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Sample records for harvest deterioration ppd

  1. Variation in cassava germplasm for tolerance to post-harvest physiological deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venturini, M T; Santos, L R; Vildoso, C I A; Santos, V S; Oliveira, E J

    2016-05-06

    Tolerant varieties can effectively control post-harvest physiological deterioration (PPD) of cassava, although knowledge on the genetic variability and inheritance of this trait is needed. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters and identify sources of tolerance to PPD and their stability in cassava accessions. Roots from 418 cassava accessions, grown in four independent experiments, were evaluated for PPD tolerance 0, 2, 5, and 10 days post-harvest. Data were transformed into area under the PPD-progress curve (AUP-PPD) to quantify tolerance. Genetic parameters, stability (Si), adaptability (Ai), and the joint analysis of stability and adaptability (Zi) were obtained via residual maximum likelihood (REML) and best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) methods. Variance in the genotype (G) x environment (E) interaction and genotypic variance were important for PPD tolerance. Individual broad-sense heritability (hg(2)= 0.38 ± 0.04) and average heritability in accessions (hmg(2)= 0.52) showed high genetic control of PPD tolerance. Genotypic correlation of AUP-PPD in different experiments was of medium magnitude (ȓgA = 0.42), indicating significant G x E interaction. The predicted genotypic values o f G x E free of interaction (û + ĝi) showed high variation. Of the 30 accessions with high Zi, 19 were common to û + ĝi, Si, and Ai parameters. The genetic gain with selection of these 19 cassava accessions was -55.94, -466.86, -397.72, and -444.03% for û + ĝi, Si, Ai, and Zi, respectively, compared with the overall mean for each parameter. These results demonstrate the variability and potential of cassava germplasm to introduce PPD tolerance in commercial varieties.

  2. RNAi inhibition of feruloyl CoA 6'-hydroxylase reduces scopoletin biosynthesis and post-harvest physiological deterioration in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) storage roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shi; Zainuddin, Ima M; Vanderschuren, Herve; Doughty, James; Beeching, John R

    2017-05-01

    Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a major world crop, whose storage roots provide food for over 800 million throughout the humid tropics. Despite many advantages as a crop, the development of cassava is seriously constrained by the rapid post-harvest physiological deterioration (PPD) of its roots that occurs within 24-72 h of harvest, rendering the roots unpalatable and unmarketable. PPD limits cassava's marketing possibilities in countries that are undergoing increased development and urbanisation due to growing distances between farms and consumers. The inevitable wounding of the roots caused by harvesting triggers an oxidative burst that spreads throughout the cassava root, together with the accumulation of secondary metabolites including phenolic compounds, of which the coumarin scopoletin (7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one) is the most abundant. Scopoletin oxidation yields a blue-black colour, which suggests its involvement in the discoloration observed during PPD. Feruloyl CoA 6'-hydroxylase is a controlling enzyme in the biosynthesis of scopoletin. The cassava genome contains a seven membered family of feruloyl CoA 6'-hydroxylase genes, four of which are expressed in the storage root and, of these, three were capable of functionally complementing Arabidopsis T-DNA insertion mutants in this gene. A RNA interference construct, designed to a highly conserved region of these genes, was used to transform cassava, where it significantly reduced feruloyl CoA 6'-hydroxylase gene expression, scopoletin accumulation and PPD symptom development. Collectively, our results provide evidence that scopoletin plays a major functional role in the development of PPD symptoms, rather than merely paralleling symptom development in the cassava storage root.

  3. Fungi associated with post-harvest deterioration of dried Clarias ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Fungi associated with post-harvest deterioration of dried Clarias gariepinus vended in some ... Journal of Aquatic Sciences ... Results revealed that fish samples from okpokpo market contained highest number (10) of fungal isolates while samples from Afaha ... Key Words: Mycoflora, isolation, fungi, Fusarium, C. gariepinus ...

  4. iTRAQ-based analysis of changes in the cassava root proteome reveals pathways associated with post-harvest physiological deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owiti, Judith; Grossmann, Jonas; Gehrig, Peter; Dessimoz, Christophe; Laloi, Christophe; Hansen, Maria Benn; Gruissem, Wilhelm; Vanderschuren, Hervé

    2011-07-01

    The short storage life of harvested cassava roots is an important constraint that limits the full potential of cassava as a commercial food crop in developing countries. We investigated the molecular changes during physiological deterioration of cassava root after harvesting using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) of proteins in soluble and non-soluble fractions prepared during a 96 h post-harvest time course. Combining bioinformatic approaches to reduce information redundancy for unsequenced or partially sequenced plant species, we established a comprehensive proteome map of the cassava root and identified quantitatively regulated proteins. Up-regulation of several key proteins confirmed that physiological deterioration of cassava root after harvesting is an active process, with 67 and 170 proteins, respectively, being up-regulated early and later after harvesting. This included regulated proteins that had not previously been associated with physiological deterioration after harvesting, such as linamarase, glutamic acid-rich protein, hydroxycinnamoyl transferase, glycine-rich RNA binding protein, β-1,3-glucanase, pectin methylesterase, maturase K, dehydroascorbate reductase, allene oxide cyclase, and proteins involved in signal pathways. To confirm the regulation of these proteins, activity assays were performed for selected enzymes. Together, our results show that physiological deterioration after harvesting is a highly regulated complex process involving proteins that are potential candidates for biotechnology approaches to reduce such deterioration. © 2011 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Monitoring contact sensitization to p-phenylenediamine (PPD) by patch testing with PPD 0.3% in petrolatum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geier, Johannes; Ballmer-Weber, Barbara K; Dickel, Heinrich; Frosch, Peter J; Bircher, Andreas; Weisshaar, Elke; Hillen, Uwe

    2013-07-01

    Being a contact allergen of general relevance, p-phenylenediamine (PPD) is patch tested in the baseline series. However, PPD 1% in petrolatum may actively sensitize. Patch testing with PPD at 0.35% pet. proved to be safe, as far as active sensitization is concerned. To determine whether PPD 0.3% pet. reliably detects PPD sensitization. Patch testing with PPD 0.3% pet. and 1% pet. synchronously was performed in consecutive patients in a multicentre study within the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology. Altogether, 2042 patients were patch tested. PPD 1% pet. yielded 6.0% positive reactions (n = 123), and PPD 0.3% pet. yielded 4.7% (n = 95). The synchronous reproducibility of PPD reactions was similar as known from parallel patch tests with identical PPD concentrations. The diagnostic properties of PPD 0.3% pet. expressed as reaction index and positivity ratio were good. Of the 123 patients reacting to PPD 1% pet., 32 (26%) had no positive reaction to PPD 0.3% pet. In 22 of these 32 patients (69%), no clinical relevance could be found. As patch testing with PPD 0.3% pet. is reliable according to our results, we recommend replacing PPD 1% pet. in the baseline series with PPD 0.3% pet. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Main: PPD202 [AT Atlas

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available PPD202 PPD2 Overexpression of membrane protein by high-density culture that uses Es...aduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University J. Mol. Biol. (1996) 8757792 PPD202.csml ...

  7. Post-Harvest Deterioration of Cassava and its Control Using Extracts of Azadirachta Indica and Aframomum Melegueta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. N. Okigbo

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Post-harvest deterioration is the most important cause of loss in cassava production and this is mainly as a result of microbial invasion of the tubers. This research was therefore carried out to identify and control the organisms responsible for post-harvest deterioration of cassava tubers. Ethanolic and water extractions of Azadirachta Indica (A. Juss leaves and Aframomum melegueta (Schumann seeds were used as antifungal agents and the susceptibility of four of the isolated pathogenic fungi to them was observed in culture. The tested organisms were Aspergillus niger Van Tiegh, Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat, Fusarium solani (Mart. Sacc and Penicillium oxalicum Currie and Thom. All tested organisms showed different degrees of inhibitions by the extracts with A. niger being the most inhibited by ethanolic extraction of A. melegueta. The overall result showed that A. indica was more active on the organisms though it’s effects and that of A. melegueta were not significantly different (P>0.05.

  8. Main: PPD203 [AT Atlas

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available PPD203 PPD2 LED light for Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) detection Development of ...innovative methods to support membrane protein crystallization Hiroaki Kato Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University PPD203.csml ...

  9. Main: PPD301 [AT Atlas

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available PPD301 PPD3 Antibody production for Membrane Protein Crystallization Antibody produ...al analyses of some membrane proteins in complex with their antibody fragments confirmed the high-resolution nature of the antibody co-crystallisation approach. PPD301.csml ...

  10. Main: PPD201 [AT Atlas

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available PPD201 PPD2 Overexpression of mammal origin membrane protein by high-density cultur...roaki Kato Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University Nat Protoc (2006)|Protein Expr. Purif. (2009)|Biotechnol. Prog. (1996) 17406338|8845106|18984054 PPD201.csml ...

  11. Main: PPD101 [AT Atlas

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available PPD101 PPD1 Development of novel affinity tag system for the high-quality productio...uantification, purification and tag removal for a variety of proteins. MPB3|MPB4 Protein Sci. (2008)|Hybridoma. (2008)|J Proteomics. (2010) 18787202|20566373|18847346 PPD101.csml ...

  12. Enhanced reactive oxygen species scavenging by overproduction of superoxide dismutase and catalase delays postharvest physiological deterioration of cassava storage roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jia; Duan, Xiaoguang; Yang, Jun; Beeching, John R; Zhang, Peng

    2013-03-01

    Postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD) of cassava (Manihot esculenta) storage roots is the result of a rapid oxidative burst, which leads to discoloration of the vascular tissues due to the oxidation of phenolic compounds. In this study, coexpression of the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging enzymes copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (MeCu/ZnSOD) and catalase (MeCAT1) in transgenic cassava was used to explore the intrinsic relationship between ROS scavenging and PPD occurrence. Transgenic cassava plants integrated with the expression cassette p54::MeCu/ZnSOD-35S::MeCAT1 were confirmed by Southern-blot analysis. The expression of MeCu/ZnSOD and MeCAT1 was verified by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzymatic activity analysis both in the leaves and storage roots. Under exposure to the ROS-generating reagent methyl viologen or to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the transgenic plants showed higher enzymatic activities of SOD and CAT than the wild-type plants. Levels of malondialdehyde, chlorophyll degradation, lipid peroxidation, and H2O2 accumulation were dramatically reduced in the transgenic lines compared with the wild type. After harvest, the storage roots of transgenic cassava lines show a delay in their PPD response of at least 10 d, accompanied by less mitochondrial oxidation and H2O2 accumulation, compared with those of the wild type. We hypothesize that this is due to the combined ectopic expression of Cu/ZnSOD and CAT leading to an improved synergistic ROS-scavenging capacity of the roots. Our study not only sheds light on the mechanism of the PPD process but also develops an effective approach for delaying the occurrence of PPD in cassava.

  13. Distribution of photoperiod-insensitive alleles Ppd-B1a and Ppd-D1a and their effect on heading time in Japanese wheat cultivars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seki, Masako; Chono, Makiko; Matsunaka, Hitoshi; Fujita, Masaya; Oda, Shunsuke; Kubo, Katashi; Kiribuchi-Otobe, Chikako; Kojima, Hisayo; Nishida, Hidetaka; Kato, Kenji

    2011-12-01

    The genotypes of photoperiod response genes Ppd-B1 and Ppd-D1 in Japanese wheat cultivars were determined by a PCR-based method, and heading times were compared among genotypes. Most of the Japanese wheat cultivars, except those from the Hokkaido region, carried the photoperiod-insensitive allele Ppd-D1a, and heading was accelerated 10.3 days compared with the Ppd-D1b genotype. Early cultivars with Ppd-D1a may have been selected to avoid damage from preharvest rain. In the Hokkaido region, Ppd-D1a frequency was lower and heading date was late regardless of Ppd-D1 genotype, suggesting another genetic mechanism for late heading in Hokkaido cultivars. In this study, only 11 cultivars proved to carry Ppd-B1a, and all of them carried another photoperiod-insensitive allele, Ppd-D1a. The Ppd-B1a/Ppd-D1a genotype headed 6.7 days earlier than the Ppd-B1b/Ppd-D1a genotype, indicating a significant effect of Ppd-B1a in the genetic background with Ppd-D1a. Early-maturity breeding in Japan is believed to be accelerated by the introduction of the Ppd-B1a allele into medium-heading cultivars carrying Ppd-D1a. Pedigree analysis showed that Ppd-B1a in three extra-early commercial cultivars was inherited from 'Shiroboro 21' by early-heading Chugoku lines bred at the Chugoku Agriculture Experimental Station.

  14. 9 CFR 113.409 - Tuberculin-PPD Bovis, Intradermic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Tuberculin-PPD Bovis, Intradermic. 113... REQUIREMENTS Diagnostics and Reagents § 113.409 Tuberculin—PPD Bovis, Intradermic. Tuberculin—PPD Bovis... completed product from each serial shall be subjected to a comparison specificity test using a Reference PPD...

  15. Synthesis of p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) using Supercritical Ammonia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Hang-Kyu; Lim, Jong Sung

    2015-01-01

    In this study, investigated the synthesis method of p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) by amination of p-Diiodobenzene (PDIB) under supercritical ammonia and CuI catalyst conditions. We examined the effects of various process variables (e.g., reaction temperature, pressure, amount of ammonia inserted, amount of catalyst inserted, and reaction time) on the production yield of PPD by analyzing the Gas Chromatography (GC). The experimental results demonstrated that PPD was not produced under non-catalyst conditions, and PPD production yield increased with increasing temperature, pressure, amount of catalyst inserted, and reaction time. However, for the reaction temperature case, it was found that 200 .deg. C was the optimal temperature, because thermal degradation of PPD occurred above 250 .deg. C. In addition, we confirmed the structure of PPD and the bonding characteristics of the amine group via FT-IR and H-NMR analysis

  16. Synthesis of p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) using Supercritical Ammonia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Hang-Kyu; Lim, Jong Sung [Sogang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-02-15

    In this study, investigated the synthesis method of p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) by amination of p-Diiodobenzene (PDIB) under supercritical ammonia and CuI catalyst conditions. We examined the effects of various process variables (e.g., reaction temperature, pressure, amount of ammonia inserted, amount of catalyst inserted, and reaction time) on the production yield of PPD by analyzing the Gas Chromatography (GC). The experimental results demonstrated that PPD was not produced under non-catalyst conditions, and PPD production yield increased with increasing temperature, pressure, amount of catalyst inserted, and reaction time. However, for the reaction temperature case, it was found that 200 .deg. C was the optimal temperature, because thermal degradation of PPD occurred above 250 .deg. C. In addition, we confirmed the structure of PPD and the bonding characteristics of the amine group via FT-IR and H-NMR analysis.

  17. Antitumor activity of ginseng sapogenins, 25-OH-PPD and 25-OCH3-PPD, on gastric cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Chen; Su, Guangyue; Wang, Xude; Zhang, Xiaoshu; Guo, Shuang; Zhao, Yuqing

    2016-01-01

    25-Hydroxyprotopanaxadiol (25-OH-PPD) and 25-methoxylprotopanaxadiol (25-OCH3-PPD), two ginseng sapogenins, have potent antitumor activity and their effects on gastric cancer (BGC-823, SGC-7901, MKN-28) cells and a gastric mucosa (GES-1) cell line are reported. Both compounds significantly inhibited the growth of gastric cancer cells, while having lesser inhibitory effects on GES-1 cells by MTT assay. A mechanistic study revealed that the two ginseng sapogenins could induce apoptosis in BGC-823 cells by morphological observation, DNA fragmentation, flow cytometry and western blot analysis. Besides, the apoptosis was inhibited by Ac-DEVD-CHO, a caspase 3 inhibitor, which was confirmed by cell viability analysis. These results indicate that 25-OH-PPD and 25-OCH3-PPD have potential to be promising agents for the treatment of gastric cancer.

  18. XENON IN THE PROTOPLANETARY DISK (PPD-Xe)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marti, K.; Mathew, K. J., E-mail: kattathu.mathew@srs.gov [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States)

    2015-06-20

    Relationships among solar system Xe components as observed in the solar wind, in planetary atmospheres, and in meteorites are investigated using isotopic correlations. The term PPD-Xe is used for components inferred to have been present in the molecular cloud material that formed the protoplanetary disk (PPD). The evidence of the lack of simple relationships between terrestrial atmospheric Xe and solar or meteoritic components is confirmed. Xe isotopic correlations indicate a heterogeneous PPD composition with variable mixing ratios of the nucleosynthetic component Xe-HL. Solar Xe represents a bulk PPD component, and the isotopic abundances did not change from the time of incorporation into the interior of Mars through times of regolith implantations to the present.

  19. XENON IN THE PROTOPLANETARY DISK (PPD-Xe)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marti, K.; Mathew, K. J.

    2015-01-01

    Relationships among solar system Xe components as observed in the solar wind, in planetary atmospheres, and in meteorites are investigated using isotopic correlations. The term PPD-Xe is used for components inferred to have been present in the molecular cloud material that formed the protoplanetary disk (PPD). The evidence of the lack of simple relationships between terrestrial atmospheric Xe and solar or meteoritic components is confirmed. Xe isotopic correlations indicate a heterogeneous PPD composition with variable mixing ratios of the nucleosynthetic component Xe-HL. Solar Xe represents a bulk PPD component, and the isotopic abundances did not change from the time of incorporation into the interior of Mars through times of regolith implantations to the present

  20. Xenon in the Protoplanetary Disk (PPD-Xe)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marti, K.; Mathew, K. J.

    2015-06-01

    Relationships among solar system Xe components as observed in the solar wind, in planetary atmospheres, and in meteorites are investigated using isotopic correlations. The term PPD-Xe is used for components inferred to have been present in the molecular cloud material that formed the protoplanetary disk (PPD). The evidence of the lack of simple relationships between terrestrial atmospheric Xe and solar or meteoritic components is confirmed. Xe isotopic correlations indicate a heterogeneous PPD composition with variable mixing ratios of the nucleosynthetic component Xe-HL. Solar Xe represents a bulk PPD component, and the isotopic abundances did not change from the time of incorporation into the interior of Mars through times of regolith implantations to the present.

  1. Is PPD a useful screening agent?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koopmans, A.K.; Bruynzeel, D.P.

    2003-01-01

    In this study, the usefulness was assessed of para-phenylenediamine (PPD) base as a marker for contact allergy to para-compounds and disperse dyes. 59 patients with a positive reaction to PPD were patch tested with a series of para compounds and disperse dyes. This dyes series was also tested in

  2. Distribution of photoperiod-insensitive alleles Ppd-B1a and Ppd-D1a and their effect on heading time in Japanese wheat cultivars

    OpenAIRE

    Seki, Masako; Chono, Makiko; Matsunaka, Hitoshi; Fujita, Masaya; Oda, Shunsuke; Kubo, Katashi; Kiribuchi-Otobe, Chikako; Kojima, Hisayo; Nishida, Hidetaka; Kato, Kenji

    2011-01-01

    The genotypes of photoperiod response genes Ppd-B1 and Ppd-D1 in Japanese wheat cultivars were determined by a PCR-based method, and heading times were compared among genotypes. Most of the Japanese wheat cultivars, except those from the Hokkaido region, carried the photoperiod-insensitive allele Ppd-D1a, and heading was accelerated 10.3 days compared with the Ppd-D1b genotype. Early cultivars with Ppd-D1a may have been selected to avoid damage from preharvest rain. In the Hokkaido region, Pp...

  3. The level of PPD-specific IFN-gamma-producing CD4+ T cells in the blood predicts the in vivo response to PPD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martins, Marcia Valéria B S; Lima, Mônica Cristina B S; Duppre, Nadia C; Matos, Haroldo J; Spencer, John S; Brennan, Patrick J; Sarno, Euzenir N; Fonseca, Leila; Pereira, Geraldo M B; Pessolani, Maria Cristina V

    2007-05-01

    There are no reliable means for detecting subclinical mycobacterial infections. The recent sequencing of several mycobacterial genomes has now afforded new opportunities for the development of pathogen-specific diagnostic tests, critical in the context of leprosy and tuberculosis control. In the present study, we applied a multi-parametric flow cytometric analysis that allowed the investigation of T-cell functions in order to define immunological markers that measure previous exposure to mycobacteria. We compared the in vivo response to PPD, the gold standard skin test reagent for measuring previous exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, with in vitro parameters of leukocyte activation in five PPD positive and five PPD negative healthy volunteers. PPD-stimulated peripheral leukocytes expressing CD4, CD69, cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen (CLA) and intracellular IFN-gamma were enumerated in whole blood and compared with the size of in vivo PPD-induced induration and IFN-gamma production levels as measured by ELISA in supernatants of PPD-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The reactivity to the tuberculin skin test (TST) was associated with markedly increased frequencies of PPD-responsive activated (CD69+) and IFN-gamma-producing CD4+T cells. Detection of PPD-specific IFN-gamma producing leukocytes was restricted to CD4+T cells and a subset of these cells was shown to express the skin homing molecule CLA. Multiple linear regression modeling of responses to PPD showed the highest association between skin test indurations and frequencies of PPD-responsive IFN-gamma-producing CD4+CD69+ T cells. Our data show that the in vitro enumeration of antigen-specific IFN-gamma-producing CD4+ T cells can provide an alternative to the in vivo tuberculin test for the detection of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Moreover, the measurement of these immunological parameters can be useful for the screening of new specific antigens defined by the genome

  4. Prevalence of positive ppd in a cohort of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamborenea, Maria Natalia; Tate, Guillermo; Mysler, Eduardo; Debonis, Jose; Schijedman, Adrian

    2010-03-01

    The main objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of positive and anergic tuberculin skin test (ppd) in a rheumatoid arthritis cohort of patients (RA) and assess the association among ppd results and clinical and treatment variables. Patients with RA diagnosis were included. The ppd was done by Mantoux method. Positive result was considered when indurations were equal or greater than 5 mm. Anergic reaction was defined when the indurations was 0 mm. We included 105 patients (N = 105). The prevalence of positive ppd was 12.4% (n = 13), while the 87.6% (n = 92) presented a negative result. The 69.5% (n = 73) of the population were anergic to ppd. Patients with negative result received higher steroids dosages than patients with positive ppd (p ppd (p = 0.021, OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.55-0.95). Anergic and non-anergic patients were separated in groups, and a new analysis was done. The higher dosage of methotrexate was associated to tuberculine anergy (p = 0.025). In the multivariable model, the methotrexate dosage was a significant and independent predictor of tuberculine anergy (p = 0.005, OR 1.14, 95% CIs 1.04-1.24). In conclusion, in our cohort, the prevalence of positive ppd was lower than others studies. Among analyzed variables, the high steroid dose was a significant and independent predictor of negative ppd. The methotrexate treatment and dose were associated with ppd anergy.

  5. Ppd-1 is a key regulator of inflorescence architecture and paired spikelet development in wheat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boden, Scott A; Cavanagh, Colin; Cullis, Brian R; Ramm, Kerrie; Greenwood, Julian; Jean Finnegan, E; Trevaskis, Ben; Swain, Steve M

    2015-01-26

    The domestication of cereal crops such as wheat, maize, rice and barley has included the modification of inflorescence architecture to improve grain yield and ease harvesting(1). Yield increases have often been achieved through modifying the number and arrangement of spikelets, which are specialized reproductive branches that form part of the inflorescence. Multiple genes that control spikelet development have been identified in maize, rice and barley(2-5). However, little is known about the genetic underpinnings of this process in wheat. Here, we describe a modified spikelet arrangement in wheat, termed paired spikelets. Combining comprehensive QTL and mutant analyses, we show that Photoperiod-1 (Ppd-1), a pseudo-response regulator gene that controls photoperiod-dependent floral induction, has a major inhibitory effect on paired spikelet formation by regulating the expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)(6,7). These findings show that modulated expression of the two important flowering genes, Ppd-1 and FT, can be used to form a wheat inflorescence with a more elaborate arrangement and increased number of grain producing spikelets.

  6. Identification of proteins from tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) by LC-MS/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borsuk, Sibele; Newcombe, Jane; Mendum, Tom A; Dellagostin, Odir A; McFadden, Johnjoe

    2009-11-01

    The tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) is a widely used diagnostic antigen for tuberculosis, however it is poorly defined. Most mycobacterial proteins are extensively denatured by the procedure employed in its preparation, which explains previous difficulties in identifying constituents from PPD to characterize their behaviour in B- and T-cell reactions. We here described a proteomics-based characterization of PPD from several different sources by LC-MS/MS, which combines the solute separation power of HPLC, with the detection power of a mass spectrometer. The technique is able to identify proteins from complex mixtures of peptide fragments. A total of 171 different proteins were identified among the four PPD samples (two bovine PPD and two avium PPD) from Brazil and UK. The majority of the proteins were cytoplasmic (77.9%) and involved in intermediary metabolism and respiration (24.25%) but there was a preponderance of proteins involved in lipid metabolism. We identified a group of 21 proteins that are present in both bovine PPD but were not detected in avium PPD preparation. In addition, four proteins found in bovine PPD are absent in Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine strain. This study provides a better understanding of the tuberculin PPD components leading to the identification of additional antigens useful as reagents for specific diagnosis of tuberculosis.

  7. Estimativa da prevalência de infeccções micobacterianas em escolares na Guanabara, através de testes intradérmicos com PPD-Rt 23 E PPD-B

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliana Dessaune Madeira Christovão

    1975-06-01

    Full Text Available Foram testados 543 escolares do Estado da Guanabara, Brasil, na faixa etária de 12 a 14 anos, quanto à hipersensibilidade tuberculínica ao PPD-Rt 23 e ao PPD-B. Confirmou-se a alta prevalência de sensibilidade às tuberculoproteínas em crianças, obtendo-se 33,65% de reatores fortes ao PPD-Rt 23. Da população estudada 85,63% reagiu ao PPD-B, sendo que 6,26% apresentou reação maior a esta tuberculina que ao PPD-Rt 23, sugerindo uma hipersensibilização pelo bacilo Battey, ou outra microbactéria mais relacionada antigenicamente a esse microrganismo que ao Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

  8. [Pattern of serum cytokines in patients with rheumatoid artritis according to PPD reactivity].

    Science.gov (United States)

    de León Pandolfi, Darío Ponce; Pastor Asurza, César; Beraun, Yasmina; Acevedo-Vásquez, Eduardo; Sánchez-Torres, Alfredo; Alfaro Lozano, José; Perich Campos, Risto; Cucho Venegas, Mariano; Gutiérrez Villafuerte, César; Sánchez Schwartz, César

    2006-11-01

    We demonstrated, in a recently published study, far more PPD negative reactivity among patients who had RA (70%) than among controls (30%). To evaluate the hypothesis that different response to PPD in RA patients is associated with different profiles of serum cytokines, we compared the serum levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF alpha and IFN gamma from PPD negative and PPD positive RA patients. We also evaluated any correlations between serum cytokines and RA activity. Forty RA patients and 21 controls were enrolled. Those with an induration PPD. Disease activity was calculated using DAS28. Plasma levels of cytokines were determined using the multiplex BD TM Cytometric Bead Array Kit Assay. Of the RA patients, 27 (67.5%) had negative reaction to PPD and 13 (32.5%) a positive reaction to PPD. There was no statistical difference in sex profile, age or activity index between both negative and positive PPD RA patients. There was no significant difference in all the cytokines measured between PPD positive and PPD negative RA patients. Index activity show a positive correlation with IFN gamma (r = 0.433; p = 0.005) and IL-6 (r = 0.325; p = 0.041) in RA patients. Positive and negative tuberculin RA patients seem to show a similar cytokine serum profile. Copyright © 2006 Elsevier España S.L. Barcelona. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  9. The effects of tungstate on skin lesions caused by PPD in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang-Hee; Cho, Hyun-Gug; Lee, Sang-Il

    2008-04-01

    P-phenylenediamine (PPD) has been used as one of the ingredients in hair dye. The purpose of this study is to investigate the skin toxicity of PPD application in a tungstate-induced xanthine oxidase (XO) deficient animal model. PPD (2.5% PPD in 2% NH4OH) was applied to rat skin (25 mg/16.5 cm2) five times every other day in rats fed a standard diet (SD) or a tungstate supplemented diet (TD). The skin structure in the SD and the TD group was intact, whereas XO activity was not detected in the TD group during experimental periods. Furthermore, there were no differences between the SD and the TD group in dermal reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes. In these experimental conditions, although XO activity was not detected in the applied PPD rats fed a tungstate supplemented diet (PTD) group, it showed more severe tissue damage compared with the applied PPD rats fed a standard diet (PSD) group. In addition, the PTD group showed higher increased rates of ROS scavenging enzyme activity and lipid peroxide (LPO) content, and decreased glutathione (GSH) content than in the PSD group. In conclusion, the increase of PPD dermal toxicity in tungstate-induced XO deficient animals may be due to excessive ROS via ROS imbalance during PPD skin application.

  10. 20(s)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD) increases the radiotherapy sensitivity of laryngeal carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teng, Bo; Zhao, Lijing; Gao, Jing; He, Peng; Li, Hejie; Chen, Junyu; Feng, Qingjie; Yi, Chunhui

    2017-12-13

    Laryngeal carcinoma (LC) is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors in the head and neck area. Due to its high morbidity and mortality, LC poses a serious threat to human life and health. Even with surgical removal, some patients were not sensitive to radiotherapy or experienced transfer or recurrence. 20(s)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD), a natural product from Panax ginseng, has been reported to have cytotoxic effects against several cancer cell lines. However, whether it can improve the radiation sensitivity and the underlying mechanism of PPD's sensitization effect is still unknown. Herein, from in vitro and in vivo experiments, we found that the combination of PPD and radiation not only significantly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis, but also suppressed the tumor growth in mouse models. These findings confirmed the role of PPD in enhancing the sensitivity of radiotherapy. Moreover, our work showed that the expression levels of mTOR and its downstream effectors decreased remarkably after PPD addition when compared to radiation only. This result suggested that PPD's excellent synergistic effects with radiation might be associated with the down-regulation of the mTOR signaling pathway in Hep-2 cells.

  11. Data supporting the role of enzymes and polysaccharides during cassava postharvest physiological deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uarrota, Virgílio Gavicho; Moresco, Rodolfo; Schmidt, Eder Carlos; Bouzon, Zenilda Laurita; da Costa Nunes, Eduardo; de Oliveira Neubert, Enilto; Peruch, Luiz Augusto Martins; Rocha, Miguel; Maraschin, Marcelo

    2016-03-01

    This data article is referred to the research article entitled The role of ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, and polysaccharides in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) roots under postharvest physiological deterioration by Uarrota et al. (2015). Food Chemistry 197, Part A, 737-746. The stress duo to PPD of cassava roots leads to the formation of ROS which are extremely harmful and accelerates cassava spoiling. To prevent or alleviate injuries from ROS, plants have evolved antioxidant systems that include non-enzymatic and enzymatic defence systems such as ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase and polysaccharides. In this data article can be found a dataset called "newdata", in RData format, with 60 observations and 06 variables. The first 02 variables (Samples and Cultivars) and the last 04, spectrophotometric data of ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, tocopherol, total proteins and arcsined data of cassava PPD scoring. For further interpretation and analysis in R software, a report is also provided. Means of all variables and standard deviations are also provided in the Supplementary tables ("data.long3.RData, data.long4.RData and meansEnzymes.RData"), raw data of PPD scoring without transformation (PPDmeans.RData) and days of storage (days.RData) are also provided for data analysis reproducibility in R software.

  12. Crystallization-induced dynamic resolution R-epimer from 25-OCH3-PPD epimeric mixture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Sainan; Tang, Yun; Cao, Jiaqing; Zhao, Chen; Zhao, Yuqing

    2015-11-15

    25-OCH3-PPD is a promising antitumor dammarane sapogenin isolated from the total saponin-hydrolyzed extract of Panax ginseng berry and Panax notoginseng leaves. 20(R)-25-OCH3-PPD was more potent as an anti-cancer agent than 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD and epimeric mixture of 25-OCH3-PPD. This paper describes the rapid separation process of the R-epimer of 25-OCH3-PPD from its epimeric mixture by crystallization-induced dynamic resolution (CIDR). The optimized CIDR process was based on single factor analysis and nine well-planned orthogonal design experiments (OA9 matrix). A rapid and sensitive reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with evaporative light-scattering detector (ELSD) was developed and validated for the quantitation of 25-OCH3-PPD epimeric mixture and crystalline product. Separation and quantitation were achieved with a silica column using a mobile phase consisting of methanol and water (87:13, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0mL/min. The ELSD detection was performed at 50°C and 3L/min. Under conditions involving 3mL of 95% ethanol, 8% HCl, and a hermetically sealed environment for 72h, the maximum production of 25(R)-OCH3-PPD was achieved with a chemical purity of 97% and a total yield of 87% through the CIDR process. The 25(R)-OCH3-PPD was nearly completely separated from the 220mg 25-OCH3-PPD epimeric mixture. Overall, a simple and steady small-batch purification process for the large-scale production of 25(R)-OCH3-PPD from 25-OCH3-PPD epimeric mixture was developed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Photoperiod-H1 (Ppd-H1) Controls Leaf Size.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Digel, Benedikt; Tavakol, Elahe; Verderio, Gabriele; Tondelli, Alessandro; Xu, Xin; Cattivelli, Luigi; Rossini, Laura; von Korff, Maria

    2016-09-01

    Leaf size is a major determinant of plant photosynthetic activity and biomass; however, it is poorly understood how leaf size is genetically controlled in cereal crop plants like barley (Hordeum vulgare). We conducted a genome-wide association scan for flowering time, leaf width, and leaf length in a diverse panel of European winter cultivars grown in the field and genotyped with a single-nucleotide polymorphism array. The genome-wide association scan identified PHOTOPERIOD-H1 (Ppd-H1) as a candidate gene underlying the major quantitative trait loci for flowering time and leaf size in the barley population. Microscopic phenotyping of three independent introgression lines confirmed the effect of Ppd-H1 on leaf size. Differences in the duration of leaf growth and consequent variation in leaf cell number were responsible for the leaf size differences between the Ppd-H1 variants. The Ppd-H1-dependent induction of the BARLEY MADS BOX genes BM3 and BM8 in the leaf correlated with reductions in leaf size and leaf number. Our results indicate that leaf size is controlled by the Ppd-H1- and photoperiod-dependent progression of plant development. The coordination of leaf growth with flowering may be part of a reproductive strategy to optimize resource allocation to the developing inflorescences and seeds. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

  14. Identification of Ppd-B1 alleles in common wheat cultivars by CAPS marker.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okoń, S; Kowalczyk, K; Miazga, D

    2012-05-01

    Photoperiod response is a major determinant of the duration of growth stages in common wheat. In common wheat, many genes play a role in determining flowering time, but the Ppd genes located on the homoeologous group 2 play a major role. Of these Ppd-B1 is located on the short arm of 2B. In 107 common wheat cultivars grown in Poland and neighboring countries, the identification of Ppd-B1 alleles using in-del analysis by using a CAPS markers was investigated. 87 cultivars were shown to carry dominant Ppd-B1 alleles. This shows that Ppd-B1 alleles is have been widely used in common wheat breeding programme in these countries. Recessive ppd-B1 alleles were found only in 20 cultivars (12 Polish, 5 former Soviet Union, 2 German, 1 Swedish).

  15. Discovery, evaluation and distribution of haplotypes of the wheat Ppd-D1 gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Zhiai; Song, Yanxia; Zhou, Ronghua; Ren, Zhenglong; Jia, Jizeng

    2010-02-01

    Ppd-D1 is one of the most potent genes affecting the photoperiod response of wheat (Triticum aestivum). Only two alleles, insensitive Ppd-D1a and sensitive Ppd-D1b, were known previously, and these did not adequately explain the broad adaptation of wheat to photoperiod variation. In this study, five diagnostic molecular markers were employed to identify Ppd-D1 haplotypes in 492 wheat varieties from diverse geographic locations and 55 accessions of Aegilops tauschii, the D genome donor species of wheat. Six Ppd-D1 haplotypes, designated I-VI, were identified. Types II, V and VI were considered to be more ancient and types I, III and IV were considered to be derived from type II. The transcript abundances of the Ppd-D1 haplotypes showed continuous variation, being highest for haplotype I, lowest for haplotype III, and correlating negatively with varietal differences in heading time. These haplotypes also significantly affected other agronomic traits. The distribution frequency of Ppd-D1 haplotypes showed partial correlations with both latitudes and altitudes of wheat cultivation regions. The evolution, expression and distribution of Ppd-D1 haplotypes were consistent evidentially with each other. What was regarded as a pair of alleles in the past can now be considered a series of alleles leading to continuous variation.

  16. Anti-lung cancer effects of novel ginsenoside 25-OCH(3)-PPD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Rayburn, Elizabeth R; Hang, Jie; Zhao, Yuqing; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Ruiwen

    2009-09-01

    20(S)-25-methoxyl-dammarane-3beta, 12beta, 20-triol (25-OCH(3)-PPD), a newly identified natural product from Panax notoginseng, exhibits activity against a variety of cancer cells. Herein, we report the effects of this compound on human A549, H358, and H838 lung cancer cells, and compare these effects with a control lung epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B. 25-OCH(3)-PPD decreased survival, inhibited proliferation, and induced apoptosis and G1 cell cycle arrest in the lung cancer cell lines. The P. notoginseng compound also decreased the levels of proteins associated with cell proliferation and cell survival. Moreover, 25-OCH(3)-PPD inhibited the growth of A549 lung cancer xenograft tumors. 25-OCH(3)-PPD demonstrated low toxicity to non-cancer cells, and no observable toxicity was seen when the compound was administered to animals. In conclusion, our preclinical data indicate that 25-OCH(3)-PPD is a potential therapeutic agent in vitro and in vivo, and further preclinical and clinical development of this agent for lung cancer is warranted.

  17. Gene expression profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from Mycobacterium bovis infected cattle after in vitro antigenic stimulation with purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meade, Kieran G; Gormley, Eamonn; Park, Stephen D E; Fitzsimons, Tara; Rosa, Guilherme J M; Costello, Eamon; Keane, Joseph; Coussens, Paul M; MacHugh, David E

    2006-09-15

    Microarray analysis of messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance was used to investigate the gene expression program of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from cattle infected with Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis. An immunospecific bovine microarray platform (BOTL-4) with spot features representing 1336 genes was used for transcriptional profiling of PBMC from six M. bovis-infected cattle stimulated in vitro with bovine purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD-bovine). Cells were harvested at four time points (3 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h post-stimulation) and a split-plot design with pooled samples was used for the microarray experiment to compare gene expression between PPD-bovine stimulated PBMC and unstimulated controls for each time point. Statistical analyses of these data revealed 224 genes (approximately 17% of transcripts on the array) differentially expressed between stimulated and unstimulated PBMC across the 24 h time course (PPPD-bovine across the 24 h time course. However, perturbation of the PBMC transcriptome was most apparent at time points 3 h and 12 h post-stimulation, with 81 and 84 genes differentially expressed, respectively. In addition, a more stringent statistical threshold (PPPD-bovine-, PPD-avian- and Concanavalin A (ConA) stimulated PBMC, including the interferon-gamma gene (IFNG), which was upregulated in PBMC stimulated with PPD-bovine (40-fold), PPD-avian (10-fold) and ConA (8-fold) after in vitro culture for 12 h. The pattern of expression of these genes in PPD-bovine stimulated PBMC provides the first description of an M. bovis-specific signature of infection that may provide insights into the molecular basis of the host response to infection. Although the present study was carried out with mixed PBMC cell populations, it will guide future studies to dissect immune cell-specific gene expression patterns in response to M. bovis infection.

  18. PENGARUH KUALITAS PELAYANAN DENGAN KEPUASAN KONSUMEN PADA PT. PUSRI PALEMBANG PPD LAMPUNG

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yudiana Sari

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract-The research object of this research is PT. PUSRI PPD Lampung Palembang. PT Pusri arranged subsidized fertilizer marketing services in specific areas (rayonisasi and the Minister of Industry Decree 356 / MPP / Kep / 5/2004 for the smooth distribution of subsidized fertilizers which are the responsibility of manufacturers, authorized distributors and authorized retailers. The problem under study is to analyze the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction at PT. PUSRI Lampung Palembang PPD due to sales of PT. PUSRI PPD Lampung Palembang. The method used in this research is the research literature and field research conducted by examining directly on PT. PUSRI PPD Lampung Palembang. The results showed that the calculation formula product moment correlation that is equal to 0.804 with n = 55. The number is located on the interval coefficient of 0.75 to 1, which means the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction in the volume of sales at PT. PUSRI Lampung Palembang PPD is very strong.

  19. Effectiveness of Brucella abortus lipopolysaccharide as an adjuvant for tuberculin PPD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamalan, Mostafa; Ardestani, Susan Kaboudanian; Zeinali, Majid; Mosaveri, Nader; Mohammad Taheri, Mohammad

    2011-01-01

    Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has T-helper 1 (Th1) immunostimulatory activities but because of toxicity and pyrogenicity cannot be used as an adjuvant. Brucella abortus LPS has less toxicity and no pyrogenic properties in comparison to other bacterial LPS. In the current study, the immunostimulatory properties of B. abortus LPS were evaluated for its adjuvant activity. Tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis was extracted and after anion-exchange chromatography on Q-sepharose column, two fractions (17 and 23), which dominantly contained 30- and 70-kDa antigens, were collected for immunological studies. BALB/c mice were immunized with four different antigen preparations (BCG, PPD, 17th and 23rd PPD fractions) along with complete Freund's adjuvant or B. abortus LPS. The T-cell immune response of mice was assessed by measurement of Th1-type cytokine (IFN-γ) and Th2-type cytokines (IL-5 and IL-10) levels. Also, the humoral immunity was evaluated by measuring the specific IgG levels. Our results showed that immunization of mice with 17th PPD fraction along with B. abortus LPS can induce a Th1-type cytokine response characterized with a high IFN-γ/IL-5 ratio, while immunization with PPD or 23rd PPD fraction along with the same adjuvant resulted to a mixed Th1/Th2-type cytokine response. Copyright © 2010 The International Association for Biologicals. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Features of Ppd-B1 expression regulation and their impact on the flowering time of wheat near-isogenic lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiseleva, Antonina A; Potokina, Elena K; Salina, Elena A

    2017-11-14

    Photoperiod insensitive Ppd-1a alleles determine early flowering of wheat. Increased expression of homoeologous Ppd-D1a and Ppd-A1a result from deletions in the promoter region, and elevated expression of Ppd-B1a is determined by an increased copy number. In this study, using bread wheat cultivars Sonora and PSL2, which contrast in flowering time, and near-isogenic lines resulting from their cross, "Ppd-m" and "Ppd-w" with Ppd-B1a introgressed from Sonora, we investigated the putative factors that influence Ppd-B1a expression. By analyzing the Ppd-B1a three distinct copies, we identified an indel and the two SNPs, which distinguished the investigated allele from other alleles with a copy number variation. We studied the expression of the Ppd-A1, Ppd-B1a, and Ppd-D1 genes along with genes that are involved in light perception (PhyA, PhyB, PhyC) and the flowering initiation (Vrn-1, TaFT1) and discussed their interactions. Expression of Ppd-B1a in the "Ppd-m" line, which flowered four days earlier than "Ppd-w", was significantly higher. We found PhyC to be up-regulated in lines with Ppd-B1a alleles. Expression of PhyC was higher in "Ppd-m". Microsatellite genotyping demonstrated that in the line "Ppd-m", there is an introgression in the pericentromeric region of chromosome 5B from the early flowering parental Sonora, while the "Ppd-w" does not have this introgression. FHY3/FAR1 is known to be located in this region. Expression of the transcription factor FHY3/FAR1 was higher in the "Ppd-m" line than in "Ppd-w", suggesting that FHY3/FAR1 is important for the wheat flowering time and may cause earlier flowering of "Ppd-m" as compared to "Ppd-w". We propose that there is a positive bidirectional regulation of Ppd-B1a and PhyC with an FHY3/FAR1 contribution. The bidirectional regulation can be proposed for Ppd-A1a and Ppd-D1a. Using in silico analysis, we demonstrated that the specificity of the Ppd-B1 regulation compared to that of homoeologous genes involves not only a

  1. Is there a risk of active sensitization to PPD by patch testing the general population?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thyssen, Jacob Pontoppidan; Menné, Torkil; Nielsen, Niels Henrik; Linneberg, Allan

    2007-08-01

    Para-phenylenediamine (PPD), a constituent of permanent hair dyes, may cause contact allergy in exposed individuals. It has previously been questioned whether a patch testing with PPD in population-based epidemiological studies is entirely safe. The Glostrup allergy studies patch tested the same cohort twice. In 1990, 567 persons were patch-tested and only one person had a (+) positive reaction to PPD. In 1998, 540 persons were re-invited to a new patch test and 365 (participation rate 68%) were re-tested. There were no positive reactions to PPD. These studies indicate that patch testing with PPD in individuals with no previous positive reactions to PPD or with only one previous positive reaction does not cause active sensitization and can be performed with minimal risk.

  2. Heritable heading time variation in wheat lines with the same number of Ppd-B1 gene copies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivaničová, Zuzana; Valárik, Miroslav; Pánková, Kateřina; Trávníčková, Martina; Doležel, Jaroslav; Šafář, Jan; Milec, Zbyněk

    2017-01-01

    The ability of plants to identify an optimal flowering time is critical for ensuring the production of viable seeds. The main environmental factors that influence the flowering time include the ambient temperature and day length. In wheat, the ability to assess the day length is controlled by photoperiod (Ppd) genes. Due to its allohexaploid nature, bread wheat carries the following three Ppd-1 genes: Ppd-A1, Ppd-B1 and Ppd-D1. While photoperiod (in)sensitivity controlled by Ppd-A1 and Ppd-D1 is mainly determined by sequence changes in the promoter region, the impact of the Ppd-B1 alleles on the heading time has been linked to changes in the copy numbers (and possibly their methylation status) and sequence changes in the promoter region. Here, we report that plants with the same number of Ppd-B1 copies may have different heading times. Differences were observed among F7 lines derived from crossing two spring hexaploid wheat varieties. Several lines carrying three copies of Ppd-B1 headed 16 days later than other plants in the population with the same number of gene copies. This effect was associated with changes in the gene expression level and methylation of the Ppd-B1 gene.

  3. Heritable heading time variation in wheat lines with the same number of Ppd-B1 gene copies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zuzana Ivaničová

    Full Text Available The ability of plants to identify an optimal flowering time is critical for ensuring the production of viable seeds. The main environmental factors that influence the flowering time include the ambient temperature and day length. In wheat, the ability to assess the day length is controlled by photoperiod (Ppd genes. Due to its allohexaploid nature, bread wheat carries the following three Ppd-1 genes: Ppd-A1, Ppd-B1 and Ppd-D1. While photoperiod (insensitivity controlled by Ppd-A1 and Ppd-D1 is mainly determined by sequence changes in the promoter region, the impact of the Ppd-B1 alleles on the heading time has been linked to changes in the copy numbers (and possibly their methylation status and sequence changes in the promoter region. Here, we report that plants with the same number of Ppd-B1 copies may have different heading times. Differences were observed among F7 lines derived from crossing two spring hexaploid wheat varieties. Several lines carrying three copies of Ppd-B1 headed 16 days later than other plants in the population with the same number of gene copies. This effect was associated with changes in the gene expression level and methylation of the Ppd-B1 gene.

  4. Determination of para-phenylenediamine (PPD) in henna in the United Arab Emirates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Suwaidi, Ayesha; Ahmed, Hafiz

    2010-04-01

    Henna is very popular in the United Arab Emirates (UAE); it is part of the culture and traditions. Allergy to natural henna is not usual; however the addition of para-phenylenediamine (PPD) to the natural henna increases the risk of allergic contact dermatitis. The objectives of the study were to identify the presence and concentration of PPD in henna available in UAE. Fifteen henna salons were selected randomly from three cities in UAE. Twenty five henna samples were acquired from these selected salons. The presence of PPD in henna samples was determined qualitatively and quantitatively using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The study showed that PPD was present in all of the black henna samples at concentrations ranging between 0.4% and 29.5% and higher than that recommended for hair dyes in most of the black henna samples. The presence of PPD in the black henna increases the risk of allergic contact dermatitis among users of black henna and a number of cases have already been reported in UAE.

  5. The stability of human, bovine and avian tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maes, Mailis; Giménez, José Francisco; D'Alessandro, Adriana; De Waard, Jacobus H

    2011-11-15

    Guidelines recommend storing tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) refrigerated. However, especially in developing countries, maintaining the product refrigerated under field conditions can be difficult, limiting its use. Here we determine the effect of prolonged exposure to high temperatures on the potency of human, bovine and avian tuberculin PPD. Human, bovine and avian tuberculin PPD were stored for several weeks exposed to temperatures ranging from 37º to 100ºC. The potency was evaluated in vivo, in sensitized or naturally infected animals. Most test situations didn't affect the biological activity of the tuberculin PPDs and only very long and extreme incubations (several days at 100 °C) compromised the potency. Tuberculin PPD is very stable and can be stored or transported for long periods without refrigeration. 

  6. Surprisingly high specificity of the PPD skin test for M. tuberculosis infection from recent exposure in The Gambia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Philip C; Brookes, Roger H; Fox, Annette; Jackson-Sillah, Dolly; Lugos, Moses D; Jeffries, David J; Donkor, Simon A; Adegbola, Richard A; McAdam, Keith P W J

    2006-12-20

    Options for intervention against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection are limited by the diagnostic tools available. The Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) skin test is thought to be non-specific, especially in tropical settings. We compared the PPD skin test with an ELISPOT test in The Gambia. Household contacts over six months of age of sputum smear positive TB cases and community controls were recruited. They underwent a PPD skin test and an ELISPOT test for the T cell response to PPD and ESAT-6/CFP10 antigens. Responsiveness to M. tuberculosis exposure was analysed according to sleeping proximity to an index case using logistic regression. 615 household contacts and 105 community controls were recruited. All three tests assessed increased significantly in positivity with increasing M. tuberculosis exposure, the PPD skin test most dramatically (OR 15.7; 95% CI 6.6-35.3). While the PPD skin test positivity continued to trend downwards in the community with increasing distance from a known case (61.9% to 14.3%), the PPD and ESAT-6/CFP-10 ELISPOT positivity did not. The PPD skin test was more in agreement with ESAT-6/CFP-10 ELISPOT (75%, p = 0.01) than the PPD ELISPOT (53%, pPPD skin test positive increased (pPPD skin test negative decreased (pPPD skin test has surprisingly high specificity for M. tuberculosis infection from recent exposure in The Gambia. In this setting, anti-tuberculous prophylaxis in PPD skin test positive individuals should be revisited.

  7. Synthesis, structure and physical properties of a new TTF derivative containing a PPD part

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujiwara, H; Sugishima, Y; Tsujimoto, K

    2008-01-01

    To develop new photo-conducting multi-functional materials, a new tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) derivative containing a 2,5-diphenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PPD) moiety, in which the PPD part is connected directly to the TTF part with a single bond, was synthesized by the Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 -catalyzed Stille coupling reaction. X-Ray crystal structure analysis of the t-Butyl derivative (1) indicated the high planarity of the molecular skeleton and possible conduction pathways along the side-by-side direction of the TTF parts. Fluorescence from the PPD part of 1 was almost quenched by the intramolecular electron transfer from the electron-donating TTF part to the PPD part even when the PPD was irradiated by the excitation light of 315 nm. The single crystalline sample of the TCNQ complex of 1 (1-TCNQ) was prepared by a mixing method in CH 3 CN. The X-ray crystal structure analysis of 1-TCNQ revealed that there is PPD - TCNQ - TTF -type mixed stacking structure along the stacking direction, resulting in insulating behaviour of this complex.

  8. Effect of Ppd-1 on the expression of flowering-time genes in vegetative and reproductive growth stages of wheat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitagawa, Satoshi; Shimada, Sanae; Murai, Koji

    2012-01-01

    The photoperiod sensitivity gene Ppd-1 influences the timing of flowering in temperate cereals such as wheat and barley. The effect of Ppd-1 on the expression of flowering-time genes was assessed by examining the expression levels of the vernalization genes VRN1 and VRN3/WFT and of two CONSTANS-like genes, WCO1 and TaHd1, during vegetative and reproductive growth stages. Two near-isogenic lines (NILs) were used: the first carried a photoperiod-insensitive allele of Ppd-1 (Ppd-1a-NIL), the other, a photoperiod-sensitive allele (Ppd-1b-NIL). We found that the expression pattern of VRN1 was similar in Ppd-1a-NIL and Ppd-1b-NIL plants, suggesting that VRN1 is not regulated by Ppd-1. Under long day conditions, VRN3/WFT showed similar expression patterns in Ppd-1a-NIL and Ppd-1b-NIL plants. However, expression differed greatly under short day conditions: VRN3/WFT expression was detected in Ppd-1a-NIL plants at the 5-leaf stage when they transited from vegetative to reproductive growth; very low expression was present in Ppd-1b-NIL throughout all growth stages. Thus, the Ppd-1b allele acts to down-regulate VRN3/WFT under short day conditions. WCO1 showed high levels of expression at the vegetative stage, which decreased during the phase transition and reproductive growth stages in both Ppd-1a-NIL and Ppd-1b-NIL plants under short day conditions. By contrast to WCO1, TaHd1 was up-regulated during the reproductive stage. The level of TaHd1 expression was much higher in Ppd-1a-NIL than the Ppd-1b-NIL plants, suggesting that the Ppd-1b allele down-regulates TaHd1 under short day conditions. The present study indicates that down-regulation of VRN3/WFT together with TaHd1 is the cause of late flowering in the Ppd-1b-NIL plants under short day conditions.

  9. Water-soluble derivatives of 25-OCH3-PPD and their anti-proliferative activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Wu-Xi; Sun, Yuan-Yuan; Yuan, Wei-Hui; Zhao, Yu-Qing

    2017-05-01

    (20R)-25-Methoxyl-dammarane-3β,12β,20-triol (25-OCH 3 -PPD, AD-1) is a dammarane-type sapogenin showing anti-tumor potential. In the search for new anti-tumor agents with higher potency than our previously identified compound 25-OCH 3 -PPD, 11 novel sulfamic acid and diacid derivatives that could improve water solubility and contribute to good drug potency and pharmacokinetic profiles were designed and synthesized. Their in vitro anti-tumor activities in MCF-7, A-549, HCT-116, and BGC-823 cell lines and one normal cell line were tested by standard MTT assay. Results showed that compared with compound 25-OCH 3 -PPD, compounds 1, 4, and 5 exhibited higher cytotoxic activity on almost all cell lines, together with lower toxicity in the normal cell. In particular, compound 1 exhibited the best anti-tumor activity in the in vitro assays. The water solubility of 25-OCH 3 -PPD and its derivatives was tested and the results showed that the solubility of 25-OCH 3 -PPD sulfamic acid and diacid derivatives were better than that of 25-OCH 3 -PPD in water, which may provide valuable data for the research and development of new anti-tumor agents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Photoperiod-H1 (Ppd-H1) Controls Leaf Size1[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Digel, Benedikt; Tavakol, Elahe; Verderio, Gabriele; Xu, Xin

    2016-01-01

    Leaf size is a major determinant of plant photosynthetic activity and biomass; however, it is poorly understood how leaf size is genetically controlled in cereal crop plants like barley (Hordeum vulgare). We conducted a genome-wide association scan for flowering time, leaf width, and leaf length in a diverse panel of European winter cultivars grown in the field and genotyped with a single-nucleotide polymorphism array. The genome-wide association scan identified PHOTOPERIOD-H1 (Ppd-H1) as a candidate gene underlying the major quantitative trait loci for flowering time and leaf size in the barley population. Microscopic phenotyping of three independent introgression lines confirmed the effect of Ppd-H1 on leaf size. Differences in the duration of leaf growth and consequent variation in leaf cell number were responsible for the leaf size differences between the Ppd-H1 variants. The Ppd-H1-dependent induction of the BARLEY MADS BOX genes BM3 and BM8 in the leaf correlated with reductions in leaf size and leaf number. Our results indicate that leaf size is controlled by the Ppd-H1- and photoperiod-dependent progression of plant development. The coordination of leaf growth with flowering may be part of a reproductive strategy to optimize resource allocation to the developing inflorescences and seeds. PMID:27457126

  11. Immunological and cytotoxicological characterization of tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) conjugated to single-walled carbon nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeinali, Majid; Jammalan, Mostafa; Ardestani, Sussan K; Mosaveri, Nader

    2009-09-22

    Tuberculosis (TB) represents one of the leading killers among all infectious disease. Protection against TB depends on the activation of T-helper type I (Th1) immune response. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted considerable attention because of their potential applications as new nanovehicle. In the current study, tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) was conjugated to carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Cytotoxicity of the carboxylated SWCNT and SWCNT-PPD conjugate was analyzed with MTT assay and by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) generation. Male BALB/c mice were immunized with BCG, PPD, SWCNT-PPD conjugate and PPD in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Induction of cellular immune response was analyzed by measuring the levels of Th1 cytokines (IFN-gamma and IL-12) and Th2 cytokines (IL-10 and IL-5). Immunization with non-conjugated PPD or PPD in Freund's adjuvant induced a Th2 cytokine response while immunization with BCG resulted to a mixed Th1/Th2 cytokine response. In contrast, PPD in conjugation with SWCNT generated preferentially a Th1-type cytokine response in the absence of potential cytotoxic effects.

  12. PHYSICS PERFORMANCE AND DATASET (PPD)

    CERN Multimedia

    L. Silvestris

    2012-01-01

      Introduction The PPD activities, since the last CMS Bulletin (March 2012), have been focussed on the validation of the new releases meant for the Monte Carlo (MC) production and data processing for ICHEP (CMSSW 50X and 52X), and the preparation for 2012 operations. The PPD and physics groups, before the data-taking start-up, worked on the optimisation of the reconstruction algorithms and on the code to cope with the performance requirements imposed by the higher event occupancy. The new samples, simulated at 8 TeV, have been reconstructed using 52x. A lot of effort has been put in to ensure that the samples needed for the High Priority Analyses (HPA) for ICHEP have been produced on time. The AlCa and Database team as well as the DQM and Data Certification team have devoted their activities to ensure high quality for data processing, providing continuous monitoring of the detector conditions and producing weekly the data certification JSON used by the different physics groups for their analyse...

