Syntaxin Binding Protein 1 (STXBP1) mutations determine a central neurotransmission dysfunction through impairment of the synaptic vesicle release, thus causing a spectrum of phenotypes varying from syndromic and non-syndromic epilepsy to intellectual disability of variable degree. Among the antiepileptic drugs, levetiracetam has a unique mechanism of action binding SV2A, a glycoprotein of the synaptic vesicle release machinery. We report a 1-month-old boy manifesting an epileptic encephalopathy with clonic seizures refractory to phenobarbital, pyridoxine and phenytoin that presented a dramatic response to levetiracetam with full epilepsy control and EEG normalization. Genetic analysis identified a novel de novo heterozygous mutation (c.[922A>T]p.[Lys308(∗)]) in the STXBP1 gene that severely affects the protein. The observation of a dramatic efficacy of levetiracetam in a case of STXBP1 epileptic encephalopathy refractory to other antiepileptic drugs and considerations regarding the specific mechanism of action of levetiracetam modulating the same system affected by STXBP1 mutations support the hypothesis that this drug may be able to reverse specifically the disease epileptogenic abnormalities. Further clinical observations and laboratory studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis and eventually lead to consider levetiracetam as the first choice treatment of patients with suspected or confirmed STXBP1-related epilepsies. Copyright © 2015 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlations Between Degree of Petal Fusion, Leaf Size and Fruit Size: A Case in Syzygium (Myrtaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PUDJI WIDODO

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Syzygium is one of large genera of the flowering plants. In order to simplify the identification, a classification is required, e.g. based on degree of petal fusion, leaf size and fruit size. Due to variations of vegetative and generative characters, a correlation analysis was carried out. The aim of this research is to know the correlation between degree of petal fusion, leaf length and fruit diameter. The result of this research showed that there is positive correlation between those three variables. The increase of leaf size will increase fruit size and petal lobe depth.

DISCOVERY OF DRAMATIC OPTICAL VARIABILITY IN SDSS J1100+4421: A PECULIAR RADIO-LOUD NARROW-LINE SEYFERT 1 GALAXY?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, Masaomi [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Morokuma, Tomoki; Doi, Mamoru; Kikuchi, Yuki [Institute of Astronomy, School of Science, University of Tokyo, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0015 (Japan); Itoh, Ryosuke [Department of Physical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526 (Japan); Akitaya, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Yasuyuki T.; Kawabata, Koji S. [Hiroshima Astrophysical Science Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526 (Japan); Tominaga, Nozomu [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Konan University, Kobe, Hyogo 658-8501 (Japan); Saito, Yoshihiko; Kawai, Nobuyuki [Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551 (Japan); Stawarz, Łukasz [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan); Gandhi, Poshak [Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1-3LE (United Kingdom); Ali, Gamal; Essam, Ahmad; Hamed, Gamal [National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Helwan, Cairo (Egypt); Aoki, Tsutomu [Kiso Observatory, Institute of Astronomy, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Kiso, Nagano 397-0101 (Japan); Contreras, Carlos; Hsiao, Eric Y. [Carnegie Observatories, Las Campanas Observatory, Colina El Pino, Casilla 601 (Chile); Iwata, Ikuru, E-mail: masaomi.tanaka@nao.ac.jp [Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); and others

2014-10-01

We present our discovery of dramatic variability in SDSS J1100+4421 by the high-cadence transient survey Kiso Supernova Survey. The source brightened in the optical by at least a factor of three within about half a day. Spectroscopic observations suggest that this object is likely a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1) at z = 0.840, however, with unusually strong narrow emission lines. The estimated black hole mass of ∼10{sup 7} M {sub ☉} implies bolometric nuclear luminosity close to the Eddington limit. SDSS J1100+4421 is also extremely radio-loud, with a radio loudness parameter of R ≅ 4 × 10{sup 2}-3 × 10{sup 3}, which implies the presence of relativistic jets. Rapid and large-amplitude optical variability of the target, reminiscent of that found in a few radio- and γ-ray-loud NLS1s, is therefore produced most likely in a blazar-like core. The 1.4 GHz radio image of the source shows an extended structure with a linear size of about 100 kpc. If SDSS J1100+4421 is a genuine NLS1, as suggested here, this radio structure would then be the largest ever discovered in this type of active galaxies.

Evaluating sampling strategy for DNA barcoding study of coastal and inland halo-tolerant Poaceae and Chenopodiaceae: A case study for increased sample size.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng-Cheng Yao

Full Text Available Environmental conditions in coastal salt marsh habitats have led to the development of specialist genetic adaptations. We evaluated six DNA barcode loci of the 53 species of Poaceae and 15 species of Chenopodiaceae from China's coastal salt marsh area and inland area. Our results indicate that the optimum DNA barcode was ITS for coastal salt-tolerant Poaceae and matK for the Chenopodiaceae. Sampling strategies for ten common species of Poaceae and Chenopodiaceae were analyzed according to optimum barcode. We found that by increasing the number of samples collected from the coastal salt marsh area on the basis of inland samples, the number of haplotypes of Arundinella hirta, Digitaria ciliaris, Eleusine indica, Imperata cylindrica, Setaria viridis, and Chenopodium glaucum increased, with a principal coordinate plot clearly showing increased distribution points. The results of a Mann-Whitney test showed that for Digitaria ciliaris, Eleusine indica, Imperata cylindrica, and Setaria viridis, the distribution of intraspecific genetic distances was significantly different when samples from the coastal salt marsh area were included (P < 0.01. These results suggest that increasing the sample size in specialist habitats can improve measurements of intraspecific genetic diversity, and will have a positive effect on the application of the DNA barcodes in widely distributed species. The results of random sampling showed that when sample size reached 11 for Chloris virgata, Chenopodium glaucum, and Dysphania ambrosioides, 13 for Setaria viridis, and 15 for Eleusine indica, Imperata cylindrica and Chenopodium album, average intraspecific distance tended to reach stability. These results indicate that the sample size for DNA barcode of globally distributed species should be increased to 11-15.

Increasing Northern Hemisphere water deficit

Science.gov (United States)

McCabe, Gregory J.; Wolock, David M.

2015-01-01

A monthly water-balance model is used with CRUTS3.1 gridded monthly precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (PET) data to examine changes in global water deficit (PET minus actual evapotranspiration) for the Northern Hemisphere (NH) for the years 1905 through 2009. Results show that NH deficit increased dramatically near the year 2000 during both the cool (October through March) and warm (April through September) seasons. The increase in water deficit near 2000 coincides with a substantial increase in NH temperature and PET. The most pronounced increases in deficit occurred for the latitudinal band from 0 to 40°N. These results indicate that global warming has increased the water deficit in the NH and that the increase since 2000 is unprecedented for the 1905 through 2009 period. Additionally, coincident with the increase in deficit near 2000, mean NH runoff also increased due to increases in P. We explain the apparent contradiction of concurrent increases in deficit and increases in runoff.

Fasting, but Not Aging, Dramatically Alters the Redox Status of Cysteine Residues on Proteins in Drosophila melanogaster

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katja E. Menger

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Altering the redox state of cysteine residues on protein surfaces is an important response to environmental challenges. Although aging and fasting alter many redox processes, the role of cysteine residues is uncertain. To address this, we used a redox proteomic technique, oxidative isotope-coded affinity tags (OxICAT, to assess cysteine-residue redox changes in Drosophila melanogaster during aging and fasting. This approach enabled us to simultaneously identify and quantify the redox state of several hundred cysteine residues in vivo. Cysteine residues within young flies had a bimodal distribution with peaks at ∼10% and ∼85% reversibly oxidized. Surprisingly, these cysteine residues did not become more oxidized with age. In contrast, 24 hr of fasting dramatically oxidized cysteine residues that were reduced under fed conditions while also reducing cysteine residues that were initially oxidized. We conclude that fasting, but not aging, dramatically alters cysteine-residue redox status in D. melanogaster.

Effects of increased atmospheric CO2 on small and intermediate sized osmotrophs during a nutrient induced phytoplankton bloom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Larsen

2008-05-01

Full Text Available We report the transient population dynamic response of the osmotrophic community initiated by a nutrient pulse in mesocosms exposed to different pCO2 levels. Differences in phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria abundances associated with the CO2 treatment are also described. Coastal seawater was enclosed in floating mesocosms (27 m3 and nutrients were supplied initially in order to stimulate growth of microbial organisms, including the coccolitophorid Emiliania huxleyi. The mesocosms were modified to achieve 350 μatm (1×CO2, 700 μatm (2×CO2 and 1050 μatm (3×CO2 CO2 pressure. The temporal dynamics was related to nutrient conditions in the enclosures. Numerically small osmotrophs (picoeukaryotes and Synechoccocus sp. dominated initially and towards the end of the experiment, whereas intermediate sized osmotrophs bloomed as the initial bloom of small sized osmotrophs ceased. Maximum concentrations of E. huxleyi were approximately 4.6×103 cells ml−1 whereas other intermediate sized osmotrophs reached approximately twice as high concentrations. The osmotrophic succession pattern did not change, and neither were we able to detect differences with regard to presence or absence of specific osmotrophic taxa as a consequence of altered pCO2. Towards the end of the experiment we did, however, record significantly higher picoeukaryotic- and lower Synechococcus-abundances in the higher CO2 treatments. Slightly increased cell concentrations of E. huxleyi and other nanoeukaryotes were also recorded at elevated pCO2 on certain days.

Learning Form and Function by Dance-Dramatizing Cultural Legends to Drum Rhythms Wearing Student-Made Animal Masks

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Phyllis; Rule, Audrey C.; Kirkland Holmes, Gloria; Logan, Stephanie R.; Alert, Andrea L.; Mason, Cynthia A.

2016-01-01

This study examined the self-efficacy in science, art, dance, and music; attitudes concerning contributions of people of various ethnic/cultural groups; and science learning of students involved in an after-school arts-integrated science enrichment project. Students dramatized three traditional animal legends from African, Native American, and…

The Development of Evaluation Model for Internal Quality Assurance System of Dramatic Arts College of Bunditpattanasilpa Institute

Science.gov (United States)

Sinthukhot, Kittisak; Srihamongkol, Yannapat; Luanganggoon, Nuchwana; Suwannoi, Paisan

2013-01-01

The research purpose was to develop an evaluation model for the internal quality assurance system of the dramatic arts College of Bunditpattanasilpa Institute. The Research and Development method was used as research methodology which was divided into three phases; "developing the model and its guideline", "trying out the actual…

Application of RVA and Time-Lapse Photography to Explore Effects of Extent of Chlorination, Milling Extraction Rate, and Particle-Size Reduction of Flour on Cake-Baking Functionality

Science.gov (United States)

Three factors (extent of chlorination, milling extraction rate and particle-size reduction) in the cake-bakeing functionality of Croplan 594W flour were explored by Rapid Visco-Analyzer (RVA) and time-lapse photography. The extent of chlorination and milling extraction rate showed dramatic effects,...

[Increase in number of operations for stress urinary incontinence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vierhout, M.E.

2005-01-01

Since the introduction of the minimally invasive tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) the number of operations performed for treatment of stress urinary incontinence has increased dramatically from over 1600 in 1999 to more than 4200 in 2003. Both gynaecologists and urologists now perform more TVTs and

Fabrication and size control of Ag nano particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farbod, M.; Batvandi, M. R.

2012-01-01

The objective of this research was to fabricate Ag nanoparticles and control their sizes. Colloidal Ag nanoparticles with particle size of 30 nm were prepared by dissolving AgNO 3 in ethanol and through the chemical reduction of Ag + in alcohol solution. To control the nanoparticle size, different samples were fabricated by changing the AgNO 3 and stabilizer concentrations and the effects of different factors on the shape and size of nanoparticles were investigated. The samples were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy and EDX analysis. The results showed that by increasing the AgNO 3 concentration, the average size of nanoparticles increases and nanoparticles lose their spherical shape. Also, we found that by using the stabilizer, it is possible to produce stable nanoparticles but increasing the stabilizer concentration caused an increase in size of nanoparticles. Fabrication of nanoparticles without using stabilizer was achieved but the results showed the nanoparticles size had a growth of 125 nm/h in the alcoholic media.

Visual exposure to large and small portion sizes and perceptions of portion size normality: Three experimental studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Eric; Oldham, Melissa; Cuckson, Imogen; Brunstrom, Jeffrey M; Rogers, Peter J; Hardman, Charlotte A

2016-03-01

Portion sizes of many foods have increased in recent times. In three studies we examined the effect that repeated visual exposure to larger versus smaller food portion sizes has on perceptions of what constitutes a normal-sized food portion and measures of portion size selection. In studies 1 and 2 participants were visually exposed to images of large or small portions of spaghetti bolognese, before making evaluations about an image of an intermediate sized portion of the same food. In study 3 participants were exposed to images of large or small portions of a snack food before selecting a portion size of snack food to consume. Across the three studies, visual exposure to larger as opposed to smaller portion sizes resulted in participants considering a normal portion of food to be larger than a reference intermediate sized portion. In studies 1 and 2 visual exposure to larger portion sizes also increased the size of self-reported ideal meal size. In study 3 visual exposure to larger portion sizes of a snack food did not affect how much of that food participants subsequently served themselves and ate. Visual exposure to larger portion sizes may adjust visual perceptions of what constitutes a 'normal' sized portion. However, we did not find evidence that visual exposure to larger portions altered snack food intake. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A Novel Splice-Site Mutation in Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Gene, c.3691+1G>A (IVS25+1G>A), Causes a Dramatic Increase in Circulating ACE through Deletion of the Transmembrane Anchor

Science.gov (United States)

Persu, Alexandre; Lambert, Michel; Deinum, Jaap; Cossu, Marta; de Visscher, Nathalie; Irenge, Leonid; Ambroise, Jerôme; Minon, Jean-Marc; Nesterovitch, Andrew B.; Churbanov, Alexander; Popova, Isolda A.; Danilov, Sergei M.; Danser, A. H. Jan; Gala, Jean-Luc

2013-01-01

Background Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) (EC 4.15.1) metabolizes many biologically active peptides and plays a key role in blood pressure regulation and vascular remodeling. Elevated ACE levels are associated with different cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Methods and Results Two Belgian families with a 8-16-fold increase in blood ACE level were incidentally identified. A novel heterozygous splice site mutation of intron 25 - IVS25+1G>A (c.3691+1G>A) - cosegregating with elevated plasma ACE was identified in both pedigrees. Messenger RNA analysis revealed that the mutation led to the retention of intron 25 and Premature Termination Codon generation. Subjects harboring the mutation were mostly normotensive, had no left ventricular hypertrophy or cardiovascular disease. The levels of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system components in the mutated cases and wild-type controls were similar, both at baseline and after 50 mg captopril. Compared with non-affected members, quantification of ACE surface expression and shedding using flow cytometry assay of dendritic cells derived from peripheral blood monocytes of affected members, demonstrated a 50% decrease and 3-fold increase, respectively. Together with a dramatic increase in circulating ACE levels, these findings argue in favor of deletion of transmembrane anchor, leading to direct secretion of ACE out of cells. Conclusions We describe a novel mutation of the ACE gene associated with a major familial elevation of circulating ACE, without evidence of activation of the renin-angiotensin system, target organ damage or cardiovascular complications. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that membrane-bound ACE, rather than circulating ACE, is responsible for Angiotensin II generation and its cardiovascular consequences. PMID:23560051

Theoretical and experimental study: the size dependence of decomposition thermodynamics of nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Zixiang; Duan, Huijuan; Li, Wenjiao; Xue, Yongqiang

2015-01-01

In the processes of preparation and application of nanomaterials, the decomposition reactions of nanomaterials are often involved. However, there is a dramatic difference in decomposition thermodynamics between nanomaterials and the bulk counterparts, and the difference depends on the size of the particles that compose the nanomaterials. In this paper, the decomposition model of a nanoparticle was built, the theory of decomposition thermodynamics of nanomaterials was proposed, and the relations of the size dependence of thermodynamic quantities for the decomposition reactions were deduced. In experiment, taking the thermal decomposition of nano-Cu 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 with different particle sizes (the range of radius is at 8.95–27.4 nm) as a system, the reaction thermodynamic quantities were determined, and the regularities of size dependence of the quantities were summarized. These experimental regularities consist with the above thermodynamic relations. The results show that there is a significant effect of the size of particles composing a nanomaterial on the decomposition thermodynamics. When all the decomposition products are gases, the differences in thermodynamic quantities of reaction between the nanomaterials and the bulk counterparts depend on the particle size; while when one of the decomposition products is a solid, the differences depend on both the initial particle size of the nanoparticle and the decomposition ratio. When the decomposition ratio is very small, these differences are only related to the initial particle size; and when the radius of the nanoparticles approaches or exceeds 10 nm, the reaction thermodynamic functions and the logarithm of the equilibrium constant are linearly associated with the reciprocal of radius, respectively. The thermodynamic theory can quantificationally describe the regularities of the size dependence of thermodynamic quantities for decomposition reactions of nanomaterials, and contribute to the researches and the

Structural effect of size on interracial friendship.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Siwei; Xie, Yu

2013-04-30

Social contexts exert structural effects on individuals' social relationships, including interracial friendships. In this study, we posit that, net of group composition, total context size has a distinct effect on interracial friendship. Under the assumptions of (i) maximization of preference in choosing a friend, (ii) multidimensionality of preference, and (iii) preference for same-race friends, we conducted analyses using microsimulation that yielded three main findings. First, increased context size decreases the likelihood of forming an interracial friendship. Second, the size effect increases with the number of preference dimensions. Third, the size effect is diluted by noise, i.e., the random component affecting friendship formation. Analysis of actual friendship data among 4,745 American high school students yielded results consistent with the main conclusion that increased context size promotes racial segregation and discourages interracial friendship.

Increased Back-Bonding Explains Step-Edge Reactivity and Particle Size Effect for CO Activation on Ru Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Foppa, Lucas; Copéret, Christophe; Comas-Vives, Aleix

2016-12-28

Carbon monoxide is a ubiquitous molecule, a key feedstock and intermediate in chemical processes. Its adsorption and activation, typically carried out on metallic nanoparticles (NPs), are strongly dependent on the particle size. In particular, small NPs, which in principle contain more corner and step-edge atoms, are surprisingly less reactive than larger ones. Hereby, first-principles calculations on explicit Ru NP models (1-2 nm) show that both small and large NPs can present step-edge sites (e.g., B 5 and B 6 sites). However, such sites display strong particle-size-dependent reactivity because of very subtle differences in local chemical bonding. State-of-the-art crystal orbital Hamilton population analysis allows a detailed molecular orbital picture of adsorbed CO on step-edges, which can be classified as flat (η 1 coordination) and concave (η 2 coordination) sites. Our analysis shows that the CO π-metal d π hybrid band responsible for the electron back-donation is better represented by an oxygen lone pair on flat sites, whereas it is delocalized on both C and O atoms on concave sites, increasing the back-bonding on these sites compared to flat step-edges or low-index surface sites. The bonding analysis also rationalizes why CO cleavage is easier on step-edge sites of large NPs compared to small ones irrespective of the site geometry. The lower reactivity of small NPs is due to the smaller extent of the Ru-O interaction in the η 2 adsorption mode, which destabilizes the η 2 transition-state structure for CO direct cleavage. Our findings provide a molecular understanding of the reactivity of CO on NPs, which is consistent with the observed particle size effect.

Social insect genomes exhibit dramatic evolution in gene composition and regulation while preserving regulatory features linked to sociality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simola, Daniel F.; Wissler, Lothar; Donahue, Greg

2013-01-01

Genomes of eusocial insects code for dramatic examples of phenotypic plasticity and social organization. We compared the genomes of seven ants, the honeybee, and various solitary insects to examine whether eusocial lineages share distinct features of genomic organization. Each ant lineage contain...

Plant Size and Competitive Dynamics along Nutrient Gradients.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Deborah E; Martina, Jason P; Elgersma, Kenneth J; Currie, William S

2017-08-01

Resource competition theory in plants has focused largely on resource acquisition traits that are independent of size, such as traits of individual leaves or roots or proportional allocation to different functions. However, plants also differ in maximum potential size, which could outweigh differences in module-level traits. We used a community ecosystem model called mondrian to investigate whether larger size inevitably increases competitive ability and how size interacts with nitrogen supply. Contrary to the conventional wisdom that bigger is better, we found that invader success and competitive ability are unimodal functions of maximum potential size, such that plants that are too large (or too small) are disproportionately suppressed by competition. Optimal size increases with nitrogen supply, even when plants compete for nitrogen only in a size-symmetric manner, although adding size-asymmetric competition for light does substantially increase the advantage of larger size at high nitrogen. These complex interactions of plant size and nitrogen supply lead to strong nonlinearities such that small differences in nitrogen can result in large differences in plant invasion success and the influence of competition along productivity gradients.

TAR (Theatre as Representation) as a Provocative Teaching Tool in School Administration: A Dramatized Inclusive Classroom Scenario

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Matthew J.; Young, David C.

2013-01-01

The following dramatized classroom scenario depicts a teacher struggling with the nature of an inclusive learning environment, with instructional leadership and supervision of instruction as the theoretical and practical backdrop. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how the use of a TAR (theatre as representation) case study can be used…

Prenatal Exposure to Autism-Specific Maternal Autoantibodies Alters Proliferation of Cortical Neural Precursor Cells, Enlarges Brain, and Increases Neuronal Size in Adult Animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Cerdeño, Verónica; Camacho, Jasmin; Fox, Elizabeth; Miller, Elaine; Ariza, Jeanelle; Kienzle, Devon; Plank, Kaela; Noctor, Stephen C; Van de Water, Judy

2016-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) affect up to 1 in 68 children. Autism-specific autoantibodies directed against fetal brain proteins have been found exclusively in a subpopulation of mothers whose children were diagnosed with ASD or maternal autoantibody-related autism. We tested the impact of autoantibodies on brain development in mice by transferring human antigen-specific IgG directly into the cerebral ventricles of embryonic mice during cortical neurogenesis. We show that autoantibodies recognize radial glial cells during development. We also show that prenatal exposure to autism-specific maternal autoantibodies increased stem cell proliferation in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the embryonic neocortex, increased adult brain size and weight, and increased the size of adult cortical neurons. We propose that prenatal exposure to autism-specific maternal autoantibodies directly affects radial glial cell development and presents a viable pathologic mechanism for the maternal autoantibody-related prenatal ASD risk factor. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Modeling Attitude towards Drug Treament: The Role of Internal Motivation, External Pressure, and Dramatic Relief

OpenAIRE

Conner, Bradley T.; Longshore, Douglas; Anglin, M. Douglas

2008-01-01

Motivation for change has historically been viewed as the crucial element affecting responsiveness to drug treatment. Various external pressures, such as legal coercion, may engender motivation in an individual previously resistant to change. Dramatic relief may be the change process that is most salient as individuals internalize such external pressures. Results of structural equation modeling on data from 465 drug users (58.9% male; 21.3% Black, 34.2% Hispanic/Latino, and 35.1% White) enter...

Simulating galaxies in the reionization era with FIRE-2: morphologies and sizes

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xiangcheng; Hopkins, Philip F.; Boylan-Kolchin, Michael; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André; Quataert, Eliot; Feldmann, Robert; Garrison-Kimmel, Shea; Hayward, Christopher C.; Kereš, Dušan; Wetzel, Andrew

2018-06-01

We study the morphologies and sizes of galaxies at z ≥ 5 using high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations from the Feedback In Realistic Environments project. The galaxies show a variety of morphologies, from compact to clumpy to irregular. The simulated galaxies have more extended morphologies and larger sizes when measured using rest-frame optical B-band light than rest-frame UV light; sizes measured from stellar mass surface density are even larger. The UV morphologies are usually dominated by several small, bright young stellar clumps that are not always associated with significant stellar mass. The B-band light traces stellar mass better than the UV, but it can also be biased by the bright clumps. At all redshifts, galaxy size correlates with stellar mass/luminosity with large scatter. The half-light radii range from 0.01 to 0.2 arcsec (0.05-1 kpc physical) at fixed magnitude. At z ≥ 5, the size of galaxies at fixed stellar mass/luminosity evolves as (1 + z)-m, with m ˜ 1-2. For galaxies less massive than M* ˜ 108 M⊙, the ratio of the half-mass radius to the halo virial radius is ˜ 10 per cent and does not evolve significantly at z = 5-10; this ratio is typically 1-5 per cent for more massive galaxies. A galaxy's `observed' size decreases dramatically at shallower surface brightness limits. This effect may account for the extremely small sizes of z ≥ 5 galaxies measured in the Hubble Frontier Fields. We provide predictions for the cumulative light distribution as a function of surface brightness for typical galaxies at z = 6.

Simulating galaxies in the reionization era with FIRE-2: morphologies and sizes

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xiangcheng; Hopkins, Philip F.; Boylan-Kolchin, Michael; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André; Quataert, Eliot; Feldmann, Robert; Garrison-Kimmel, Shea; Hayward, Christopher C.; Kereš, Dušan; Wetzel, Andrew

2018-03-01

We study the morphologies and sizes of galaxies at z ≥ 5 using high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations from the Feedback In Realistic Environments project. The galaxies show a variety of morphologies, from compact to clumpy to irregular. The simulated galaxies have more extended morphologies and larger sizes when measured using rest-frame optical B-band light than rest-frame UV light; sizes measured from stellar mass surface density are even larger. The UV morphologies are usually dominated by several small, bright young stellar clumps that are not always associated with significant stellar mass. The B-band light traces stellar mass better than the UV, but it can also be biased by the bright clumps. At all redshifts, galaxy size correlates with stellar mass/luminosity with large scatter. The half-light radii range from 0.01 to 0.2 arcsec (0.05-1 kpc physical) at fixed magnitude. At z ≥ 5, the size of galaxies at fixed stellar mass/luminosity evolves as (1 + z)-m, with m ˜ 1-2. For galaxies less massive than M* ˜ 108 M⊙, the ratio of the half-mass radius to the halo virial radius is ˜10% and does not evolve significantly at z = 5-10; this ratio is typically 1-5% for more massive galaxies. A galaxy's `observed' size decreases dramatically at shallower surface brightness limits. This effect may account for the extremely small sizes of z ≥ 5 galaxies measured in the Hubble Frontier Fields. We provide predictions for the cumulative light distribution as a function of surface brightness for typical galaxies at z = 6.

Enterprise size and return to work after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Hannerz, Harald; Ferm, Linnea; Poulsen, Otto M; Pedersen, Betina Holbæk; Andersen, Lars L

2012-12-01

It has been hypothesised that return to work rates among sick-listed workers increases with enterprise size. The aim of the present study was to estimate the effect of enterprise size on the odds of returning to work among previously employed stroke patients in Denmark, 2000-2006. We used a prospective design with a 2 year follow-up period. The study population consisted of 13,178 stroke patients divided into four enterprise sizes categories, according to the place of their employment prior to the stroke: micro (1-9 employees), small (10-49 employees), medium (50-249 employees) and large (>250 employees). The analysis was based on nationwide data on enterprise size from Statistics Denmark merged with data from the Danish occupational hospitalisation register. We found a statistically significant association (p = 0.034); each increase in enterprise size category was followed by an increase in the estimated odds of returning to work. The chances of returning to work after stroke increases as the size of enterprise increases. Preventive efforts and research aimed at finding ways of mitigating the effect are warranted.

Finite-size effects in transcript sequencing count distribution: its power-law correction necessarily precedes downstream normalization and comparative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Wing-Cheong; Ng, Hong-Kiat; Tantoso, Erwin; Soong, Richie; Eisenhaber, Frank

2018-02-12

Though earlier works on modelling transcript abundance from vertebrates to lower eukaroytes have specifically singled out the Zip's law, the observed distributions often deviate from a single power-law slope. In hindsight, while power-laws of critical phenomena are derived asymptotically under the conditions of infinite observations, real world observations are finite where the finite-size effects will set in to force a power-law distribution into an exponential decay and consequently, manifests as a curvature (i.e., varying exponent values) in a log-log plot. If transcript abundance is truly power-law distributed, the varying exponent signifies changing mathematical moments (e.g., mean, variance) and creates heteroskedasticity which compromises statistical rigor in analysis. The impact of this deviation from the asymptotic power-law on sequencing count data has never truly been examined and quantified. The anecdotal description of transcript abundance being almost Zipf's law-like distributed can be conceptualized as the imperfect mathematical rendition of the Pareto power-law distribution when subjected to the finite-size effects in the real world; This is regardless of the advancement in sequencing technology since sampling is finite in practice. Our conceptualization agrees well with our empirical analysis of two modern day NGS (Next-generation sequencing) datasets: an in-house generated dilution miRNA study of two gastric cancer cell lines (NUGC3 and AGS) and a publicly available spike-in miRNA data; Firstly, the finite-size effects causes the deviations of sequencing count data from Zipf's law and issues of reproducibility in sequencing experiments. Secondly, it manifests as heteroskedasticity among experimental replicates to bring about statistical woes. Surprisingly, a straightforward power-law correction that restores the distribution distortion to a single exponent value can dramatically reduce data heteroskedasticity to invoke an instant increase in

mTOR inhibition elicits a dramatic response in PI3K-dependent colon cancers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dustin A Deming

Full Text Available The phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase (PI3K signaling pathway is critical for multiple cellular functions including metabolism, proliferation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis, and is the most commonly altered pathway in human cancers. Recently, we developed a novel mouse model of colon cancer in which tumors are initiated by a dominant active PI3K (FC PIK3ca. The cancers in these mice are moderately differentiated invasive mucinous adenocarcinomas of the proximal colon that develop by 50 days of age. Interestingly, these cancers form without a benign intermediary or aberrant WNT signaling, indicating a non-canonical mechanism of tumorigenesis. Since these tumors are dependent upon the PI3K pathway, we investigated the potential for tumor response by the targeting of this pathway with rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor. A cohort of FC PIK3ca mice were treated with rapamycin at a dose of 6 mg/kg/day or placebo for 14 days. FDG dual hybrid PET/CT imaging demonstrated a dramatic tumor response in the rapamycin arm and this was confirmed on necropsy. The tumor tissue remaining after treatment with rapamycin demonstrated increased pERK1/2 or persistent phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (pS6, indicating potential resistance mechanisms. This unique model will further our understanding of human disease and facilitate the development of therapeutics through pharmacologic screening and biomarker identification.

Meat and bone meal and mineral feed additives may increase the risk of oral prion disease transmission

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Christopher J.; McKenzie, Debbie; Pedersen, Joel A.; Aiken, Judd M.

2011-01-01

Ingestion of prion-contaminated materials is postulated to be a primary route of prion disease transmission. Binding of prions to soil (micro)particles dramatically enhances peroral disease transmission relative to unbound prions, and it was hypothesized that micrometer-sized particles present in other consumed materials may affect prion disease transmission via the oral route of exposure. Small, insoluble particles are present in many substances, including soil, human foods, pharmaceuticals, and animal feeds. It is known that meat and bone meal (MBM), a feed additive believed responsible for the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), contains particles smaller than 20 μm and that the pathogenic prion protein binds to MBM. The potentiation of disease transmission via the oral route by exposure to MBM or three micrometer-sized mineral feed additives was determined. Data showed that when the disease agent was bound to any of the tested materials, the penetrance of disease was increased compared to unbound prions. Our data suggest that in feed or other prion-contaminated substances consumed by animals or, potentially, humans, the addition of MBM or the presence of microparticles could heighten risks of prion disease acquisition.

Effects of seed predators of different body size on seed mortality in Bornean logged forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Hautier, Yann; Saner, Philippe; Philipson, Christopher; Bagchi, Robert; Ong, Robert C; Hector, Andy

2010-07-19

The Janzen-Connell hypothesis proposes that seed and seedling enemies play a major role in maintaining high levels of tree diversity in tropical forests. However, human disturbance may alter guilds of seed predators including their body size distribution. These changes have the potential to affect seedling survival in logged forest and may alter forest composition and diversity. We manipulated seed density in plots beneath con- and heterospecific adult trees within a logged forest and excluded vertebrate predators of different body sizes using cages. We show that small and large-bodied predators differed in their effect on con- and heterospecific seedling mortality. In combination small and large-bodied predators dramatically decreased both con- and heterospecific seedling survival. In contrast, when larger-bodied predators were excluded small-bodied predators reduced conspecific seed survival leaving seeds coming from the distant tree of a different species. Our results suggest that seed survival is affected differently by vertebrate predators according to their body size. Therefore, changes in the body size structure of the seed predator community in logged forests may change patterns of seed mortality and potentially affect recruitment and community composition.

Sneaker Males Affect Fighter Male Body Size and Sexual Size Dimorphism in Salmon.

Science.gov (United States)

Weir, Laura K; Kindsvater, Holly K; Young, Kyle A; Reynolds, John D

2016-08-01

Large male body size is typically favored by directional sexual selection through competition for mates. However, alternative male life-history phenotypes, such as "sneakers," should decrease the strength of sexual selection acting on body size of large "fighter" males. We tested this prediction with salmon species; in southern populations, where sneakers are common, fighter males should be smaller than in northern populations, where sneakers are rare, leading to geographical clines in sexual size dimorphism (SSD). Consistent with our prediction, fighter male body size and SSD (fighter male∶female size) increase with latitude in species with sneaker males (Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou) but not in species without sneakers (chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta and pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha). This is the first evidence that sneaker males affect SSD across populations and species, and it suggests that alternative male mating strategies may shape the evolution of body size.

Chekhov’s dramatic art and cinematograph: implementation of author’s assumption in active shot mode

OpenAIRE

Bezrukov Andrei Nikolayevich

2017-01-01

The article analyses the art specificity of Chekhov’s legacy in dramatic art based on implementing in national film industry. Chekhov’s drama is divertive in its interpretation by the reader, the researcher, and in the director’s cut. Eccentricity frequently occurs in his dramaturgy. In literary text this device is not only a part of aesthetic picturing but also the form of overthinking, transformation of reality and changing the attitude to reality. The main division of the text form alters ...

The importance of energetic utilization is increasing; Energetische Verwertung waechst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Briese, Dirk; Meyer, Christian [trend:research GmbH, Institut fuer Trend- und Marktforschung, Bremen (Germany)

2010-04-15

In spite of uniform standards and regulations, sewage treatment strategies of the European states differ dramatically. A current study shows that thermal treatment in monocombustion or cocombustion plants is increasingly important. Forecasts of the trend:research trend and marketing research institute, energetic utilization will become the dominant utilization strategy in Europe, with a share that will have increase by about 50 percent by 2020. (orig.)

Effect of Pore Size on the Carbon Dioxide Adsorption Behavior of Porous Liquids Based on Hollow Silica.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Ting; Zheng, Yaping; Wang, Tianyu; Li, Peipei; Wang, Yudeng; Yao, Dongdong

2018-01-05

Porous liquids are an expanding class of material that has huge potential in gas separation and gas adsorption. Pore size has a dramatic influence on the gas adsorption of porous liquids. In this article, we chose hollow silica nanoparticles as cores, 3-(trihydroxysilyl)-1-propanesulfonic acid (SIT) as corona, and inexpensive industrial reagent polyether amine (M2070) as canopy to obtain a new type of porous liquids. Hollow silica nanospheres with different pore sizes were chosen to investigate the influence of porosity size on CO 2 adsorption capacity of porous liquids. Their chemical structure, morphology, thermal behavior and possible adsorption mechanism are discussed in detail. It was proved that with similar grafting density, porous liquid that has bigger pore size possesses a better CO 2 adsorption capacity (2.182 mmol g -1 under 2.5 MPa at 298 K). More than that, this article demonstrates a more facile and low-cost method to obtain porous liquids with good CO 2 adsorption capacity, recyclability, and huge variability. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Curd development associated gene (CDAG1) in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) could result in enlarged organ size and increased biomass.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hui; Liu, Qian; Zhang, Qingli; Qin, Erjun; Jin, Chuan; Wang, Yu; Wu, Mei; Shen, Guangshuang; Chen, Chengbin; Song, Wenqin; Wang, Chunguo

2017-01-01

The curd is a specialized organ and the most important product organ of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis). However, the mechanism underlying the regulation of curd formation and development remains largely unknown. In the present study, a novel homologous gene containing the Organ Size Related (OSR) domain, namely, CDAG1 (Curd Development Associated Gene 1) was identified in cauliflower. Quantitative analysis indicated that CDAG1 showed significantly higher transcript levels in young tissues. Functional analysis demonstrated that the ectopic overexpression of CDAG1 in Arabidopsis and cauliflower could significantly promote organ growth and result in larger organ size and increased biomass. Organ enlargement was predominantly due to increased cell number. In addition, 228 genes involved in the CDAG1-mediated regulatory network were discovered by transcriptome analysis. Among these genes, CDAG1 was confirmed to inhibit the transcriptional expression of the endogenous OSR genes, ARGOS and ARL, while a series of ethylene-responsive transcription factors (ERFs) were found to increased expression in 35S:CDAG1 transgenic Arabidopsis plants. This implies that CDAG1 may function in the ethylene-mediated signal pathway. These findings provide new insight into the function of OSR genes, and suggest potential applications of CDAG1 in breeding high-yielding crops. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of spot size on the expansion dynamics of nanosecond-laser-produced copper plasmas in atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Xingwen; Wei, Wenfu; Wu, Jian; Jia, Shenli; Qiu, Aici

2013-01-01

Laser produced copper plasmas of different spot sizes in air were investigated using fast photography and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The laser energy was 33 mJ. There were dramatic changes in the plasma plume expansion into the ambient air when spot sizes changed from ∼0.1 mm to ∼0.6 mm. A stream-like structure and a hemispherical structure were, respectively, observed. It appeared that the same spot size resulted in similar expansion dynamics no matter whether the target was located in the front of or behind the focal point, although laser-induced air breakdown sometimes occurred in the latter case. Plasma plume front positions agree well with the classic blast wave model for the large spot-size cases, while an unexpected stagnation of ∼80 ns occurred after the laser pulse ends for the small spot size cases. This stagnation can be understood in terms of the evolution of enhanced plasma shielding effects near the plasma front. Axial distributions of plasma components by OES revealed a good confinement effect. Electron number densities were estimated and interpreted using the recorded Intensified Charge Coupled Device (ICCD) images.

The square lattice Ising model on the rectangle II: finite-size scaling limit

Science.gov (United States)

Hucht, Alfred

2017-06-01

Based on the results published recently (Hucht 2017 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 50 065201), the universal finite-size contributions to the free energy of the square lattice Ising model on the L× M rectangle, with open boundary conditions in both directions, are calculated exactly in the finite-size scaling limit L, M\\to∞ , T\\to Tc , with fixed temperature scaling variable x\\propto(T/Tc-1)M and fixed aspect ratio ρ\\propto L/M . We derive exponentially fast converging series for the related Casimir potential and Casimir force scaling functions. At the critical point T=Tc we confirm predictions from conformal field theory (Cardy and Peschel 1988 Nucl. Phys. B 300 377, Kleban and Vassileva 1991 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 24 3407). The presence of corners and the related corner free energy has dramatic impact on the Casimir scaling functions and leads to a logarithmic divergence of the Casimir potential scaling function at criticality.

77 FR 39385 - Receipts-Based, Small Business Size Standard

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-03

.... The NRC is increasing its receipts-based, small business size standard from $6.5 million to $7 million...-based, small business size standard increasing from $6.5 million to $7.0 million. This adjustment is to... regulatory programs. The NRC is increasing its receipts-based, small business size standard from $6.5 million...

Lineages that cheat death: surviving the squeeze on range size.

Science.gov (United States)

Waldron, Anthony

2010-08-01

Evolutionary lineages differ greatly in their net diversification rates, implying differences in rates of extinction and speciation. Lineages with a large average range size are commonly thought to have reduced extinction risk (although linking low extinction to high diversification has proved elusive). However, climate change cycles can dramatically reduce the geographic range size of even widespread species, and so most species may be periodically reduced to a few populations in small, isolated remnants of their range. This implies a high and synchronous extinction risk for the remaining populations, and so for the species as a whole. Species will only survive through these periods if their individual populations are "threat tolerant," somehow able to persist in spite of the high extinction risk. Threat tolerance is conceptually different from classic extinction resistance, and could theoretically have a stronger relationship with diversification rates than classic resistance. I demonstrate that relationship using primates as a model. I also show that narrowly distributed species have higher threat tolerance than widespread ones, confirming that tolerance is an unusual form of resistance. Extinction resistance may therefore operate by different rules during periods of adverse global environmental change than in more benign periods.

Visual exposure to large and small portion sizes and perceptions of portion size normality: Three experimental studies

OpenAIRE

Robinson, Eric; Oldham, Melissa; Cuckson, Imogen; Brunstrom, Jeffrey M.; Rogers, Peter J.; Hardman, Charlotte A.

2016-01-01

Portion sizes of many foods have increased in recent times. In three studies we examined the effect that repeated visual exposure to larger versus smaller food portion sizes has on perceptions of what constitutes a normal-sized food portion and measures of portion size selection. In studies 1 and 2 participants were visually exposed to images of large or small portions of spaghetti bolognese, before making evaluations about an image of an intermediate sized portion of the same food. In study ...

Legal size limit implies strong fisheries selection on sexually selected traits in a temperate wrasse providing male-only parental care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Aleksander Tallaksen Halvorsen

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops is a temperate wrasse displaying both sex and male dimorphism and is targeted in a size selective commercial fishery which has increased dramatically since 2008. Wrasses are supplied alive to salmon farms as cleaner fish to combat infestations of Salmon lice. In previous studies, growth and maturation has been found to differ among male morphs and sexes and these groups might therefore be targeted unevenly by the size selective fishery. In the present study, we address this by comparing size regulations and fishing practice with data on sex specific growth and maturation from Western and Southern Norway, two regions varying in density and life histories. Two years of field data on density and length measures was used together with a subsample of otoliths to determine sex specific growth patterns. In the region with high density, nesting males were found to grow faster and mature later than sneaker males and females. Here, most nesting males will reach the minimum size as juveniles, one and two years before females and sneakers respectively. In contrast, sexual dimorphism was much less pronounced in the low density region, and relaxed male-male competition over nesting sites seems a likely explanation for this pattern. Intensive harvesting with selective removal of the larger nesting males could potentially lead to short term effect such as sperm limitation and reduced offspring survival and thus affect the productivity of juveniles. In addition, the current fishing regime may select for reduced growth rates and earlier maturation and oppose sexual selection.

What We Know about the Dramatic Increase in PhD Degrees and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Reforms in doctoral education are being shaped by the changing needs of society, of research modes, and of a changed labor markets for PhD holders. ... systems, such as the introduction of postgraduate schools that help implement and initiate innovations in doctoral education on a campus with an eye to high quality.

Evidence for the Higher Importance of Signal Size Over Body Size in Aposematic Signaling in Insects

OpenAIRE

Remmel, Triinu; Tammarub, Toomas

2011-01-01

To understand the evolution of warning coloration, it is important to distinguish between different aspects of conspicuous color patterns. As an example, both pattern element size and body size of prey have been shown to enhance the effectiveness of warning signals. However, it is unclear whether the effect of body size is merely a side effect of proportionally increasing pattern elements, or if there is an effect of body size per se. These possibilities were evaluated by offering different s...

Dramatic course of osteomyelitis in a patient treated with immediately placed dental implants suffering from uncontrolled diabetes: A case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Doll, Christian; Hartwig, Stefan; Nack, Claudia; Nahles, Susanne; Nelson, Katja; Raguse, Jan-Dirk

2015-01-01

To report a rare and dramatic complication following immediate dental implant placement in a heavy smoker, who had a delayed diagnosis of uncontrolled diabetes. In this case report we present the dramatic course of a 64-year old female patient treated with five immediate post-extractive dental implants in the mandible, who developed osteomyelitis, which manifested initially as local peri-implant inflammation and progressed into a spontaneous jaw fracture, despite repeated surgical interventions and antibiotic courses over a 3-year period, until diabetes was diagnosed. A symptom-free status could be achieved only after partial mandibulectomy, treatment of diabetes and reconstruction with a microvascular fibula free flap. In the presence of mandibular osteomyelitis refractory to therapy, yet undiagnosed underlying pathologies, such as diabetes, should be investigated and treated urgently.

Pressuring and restrictive feeding styles influence infant feeding and size among a low-income African-American sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Amanda L; Adair, Linda S; Bentley, Margaret E

2013-03-01

The prevalence of overweight among infants and toddlers has increased dramatically in the past three decades, highlighting the importance of identifying factors contributing to early excess weight gain, particularly in high-risk groups. Parental feeding styles and the attitudes and behaviors that characterize parental approaches to maintaining or modifying children's eating behavior are an important behavioral component shaping early obesity risk. Using longitudinal data from the Infant Care and Risk of Obesity Study, a cohort study of 217 African-American mother-infant pairs with feeding styles, dietary recalls, and anthropometry collected from 3 to 18 months of infant age, we examined the relationship between feeding styles, infant diet, and weight-for-age and sum of skinfolds. Longitudinal mixed models indicated that higher pressuring and indulgent feeding style scores were positively associated with greater infant energy intake, reduced odds of breastfeeding, and higher levels of age-inappropriate feeding of liquids and solids, whereas restrictive feeding styles were associated with lower energy intake, higher odds of breastfeeding, and reduced odds of inappropriate feeding. Pressuring and restriction were also oppositely related to infant size with pressuring associated with lower infant weight-for-age and restriction with higher weight-for-age and sum of skinfolds. Infant size also predicted maternal feeding styles in subsequent visits indicating that the relationship between size and feeding styles is likely bidirectional. Our results suggest that the degree to which parents are pressuring or restrictive during feeding shapes the early feeding environment and, consequently, may be an important environmental factor in the development of obesity. Copyright © 2012 The Obesity Society.

A universe of dwarfs and giants: genome size and chromosome evolution in the monocot family Melanthiaceae.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellicer, Jaume; Kelly, Laura J; Leitch, Ilia J; Zomlefer, Wendy B; Fay, Michael F

2014-03-01

• Since the occurrence of giant genomes in angiosperms is restricted to just a few lineages, identifying where shifts towards genome obesity have occurred is essential for understanding the evolutionary mechanisms triggering this process. • Genome sizes were assessed using flow cytometry in 79 species and new chromosome numbers were obtained. Phylogenetically based statistical methods were applied to infer ancestral character reconstructions of chromosome numbers and nuclear DNA contents. • Melanthiaceae are the most diverse family in terms of genome size, with C-values ranging more than 230-fold. Our data confirmed that giant genomes are restricted to tribe Parideae, with most extant species in the family characterized by small genomes. Ancestral genome size reconstruction revealed that the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) for the family had a relatively small genome (1C = 5.37 pg). Chromosome losses and polyploidy are recovered as the main evolutionary mechanisms generating chromosome number change. • Genome evolution in Melanthiaceae has been characterized by a trend towards genome size reduction, with just one episode of dramatic DNA accumulation in Parideae. Such extreme contrasting profiles of genome size evolution illustrate the key role of transposable elements and chromosome rearrangements in driving the evolution of plant genomes. © 2013 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2013 New Phytologist Trust.

Diabetes Increases Cryoinjury Size with Associated Effects on Cx43 Gap Junction Function and Phosphorylation in the Mouse Heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Palatinus, Joseph A; Gourdie, Robert G

2016-01-01

Diabetic patients develop larger myocardial infarctions and have an increased risk of death following a heart attack. The poor response to myocardial injury in the diabetic heart is likely related to the many metabolic derangements from diabetes that create a poor substrate in general for wound healing, response to injury and infection. Studies in rodents have implicated a role for the gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) in regulating the injury response in diabetic skin wounds. In this study, we sought to determine whether diabetes alters Cx43 molecular interactions or intracellular communication in the cryoinjured STZ type I diabetic mouse heart. We found that epicardial cryoinjury size is increased in diabetic mice and this increase is prevented by preinjury insulin administration. Consistent with these findings, we found that intercellular coupling via gap junctions is decreased after insulin administration in diabetic and nondiabetic mice. This decrease in coupling is associated with a concomitant increase in phosphorylation of Cx43 at serine 368, a residue known to decrease channel conductance. Taken together, our results suggest that insulin regulates both gap junction-mediated intercellular communication and injury propagation in the mouse heart.

Jamie Beck’s “Cinemagraphs” in the context of dramatic theory of literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewelina Woźniak

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to present works of a New York photographer Jamie Beck, who developed a new type of moving photography – cinemagraphs, and look at her work from the perspective of the dramatic theory of literature. Jamie Beck in her works redefines many notions related to the visual realm. Movement and time relationship, the model identity and the impact of material on the image perception are the most interesting problems, that are connected with cinemagraphs. All these issues are analyzed in relation to fields dealing with image: André Rouille’s and Roland Barthes’ photographic theories, art history represented by Georges Didi- Huberman and Rudolf Arnheim’s “the psychology of creative eye”.

Volumes Learned: It Takes More Than Size to "Size Up" Pulmonary Lesions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xiaonan; Siegelman, Jenifer; Paik, David S; Mulshine, James L; St Pierre, Samantha; Buckler, Andrew J

2016-09-01

This study aimed to review the current understanding and capabilities regarding use of imaging for noninvasive lesion characterization and its relationship to lung cancer screening and treatment. Our review of the state of the art was broken down into questions about the different lung cancer image phenotypes being characterized, the role of imaging and requirements for increasing its value with respect to increasing diagnostic confidence and quantitative assessment, and a review of the current capabilities with respect to those needs. The preponderance of the literature has so far been focused on the measurement of lesion size, with increasing contributions being made to determine the formal performance of scanners, measurement tools, and human operators in terms of bias and variability. Concurrently, an increasing number of investigators are reporting utility and predictive value of measures other than size, and sensitivity and specificity is being reported. Relatively little has been documented on quantitative measurement of non-size features with corresponding estimation of measurement performance and reproducibility. The weight of the evidence suggests characterization of pulmonary lesions built on quantitative measures adds value to the screening for, and treatment of, lung cancer. Advanced image analysis techniques may identify patterns or biomarkers not readily assessed by eye and may also facilitate management of multidimensional imaging data in such a way as to efficiently integrate it into the clinical workflow. Copyright © 2016 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Primer on Basic Effect Size Concepts.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmore, Patricia B.; Rotou, Ourania

The increased interest in reporting effect sizes means that it is necessary to consider what should be included in a primer on effect sizes. A review of papers on effect sizes and commonly repeated statistical analyses suggests that it is important to discuss effect sizes relative to bivariate correlation, t-tests, analysis of variance/covariance,…

Corrosion resistant surface for vanadium nitride and hafnium nitride layers as function of grain size

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar, C. A.; Caicedo, J. C.; Aperador, W.

2014-01-01

In this research it was studied vanadium nitride (VN) and hafnium nitride (HfN) film, which were deposited onto silicon (Si (100)) and AISI 4140 steel substrates via r.f. magnetron sputtering technique in Ar/N2 atmosphere with purity at 99.99% for both V and Hf metallic targets. Both films were approximately 1.2±0.1 μm thick. The crystallography structures that were evaluated via X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) showed preferential orientations in the Bragg planes VN (200) and HfN (111). The chemical compositions for both films were characterized by EDX. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to study the morphology; the results reveal grain sizes of 78±2 nm for VN and 58±2 nm for HfN and roughness values of 4.2±0.1 nm for VN and 1.5±0.1 nm for HfN films. The electrochemical performance in VN and HfN films deposited onto steel 4140 were studied by Tafel polarization curves and impedance spectroscopy methods (EIS) under contact with sodium chloride at 3.5 wt% solution, therefore, it was found that the corrosion rate decreased about 95% in VN and 99% for HfN films in relation to uncoated 4140 steel, thus demonstrating, the protecting effect of VN and HfN films under a corrosive environment as function of morphological characteristics (grain size). VN(grain size)=78±2.0 nm, VN(roughness)=4.2±0.1 nm, VN(corrosion rate)=40.87 μmy. HfN(grain size)=58±2.0 nm, HfN(roughness)=1.5±0.1 nm, HfN(corrosion rate)=0.205 μmy. It was possible to analyze that films with larger grain size, can be observed smaller grain boundary thus generating a higher corrosion rate, therefore, in this work it was found that the HfN layer has better corrosion resistance (low corrosion rate) in relation to VN film which presents a larger grain size, indicating that the low grain boundary in (VN films) does not restrict movement of the Cl- ion and in this way the corrosion rate increases dramatically.

Ectopically expressing MdPIP1;3, an aquaporin gene, increased fruit size and enhanced drought tolerance of transgenic tomatoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lin; Li, Qing-Tian; Lei, Qiong; Feng, Chao; Zheng, Xiaodong; Zhou, Fangfang; Li, Lingzi; Liu, Xuan; Wang, Zhi; Kong, Jin

2017-12-19

Water deficit severely reduces apple growth and production, is detrimental to fruit quality and size. This problem is exacerbated as global warming is implicated in producing more severe drought stress. Thus water-efficiency has becomes the major target for apple breeding. A desired apple tree can absorb and transport water efficiently, which not only confers improved drought tolerance, but also guarantees fruit size for higher income returns. Aquaporins, as water channels, control water transportation across membranes and can regulate water flow by changing their amount and activity. The exploration of molecular mechanism of water efficiency and the gene wealth will pave a way for molecular breeding of drought tolerant apple tree. In the current study, we screened out a drought inducible aquaporin gene MdPIP1;3, which specifically enhanced its expression during fruit expansion in 'Fuji' apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Red Fuji). It localized on plasma membranes and belonged to PIP1 subfamily. The tolerance to drought stress enhanced in transgenic tomato plants ectopically expressing MdPIP1;3, showing that the rate of losing water in isolated transgenic leaves was slower than wild type, and stomata of transgenic plants closed sensitively to respond to drought compared with wild type. Besides, length and diameter of transgenic tomato fruits increased faster than wild type, and in final, fruit sizes and fresh weights of transgenic tomatoes were bigger than wild type. Specially, in cell levels, fruit cell size from transgenic tomatoes was larger than wild type, showing that cell number per mm 2 in transgenic fruits was less than wild type. Altogether, ectopically expressing MdPIP1;3 enhanced drought tolerance of transgenic tomatoes partially via reduced water loss controlled by stomata closure in leaves. In addition, the transgenic tomato fruits are larger and heavier with larger cells via more efficient water transportation across membranes. Our research will

SAFETY IMPROVES DRAMATICALLY IN FLUOR HANFORD SOIL AND GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION PROJECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

GERBER MS

2007-01-01

This paper describes dramatic improvements in the safety record of the Soil and Groundwater Remediation Project (SGRP) at the Hanford Site in southeast Washington state over the past four years. During a period of enormous growth in project work and scope, contractor Fluor Hanford reduced injuries, accidents, and other safety-related incidents and enhanced a safety culture that earned the SGRP Star Status in the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) in 2007. This paper outlines the complex and multi-faceted work of Fluor Hanford's SGRP and details the steps taken by the project's Field Operations and Safety organizations to improve safety. Holding field safety meetings and walkdowns, broadening safety inspections, organizing employee safety councils, intensively flowing down safety requirements to subcontractors, and adopting other methods to achieve remarkable improvement in safety are discussed. The roles of management, labor and subcontractors are detailed. Finally, SGRP's safety improvements are discussed within the context of overall safety enhancements made by Fluor Hanford in the company's 11 years of managing nuclear waste cleanup at the Hanford Site

Analysing the development of TV news programmes: from information to dramatization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maribel Rodríguez Fidalgo, Ph.D.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: The TV news programme is the backbone of all television networks, be they national, regional or local. These types of programmes have been changing over the time. The essence of the information is being modified and has adopted a new format. Based on these principles, this research analyses the evolution of the language used on the Spanish TV news programmes, from their origins until today. This research has been carried out in three different phases: late 1980s, the 1990s and recent years. These stages were thoroughly examined through surveys applied to representative samples of the population. The results showed that TV news programmes have been acquiring a changing narrative style throughout time: they began using an “objective” narrative, followed by a mediated type, and finally dramatized narrative which uses shocking visual content and aims to achieve audience’s sensibilization and identification with news’ protagonists. The spectacularization of information has become the identitary feature of the current TV news programmes as a response to the need of reaching higher audience ratings.

The Effects of Early Childhood Classroom Size and Duration on Development of Children

Science.gov (United States)

Canbeldek, Merve; Isikoglu Erdogan, Nesrin

2017-01-01

Purpose: The numbers of early childhood education programs are dramatically increasing throughout Turkey, and the regulations to ensure quality are frequently changing. A very limited number of studies have examined the quality of Turkish ECE programs on children's development. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the effects of…

The effect of increase in humidity on the size and activity distributions of radon progeny laden aerosols from hydrocarbon combustion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Atika; Phillips, C.R.

1988-01-01

The effects of a humidity increase on the distributions of aerosol size and activity for hydrocarbon combustion aerosols laden with radon progeny were determined. Pre-humidification aerosol conditions were 20 0 C and 35% RH. Post-humidification aerosol conditions were 37 0 C and 100% RH, intended to simulate conditions in the human respiratory tract. Using kerosene combustion aerosols, a growth factor of 1.3 ± 0.2 (standard deviation) was found for both the aerosol median diameter and the activity median diameter. (author)

Small head size after atomic irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, R.W.; Mulvihill, J.J.

1975-01-01

A study of children exposed to nuclear explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki showed small head size and mental retardation when exposure occurred less than 18 weeks of gestational age. Increased frequency of small head size occurred when maternal exposure was 10 to 19 rad. Tables and graphs are presented to show relationships between dose, gestational age, and frequency of small head size

New sizing agents and flocculants derived from chitosan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hebeish, A.; Higay, A.; El-Shafei, A.