  13. PHYSICS PERFORMANCE AND DATASET (PPD)

    CERN Multimedia

    L. Silvestris

    2012-01-01

      Introduction The first part of the year presented an important test for the new Physics Performance and Dataset (PPD) group (cf. its mandate: http://cern.ch/go/8f77). The activity was focused on the validation of the new releases meant for the Monte Carlo (MC) production and the data-processing in 2012 (CMSSW 50X and 52X), and on the preparation of the 2012 operations. In view of the Chamonix meeting, the PPD and physics groups worked to understand the impact of the higher pile-up scenario on some of the flagship Higgs analyses to better quantify the impact of the high luminosity on the CMS physics potential. A task force is working on the optimisation of the reconstruction algorithms and on the code to cope with the performance requirements imposed by the higher event occupancy as foreseen for 2012. Concerning the preparation for the analysis of the new data, a new MC production has been prepared. The new samples, simulated at 8 TeV, are already being produced and the digitisation and recons...

  14. Pion absorption on 4He into the ppd final state

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Planinic, M.; Androic, D.; Backenstoss, G.; Bosnar, D.; Dooling, T.; Furic, M.; Gram, P. A. M.; Gregory, N. K.; Hoffart, A.; Ingram, C. H. Q.

    2000-01-01

    Results from a 4π solid angle measurement of the reaction π + + 4 He→ppd at incident pion energies of T π + =70, 118, 162, 239, and 330 MeV are presented. Integrated cross sections are given for the final states with energetic deuterons (ppd) and (pd)p. The differential cross sections are described by a complete set of five independent variables and various other kinematic variables and compared to cascade and phase space models where deuterons were formed by a semiclassical pickup model. The data are investigated for signatures of initial and final state interactions: it is found that more than half of the (ppd) yield cannot be explained by these mechanisms. The remaining strength is reasonably well reproduced by 3N phase space models followed by pickup. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society

  15. Features of Ppd-B1 expression regulation and their impact on the flowering time of wheat near-isogenic lines

    OpenAIRE

    Kiseleva, Antonina A.; Potokina, Elena K.; Salina, Elena A.

    2017-01-01

    Background Photoperiod insensitive Ppd-1a alleles determine early flowering of wheat. Increased expression of homoeologous Ppd-D1a and Ppd-A1a result from deletions in the promoter region, and elevated expression of Ppd-B1a is determined by an increased copy number. Results In this study, using bread wheat cultivars Sonora and PSL2, which contrast in flowering time, and near-isogenic lines resulting from their cross, “Ppd-m” and “Ppd-w” with Ppd-B1a introgressed from Sonora, we investigated t...

  16. Inhibitory effects and mechanism of 25-OH-PPD on glomerular mesangial cell proliferation induced by high glucose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Junxian; Liu, Chunna; Li, Zhe; Zhang, Chao; Wang, Zheng; Liu, Xinyu

    2016-06-01

    To investigate the protective effects and potential mechanism of the compound 25-OH-PPD (PPD) on the glomerular mesangial cells (GMC) under high glucose condition. The hypertrophic GMC cells were established by DMEM containing glucose and randomly divided into five groups, including the normal control group (Control), the high glucose model group (HG, 25 mmolL(-1)), the PPD low dose group (1μmolL(-1), PPD-L), the PPD middle dose group (5μmolL(-1), PPD -M) and the PPD high dose group (10μmolL(-1), UCN-H). The GMC were incubated for 48h under different treatment factors. Total protein content was determined by Lowry method. The diameter of the single GMC and volume were measured by computer photograph analysis system. The GMC cell viability was analyzed by MTT assay. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA), the content of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured by ELISA. [Ca(2+)]і transient was measured by Till image system and by cell-loading Fura-2/AM. The expression of COX-1 and COX-2 were also determined using ELISA method. The viability of GMC and the total protein content were decreased in HG group, different dosage PPD group could increase these indexes (PPPD could reduce the MDA and enhance GSH and SOD (PPPD-L, PPD-M or PPD-H), the [Ca(2+)]і transient was reduced (PPPD groups. The protective effects of PPD on GMC from HG-induced hypertrophy may be associated with the inhibition of [Ca(2+)]і transient and decreasing expression of COX-1 via the oxidative-stress injure pathway. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Allele frequencies in the VRN-A1, VRN-B1 and VRN-D1 vernalization response and PPD-B1 and PPD-D1 photoperiod sensitivity genes, and their effects on heading in a diverse set of wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiss, Tibor; Balla, Krisztina; Veisz, Ottó; Láng, László; Bedő, Zoltán; Griffiths, Simon; Isaac, Peter; Karsai, Ildikó

    2014-01-01

    Heading of cereals is determined by complex genetic and environmental factors in which genes responsible for vernalization and photoperiod sensitivity play a decisive role. Our aim was to use diagnostic molecular markers to determine the main allele types in VRN - A1 , VRN - B1 , VRN - D1 , PPD - B1 and PPD - D1 in a worldwide wheat collection of 683 genotypes and to investigate the effect of these alleles on heading in the field. The dominant VRN - A1 , VRN - B1 and VRN - D1 alleles were present at a low frequency. The PPD - D1a photoperiod-insensitive allele was carried by 57 % of the cultivars and was most frequent in Asian and European cultivars. The PPD - B1 photoperiod-insensitive allele was carried by 22 % of the genotypes from Asia, America and Europe. Nine versions of the PPD - B1 -insensitive allele were identified based on gene copy number and intercopy structure. The allele compositions in PPD - D1 , PPD - B1 and VRN - D1 significantly influenced heading and together explained 37.5 % of the phenotypic variance. The role of gene model increased to 39.1 % when PPD - B1 intercopy structure was taken into account instead of overall PPD - B1 type (sensitive vs. insensitive). As a single component, PPD - D1 had the most important role (28.0 % of the phenotypic variance), followed by PPD - B1 (12.3 % for PPD - B1 _overall, and 15.1 % for PPD - B1 _intercopy) and VRN - D1 (2.2 %). Significant gene interactions were identified between the marker alleles within PPD - B1 and between VRN - D1 and the two PPD1 genes. The earliest heading genotypes were those with the photoperiod-insensitive allele in PPD - D1 and PPD - B1 , and with the spring allele for VRN - D1 and the winter alleles for VRN - A1 and VRN - B1 . This combination could only be detected in genotypes from Southern Europe and Asia. Late-heading genotypes had the sensitivity alleles for both PPD1 genes, regardless of the allelic composition of the VRN1 genes. There was a 10-day difference in

  18. 20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD) analogues chemosensitize multidrug-resistant cancer cells to clinical anticancer drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Junhua; Wang, Xu; Liu, Peng; Deng, Rongxin; Lei, Min; Chen, Wantao; Hu, Lihong

    2013-07-15

    Novel 20(S)-protopanoxadiol (PPD) analogues were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for the chemosensitizing activity against a multidrug resistant (MDR) cell line (KBvcr) overexpressing P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Structure-activity relationship analysis showed that aromatic substituted aliphatic amine at the 24-positions (groups V) effectively and significantly sensitized P-gp overexpressing multidrug resistant (MDR) cells to anticancer drugs, such as docetaxel (DOC), vincristine (VCR), and adriamycin (ADM). PPD derivatives 12 and 18 showed 1.3-2.6 times more effective reversal ability than verapamil (VER) for DOC and VCR. Importantly, no cytotoxicity was observed by the active PPD analogues (5μM) against both non-MDR and MDR cells, suggesting that PPD analogues serve as novel lead compounds toward a potent and safe resistance modulator. Moreover, a preliminary mechanism study demonstrated that the chemosensitizing activity of PPD analogues results from inhibition of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpressed in MDR cancer cells. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  19. Distribution of photoperiod-insensitive allele Ppd-A1a and its effect on heading time in Japanese wheat cultivars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seki, Masako; Chono, Makiko; Nishimura, Tsutomu; Sato, Mikako; Yoshimura, Yasuhiro; Matsunaka, Hitoshi; Fujita, Masaya; Oda, Shunsuke; Kubo, Katashi; Kiribuchi-Otobe, Chikako; Kojima, Hisayo; Nishida, Hidetaka; Kato, Kenji

    2013-09-01

    The Ppd-A1 genotype of 240 Japanese wheat cultivars and 40 foreign cultivars was determined using a PCR-based method. Among Japanese cultivars, only 12 cultivars, all of which were Hokkaido winter wheat, carried the Ppd-A1a allele, while this allele was not found in Hokkaido spring wheat cultivars or Tohoku-Kyushu cultivars. Cultivars with a photoperiod-insensitive allele headed 6.9-9.8 days earlier in Kanto and 2.5 days earlier in Hokkaido than photoperiod-sensitive cultivars. The lower effect of photoperiod-insensitive alleles observed in Hokkaido could be due to the longer day-length at the spike formation stage compared with that in Kanto. Pedigree analysis showed that 'Purple Straw' and 'Tohoku 118' were donors of Ppd-A1a and Ppd-D1a in Hokkaido wheat cultivars, respectively. Wheat cultivars recently developed in Hokkaido carry photoperiod-insensitive alleles at a high frequency. For efficient utilization of Ppd-1 alleles in the Hokkaido wheat-breeding program, the effect of Ppd-1 on growth pattern and grain yield should be investigated. Ppd-A1a may be useful as a unique gene source for fine tuning the heading time in the Tohoku-Kyushu region since the effect of Ppd-A1a on photoperiod insensitivity appears to differ from the effect of Ppd-B1a and Ppd-D1a.

  20. [IFN-gamma enzyme-linked immunospot assay versus PPD tuberculin skin test in the diagnosis of tuberculous epididymitis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Hao; Yang, Xi-Fei; Deng, Qun-Yi; Li, Bing; Liu, Guo-Hui; Zhang, Jie-Yun; Yang, Da-Fei

    2012-06-01

    To explore the potential application of IFN-gamma enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay in the diagnosis of tuberculous epididymitis (TE) by comparing ELISPOT assay with the traditional purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculin skin test. We examined 13 TE patients using an in-house ELISPOT kit, another 11 TE patients by PPD skin testing, and 57 healthy male volunteers by parallel test with both the methods. Twelve (92.3%) of the 13 TE cases were positive on ELISPOT assay, and 10 (90.9%) of the 11 TE cases positive on PPD skin test, with no statistically significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). Among the 57 healthy male volunteers, 8 (14.0%) were positive on ELISPOT, and 28 (49.1%) positive on PPD test, the latter significantly higher than the former (P PPD test in the examination of tuberculous epididymitis. As for specificity, ELISPOT assay seems better than PPD test in differentiating tuberculous epididymitis patients from healthy males.

  1. Molecular analysis of differentially expressed genes during postharvest deterioration in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) tuberous roots

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huang, J.; Bachem, C.W.B.; Jacobsen, E.; Visser, R.

    2001-01-01

    One of the major problems for cassava is the rapid deterioration after harvesting cassava tuberous roots, which limits the possibilities for production and distribution of cassava in the world. Postharvest deterioration is an inherent problem for cassava since wounding and mechanical damage of the

  2. The risk of active sensitization to PPD.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Devos, S.A.; Valk, P.G.M. van der

    2001-01-01

    Para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and para-aminoazobenzene are strong sensitizers. By the patch test procedure, the patient may be sensitized to these agents. Combined testing of para-compounds may increase the risk of active sensitization. We studied the % of positive patch test reactions and their

  3. Tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) immunoassay as an in vitro alternative assay for identity and confirmation of potency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Mei M; Kairo, Satnam K; Corbel, Michael J

    2006-01-01

    Tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) currently can only be standardised by delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions in sensitised guinea pigs. An in vitro dot blot immunoassay was developed for both identity and confirmation of potency estimation of PPD. Polyclonal antibodies (mainly IgG) were generated and immunoreacted with human, bovine and, to lesser extent, avian PPD preparations. Combining size exclusion chromatography (FPLC-SEC) and dot blot immunoassay, the results showed that PPD preparations were mixtures of very heterogeneous tuberculoproteins ranging in size from very large aggregates to very small degraded molecules. All individual fractions of PPD separated by size were immunoreactive, although those of the largest molecular sizes appeared the most immunoreactive in this in vitro dot blot immunoassay. This method is very sensitive and specific to tuberculoproteins and can be an in vitro alternative for the in vivo intradermal skin assay which uses guinea pigs for identity of PPD preparations. Although the capacity of PPD to elicit cell-mediated immune responses on intradermal testing has to be confirmed by in vivo assay, the dot blot immunoassay offers a rapid, sensitive and animal-free alternative to in vivo testing for confirming the identity of PPD preparations with appropriate potencies. This alternative assay would be particularly useful for national regulatory laboratories for confirming the data of manufacturers and thus reducing the use of animals.

  4. The protective effect of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) against chronic sleep deprivation (CSD)-induced memory impairments in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Cong; Lv, Jingwei; Dong, Liming; Jiang, Ning; Wang, Yan; Fan, Bei; Wang, Fengzhong; Liu, Xinmin

    2018-03-01

    Sleep deprivation (SD) is associated with oxidative stress that causes learning and memory impairment. 20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD), one of the protopanaxadiol-type saponins, has antioxidant and neuroprotective effect. This study was designed to research the protective effect of PPD against cognitive deficits induced by chronic sleep deprivation (CSD) in mice. The CSD model was induced by subjecting the mice to our self-made Sleep Interruption Apparatus (SIA) continuously for 14 days. The memory enhancing effects of PPD were evaluated by behavioral tests and the related mechanism was further explored by observing the oxidative stress changes in the cortex and hippocampus of mice. The results revealed that PPD (20 and 40 μmol/kg, i.p.) administration significantly improved the cognitive performance of CSD model mice in object location recognition experiment, novel object recognition task and Morris water maze test. Furthermore, PPD effectively restored the levels/activities of antioxidant defense biomarkers in the cortex and hippocampus, including the superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity, catalase (CAT) enzyme activity, glutathione (GSH), and lipid peroxidation (LPO). In conclusion, PPD could attenuate cognitive deficits induced by CSD, and the neuroprotective effect of PPD might be mediated by alleviation of oxidative stress. It was assumed that PPD has the potential to be a neuroprotective substance for cognition dysfunction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Privacy Management and Networked PPD Systems - Challenges Solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruotsalainen, Pekka; Pharow, Peter; Petersen, Francoise

    2015-01-01

    Modern personal portable health devices (PPDs) become increasingly part of a larger, inhomogeneous information system. Information collected by sensors are stored and processed in global clouds. Services are often free of charge, but at the same time service providers' business model is based on the disclosure of users' intimate health information. Health data processed in PPD networks is not regulated by health care specific legislation. In PPD networks, there is no guarantee that stakeholders share same ethical principles with the user. Often service providers have own security and privacy policies and they rarely offer to the user possibilities to define own, or adapt existing privacy policies. This all raises huge ethical and privacy concerns. In this paper, the authors have analyzed privacy challenges in PPD networks from users' viewpoint using system modeling method and propose the principle "Personal Health Data under Personal Control" must generally be accepted at global level. Among possible implementation of this principle, the authors propose encryption, computer understandable privacy policies, and privacy labels or trust based privacy management methods. The latter can be realized using infrastructural trust calculation and monitoring service. A first step is to require the protection of personal health information and the principle proposed being internationally mandatory. This requires both regulatory and standardization activities, and the availability of open and certified software application which all service providers can implement. One of those applications should be the independent Trust verifier.

  6. Notch signaling regulates expression of Mcl-1 and apoptosis in PPD-treated macrophages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palaga, Tanapat; Ratanabunyong, Siriluk; Pattarakankul, Thitiporn; Sangphech, Naunpun; Wongchana, Wipawee; Hadae, Yukihiro; Kueanjinda, Patipark

    2013-09-01

    Macrophages are cellular targets for infection by bacteria and viruses. The fate of infected macrophages plays a key role in determining the outcome of the host immune response. Apoptotic cell death of macrophages is considered to be a protective host defense that eliminates pathogens and infected cells. In this study, we investigated the involvement of Notch signaling in regulating apoptosis in macrophages treated with tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD). Murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) treated with PPD or infected with Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) induced upregulation of Notch1. This upregulation correlated well with the upregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene mcl-1 both at the transcriptional and translational levels. Decreased levels of Notch1 and Mcl-1 were observed in BMM treated with PPD when a gamma secretase inhibitor (GSI), which inhibits the processing of Notch receptors, was used. Moreover, silencing Notch1 in the macrophage-like cell line RAW264.7 decreased Mcl-1 protein expression, suggesting that Notch1 is critical for Mcl-1 expression in macrophages. A significant increase in apoptotic cells was observed upon treatment of BMM with PPD in the presence of GSI compared to the vehicle-control treated cells. Finally, analysis of the mcl-1 promoter in humans and mice revealed a conserved potential CSL/RBP-Jκ binding site. The association of Notch1 with the mcl-1 promoter was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Taken together, these results indicate that Notch1 inhibits apoptosis of macrophages stimulated with PPD by directly controlling the mcl-1 promoter.

  7. Elevated corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) during pregnancy and risk of postpartum depression (PPD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meltzer-Brody, Samantha; Stuebe, Alison; Dole, Nancy; Savitz, David; Rubinow, David; Thorp, John

    2011-01-01

    Perinatal depression has a prevalence of 10% with devastating consequences for mother and baby. The prospective identification of those at risk for postpartum (PPD) or prenatal (PND) depression has led to biomarker searches in pregnancy. There are conflicting reports of associations between midpregnancy placental CRH (pCRH) and PPD or PND. The objective of the study was to quantify the association of maternal pCRH with PPD and PND. This was a prospective cohort study (the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Study). The study was conducted at a prenatal clinics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Patients included 1230 pregnant women. The relationship between pCRH at less than 20 wk and 24-29 wk and maternal depression assessed in pregnancy [Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)] and postpartum (12 wk and 1 yr) with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). At 24-29 wk, 24.8% of women had CES-D score of 17 or greater, and 9.7% had a CES-D score of 25 or greater. At 12 wk postpartum, 18.2% of women had an EPDS score of 10 or greater and 7.6% had an EPDS score of 13 or greater. CRH measures at less than 20 wk and 24-29 wk were inversely correlated with a CES-D score at 24-29 wk (n = 1080, P PPD (covariate-adjusted odds ratio per sd 0.99, 95% confidence interval 0.69-1.42). Higher midpregnancy pCRH was not associated with an increased risk of PND or PPD.

  8. Interferon-γ and interleukin-17 production from PPD-stimulated PBMCss of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunnari, Giuseppe; Pinzone, Marilia R; Vancheri, Carlo; Palermo, Filippo; Cacopardo, Bruno

    2013-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate Interferon (IFN)-γ and Interleukin(IL)-17 profiles in patients with different clinical presentations of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and to compare them with those of tuberculin-negative and tuberculin-reactive healthy controls Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCss), isolated from patients (n=52) and controls (n=30), were stimulated ex vivo with purified protein derivative (PPD) and IFN-γ and IL-17 levels in the supernatant were measured. At baseline, PBMCss from patients with TB released a significantly lower amount of IL-17 (p=0.043) than PBMCss from healthy controls, whereas IFN-γ levels were similar in the two groups. After PPD stimulation, a significant rise in IL-17 levels was found only among healthy controls (p=0.02). This rise in IL-17 levels was similar between tuberculin-reactive and tuberculin-negative subjects. After PPD stimulation, patients with infiltrative TB secreted higher levels of IL-17 and IFN-γ than those affected with chronic, miliary and cavitary TB (p PPD stimulation (p PPD stimulation of PBMCs from patients with pulmonary TB does not significantly stimulate IL-17 release; however, higher IL-17 and IFN-γ levels are found in patients with infiltrative disease, in comparison with those affected with miliary, cavitary and chronic TB.

  9. Influences of Harvest Date on Yield, Quality and Resistance to Seed Deterioration of Spring Soybean in South%收获期对南方春大豆产量、品质及抗劣变性的影响

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    李小红; 谢运河; 郑贵辰; 阳小凤; 王业建

    2013-01-01

    In this study, the influences of harvest date on the yield, quality and resistance to seed deterioration were studied u-sing four cultivated spring soybean varieties of Hunan province. Results showed we could get the highest 100 - grain seed weight and seed weight per plant at full - ripe stage. If the soybean was harvested too early, the protein content and protein — fat total content in the seed were low. If the soybean was harvested too late, the fat content in the seed was low. Higher germination potential and germination rate of seeds could be harvested at ripening to full - ripe stage. It was also showed that the resistance to seed deterioration of spring soybean was high when the soybean was harvested more early in its harvest period.%通过田间试验,研究了收获期对湖南省主栽的4个春大豆品种产量、品质及抗劣变性的影响.结果表明:在完熟期收获的大豆百粒重和单株粒重均最高;过早收获时种子蛋白质含量、蛋脂总含量低,过迟收获时则脂肪含量低;在成熟期至完熟期收获能获得具有较高发芽势和发芽率的种子;收获期适当提前有利于增强大豆种子的抗劣变性.

  10. Antibody response to a sterile filtered PPD tuberculin in M. bovis infected and M. bovis sensitized cattle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rennie, Bryan; Filion, Lionel G; Smart, Nonie

    2010-11-09

    Bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, afflicts approximately 50 million cattle worldwide and is detected by the tuberculin skin test (TST). While it has long been recognized that purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculin is composed of a mixture of M. bovis derived protein components, little is known about the quality, relative quantity and identity of the proteins that make up PPD tuberculin. We manufactured a sterile filtered PPD tuberculin (SF-PPD) from a nine-week-old M. bovis culture supernatant in order to characterise the culture filtrate proteins (CFP) which make up M. bovis PPD tuberculin and to compare the antibody response of M. bovis infected versus M. bovis sensitized cattle. SF-PPD resolved into approximately 200 discrete spots using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) while fewer than 65 spots could be discerned from 2-DE gels of tuberculin derived from autoclaved culture supernatant. Two dimensional Western blot analyses indicated that sera from M. bovis sensitized cattle recognized additional SF-PPD antigens as compared to M. bovis infected cattle at seven weeks post infection/sensitization. However, application of a comparative tuberculin skin test resulted in an antibody boosting response to the same set of M. bovis CFPs in both the M. bovis infected and M. bovis sensitized cattle. We concluded that it is the heat sterilization of the M. bovis CFPs that causes severe structural changes to the M. bovis proteins. This work suggests that M. bovis infected cattle and cattle artificially sensitized to M. bovis with an injection of heat killed cells exhibit similar antibody responses to M. bovis antigens.

  11. Differential contribution of two Ppd-1 homoeoalleles to early-flowering phenotype in Nepalese and Japanese varieties of common wheat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Anh T; Iehisa, Julio C M; Mizuno, Nobuyuki; Nitta, Miyuki; Nasuda, Shuhei; Takumi, Shigeo

    2013-12-01

    Wheat landraces carry abundant genetic variation in heading and flowering times. Here, we studied flowering-related traits of two Nepalese varieties, KU-4770 and KU-180 and a Japanese wheat cultivar, Shiroganekomugi (SGK). These three wheat varieties showed similar flowering time in a common garden experiment. In total, five significant quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for three examined traits, the heading, flowering and maturation times, were detected using an F2 population of SGK/KU-4770. The QTLs were found at the Ppd-1 loci on chromosomes 2B and 2D and the 2B QTL was also confirmed in another F2 population of SGK/KU-180. The Ppd-D1 allele from SGK and the Ppd-B1 alleles from the two Nepalese varieties might be causal for early-flowering phenotype. The SGK Ppd-D1 allele contained a 2-kb deletion in the 5' upstream region, indicating a photoperiod-insensitive Ppd-D1a allele. Real-time PCR analysis estimating the Ppd-B1 copy number revealed that the two Nepalese varieties included two intact Ppd-B1 copies, putatively resulting in photoperiod insensitivity and an early-flowering phenotype. The two photoperiod-insensitive Ppd-1 homoeoalleles could independently contribute to segregation of early-flowering individuals in the two F2 populations. Therefore, wheat landraces are genetic resources for discovery of alleles useful for improving wheat heading or flowering times.

  12. Severe allergic reactions to para-phenylenediamine in children and adolescents: should the patch test concentration of PPD be changed?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spornraft-Ragaller, Petra; Kämmerer, Eva; Gillitzer, Claus; Schmitt, Jochen

    2012-04-01

    Semipermanent henna tattoos containing para-phenylenediamine (PPD) are a well-known cause of severe contact dermatitis, mainly in children. Another relevant exposure source to PPD are hair dyes, which are increasingly used by children and have also been reported to cause intense facial and scalp dermatitis. German patch test guidelines for children recommend that PPD should only be tested in patients who have had a henna tattoo, and then at a reduced concentration of PPD 0.5 % for 24 hours. We report on patch test results in four patients, three children and one adolescent, with a history of contact dermatitis to henna tattoos or hair dye. We used the recommended or even lower patch test concentrations of PPD with 24-hours exposure in all patients. All patients showed very strong patch test reactions to PPD and cross-reactions to related compounds even after dilution of PPD to as low as 0.05 %. Therefore, we suggest that in children with a history of allergic reactions to this compound, a titration test should be performed beginning at a concentration of maximal 0.05 %. This procedure has also been proposed previously based on a larger cases series in adults. © The Authors • Journal compilation © Blackwell Verlag GmbH, Berlin.

  13. Temporary Black Henna Tattoos and Sensitization to para-Phenylenediamine (PPD): Two Paediatric Case Reports and a Review of the Literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panfili, Elisa; Esposito, Susanna; Di Cara, Giuseppe

    2017-04-14

    Background : The use of temporary henna tattoos has increased dramatically in recent years, especially in children and adolescents. To obtain a darker colour and prolong the life of the tattoo, red henna, a plant-derived substance, is typically added to para -phenylenediamine (PPD). The mixture is called temporary black henna tattoo (TBHT). Because of its molecular characteristics, PPD can induce skin sensitization that may cause various clinical manifestations with successive exposures, among which the most common is allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). This report describes two paediatric cases of PPD sensitization and ACD after the exposure to TBHT and summarizes the literature on this emerging clinical problem. Case Presentation : We describe two cases of childhood-onset ACD that occurred 2 and 10 days, respectively, after the application of a TBHT during the summer holidays. Patch tests showed an evident positive response to 1% PPD in both cases. Sensitization to PPD occurred in the first case because a previous henna tattoo did not result in overt symptoms; in the second case, the reaction occurred after the same tattoo was retouched. In both cases, hypopigmentation persisted and both the patients and their families were advised to avoid further contact with PPD-containing materials and substances that could lead to cross-reactions. Conclusions : Sensitization to PPD is a growing phenomenon in children. The most common cause appears to be exposure to TBHT in which PPD might be present at unknown or high concentrations. Once sensitization occurs, patients may experience severe clinical symptoms which can present with a persistent hypopigmentation when they are re-exposed to substances that contain or cross-react with PPD. Given the widespread use of PPD, TBHT could adversely affect the daily life of paediatric patients; thus, for this reason, this practice as a fashion accessory must be discouraged. In addition, it is extremely important to provide scientific

  14. Alleles of Ppd-D1 gene in the collection of Aegilops tauschii accessions and bread wheat varieties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Babenko D. O.

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Light period significantly influences on the growth and development of plants. One of the major genes of photoperiod sensitivity is Ppd-D1, located on the chromosome 2D. The aim of the work was to determine the alleles and molecular structure of Ppd-D1 gene in samples from the collection of Ae. tauschii accessions, which have different flowering periods, and in 29 Ukrainian wheat varieties. Methods. We used methods of allele-specific PCR with primers to the Ppd-D1 gene, sequencing and Blast-analysis. Results. The collection of Ae. tauschii accessions and several varieties of winter and spring wheat was studied. The molecular structure of the allelic variants (414, 429 and 453 b. p. of Ppd-D1b gene was determined in the collection of Aegilops. tauschii accessions. Conclusions. The Ppd-D1a allele was present in all studied varieties of winter wheat. 60 % of spring wheat is characterized by Ppd-D1b allele (size of amplification products 414 b. p.. Blast-analysis of the sequence data banks on the basis of the reference sequence of sample k-1322 from the collection of Ae. tauschii accessions has shown a high homology (80 to 100 % between the nucleotide sequences of PRR genes, that characterize the A and D genomes of representatives of the genera Triticum and Aegilops.

  15. Multiple organ gigantism caused by mutation in VmPPD gene in blackgram (Vigna mungo).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naito, Ken; Takahashi, Yu; Chaitieng, Bubpa; Hirano, Kumi; Kaga, Akito; Takagi, Kyoko; Ogiso-Tanaka, Eri; Thavarasook, Charaspon; Ishimoto, Masao; Tomooka, Norihiko

    2017-03-01

    Seed size is one of the most important traits in leguminous crops. We obtained a recessive mutant of blackgram that had greatly enlarged leaves, stems and seeds. The mutant produced 100% bigger leaves, 50% more biomass and 70% larger seeds though it produced 40% less number of seeds. We designated the mutant as multiple-organ-gigantism ( mog ) and found the mog phenotype was due to increase in cell numbers but not in cell size. We also found the mog mutant showed a rippled leaf ( rl ) phenotype, which was probably caused by a pleiotropic effect of the mutation. We performed a map-based cloning and successfully identified an 8 bp deletion in the coding sequence of VmPPD gene, an orthologue of Arabidopsis PEAPOD ( PPD ) that regulates arrest of cell divisions in meristematic cells . We found no other mutations in the neighboring genes between the mutant and the wild type. We also knocked down GmPPD genes and reproduced both the mog and rl phenotypes in soybean. Controlling PPD genes to produce the mog phenotype is highly valuable for breeding since larger seed size could directly increase the commercial values of grain legumes.

  16. Booster phenomenon of QuantiFERON-TB Gold after prior intradermal PPD injection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Igari, H; Watanabe, A; Sato, T

    2007-07-01

    University medical school in Japan. To clarify the influence of prior intradermal purified protein derivative (PPD) injection on QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT-G). Ninety-seven sixth-year university medical students aged 20-29 years concurrently underwent QFT-G and tuberculin skin test (TST). The first negative QFT-G and the first TST boost QFT-G. Further studies of the diagnostic significance and immunological mechanisms of this phenomenon are needed. For clinical application, especially during contact screening, QFT-G should be evaluated while keeping in mind the possible influence of prior PPD intradermal injection.

  17. A pseudo-response regulator is misexpressed in the photoperiod insensitive Ppd-D1a mutant of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beales, James; Turner, Adrian; Griffiths, Simon; Snape, John W; Laurie, David A

    2007-09-01

    Ppd-D1 on chromosome 2D is the major photoperiod response locus in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum). A semi-dominant mutation widely used in the "green revolution" converts wheat from a long day (LD) to a photoperiod insensitive (day neutral) plant, providing adaptation to a broad range of environments. Comparative mapping shows Ppd-D1 to be colinear with the Ppd-H1 gene of barley (Hordeum vulgare) which is a member of the pseudo-response regulator (PRR) gene family. To investigate the relationship between wheat and barley photoperiod genes we isolated homologues of Ppd-H1 from a 'Chinese Spring' wheat BAC library and compared them to sequences from other wheat varieties with known Ppd alleles. Varieties with the photoperiod insensitive Ppd-D1a allele which causes early flowering in short (SD) or LDs had a 2 kb deletion upstream of the coding region. This was associated with misexpression of the 2D PRR gene and expression of the key floral regulator FT in SDs, showing that photoperiod insensitivity is due to activation of a known photoperiod pathway irrespective of day length. Five Ppd-D1 alleles were found but only the 2 kb deletion was associated with photoperiod insensitivity. Photoperiod insensitivity can also be conferred by mutation at a homoeologous locus on chromosome 2B (Ppd-B1). No candidate mutation was found in the 2B PRR gene but polymorphism within the 2B PRR gene cosegregated with the Ppd-B1 locus in a doubled haploid population, suggesting that insensitivity on 2B is due to a mutation outside the sequenced region or to a closely linked gene.

  18. Dual skin tests with Mycobacterium avium sensitin and PPD to detect misdiagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, E M; O'Donnell, M; Chamblee, S; Horsburgh, C R; Marsh, B J; Moreland, J D; Johnson, L S; von Reyn, C Fordham

    2011-11-01

    A positive tuberculin skin test (TST) may indicate cross-reacting immunity to non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and not latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). To assess misclassification of LTBI, as assessed by skin testing with Mycobacterium avium sensitin (MaS), and to determine how this misclassification affects the analysis of risk factors for LTBI. In a population-based survey, participants underwent skin testing with M. tuberculosis purified protein derivative (PPD) and MaS. A PPD-dominant skin test was a reaction that was ≥ 3 mm larger than the MaS reaction; a MaS-dominant skin test was a reaction that was ≥ 3 mm larger than the PPD reaction. Of 447 randomly selected persons, 135 (30%) had a positive PPD test. Of these, 21 (16%) were MaS- dominant, and were therefore attributable to NTM and misclassified as LTBI. PPD reactions of 5-14 mm were more likely to be misclassified than those ≥ 15 mm (OR = 5.0, 95%CI 1.9-13.2). Adjusting for misclassification had only a small impact on the analysis of risk factors for LTBI. A substantial number of individuals who are diagnosed with LTBI are actually sensitized to NTM. Using dual skin testing would reduce misdiagnosis and prevent unnecessary treatment.

  19. Low prevalence of reactive PPD prior to infliximab use: comparative study on a population sample of Hospital Geral de Fortaleza.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callado, Maria Roseli Monteiro; Lima, José Rubens Costa; Nobre, Christiane Aguiar; Vieira, Walber Pinto

    2011-01-01

    To identify tuberculosis infection in rheumatic patients on infliximab by use of PPD testing prior to immunobiologic therapy. This study comprised 157 patients undergoing infliximab treatment and 734 other patients undergoing laboratory screening for tuberculosis infection originating from several services. The Mantoux technique was used for PPD testing, and an induration of at least 5 mm was considered reactive status. In the infliximab group, 13% of the patients reacted to PPD, while, in the other group, 27% of the patients reacted to PPD (χ² = 13; P = 0.0003). These patients were divided into categories: adults with chronic diseases, PPD reactivity of 22%; and other controls, PPD reactivity of 31%. This shows the heterogeneous response of that population (χ² = 7; P PPD reactivity in the RA subgroup (4%) was also lower as compared with that of the chronic patients group (22%) (OR = 0.16; CI: 0.05-0.49; χ² = 14; P = 0.0002), even when reclassified into four subgroups: rheumatology (OR = 0.19; CI: 0.04-0.72), kidney transplantation (OR = 0.16; CI: 0.05-0.51), infectology (OR = 0.21; CI: 0.05-0.75), and other conditions (OR = 0.13; CI: 0.04-0.44). The low prevalence of PPD reaction in this Brazilian population, mainly in chronic patients, with the worst performance among RA patients, showed that the test has limited value for diagnosis of tuberculosis infection in candidates to infliximab therapy.

  20. Determination of 25-OCH3-PPD and the related substances by UPLC-MS/MS and their cytotoxic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Meng; Lu, Jingjing; Zhao, Chen; Zhang, Sainan; Zhao, Yuqing

    2016-06-01

    20(R)-25-methoxyl-dammarane-3β,12β,20-triol (25-OCH3-PPD) is a promising antitumor compound belonging to triterpenoid saponins isolated from radix notoginseng. A systematic research on the related impurities in raw material of 25-OCH3-PPD has not been conducted. In this study, three impurities obtained by HPLC-ELSD and characterized by (13)C NMR and MS were observed in the raw material of 25-OCH3-PPD. Cytotoxic activities of the related substances were also evaluated, of which impurity B with 25-OCH3-PPD showed synergistic inhibitory activity against BGC-823 with IC50 values of 8.33μM. Furthermore, a rapid and selective UPLC-MS/MS method was developed for simultaneous determination of the principal component and three related substances in the raw material of 25-OCH3-PPD. Multiple reaction monitoring scan mode was used for the quantification of 20(R)-25-OCH3-PPD and its three related substances. The four constituents were separated within 11min on a BEH C18 column (100 mm×2.1mm, 1.7μm) using a mobile phase comprising methanol and 0.03% formic acid water (82:18, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.2mL/min. The proposed UPLC-MS/MS method displayed acceptable levels of linearity, precision, repeatability, and accuracy. In addition, the proposed method was successfully applied for the establishment of a rational quality control standard for the raw material of 25-OCH3-PPD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. [The differences of the effects of Vrd1 and Ppd-D1 gene alleles on winterhardiness, frost resistance, and yield in winter wheat].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mokanu, N V; Faĭt, V I

    2008-01-01

    The influence of allelic differences of Vrd1 and Ppd-D1 genes on winterhardiness, frost resistance, yield and its components was studied in recombinant-inbred F5 lines of Odesskaya 16/Bezostaya 1. From 9 to 15% differences in the resistance of recombinant-inbred lines were determined by alternative alleles of Vrd1 gene and 10-16% of Ppd-D1 gene. Interaction of vrd1 and Ppd-D1a alleles led to the higher winterhardiness and frost resistance of tillered plants during the winter. At the same time the significant increase of the period to heading, plant height and the tendency of yield reduction were revealed for vrd1 vrd1 Ppd-D1a Ppd-D1a lines when compared to the lines of Vrd1 Vrd1 Ppd-D1a Ppd-D1a genotype.

  2. Dynamics of leaf and spikelet primordia initiation in wheat as affected by Ppd-1a alleles under field conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochagavía, Helga; Prieto, Paula; Savin, Roxana; Griffiths, Simon; Slafer, GustavoA

    2018-04-27

    Wheat adaptation is affected by Ppd genes, but the role of these alleles in the rates of leaf and spikelet initiation has not been properly analysed. Twelve near isogenic lines (NILs) combining Ppd-1a alleles from different donors introgressed in A, B, and/or D genomes were tested under field conditions during two growing seasons together with the wild type, Paragon. Leaf initiation rate was unaffected by Ppd-1a alleles so the final leaf number (FLN) was reduced in parallel with reductions in the duration of the vegetative phase. Spikelet primordia initiation was accelerated and consequently the effect on spikelets per spike was less than proportional to the effect on the duration of spikelet initiation. The magnitude of these effects on spikelet plastochron depended on the doses of Ppd-1 homoeoalleles and the specific insensitivity alleles carried. Double ridge was consistently later than floral initiation, but the difference between them was not affected by Ppd-1a alleles. These findings have potential for selecting the best combinations from the Ppd-1 homoeoallelic series for manipulating adaptation taking into consideration particular effects on spikelet number.

  3. Assessment of the effectiveness of the PPD-mallein produced in Brazil for diagnosing glanders in mules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Silva, Karla Patrícia Chaves; de Campos Takaki, Galba Maria; da Silva, Leonildo Bento Galiza; Saukas, Tomoe Noda; Santos, André Souza; Mota, Rinaldo Aparecido

    2013-01-01

    To assess the potency of the PPD-mallein produced in Brazil, five animals were from a property identified as a focus of glanders. These animals had suggestive clinical signs of the disease and the other five, from a property free from glanders, showed no clinical signs and were serology negative (control group). PPD-mallein from Burkholderia mallei was obtained by precipitation with trichloroacetic acid and ammonium sulfate. The animals were inoculated according to the criteria established by Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) for the diagnosis of glanders. After 48 h of application of PPD-mallein, there was swelling in the area of application, presence of ocular secretion and tears in sick animals. The control group showed no inflammatory reaction at the site of inoculation of PPD-mallein. This immunogen produced in Brazil and still being tested was effective for identifying the infection in true positive animals and excluding the truly negative ones, being a new possibility for diagnosis and control of glanders.

  4. 25-OCH3-PPD induces the apoptosis of activated t-HSC/Cl-6 cells via c-FLIP-mediated NF-κB activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yan-ling; Wan, Ying; Jin, Xue-Jun; OuYang, Bing-Qing; Bai, Ting; Zhao, Yu-Qing; Nan, Ji-Xing

    2011-11-15

    25-OCH(3)-PPD is a dammarane-type triterpene sapogenin isolated from the roots, leaves and seeds of Panax notoginseng, which has shown anti-tumor effects in several human cancer lines. In this study, we evaluated the effects of 25-OCH(3)-PPD on apoptosis of activated t-HSC/Cl-6 cells induced by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The inhibitory effects of eleven compounds isolated from Panax ginseng and P. notoginseng were detected in activated t-HSC/Cl-6 cells. 25-OCH(3)-PPD produced a significant inhibitory effect on activated t-HSC/Cl-6 cells. However, 25-OCH(3)-PPD showed almost no effect on the cell viability of Chang liver cells, a type of normal human hepatic cell line. Therefore, we aimed to determine the anti-fibrotic potential of 25-OCH(3)-PPD and to characterize the signal transduction pathways involved in activated HSCs. 25-OCH(3)-PPD decreased the fibrosis markers, including α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), transforming growth factor β-1 (TGF-β1) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1). 25-OCH(3)-PPD elevated the level of cellular GSH in activated HSCs, which demonstrated that 25-OCH(3)-PPD might inhibit HSC activation by its antioxidant capacity. Further analyses revealed that 25-OCH(3)-PPD increased the levels of cleaved caspase-3, decreased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and the expression of survivin via c-FLIP-mediated NF-κB activation and shed light on the regulation of apoptosis. Therefore, 25-OCH(3)-PPD may prove to be an excellent candidate agent for the therapy of hepatic fibrosis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Evolution and dispersal of emmer wheat (Triticum sp.) from novel haplotypes of Ppd-1 (photoperiod response) genes and their surrounding DNA sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takenaka, Shotaro; Kawahara, Taihachi

    2012-09-01

    The sequence data from 5' UTR, intronic, coding and 3' UTR regions of Ppd-A1 and Ppd-B1 were investigated for a total of 158 accessions of emmer wheat landraces comprising 19 of wild emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccoides), 45 of hulled emmer wheat (T. dicoccum) and 94 of free-threshing (FT) emmer wheat (T. durum etc.). We detected some novel types of deletions in the coding regions from 22 hulled emmer accessions and 20 FT emmer accessions. Emmer wheat accessions with these deletions could produce predicted proteins likely to lack function. We also observed some novel mutations in Ppd-B1. Sixty-seven and forty-one haplotypes were found in Ppd-A1 and Ppd-B1, respectively. Some mutations found in this study have not been known, so they have potential for useful genetic resources for wheat breeding. On the basis of sequence data from the 5' UTR region, both Ppd-A1 and Ppd-B1 haplotypes were divided into two groups (Type AI/AII and Type BI/BII). Types AI and AII of Ppd-A1 suggested gene flow between wild and hulled emmer. On the other hand, Types BI and BII of Ppd-B1 suggested gene flow between wild and FT emmer. More than half of hulled emmer accessions were Type AII/BI but few FT emmer accessions were of this type. Therefore, over half of the hulled emmer did not contribute to evolution of FT emmer.

  6. Intralesional tuberculin (PPD) versus measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine in treatment of multiple warts: a comparative clinical and immunological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaheen, Maha Adel; Salem, Samar Abdallah M; Fouad, Dina Adel; El-Fatah, Abeer Aly Abd

    2015-01-01

    Intralesional purified protein derivative (PPD) or mumps, measles, rubella (MMR) were not previously compared regarding their efficacy or mechanism of action in treatment of warts. We aimed to compare their efficacy in treatment of multiple warts and investigate their effect on serum interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-12. Thirty patients with multiple warts were included (10 treated with PPD, 10 with MMR, and 10 with normal saline (control)). Injection was done every 3 weeks until clearance or maximum of three treatments. Clinical response of target and distant warts was evaluated. Serum ILs-4 and -12 were assessed before and after treatment. A significantly higher rate of complete response was found in target and distant warts with PPD (60% each) and MMR (80%, 40%, respectively) compared with controls (0%), with no significant difference between both treatments. After treatment, the control group showed the lowest serum IL-12 and IL-4 levels compared with the MMR- and PPD-treated groups with statistically significant difference in between. MMR resulted in a significantly higher serum IL-12 than PPD. With PPD, IL-4 was increased with statistically significant change compared with pretreat-ment level. Intralesional PPD and MMR show comparable efficacy and safety in treatment of multiple warts. Serum ILs-4 and-12 increase following antigen injection. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Degradation and annealing studies on gamma rays irradiated COTS PPD CISs at different dose rates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Zujun; Ma, Yingwu; Liu, Jing; Xue, Yuan; He, Baoping; Yao, Zhibin; Huang, Shaoyan; Liu, Minbo; Sheng, Jiangkun

    2016-01-01

    The degradation and annealing studies on Colbalt-60 gamma-rays irradiated commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) pinned photodiode (PPD) CMOS image sensors (CISs) at the various dose rates are presented. The irradiation experiments of COTS PPD CISs are carried out at 0.3, 3.0 and 30.0 rad(Si)/s. The COTS PPD CISs are manufactured using a standard 0.18-μm CMOS technology with four-transistor pixel PPD architecture. The behavior of the tested CISs shows a remarkable degradation after irradiation and differs in the dose rates. The dark current, dark signal non-uniformity (DSNU), random noise, saturation output, signal to noise ratio (SNR), and dynamic range (DR) versus the total ionizing dose (TID) at the various dose rates are investigated. The tendency of dark current, DSNU, and random noise increase and saturation output, SNR, and DR to decrease at 3.0 rad(Si)/s are far greater than those at 0.3 and 30.0 rad(Si)/s. The damage mechanisms caused by TID irradiation at the various dose rates are also analyzed. The annealing tests are carried out at room temperature with unbiased conditions after irradiation.

  8. Degradation and annealing studies on gamma rays irradiated COTS PPD CISs at different dose rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zujun; Ma, Yingwu; Liu, Jing; Xue, Yuan; He, Baoping; Yao, Zhibin; Huang, Shaoyan; Liu, Minbo; Sheng, Jiangkun

    2016-06-01

    The degradation and annealing studies on Colbalt-60 gamma-rays irradiated commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) pinned photodiode (PPD) CMOS image sensors (CISs) at the various dose rates are presented. The irradiation experiments of COTS PPD CISs are carried out at 0.3, 3.0 and 30.0 rad(Si)/s. The COTS PPD CISs are manufactured using a standard 0.18-μm CMOS technology with four-transistor pixel PPD architecture. The behavior of the tested CISs shows a remarkable degradation after irradiation and differs in the dose rates. The dark current, dark signal non-uniformity (DSNU), random noise, saturation output, signal to noise ratio (SNR), and dynamic range (DR) versus the total ionizing dose (TID) at the various dose rates are investigated. The tendency of dark current, DSNU, and random noise increase and saturation output, SNR, and DR to decrease at 3.0 rad(Si)/s are far greater than those at 0.3 and 30.0 rad(Si)/s. The damage mechanisms caused by TID irradiation at the various dose rates are also analyzed. The annealing tests are carried out at room temperature with unbiased conditions after irradiation.

  9. FAKTOR PENYEBAB KERUSAKAN SISTEM MESIN PADA BUS APTB PPD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laela Chairani

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Comfort and safety of public transportation, particularly APTB PPD buses, becomes high expectations for its customers. Those expectations must be supported by the application of a good engine maintenance system. By using the method of Reliability Centered Maintenance may be determined appropriate actions to mitigate damage. From the analysis known the failures of the APTB PPD bus are malfunctions of the fuel engine, power transfer systems, difficulty to move the gear lever, and lubricating system for the rough engine noise. The cause of engine malfunction is dirty diesel filter, vehicle acceleration malfunction is due to the clutch plate wear out. Difficulty to move the gear lever indicates that the clutch slips. Rough engine noise caused by the flow of oil to the engine stalled as the result of dirty oil filter. The results of the logic tree analysis show that for each failure requires scheduling of time directed task.

  10. The ginsenoside PPD exerts anti-endometriosis effects by suppressing estrogen receptor-mediated inhibition of endometrial stromal cell autophagy and NK cell cytotoxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bing; Zhou, Wen-Jie; Gu, Chun-Jie; Wu, Ke; Yang, Hui-Li; Mei, Jie; Yu, Jia-Jun; Hou, Xiao-Fan; Sun, Jian-Song; Xu, Feng-Yuan; Li, Da-Jin; Jin, Li-Ping; Li, Ming-Qing

    2018-05-14

    Endometriosis (EMS) is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disease with a low autophagy level of ectopic endometrial stromal cells (eESCs). Impaired NK cell cytotoxic activity is involved in the clearance obstruction of the ectopic endometrial tissue in the abdominopelvic cavity. Protopanaxadiol (PPD) and protopanaxatriol (PPT) are two metabolites of ginsenosides, which have profound biological functions, such as anti-cancer activities. However, the role and mechanism of ginsenosides and metabolites in endometriosis are completely unknown. Here, we found that the compounds PPD, PPT, ginsenoside-Rg3 (G-Rg3), ginsenoside-Rh2 (G-Rh2), and esculentoside A (EsA) led to significant decreases in the viability of eESCs, particularly PPD (IC50 = 30.64 µM). In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that PPD promoted the expression of progesterone receptor (PR) and downregulated the expression of estrogen receptor α (ERα) in eESCs. Treatment with PPD obviously induced the autophagy of eESCs and reversed the inhibitory effect of estrogen on eESC autophagy. In addition, eESCs pretreated with PPD enhanced the cytotoxic activity of NK cells in response to eESCs. PPD decreased the numbers and suppressed the growth of ectopic lesions in a mouse EMS model. These results suggest that PPD plays a role in anti-EMS activation, possibly by restricting estrogen-mediated autophagy regulation and enhancing the cytotoxicity of NK cells. This result provides a scientific basis for potential therapeutic strategies to treat EMS by PPD or further structural modification.

  11. Providing detailed information about latent tuberculosis and compliance with the PPD test among healthcare workers in Israel: a randomized controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taubman, Danielle; Titler, Nava; Edelstein, Hana; Elias, Mazen; Saliba, Walid

    2013-12-01

    The compliance of screening for latent tuberculosis (TB) with the tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) test is very low among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Israel. This randomized controlled study uses the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a conceptual framework to examine whether providing more information about latent TB and the PPD test increases the response rate for PPD screening among HCWs. All candidate HCWs for latent TB screening were randomly allocated to one of the following two invitations to perform the PPD test: regular letter (control group, n=97), and a letter with information about latent TB and the PPD test (intervention group, n=196). 293 HCWs were included (185 nurses, and 108 physicians). Overall, 36 (12.3%) HCWs were compliant with the PPD test screening. Compliance with PPD testing in the intervention group was not statistically different from the control group, RR 0.87 (95% CI, 0.46-1.65). Compliance for latent TB screening is low among HCWs in northeastern Israel. Providing detailed information about latent TB was not associated with increased test compliance. Understanding existing disparities in screening rates and potential barriers to latent TB screening among HCWs is important in order to move forward and successfully increase screening rates. Copyright © 2013 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Analytical investigations of toxic p-phenylenediamine (PPD) levels in clinical urine samples with special focus on MALDI-MS/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooff, Gero P; van Huizen, Nick A; Meesters, Roland J W; Zijlstra, Eduard E; Abdelraheem, Mohamed; Abdelraheem, Waleed; Hamdouk, Mohamed; Lindemans, Jan; Luider, Theo M

    2011-01-01

    Para-phenylenediamine (PPD) is a common chromophoric ingredient in oxidative hair-dyes. In some African countries like Sudan, Egypt and Morocco but also in India this chemical is used alone or in combination with colouring extracts like Henna for dyeing of the hair or the skin. Excessive dermal exposure to PPD mainly leads to the N-mono- and N,N'-diacetylated products (MAPPD, DAPPD) by N-acetyltransferase 1 and 2 (NAT1 and 2) catalyzed reactions. Metabolites and PPD are mainly excreted via renal clearance. Despite a low risk of intoxication when used in due form, there are numerous cases of acute intoxication in those countries every year. At the ENT Hospital - Khartoum (Sudan) alone more than 300 cases are reported every year (~10% fatal), mostly caused by either an accidental or intended (suicidal) high systemic exposure to pure PPD. Intoxication leads to a severe clinical syndrome including laryngeal edema, rhabdomyolysis and subsequent renal failure, neurotoxicity and acute toxic hepatitis. To date, there is no defined clinical treatment or antidote available and treatment is largely supportive. Herein, we show the development of a quick on-site identification assay to facilitate differential diagnosis in the clinic and, more importantly, the implementation of an advanced analytical platform for future in-depth investigations of PPD intoxication and metabolism is described. The current work shows a sensitive (~25 µM) wet chemistry assay, a validated MALDI-MS/MS and HPLC-UV assay for the determination of PPD and its metabolites in human urine. We show the feasibility of the methods for measuring PPD over a range of 50-1000 µM. The validation criteria included linearity, lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), accuracy and precision, recovery and stability. Finally, PPD concentrations were determined in clinical urine samples of cases of acute intoxication and the applied technique was expanded to identify MAPPD and DAPPD in the identical samples.

  13. Plasma-Potential Diagnostic (PPD) hardware used on the Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade (TMX-U)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steele, D.L.; Hornady, R.S.; Stever, R.D.; Coutts, G.W.; Nelson, D.H.

    1986-01-01

    The PPD is an instrument used to indirectly measure the potential of the center-cell plasma of TMX-U. Thallium ions are injected at energies of about 60 keV from an ion gun capable of 80 kV operation. The singly charged ions collide with plasma electrons and generate double-charged ions. Ions in the higher charge state exit the plasma and are detected in an electrostatic energy analyzer. From measurements of the injected ion energy and the output ion energy one can determine the plasma potential in the ionization region. This paper discusses hardware and techniques for calibrating the energy analyzer on the PPD. Initially, calibrating the PPD analyzer required full operation of the TMX-U magnets to deflect the beam into the energy analyzer. Since it is a hazard to operate the magnets while personnel are in the pit area, calibration was done remotely. This was not only time consuming but also required magnet system operation personnel

  14. STUDIES OF METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE PROTEIN CONCENTRATION OF "MALEIN PPD" BY THE KJELDAHL METHOD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ciuca, V

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Glanders is a contagious and fatal disease of horses, donkeys, and mules, caused by infection with the bacterium Burkholderia mallei. The pathogen causes nodules and ulcerations in the upper respiratory tract and lungs. Glanders is transmissible to humans by direct contact with diseased animals or with infected or contaminated material. In the untreated acute disease, the mortality rate can reach 95% within 3 weeks Malein PPD - the diagnostic product contain max 2mg/ml Burkholderia mallei. The amount of protein in the biological product "Malein PPD" is measured as nitrogen from protein molecule, applying the Kjeldahl (method determination of nitrogen by sulphuric acid digestion. The validation study aims to demonstrate the determination of the protein of the Malein PPD, by sulphuric acid digestion, it is an appropriate analytical method, reproducible and meets the quality requirements of diagnostic reagents. The paper establishes the performance characteristics of the method considered and identify the factors that influence these characteristics. The method for determining the concentration of protein, by the Kjeldahl method is considered valid if the results obtained for each validation parameter are within the admissibility criteria.The validation procedure includes details on protocol working to determine the protein of the Malein PPD, validation criteria, experimental results, mathematical calculations.

  15. Baixa prevalência de PPD reativo prévia ao uso de infliximabe: estudo comparativo em população amostral do Hospital Geral de Fortaleza Low prevalence of reactive PPD prior to infliximab use: comparative study on a population sample of Hospital Geral de Fortaleza

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Roseli Monteiro Callado

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Identificar infecção tuberculosa em pacientes reumatológicos em uso de infliximabe, através do PPD realizado como pré-requisito ao início da terapia. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 157 pacientes em uso de infliximabe e 734 outros pacientes sob triagem de infecção tuberculosa, procedentes de diversas clínicas. O PPD foi realizado pela técnica de Mantoux e considerado reator a partir de 5 mm. RESULTADOS: No grupo infliximabe, o PPD foi reator em 13% e, entre os outros pacientes, a reatividade foi de 27% (χ2 = 13; P = 0,0003. Estes foram subdivididos em adultos portadores de doenças crônicas, com 22% de reatividade ao PPD e demais controles com 31% de positividade, demonstrando heterogeneidade de resposta nessa população (χ2 = 7; P OBJECTIVE: To identify tuberculosis infection in rheumatic patients on infliximab by use of PPD testing prior to immunobiologic therapy. METHODS: This study comprised 157 patients undergoing infliximab treatment and 734 other patients undergoing laboratory screening for tuberculosis infection originating from several services. The Mantoux technique was used for PPD testing, and an induration of at least 5 mm was considered reactive status. RESULTS: In the infliximab group, 13% of the patients reacted to PPD, while, in the other group, 27% of the patients reacted to PPD (χ2 = 13; P = 0.0003. These patients were divided into categories: adults with chronic diseases, PPD reactivity of 22%; and other controls, PPD reactivity of 31%. This shows the heterogeneous response of that population (χ2 = 7; P < 0.009. In the infliximab group, subdivided according to pathologies [rheumatoid arthritis (RA, ankylosing spondylitis (AS, and psoriatic arthritis (PA], different reactivity rates were observed, the lowest value occurring among RA patients: (RA x AS: OR = 0.13; CI: 0.03-0.47; χ2 = 12; P = 0.0004 and (RA x PA: OR = 0.16; CI: 0.02-1.04; χ2Yates corrected = 3.6; P = 0.05. The PPD reactivity in the RA

  16. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis of composite resins with CQ and PPD as photo-initiators photoactivated by QTH and LED units.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandt, William Cunha; Silva, Cristina Gomes; Frollini, Elisabete; Souza-Junior, Eduardo Jose Carvalho; Sinhoreti, Mário Alexandre Coelho

    2013-08-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the thermal and mechanical properties of the composite resins containing the photo-initiators camphorquinone (CQ) and/or phenyl-propanodione (PPD) when photoactivated with halogen lamp (XL2500/3M-ESPE), monowave (UltraBlueIS/DMC) and polywave (UltraLume5/Ultradent) LED units. A blend of BisGMA, UDMA, BisEMA and TEGDMA was prepared with the same wt% of photo-initiators CQ and/or PPD and 65wt% of silaneted filler particles. Compression strength (CS), diametral tensile strength (DTS) and diametral modulus (DM) were tested. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was made and the lost residual monomer were verified. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) was used for to analyze the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the storage modulus in 37°C. Degree of conversion (DC) was accomplished in the same samples of DMA using middle-infrared spectroscopy (mid-IR). CQ, CQ/PPD and PPD obtained the same results for all mechanical properties (CS, DTS and DM), lost residual monomer and storage modulus in 37°C, regardless LCU used. The results of Tg showed that the combination PPD-UltraLume5 produced the highest values. DC showed that the combination CQ-UltraLume5 resulted in the highest values and PPD-XL2500 in the lowest DC values. The study shows that PPD is not only effective photosensitizers, but also photocrosslinking agents for dental composite resins with a similar efficiency to CQ. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. 36 CFR 223.201 - Limitations on unprocessed timber harvested in Alaska.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Conservation and Shortage Relief Act of 1990 Program § 223.201 Limitations on unprocessed timber harvested in... or serious deterioration of logs unsalable locally because of an unforeseen loss of market, (c...

  18. Rapid analysis of the skin irritant p-phenylenediamine (PPD) in henna products using atmospheric solids analysis probe mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Weiyang; Nkosi, Thobile A N; Combrinck, Sandra; Viljoen, Alvaro M; Cartwright-Jones, Catherine

    2016-09-05

    Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is applied to stain keratin, present in hair, skin and fingernails, a red-orange or rust colour. Producers of temporary tattoos mix the aromatic amine compound, para-phenylenediamine (PPD) into natural henna to create 'black henna' that rapidly stains the skin black. However, PPD may cause severe delayed hypersensitivity reactions following skin contact. This study proposes a rapid direct-analysis method to detect and identify PPD using an atmospheric solids analysis probe (ASAP) coupled to a Q-ToF mass spectrometer (MS). Since laborious, multistep methods of analysis to determine PPD are undesirable, due to the instability of the compound in solution, a screening method involving no sample preparation steps was developed. Experiments were carried out to optimise the corona current, sample cone voltage, source temperature, and desolvation gas temperature to determine ideal ASAP-Q-ToF-MS analysing conditions. Eleven of the 109 henna samples, originating from various countries, tested positive for PPD when henna products were screened using ASAP-MS, without any form of sample preparation other than grinding. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-ToF-MS) was subsequently used to confirm the results from ASAP and to determine the concentrations of PPD in henna products. The allergen was detected in the same eleven samples, with concentrations ranging from 0.05-4.21% (w/w). It can be concluded that the sensitivity of the ASAP-MS technique is sufficient (limit of detection=0.025% w/w) to allow screening of henna samples for the presence of PPD. This relatively new technique can be applied to commercial products without extraction, sample treatment or chromatographic separation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Use of recombinant purified protein derivative (PPD) antigens as specific skin test for tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stavri, Henriette; Bucurenci, Nadia; Ulea, Irina; Costache, Adriana; Popa, Loredana; Popa, Mircea Ioan

    2012-11-01

    Purified protein derivative (PPD) is currently the only available skin test reagent used worldwide for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). The aim of this study was to develop a Mycobacterium tuberculosis specific skin test reagent, without false positive results due to Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination using recombinant antigens. Proteins in PPD IC-65 were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry and compared to proteins in M. tuberculosis culture filtrate; 54 proteins were found in common. Top candidates MPT64, ESAT 6, and CFP 10 were overexpressed in Escherichia coli expression strains and purified as recombinant proteins. To formulate optimal immunodiagnostic PPD cocktails, the antigens were evaluated by skin testing guinea pigs sensitized with M. tuberculosis H37Rv and BCG. For single antigens and a cocktail mixture of these antigens, best results were obtained using 3 μg/0.1 ml, equivalent to 105 TU (tuberculin units). Each animal was simultaneously tested with PPD IC-65, 2 TU/0.1 ml, as reference. Reactivity of the multi-antigen cocktail was greater than that of any single antigen. The skin test results were between 34.3 and 76.6 per cent the level of reactivity compared to that of the reference when single antigens were tested and 124 per cent the level of reactivity compared to the reference for the multi-antigen cocktail. Our results showed that this specific cocktail could represent a potential candidate for a new skin diagnostic test for TB.

  20. Short, natural, and extended photoperiod response in BC2F4 lines of bread wheat with different photoperiod-1 (Ppd-1) alleles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentley, A R; Horsnell, R; Werner, C P; Turner, A S; Rose, G A; Bedard, C; Howell, P; Wilhelm, E P; Mackay, I J; Howells, R M; Greenland, A; Laurie, D A; Gosman, N

    2013-04-01

    Flowering is a critical period in the life cycle of flowering plant species, resulting in an irreversible commitment of significant resources. Wheat is photoperiod sensitive, flowering only when daylength surpasses a critical length; however, photoperiod insensitivity (PI) has been selected by plant breeders for >40 years to enhance yield in certain environments. Control of flowering time has been greatly facilitated by the development of molecular markers for the Photoperiod-1 (Ppd-1) homeoloci, on the group 2 chromosomes. In the current study, an allelic series of BC2F4 lines in the winter wheat cultivars 'Robigus' and 'Alchemy' was developed to elucidate the influence on flowering of eight gene variants from the B- and D-genomes of bread wheat and the A-genome of durum wheat. Allele effects were tested in short, natural, and extended photoperiods in the field and controlled environments. Across genetic background and treatment, the D-genome PI allele, Ppd-D1a, had a more potent effect on reducing flowering time than Ppd-B1a. However, there was significant donor allele effect for both Ppd-D1a and Ppd-B1a, suggesting the presence of linked modifier genes and/or additional sources of latent sensitivity. Development of Ppd-A1a BC2F4 lines derived from synthetic hexaploid wheat provided an opportunity to compare directly the flowering time effect of the A-genome allele from durum with the B- and D-genome variants from bread wheat for the first time. Analyses indicated that the reducing effect of Ppd-A1a is comparable with that of Ppd-D1a, confirming it as a useful alternative source of PI.

  1. Delayed-type hypersensitivity skin test responses to PPD and other antigens among BCG-vaccinated HIV-1-infected and healthy children and adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Natalia Moriya Xavierda; Albuquerque, Maly de; Lins, Janaína Bacelar Acioli; Alvares-Junior, João Teixeira; Stefani, Mariane Martins de Araújo

    2011-10-01

    Among HIV-1-infected patients, CD4+ T cell counts are well-established markers of cell-mediated immunity. Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin tests can be used to evaluate in vivo cell-mediated immunity to common antigens. DTH responses to tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD), sporotrichin, trichophytin, candidin and streptokinase/streptodornase antigens were assessed. Thirty-six HIV-1-infected children/adolescents and 56 age- and sex-matched HIV-1/HIV-2-seronegative participants were tested. All participants had a BCG scar. Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate significant differences between groups (pPPD positivity prevailed among healthy participants (40/56, 71.4%). PPD reactivity in the HIV-1-positive group was 8.3% (pPPD induration was 2.5mm (range: 2-5mm) in the HIV-1 group and 6.0 mm among healthy participants (range: 3-15 mm). There was no correlation between PPD positivity and age. No correlation between CD4+ T cell counts and DTH reactivity was observed among HIV-1-infected patients. DTH skin test responses, including PPD reactivity, were significantly lower among HIV-1-infected participants compared to healthy controls, which likely reflects advanced disease and T cell depletion.

  2. Natural product ginsenoside 25-OCH3-PPD inhibits breast cancer growth and metastasis through down-regulating MDM2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Zhang, Xu; Qin, Jiang-Jiang; Voruganti, Sukesh; Nag, Subhasree Ashok; Wang, Ming-Hai; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Ruiwen

    2012-01-01

    Although ginseng and related herbs have a long history of utility for various health benefits, their application in cancer therapy and underlying mechanisms of action are not fully understood. Our recent work has shown that 20(S)-25-methoxyl-dammarane-3β, 12β, 20-triol (25-OCH(3)-PPD), a newly identified ginsenoside from Panax notoginseng, exerts activities against a variety of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. This study was designed to investigate its anti-breast cancer activity and the underlying mechanisms of action. We observed that 25-OCH(3)-PPD decreased the survival of breast cancer cells by induction of apoptosis and G1 phase arrest and inhibited the growth of breast cancer xenografts in vivo. We further demonstrated that, in a dose- and time-dependent manner, 25-OCH(3)-PPD inhibited MDM2 expression at both transcriptional and post-translational levels in human breast cancer cells with various p53 statuses (wild type and mutant). Moreover, 25-OCH(3)-PPD inhibited in vitro cell migration, reduced the expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, and prevented in vivo metastasis of breast cancer. In summary, 25-OCH(3)-PPD is a potential therapeutic and anti-metastatic agent for human breast cancer through down-regulating MDM2. Further preclinical and clinical development of this agent is warranted.

  3. Intradermal injection of PPD as a novel approach of immunotherapy in anogenital warts in pregnant women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eassa, Bayoumy I; Abou-Bakr, Amany A; El-Khalawany, Mohamed A

    2011-01-01

    Immunotherapy for treatment of recalcitrant warts was used through different modalities including intralesional injection of purified protein derivative (PPD), which is an extract of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, used for testing exposure to tuberculin protein, either from a previous vaccination or from the environment. This method is used to evaluate the efficacy of a new approach of intradermal injection of PPD in the treatment of anogenital warts in pregnant women. A total of 40 pregnant women, aged 20-35 years, and presented with anogenital warts were enrolled in this study. Human papillomavirus (HPV) typing was done using the GP5+/GP6+ PCR assay. The patients were treated with weekly injections of PPD given intradermally in the forearms, and evaluated for the response regularly. HPV type-6 was the predominant genotype (67.5%). Overall, the improvement in this study was 85% and was related to the extent of tuberculin reactivity. Nineteen (47.5%) patients demonstrated complete clearance, 15 (37.5%) had partial response, and three (7.5%) had minimal response. Three (7.5%) cases did not respond to treatment. Side effects were minimal and insignificant. Treatment of anogenital warts in pregnant women with intradermal injection of PPD was found to be a unique, safe, and effective modality of immunotherapy. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Vaccination technique, PPD reaction and BCG scarring in a cohort of children born in Guinea-Bissau 2000-2002

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roth, Adam Anders Edvin; Sodemann, Morten; Jensen, Henrik

    2005-01-01

    and scarring in Guinea-Bissau. In a cohort of children born in suburban Bissau from March 2000 to July 2002, we assessed a Mantoux test with Purified protein derivative (PPD) (SSI, 2 T.U.) at 2 (2689 children), 6 (N=2148) and 12 months (N=1638) of age, and BCG scar was assessed at 2 (N=2698) and 6 months (N......=2225) of age. In a subgroup of the children the vaccination technique was monitored by direct observation of post-vaccination wheal and route of administration. Three different types of BCG vaccine supplied by the local Extended Programme on Immunization were used. At 6 months of age the rate of PPD...... reactors (>1mm) after BCG vaccination was 25% and the rate of scarring was 89%. One BCG strain was associated with fewer PPD reactors (OR=0.54 (0.31-0.91)) and BCG scars (OR=0.13 (0.05-0.37)) and larger post-vaccination wheals produced more PPD reactions (OR 1.21 (95% CI 1.02-1.43)) and BCG scars (OR 1...

  5. Citocompatibilidade de blendas de poli(p-dioxanona/ poli(hidroxi butirato (PPD/PHB para aplicações em engenharia de tecido cartilaginoso Cytocompatibility of poly(p-dioxanone/ poly(hydroxybutic (PPD/PHB blends to cartilage tissue engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea R. Esposito

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Buscando estratégias que repercutam na melhoria da interação entre materiais poliméricos biorreabsorvíveis e o crescimento celular, o presente estudo in vitro teve como objetivo estudar a influência de blendas de PPD/PHB na adesão celular e crescimento de fibrocondrócitos obtidos a partir de cultura primária. As blendas de PPD/PHB foram preparadas pelo método de evaporação de solvente nas composições 100/0, 60/40 e 50/50 e caracterizadas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV. Observações ultra-estruturais mostraram alterações na morfologia celular, sugerindo que os fibrocondrócitos podem responder a alterações no substrato alterando seu perfil fenotípico. As análises com MTT demonstraram que as blendas não apresentaram citotoxicidade e permitiram a adesão e proliferação dos fibrocondrócitos sobre os substratos em todas as suas composições. O ensaio colorimétrico com Sirius Red evidenciou a capacidade de manutenção da síntese de matriz extracelular colágena sobre as amostras, concluindo-se que as blendas de PPD/PHB podem ser indicadas para o cultivo celular.In order of seek strategies to improve the interaction between bioreabsorbable polymer materials and cellular growth, this work aimed at evaluating in vitro the influence of PPD/PHB blends on cell adhesion and fibrochondrocytes growth. Fibrochondrocytes cells were obtained by primary extraction from enzymatic digestion methods. The PPD/PHB blends were prepared by casting with 100/0, 60/40 and 50/50 compositions, and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. After 6, 48, 120 and 168 hours in culture, ultrastructural observations showed changes in cell morphology, suggesting that the fibrochondrocytes can respond to substrate modifications, changing their phenotypic profile. The MTT analyses showed that the blends did not present cytotoxicity and allowed fibrochondrocytes adhesion and proliferation on the membranes in all compositions

  6. Intralesional immunotherapy with tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) in recalcitrant wart: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial including an extra group of candidates for cryotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amirnia, Mehdi; Khodaeiani, Effat; Fouladi, Daniel F; Masoudnia, Sima

    2016-01-01

    Due to paucity of randomized clinical trials, intralesional immunotherapy has not been yet accepted as a standard therapeutic method. To examine the efficacy and safety of intralesional immunotherapy with tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) for treating recalcitrant wart. In this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial, a total of 69 patients with recalcitrant warts received either intralesional PPD antigen (n = 35) or intralesional saline (n = 34) for six times at 2-week intervals. A third group of candidates for cryotherapy (n = 33) was also included. The decrease in lesion size (good: complete response, intermediate: 50-99% improvement, poor: PPD patients; 0%, 14.7% and 85.3% of the placebo patients and 18.2%, 33.3% and 48.5% of the cryotherapy patients, respectively (PPD versus placebo: p PPD versus cryotherapy: p PPD group. The recurrence rate was 8.6%, 5.9% and 24.2% in the PPD, placebo and cryotherapy groups, respectively (p > 0.05). Intralesional immunotherapy with PPD antigen is highly effective and safe for treating recalcitrant warts. IRCT201407089844N3 in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT).

  7. Evaluation of whole blood IFNgamma test using PPD and recombinant antigen challenge for diagnosis of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalantri, Yatiraj; Hemvani, Nanda; Chitnis, D S

    2009-06-01

    Quantiferon TB gold (QFT-G) with recombinant antigen cocktail is well evaluated for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). However, diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is more difficult due to limitations of conventional techniques. This study compares recombinant antigens based QFT-G and low cost PPD based interferon test for the diagnosis of PTB and EPTB. IFNgamma release, with recombinant antigens and PPD, was assayed by ELISA from 140 cases of EPTB, 100 cases of PTB along with acid fast bacillus (AFB) detection, AFB culture on LJ and MGIT BACTEC. Sensitivity and specificity for QFT-G recombinant antigens was 84.29% and 96%, while for PPD based interferon was 70% and 84% for EPTB group. The sensitivity was far superior to AFB smear and culture for both the antigens. Nine samples were identified as non-tubercular mycobacteria (NTM) in the EPTB group and all were negative for QFT-G, but six of them were positive for PPD based test. Results of the study show that QFT-G using recombinant antigen is sensitive and specific for both PTB and EPTB diagnosis. The PPD based test is economic and offers comparable performance for PTB and EPTB diagnosis and also useful for diagnosis of NTM.

  8. Progesterone receptor (PR) polyproline domain (PPD) mediates inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawprasertsri, Sornsawan; Pietras, Richard J; Marquez-Garban, Diana C; Boonyaratanakornkit, Viroj

    2016-05-01

    Recent evidence has suggested a possible role for progesterone receptor (PR) in the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, little is known concerning roles of PR in NSCLC. PR contains a polyproline domain (PPD), which directly binds to the SH3 domain of signaling molecules. Because PPD-SH3 interactions are essential for EGFR signaling, we hypothesized that the presence of PR-PPD interfered with EGFR-mediated signaling and cell proliferation. We examined the role of PR-PPD in cell proliferation and signaling by stably expressing PR-B, or PR-B with disrupting mutations in the PPD (PR-BΔSH3), from a tetracycline-regulated promoter in A549 NSCLC cells. PR-B dose-dependently inhibited cell growth in the absence of ligand, and progestin (R5020) treatment further suppressed the growth. Treatment with RU486 abolished PR-B- and R5020-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation. Expression of PR-BΔSH3 and treatment with R5020 or RU486 had no effect on cell proliferation. Furthermore, PR-B expression but not PR-BΔSH3 expression reduced EGF-induced A549 proliferation and activation of ERK1/2, in the absence of ligand. Taken together, our data demonstrated the significance of PR extranuclear signaling through PPD interactions in EGFR-mediated proliferation and signaling in NSCLC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. A three-component system incorporating Ppd-D1, copy number variation at Ppd-B1, and numerous small-effect quantitative trait loci facilitates adaptation of heading time in winter wheat cultivars of worldwide origin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Würschum, Tobias; Langer, Simon M; Longin, C Friedrich H; Tucker, Matthew R; Leiser, Willmar L

    2018-06-01

    The broad adaptability of heading time has contributed to the global success of wheat in a diverse array of climatic conditions. Here, we investigated the genetic architecture underlying heading time in a large panel of 1,110 winter wheat cultivars of worldwide origin. Genome-wide association mapping, in combination with the analysis of major phenology loci, revealed a three-component system that facilitates the adaptation of heading time in winter wheat. The photoperiod sensitivity locus Ppd-D1 was found to account for almost half of the genotypic variance in this panel and can advance or delay heading by many days. In addition, copy number variation at Ppd-B1 was the second most important source of variation in heading, explaining 8.3% of the genotypic variance. Results from association mapping and genomic prediction indicated that the remaining variation is attributed to numerous small-effect quantitative trait loci that facilitate fine-tuning of heading to the local climatic conditions. Collectively, our results underpin the importance of the two Ppd-1 loci for the adaptation of heading time in winter wheat and illustrate how the three components have been exploited for wheat breeding globally. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Comparison of Tuberculin Skin Test result and interferon gamma response to human PPD in BCG scar positive and negative children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayyahfar, Shirin; Karimi, Abdollah; Fahimzad, Alireza; Shamshiri, Ahmad Reza

    2014-03-01

    The aim of this study is to compare Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) result and interferon gamma response to human PPD (purified protein derivative), in scar positive and scar negative BCG-vaccinated children. Between August 2007 and May 2008 a total of 236 children aged 1-168 months (mean 21 months) admitted to Mofid Children's Hospital, Tehran, Iran, were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Each patient was examined for BCG vaccine scar and tested with TST and human PPD-based Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA). Two hundred and twenty one cases out of 236 (44% female, 1-168 months, mean age 21 months) were scar positive of whom 95% TST result was negative. Human PPD-based IGRA was positive in 110 (49.8%), negative in 85 (38.4 %) and indeterminate in 26 (11.8%) of scar positive patients. Fifteen children (40% female, 1-156 months; mean age 42 months) were scar negative. All the scar negative cases were TST negative. Human PPD-based IGRA was positive in 10 (66.7%), negative in 4 (26.7%) and indeterminate in 1 (6.7%) of scar negative patients. Immune responsiveness to human PPD antigens in scar positive and negative children may not correspond with results of the Tuberculin Skin Test. Copyright © 2013 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. [Clarification of Rht8 and Ppd-D1 gene linkage on the 2D chromosome of winter bread wheat].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chebotar, H O; Chebotar, S V; Motsnyĭ, I I; Syvolap, Iu M

    2013-01-01

    In the south part of Ukraine the haplotype of Rht8c and Ppd-D1a genes is highly distributed among modern bread wheat varieties. During the time of breeding program it has been selected as one of the most important adaptive complex for plants of this region. Genetic distance between Rht8c and Ppd-D1a was clarified.

  12. PHYSICS PERFORMANCE & DATASET (PPD)

    CERN Multimedia

    L. Silvestris, P. Azzi, C. Cerminara, M. Pierini with contributions from R. Castello, M. De Mattia, S. Di Guida, A. Pfeiffer, F. De Guio, D. Duggan, M. Ojeda-Sandonis, M. Rovere, G. Boudoul, G. Franzoni, P. Srimanobhas, J.-R. Vlimant. Edited by K. Aspola.

    2013-01-01

      Despite the LHC shutdown, the past six months of 2013 have been extremely intense for our coordination area. All the PPD teams are engaged on three major fronts: the exploitation of the 2011 and 2012 data, the preparation of the post-LS1 data taking and the support to the studies for the upgrade of the detector. Alignment and Calibration and Database (AlCaDB) Work in the AlCaDB project followed the planning and moved into a consolidation phase. On the AlCa side, efforts mainly concentrated on providing and validating new calibration and alignment conditions as needed for the re-processing campaigns of 2011 and 2012 data and simulation of multiple upgrade scenarios. Also, work on improvements on the Global Tag Collector tool to manage these are ongoing. On the DB side, the major redesign of the core conditions software, as discussed in various meetings in the last months of 2012, is being finalised according to schedule. We plan to change over to the new DB structure in early 2014, well before t...

  13. Synthesis of a conjugated pyrrolopyridazinedione-benzodithiophene (PPD-BDT) copolymer and its application in organic and hybrid solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knall, Astrid-Caroline; Jones, Andrew O F; Kunert, Birgit; Resel, Roland; Reishofer, David; Zach, Peter W; Kirkus, Mindaugas; McCulloch, Iain; Rath, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a conjugated donor-acceptor copolymer consisting of a pyrrolopyridazinedione (PPD) acceptor unit, and a benzodithiophene (BDT) donor unit. The polymerization was done via a Stille cross-coupling polycondensation. The resulting PPD-BDT copolymer revealed an optical bandgap of 1.8 eV and good processability from chlorobenzene solutions. In an organic solar cell in combination with PC 70 BM, the polymer led to a power conversion efficiency of 4.5%. Moreover, the performance of the copolymer was evaluated in polymer/nanocrystal hybrid solar cells using non-toxic CuInS 2 nanocrystals as inorganic phase, which were prepared from precursors directly in the polymer matrix without using additional capping ligands. The PPD-BDT/CuInS 2 hybrid solar cells showed comparably high photovoltages and a power conversion efficiency of 2.2%.

  14. 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) alleviates scopolamine-induced memory impairment via regulation of cholinergic and antioxidant systems, and expression of Egr-1, c-Fos and c-Jun in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Cong; Dong, Liming; Lv, Jingwei; Wang, Yan; Fan, Bei; Wang, Fengzhong; Liu, Xinmin

    2018-01-05

    20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) possesses various biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor and anti-fatigue properties. Recent studies found that PPD functioned as a neurotrophic agent to ameliorate the sensory deficit caused by glutamate-induced excitotoxicity through its antioxidant effects and exhibited strong antidepressant-like effects in vivo. The objective of the present study was first to investigate the effect of PPD in scopolamine (SCOP)-induced memory deficit in mice and the potential mechanisms involved. In this study, mice were pretreated with PPD (20 and 40 μmol/kg) and donepezil (1.6 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p) for 14 days. Then, open field test was used to assess the effect of PPD on the locomotor activity and mice were daily injected with SCOP (0.75 mg/kg) to induce cognitive deficits and then subjected to behavioral tests by object location recognition (OLR) experiment and Morris water maze (MWM) task. The cholinergic system function, oxidative stress biomarkers and protein expression of Egr-1, c-Fos, and c-Jun in mouse hippocampus were examined. PPD was found to significantly improve the performance of amnesia mice in OLR and MWM tests. PPD regulated cholinergic function by inhibiting SCOP-induced elevation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, decline of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity and decrease of acetylcholine (Ach) level. PPD suppressed oxidative stress by increasing activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lowering maleic diadehyde (MDA) level. Additionally, PPD significantly elevated the expression of Egr-1, c-Fos, and c-Jun in hippocampus at protein level. Taken together, all these results suggested that 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) may be a candidate compound for the prevention against memory loss in some neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. PHYSICS PERFORMANCE AND DATASET (PPD)

    CERN Multimedia

    L. Silvestris

    2012-01-01

      Introduction Since July, the activities have been focused on very diverse subjects: operations activities for the 2012 data-taking, Monte Carlo production and data re-processing plans for 2013 conferences (winter and summer), preparation for the Upgrades TDRs and readiness after LS1. The regular operations activities have included: changing to the 53X release at the Tier-0, regular calibrations updates, and data certification to guarantee certified data for analysis with the shortest delay from data taking. The samples, simulated at 8 TeV, have been re-reconstructed using 53X. A lot of effort has been put in their prioritisation to ensure that the samples needed for HCP and future conferences are produced on time. Given the large amount of data that have been collected in 2012 and the available computing resources, a careful planning is needed. The PPD and Physics groups worked on a master schedule for the Monte Carlo production, new conditions validation and data reprocessing. The ...

  16. The impact of photoperiod insensitive Ppd-1a mutations on the photoperiod pathway across the three genomes of hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Lindsay M; Turner, Adrian S; Laurie, David A

    2012-07-01

    Flowering time is a trait that has been extensively altered during wheat domestication, enabling it to be highly productive in diverse environments and providing a rich source of variation for studying adaptation mechanisms. Hexaploid wheat is ancestrally a long-day plant, but many environments require varieties with photoperiod insensitivity (PI) that can flower in short days. PI results from mutations in the Ppd-1 gene on the A, B or D genomes, with individual mutations conferring different degrees of earliness. The basis of this is poorly understood. Using a common genetic background, the effects of A, B and D genome PI mutations on genes of the circadian clock and photoperiod pathway were studied using genome-specific expression assays. Ppd-1 PI mutations did not affect the clock or immediate clock outputs, but affected TaCO1 and TaFT1, with a reduction in TaCO1 expression as TaFT1 expression increased. Therefore, although Ppd-1 is related to PRR genes of the Arabidopsis circadian clock, Ppd-1 affects flowering by an alternative route, most likely by upregulating TaFT1 with a feedback effect that reduces TaCO1 expression. Individual genes in the circadian clock and photoperiod pathway were predominantly expressed from one genome, and there was no genome specificity in Ppd-1 action. Lines combining PI mutations on two or three genomes had enhanced earliness with higher levels, but not earlier induction, of TaFT1, showing that there is a direct quantitative relationship between Ppd-1 mutations, TaFT1 expression and flowering. © 2012 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  17. Multiple Timescale Energy Scheduling for Wireless Communication with Energy Harvesting Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Xiao

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The primary challenge in wireless communication with energy harvesting devices is to efficiently utilize the harvesting energy such that the data packet transmission could be supported. This challenge stems from not only QoS requirement imposed by the wireless communication application, but also the energy harvesting dynamics and the limited battery capacity. Traditional solar predictable energy harvesting models are perturbed by prediction errors, which could deteriorate the energy management algorithms based on this models. To cope with these issues, we first propose in this paper a non-homogenous Markov chain model based on experimental data, which can accurately describe the solar energy harvesting process in contrast to traditional predictable energy models. Due to different timescale between the energy harvesting process and the wireless data transmission process, we propose a general framework of multiple timescale Markov decision process (MMDP model to formulate the joint energy scheduling and transmission control problem under different timescales. We then derive the optimal control policies via a joint dynamic programming and value iteration approach. Extensive simulations are carried out to study the performances of the proposed schemes.

  18. Recent Advances in Physical Post-Harvest Treatments for Shelf-Life Extension of Cereal Crops

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Marcus; Zannini, Emanuele; Arendt, Elke K.

    2018-01-01

    As a result of the rapidly growing global population and limited agricultural area, sufficient supply of cereals for food and animal feed has become increasingly challenging. Consequently, it is essential to reduce pre- and post-harvest crop losses. Extensive research, featuring several physical treatments, has been conducted to improve cereal post-harvest preservation, leading to increased food safety and sustainability. Various pests can lead to post-harvest losses and grain quality deterioration. Microbial spoilage due to filamentous fungi and bacteria is one of the main reasons for post-harvest crop losses and mycotoxins can induce additional consumer health hazards. In particular, physical treatments have gained popularity making chemical additives unnecessary. Therefore, this review focuses on recent advances in physical treatments with potential applications for microbial post-harvest decontamination of cereals. The treatments discussed in this article were evaluated for their ability to inhibit spoilage microorganisms and degrade mycotoxins without compromising the grain quality. All treatments evaluated in this review have the potential to inhibit grain spoilage microorganisms. However, each method has some drawbacks, making industrial application difficult. Even under optimal processing conditions, it is unlikely that cereals can be decontaminated of all naturally occurring spoilage organisms with a single treatment. Therefore, future research should aim for the development of a combination of treatments to harness their synergistic properties and avoid grain quality deterioration. For the degradation of mycotoxins the same conclusion can be drawn. In addition, future research must investigate the fate of degraded toxins, to assess the toxicity of their respective degradation products. PMID:29565832

  19. Use of the johnin PPD interferon-gamma assay in control of bovine paratuberculosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jungersen, Gregers; Mikkelsen, Heidi; Grell, Susanne N.

    2012-01-01

    Although the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) assay for measurements of cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses to paratuberculosis PPD (johnin) has been available for close to 20 years, the assay has not yet emerged as the long desired test to identify infected animals at an early time point. Among other...

  20. PHYSICS PERFORMANCE AND DATASET (PPD)

    CERN Multimedia

    L. Silvestris

    2013-01-01

    The first part of the Long Shutdown period has been dedicated to the preparation of the samples for the analysis targeting the summer conferences. In particular, the 8 TeV data acquired in 2012, including most of the “parked datasets”, have been reconstructed profiting from improved alignment and calibration conditions for all the sub-detectors. A careful planning of the resources was essential in order to deliver the datasets well in time to the analysts, and to schedule the update of all the conditions and calibrations needed at the analysis level. The newly reprocessed data have undergone detailed scrutiny by the Dataset Certification team allowing to recover some of the data for analysis usage and further improving the certification efficiency, which is now at 91% of the recorded luminosity. With the aim of delivering a consistent dataset for 2011 and 2012, both in terms of conditions and release (53X), the PPD team is now working to set up a data re-reconstruction and a new MC pro...

  1. PHYSICS PERFORMANCE AND DATASET (PPD)

    CERN Multimedia

    L. Silvestris

    2013-01-01

    The PPD activities, in the first part of 2013, have been focused mostly on the final physics validation and preparation for the data reprocessing of the full 8 TeV datasets with the latest calibrations. These samples will be the basis for the preliminary results for summer 2013 but most importantly for the final publications on the 8 TeV Run 1 data. The reprocessing involves also the reconstruction of a significant fraction of “parked data” that will allow CMS to perform a whole new set of precision analyses and searches. In this way the CMSSW release 53X is becoming the legacy release for the 8 TeV Run 1 data. The regular operation activities have included taking care of the prolonged proton-proton data taking and the run with proton-lead collisions that ended in February. The DQM and Data Certification team has deployed a continuous effort to promptly certify the quality of the data. The luminosity-weighted certification efficiency (requiring all sub-detectors to be certified as usab...

  2. Measurement and investigation of proton irradiation-induced charge transfer inefficiency in PPD CIS at different integration times

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Yuanyuan; Wang, Zujun; Zhang, Fengqi; Bian, Jingying; Yao, Zhibin; He, Baoping; Liu, Minbo; Sheng, Jiangkun; Ma, Wuying; Dong, Guantao; Jin, Junshan

    2018-04-01

    Charge transfer inefficiency (CTI) is an important parameter for photodiode (PPD) CMOS image sensors (CISs). A test system was built and used to measure the CTI of PPD CIS devices at different integration times. The radiation effects of 3 MeV and 10 MeV protons on the CTI were investigated. The experiments were carried out at the EN Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator at proton fluences in the range 1010 to 1011 p/cm2. The CTI was measured within the 2 h following proton radiations. The dependence of CTI on integration time, proton energy and fluence were investigated. The CTI was observed to increase after proton irradiation: with the effect of irradiation with 3 MeV proton being more severe than that with 10 MeV protons. The CTI was also observed to decrease with increasing integration time, which is thought to be related to the charge density in the space charge region (SCR) of the CIS devices. This work has provided a simple method to measure the CTI and helped us to understand proton radiation effects on the CTI of PPD CISs.

  3. Characterisation of a novel reverse-biased PPD CMOS image sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stefanov, K. D.; Clarke, A. S.; Ivory, J.; Holland, A. D.

    2017-11-01

    A new pinned photodiode (PPD) CMOS image sensor (CIS) has been developed and characterised. The sensor can be fully depleted by means of reverse bias applied to the substrate, and the principle of operation is applicable to very thick sensitive volumes. Additional n-type implants under the pixel p-wells, called Deep Depletion Extension (DDE), have been added in order to eliminate the large parasitic substrate current that would otherwise be present in a normal device. The first prototype has been manufactured on a 18 μm thick, 1000 Ω .cm epitaxial silicon wafers using 180 nm PPD image sensor process at TowerJazz Semiconductor. The chip contains arrays of 10 μm and 5.4 μm pixels, with variations of the shape, size and the depth of the DDE implant. Back-side illuminated (BSI) devices were manufactured in collaboration with Teledyne e2v, and characterised together with the front-side illuminated (FSI) variants. The presented results show that the devices could be reverse-biased without parasitic leakage currents, in good agreement with simulations. The new 10 μm pixels in both BSI and FSI variants exhibit nearly identical photo response to the reference non-modified pixels, as characterised with the photon transfer curve. Different techniques were used to measure the depletion depth in FSI and BSI chips, and the results are consistent with the expected full depletion.

  4. 12-Chloracetyl-PPD, a novel dammarane derivative, shows anti-cancer activity via delay the progression of cell cycle G2/M phase and reactive oxygen species-mediate cell apoptosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xu De; Sun, Yuan Yuan; Zhao, Chen; Qu, Fan Zhi; Zhao, Yu Qing

    2017-03-05

    (20R)-Dammarane-3β, 12β, 20, 25-tetrol (25-OH-PPD) is a ginsenoside isolated from Panax ginseng (C. A. Meyer). This compound exhibits anti-cancer activities on many human cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated anti-cancer mechanisms of 12β-O-( L -Chloracetyl)-dammar-20(22)-ene-3β,25-diol(12-Chloracetyl-PPD), a modified 25-OH-PPD. We found that compound 12-Chloracetyl-PPD resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of viability in prostate, breast, and gastric cancer cells, without affecting the viability of normal cell (human gastric epithelial cell line-GES-1, hair follicle dermal papilla cell line-HHDPC and rat myocardial cell line-H9C2). In MDA-MB-435 and C4-2B cancer cells, 12-Chloracetyl-PPD induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, down-regulated mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) expression, up-regulated p53 expression, triggered apoptosis, and stimulated reactive oxygen species production. Apoptosis can be attenuated by the reactive oxygen species scavenger N-acetylcysteine. Our results suggested that compound 12-Chloracetyl-PPD showed obvious anti-cancer activity based on delaying cell cycle arrest and inducing cell apoptosis by reactive oxygen species production, which supported development of 12-Chloracetyl-PPD as a potential agent for cancer chemotherapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Frequency of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection among Iranian Patients with HIV/AIDS by PPD Test

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Fattahi

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Persons infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV are particularly susceptible to tuberculosis, either by latent infection reactivation or by a primary infection with rapid progression to active disease. This study was done to determine the frequency of tuberculosis infection among Iranian patients with HIV/AIDS. A total of 262 HIV/AIDS patients attending all three HIV/AIDS health care centers of Tehran, Iran were enrolled in this study. A detailed history and physical examination were obtained from all HIV patients suspected of having pulmonary M. tuberculosis. A positive PPD skin test was used as a diagnostic parameter for probability of TB infection. Out of 262 HIV/AIDS patients, a total of 63 (24% were shown to have the tuberculosis infection based on a positive PPD skin test. Of the patients with positive PPD skin test, 22 (35% had pulmonary Tuberculosis, 2 (3.2% had extrapulmonary tuberculosis, and 39 (53% had no evidence of M. tuberculosis infection (latent infection. Also 8 (12.7% had history of long term residence in a foreign country, 32 (50.8% were exposed to an index case, and 9 (14.3% had past history of pulmonary tuberculosis, while only 33.3% had clinical manifestations of TB (active disease. There was no resistant case of tuberculosis. Our study showed that near 24% of Iranian patients with HIV/AIDS were infected with M. tuberculosis. This finding denotes the need to improve the diagnostic and preventive measures, and also prompt treatment of this type of infection in the HIV infected individuals.

  6. Expression conservation within the circadian clock of a monocot: natural variation at barley Ppd-H1 affects circadian expression of flowering time genes, but not clock orthologs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campoli, Chiara; Shtaya, Munqez; Davis, Seth J; von Korff, Maria

    2012-06-21

    The circadian clock is an endogenous mechanism that coordinates biological processes with daily changes in the environment. In plants, circadian rhythms contribute to both agricultural productivity and evolutionary fitness. In barley, the photoperiod response regulator and flowering-time gene Ppd-H1 is orthologous to the Arabidopsis core-clock gene PRR7. However, relatively little is known about the role of Ppd-H1 and other components of the circadian clock in temperate crop species. In this study, we identified barley clock orthologs and tested the effects of natural genetic variation at Ppd-H1 on diurnal and circadian expression of clock and output genes from the photoperiod-response pathway. Barley clock orthologs HvCCA1, HvGI, HvPRR1, HvPRR37 (Ppd-H1), HvPRR73, HvPRR59 and HvPRR95 showed a high level of sequence similarity and conservation of diurnal and circadian expression patterns, when compared to Arabidopsis. The natural mutation at Ppd-H1 did not affect diurnal or circadian cycling of barley clock genes. However, the Ppd-H1 mutant was found to be arrhythmic under free-running conditions for the photoperiod-response genes HvCO1, HvCO2, and the MADS-box transcription factor and vernalization responsive gene Vrn-H1. We suggest that the described eudicot clock is largely conserved in the monocot barley. However, genetic differentiation within gene families and differences in the function of Ppd-H1 suggest evolutionary modification in the angiosperm clock. Our data indicates that natural variation at Ppd-H1 does not affect the expression level of clock genes, but controls photoperiodic output genes. Circadian control of Vrn-H1 in barley suggests that this vernalization responsive gene is also controlled by the photoperiod-response pathway. Structural and functional characterization of the barley circadian clock will set the basis for future studies of the adaptive significance of the circadian clock in Triticeae species.

  7. Isolation, structural determination, and evaluation of the biological activity of 20(S)-25-methoxyl-dammarane-3beta, 12beta, 20-triol [20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD], a novel natural product from Panax notoginseng.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Y; Wang, W; Han, L; Rayburn, E R; Hill, D L; Wang, H; Zhang, R

    2007-01-01

    Ginseng has been used extensively for medicinal purposes, with suggested utility for indications as diverse as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Herein we report the discovery and characterization of 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD, a ginsenoside that inhibits growth and survival of cancer cells. The novel dammarane triterpene sapogenin (C31H56O4; molecular weight 492) was isolated from the total hydrolyzed saponins extracted from the leaves of Panax notoginseng using conventional and reverse-phase silica gel chromatography. Based on physicochemical characteristics and NMR data, the compound was identified as 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD. The biological activities of 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD and its known analogs, 20(S)-PPD and Rg3, were evaluated in 12 human cancer cell lines. In all cell lines, the order of cytotoxicity of the test compounds was 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD > 20(S)-PPD > Rg3. 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD also induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, and inhibited proliferation in breast cancer cell lines, demonstrating its potent biological effects. In regard to cytotoxicity, the IC50 values of 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD for most cell lines were in the lower microM range, a 5-15-fold greater cytotoxicity relative to 20(S)-PPD and a 10-100-fold increase over Rg3. These findings suggest a structure-activity relationship among dammarane-type sapogenins. The data presented here may provide a basis for the future development of 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD as a novel anti-cancer agent.

  8. Need for Different Cutoff Values for Reading Mantoux Test with 2TU and 5TU PPD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramaraj, Savitha M; Nagendra, K; Gopal, Girish; Majgi, Sumanth Mallikarjuna

    2017-09-01

    To compare the tuberculin reaction of 2 tuberculin unit (TU) with 5TU purified protein derivative (PPD) (both calibrated against RT 23) in healthy children. This was a cross sectional study done in the pediatric outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Seventy healthy siblings of the children attending pediatric outpatient department in the age group of 1 to 12 y were enrolled. The exclusion criteria included previously diagnosed tuberculosis patients, malnutrition diagnosed according to the WHO classification, history of drug intake like steroids, recent history of measles, any skin lesions over forearm, history of fever, contact with tuberculosis and previous mantoux testing. The study was conducted wherein each child was subjected to simultaneous testing with 2TU and 5TU by standard technique. The reactions to both the tests was read at 48-72 h. Children with induration ≥10 mm were evaluated for tuberculosis by taking chest x-ray, gastric lavage or sputum smear examination for acid fast bacilli (AFB). Considering ≥10 mm induration as positive, subjects positive with 5TU were 7 (10%) and 2TU was 1(p value = 0.031); thus, there is no agreement between the two methods (McNemar's test). Comparing the mean diameter of induration of 2TU and 5TU (p PPD is not comparable to that of 5TU PPD.

  9. Low in vitro response to PPD and PHA in lymphocytes from BCG-induced pleurisy in guinea pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Widstroem, O.; Nilsson, B.S.

    1982-01-01

    In order to study any correlation between functional properties of lymphocytes in BCG-induced pleural exudation and the development of the pleurisy a previously described experimental model was used. This model with a duration of effusion of more than 17 days has characteristic stages. From the third day and onwards there are lymphocytes in sufficient amount for in vitro cultures. Proliferation of lymphocytes from the fluid was measured as uptake of 14 C-thymidine. The response of the lymphocytes to PPD tuberculin and to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was studied, and their spontaneous activity was measured. Comparisons were made with lymphocytes from regional lymph nodes. Pleural lymphocytes sampled on the third post-induction day did not respond to PPD or PHA stimulation. In later stages, pleural lymphocytes were stimulated by PPD to approximately the same degree as the lymph node lymphocytes. The response to PHA was weak at all stages of pleurisy, though in later stages there were some cases with high values. Variations in activation ability, related to disease staging, were demonstrated. However, low activities, and variability of the responces, without concomitant variations in disease, speak against a connection between the course of disease and functional status of the lymphocytes as measured in this study. (authors)

  10. Specificiteit van de Mantoux-reactie op het nieuwe tuberculine RT23 ten opzichte van de reactie op het oude PPD-RIVM; vergelijkend onderzoek onder ziekenhuispersoneel

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cobelens, F. G.; de Boer, H. E.

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: In the Netherlands, an increase in prevalence of tuberculin positivity has been noted since the replacement of the Dutch PPD-RIVM preparation by RT23. This investigation was carried out to assess the specificity of RT23 compared with PPD-RIVM. DESIGN: Comparative. METHOD: In 90 hospital

  11. Information retrieval system of nuclear power plant database (PPD) user's guide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Izumi, Fumio; Horikami, Kunihiko; Kobayashi, Kensuke.

    1990-12-01

    A nuclear power plant database (PPD) and its retrieval system have been developed. The database involves a large number of safety design data of nuclear power plants, operating and planned in Japan. The information stored in the database can be retrieved at high speed, whenever they are needed, by use of the retrieval system. The report is a user's manual of the system to access the database utilizing a display unit of the JAERI computer network system. (author)

  12. Low Yield of Chest Radiography in General Inpatients and Outpatients with "Positive PPD" Results in a Country with Low Prevalence of TB.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eisenberg, Ronald L; Heidinger, Benedikt H

    2017-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency and spectrum of abnormalities on routine screening chest radiographs among inpatients and outpatients with "positive purified protein derivative (PPD)" in a large tertiary care academic medical center in a country with low prevalence of tuberculosis (TB). The reports of all chest radiographs of general inpatients and outpatients referred for positive PPD (2010-2014) were evaluated for the frequency of evidence of active or latent TB and the spectrum of imaging findings. The results of additional chest radiographs and computed tomography scans were recorded, as were additional relevant clinical histories and symptoms. Of the 2518 patients who underwent chest radiography for positive PPD, the radiographs were normal in 91.3%. The vast majority of the abnormal radiographs demonstrated findings consistent with old tuberculous disease. There were three cases (0.1%) of active TB, all of which were either recent immigrants from an endemic area or had other relevant histories or clinical symptoms suggestive of the disease. Universal chest radiography in general inpatient and outpatient populations referred for positive PPD is of low yield for detecting active disease in a country with low prevalence of TB. Copyright © 2017 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Early severe scoliosis in a patient with atypical progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia (PPD): Identification of two WISP3 mutations, one previously unreported.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montané, Lucia Sentchordi; Marín, Oliver R; Rivera-Pedroza, Carlos I; Vallespín, Elena; Del Pozo, Ángela; Heath, Karen E

    2016-06-01

    Progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia (PPD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia associated with pain and stiffness of multiple joints, enlargement of the interphalangeal joints, normal inflammatory parameters, and absence of extra-skeletal manifestations. Homozygous or compound heterozygous WISP3 mutations cause PPD. We report two siblings from a non-consanguineous Ecuadorian family with a late-onset spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia. Mutation screening was undertaken in the two affected siblings using a customized skeletal dysplasia next generation sequencing (NGS) panel and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Two compound heterozygous mutations were identified in WISP3 exon 2, c.[190G>A];[197G>A] (p.[(Gly64Arg)];[(Ser66Asn)]) in the two siblings, both of which had been inherited. The p. (Gly64Arg) mutation has not been previously described whilst the p. (Ser66Asn) mutation has been reported in two PPD families. The two siblings presented with atypical PPD, as they presented during late childhood, yet the severity was different between them. The progression was particularly aggressive in the male sibling who suffered severe scoliosis by the age of 13 years. This case reaffirms the clinical heterogeneity of this disorder and the clinical utility of NGS to genetically diagnose skeletal dysplasias, enabling adequate management, monitorization, and genetic counseling. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Ginsenoside 25-OCH3-PPD promotes activity of LXRs to ameliorate P2X7R-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome in the development of hepatic fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Xin; Song, Jian; Lian, Li-Hua; Yao, You-Li; Shao, Dan-Yang; Fan, Ying; Hou, Li-Shuang; Wang, Ge; Zheng, Shuang; Wu, Yan-Ling; Nan, Ji-Xing

    2018-06-22

    Ginseng is widely used in energy drinks, dietary supplements and herbal medicines, and its pharmacological actions are related with energy metabolism. As an important modulating energy metabolism pathway, liver X receptors (LXRs) can promote the resolving of hepatic fibrosis and inflammation. The present study aims to evaluate the regulation of 25-OCH3-PPD, a ginsenoside isolated from Panax ginseng, against hepatic fibrosis and inflammation in thioacetamide (TAA)-stimulated mice by activating LXRs pathway. 25-OCH3-PPD decreases serum ALT/AST levels and improves the histological pathology of liver in TAA-induced mice; attenuates transcripts of pro-fibrogenic markers associated with hepatic stellate cell activation; attenuates the levels of pro-Inflammatory cytokines and blocks apoptosis happened in liver; inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome by affecting P2X7R activation; regulates PI3K/Akt and LKB1/AMPK-SIRT1. 25-OCH3-PPD also facilitates LX25Rs and FXR activities decreased by TAA stimulation. 25-OCH3-PPD also decreases α-SMA via regulation of LXRs and P2X7R-NLRP3 in vitro. Our data suggest the possibility that 25-OCH3-PPD promotes activity of LXRs to ameliorate P2X7R-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome in the development of hepatic fibrosis.

  15. The effect of in vitro irradiation on the responses of human lymphocytes to PHA, PPD and allogeneic cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herva, E.; Kiviniitty, K.; Oulu Univ.

    1975-01-01

    The effect of X-ray, cobalt and 45 MeV electron irradiation on the responses of lymphocytes to PHA, PPD and allogeneic cells was studied using a semimicro lymphocyte culture technique. The responses to PPD and allogeneic cells were found to be more sensitive to irradiation than the response to PHA, even when the time factor was taken into account, i.e. the effect of irradiation was measured on the same day irrespective the type os stimulation. At the doses used, 500, 3,000 and 6,000 rd, there was no difference between the effects of the three types of radiation used. The possible explanations for the findings are discussed. (orig.) [de

  16. Quantification of the effects of VRN1 and Ppd-D1 to predict spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) heading time across diverse environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Bangyou; Biddulph, Ben; Li, Dora; Kuchel, Haydn; Chapman, Scott

    2013-09-01

    Heading time is a major determinant of the adaptation of wheat to different environments, and is critical in minimizing risks of frost, heat, and drought on reproductive development. Given that major developmental genes are known in wheat, a process-based model, APSIM, was modified to incorporate gene effects into estimation of heading time, while minimizing degradation in the predictive capability of the model. Model parameters describing environment responses were replaced with functions of the number of winter and photoperiod (PPD)-sensitive alleles at the three VRN1 loci and the Ppd-D1 locus, respectively. Two years of vernalization and PPD trials of 210 lines (spring wheats) at a single location were used to estimate the effects of the VRN1 and Ppd-D1 alleles, with validation against 190 trials (~4400 observations) across the Australian wheatbelt. Compared with spring genotypes, winter genotypes for Vrn-A1 (i.e. with two winter alleles) had a delay of 76.8 degree days (°Cd) in time to heading, which was double the effect of the Vrn-B1 or Vrn-D1 winter genotypes. Of the three VRN1 loci, winter alleles at Vrn-B1 had the strongest interaction with PPD, delaying heading time by 99.0 °Cd under long days. The gene-based model had root mean square error of 3.2 and 4.3 d for calibration and validation datasets, respectively. Virtual genotypes were created to examine heading time in comparison with frost and heat events and showed that new longer-season varieties could be heading later (with potential increased yield) when sown early in season. This gene-based model allows breeders to consider how to target gene combinations to current and future production environments using parameters determined from a small set of phenotyping treatments.

  17. Co@Co3 O4 @PPD Core@bishell Nanoparticle-Based Composite as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhijuan; Li, Bing; Ge, Xiaoming; Goh, F W Thomas; Zhang, Xiao; Du, Guojun; Wuu, Delvin; Liu, Zhaolin; Andy Hor, T S; Zhang, Hua; Zong, Yun

    2016-05-01

    Durable electrocatalysts with high catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are crucial to high-performance primary zinc-air batteries (ZnABs) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). An efficient composite electrocatalyst, Co@Co3 O4 core@shell nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in pyrolyzed polydopamine (PPD) is reported, i.e., in Co@Co3 O4 @PPD core@bishell structure, obtained via a three-step sequential process involving hydrothermal synthesis, high temperature calcination under nitrogen atmosphere, and gentle heating in air. With Co@Co3 O4 NPs encapsulated by ultrathin highly graphitized N-doped carbon, the catalyst exhibits excellent stability in aqueous alkaline solution over extended period and good tolerance to methanol crossover effect. The integration of N-doped graphitic carbon outer shell and ultrathin nanocrystalline Co3 O4 inner shell enable high ORR activity of the core@bishell NPs, as evidenced by ZnABs using catalyst of Co@Co3 O4 @PPD in air-cathode which delivers a stable voltage profile over 40 h at a discharge current density of as high as 20 mA cm(-2) . © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. PPD-induced monocyte mitochondrial damage is associated with a protective effect to develop tuberculosis in BCG vaccinated individuals: A cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marín, Diana; Marín, Nancy; Del Corral, Helena; López, Lucelly; Ramirez-Agudelo, María Elena; Rojas, Carlos A; Arbeláez, María P; García, Luis F; Rojas, Mauricio

    2017-01-01

    The mechanisms of mononuclear phagocyte death have been associated with the permissiveness and resistance to mycobacterial replication, but it remains unknown whether or not they help predict the risk of developing TB. To describe the factors associated with the induction of monocyte mitochondrial and membrane damage in response to PPD as well as determine if this type of damage might predict the susceptibility of developing active tuberculosis in a cohort of household contacts (HHCs) from Medellin, Colombia from 2005 to 2008. The prospective cohort study contains 2060 HHCs patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who were meticulously followed for two years. A survey of the socio-demographic, clinical, epidemiological factors and blood samples were collected. Mononuclear cell cultures were stimulated with or without PPD and the type of monocyte death was determined by the flow of cytometry, an indicator was also used for its analysis. Logistic regression was adjusted by the Generalized Estimations Equations and the survival was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression. Confidence intervals were used for estimating the association. 1,859 out of 2,060 blood samples of the HHCs patients analyzed showed monocyte death. In response to PPD, 83.4% underwent mitochondrial damage while 50.9% had membrane damage. The membrane damage in response to PPD was higher in children under 4 years (OR: 1.57; (95% CI: 1.1 to 2.4) and the HHCs who slept regularly in the same household has an index case of (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.0 to 2.3). After adjustment by age, comorbidities, nutritional status, proximity to index case and overcrowding, the risk of developing active TB among BCG vaccinated HHCs individuals with induction of mitochondrial damage was HR = 0.19 (95% CI: 0.1 to 0.5). The induction of monocytes mitochondrial damage by PPD stimulation correlates with protection of TB disease development in BCG-vaccinated HHCs. This represents a potential tool to predict susceptibility

  19. Improving access to interventions among mothers screened positive for post-partum depression (PPD) at National Programme on Immunization (NPI) clinics in south-western and south-eastern Nigeria - A service development report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakare, Muideen O; Bello-Mojeed, Mashudat A; Munir, Kerim M; Duduyemi, Olaniyi O; Orovwigho, Andrew O; Odetunde, Odutola I; Taiwo, Olufemi G; Olofinlade, Jushua A; Omotoso, Olakunle N; Famurewa, Olayinka H; Omolabi, Oladipupo O; Jejeloye, Adebayo O

    2017-01-01

    We investigate the possibility of improving access to interventions among mothers screened positive for post-partum depression (PPD) at National Programme on Immunization (NPI) clinics randomly selected from Lagos and Enugu States in south-western and south-eastern Nigeria respectively. The principle of human centred design was employed by engaging the mothers screened positive for PPD to be part of the decision making regarding their further assessment and intervention services. The study brought intervention services to primary healthcare centre at the NPI clinics. Improvement in willingness to seek interventions was observed among the mothers screened positive for PPD in this study when compared to our observation in a previous report, where mothers diagnosed with PPD were referred and requested to visit a mental health facility closer to their NPI clinics for further assessment and interventions (95.2% versus 33.7%). Interventional services for the mothers diagnosed with PPD also impact positively on the growth parameters of their infants on follow-up. Principle of human centred design improved access to intervention services among the mothers and infants studied. NPI clinics at primary healthcare level would provide appropriate forum for early screening of mothers for PPD and interventions in low-resource setting like Nigeria. There would be improvement in maternal and child health coverage if the Nigerian Government can adapt human centred design principles employed in this study nationwide.

  20. Simulation of 20-year deterioration of acrylic IOLs using severe accelerated deterioration tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawai, Kenji; Hayakawa, Kenji; Suzuki, Takahiro

    2012-09-20

    To investigate IOL deterioration by conducting severe accelerated deterioration testing of acrylic IOLs. Department of Ophthalmology, Tokai University School of Medicine Methods: Severe accelerated deterioration tests performed on 7 types of acrylic IOLs simulated 20 years of deterioration. IOLs were placed in a screw tube bottle containing ultra-pure water and kept in an oven (100°C) for 115 days. Deterioration was determined based the outer appearance of the IOL in water and under air-dried conditions using an optical microscope. For accelerated deterioration of polymeric material, the elapse of 115 days was considered to be equivalent to 20 years based on the Arrhenius equation. All of the IOLs in the hydrophobic acrylic group except for AU6 showed glistening-like opacity. The entire optical sections of MA60BM and SA60AT became yellowish white in color. Hydrophilic acrylic IOL HP60M showed no opacity at any of the time points examined. Our data based on accelerated testing showed differences in water content to play a major role in transparency. There were differences in opacity among manufacturers. The method we have used for determining the relative time of IOL deterioration might not represent the exact clinical setting, but the appearance of the materials would presumably be very similar to that seen in patients.

  1. Visualising Deteriorating Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tom Andrews, RN, B.Sc. (Hons, M.Sc., Ph.D.

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available The research aims were to investigate the difficulties ward staff experienced in detecting deterioration and how these were resolved. The emphasis within the literature tends to be on identifying premonitory signs that may be useful in predicting deterioration. Changes in respiratory rate is the most consistent of these (Fieselmann et al. 1993; Sax and Charlson 1987; Schein et al. 1990; Smith and Wood 1998 but in common with other signs, it lacks sensitivity and specificity. The sample consisted of 44 nurses, doctors (Interns and health care support workers from a general medical and surgical ward. Data were collected by means of nonparticipant observations and interviews, using grounded theory as originated by (Glaser and Strauss 1967 and (Glaser 1978. As data were collected, the constant comparative method and theoretical sensitivity were used as outlined in grounded theory. A core category of “visualising deteriorating conditions” emerged, together with its sub-core categories of “intuitive knowing”, “baselining” and “grabbing attention”.The main concern in visualising deteriorating conditions is to ensure that patients suspected of deterioration are successfully referred to medical staff. The aim is to convince those who can treat or prevent further deterioration to intervene. Through intuitive knowing they pick up that patients have changed in a way that requires a medical assessment. To make the referral more credible, nurses attempt to contextualise any changes in patients by baselining (establishing baselines. Finally with the backup of colleagues, nurses refer patients by providing as much persuasive information as possible in a way that grabs attention. The whole process is facilitated by knowledge and experience, together with mutual trust and respect.

  2. Cable deterioration analysis method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugiyama, Masahiko; Nitta, Makoto.

    1997-01-01

    At first, a hardness of a minute region and an elongation at break are measured relative to a plurality of reference samples having deterioration which is different stepwise, to obtain a relation between the hardness of the minute region and the elongation at break. They are obtained as information of correlation showing the degree of deterioration of cables. Then, samples are collected. The samples are collected from a PVC sheath. In this case, the samples to be used for the measurement are extremely small piece having the size of one side of about several hundred μm. Then, the hardness of the minute region of the samples is measured. The measured hardness of the minute region is corresponded to the previously obtained information of the correlation for deteriorations to judge the state of deterioration for the collected samples. With such procedures, the state of deterioration for electric wires and cables to be used in nuclear facilities such as power plants can easily be diagnosed substantially non destructively. (I.N.)