2005-01-01

Novel approaches for development of new textile sizing agents and flocculants were undertaken. One of these approaches is based on acid hydrolysis of chitosan and the other involves its carboxy methylation. Characterization of the hydrolyzed chitosan was performed through monitoring nitrogen content and apparent viscosity, while carboxymethyl chitosan was analyzed for degree of substitution (DS) along with apparent viscosity. Factors affecting both hydrolysis and carboxy methylation were investigated. The nitrogen content and apparent viscosity of chitosan decrease variably by increasing HCl concentration as well as time and temperature of hydrolysis. On the other hand, the DS of carboxymethyl chitosan increases by increasing the concentration of both sodium hydroxide and monochloroacetic acid and similarly increases by prolonging the duration and raising the temperature of carboxy methylation; in contrast with apparent viscosity which is inversely related to these parameters. Aqueous solutions of hydrolyzed chitosan or carboxymethyl chitosan were applied to light cotton fabric with a view to envision the technical feasibility of such water soluble chitosan for textile sizing. The size add-on on the light fabric is directly related to the concentration of the hydrolyzed or carboxymethyl chitosan in the sizing solution and so does the apparent viscosity of the latter. Hundred percent size removals could be achieved with the hydrolyzed chitosan irrespective or the size solution concentration provided that the latter is not less than 8%. Different situation is encountered with carboxymethyl chitosan where the percent size removal increase from 81% to 95% by increasing its concentration in the sizing solution from 5 % to 15%. Drying the sized fabric at 80 degree C for 5 minutes or 120 degree C for 3 minutes has practically no effect on percent size removal. The same holds true for heat treatment of the sized fabric at higher temperatures (up to 160 degree C) for longer

Increased Adipocyte Size, Macrophage Infiltration, and Adverse Local Adipokine Profile in Perirenal Fat in Cushing's Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Roerink, Sean H P P; Wagenmakers, Margreet A E M; Langenhuijsen, Johan F; Ballak, Dov B; Rooijackers, Hanne M M; d'Ancona, Frank C; van Dielen, François M; Smit, Jan W A; Plantinga, Theo S; Netea-Maier, Romana T; Hermus, Ad R M M

2017-08-01

To analyze changes in fat cell size, macrophage infiltration, and local adipose tissue adipokine profiles in different fat depots in patients with active Cushing's syndrome. Subcutaneous (SC) and perirenal (PR) adipose tissue of 10 patients with Cushing's syndrome was compared to adipose tissue of 10 gender-, age-, and BMI-matched controls with regard to adipocyte size determined by digital image analysis on hematoxylin and eosin stainings, macrophage infiltration determined by digital image analysis on CD68 stainings, and adipose tissue leptin and adiponectin levels using fluorescent bead immunoassays and ELISA techniques. Compared to the controls, mean adipocyte size was larger in PR adipose tissue in patients. The percentage of macrophage infiltration of the PR adipose tissue and PR adipose tissue lysate leptin levels were higher and adiponectin levels were lower in SC and PR adipose tissue lysates in patients. The adiponectin levels were also lower in the SC adipose tissue supernatants of patients. Associations were found between the severity of hypercortisolism and PR adipocyte size. Cushing's syndrome is associated with hypertrophy of PR adipocytes and a higher percentage of macrophage infiltration in PR adipose tissue. These changes are associated with an adverse local adipokine profile. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

Options for small and medium sized reactors (SMRs) to overcome loss of economies of scale and incorporate increased proliferation resistance and energy security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuznetsov, Vladimir

2008-01-01

The designers of innovative small and medium sized reactors pursue new design and deployment strategies making use of certain advantages provided by smaller reactor size and capacity to achieve reduced design complexity and simplified operation and maintenance requirements, and to provide for incremental capacity increase through multi-module plant clustering. Competitiveness of SMRs depends on the incorporated strategies to overcome loss of economies of scale but equally it depends on finding appropriate market niches for such reactors. For many less developed countries, these are the features of enhanced proliferation resistance and increased robustness of barriers for sabotage protection that may ensure the progress of nuclear power. For such countries, small reactors without on-site refuelling, designed for infrequent replacement of well-contained fuel cassette(s) in a manner that impedes clandestine diversion of nuclear fuel material, may provide a solution. Based on the outputs of recent IAEA activities for innovative SMRs, the paper provides a summary of the state-of-the-art in approaches to improve SMR competitiveness and incorporate enhanced proliferation resistance and energy security. (author)

Genome Size Dynamics and Evolution in Monocots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilia J. Leitch

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Monocot genomic diversity includes striking variation at many levels. This paper compares various genomic characters (e.g., range of chromosome numbers and ploidy levels, occurrence of endopolyploidy, GC content, chromosome packaging and organization, genome size between monocots and the remaining angiosperms to discern just how distinctive monocot genomes are. One of the most notable features of monocots is their wide range and diversity of genome sizes, including the species with the largest genome so far reported in plants. This genomic character is analysed in greater detail, within a phylogenetic context. By surveying available genome size and chromosome data it is apparent that different monocot orders follow distinctive modes of genome size and chromosome evolution. Further insights into genome size-evolution and dynamics were obtained using statistical modelling approaches to reconstruct the ancestral genome size at key nodes across the monocot phylogenetic tree. Such approaches reveal that while the ancestral genome size of all monocots was small (1C=1.9 pg, there have been several major increases and decreases during monocot evolution. In addition, notable increases in the rates of genome size-evolution were found in Asparagales and Poales compared with other monocot lineages.

Increasing Spin Coherence in Nanodiamond via Dynamic Nuclear Polarization

Science.gov (United States)

Gaebel, Torsten; Rej, Ewa; Boele, Thomas; Waddington, David; Reilly, David

Nanodiamonds are of interest for quantum information technology, as metrological sensors, and more recently as a probe of biological environments. Here we present results examining how intrinsic defects can be used for dynamic nuclear polarization that leads to a dramatic increase in both T1 and T2 for 13C spins in nanodiamond. Mechanisms to explain this enhancement are discussed.

Size Effects on the Strength of Metals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Xiaoxu

2014-01-01

The grain size effect and the specimen size effect on the strength of metals are briefly reviewed with respect to their history and current status of research. It is revealed that the fundamental strengthening mechanisms responsible for these two types of size effect are to increase the resistanc...

Asian elephants in China: estimating population size and evaluating habitat suitability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Zhang

Full Text Available We monitored the last remaining Asian elephant populations in China over the past decade. Using DNA tools and repeat genotyping, we estimated the population sizes from 654 dung samples collected from various areas. Combined with morphological individual identifications from over 6,300 elephant photographs taken in the wild, we estimated that the total Asian elephant population size in China is between 221 and 245. Population genetic structure and diversity were examined using a 556-bp fragment of mitochondrial DNA, and 24 unique haplotypes were detected from DNA analysis of 178 individuals. A phylogenetic analysis revealed two highly divergent clades of Asian elephants, α and β, present in Chinese populations. Four populations (Mengla, Shangyong, Mengyang, and Pu'Er carried mtDNA from the α clade, and only one population (Nangunhe carried mtDNA belonging to the β clade. Moreover, high genetic divergence was observed between the Nangunhe population and the other four populations; however, genetic diversity among the five populations was low, possibly due to limited gene flow because of habitat fragmentation. The expansion of rubber plantations, crop cultivation, and villages along rivers and roads had caused extensive degradation of natural forest in these areas. This had resulted in the loss and fragmentation of elephant habitats and had formed artificial barriers that inhibited elephant migration. Using Geographic Information System, Global Positioning System, and Remote Sensing technology, we found that the area occupied by rubber plantations, tea farms, and urban settlements had dramatically increased over the past 40 years, resulting in the loss and fragmentation of elephant habitats and forming artificial barriers that inhibit elephant migration. The restoration of ecological corridors to facilitate gene exchange among isolated elephant populations and the establishment of cross-boundary protected areas between China and Laos to secure

A proposal for the reorganization of citizenship education via the implementation of the dramatic metod

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gökçen Özbek

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to establish the relationship between citizenship education and drama method. In this study, I propose a reorganization of the citizenship and/or democracy education by building in a component of drama method. To this end, citizenship education, as well as its applications in Europe and in Turkey, will be explained in order to provide a framework for the concept. Following this, the dramatic method and the connections between drama and citizenship education will be presented for the purpose of demonstrating the possible impact of drama on civic education.

Dramatic Tumor Shrinkage of Locally Advanced and Inoperable Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma after Intra-arterial Chemotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fu-Jen Hsueh

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Adenoid cystic carcinoma is rare and usually arises in the salivary glands. It grows slowly, but is characterized by easy perineural invasion with local infiltration and distant metastasis. In metastatic setting, the efficacy of intravenous chemotherapy is limited. Herein, we report one male patient who had a advanced, inoperable adenoid cystic carcinoma with lung metastasis, presenting with right buccal unhealed ulcer, pain and poor intake, whose loco-regional tumors responded dramatically after intra-arterial chemotherapy and his symptoms were almost completely relieved. We also make a literature review for treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Emulating a crowded intracellular environment in vitro dramatically improves RT-PCR performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lareu, Ricky R.; Harve, Karthik S.; Raghunath, Michael

2007-01-01

The polymerase chain reaction's (PCR) phenomenal success in advancing fields as diverse as Medicine, Agriculture, Conservation, or Paleontology is based on the ability of using isolated prokaryotic thermostable DNA polymerases in vitro to copy DNA irrespective of origin. This process occurs intracellularly and has evolved to function efficiently under crowded conditions, namely in an environment packed with macromolecules. However, current in vitro practice ignores this important biophysical parameter of life. In order to more closely emulate conditions of intracellular biochemistry in vitro we added inert macromolecules into reverse transcription (RT) and PCR. We show dramatic improvements in all parameters of RT-PCR including 8- to 10-fold greater sensitivity, enhanced polymerase processivity, higher specific amplicon yield, greater primer annealing and specificity, and enhanced DNA polymerase thermal stability. The faster and more efficient reaction kinetics was a consequence of the cumulative molecular and thermodynamic effects of the excluded volume effect created by macromolecular crowding

Global Increases in Individualism.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Henri C; Varnum, Michael E W; Grossmann, Igor

2017-09-01

Individualism appears to have increased over the past several decades, yet most research documenting this shift has been limited to the study of a handful of highly developed countries. Is the world becoming more individualist as a whole? If so, why? To answer these questions, we examined 51 years of data on individualist practices and values across 78 countries. Our findings suggest that individualism is indeed rising in most of the societies we tested. Despite dramatic shifts toward greater individualism around the world, however, cultural differences remain sizable. Moreover, cultural differences are primarily linked to changes in socioeconomic development, and to a lesser extent to shifts in pathogen prevalence and disaster frequency.

Probing size-dependent electrokinetics of hematite aggregates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kedra-Królik, Karolina; Rosso, Kevin M.; Zarzycki, Piotr

2017-02-01

Aqueous particle suspensions of many kinds are stabilized by the electrostatic potential developed at their surfaces from reaction with water and ions. An important and less well understood aspect of this stabilization is the dependence of the electrostatic surface potential on particle size. Surface electrostatics are typically probed by measuring particle electrophoretic mobilities and quantified in the electrokinetic potential (f), using commercially available Zeta Potential Analyzers (ZPA). Even though ZPAs provide frequency-spectra (histograms) of electrophoretic mobility and hydrodynamic diameter, typically only the maximal-intensity values are reported, despite the information in the remainder of the spectra. Here we propose a mapping procedure that inter-correlates these histograms to extract additional insight, in this case to probe particle size-dependent electrokinetics. Our method is illustrated for a suspension of prototypical iron (III) oxide (hematite, a-Fe2O3). We found that the electrophoretic mobility and f-potential are a linear function of the aggregate size. By analyzing the distribution of surface site types as a function of aggregate size we show that site coordination increases with increasing aggregate diameter. This observation explains why the acidity of the iron oxide particles decreases with increasing particle size.

Size effect in tension perpendicular to the grain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Martin Bo Uhre; Clorius, Christian Odin; Damkilde, Lars

1999-01-01

The strength in tension perpendicular to the grain is known to decrease with an increase in the stressed volume. Usually this size effect is explained on a stochastic basis, that is an explanation relying on an increased probability of encountering a strength reducing flaw when the volume...... of the material under stress is increased. This paper presents a small experimental investigation on specimens with well defined structural orientation of the material. The experiments exhibit a larger size effect than expected and furthermore the data and the nature of the failures encountered suggest...... that the size effect can be explained on a deterministic basis. Arguments for such a simple deterministic explanation of size effect is found in finite element modelling using the orthotropic stiffness characteristics in the transverse plane of wood....

SAFETY IMPROVES DRAMATICALLY IN FLUOR HANFORD SOIL AND GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION PROJECT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

GERBER MS

2007-12-05

This paper describes dramatic improvements in the safety record of the Soil and Groundwater Remediation Project (SGRP) at the Hanford Site in southeast Washington state over the past four years. During a period of enormous growth in project work and scope, contractor Fluor Hanford reduced injuries, accidents, and other safety-related incidents and enhanced a safety culture that earned the SGRP Star Status in the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) in 2007. This paper outlines the complex and multi-faceted work of Fluor Hanford's SGRP and details the steps taken by the project's Field Operations and Safety organizations to improve safety. Holding field safety meetings and walkdowns, broadening safety inspections, organizing employee safety councils, intensively flowing down safety requirements to subcontractors, and adopting other methods to achieve remarkable improvement in safety are discussed. The roles of management, labor and subcontractors are detailed. Finally, SGRP's safety improvements are discussed within the context of overall safety enhancements made by Fluor Hanford in the company's 11 years of managing nuclear waste cleanup at the Hanford Site.

One stone, two birds: silica nanospheres significantly increase photocatalytic activity and colloidal stability of photocatalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Rasamani, Kowsalya D.; Foley, Jonathan J., IV; Sun, Yugang

2018-03-01

Silver-doped silver chloride [AgCl(Ag)] nanoparticles represent a unique class of visible-light-driven photocatalysts, in which the silver dopants introduce electron-abundant mid-gap energy levels to lower the bandgap of AgCl. However, free-standing AgCl(Ag) nanoparticles, particularly those with small sizes and large surface areas, exhibit low colloidal stability and low compositional stability upon exposure to light irradiation, leading to easy aggregation and conversion to metallic silver and thus a loss of photocatalytic activity. These problems could be eliminated by attaching the small AgCl(Ag) nanoparticles to the surfaces of spherical dielectric silica particles with submicrometer sizes. The high optical transparency in the visible spectral region (400-800 nm), colloidal stability, and chemical/electronic inertness displayed by the silica spheres make them ideal for supporting photocatalysts and significantly improving their stability. The spherical morphology of the dielectric silica particles can support light scattering resonances to generate significantly enhanced electric fields near the silica particle surfaces, on which the optical absorption cross-section of the AgCl(Ag) nanoparticles is dramatically increased to promote their photocatalytic activity. The hybrid silica/AgCl(Ag) structures exhibit superior photocatalytic activity and stability, suitable for supporting photocatalysis sustainably; for instance, their efficiency in the photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue decreases by only ˜9% even after ten cycles of operation.

Economic choice for hardwood sawmill operations (ECHO)

Science.gov (United States)

P.H. Steele; Philip A. Araman; C. Boden

2002-01-01

Reductions in sawkerf on headrigs and resaws can dramatically increase lumber recovery. Research has also shown that lumber target size reductions are even more important than kerf reductions in providing increased lumber recovery. Decreases in either sawkerf or lumber size, however, always come at some cost in both capital and variable costs. Determining whether the...

DNA fingerprinting on trial: the dramatic early history of a new forensic technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Aronson, Jay D

2005-09-01

The early history of "DNA fingerprinting" in the UK might have been different were it not for the accounts of two dramatic courtroom trials, made by the participants and the media, in the mid-1980s. But these reports, which misrepresented the importance DNA evidence had in the trials, left a strong impression on the British public and on judges on both sides of the Atlantic. These trials, widely considered to be the first "victories" for DNA fingerprinting, have been frequently cited as proof of the utility and reliability of the technique, in both the UK and beyond. But in reality, it was the threat of DNA evidence being used rather than the integrity or validity of it that resolved these cases. At that time, DNA fingerprinting was still in its infancy, an untried and untested technology.

Automated thinning increases uniformity of in-row spacing and plant size in romaine lettuce

Science.gov (United States)

Low availability and high cost of farm hand labor make automated thinners a faster and cheaper alternative to hand thinning in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). However, the effects of this new technology on uniformity of plant spacing and size as well as crop yield are not proven. Three experiments wer...

Critical Parametric Study on Final Size of Magnetite Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Yusoff, A. H. M.; Salimi, M. N.; Jamlos, M. F.

2018-03-01

The great performance of magnetite nanoparticle in varsity field are mainly depended on their size since size determine the saturation magnetisation and also the phase purity. Magnetite nanoparticles were prepared using a simple co-precipitation method in order to study the influence of synthesis condition on the final size. Variable parameters include stirring rate, reaction temperature and pH of the solution can finely tuned the size of the resulting nanoparticles. Generally, any increase in these parameters had a gently reduction on particle size. But, the size was promoted to increase back at certain point due to the specific reason. Nucleation and growth processes are involved to clarify the impact of synthesis condition on the particle sizes. The result obtained give the correct conditions for pure magnetite synthesis at nanoscale size of dimensions less than 100 nm.

The relationship between bed size and profitability in South Carolina hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yang K; Glover, Saundra H; Stoskopf, Carleen H; Boyd, Suzan D

2002-01-01

The purpose of the study is to identify factors affecting hospital profitability and to find the optimal hospital bed size that assures maximum profit. This is a cross-sectional study using survey data obtained from acute care hospitals in South Carolina in 1997. The relationship of hospital profitability and hospital bed size revealed that when bed size increases, hospital profitability increases, decreases, and then increases again. For the patient profit proportion, the turning points in bed size are 238.22 and 560.08. For the total profit proportion, the turning points in bed size are 223.31 and 503.86. The results on the relationship between bed size and hospital profitability indicate that medium-size hospitals have less profitability.

Effect of indentation size on the nucleation and propagation of tensile twinning in pure magnesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sánchez-Martín, R.; Pérez-Prado, M.T.; Segurado, J.; Molina-Aldareguia, J.M.

2015-01-01

Tensile twinning is a key deformation mode in magnesium and its alloys, as well as in other hcp metals. However, the fundamentals of this mechanism are still not fully understood. In this research, instrumented nanoindentation and crystal plasticity finite element simulations are utilized to investigate twin formation and propagation in pure Mg. With that purpose, several nanoindentations at different indentation depths were performed in pure Mg single crystals with a wide range of crystallographic orientations. A careful analysis of the deformation profile, by atomic force microscopy, and of the microtexture, by electron backscatter diffraction, in areas around and underneath the indents, reveals that twinning is subjected to strong size effects, i.e., that the relative activity of twinning increases dramatically with the indentation depth. Furthermore, the twin volume fraction is found to be related to the pile-up or sink-in areas close to the indentations. A decrease in hardness in orientations where the twinning activity is high was confirmed both experimentally and by crystal plasticity finite element simulations. Finally, our results support the thesis that twin activation is an energetic process that demands a concentration of high stresses in a certain activation volume

Do class size effects differ across grades?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nandrup, Anne Brink

size cap that creates exogenous variation in class sizes. Significant (albeit modest) negative effects of class size increases are found for children on primary school levels. The effects on math abilities are statistically different across primary and secondary school. Larger classes do not affect......This paper contributes to the class size literature by analyzing whether short-run class size effects are constant across grade levels in compulsory school. Results are based on administrative data on all pupils enroled in Danish public schools. Identification is based on a government-imposed class...

Development of settling tube method to measure the particle size distribution for the steam explosion accident in the nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jae Young; Ahan, Kyung Mo; Ahan, Hyung Guyn; Kim, Man Woong

2004-01-01

The possibility of steam explosion due to energetic and prompt interaction between the molten corium and the water in the nuclear power plant has been widely concerned to quantify its magnitude and to find the way to mitigate the phenomena. Due to the complication and rapid nature of the phenomena, experimental works still need more accurate measurement methods. Especially, the real time observation of the corium-water interaction, instability, steam generation, powdering corium debris needs advanced Tomography methods. As Song et al. pointed based on their experimental observation, the explosive phenomena highly depend on the production of the fine size debris of the molten corium. Instability and local generation of shock waves may be the major causes of the production of the fine debris, which increase the interaction surface area dramatically and the reaction time maybe depend on the penetration time proportional to square root of the particle size. The resultant debris from the explosive reaction can be the most solid fact in the experiment, their size distribution and amount need to be figured by the theoretical model. Pressure and Temperature change can be treated by the global mass and energy balance. Also, the fast propagation of the pressure information through the medium may be reasonably predicted. But to make to more solid understanding the steam explosion phenomena, the transport equation for debris interfacial area concentration need to be developed which should consider the various time scale form the rapid shock attacking, intermediate scale of instability, slow buoyancy rising. Therefore, the measurement of the size distribution of the fine debris is of importance. However, it is not easy process to classify the particle size and measure their surface area. The present work is mainly focused to develop a convenient way to measure the particle size and its distribution. We employ the force balance between the gravity force and Drag force acting on

Dramatic Rewritings of the Spanish Golden Age Theater of Cervantes´s La fuerza de la sangre

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Manuel Escudero Baztán

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the Golden age spanish theater recreations of Cervantes’s exemplary novel La fuerza de la sangre. Specifically, the paper reviews three important stages in these recreations: La fuerza de la sangre of Guillen de Castro, El agravio satisfecho de Castillo Solórzano, and No hay cosa como callar de Calderon de la Barca. Different rewrites indicate a close relationship between the three dramatic texts through intertextuality and other influences.

Interspecific geographic range size-body size relationship and the diversification dynamics of Neotropical furnariid birds.

Science.gov (United States)

Inostroza-Michael, Oscar; Hernández, Cristián E; Rodríguez-Serrano, Enrique; Avaria-Llautureo, Jorge; Rivadeneira, Marcelo M

2018-05-01

Among the earliest macroecological patterns documented, is the range and body size relationship, characterized by a minimum geographic range size imposed by the species' body size. This boundary for the geographic range size increases linearly with body size and has been proposed to have implications in lineages evolution and conservation. Nevertheless, the macroevolutionary processes involved in the origin of this boundary and its consequences on lineage diversification have been poorly explored. We evaluate the macroevolutionary consequences of the difference (hereafter the distance) between the observed and the minimum range sizes required by the species' body size, to untangle its role on the diversification of a Neotropical species-rich bird clade using trait-dependent diversification models. We show that speciation rate is a positive hump-shaped function of the distance to the lower boundary. The species with highest and lowest distances to minimum range size had lower speciation rates, while species close to medium distances values had the highest speciation rates. Further, our results suggest that the distance to the minimum range size is a macroevolutionary constraint that affects the diversification process responsible for the origin of this macroecological pattern in a more complex way than previously envisioned. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Home in the heat: Dramatic seasonal variation in home range of desert golden eagles informs management for renewable energy development

Science.gov (United States)

Braham, Melissa A.; Miller, Tricia A.; Duerr, Adam E.; Lanzone, Michael J.; Fesnock, Amy; LaPre, Larry; Driscoll, Daniel; Katzner, Todd E.

2015-01-01

Renewable energy is expanding quickly with sometimes dramatic impacts to species and ecosystems. To understand the degree to which sensitive species may be impacted by renewable energy projects, it is informative to know how much space individuals use and how that space may overlap with planned development. We used global positioning system–global system for mobile communications (GPS-GSM) telemetry to measure year-round movements of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) from the Mojave Desert of California, USA. We estimated monthly space use with adaptive local convex hulls to identify the temporal and spatial scales at which eagles may encounter renewable energy projects in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan area. Mean size of home ranges was lowest and least variable from November through January and greatest in February–March and May–August. These monthly home range patterns coincided with seasonal variation in breeding ecology, habitat associations, and temperature. The expanded home ranges in hot summer months included movements to cooler, prey-dense, mountainous areas characterized by forest, grasslands, and scrublands. Breeding-season home ranges (October–May) included more lowland semi-desert and rock vegetation. Overlap of eagle home ranges and focus areas for renewable energy development was greatest when eagle home ranges were smallest, during the breeding season. Golden eagles in the Mojave Desert used more space and a wider range of habitat types than expected and renewable energy projects could affect a larger section of the regional population than was previously thought.

Ge/Si core/shell quantum dots in alumina: tuning the optical absorption by the core and shell size

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nekić Nikolina

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Ge/Si core/shell quantum dots (QDs recently received extensive attention due to their specific properties induced by the confinement effects of the core and shell structure. They have a type II confinement resulting in spatially separated charge carriers, the electronic structure strongly dependent on the core and shell size. Herein, the experimental realization of Ge/Si core/shell QDs with strongly tunable optical properties is demonstrated. QDs embedded in an amorphous alumina glass matrix are produced by simple magnetron sputtering deposition. In addition, they are regularly arranged within the matrix due to their self-assembled growth regime. QDs with different Ge core and Si shell sizes are made. These core/shell structures have a significantly stronger absorption compared to pure Ge QDs and a highly tunable absorption peak dependent on the size of the core and shell. The optical properties are in agreement with recent theoretical predictions showing the dramatic influence of the shell size on optical gap, resulting in 0.7 eV blue shift for only 0.4 nm decrease at the shell thickness. Therefore, these materials are very promising for light-harvesting applications.

Disruption of growth hormone receptor gene causes diminished pancreatic islet size and increased insulin sensitivity in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun-Li; Coschigano, Karen T; Robertson, Katie; Lipsett, Mark; Guo, Yubin; Kopchick, John J; Kumar, Ujendra; Liu, Ye Lauren

2004-09-01

Growth hormone, acting through its receptor (GHR), plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism and in promoting postnatal growth. GHR gene-deficient (GHR(-/-)) mice exhibit severe growth retardation and proportionate dwarfism. To assess the physiological relevance of growth hormone actions, GHR(-/-) mice were used to investigate their phenotype in glucose metabolism and pancreatic islet function. Adult GHR(-/-) mice exhibited significant reductions in the levels of blood glucose and insulin, as well as insulin mRNA accumulation. Immunohistochemical analysis of pancreatic sections revealed normal distribution of the islets despite a significantly smaller size. The average size of the islets found in GHR(-/-) mice was only one-third of that in wild-type littermates. Total beta-cell mass was reduced 4.5-fold in GHR(-/-) mice, significantly more than their body size reduction. This reduction in pancreatic islet mass appears to be related to decreases in proliferation and cell growth. GHR(-/-) mice were different from the human Laron syndrome in serum insulin level, insulin responsiveness, and obesity. We conclude that growth hormone signaling is essential for maintaining pancreatic islet size, stimulating islet hormone production, and maintaining normal insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis.

Increased size of solid organs in patients with Chuvash polycythemia and in mice with altered expression of HIF-1α and HIF-2α

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Donghoon; Okhotin, David V.; Kim, Bumjun; Okhotina, Yulia; Okhotin, Daniel J.; Miasnikova, Galina Y.; Sergueeva, Adelina I.; Polyakova, Lydia A.; Maslow, Alexei; Lee, Yonggu; Semenza, Gregg L.; Prchal, Josef T.

2010-01-01

Chuvash polycythemia, the first hereditary disease associated with dysregulated oxygen-sensing to be recognized, is characterized by a homozygous germ-line loss-of-function mutation of the VHL gene (VHLR200W) resulting in elevated hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α and HIF-2α levels, increased red cell mass and propensity to thrombosis. Organ volume is determined by the size and number of cells, and the underlying molecular control mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Work from several groups has demonstrated that the proliferation of cells is regulated in opposite directions by HIF-1α and HIF-2α. HIF-1α inhibits cell proliferation by displacing MYC from the promoter of the gene encoding the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21Cip1, thereby inducing its expression. In contrast, HIF-2α promotes MYC activity and cell proliferation. Here we report that the volumes of liver, spleen, and kidneys relative to body mass were larger in 30 individuals with Chuvash polycythemia than in 30 matched Chuvash controls. In Hif1a+/− mice, which are heterozygous for a null (knockout) allele at the locus encoding HIF-1α, hepatic HIF-2α mRNA was increased (2-fold) and the mass of the liver was increased, compared with wild-type littermates, without significant difference in cell volume. Hepatic p21Cip1 mRNA levels were 9.5-fold lower in Hif1a+/− mice compared with wild-type littermates. These data suggest that, in addition to increased red cell mass, the sizes of liver, spleen, and kidneys are increased in Chuvash polycythemia. At least in the liver, this phenotype may result from increased HIF-2α and decreased p21Cip1 levels leading to increased hepatocyte proliferation. PMID:20140661

Dramatic Enhancement of Graphene Oxide/Silk Nanocomposite Membranes: Increasing Toughness, Strength, and Young's modulus via Annealing of Interfacial Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yaxian; Ma, Ruilong; Hu, Kesong; Kim, Sunghan; Fang, Guangqiang; Shao, Zhengzhong; Tsukruk, Vladimir V

2016-09-21

We demonstrate that stronger and more robust nacre-like laminated GO (graphene oxide)/SF (silk fibroin) nanocomposite membranes can be obtained by selectively tailoring the interfacial interactions between "bricks"-GO sheets and "mortar"-silk interlayers via controlled water vapor annealing. This facial annealing process relaxes the secondary structure of silk backbones confined between flexible GO sheets. The increased mobility leads to a significant increase in ultimate strength (by up to 41%), Young's modulus (up to 75%) and toughness (up to 45%). We suggest that local silk recrystallization is initiated in the proximity to GO surface by the hydrophobic surface regions serving as nucleation sites for β-sheet domains formation and followed by SF assembly into nanofibrils. Strong hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions between GO layers with SF nanofibrils result in enhanced shear strength of layered packing. This work presented here not only gives a better understanding of SF and GO interfacial interactions, but also provides insight on how to enhance the mechanical properties for the nacre-mimic nanocomposites by focusing on adjusting the delicate interactions between heterogeneous "brick" and adaptive "mortar" components with water/temperature annealing routines.

Patterns and trends in food portion sizes, 1977-1998.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Samara Joy; Popkin, Barry M

While general consensus holds that food portion sizes are increasing, no empirical data have documented actual increases. To determine trends in food portion sizes consumed in the United States, by eating location and food source. Nationally representative data from the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey (1977-1978) and the Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals (1989-1991, 1994-1996, and 1998). The sample consists of 63 380 individuals aged 2 years and older. For each survey year, average portion size consumed from specific food items (salty snacks, desserts, soft drinks, fruit drinks, french fries, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, pizza, and Mexican food) by eating location (home, restaurant, or fast food). Portion sizes vary by food source, with the largest portions consumed at fast food establishments and the smallest at other restaurants. Between 1977 and 1996, food portion sizes increased both inside and outside the home for all categories except pizza. The energy intake and portion size of salty snacks increased by 93 kcal (from 1.0 to 1.6 oz [28.4 to 45.4 g]), soft drinks by 49 kcal (13.1 to 19.9 fl oz [387.4 to 588.4 mL]), hamburgers by 97 kcal (5.7 to 7.0 oz [161.6 to 198.4 g]), french fries by 68 kcal (3.1 to 3.6 oz [87.9 to 102.1 g]), and Mexican food by 133 kcal (6.3 to 8.0 oz [178.6 to 226.8 g]). Portion sizes and energy intake for specific food types have increased markedly with greatest increases for food consumed at fast food establishments and in the home.

Dramatic inversion of charge polarity in diketopyrrolopyrrole-based organic field-effect transistors via a simple nitrile group substitution.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Hui-Jun; Kang, Seok-Ju; Xu, Yong; Kim, Seul Ong; Kim, Yun-Hi; Noh, Yong-Young; Kwon, Soon-Ki

2014-11-19

A record-breaking high electron mobility of 7.0 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for n-channel polymer OFETs is reported. By the incorporation of only one nitrile group as an electron-withdrawing function in the vinyl linkage of the DPP-based copolymer, a dramatic inversion of majority charge-carriers from holes to electrons is achieved. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Spatial prisoner's dilemma games with increasing neighborhood size and individual diversity on two interdependent lattices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meng, Xiao-Kun [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligence Computing and Novel Software Technology, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Key Laboratory of Computer Vision and System (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Xia, Cheng-Yi, E-mail: xialooking@163.com [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligence Computing and Novel Software Technology, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Key Laboratory of Computer Vision and System (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Gao, Zhong-Ke [School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Wang, Li; Sun, Shi-Wen [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligence Computing and Novel Software Technology, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Key Laboratory of Computer Vision and System (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China)

2015-04-03

Highlights: • A novel PDG model with individual diversity and utility interdependency is proposed. • Diversity can be represented by players with different strategy spreading abilities. • Interdependency is implemented by the payoff correlation between two lattices. • Cooperation can be remarkably promoted by combining these two kinds of mechanisms. - Abstract: We present an improved spatial prisoner's dilemma game model which simultaneously considers the individual diversity and increasing neighborhood size on two interdependent lattices. By dividing the players into influential and non-influential ones, we can discuss the impact of individual diversity on the cooperative behaviors. Meanwhile, we implement the utility interdependency by integrating the payoff correlations between two lattices. Extensive simulations indicate that the optimal density of influential players exists for the cooperation to be promoted, and can be further facilitated through the utility coupling. Current results are beneficial to understanding the origin of cooperation among selfish agents among realistic scenarios.

Spatial prisoner's dilemma games with increasing neighborhood size and individual diversity on two interdependent lattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng, Xiao-Kun; Xia, Cheng-Yi; Gao, Zhong-Ke; Wang, Li; Sun, Shi-Wen

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A novel PDG model with individual diversity and utility interdependency is proposed. • Diversity can be represented by players with different strategy spreading abilities. • Interdependency is implemented by the payoff correlation between two lattices. • Cooperation can be remarkably promoted by combining these two kinds of mechanisms. - Abstract: We present an improved spatial prisoner's dilemma game model which simultaneously considers the individual diversity and increasing neighborhood size on two interdependent lattices. By dividing the players into influential and non-influential ones, we can discuss the impact of individual diversity on the cooperative behaviors. Meanwhile, we implement the utility interdependency by integrating the payoff correlations between two lattices. Extensive simulations indicate that the optimal density of influential players exists for the cooperation to be promoted, and can be further facilitated through the utility coupling. Current results are beneficial to understanding the origin of cooperation among selfish agents among realistic scenarios

Characterisation of micro-sized and nano-sized tungsten oxide-epoxy composites for radiation shielding of diagnostic X-rays.

Science.gov (United States)

Azman, N Z Noor; Siddiqui, S A; Low, I M

2013-12-01

Characteristics of X-ray transmissions were investigated for epoxy composites filled with 2-10 vol% WO3 loadings using synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at 10-40 keV. The results obtained were used to determine the equivalent X-ray energies for the operating X-ray tube voltages of mammography and radiology machines. The results confirmed the superior attenuation ability of nano-sized WO3-epoxy composites in the energy range of 10-25 keV when compared to their micro-sized counterparts. However, at higher synchrotron radiation energies (i.e., 30-40 keV), the X-ray transmission characteristics were similar with no apparent size effect for both nano-sized and micro-sized WO3-epoxy composites. The equivalent X-ray energies for the operating X-ray tube voltages of the mammography unit (25-49 kV) were in the range of 15-25 keV. Similarly, for a radiology unit operating at 40-60 kV, the equivalent energy range was 25-40 keV, and for operating voltages greater than 60 kV (i.e., 70-100 kV), the equivalent energy was in excess of 40 keV. The mechanical properties of epoxy composites increased initially with an increase in the filler loading but a further increase in the WO3 loading resulted in deterioration of flexural strength, modulus and hardness. © 2013.

Dramatic reduction of sulfur dioxide emission in Northeastern China in the last decade

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, J.

2017-12-01

Analysis of spatial and temporal variations of sulfur dioxide concentration in planetary boundary layer were conducted. The data were generated by NASA satellite daily from October of 2004 and were obtained through NASA Giovanni. The global monthly mean spatial distribution of sulfur dioxide showed several hot spots including: several spots on some islands in the Pacific Ocean, several spots in central America, and central Africa. Most of these hot spots of sulfur dioxide are related to known active volcanos. The biggest hot spot of sulfur dioxide were observed in Northeastern China. While high concentration sulfur dioxide was still observed in Northeastern China in 2017. The area averaged concentration of sulfur dioxide declined dramatically since its peak in 2008. This temporal trend indicates that sulfur reduction effort has been effective in the last decade or post 2008 financial crisis recovery lead an industry less sulfur dioxide emission.

Dramatic Clinical Response of Relapsed Metastatic Extramammary Paget’s Disease to Trastuzumab Monotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Wakabayashi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We report the first case of 68-year-old Japanese woman with metastatic HER2-positive extramammary Paget’s disease that showed the validity of trastuzumab monotherapy. We administered trastuzumab at a loading dose of 8 mg/kg i.v., followed by a 6 mg/kg maintenance dose every three weeks according to a protocol for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancers and a near-complete response was achieved after the tenth infusion. The patient experienced a moderate headache and flushing during the first infusion, but had no advanced effects during subsequent infusions with ibuprofen and d-chlorpheniramine maleate. Given the dramatic response, the patient has had 17 infusions of trastuzumab with no disease progression. Thus, trastuzumab has few side effects and is well tolerated for elderly patients. It may become a new choice of the adjubant therapy of this disease.

The number of articles submitted to the Journal of the Faculty of Medicine experienced a dramatic increase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franklin Escobar-Córdoba

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The Journal of the Faculty of Medicine of Universidad Nacional de Colombia has undergone important changes in the past years; the amount of articles submitted for initiating the editorial process has increased, in the same manner as the amount of articles received in English language, and the rejection rate, which is now around 40%. The number of international authors has also grown, thus demonstrating that the publication has achieved greater visibility and recognition. In this context, the following articles have been selected for the first issue of Volume 69 of the Journal of the Faculty of Medicine: “Is parricide a stable phenomenon? An analysis of parricide offenders in a forensic hospital” (1 is a study written by an important group of Brazilian authors, who demonstrate their expertise in one of the crimes that causes most social upheaval due to its broad implications. Parricide immediately attracts attention as it is easily linked to the presence of a mental disorder, which is actually corroborated by this study, since it shows that most parricides are young adult males, who have a low level of education, are single, with no criminal history and schizophrenic; in addition, few cases show antisocial personality disorders.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide inhibits post-ischemic NAD(+) degradation and dramatically ameliorates brain damage following global cerebral ischemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Ji H; Long, Aaron; Owens, Katrina; Kristian, Tibor

2016-11-01

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) is an essential cofactor for multiple cellular metabolic reactions and has a central role in energy production. Brain ischemia depletes NAD(+) pools leading to bioenergetics failure and cell death. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is utilized by the NAD(+) salvage pathway enzyme, nicotinamide adenylyltransferase (Nmnat) to generate NAD(+). Therefore, we examined whether NMN could protect against ischemic brain damage. Mice were subjected to transient forebrain ischemia and treated with NMN or vehicle at the start of reperfusion or 30min after the ischemic insult. At 2, 4, and 24h of recovery, the proteins poly-ADP-ribosylation (PAR), hippocampal NAD(+) levels, and expression levels of NAD(+) salvage pathway enzymes were determined. Furthermore, animal's neurologic outcome and hippocampal CA1 neuronal death was assessed after six days of reperfusion. NMN (62.5mg/kg) dramatically ameliorated the hippocampal CA1 injury and significantly improved the neurological outcome. Additionally, the post-ischemic NMN treatment prevented the increase in PAR formation and NAD(+) catabolism. Since the NMN administration did not affect animal's temperature, blood gases or regional cerebral blood flow during recovery, the protective effect was not a result of altered reperfusion conditions. These data suggest that administration of NMN at a proper dosage has a strong protective effect against ischemic brain injury. Published by Elsevier Inc.

One new route to optimize the oxidation resistance of TiC/hastelloy (Ni-based alloy) composites applied for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell interconnect by increasing graphite particle size

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Qian; Liu, Yan; Wang, Lujie; Zhang, Hui; Huang, Jian; Huang, Zhengren

2017-09-01

TiC/hastelloy composites with suitable thermal expansion and excellent electrical conductivity are promising candidates for IT-SOFC interconnect. In this paper, the TiC/hastelloy composites are fabricated by in-situ reactive infiltration, and the oxidation resistance of composites is optimized by increasing graphite particle size. Results show that the increase of graphite particles size from 1 μm to 40 μm reduces TiC particle size from 2.68 μm to 2.22 μm by affecting the formation process of TiC. Moreover, the decrease of TiC particles size accelerates the fast formation of dense and continuous TiO2/Cr2O3 oxide layer, which bring down the mass gain (800 °C/100 h) from 2.03 mg cm-2 to 1.18 mg cm-2. Meanwhile, the coefficient of thermal expansion decreases from 11.15 × 10-6 °C-1 to 10.80 × 10-6 °C-1, and electrical conductivity maintains about 5800 S cm-1 at 800 °C. Therefore, the decrease of graphite particle size is one simple and effective route to optimize the oxidation resistance of composites, and meantime keeps suitable thermal expansion and good electrical conductivity.

Portion size: a qualitative study of consumers' attitudes toward point-of-purchase interventions aimed at portion size.

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeer, Willemijn M; Steenhuis, Ingrid H M; Seidell, Jacob C

2010-02-01

This qualitative study assessed consumers' opinions of food portion sizes and their attitudes toward portion-size interventions located in various point-of-purchase settings targeting overweight and obese people. Eight semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted with 49 participants. Constructs from the diffusion of innovations theory were included in the interview guide. Each focus group was recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were coded and analyzed with Atlas.ti 5.2 using the framework approach. Results showed that many participants thought that portion sizes of various products have increased during the past decades and are larger than acceptable. The majority also indicated that value for money is important when purchasing and that large portion sizes offer more value for money than small portion sizes. Furthermore, many experienced difficulties with self-regulating the consumption of large portion sizes. Among the portion-size interventions that were discussed, participants had most positive attitudes toward a larger availability of portion sizes and pricing strategies, followed by serving-size labeling. In general, reducing package serving sizes as an intervention strategy to control food intake met resistance. The study concludes that consumers consider interventions consisting of a larger variety of available portion sizes, pricing strategies and serving-size labeling as most acceptable to implement.

Portion sizes and obesity: responses of fast-food companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Lisa R; Nestle, Marion

2007-07-01

Because the sizes of food portions, especially of fast food, have increased in parallel with rising rates of overweight, health authorities have called on fast-food chains to decrease the sizes of menu items. From 2002 to 2006, we examined responses of fast-food chains to such calls by determining the current sizes of sodas, French fries, and hamburgers at three leading chains and comparing them to sizes observed in 1998 and 2002. Although McDonald's recently phased out its largest offerings, current items are similar to 1998 sizes and greatly exceed those offered when the company opened in 1955. Burger King and Wendy's have increased portion sizes, even while health authorities are calling for portion size reductions. Fast-food portions in the United States are larger than in Europe. These observations suggest that voluntary efforts by fast-food companies to reduce portion sizes are unlikely to be effective, and that policy approaches are needed to reduce energy intake from fast food.

Influence of region of interest size and ultrasound lesion size on the performance of 2D shear wave elastography (SWE) in solid breast masses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skerl, K.; Vinnicombe, S.; Giannotti, E.; Thomson, K.; Evans, A.

2015-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the influence of the region of interest (ROI) size and lesion diameter on the diagnostic performance of 2D shear wave elastography (SWE) of solid breast lesions. Materials and methods: A study group of 206 consecutive patients (age range 21–92 years) with 210 solid breast lesions (70 benign, 140 malignant) who underwent core biopsy or surgical excision was evaluated. Lesions were divided into small (diameter <15 mm, n=112) and large lesions (diameter ≥15 mm, n=98). An ROI with a diameter of 1, 2, and 3 mm was positioned over the stiffest part of the lesion. The maximum elasticity (E_m_a_x), mean elasticity (E_m_e_a_n) and standard deviation (SD) for each ROI size were compared to the pathological outcome. Statistical analysis was undertaken using the chi-square test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: The ROI size used has a significant impact on the performance of E_m_e_a_n and SD but not on E_m_a_x. Youden's indices show a correlation with the ROI size and lesion size: generally, the benign/malignant threshold is lower with increasing ROI size but higher with increasing lesion size. Conclusions: No single SWE parameter has superior performance. Lesion size and ROI size influence diagnostic performance. - Highlights: • Optimal cut-off for benign/malignant differentiation depends on lesion size. • Region of interest size influences measurements of mean elasticity and standard deviation. • Large lesions are stiffer than small lesions. • Optimal cut-off for benign/malignant differentiation should increase with increasing lesion size. • Region of interest of 2 mm achieved best compromise of the diagnostic performance for all SWE parameter.

Polyanhydride Nanoparticle Delivery Platform Dramatically Enhances Killing of Filarial Worms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea M Binnebose

Full Text Available Filarial diseases represent a significant social and economic burden to over 120 million people worldwide and are caused by endoparasites that require the presence of symbiotic bacteria of the genus Wolbachia for fertility and viability of the host parasite. Targeting Wolbachia for elimination is a therapeutic approach that shows promise in the treatment of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. Here we demonstrate the use of a biodegradable polyanhydride nanoparticle-based platform for the co-delivery of the antibiotic doxycycline with the antiparasitic drug, ivermectin, to reduce microfilarial burden and rapidly kill adult worms. When doxycycline and ivermectin were co-delivered within polyanhydride nanoparticles, effective killing of adult female Brugia malayi filarial worms was achieved with approximately 4,000-fold reduction in the amount of drug used. Additionally the time to death of the macrofilaria was also significantly reduced (five-fold when the anti-filarial drug cocktail was delivered within polyanhydride nanoparticles. We hypothesize that the mechanism behind this dramatically enhanced killing of the macrofilaria is the ability of the polyanhydride nanoparticles to behave as a Trojan horse and penetrate the cuticle, bypassing excretory pumps of B. malayi, and effectively deliver drug directly to both the worm and Wolbachia at high enough microenvironmental concentrations to cause death. These provocative findings may have significant consequences for the reduction in the amount of drug and the length of treatment required for filarial infections in terms of patient compliance and reduced cost of treatment.

Offspring Size and Reproductive Allocation in Harvester Ants.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiernasz, Diane C; Cole, Blaine J

2018-01-01

A fundamental decision that an organism must make is how to allocate resources to offspring, with respect to both size and number. The two major theoretical approaches to this problem, optimal offspring size and optimistic brood size models, make different predictions that may be reconciled by including how offspring fitness is related to size. We extended the reasoning of Trivers and Willard (1973) to derive a general model of how parents should allocate additional resources with respect to the number of males and females produced, and among individuals of each sex, based on the fitness payoffs of each. We then predicted how harvester ant colonies should invest additional resources and tested three hypotheses derived from our model, using data from 3 years of food supplementation bracketed by 6 years without food addition. All major results were predicted by our model: food supplementation increased the number of reproductives produced. Male, but not female, size increased with food addition; the greatest increases in male size occurred in colonies that made small females. We discuss how use of a fitness landscape improves quantitative predictions about allocation decisions. When parents can invest differentially in offspring of different types, the best strategy will depend on parental state as well as the effect of investment on offspring fitness.

Characterisation of micro-sized and nano-sized tungsten oxide-epoxy composites for radiation shielding of diagnostic X-rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noor Azman, N.Z. [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845 Australia (Australia); School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang (Malaysia); Siddiqui, S.A. [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845 Australia (Australia); Low, I.M., E-mail: j.low@curtin.edu.au [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845 Australia (Australia)

2013-12-01

Characteristics of X-ray transmissions were investigated for epoxy composites filled with 2–10 vol% WO{sub 3} loadings using synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at 10–40 keV. The results obtained were used to determine the equivalent X-ray energies for the operating X-ray tube voltages of mammography and radiology machines. The results confirmed the superior attenuation ability of nano-sized WO{sub 3}-epoxy composites in the energy range of 10–25 keV when compared to their micro-sized counterparts. However, at higher synchrotron radiation energies (i.e., 30–40 keV), the X-ray transmission characteristics were similar with no apparent size effect for both nano-sized and micro-sized WO{sub 3}-epoxy composites. The equivalent X-ray energies for the operating X-ray tube voltages of the mammography unit (25–49 kV) were in the range of 15–25 keV. Similarly, for a radiology unit operating at 40–60 kV, the equivalent energy range was 25–40 keV, and for operating voltages greater than 60 kV (i.e., 70–100 kV), the equivalent energy was in excess of 40 keV. The mechanical properties of epoxy composites increased initially with an increase in the filler loading but a further increase in the WO{sub 3} loading resulted in deterioration of flexural strength, modulus and hardness. - Highlights: • Nano-sized WO{sub 3}-epoxy composites have superior x-ray shielding capability. • No size effect in x-ray attenuation was observed at 30–40 keV. • An optimum filler loading for improving the mechanical properties of WO{sub 3}-epoxy composites.

Size-dependent magnetic properties of branchlike nickel oxide nanocrystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Branchlike nickel oxide nanocrystals with narrow size distribution are obtained by a solution growth method. The size-dependent of magnetic properties of the nickel oxides were investigated. The results of magnetic characterization indicate that the NiO nanocrystals with size below 12.8 nm show very weak ferromagnetic state at room temperature due to the uncompensated spins. Both of the average blocking temperature (Tb and the irreversible temperature (Tirr increase with the increase of nanoparticle sizes, while both the remnant magnetization and the coercivity at 300 K increase with the decrease of the particle sizes. Moreover, the disappearance of two-magnon (2M band and redshift of one-phonon longitudinal (1LO and two-phonon LO in vibrational properties due to size reduction are observed. Compared to the one with the spherical morphological, it is also found that nano-structured nickel oxides with the branchlike morphology have larger remnant magnetization and the coercivity at 5 K due to their larger surface-to-volume ratio and greater degree of broken symmetry at the surface or the higher proportion of broken bonds.

Effect of display size on visual attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, I-Ping; Liao, Chia-Ning; Yeh, Shih-Hao

2011-06-01

Attention plays an important role in the design of human-machine interfaces. However, current knowledge about attention is largely based on data obtained when using devices of moderate display size. With advancement in display technology comes the need for understanding attention behavior over a wider range of viewing sizes. The effect of display size on test participants' visual search performance was studied. The participants (N = 12) performed two types of visual search tasks, that is, parallel and serial search, under three display-size conditions (16 degrees, 32 degrees, and 60 degrees). Serial, but not parallel, search was affected by display size. In the serial task, mean reaction time for detecting a target increased with the display size.

Extreme sexual brain size dimorphism in sticklebacks: a consequence of the cognitive challenges of sex and parenting?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Kotrschal

Full Text Available Selection pressures that act differently on males and females produce numerous differences between the sexes in morphology and behaviour. However, apart from the controversial report that males have slightly heavier brains than females in humans, evidence for substantial sexual dimorphism in brain size is scarce. This apparent sexual uniformity is surprising given that sexually distinct selection pressures are ubiquitous and that brains are one of the most plastic vertebrate organs. Here we demonstrate the highest level of sexual brain size dimorphism ever reported in any vertebrate: male three-spined stickleback of two morphs in an Icelandic lake have 23% heavier brains than females. We suggest that this dramatic sexual size dimorphism is generated by the many cognitively demanding challenges that males are faced in this species, such as an elaborate courtship display, the construction of an ornate nest and a male-only parental care system. However, we consider also alternative explanations for smaller brains in females, such as life-history trade-offs. Our demonstration of unprecedented levels of sexual dimorphism in brain size in the three-spined stickleback implies that behavioural and life-history differences among the sexes can have strong effects also on neural development and proposes new fields of research for understanding brain evolution.

Open-Source Conceptual Sizing Models for the Hyperloop Passenger Pod

Science.gov (United States)

Chin, Jeffrey C.; Gray, Justin S.; Jones, Scott M.; Berton, Jeffrey J.

2015-01-01

Hyperloop is a new mode of transportation proposed as an alternative to California's high speed rail project, with the intended benefits of higher performance at lower overall costs. It consists of a passenger pod traveling through a tube under a light vacuum and suspended on air bearings. The pod travels up to transonic speeds resulting in a 35 minute travel time between the intended route from Los Angeles and San Francisco. Of the two variants outlined, the smaller system includes a 1.1 meter tall passenger capsule traveling through a 2.2 meter tube at 700 miles per hour. The passenger pod features water-based heat exchangers as well as an on-board compression system that reduces the aerodynamic drag as it moves through the tube. Although the original proposal looks very promising, it assumes that tube and pod dimensions are independently sizable without fully acknowledging the constraints of the compressor system on the pod geometry. This work focuses on the aerodynamic and thermodynamic interactions between the two largest systems; the tube and the pod. Using open-source toolsets, a new sizing method is developed based on one-dimensional thermodynamic relationships that accounts for the strong interactions between these sub-systems. These additional considerations require a tube nearly twice the size originally considered and limit the maximum pod travel speed to about 620 miles per hour. Although the results indicate that Hyperloop will need to be larger and slightly slower than originally intended, the estimated travel time only increases by approximately five minutes, so the overall performance is not dramatically affected. In addition, the proposed on-board heat exchanger is not an ideal solution to achieve reasonable equilibrium air temperatures within the tube. Removal of this subsystem represents a potential reduction in weight, energy requirements and complexity of the pod. In light of these finding, the core concept still remains a compelling

Asymmetries in Cell Division, Cell Size, and Furrowing in the Xenopus laevis Embryo.

Science.gov (United States)

Tassan, Jean-Pierre; Wühr, Martin; Hatte, Guillaume; Kubiak, Jacek

2017-01-01

Asymmetric cell divisions produce two daughter cells with distinct fate. During embryogenesis, this mechanism is fundamental to build tissues and organs because it generates cell diversity. In adults, it remains crucial to maintain stem cells. The enthusiasm for asymmetric cell division is not only motivated by the beauty of the mechanism and the fundamental questions it raises, but has also very pragmatic reasons. Indeed, misregulation of asymmetric cell divisions is believed to have dramatic consequences potentially leading to pathogenesis such as cancers. In diverse model organisms, asymmetric cell divisions result in two daughter cells, which differ not only by their fate but also in size. This is the case for the early Xenopus laevis embryo, in which the two first embryonic divisions are perpendicular to each other and generate two pairs of blastomeres, which usually differ in size: one pair of blastomeres is smaller than the other. Small blastomeres will produce embryonic dorsal structures, whereas the larger pair will evolve into ventral structures. Here, we present a speculative model on the origin of the asymmetry of this cell division in the Xenopus embryo. We also discuss the apparently coincident asymmetric distribution of cell fate determinants and cell-size asymmetry of the 4-cell stage embryo. Finally, we discuss the asymmetric furrowing during epithelial cell cytokinesis occurring later during Xenopus laevis embryo development.

Effect of freeze-thaw cycling on grain size of biochar.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zuolin; Dugan, Brandon; Masiello, Caroline A; Wahab, Leila M; Gonnermann, Helge M; Nittrouer, Jeffrey A

2018-01-01

Biochar may improve soil hydrology by altering soil porosity, density, hydraulic conductivity, and water-holding capacity. These properties are associated with the grain size distributions of both soil and biochar, and therefore may change as biochar weathers. Here we report how freeze-thaw (F-T) cycling impacts the grain size of pine, mesquite, miscanthus, and sewage waste biochars under two drainage conditions: undrained (all biochars) and a gravity-drained experiment (mesquite biochar only). In the undrained experiment plant biochars showed a decrease in median grain size and a change in grain-size distribution consistent with the flaking off of thin layers from the biochar surface. Biochar grain size distribution changed from unimodal to bimodal, with lower peaks and wider distributions. For plant biochars the median grain size decreased by up to 45.8% and the grain aspect ratio increased by up to 22.4% after 20 F-T cycles. F-T cycling did not change the grain size or aspect ratio of sewage waste biochar. We also observed changes in the skeletal density of biochars (maximum increase of 1.3%), envelope density (maximum decrease of 12.2%), and intraporosity (porosity inside particles, maximum increase of 3.2%). In the drained experiment, mesquite biochar exhibited a decrease of median grain size (up to 4.2%) and no change of aspect ratio after 10 F-T cycles. We also document a positive relationship between grain size decrease and initial water content, suggesting that, biochar properties that increase water content, like high intraporosity and pore connectivity large intrapores, and hydrophilicity, combined with undrained conditions and frequent F-T cycles may increase biochar breakdown. The observed changes in biochar particle size and shape can be expected to alter hydrologic properties, and thus may impact both plant growth and the hydrologic cycle.

Chekhov’s dramatic art and cinematograph: implementation of author’s assumption in active shot mode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bezrukov Andrei Nikolayevich

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The article analyses the art specificity of Chekhov’s legacy in dramatic art based on implementing in national film industry. Chekhov’s drama is divertive in its interpretation by the reader, the researcher, and in the director’s cut. Eccentricity frequently occurs in his dramaturgy. In literary text this device is not only a part of aesthetic picturing but also the form of overthinking, transformation of reality and changing the attitude to reality. The main division of the text form alters the character’s reality and his life into the moving picture frame, and changes the set visual representation into the symbol. Cinematic art allows to connect Chekhov’s text to the ornamentality of the image.

Supplementing five-point body condition score with body fat percentage increases the sensitivity for assessing overweight status of small to medium sized dogs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arai T

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Gebin Li,1 Peter Lee,1 Nobuko Mori,1 Ichiro Yamamoto,1 Koh Kawasumi,1 Hisao Tanabe,2 Toshiro Arai11Department of Veterinary Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 2Komazawa Animal Hospital, Tokyo, JapanBackground and methods: Currently, five-point body condition scoring (BCS is widely used by veterinarians and clinicians to assess adiposity in dogs in Japan. However, BCS score assignment is subjective in nature, and most clinicians do not score with half points, instead preferring to round off values, thereby rendering less accurate assessments. Therefore, we sought to determine whether assessing body fat percentage using simple morphometric measurements and supplementing this with five-point BCS can have increased sensitivity for detecting increasing adiposity in overweight small-medium sized dog breeds via plasma metabolite validation.Results: Overall, lean body fat percentage was determined to be 15%–22% for male (non-neutered/neutered dogs and 15%–25% for female (nonspayed/spayed. Dogs categorized as overweight by BCS had significantly higher levels of nonesterified fatty acids (P = 0.005, whereas animals categorized as overweight by BCS + body fat percentage were observed to have significantly higher levels of nonesterified fatty acids (P = 0.006, total cholesterol (P = 0.029, and triglycerides (P = 0.001 than lean animals. The increased sensitivity due to body fat percentage for gauging alterations in plasma metabolite levels may be due to increased correlation strength. Body fat percentage correlated positively with plasma insulin (r = 0.627, P = 0.002, nonesterified fatty acids (r = 0.674, P < 0.001, total cholesterol (r = 0.825, P < 0.0001, triglycerides (r = 0.5823, P < 0.005, blood urea nitrogen (r = 0.429, P < 0.05, creatinine (r = 0.490, P = 0.021, and total protein (r = 0.737, P< 0.0001 levels, which all tend to increase as a result of increasing adiposity

Impact of scaling voltage and size on the performance of Side-contacted Field Effect Diode

Science.gov (United States)

Touchaei, Behnam Jafari; Manavizadeh, Negin

2018-05-01

Side-contacted Fild Effect Diode (S-FED), with low leakage current and high Ion/Ioff ratio, has been recently introduced to suppress short channel effects in nanoscale regime. The voltage and size scalability of S-FEDs and effects on the power consumption, propagation delay time, and power delay product have been studied in this article. The most attractive properties are related to channel length to channel thickness ratio in the S-FED which reduces in comparison with MOSFET significantly, while gates control over the channel improve and the off-state current reduces dramatically. This promising advantage is not only capable to improve important S-FED's characteristics such as subthreshold slope but also eliminate Latch-up and floating body effect.

The commercial impact of burnup increase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenzlein, C.; Schricker, W.

2002-01-01

Deregulation has a dramatic effect on competition in the electricity markets. This will lead to a continued pressure on the prices in virtually all areas of the nuclear fuel cycle and will encourage further optimization, technical and technological progress and innovations with respect to further cost reductions of power production. The permission of direct disposal, in Germany legally granted in 1994 as an alternative to the reprocessing path, made possible cost savings and has consequently resulted in a decline of reprocessing prices. In addition, suppliers as well as operators are making considerable efforts to reduce the disposal costs fraction by optimizing disposal technologies and concepts. The increase of discharge has essentially contributed to the reduction the disposal cost fraction. Compared to former scenarios, the economic potential of burn-up increase is decreasing

Preparation and Surface Sizing Application of Sizing Agent Based on Collagen from Leather Waste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuechuan Wang

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Collagen extracted from leather waste was modified with maleic anhydride. Then, using ammonium persulfate as an initiator, by pre-modifying collagen reacted with styrene and ethyl acrylate monomers, a vinyl-grafted collagen sizing agent (VGCSA for paper was prepared. Before the experiment, the performance of VGCSA was tested and VGCSA emulsion was applied to the surface sizing of the corrugated paper. Effects of the amount of VGCSA, the compound proportion of VGCSA, and starch and styrene-acrylic emulsion were studied relative to paper properties. The morphological changes of the paper before and after sizing were characterized by SEM. It was found that the collagen reacted with styrene and ethyl acrylate monomers. Through the grafting of vinyl and collagen, the crystallinity and thermal stability of VGCSA increased. The structure of VGCSA was spherical with a uniform size, and the average particle size was approximately 350 to 400 nm. After being sized, the surface fibers of paper became smooth and orderly. The optimal sizing of VGCSA was 8 g/m2. The optimal proportion of VGCSA with starch was 4:6, and the optimal proportion of VGCSA with SAE was 2:8. The research indicates that collagen extracted from leather waste could be used as a biomaterial, and environmental and economic benefits could be created as well.

Grain-size effect on the electrical properties of nanocrystalline indium tin oxide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jong Hoon [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, 267 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-340 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Heon, E-mail: young.h.kim@kriss.re.kr [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, 267 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-340 (Korea, Republic of); University of Science & Technology, 217 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Sang Jung [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, 267 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-340 (Korea, Republic of); University of Science & Technology, 217 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Ha, Tae Hwan [University of Science & Technology, 217 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Future Biotechnology Research Division, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hong Seung [Department of Nano Semiconductor Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, 727 Taejong-Ro, Busan 606-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • Nanometer-sized small grains were observed in the ITO thin films. • The grain size increased as the post-thermal annealing temperature increased. • The mobility of ITO thin films increased with increasing grain size. • The ITO film annealed at 300 °C was an amorphous phase, while the others were polycrystalline structure. - Abstract: In this paper, we demonstrate the electrical properties, depending on grain size, of nanocrystalline indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films prepared with a solution process. The size distributions of nanometer-sized ITO film grains increased as the post-annealing temperature increased after deposition; the grain sizes were comparable with the calculated electron mean free path. The mobility of ITO thin films increased with increasing grain size; this phenomenon was explained by adopting the charge-trapping model for grain boundary scattering. These findings suggest that it is possible to improve mobility by reducing the number of trapping sites at the grain boundary.