  3. Multiply to conquer: Copy number variations at Ppd-B1 and Vrn-A1 facilitate global adaptation in wheat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Würschum, Tobias; Boeven, Philipp H G; Langer, Simon M; Longin, C Friedrich H; Leiser, Willmar L

    2015-07-29

    Copy number variation was found to be a frequent type of DNA polymorphism in the human genome often associated with diseases but its importance in crops and the effects on agronomic traits are still largely unknown. Here, we employed a large worldwide panel of 1110 winter wheat varieties to assess the frequency and the geographic distribution of copy number variants at the Photoperiod-B1 (Ppd-B1) and the Vernalization-A1 (Vrn-A1) loci as well as their effects on flowering time under field conditions. We identified a novel four copy variant of Vrn-A1 and based on the phylogenetic relationships among the lines show that the higher copy variants at both loci are likely to have arisen independently multiple times. In addition, we found that the frequency of the different copy number variants at both loci reflects the environmental conditions in the varieties' region of origin and based on multi-location field trials show that Ppd-B1 copy number has a substantial effect on the fine-tuning of flowering time. In conclusion, our results show the importance of copy number variation at Ppd-B1 and Vrn-A1 for the global adaptation of wheat making it a key factor for wheat success in a broad range of environments and in a wider context substantiate the significant role of copy number variation in crops.

  4. Estudo da Degradação In Vitro de Blendas de Poli(p-dioxanona/Poli(l-Ácido Láctico (PPD/PLLA Preparadas por Evaporação de Solvente Degradation of Poly (L-Lactic Acid (PLLA and Poly-p-Dioxanone (PPD Blends Prepared by Casting: In Vitro Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana P. T. Pezzin

    2002-10-01

    Full Text Available Blendas de dois polímeros semi-cristalinos biorreabsorvíveis, o poli(ácido láctico (PLLA e a poli(p-dioxanona (PPD, foram preparadas por evaporação de solvente em diferentes composições. As blendas foram imersas em tubos de ensaio contendo solução tampão fosfato (pH = 7,4 em um banho termostatizado a 37 ± 1 °C e avaliadas por calorimetria diferencial de varredura (DSC, análise termogravimétrica (TGA e microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV. Foi observado através do estudo in vitro que o PLLA apresenta uma taxa de degradação mais lenta que a PPD e que as blendas apresentam taxa de degradação intermediária, mostrando que é possível variar a taxa de degradação das blendas alterando sua composição.Blends of two crystalline bioreabsorbable polymers, poly(L-lactic acid (PLLA and poly(p-dioxanone (PPD, have been prepared by solvent casting in different compositions. The blends were immersed in tubes containing a phosphate buffer solution (pH = 7.4 in a thermally controlled bath of 37 ± 1°C and studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. It was observed by in vitro study that PLLA has a slower degradation rate than PPD and the blends presented an intermediate degradation rate. This shows that it is possible to vary the degradation rate of the blend by changing its composition.

  5. Oxyradical accumulation and rapid deterioration of soybean seeds due to field weathering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Sanjeev; Bhatia, V S; Guruprasad, K N

    2006-02-01

    The effect of field weathering on oxyradical accumulation and subsequent changes were studied in the seeds of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cv. JS 71-05. Electron spin resonance (ESR) quantification of oxyradical revealed that field weathering plays an important role in acceleration of their accumulation. One week of weathering increased the accumulation of oxyradicals to almost 2-fold and triggered the deteriorative cascade, by enhancing the lipid peroxidation and membrane perturbation, leading to cell death in seed tissues and poor germinability and vigour of soybean seeds. Thus, the weather conditions at the time of physiological maturity to harvesting of crop are very crucial and the field weathering plays a critical role for the maintenance of seed quality.

  6. Rht-1 and Ppd-D1 associations with height, GA sensitivity, and days to heading in a worldwide bread wheat collection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilhelm, Edward P; Boulton, Margaret I; Al-Kaff, Nadia; Balfourier, Francois; Bordes, Jacques; Greenland, Andy J; Powell, Wayne; Mackay, Ian J

    2013-09-01

    Reduced height (Rht)-1 and Photoperiod (Ppd) have major effects on the adaptability of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) to specific environments. Ppd-D1a is a photoperiod insensitive allele that reduces time to flowering. The gibberellin (GA) insensitive alleles Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b shorten plant stature and were important components of the 'green revolution'. Two additional Rht-B1 alleles were recently identified that contain a 160 or 197 bp insertion upstream of the coding region and may affect plant height or GA sensitivity Wilhelm et al. (Theor Appl Gen doi: 10.1007/s00122-013-2088-7 , 2013b). We determined the frequency of the five alleles in a worldwide core collection of 372 wheat accessions (372CC) and estimated their effects on height, days to heading, and GA sensitivity when the collection was grown in pots outdoors or in the glasshouse. This revealed that each allele was widespread geographically with frequencies ranging from 0.12 to 0.25. Ppd-D1a was associated with significant (p ≤ 0.05) reductions in days to heading and height relative to photoperiod sensitive Ppd-D1b. Relative to wild type, Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b each resulted in significant reductions in height (approximately 30 %) and GA sensitivity. The 160 and 197 bp alleles were associated with significant height reductions of 18 and 12 %, respectively, and with non-significant reductions in GA sensitivity relative to wild type. Two statistical methods were developed and used to estimate GA sensitivity of the 372CC accessions, but novel GA insensitive alleles were not identified. Further characterization of the Rht-B1 insertion alleles is required, but our results suggest these may enable fine adjustments in plant height.

  7. Characterisation of the clinical and activated T cell response to repeat delayed-type hypersensitivity skin challenges in human subjects, with KLH and PPD, as a potential model to test T cell-targeted therapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belson, Alexandra; Schmidt, Tim; Fernando, Disala; Hardes, Kelly; Scott, Nicola; Brett, Sara; Clark, Deborah; Oliveira, João Joaquim; Davis, Bill; McHugh, Simon; Stone, John

    2016-05-01

    To characterise the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin reaction to repeated challenges of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) in healthy volunteers, as a potential model to test T cell-targeted investigational agents. Forty-nine subjects received either KLH, PPD, or PBS repeat skin challenges, and clinical assessments including induration, erythema and Laser Doppler Imaging. Skin biopsies or suction blisters were taken after challenge to investigate the cellular infiltrate of the challenge site, the T cell activation status, as determined by LAG-3 expression, and, specifically for the blister, the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines. Point estimates, estimates of variation and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were constructed for each type of challenge and timepoint. The DTH response could be measured at 48 and 120 h post-KLH and PPD challenge with induration, erythema and Laser Doppler Imaging, with 48 h post-challenge demonstrating the peak of the response. PPD was well tolerated in subjects after multiple challenges, however, a significant number of KLH-treated subjects demonstrated an injection site reaction 6-7 days following the SC injection. PPD demonstrated a boost effect on the second challenge as measured by increased induration, where as this was not noted consistently for KLH. Compared to unchallenged and PBS control-injected skin, increased T cell numbers were detected in the challenge site by both the skin suction blister and biopsy technique, at either time point following KLH or PPD challenge. Use of the T cell activation marker LAG-3 demonstrated the activated phenotype of these cells. In skin blisters, higher numbers of LAG-3+ T cells were detected at 48 h post-challenge, whereas in the biopsies, similar numbers of LAG-3+ cells were observed at both 48 and 120 h. Analysis of blister T cell subpopulations revealed some differences in phenotypes between the time points and between the CD4

  8. Improving thermoelectric energy harvesting efficiency by using graphene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Usman

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available This study is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of a thermoelectric (TE energy harvesting system by using a thick graphene layer. This method is a simple yet effective way to increase the temperature gradient across a conventional TE module by accelerating heat dissipation on the cold side of the system. Aqueous dispersions of graphene were used to prepare a 112-μm thick graphene layer on the cold side of the TE system with aluminum as the substrate material. The maximum efficiency of the proposed system was improved by 25.45 %, as compared to the conventional TE system, which does not have a graphene layer. Additionally, the proposed system shows very little performance deterioration (2.87 % in the absence of enough air flow on the cold side of the system, compared to the case of the conventional system (10.59 %. Hence, the proposed system, when coupled with the latest research on high performance TE materials, presents a groundbreaking improvement in the practical application of the TE energy harvesting systems.

  9. The mechanism of deterioration of the glucosinolate-myrosynase system in radish roots during cold storage after harvest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jeong Gu; Lim, Sooyeon; Kim, Jongkee; Lee, Eun Jin

    2017-10-15

    The hydrolysis of glucosinolates (GSLs) by myrosinase yields varieties of degradation products including isothiocyanates (ITCs). This process is controlled by the glucosinolate-myrosinase (G-M) system. The major ITCs in radish roots are raphasatin and sulforaphene (SFE), and the levels of these compounds decrease during storage after harvest. We investigated the G-M system to understand the mechanism behind the decrease in the ITCs in radish roots. Six varieties of radish roots were stored for 8weeks at 0-1.5°C. The concentrations of GSLs (glucoraphasatin and glucoraphenin) were maintained at harvest levels without significant changes during the storage period. However, SFE concentration and myrosinase activity remarkably decreased for 8weeks. Pearson correlation analysis between ITCs, GSLs, and myrosinase activity showed that a decrease of SFE during storage had a positive correlation with a decrease in myrosinase activity, which resulted from a decrease of ascorbic acid but also a decrease of myrosinase activity-related gene expressions. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  10. Production system and harvesting stage influence on nitrate content and quality of butterhead lettuce

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siti Fairuz Yosoff

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Leafy vegetables such as lettuce grown under different production systems may accumulate different concentrations of nitrate which may reach to the levels potentially toxic to humans. Moreover, nitrate accumulation varies in various plant parts and physiological age of the plant. Therefore, to determine the effect of production system and harvesting stage on nitrate accumulation and quality of butterhead lettuce, a study was conducted considering two lettuce production systems namely hydroponic and organic, and four different harvesting stages such as 35, 38, 41 and 44 days after transplanting (DAT. The experimental design was complete randomized design (CRD with four replications. Hydroponic and organic systems performed similar in terms of yield, quality and nitrate content of butterhead lettuce. Delaying harvesting can not only increase yield but also can minimize nitrate accumulation and health hazard risk as well. Delay in harvesting stage may result in quality deterioration of lettuce and increased production cost. Thus, a compromise is necessary to consider 41 DAT as the optimum stage to harvest butterhead lettuce with significantly higher reduction of nitrate content in both outer adult leaf blades and young leaves of hydroponic lettuce. Fresh weight, firmness and color of butterhead lettuce at this stage were still acceptable.

  11. An inventory model of instantaneous deteriorating items with controllable deterioration rate for time dependent demand and holding cost

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinod Kumar Mishra

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this paper to develop an inventory model for instantaneous deteriorating items with the consideration of the facts that the deterioration rate can be controlled by using the preservation technology (PT and the holding cost & demand rate both are linear function of time which was treated as constant in most of the deteriorating inventory model. Design/methodology/approach: Developed the mathematical equation of deterministic deteriorating inventory model in which demand rate and holding cost both is linear function of time, deterioration rate is constant, backlogging rate is variable and depend on the length of the next replenishment, shortages are allowed and partially backlogged and obtain an analytical solution which optimizes the total cost of the proposed inventory model. Findings: The model can be applied for optimizing the total inventory cost of deteriorating items inventory for such business enterprises where they use the preservation technology to control the deterioration rate under other assumptions of the model. Originality/value: The inventory system for deteriorating items has been an object of study for a long time, but little is known about the effect of investing in reducing the rate of product deterioration and their significant impact in the business. The proposed model is effective as well as efficient for the business organization that uses the preservation technology to reduce the deterioration rate of the instantaneous deteriorating items of the inventory.

  12. 40 CFR 94.218 - Deterioration factor determination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Deterioration factor determination. 94... Deterioration factor determination. Manufacturers shall determine exhaust emission deterioration factors using good engineering judgement according to the provisions of this section. Every deterioration factor must...

  13. Literacy Access: An Examination of the Picture Plus Discussion (PPD) Intervention Using Typical and Age Appropriate Texts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shurr, Jordan C.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the picture plus discussion (PPD) intervention on the comprehension abilities of high school students with moderate intellectual disability when read a variety of expository texts aloud. A multiple probe single subject design was employed to measure the effect of the intervention across three…

  14. A 64ch readout module for PPD/MPPC/SiPM using EASIROC ASIC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, Isamu, E-mail: isamu.nakamura@kek.jp [KEK, 1-1 Oho Tsukuba 305-0801 (Japan); Ishijima, N.; Hanagaki, K. [Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); Yoshimura, K. [Okayama University, 1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530 (Japan); Nakai, Y. [Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan); Ueno, K. [KEK, 1-1 Oho Tsukuba 305-0801 (Japan)

    2015-07-01

    A readout module for PPD/MPPC/GAPD/SiPM is developed using EASIROC ASIC. The module can handle 64 PPDs and has on-board bias power supply, ADC for energy measurement, 1 ns TDC on FPGA as well as 64ch Logic output for external trigger. Controls and data transfer are through SiTCP technology implemented in FPGA. The module has NIM format for convenience, but can be operated without crate with 5 V AC/DC converter. Basic performance of production module was tested and the results are presented in the poster.

  15. Periodic review inventory policy for non-instantaneous deteriorating items with time dependent deterioration rate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anwesha Samanta

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper studies a periodic review inventory model with no shortages and different demand rates during pre- and post- deterioration periods . Deterioration of units start after a fixed time interval, and the deterioration rate is time dependent. The model determines the optimal reorder interval and the optimal order quantity so as to minimize the total cost per unit length of an inventory cycle. An extension of the model to include price discount has been further considered. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the model and a sensitivity analysis is also reported.

  16. Integrated Harvest and Distribution Scheduling with Time Windows of Perishable Agri-Products in One-Belt and One-Road Context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiping Jiang

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The unique characteristics of perishable agri-products are a short lifespan and rapid quality deterioration. This establishes the need to significantly reduce the time from harvest to distribution. These features require reducing the processing time from harvest to distribution to being as short as possible. In this study, we focus on an integrated perishable agri-products scheduling problem that combines harvest and distribution simultaneously, with the purpose of reducing processing time and quality decay. We propose this problem as a mixed integer nonlinear programming model (MINLP to optimize the harvest time and the vehicle routing to consumers, and this MINIP is formulated as a vehicle routing problem with time windows (VRPTW. We introduce a big M method to transform the nonlinear model into a linear model, then apply CPLEX to solve the transformed model. Numerical experiments and sensitive analysis are conducted to verify the efficiency of the proposed model and to provide managerial insights.

  17. Studies on multiplication effect of noises of PPD, and a proposal of a new structure to improve the performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oide, H., E-mail: oide@icepp.s.u-tokyo.ac.j [Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Murase, T.; Otono, H. [Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Yamashita, S. [ICEPP, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

    2010-11-01

    Pixelated photon detectors (PPDs) are arrayed APDs operated in Geiger-mode. Multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC) is a PPD produced by Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. We performed measurement of total noise rate, random noise rate, after-pulsing, crosstalk, and relative photon detection efficiency for a 1600 px MPPC. The explosive increase of total noise rate to over-voltage is able to be understood of multiplication effect of after-pulsing and crosstalk. Considering the electric field structure of MPPC (p-on-n type) and Geiger-efficiency as a function of the position of initial pair creation, these characteristics are all able to be understood. One suggestion for p-on-n type PPD from these results is narrowing the depletion layer below the multiplication layer to reduce random noise and after-pulsing. Another proposal is to put additional buffer capacitance parallel to the diode to accomplish higher gain with lower over-voltage simultaneously with lower noise rate.

  18. Studies on multiplication effect of noises of PPD, and a proposal of a new structure to improve the performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oide, H.; Murase, T.; Otono, H.; Yamashita, S.

    2010-01-01

    Pixelated photon detectors (PPDs) are arrayed APDs operated in Geiger-mode. Multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC) is a PPD produced by Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. We performed measurement of total noise rate, random noise rate, after-pulsing, crosstalk, and relative photon detection efficiency for a 1600 px MPPC. The explosive increase of total noise rate to over-voltage is able to be understood of multiplication effect of after-pulsing and crosstalk. Considering the electric field structure of MPPC (p-on-n type) and Geiger-efficiency as a function of the position of initial pair creation, these characteristics are all able to be understood. One suggestion for p-on-n type PPD from these results is narrowing the depletion layer below the multiplication layer to reduce random noise and after-pulsing. Another proposal is to put additional buffer capacitance parallel to the diode to accomplish higher gain with lower over-voltage simultaneously with lower noise rate.

  19. Wind energy harvesting with a piezoelectric harvester

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Nan; Wang, Quan; Xie, Xiangdong

    2013-01-01

    An energy harvester comprising a cantilever attached to piezoelectric patches and a proof mass is developed for wind energy harvesting, from a cross wind-induced vibration of the cantilever, by the electromechanical coupling effect of piezoelectric materials. The vibration of the cantilever under the cross wind is induced by the air pressure owing to a vortex shedding phenomenon that occurs on the leeward side of the cantilever. To describe the energy harvesting process, a theoretical model considering the cross wind-induced vibration on the piezoelectric coupled cantilever energy harvester is developed, to calculate the charge and the voltage from the harvester. The influences of the length and location of the piezoelectric patches as well as the proof mass on the generated electric power are investigated. Results show that the total generated electric power can be as high as 2 W when the resonant frequency of the cantilever harvester is close to the vortex shedding frequency. Moreover, a value of total generated electric power up to 1.02 W can be practically realized for a cross wind with a variable wind velocity of 9–10 m s −1 by a harvester with a length of 1.2 m. This research facilitates an effective and compact wind energy harvesting device. (paper)

  20. Irradiation as an alternative post harvest treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Satin, M. [Agricultural Industries and Post-harvest Management Service, FAO, Rome (Italy); Loaharanu, P. [Head, Food Preservation Section, Joint FAO/ IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Wagramerstr. 5, A-1400, Vienna (Austria)

    1997-12-31

    This current world population has significantly added to the pressures placed upon our finite resources and our resulting ability to feed ourselves. In order to cope with current and future demands, the two established lines of action, that is, reduced population growth and expansion of agricultural production, must be supplemented with the parallel activity of reducing food losses during and after harvest. For developing countries in particular, enormous post-harvest losses result from spillage, contamination, pests and physiological deterioration during storage. Studies in these countries indicate that post-harvest losses are enormous and amount to tens of millions of tons per year valued at billions of dollars. Programs to reduce post-harvest losses, if applied properly, can result in realistic yield increases between 10 and 30%, which can be directly converted into increased consumption for humans. Post-harvest losses vary greatly and are a function of the crop variety, pest combinations in the environment, climate, the system of harvesting, storage, handling, marketing, and even the social and cultural environment. Pests are among the most criticals of these factors. Because of the disastrous potential consequences of such pests, quarantine regulations prohibit the entrance of plants or products which might hide the unwanted pest from countries where it is known to exist. Quarantine treatments are can be chemical, physical or ionizing radiation treatment. Numerous investigations on the use of ionizing radiation for the disinfestation of fresh plant materials indicate that rather low dosages will control fruit-fly problems, thus making it well suited for quarantine treatment. The effectiveness of the irradiation as a broad spectrum quarantine treatment of fresh fruits and vegetables was recognized by the several plant protection organizations around the world. Currently, some 40 countries have approved one or more irradiated food items or groups of food

  1. Irradiation as an alternative post harvest treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Satin, M.; Loaharanu, P.

    1997-01-01

    This current world population has significantly added to the pressures placed upon our finite resources and our resulting ability to feed ourselves. In order to cope with current and future demands, the two established lines of action, that is, reduced population growth and expansion of agricultural production, must be supplemented with the parallel activity of reducing food losses during and after harvest. For developing countries in particular, enormous post-harvest losses result from spillage, contamination, pests and physiological deterioration during storage. Studies in these countries indicate that post-harvest losses are enormous and amount to tens of millions of tons per year valued at billions of dollars. Programs to reduce post-harvest losses, if applied properly, can result in realistic yield increases between 10 and 30%, which can be directly converted into increased consumption for humans. Post-harvest losses vary greatly and are a function of the crop variety, pest combinations in the environment, climate, the system of harvesting, storage, handling, marketing, and even the social and cultural environment. Pests are among the most criticals of these factors. Because of the disastrous potential consequences of such pests, quarantine regulations prohibit the entrance of plants or products which might hide the unwanted pest from countries where it is known to exist. Quarantine treatments are can be chemical, physical or ionizing radiation treatment. Numerous investigations on the use of ionizing radiation for the disinfestation of fresh plant materials indicate that rather low dosages will control fruit-fly problems, thus making it well suited for quarantine treatment. The effectiveness of the irradiation as a broad spectrum quarantine treatment of fresh fruits and vegetables was recognized by the several plant protection organizations around the world. Currently, some 40 countries have approved one or more irradiated food items or groups of food

  2. Irradiation as an alternative post harvest treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Satin, M [Agricultural Industries and Post-harvest Management Service, FAO, Rome (Italy); Loaharanu, P [Head, Food Preservation Section, Joint FAO/ IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Wagramerstr. 5, A-1400, Vienna (Austria)

    1998-12-31

    This current world population has significantly added to the pressures placed upon our finite resources and our resulting ability to feed ourselves. In order to cope with current and future demands, the two established lines of action, that is, reduced population growth and expansion of agricultural production, must be supplemented with the parallel activity of reducing food losses during and after harvest. For developing countries in particular, enormous post-harvest losses result from spillage, contamination, pests and physiological deterioration during storage. Studies in these countries indicate that post-harvest losses are enormous and amount to tens of millions of tons per year valued at billions of dollars. Programs to reduce post-harvest losses, if applied properly, can result in realistic yield increases between 10 and 30%, which can be directly converted into increased consumption for humans. Post-harvest losses vary greatly and are a function of the crop variety, pest combinations in the environment, climate, the system of harvesting, storage, handling, marketing, and even the social and cultural environment. Pests are among the most criticals of these factors. Because of the disastrous potential consequences of such pests, quarantine regulations prohibit the entrance of plants or products which might hide the unwanted pest from countries where it is known to exist. Quarantine treatments are can be chemical, physical or ionizing radiation treatment. Numerous investigations on the use of ionizing radiation for the disinfestation of fresh plant materials indicate that rather low dosages will control fruit-fly problems, thus making it well suited for quarantine treatment. The effectiveness of the irradiation as a broad spectrum quarantine treatment of fresh fruits and vegetables was recognized by the several plant protection organizations around the world. Currently, some 40 countries have approved one or more irradiated food items or groups of food

  3. Analytical investigations of toxic p-phenylenediamine (PPD) levels in clinical urine samples with special focus on MALDI-MS/MS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    G.P. Hooff (Gero); N.A. van Huizen (Nick); R.J.W. Meesters (Roland); E. Zijlstra (Ed); M. Abdelraheem (Mohamed); M. Hamdouk (Mohamed); J. Lindemans (Jan); T.M. Luider (Theo)

    2011-01-01

    textabstractPara-phenylenediamine (PPD) is a common chromophoric ingredient in oxidative hair-dyes. In some African countries like Sudan, Egypt and Morocco but also in India this chemical is used alone or in combination with colouring extracts like Henna for dyeing of the hair or the skin. Excessive

  4. A METHOD TO SET-UP CALIBRATION CURVE FOR INSTRUMENTED SPHERE IS100 TO CONTROL MECHANICAL DAMAGE DURING POST-HARVESTING AND HANDLING OF ORANGES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giovanni Carlo Di Renzo

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Oranges quality is strictly dependent on their variety, pre-harvest and post-harvest practices. Especially post harvest management is responsible for fruits damages, causing quality deterioration and commercial losses, as underlined by many authors, which studied the influence of individual post harvest operations on the fruit quality. In this article Authors, using an instrumented sphere (IS 100 similar for shape and size to a true orange, showed a method for the control of orange damages along the processing line. Results allow a fundamental knowledge about the critical damage curve, which defines the incidence of the damages during the oranges processing and packaging. Data show that the fruit discharge (bins or boxes discharge and the packaging step are the most critical operations in order to reduce or eliminate the fruits collisions and the consequent damages

  5. Post-harvest conservation of organic strawberries coated with cassava starch and chitosan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raquel P Campos

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available The strawberry is as non-climacteric fruit, but has a high post-harvest respiration rate, which leads to a rapid deterioration at room temperature. This study aimed to evaluate the application of biodegradable coating on postharvest conservation of organic strawberries, cv. Camarosa, packed in plastic hinged boxes and stored at 10ºC. The treatments consisted of: a control; b 2% cassava starch; c 1% chitosan; and d 2% cassava starch + 1% chitosan. Physical and chemical characteristics of fruits were evaluated at 3, 6 and 9 days of storage, and microbiological and sensory analyses were carried out at the end of the storage period. The treatments influenced positively the post-harvest quality of organic strawberries. The coating cassava starch + chitosan provided the best results, with less than 6% of loss in fruit mass, lower counts of yeast and psychrophilic microorganisms and the best appearance according to the sensory analysis.

  6. 40 CFR 86.432-78 - Deterioration factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Deterioration factor. 86.432-78... 1978 and Later New Motorcycles, General Provisions § 86.432-78 Deterioration factor. (a) Deterioration factors shall be developed for each test vehicle from the emission test results. A separate factor shall...

  7. Rule based deterioration identification and management system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kataoka, S.; Pavinich, W.; Lapides, M.

    1993-01-01

    Under the sponsorship of IHI and EPRI, a rule-based screening system has been developed that can be used by utility engineers to determine which deterioration mechanisms are acting on specific LWR components, and to evaluate the efficacy of an age-related deterioration management program. The screening system was developed using the rule-based shell, NEXPERT, which provides traceability to the data sources used in the logic development. The system addresses all the deterioration mechanisms of specific metals encountered in either BWRs or PWRs. Deterioration mechanisms are listed with reasons why they may occur during the design life of LWRs, considering the plant environment, manufacturing process, service history, material chemical composition, etc. of components in a specific location of a LWR. To eliminate the evaluation of inactive deterioration quickly, a tier structure is applied to the rules. The reasons why deterioration will occur are extracted automatically by backward chaining. To reduce the amount of user input, plant environmental data are stored in files as default environmental data. (author)

  8. Resposta de testes de hipersensibilidade tardia utilizando PPD e outros antígenos em crianças e adolescentes saudáveis e infectados pelo HIV-1 e vacinados com BCG

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalia Moriya Xavier da Costa

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: A contagem de células CD4+ representa marcador da resposta imune celular em pacientes infectados pelo HIV-1. Testes cutâneos de hipersensibilidade tardia (DTH podem ser empregados para avaliar in vivo respostas celulares a antígenos comuns. MÉTODOS: DTH para derivado proteico purificado de tuberculina (PPD, esporotriquina, tricofitina, candidina e estreptoquinase/estreptodornase foram realizados. Foram testados crianças/adolescentes infectados pelo HIV-1 (n=36 e indivíduos saudáveis (n=56, soronegativos para HIV-1/HIV-2 pareados por sexo-idade, todos com cicatriz vacinal por BCG. Teste exato de Fisher foi aplicado (p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Entre as crianças/adolescentes infectados pelo HIV-1, mediana de idade=8,1 anos; 20/36 eram do sexo masculino; 35 casos de transmissão vertical; 34 casos de AIDS sob terapia antirretroviral; mediana de carga viral = 3.04lc10 cópias/ml; mediana de contagem de células CD4+ = 701 células/μl. Entre os infectados e saudáveis a reatividade DTH a pelo menos um dos antígenos foi, respectivamente, 25% (9/36 e 87,5% (49/56 (p<0,001. Reatividade à candidina predominou nos infectados (8/36, 22% e ao PPD nos indivíduos saudáveis (40/56, 71,4%. A reatividade ao PPD entre infectados foi de 8,3% (p<0,01. A mediana da induração ao PPD foi 2,5mm (variação: 2-5mm entre infectados e 6,0mm (variação: 3-15mm entre os saudáveis. Não observamos correlação entre positividade ao PPD e idade. No grupo de infectados, não observamos correlação entre contagens de células CD4+ e reatividade ao DTH. CONCLUSÕES: Respostas DTH significativamente diminuídas, incluindo a reatividade ao PPD foram observadas em crianças/adolescentes infectados pelo HIV-1 comparadas com controles saudáveis, provavelmente refletindo doença avançada e supressão da imunidade mediada por células T.

  9. Molecular signatures distinguishing active from latent tuberculosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, after in vitro antigenic stimulation with purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) or Candida: a preliminary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stern, Joel N H; Keskin, Derin B; Romero, Viviana; Zuniga, Joaquin; Encinales, Liliana; Li, Changlin; Awad, Carlos; Yunis, Edmond J

    2009-01-01

    Purified protein derivative (PPD) or tuberculin skin testing is used to identify infected individuals with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and to assess cell-mediated immunity to Mtb. In the present study, we compared PBMC cultures in the presence of tuberculin or Candida antigens using cytokine bead arrays and RNA microarrays. Measurements of different cytokines and chemokines in supernatants of PMBC cultures in the presence of PPD showed increased levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma in active tuberculosis infection (ATBI) and latent TB infected (LTBI) compared to controls, and increased levels of TNF-alpha in ATBI compared with LTBI. Also, we found increase of IL-6 in cultures of PPD positive and controls but not in the cultures with Candida. We also report the molecular signature of tuberculosis infection, in ATBI patients, the following genes were found to be up-regulated and absent in LTBI individuals: two kinases (JAK3 and p38MAPK), four interleukins (IL-7, IL-2, IL-6, and IFNbeta1), a chemokine (HCC-4) a chemokine receptor (CxCR5), two interleukin receptors (IL-1R2 and IL-18R1), and three additional ones (TRAF5, Smad2, CIITA, and NOS2A). By contrast, IL-17 and IGFBP3 were significantly up-regulated in LTBI. And, STAT4, GATA3, Fra-1, and ICOS were down-regulated in ATBI but absent in LTBI. Conversely, TLR-10, IL-15, DORA, and IKK-beta were down-regulated in LTBI but not in ATBI. Interestingly, the majority of the up-regulated genes found in ATBI were found in cultures stimulated with tuberculin (PPD) or Candida antigens, suggesting that these pathogens stimulate similar immunological pathways. We believe that the molecular signature distinguishing active from latent tuberculosis infection may require using cytokine bead arrays along with RNA microarrays testing cell cultures at different times following in vitro proliferation assays using several bacterial antigens and PPD.

  10. Lymphocyte counts and responses to PHA and PPD following radiation therapy for breast cancer in patients who develop recurrent disease and those who remain clinically disease-free

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blomgren, H.; Wasserman, J.; Wallgren, A.; Baral, E.; Petrini, B.; Idestroem, K.

    1980-01-01

    Peripheral blood lymphocyte counts and stimulations by PHA and PPD in vitro were examined before and up to four years after local pre- or post-operative radiation therapy of 99 patients with breast cancer. The patient material was divided into those who remained clinically disease-free during a follow up period of 4.5-7 years and those who relapsed. Radiation therapy reduced the lymphocyte counts and PPD response to the same levels in both groups of patients; there were no essential differences in their recoveries, with the exception of a somewhat delayed recovery of the PPD-response in the patients who relapsed. PHA responses of the lymphocytes were not decreased following radiation therapy. The data indicate that these radiation induced changes of the peripheral lymphocyte population were similar both in patients who relapsed and those who remained symptom free. A group of 47 women with breast cancer that was treated by surgery only was examined similarly as a comparison. Patients from this group who developed local recurrences had higher lymphocyte counts than those who remained disease-free; patients who developed distant metastases had somewhat decreased PHA responses

  11. Harvest Regulations and Implementation Uncertainty in Small Game Harvest Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pål F. Moa

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available A main challenge in harvest management is to set policies that maximize the probability that management goals are met. While the management cycle includes multiple sources of uncertainty, only some of these has received considerable attention. Currently, there is a large gap in our knowledge about implemention of harvest regulations, and to which extent indirect control methods such as harvest regulations are actually able to regulate harvest in accordance with intended management objectives. In this perspective article, we first summarize and discuss hunting regulations currently used in management of grouse species (Tetraonidae in Europe and North America. Management models suggested for grouse are most often based on proportional harvest or threshold harvest principles. These models are all built on theoretical principles for sustainable harvesting, and provide in the end an estimate on a total allowable catch. However, implementation uncertainty is rarely examined in empirical or theoretical harvest studies, and few general findings have been reported. Nevertheless, circumstantial evidence suggest that many of the most popular regulations are acting depensatory so that harvest bag sizes is more limited in years (or areas where game density is high, contrary to general recommendations. A better understanding of the implementation uncertainty related to harvest regulations is crucial in order to establish sustainable management systems. We suggest that scenario tools like Management System Evaluation (MSE should be more frequently used to examine robustness of currently applied harvest regulations to such implementation uncertainty until more empirical evidence is available.

  12. Application of Chemical Kinetics to Deterioration of Foods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labuza, T. P.

    1984-01-01

    Possible modes of food deterioration (such as microbial decay, nonenzymatic browning, senescence, lipid oxidation) are reviewed. A basic mathematical approach to the kinetics of food deterioration, kinetic approach to accelerating shelf-life deterioration, and shelf-life predictions are discussed. (JN)

  13. Sustainability of Mangrove Harvesting: How do Harvesters' Perceptions Differ from Ecological Analysis?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura López-Hoffman

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available To harvest biological resources sustainably, it is first necessary to understand what "sustainability" means in an ecological context, and what it means to the people who use the resources. As a case study, we examined the extractive logging of the mangrove Rhizophora mangle in the Río Limón area of Lake Maracaibo, in western Venezuela. The ecological definition of sustainable harvesting is harvesting that allows population numbers to be maintained or to increase over time. In interviews, the harvesters defined sustainable harvesting as levels permitting the maintenance of the mangrove population over two human generations, about 50 yr. In Río Limón, harvesters extract a combination of small adult and juvenile trees. Harvesting rates ranged from 7-35% of small adult trees. These harvesting levels would be sustainable according to the harvester's definition as long as juvenile harvesting was less than 40%. However, some harvesting levels that would be sustainable according to the harvesters were ecologically unsustainable, i.e., eventually causing declines in mangrove population numbers. It was also determined that the structure of mangrove forests was significantly affected by harvesting; even areas harvested at low, ecologically sustainable intensities had significantly fewer adult trees than undisturbed sites. Western Venezuela has no organized timber industry, so mangrove logs are used in many types of construction. A lagging economy and a lack of alternative construction materials make mangrove harvesting inevitable, and for local people, an economic necessity. This creates a trade-off between preserving the ecological characteristics of the mangrove population and responding to human needs. In order to resolve this situation, we recommended a limited and adaptive mangrove harvesting regime. We also suggest that harvesters could participate in community-based management programs as harvesting monitors.

  14. Designing A General Deep Web Harvester by Harvestability Factor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Khelghati, Mohammadreza; van Keulen, Maurice; Hiemstra, Djoerd

    2014-01-01

    To make deep web data accessible, harvesters have a crucial role. Targeting different domains and websites enhances the need of a general-purpose harvester which can be applied to different settings and situations. To develop such a harvester, a large number of issues should be addressed. To have

  15. Design and development of polyamine polymer for harvesting microalgae for biofuels production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, S.K.; Kumar, M.; Guldhe, A.; Ansari, F.A.; Rawat, I.; Kanney, K.; Bux, F.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A low cost, high molecular weight cationic polymer was designed and developed for microalgal harvesting. • The polyamine polymer showed high flocculation efficiency for Scenedesmus sp. in comparison with chitosan and alum. • Such polymers could be preferred over other flocculants for microalgal harvesting for low value products such as biodiesel. • The polymer has not shown any deteriorating effect on lipid recovery and FAME profile of Scenedesmus sp. • Polyamine flocculant could be a cost effective option for harvesting of microalgal biomass for sustainable energy production. - Abstract: Research findings of the past few decades on the cultivation of microalgae for biodiesel production from laboratory to pilot scale microalgal cultivation have translated into empirical hope of developing an eco-friendly biofuel from algae. As far as economic sustainability is concerned, harvesting of microalgae is one of the most energy extensive processes and thus a major challenge, being faced by this industry. In our study, we designed and developed a quaternary ammonium salt based cationic polymer and evaluated its effectiveness for freshwater microalgae harvesting. An epichlorohydrin-n,n-diisopropylamine-dimethylamine polymer with high viscosity (1040 cps) was synthesized. The flocculation performance of this polyamine polymer was evaluated in terms of biomass recovery efficiency of microalgae (Scenedesmus sp.), its effect on lipid yield and composition. The results revealed that due to high molecular weight, the biomass recovery efficiency of the polymer was achieved >90% at a very small dose of 8 mg/L whereas similar biomass recovery efficiency of chitosan and alum were achieved at 80 and 250 mg/L respectively. The presence of functional quaternary amine and hydroxyl groups played an important role in electric charge neutralization of microalgal cells, hence the improved microalgal flocculation performance in comparison to the natural flocculants but

  16. Energy harvesting from high-rise buildings by a piezoelectric harvester device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie, X.D.; Wang, Q.; Wang, S.J.

    2015-01-01

    A novel piezoelectric technology of harvesting energy from high-rise buildings is developed. While being used to harness vibration energy of a building, the technology is also helpful to dissipate vibration of the building by the designed piezoelectric harvester as a tuned mass damper. The piezoelectric harvester device is made of two groups of series piezoelectric generators connected by a shared shaft. The shaft is driven by a linking rod hinged on a proof mass on the tip of a cantilever fixed on the roof of the building. The influences of some practical considerations, such as the mass ratio of the proof mass to the main structure, the ratios of the length and flexural rigidity of the cantilever to those of the main structure, on the root mean square (RMS) of the generated electric power and the energy harvesting efficiency of the piezoelectric harvester device are discussed. The research provides a new method for an efficient and practical energy harvesting from high-rise buildings by piezoelectric harvesters. - Highlights: • A new piezoelectric technology in energy harvesting from high-rise buildings is introduced. • A new mathematics model to calculate the energy harvested by the piezoelectric device is developed. • A novel efficient design of the piezoelectric harvester device in provided. • An electric power up to 432 MW under a seismic excitation at a frequency of 30 rad/s is achieved.

  17. Examination of thermal comfort in a hospital using PMV-PPD model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pourshaghaghy, A; Omidvari, M

    2012-11-01

    In this study, the performance of air conditioning system and the level of thermal comfort are determined in a state hospital located in Kermanshah city in the west of Iran in winter and summer using the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) model which has been presented by ISO-7730 (2005). The Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and the Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PPD) indices were computed using the data acquired from the experimental measurements performed in the building. The results showed that the values of PMV in some parts of the building, both for men and women, are not within the standard acceptable range defined by ISO. It was found that the most thermal problems in winter occur in morning work shift, and the worst thermal conditions in summer occur in noon work shift. The t-test results revealed that there is no noticeable difference between the thermal conditions of some rooms and those of the surroundings. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Plasma-potential diagnostic (PPD) hardware used on the Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade (TMX-U)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steele, D.L.; Hornady, R.S.; Stever, R.D.; Coutts, G.W.; Nelson, D.H.

    1985-01-01

    The PPD is an instrument used to indirectly measure the potential of the center-cell plasma of TMX-U. Thallium ions are injected at energies of about 60 keV from an ion gun capable of 80 kV operation. The singly charged ions collide with plasma electrons and generate double-charged ions. Ions in the higher charge state exit the plasma and are detected in an electrostatic energy analyzer. From measurements of the injected ion energy and the output ion energy one can determine the plasma potential in the ionization region. The absolute potential measurements required careful calibrations of the energy analyzer. Hardware and techniques for calibration of the energy analyzer are discussed. 2 refs., 4 figs

  19. Parametric studies and evaluations of indoor thermal environment in wet season using a field survey and PMV-PPD method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wei, Shengxian [College of Physics and Electric Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Technique and Preparation for Renewable Energy Materials, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650092 (China); Li, Ming [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technique and Preparation for Renewable Energy Materials, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650092 (China); Lin, Wenxian [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technique and Preparation for Renewable Energy Materials, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650092 (China); School of Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811 (Australia); Sun, Yanlin [College of Physics and Electric Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011 (China)

    2010-06-15

    Fanger's PMV-PPD is the most famous thermal sensation indices but it is too complex to be applied in practice. To obtain simple and applicable correlations, taking Qujing of Yunnan province, China, as example, a wet season (six-month) field measurement was conducted in a naturally ventilated residential room. Based on collected data, PMV indices were calculated by using Newton's iterative method. It is shown that the PMV values approximately vary from -1.0 to +1.0 and the indoor thermal environment is basically comfortable. Relationships of the parameters (indoor and outdoor air temperatures, mean radiant temperature, PMV and PPD) and indoor air temperature gradients (vertical and horizontal) were also studied by means of the linear regression and the quadratic polynomial fit techniques. Numerous correlations with high relativities have been developed. Moreover, the vertical and horizontal air temperature gradients range from 0.1 K/m to 0.85 K/m and from -0.208 K/m to 0.063 K/m in wet season. It is convenient to use these results to evaluate and assess the indoor thermal environment under similar climatic conditions. The results of this work enrich and develop the basic theory of the indoor thermal environment design and control. (author)

  20. 40 CFR 52.2451 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2451 Section 52.2451 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... Quality Deterioration. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  1. 40 CFR 52.2528 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2528 Section 52.2528 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of Sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... Quality Deterioration. (b) Regulations for Preventing Significant Deterioration of Air Quality, the...

  2. 40 CFR 52.1165 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.1165 Section 52.1165 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulation for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  3. 40 CFR 52.2729 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2729 Section 52.2729 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  4. 40 CFR 52.1689 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.1689 Section 52.1689 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  5. 40 CFR 52.1929 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.1929 Section 52.1929 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) Regulation for preventing significant deterioration of air... preventing significant deterioration of air quality. [56 FR 5656, Feb. 12, 1991, as amended at 68 FR 11324...

  6. 40 CFR 52.1234 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.1234 Section 52.1234 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  7. 40 CFR 52.2827 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2827 Section 52.2827 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  8. 40 CFR 52.1603 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.1603 Section 52.1603 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  9. 40 CFR 52.1180 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.1180 Section 52.1180 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  10. 40 CFR 52.2779 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2779 Section 52.2779 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  11. 40 CFR 52.2676 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2676 Section 52.2676 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  12. 40 CFR 52.499 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.499 Section 52.499 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  13. 40 CFR 52.2497 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2497 Section 52.2497 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  14. 40 CFR 52.1884 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.1884 Section 52.1884 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  15. 40 CFR 52.530 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.530 Section 52.530 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) EPA approves the Florida Prevention of Significant Deterioration program, as...

  16. Experimental study of the reaction π++42He→π+π-ppd at 1.7 GeV/c

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bogdanski, M.; Jeanneret, J.-B.; Jeannet, E.

    1978-01-01

    Events of the type π +4 2 He→π + π - ppd produced by π + of 1.7 GeV/c incident momentum in a helium bubble chamber have been analysed. The cross-section for this reaction is found to be (1.22+-0.16)mb. This process is characterized by a large amount of deuterons acting as spectators and by an abundant production of Δ(1232) and rho(770) resonances associated to a π + n→π + π - p reaction on a bound neutron of the helium nucleus. (Auth.)

  17. Acute functional deterioration in a child with cerebral palsy.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Smyth, Elizabeth

    2012-01-01

    We describe a case of acute functional deterioration in a 13-year-old girl with severe spastic diplegia (GMFCS III) and a new diagnosis of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). She presented with acute deterioration in mobility and motor function over 1 month, which was associated with dysarthria, dysphagia and behavioural change. Her mother had noticed subtle functional deterioration over the 2 months prior to this. Her physiotherapist who was concerned about her acute functional deterioration referred her for emergency review. Neurological imaging revealed a diffuse pontine lesion consistent with DIPG. She was subsequently referred to oncology. She deteriorated further, clinically, over the next few days and following discussion with the team; her family opted for palliative treatment, given the poor prognosis associated with DIPG.

  18. Effective Prevention of Oxidative Deterioration of Fish Oil: Focus on Flavor Deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyashita, Kazuo; Uemura, Mariko; Hosokawa, Masashi

    2018-03-25

    Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), both abundant in fish oil, are known to have significant biochemical and physiological effects primarily linked to the improvement of human health, especially cardiovascular and brain health. However, the incorporation of fish oil into foods and beverages is often challenging, as fish oil is very easily oxidized and can cause undesirable flavors. This review discusses this rapid formation of the fishy and metallic off-flavors, focusing especially on an early stage of fish oil oxidation. Although oxidative stability and quality of commercialized fish oil have improved over the past few years, there is a still a problem with its application: Flavor deterioration can be found even at very low oxidation levels. This review also notes the effective way to inhibit the formation of the volatile compounds responsible for the flavor deterioration.

  19. Post-harvest physiology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weather and management constraints, as well as the intended use of the harvested forage, all influence the forage harvest system selected by the producer. Generally, maximum retention of dry matter from harvested forage crops is achieved at moistures intermediate between the standing fresh crop and ...

  20. Discovery, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) derivatives as a novel class of AMPKα2β1γ1 activators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Junhua; Chen, Dakai; Liu, Peng; He, Mengna; Li, Jia; Li, Jingya; Hu, Lihong

    2014-05-22

    Adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been demonstrated as a promising drug target due to its regulatory function in glucose and lipid metabolism. 20(S)-protopanoxadiol (PPD) was firstly identified from high throughput screening as a small molecule activator of AMPK subtype α2β1γ1. In order to enhance its potency on AMPK, a series of PPD derivatives were synthesized and evaluated. Structure-activity relationship study showed that the amine derivatives at the 24-position (groups I-VI) can improve the potency (EC50: 0.7-2.3 μM) and efficacy (fold: 2.5-3.8). Among them, compounds 12 and 13 exhibited the best potency (EC50: 1.2 and 0.7 μM) and efficacy (fold: 3.7 and 3.8). Further study suggested the mechanism of AMPK activation may functioned at the allosteric position, resulting the inhibition of the lipid synthesis in HepG2 cell model. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  1. March-June temperature reconstruction in the Czech Lands based on cereal harvest dates in the 1501-2008 period

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brázdil, Rudolf; Možný, Martin; Dobrovolný, Petr; Trnka, Mirek

    2010-05-01

    Cereal crop harvests reflect the weather patterns of the period immediately preceding them, and thus the dates at which they begin may be used as a source of proxy data on regional climate. Using systematic phenological observations in the Czech Lands (now known as the Czech Republic) after 1848, together with exploration of further surviving documentary evidence (chronicles, diaries, financial accounts etc.), it has proved possible to create series of winter wheat harvest dates for the period 1501-2008. Employing linear regression, the harvesting dates of the main cereal species (wheat, rye, barley, oats) were first converted to winter wheat harvest days and then normalised to the same altitude above sea level. The next step consisted of using series of winter wheat harvest dates to reconstruct mean March-June temperatures in the Czech Lands, applying standard palaeoclimatological methods. Series reconstructed by linear regression explain 70% of temperature variability. A profound cold period corresponding with late winter wheat harvests was noted between 1659 and 1705. In contrast, warm periods (i.e. early winter wheat harvests) were found for the periods of 1517-1542, 1788-1834 and 1946-2008. The period after 1951 is the warmest of all throughout the entire 1501-2008 period. Comparisons with other European temperature reconstructions derived from documentary sources (including grape harvest dates), tree-ring and instrumental data reveal generally close agreement, with significant correlations. Lower correlations around A.D. 1650 and 1750 may be partly related to deterioration of socio-economic conditions in the Czech Lands resulting from prolonged wars. The results obtained demonstrate that it is possible to use widely-available cereal harvest data for climate analysis and also that such data constitute an independent proxy data series for the region of Central Europe crucial to further studies of the potential impact of climatic variability and climate change

  2. Harvesting energy from airflow with a michromachined piezoelectric harvester inside a Helmholtz resonator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matova, S P; Elfrink, R; Vullers, R J M; Van Schaijk, R

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we report an airflow energy harvester that combines a piezoelectric energy harvester with a Helmholtz resonator. The resonator converts airflow energy to air oscillations which in turn are converted into electrical energy by a piezoelectric harvester. Two Helmholtz resonators with adjustable resonance frequencies have been designed—one with a solid bottom and one with membrane on the bottom. The resonance frequencies of the resonators were matched to the complementing piezoelectric harvesters during harvesting. The aim of the presented work is a feasibility study on using packaged piezoelectric energy harvesters with Helmholtz resonators for airflow energy harvesting. The maximum energy we were able to obtain was 42.2 µW at 20 m s −1

  3. Early warnings of heart rate deterioration

    OpenAIRE

    Almeida, Vânia G.; Nabney, Ian T.

    2016-01-01

    Hospitals can experience difficulty in detecting and responding to early signs of patient deterioration leading to late intensive care referrals, excess mortality and morbidity, and increased hospital costs. Our study aims to explore potential indicators of physiological deterioration by the analysis of vital-signs. The dataset used comprises heart rate (HR) measurements from MIMIC II waveform database, taken from six patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and diagnosed with sever...

  4. Helical Piezoelectric Energy Harvester and Its Application to Energy Harvesting Garments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minsung Kim

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a helical piezoelectric energy harvester, examine its application to clothes in the form of an energy harvesting garment, and analyze its design and characteristics. The helical harvester is composed of an elastic core and a polymer piezoelectric strap twining the core. The fabricated harvester is highly elastic and can be stretched up to 158% of its initial length. Following the experiments using three different designs, the maximum output power is measured as 1.42 mW at a 3 MΩ load resistance and 1 Hz motional frequency. The proposed helical harvesters are applied at four positions of stretchable tight-fitting sportswear, namely shoulder, arm joint, knee, and hip. The maximum output voltage is measured as more than 20 V from the harvester at the knee position during intended body motions. In addition, electric power is also generated from this energy harvesting garment during daily human motions, which is about 3.9 V at the elbow, 3.1 V at the knee, and 4.4 V at the knee during push-up, walking, and squatting motions, respectively.

  5. Reliability assessment of aging structures subjected to gradual and shock deteriorations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Cao; Zhang, Hao; Li, Quanwang

    2017-01-01

    Civil structures and infrastructure facilities are susceptible to deterioration posed by the effects of natural hazards and aggressive environmental conditions. These factors may increase the risk of service interruption of infrastructures, and should be taken into account when assessing the structural reliability during an infrastructure's service life. Modeling the resistance deterioration process reasonably is the basis for structural reliability analysis. In this paper, a novel model is developed for describing the deterioration of aging structures. The deterioration is a combination of two stochastic processes: the gradual deterioration posed by environmental effects and the shock deterioration caused by severe load attacks. The dependency of the deterioration magnitude on the load intensity is considered. The Gaussian copula function is employed to help construct the joint distribution of correlated random variables. Semi-analytical methods are developed to assess the structural failure time and the number of significant load events (shocks) to failure. Illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model in structural reliability analysis. Parametric studies are performed to investigate the role of deterioration-load correlation in structural reliability. - Highlights: • A new resistance deterioration model for aging structures is proposed. • Time-dependent reliability analysis methods incorporating the proposed deterioration model are developed. • Parametric studies are performed to investigate the role of deterioration-load correlation in structural reliability.

  6. Bridge element deterioration rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-10-01

    This report describes the development of bridge element deterioration rates using the NYSDOT : bridge inspection database using Markov chains and Weibull-based approaches. It is observed : that Weibull-based approach is more reliable for developing b...

  7. Deteriorating Inventory Model for Chilled Food

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Ming-Feng; Tseng, Wei-Chung

    2015-01-01

    With many aspects that affect inventory policy, product perishability is a critical aspect of inventory policy. Most goods will deteriorate during storage and their original value will decline or be lost. Therefore, deterioration should be taken into account in inventory practice. Chilled food products are very common consumer goods that are, in fact, perishable. If the chilled food quality declines over time customers are less likely to buy it. The value the chilled food retains is, however,...

  8. Concrete pavement joint deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    Concrete pavements are an important part of our national infrastructure. In recent years the relatively small number of reported joints deteriorating prematurely in concrete pavements around Indiana has increased. Changes over the past 45 years in IN...

  9. Prehospital neurological deterioration in stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slavin, Sabreena J; Sucharew, Heidi; Alwell, Kathleen; Moomaw, Charles J; Woo, Daniel; Adeoye, Opeolu; Flaherty, Matthew L; Ferioli, Simona; McMullan, Jason; Mackey, Jason; De Los Rios La Rosa, Felipe; Martini, Sharyl; Kissela, Brett M; Kleindorfer, Dawn O

    2018-04-27

    Patients with stroke can experience neurological deterioration in the prehospital setting. We evaluated patients with stroke to determine factors associated with prehospital neurological deterioration (PND). Among the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region (population ~1.3 million), we screened all 15 local hospitals' admissions from 2010 for acute stroke and included patients aged ≥20. The GCS was compared between emergency medical services (EMS) arrival and hospital arrival, with decrease ≥2 points considered PND. Data obtained retrospectively included demographics, medical history and medication use, stroke subtype (eg, ischaemic stroke (IS), intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH)) and IS subtype (eg, small vessel, large vessel, cardioembolic), seizure at onset, time intervals between symptom onset, EMS arrival and hospital arrival, EMS level of training, and blood pressure and serum glucose on EMS arrival. Of 2708 total patients who had a stroke, 1092 patients (median (IQR) age 74 (61-83) years; 56% women; 21% black) were analysed. PND occurred in 129 cases (12%), including 9% of IS, 24% of ICH and 16% of SAH. In multivariable analysis, black race, atrial fibrillation, haemorrhagic subtype and ALS level of transport were associated with PND. Haemorrhage and atrial fibrillation is associated with PND in stroke, and further investigation is needed to establish whether PND can be predicted. Further studies are also needed to assess whether preferential transport of patients with deterioration to hospitals equipped with higher levels of care is beneficial, identify why race is associated with deterioration and to test therapies targeting PND. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  10. Preparation of minor ginsenosides C-Mc, C-Y, F2, and C-K from American ginseng PPD-ginsenoside using special ginsenosidase type-I from Aspergillus niger g.848.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chun-Ying; Zhou, Rui-Xin; Sun, Chang-Kai; Jin, Ying-Hua; Yu, Hong-Shan; Zhang, Tian-Yang; Xu, Long-Quan; Jin, Feng-Xie

    2015-07-01

    Minor ginsenosides, those having low content in ginseng, have higher pharmacological activities. To obtain minor ginsenosides, the biotransformation of American ginseng protopanaxadiol (PPD)-ginsenoside was studied using special ginsenosidase type-I from Aspergillus niger g.848. DEAE (diethylaminoethyl)-cellulose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were used in enzyme purification, thin-layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used in enzyme hydrolysis and kinetics; crude enzyme was used in minor ginsenoside preparation from PPD-ginsenoside; the products were separated with silica-gel-column, and recognized by HPLC and NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance). The enzyme molecular weight was 75 kDa; the enzyme firstly hydrolyzed the C-20 position 20-O-β-D-Glc of ginsenoside Rb1, then the C-3 position 3-O-β-D-Glc with the pathway Rb1→Rd→F2→C-K. However, the enzyme firstly hydrolyzed C-3 position 3-O-β-D-Glc of ginsenoside Rb2 and Rc, finally hydrolyzed 20-O-L-Ara with the pathway Rb2→C-O→C-Y→C-K, and Rc→C-Mc1→C-Mc→C-K. According to enzyme kinetics, K m and V max of Michaelis-Menten equation, the enzyme reaction velocities on ginsenosides were Rb1 > Rb2 > Rc > Rd. However, the pure enzyme yield was only 3.1%, so crude enzyme was used for minor ginsenoside preparation. When the crude enzyme was reacted in 3% American ginseng PPD-ginsenoside (containing Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd) at 45°C and pH 5.0 for 18 h, the main products were minor ginsenosides C-Mc, C-Y, F2, and C-K; average molar yields were 43.7% for C-Mc from Rc, 42.4% for C-Y from Rb2, and 69.5% for F2 and C-K from Rb1 and Rd. Four monomer minor ginsenosides were successfully produced (at low-cost) from the PPD-ginsenosides using crude enzyme.

  11. Rainwater harvesting - An investigation into the potential for rainwater harvesting in Bradford

    OpenAIRE

    Doncaster, S.; Blanksby, J.; Shepherd, W.

    2012-01-01

    This report provides a brief review of rainwater harvesting and rainwater harvesting tools, which are then used in case study examples for domestic, office block and warehouse rain water harvesting scenarios. Rainwater harvesting is placed in an historical context as a source of water supply and in a modern context as being complementary to centralised water distribution networks with benefits for wider water management including flood risk treatment as well as providing environmental and eco...

  12. Bundling harvester; Nippukorjausharvesteri

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koponen, K [Eko-Log Oy, Kuopio (Finland)

    1997-12-31

    The staring point of the project was to design and construct, by taking the silvicultural point of view into account, a harvesting and processing system especially for energy-wood, containing manually driven bundling harvester, automatizing of the harvester, and automatized loading. The equipment forms an ideal method for entrepreneur`s-line harvesting. The target is to apply the system also for owner`s-line harvesting. The profitability of the system promotes the utilization of the system in both cases. The objectives of the project were: to construct a test equipment and prototypes for all the project stages, to carry out terrain and strain tests in order to examine the usability and durability, as well as the capacity of the machine, to test the applicability of the Eko-Log system in simultaneous harvesting of energy and pulp woods, and to start the marketing and manufacturing of the products. The basic problems of the construction of the bundling harvester have been solved using terrain-tests. The prototype machine has been shown to be operable. Loading of the bundles to form sufficiently economically transportable loads has been studied, and simultaneously, the branch-biomass has been tried to be utilized without loosing the profitability of transportation. The results have been promising, and will promote the profitable utilization of wood-energy

  13. Bundling harvester; Nippukorjausharvesteri

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koponen, K. [Eko-Log Oy, Kuopio (Finland)

    1996-12-31

    The staring point of the project was to design and construct, by taking the silvicultural point of view into account, a harvesting and processing system especially for energy-wood, containing manually driven bundling harvester, automatizing of the harvester, and automatized loading. The equipment forms an ideal method for entrepreneur`s-line harvesting. The target is to apply the system also for owner`s-line harvesting. The profitability of the system promotes the utilization of the system in both cases. The objectives of the project were: to construct a test equipment and prototypes for all the project stages, to carry out terrain and strain tests in order to examine the usability and durability, as well as the capacity of the machine, to test the applicability of the Eko-Log system in simultaneous harvesting of energy and pulp woods, and to start the marketing and manufacturing of the products. The basic problems of the construction of the bundling harvester have been solved using terrain-tests. The prototype machine has been shown to be operable. Loading of the bundles to form sufficiently economically transportable loads has been studied, and simultaneously, the branch-biomass has been tried to be utilized without loosing the profitability of transportation. The results have been promising, and will promote the profitable utilization of wood-energy

  14. Mapping of Ppd-B1, a Major Candidate Gene for Late Heading on Wild Emmer Chromosome Arm 2BS and Assessment of Its Interactions with Early Heading QTLs on 3AL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Wei; Wu, Shasha; Ding, Mingquan; Li, Jingjuan; Shi, Zhaobin; Wei, Wei; Guo, Jialian; Zhang, Hua; Jiang, Yurong; Rong, Junkang

    2016-01-01

    Wheat heading date is an important agronomic trait determining maturation time and yield. A set of common wheat (Triticum aestivum var. Chinese Spring; CS)-wild emmer (T. turgidum L. subsp. dicoccoides (TDIC)) chromosome arm substitution lines (CASLs) was used to identify and allocate QTLs conferring late or early spike emergence by examining heading date. Genetic loci accelerating heading were found on TDIC chromosome arms 3AL and 7BS, while loci delaying heading were located on 4AL and 2BS. To map QTLs conferring late heading on 2BS, F2 populations derived from two cross combinations of CASL2BS × CS and CASL3AL × CASL2BS were developed and each planted at two times, constituting four F2 mapping populations. Heading date varied continuously among individuals of these four populations, suggesting quantitative characteristics. A genetic map of 2BS, consisting of 23 SSR and one single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) marker(s), was constructed using these F2 populations. This map spanned a genetic length of 53.2 cM with average marker density of 2.3 cM. The photoperiod-sensitivity gene Ppd-B1 was mapped to chromosome arm 2BS as a SSCP molecular marker, and was validated as tightly linked to a major QTL governing late heading of CASL2BS in all mapping populations. A significant dominance by additive effect of Ppd-B1 with the LUX gene located on 3AL was also detected. CS had more copies of Ppd-B1 than CASL2BS, implying that increased copy number could elevate the expression of Ppd-1 in CS, also increasing expression of LUX and FT genes and causing CS to have an earlier heading date than CASL2BS in long days.