Ecosystem size structure response to 21st century climate projection: large fish abundance decreases in the central North Pacific and increases in the California Current.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodworth-Jefcoats, Phoebe A; Polovina, Jeffrey J; Dunne, John P; Blanchard, Julia L

2013-03-01

Output from an earth system model is paired with a size-based food web model to investigate the effects of climate change on the abundance of large fish over the 21st century. The earth system model, forced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special report on emission scenario A2, combines a coupled climate model with a biogeochemical model including major nutrients, three phytoplankton functional groups, and zooplankton grazing. The size-based food web model includes linkages between two size-structured pelagic communities: primary producers and consumers. Our investigation focuses on seven sites in the North Pacific, each highlighting a specific aspect of projected climate change, and includes top-down ecosystem depletion through fishing. We project declines in large fish abundance ranging from 0 to 75.8% in the central North Pacific and increases of up to 43.0% in the California Current (CC) region over the 21st century in response to change in phytoplankton size structure and direct physiological effects. We find that fish abundance is especially sensitive to projected changes in large phytoplankton density and our model projects changes in the abundance of large fish being of the same order of magnitude as changes in the abundance of large phytoplankton. Thus, studies that address only climate-induced impacts to primary production without including changes to phytoplankton size structure may not adequately project ecosystem responses. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effect of Particle Size and Ligand on the Tribological Properties of Amino Functionalized Hairy Silica Nanoparticles as an Additive to Polyalphaolefin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sui, T.; Song, B.; Zhang, F.; Yang, Q.

2015-01-01

Hairy nanoparticles, which graft organic chains on nanoparticles, have led to a wide variety of advanced materials and have been applied in many fields over the past two decades. In this paper, effects of nanoparticle size and organic chain on the tribological properties of amino functionalized hairy silica nanoparticles (HSN_s) were investigated. Silica nanoparticles with different sizes and amino group organic chains were synthesized and dispersed into polyalphaolefin (PAO) via a modified process. The synthesized HSN_s were characterized by variety of methods. The tribology properties of those HSN_s were investigated using a four-ball tetrabromo. The coefficient of friction and wear scar diameter were measured and analyzed. It was found that the HSN_s could form a stable homogeneous solution with PAO. The tribological performance of the PAO 100 was enhanced dramatically by adding the HSN_s. The data suggested that HSN_s with larger size, longer organic chains, and more amino groups gave better anti wear and friction reduction properties than other nanoparticles

Increasing the MTU size for Energy Efficiency in Ethernet

OpenAIRE

Reviriego, P.; Sanchez-Macian, A.; Maestro, J.A.; Bleakley, Chris J.

2010-01-01

The commonly used Maximum Transfer Unit (MTU) on the Internet has remained unchanged for many years at around 1500 bytes due mainly to backward compatibility issues. This is in contrast with link data rate, which has increased by several orders of magnitude. In this paper, a new advantage of using larger MTUs is introduced, namely Energy Efficiency. In wire-line environments, the link power consumption is generally roughly independent of the number of frames that are t...

ECHO: Machine feasibility program

Science.gov (United States)

Philip H. Steele; Craig Boden; Philip A. Araman

2000-01-01

Reductions in saw kerf (the term saw kerf refers to both the sawtooth width as well as the actual sawline made in sawing) on headrigs and resaws can dramatically increase lumber recovery. Research has also shown that lumber target size reductions are even more important than kerf reductions in providing increased lumber recovery. Decreases in either kerf or lumber size...

TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT FOR SORTING APPLES BY SIZE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasilica Ştefan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Need to increase the competitiveness of semi-subsistence farms, by valorisation of the fruits, led to research for designing of an equipment for sorting apples by size, in order to meet market requirement, pricing according to the size of the fruits.

Overspecification of colour, pattern, and size: Salience, absoluteness, and consistency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sammie eTarenskeen

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The rates of overspecification of colour, pattern, and size are compared, to investigate how salience and absoluteness contribute to the production of overspecification. Colour and pattern are absolute attributes, whereas size is relative and less salient. Additionally, a tendency towards consistent responses is assessed. Using a within-participants design, we find similar rates of colour and pattern overspecification, which are both higher than the rate of size overspecification. Using a between-participants design, however, we find similar rates of pattern and size overspecification, which are both lower than the rate of colour overspecification. This indicates that although many speakers are more likely to include colour than pattern (probably because colour is more salient, they may also treat pattern like colour due to a tendency towards consistency. We find no increase in size overspecification when the salience of size is increased, suggesting that speakers are more likely to include absolute than relative attributes. However, we do find an increase in size overspecification when mentioning the attributes is triggered, which again shows that speakers tend refer in a consistent manner, and that there are circumstances in which even size overspecification is frequently produced.

Size matters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forst, Michael

2012-11-01

The shakeout in the solar cell and module industry is in full swing. While the number of companies and production locations shutting down in the Western world is increasing, the capacity expansion in the Far East seems to be unbroken. Size in combination with a good sales network has become the key to success for surviving in the current storm. The trade war with China already looming on the horizon is adding to the uncertainties. (orig.)

Achieving temperature-size changes in a unicellular organism

Science.gov (United States)

Forster, Jack; Hirst, Andrew G; Esteban, Genoveva F

2013-01-01

The temperature-size rule (TSR) is an intraspecific phenomenon describing the phenotypic plastic response of an organism size to the temperature: individuals reared at cooler temperatures mature to be larger adults than those reared at warmer temperatures. The TSR is ubiquitous, affecting >80% species including uni- and multicellular groups. How the TSR is established has received attention in multicellular organisms, but not in unicells. Further, conceptual models suggest the mechanism of size change to be different in these two groups. Here, we test these theories using the protist Cyclidium glaucoma. We measure cell sizes, along with population growth during temperature acclimation, to determine how and when the temperature-size changes are achieved. We show that mother and daughter sizes become temporarily decoupled from the ratio 2:1 during acclimation, but these return to their coupled state (where daughter cells are half the size of the mother cell) once acclimated. Thermal acclimation is rapid, being completed within approximately a single generation. Further, we examine the impact of increased temperatures on carrying capacity and total biomass, to investigate potential adaptive strategies of size change. We demonstrate no temperature effect on carrying capacity, but maximum supported biomass to decrease with increasing temperature. PMID:22832346

Patch size effects on plant species decline in an experimentally fragmented landscape.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Cathy D; Holt, Robert D; Foster, Bryan L

2009-09-01

Understanding local and global extinction is a fundamental objective of both basic and applied ecology. Island biogeography theory (IBT) and succession theory provide frameworks for understanding extinction in changing landscapes. We explore the relative contribution of fragment size vs. succession on species' declines by examining distributions of abundances for 18 plant species declining over time in an experimentally fragmented landscape in northeast Kansas, U.S.A. If patch size effects dominate, early-successional species should persist longer on large patches, but if successional processes dominate, the reverse should hold, because in our system woody plant colonization is accelerated on large patches. To compare the patterns in abundance among patch sizes, we characterize joint shifts in local abundance and occupancy with a new metric: rank occupancy-abundance profiles (ROAPs). As succession progressed, statistically significant patch size effects emerged for 11 of 18 species. More early-successional species persisted longer on large patches, despite the fact that woody encroachment (succession) progressed faster in these patches. Clonal perennial species persisted longer on large patches compared to small patches. All species that persisted longer on small patches were annuals that recruit from the seed bank each year. The degree to which species declined in occupancy vs. abundance varied dramatically among species: some species declined first in occupancy, others remained widespread or even expanded their distribution, even as they declined in local abundance. Consequently, species exhibited various types of rarity as succession progressed. Understanding the effect of fragmentation on extinction trajectories requires a species-by-species approach encompassing both occupancy and local abundance. We propose that ROAPs provide a useful tool for comparing the distribution of local abundances among landscape types, years, and species.

Molecular size distribution of Np(V)-humate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakamoto, Yoshiaki; Nagao, Seiya; Tanaka, Tadao

1996-10-01

Molecular size distributions of humic acid and Np(V)-humate were studied as a function of pH and an ionic strength by an ultrafiltration method. Small particle (10,000-30,000 daltons) of humic acid increased slightly with increases in solution pH. The ion strength dependence of the molecular size distribution was clearly observed for humic acid. The abundance ratio of humic acid in the range from 10,000 to 30,000 daltons increased with the ionic strength from 0.015 M to 0.105 M, in place of the decreasing of that in range from 30,000 to 100,000 daltons. Most of neptunium(V) in the 200 mg/l of the humic acid solution was fractionated into 10,000-30,000 daltons. The abundance ratio of neptunium(V) in the 10,000-30,000 daltons was not clearly dependent on pH and the ionic strength of the solution, in spite of the changing in the molecular size distribution of humic acid by the ionic strength. These results imply that the molecular size distribution of Np(V)-humate does not simply obey by that of the humic acid. Stability constant of Np(V)-humate was measured as a function of the molecular size of the humic acid. The stability constant of Np(V)-humate in the range from 10,000 to 30,000 daltons was highest value comparing with the constants in the molecular size ranges of 100,000 daltons-0.45μm, 30,000-100,000, 5,000-10,000 daltons and under 5,000 daltons. These results may indicate that the Np(V) complexation with humic acid is dominated by the interaction of neptunyl ion with the humic acid in the specific molecular size range. (author)

Study on Relation between Hydrodynamic Feature Size of HPAM and Pore Size of Reservoir Rock in Daqing Oilfield

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qing Fang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The flow mechanism of the injected fluid was studied by the constant pressure core displacement experiments in the paper. It is assumed under condition of the constant pressure gradient in deep formation based on the characteristic of pressure gradient distribution between the injection and production wells and the mobility of different polymer systems in deep reservoir. Moreover, the flow rate of steady stream was quantitatively analyzed and the critical flow pressure gradient of different injection parameters polymer solutions in different permeability cores was measured. The result showed that polymer hydrodynamic feature size increases with the increasing molecular weight. If the concentration of polymer solutions overlaps beyond critical concentration, then molecular chains entanglement will be occur and cause the augment of its hydrodynamic feature size. The polymer hydrodynamic feature size decreased as the salinity of the dilution water increased. When the median radius of the core pore and throat was 5–10 times of the polymer system hydrodynamic feature size, the polymer solution had a better compatibility with the microscopic pore structure of the reservoir. The estimation of polymer solutions mobility in the porous media can be used to guide the polymer displacement plan and select the optimum injection parameters.

SAD-A kinase controls islet β-cell size and function as a mediator of mTORC1 signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Jia; Liu, Xiaolei; Lilley, Brendan N; Zhang, Hai; Pan, Y Albert; Kimball, Scot R; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Weiping; Wang, Li; Jefferson, Leonard S; Sanes, Joshua R; Han, Xiao; Shi, Yuguang

2013-08-20

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays an important role in controlling islet β-cell function. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly elucidated. Synapses of amphids defective kinase-A (SAD-A) is a 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase-related protein kinase that is exclusively expressed in pancreas and brain. In this study, we investigated a role of the kinase in regulating pancreatic β-cell morphology and function as a mediator of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. We show that global SAD-A deletion leads to defective glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and petite islets, which are reminiscent of the defects in mice with global deletion of ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1, a downstream target of mTORC1. Consistent with these findings, selective deletion of SAD-A in pancreas decreased islet β-cell size, whereas SAD-A overexpression significantly increased the size of mouse insulinomas cell lines β-cells. In direct support of SAD-A as a unique mediator of mTORC1 signaling in islet β-cells, we demonstrate that glucose dramatically stimulated SAD-A protein translation in isolated mouse islets, which was potently inhibited by rapamycin, an inhibitor of mTORC1. Moreover, the 5'-untranslated region of SAD-A mRNA is highly structured and requires mTORC1 signaling for its translation initiation. Together, these findings identified SAD-A as a unique pancreas-specific effector protein of mTORC1 signaling.

Home in the heat: Dramatic seasonal variation in home range of desert golden eagles informs management for renewable energy development

Science.gov (United States)

Melissa Braham; Tricia Miller; Adam E. Duerr; Michael Lanzone; Amy Fesnock; Larry LaPre; Daniel Driscoll; Todd. Katzner

2015-01-01

Renewable energy is expanding quickly with sometimes dramatic impacts to species and ecosystems. To understand the degree to which sensitive species may be impacted by renewable energy projects, it is informative to know how much space individuals use and how that space may overlap with planned development. We used global positioning system-global system for mobile...

Determinants of polyp Size in patients undergoing screening colonoscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maisonneuve Patrick

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pre-existing polyps, especially large polyps, are known to be the major source for colorectal cancer, but there is limited available information about factors that are associated with polyp size and polyp growth. We aim to determine factors associated with polyp size in different age groups. Methods Colonoscopy data were prospectively collected from 67 adult gastrointestinal practice sites in the United States between 2002 and 2007 using a computer-generated endoscopic report form. Data were transmitted to and stored in a central data repository, where all asymptomatic white (n = 78352 and black (n = 4289 patients who had a polyp finding on screening colonoscopy were identified. Univariate and multivariate analysis of age, gender, performance site, race, polyp location, number of polyps, and family history as risk factors associated with the size of the largest polyp detected at colonoscopy. Results In both genders, size of the largest polyp increased progressively with age in all age groups (P P Conclusions In both genders there is a significant increase in polyp size detected during screening colonoscopy with increasing age. Important additional risk factors associated with increasing polyp size are gender, race, polyp location, and number of polyps, with polyp multiplicity being the strongest risk factor. Previous family history of bowel cancer was not a risk factor.

Combined administration of oseltamivir and hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41) dramatically decreases the viral load in lungs of senescence-accelerated mice during influenza virus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohgitani, Eriko; Kita, Masakazu; Mazda, Osam; Imanishi, Jiro

2014-02-01

To enhance the effect of anti-influenza-virus agent treatment, the effect of combined administration of oseltamivir phosphate and hochu-ekki-to (Japanese traditional herbal medicine, HET) on early viral clearance was examined. Senescence-accelerated mice were given HET in drinking water for 2 weeks, followed by intranasal infection with influenza A virus strain PR8. After 4 hours of infection, oseltamivir was administered orally for 5 days. The viral loads in the lungs of the group receiving combined treatment were dramatically lower when compared with the viral loads in the lungs of the group receiving oseltamivir alone. HET significantly increased the induction of IL-1β and TNF-α in the lungs of PR8-infected mice and stimulated alveolar macrophage phagocytosis. From these results, we conclude that these functions may be responsible the increased effect on viral load reduction. Here, we show that the combined administration of oseltamivir and HET is very useful for influenza treatment in senescence-accelerated mice.

Size dependence of elastic mechanical properties of nanocrystalline aluminum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Wenwu; Dávila, Lilian P., E-mail: ldavila@ucmerced.edu

2017-04-24

The effect of grain size on the elastic mechanical properties of nanocrystalline pure metal Al is quantified by molecular dynamics simulation method. In this work, the largest nanocrystalline Al sample has a mean grain size of 29.6 nm and contains over 100 millions atoms in the modeling system. The simulation results show that the elastic properties including elastic modulus and ultimate tensile strength of nanocrystalline Al are relatively insensitive to the variation of mean grain size above 13 nm yet they become distinctly grain size dependent below 13 nm. Moreover, at a grain size <13 nm, the elastic modulus decreases monotonically with decreasing grain size while the ultimate tensile strength of nanocrystalline Al initially decreases with the decrease of the grain size down to 9 nm and then increases with further reduction of grain size. The increase of ultimate tensile strength below 9 nm is believed to be a result of an extended elasticity in the ultrafine grain size nanocrystalline Al. This study can facilitate the prediction of varied mechanical properties for similar nanocrystalline materials and even guide testing and fabrication schemes of such materials.

Project size and common pool size: An empirical test using Danish municipal mergers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Sune Welling

The paper examines the proposition that project size tends to increase with common pool size from the law of 1 over n (Weingast et al, 1981). This remains under-investigated and a recent study conducted by Primo & Snyder (2008) argues, and empirically substantiates, a reverse law of 1 over n...... across two research designs, two outcome variables, two subsamples, and several model specifications The implications of the findings, combined with the limited potential for empirically testing Primo & Snyder’s alternative model, suggest a re-appreciation of the law of 1 over n as it was originally...

EFFECTS OF ULTRASOUND ON THE MORPHOLOGY, PARTICLE SIZE, CRYSTALLINITY, AND CRYSTALLITE SIZE OF CELLULOSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SUMARI SUMARI

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to optimize ultrasound treatment to produce fragment of cellulose that is low in particles size, crystallite size, and crystallinity. Slurry of 1 % (w/v the cellulose was sonicated at different time periods and temperatures. An ultrasonic reactor was operated at 300 Watts and 28 kHz to cut down the polymer into smaller particles. We proved that ultrasound damages and fragments the cellulose particles into shorter fibers. The fiber lengths were reduced from in the range of 80-120 µm to 30-50 µm due to an hour ultrasonication and became 20-30 µm after 5 hours. It was also found some signs of erosion on the surface and stringy. The acoustic cavitation also generated a decrease in particle size, crystallinity, and crystallite size of the cellulose along with increasing sonication time but it did not change d-spacing. However, the highest reduction of particle size, crystallite size, and crystallinity of the cellulose occurred within the first hour of ultrasonication, after which the efficiency was decreased. The particle diameter, crystallite size, and crystallinity were decreased from 19.88 µm to 15.96 µm, 5.81 Å to 2.98 Å, and 77.7% to 73.9% respectively due to an hour ultrasound treatment at 40 °C. The treatment that was conducted at 40 °C or 60 °C did not give a different effect significantly. Cellulose with a smaller particle and crystallite size as well as a more amorphous shape is preferred for further study.

Spermidine Suppresses Age-Associated Memory Impairment by Preventing Adverse Increase of Presynaptic Active Zone Size and Release.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Varun K Gupta

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Memories are assumed to be formed by sets of synapses changing their structural or functional performance. The efficacy of forming new memories declines with advancing age, but the synaptic changes underlying age-induced memory impairment remain poorly understood. Recently, we found spermidine feeding to specifically suppress age-dependent impairments in forming olfactory memories, providing a mean to search for synaptic changes involved in age-dependent memory impairment. Here, we show that a specific synaptic compartment, the presynaptic active zone (AZ, increases the size of its ultrastructural elaboration and releases significantly more synaptic vesicles with advancing age. These age-induced AZ changes, however, were fully suppressed by spermidine feeding. A genetically enforced enlargement of AZ scaffolds (four gene-copies of BRP impaired memory formation in young animals. Thus, in the Drosophila nervous system, aging AZs seem to steer towards the upper limit of their operational range, limiting synaptic plasticity and contributing to impairment of memory formation. Spermidine feeding suppresses age-dependent memory impairment by counteracting these age-dependent changes directly at the synapse.

Transgenic tobacco overexpressing Brassica juncea HMG-CoA synthase 1 shows increased plant growth, pod size and seed yield.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pan Liao

Full Text Available Seeds are very important not only in the life cycle of the plant but they represent food sources for man and animals. We report herein a mutant of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase (HMGS, the second enzyme in the mevalonate (MVA pathway that can improve seed yield when overexpressed in a phylogenetically distant species. In Brassica juncea, the characterisation of four isogenes encoding HMGS has been previously reported. Enzyme kinetics on recombinant wild-type (wt and mutant BjHMGS1 had revealed that S359A displayed a 10-fold higher enzyme activity. The overexpression of wt and mutant (S359A BjHMGS1 in Arabidopsis had up-regulated several genes in sterol biosynthesis, increasing sterol content. To quickly assess the effects of BjHMGS1 overexpression in a phylogenetically more distant species beyond the Brassicaceae, wt and mutant (S359A BjHMGS1 were expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthi of the family Solanaceae. New observations on tobacco OEs not previously reported for Arabidopsis OEs included: (i phenotypic changes in enhanced plant growth, pod size and seed yield (more significant in OE-S359A than OE-wtBjHMGS1 in comparison to vector-transformed tobacco, (ii higher NtSQS expression and sterol content in OE-S359A than OE-wtBjHMGS1 corresponding to greater increase in growth and seed yield, and (iii induction of NtIPPI2 and NtGGPPS2 and downregulation of NtIPPI1, NtGGPPS1, NtGGPPS3 and NtGGPPS4. Resembling Arabidopsis HMGS-OEs, tobacco HMGS-OEs displayed an enhanced expression of NtHMGR1, NtSMT1-2, NtSMT2-1, NtSMT2-2 and NtCYP85A1. Overall, increased growth, pod size and seed yield in tobacco HMGS-OEs were attributed to the up-regulation of native NtHMGR1, NtIPPI2, NtSQS, NtSMT1-2, NtSMT2-1, NtSMT2-2 and NtCYP85A1. Hence, S359A has potential in agriculture not only in improving phytosterol content but also seed yield, which may be desirable in food crops. This work further demonstrates HMGS function in plant

The influence of personal BMI on body size estimations and sensitivity to body size change in anorexia spectrum disorders.

OpenAIRE

Cornelissen, Katri; Bester, Andre; Cairns, Paul; Tovee, Martin; Cornelissen, Piers

2015-01-01

In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the influence of personal BMI on body size estimation in 42 women who have symptoms of anorexia (referred to henceforth as anorexia spectrum disorders, ANSD), and 100 healthy controls. Low BMI control participants over-estimate their size and high BMI controls under-estimate, a pattern which is predicted by a perceptual phenomenon called contraction bias. In addition, control participants' sensitivity to size change declines as their BMI increase...

Selection for number of live piglets at five-days of age increased litter size and reduced mortality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Bjarne; Madsen, Per; Henryon, Mark

2012-01-01

. The heritabilities of maternal effect on litter size were 0.079 and 0.095 in Landrace and Yorkshir e. The heritabilities of maternal effect on piglet-mortality rates were 0.069 and 0.082 in Landrace and Yorkshire. The genetic correlation between litter size and mortality rate were unfavourable; and the estimates......-netic gain has reduced the piglet mortality rate by 4 %-points in Landrace and Yorkshire from 2004 to 2010. The genetics gain was confirmed by decreased phenotypic annual mortality rates in the breeding and multiplier herds....

Tensile Mechanical Properties and Dynamic Collagen Fiber Re-Alignment of the Murine Cervix are Dramatically Altered Throughout Pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnum, Carrie E; Fey, Jennifer L; Weiss, Stephanie N; Barila, Guillermo; Brown, Amy G; Connizzo, Brianne K; Shetye, Snehal S; Elovitz, Michal A; Soslowsky, Louis J

2017-06-01

The cervix is a unique organ able to dramatically change its shape and function by serving as a physical barrier for the growing fetus and then undergoing dramatic dilation allowing for delivery of a term infant. As a result, the cervix endures changing mechanical forces from the growing fetus. There is an emerging concept that the cervix may change or remodel "early" in many cases of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). However, the mechanical role of the cervix in both normal and preterm birth remains unclear. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to determine the mechanical and structural responses of murine cervical tissue throughout a normal gestational time course. In this study, both tissue structural and material properties were determined via a quasi-static tensile load-to-failure test, while simultaneously obtaining dynamic collagen fiber re-alignment via cross-polarization imaging. This study demonstrated that the majority of the mechanical properties evaluated decreased at midgestation and not just at term, while collagen fiber re-alignment occurred earlier in the loading curve for cervices at term. This suggests that although structural changes in the cervix occur throughout gestation, the differences in material properties function in combination with collagen fiber re-alignment as mechanical precursors to regulate term gestation. This work lays a foundation for investigating cervical biomechanics and the role of the cervix in preterm birth.

Fishing degrades size structure of coral reef fish communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, James P W; Williams, Ivor D; Edwards, Andrew M; McPherson, Jana; Yeager, Lauren; Vigliola, Laurent; Brainard, Russell E; Baum, Julia K

2017-03-01

Fishing pressure on coral reef ecosystems has been frequently linked to reductions of large fishes and reef fish biomass. Associated impacts on overall community structure are, however, less clear. In size-structured aquatic ecosystems, fishing impacts are commonly quantified using size spectra, which describe the distribution of individual body sizes within a community. We examined the size spectra and biomass of coral reef fish communities at 38 US-affiliated Pacific islands that ranged in human presence from near pristine to human population centers. Size spectra 'steepened' steadily with increasing human population and proximity to market due to a reduction in the relative biomass of large fishes and an increase in the dominance of small fishes. Reef fish biomass was substantially lower on inhabited islands than uninhabited ones, even at inhabited islands with the lowest levels of human presence. We found that on populated islands size spectra exponents decreased (analogous to size spectra steepening) linearly with declining biomass, whereas on uninhabited islands there was no relationship. Size spectra were steeper in regions of low sea surface temperature but were insensitive to variation in other environmental and geomorphic covariates. In contrast, reef fish biomass was highly sensitive to oceanographic conditions, being influenced by both oceanic productivity and sea surface temperature. Our results suggest that community size structure may be a more robust indicator than fish biomass to increasing human presence and that size spectra are reliable indicators of exploitation impacts across regions of different fish community compositions, environmental drivers, and fisheries types. Size-based approaches that link directly to functional properties of fish communities, and are relatively insensitive to abiotic variation across biogeographic regions, offer great potential for developing our understanding of fishing impacts in coral reef ecosystems. © 2016

DRAMAtic transforms in magic angle spinning recoupling NMR: The Bessel function pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Russell; Hancock, Jason; Siemens, Mark; Jarrell, Harold; Siminovitch, David

2005-07-01

In magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR recoupling experiments, the extraction of multiple couplings or a coupling distribution from the observed dephasing signals remains a challenging problem. At least for REDOR experiments, the REDOR transform solves this problem, enabling the simultaneous measurement of multiple dipolar couplings. Focusing on the quadrupolar dephasing observed in QUADRAMA experiments as a representative example, we demonstrate that the same analytical form used for the mathematical description of REDOR dephasing also describes the dephasing observed in a wide variety of MAS NMR recoupling experiments. This fact immediately extends REDOR transform techniques to a much broader suite of recoupling experiments than had previously been realized, including those of DRAMA, MELODRAMA and QUADRAMA. As an illustration, we use the DRAMAtic transform to provide the first inversion of a QUADRAMA dephasing signal to extract the quadrupole coupling distribution. Using a complete elliptic integral of the first kind, we further develop a novel expression for the Pake-spun powder patterns of the corresponding recoupled lineshapes. Our methods and results reinforce the central role that Bessel functions can play in simplifying the integrals that define both the dephasing signals in the time domain, and their Fourier transforms in the frequency domain.

Plant and Animal Reproductive Strategies: Lessons from Offspring Size and Number Tradeoffs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. G. Srikanta Dani

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The tradeoff between offspring size and number is ubiquitous and manifestly similar in plants and animals despite fundamental differences between the evolutionary histories of these two major life forms. Fecundity (offspring number primarily affects parental fitness, while offspring size underpins the fitness of parents and offspring. We provide an overview of theoretical models dealing with offspring size and fitness relationships. We follow that with a detailed examination of life-history constraints and environmental effects on offspring size and number, separately in plants and animals. The emphasis is on seed plants, but we endeavor to also summarize information from distinct animal groups—insects, fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Furthermore, we analyse genetic controls on offspring size and number in two model organisms—Arabidopsis and Drosophila. Despite the deep evolutionary divergence between plants and animals, we find four trends in reproductive strategy that are common to both lineages: (i offspring size is generally less variable than offspring number, (ii offspring size increases with increasing parent body size, (iii maternal genes restrict offspring size and increase offspring numbers, while zygotic genes act to increase offspring size; such parent-offspring conflicts are enhanced when there is sibling rivalry, and (iv variation in offspring size increases under sub-optimal (harsh environmental conditions. The most salient difference between plants and animals is that the latter tend to produce larger (fewer offspring under sub-optimal conditions while seed plants invest in smaller (many seeds, suggesting that maternal genetic control over offspring size increases in plants but decreases in animals with parental care. The time is ripe for greater experimental exploration of genetic controls on reproductive allocation and parent-offspring conflicts in plants and animals under sub-optimal (harsh environments.

Illustrating ontogenetic change in the dentition of the Nile monitor lizard, Varanus niloticus: a case study in the application of geometric morphometric methods for the quantification of shape-size heterodonty.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Amore, Domenic C

2015-05-01

Many recent attempts have been made to quantify heterodonty in non-mammalian vertebrates, but the majority of these are limited to Euclidian measurements. One taxon frequently investigated is Varanus niloticus, the Nile monitor. Juveniles possess elongate, pointed teeth (caniniform) along the entirety of the dental arcade, whereas adults develop large, bulbous distal teeth (molariform). The purpose of this study was to present a geometric morphometric method to quantify V. niloticus heterodonty through ontogeny that may be applied to other non-mammalian taxa. Data were collected from the entire tooth row of 19 dry skull specimens. A semilandmark analysis was conducted on the outline of the photographed teeth, and size and shape were derived. Width was also measured with calipers. From these measures, sample ranges and allometric functions were created using multivariate statistical analyses for each tooth position separately, as well as overall measures of heterodonty for each specimen based on morphological disparity. The results confirm and expand upon previous studies, showing measurable shape-size heterodonty in the species with significant differences at each tooth position. Tooth size increases with body size at most positions, and the allometric coefficient increases at more distal positions. Width shows a dramatic increase at the distal positions with ontogeny, often displaying pronounced positive allometry. Dental shape varied in two noticeable ways, with the first composing the vast majority of shape variance: (i) caniniformy vs. molariformy and (ii) mesially leaning, 'rounded' apices vs. distally leaning, 'pointed' apices. The latter was twice as influential in the mandible, a consequence of host bone shape. Mesial teeth show no significant shape change with growth, whereas distal teeth change significantly due primarily to an increase in molariformy. Overall, heterodonty increases with body size concerning both tooth size and shape, but shape

Analysis of Benthic Foraminiferal Size Change During the Eocene-Oligocene Transition

Science.gov (United States)

Zachary, W.; Keating-Bitonti, C.

2017-12-01

The Eocene-Oligocene transition is a significant global cooling event with the first growth of continental ice on Antarctica. In the geologic record, the size of fossils can be used to indirectly observe how organisms respond to climate change. For example, organisms tend to be larger in cooler environments as a physiological response to temperature. This major global cooling event should influence organism physiology, resulting in significant size trends observed in the fossil record. Benthic foraminifera are protists and those that grow a carbonate shell are both well-preserved and abundant in marine sediments. Here, we used the foraminiferal fossil record to study the relationship between their size and global cooling. We hypothesize that cooler temperatures across the Eocene-Oligocene boundary promoted shell size increase. To test this hypothesis, we studied benthic foraminifera from 10 deep-sea cores drilled at Ocean Drilling Program Site 744, located in the southern Indian Ocean. We washed sediment samples over a 63-micron sieve and picked foraminifera from a 125-micron sieve. We studied the benthic foraminiferal genus Cibicidoides and its size change across this cooling event. Picked specimens were imaged and we measured the diameter of their shells using "imageJ". Overall, we find that Cibicidoides shows a general trend of increasing size during this transition. In particular, both the median and maximum sizes of Cibicidoides increase from the Eocene into the Oligocene. We also analyzed C. pachyderma and C. mundulus for size trends. Although both species increase in median size across the boundary, only C. pachyderma shows a consistent trend of increasing maximum, median, and minimum shell diameter. After the Eocene-Oligocene boundary, we observe that shell diameter decreases following peak cooling and that foraminiferal sizes remain stable into the early Oligocene. Therefore, the Eocene-Oligocene cooling event appears to have strong influence on shell size.

Does Sibship Size Affect Educational Attainment?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jæger, Mads Meier

This paper implements a test of the Resource Dilution Hypothesis (RDH) stating that sibship size has a negative causal effect on educational attainment. Most existing studies using conventional methods support the RDH. This paper implements an Instrumental Variable (IV) approach to testing...... the claim of a negative causal relationship between sibship size and educational attainment. Analyzing data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, the empirical analysis demonstrates, first, that conventional OLS regression estimates sibship size to have a negative effect on educational attainment equal...... to about one-tenth of a year of schooling per sibling. Second, when applying the IV method to account for potential endogeneity, the negative effect of sibship size increases substantially to about one-third of a year of schooling per sibling....

Body size, performance and fitness in galapagos marine iguanas.

Science.gov (United States)

Wikelski, Martin; Romero, L Michael

2003-07-01

Complex organismal traits such as body size are influenced by innumerable selective pressures, making the prediction of evolutionary trajectories for those traits difficult. A potentially powerful way to predict fitness in natural systems is to study the composite response of individuals in terms of performance measures, such as foraging or reproductive performance. Once key performance measures are identified in this top-down approach, we can determine the underlying physiological mechanisms and gain predictive power over long-term evolutionary processes. Here we use marine iguanas as a model system where body size differs by more than one order of magnitude between island populations. We identified foraging efficiency as the main performance measure that constrains body size. Mechanistically, foraging performance is determined by food pasture height and the thermal environment, influencing intake and digestion. Stress hormones may be a flexible way of influencing an individual's response to low-food situations that may be caused by high population density, famines, or anthropogenic disturbances like oil spills. Reproductive performance, on the other hand, increases with body size and is mediated by higher survival of larger hatchlings from larger females and increased mating success of larger males. Reproductive performance of males may be adjusted via plastic hormonal feedback mechanisms that allow individuals to assess their social rank annually within the current population size structure. When integrated, these data suggest that reproductive performance favors increased body size (influenced by reproductive hormones), with an overall limit imposed by foraging performance (influenced by stress hormones). Based on our mechanistic understanding of individual performances we predicted an evolutionary increase in maximum body size caused by global warming trends. We support this prediction using specimens collected during 1905. We also show in a common

Fibromodulin reduces scar size and increases scar tensile strength in normal and excessive-mechanical-loading porcine cutaneous wounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Wenlu; Ting, Kang; Lee, Soonchul; Zara, Janette N; Song, Richard; Li, Chenshuang; Chen, Eric; Zhang, Xinli; Zhao, Zhihe; Soo, Chia; Zheng, Zhong

2018-04-01

Hypertrophic scarring is a major postoperative complication which leads to severe disfigurement and dysfunction in patients and usually requires multiple surgical revisions due to its high recurrence rates. Excessive-mechanical-loading across wounds is an important initiator of hypertrophic scarring formation. In this study, we demonstrate that intradermal administration of a single extracellular matrix (ECM) molecule-fibromodulin (FMOD) protein-can significantly reduce scar size, increase tensile strength, and improve dermal collagen architecture organization in the normal and even excessive-mechanical-loading red Duroc pig wound models. Since pig skin is recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as the closest animal equivalent to human skin, and because red Duroc pigs show scarring that closely resembles human proliferative scarring and hypertrophic scarring, FMOD-based technologies hold high translational potential and applicability to human patients suffering from scarring-especially hypertrophic scarring. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Portion distortion: typical portion sizes selected by young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Jaime; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol

2006-09-01

The incidence of obesity has increased in parallel with increasing portion sizes of individually packaged and ready-to-eat prepared foods as well as foods served at restaurants. Portion distortion (perceiving large portion sizes as appropriate amounts to eat at a single eating occasion) may contribute to increasing energy intakes and expanding waistlines. The purpose of this study was to determine typical portion sizes that young adults select, how typical portion sizes compare with reference portion sizes (based in this study on the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act's quantities of food customarily eaten per eating occasion), and whether the size of typical portions has changed over time. Young adults (n=177, 75% female, age range 16 to 26 years) at a major northeastern university. Participants served themselves typical portion sizes of eight foods at breakfast (n=63) or six foods at lunch or dinner (n=62, n=52, respectively). Typical portion-size selections were unobtrusively weighed. A unit score was calculated by awarding 1 point for each food with a typical portion size that was within 25% larger or smaller than the reference portion; larger or smaller portions were given 0 points. Thus, each participant's unit score could range from 0 to 8 at breakfast or 0 to 6 at lunch and dinner. Analysis of variance or t tests were used to determine whether typical and reference portion sizes differed, and whether typical portion sizes changed over time. Mean unit scores (+/-standard deviation) were 3.63+/-1.27 and 1.89+/-1.14, for breakfast and lunch/dinner, respectively, indicating little agreement between typical and reference portion sizes. Typical portions sizes in this study tended to be significantly different from those selected by young adults in a similar study conducted 2 decades ago. Portion distortion seems to affect the portion sizes selected by young adults for some foods. This phenomenon has the potential to hinder weight loss, weight maintenance, and

Energetic tradeoffs control the size distribution of aquatic mammals

Science.gov (United States)

Gearty, William; McClain, Craig R.; Payne, Jonathan L.

2018-04-01

Four extant lineages of mammals have invaded and diversified in the water: Sirenia, Cetacea, Pinnipedia, and Lutrinae. Most of these aquatic clades are larger bodied, on average, than their closest land-dwelling relatives, but the extent to which potential ecological, biomechanical, and physiological controls contributed to this pattern remains untested quantitatively. Here, we use previously published data on the body masses of 3,859 living and 2,999 fossil mammal species to examine the evolutionary trajectories of body size in aquatic mammals through both comparative phylogenetic analysis and examination of the fossil record. Both methods indicate that the evolution of an aquatic lifestyle is driving three of the four extant aquatic mammal clades toward a size attractor at ˜500 kg. The existence of this body size attractor and the relatively rapid selection toward, and limited deviation from, this attractor rule out most hypothesized drivers of size increase. These three independent body size increases and a shared aquatic optimum size are consistent with control by differences in the scaling of energetic intake and cost functions with body size between the terrestrial and aquatic realms. Under this energetic model, thermoregulatory costs constrain minimum size, whereas limitations on feeding efficiency constrain maximum size. The optimum size occurs at an intermediate value where thermoregulatory costs are low but feeding efficiency remains high. Rather than being released from size pressures, water-dwelling mammals are driven and confined to larger body sizes by the strict energetic demands of the aquatic medium.

Ectopic expression of human mTOR increases viability, robustness, cell size, proliferation, and antibody production of chinese hamster ovary cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Dreesen, Imke A J; Fussenegger, Martin

2011-04-01

Engineering of mammalian production cell lines to improve titer and quality of biopharmaceuticals is a top priority of the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry providing protein therapeutics to patients worldwide. While many engineering strategies have been successful in the past decade they were often based on the over-expression of a single transgene and therefore limited to addressing a single bottleneck in the cell's production capacity. We provide evidence that ectopic expression of the global metabolic sensor and processing protein mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), simultaneously improves key bioprocess-relevant characteristics of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell-derived production cell lines such as cell growth (increased cell size and protein content), proliferation (increased cell-cycle progression), viability (decreased apoptosis), robustness (decreased sensitivity to sub-optimal growth factor and oxygen supplies) and specific productivity of secreted human glycoproteins. Cultivation of mTOR-transgenic CHO-derived cell lines engineered for secretion of a therapeutic IgG resulted in antibody titers of up to 50 pg/cell/day, which represents a four-fold increase compared to the parental production cell line. mTOR-based engineering of mammalian production cell lines may therefore have a promising future in biopharmaceutical manufacturing of human therapeutic proteins. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reconstructing relative genome size of vascular plants through geological time.

Science.gov (United States)

Lomax, Barry H; Hilton, Jason; Bateman, Richard M; Upchurch, Garland R; Lake, Janice A; Leitch, Ilia J; Cromwell, Avery; Knight, Charles A

2014-01-01

The strong positive relationship evident between cell and genome size in both animals and plants forms the basis of using the size of stomatal guard cells as a proxy to track changes in plant genome size through geological time. We report for the first time a taxonomic fine-scale investigation into changes in stomatal guard-cell length and use these data to infer changes in genome size through the evolutionary history of land plants. Our data suggest that many of the earliest land plants had exceptionally large genome sizes and that a predicted overall trend of increasing genome size within individual lineages through geological time is not supported. However, maximum genome size steadily increases from the Mississippian (c. 360 million yr ago (Ma)) to the present. We hypothesise that the functional relationship between stomatal size, genome size and atmospheric CO2 may contribute to the dichotomy reported between preferential extinction of neopolyploids and the prevalence of palaeopolyploidy observed in DNA sequence data of extant vascular plants. © 2013 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2013 New Phytologist Trust.

Clinical simulation with dramatization: gains perceived by students and health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Negri, Elaine Cristina; Mazzo, Alessandra; Martins, José Carlos Amado; Pereira, Gerson Alves; Almeida, Rodrigo Guimarães Dos Santos; Pedersoli, César Eduardo

2017-08-03

to identify in the literature the gains health students and professionals perceive when using clinical simulation with dramatization resources. integrative literature review, using the method proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). A search was undertaken in the following databases: Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Web of Science, National Library of Medicine, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online. 53 studies were analyzed, which complied with the established inclusion criteria. Among the different gains obtained, satisfaction, self-confidence, knowledge, empathy, realism, reduced level of anxiety, comfort, communication, motivation, capacity for reflection and critical thinking and teamwork stand out. the evidence demonstrates the great possibilities to use dramatization in the context of clinical simulation, with gains in the different health areas, as well as interprofessional gains. identificar na literatura quais os ganhos percebidos pelos estudantes e profissionais da área de saúde, utilizando-se da simulação clínica realizada com recursos da dramatização. revisão integrativa da literatura, com a metodologia proposta pelo Instituto Joanna Briggs (JBI), com busca nas bases de dados: Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, Web of Science, National Library of Medicine, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online. foram analisados 53 estudos, que atenderam os critérios de inclusão estabelecidos. Entre os diversos ganhos obtidos, destaca-se a satisfação, autoconfiança, conhecimento, empatia, realismo, diminuição do nível de ansiedade, conforto, comunicação, motivação, capacidade de reflexão e de pensamento crítico e trabalho em equipe. as evidências demonstram a ampla possibilidade de uso da dramatização no contexto de

Finite-size scaling a collection of reprints

CERN Document Server

1988-01-01

Over the past few years, finite-size scaling has become an increasingly important tool in studies of critical systems. This is partly due to an increased understanding of finite-size effects by analytical means, and partly due to our ability to treat larger systems with large computers. The aim of this volume was to collect those papers which have been important for this progress and which illustrate novel applications of the method. The emphasis has been placed on relatively recent developments, including the use of the &egr;-expansion and of conformal methods.

Fat and fibre interfere with the dramatic effect that nanoemulsified d-limonene has on the heat resistance of Listeria monocytogenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Maté, Javier; Periago, Paula M; Ros-Chumillas, María; Grullón, Coralin; Huertas, Juan Pablo; Palop, Alfredo

2017-04-01

The application of d-limonene in form of nanoemulsion has been proved to reduce dramatically the thermal resistance of Listeria monocytogenes in culture media. The present research shows very promising results on the application in food products. The thermal resistance of L. monocytogenes was reduced 90 times when 0.5 mM nanoemulsified d-limonene was added to apple juice. This is the biggest reduction in the heat resistance of a microorganism caused by an antimicrobial described ever. However, no effect was found in carrot juice. A carrot juice system was prepared in an attempt to unravel which juice constituents were responsible for the lack of effect. When fat and fibre were not included in the carrot juice system formulation, the thermal resistance of L. monocytogenes was, again, dramatically reduced in presence of nanoemulsified d-limonene, so these components were shown to interfere with the effect. Once this interaction with food constituents becomes solved, the addition of nanoemulsified antimicrobials would allow to reduce greatly the intensity of the thermal treatments currently applied in the food processing industry. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Mechanisms for enlarging lesion size during irrigated tip radiofrequency ablation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Helen Høgh; Roman-Gonzalez, Javier; Johnson, Susan B

2004-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Irrigated tip radiofrequency ablation of cardiac arrhythmias was developed to increase the size of the radiofrequency-induced lesion, since cooling of the electrode tip allows use of higher power settings. The purpose of this study was to determine if the increased lesion size during...

Effect of roll hot press temperature on crystallite size of PVDF film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartono, Ambran, E-mail: ambranhartono@yahoo.com; Sanjaya, Edi [Departement of Physics Faculty of Science and Technology, Islamic State University Syarif Hidayatullah , Jl. Juanda 95 Ciputat Jakarta (Indonesia); Djamal, Mitra; Satira, Suparno; Bahar, Herman [Theoretical High Energy Physics and Instrumentation Group Research, Faculty Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesa 10 Bandung (Indonesia); Ramli [Departement of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Padang, Jl.Prof. Hamka, Padang 25131 (Indonesia)

2014-03-24

Fabrication PVDF films have been made using Hot Roll Press. Preparation of samples carried out for nine different temperatures. This condition is carried out to see the effect of Roll Hot Press temperature on the size of the crystallite of PVDF films. To obtain the diffraction pattern of sample characterization is performed using X-Ray Diffraction. Furthermore, from the diffraction pattern is obtained, the calculation to determine the crystallite size of the sample by using the Scherrer equation. From the experimental results and the calculation of crystallite sizes obtained for the samples with temperature 130 °C up to 170 °C respectively increased from 7.2 nm up to 20.54 nm. These results show that increasing temperatures will also increase the size of the crystallite of the sample. This happens because with the increasing temperature causes the higher the degree of crystallization of PVDF film sample is formed, so that the crystallite size also increases. This condition indicates that the specific volume or size of the crystals depends on the magnitude of the temperature as it has been studied by Nakagawa.

Persistent increase in oxygen consumption and impaired neurovascular coupling after spreading depression in rat neocortex

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Henning Piilgaard; Lauritzen, Martin

2009-01-01

Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is associated with a dramatic failure of brain ion homeostasis and increased energy metabolism. There is strong clinical and experimental evidence to suggest that CSD is the mechanism of migraine, and involved in progressive neuronal injury in stroke and head t...

The Effects of Scholarship Amount on Yield and Success for Master's Students in Education

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Andy; Yang, Rui; Hwang, Jun; McMaken, Jennifer; Rorison, Jamey

2014-01-01

The amount of merit-based scholarship support for graduate students in the United States has increased dramatically. Given this increased investment, does increasing the size of scholarships awarded to the most academically able admitted students substantially increase their probability of enrollment? We found no support for a positive answer to…

3D finite element modeling of epiretinal stimulation: Impact of prosthetic electrode size and distance from the retina.

Science.gov (United States)

Sui, Xiaohong; Huang, Yu; Feng, Fuchen; Huang, Chenhui; Chan, Leanne Lai Hang; Wang, Guoxing

2015-05-01

A novel 3-dimensional (3D) finite element model was established to systematically investigate the impact of the diameter (Φ) of disc electrodes and the electrode-to-retina distance on the effectiveness of stimulation. The 3D finite element model was established based on a disc platinum stimulating electrode and a 6-layered retinal structure. The ground electrode was placed in the extraocular space in direct attachment with sclera and treated as a distant return electrode. An established criterion of electric-field strength of 1000 Vm-1 was adopted as the activation threshold for RGCs. The threshold current (TC) increased linearly with increasing Φ and electrode-to-retina distance and remained almost unchanged with further increases in diameter. However, the threshold charge density (TCD) increased dramatically with decreasing electrode diameter. TCD exceeded the electrode safety limit for an electrode diameter of 50 µm at an electrode-to-retina distance of 50 to 200 μm. The electric field distributions illustrated that smaller electrode diameters and shorter electrode-to-retina distances were preferred due to more localized excitation of RGC area under stimulation of different threshold currents in terms of varied electrode size and electrode-to-retina distances. Under the condition of same-amplitude current stimulation, a large electrode exhibited an improved potential spatial selectivity at large electrode-to-retina distances. Modeling results were consistent with those reported in animal electrophysiological experiments and clinical trials, validating the 3D finite element model of epiretinal stimulation. The computational model proved to be useful in optimizing the design of an epiretinal stimulating electrode for prosthesis.

The modulation of canine mesenchymal stem cells by nano-topographic cues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, Joshua A.; Ly, Irene; Borjesson, Dori L.; Nealey, Paul F.; Russell, Paul; Murphy, Christopher J.

2012-01-01

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising cellular therapeutic for the treatment of a variety of disorders. On transplantation, MSCs interact with diverse extracellular matrices (ECMs) that vary dramatically in topographic feature type, size and surface order. In order to investigate the impact of these topographic cues, surfaces were fabricated with either isotropically ordered holes or anisotropically ordered ridges and grooves. To simulate the biologically relevant nano through micron size scale, a series of topographically patterned substrates possessing features of differing pitch (pitch=feature width+groove width) were created. Results document that the surface order and size of substratum topographic features dramatically modulate fundamental MSC behaviors. Topographically patterned (ridge+groove) surfaces were found to significantly impact MSC alignment, elongation, and aspect ratio. Novel findings also demonstrate that submicron surfaces patterned with holes resulted in increased MSC alignment to adjacent cells as well as increased migration rates. Overall, this study demonstrates that the presentation of substratum topographic cues dramatically influence MSC behaviors in a size and shape dependent manner. The response of MSCs to substratum topographic cues was similar to other cell types that have been studied previously with regards to cell shape on ridge and groove surfaces but differed with respect to proliferation and migration. This is the first study to compare the impact of anisotropically ordered ridge and groove topographic cues to isotropically order holed topographic cues on fundamental MSC behaviors across a range of biologically relevant size scales.

The modulation of canine mesenchymal stem cells by nano-topographic cues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wood, Joshua A.; Ly, Irene [Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (United States); Borjesson, Dori L. [Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (United States); Nealey, Paul F. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison (United States); Russell, Paul [Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (United States); Murphy, Christopher J., E-mail: cjmurphy@ucdavis.edu [Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (United States); Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis (United States)

2012-11-15

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising cellular therapeutic for the treatment of a variety of disorders. On transplantation, MSCs interact with diverse extracellular matrices (ECMs) that vary dramatically in topographic feature type, size and surface order. In order to investigate the impact of these topographic cues, surfaces were fabricated with either isotropically ordered holes or anisotropically ordered ridges and grooves. To simulate the biologically relevant nano through micron size scale, a series of topographically patterned substrates possessing features of differing pitch (pitch=feature width+groove width) were created. Results document that the surface order and size of substratum topographic features dramatically modulate fundamental MSC behaviors. Topographically patterned (ridge+groove) surfaces were found to significantly impact MSC alignment, elongation, and aspect ratio. Novel findings also demonstrate that submicron surfaces patterned with holes resulted in increased MSC alignment to adjacent cells as well as increased migration rates. Overall, this study demonstrates that the presentation of substratum topographic cues dramatically influence MSC behaviors in a size and shape dependent manner. The response of MSCs to substratum topographic cues was similar to other cell types that have been studied previously with regards to cell shape on ridge and groove surfaces but differed with respect to proliferation and migration. This is the first study to compare the impact of anisotropically ordered ridge and groove topographic cues to isotropically order holed topographic cues on fundamental MSC behaviors across a range of biologically relevant size scales.

Modeling and Sizing of Supercapacitors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PETREUS, D.

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Faced with numerous challenges raised by the requirements of the modern industries for higher power and higher energy, supercapacitors study started playing an important role in offering viable solutions for some of these requirements. This paper presents the surface redox reactions based modeling in order to study the origin of high capacity of EDLC (electrical double-layer capacitor for better understanding the working principles of supercapacitors. Some application-dependent sizing methods are also presented since proper sizing can increase the efficiency and the life cycle of the supercapacitor based systems.

Ultrasound transmission spectroscopy: in-line sizing of nanoparticles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neer, P.L.M.J. van; Volker, A.W.F.; Pierre, G.; Bouvet, F.; Crozat, S.

2014-01-01

Nanoparticles are increasingly used in a number of applications, e.g. coatings or paints. To optimize nanoparticle production in-line quantitative measurements of their size distribution and concentration are needed. Ultrasound-based methods are especially suited for in-line particle sizing. These

Sizes of vanadyl petroporphyrins and asphaltene aggregates in toluene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dechaine, Greg Paul; Gray, Murray R. [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta (Canada)], email: gpd@ualberta.ca

2010-07-01

This work focuses on the importance of removing vanadyl porphyrins components from crude oils and the methodology for doing it. The diffusion of asphaltene and vanadium components in diluted toluene was measured using a stirred diaphragm diffusion cell, which was equipped with a number of different cellulosic membranes of different pore size. In-situ UV/visible spectroscopy was used to observe filtrates of the process. The effective diffusivity of asphaltene structures was plotted for different pore sized membranes. It was noticed that asphaltene concentrations increased with increased pore sizes; particularly increasing at pore diameter of 5 nm. Moreover the effects of temperature and mass concentration were also investigated in this study. It was shown that increasing the temperature of the toluene causes the mobility of asphaltene to increase as well. Nevertheless, decreasing the concentration of asphaltene does not affect its mobility. It was shown that toluene samples from different sources showed different mobility.

DEM study of the size-induced segregation dynamics of a ternary-size granular mixture in the rolling-regime rotating drum

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shiliang; Zhang, Liangqi; Luo, Kun; Chew, Jia Wei

2017-12-01

Segregation induced by size, shape, or density difference of the granular material is inevitable in both natural and industrial processes; unfortunately, the underlying mechanism is still not fully understood. In view of the ubiquitous continuous particle size distributions, this study builds on the considerable knowledge gained so far from binary-size mixtures and extends it to a ternary-size mixture to understand the impact of the presence of a third particle size in the three-dimensional rotating drum operating in the rolling flow regime. The discrete element method is employed. The evolution of segregation, the active-passive interface, and the dynamical response of the particle-scale characteristics of the different particle types in the two regions are investigated. The results reveal that the medium particles are spatially sandwiched in between the large and small particles in both the radial and axial directions and therefore exhibit behaviors intermediate to the other two particle types. Compared to the binary-size mixture, the presence of the medium particles leads to (i) higher purity of small particles in the innermost of the radial core, causing a decrease of the translational velocity of small particles; (ii) decrease and increase of the collision forces exerted on, respectively, the large and small particles in both regions; and (iii) increase in the relative ratio of the active-passive exchange rates of small to large particles. The results obtained in the current study therefore provide valuable insights regarding the size-segregation dynamics of granular mixtures with constituents of different sizes.

Will Outer Tropical Cyclone Size Change due to Anthropogenic Warming?

Science.gov (United States)

Schenkel, B. A.; Lin, N.; Chavas, D. R.; Vecchi, G. A.; Knutson, T. R.; Oppenheimer, M.

2017-12-01

Prior research has shown significant interbasin and intrabasin variability in outer tropical cyclone (TC) size. Moreover, outer TC size has even been shown to vary substantially over the lifetime of the majority of TCs. However, the factors responsible for both setting initial outer TC size and determining its evolution throughout the TC lifetime remain uncertain. Given these gaps in our physical understanding, there remains uncertainty in how outer TC size will change, if at all, due to anthropogenic warming. The present study seeks to quantify whether outer TC size will change significantly in response to anthropogenic warming using data from a high-resolution global climate model and a regional hurricane model. Similar to prior work, the outer TC size metric used in this study is the radius in which the azimuthal-mean surface azimuthal wind equals 8 m/s. The initial results from the high-resolution global climate model data suggest that the distribution of outer TC size shifts significantly towards larger values in each global TC basin during future climates, as revealed by 1) statistically significant increase of the median outer TC size by 5-10% (p<0.05) according to a 1,000-sample bootstrap resampling approach with replacement and 2) statistically significant differences between distributions of outer TC size from current and future climate simulations as shown using two-sample Kolmogorov Smirnov testing (p<<0.01). Additional analysis of the high-resolution global climate model data reveals that outer TC size does not uniformly increase within each basin in future climates, but rather shows substantial locational dependence. Future work will incorporate the regional mesoscale hurricane model data to help focus on identifying the source of the spatial variability in outer TC size increases within each basin during future climates and, more importantly, why outer TC size changes in response to anthropogenic warming.

Plasticity in sexual size dimorphism and Rensch's rule in Mediterranean blennies (Blenniidae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lengkeek, W.; Didderen, K.; Cote, I. M.; van der Zee, E. M.; Snoek, R. C.; Reynolds, J. D.

2008-01-01

Comparative analyses of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) across species have led to the discovery of Rensch's rule. This rule states that SSD increases with body size when males are the largest sex, but decreases with increasing size when females are larger. Within-species comparisons of SSD in fish are

Switching-on quantum size effects in silicon nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wei; Qian, Chenxi; Wang, Liwei; Wei, Muan; Mastronardi, Melanie L; Casillas, Gilberto; Breu, Josef; Ozin, Geoffrey A

2015-01-27

The size-dependence of the absolute luminescence quantum yield of size-separated silicon nanocrystals reveals a "volcano" behavior, which switches on around 5 nm, peaks at near 3.7-3.9 nm, and decreases thereafter. These three regions respectively define: i) the transition from bulk to strongly quantum confined emissive silicon, ii) increasing confinement enhancing radiative recombination, and iii) increasing contributions favoring non-radiative recombination. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Half-size me? How calorie and price information influence ordering on restaurant menus with both half and full entrée portion sizes.

Science.gov (United States)

Haws, Kelly L; Liu, Peggy J

2016-02-01

Many restaurants are increasingly required to display calorie information on their menus. We present a study examining how consumers' food choices are affected by the presence of calorie information on restaurant menus. However, unlike prior research on this topic, we focus on the effect of calorie information on food choices made from a menu that contains both full size portions and half size portions of entrées. This different focus is important because many restaurants increasingly provide more than one portion size option per entrée. Additionally, we examine whether the impact of calorie information differs depending on whether full portions are cheaper per unit than half portions (non-linear pricing) or whether they have a similar per unit price (linear pricing). We find that when linear pricing is used, calorie information leads people to order fewer calories. This decrease occurs as people switch from unhealthy full sized portions to healthy full sized portions, not to unhealthy half sized portions. In contrast, when non-linear pricing is used, calorie information has no impact on calories selected. Considering the impact of calorie information on consumers' choices from menus with more than one entrée portion size option is increasingly important given restaurant and legislative trends, and the present research demonstrates that calorie information and pricing scheme may interact to affect choices from such menus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal conductivity of graphene mediated by strain and size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuang, Youdi; Shi, Sanqiang; Wang, Xinjiang

2016-01-01

Based on first-principles calculations and full iterative solution of the linearized Boltzmann–Peierls transport equation for phonons, we systematically investigate effects of strain, size and temperature on the thermal conductivity k of suspended graphene. The calculated size-dependent and temperature-dependent k for finite samples agree well with experimental data. The results show that, contrast to the convergent room-temperature k = 5450 W/m-K of unstrained graphene at a sample size ~8 cm, k of strained graphene diverges with increasing the sample size even at high temperature. Out-of-plane acoustic phonons are responsible for the significant size effect in unstrained and strained graphene due to their ultralong mean free path and acoustic phonons with wavelength smaller than 10 nm contribute 80% to the intrinsic room temperature k of unstrained graphene. Tensile strain hardens the flexural modes and increases their lifetimes, causing interesting dependence of k on sample size and strain due to the competition between boundary scattering and intrinsic phonon–phonon scattering. k of graphene can be tuned within a large range by strain for the size larger than 500 μm. These findings shed light on the nature of thermal transport in two-dimensional materials and may guide predicting and engineering k of graphene by varying strain and size

Particle size dependence of biogenic secondary organic aerosol molecular composition

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Peijun; Johnston, Murray V.

2017-06-01

Formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is initiated by the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the gas phase whose products subsequently partition to the particle phase. Non-volatile molecules have a negligible evaporation rate and grow particles at their condensation rate. Semi-volatile molecules have a significant evaporation rate and grow particles at a much slower rate than their condensation rate. Particle phase chemistry may enhance particle growth if it transforms partitioned semi-volatile molecules into non-volatile products. In principle, changes in molecular composition as a function of particle size allow non-volatile molecules that have condensed from the gas phase (a surface-limited process) to be distinguished from those produced by particle phase reaction (a volume-limited process). In this work, SOA was produced by β-pinene ozonolysis in a flow tube reactor. Aerosol exiting the reactor was size-selected with a differential mobility analyzer, and individual particle sizes between 35 and 110 nm in diameter were characterized by on- and offline mass spectrometry. Both the average oxygen-to-carbon (O / C) ratio and carbon oxidation state (OSc) were found to decrease with increasing particle size, while the relative signal intensity of oligomers increased with increasing particle size. These results are consistent with oligomer formation primarily in the particle phase (accretion reactions, which become more favored as the volume-to-surface-area ratio of the particle increases). Analysis of a series of polydisperse SOA samples showed similar dependencies: as the mass loading increased (and average volume-to-surface-area ratio increased), the average O / C ratio and OSc decreased, while the relative intensity of oligomer ions increased. The results illustrate the potential impact that particle phase chemistry can have on biogenic SOA formation and the particle size range where this chemistry becomes important.