  15. Harvest time and post-harvest quality of Fuyu persimmon treated before harvest with gibberellic acid and aminoetoxyvinilglycine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Antonio Ayub

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of gibberellic acid (GA3 and aminoetoxyvinilglycine (AVG applied in preharvest spraying, on the retardation of the harvest and on the quality of persimmon fruits cv. Fuyu. The experiment was carried in randomized complete block design. The treatments were: control, 136mgL-1 of AVG, 272 mgL-1 of AVG, 36mgL-1 of GA3, 72mgL-1 of GA3 and 136mgL-1 of AVG + 36mgL-1 of GA3, spraying 30 days before the first harvest. The fruits were harvested twice and stored at 4ºC. The chemical and physical evaluations of the fruits were carried out the date of the harvest and at intervals of 15 days followed by four days at 20ºC. In conclusion, the application of AVG (136mgL-1 or GA3 (72mgL-1 maintained the firmness of the fruits and delayed harvest by twenty days. However, fruits harvested in the initial state of ripening were more sensitive to chilling injury and were unable to support 15 days of storage at 4ºC. The plant growth regulators were not efficient in prolonged storage due to the fact that the concentration of sugars was lower in the treatments than in the control.

  16. heteroHarvest: Harvesting Information from Heterogeneous Sources

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qureshi, Pir Abdul Rasool; Memon, Nasrullah; Wiil, Uffe Kock

    2011-01-01

    The abundance of information regarding any topic makes the Internet a very good resource. Even though searching the Internet is very easy, what remains difficult is to automate the process of information extraction from the available online information due to the lack of structure and the diversity...... in the sharing methods. Most of the times, information is stored in different proprietary formats, complying with different standards and protocols which makes tasks like data mining and information harvesting very difficult. In this paper, an information harvesting tool (heteroHarvest) is presented...... with objectives to address these problems by filtering the useful information and then normalizing the information in a singular non hypertext format. Finally we describe the results of experimental evaluation. The results are found promising with an overall error rate equal to 6.5% across heterogeneous formats....

  17. Application of particle swarm optimisation for solving deteriorating inventory model with fluctuating demand and controllable deterioration rate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yu-Ren; Dye, Chung-Yuan

    2013-06-01

    In most of the inventory models in the literature, the deterioration rate of goods is viewed as an exogenous variable, which is not subject to control. In the real market, the retailer can reduce the deterioration rate of product by making effective capital investment in storehouse equipments. In this study, we formulate a deteriorating inventory model with time-varying demand by allowing preservation technology cost as a decision variable in conjunction with replacement policy. The objective is to find the optimal replenishment and preservation technology investment strategies while minimising the total cost over the planning horizon. For any given feasible replenishment scheme, we first prove that the optimal preservation technology investment strategy not only exists but is also unique. Then, a particle swarm optimisation is coded and used to solve the nonlinear programming problem by employing the properties derived from this article. Some numerical examples are used to illustrate the features of the proposed model.

  18. The comparative performance of the single intradermal test and the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test in Irish cattle, using tuberculin PPD combinations of differing potencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Good, M; Clegg, T A; Costello, E; More, S J

    2011-11-01

    In national bovine tuberculosis (BTB) control programmes, testing is generally conducted using a single source of bovine purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculin. Alternative tuberculin sources should be identified as part of a broad risk management strategy as problems of supply or quality cannot be discounted. This study was conducted to compare the impact of different potencies of a single bovine PPD tuberculin on the field performance of the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test (SICTT) and single intradermal test (SIT). Three trial potencies of bovine PPD tuberculin, as assayed in naturally infected bovines, namely, low (1192IU/dose), normal (6184IU/dose) and high (12,554IU/dose) were used. Three SICTTs (using) were conducted on 2102 animals. Test results were compared based on reactor-status and changes in skin-thickness at the bovine tuberculin injection site. There was a significant difference in the number of reactors detected using the high and low potency tuberculins. In the SICTT, high and low potency tuberculin detected 40% more and 50% fewer reactors, respectively, than normal potency tuberculin. Furthermore, use of the low potency tuberculin in the SICTT failed to detect 20% of 35 animals with visible lesions, and in the SIT 11% of the visible lesion animals would have been classified as negative. Tuberculin potency is critical to the performance of both the SICTT and SIT. Tuberculin of different potencies will affect reactor disclosure rates, confounding between-year or between-country comparisons. Independent checks of tuberculin potency are an important aspect of quality control in national BTB control programmes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Toward a semi-mechanical harvesting platform system for harvesting blueberries with fresh-market quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Major concerns related to harvesting blueberries for fresh market with over-the-row (OTR) harvesters are that the quality of the fruit harvested with OTR machines is generally low and ground loss is excessive. Machine-harvested blueberries have more internal bruise and usually soften rapidly in col...

  20. Deterioration of Concrete Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thoft-Christensen, Palle

    Chloride ingress is a common cause of deterioration of reinforced concrete bridges. Concrete may be exposed to chloride by seawater or de-icing salts. The chloride initiates corrosion of the reinforcement, which through expansion disrupts the concrete. In addition, the corrosion reduces the cross...

  1. Development of multi-functional combine harvester with grain harvesting and straw baling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Z.; Li, Y.; Cheng, C.

    2017-01-01

    The decomposition and burning of straw results in serious environmental pollution, and research is needed to improve strategies for straw collection to reduce pollution. This work presents an integrated design of multi-functional rice combine harvester that allows grain harvesting and straw baling. This multi-functional combine harvester could reduce the energy consumption required for rice harvesting and simplify the process of harvesting and baling. The transmission schematic, matching parameters and the rotation speed of threshing cylinder and square baler were designed and checked. Then the evaluation of grain threshing and straw baling were tested on a transverse threshing cylinders device tes rig and straw square bales compression test rig. The test results indicated that, with a feeding rate of 3.0 kg/s, the remaining straw flow rate at the discharge outlet was only 1.22 kg/s, which indicates a variable mass threshing process by the transverse threshing cylinder. Then the optimal diameter, length and rotating speed of multi-functional combine harvester transverse threshing cylinder were 554 mm, 1590 mm, and 850 r/min, respectively. The straw bale compression rotating speed of crank compression slider and piston was 95 r/min. Field trials by the multi-functional combine harvester formed bales with height×width×length of 40×50×54-63 cm, bale mass of 22.5 to 26.0 kg and bale density 206 to 216 kg/m3. This multi-functional combine harvester could be used for stem crops (such as rice, wheat and soybean) grain harvesting and straw square baling, which could reduce labor cost and power consumption.

  2. Development of multi-functional combine harvester with grain harvesting and straw baling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tang, Z.; Li, Y.; Cheng, C.

    2017-09-01

    The decomposition and burning of straw results in serious environmental pollution, and research is needed to improve strategies for straw collection to reduce pollution. This work presents an integrated design of multi-functional rice combine harvester that allows grain harvesting and straw baling. This multi-functional combine harvester could reduce the energy consumption required for rice harvesting and simplify the process of harvesting and baling. The transmission schematic, matching parameters and the rotation speed of threshing cylinder and square baler were designed and checked. Then the evaluation of grain threshing and straw baling were tested on a transverse threshing cylinders device tes rig and straw square bales compression test rig. The test results indicated that, with a feeding rate of 3.0 kg/s, the remaining straw flow rate at the discharge outlet was only 1.22 kg/s, which indicates a variable mass threshing process by the transverse threshing cylinder. Then the optimal diameter, length and rotating speed of multi-functional combine harvester transverse threshing cylinder were 554 mm, 1590 mm, and 850 r/min, respectively. The straw bale compression rotating speed of crank compression slider and piston was 95 r/min. Field trials by the multi-functional combine harvester formed bales with height×width×length of 40×50×54-63 cm, bale mass of 22.5 to 26.0 kg and bale density 206 to 216 kg/m3. This multi-functional combine harvester could be used for stem crops (such as rice, wheat and soybean) grain harvesting and straw square baling, which could reduce labor cost and power consumption.

  3. Stand, Harvest, and Equipment Interactions in Simulated Harvesting Prescriptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jingxin Wang; W. Dale Greene; Bryce J. Stokes

    1998-01-01

    We evaluated potential interactions of stand type, harvesting method, and equipment in an experiment using interactive simulation. We examined three felling methods (chain saw, feller-buncher, harvester) and two extraction methods (grapple skidder and forwarder) performing clearcuts, sheltenvood cuts, and single-tree selection cuts in both an uneven-aged natural stand...

  4. Effect of time of harvest, stage of fruit ripening, and post-harvest ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Seeds were extracted from half of the fruits harvested from each stage immediately after harvest while the other halves were stored at room temperature to ripen to the soft-red stage before seed extraction. Fruit weight in both cultivars decreased with plant age. Fruits harvested at the yellow-ripe stage produced the highest ...

  5. Review of inventory systems with deterioration since 2001

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bakker, M.; Riezebos, J.; Teunter, R.H.

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents an up-to-date review of the advances made in the field of inventory control of perishable items (deteriorating inventory). The last extensive review on this topic dates back to 2001 (Goyal S.K. and Giri B.C., Recent trends in modeling of deteriorating inventory, European Journal

  6. Harvesting energy from airflow with a michromachined piezoelectric harvester inside a Helmholtz resonator

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Matova, S.P.; Elfrink, R.; Vullers, R.J.M.; Schaijk, R. van

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we report an airflow energy harvester that combines a piezoelectric energy harvester with a Helmholtz resonator. The resonator converts airflow energy to air oscillations which in turn are converted into electrical energy by a piezoelectric harvester. Two Helmholtz resonators with

  7. Fog Harvesting with Harps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Weiwei; Anderson, Mark J; Tulkoff, Joshua B; Kennedy, Brook S; Boreyko, Jonathan B

    2018-04-11

    Fog harvesting is a useful technique for obtaining fresh water in arid climates. The wire meshes currently utilized for fog harvesting suffer from dual constraints: coarse meshes cannot efficiently capture microscopic fog droplets, whereas fine meshes suffer from clogging issues. Here, we design and fabricate fog harvesters comprising an array of vertical wires, which we call "fog harps". Under controlled laboratory conditions, the fog-harvesting rates for fog harps with three different wire diameters were compared to conventional meshes of equivalent dimensions. As expected for the mesh structures, the mid-sized wires exhibited the largest fog collection rate, with a drop-off in performance for the fine or coarse meshes. In contrast, the fog-harvesting rate continually increased with decreasing wire diameter for the fog harps due to efficient droplet shedding that prevented clogging. This resulted in a 3-fold enhancement in the fog-harvesting rate for the harp design compared to an equivalent mesh.

  8. Analysis and assessment of microbial biofilm-mediated concrete deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-10-01

    Inspections of bridge substructures in Texas identified surface deterioration of reinforced concrete columns on : bridges continuously exposed water. Initial hypothesis were that the surface deterioration was a result of the : acidity of the water in...

  9. Bridge deterioration models to support Indiana's bridge management system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-02-01

    An effective bridge management system that is equipped with reliable deterioration models enables agency engineers to carry out : monitoring and long-term programming of bridge repair actions. At the project level, deterioration models help the agenc...

  10. A new harvest operation cost model to evaluate forest harvest layout alternatives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mark M. Clark; Russell D. Meller; Timothy P. McDonald; Chao Chi Ting

    1997-01-01

    The authors develop a new model for harvest operation costs that can be used to evaluate stands for potential harvest. The model is based on felling, extraction, and access costs, and is unique in its consideration of the interaction between harvest area shapes and access roads. The scientists illustrate the model and evaluate the impact of stand size, volume, and road...

  11. Microalgae harvesting techniques: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Gulab; Patidar, S K

    2018-07-01

    Microalgae with wide range of commercial applications have attracted a lot of attention of the researchers in the last few decades. However, microalgae utilization is not economically sustainable due to high cost of harvesting. A wide range of solid - liquid separation techniques are available for microalgae harvesting. The techniques include coagulation and flocculation, flotation, centrifugation and filtration or a combination of various techniques. Despite the importance of harvesting to the economics and energy balance, there is no universal harvesting technique for microalgae. Therefore, this review focuses on assessing technical, economical and application potential of various harvesting techniques so as to allow selection of an appropriate technology for cost effectively harvesting of microalgae from their culture medium. Various harvesting and concentrating techniques of microalgae were reviewed to suggest order of suitability of the techniques for four main microalgae applications i.e biofuel, human and animal food, high valued products, and water quality restoration. For deciding the order of suitability, a comparative analysis of various harvesting techniques based on the six common criterions (i.e biomass quality, cost, biomass quantity, processing time, species specific and toxicity) has been done. Based on the order of various techniques vis-a-vis various criteria and preferred order of criteria for various applications, order of suitability of harvesting techniques for various applications has been decided. Among various harvesting techniques, coagulation and flocculation, centrifugation and filtration were found to be most suitable for considered applications. These techniques may be used alone or in combination for increasing the harvesting efficiency. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Deterioration of J-bar reinforcement in abutments and piers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-31

    Deterioration and necking of J-bars has been reportedly observed at the interface of the footing and stem wall during the demolition : of older retaining walls and bridge abutments. Similar deterioration has been reportedly observed between the pier ...

  13. Controllable deterioration rate for time-dependent demand and time-varying holding cost

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mishra Vinod Kumar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we develop an inventory model for non-instantaneous deteriorating items under the consideration of the facts: deterioration rate can be controlled by using the preservation technology (PT during deteriorating period, and holding cost and demand rate both are linear function of time, which was treated as constant in most of the deteriorating inventory models. So in this paper, we developed a deterministic inventory model for non-instantaneous deteriorating items in which both demand rate and holding cost are a linear function of time, deterioration rate is constant, backlogging rate is variable and depend on the length of the next replenishment, shortages are allowed and partially backlogged. The model is solved analytically by minimizing the total cost of the inventory system. The model can be applied to optimizing the total inventory cost of non-instantaneous deteriorating items inventory for the business enterprises, where the preservation technology is used to control the deterioration rate, and demand & holding cost both are a linear function of time.

  14. Deteriorating ischaemic stroke. cytokines, soluble cytokine receptors, ferritin, systemic blood pressure, body temperature, blood glucose, diabetes, stroke severity, and CT infarction-volume as predictors of deteriorating ischaemic stroke

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Hanne; Boysen, Gudrun; Johannesen, Helle Hjorth

    2002-01-01

    Although the causes of neurological deterioration in acute cerebral infarction have not yet been identified, many variables have been associated with deterioration. The aim of this study was to investigate deteriorating ischaemic stroke....

  15. Reliability analysis and updating of deteriorating systems with subset simulation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schneider, Ronald; Thöns, Sebastian; Straub, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    An efficient approach to reliability analysis of deteriorating structural systems is presented, which considers stochastic dependence among element deterioration. Information on a deteriorating structure obtained through inspection or monitoring is included in the reliability assessment through B...... is an efficient and robust sampling-based algorithm suitable for such analyses. The approach is demonstrated in two case studies considering a steel frame structure and a Daniels system subjected to high-cycle fatigue....

  16. Post-harvest loss of farm raised Indian and Chinese major carps in the distribution channel from Mymensingh to Rangpur of Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossain, M Motaleb; Rahman, Mahabubur; Hassan, M Nazmul; Nowsad, A A K M

    2013-06-15

    Post-harvest loss of catla (Catla catla), rohu (Labeo rohita), mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and sarpunti (Puntius sarana) in a single distribution chain from harvest in Mymensingh to retail sale Rangpur town were determined, in order to obtain information on quality deterioration and existing handling and icing conditions so that suggestions for improving such practices can be made. Quality defect points of the fish at different steps of distribution channels were determined using a sensory based quality assessment tool. Percent quality loss of fish at each step of distribution was calculated from the number of cases that crossed sensory quality cut-off points. Neither of the fish lost their quality when they were in the farm gate, during transportation and in wholesale markets in Rangpur but most of the fishes lost their quality at the retail fish shops. The quality loss was 8, 12, 8, 6, 10 and 14% in case of C. catla, C. mrigala, L. rohita, H. molitrix, C. idella and P. sarana respectively in the retail markets. Fishes were not properly handled, bamboo baskets wrapped with polythene sheet were used as carrying container and inadequate ice was used during transportation. Retailers were found to be more proactive in the use of ice. However, most of the fishes were deteriorated during retail sale. The losses of farmed fishes could be minimized by adopting good handling practices like using insulated container and adequate icing.

  17. Remittances Deteriorate Governance

    OpenAIRE

    Faisal Z. Ahmed

    2013-01-01

    I use a natural experiment of oil-price-driven remittance flows to poor, non-oil-producing Muslim countries to demonstrate that remittances deteriorate the quality of governance, especially in countries with weak democratic institutions. The results indicate that a 1 standard deviation increase in remittances raises corruption by 1.5 index points (on a 6-point scale), which is equivalent to a [dollar]600 decrease in per capita GDP. Concomitantly, remittances may enable governments to reduce t...

  18. 40 CFR 52.931 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.931 Section 52.931 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The..., the Kentucky Division for Air Quality has determined that the application complies with the applicable...

  19. Timber harvest as the predominant disturbance regime in northeastern U.S. forests: Effects of harvest intensification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Michelle L.; Canham, Charles D.; Murphy, Lora; Donovan, Therese M.

    2018-01-01

    Harvesting is the leading cause of adult tree mortality in forests of the northeastern United States. While current rates of timber harvest are generally sustainable, there is considerable pressure to increase the contribution of forest biomass to meet renewable energy goals. We estimated current harvest regimes for different forest types and regions across the U.S. states of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine using data from the U.S. Forest Inventory and Analysis Program. We implemented the harvest regimes in SORTIE‐ND, an individual‐based model of forest dynamics, and simulated the effects of current harvest regimes and five additional harvest scenarios that varied by harvest frequency and intensity over 150 yr. The best statistical model for the harvest regime described the annual probability of harvest as a function of forest type/region, total plot basal area, and distance to the nearest improved road. Forests were predicted to increase in adult aboveground biomass in all harvest scenarios in all forest type and region combinations. The magnitude of the increase, however, varied dramatically—increasing from 3% to 120% above current landscape averages as harvest frequency and intensity decreased. The variation can be largely explained by the disproportionately high harvest rates estimated for Maine as compared with the rest of the region. Despite steady biomass accumulation across the landscape, stands that exhibited old‐growth characteristics (defined as ≥300 metric tons of biomass/hectare) were rare (8% or less of stands). Intensified harvest regimes had little effect on species composition due to widespread partial harvesting in all scenarios, resulting in dominance by late‐successional species over time. Our analyses indicate that forest biomass can represent a sustainable, if small, component of renewable energy portfolios in the region, although there are tradeoffs between carbon sequestration in forest biomass and sustainable

  20. The Effect of Concentration of P-phenylenediamine Antioxidant on the Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubber Seals under High Gamma Irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hegazi, E.M.; Abd El-megeed, A.A.

    2016-01-01

    Acrylonitrile- butadiene rubber (NBR) seals are one of the classified seals used in nuclear facilities. But at high irradiation doses the physical and mechanical properties of NBR are adversely affected due to the degradation induced by radiation and hence affect the sealing performance reducing their service life. The present work is focused on studying the effect of concentration of N-(1, 3-dimethylbutyl)-N’-phenyl-p-phenylene diamine (6PPD) on the physical and mechanical properties of the NBR rubber at high doses of γ-irradiation up to 2 MGy. The physical properties, mechanical properties, hardness, and abrasion of the NBR rubber under γ-radiation were investigated. The optimum amount of 6PPD required to resist deterioration is also estimated. The results showed a remarkable increase in the physical and mechanical properties as the concentration of 6PPD was increased from 1 phr (part per hundred) to 3 phr in NBR samples

  1. Radiation deterioration of ion-exchange Nafion N117CS membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iwai, Yasunori; Hiroki, Akihiro; Tamada, Masao; Isobe, Kanetsugu; Yamanishi, Toshihiko

    2010-01-01

    The cation-exchange Nafion N117 membranes swelling in electrolyte solution were irradiated with γ-rays or electron beams at various doses up to 1500 kGy in the temperature range from room temperature to 343 K to obtain detailed information on the effect of ion-exchange on the radiation deterioration in mechanical properties and ion-exchange capacity. Considerable deterioration in mechanical properties was observed when the Nafion membranes swelling in electrolyte solution were irradiated. A reason is the promotion of degradation with oxygen molecules produced by the irradiation of electrolyte solution. The concentration of electrolyte solution influenced strongly the radiation deterioration in mechanical properties. Keeping the concentration of metal ions to be negligible is important when electrolyzed highly radioactive solution in the light of the durability of polyperfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membrane. A sort of cation in electrolyte solution negligibly influenced radiation deterioration in mechanical properties. A sort of anion in electrolyte solution had negligible effect on radiation deterioration in mechanical properties and ion-exchange capacity. The discrepancy in the radiation deterioration in mechanical properties of Nafion membranes swelling in NaCl solution was observed between the specimens irradiated with γ-rays and electron beams. This discrepancy can be explained from the low diffusivity of oxygen from bulk into the membrane.

  2. 40 CFR 52.2131 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.2131 Section 52.2131 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a)-(b) [Reserved] (c) All applications and other information...

  3. 40 CFR 52.1485 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.1485 Section 52.1485 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... include approvable procedures for preventing the significant deterioration of air quality. (b) Regulation...

  4. 40 CFR 52.2346 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2346 Section 52.2346 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The Utah plan, as submitted, is approved as meeting the... construct on Indian Reservations. (b) Regulation for prevention of significant deterioration of air quality...

  5. 40 CFR 52.1987 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.1987 Section 52.1987 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality rules for the prevention of significant deterioration of air quality (provisions of OAR chapter 340, Divisions 200, 202...

  6. 40 CFR 52.2178 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2178 Section 52.2178 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The South Dakota plan, as submitted, is approved as meeting the... on Indian reservations; (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The...

  7. Proton Radiation Effects on Dark Signal Distribution of PPD CMOS Image Sensors: Both TID and DDD Effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Yuanyuan; Wang, Zujun; Chen, Wei; Liu, Minbo; He, Baoping; Yao, Zhibin; Sheng, Jiangkun; Ma, Wuying; Dong, Guantao; Jin, Junshan

    2017-11-30

    Four-transistor (T) pinned photodiode (PPD) CMOS image sensors (CISs) with four-megapixel resolution using 11µm pitch high dynamic range pixel were radiated with 3 MeV and 10MeV protons. The dark signal was measured pre- and post-radiation, with the dark signal post irradiation showing a remarkable increase. A theoretical method of dark signal distribution pre- and post-radiation is used to analyze the degradation mechanisms of the dark signal distribution. The theoretical results are in good agreement with experimental results. This research would provide a good understanding of the proton radiation effects on the CIS and make it possible to predict the dark signal distribution of the CIS under the complex proton radiation environments.

  8. 40 CFR 52.683 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.683 Section 52.683 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The State of Idaho Rules for Control of Air Pollution in Idaho, specifically... the Clean Air Act for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. (b) The requirements of...

  9. 40 CFR 52.1436 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.1436 Section 52.1436 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act...

  10. 40 CFR 52.270 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.270 Section 52.270 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) With the exception of the areas listed in paragraph (b) of this section: (1... plan does not include approvable procedures for preventing the significant deterioration of air quality...

  11. 40 CFR 52.144 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.144 Section 52.144 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Act are not met... lands does not include approvable procedures for preventing the significant deterioration of air quality...

  12. 40 CFR 52.2380 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.2380 Section 52.2380 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. The program to review the construction and operation of new and...

  13. 40 CFR 52.738 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.738 Section 52.738 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act are not met... air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The provisions...

  14. 40 CFR 52.793 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.793 Section 52.793 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act are not met... air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The provisions...

  15. 40 CFR 52.2303 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2303 Section 52.2303 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The plan submitted by Texas is approved as meeting the requirements of part C, Clean Air Act for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The plan...

  16. 40 CFR 52.2083 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.2083 Section 52.2083 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The Rhode Island plan, as submitted, is approved as meeting the...

  17. 40 CFR 52.1280 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.1280 Section 52.1280 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) All applications and other information required pursuant to § 52...

  18. 40 CFR 52.1029 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.1029 Section 52.1029 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. The program to review operation and construction of new and modified...

  19. 40 CFR 52.1529 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.1529 Section 52.1529 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. New Hampshire's Part Env-A 623, “Requirements for Prevention of...

  20. 40 CFR 52.632 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.632 Section 52.632 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act are not met... air quality. (b) Regulations for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The provisions...

  1. Rain-induced spring wheat harvest losses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, A.; Black, A. L. (Principal Investigator)

    1983-01-01

    When rain or a combination of rain and high humidity delay wheat harvest, losses can occur in grain yield and/or grain quality. Yield losses can result from shattering, from reduction in test weight, and in the case of windrowed grain, from rooting of sprouting grain at the soil: windrow contact. Losses in grain quality can result from reduction in test weight and from sprouting. Sprouting causes a degradation of grain proteins and starches, hence flour quality is reduced, and the grain price deteriorates to the value of feed grain. Although losses in grain yield and quality are rain-induced, these losses do not necessarily occur because a standing or windrowed crop is wetted by rain. Spike water concentration in hard red spring wheat must be increased to about 45-49% before sprouting is initiated in grain that has overcome dormancy. The time required to overcome this dormancy after the cultivar has dried to 12 to 14% water concentration differs with hard red spring cultivars. The effect of rain on threshing-ready standing and windrowed hard red spring wheat grain yeild and quality was evaluated. A goal was to develop the capability to forecast the extent of expected loss of grain yield and quality from specific climatic events that delay threshing.

  2. Do Work Characteristics Predict Health Deterioration Among Employees with Chronic Diseases?

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Wind, Astrid; Boot, Cécile R L; Sewdas, Ranu; Scharn, Micky; van den Heuvel, Swenne G; van der Beek, Allard J

    2017-06-29

    Purpose In our ageing workforce, the increasing numbers of employees with chronic diseases are encouraged to prolong their working lives. It is important to prevent health deterioration in this vulnerable group. This study aims to investigate whether work characteristics predict health deterioration over a 3-year period among employees with (1) chronic diseases, and, more specifically, (2) musculoskeletal and psychological disorders. Methods The study population consisted of 5600 employees aged 45-64 years with a chronic disease, who participated in the Dutch Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM). Information on work characteristics was derived from the baseline questionnaire. Health deterioration was defined as a decrease in general health (SF-12) between baseline and follow-up (1-3 years). Crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate prediction of health deterioration by work characteristics. Subgroup analyses were performed for employees with musculoskeletal and psychological disorders. Results At follow-up, 19.2% of the employees reported health deterioration (N = 1075). Higher social support of colleagues or supervisor predicted health deterioration in the crude analyses in the total group, and the groups with either musculoskeletal or psychological disorders (ORs 1.11-1.42). This effect was not found anymore in the adjusted analyses. The other work characteristics did not predict health deterioration in any group. Conclusions This study did not support our hypothesis that work characteristics predict health deterioration among employees with chronic diseases. As our study population succeeded continuing employment to 45 years and beyond, it was probably a relatively healthy selection of employees.

  3. Concern With Environmental Deterioration and Attitudes Toward Population Limitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnett, Larry D.

    1970-01-01

    Analysis of Gallup Poll data of Junuary 1969 reveals weak association between concern about environmental deterioration and the recognition of need for eventual limitation of human population. Suggests that to increase favorable attitudes to population control, role of overpopulation in causing environmental deterioration needs to be presented to…

  4. 40 CFR 52.884 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.884 Section 52.884 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of section 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act, as amended...

  5. 40 CFR 52.343 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.343 Section 52.343 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act are not met for the following categories of sources for preventing the significant deterioration of air quality...

  6. 40 CFR 52.833 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.833 Section 52.833 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act are met... for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The provisions of § 52.21 except paragraph (a...

  7. 40 CFR 52.2581 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.2581 Section 52.2581 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a)-(c) [Reserved] (d) The requirements of sections 160 through 165... provisions for prevention of significant deterioration of air quality at 40 CFR 52.21 are applicable to the...

  8. 40 CFR 52.96 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.96 Section 52.96 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Air Quality... deterioration of air quality. (b) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act are not met...

  9. 40 CFR 52.986 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.986 Section 52.986 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The plan submitted by the Governor of Louisiana on August 14, 1984 (as adopted... preventing significant deterioration of air quality. (b) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the...

  10. 40 CFR 52.181 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.181 Section 52.181 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The plan submitted by the Governor of Arkansas as follows: (1) April 23, 1981...

  11. 40 CFR 52.581 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.581 Section 52.581 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) All applications and other information required pursuant to § 52.21 of this...

  12. 40 CFR 52.432 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.432 Section 52.432 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act are not met... air quality. (b) Regulation for preventing significant deterioration of air quality. The provisions of...

  13. Design optimization of harvester head and actuation system of forest harvester

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Torben Ole; Hansen, Michael R.; Mouritsen, Ole Ø.

    2005-01-01

    This paper is on the analysis and subsequent efficiency optimization of a forrest harvester. As basis for the optimization the existing machine has undergone substantial experimental testing with a view to determine the loading that the harvester head is subjected to and also the corresponding...

  14. Investigation of adsorption performance deterioration in silica gel–water adsorption refrigeration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Dechang; Zhang Jipeng; Xia Yanzhi; Han Yanpei; Wang Shuwei

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Adsorption deterioration of silica gel in refrigeration systems is verified. ► Possible factors to cause such deterioration are analyzed. ► Specific surface area, silanol content and adsorption capacity are tested. ► The pollution is the primary factor to decline the adsorption capacity. ► Deteriorated samples are partly restored after being processed by acid solution. - Abstract: Silica gel acts as a key role in adsorption refrigeration systems. The adsorption deterioration must greatly impact the performance of the silica gel–water adsorption refrigeration system. In order to investigate the adsorption deterioration of silica gel, many different silica gel samples were prepared according to the application surroundings of silica gel in adsorption refrigeration systems after the likely factors to cause such deterioration were analyzed. The specific surface area, silanol content, adsorption capacity and pore size distribution of those samples were tested and the corresponding adsorption isotherms were achieved. In terms of the experimental data comparisons, it could be found that there are many factors to affect the adsorption performance of silica gel, but the pollution was the primary one to decline the adsorption capacity. In addition, the adsorption performance of the deteriorated samples after being processed by acid solution was explored in order to find the possible methods to restore its adsorption performance.

  15. 40 CFR 52.382 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.382 Section 52.382 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act are not met...

  16. 40 CFR 52.1116 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... quality. 52.1116 Section 52.1116 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air... deterioration of air quality. (b) The following provisions of 40 CFR 52.21 are hereby incorporated and made a...

  17. Harvest of table olives by mechanical harvesting equipment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filippo Gambella

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available In this work, we have evaluated the performance, of an electric comb equipped with five undulated fingers used for mechanized the harvesting of table olives. The first aim of the work was to test three different types of coating materials used for covering the fingers: Silicon (S, Vulcanized rubber (VR and Natural rubber (NR. The diameter of the coating materials tested were 7mm (D1, 14 mm (D2, 19 mm (D3 in order to evaluate the damage of different working conditions on the intact olives. During harvesting, silicon at 7mm and 14mm resulted in the largest percentage of undamaged the fruit (67% and 65%, natural rubber 63% and vulcanized rubber at the 54%. The second aim was to evaluate the combination, in terms of the best performance, of the machines used for mechanized harvesting of table olives. Several factors have been examined: undulating fingers variation thickness, different rotational speeds and different coating materials used to reduce the impact damage on olives. From the tests on olive tree we have determined that while plastic materials (S and (NR appear to have a positive role in harvest quality, the vibration transmitted to the operator’s hand is great from 6.48 m/s2 for S to 6.31 m/ s2 for NR and 2.92 m/s2 for VR, respect to the materials used.

  18. Single machine scheduling with time-dependent linear deterioration and rate-modifying maintenance

    OpenAIRE

    Rustogi, Kabir; Strusevich, Vitaly A.

    2015-01-01

    We study single machine scheduling problems with linear time-dependent deterioration effects and maintenance activities. Maintenance periods (MPs) are included into the schedule, so that the machine, that gets worse during the processing, can be restored to a better state. We deal with a job-independent version of the deterioration effects, that is, all jobs share a common deterioration rate. However, we introduce a novel extension to such models and allow the deterioration rates to change af...

  19. Radio Frequency Energy Harvesting Sources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Action NECHIBVUTE

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This radio frequency (RF energy harvesting is an emerging technology and research area that promises to produce energy to run low-power wireless devices. The great interest that has recently been paid to RF harvesting is predominantly driven by the great progress in both wireless communication systems and broadcasting technologies that have availed a lot of freely propagating ambient RF energy. The principle aim of an RF energy harvesting system is to convert the received ambient RF energy into usable DC power. This paper presents a state of the art concise review of RF energy harvesting sources for low power applications, and also discusses open research questions and future research directions on ambient RF energy harvesting.

  20. Application of Artificial Intelligence for Bridge Deterioration Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Chen

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The deterministic bridge deterioration model updating problem is well established in bridge management, while the traditional methods and approaches for this problem require manual intervention. An artificial-intelligence-based approach was presented to self-updated parameters of the bridge deterioration model in this paper. When new information and data are collected, a posterior distribution was constructed to describe the integrated result of historical information and the new gained information according to Bayesian theorem, which was used to update model parameters. This AI-based approach is applied to the case of updating parameters of bridge deterioration model, which is the data collected from bridges of 12 districts in Shanghai from 2004 to 2013, and the results showed that it is an accurate, effective, and satisfactory approach to deal with the problem of the parameter updating without manual intervention.

  1. Optimal pricing and marketing planning for deteriorating items.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moosavi Tabatabaei, Seyed Reza; Sadjadi, Seyed Jafar; Makui, Ahmad

    2017-01-01

    Optimal pricing and marketing planning plays an essential role in production decisions on deteriorating items. This paper presents a mathematical model for a three-level supply chain, which includes one producer, one distributor and one retailer. The proposed study considers the production of a deteriorating item where demand is influenced by price, marketing expenditure, quality of product and after-sales service expenditures. The proposed model is formulated as a geometric programming with 5 degrees of difficulty and the problem is solved using the recent advances in optimization techniques. The study is supported by several numerical examples and sensitivity analysis is performed to analyze the effects of the changes in different parameters on the optimal solution. The preliminary results indicate that with the change in parameters influencing on demand, inventory holding, inventory deteriorating and set-up costs change and also significantly affect total revenue.

  2. Harvesting a short rotation forest

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perttu, K L [ed.

    1984-12-01

    Willow and Sallow, considered of great interest for Swedish conditions, present new problems in harvesting. Traditional logging techniques offer few elements of equipment or methods. Light whips may be comminuted to a bulk product, easy to handle, difficult to store, requiring a hot logging system - and requiring a heavy, powerful harvester. Aggregating the material introduces an intermediate wood-fuel unit, suitable for storing, transport and infeed into any comminuter. If the harvester produced billets it would require less energy for its operation and it may be used for other purposes such as pre-commercial thinning or row thinning during the growing season. A few groups of designers have worked on analyses of requirements and possible solutions. Test rigs for severing and bundling were built and evaluated. Public funding was made available for design work on harvesters. Five groups were selected to produce layout designs of large and small harvesters. An evaluation procedure was performed, leading to selection of two concepts, slightly reworked from their original shapes. One is a large self-propelled front-sutting harvester, the other is a harvesting unit to be mounted on a suitable farm tractor. With 3 refs.

  3. Effect of the inoculation site of bovine purified protein derivative (PPD) on the skin fold thickness increase in cattle from officially tuberculosis free and tuberculosis-infected herds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casal, Carmen; Alvarez, Julio; Bezos, Javier; Quick, Harrison; Díez-Guerrier, Alberto; Romero, Beatriz; Saez, Jose L; Liandris, Emmanouil; Navarro, Alejandro; Perez, Andrés; Domínguez, Lucas; de Juan, Lucía

    2015-09-01

    The official technique for diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) worldwide is the tuberculin skin test, based on the evaluation of the skin thickness increase after the intradermal inoculation of a purified protein derivative (PPD) in cattle. A number of studies performed on experimentally infected or sensitized cattle have suggested that the relative sensitivity of the cervical test (performed in the neck) may vary depending on the exact location in which the PPD is injected. However, quantitative evidence on the variation of the test accuracy associated to changes in the site of inoculation in naturally infected animals (the population in which performance of the test is most critical for disease eradication) is lacking. Here, the probability of obtaining a positive reaction (>2 or 4 millimeters and/or presence of local clinical signs) after multiple inoculations of bovine PPD in different cervical and scapular locations was assessed in animals from five bTB-infected herds (818 cattle receiving eight inoculations) using a hierarchical Bayesian logistic regression model and adjusting for the potential effect of age and sex. The effect of the inoculation site was also assessed qualitatively in animals from four officially tuberculosis free (OTF) herds (two inoculations in 210 animals and eight inoculations in 38 cattle). Although no differences in the qualitative outcome of the test were observed in cattle from OTF herds, a statistically important association between the test outcome and the inoculation site in animals from infected herds was observed, with higher probabilities of positive results when the test was performed in the neck anterior area. Our results suggest that test sensitivity may be maximized by considering the area of the neck in which the test is applied, although lack of effect of the inoculation site in the specificity of the test should be confirmed in a larger sample. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Characterization and mediation of microbial deterioration of concrete bridge structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-01

    Samples obtained from deteriorated bridge structures in Texas were cultured in growth medium containing thiosulfate as an energy source and investigated for acid production, type of acid produced by microbes and the bio-deterioration of concrete cyli...

  5. Bayesian approaches for detecting significant deterioration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roed, Willy; Aven, Terje

    2009-01-01

    Risk indicators can provide useful input to risk management processes and are given increased attention in the Norwegian petroleum industry. Examples include indicators expressing the proportion of test failures of safety and barrier systems. Such indicators give valuable information about the performance of the systems and provide a basis for trend evaluations. Early warning of a possible deterioration is essential due to the importance of the systems in focus, but what should be the basis for the warning criterion? This paper presents and discusses several Bayesian approaches for the establishment of a warning criterion to disclose significant deterioration. The Norwegian petroleum industry is the starting point for this paper, but the study is relevant for other application areas as well

  6. High relative humidity pre-harvest reduces post-harvest proliferation of Salmonella in tomatoes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Marvasi, Massimiliano; Giurcanu, Mihai C; Hochmuth, George J; Speybroeck, Niko; Havelaar, Arie H; Teplitski, Max

    2017-09-01

    Outbreaks of human illness caused by enteric pathogens such as Salmonella are increasingly linked to the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Knowledge on the factors affecting Salmonella proliferation on fresh produce therefore becomes increasingly important to safeguard public health. Previous experiments showed a limited impact of pre-harvest production practices on Salmonella proliferation on tomatoes, but suggested a significant effect of harvest time. We explored the data from two previously published and one unpublished experiment using regression trees, which allowed overcoming the interpretational difficulties of classical statistical models with higher order interactions. We assessed the effect of harvest time by explicitly modeling the climatic conditions at harvest time and by performing confirmatory laboratory experiments. Across all datasets, regression trees confirmed the dominant effect of harvest time on Salmonella proliferation, with humidity-related factors emerging as the most important underlying climatic factors. High relative humidity the week prior to harvest was consistently associated with lower Salmonella proliferation. A controlled lab experiment confirmed that tomatoes containing their native epimicrobiota supported significantly lower Salmonella proliferation when incubated at higher humidity prior to inoculation. The complex interactions between environmental conditions and the native microbiota of the tomato crop remain to be fully understood. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Harvesting of short rotation coppice. Harvesting trials with a cut and storage system in Germany

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schweier, J.; Becker, G.

    2012-11-01

    Short rotation coppice (SRC) harvesting techniques are available in Germany, but broad experience and knowledge about machine performance and the related effective costs of harvesting operations are still missing. This information is crucial, as harvesting costs strongly influence the economic performance of the overall supply chain. Therefore, it was the aim of this study to collect and analyze productivity data of different harvesting systems for SRC. The combined cut and chip system on the one hand and the cut and storage system on the other hand were studied by literature review. Several studies analyze the combined cut and chip systems and the reported machine productivities showed great variations. The average was 30 green tons per scheduled machine hour (gt smh{sup -1}). Few studies are analysing the cut and storage system. They report that machines still are under development and that further research is needed. Therefore, time studies of harvesting operations using the cut and storage system were carried out. Five trials were performed with the harvesting machine 'Stemster MK III' developed by Nordic Biomass. The share of productive working time was 85% and the average productivity was 21 gt smh{sup -1}. These results were compared with values from the literature. Resulting harvesting costs were calculated per oven dry ton (Euro odt{sup -1}). The advantages and disadvantages of both harvesting systems are highlighted. (orig.)

  8. Reducing post-harvest physiological deterioration in cassava ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... in cassava breeding by National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike. ... The short shelf-life severely limits marketing options by increasing losses, marketing ... locations is necessary due to high influence of G x E interaction on the trait.

  9. Modelling of the Deterioration of Reinforced Concrete Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thoft-Christensen, Palle

    Stochastic modelling of the deterioration of reinforced concrete structures is addressed in this paper on basis of a detailed modelling of corrosion initiation and corrosion cracking. It is proposed that modelling of the deterioration of concrete should be based on a sound understanding...... of the physical and chemical properties of the concrete. The relationship between rebar corrosion and crack width is investigated. A new service life definition based on evolution of the corrosion crack width is proposed....

  10. Optimal pricing and marketing planning for deteriorating items.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyed Reza Moosavi Tabatabaei

    Full Text Available Optimal pricing and marketing planning plays an essential role in production decisions on deteriorating items. This paper presents a mathematical model for a three-level supply chain, which includes one producer, one distributor and one retailer. The proposed study considers the production of a deteriorating item where demand is influenced by price, marketing expenditure, quality of product and after-sales service expenditures. The proposed model is formulated as a geometric programming with 5 degrees of difficulty and the problem is solved using the recent advances in optimization techniques. The study is supported by several numerical examples and sensitivity analysis is performed to analyze the effects of the changes in different parameters on the optimal solution. The preliminary results indicate that with the change in parameters influencing on demand, inventory holding, inventory deteriorating and set-up costs change and also significantly affect total revenue.

  11. Optimal pricing and marketing planning for deteriorating items

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moosavi Tabatabaei, Seyed Reza; Sadjadi, Seyed Jafar; Makui, Ahmad

    2017-01-01

    Optimal pricing and marketing planning plays an essential role in production decisions on deteriorating items. This paper presents a mathematical model for a three-level supply chain, which includes one producer, one distributor and one retailer. The proposed study considers the production of a deteriorating item where demand is influenced by price, marketing expenditure, quality of product and after-sales service expenditures. The proposed model is formulated as a geometric programming with 5 degrees of difficulty and the problem is solved using the recent advances in optimization techniques. The study is supported by several numerical examples and sensitivity analysis is performed to analyze the effects of the changes in different parameters on the optimal solution. The preliminary results indicate that with the change in parameters influencing on demand, inventory holding, inventory deteriorating and set-up costs change and also significantly affect total revenue. PMID:28306750

  12. Energy harvesting for microsystems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ruichao Xu

    2012-05-15

    The purpose of this project is to design and fabricate piezoelectric energy harvesters based on integration of Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 (PZT) thick film technology and silicon microtechnology. The fabrication processes are carried out in close collaboration with Meggitt Sensing Systems (MSS) who has the unique expertise to screen print piezoelectric thick film layers, thus all screen printing steps are done by MSS while the silicon micromachining is carried out at Danchip facility at DTU. The presented energy harvesters are all based on using piezoelectric thick film operating in the 31-mode to generate power when strained. Three archetypes of the numerous fabricated energy harvesters will be presented in detail, they represent three major milestones in this project. The first energy harvester archetype has an unimorph cantilever beam, which consists of a 20 {mu}m silicon layer and 10-30 {mu}m screen printed PZT layer, anchored on a silicon frame at one end and attached to a silicon proof mass at the other. Electrodes will cover both side of the PZT layer, so the harvested energy can be collected electrically. The second archetype has a bimorph cantilever beam, which consists of two 15-35 {mu}m PZT layers, anchored on a silicon frame at the one end and attached to a silicon proof mass at the other. Electrodes are deposited below, between and above the two PZT layers. The root mean square (RMS) power output measured on this type of harvesters is as high as 37.1{mu}W at 1 g. The third archetype is similar to the first one, the screen printed PZT layer is replaced by a lead free piezoelectric material, (KxNa1-x)NbO3 (KNN). Some of the major challenges encountered during the development processes are bad adhesion, fragile structures and short circuiting through the PZT layer. All of which have being fully or partially solved in this project. The final energy harvesters are designed to be used in an energy harvester powered wireless sensing system. (Author)

  13. Comparison of Postoperative Pain Relief by Intercostal Block Between Pre-rib Harvest and Post-rib Harvest Groups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bashir, M. M.; Shahzad, M. A.; Yousaf, M. N.; Khan, B. A.; Khan, F. A.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To compare intercostal nerve block before and after rib harvest in terms of mean postoperative pain score and mean postoperative tramadol usage. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Hospital, KEMU, Lahore, from January 2011 to July 2012. Methodology: Patients (n = 120) of either gender with ASA class-I and II requiring autogenous costal cartilage graft were inducted. Patients having history of local anaesthetic hypersensitivity and age 60 years were excluded. Subjects were randomly assigned to pre-rib harvest (group-1) and post-rib harvest (group-2). Local anaesthetic mixture was prepared by adding 10 milliliters 2% lidocaine to 10 milliliters 0.5% bupivacaine to obtain a total 20 ml solution. Group-1 received local anaesthetic infiltration along the proposed incision lines and intercostals block before the rib harvest. Group-2 received the infiltration and block after rib harvest. Postoperative consumption of tramadol and pain scores were measured at 6 and 12 hours postoperatively using VAS. Results: Mean age was 31.43 A +- 10.78 years. The mean pain scores at 6 hours postoperatively were 1.033 A +- 0.609 and 2.4667 A +- 0.812 in pre-rib harvest and post-rib harvest groups respectively (p < 0.0001). The mean pain scores at 12 hours postoperatively were 1.45 A +- 0.565 and 3.65 A +- 0.633 in pre-rib harvest and post-rib harvest groups respectively (p < 0.0001). The mean tramadol used postoperatively in first 24 hours was 169 A +- 29.24 mg and 255 A +- 17.70 mg in prerib harvest and post-rib harvest groups respectively (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Intercostal block administered before rib harvest as preemptive strategy result in decreased postoperative pain scores and narcotic use. (author)

  14. MECHANIZED HARVESTING TESTS PERFORMED BY GRAPE HARVESTERS IN SUPER INTENSIVE OLIVE ORCHARD CULTIVATION IN SPAIN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gennaro Giametta

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Today also those countries boasting a century-old olive growing tradition have to look at the latest, most dynamic, non labour-intensive olive growing systems to abate production (notably, harvesting operations costs and remain competitive in a globalized market. This is why over the last few years super intensive olive orchard cultivation has been attracting a lot of interest on the part of olive growers all over the world as it accounts for an innovative model whereby olive groves are tailored to the special needs of grape harvesters. This paper reports the first results of experimental mechanical harvesting tests in a super-intensive olive cultivation. The study is intended to explore both productivity and work capacity of two of the most commonly used grape harvesters, Grégoire G120SW and New Holland Braud VX680, in a view to assessing their harvesting performance by a series of tests conducted in Spain. On the basis of the tests it was possible to verify that the machines are able to detach the almost all the drupes (more than 90%, with one only passage, and this independently of both size and location of drupes on the tree crown and of their maturity stage. Using these machines, two people can often carry out the whole harvest process: an operator driving the harvester and another person transferring the fruit from the harvester in the field to the olive oil mill for processing. With this system, the work speed is usually, in the best working conditions, about 1.7 km/hour and the average harvesting time is about 2.5-3 hours/ha. For the time being it is however impossible to draw definitive conclusions in terms of performance of the above cultivation systems and harvesting machines. Additional key observational studies are needed in the years to come to assess the efficiency of the entire model.

  15. Energy-Harvesting Wireless Sensor Networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fafoutis, Xenofon; Vuckovic, Dusan; Di Mauro, Alessio

    2012-01-01

    Energy Harvesting comprises a promising solution to one of the key problems faced by battery-powered Wireless Sensor Networks, namely the limited nature of the energy supply (finite battery capacity). By harvesting energy from the surrounding environment, the sensors can have a continuous lifetime...... Sensor Networks with energy harvesting capability....... without any needs for battery recharge or replacement. However, energy harvesting introduces a change to the fundamental principles based on which WSNs are designed and realized. In this poster we sketch some of the key research challenges as well as our ongoing work in designing and realizing Wireless...

  16. Cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester with multiple cavities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    S Srinivasulu Raju; M Umapathy; G Uma

    2015-01-01

    Energy harvesting employing piezoelectric materials in mechanical structures such as cantilever beams, plates, diaphragms, etc, has been an emerging area of research in recent years. The research in this area is also focused on structural tailoring to improve the harvested power from the energy harvesters. Towards this aim, this paper presents a method for improving the harvested power from a cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester by introducing multiple rectangular cavities. A generalized model for a piezoelectric energy harvester with multiple rectangular cavities at a single section and two sections is developed. A method is suggested to optimize the thickness of the cavities and the number of cavities required to generate a higher output voltage for a given cantilever beam structure. The performance of the optimized energy harvesters is evaluated analytically and through experimentation. The simulation and experimental results show that the performance of the energy harvester can be increased with multiple cavities compared to the harvester with a single cavity. (paper)

  17. The deterioration of intermediate moisture foods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labruza, T. P.

    1971-01-01

    Deteriorative reactions are low and food quality high if intermediate moisture content of a food is held at a water activity of 0.6 to 0.75. Information is of interest to food processing and packaging industry.

  18. An optimal policy for deteriorating items with time-proportional deterioration rate and constant and time-dependent linear demand rate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Trailokyanath; Mishra, Pandit Jagatananda; Pattanayak, Hadibandhu

    2017-12-01

    In this paper, an economic order quantity (EOQ) inventory model for a deteriorating item is developed with the following characteristics: (i) The demand rate is deterministic and two-staged, i.e., it is constant in first part of the cycle and linear function of time in the second part. (ii) Deterioration rate is time-proportional. (iii) Shortages are not allowed to occur. The optimal cycle time and the optimal order quantity have been derived by minimizing the total average cost. A simple solution procedure is provided to illustrate the proposed model. The article concludes with a numerical example and sensitivity analysis of various parameters as illustrations of the theoretical results.

  19. Emissions deterioration for three alternative fuel vehicle types: Natural gas, ethanol, and methanol vehicles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Winebrake, J.J.; Deaton, M.L.

    1997-01-01

    Although there have been several studies examining emissions from in-use alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), little is known about the deterioration of these emissions over vehicle lifetimes and how this deterioration compares with deterioration from conventional vehicles (CVs). This paper analyzes emissions data from 70 AFVs and 70 CVs operating in the federal government fleet to determine whether AFV emissions deterioration differs significantly from CV emissions deterioration. The authors conduct the analysis on three alternative fuel types (natural gas, methanol, and ethanol) and on five pollutants (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, total hydrocarbons, non-methane hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides). They find that for most cases they studied, deterioration differences are not statistically significant; however, several exceptions suggest that air quality planners and regulators must further analyze AFV emissions deterioration in order to properly include these technologies into broader air quality management schemes

  20. Hospital in the Home nurses' recognition and response to clinical deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Erika; Currey, Judy; Considine, Julie

    2018-05-01

    To obtain an understanding of how Hospital in the Home (HITH) nurses recognise and respond to clinical deterioration in patients receiving care at home or in their usual place of residence. Recognising and responding to clinical deterioration is an international safety priority and a key nursing responsibility. Despite an increase in care delivery in home environments, how HITH nurses recognise and respond to clinical deterioration is not yet fully understood. A prospective, descriptive exploratory design was used. A survey containing questions related to participant characteristics and 10 patient scenarios was used to collect data from 47 nurses employed in the HITH units of three major health services in Melbourne, Australia. The 10 scenarios reflected typical HITH patients and included medical history and clinical assessment findings (respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, conscious state and pain score). The three major findings from this study were that: (i) nurse and patient characteristics influenced HITH nurses' assessment decisions; (ii) the cues used by HITH nurses to recognise clinical deterioration varied according to the clinical context; and (iii) although HITH nurses work in an autonomous role, they engage in collaborative practice when responding to clinical deterioration. Hospital in the Home nurses play a fundamental role in patient assessment, and the context in which they recognise and respond to deterioration is markedly different to that of hospital nurses. The assessment, measurement and interpretation of clinical data are a nursing responsibility that is crucial to early recognition and response to clinical deterioration. The capacity of HITH services to care for increasing numbers of patients in their home environment, and to promptly recognise and respond to clinical deterioration should it occur, is fundamental to safety within the healthcare system. Hospital in the Home nurses are integral to a

  1. Energy harvesting for microsystems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Xu, Ruichao

    The purpose of this project is to design and fabricate piezoelectric energy harvesters based on integration of Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 (PZT) thick film technology and silicon microtechnology. The fabrication processes are carried out in close collaboration with Meggitt Sensing Systems (MSS) who has...... the unique expertise to screen print piezoelectric thick film layers, thus all screen printing steps are done by MSS while the silicon micromachining is carried out at Danchip facility at DTU. The presented energy harvesters are all based on using piezoelectric thick film operating in the 31-mode to generate...... power when strained. Three archetypes of the numerous fabricated energy harvesters will be presented in detail, they represent three major milestones in this project. The first energy harvester archetype has an unimorph cantilever beam, which consists of a 20 µm silicon layer and 10-30 µm screen printed...

  2. Applying New Technologies to Transform Blueberry Harvesting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fumiomi Takeda

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The growth of the blueberry industry in the past three decades has been remarkably robust. However, a labor shortage for hand harvesting, increasingly higher labor costs, and low harvest efficiencies are becoming bottlenecks for sustainable development of the fresh market blueberry production. In this study, we evaluated semi-mechanical harvesting systems consisting of a harvest-aid platform with soft fruit catching surfaces that collected the fruit detached by portable, hand-held, pneumatic shakers. The softer fruit catching surfaces were not glued to the hard sub-surfaces of the harvest-aid platform, but suspended over them. Also, the ergonomic aspect of operating powered harvesting equipment was determined. The pneumatic shakers removed 3.5 to 15 times more fruit (g/min than by hand. Soft fruit catching surfaces reduced impact force and bruise damage. Fruit firmness was higher in fruit harvested by hand compared to that by pneumatic shakers in some cultivars. The bruise area was less than 8% in fruit harvested by hand and with semi-mechanical harvesting system. The percentage of blue, packable fruit harvested by pneumatic shakers comprised as much as 90% of the total, but less than that of hand-harvested fruit. The ergonomic analysis by electromyography showed that muscle strain in the back, shoulders, and forearms was low in workers operating the light-weight, pneumatic shakers that were tethered to the platform with a tool balancer. The new harvesting method can reduce the labor requirement to about 100 hour/hectare/year and help to mitigate the rising labor cost and shortage of workers for harvesting fresh-market quality blueberries.

  3. Review of magnetostrictive vibration energy harvesters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Zhangxian; Dapino, Marcelo J.

    2017-10-01

    The field of energy harvesting has grown concurrently with the rapid development of portable and wireless electronics in which reliable and long-lasting power sources are required. Electrochemical batteries have a limited lifespan and require periodic recharging. In contrast, vibration energy harvesters can supply uninterrupted power by scavenging useful electrical energy from ambient structural vibrations. This article reviews the current state of vibration energy harvesters based on magnetostrictive materials, especially Terfenol-D and Galfenol. Existing magnetostrictive harvester designs are compared in terms of various performance metrics. Advanced techniques that can reduce device size and improve performance are presented. Models for magnetostrictive devices are summarized to guide future harvester designs.

  4. Measurement of Deterioration of Frying Oil Using Electrical Properties

    OpenAIRE

    羽倉, 義雄; 佐々木, 芳浩; 鈴木, 寛一

    2006-01-01

    In this study, the relationship between the electrical properties of frying oil (relative dielectric constant and conductance) and its deterioration indicators (acid value, amounts of polymerized triacylglycerols and chromaticity) were examined, focusing on the changes in electrical properties that accompany deterioration. The samples of frying oil used in this experiment were collected from fried food processing sites (school, hospital and factory feeding centers) and were collected at closi...

  5. Deterioration of gait and balance over time

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kreisel, Stefan H; Blahak, Christian; Bäzner, Hansjörg

    2013-01-01

    Cross-sectional studies have shown an association between the severity of age-related white matter change (ARWMC) and lower body motor function. However, the association between prevalent ARWMC and incident deterioration of balance and gait remains insufficiently investigated. This study investig......Cross-sectional studies have shown an association between the severity of age-related white matter change (ARWMC) and lower body motor function. However, the association between prevalent ARWMC and incident deterioration of balance and gait remains insufficiently investigated. This study...... relevance: given the increasing use of neuroimaging, incidental white matter pathology is common; being able to delineate natural trajectories of balance and gait function given ARWMC may improve patient advice and help optimize allocation of care....

  6. Catalyst deterioration over the lifetime of small utility engines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doll, Nicholas J; Reisel, John R

    2007-10-01

    In this paper, the deterioration of catalysts in small, four-stroke, spark-ignition engines is described. The laboratory testing performed followed a proven test method that mimics the lifetime of a small air-cooled utility engine operating under normal field conditions. The engines used were single-cylinder, 6.5-hp, side-valve engines. These engines have a nominal 125-hr lifetime. The effectiveness of the catalysts was determined by testing exhaust emissions before and after the catalyst to determine the catalyst's efficiency. This was done several times during the lifetime of the engines to determine the deterioration in the performance of the catalysts at lowering pollutant emissions. Additional testing was performed on the catalysts to determine wear patterns, contamination, and recoverable activity. The results indicate that considerable catalyst deterioration is occurring over the lifetime of the engine. The results reveal that soot buildup, poisons, and active surface loss appear to be the contributing factors to the deterioration. These results were determined after analyzing the exhaust emissions data, scanning electron microscope results analysis, and the impact of regeneration attempts. An ANOVA statistical analysis was performed, and it was determined that the emissions are also impacted, to some degree, by time and the engine itself.

  7. Performance evaluation of prototype mechanical cassava harvester ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Large-scale cassava harvesting, especially during the dry season, is a major constraint to its industrial demand and commercial production. Manual harvesting is slow and ... Results from field trials showed prototype harvesters weighing 268 – 310 kg can achieve optimum performance on ridged landforms. When harvested ...

  8. Flow Energy Piezoelectric Bimorph Nozzle Harvester

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherrit, Stewart (Inventor); Walkemeyer, Phillip E. (Inventor); Hall, Jeffrey L. (Inventor); Lee, Hyeong Jae (Inventor); Colonius, Tim (Inventor); Tosi, Phillipe (Inventor); Kim, Namhyo (Inventor); Sun, Kai (Inventor); Corbett, Thomas Gary (Inventor); Arrazola, Alvaro Jose (Inventor)

    2016-01-01

    A flow energy harvesting device having a harvester pipe includes a flow inlet that receives flow from a primary pipe, a flow outlet that returns the flow into the primary pipe, and a flow diverter within the harvester pipe having an inlet section coupled to the flow inlet, a flow constriction section coupled to the inlet section and positioned at a midpoint of the harvester pipe and having a spline shape with a substantially reduced flow opening size at a constriction point along the spline shape, and an outlet section coupled to the constriction section. The harvester pipe may further include a piezoelectric structure extending from the inlet section through the constriction section and point such that the fluid flow past the constriction point results in oscillatory pressure amplitude inducing vibrations in the piezoelectric structure sufficient to cause a direct piezoelectric effect and to generate electrical power for harvesting.

  9. On Rotor-Blade Deterioration and Pressure Losses in a Gas-Turbine ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    blade deterioration and pressure losses in a gas-turbine plant. This was achieved ... Rotor-blade deterioration result in 1.2 percent drop in pressure ratio across the compressor, with a corresponding drop in isentropic efficiency from 0.83 to 0.72.

  10. Chemical composition and methane yield of reed canary grass as influenced by harvesting time and harvest frequency

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kandel, Tanka Prasad; Sutaryo, Sutaryo; Møller, Henrik Bjarne

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the influence of harvest time on biomass yield, dry matter partitioning, biochemical composition and biological methane potential of reed canary grass harvested twice a month in one-cut (OC) management. The regrowth of biomass harvested in summer was also harvested in autumn...... as a two-cut management with (TC-F) or without (TC-U) fertilization after summer harvest. The specific methane yields decreased significantly with crop maturity that ranged from 384 to 315 and from 412 to 283 NL (normal litre) (kg VS)-1 for leaf and stem, respectively. Approximately 45% more methane...... was produced by the TC-F management (5430 Nm3 ha-1) as by the OC management (3735 Nm3 ha-1). Specific methane yield was moderately correlated with the concentrations of fibre components in the biomass. Larger quantity of biogas produced at the beginning of the biogas assay from early harvested biomass...

  11. Evaluation of Seismic Behaviors of Partially Deteriorated Reinforced Concrete Circular Columns Retrofitted with CFRP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongxu Hou

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Deficiency of the concrete strength in some regions of reinforced concrete (RC columns in practice may weaken the seismic behaviors of columns. Its effects on RC columns should be well understood. This paper aims to investigate the influences of deteriorated segment on the seismic behaviors of partially deteriorated RC columns and attempts to recover the seismic behaviors of partially deteriorated columns with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP composites. A finite element analysis was carried out to simulate the seismic behaviors of CFRP-confined partially deteriorated RC columns. The numerical results were verified by the laboratory tests of six specimens. Based on the finite element results, the failure location of partially deteriorated columns in an earthquake was predicted, and the effectiveness of CFRP retrofitted on partially deteriorated columns was evaluated.

  12. Outcrossing and crossbreeding recovers deteriorated traits in laboratory cultured Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaston, John M; Dillman, Adler R; Shapiro-Ilan, David I; Bilgrami, Anwar L; Gaugler, Randy; Hopper, Keith R; Adams, Byron J

    2011-06-01

    The nematode Steinernema carpocapsae infects and kills many pest insects in agro-ecosystems and is commonly used in biocontrol of these pests. Growth of the nematodes prior to distribution for biocontrol commonly results in deterioration of traits that are essential for nematode persistence in field applications. To better understand the mechanisms underlying trait deterioration of the efficacy of natural parasitism in entomopathogenic nematodes, we explored the maintenance of fitness related traits including reproductive capacity, heat tolerance, virulence to insects and 'tail standing' (formerly called nictation) among laboratory-cultured lines derived from natural, randomly mating populations of S. carpocapsae. Laboratory cultured nematode lines with fitness-related trait values below wild-type levels regained wild-type levels of reproductive and heat tolerance traits when outcrossed with a non-deteriorated line, while virulence and 'tail standing' did not deteriorate in our experiments. Crossbreeding two trait-deteriorated lines with each other also resulted in restoration of trait means to wild-type levels in most crossbred lines. Our results implicate inbreeding depression as the primary cause of trait deterioration in the laboratory cultured S. carpocapsae. We further suggest the possibility of creating inbred lines purged of deleterious alleles as founders in commercial nematode growth. Copyright © 2011 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The connection of hydronephrosis and microcirculation deterioration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vorobets Dmytro

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we have analyzed the influence of hydronephrosis upon the microcirculation system, in situations of pyeloureteral junction obstruction. Herein, bulbar conjunctiva has been chosen as the object of this biomicroscopic study because of its simplicity and the method availability in clinic practice. In fulfilling this work, we ascertained the connections between extravascular, intravascular, vascular and general conjunctival indices of the patients before radical and paliatic correction of the pyeloureteral junction obstruction (i.e. by open and laparoscopic pyeloplasty, endopyelotomy, laser resection and balloon dilatation. We concluded that, apart from the proved deterioration of kidney function, systemic deteriorations of microcirculation may be observed in situations of clinically marked hydronephrosis, according to the results of radioisotope renography and excretory urography.

  14. Do Work Characteristics Predict Health Deterioration Among Employees with Chronic Diseases?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wind, A. de; Boot, C.R.L.; Sewdas, R.; Scharn, M.; Heuvel, S.G. van den; Beek, A.J. van der

    2017-01-01

    Purpose In our ageing workforce, the increasing numbers of employees with chronic diseases are encouraged to prolong their working lives. It is important to prevent health deterioration in this vulnerable group. This study aims to investigate whether work characteristics predict health deterioration

  15. Bundle Pricing Decisions for Fresh Products with Quality Deterioration

    OpenAIRE

    Fang, Yan; Jiang, Yiping; Han, Xingxing

    2018-01-01

    How to sell fresh products quickly to decrease the storage cost and to meet customer quality requirement is of vital importance in the food supply chain. Bundling fresh products is an efficient strategy to promote sales and reduce storage pressure of retailers. In this paper, we consider the bundle pricing decisions for homogeneous fresh products with quality deterioration. The value of fresh products with quality deterioration is approximated as an exponential function based on which custome...

  16. [Prevention of soil deterioration during cultivation of medicinal plants].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Lan-ping; Huang, Lu-qi; Jiang, You-xu; Lv, Dong-mei

    2006-05-01

    This paper summarized the aspects of the soil deterioration due to continuous growth of medicinal plants, such as nutrition insufficient, pH variation, harmful salt accumulating, harmful microbe and allelopathic substance increasing, soil physics and chemistry properties variation. And the ways to prevent and rehabilitate the deteriorated soil was indicated, which included anti-adversity species selecting, scientific management such as whorl cropping, nutrient elements supplement, usage of physical methods, nutrient liquid cultivating and VAM inoculating etc.

  17. Early warning scores: a sign of deterioration in patients and systems

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Fox, A

    2015-02-01

    The early warning score is a decision-making tool that has a simple design, yet its implementation in healthcare organisations is proving complex. This article reports the results of a survey that evaluated the nurses’ experiences of using the NEWS (National Early Warning Score) in an acute hospital in Ireland. Staff reported that the NEWS was easy to use, did not increase workload and enhanced their ability to identify deteriorating patients. However, they also identified problems related to doctors’ delayed response times, doctors lack of training in the use of the tool, and a failure by doctors to modify parameters for patients with chronic conditions. NEWS enhances nurses’ role in early detection of patient deterioration but delays in response times by doctors, exposes systematic flaws in healthcare. This suggests that it is not only an indicator of patient deterioration but also of deteriorating healthcare systems.

  18. Neurologic Deterioration in Patients with Moyamoya Disease during Pregnancy, Delivery, and Puerperium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Wonhyoung; Ahn, Jae Sung; Chung, Jaewoo; Chung, Yeongu; Lee, Seungjoo; Park, Jung Cheol; Kwun, Byung Duk

    2018-03-01

    We reviewed our clinical experience of patients with moyamoya disease (MMD) who gave birth and assessed characteristics of those experiencing neurologic deterioration. The patients were classified into patients diagnosed with MMD during pregnancy and puerperium (group 1) and those diagnosed before pregnancy (group 2). We retrospectively reviewed patient characteristics, MMD treatment, neurologic symptoms before and during pregnancy and/after puerperium, obstetrical history, and delivery type in groups 1 and 2. Group 1 included 2 patients with deterioration of pre-existing transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and acute cerebral infarction and 1 patient with seizures and newly developed TIAs during pregnancy and/or puerperium. Group 2 included 20 patients with 23 pregnancies. In group 2, 4 patients had deterioration of TIAs during pregnancy and puerperium. There were significant differences between the cases without neurologic deterioration and with deterioration in group 2 (TIAs ≥10 before pregnancy, 0% vs. 75%, P = 0.002; severely reduced regional cerebrovascular reserve on single-photon emission computed tomography, 10.5% vs. 100%, P = 0.002; and surgical revascularization before pregnancy, 75% vs. 15.8%, P = 0.04). In groups 1 and 2, 6 of the 7 cases in which TIAs occurred or worsened during pregnancy or puerperium recovered to prepregnancy TIA levels after puerperium. Patients with severely reduced regional cerebrovascular reserve on single-photon emission computed tomography and frequent TIAs before pregnancy may experience neurologic deterioration during pregnancy, delivery, and puerperium. Surgical revascularization before pregnancy may decrease neurologic deterioration during these periods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. An EOQ Model with Two-Parameter Weibull Distribution Deterioration and Price-Dependent Demand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukhopadhyay, Sushanta; Mukherjee, R. N.; Chaudhuri, K. S.

    2005-01-01

    An inventory replenishment policy is developed for a deteriorating item and price-dependent demand. The rate of deterioration is taken to be time-proportional and the time to deterioration is assumed to follow a two-parameter Weibull distribution. A power law form of the price dependence of demand is considered. The model is solved analytically…

  20. Optimal dynamic pricing and replenishment policies for deteriorating items

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masoud Rabbani

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Marketing strategies and proper inventory replenishment policies are often incorporated by enterprises to stimulate demand and maximize profit. The aim of this paper is to represent an integrated model for dynamic pricing and inventory control of deteriorating items. To reflect the dynamic characteristic of the problem, the selling price is defined as a time-dependent function of the initial selling price and the discount rate. In this regard, the price is exponentially discounted to compensate negative impact of the deterioration. The planning horizon is assumed to be infinite and the deterioration rate is time-dependent. In addition to price, the demand rate is dependent on advertisement as a powerful marketing tool. Several theoretical results and an iterative solution algorithm are developed to provide the optimal solution. Finally, to show validity of the model and illustrate the solution procedure, numerical results are presented.

  1. Deterioration and cost information for bridge management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-01

    This study applies contract bid tabulations and elementlevel condition records to develop elementlevel actions, : costs for actions, transition probabilities for models of deterioration of bridge elements, and transition probabilities : for imp...

  2. Magnetic Nanocomposite Cilia Energy Harvester

    KAUST Repository

    Khan, Mohammed Asadullah; Alfadhel, Ahmed; Kosel, Jü rgen

    2016-01-01

    An energy harvester capable of converting low frequency vibrations into electrical energy is presented. The operating principle, fabrication process and output characteristics at different frequencies are discussed. The harvester is realized

  3. 1970 Oregon timber harvest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brian R. Wall

    1971-01-01

    The 1970 Oregon timber harvest of 7.98 billion board feet was the lowest recorded since the recession year of 1961 when 7.41 billion board feet of timber was produced. The 1970 log production figure was 12.8 percent below the 1969 harvest, the second consecutive year of declining production in Oregon.

  4. A Hip Implant Energy Harvester

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pancharoen, K.; Zhu, D.; Beeby, S. P.

    2014-11-01

    This paper presents a kinetic energy harvester designed to be embedded in a hip implant which aims to operate at a low frequency associated with body motion of patients. The prototype is designed based on the constrained volume available in a hip prosthesis and the challenge is to harvest energy from low frequency movements (< 1 Hz) which is an average frequency during free walking of a patient. The concept of magnetic-force-driven energy harvesting is applied to this prototype considering the hip movements during routine activities of patients. The magnetic field within the harvester was simulated using COMSOL. The simulated resonant frequency was around 30 Hz and the voltage induced in a coil was predicted to be 47.8 mV. A prototype of the energy harvester was fabricated and tested. A maximum open circuit voltage of 39.43 mV was obtained and the resonant frequency of 28 Hz was observed. Moreover, the power output of 0.96 μW was achieved with an optimum resistive load of 250Ω.

  5. A Hip Implant Energy Harvester

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pancharoen, K; Zhu, D; Beeby, S P

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents a kinetic energy harvester designed to be embedded in a hip implant which aims to operate at a low frequency associated with body motion of patients. The prototype is designed based on the constrained volume available in a hip prosthesis and the challenge is to harvest energy from low frequency movements (< 1 Hz) which is an average frequency during free walking of a patient. The concept of magnetic-force-driven energy harvesting is applied to this prototype considering the hip movements during routine activities of patients. The magnetic field within the harvester was simulated using COMSOL. The simulated resonant frequency was around 30 Hz and the voltage induced in a coil was predicted to be 47.8 mV. A prototype of the energy harvester was fabricated and tested. A maximum open circuit voltage of 39.43 mV was obtained and the resonant frequency of 28 Hz was observed. Moreover, the power output of 0.96 μW was achieved with an optimum resistive load of 250Ω

  6. Assessment of a maintenance model for a multi-deteriorating mode system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ponchet, Amelie; Fouladirad, Mitra; Grall, Antoine

    2010-01-01

    This paper deals with maintenance policies for stochastically deteriorating systems which are subject to sudden changes in their degradation processes. The main aim is to assess the interest of using change mode monitoring information from a maintenance decision making point of view. Two condition-based maintenance policies are considered and compared, each of them adapted to a specific level of available information, with or without change mode monitoring. Numerical examples show that the time distribution of the change of deterioration rate and the difference between the two possible deterioration rates strongly influence the choice of the best decision rule structure.

  7. Assessment of a maintenance model for a multi-deteriorating mode system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ponchet, Amelie, E-mail: amelie.ponchet@utt.f [Institut Charles Delaunay, Universite de technologie de Troyes, UMR CNRS 6279 STMR, 12 rue Marie Curie, 10010 Troyes (France); Fouladirad, Mitra [Institut Charles Delaunay, Universite de technologie de Troyes, UMR CNRS 6279 STMR, 12 rue Marie Curie, 10010 Troyes (France); Grall, Antoine, E-mail: antoine.grall@utt.f [Institut Charles Delaunay, Universite de technologie de Troyes, UMR CNRS 6279 STMR, 12 rue Marie Curie, 10010 Troyes (France)

    2010-11-15

    This paper deals with maintenance policies for stochastically deteriorating systems which are subject to sudden changes in their degradation processes. The main aim is to assess the interest of using change mode monitoring information from a maintenance decision making point of view. Two condition-based maintenance policies are considered and compared, each of them adapted to a specific level of available information, with or without change mode monitoring. Numerical examples show that the time distribution of the change of deterioration rate and the difference between the two possible deterioration rates strongly influence the choice of the best decision rule structure.

  8. Approaches to automated protein crystal harvesting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deller, Marc C., E-mail: mdeller@scripps.edu; Rupp, Bernhard, E-mail: mdeller@scripps.edu

    2014-01-28

    Approaches to automated and robot-assisted harvesting of protein crystals are critically reviewed. While no true turn-key solutions for automation of protein crystal harvesting are currently available, systems incorporating advanced robotics and micro-electromechanical systems represent exciting developments with the potential to revolutionize the way in which protein crystals are harvested.

  9. Sustainable harvest of waterbirds: a global review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kanstrup, Niels

    ABSTRACT Waterbirds have a long tradition of being harvested in various ways. In many countries, the harvest takes place as a primary food source, but recreational hunting is also very popular. Various methods are used. Subsistence hunting of waterbirds has a history that dates back to the dawn...... and the degree of stability in local communities obtained through nature conservation. In many countries there is a long tradition of detailed wildlife harvest management including programmes for bag surveys and monitoring of harvest levels. In most countries, however, the management of waterbird harvests...

  10. Mechanical harvesting of pumpkin seeds

    OpenAIRE

    Sito, Stjepan; Ivančan, Stjepan; Barković, Edi; Mucalo, Ana

    2009-01-01

    One of the key problems in production technology of pumpkin seed for oil production is mechanized harvesting and losses of seed during mechanical harvesting. The losses of pumpkin seed during mechanical harvesting at peripheral velocity of 1.57 m/s (optimally adjusted machine) were 4.4% for Gleisdorf species, 5.2% for Slovenska species and 7.8% for pumpkin with husk. The higher average losses of pumpkin seed with husk were caused by tight connection of seed and pumpkin fruit.

  11. Maple Sugar Harvesting/Wild Rice Harvesting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minneapolis Public Schools, MN.

    Comprised of two separate booklets, this resource unit assists elementary teachers in explaining how the Ojibwe people harvest maple sugar and wild rice. The first booklet explains the procedure of tapping the maple trees for sap, preparation for boiling the sap, and the three forms the sugar is made into (granulated, "molded," and…

  12. Deterioration of flood affected Queensland roads – An investigative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masuda Sultana

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to investigate the impact of recent flooding events on the structural and surface condition (such as roughness and rutting of the pavements of the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland, and the Brisbane City Council. The paper also reviewed the major flooding and cyclone events that occurred in the last six years in Queensland. Generally, a rapid increase in deterioration of the structural and surface conditions such as roughness and rutting was observed in pavements after the flood as a result of the inundation. An increasing need for road rehabilitation was also observed after the recent flooding events from 2010 to 2015 in Queensland. Assessing the rapid deterioration of the structural and surface condition of the flood affected pavements is a prerequisite for the accurate prediction of pavement performance, a better decision making process and the management of these roads. Although this paper did not include any model for roughness and rutting, deterioration models for roughness and rutting of flood affected pavements are currently being developed as a part of the future scope of this research. Keywords: Pavement deterioration, Flooding, Structural and surface condition

  13. Autotransplantation donor tooth site harvesting using piezosurgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ylikontiola, Leena P; Sándor, George K

    2016-01-01

    The harvesting of a tooth as a candidate for tooth autotransplantation requires that the delicate dental tissues around the tooth be minimally traumatized. This is especially so for the periradicular tissues of the tooth root and the follicular tissues surrounding the crown. The aim of this report is to describe the use of piezosurgery as an attempt at morbidity reduction in the harvesting of teeth for autotransplantation. A piezosurgical handpiece and its selection of tips were easily adapted to allow the harvesting and delivery of teeth for autotransplantation purposes. Twenty premolar teeth were harvested using a piezosurgical device. The harvested teeth were subsequently successfully autotransplanted. All twenty teeth healed in a satisfactory manner without excessive mobility or ankyloses. Piezosurgery avoids some of the traumatic aspects of harvesting teeth and removing bone which are associated with thermal damage from the use of conventional rotary instruments or saws. Piezosurgery can be adapted to facilitate the predictable harvesting of teeth for autotransplantation purposes.

  14. The comparative performance of the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test in Irish cattle, using tuberculin PPD combinations from different manufacturers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Good, M; Clegg, T A; Murphy, F; More, S J

    2011-07-05

    Ireland currently obtains its avian and bovine tuberculin purified protein derivatives (PPDs) from a single source. Because problems of supply or quality cannot be discounted, it is prudent that Ireland identify alternative supplier(s) as part of a broad risk management strategy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the performance of a number of different tuberculin combinations (that is, pairings of bovine and avian PPD; with different manufacturers) in the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test (SICTT), as currently performed in Ireland. The study was randomised, controlled and double-blinded. A total of 2172 cattle were used in the study. Each animal was tested using two SICTTs, the first based on the tuberculin combination in current use, and the second using one of six trial tuberculin combinations. Analyses were conducted to compare both reactor-status and skin increase. For each control/trial tuberculin combination, there was good agreement between the control and trial reactor-status. Differences in skin increases were mainly confined to animals categorised as either negative or severe inconclusive. However, the measured differences were minor, and unlikely to have a significant impact on the actual test outcome, either for individual animals or for herds. In conclusion, while further studies determining sensitivity and specificity in Ireland would have to be done in the event of a change in tuberculin PPD there should be minimal disruption of the national programme if alternative tuberculin PPDs meeting WHO, OIE and EU regulations were used. In this study, the precision of the guinea pig bio-assay to assess tuberculin potency was low and therefore Ireland should maintain its practice of periodically assessing potency in naturally infected cattle, even though this is not currently required under WHO, OIE or EU Regulations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Ultrasound acoustic wave energy transfer and harvesting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahab, Shima; Leadenham, Stephen; Guillot, François; Sabra, Karim; Erturk, Alper

    2014-04-01

    This paper investigates low-power electricity generation from ultrasound acoustic wave energy transfer combined with piezoelectric energy harvesting for wireless applications ranging from medical implants to naval sensor systems. The focus is placed on an underwater system that consists of a pulsating source for spherical wave generation and a harvester connected to an external resistive load for quantifying the electrical power output. An analytical electro-acoustic model is developed to relate the source strength to the electrical power output of the harvester located at a specific distance from the source. The model couples the energy harvester dynamics (piezoelectric device and electrical load) with the source strength through the acoustic-structure interaction at the harvester-fluid interface. Case studies are given for a detailed understanding of the coupled system dynamics under various conditions. Specifically the relationship between the electrical power output and system parameters, such as the distance of the harvester from the source, dimensions of the harvester, level of source strength, and electrical load resistance are explored. Sensitivity of the electrical power output to the excitation frequency in the neighborhood of the harvester's underwater resonance frequency is also reported.

  16. Current practices related to family presence during acute deterioration in adult emergency department patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Youngson, Megan J; Currey, Judy; Considine, Julie

    2017-11-01

    To explore the characteristics of and interactions between clinicians, patients and family members during management of the deteriorating adult patient in the emergency department. Previous research into family presence during resuscitation has identified many positive outcomes when families are included. However, over the last three decades the epidemiology of acute clinical deterioration has changed, with a decrease in in-hospital cardiac arrests and an increase in acute clinical deterioration. Despite the decrease in cardiac arrests, research related to family presence continues to focus on care during resuscitation rather than care during acute deterioration. Descriptive exploratory study using nonparticipatory observation. Five clinical deterioration episodes were observed within a 50-bed, urban, Australian emergency department. Field notes were taken using a semistructured tool to allow for thematic analysis. Presence, roles and engagement describe the interactions between clinicians, family members and patients while family are present during a patient's episode of deterioration. Presence was classified as no presence, physical presence and therapeutic presence. Clinicians and family members moved through primary, secondary and tertiary roles during patients' deterioration episode. Engagement was observed to be superficial or deep. There was a complex interplay between presence, roles and engagement with each influencing which form the other could take. Current practices of managing family during episodes of acute deterioration are complex and multifaceted. There is fluid interplay between presence, roles and engagement during a patient's episode of deterioration. This study will contribute to best practice, provide a strong foundation for clinician education and present opportunities for future research. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Dust emissions eliminated in pneumatic harvesting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kallio, M.

    1998-01-01

    Pneumatic harvesting is the most efficient milled peat production method in unsteady weather conditions. In good summers, the best contractors harvest more than 1 000 m 3 /ha milled peat from suitable production fields. The greatest problem of the method is caused by dust emissions, in particular in fields close to settled areas. About 15 % of Finland's present peat production is collected using pneumatic harvesters. A pneumatic harvester with smaller dust emissions has been developed by VTT Energy and Vapo Oy. The wagon is based on two-stage separation of peat. The main part of the coarser milled peat is first separated, e.g. in a settling chamber, and fine dry peat dust in correctly dimensioned side by side cyclones. The first series of pneumatic harvesters based on the new separation technology was employed in summer 1996. Besides decreasing the dust emissions the harvesting capacity of the new equipment was increased. The collection capacity of the pneumatic harvester can be made more effective by enlarging the container size, be decreasing the weight, by increasing the driving speed and by developing the suction capacity. Using lighter and durable construction materials combined with advanced design lighter and stronger pneumatic harvesters have been constructed. Nozzles and their mounting have also been developed. In the improvement of nozzles, the former studies with pneumatic simulator of VTT Energy, have been of great help. Studies with the pneumatic simulator and field conditions have been made in collaboration with Turveruukki Oy, Turvemetalli Oy, Raussin Metalli Oy and Vapo Oy, as well as VNIITP of St. Petersburg, Russia

  18. Dielectric loss against piezoelectric power harvesting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Junrui; Shu-Hung Chung, Henry; Liao, Wei-Hsin

    2014-09-01

    Piezoelectricity is one of the most popular electromechanical transduction mechanisms for constructing kinetic energy harvesting systems. When a standard energy harvesting (SEH) interface circuit, i.e., bridge rectifier plus filter capacitor, is utilized for collecting piezoelectric power, the previous literature showed that the power conversion can be well predicted without much consideration for the effect of dielectric loss. Yet, as the conversion power gets higher by adopting power-boosting interface circuits, such as synchronized switch harvesting on inductor (SSHI), the neglect of dielectric loss might give rise to deviation in harvested power estimation. Given the continuous progress on power-boosting interface circuits, the role of dielectric loss in practical piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) systems should receive attention with better evaluation. Based on the integrated equivalent impedance network model, this fast track communication provides a comprehensive study on the susceptibility of harvested power in PEH systems under different conditions. It shows that, dielectric loss always counteracts piezoelectric power harvesting by causing charge leakage across piezoelectric capacitance. In particular, taking corresponding ideal lossless cases as references, the counteractive effect might be aggravated under one of the five conditions: larger dielectric loss tangent, lower vibration frequency, further away from resonance, weaker electromechanical coupling, or using power-boosting interface circuit. These relationships are valuable for the study of PEH systems, as they not only help explain the role of dielectric loss in piezoelectric power harvesting, but also add complementary insights for material, structure, excitation, and circuit considerations towards holistic evaluation and design for practical PEH systems.

  19. Dielectric loss against piezoelectric power harvesting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liang, Junrui; Shu-Hung Chung, Henry; Liao, Wei-Hsin

    2014-01-01

    Piezoelectricity is one of the most popular electromechanical transduction mechanisms for constructing kinetic energy harvesting systems. When a standard energy harvesting (SEH) interface circuit, i.e., bridge rectifier plus filter capacitor, is utilized for collecting piezoelectric power, the previous literature showed that the power conversion can be well predicted without much consideration for the effect of dielectric loss. Yet, as the conversion power gets higher by adopting power-boosting interface circuits, such as synchronized switch harvesting on inductor (SSHI), the neglect of dielectric loss might give rise to deviation in harvested power estimation. Given the continuous progress on power-boosting interface circuits, the role of dielectric loss in practical piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) systems should receive attention with better evaluation. Based on the integrated equivalent impedance network model, this fast track communication provides a comprehensive study on the susceptibility of harvested power in PEH systems under different conditions. It shows that, dielectric loss always counteracts piezoelectric power harvesting by causing charge leakage across piezoelectric capacitance. In particular, taking corresponding ideal lossless cases as references, the counteractive effect might be aggravated under one of the five conditions: larger dielectric loss tangent, lower vibration frequency, further away from resonance, weaker electromechanical coupling, or using power-boosting interface circuit. These relationships are valuable for the study of PEH systems, as they not only help explain the role of dielectric loss in piezoelectric power harvesting, but also add complementary insights for material, structure, excitation, and circuit considerations towards holistic evaluation and design for practical PEH systems. (fast track communications)

  20. Reversing the Cycle of Deterioration in the Nation's Public School Buildings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Council of the Great City Schools, 2014

    2014-01-01

    Across the nation, large urban school districts are experiencing premature and rapidly accelerating deterioration of school buildings. The conditions of buildings and equipment, most importantly in classrooms and school support spaces, are deteriorating to the point of hindering the core mission of schools: educating children. This report is the…

  1. The effects of harvest on waterfowl populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooch, Evan G.; Guillemain, Matthieu; Boomer, G Scott; Lebreton, Jean-Dominique; Nichols, James D.

    2014-01-01

    Change in the size of populations over space and time is, arguably, the motivation for much of pure and applied ecological research. The fundamental model for the dynamics of any population is straightforward: the net change in the abundance is the simple difference between the number of individuals entering the population and the number leaving the population, either or both of which may change in response to factors intrinsic and extrinsic to the population. While harvest of individuals from a population constitutes a clear extrinsic source of removal of individuals, the response of populations to harvest is frequently complex, reflecting an interaction of harvest with one or more population processes. Here we consider the role of these interactions, and factors influencing them, on the effective harvest management of waterfowl populations. We review historical ideas concerning harvest and discuss the relationship(s) between waterfowl life histories and the development and application of population models to inform harvest management. The influence of population structure (age, spatial) on derivation of optimal harvest strategies (with and without explicit consideration of various sources of uncertainty) is considered. In addition to population structure, we discuss how the optimal harvest strategy may be influenced by: 1) patterns of density-dependence in one or more vital rates, and 2) heterogeneity in vital rates among individuals within an age-sex-size class. Although derivation of the optimal harvest strategy for simple population models (with or without structure) is generally straightforward, there are several potential difficulties in application. In particular, uncertainty concerning the population structure at the time of harvest, and the ability to regulate the structure of the harvest itself, are significant complications. We therefore review the evidence of effects of harvest on waterfowl populations. Some of this evidence has

  2. Energy harvesting with Di-Electro Active Polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Due, Jens; Munk-Nielsen, Stig; Nielsen, Rasmus Ørndrup

    2010-01-01

    This article presents a way of using Di-Electro Active Polymers (D-EAPs) for harvesting mechanical energy sources. The article describes the basics of energy harvesting with D-EAPs, and an electrical model of a D-EAP is suggested. This leads to a converter design which is able to extract...... the electrical energy harvested by the D-EAP. This converter is simulated and realized. Through experimental results both the model of the DEAP and the converter are verified. It is found that it is possible to harvest energy with a D-EAP and build a converter that can extract the harvested energy....

  3. Chemical composition and methane yield of reed canary grass as influenced by harvesting time and harvest frequency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandel, Tanka P; Sutaryo, Sutaryo; Møller, Henrik B; Jørgensen, Uffe; Lærke, Poul E

    2013-02-01

    This study examined the influence of harvest time on biomass yield, dry matter partitioning, biochemical composition and biological methane potential of reed canary grass harvested twice a month in one-cut (OC) management. The regrowth of biomass harvested in summer was also harvested in autumn as a two-cut management with (TC-F) or without (TC-U) fertilization after summer harvest. The specific methane yields decreased significantly with crop maturity that ranged from 384 to 315 and from 412 to 283 NL (normal litre) (kgVS)(-1) for leaf and stem, respectively. Approximately 45% more methane was produced by the TC-F management (5430Nm(3)ha(-1)) as by the OC management (3735Nm(3)ha(-1)). Specific methane yield was moderately correlated with the concentrations of fibre components in the biomass. Larger quantity of biogas produced at the beginning of the biogas assay from early harvested biomass was to some extent off-set by lower concentration of methane. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. [Neurological deterioration within 30 days of ischemic stroke with spontaneous cervicocranial artery dissection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mori, Mayumi; Wakugawa, Yoshiyuki; Yasaka, Masahiro; Yasumori, Kotaro; Nagata, Shinji; Okada, Yasushi

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to identify the clinical features associated with neurological deterioration within 30 days of ischemic stroke patients with spontaneous cevicocranial dissection (SCCD) and clarify the effect on outcomes. We retrospectively identified 18 patients with SCCD (1.6%, 3 women, 52 ± 16 years old) among 1,112 patients with acute ischemic stroke within 7 days after onset. Of the 18 patients, 13 (72%) had vertebrobasilar arterial dissection. Neurological deterioration was present in 4 patients (22%), and 2 patients (11%) died. All of them became worse within 3 days after onset. Their initial blood pressures were high. All of them had dominant side vertebral artery or basilar artery dissection. Subarachnoid hemorrahage (SAH) were not seen although the agressive anticoagulant therapy were performed except for a case who had aneurysmal change. The patients with neurological deterioration had poor outcome, but the patients without neurological deterioration had good outcome. Recurrent ischemic event or SAH did not occurred in 3 months if they had not neurological deterioration. When we see acute stroke patients with dissection at the dominant side vertebral artery or the basilar artery, we should observe carefully for neurological deterioration especially within three days of onset.

  5. Deterioration of jointed Portland cement concrete pavements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1975-01-01

    Information has been gathered regarding the performance of more than 400 lane-miles of jointed PCC interstate pavements located in five construction districts in Virginia. The factors causing pavement deterioration have been identified, the processes...

  6. Bundling harvester; Harvennuspuun automaattisen nippukorjausharvesterin kehittaeminen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koponen, K [Eko-Log Oy, Kuopio (Finland)

    1997-12-01

    The starting point of the project was to design and construct, by taking the silvicultural point of view into account, a harvesting and processing system especially for energy-wood, containing manually driven bundling harvester, automating of the harvester, and automated loading. The equipment forms an ideal method for entrepreneur`s-line harvesting. The target is to apply the system also for owner`s-line harvesting. The profitability of the system promotes the utilisation of the system in both cases. The objectives of the project were: to construct a test equipment and prototypes for all the project stages, to carry out terrain and strain tests in order to examine the usability and durability, as well as the capacity of the machine, to test the applicability of the Eko-Log system in simultaneous harvesting of energy and pulp woods, and to start the marketing and manufacturing of the products. The basic problems of the construction of the bundling harvester have been solved using terrain-tests. The prototype machine has been shown to be operable. Loading of the bundles to form sufficiently economically transportable loads has been studied, and simultaneously, the branch-biomass has been tried to be utilised without loosing the profitability of transportation. The results have been promising, and will promote the profitable utilisation of wood-energy. (orig.)

  7. Electromagnetic energy harvester for harvesting acoustic energy

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Farid U Khan

    Acoustics; energy harvesting; electromagnetic; Helmholtz resonator; sound pressure level; suspended coil. ... WSNs, which are supposed to operate for longer period of time. However ... several ambient energies such as wind, thermal, vibration, and solar are ..... textile plants in Northern India with specific reference to noise.

  8. Energy harvesting for self-powered aerostructure actuation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryant, Matthew; Pizzonia, Matthew; Mehallow, Michael; Garcia, Ephrahim

    2014-04-01

    This paper proposes and experimentally investigates applying piezoelectric energy harvesting devices driven by flow induced vibrations to create self-powered actuation of aerostructure surfaces such as tabs, flaps, spoilers, or morphing devices. Recently, we have investigated flow-induced vibrations and limit cycle oscillations due to aeroelastic flutter phenomena in piezoelectric structures as a mechanism to harvest energy from an ambient fluid flow. We will describe how our experimental investigations in a wind tunnel have demonstrated that this harvested energy can be stored and used on-demand to actuate a control surface such as a trailing edge flap in the airflow. This actuated control surface could take the form of a separate and discrete actuated flap, or could constitute rotating or deflecting the oscillating energy harvester itself to produce a non-zero mean angle of attack. Such a rotation of the energy harvester and the associated change in aerodynamic force is shown to influence the operating wind speed range of the device, its limit cycle oscillation (LCO) amplitude, and its harvested power output; hence creating a coupling between the device's performance as an energy harvester and as a control surface. Finally, the induced changes in the lift, pitching moment, and drag acting on a wing model are quantified and compared for a control surface equipped with an oscillating energy harvester and a traditional, static control surface of the same geometry. The results show that when operated in small amplitude LCO the energy harvester adds negligible aerodynamic drag.

  9. A Production Model for Deteriorating Inventory Items with Production Disruptions

    OpenAIRE

    Yong He; Ju He

    2010-01-01

    Disruption management has recently become an active area of research. In this study, an extension is made to consider the fact that some products may deteriorate during storage. A production-inventory model for deteriorating items with production disruptions is developed. Then the optimal production and inventory plans are provided, so that the manufacturer can reduce the loss caused by disruptions. Finally, a numerical example is used to illustrate the model.

  10. Piezoelectric energy harvesting with parametric uncertainty

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, S F; Friswell, M I; Adhikari, S

    2010-01-01

    The design and analysis of energy harvesting devices is becoming increasing important in recent years. Most of the literature has focused on the deterministic analysis of these systems and the problem of uncertain parameters has received less attention. Energy harvesting devices exhibit parametric uncertainty due to errors in measurement, errors in modelling and variability in the parameters during manufacture. This paper investigates the effect of parametric uncertainty in the mechanical system on the harvested power, and derives approximate explicit formulae for the optimal electrical parameters that maximize the mean harvested power. The maximum of the mean harvested power decreases with increasing uncertainty, and the optimal frequency at which the maximum mean power occurs shifts. The effect of the parameter variance on the optimal electrical time constant and optimal coupling coefficient are reported. Monte Carlo based simulation results are used to further analyse the system under parametric uncertainty

  11. Ultrasonic measurements of undamaged concrete layer thickness in a deteriorated concrete structure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Demcenko, A.; Visser, Roy; Akkerman, Remko

    2016-01-01

    Ultrasonic wave propagation in deteriorated concrete structures was studied numerically and experimentally. Ultrasonic single-side access immersion pulse-echo and diffuse field measurements were performed in deteriorated concrete structures at 0.5 MHz center frequency. Numerically and experimentally

  12. Waste energy harvesting mechanical and thermal energies

    CERN Document Server

    Ling Bing, Kong; Hng, Huey Hoon; Boey, Freddy; Zhang, Tianshu

    2014-01-01

    Waste Energy Harvesting overviews the latest progress in waste energy harvesting technologies, with specific focusing on waste thermal mechanical energies. Thermal energy harvesting technologies include thermoelectric effect, storage through phase change materials and pyroelectric effect. Waste mechanical energy harvesting technologies include piezoelectric (ferroelectric) effect with ferroelectric materials and nanogenerators. The book aims to strengthen the syllabus in energy, materials and physics and is well suitable for students and professionals in the fields.

  13. Deterioration and fermentability of energy cane juice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Regina Ceccato-Antonini

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The main interest in the energy cane is the bioenergy production from the bagasse. The juice obtained after the cane milling may constitute a feedstock for the first-generation ethanol units; however, little attention has been dedicated to this issue. In order to verify the feasibility of the energy cane juice as substrate for ethanol production, the objectives of this research were first to determine the microbiological characteristics and deterioration along the time of the juices from two clones of energy cane (Type I and second, their fermentability as feedstock for utilization in ethanol distilleries. There was a clear differentiation in the bacterial and yeast development of the sugarcane juices assayed, being much faster in the energy canes than in sugarcane. The storage of juice for 8 hours at 30oC did not cause impact in alcoholic fermentation for any sample analyzed, although a significant bacterial growth was detected in this period. A decrease of approximately seven percentage points in the fermentative efficiency was observed for energy cane juice in relation to sugarcane in a 24-hour fermentation cycle with the baking yeast. Despite the faster deterioration, the present research demonstrated that the energy cane juice has potential to be used as feedstock in ethanol-producing industries. As far as we know, it is the first research to deal with the characteristics of deterioration and fermentability of energy cane juices.

  14. Magnetic Nanocomposite Cilia Energy Harvester

    KAUST Repository

    Khan, Mohammed Asadullah

    2016-02-11

    An energy harvester capable of converting low frequency vibrations into electrical energy is presented. The operating principle, fabrication process and output characteristics at different frequencies are discussed. The harvester is realized by fabricating an array of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) - iron nanowire nanocomposite cilia on a planar coil array. Each coil element consists of 14 turns and occupies an area of 600 μm x 600μm. The cilia are arranged in a 12x5 array and each cilium is 250 μm wide and 2 mm long. The magnetic characteristics of the fabricated cilia indicate that the nanowires are well aligned inside of the nanocomposite, increasing the efficiency of energy harvesting. The energy harvester occupies an area of 66.96 mm2 and produces an output r.m.s voltage of 206.47μV, when excited by a 40 Hz vibration of 1 mm amplitude.

  15. Identification of concrete deteriorating minerals by polarizing and scanning electron microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gregerova, Miroslava; Vsiansky, Dalibor

    2009-01-01

    The deterioration of concrete represents one of the most serious problems of civil engineering worldwide. Besides other processes, deterioration of concrete consists of sulfate attack and carbonation. Sulfate attack results in the formation of gypsum, ettringite and thaumasite in hardened concrete. Products of sulfate attack may cause a loss of material strength and a risk of collapse of the concrete constructions. The authors focused especially on the microscopical research of sulfate attack. Concrete samples were taken from the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic. A succession of degrading mineral formation was suggested. Microscope methods represent a new approach to solving the deterioration problems. They enable evaluation of the state of concrete constructions and in cooperation with hydro-geochemistry, mathematics and statistics permit prediction of the durability of a structure. Considering the number of concrete constructions and their age, research of concrete deterioration has an increasing importance. The results obtained can also be useful for future construction, because they identify the risk factors associated with formation of minerals known to degrade structures.

  16. Developing Pavement Distress Deterioration Models for Pavement Management System Using Markovian Probabilistic Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Promothes Saha

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In the state of Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT utilizes their pavement management system (PMS to manage approximately 9,100 miles of interstate, highways, and low-volume roads. Three types of deterioration models are currently being used in the existing PMS: site-specific, family, and expert opinion curves. These curves are developed using deterministic techniques. In the deterministic technique, the uncertainties of pavement deterioration related to traffic and weather are not considered. Probabilistic models that take into account the uncertainties result in more accurate curves. In this study, probabilistic models using the discrete-time Markov process were developed for five distress indices: transverse, longitudinal, fatigue, rut, and ride indices, as a case study on low-volume roads. Regression techniques were used to develop the deterioration paths using the predicted distribution of indices estimated from the Markov process. Results indicated that longitudinal, fatigue, and rut indices had very slow deterioration over time, whereas transverse and ride indices showed faster deterioration. The developed deterioration models had the coefficient of determination (R2 above 0.84. As probabilistic models provide more accurate results, it is recommended that these models be used as the family curves in the CDOT PMS for low-volume roads.

  17. Tension Pneumocephalus with Diplegia and Deterioration of Consciousness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harald Prüss

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Tension pneumocephalus results from intracranial air under pressure as a rare complication after head injury or craniofacial surgery. A 58-year-old man underwent ethmoid sinus surgery and subsequently developed rapidly progressive global headache, restlessness, diplegia with sensory loss, and deterioration of the conscious level. A head CT demonstrated extensive pneumocephalus with gross compression of the brain. The frontal retention of air caused widening of the interhemispheric fissure leading to a peaked appearance of the frontal poles, referred to as the ‘Mount Fuji sign’. Surgical revision of a dural air leak resulted in rapid improvement and full clinical resolution. Early diagnosis of tension pneumocephalus and emergent surgical treatment are crucial to prevent life-threatening deterioration.

  18. Characterization of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting MEMS

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    of previously fabricated MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters and use the results to optimize an advanced finite element model to be used in...possibilities of using solar power and the piezoelectric effect to harvest energy [12]. The design goal was to develop an energy harvester with a resonant... The piezoelectric properties of AlN are also relatively constant over a wide range of temperatures [7]. AlN was further characterized

  19. Radiation deterioration of several aromatic polymers under oxidative conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasuga, Tsuneo; Hagiwara, Miyuki

    1987-01-01

    Radiation-induced oxidative irradiation effects (with γ-rays under oxygen pressure) or poly(aryl sulphones) (U-PS and PES), poly(aryl ester) (U-Polymer), poly(aryl amide) (A-Film) and poly(aryl ether ether ketone) (PEEK) have been studied based on changes in tensile properties. The deterioration dose estimated from the decrease in the elongation at break was as low as one-fifth to one-tenth of that in high-dose-rate electron-beam irradiation, but the order of radiation resistance of the polymers did not differ from that in electron-beam irradiation, i.e. PEEK > A-Film > U-Polymer > U-PS > PES. The radiation stability of aromatic units under oxidative conditions was estimated from a comparison of the radiation resistance of the polymers themselves and their chemical structures. The following order was obtained: diphenyl ether, diphenyl ketone > aromatic amide>> bisphenol A > diphenyl sulphone. The deterioration mechanism of PEEK under oxidative irradiation was studied by measuring dynamic viscoelastic properties. It was concluded that deterioration in mechanical properties under oxidative irradiation was brought about by chain scission only. (author)

  20. Comportamiento de glicinina, beta-conglicinina y alfa-amilasa en semillas de soja deterioradas y no deterioradas Glycinin, beta-conglycinin and alpha-amylase behaviour in artificially deteriorated and not deteriorated soybean

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Rita Salinas

    2002-08-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue estudiar el comportamiento de glicinina y beta-conglicinina y la actividad de alfa-amilasa en semillas deterioradas y no deterioradas de 10 cultivares de soja [Glycine max (L. Merr.]. Las semillas se sometieron a dos tratamientos: deterioradas por envejecimiento acelerado y no deterioradas. Se determinó la presencia de las proteínas de reserva a partir de semillas con 0, 3 y 8 días de germinadas por electroforesis en geles de poliacrilamida (SDS-PAGE. La actividad de la alfa-amilasa se determinó bioquímicamente en semillas con 0, 3, 8 y 12 días de germinadas. No hubo diferencias en la presencia de bandas de glicinina y beta-conglicinina en semillas no deterioradas hasta los 8 días de germinadas. Las semillas deterioradas se comportaron en forma similar a las no deterioradas. La actividad de la alfa-amilasa aumentó en semillas germinadas hasta 8 días y disminuyó a los 12 días. En semillas deterioradas la actividad enzimática disminuyó con respecto a las no deterioradas. El deterioro artificial no afectó la presencia de glicinina y beta-conglicinina pero alteró la actividad de la alfa-amilasa hasta los 12 días de germinación. Los cultivares estudiados mostraron comportamiento diferencial frente a la actividad de esta enzima.The objective of this research was to study the behaviour of the storage proteins glycinin and beta-conglycinin and the alpha-amylase activity in artificially deteriorated and not deteriorated soybean [Glycine max (L. Merr.] seeds of 10 cultivars. The seeds were submitted to two treatments: deteriorated by accelerated aging and not deteriorated seeds. The presence of glycinin and beta-conglycinin were determined in seeds with 0, 3 and 8 days of germination using polyacrylamid gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE. The alpha-amylase activity was biochemically determined in seeds with 0, 3, 8 and 12 days of germination. There were no differences in the presence of glycinin and beta

  1. Power harvesting in helicopter rotorblades

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Jong, Pieter; de Boer, Andries; Loendersloot, Richard; van der Hoogt, Peter

    2010-01-01

    Current power harvesting research has focused on bending beams and determining power output under a given excitation. For the European CleanSky – Green Rotor Craft project a tool is being developed which optimizes the piezoelectric material and placement thereof for power harvesting. It focuses on

  2. Study of the (p,pd), (p,pt) and (p,p3He) reactions on 12C and 16O at 75MeV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grossiord, J.Y.; Bedjidian, M.; Guichard, A.; Gusakow, M.; Pizzi, J.R.

    1975-01-01

    The (p,pd), (p,pt) and (p,p 3 He) quasi-free scattering reactions have been studied on 12 C and 16 O targets at 75MeV. The low lying excitation levels of the residual nuclei have been observed. The appearance of T=1 states in 10 B and 14 N and of positive parity states in 13 N and 13 C can only be explained by reaction mechanisms more complex than a simple quasi-free scattering. A comparison of relative values of experimental spectroscopic factors with theoretical calculations has been made in the case of the most populated states [fr

  3. A probability evaluation method of early deterioration condition for the critical components of wind turbine generator systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hu, Y.; Li, H.; Liao, X

    2016-01-01

    method of early deterioration condition for critical components based only on temperature characteristic parameters. First, the dynamic threshold of deterioration degree function was proposed by analyzing the operational data between temperature and rotor speed. Second, a probability evaluation method...... of early deterioration condition was presented. Finally, two cases showed the validity of the proposed probability evaluation method in detecting early deterioration condition and in tracking their further deterioration for the critical components.......This study determines the early deterioration condition of critical components for a wind turbine generator system (WTGS). Due to the uncertainty nature of the fluctuation and intermittence of wind, early deterioration condition evaluation poses a challenge to the traditional vibration...

  4. Risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders among oil palm fruit harvesters during early harvesting stage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yee Guan Ng

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available This cross-sectional study intends to investigate the associations of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs among foreign labourers on a socio-economic background, occupational exposure, social lifestyle, and postures adopted during harvesting tasks. A total of 446 male respondents (263 FFB cutters; 183 FFB collectors were studied using an interview-assisted questionnaire. OWAS was used to determine the severity of awkward posture based on videos of harvesting tasks recorded for each respondent. Analysis found that increasingly educated respondents had higher risk of developing MSDs. Shorter daily work duration and longer resting duration appear to increase the risk of neck and shoulder disorders among harvesters, which may be attributable to organizational work design. Awkward posture was a particularly significant risk factor of MSDs among FFB collectors. Among the results of the study, occupational exposure, postures and certain socio-demographic backgrounds explained some, but not all, the risk factor of MSDs among harvesters. An in-depth investigation, preferably a longitudinal study investigating the dynamic of work activities and other risk factors, such as psychosocial risk factors, are recommended.

  5. Prognosis and risk factors for deterioration in patients admitted to a medical emergency department

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, Daniel Pilsgaard; Brabrand, Mikkel; Lassen, Annmarie Touborg

    2014-01-01

    vital signs at arrival to a medical emergency department (MED). DESIGN AND SETTING: Single-centre, retrospective cohort study of all patients admitted to the MED from September 2010-August 2011. SUBJECTS: Patients were included when their vital signs (systolic blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory.......2-3.0%) among the non-deteriorating, hazard ratio 4.11 (95% CI: 2.38-7.10). CONCLUSIONS: Among acutely admitted medical patients who arrive with normal vital signs, 31.0% showed signs of deterioration within 24 hours. Risk factors included old age, Do-not-attempt-to-resuscitate order, admission from the open...... general ED. Thirty-day mortality among patients with deterioration was four times higher than among non-deteriorating patients. Further research is needed to determine whether intensified monitoring of vital signs can help to prevent deterioration or mortality among medical emergency patients....

  6. Strategies to overcome post-harvest physiological deterioration in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Cassava is of global importance both as a food and energy source. Owing to the diversity of its utilization, adaptation and low input requirements, cassava not only provides a source of revenue for rural farmers, it also serve as an important source of raw material for many industries. Cassava roots are notorious for their short ...

  7. Remaining questions in the case for balanced harvesting

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Burgess, Matthew G; Diekert, Florian K; Jacobsen, Nis Sand

    2016-01-01

    are controversial, including its call for extensive harvesting of juveniles and forage fish. Balanced harvesting also calls for targeting species and size-classes that are not currently marketable, possibly at a significant economic cost. Some have argued that this cost is outweighed by the ecological benefits......Balanced harvestingharvesting all species and sizes in an ecosystem in proportion to their productivity – is a fisheries management strategy that has been suggested recently to increase yields, while reducing overall ecosystem impact. However, some aspects of balanced harvesting...

  8. Smart multi-application energy harvester using Arduino | Rizman ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper presents a Smart Multi-App Harvester Energy Using Arduino for energy harvesting. The system consists of a few mechanical parts such as solar, thermal plate and dynamo (for kinetic) to harvest the energy. The objectives of the project are to harvest the wasted energy from the mechanical parts and used it as a ...

  9. Analysis of Pitch Gear Deterioration using Indicators

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jannie Jessen; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard

    2011-01-01

    This work concerns a case study in the context of risk-based operation and maintenance of offshore wind turbines. For wind turbines with electrical pitch systems, deterioration can generally be observed at the pitch gear teeth; especially at the point where the blades are located during normal...... of the damage, and can be used for Bayesian updating of a damage model used for risk-based decision making. For this decision problem, the risk of failure should be compared to the cost of preventive maintenance. The hypothesis that the maximum pitch motor torque is an indicator of the damage size is supported...... changes in the temperature are the primary cause of the decrease. A model is established to remove the effect of the explained variation, and it is investigated if deterioration can be detected as changes in the peak torque. A small increase could be detected after the maintenance, but before...

  10. A production inventory model with deteriorating items and shortages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samanta G.P.

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available A continuous production control inventory model for deteriorating items with shortages is developed. A number of structural properties of the inventory system are studied analytically. The formulae for the optimal average system cost, stock level, backlog level and production cycle time are derived when the deterioration rate is very small. Numerical examples are taken to illustrate the procedure of finding the optimal total inventory cost, stock level, backlog level and production cycle time. Sensitivity analysis is carried out to demonstrate the effects of changing parameter values on the optimal solution of the system.

  11. Do biomass harvesting guidelines influence herpetofauna following harvests of logging residues for renewable energy?.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fritts, Sarah; Moorman, Christopher; Grodsky, Steven; Hazel, Dennis; Homyack, Jessica; Farrell, Chris; Castleberry, Steven

    2016-04-01

    Forests are a major supplier of renewable energy; however, gleaning logging residues for use as woody biomass feedstock could negatively alter habitat for species dependent on downed wood. Biomass Harvesting Guidelines (BHGs) recommend retaining a portion of woody biomass on the forest floor following harvest. Despite BHGs being developed to help ensure ecological sustainability, their contribution to biodiversity has not been evaluated experimentally at operational scales. We compared herpetofauanal evenness, diversity, and richness and abundance of Anaxyrus terrestris and Gastrophryne carolinensis among six treatments that varied in volume and spatial arrangement of woody biomass retained after clearcutting loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations in North Carolina, USA (n = 4), 2011-2014 and Georgia (n = 4), USA 2011-2013. Treatments were: (1) biomass harvest with no BHGs, (2) 15% retention with biomass clustered, (3) 15% retention with biomass dispersed, (4) 30% retention with biomass clustered, (5) 30% retention with biomass dispersed, and (6) no biomass harvest. We captured individuals with drift fence arrays and compared evenness, diversity, and richness metrics among treatments with repeated-measure, linear mixed-effects models. We determined predictors of A. terrestris and G. carolinensis abundances using a priori candidate N-mixture models with woody biomass volume, vegetation structure, and groundcover composition as covariates. We had 206 captures of 25 reptile species and 8710 captures of 17 amphibian species during 53690 trap nights. Herpetofauna diversity, evenness, and richness were similar among treatments. A. terrestris abundance was negatively related to volume of retained woody biomass in treatment units in North Carolina in 2013. G. carolinensis abundance was positively related with volume of retained woody debris in treatment units in Georgia in 2012. Other relationships between A. terrestris and G. carolinensis abundances and habitat metrics

  12. Water harvest via dewing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Anna; Moon, Myoung-Woon; Lim, Hyuneui; Kim, Wan-Doo; Kim, Ho-Young

    2012-07-10

    Harvesting water from humid air via dewing can provide a viable solution to a water shortage problem where liquid-phase water is not available. Here we experimentally quantify the effects of wettability and geometry of the condensation substrate on the water harvest efficiency. Uniformly hydrophilic surfaces are found to exhibit higher rates of water condensation and collection than surfaces with lower wettability. This is in contrast to a fog basking method where the most efficient surface consists of hydrophilic islands surrounded by hydrophobic background. A thin drainage path in the lower portion of the condensation substrate is revealed to greatly enhance the water collection efficiency. The optimal surface conditions found in this work can be used to design a practical device that harvests water as its biological counterpart, a green tree frog, Litoria caerulea , does during the dry season in tropical northern Australia.