Particle size dependence of biogenic secondary organic aerosol molecular composition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Tu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA is initiated by the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs in the gas phase whose products subsequently partition to the particle phase. Non-volatile molecules have a negligible evaporation rate and grow particles at their condensation rate. Semi-volatile molecules have a significant evaporation rate and grow particles at a much slower rate than their condensation rate. Particle phase chemistry may enhance particle growth if it transforms partitioned semi-volatile molecules into non-volatile products. In principle, changes in molecular composition as a function of particle size allow non-volatile molecules that have condensed from the gas phase (a surface-limited process to be distinguished from those produced by particle phase reaction (a volume-limited process. In this work, SOA was produced by β-pinene ozonolysis in a flow tube reactor. Aerosol exiting the reactor was size-selected with a differential mobility analyzer, and individual particle sizes between 35 and 110 nm in diameter were characterized by on- and offline mass spectrometry. Both the average oxygen-to-carbon (O ∕ C ratio and carbon oxidation state (OSc were found to decrease with increasing particle size, while the relative signal intensity of oligomers increased with increasing particle size. These results are consistent with oligomer formation primarily in the particle phase (accretion reactions, which become more favored as the volume-to-surface-area ratio of the particle increases. Analysis of a series of polydisperse SOA samples showed similar dependencies: as the mass loading increased (and average volume-to-surface-area ratio increased, the average O ∕ C ratio and OSc decreased, while the relative intensity of oligomer ions increased. The results illustrate the potential impact that particle phase chemistry can have on biogenic SOA formation and the particle size range where this chemistry becomes

Size Effect in Tension Perpendicular to Grain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Astrup, Thomas; Clorius, Christian Odin; Hoffmeyer, Preben

2004-01-01

The strength of wood is reduced when the stressed volume is increased. The phenomenon is termed size effect and is often explained as being stochastic in the sense that the probability of weak locations occurring in the wood increases with increased volume. This paper presents a hypothesis where ...

Meiotic Studies on Combinations of Chromosomes With Different Sized Centromeres in Maize

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fangpu Han

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Multiple centromere misdivision derivatives of a translocation between the supernumerary B chromosome and the short arm of chromosome 9 (TB-9Sb permit investigation of how centromeres of different sizes behave in meiosis in opposition or in competition with each other. In the first analysis, heterozygotes were produced between the normal TB-9Sb and derivatives of it that resulted from centromere misdivision that reduced the amounts of centromeric DNA. These heterozygotes could test whether these drastic differences would result in meiotic drive of the larger chromosome in female meiosis. Cytological determinations of the segregation of large and small centromeres among thousands of progeny of four combinations were made. The recovery of the larger centromere was at a few percent higher frequency in two of four combinations. However, examination of phosphorylated histone H2A-Thr133, a characteristic of active centromeres, showed a lack of correlation with the size of the centromeric DNA, suggesting an expansion of the basal protein features of the kinetochore in two of the three cases despite the reduction in the size of the underlying DNA. In the second analysis, plants containing different sizes of the B chromosome centromere were crossed to plants with TB-9Sb with a foldback duplication of 9S (TB-9Sb-Dp9. In the progeny, plants containing large and small versions of the B chromosome centromere were selected by FISH. A meiotic “tug of war” occurred in hybrid combinations by recombination between the normal 9S and the foldback duplication in those cases in which pairing occurred. Such pairing and recombination produce anaphase I bridges but in some cases the large and small centromeres progressed to the same pole. In one combination, new dicentric chromosomes were found in the progeny. Collectively, the results indicate that the size of the underlying DNA of a centromere does not dramatically affect its segregation properties or its ability

Neuromuscular dose-response studies: determining sample size.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopman, A F; Lien, C A; Naguib, M

2011-02-01

Investigators planning dose-response studies of neuromuscular blockers have rarely used a priori power analysis to determine the minimal sample size their protocols require. Institutional Review Boards and peer-reviewed journals now generally ask for this information. This study outlines a proposed method for meeting these requirements. The slopes of the dose-response relationships of eight neuromuscular blocking agents were determined using regression analysis. These values were substituted for γ in the Hill equation. When this is done, the coefficient of variation (COV) around the mean value of the ED₅₀ for each drug is easily calculated. Using these values, we performed an a priori one-sample two-tailed t-test of the means to determine the required sample size when the allowable error in the ED₅₀ was varied from ±10-20%. The COV averaged 22% (range 15-27%). We used a COV value of 25% in determining the sample size. If the allowable error in finding the mean ED₅₀ is ±15%, a sample size of 24 is needed to achieve a power of 80%. Increasing 'accuracy' beyond this point requires increasing greater sample sizes (e.g. an 'n' of 37 for a ±12% error). On the basis of the results of this retrospective analysis, a total sample size of not less than 24 subjects should be adequate for determining a neuromuscular blocking drug's clinical potency with a reasonable degree of assurance.

Environmentally-relevant concentrations of atrazine induce non-monotonic acceleration of developmental rate and increased size at metamorphosis in Rhinella arenarum tadpoles.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodeur, Julie C; Sassone, Alina; Hermida, Gladys N; Codugnello, Nadia

2013-06-01

Despite of the various studies reporting on the subject, anticipating the impacts of the widely-used herbicide atrazine on anuran tadpoles metamorphosis remains complex as increases or decreases of larval period duration are almost as frequently reported as an absence of effect. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of environmentally-relevant concentrations of atrazine (0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 1000μg/L) on the timings of metamorphosis and body size at metamorphosis in the common South American toad, Rhinella arenarum (Anura: bufonidae). None of the atrazine concentrations tested significantly altered survival. Low atrazine concentrations in the range of 1-100μg/L were found to accelerate developmental rate in a non-monotonic U-shaped concentration-response relationship. This observed acceleration of the metamorphic process occurred entirely between stages 25 and 39; treated tadpoles proceeding through metamorphosis as control animals beyond this point. Together with proceeding through metamorphosis at a faster rate, tadpoles exposed to atrazine concentrations in the range of 1-100μg/L furthermore transformed into significantly larger metamorphs than controls, the concentration-response curve taking the form of an inverted U in this case. The no observed effect concentration (NOEC) was 0.1μg atrazine/L for both size at metamorphosis and timings of metamorphosis. Tadpoles exposed to 100μg/L 17β-estradiol presented the exact same alterations of developmental rate and body size as those treated with 1, 10 and 100μg/L of atrazine. Elements of the experimental design that facilitated the detection of alterations of metamorphosis at low concentrations of atrazine are discussed, together with the ecological significance of those findings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Size effects in fcc crystals during the high rate compression test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaghoobi, Mohammadreza; Voyiadjis, George Z.

2016-01-01

The present work studies the different mechanisms of size effects in fcc metallic samples of confined volumes during high rate compression tests using large scale atomistic simulation. Different mechanisms of size effects, including the dislocation starvation, source exhaustion, and dislocation source length effect are investigated for pillars with different sizes. The results show that the controlling mechanisms of size effects depend only on the pillar size and not on the value of applied strain. Dislocation starvation is the governing mechanism for very small pillars, i.e. pillars with diameters less than 30 nm. Increasing the pillar size, the dislocation exhaustion mechanism becomes active and there is no more source-limited activations. Next, the average dislocation source length is obtained and compared for pillars with different sizes. The results show that in the case of high rate deformations, the source length does not depend on the sample size, and the related size effects mechanisms are not active anymore. Also, in the case of high rate deformations, there are no size effects for pristine pillars with the diameters larger than 135 nm. In other words, increasing the strain rate decreases the pillar size at which there is no more size effects in the absence of strain gradient. The governing mechanisms of plastic deformation at high strain rate experiments are also different from those of the quasi-static tests. First, the diameter in which the dislocation nucleation at the free surface becomes the dominant mechanism changes from around 200 nm–30 nm. Next, in the case of the pillars with larger diameters, the plastic deformation is governed by the cross-slip instead of the operation of truncated dislocation sources, which is dominant at slower rates of deformation. In order to study the effects of pillar initial structure on the controlling mechanism of size effects, an initial loading and unloading procedure is conducted on some samples prior to the

Patterns and potential drivers of dramatic changes in Tibetan lakes, 1972-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yingkui; Liao, Jingjuan; Guo, Huadong; Liu, Zewen; Shen, Guozhuang

2014-01-01

Most glaciers in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau are retreating, and glacier melt has been emphasized as the dominant driver for recent lake expansions on the Tibetan Plateau. By investigating detailed changes in lake extents and levels across the Tibetan Plateau from Landsat/ICESat data, we found a pattern of dramatic lake changes from 1970 to 2010 (especially after 2000) with a southwest-northeast transition from shrinking, to stable, to rapidly expanding. This pattern is in distinct contrast to the spatial characteristics of glacier retreat, suggesting limited influence of glacier melt on lake dynamics. The plateau-wide pattern of lake change is related to precipitation variation and consistent with the pattern of permafrost degradation induced by rising temperature. More than 79% of lakes we observed on the central-northern plateau (with continuous permafrost) are rapidly expanding, even without glacial contributions, while lakes fed by retreating glaciers in southern regions (with isolated permafrost) are relatively stable or shrinking. Our study shows the limited role of glacier melt and highlights the potentially important contribution of permafrost degradation in predicting future water availability in this region, where understanding these processes is of critical importance to drinking water, agriculture, and hydropower supply of densely populated areas in South and East Asia.

77 FR 72702 - Small Business Size Standards: Information

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-06

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG26 Small Business Size Standards: Information AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) is increasing the receipts based small business size standards for 15...

The Power of Low Back Pain Trials: A Systematic Review of Power, Sample Size, and Reporting of Sample Size Calculations Over Time, in Trials Published Between 1980 and 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Froud, Robert; Rajendran, Dévan; Patel, Shilpa; Bright, Philip; Bjørkli, Tom; Eldridge, Sandra; Buchbinder, Rachelle; Underwood, Martin

2017-06-01

A systematic review of nonspecific low back pain trials published between 1980 and 2012. To explore what proportion of trials have been powered to detect different bands of effect size; whether there is evidence that sample size in low back pain trials has been increasing; what proportion of trial reports include a sample size calculation; and whether likelihood of reporting sample size calculations has increased. Clinical trials should have a sample size sufficient to detect a minimally important difference for a given power and type I error rate. An underpowered trial is one within which probability of type II error is too high. Meta-analyses do not mitigate underpowered trials. Reviewers independently abstracted data on sample size at point of analysis, whether a sample size calculation was reported, and year of publication. Descriptive analyses were used to explore ability to detect effect sizes, and regression analyses to explore the relationship between sample size, or reporting sample size calculations, and time. We included 383 trials. One-third were powered to detect a standardized mean difference of less than 0.5, and 5% were powered to detect less than 0.3. The average sample size was 153 people, which increased only slightly (∼4 people/yr) from 1980 to 2000, and declined slightly (∼4.5 people/yr) from 2005 to 2011 (P pain trials and the reporting of sample size calculations may need to be increased. It may be justifiable to power a trial to detect only large effects in the case of novel interventions. 3.

Wind increases leaf water use efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Schymanski, Stanislaus J; Or, Dani

2016-07-01

A widespread perception is that, with increasing wind speed, transpiration from plant leaves increases. However, evidence suggests that increasing wind speed enhances carbon dioxide (CO2 ) uptake while reducing transpiration because of more efficient convective cooling (under high solar radiation loads). We provide theoretical and experimental evidence that leaf water use efficiency (WUE, carbon uptake per water transpired) commonly increases with increasing wind speed, thus improving plants' ability to conserve water during photosynthesis. Our leaf-scale analysis suggests that the observed global decrease in near-surface wind speeds could have reduced WUE at a magnitude similar to the increase in WUE attributed to global rise in atmospheric CO2 concentrations. However, there is indication that the effect of long-term trends in wind speed on leaf gas exchange may be compensated for by the concurrent reduction in mean leaf sizes. These unintuitive feedbacks between wind, leaf size and water use efficiency call for re-evaluation of the role of wind in plant water relations and potential re-interpretation of temporal and geographic trends in leaf sizes. © 2015 The Authors. Plant, Cell & Environment published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dramatic response to high-dose icotinib in a lung adenocarcinoma patient after erlotinib failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Yin; Zhao, Hong; Meng, Jing; Yan, Xiang; Jiao, ShunChang

2014-02-01

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) retreatment is rarely administered for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who did not respond to previous TKI treatment. A high dose of TKI may overcome resistance to the standard dose of TKI and have different effectiveness toward cancer compared with the standard dose of TKI. This manuscript describes a dramatic and durable response to high-dose icotinib in a NSCLC patient who did not respond to a previous standard dose of erlotinib. The treatment extended the life of the patient for one additional year. A higher dose of icotinib deserves further study not only for patients whose therapy failed with the standard dose of TKI but also for newly diagnosed NSCLC patients with a sensitive mutation. Serial mutation testing during disease development is necessary for analysis and evaluation of EGFR TKI treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of region of interest size and ultrasound lesion size on the performance of 2D shear wave elastography (SWE) in solid breast masses.

Science.gov (United States)

Skerl, K; Vinnicombe, S; Giannotti, E; Thomson, K; Evans, A

2015-12-01

To evaluate the influence of the region of interest (ROI) size and lesion diameter on the diagnostic performance of 2D shear wave elastography (SWE) of solid breast lesions. A study group of 206 consecutive patients (age range 21-92 years) with 210 solid breast lesions (70 benign, 140 malignant) who underwent core biopsy or surgical excision was evaluated. Lesions were divided into small (diameter <15 mm, n=112) and large lesions (diameter ≥15 mm, n=98). An ROI with a diameter of 1, 2, and 3 mm was positioned over the stiffest part of the lesion. The maximum elasticity (Emax), mean elasticity (Emean) and standard deviation (SD) for each ROI size were compared to the pathological outcome. Statistical analysis was undertaken using the chi-square test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The ROI size used has a significant impact on the performance of Emean and SD but not on Emax. Youden's indices show a correlation with the ROI size and lesion size: generally, the benign/malignant threshold is lower with increasing ROI size but higher with increasing lesion size. No single SWE parameter has superior performance. Lesion size and ROI size influence diagnostic performance. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Experimentación dramatúrgica en Rojas Zorrilla: alternancia y simultaneidad espacial en Los trabajos de Tobías

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rubiera Fernández, Javier

2007-06-01

Full Text Available This article aims to analyse the technique used by Rojas Zorilla in a religious comedy of biblical derivation to represent, in a parallel way, dramatic actions that are simultaneously developed in very separate dramatic spaces. Although basing his approach on ancient stage procedures, by combining these with modern techniques the result is of such originality that we consider it to be «experimentation». In order to properly value his creative method, a close comparison is made between the biblical narrative, a sixteenth century auto, and a comedy by Lope de Vega that address the same subject.El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la técnica empleada por Rojas Zorrilla, en una comedia religiosa de fuente bíblica, para representar de modo paralelo acciones dramáticas que se desarrollan simultáneamente en espacios dramáticos muy alejados. A pesar de basarse en procedimientos escénicos antiguos, al combinarlo con técnicas modernas el resultado es de tal originalidad que lo calificamos de «experimentación». Para valorar debidamente su modo de componer, se hace una estrecha comparación con el relato bíblico, con un auto del siglo XVI y con una comedia de Lope de Vega que tratan el mismo tema.

Oxidation of nano-sized aluminum powders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vorozhtsov, A.B.; Lerner, M.; Rodkevich, N.; Nie, H.; Abraham, A.; Schoenitz, M.; Dreizin, E.L.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Weight gain measured in TG oxidation experiments was split between particles of different sizes. • Reaction kinetics obtained by isoconversion explicitly accounting for the effect of size distribution. • Activation energy is obtained as a function of oxide thickness for growth of amorphous alumina. • Oxidation mechanism for nanopowders remains the same as for coarser aluminum powders. - Abstract: Oxidation of aluminum nanopowders obtained by electro-exploded wires is studied. Particle size distributions are obtained from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. Thermo-gravimetric (TG) experiments are complemented by TEM and XRD studies of partially oxidized particles. Qualitatively, oxidation follows the mechanism developed for coarser aluminum powder and resulting in formation of hollow oxide shells. Sintering of particles is also observed. The TG results are processed to account explicitly for the particle size distribution and spherical shapes, so that oxidation of particles of different sizes is characterized. The apparent activation energy is obtained as a function of the reaction progress using model-free isoconversion processing of experimental data. A complete phenomenological oxidation model is then proposed assuming a spherically symmetric geometry. The oxidation kinetics of aluminum powder is shown to be unaffected by particle sizes reduced down to tens of nm. The apparent activation energy describing growth of amorphous alumina is increasing at the very early stages of oxidation. The higher activation energy is likely associated with an increasing homogeneity in the growing amorphous oxide layer, initially containing multiple defects and imperfections. The trends describing changes in both activation energy and pre-exponent of the growing amorphous oxide are useful for predicting ignition delays of aluminum particles. The kinetic trends describing activation energies and pre-exponents in a broader range of the oxide

Attention modulates visual size adaptation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreutzer, Sylvia; Fink, Gereon R; Weidner, Ralph

2015-01-01

The current study determined in healthy subjects (n = 16) whether size adaptation occurs at early, i.e., preattentive, levels of processing or whether higher cognitive processes such as attention can modulate the illusion. To investigate this issue, bottom-up stimulation was kept constant across conditions by using a single adaptation display containing both small and large adapter stimuli. Subjects' attention was directed to either the large or small adapter stimulus by means of a luminance detection task. When attention was directed toward the small as compared to the large adapter, the perceived size of the subsequent target was significantly increased. Data suggest that different size adaptation effects can be induced by one and the same stimulus depending on the current allocation of attention. This indicates that size adaptation is subject to attentional modulation. These findings are in line with previous research showing that transient as well as sustained attention modulates visual features, such as contrast sensitivity and spatial frequency, and influences adaptation in other contexts, such as motion adaptation (Alais & Blake, 1999; Lankheet & Verstraten, 1995). Based on a recently suggested model (Pooresmaeili, Arrighi, Biagi, & Morrone, 2013), according to which perceptual adaptation is based on local excitation and inhibition in V1, we conclude that guiding attention can boost these local processes in one or the other direction by increasing the weight of the attended adapter. In sum, perceptual adaptation, although reflected in changes of neural activity at early levels (as shown in the aforementioned study), is nevertheless subject to higher-order modulation.

Portion size and intended consumption. Evidence for a pre-consumption portion size effect in males?

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Eric; te Raa, Wesselien; Hardman, Charlotte A

2015-08-01

Larger portions increase energy intake (the 'portion size effect'); however, the mechanisms behind this effect are unclear. Although pre-meal intentions are thought to be an important determinant of energy intake, little research has examined how much of a meal individuals intend to eat when served standard versus larger portion sizes. Three studies examined the effect of manipulating portion size on intended food consumption. In Studies 1 (spaghetti bolognese) and 2 (curry and rice) male participants were shown an image of either a standard or a larger meal and indicated how much of the meal they intended to consume. In Study 3 male and female participants were served either a standard or a larger portion of ice cream for dessert, they indicated how much they intended to consume and then ate as much of the ice cream as they desired. Regardless of being shown standard or large portion sizes, in Studies 1 and 2 participants reported that they intended to eat the majority of the meal, equating to a large difference in intended energy consumption between portion size conditions (a 'pre-consumption portion size effect'). This finding was replicated in male participants in Study 3, although females intended to eat a smaller proportion of the larger portion of ice cream, compared to the standard portion. Both male and female participants tended to eat in accordance with their pre-meal intentions and a portion size effect on actual consumption was subsequently observed in males, but not in females. The portion size effect may be observed when measuring pre-meal intended consumption in males. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Impacts on coralligenous outcrop biodiversity of a dramatic coastal storm.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Núria Teixidó

Full Text Available Extreme events are rare, stochastic perturbations that can cause abrupt and dramatic ecological change within a short period of time relative to the lifespan of organisms. Studies over time provide exceptional opportunities to detect the effects of extreme climatic events and to measure their impacts by quantifying rates of change at population and community levels. In this study, we show how an extreme storm event affected the dynamics of benthic coralligenous outcrops in the NW Mediterranean Sea using data acquired before (2006-2008 and after the impact (2009-2010 at four different sites. Storms of comparable severity have been documented to occur occasionally within periods of 50 years in the Mediterranean Sea. We assessed the effects derived from the storm comparing changes in benthic community composition at sites exposed to and sheltered from this extreme event. The sites analyzed showed different damage from severe to negligible. The most exposed and impacted site experienced a major shift immediately after the storm, represented by changes in the species richness and beta diversity of benthic species. This site also showed higher compositional variability immediately after the storm and over the following year. The loss of cover of benthic species resulted between 22% and 58%. The damage across these species (e.g. calcareous algae, sponges, anthozoans, bryozoans, tunicates was uneven, and those with fragile forms were the most impacted, showing cover losses up to 50 to 100%. Interestingly, small patches survived after the storm and began to grow slightly during the following year. In contrast, sheltered sites showed no significant changes in all the studied parameters, indicating no variations due to the storm. This study provides new insights into the responses to large and rare extreme events of Mediterranean communities with low dynamics and long-lived species, which are among the most threatened by the effects of global change.

Signalling and the control of skeletal muscle size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otto, Anthony; Patel, Ketan

2010-01-01

Skeletal muscle is highly adaptive to environmental stimuli and can alter its mass accordingly. This tissue is almost unique in that it can increase its size through two distinct mechanisms. It can grow through a cellular process mediated by cell fusion, or it can increase its size simply by increasing its protein content. Understanding how these processes are regulated is crucial for the development of potential therapies against debilitating skeletal muscle wasting diseases. Two key signalling molecules, Insulin like Growth Factor (IGF) and GDF-8/myostatin, have emerged in recent years to be potent regulators of skeletal muscle size. In this review we bring together recent data highlighting the important and novel aspects of both molecules and their signalling pathways, culminating in a discussion of the cellular and tissue phenotypic outcomes of their stimulation or antagonism. We emphasise the complex regulatory mechanisms and discuss the temporal and spatial differences that control their action, understanding of which is crucial to further their use as potential therapeutic targets.

Signalling and the control of skeletal muscle size

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Otto, Anthony [School of Biological Sciences, Hopkins Building, University of Reading, Whiteknights Campus, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6UB (United Kingdom); Patel, Ketan, E-mail: ketan.patel@reading.ac.uk [School of Biological Sciences, Hopkins Building, University of Reading, Whiteknights Campus, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6UB (United Kingdom)

2010-11-01

Skeletal muscle is highly adaptive to environmental stimuli and can alter its mass accordingly. This tissue is almost unique in that it can increase its size through two distinct mechanisms. It can grow through a cellular process mediated by cell fusion, or it can increase its size simply by increasing its protein content. Understanding how these processes are regulated is crucial for the development of potential therapies against debilitating skeletal muscle wasting diseases. Two key signalling molecules, Insulin like Growth Factor (IGF) and GDF-8/myostatin, have emerged in recent years to be potent regulators of skeletal muscle size. In this review we bring together recent data highlighting the important and novel aspects of both molecules and their signalling pathways, culminating in a discussion of the cellular and tissue phenotypic outcomes of their stimulation or antagonism. We emphasise the complex regulatory mechanisms and discuss the temporal and spatial differences that control their action, understanding of which is crucial to further their use as potential therapeutic targets.

Changing things around: Dramatic aspect in the Pericope Adulterae (Jn 7:53–8:11

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piet van Staden

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In this article the transactional model of narrative as expounded by Louise Rosenblatt, supported by an analysis in terms of dramatic aspect, is employed to show how the interpolated scene in John 7:53–8:11 (known as the Pericope Adulterae and hereafter referred to as PA functions as a pivot of power in the gospel. The content of the scene, as well as its placement within the gospel, serves to promote an aesthetic reading that focusses attention on the experience during the reading event. Awareness of sensations, images, feelings and ideas from past experiences, as well as the sounds and rhythms of the words become important. The reader responds to the aesthetic transaction, the various elements of total experience, rather than simply to the text, during and after the reading event.

A Simple Size Effect Model for Tension Perpendicular to the Grain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, M. U.; Clorius, Christian Odin; Damkilde, Lars

2003-01-01

The strength in tension perpendicular to the grain is known to decrease with an increase in the stressed volume. Usually this size effect is explained on a stochastic basis, that is, an explanation relying on the increased probability of encountering a strength reducing flaw when the volume...... of the material under stress is increased. This paper presents an experimental investigation on specimens with a well-defined structural orientation of the material. The experiments exhibit a large size effect and the nature of the failures encountered suggests that the size effect can be explained...... on a deterministic basis. Arguments for such a simple deterministic explanation of size effect is found in finite element modelling, using the orthotropic stiffness characteristics in the transverse plane of wood....

The Life Cycle of the Centric Diatom Thalassiosira Weissflogii: Control of Gametogenesis and Cell Size

Science.gov (United States)

1990-06-01

require vitamin B12, the number of bacteria-free clones of diatoms maintained in culture increased dramatically during the fifties and sixties (Lewin...t333hlo444135 iit341333433 the vell k3 4c41 Ntoie h thel 314 331tfl IN~k A o n pe433 t 33 11111 highe3r1 ti’r On~% 34443433343333333 4111 111013 In~3

Zooplankton size selection relative to gill raker spacing in rainbow trout

Science.gov (United States)

Budy, P.; Haddix, T.; Schneidervin, R.

2005-01-01

Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss are one of the most widely stocked salmonids worldwide, often based on the assumption that they will effectively utilize abundant invertebrate food resources. We evaluated the potential for feeding morphology to affect prey selection by rainbow trout using a combination of laboratory feeding experiments and field observations in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah-Wyoming. For rainbow trout collected from the reservoir, inter-gill raker spacing averaged 1.09 mm and there was low variation among fish overall (SD = 0.28). Ninety-seven percent of all zooplankton observed in the diets of rainbow trout collected in the reservoir were larger than the interraker spacing, while only 29% of the zooplankton found in the environment were larger than the interraker spacing. Over the size range of rainbow trout evaluated here (200-475 mm), interraker spacing increased moderately with increasing fish length; however, the size of zooplankton found in the diet did not increase with increasing fish length. In laboratory experiments, rainbow trout consumed the largest zooplankton available; the mean size of zooplankton observed in the diets was significantly larger than the mean size of zooplankton available. Electivity indices for both laboratory and field observations indicated strong selection for larger-sized zooplankton. The size threshold at which electivity switched from selection against smaller-sized zooplankton to selection for larger-sized zooplankton closely corresponded to the mean interraker spacing for both groups (???1-1.2 mm). The combination of results observed here indicates that rainbow trout morphology limits the retention of different-sized zooplankton prey and reinforces the importance of understanding how effectively rainbow trout can utilize the type and sizes of different prey available in a given system. These considerations may improve our ability to predict the potential for growth and survival of rainbow trout within and

Consequences of the size structure of fish populations for their effects on a generalist avian predator.

Science.gov (United States)

Kloskowski, Janusz

2011-06-01

Size-structured interspecific interactions can shift between predation and competition, depending on ontogenetic changes in size relationships. I examined the effects of common carp (Cyprinus carpio), an omnivorous fish, on the reproductive success of the red-necked grebe (Podiceps grisegena), an avian gape-limited predator, along a fish size gradient created by stocking distinct age-cohorts in seminatural ponds. Young-of-the-year (0+) carp were an essential food source for young grebes. Only adult birds were able to consume 1-year-old (1+) fish, while 2-year-old (2+) fish attained a size refuge from grebes. Amphibian larvae were the principal alternative prey to fish, followed by macroinvertebrates, but the abundance of both dramatically decreased along the carp size gradient. Fledging success was 2.8 times greater in ponds with 0+ versus 1+ carp; in ponds with 1+ carp, chicks received on average 2.6-3 times less prey biomass from their parents, and over 1/3 of broods suffered total failure. Breeding birds avoided settling on 2+ ponds. These results show that changes in prey fish size structure can account for shifts from positive trophic effects on the avian predator to a negative impact on the predator's alternative resources. However, competition did not fully explain the decrease in grebe food resources in the presence of large fish, as carp and grebes overlapped little in diet. In experimental cages, 1+ carp totally eliminated young larvae of amphibians palatable to fish. In field conditions, breeding adults of palatable taxa avoided ponds with 1+ and older carp. Non-trophic interactions such as habitat selection by amphibians or macroinvertebrates to avoid large fish may provide an indirect mechanism strengthening the adverse bottom-up effects of fish on birds.

Attention changes perceived size of moving visual patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Anton-Erxleben, Katharina; Henrich, Christian; Treue, Stefan

2007-08-23

Spatial attention shifts receptive fields in monkey extrastriate visual cortex toward the focus of attention (S. Ben Hamed, J. R. Duhamel, F. Bremmer, & W. Graf, 2002; C. E. Connor, J. L. Gallant, D. C. Preddie, & D. C. Van Essen, 1996; C. E. Connor, D. C. Preddie, J. L. Gallant, & D. C. Van Essen, 1997; T. Womelsdorf, K. Anton-Erxleben, F. Pieper, & S. Treue, 2006). This distortion in the retinotopic distribution of receptive fields might cause distortions in spatial perception such as an increase of the perceived size of attended stimuli. Here we test for such an effect in human subjects by measuring the point of subjective equality (PSE) for the perceived size of a neutral and an attended stimulus when drawing automatic attention to one of two spatial locations. We found a significant increase in perceived size of attended stimuli. Depending on the absolute stimulus size, this effect ranged from 4% to 12% and was more pronounced for smaller than for larger stimuli. In our experimental design, an attentional effect on task difficulty or a cue bias might influence the PSE measure. We performed control experiments and indeed found such effects, but they could only account for part of the observed results. Our findings demonstrate that the allocation of transient spatial attention onto a visual stimulus increases its perceived size and additionally biases subjects to select this stimulus for a perceptual judgment.