  13. Characterization of Personal Privacy Devices (PPD) radiation pattern impact on the ground and airborne segments of the local area augmentation system (LAAS) at GPS L1 frequency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alkhateeb, Abualkair M. Khair

    Personal Privacy Devices (PPDs) are radio-frequency transmitters that intentionally transmit in a frequency band used by other devices for the intent purpose of denying service to those devices. These devices have shown the potential to interfere with the ground and air sub-systems of the Local Area Augmentation Systems (LAAS), a GPS-based navigation aids at commercial airports. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is concerned by the potential impact of these devices to GPS navigation aids at airports and has commenced an activity to determine the severity of this threat. In support of this situation, the research in this dissertation has been conducted under (FAA) Cooperative Agreement 2011-G-012, to investigate the impact of these devices on the LAAS. In order to investigate the impact of PPDs Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) on the ground and air sub-systems of the LAAS, the work presented in phase one of this research is intended to characterize the vehicle's impact on the PPD's Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP). A study was conceived in this research to characterize PPD performance by examining the on-vehicle radiation patterns as a function of vehicle type, jammer type, jammer location inside a vehicle and jammer orientation at each location. Phase two was to characterize the GPS Radiation Pattern on Multipath Limiting Antenna. MLA has to meet stringent requirements for acceptable signal detection and multipath rejection. The ARL-2100 is the most recent MLA antenna proposed to be used in the LAAS ground segment. The ground-based antenna's radiation pattern was modeled. This was achieved via (HFSS) a commercial-off the shelf CAD-based modeling code with a full-wave electromagnetic software simulation package that uses the Finite Element Analysis. Phase three of this work has been conducted to study the characteristics of the GPS Radiation Pattern on Commercial Aircraft. The airborne GPS antenna was modeled and the resulting radiation pattern on

  14. Harvesting systems for the northern forest hardwoods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chris B. LeDoux

    2011-01-01

    This monograph is a summary of research results and environmental compliance measures for timber harvesting operations. Data are presented from the Northern Research Station's forest inventory and analysis of 20 states in the northern forest hardwoods. Harvesting systems available in the region today are summarized. Equations for estimating harvesting costs are...

  15. Online maintenance policy for a deteriorating system with random change of mode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saassouh, B. [Laboratoire de Modelisation et Surete des Systemes, Institut Charles Delaunay-FRE CNRS 2848, Universite de Technologie de Troyes, 12, rue Marie Curie-BP 2060, 10010 Troyes Cedex (France); Dieulle, L. [Laboratoire de Modelisation et Surete des Systemes, Institut Charles Delaunay-FRE CNRS 2848, Universite de Technologie de Troyes, 12, rue Marie Curie-BP 2060, 10010 Troyes Cedex (France); Grall, A. [Laboratoire de Modelisation et Surete des Systemes, Institut Charles Delaunay-FRE CNRS 2848, Universite de Technologie de Troyes, 12, rue Marie Curie-BP 2060, 10010 Troyes Cedex (France)]. E-mail: antoine.grall@utt.fr

    2007-12-15

    Most of maintenance policies proposed in the literature for gradually deteriorating systems, consider a stationary deterioration process. This paper is an attempt to take into account stochastically deteriorating systems which are subject to a sudden change in their degradation process. A technical device subject to gradual degradation is considered. It is assumed that the level of degradation can be resumed by a single scalar variable. An online maintenance decision rule is proposed, which makes it possible to take into account in real time the online information available on the operating mode of the system as well as its actual deterioration level. We show the efficiency of considering online decision rules for maintenance with respect to traditional maintenance policies based on a static alarm threshold. Numerical simulations are given, to assess and optimize the performance of the maintained system from its asymptotic unavailability point of view. It is compared to the results obtained with classical control-limit maintenance policies.

  16. High-efficiency integrated piezoelectric energy harvesting systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hande, Abhiman; Shah, Pradeep

    2010-04-01

    This paper describes hierarchically architectured development of an energy harvesting (EH) system that consists of micro and/or macro-scale harvesters matched to multiple components of remote wireless sensor and communication nodes. The micro-scale harvesters consist of thin-film MEMS piezoelectric cantilever arrays and power generation modules in IC-like form to allow efficient EH from vibrations. The design uses new high conversion efficiency thin-film processes combined with novel cantilever structures tuned to multiple resonant frequencies as broadband arrays. The macro-scale harvesters are used to power the collector nodes that have higher power specifications. These bulk harvesters can be integrated with efficient adaptive power management circuits that match transducer impedance and maximize power harvested from multiple scavenging sources with very low intrinsic power consumption. Texas MicroPower, Inc. is developing process based on a composition that has the highest reported energy density as compared to other commercially available bulk PZT-based sensor/actuator ceramic materials and extending it to thin-film materials and miniature conversion transducer structures. The multiform factor harvesters can be deployed for several military and commercial applications such as underground unattended sensors, sensors in oil rigs, structural health monitoring, supply chain management, and battlefield applications such as sensors on soldier apparel, equipment, and wearable electronics.

  17. Optical Sensing of Weed Infestations at Harvest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barroso, Judit; McCallum, John; Long, Dan

    2017-10-19

    Kochia ( Kochia scoparia L.), Russian thistle ( Salsola tragus L.), and prickly lettuce ( Lactuca serriola L.) are economically important weeds infesting dryland wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) production systems in the western United States. Those weeds produce most of their seeds post-harvest. The objectives of this study were to determine the ability of an optical sensor, installed for on-the-go measurement of grain protein concentration, to detect the presence of green plant matter in flowing grain and assess the potential usefulness of this information for mapping weeds at harvest. Spectra of the grain stream were recorded continuously at a rate of 0.33 Hz during harvest of two spring wheat fields of 1.9 and 5.4 ha. All readings were georeferenced using a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver with 1 m positional accuracy. Chlorophyll of green plant matter was detectable in the red (638-710 nm) waveband. Maps of the chlorophyll signal from both fields showed an overall agreement of 78.1% with reference maps, one constructed prior to harvest and the other at harvest time, both based on visual evaluations of the three green weed species conducted by experts. Information on weed distributions at harvest may be useful for controlling post-harvest using variable rate technology for herbicide applications.

  18. A data-driven adaptive controller for a class of unknown nonlinear discrete-time systems with estimated PPD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chidentree Treesatayapun

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available An adaptive control scheme based on data-driven controller (DDC is proposed in this article. Unlike several DDC techniques, the proposed controller is constructed by an adaptive fuzzy rule emulated network (FREN which is able to include human knowledge based on controlled plant's input–output signals within the format of IF-THEN rules. Regarding to this advantage, an on-line estimation of pseudo partial derivative (PPD and resetting algorithms, which are commonly used by DDC, can be omitted here. Furthermore, a novel adaptive algorithm is introduced to minimize for both tracking error and control effort with stability analysis for the closed-loop system. The experimental system with brushed DC-motor current control is constructed to validate the performance of the proposed control scheme. Comparative results with conventional DDC and radial basis function (RBF controllers demonstrate that the proposed controller can provide the less tracking error and minimize the control effort.

  19. Improving Vibration Energy Harvesting Using Dynamic Magnifier

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Almuatasim Alomari

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports on the design and evaluation of vibration-based piezoelectric energy-harvesting devices based on a polyvinylidene fluoride unimorph cantilever beam attached to the front of a dynamic magnifier. Experimental studies of the electromechanical frequency response functions are studied for the first three resonance frequencies. An analytical analysis is undertaken by applying the chain matrix in order to predict output voltage and output power with respect to the vibration frequency. The proposed harvester was modeled using MATLAB software and COMSOL multi- physics to study the mode shapes and electrical output parameters. The voltage and power output of the energy harvester with a dynamic magnifier was 2.62 V and 13.68 mW, respectively at the resonance frequency of the second mode. The modeling approach provides a basis to design energy harvesters exploiting dynamic magnification for improved performance and bandwidth. The potential application of such energy harvesting devices in the transport sector include autonomous structural health monitoring systems that often include embedded sensors, data acquisition, wireless communication, and energy harvesting systems.

  20. The Effect of Plant Cultivar, Growth Media, Harvest Method and Post Harvest Treatment on the Microbiology of Edible Crops

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hummerick, Mary P.; Gates, Justin R.; Nguyen, Bao-Thang; Massa, Gioia D.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

    2011-01-01

    Systems for the growth of crops in closed environments are being developed and tested for potential use in space applications to provide a source of fresh food. Plant growth conditions, growth media composition and harvest methods can have an effect on the microbial population of the plant, and therefore should be considered along with the optimization of plant growth and harvest yields to ensure a safe and palatable food crop. This work examines the effect of plant cultivar, growth media, and harvest method on plant microbial populations. Twelve varieties of leafy greens and herbs were grown on a mixture of Fafard #2 and Arcillite in the pillow root containment system currently being considered for the VEGGIE plant growth unit developed by Orbitec. In addition, ,Sierra and Outredgeous lettuce varieties were grown in three different mixtures (Fafard #2, Ardllite, and Perlite/Vermiculite). The plants were analyzed for microbial density. Two harvest methods, "cut and come again" (CACA) and terminal harvest were also compared. In one set ofexpe'riments red leaf lettuce and mizuna were grown in pots in a Biomass Production System for education. Plants were harvested every two weeks by either method. Another set of experiments was performed using the rooting pillows to grow 5 varieties of leafy greens and cut harvesting at different intervals. Radishes were harvested and replanted at two-week intervals. Results indicate up to a 3 IOglO difference in microbial counts between some varieties of plants. Rooting medium resulted in an approximately 2 IOglO lower count in the lettuce grown in arscillite then those grown in the other mixtures. Harvest method and frequency had less impact on microbial counts only showing a significant increase in one variety of plant. Post harvest methods to decrease the bacterial counts on edible crops were investigated in these and other experiments. The effectiveness of PRO-SAN and UV-C radiation is compared.

  1. Electrodynamic energy harvester for electrical transformer's ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Electrical transformer; electrodynamic; energy harvester; self-powered ...... Kennedy S P and Gordner T 2013 Hot spot studies for sheet wound transformer wind- ... and Lambert F 2011 Powering low-cost utility sensors using energy harvesting.

  2. Polarization Induced Deterioration of Reinforced Concrete with CFRP Anode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Ji-Hua; Wei, Liangliang; Zhu, Miaochang; Sun, Hongfang; Tang, Luping; Xing, Feng

    2015-07-15

    This paper investigates the deterioration of reinforced concrete with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) anode after polarization. The steel in the concrete was first subjected to accelerated corrosion to various extents. Then, a polarization test was performed with the external attached CFRP as the anode and the steel reinforcement as the cathode. Carbon fiber reinforced mortar and conductive carbon paste as contact materials were used to adhere the CFRP anode to the concrete. Two current densities of 1244 and 2488 mA/m², corresponding to the steel reinforcements were applied for 25 days. Electrochemical parameters were monitored during the test period. The deterioration mechanism that occurred at the CFRP/contact material interface was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The increase of feeding voltage and the failure of bonding was observed during polarization process, which might have resulted from the deterioration of the interface between the contact material and CFRP. The formation and accumulation of NaCl crystals at the contact material/CFRP interface were inferred to be the main causes of the failure at the interface.

  3. Early warnings of heart rate deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, Vania G; Nabney, Ian T

    2016-08-01

    Hospitals can experience difficulty in detecting and responding to early signs of patient deterioration leading to late intensive care referrals, excess mortality and morbidity, and increased hospital costs. Our study aims to explore potential indicators of physiological deterioration by the analysis of vital-signs. The dataset used comprises heart rate (HR) measurements from MIMIC II waveform database, taken from six patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and diagnosed with severe sepsis. Different indicators were considered: 1) generic early warning indicators used in ecosystems analysis (autocorrelation at-1-lag (ACF1), standard deviation (SD), skewness, kurtosis and heteroskedasticity) and 2) entropy analysis (kernel entropy and multi scale entropy). Our preliminary findings suggest that when a critical transition is approaching, the equilibrium state changes what is visible in the ACF1 and SD values, but also by the analysis of the entropy. Entropy allows to characterize the complexity of the time series during the hospital stay and can be used as an indicator of regime shifts in a patient's condition. One of the main problems is its dependency of the scale used. Our results demonstrate that different entropy scales should be used depending of the level of entropy verified.

  4. Computer Vision for Timber Harvesting

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahl, Anders Lindbjerg

    The goal of this thesis is to investigate computer vision methods for timber harvesting operations. The background for developing computer vision for timber harvesting is to document origin of timber and to collect qualitative and quantitative parameters concerning the timber for efficient harvest...... segments. The purpose of image segmentation is to make the basis for more advanced computer vision methods like object recognition and classification. Our second method concerns image classification and we present a method where we classify small timber samples to tree species based on Active Appearance...... to the development of the logTracker system the described methods have a general applicability making them useful for many other computer vision problems....

  5. Desert water harvesting to benefit wildlife: a simple, cheap, and durable sub-surface water harvester for remote locations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, William E

    2004-12-01

    A sub-surface desert water harvester was constructed in the sagebrush steppe habitat of south-central Idaho, U.S.A. The desert water harvester utilizes a buried micro-catchment and three buried storage tanks to augment water for wildlife during the dry season. In this region, mean annual precipitation (MAP) ranges between about 150-250 mm (6"-10"), 70% of which falls during the cold season, November to May. Mid-summer through early autumn, June through October, is the dry portion of the year. During this period, the sub-surface water harvester provides supplemental water for wildlife for 30-90 days, depending upon the precipitation that year. The desert water harvester is constructed with commonly available, "over the counter" materials. The micro-catchment is made of a square-shaped, 20 mL. "PERMALON" polyethylene pond liner (approximately 22.9 m x 22.9 m = 523 m2) buried at a depth of about 60 cm. A PVC pipe connects the harvester with two storage tanks and a drinking trough. The total capacity of the water harvester is about 4777 L (1262 U.S. gallons) which includes three underground storage tanks, a trough and pipes. The drinking trough is refined with an access ramp for birds and small animals. The technology is simple, cheap, and durable and can be adapted to other uses, e.g. drip irrigation, short-term water for small livestock, poultry farming etc. The desert water harvester can be used to concentrate and collect water from precipitation and run-off in semi-arid and arid regions. Water harvested in such a relatively small area will not impact the ground water table but it should help to grow small areas of crops or vegetables to aid villagers in self-sufficiency.

  6. Preliminary experimental study on the deterioration of cementitious materials by an acceleration method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito, H.; Nakane, S.; Ikari, S.; Fujiwara, A.

    1992-01-01

    Development of a deterioration model for cementitious materials is important in assessing long-term integrity of nuclear waste repositories. The authors preliminarily examined a new test method for acceleration of aging of mortar specimens by application of electrical potential gradients and observed whether the method could throw light on the deterioration process of cementitious materials under repository conditions. As a result, it was concluded that the application of a potential gradient to a mortar specimen might be useful as an accelerated test method for assessing the deterioration behavior of cementitious materials due to leaching. (orig.)

  7. Development of energy harvesting modules based on piezoceramics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kulkarni, V.; Waechter, D.; Ben Mrad, R. [Toronto Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering; El-Diraby, T. [Toronto Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Civil Engineering; Somayajula, N.; Nemana, S.; Prasad, E. [Sensor Technology Ltd., Collingwood, ON (Canada)

    2009-07-01

    Self-powered devices can overcome the current reliance and limitations of finite-supply batteries. They have potential in developing next-generation wireless electronics for a wide variety of applications such as health monitoring in civil infrastructure, micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor arrays for automotive and aerospace applications, and sensor arrays for environmental control. These energy harvesting devices capture the ambient energy surrounding a system and convert it into usable electrical energy. A common method of power harvesting is to convert ambient mechanical vibrations into electricity through the use of piezoelectric materials such as piezoceramics (PZT). This paper highlighted some of the recent developments in piezoceramic energy harvesting along with proposed circuits that can improve the performance of energy harvesters. The successful storage and use of energy generated by various harvesting devices requires the use of specific circuitry to optimize the output from the devices. Energy harvesting circuitry was characterized in terms of energy storage; AC/DC converter; DC-DC step down converter; and non-linear voltage processing. The patent activity and applications on piezoceramic energy harvesting was also summarized. It was concluded that despite significant research, piezoceramic energy harvesting remains an emerging technology that requires considerable advancement before it can be commercially viable. The power generated by current piezoelectric harvesters is too low for many applications. Alternative piezoceramic materials and their characteristics must be investigated. 31 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs.

  8. CRITICAL INDICATORS IN MECHANIZED HARVEST GRAINS AND FIBER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Boeing

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Due to the growth in grain production and intensification of production systems losses are inevitable. The harvest as the last operation performed in the field requires better attention. Although the origins are varied and losses occur both before and during harvesting, approximately 80% of them occur by mechanisms of action of the harvester cutting platform. It is necessary to know the causes of losses, whether physical or physiological operational. Thus, the objective was to conduct a survey of potential losses and / or environmental factors that affect machinery and effectively and should be prioritized in a management program in order to raise the efficiency of harvesting. From the collected data determined if the potential of critical failures through the method of analysis and failure mode effects, using a questionnaire listed with the selected quality indicators. It was concluded that in the mechanical harvesting of cotton harvested product loss and impurity had insusceptible rates be prioritized goals in the management of the production process. While the grain crop (soybean / corn moisture grain and grain breaks are still the main causes in the loss of quality of the product, stressing the importance of harvesters in improving the characteristics at harvest in order to minimize qualitative grain losses.

  9. Combined Euler column vibration isolation and energy harvesting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, R. B.; McDowell, M. D.

    2017-05-01

    A new device that combines vibration isolation and energy harvesting is modeled, simulated, and tested. The vibration isolating portion of the device uses post-buckled beams as its spring elements. Piezoelectric film is applied to the beams to harvest energy from their dynamic flexure. The entire device operates passively on applied base excitation and requires no external power or control system. The structural system is modeled using the elastica, and the structural response is applied as forcing on the electric circuit equation to predict the output voltage and the corresponding harvested power. The vibration isolation and energy harvesting performance is simulated across a large parameter space and the modeling approach is validated with experimental results. Experimental transmissibilities of 2% and harvested power levels of 0.36 μW are simultaneously demonstrated. Both theoretical and experimental data suggest that there is not necessarily a trade-off between vibration isolation and harvested power. That is, within the practical operational range of the device, improved vibration isolation will be accompanied by an increase in the harvested power as the forcing frequency is increased.

  10. Flexible Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting from Mouse Click Motions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Youngsu Cha

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we study energy harvesting from the mouse click motions of a robot finger and a human index finger using a piezoelectric material. The feasibility of energy harvesting from mouse click motions is experimentally and theoretically assessed. The fingers wear a glove with a pocket for including the piezoelectric material. We model the energy harvesting system through the inverse kinematic framework of parallel joints in a finger and the electromechanical coupling equations of the piezoelectric material. The model is validated through energy harvesting experiments in the robot and human fingers with the systematically varying load resistance. We find that energy harvesting is maximized at the matched load resistance to the impedance of the piezoelectric material, and the harvested energy level is tens of nJ.

  11. Effect of flood conditions on the deterioration of porous clay-based brick

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mol, L.; Tomor, A.

    2017-12-01

    Man-made materials represent an increasingly large proportion of geomaterials that are used to build up a rapidly expanding urbanised landscape. The deterioration of such materials is of increasing concern, in particular in light of the projected increase in storm and flood events and their associated high water levels. The effect of prolonged saturation in porous materials, man-made as well as natural, can lead to accelerated deterioration. This can be of particular concern for load-bearing structural materials, for example bridges. In this study, the effect of moisture movement has been investigated for brick masonry, as one of the most commonly used porous building materials. Saturation of brick masonry can be of particular concern for historical masonry, such as masonry arch bridges in conjunction with under increasing levels of long-term traffic loading. While flooding can lead to scour and sudden collapse of bridges, saturation can also lead to accelerated medium and long-term deterioration. A series of small-scale laboratory tests have been carried out on brick masonry to identify the effects of saturation on the material properties and changes in the rate of deterioration. Brick masonry prisms have been loaded to failure under quasi-static and long-term cyclic compression and monitored with the help of acoustic emission technique, accelerometers, linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs), permeametry and brick surface hardness measurements. Under quasi-static loading saturated samples showed significant reduction in the load capacity and increased fracture development. Under fatigue loading the number of cycles to failure reduced significantly for saturated specimens and characteristic changes in material parameters have been related to stages of fatigue deterioration. Test results indicated that increasing flood events can accelerate moisture-related deterioration in porous brick masonry.

  12. Refreshing Music: Fog Harvesting with Harps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Weiwei; Anderson, Mark; Kennedy, Brook; Boreyko, Jonathan

    2017-11-01

    Fog harvesting is a useful technique for obtaining fresh water in arid climates. The wire meshes currently utilized for fog harvesting suffer from dual constraints: coarse meshes cannot efficiently capture fog, while fine meshes suffer from clogging issues. Here, we design a new type of fog harvester comprised of an array of vertical wires, which we call ``fog harps.'' To investigate the water collection efficiency, three fog harps were designed with different diameters (254 μm, 508 μm and 1.30 mm) but the same pitch-to-diameter ratio of 2. For comparison, three different size meshes were purchased with equivalent dimensions. As expected for the mesh structures, the mid-sized wires performed the best, with a drop-off in performance for the fine or coarse meshes. In contrast, the fog harvesting rate continually increased with decreasing wire diameter for the fog harps, due to its low hysteresis that prevented droplet clogging. This resulted in a 3-fold enhancement in the fog harvesting rate for the harp form factor compared to the mesh. The lack of a performance ceiling for the harps suggest that even greater enhancements could be achieved by scaling down to yet smaller sizes.

  13. 36 CFR 223.219 - Sustainable harvest of special forest products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sustainable harvest of....219 Sustainable harvest of special forest products. (a) Sustainable harvest levels. Prior to offering... product's sustainable harvest level. A special forest product's sustainable harvest level is the total...

  14. Fuzzy inventory model for deteriorating items, with time depended demand, shortages, and fully backlogging

    OpenAIRE

    Wasim Akram Mandal; Sahidul Islam

    2016-01-01

    In this paper analyzes fuzzy inventory system for deterioration item with time depended demand. Shortages are allowed under fully backlogged. Fixed cost, deterioration cost, shortages cost, holding cost are the cost considered in this model. Fuzziness is applying by allowing the cost components (holding cost, deterioration, shortage cost, holding cost, etc). In fuzzy environment it considered all required parameter to be triangular fuzzy numbers. One numerical solution of the model is obtaine...

  15. Small-Sized Whole-Tree Harvesting in Finland

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaerhae, Kalle [Metsaeteho Oy, Helsinki (Finland)

    2006-07-15

    In Finland, there are two mechanized harvesting systems used for small diameter (d{sub 1.3}= 10 cm) thinning wood: 1) the traditional two-machine (harvester and forwarder) system, and 2) the harwarder system (i.e. the same machine performs both felling and haulage to the roadside). At present, there are more than 20 energy wood harwarders in use in Finland. However, there have been no comprehensive studies carried out on the energy wood harwarders. This paper looks into the productivity results obtained with energy wood harwarders. In addition, the energy wood harvesting costs for harwarders are compared with those of the two-machine system. The results clearly indicated what kind of machine resources can be profitably allocated to different whole-tree harvesting sites. The energy wood harwarders should be directed towards harvesting sites where the forwarding distances are small, the trees harvested are relatively small, and the total volume of energy wood removed is quite low. Respectively, when the stem size removed is relatively large in young stands, and the forest haulage distances are long, the traditional two-machine system is more competitive.

  16. Tropical forest harvesting and taxation: a dynamic model of harvesting behavior under selective extraction systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robert F. Conrad; Malcolm Gillis; D. Evan Mercer

    2005-01-01

    A dynamic model of selective harvesting in multi-species,multi-age tropical forests is developed. Forests are predicted to exhibit different optimal harvesting profiles depending on the nature of their joint cost functions and own or cross-species stock effects. The model is applied to the controversy about incentives produced by various taxes. The impacts of specific...

  17. Harvesting of microalgae by bio-flocculation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Salim, S.; Bosma, R.; Vermuë, M.H.; Wijffels, R.H.

    2011-01-01

    The high-energy input for harvesting biomass makes current commercial microalgal biodiesel production economically unfeasible. A novel harvesting method is presented as a cost and energy efficient alternative: the bio-flocculation by using one flocculating microalga to concentrate the

  18. Experimental measurement of energy harvesting with backpack

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavelkova, Radka; Vala, David; Suranek, Pavel; Mahdal, Miroslav

    2017-08-01

    This article deals with the energy harvesting systems, especially the energy harvesting backpack, which appears as a convenient means for energy harvesting for mobile sensors power. Before starting the experiment, it was necessary to verify whether this energy will be sufficient to get acquainted with the human kinematics and analyze problematics itself. For this purpose there was used motion capture technology from Xsens. Measured data on the position of a particle moving man and back when walking, these data were then used for experimental realization of energy harvesting backpack and as input data to the simulation in Simulink, which brought us a comparison between theoretical assumptions and practical implementation. When measuring characteristics of energy harvesting system we have a problem with measurements on backpack solved when redoing of the hydraulic cylinder as a source of a suitable movement corresponding to the amplitude and frequency of human walk.

  19. Apparatus and method for harvesting woody plantations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eggen, D.L.

    1988-11-15

    A tree harvester for harvesting felled trees includes a wheel mounted wood chipper which moves toward the butt ends of the tree stems to be processed. The harvester includes a plurality of rotating alignment discs in front of the chipper. These discs align the tree stems to be processed with the mouth of the chipper. A chipper infeed cylinder is rotatably mounted between the discs and the front end of the chipper, and lifts the tree stem butts up from the ground into alignment with the chipper inlet port. The chips discharge from the chipper and go into a chip hopper which moves with the tree harvester. 8 figs.

  20. Microelectronic circuit design for energy harvesting systems

    CERN Document Server

    Di Paolo Emilio, Maurizio

    2017-01-01

    This book describes the design of microelectronic circuits for energy harvesting, broadband energy conversion, new methods and technologies for energy conversion. The author also discusses the design of power management circuits and the implementation of voltage regulators. Coverage includes advanced methods in low and high power electronics, as well as principles of micro-scale design based on piezoelectric, electromagnetic and thermoelectric technologies with control and conditioning circuit design. Provides a single-source reference to energy harvesting and its applications; Serves as a practical guide to microelectronics design for energy harvesting, with application to mobile power supplies; Enables readers to develop energy harvesting systems for wearable/mobile electronics.

  1. Predictive maintenance policy for a gradually deteriorating system subject to stress

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deloux, E. [IRCCyN/Ecole des Mines de Nantes, Nantes (France); Castanier, B. [IRCCyN/Ecole des Mines de Nantes, Nantes (France)], E-mail: bruno.castanier@emn.fr; Berenguer, C. [Universite de Technologie de Troyes/CNRS, Troyes (France)

    2009-02-15

    This paper deals with a predictive maintenance policy for a continuously deteriorating system subject to stress. We consider a system with two failure mechanisms which are, respectively, due to an excessive deterioration level and a shock. To optimize the maintenance policy of the system, an approach combining statistical process control (SPC) and condition-based maintenance (CBM) is proposed. CBM policy is used to inspect and replace the system according to the observed deterioration level. SPC is used to monitor the stress covariate. In order to assess the performance of the proposed maintenance policy and to minimize the long-run expected maintenance cost per unit of time, a mathematical model for the maintained system cost is derived. Analysis based on numerical results are conducted to highlight the properties of the proposed maintenance policy in respect to the different maintenance parameters.

  2. Predictive maintenance policy for a gradually deteriorating system subject to stress

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deloux, E.; Castanier, B.; Berenguer, C.

    2009-01-01

    This paper deals with a predictive maintenance policy for a continuously deteriorating system subject to stress. We consider a system with two failure mechanisms which are, respectively, due to an excessive deterioration level and a shock. To optimize the maintenance policy of the system, an approach combining statistical process control (SPC) and condition-based maintenance (CBM) is proposed. CBM policy is used to inspect and replace the system according to the observed deterioration level. SPC is used to monitor the stress covariate. In order to assess the performance of the proposed maintenance policy and to minimize the long-run expected maintenance cost per unit of time, a mathematical model for the maintained system cost is derived. Analysis based on numerical results are conducted to highlight the properties of the proposed maintenance policy in respect to the different maintenance parameters

  3. Pyroelectric Energy Harvesting: With Thermodynamic-Based Cycles

    OpenAIRE

    Saber Mohammadi; Akram Khodayari

    2012-01-01

    This work deals with energy harvesting from temperature variations using ferroelectric materials as a microgenerator. The previous researches show that direct pyroelectric energy harvesting is not effective, whereas thermodynamic-based cycles give higher energy. Also, at different temperatures some thermodynamic cycles exhibit different behaviours. In this paper pyroelectric energy harvesting using Lenoir and Ericsson thermodynamic cycles has been studied numerically and the two cycles were c...

  4. 75 FR 3888 - Migratory Bird Subsistence Harvest in Alaska; Harvest Regulations for Migratory Birds in Alaska...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-25

    ...-0082; 91200-1231-9BPP-L2] RIN 1018-AW67 Migratory Bird Subsistence Harvest in Alaska; Harvest Regulations for Migratory Birds in Alaska During the 2010 Season AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior... Service, are reopening the public comment period on our proposed rule to establish migratory bird...

  5. Omega version 2.2: Rule-based deterioration identification and management system. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kataoka, S.; Kojima, T.; Pavinich, W.A.; Andrews, J.D.

    1996-06-01

    This report presents the Omega Version 2.2 (Ωs) rule-based computer program for identifying material deteriorations in the metallic structures, systems and components of LWR nuclear power units. The basis of Us is that understanding what material deteriorations might occur as a function of service life is fundamental to: (1) the development and optimization of preventive maintenance programs, (2) ensuring that current maintenance programs recognize applicable degradations, and (3) demonstrating the adequacy of deterioration management to safety regulatory authorities. The system was developed to assist utility engineers in determining which aging degradation mechanisms are acting on specific components. Direction is also provided to extend this system to manage deterioration and evaluate the efficacy of existing age-related degradation mitigation programs. This system can provide support for justification for continued operation and license renewal. It provides traceability to the data sources used in the logic development. A tiered approach is used to quickly isolate potential age-related degradation for components in a particular location. A potential degradation mechanism is then screened by additional rules to establish its plausibility. Ωs includes a user-friendly system interface and provides default environmental data and materials in the event they are unknown to the user. Ωs produces a report, with references, that validates the elimination of a degradation mechanism from further consideration or the determination that a specific degradation mechanism is acting on a specific material. This report also describes logic for identifying deterioration caused by intrusions and inspection-based deteriorations, along with future plans to program and integrate these features with Ωs

  6. Nano/microscale pyroelectric energy harvesting: challenges and opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Devashish Lingam

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available With the ever-growing demand for renewable energy sources, energy harvesting from natural resources has gained much attention. Energy sources such as heat and mechanical motion could be easily harvested based on pyroelectric, thermoelectric, and piezoelectric effects. The energy harvested from otherwise wasted energy in the environment can be utilized in self-powered micro and nano devices, and wearable electronics, which required only µW–mW power. This article reviews pyroelectric energy harvesting with an emphasis on recent developments in pyroelectric energy harvesting and devices at micro/nanoscale. Recent developments are presented and future challenges and opportunities for more efficient materials and devices with higher energy conversion efficiency are also discussed.

  7. Fluid flow nozzle energy harvesters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherrit, Stewart; Lee, Hyeong Jae; Walkemeyer, Phillip; Winn, Tyler; Tosi, Luis Phillipe; Colonius, Tim

    2015-04-01

    Power generation schemes that could be used downhole in an oil well to produce about 1 Watt average power with long-life (decades) are actively being developed. A variety of proposed energy harvesting schemes could be used to extract energy from this environment but each of these has their own limitations that limit their practical use. Since vibrating piezoelectric structures are solid state and can be driven below their fatigue limit, harvesters based on these structures are capable of operating for very long lifetimes (decades); thereby, possibly overcoming a principle limitation of existing technology based on rotating turbo-machinery. An initial survey [1] identified that spline nozzle configurations can be used to excite a vibrating piezoelectric structure in such a way as to convert the abundant flow energy into useful amounts of electrical power. This paper presents current flow energy harvesting designs and experimental results of specific spline nozzle/ bimorph design configurations which have generated suitable power per nozzle at or above well production analogous flow rates. Theoretical models for non-dimensional analysis and constitutive electromechanical model are also presented in this paper to optimize the flow harvesting system.

  8. OAI-PMH for resource harvesting, tutorial 2

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva; Nelson, Michael

    2005-01-01

    A variety of examples have arisen in which the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) has been used for applications beyond bibliographic metadata interchange. One of these examples is the use of OAI-PMH to harvest resources and not just metadata. Advanced resource discovery and preservations capabilities are possible by combining complex object formats such as MPEG-21 DIDL, METS and SCORM with the OAI-PMH. In this tutorial, we review community conventions and practices that have provided the impetus for resource harvesting. We show how the introduction of complex object formats for the representation of resources leads to a robust, OAI-PMH-based framework for resource harvesting. We detail how complex object formats fit in the OAI-PMH data model, and how (compound) digital objects can be represented using a complex object format for exposure by an OAI-PMH repository. We also cover tools that are available for the implementation of an OAI-PMH-based resource harvesting solution. Fu...

  9. Piezoelectric energy harvesting from broadband random vibrations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adhikari, S; Friswell, M I; Inman, D J

    2009-01-01

    Energy harvesting for the purpose of powering low power electronic sensor systems has received explosive attention in the last few years. Most works using deterministic approaches focusing on using the piezoelectric effect to harvest ambient vibration energy have concentrated on cantilever beams at resonance using harmonic excitation. Here, using a stochastic approach, we focus on using a stack configuration and harvesting broadband vibration energy, a more practically available ambient source. It is assumed that the ambient base excitation is stationary Gaussian white noise, which has a constant power-spectral density across the frequency range considered. The mean power acquired from a piezoelectric vibration-based energy harvester subjected to random base excitation is derived using the theory of random vibrations. Two cases, namely the harvesting circuit with and without an inductor, have been considered. Exact closed-form expressions involving non-dimensional parameters of the electromechanical system have been given and illustrated using numerical examples

  10. Piezoelectric energy harvesting from broadband random vibrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adhikari, S.; Friswell, M. I.; Inman, D. J.

    2009-11-01

    Energy harvesting for the purpose of powering low power electronic sensor systems has received explosive attention in the last few years. Most works using deterministic approaches focusing on using the piezoelectric effect to harvest ambient vibration energy have concentrated on cantilever beams at resonance using harmonic excitation. Here, using a stochastic approach, we focus on using a stack configuration and harvesting broadband vibration energy, a more practically available ambient source. It is assumed that the ambient base excitation is stationary Gaussian white noise, which has a constant power-spectral density across the frequency range considered. The mean power acquired from a piezoelectric vibration-based energy harvester subjected to random base excitation is derived using the theory of random vibrations. Two cases, namely the harvesting circuit with and without an inductor, have been considered. Exact closed-form expressions involving non-dimensional parameters of the electromechanical system have been given and illustrated using numerical examples.

  11. A Miniature Coupled Bistable Vibration Energy Harvester

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, D; Arthur, D C; Beeby, S P

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports the design and test of a miniature coupled bistable vibration energy harvester. Operation of a bistable structure largely depends on vibration amplitude rather than frequency, which makes it very promising for wideband vibration energy harvesting applications. A coupled bistable structure consists of a pair of mobile magnets that create two potential wells and thus the bistable phenomenon. It requires lower excitation to trigger bistable operation compared to conventional bistable structures. Based on previous research, this work focused on miniaturisation of the coupled bistable structure for energy harvesting application. The proposed bistable energy harvester is a combination of a Duffing's nonlinear structure and a linear assisting resonator. Experimental results show that the output spectrum of the miniature coupled bistable vibration energy harvester was the superposition of several spectra. It had a higher maximum output power and a much greater bandwidth compared to simply the Duffing's structure without the assisting resonator

  12. A Galloping Energy Harvester with Attached Flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denissenko, Petr; Khovanov, Igor; Tucker-Harvey, Sam

    2017-11-01

    Aeroelastic energy harvesters are a promising technology for the operation of wireless sensors and microelectromechanical systems, as well as providing the possibility of harvesting wind energy in applications were conventional wind turbines are ineffective, such as in highly turbulent flows, or unreliable, such as in harsh environmental conditions. The development of aeroelastic energy harvesters to date has focused on the flutter of airfoils, the galloping of prismatic structures, and the vortex induced vibrations. We present a novel type of galloping energy harvester with the flow becoming attached when the oscillation amplitude is high enough. With the flow attached, the harvester blade acts closer to an aerofoil than a bluff body, which results in a higher efficiency. The dynamics of a prototype device has been characterised experimentally with the use of a motion tracking system. The flow structure in the vicinity of the device has been studied using smoke visualisation and PIV measurements. A lumped parameter mathematical model has been developed and related to the experimental results.

  13. PROTOCOL FOR HARVESTING ‘BRS PRINCESS’ BANANA FRUITS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LUIZ FERNANDO GANASSALI DE OLIVEIRA JUNIOR

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to develop a protocol to determine the ideal harvest time for ‘BRS Princess’ banana, using the number of aborted bracts. The bananas were selected according to the number of aborted bracts since the flowering until the time of harvest, yield clusters with 90, 95, 100 and 105 aborted bracts. The physical and chemical analyzes were performed every 3 days on fruits: soluble solids, titratable acidity, weight loss, length and diameter, pH, firmness, skin color (CIELab and pectin enzyme activity. The statistical design was completely randomized in a 4x5 factorial, with 4 points and 5 periods of harvest analysis and data were evaluated using analysis of variance and regression. For all parameters, fruits harvested at 90 and 105 aborted bracts had unwanted changes in its metabolism when compared to the other treatments, while fruits harvested at 95 and 100 aborted bracts had the best post-harvest characteristics. This method was effective in determining the point of harvest in ‘BRS Princess’ banana fruits, since it allows to obtain fruit quality after storage, and is a simple and objective method.

  14. Reducing electrocoagulation harvesting costs for practical microalgal biodiesel production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dassey, Adam J; Theegala, Chandra S

    2014-01-01

    Electrocoagulation has shown potential to be a primary microalgae harvesting technique for biodiesel production. However, methods to reduce energy and electrode costs are still necessary for practical application. Electrocoagulation tests were conducted on Nannochloris sp. and Dunaliella sp. using perforated aluminium and iron electrodes under various charge densities. Aluminium electrodes were shown to be more efficient than iron electrodes when harvesting both algal species. Despite the lower harvesting efficiency, however, the iron electrodes were more energy and cost efficient. Operational costs of less than $0.03/L oil were achieved when harvesting Nannochloris sp. with iron electrodes at 35% harvest efficiency, whereas aluminium electrodes cost $0.75/L oil with 42% harvesting efficiency. Increasing the harvesting efficiencies for both aluminium and iron electrodes also increased the overall cost per litre of oil, therefore lower harvesting efficiencies with lower energy inputs was recommended. Also, increasing the culturing salinity to 2 ppt sodium chloride for freshwater Nannochloris sp. was determined practical to improve the electrocoagulation energy efficiency despite a 25% reduction in cell growth.

  15. Wireless Energy Harvesting Using Signals from Multiple Fading Channels

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Yunfei

    2017-08-01

    In this paper, we study the average, the probability density function and the cumulative distribution function of the harvested power. In the study, the signals are transmitted from multiple sources. The channels are assumed to be either Rician fading or Gamma-shadowed Rician fading. The received signals are then harvested by using either a single harvester for simultaneous transmissions or multiple harvesters for transmissions at different frequencies, antennas or time slots. Both linear and nonlinear models for the energy harvester at the receiver are examined. Numerical results are presented to show that, when a large amount of harvested power is required, a single harvester or the linear range of a practical nonlinear harvester are more efficient, to avoid power outage. Further, the power transfer strategy can be optimized for fixed total power. Specifically, for Rayleigh fading, the optimal strategy is to put the total power at the source with the best channel condition and switch off all other sources, while for general Rician fading, the optimum magnitudes and phases of the transmitting waveforms depend on the channel parameters.

  16. Repair systems for deteriorated bridge piles : final report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-04-01

    The objective of this research project is to develop a durable repair system for deteriorated steel bridge piles that : can be implemented without the need for dewatering. A rigorous survey of the relevant practice nationwide was : conducted to infor...

  17. Does simulation enhance nurses' ability to assess deteriorating patients?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bliss, Maria; Aitken, Leanne M

    2018-01-01

    Recognising and responding to patient deterioration has been identified as a key skill in nursing care to ensure that care is escalated for prompt, efficient management of the potentially critically ill patient. Simulation is one teaching strategy that has been established in nurse education as a method for enhancing skills. The objective was to explore the experiences of registered nurses to ascertain whether they perceived that simulation enhanced their skills in recognising the deteriorating patient. An exploratory qualitative design was used. Data were collected from registered nurses using semi-structured interviews following a professional development course where scenario-based simulation had been used to assess the patient. Eight registered nurses were interviewed for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted face to face. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis to identify major themes. Four themes were identified: knowledge, improved assessment skills in caring for the acutely ill patient, the learning environment and decision making. The use of simulation as a strategy was perceived by nurses to improve their own ability in identifying deteriorating patients. The participants described how their knowledge was transferred to clinical practice, with the overall perception that this led to improved patient care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. [Impact of thymic function in age-related immune deterioration].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrando-Martínez, Sara; de la Fuente, Mónica; Guerrero, Juan Miguel; Leal, Manuel; Muñoz-Fernández, M Ángeles

    2013-01-01

    Age-related biological deterioration also includes immune system deterioration and, in consequence, a rise in the incidence and prevalence of infections and cancers, as well as low responses to vaccination strategies. Out of all immune cell subsets, T-lymphocytes seem to be involved in most of the age-related defects. Since T-lymphocytes mature during their passage through the thymus, and the thymus shows an age-related process of atrophy, thymic regression has been proposed as the triggering event of this immune deterioration in elderly people. Historically, it has been accepted that the young thymus sets the T-lymphocyte repertoire during the childhood, whereupon atrophy begins until the elderly thymus is a non-functional evolutionary trace. However, a rising body of knowledge points toward the thymus functioning during adulthood. In the elderly, higher thymic function is associated with a younger immune system, while thymic function failure is associated with all-cause mortality. Therefore, any new strategy focused on the improvement of the elderly quality of life, especially those trying to influence the immune system, should take into account, together with peripheral homeostasis, thymus function as a key element in slowing down age-related decline. Copyright © 2012 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  19. Evaluation of deterioration of insulators in high-voltage motors by partial discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mikami, Masao

    2003-01-01

    For the purpose of early detection of deterioration of insulators in high-voltage motors which are widely utilized in nuclear power stations, a new type on-line partial discharge monitor developed at INSS was applied to test the deterioration of about 150 sets of high-voltage motors running in nuclear power stations practically. From the results, it is shown that (1) tendency of the deterioration can be obtained by this method in general, (2) the magnitude of the on-line partial discharge hardly correlates with that of off-line measurement, but depends on temperature and other environmental conditions, and (3) by observing phase characteristics of partial discharge, it is possible to make a diagnosis of phase-to-phase tracking in end-winding coils of a stator. (author)

  20. Harvesting budworm-damaged stands for fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Henley, S.G. (York, Sunbury, Charlotte Wood Products Marketing Board, (Canada))

    1985-01-01

    This project was initiated to demonstrate the economics and logistics of harvesting budworm-damaged stands for use as fuel. Dead spruce and balsam fir were to be harvested from small private woodlots in southwestern New Brunswick, using an integrated, full-tree harvesting system to produce wood chip fuel and other forest products. The overall objectives of the study are listed. The harvesting equipment and the selection of sites are discussed. The most efficient methods of finding candidate woodlots was found to be by advertising and word of mouth. Contact was made with 85 woodlot owners, and 45 woodlots were visited and evaluated for their suitability. A further 150 management plans were screened and rejected for various reasons. Only 2 woodlots were initially recognized as potential sites; however, after showing some interest, the owners decided not to participate. The reasons for the rejection of the various woodlots are listed. The fact that a number of owners were against clearcutting, and, in some cases, against any cutting, and that others showed no interest in the study, is attributed to the high percentage of white-collar workers owning woodlots. Other strategies for harvesting dead or scrap wood are suggested. 1 ref., 1 tab.

  1. Research on Deterioration Mechanism of Concrete Materials in an Actual Structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiping Zhang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The cause for deterioration of the concrete structure located in severe environment has been explored both in field and in laboratory. Serious cracking and spalling appeared upon surface of the concrete structure soon after the structure was put into service. Both alkali-aggregate reaction and freeze-thaw cycles may result in similar macro visible cracking and spalling. The possibility of alkali-aggregate reaction was excluded by both field survey and lab examination such as chemical analysis, petrographic analysis, and determination of alkali reactivity of aggregates. According to results of freeze-thaw cycles, impermeability testing, and microstructure analysis, it is deduced that the severe environmental conditions plus the relatively inferior frost resistance cause the deterioration of concrete. Usage of air entraining admixture can improve frost resistance and impermeability. Furthermore, new approaches to mitigate the deterioration of concrete used in severe environmental condition are discussed.

  2. Vibration energy harvesting using the Halbach array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Dibin; Beeby, Steve; Tudor, John; Harris, Nick

    2012-01-01

    This paper studies the feasibility of vibration energy harvesting using a Halbach array. A Halbach array is a specific arrangement of permanent magnets that concentrates the magnetic field on one side of the array while cancelling the field to almost zero on the other side. This arrangement can improve electromagnetic coupling in a limited space. The Halbach array offers an advantage over conventional layouts of magnets in terms of its concentrated magnetic field and low-profile structure, which helps improve the output power of electromagnetic energy harvesters while minimizing their size. Another benefit of the Halbach array is that due to the existence of an almost-zero magnetic field zone, electronic components can be placed close to the energy harvester without any chance of interference, which can potentially reduce the overall size of a self-powered device. The first reported example of a low-profile, planar electromagnetic vibration energy harvester utilizing a Halbach array was built and tested. Results were compared to ones for energy harvesters with conventional magnet layouts. By comparison, it is concluded that although energy harvesters with a Halbach array can have higher magnetic field density, a higher output power requires careful design in order to achieve the maximum magnetic flux gradient. (paper)

  3. Cassava traits and end-user preference: Relating traits to consumer liking, sensory perception, and genetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bechoff, Aurélie; Tomlins, Keith; Fliedel, Geneviève; Becerra Lopez-Lavalle, Luis Augusto; Westby, Andrew; Hershey, Clair; Dufour, Dominique

    2018-03-04

    Breeding efforts have focused on improving agronomic traits of the cassava plant however little research has been done to enhance the crop palatability. This review investigates the links between cassava traits and end-user preference in relation with sensory characteristics. The main trait is starch and its composition related to the textural properties of the food. Pectin degradation during cooking resulted in increased mealiness. Nutritional components such as carotenoids made the cassava yellow but also altered sweetness and softness; however, yellow cassava was more appreciated by consumers than traditional (white) varieties. Components formed during processing such as organic acids gave fermented cassava products an acidic taste that was appreciated but the fermented smell was not always liked. Anti-nutritional compounds such as cyanogenic glucosides were mostly related to bitter taste. Post-harvest Physiological Deterioration (PPD) affected the overall sensory characteristics and acceptability. Genes responsible for some of these traits were also investigated. Diversity in cassava food products can provide a challenge to identifying acceptance criteria. Socio-economic factors such as gender may also be critical. This review leads to questions in relation to the adaptation of cassava breeding to meet consumer needs and preference in order to maximize income, health and food security.

  4. Quantifying reinforced concrete bridge deck deterioration using ground penetrating radar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martino, Nicole Marie

    Bridge decks are deteriorating at an alarming rate due to corrosion of the reinforcing steel, requiring billions of dollars to repair and replace them. Furthermore, the techniques used to assess the decks don't provide enough quantitative information. In recent years, ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been used to quantify deterioration by comparing the rebar reflection amplitudes to technologies serving as ground truth, because there is not an available amplitude threshold to distinguish healthy from corroded areas using only GPR. The goal of this research is to understand the relationship between GPR and deck deterioration, and develop a model to determine deterioration quantities with GPR alone. The beginning of this research determines that not only is the relationship between GPR and rebar corrosion stronger than the relationship between GPR and delaminations, but that the two are exceptionally correlated (90.2% and 86.6%). Next, multiple bridge decks were assessed with GPR and half-cell potential (HCP). Statistical parameters like the mean and skewness were computed for the GPR amplitudes of each deck, and coupled with actual corrosion quantities based on the HCP measurements to form a future bridge deck model that can be used to assess any deck with GPR alone. Finally, in order to understand exactly which component of rebar corrosion (rust, cracking or chloride) attenuates the GPR data, computational modeling was carried out to isolate each variable. The results indicate that chloride is the major contributor to the rebar reflection attenuation, and that computational modeling can be used to accurately simulate GPR attenuation due to chloride.

  5. Microbial deterioration of surface paint coatings. | Ogbulie | Global ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bacterial and fungal species associated with the normal and deteriorated painted surface in Owerri, Imo State were isolated and identified. The bacteria genera isolated were Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Enterobacter and Streptomces, whereas the fungal genera isolated were Rhizopus, ...

  6. The consequences of balanced harvesting of fish communities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, Nis Sand; Gislason, Henrik; Andersen, Ken Haste

    2014-01-01

    community structure and yield. We use a size- and trait-based model that resolves individual interactions through competition and predation to compare balanced harvesting with traditional selective harvesting, which protects juvenile fish from fishing. Four different exploitation patterns, generated......Balanced harvesting, where species or individuals are exploited in accordance with their productivity, has been proposed as a way to minimize the effects of fishing on marine fish communities and ecosystems. This calls for a thorough examination of the consequences balanced harvesting has on fish...... by combining selective or unselective harvesting with balanced or unbalanced fishing, are compared. We find that unselective balanced fishing, where individuals are exploited in proportion to their productivity, produces a slightly larger total maximum sustainable yield than the other exploitation patterns and...

  7. Functional studies of heading date-related gene TaPRR73, a paralog of Ppd1 in common wheat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenping eZhang

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Photoperiod response-related genes play a crucial role in duration of the plant growth. In this study, we focused on TaPRR73, a paralog of Green Revolution gene Ppd1 (TaPRR37. We found that overexpression of the truncated TaPRR73 form lacking part of the N-terminal PR domain in transgenic rice promoted heading under long day conditions. Association analysis in common wheat verified that TaPRR73 was an important agronomic photoperiod response gene that significantly affected heading date and plant height; expression analysis proved that specific alleles of TaPRR73-A1 had highly expressed levels in earlier heading lines; the distribution of haplotypes indicated that one of these alleles had been selected in breeding programs. Our results demonstrated that TaPRR73 contributed to regulation of heading date in wheat and could be useful in wheat breeding and in broadening adaptation of the crop to new regions.

  8. An autonomous robot for harvesting cucumbers in greenhouses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Henten, van E.J.; Hemming, J.; Tuijl, van B.A.J.; Kornet, J.G.; Meuleman, J.; Bontsema, J.; Os, van E.A.

    2002-01-01

    This paper describes the concept of an autonomous robot for harvesting cucumbers in greenhouses. A description is given of the working environment of the robot and the logistics of harvesting. It is stated that for a 2 ha Dutch nursery, 4 harvesting robots and one docking station are needed during

  9. Fabrication of SU-8 low frequency electrostatic energy harvester

    KAUST Repository

    Ramadan, Khaled S.

    2011-11-01

    A 1500μm × 1500μm × 150μm out-of-plane, gap closing, electrostatic energy harvester is designed and fabricated to harvest low-frequency ambient vibrations. SU-8 is used to fabricate the proof mass (1200μm × 1200μm × 150μm) and the 5 m springs. Different harvesters were designed to harvest at 50, 75 and 110 Hz. At 110 Hz, Simulations show that with an input vibration of 10 μm amplitude at the frequency of resonance of the structure, the energy harvester should generate an average output power density of 0.032μW/mm3. This is the most area-efficient low-frequency electrostatic harvester to-date. © 2011 IEEE.

  10. Carbon sequestration via wood harvest and storage: An assessment of its harvest potential

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zeng, Ning; King, Anthony W.; Zaitchik, Ben

    2013-01-01

    A carbon sequestration strategy has recently been proposed in which a forest is actively managed, and a fraction of the wood is selectively harvested and stored to prevent decomposition. The forest serves as a ‘carbon scrubber’ or ‘carbon remover’ that provides continuous sequestration (negative ...... to be managed this way on half of the world’s forested land, or on a smaller area but with higher harvest intensity.We recommendWHS be considered part of the portfolio of climate mitigation and adaptation options that needs further research....

  11. An optimal staggered harvesting strategy for herbaceous biomass energy crops

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhat, M.G.; English, B.C. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

    1993-12-31

    Biofuel research over the past two decades indicates lignocellulosic crops are a reliable source of feedstock for alternative energy. However, under the current technology of producing, harvesting and converting biomass crops, the cost of biofuel is not competitive with conventional biofuel. Cost of harvesting biomass feedstock is a single largest component of feedstock cost so there is a cost advantage in designing a biomass harvesting system. Traditional farmer-initiated harvesting operation causes over investment. This study develops a least-cost, time-distributed (staggered) harvesting system for example switch grass, that calls for an effective coordination between farmers, processing plant and a single third-party custom harvester. A linear programming model explicitly accounts for the trade-off between yield loss and benefit of reduced machinery overhead cost, associated with the staggered harvesting system. Total cost of producing and harvesting switch grass will decline by 17.94 percent from conventional non-staggered to proposed staggered harvesting strategy. Harvesting machinery cost alone experiences a significant reduction of 39.68 percent from moving from former to latter. The net return to farmers is estimated to increase by 160.40 percent. Per tonne and per hectare costs of feedstock production will decline by 17.94 percent and 24.78 percent, respectively. These results clearly lend support to the view that the traditional system of single period harvesting calls for over investment on agricultural machinery which escalates the feedstock cost. This social loss to the society in the form of escalated harvesting cost can be avoided if there is a proper coordination among farmers, processing plant and custom harvesters as to when and how biomass crop needs to be planted and harvested. Such an institutional arrangement benefits producers, processing plant and, in turn, end users of biofuels.

  12. Cassava and its harvesting | La yuca y su cosecha

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Américo Hossne García

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crant is one of the most important economic crops in tropical and subtropical areas. The average yield, compared to its potential, is often low. Harvesting is done with several procedures in global areas; the operation is difficult, costly and of low productivity in most regions. The primary objectives of this study were: to assess the techniques of cassava harvest under different methods, land preparation and planting, damage or break of tubers, manual and mechanized harvesting, adaptation of varieties, the effect of agronomic parameters, soil moisture during harvest, new hand tools and mechanical harvesting. The evaluation methods consisted of literature reviewing, explorations, examination of existing tools, modifications and mathematical analysis with design and calculation. As a result, an assessment is made of manual and mechanized techniques for harvesting, and recommendations are provided about mechanical properties, devices for tuber collection, genetics, seed and importance of soil moisture during harvest.

  13. Investigating the environmental costs of deteriorating road conditions in South Africa

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Mashoko, L

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available the Environmental Costs of Deteriorating Road Conditions in South Africa L Mashoko, W L Bean*, W JvdM STEYN* CSIR, Built Environment, P O Box 395, Pretoria, 0001 Tel: 012 841-4466; Email: lmashoko@csir.co.za *University of Pretoria, Lynnwood Road, Hatfield..., Pretoria, 0002 Email: wilna.bean@up.ac.za and wynand.steyn@up.ac.za Corresponding Author: L Mashoko ABSTRACT The potential environmental impacts of deteriorating road conditions on logistics systems and the national economy have not received...

  14. A deterministic inventory model for deteriorating items with selling price dependent demand and three-parameter Weibull distributed deterioration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asoke Kumar Bhunia

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, an attempt is made to develop two inventory models for deteriorating items with variable demand dependent on the selling price and frequency of advertisement of items. In the first model, shortages are not allowed whereas in the second, these are allowed and partially backlogged with a variable rate dependent on the duration of waiting time up to the arrival of next lot. In both models, the deterioration rate follows three-parameter Weibull distribution and the transportation cost is considered explicitly for replenishing the order quantity. This cost is dependent on the lot-size as well as the distance from the source to the destination. The corresponding models have been formulated and solved. Two numerical examples have been considered to illustrate the results and the significant features of the results are discussed. Finally, based on these examples, the effects of different parameters on the initial stock level, shortage level (in case of second model only, cycle length along with the optimal profit have been studied by sensitivity analyses taking one parameter at a time keeping the other parameters as same.

  15. Analytical model for nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvesting devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neiss, S; Goldschmidtboeing, F; M Kroener; Woias, P

    2014-01-01

    In this work we propose analytical expressions for the jump-up and jump-down point of a nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvester. In addition, analytical expressions for the maximum power output at optimal resistive load and the 3 dB-bandwidth are derived. So far, only numerical models have been used to describe the physics of a piezoelectric energy harvester. However, this approach is not suitable to quickly evaluate different geometrical designs or piezoelectric materials in the harvester design process. In addition, the analytical expressions could be used to predict the jump-frequencies of a harvester during operation. In combination with a tuning mechanism, this would allow the design of an efficient control algorithm to ensure that the harvester is always working on the oscillator's high energy attractor. (paper)

  16. Learning and adaptation in the management of waterfowl harvests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Fred A.

    2011-01-01

    A formal framework for the adaptive management of waterfowl harvests was adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1995. The process admits competing models of waterfowl population dynamics and harvest impacts, and relies on model averaging to compute optimal strategies for regulating harvest. Model weights, reflecting the relative ability of the alternative models to predict changes in population size, are used in the model averaging and are updated each year based on a comparison of model predictions and observations of population size. Since its inception the adaptive harvest program has focused principally on mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), which constitute a large portion of the U.S. waterfowl harvest. Four competing models, derived from a combination of two survival and two reproductive hypotheses, were originally assigned equal weights. In the last year of available information (2007), model weights favored the weakly density-dependent reproductive hypothesis over the strongly density-dependent one, and the additive mortality hypothesis over the compensatory one. The change in model weights led to a more conservative harvesting policy than what was in effect in the early years of the program. Adaptive harvest management has been successful in many ways, but nonetheless has exposed the difficulties in defining management objectives, in predicting and regulating harvests, and in coping with the tradeoffs inherent in managing multiple waterfowl stocks exposed to a common harvest. The key challenge now facing managers is whether adaptive harvest management as an institution can be sufficiently adaptive, and whether the knowledge and experience gained from the process can be reflected in higher-level policy decisions.