Size dependent emission stimulation in ZnO nanosheets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torchynska, T.V.; El Filali, B.

2014-01-01

Photoluminescence (PL), X ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman scattering have been studied in crystalline ZnO nanosheets (NSs) of different sizes, estimated by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). ZnO NSs with the size from the range of 60–600 nm were created by the electrochemical (anodization) method and followed thermal annealing at 400 °C for 2 h in ambient air. XRD study confirms the wurtzite structure of ZnO NSs and has revealed that the lattice parameters increase monotonically with decreasing NS sizes. Simultaneously the intensity of a set of Raman peaks increases and Raman peaks shift into the low energy range. The surface phonon has been detected in smallest size ZnO NSs. Two types of PL bands deal with a set of phonon replicas of free excitons and the defect related emission have been detected in ZnO NSs. The intensity enhancement of exciton- and defect-related PL bands with decreasing ZnO NS sizes has been detected. The intensity stimulation of exciton-related PL bands is attributed to the realization of the week confinement and the exciton-light coupling with the formation of polariton in small size ZnO NSs of 67–170 nm. The intensity rising of defect-related PL bands is attributed to the concentration enlargement of surface defects when the surface to volume ration increases at decreasing ZnO NS sizes. Numerical simulations of radiative lifetimes and exciton radiative recombination rates in ZnO NSs for different emission wavelengths have been done using the exciton-light coupling model. Then the experimental and numerically simulated PL results have been compared and discussed. - Highlights: • Optical and structural investigations of the ZnO nanosheets with the sizes 60–600 nm. • The enlargement of interplanar distances in the wurtzite ZnO crystal lattice is detected. • The change of optic phonon energy and surface phonon appearing are reveled. • ZnO emission stimulation at the week confinement and electron-light coupling with the

Size distribution of rare earth elements in coal ash

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Clinton T.; Deonarine, Amrika; Kolker, Allan; Adams, Monique; Holland, James F.

2015-01-01

Rare earth elements (REEs) are utilized in various applications that are vital to the automotive, petrochemical, medical, and information technology industries. As world demand for REEs increases, critical shortages are expected. Due to the retention of REEs during coal combustion, coal fly ash is increasingly considered a potential resource. Previous studies have demonstrated that coal fly ash is variably enriched in REEs relative to feed coal (e.g, Seredin and Dai, 2012) and that enrichment increases with decreasing size fractions (Blissett et al., 2014). In order to further explore the REE resource potential of coal ash, and determine the partitioning behavior of REE as a function of grain size, we studied whole coal and fly ash size-fractions collected from three U.S commercial-scale coal-fired generating stations burning Appalachian or Powder River Basin coal. Whole fly ash was separated into , 5 um, to 5 to 10 um and 10 to 100 um particle size fractions by mechanical shaking using trace-metal clean procedures. In these samples REE enrichments in whole fly ash ranges 5.6 to 18.5 times that of feedcoals. Partitioning results for size separates relative to whole coal and whole fly ash will also be reported. 

Post-processing of polymer foam tissue scaffolds with high power ultrasound: A route to increased pore interconnectivity, pore size and fluid transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, N.J.; Johal, R.K.; Glover, Z.; Reinwald, Y.; White, L.J.; Ghaemmaghami, A.M.; Morgan, S.P.; Rose, F.R.A.J.; Povey, M.J.W.; Parker, N.G.

2013-01-01

The aim of this work is to demonstrate that the structural and fluidic properties of polymer foam tissue scaffolds, post-fabrication but prior to the introduction of cells, can be engineered via exposure to high power ultrasound. Our analysis is supported by measurements of fluid uptake during insonification and imaging of the scaffold microstructure via X-ray computed tomography, scanning electron microscopy and acoustic microscopy. The ultrasonic treatment is performed with a frequency of 30 kHz, average intensities up to 80,000 Wm −2 and exposure times up to 20 h. The treatment is found to increase the mean pore size by over 10%. More striking is the improvement in fluid uptake: for scaffolds with only 40% water uptake via standard immersion techniques, we can routinely achieve full saturation of the scaffold over approximately one hour of exposure. These desirable modifications occur with negligible loss of scaffold integrity and mass, and are optimized when the ultrasound treatment is coupled to a pre-wetting stage with ethanol. Our findings suggest that high power ultrasound is highly targeted towards flow obstructions in the scaffold architecture, thereby providing an efficient means to promote pore interconnectivity and fluid transport in thick foam tissue scaffolds. - Highlights: • We expose thick PLA foam tissue scaffolds to high power ultrasound. • This treatment both accelerates and enhances the uptake of fluid into the scaffold. • It leads to significant increases in the mean pore size, pore interconnectivity and porosity. • The ultrasonic treatment is most effective when the scaffold is pre-wet with ethanol. • We demonstrate the use of acoustic microscopy to characterize the scaffold microstructure

Investigation of sizing - from glass fibre surface to composite interface

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Helga Nørgaard; Kusano, Yukihiro

significantly. The usage span wide, from furniture and car components to construction materials. Even though, the concept of composites is well known and widely applied, the fundamental principles of the interaction of the constituents, in the composites are still not fully understood. This thesis is a part...... of the sizing from the glass fibre surface to the interface in composites. Through soxhlet extraction with acetone it was possible to remove a part of the sizing from the glass fibres for analysis. By burning off the sizing at 565 ºC a higher mass loss was obtained than from the extraction, indicating...... increased after the removal of sizing by extraction but also when the sizing was removed by burning. This could partly be explained by the sizing being less dense than the glass fibres. For the burned glass fibres compactment of the glass structure also yields an increase in stiffness. The fibre strength...

Increasing precipitation volatility in twenty-first-century California

Science.gov (United States)

Swain, Daniel L.; Langenbrunner, Baird; Neelin, J. David; Hall, Alex

2018-05-01

Mediterranean climate regimes are particularly susceptible to rapid shifts between drought and flood—of which, California's rapid transition from record multi-year dryness between 2012 and 2016 to extreme wetness during the 2016-2017 winter provides a dramatic example. Projected future changes in such dry-to-wet events, however, remain inadequately quantified, which we investigate here using the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble of climate model simulations. Anthropogenic forcing is found to yield large twenty-first-century increases in the frequency of wet extremes, including a more than threefold increase in sub-seasonal events comparable to California's `Great Flood of 1862'. Smaller but statistically robust increases in dry extremes are also apparent. As a consequence, a 25% to 100% increase in extreme dry-to-wet precipitation events is projected, despite only modest changes in mean precipitation. Such hydrological cycle intensification would seriously challenge California's existing water storage, conveyance and flood control infrastructure.

A model of litter size distribution in cattle.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, G L; Echternkamp, S E; Gregory, K E

1998-07-01

Genetic increases in twinning of cattle could result in increased frequency of triplet or higher-order births. There are no estimates of the incidence of triplets in populations with genetic levels of twinning over 40% because these populations either have not existed or have not been documented. A model of the distribution of litter size in cattle is proposed. Empirical estimates of ovulation rate distribution in sheep were combined with biological hypotheses about the fate of embryos in cattle. Two phases of embryo loss were hypothesized. The first phase is considered to be preimplantation. Losses in this phase occur independently (i.e., the loss of one embryo does not affect the loss of the remaining embryos). The second phase occurs after implantation. The loss of one embryo in this stage results in the loss of all embryos. Fewer than 5% triplet births are predicted when 50% of births are twins and triplets. Above 60% multiple births, increased triplets accounted for most of the increase in litter size. Predictions were compared with data from 5,142 calvings by 14 groups of heifers and cows with average litter sizes ranging from 1.14 to 1.36 calves. The predicted number of triplets was not significantly different (chi2 = 16.85, df = 14) from the observed number. The model also predicted differences in conception rates. A cow ovulating two ova was predicted to have the highest conception rate in a single breeding cycle. As mean ovulation rate increased, predicted conception to one breeding cycle increased. Conception to two or three breeding cycles decreased as mean ovulation increased because late-pregnancy failures increased. An alternative model of the fate of ova in cattle based on embryo and uterine competency predicts very similar proportions of singles, twins, and triplets but different conception rates. The proposed model of litter size distribution in cattle accurately predicts the proportion of triplets found in cattle with genetically high twinning

Integration Strategy Is a Key Step in Network-Based Analysis and Dramatically Affects Network Topological Properties and Inferring Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Nana; Wu, Deng; Gong, Yonghui; Bi, Xiaoman; Jiang, Hong; Li, Kongning; Wang, Qianghu

2014-01-01

An increasing number of experiments have been designed to detect intracellular and intercellular molecular interactions. Based on these molecular interactions (especially protein interactions), molecular networks have been built for using in several typical applications, such as the discovery of new disease genes and the identification of drug targets and molecular complexes. Because the data are incomplete and a considerable number of false-positive interactions exist, protein interactions from different sources are commonly integrated in network analyses to build a stable molecular network. Although various types of integration strategies are being applied in current studies, the topological properties of the networks from these different integration strategies, especially typical applications based on these network integration strategies, have not been rigorously evaluated. In this paper, systematic analyses were performed to evaluate 11 frequently used methods using two types of integration strategies: empirical and machine learning methods. The topological properties of the networks of these different integration strategies were found to significantly differ. Moreover, these networks were found to dramatically affect the outcomes of typical applications, such as disease gene predictions, drug target detections, and molecular complex identifications. The analysis presented in this paper could provide an important basis for future network-based biological researches. PMID:25243127

The evolution of test size in the Planktic Foraminifera

Science.gov (United States)

Fraass, A.; Huber, B. T.; Kelly, D. C.

2017-12-01

Planktic foraminifera are vital tools for understanding paleoceanography, paleoclimate, and evolution. A dataset of measurements from all planktic foraminiferal species is used here to investigate how their size changes through the late Jurassic to Recent. The mean test size of planktic foraminifera increases in the Cretaceous and the Cenozoic, with substantial drops at the Aptian/Albian boundary, in the Coniacian and Santonian, with the end-Cretaceous extinction, and across the Paleocene/Eocene boundary. The Oligocene contains only a small drop in mean size, which is surprising given the substantial extinction of planktic foraminifera at that boundary. There is a qualitative connection between mean and median size and paleoceanographic events, but several key issues remain before rigorous quantitative interrogation of the dataset can be undertaken. In general, species that originate early in a family's range are smaller than those evolving later, though this is a weak relationship. Individual families do not always conform to that finding, however, and have both increasing and decreasing family age-size relationships. The 'three faunas' concept for foraminiferal evolution fails with respect to mean and median size; each diversification has a unique rate of increase and character. Lastly, through comparison with the Schmidt et al. (2004) population-level test size dataset, the size response to climate in the low-latitudes is at the species-level. In the high-latitude regions, however, the response to climate is at the population level. Thus, methods for uncovering climate responses in planktic foraminifera must be specific to the region. Taxonomic or macroevolutionary responses dominate the tropics and global signals, while the polar regions appear to have a unique, and more microevolutionary response.Schmidt, D., Thierstein, H., Bollmann, J., & Schiebel, R. (2004). Abiotic Forcing of Plankton Evolution in the Cenozoic. Science, 303(5655), 207-210.

ADDITION POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS IN THE DIET INCREASES THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF FOLLICLES IN COWS FED UNDER TROPICAL GRAZING SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Cansino-Arroyo

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The objective was determined the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAS on the number and follicular size in cows fed under tropical grazing during the dry season and rainy season. Using a group of cows PUFAS (GA, dry: n=9 and rain: n=13 maintained under grazing continuo, which received a nutritional supplement, with the addition of 5 % of PUFAS in the supplement. A second control group (GT; dry: n=13 and rain: n=9, kept in the same conditions as the previous group, without PUFAS. The number of follicles was greater during the rainy season than during dry (P=0.0001. Cows GT nutritional supplement did not improve the number of follicles between 2 times (P ≥ 0.7. However, the addition of PUFAS to supplement increases the number of follicles during the rainy season (P=0.002. Otherwise, when the cows were ovulation hormonally stimulated are not noted an increase in the number of follicles in cows with or without PUFAS in the supplement. With these results, we can conclude that the number of follicles is affected by perceived conditions, besides that addition of PUFAS increases the number of follicles during the rainy season in tropical grazing cows.

Social polyandry, parental investment, sexual selection, and evolution of reduced female gamete size.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Malte

2004-01-01

Sexual selection in the form of sperm competition is a major explanation for small size of male gametes. Can sexual selection in polyandrous species with reversed sex roles also lead to reduced female gamete size? Comparative studies show that egg size in birds tends to decrease as a lineage evolves social polyandry. Here, a quantitative genetic model predicts that female scrambles over mates lead to evolution of reduced female gamete size. Increased female mating success drives the evolution of smaller eggs, which take less time to produce, until balanced by lowered offspring survival. Mean egg size is usually reduced and polyandry increased by increasing sex ratio (male bias) and maximum possible number of mates. Polyandry also increases with the asynchrony (variance) in female breeding start. Opportunity for sexual selection increases with the maximum number of mates but decreases with increasing sex ratio. It is well known that parental investment can affect sexual selection. The model suggests that the influence is mutual: owing to a coevolutionary feedback loop, sexual selection in females also shapes initial parental investment by reducing egg size. Feedback between sexual selection and parental investment may be common.

Sebum output as a factor contributing to the size of facial pores.

Science.gov (United States)

Roh, M; Han, M; Kim, D; Chung, K

2006-11-01

Many endogenous and exogenous factors are known to cause enlarged pilosebaceous pores. Such factors include sex, genetic predisposition, ageing, chronic ultraviolet light exposure, comedogenic xenobiotics, acne and seborrhoea. This study was an attempt to determine the factors related to enlarged pores. To assess the relationship of sebum output, age, sex, hormonal factors and severity of acne with pore size. A prospective, randomized, controlled study was designed. A total of 60 volunteers, 30 males and 30 females, were recruited for this study. Magnified images of pores were taken using a dermoscopic video camera and measured using an image analysis program. The sebum output level was measured with a Sebumeter. Using multiple linear regression analysis, increased pore size was significantly associated with increased sebum output level, sex and age. Among the variables, sebum output level correlated most with the pore size followed by male sex. In comparing male and female participants, males had higher correlation between the sebum output level and the pore size (male: r = 0.47, female: r = 0.38). Thus, additional factors seem to influence pore size in females. Pore size was significantly increased during the ovulation phase (P = 0.008), but severity of acne was not significantly associated with the pore size. Enlarged pore sizes are associated with increased sebum output level, age and male sex. In female patients, additional hormonal factors, such as those of the menstrual cycle, affect the pore size.

Economic development and family size.

Science.gov (United States)

Rios, R J

1991-01-01

The demographic transition in Latin America has resulted in increased family size rather than the Western European model of reduced family size. In 1905, both fertility and mortality were high in Latin America, but mortality declined more rapidly in Latin America than in Europe. In 1905, the crude birth rate for 15 selected countries averaged 44/1000 population. Western fertility at a comparable transition point was much lower at 30/1000. Between 1905 and 1960, fertility declines were evident in Uruguay, Argentina, Cuba, and Chile. Between 1960 and 1985, fertility declines appeared in Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, and Colombia. Fertility declines were smaller in the other Latin American countries. Crude birth rates declined markedly by 1985 but may overestimate fertility decline, which is more accurately measured by standardized birth rates. Fertility decline was evident in Argentina, Chile, and Costa Rica for standardized birth rates, survivorship ratio, and births surviving past the age of 15 years. Theoretically, families are expected to reduce family size when survivorship is assured; when mortality is 25%, only four children need be planned instead of six when mortality is 50%. A result of falling mortality is a cheaper cost of producing children, which may stimulate parents to raise bigger families. Western fertility decline has been attributed to mortality decline, urbanization, increased female labor force participation, rising wages, and more efficient contraception. Comparable economic development in Latin America has not resulted in large enough changes to encourage family size limitation. A table of fertility and economic indicators for selected countries in Latin America and Europe reflects the inverse relationship between income growth, urban growth, and growth in female educational status and fertility. The regression equation explains 60% of the variation in fertility rates among Latin American countries. Explanatory power increases to 75% when female

Dramatis persona in poetical and practical approach of dramatic text in 17th century French theory of theatre

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michał Bajer

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The idea of the dramatis persona posited by the first French theatre theorists of the Richelieu circle, Jean Chapelain and Jules de la Mesnardiere, emerges as a quite literał implementation of the Aristotelian concepts unfolded in the sixth and fifteenth chapter of his Poetics. In a later period, the third of the aforementioned group of authors, François Hédelin d’Aubignac, dismisses the Aristotelian categories, erecting his theory upon the elements adopted from the Roman theory of rhetoric. The analysis of the Persona in classical drama theory allows to reconstruct the relation between these two 17th century dramatic approaches. The former is the traditional perspective relying on the postulations of the Aristotelian theory. The latter, which is a practical grasp, is new to the 17th century’s dramatic mindset, and was formulated by abbé d’Aubignac. Whereas the axis of poetics is the structural analysis of a work of art, it is the functioning of that work of art in the theatrical process of communication between the stage and the audience that remains the core interest of the practical approach. In this process, the rhetorical effect of presence of the dramatis persona should by created in the imagination of the spectator-auditor. The subject of analysis is common to both perspectives and the discrepancies concem merely aspects of its description. Therefore poetics and practice are neither competitive nor mutually exclusive, but can both legitimately coexist in the description of the very same work of art.

Born to adapt, but not in your dreams

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mulder, Theo; Hochstenbach, Jacqueline; Dijkstra, Pieter U.; Geertzen, Jan H. B.

2008-01-01

The brain adapts to changes that take place in the body. Deprivation of input results in size reduction of cortical representations, whereas all increase in input results in all increase of representational space. Amputation forms one of the most dramatic disturbances of the integrity of the body.

The promiscuity of heterospecific lox sites increases dramatically in the presence of palindromic DNA

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mlynárová, L.; Libantová, J.; Vrba, Lukáš; Nap, J. P.

2002-01-01

Roč. 296, - (2002), s. 129-137 ISSN 0378-1119 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5051902 Keywords : DNA * Escherichia coli Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.778, year: 2002

Femoral sizing in total knee arthroplasty is rotation dependant.

Science.gov (United States)

Koninckx, Angelique; Deltour, Arnaud; Thienpont, Emmanuel

2014-12-01

The mismatch between the medio-lateral (ML) and the antero-posterior (AP) size of femoral components in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been linked to gender, ethnicity, morphotype and height differences in patients. The hypothesis of this study was that the AP size measurement of a femoral component increases with more external rotation in posterior referencing TKA. During a 2-year period, 201 patients were included in this prospective study. The AP distance of the distal femur was measured with an AP sizer of the Vanguard (Biomet, Warsaw, US) knee system. This AP sizer allows to dial in external rotation by 1° increments and to determine the femoral size with an anterior boom. AP size was noted at 0°, 3° and 5° of external rotation and then compared for ML matching. Antero-posterior and corresponding ML sizes match perfectly for the Vanguard at 0° of external rotation and a central boom position on the anterior femoral surface. Then, the anterior boom was positioned on the antero-lateral cortex and the AP size increased a mean (SD) 1 (0.5) mm. With 3° of external rotation, the AP size increased a mean (SD) 2.3 (0.4) mm and for 5° a mean (SD) 3.8 (0.3) mm (P external rotation that is dialled in during surgery. Since these parameters vary case per case, the availability of narrow components offers more surgical options to the surgeon and its importance extends beyond the gender aspect allowing different amounts of external rotation to be used without ML overhang. II.

Predator-driven brain size evolution in natural populations of Trinidadian killifish (Rivulus hartii)

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Matthew R.; Broyles, Whitnee; Beston, Shannon M.; Munch, Stephan B.

2016-01-01

Vertebrates exhibit extensive variation in relative brain size. It has long been assumed that this variation is the product of ecologically driven natural selection. Yet, despite more than 100 years of research, the ecological conditions that select for changes in brain size are unclear. Recent laboratory selection experiments showed that selection for larger brains is associated with increased survival in risky environments. Such results lead to the prediction that increased predation should favour increased brain size. Work on natural populations, however, foreshadows the opposite trajectory of evolution; increased predation favours increased boldness, slower learning, and may thereby select for a smaller brain. We tested the influence of predator-induced mortality on brain size evolution by quantifying brain size variation in a Trinidadian killifish, Rivulus hartii, from communities that differ in predation intensity. We observed strong genetic differences in male (but not female) brain size between fish communities; second generation laboratory-reared males from sites with predators exhibited smaller brains than Rivulus from sites in which they are the only fish present. Such trends oppose the results of recent laboratory selection experiments and are not explained by trade-offs with other components of fitness. Our results suggest that increased male brain size is favoured in less risky environments because of the fitness benefits associated with faster rates of learning and problem-solving behaviour. PMID:27412278

Measurements of the size dependence of the concentration of nonvolatile material in fog droplets

Science.gov (United States)

Ogren, J. A.; Noone, K. J.; Hallberg, A.; Heintzenberg, J.; Schell, D.; Berner, A.; Solly, I.; Kruisz, C.; Reischl, G.; Arends, B. G.; Wobrock, W.

1992-11-01

Measurements of the size dependence of the mass concentration of nonvolatile material dissolved and suspended in fog droplets were obtained with three complementary approaches, covering a size range from c. 1 50µm diameter: a counterflow virtual impactor, an eight-stage aerosol impactor, and a two-stage fogwater impactor. Concentrations were observed to decrease with size over the entire range, contrary to expectations of increasing concentrations at larger sizes. It is possible that the larger droplets had solute concentrations that increased with increasing size, but that the increase was too weak for the measurements to resolve. Future studies should consider the hypothesis that the droplets were coated with a surface-active substance that hindered their uptake of water.

Does litter size affect emotionality, spatial learning and memory in piglets?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fijn, Lisa; Antonides, Alexandra; Aalderink, Dave; Nordquist, Rebecca E.; van der Staay, Franz Josef

2016-01-01

Average litter size has steadily increased over the past decades in the pig farming industry. Large litters are associated with an increase of piglets born with a lower birth weight and reduced overall piglet viability. The aim of our study was to investigate whether litter size affects

Size-Dependent Dynamic Behavior of a Microcantilever Plate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoming Wang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Material length scale considerably affects the mechanical properties of microcantilever components. Recently, cantilever-plate-like structures have been commonly used, whereas the lack of studies on their size effects constrains the design, testing, and application of these structures. We have studied the size-dependent dynamic behavior of a cantilever plate based on a modified couple stress theory and the differential quadrature method in this note. The numerical solutions of microcantilever plate equation involving the size effect have been presented. We have also analyzed the bending and vibration of the microcantilever plates considering the size effect and discussed the dependence of the size effect on their geometric dimensions. The results have shown that (1 the mechanical characteristics of the cantilever plate show obvious size effects; as a result, the bending deflection of a microcantilever plate reduces whereas the natural frequency increases effectively and (2 for the plates with the same material, the size effect becomes more obvious when the plates are thinner.

Effects of Meaning and Symmetry on Judgments of Size

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reber, Rolf; Christensen, Bo T.; Meier, Beat

2014-01-01

to be judged as larger than asymmetric numbers (e.g., 43). However, recent research found that symmetric numbers were judged to be smaller than asymmetric numbers. This finding suggests that the mechanisms underlying size judgments may differ in meaningful and meaningless materials. Supporting this notion, we...... showed in Experiment 1 that meaning increased judged size, whereas symmetry decreased judged size. In the next two experiments, we excluded several alternative explanations for the differences in size judgments between meaningful and meaningless materials in earlier studies. This finding contradicts...

Synthesis of nanometer-size inorganic materials for the examination of particle size effects on heterogeneous catalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Emerson, Sean Christian

The effect of acoustic and hydrodynamic cavitation on the precipitation of inorganic catalytic materials, specifically titania supported gold, was investigated. The overall objective was to understand the fundamental factors involved in synthesizing nanometer-size catalytic materials in the 1--10 nm range in a cavitating field. Materials with grain sizes in this range have been associated with enhanced catalytic activity compared to larger grain size materials. A new chemical approach was used to produce titania supported gold by co-precipitation with higher gold yields compared to other synthesis methods. Using this approach, it was determined that acoustic cavitation was unable to influence the gold mean crystallite size compared to non-sonicated catalysts. However, gold concentration on the catalysts was found to be very important for CO oxidation activity. By decreasing the gold concentration from a weight loading of 0.50% down to approximately 0.05%, the rate of reaction per mole of gold was found to increase by a factor of 19. Hydrodynamic cavitation at low pressures (6.9--48 bar) was determined to have no effect on gold crystallite size at a fixed gold content for the same precipitation technique used in the acoustic cavitation studies. By changing the chemistry of the precipitation system, however, it was found that a synergy existed between the dilution of the gold precursor solution, the orifice diameter, and the reducing agent addition rate. Individually, these factors were found to have little effect and only their interaction allowed gold grain size control in the range of 8--80 nm. Further modification of the system chemistry and the use of hydrodynamic cavitation at pressures in excess of 690 bar allowed the systematic control of gold crystallite size in the range of 2--9 nm for catalysts containing 2.27 +/- 0.17% gold. In addition, it was shown that the enhanced mixing due to cavitation led to larger gold yields compared to classical syntheses. The

The evolution of bacterial cell size: the internal diffusion-constraint hypothesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallet, Romain; Violle, Cyrille; Fromin, Nathalie; Jabbour-Zahab, Roula; Enquist, Brian J; Lenormand, Thomas

2017-07-01

Size is one of the most important biological traits influencing organismal ecology and evolution. However, we know little about the drivers of body size evolution in unicellulars. A long-term evolution experiment (Lenski's LTEE) in which Escherichia coli adapts to a simple glucose medium has shown that not only the growth rate and the fitness of the bacterium increase over time but also its cell size. This increase in size contradicts prominent 'external diffusion' theory (EDC) predicting that cell size should have evolved toward smaller cells. Among several scenarios, we propose and test an alternative 'internal diffusion-constraint' (IDC) hypothesis for cell size evolution. A change in cell volume affects metabolite concentrations in the cytoplasm. The IDC states that a higher metabolism can be achieved by a reduction in the molecular traffic time inside of the cell, by increasing its volume. To test this hypothesis, we studied a population from the LTEE. We show that bigger cells with greater growth and CO 2 production rates and lower mass-to-volume ratio were selected over time in the LTEE. These results are consistent with the IDC hypothesis. This novel hypothesis offers a promising approach for understanding the evolutionary constraints on cell size.

Prey size selection and cannibalistic behaviour of juvenile barramundi Lates calcarifer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, F F; Qin, J G

2015-05-01

This study assessed the cannibalistic behaviour of juvenile barramundi Lates calcarifer and examined the relationship between prey size selection and energy gain of cannibals. Prey handling time and capture success by cannibals were used to estimate the ratio of energy gain to energy cost in prey selection. Cannibals selected smaller prey despite its capability of ingesting larger prey individuals. In behavioural analysis, prey handling time significantly increased with prey size, but it was not significantly affected by cannibal size. Conversely, capture success significantly decreased with the increase of both prey and cannibal sizes. The profitability indices showed that the smaller prey provides the most energy return for cannibals of all size classes. These results indicate that L. calcarifer cannibals select smaller prey for more profitable return. The behavioural analysis, however, indicates that L. calcarifer cannibals attack prey of all size at a similar rate but ingest smaller prey more often, suggesting that prey size selection is passively orientated rather than at the predator's choice. The increase of prey escape ability and morphological constraint contribute to the reduction of intracohort cannibalism as fish grow larger. This study contributes to the understanding of intracohort cannibalism and development of strategies to reduce fish cannibalistic mortalities. © 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Promotion of alternative-sized personal protective equipment.

Science.gov (United States)

Flynn, Michael A; Keller, Brenna; DeLaney, Sheli C

2017-12-01

With more diversity in the workforce, companies are producing PPE such as hard hats, safety glasses, coveralls, foot protection, and safety harnesses for a larger range of body shapes and sizes. However, gray literature reports suggest that barriers exist to getting alternate sized PPE from the manufacturer to the workers who need it. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which alternative-sized PPE is marketed. A web-based review of seven major manufacturers of PPE was conducted to determine: (a) whether or not they offer alternative-sized products, (b) if these products are clearly labeled, and (c) if images used to display PPE are representative of a diverse workforce. Of the seven PPE manufacturers investigated, six had at least one product that was marketed as gender and/or size alternatives however, alternative sizes were more common for larger body types. Alternative-sized products rarely included size charts, and the models used to display PPE were overwhelmingly white males of average size. Despite the growing availability of alternative-sized PPE, it can be difficult to find these products, which suggests that they are rarely promoted or labeled as alternative-sized. Our study indicates that companies should expand their product lines and more aggressively market and promote these items. Guidance on how to properly fit their products would also be extremely helpful to the end-user. Manufacturers could improve the availability of alternative-sized PPE and increase their promotion of these products on their websites and in their catalogs. Individual companies and safety professionals may assist in this process by demonstrating demand for alternative-sized PPE. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Survival analysis and classification methods for forest fire size.

Science.gov (United States)

Tremblay, Pier-Olivier; Duchesne, Thierry; Cumming, Steven G

2018-01-01

Factors affecting wildland-fire size distribution include weather, fuels, and fire suppression activities. We present a novel application of survival analysis to quantify the effects of these factors on a sample of sizes of lightning-caused fires from Alberta, Canada. Two events were observed for each fire: the size at initial assessment (by the first fire fighters to arrive at the scene) and the size at "being held" (a state when no further increase in size is expected). We developed a statistical classifier to try to predict cases where there will be a growth in fire size (i.e., the size at "being held" exceeds the size at initial assessment). Logistic regression was preferred over two alternative classifiers, with covariates consistent with similar past analyses. We conducted survival analysis on the group of fires exhibiting a size increase. A screening process selected three covariates: an index of fire weather at the day the fire started, the fuel type burning at initial assessment, and a factor for the type and capabilities of the method of initial attack. The Cox proportional hazards model performed better than three accelerated failure time alternatives. Both fire weather and fuel type were highly significant, with effects consistent with known fire behaviour. The effects of initial attack method were not statistically significant, but did suggest a reverse causality that could arise if fire management agencies were to dispatch resources based on a-priori assessment of fire growth potentials. We discuss how a more sophisticated analysis of larger data sets could produce unbiased estimates of fire suppression effect under such circumstances.