  17. Spring harvest of corn stover

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lizotte, P.L. [Laval Univ., Quebec City, PQ (Canada). Dept. des sols et de genie agroalimentaire; Savoie, P. [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Quebec City, PQ (Canada)

    2010-07-01

    Corn stover is typically left behind in the field after grain harvest. Although part of the stover should remain in the field for soil organic matter renewal and erosion protection, half of the stover could be removed sustainably. This represents about one million t dry matter (DM) of stover per year in the province of Quebec. Stover harvested in the fall is very wet. While there are applications for wet stover, the available markets currently require a dry product. Preliminary measurements have shown that stover left in the field throughout the winter becomes very dry, and a considerable amount would still be harvestable in the spring. In the spring of 2009, corn stover was harvested at 2 sites, each subdivided into 2 parcels. The first parcel was cut and raked in the fall of 2008 (fall parcel), while the second parcel was cut and raked in spring 2009. Fibre from both parcels was baled in the spring 2009. At the first site, a large square baler was used in late April to produce bales measuring 0.8 m x 0.9 m x 1.8 m. On the second site a round baler was used in late May to produce bales of 1.2 m in width by 1.45 m in diameter. On the second site, a small square baler was also used to produce bales of 0.35 m x 0.45 m x 0.60 m (spring cutting only). With the large square baler, an average of 3.9 t DM/ha was harvested equally on the fall parcel and the spring parcel, representing a 48 per cent recovery of biomass based on stover yields.

  18. Thermodynamic limits of energy harvesting from outgoing thermal radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buddhiraju, Siddharth; Santhanam, Parthiban; Fan, Shanhui

    2018-04-17

    We derive the thermodynamic limits of harvesting power from the outgoing thermal radiation from the ambient to the cold outer space. The derivations are based on a duality relation between thermal engines that harvest solar radiation and those that harvest outgoing thermal radiation. In particular, we derive the ultimate limit for harvesting outgoing thermal radiation, which is analogous to the Landsberg limit for solar energy harvesting, and show that the ultimate limit far exceeds what was previously thought to be possible. As an extension of our work, we also derive the ultimate limit of efficiency of thermophotovoltaic systems.

  19. Triboelectric effect in energy harvesting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Logothetis, I.; Vassiliadis, S.; Siores, E.

    2017-10-01

    With the development of wearable technology, much research has been undertaken in the field of flexible and stretchable electronics for use in interactive attire. The challenging problem wearable technology faces is the ability to provide energy whilst keeping the endproduct comfortable, light, ergonomic and nonintrusive. Energy harvesting, or energy scavenging as it is also known, is the process by which ambient energy is captured and converted into electric energy. The triboelectric effect converts mechanical energy into electrical energy based on the coupling effect of triboelectrification and electrostatic induction and is utilized as the basis for triboelectric generators (TEG). TEG’s are promising for energy harvesting due their high output power and efficiency in conjunction with simple and economical production. Due to the wide availability of materials and ease of integration, in order to produce the triboelectric effect such functional materials are effective for wearable energy harvesting systems. Flexible TEG’s can be built and embedded into attire, although a thorough understanding of the underlying principle of how TEG’s operate needs to be comprehended for the development and in incorporation in smart technical textiles. This paper presents results associated with TEG’S and discusses their suitability for energy harvesting in textiles structures.

  20. Productivity and cost of harvesting a stemwood biomass product from integrated cut-to-length harvest operations in Australian Pinus radiata plantations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walsh, D.; Strandgard, M.

    2014-01-01

    Significant quantities of woody biomass from the tops of trees and larger woody ‘waste’ pieces that fall outside existing sawlog and pulpwood specifications are left on site post final harvest in Australian radiata Pinus radiata (D. Don) (radiata pine) plantations. Woody biomass is a potential product for pulp making or energy generation. Commercial use of woody biomass from radiata pine plantations would add extra value to the Australian plantation estate through improved resource utilisation, and potentially reduced post-harvesting silvicultural costs. This study investigated the productivity and cost impact of the harvest and extraction to roadside of woody biomass in an integrated harvest operation in a typical Australian two machine (harvester/processor and forwarder), cut-to-length, clearfall operation in a mature, thinned radiata pine plantation. The harvest operation yielded 23 GMt/ha (5% of the total yield) of woody biomass (known as ‘fibreplus’), 443 GMt/ha of sawlogs and 28 GMt/ha of pulpwood. The mean quantity of biomass left on site was 128 GMt/ha, mainly consisting of branches and needles, sufficient to minimise nutrient loss and protect the soil from erosion. Woodchips derived from the fibreplus product were suitable for kraft pulp making, (when blended in small amounts with clean de-barked roundwood woodchips), and for energy generation. The method trialed with the fibreplus product being produced did not impact harvesting and processing productivity and costs, but extraction was 14% less productive. Through analysis of the productivities of each phase and development of a cost model the harvest and extraction of the fibreplus product was estimated to increase total unit costs by ∼4.9%. - Highlights: • Study of the productivity and cost impact of producing a woody biomass product. • We compared two scenarios – harvesting with and without the biomass product. • An additional 23 GMt/ha (5% of the total yield) of woody biomass

  1. Conceptual design of a chickpea harvesting header

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Golpira

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Interest in the development of stripper headers is growing owing to the excessive losses of combine harvesters and costs of manually harvesting for chickpeas. The design of a new concept can enhance the mechanized process for chickpea harvesting. A modified stripper platform was designed, in which passive fingers with V-shape slots removes the pods from the anchored plant. The floating platform was accompanied by a reel to complete the harvesting header. Black-box modeling was used to redesign the functional operators of the header followed by an investigation of the system behavior. Physical models of the platform and reel were modified to determine the crucial variables of the header arrangement during field trials. The slot width was fixed at 40 mm, finger length at 40 mm, keyhole diameter at 10 mm and entrance width at 6 mm; the batted reel at peripheral diameter of 700 mm and speed at 50 rpm. A tractor-mounted experimental harvester was built to evaluate the work quality of the stripper header. The performance of the prototype was tested with respect to losses and results confirmed the efficiency of the modified stripper header for chickpea harvesting. Furthermore, the header with a 1.4 m working width produced the spot work rates of 0.42 ha h-1.

  2. Wireless Energy Harvesting Using Signals from Multiple Fading Channels

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Yunfei; Zhao, Nan; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

    2017-01-01

    fading or Gamma-shadowed Rician fading. The received signals are then harvested by using either a single harvester for simultaneous transmissions or multiple harvesters for transmissions at different frequencies, antennas or time slots. Both linear

  3. Increasing global crop harvest frequency: recent trends and future directions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ray, Deepak K; Foley, Jonathan A

    2013-01-01

    The world’s agricultural systems face the challenge of meeting the rising demands from population growth, changing dietary preferences, and expanding biofuel use. Previous studies have put forward strategies for meeting this growing demand by increasing global crop production, either expanding the area under cultivation or intensifying the crop yields of our existing agricultural lands. However, another possible means for increasing global crop production has received less attention: increasing the frequency of global cropland harvested each year. Historically, many of the world’s croplands were left fallow, or had failed harvests, each year, foregoing opportunities for delivering crop production. Furthermore, many regions, particularly in the tropics, may be capable of multiple harvests per year, often more than are harvested today. Here we analyze a global compilation of agricultural statistics to show how the world’s harvested cropland has changed. Between 2000 and 2011, harvested land area grew roughly 4 times faster than total standing cropland area. Using a metric of cropland harvest frequency (CHF)—the ratio of land harvested each year to the total standing cropland—and its recent trends, we identify countries that harvest their croplands more frequently, and those that have the potential to increase their cropland harvest frequency. We suggest that a possible ‘harvest gap’ may exist in many countries that represents an opportunity to increase crop production on existing agricultural lands. However, increasing the harvest frequency of existing croplands could have significant environmental and social impacts, which need careful evaluation. (letter)

  4. Energy harvesting from hydraulic pressure fluctuations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cunefare, K A; Skow, E A; Erturk, A; Savor, J; Verma, N; Cacan, M R

    2013-01-01

    State-of-the-art hydraulic hose and piping systems employ integral sensor nodes for structural health monitoring to avoid catastrophic failures. Energy harvesting in hydraulic systems could enable self-powered wireless sensor nodes for applications such as energy-autonomous structural health monitoring and prognosis. Hydraulic systems inherently have a high energy intensity associated with the mean pressure and flow. Accompanying the mean pressure is the dynamic pressure ripple, which is caused by the action of pumps and actuators. Pressure ripple is a deterministic source with a periodic time-domain behavior conducive to energy harvesting. An energy harvester prototype was designed for generating low-power electricity from pressure ripples. The prototype employed an axially-poled off-the-shelf piezoelectric stack. A housing isolated the stack from the hydraulic fluid while maintaining a mechanical coupling allowing for dynamic-pressure-induced deflection of the stack. The prototype exhibited an off-resonance energy harvesting problem since the fundamental resonance of the piezoelectric stack was much higher than the frequency content of the pressure ripple. The prototype was designed to provide a suitable power output for powering sensors with a maximum output of 1.2 mW. This work also presents electromechanical model simulations and experimental characterization of the piezoelectric power output from the pressure ripple in terms of the force transmitted into the harvester. (paper)

  5. A novel bistable energy harvesting concept

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scarselli, G; Nicassio, F; Pinto, F; Ciampa, F; Iervolino, O; Meo, M

    2016-01-01

    Bistable energy harvesting has become a major field of research due to some unique features for converting mechanical energy into electrical power. When properly loaded, bistable structures snap-through from one stable configuration to another, causing large strains and consequently power generation. Moreover, bistable structures can harvest energy across a broad-frequency bandwidth due to their nonlinear characteristics. Despite the fact that snap-through may be triggered regardless of the form or frequency of exciting vibration, the external force must reach a specific snap-through activation threshold value to trigger the transition from one stable state to another. This aspect is a limiting factor for realistic vibration energy harvesting application with bistable devices. This paper presents a novel power harvesting concept for bistable composites based on a ‘lever effect’ aimed at minimising the activation force to cause the snap through by choosing properly the bistable structures’ constraints. The concept was demonstrated with the help of numerical simulation and experimental testing. The results showed that the actuation force is one order of magnitude smaller (3%–6%) than the activation force of conventionally constrained bistable devices. In addition, it was shown that the output voltage was higher than the conventional configuration, leading to a significant increase in power generation. This novel concept could lead to a new generation of more efficient bistable energy harvesters for realistic vibration environments. (paper)

  6. A new deteriorated energy-momentum tensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duff, M.J.

    1982-01-01

    The stress-tensor of a scalar field theory is not unique because of the possibility of adding an 'improvement term'. In supersymmetric field theories the stress-tensor will appear in a super-current multiplet along with the sypersymmetry current. The general question of the supercurrent multiplet for arbitrary deteriorated stress tensors and their relationship to supercurrent multiplets for models with gauge antisymmetric tensors is answered for various models of N = 1, 2 and 4 supersymmetry. (U.K.)

  7. Performance Limits of Communication with Energy Harvesting

    KAUST Repository

    Znaidi, Mohamed Ridha

    2016-01-01

    In energy harvesting communications, the transmitters have to adapt transmission to the availability of energy harvested during communication. The performance of the transmission depends on the channel conditions which vary randomly due to mobility

  8. Electronically droplet energy harvesting using piezoelectric cantilevers

    KAUST Repository

    Al Ahmad, Mahmoud Al; Jabbour, Ghassan E.

    2012-01-01

    A report is presented on free falling droplet energy harvesting using piezoelectric cantilevers. The harvester incorporates a multimorph clamped-free cantilever which is composed of five layers of lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric thick films

  9. Cost, energy use and GHG emissions for forest biomass harvesting operations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Fengli; Johnson, Dana M.; Wang, Jinjiang; Yu, Chunxia

    2016-01-01

    For forest-based biomass to become a significant contribution to the United States' energy portfolio, harvesting operations must be physically feasible and economically viable. An assessment of cost, energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of forest biomass harvesting was conducted. The assessment differentiates harvesting systems by cut-to-length and whole tree; harvest types of 30%, 70%, and 100% cut; and forest types of hardwoods, softwoods, mixed hardwood/softwood, and softwood plantations. Harvesting cost models were developed for economic assessment and life cycle energy and emission assessment was applied to calculate energy and emissions for different harvesting scenarios, considering material and energy inputs (machinery, diesel, etc.) and outputs (GHG emissions) for each harvesting process (felling, forwarding/skidding, etc.). The developed harvesting cost models and the life cycle energy and emission assessment method were applied in Michigan, U.S. using information collected from different sources. A sensitivity analysis was performed for selected input variables for the harvesting operations in order to explore their relative importance. The results indicated that productivity had the largest impact on harvesting cost followed by machinery purchase price, yearly scheduled hours, and expected utilization. Productivity and fuel use, as well as fuel factors, are the most influential environmental impacts of harvesting operations. - Highlights: • Life cycle energy and emissions for forest biomass harvesting operations. • Harvesting cost models were developed for economic assessment. • Productivity had the largest impact on harvesting cost. • Fuel use contributes the most emissions while lubricants contribute the least.

  10. Broadband piezoelectric energy harvesting using nonlinear magnetic forces; Bandbreitensteigerung von piezoelektrischen Energy Harvesting Systemen durch Magnetkraefte

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Westermann, Henrik; Neubauer, Marcus; Wallaschek, Joerg [Hannover Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Dynamik und Schwingungen

    2012-07-15

    Using ambient energy by piezoelectric energy harvesting systems received much attention over the last years. Most vibration-based generators produce a sufficient power only if the transducer is excited in its resonance frequency. The use of magnetic forces suggests a promising strategy to increase the efficiency. This paper presents different ways for broadband piezoelectric energy harvesting using nonlinear magnetic forces. (orig.)

  11. Design guidelines of triboelectric nanogenerator for water wave energy harvesters

    KAUST Repository

    Ahmed, Abdelsalam

    2017-04-11

    Ocean waves are one of the cleanest and most abundant energy sources on earth, and wave energy has the potential for future power generation. Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) technology has recently been proposed as a promising technology to harvest wave energy. In this paper, a theoretical study is performed on a duck-shaped TENG wave harvester recently introduced in our work. To enhance the design of the duck-shaped TENG wave harvester, the mechanical and electrical characteristics of the harvester\\'s overall structure, as well as its inner configuration, are analyzed, respectively, under different wave conditions, to optimize parameters such as duck radius and mass. Furthermore, a comprehensive hybrid 3D model is introduced to quantify the performance of the TENG wave harvester. Finally, the influence of different TENG parameters is validated by comparing the performance of several existing TENG wave harvesters. This study can be applied as a guideline for enhancing the performance of TENG wave energy harvesters.

  12. Piezoelectric energy harvesting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Howells, Christopher A

    2009-01-01

    Piezoelectric materials can be used to convert oscillatory mechanical energy into electrical energy. This technology, together with innovative mechanical coupling designs, can form the basis for harvesting energy from mechanical motion. Piezoelectric energy can be harvested to convert walking motion from the human body into electrical power. Recently four proof-of-concept Heel Strike Units were developed where each unit is essentially a small electric generator that utilizes piezoelectric elements to convert mechanical motion into electrical power in the form factor of the heel of a boot. The results of the testing and evaluation and the performance of this small electric generator are presented. The generator's conversion of mechanical motion into electrical power, the processes it goes through to produce useable power and commercial applications of the Heel Strike electric generator are discussed.

  13. Neurologic deterioration with progressive CT changes in a child with Kearns-Shy syndrome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoda, Satoru; Kitahara, Fuminori; Akabane, Taro; Terauchi, Akiko.

    1984-01-01

    A case of the rare juvenile form of Kearns-Shy syndrome with progressive external ophthalmoplegia and lid ptosis, carditis, skeletal muscle weakness, seizures, mental subnormality, short stature, EEG abnormality and deafness is presented. Electromyography revealed a myopathic pattern. Histochemical studies on quadriceps biopsy specimens showed atrophy of type II fibers and ''ragged-red fibers.'' On electron microscopy these muscle cells were seen to contain an increased amount of glycogen particles and abnormal mitochondria were increased in number and size. It is of interest that abrupt deterioration of neurological findings such as seizures, mental subnormality, speech disturbance and deafness was present in our case. Computed tomographic scanning showed progressive changes of cerebral atrophy, low density of cerebral white matter and basal ganglia calcification, which were well associated with the clinical deterioration. A review of the literature also indicated that some patients with this syndrome showed abrupt neurological deterioration in childhood. Involvement of the central nervous system in this syndrome has to be considered as the cause of sudden deterioration and death in childhood. (author)

  14. The enhancement of the deteriorated South African bond options market

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coert Frederik Erasmus

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available nvestments, especially those in the bond market, carry a level of risk. Risks in the bond market can be mitigated by transacting in option contracts. In the developing South African economy, trading activity of over-the-counter (OTC bond options decreased significantly. Possible deteriorating factors and interventions to enhance OTC bond options were investigated in this research. Experts in the OTC bond option market were surveyed and the quantitative data collected was analysed with descriptive statistical methods. Results indicated that three factors were positively identified as deteriorating factors in the OTC bond option market and that five different interventions were possible to possible enhance this market.

  15. A new piezoelectric energy harvesting design concept: multimodal energy harvesting skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Soobum; Youn, Byeng D

    2011-03-01

    This paper presents an advanced design concept for a piezoelectric energy harvesting (EH), referred to as multimodal EH skin. This EH design facilitates the use of multimodal vibration and enhances power harvesting efficiency. The multimodal EH skin is an extension of our previous work, EH skin, which was an innovative design paradigm for a piezoelectric energy harvester: a vibrating skin structure and an additional thin piezoelectric layer in one device. A computational (finite element) model of the multilayered assembly - the vibrating skin structure and piezoelectric layer - is constructed and the optimal topology and/or shape of the piezoelectric layer is found for maximum power generation from multiple vibration modes. A design rationale for the multimodal EH skin was proposed: designing a piezoelectric material distribution and external resistors. In the material design step, the piezoelectric material is segmented by inflection lines from multiple vibration modes of interests to minimize voltage cancellation. The inflection lines are detected using the voltage phase. In the external resistor design step, the resistor values are found for each segment to maximize power output. The presented design concept, which can be applied to any engineering system with multimodal harmonic-vibrating skins, was applied to two case studies: an aircraft skin and a power transformer panel. The excellent performance of multimodal EH skin was demonstrated, showing larger power generation than EH skin without segmentation or unimodal EH skin.

  16. Condition-based inspection/replacement policies for non-monotone deteriorating systems with environmental covariates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao Xuejing [Universite de Technologie de Troyes, Institut Charles Delaunay and STMR UMR CNRS 6279, 12 rue Marie Curie, 10010 Troyes (France); School of mathematics and statistics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Fouladirad, Mitra, E-mail: mitra.fouladirad@utt.f [Universite de Technologie de Troyes, Institut Charles Delaunay and STMR UMR CNRS 6279, 12 rue Marie Curie, 10010 Troyes (France); Berenguer, Christophe [Universite de Technologie de Troyes, Institut Charles Delaunay and STMR UMR CNRS 6279, 12 rue Marie Curie, 10010 Troyes (France); Bordes, Laurent [Universite de Pau et des Pays de l' Adour, LMA UMR CNRS 5142, 64013 PAU Cedex (France)

    2010-08-15

    The aim of this paper is to discuss the problem of modelling and optimising condition-based maintenance policies for a deteriorating system in presence of covariates. The deterioration is modelled by a non-monotone stochastic process. The covariates process is assumed to be a time-homogenous Markov chain with finite state space. A model similar to the proportional hazards model is used to show the influence of covariates on the deterioration. In the framework of the system under consideration, an appropriate inspection/replacement policy which minimises the expected average maintenance cost is derived. The average cost under different conditions of covariates and different maintenance policies is analysed through simulation experiments to compare the policies performances.

  17. Condition-based inspection/replacement policies for non-monotone deteriorating systems with environmental covariates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Xuejing; Fouladirad, Mitra; Berenguer, Christophe; Bordes, Laurent

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to discuss the problem of modelling and optimising condition-based maintenance policies for a deteriorating system in presence of covariates. The deterioration is modelled by a non-monotone stochastic process. The covariates process is assumed to be a time-homogenous Markov chain with finite state space. A model similar to the proportional hazards model is used to show the influence of covariates on the deterioration. In the framework of the system under consideration, an appropriate inspection/replacement policy which minimises the expected average maintenance cost is derived. The average cost under different conditions of covariates and different maintenance policies is analysed through simulation experiments to compare the policies performances.

  18. African Urban Harvest

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Urban Harvest, a system-wide initiative of the Consultative Group on Agricultural ...... and urban old, using criteria of population density, land availability, and the prevalence of crop ...... Contact between milk and containers or the environment;.

  19. Bio-deterioration of breadfruit (Artocarpus Communis) in storage ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The bio-deterioration of breadfruit in storage and its effects on the nutrient composition of the fruit was investigated at Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria. Freshly dropped fruits were stored under laboratory conditions for a period of 9 days. Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Mycovellosiella fulva, ...

  20. Can Sensors Solve the Deterioration Problems of Public Infrastructure?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miki, Chitoshi

    2014-11-01

    Various deteriorations are detected in public infrastructures, such as bridges, viaducts, piers and tunnels and caused fatal accidents in some cases. The possibility of the applications of health monitoring by using sensors is the issues of this lecture. The inspection and diagnosis are essential in the maintenance works which include appropriate rehabilitations and replacements. The introduction of monitoring system may improve accuracy and efficiency of inspection and diagnosis. This seems to be innovation of maintenance, old structures may change smart structures by the installation of nerve network and brain, specifically. Cost- benefit viewpoint is also important point, because of public infrastructures. The modes of deterioration are fatigue, corrosion, and delayed fracture in steel, and carbonization and alkali aggregate reaction in concrete. These are like adult disease in human bodies. The developments of Infrastructures in Japan were concentrated in the 1960th and 1970th. These ages are approaching 50 and deterioration due to aging has been progress gradually. The attacks of earthquakes are also a major issue. Actually, these infrastructures have been supporting economic and social activities in Japan and the deterioration of public infrastructure has become social problems. How to secure the same level of safety and security for all public infrastructures is the challenge we face now. The targets of monitoring are external disturbances such as traffic loads, earthquakes, winds, temperature, responses against external disturbances, and the changes of performances. In the monitoring of infrastructures, 3W1H(WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and HOW) are essential, that is what kind of data are necessary, where sensors place, when data are collected, and how to collect and process data. The required performances of sensors are accuracy, stability for long time. In the case of long term monitoring, the durability of systems needs more than five years, because the interval

  1. Can Sensors Solve the Deterioration Problems of Public Infrastructure?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miki, Chitoshi

    2014-01-01

    Various deteriorations are detected in public infrastructures, such as bridges, viaducts, piers and tunnels and caused fatal accidents in some cases. The possibility of the applications of health monitoring by using sensors is the issues of this lecture. The inspection and diagnosis are essential in the maintenance works which include appropriate rehabilitations and replacements. The introduction of monitoring system may improve accuracy and efficiency of inspection and diagnosis. This seems to be innovation of maintenance, old structures may change smart structures by the installation of nerve network and brain, specifically. Cost- benefit viewpoint is also important point, because of public infrastructures. The modes of deterioration are fatigue, corrosion, and delayed fracture in steel, and carbonization and alkali aggregate reaction in concrete. These are like adult disease in human bodies. The developments of Infrastructures in Japan were concentrated in the 1960th and 1970th. These ages are approaching 50 and deterioration due to aging has been progress gradually. The attacks of earthquakes are also a major issue. Actually, these infrastructures have been supporting economic and social activities in Japan and the deterioration of public infrastructure has become social problems. How to secure the same level of safety and security for all public infrastructures is the challenge we face now. The targets of monitoring are external disturbances such as traffic loads, earthquakes, winds, temperature, responses against external disturbances, and the changes of performances. In the monitoring of infrastructures, 3W1H(WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and HOW) are essential, that is what kind of data are necessary, where sensors place, when data are collected, and how to collect and process data. The required performances of sensors are accuracy, stability for long time. In the case of long term monitoring, the durability of systems needs more than five years, because the interval

  2. Severe carotid stenosis and impaired cerebral hemodynamics can influence cognitive deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balestrini, Simona; Perozzi, Cecilia; Altamura, Claudia; Vernieri, Fabrizio; Luzzi, Simona; Bartolini, Marco; Provinciali, Leandro; Silvestrini, Mauro

    2013-06-04

    To evaluate whether severe carotid stenosis and related hemodynamics impairment may increase the risk of cognitive deterioration in asymptomatic subjects. A total of 210 subjects with unilateral asymptomatic severe carotid stenosis and 109 healthy controls were included and prospectively evaluated for a 36-month period. At entry, demographics, vascular risk profile, and pharmacologic treatments were defined. Cerebral hemodynamics was assessed by transcranial Doppler-based breath-holding index (BHI) test. Cognitive status was evaluated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at entry and at the end of the follow-up period. Cognitive deterioration was defined as a decrease in the MMSE score of 3 points or more during the overall follow-up period. Subjects with carotid stenosis showed an increased probability of developing cognitive deterioration compared with the group without stenosis (odds ratio [OR] 4.16 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.89-9.11]; p < 0.001). The presence of an impaired BHI ipsilateral to the stenosis was associated with an increased incidence of reduction in cognitive performance (OR 14.66 [95% CI 7.51-28.59]; p < 0.001). Our findings show that the presence of a severe carotid stenosis influences cognitive deterioration over a 36-month period in asymptomatic subjects. An associated hemodynamic impairment significantly increases the risk. Evaluation of functional consequences of carotid stenosis may offer the opportunity to select a group with an increased risk of developing cognitive impairment from subjects with asymptomatic severe carotid stenosis.

  3. Production and Maintenance Planning for a Deteriorating System with Operation-Dependent Defectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Héctor Rivera-Gómez

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper provides new insights to the area of sustainable manufacturing systems at analyzing the novel paradigm of integrated production logistics, quality, and maintenance design. For this purpose, we investigate the optimal production and repair/major maintenance switching strategy of an unreliable deteriorating manufacturing system. The effects of the deterioration process are mainly observed on the failure intensity and on the quality of the parts produced, where the rate of defectives depends on the production rate. When unplanned failures occur, either a minimal repair or a major maintenance could be conducted. The integration of availability and quality deterioration led us to propose a new stochastic dynamic programming model where optimality conditions are derived through the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations. The model defined the joint production and repair/major maintenance switching strategies minimizing the total cost over an infinite planning horizon. In the results, the influence of the deterioration process were evident in both the production and maintenances control parameters. A numerical example and an extensive sensitivity analysis were conducted to illustrate the usefulness of the results. Finally, the proposed control policy was compared with alternative strategies based on common assumptions of the literature in order to illustrate its efficiency.

  4. Harvester operator learnig efficiency analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Malovrh, Špela; Košir, Boštjan; Krč, Janez

    2004-01-01

    The article considers the possibilities of training future harvester operators. The course of learning with a simulator is described and analysed on the first such example in Slovenia. The times of individual processes are measured in two candidates. The paper describes the operation of a learning simulator for work on the harvester Timberjack 1270 D and the proceedings of aone-week course. A comparison between candidates regarding the consumption oftime and number of damages to the virtual m...

  5. EOQ Model for Delayed Deteriorating Items with Shortages and Trade Credit Policy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R Sundararajan

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with a deterministic inventory model for deteriorating items under the condition of permissible delay in payments with constant demand rate is a function of time which differs from before and after deterioration for a single item. Shortages are allowed and completely backlogged which is a function of time. Under these assumptions, this paper develops a retailer's model for obtaining an optimal cycle length and ordering quantity in deteriorating items of an inventory model. Thus, our objective is retailer's cost minimization problem to nd an optimal replenishment policy under various parameters. The convexity of the objective function is derived and the numerical examples are provided to support the proposed model. Sensitivity analysis of the optimal solution with respect to major parameters of the model is included and the implications are discussed.

  6. Nyala and Bushbuck II: A Harvesting Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fay, Temple H.; Greeff, Johanna C.

    1999-01-01

    Adds a cropping or harvesting term to the animal overpopulation model developed in Part I of this article. Investigates various harvesting strategies that might suggest a solution to the overpopulation problem without actually culling any animals. (ASK)

  7. Chemical desiccation for early harvest in soybean cultivars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamara Pereira

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The use of desiccants is an alternative to anticipate the soybean harvest and keep the physiological quality of seed. The objective of this work was to assess the production performance and germination seeds in response to differents stages and desiccation chemicals products to early harvest of soybean cultivars. The experiment was conducted in Campos Novos, in two harvests, it was used a randomized complete block design disposed in split-split-plots. Two phenological stages of application (stage R7.1 and R7.3 were tested in the main plot. Five soybean cultivars (NA 5909 RG, CD 2585 RR, BMX Turbo RR, SYN 1059 RR and BENSO 1RR were evaluated in the subplots, and three desiccants ammonium glufosinate, paraquat, carfentrazone-ethyl in the 2011/12 season and one control (without the desiccant application were evaluated in the sub-subplots. In the 2012/13 season the carfentrazone-ethyl was substituted by diquat. It were evaluated the number of the days in the early harvest, yield, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, mass of 100 seeds and germination percentage. The chemical dessecation with the use of glufosinate ammonium and paraquat applied in R7.1 stage allowed to anticipate the harvest in six days (2011/12 and provided maintenance germination percentage (90% and 92% compared to control (76%. The dessecation didn’t influence negatively on seeds productivity, but reduced the mass of seeds in the two growing seasons, and early harvest was dependent of pre-harvest rain absence, with this preamble. The use of dessicants is a possibility of early harvest in production field of soybean seeds.

  8. Energy harvesting devices for harvesting energy from terahertz electromagnetic radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novack, Steven D.; Kotter, Dale K.; Pinhero, Patrick J.

    2012-10-09

    Methods, devices and systems for harvesting energy from electromagnetic radiation are provided including harvesting energy from electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment, a device includes a substrate and one or more resonance elements disposed in or on the substrate. The resonance elements are configured to have a resonant frequency, for example, in at least one of the infrared, near-infrared and visible light spectra. A layer of conductive material may be disposed over a portion of the substrate to form a ground plane. An optical resonance gap or stand-off layer may be formed between the resonance elements and the ground plane. The optical resonance gap extends a distance between the resonance elements and the layer of conductive material approximately one-quarter wavelength of a wavelength of the at least one resonance element's resonant frequency. At least one energy transfer element may be associated with the at least one resonance element.

  9. Experimental study of energy harvesting in UHF band

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernacki, Ł; Gozdur, R; Salamon, N

    2016-01-01

    A huge progress of down-sizing technology together with trend of decreasing power consumption and, on the other hand, increasing efficiency of electronics give the opportunity to design and to implement the energy harvesters as main power sources. This paper refers to the energy that can be harvested from electromagnetic field in the unlicensed frequency bands. The paper contains description of the most popular techniques and transducers that can be applied in energy harvesting domain. The overview of current research and commercial solutions was performed for bands in ultra-high frequency range, which are unlicensed and where transmission is not limited by administrative arrangements. During the experiments with Powercast’s receiver, the same bands as sources of electromagnetic field were taken into account. This power source is used for conducting radio-communication process and excess energy could be used for powering the extra electronic circuits. The paper presents elaborated prototype of energy harvesting system and the measurements of power harvested in ultra-high frequency range. The evaluation of RF energy harvesters for powering ultra-low power (ULP) electronic devices was performed based on survey and results of the experiments. (paper)

  10. Pen harvester for powering a pulse rate sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bedekar, Vishwas; Oliver, Josiah; Priya, Shashank

    2009-01-01

    Rapid developments in the area of micro-sensors for various applications such as structural health monitoring, bio-chemical sensors and pressure sensors have increased the demand for portable, low cost, high efficiency energy harvesting devices. In this paper, we describe the scheme for powering a pulse rate sensor with a vibration energy harvester integrated inside a pen commonly carried by humans in the pocket close to the heart. Electromagnetic energy harvesting was selected in order to achieve high power at lower frequencies. The prototype pen harvester was found to generate 3 mW at 5 Hz and 1 mW at 3.5 Hz operating under displacement amplitude of 16 mm (corresponding to an acceleration of approximately 1.14 g rms at 5 Hz and 0.56 g rms at 3.5 Hz, respectively). A comprehensive mathematical modelling and simulations were performed in order to optimize the performance of the vibration energy harvester. The integrated pen harvester prototype was found to generate continuous power of 0.46-0.66 mW under normal human actions such as jogging and jumping which is enough for a small scale pulse rate sensor.

  11. EU mitigation potential of harvested wood products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilli, Roberto; Fiorese, Giulia; Grassi, Giacomo

    2015-12-01

    The new rules for the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry sector under the Kyoto Protocol recognized the importance of Harvested Wood Products (HWP) in climate change mitigation. We used the Tier 2 method proposed in the 2013 IPCC KP Supplement to estimate emissions and removals from HWP from 1990 to 2030 in EU-28 countries with three future harvest scenarios (constant historical average, and +/-20% in 2030). For the historical period (2000-2012) our results are consistent with other studies, indicating a HWP sink equal on average to -44.0 Mt CO 2 yr -1 (about 10% of the sink by forest pools). Assuming a constant historical harvest scenario and future distribution of the total harvest among each commodity, the HWP sink decreases to -22.9 Mt CO 2 yr -1 in 2030. The increasing and decreasing harvest scenarios produced a HWP sink of -43.2 and -9.0 Mt CO 2 yr -1 in 2030, respectively. Other factors may play an important role on HWP sink, including: (i) the relative share of different wood products, and (ii) the combined effect of production, import and export on the domestic production of each commodity. Maintaining a constant historical harvest, the HWP sink will slowly tend to saturate, i.e. to approach zero in the long term. The current HWP sink will be maintained only by further increasing the current harvest; however, this will tend to reduce the current sink in forest biomass, at least in the short term. Overall, our results suggest that: (i) there is limited potential for additional HWP sink in the EU; (ii) the HWP mitigation potential should be analyzed in conjunction with other mitigation components (e.g. sink in forest biomass, energy and material substitution by wood).

  12. MEMS-based thick film PZT vibrational energy harvester

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lei, Anders; Xu, Ruichao; Thyssen, Anders

    2011-01-01

    We present a MEMS-based unimorph silicon/PZT thick film vibrational energy harvester with an integrated proof mass. We have developed a process that allows fabrication of high performance silicon based energy harvesters with a yield higher than 90%. The process comprises a KOH etch using a mechan......We present a MEMS-based unimorph silicon/PZT thick film vibrational energy harvester with an integrated proof mass. We have developed a process that allows fabrication of high performance silicon based energy harvesters with a yield higher than 90%. The process comprises a KOH etch using...... a mechanical front side protection of an SOI wafer with screen printed PZT thick film. The fabricated harvester device produces 14.0 μW with an optimal resistive load of 100 kΩ from 1g (g=9.81 m s-2) input acceleration at its resonant frequency of 235 Hz....

  13. Hybrid energy harvesting using active thermal backplane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hyun-Wook; Lee, Dong-Gun

    2016-04-01

    In this study, we demonstrate the concept of a new hybrid energy harvesting system by combing solar cells with magneto-thermoelectric generator (MTG, i.e., thermal energy harvesting). The silicon solar cell can easily reach high temperature under normal operating conditions. Thus the heated solar cell becomes rapidly less efficient as the temperature of solar cell rises. To increase the efficiency of the solar cell, air or water-based cooling system is used. To surpass conventional cooling devices requiring additional power as well as large working space for air/water collectors, we develop a new technology of pairing an active thermal backplane (ATB) to solar cell. The ATB design is based on MTG technology utilizing the physics of the 2nd order phase transition of active ferromagnetic materials. The MTG is cost-effective conversion of thermal energy to electrical energy and is fundamentally different from Seebeck TEG devices. The ATB (MTG) is in addition to being an energy conversion system, a very good conveyor of heat through both conduction and convection. Therefore, the ATB can provide dual-mode for the proposed hybrid energy harvesting. One is active convective and conductive cooling for heated solar cell. Another is active thermal energy harvesting from heat of solar cell. These novel hybrid energy harvesting device have potentially simultaneous energy conversion capability of solar and thermal energy into electricity. The results presented can be used for better understanding of hybrid energy harvesting system that can be integrated into commercial applications.

  14. Biogeography of photosynthetic light-harvesting genes in marine phytoplankton.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas S Bibby

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Photosynthetic light-harvesting proteins are the mechanism by which energy enters the marine ecosystem. The dominant prokaryotic photoautotrophs are the cyanobacterial genera Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus that are defined by two distinct light-harvesting systems, chlorophyll-bound protein complexes or phycobilin-bound protein complexes, respectively. Here, we use the Global Ocean Sampling (GOS Project as a unique and powerful tool to analyze the environmental diversity of photosynthetic light-harvesting genes in relation to available metadata including geographical location and physical and chemical environmental parameters. METHODS: All light-harvesting gene fragments and their metadata were obtained from the GOS database, aligned using ClustalX and classified phylogenetically. Each sequence has a name indicative of its geographic location; subsequent biogeographical analysis was performed by correlating light-harvesting gene budgets for each GOS station with surface chlorophyll concentration. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Using the GOS data, we have mapped the biogeography of light-harvesting genes in marine cyanobacteria on ocean-basin scales and show that an environmental gradient exists in which chlorophyll concentration is correlated to diversity of light-harvesting systems. Three functionally distinct types of light-harvesting genes are defined: (1 the phycobilisome (PBS genes of Synechococcus; (2 the pcb genes of Prochlorococcus; and (3 the iron-stress-induced (isiA genes present in some marine Synechococcus. At low chlorophyll concentrations, where nutrients are limited, the Pcb-type light-harvesting system shows greater genetic diversity; whereas at high chlorophyll concentrations, where nutrients are abundant, the PBS-type light-harvesting system shows higher genetic diversity. We interpret this as an environmental selection of specific photosynthetic strategy. Importantly, the unique light-harvesting system isiA is found

  15. Engineering aspects and time effects of rapid deterioration of sandstone in the tropical environment of Sabah, Malaysia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tating, F.F.; Hack, H.R.G.K.; Jetten, V.G.

    2013-01-01

    Cut slopes in rock masses start to deteriorate directly after excavation due to stress relief and weathering. The deterioration is a time dependent process that depends on the local climate and the rock mass including its history, and the environment. The amount of deterioration per time unit (‘the

  16. Felling and skidding productivity and harvesting cost in southern pine forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    R.A. Kluender; B.J. Stokes

    1996-01-01

    Sixteen stands were harvested at various levels of basal area removed (intensity). Chainsaw felling productivity was more sensitive to stem diameter than harvest intensity. Skidding productivity was highest when removing large trees at high intensity. Harvesting cost was more sensitive to stem size than harvest intensity, although harvest intensity was a very important...

  17. Assessment of rainwater harvesting potential using GIS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hari, Durgasrilakshmi; Ramamohan Reddy, K.; Vikas, Kola; Srinivas, N.; Vikas, G.

    2018-03-01

    Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is one of the best practices to overcome the scarcity of water. Rainwater harvesting involves collection and storage of rainwater locally through different technologies, for future use. It is also useful for livestock, groundwater recharge and for irrigation practices. Potential of rainwater harvesting refers to the capacity of an individual catchment that harnesses the water falling on the catchment during a particular year considering all rainy days. The present study deals with the identification of the study area boundary and marking it as a Polygon in Google Earth Pro Later, Rooftops of various house entities and roads were digitized using the Polygon command in Google Earth Pro. GIS technique is employed for locating boundaries of the study area and for calculating the areas of various types of rooftops and roads. With the application of GIS, it is possible to assess the total potential of water that can be harvested. The present study will enable us to identify the suitable type of water harvesting structure along with the number of structures required. It is extremely an ideal and effective solution to overcome the water crisis through water conservation in the study area.

  18. Production economics of harvesting young hardwood stands in central Appalachia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yaoxiang Li; Jingxin Wang; Gary W. Miller; Joe McNeel

    2004-01-01

    Three harvesting systems of chainsaw/cable skidder, fell-buncher/grapple skidder, and harvester/forwarder were simulated in harvesting three hardwood stands of 30 to 50 years old in central Appalachia. Stands were generated by using a stand generator and harvesting prescriptions included clearcut, shelterwood cut, selective cut, diameter limit cut, and crop tree...

  19. The case for energy harvesting on wildlife in flight

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shafer, Michael W; MacCurdy, Robert; Garcia, Ephrahim; Shipley, J Ryan; Winkler, David; Guglielmo, Christopher G

    2015-01-01

    The confluence of advancements in microelectronic components and vibrational energy harvesting has opened the possibility of remote sensor units powered solely from the motion of their hosts. There are numerous applications of such systems, including the development of modern wildlife tracking/data-logging devices. These ‘bio-logging’ devices are typically mass-constrained because they must be carried by an animal. Thus, they have historically traded scientific capability for operational longevity due to restrictions on battery size. Recently, the precipitous decrease in the power requirements of microelectronics has been accompanied by advancements in the area of piezoelectric vibrational energy harvesting. These energy harvesting devices are now capable of powering the type of microelectronic circuits used in bio-logging devices. In this paper we consider the feasibility of employing these vibrational energy harvesters on flying vertebrates for the purpose of powering a bio-logging device. We show that the excess energy available from birds and bats could be harvested without adversely affecting their overall energy budget. We then present acceleration measurements taken on flying birds in a flight tunnel to understand modulation of flapping frequency during steady flight. Finally, we use a recently developed method of estimating the maximum power output from a piezoelectric energy harvester to determine the amount of power that could be practically harvested from a flying bird. The results of this analysis show that the average power output of a piezoelectric energy harvester mounted to a bird or bat could produce more than enough power to run a bio-logging device. We compare the power harvesting capabilities to the energy requirements of an example system and conclude that vibrational energy harvesting on flying birds and bats is viable and warrants further study, including testing. (paper)

  20. Nanoscale piezoelectric vibration energy harvester design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foruzande, Hamid Reza; Hajnayeb, Ali; Yaghootian, Amin

    2017-09-01

    Development of new nanoscale devices has increased the demand for new types of small-scale energy resources such as ambient vibrations energy harvesters. Among the vibration energy harvesters, piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) can be easily miniaturized and fabricated in micro and nano scales. This change in the dimensions of a PEH leads to a change in its governing equations of motion, and consequently, the predicted harvested energy comparing to a macroscale PEH. In this research, effects of small scale dimensions on the nonlinear vibration and harvested voltage of a nanoscale PEH is studied. The PEH is modeled as a cantilever piezoelectric bimorph nanobeam with a tip mass, using the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory in conjunction with Hamilton's principle. A harmonic base excitation is applied as a model of the ambient vibrations. The nonlocal elasticity theory is used to consider the size effects in the developed model. The derived equations of motion are discretized using the assumed-modes method and solved using the method of multiple scales. Sensitivity analysis for the effect of different parameters of the system in addition to size effects is conducted. The results show the significance of nonlocal elasticity theory in the prediction of system dynamic nonlinear behavior. It is also observed that neglecting the size effects results in lower estimates of the PEH vibration amplitudes. The results pave the way for designing new nanoscale sensors in addition to PEHs.

  1. NUTRIENT BALANCE IN WATER HARVESTING SOILS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Díaz, F

    2005-05-01

    Full Text Available Dryland farming on Fuerteventura and Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain, which has an annual rainfall of less than 150 mm/year, has been based traditionally on water harvesting techniques (known locally as “gavias”. Periods of high productivity alternate with those of very low yield. The systems are sustainable in that they reduce erosive processes, contribute to soil and soil-water conservation and are largely responsible for maintaining the soil’s farming potential. In this paper we present the chemical fertility status and nutrient balance of soils in five “gavia” systems. The results are compared with those obtained in adjacent soils where this water harvesting technique is not used. The main crops are wheat, barley, maize, lentils and chick-peas. Since neither organic nor inorganic fertilisers are used, nutrients are derived mainly from sediments carried by runoff water. Nutrients are lost mainly through crop harvesting and harvest residues. The soils where water harvesting is used have lower salt and sodium in the exchange complex, are higher in carbon, nitrogen, copper and zinc and have similar phosphorous and potassium content. It is concluded that the systems improve the soil’s natural fertility and also that natural renovation of nutrients occurs thanks to the surface deposits of sediments, which mix with the arable layer. The system helps ensure adequate fertility levels, habitual in arid regions, thus allowing dryland farming to be carried out.

  2. The role of the Business Environment in Harvesting Strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deidré van Rooyen

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Harvesting is made up of many different strategies that can be used by entrepreneurs to exit their business. This is a long-term ambition to create real value to the business. In Beaufort West, a uranium mining development is going to take place and thus create opportunities for existing and new businesses. This study investigates how the changing business environment will influence this harvesting choice made by the entrepreneur. Recommendations indicate that entrepreneurs need more information and training regarding the specific harvesting concept and strategies that are available, because no specific harvesting strategy was noted as important by the entrepreneurial respondents. Keywords and phrases: business environment; harvesting; exit; business; entrepreneur; uranium

  3. Survival models for harvest management of mourning dove populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otis, D.L.

    2002-01-01

    Quantitative models of the relationship between annual survival and harvest rate of migratory game-bird populations are essential to science-based harvest management strategies. I used the best available band-recovery and harvest data for mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) to build a set of models based on different assumptions about compensatory harvest mortality. Although these models suffer from lack of contemporary data, they can be used in development of an initial set of population models that synthesize existing demographic data on a management-unit scale, and serve as a tool for prioritization of population demographic information needs. Credible harvest management plans for mourning dove populations will require a long-term commitment to population monitoring and iterative population analysis.

  4. Harvesting options of small-diameter wood from early thinnings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaerhae, K.; Petty, A. (Metsaeteho Oy, Helsinki (Finland)), e-mail: kalle.karha@metsateho.fi; Mutikainen, A. (TTS Research, Rajamaeki (Finland)), e-mail: arto.mutikainen@tts.fi

    2010-07-01

    The integrated harvesting of industrial roundwood and energy wood by the so-called 'two-pile cutting method' has increased steadily in young forests in Finland during the last three years. The studies carried out by Metsaeteho Oy and TTS Research (i) determined the time consumption and productivity in cutting work when using the integrated cutting of first-thinning wood, (ii) clarified the development of the total removal in integrated harvesting operation, and (iii) investigated the quality of pulpwood poles when using integrated cutting with multi-tree handling. The studies indicated that the total removal in integrated wood harvesting increase significantly compared to that of conventional, separate roundwood harvesting. When the total removal from the harvesting site increased considerable, there was a significant increase in the productivity of cutting work in integrated wood harvesting compared to the situation in separate pulpwood harvesting. In addition, the delimbing quality and bucking accuracy of the pulpwood poles obtained in multi-tree processing were comparable to those produced in single-tree handling. There were no problems with measuring the work output by a weight scale attached to the crane of the forwarder. As the studies indicated very promising results with integrated wood cutting, integrated harvesting is likely to continue to increase in both first and later thinnings in Finland. (orig.)

  5. Energy harvesting for human wearable and implantable bio-sensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitcheson, Paul D

    2010-01-01

    There are clear trade-offs between functionality, battery lifetime and battery volume for wearable and implantable wireless-biosensors which energy harvesting devices may be able to overcome. Reliable energy harvesting has now become a reality for machine condition monitoring and is finding applications in chemical process plants, refineries and water treatment works. However, practical miniature devices that can harvest sufficient energy from the human body to power a wireless bio-sensor are still in their infancy. This paper reviews the options for human energy harvesting in order to determine power availability for harvester-powered body sensor networks. The main competing technologies for energy harvesting from the human body are inertial kinetic energy harvesting devices and thermoelectric devices. These devices are advantageous to some other types as they can be hermetically sealed. In this paper the fundamental limit to the power output of these devices is compared as a function of generator volume when attached to a human whilst walking and running. It is shown that the kinetic energy devices have the highest fundamental power limits in both cases. However, when a comparison is made between the devices using device effectivenesses figures from previously demonstrated prototypes presented in the literature, the thermal device is competitive with the kinetic energy harvesting device when the subject is running and achieves the highest power density when the subject is walking.

  6. OPERATIONALANALYSIS OF MECHANICAL CUT-TO-LENGTH FOREST HARVESTING SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilton Cesar Fiedler

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to conduct an operational analysis of forest harvesting activities in a mechanized of the system cut to length in eucalypt plantations in south of Bahia, to determine the distribution of operation times, productivity, operational efficiency and mechanical availability of two models of harvester and two models of forwarder, evaluating these machines in three modules harvesting methodology through time and motion studies. Auxiliary activities corresponded to the lowest percentages within the operating times (mean 1.9% to 1.8% for harvester and forwarder, already operating activities were those that had the highest percentages. The first shift was presented the worst results of operations for the harvester (average 66.3% and the third shift for the forwarder (55.5%. For the harvester module 1 showed the best result of productive times (average 70.36%. In relation to the forwarder, this same module showed the worst results with unproductive times (average of 22.17%. The availability and mechanical parameters were superior productivity for the forwarder (mean 82.31% and 51.33 m3/h, respectively, as indicators of degree of utilization and operational efficiency were higher in harvester (average 85.01% and 66.41%, respectively. Thus, for the forwarder, the parameters mechanical availability and productivity were higher, while for the harvester, they were the indicators of degree of utilization and operational efficiency

  7. Removal intensity and tree size effects on harvesting cost and profitability

    Science.gov (United States)

    R. Kluender; D. Lortz; W. McCoy; B. Stokes; J. Klepac

    1997-01-01

    Sixteen stands were harvested at intensities (proportion of basal area removed) ranging from 0.27 to 1.00. Logging contractors used chain saws and rubber-tired skidders. Harvested sites were similar in slope and tree size. Harvest cost per hundred cubic feet of wood (CCF) was inversely related to harvest intensity and tree size. Harvesting profitability per CCF was...

  8. Heading Estimation of Robot Combine Harvesters during Turning Maneuveres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Md Mostafizar; Ishii, Kazunobu

    2018-05-01

    Absolute heading is an important parameter for a robot combine harvester or a robot tracked combine harvester, especially while it is turning, but due to the rapid turning of robot combine harvesters, its inertial measurement unit gives a gyro measurement bias that causes heading drift. Our research goal is to estimate the absolute heading of robot combine harvesters by compensating this gyro measurement bias during non-linear turning maneuvers. A sensor fusion method like the extended Kalman filter combined with the tracked combine harvester dynamic model and sensor measurements was used to estimate the absolute heading of a robot combine harvester. Circular, sinusoidal and concave shapes were used to evaluate the estimated heading produced by the sensor fusion method. The results indicate that the estimated heading is better than measured heading which was calculated from the integration of yaw rate gyro measurements, and the root mean square errors (RMSEs) for estimated headings are smaller than the measured headings. In practics, the target of this paper is thus the estimation of a heading or absolute heading that is bias compensated, and can be further used to calculate the exact crop periphery for automatic path planning of robot combine harvesters.

  9. Recent Progress on PZT Based Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Technologies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min-Gyu Kang

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Energy harvesting is the most effective way to respond to the energy shortage and to produce sustainable power sources from the surrounding environment. The energy harvesting technology enables scavenging electrical energy from wasted energy sources, which always exist everywhere, such as in heat, fluids, vibrations, etc. In particular, piezoelectric energy harvesting, which uses a direct energy conversion from vibrations and mechanical deformation to the electrical energy, is a promising technique to supply power sources in unattended electronic devices, wireless sensor nodes, micro-electronic devices, etc., since it has higher energy conversion efficiency and a simple structure. Up to now, various technologies, such as advanced materials, micro- and macro-mechanics, and electric circuit design, have been investigated and emerged to improve performance and conversion efficiency of the piezoelectric energy harvesters. In this paper, we focus on recent progress of piezoelectric energy harvesting technologies based on PbZrxTi1-xO3 (PZT materials, which have the most outstanding piezoelectric properties. The advanced piezoelectric energy harvesting technologies included materials, fabrications, unique designs, and properties are introduced to understand current technical levels and suggest the future directions of piezoelectric energy harvesting.

  10. NMR-Based Metabolomic Study on Isatis tinctoria: Comparison of Different Accessions, Harvesting Dates, and the Effect of Repeated Harvesting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guldbrandsen, Niels; Kostidis, Sarantos; Schäfer, Hartmut; De Mieri, Maria; Spraul, Manfred; Skaltsounis, Alexios-Leandros; Mikros, Emmanuel; Hamburger, Matthias

    2015-05-22

    Isatis tinctoria is an ancient dye and medicinal plant with potent anti-inflammatory and antiallergic properties. Metabolic differences were investigated by NMR spectroscopy of accessions from different origins that were grown under identical conditions on experimental plots. For these accessions, metabolite profiles at different harvesting dates were analyzed, and single and repeatedly harvested plants were compared. Leaf samples were shock-frozen in liquid N2 immediately after being harvested, freeze-dried, and cryomilled prior to extraction. Extracts were prepared by pressurized liquid extraction with ethyl acetate and 70% aqueous methanol. NMR spectra were analyzed using a combination of different methods of multivariate data analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA), canonical analysis (CA), and k-nearest neighbor concept (k-NN). Accessions and harvesting dates were well separated in the PCA/CA/k-NN analysis in both extracts. Pairwise statistical total correlation spectroscopy (STOCSY) revealed unsaturated fatty acids, porphyrins, carbohydrates, indole derivatives, isoprenoids, phenylpropanoids, and minor aromatic compounds as the cause of these differences. In addition, the metabolite profile was affected by the repeated harvest regime, causing a decrease of 1,5-anhydroglucitol, sucrose, unsaturated fatty acids, porphyrins, isoprenoids, and a flavonoid.

  11. Energy Harvesting From Low Frequency Applications Using Piezoelectric Materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Huidong; Tian, Chuan; Deng, Zhiqun

    2014-11-06

    This paper reviewed the state of research on piezoelectric energy harvesters. Various types of harvester configurations, piezoelectric materials, and techniques used to improve the mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency were discussed. Most of the piezoelectric energy harvesters studied today have focused on scavenging mechanical energy from vibration sources due to their abundance in both natural and industrial environments. Cantilever beams have been the most studied structure for piezoelectric energy harvester to date because of the high responsiveness to small vibrations.

  12. Clinicopathological comparisons of open vein harvesting and endoscopic vein harvesting in coronary artery bypass grafting patients in Mashhad.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amouzeshi, Ahmad; Teshnisi, Mohamad Abbassi; Zirak, Nahid; Shamloo, Alireza Sepehri; Hoseinikhah, Hamid; Alizadeh, Behzad; Moeinipour, Aliasghar

    2016-01-01

    Harvesting of the greater saphenous vein is almost an inevitable part of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) operations, and it is done by two main techniques, i.e., conventional or open vein harvesting (OVH) and the minimally-invasive endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH). This study aimed to compare these two techniques in off-pump CABG procedures with respect to clinical and pathological outcomes. This cohort study was conducted on CABG candidates during a one-year period from October 2013 through September 2014 in the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Eighty-seven patients voluntarily underwent EVH, and another 86 patients matched for age, gender, and other cardiovascular risk factors were selected for OVH. They were followed up for six weeks, and the main outcome measures were infections of the wound, pain, duration of hospital stay, and the costs of hospitalization. Paired sample t-test, independent t-test, or their non-parametric equivalents and the chi-squared test were used by SPSS version 17.0 for data analysis. The mean duration of time for vein harvesting was shorter in the EVH group (p < 0.001), and the pain score was lower (p = 0.04). No infections occurred at the site of the wound. The length of hospital stay was not significantly different for the two groups (OVH versus EVH: 8.5 ± 3.3 versus 8.4 ± 3.2 days; p-value: 0.08). Hospitalization costs were significantly higher in the EVH group (OVH versus EVH: 5.8 ± 4.7 versus 7.3 ± 2.0 million Tomman; p-value: 0.008), yet no difference was diagnosed with respect to endothelial damage in the vein grafts harvested by the EVH and OVH techniques. EVH is considered as a minimally invasive and safe vein harvesting technique in our Center, and it can reduce the harvesting time and post-operative pain. In addition, its efficiency was similar to that of OVH.

  13. Piezoelectric energy harvesting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Howells, Christopher A [Power Technology Branch, US Army, CERDEC, C2D, Ft. Belvoir, VA 22060-5816 (United States)

    2009-07-15

    Piezoelectric materials can be used to convert oscillatory mechanical energy into electrical energy. This technology, together with innovative mechanical coupling designs, can form the basis for harvesting energy from mechanical motion. Piezoelectric energy can be harvested to convert walking motion from the human body into electrical power. Recently four proof-of-concept Heel Strike Units were developed where each unit is essentially a small electric generator that utilizes piezoelectric elements to convert mechanical motion into electrical power in the form factor of the heel of a boot. The results of the testing and evaluation and the performance of this small electric generator are presented. The generator's conversion of mechanical motion into electrical power, the processes it goes through to produce useable power and commercial applications of the Heel Strike electric generator are discussed. (author)

  14. Effect of garment design on piezoelectricity harvesting from joint movement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Jin-Hee; Cho, Hyun-Seung; Park, Seon-Hyung; Song, Seung-Hwan; Yun, Kwang-Seok; Lee, Joo Hyeon

    2016-01-01

    The harvesting of piezoelectricity through the human body involves the conversion of mechanical energy, mostly generated by the repeated movements of the body, to electrical energy, irrespective of the time and location. In this research, it was expected that the garment design would play an important role in increasing the efficiency of piezoelectricity scavenged in a garment because the mechanical deformation imposed on the energy harvester could increase through an optimal design configuration for the garment parts supporting a piezoelectricity harvester. With this expectation, this research aimed to analyze the effect of the clothing factors, and that of human factors on the efficiency of piezoelectricity harvesting through clothing in joint movements. These analyses resulted in that the efficiency of the piezoelectricity harvesting was affected from both two clothing factors, tightness level depending upon the property of the textile material and design configuration of the garment part supporting the piezoelectricity harvesting. Among the three proposed designs of the garment part supporting the piezoelectricity harvesting, ‘reinforced 3D module design,’ which maximized the value of radius in the piezoelectricity harvester, showed the highest efficiency across all areas of the joints in the human body. The two human factors, frequency of movement and body part, affected the efficiency of the piezoelectricity harvesting as well. (paper)

  15. Functioning of Philippine seagrass species under deteriorating light conditions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Uy, W.H.

    2001-01-01

    Industrialization, urbanization and agricultural intensification result in increased sediment loading and eutrophication of S.E.Asian coastal waters and associated deterioration of light availability to seagrasses inhabiting coastal waters. In the present study, different (internal and external)

  16. Modeling the Technological Process for Harvesting of Agricultural Produce

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepelev, S. D.; Shepelev, V. D.; Almetova, Z. V.; Shepeleva, N. P.; Cheskidov, M. V.

    2018-01-01

    The efficiency and the parameters of harvesting as a technological process being substantiated make it possible to reduce the cost of production and increase the profit of enterprises. To increase the efficiency of combine harvesters when the level of technical equipment declines is possible due to their efficient operating modes within daily and every season. Therefore, the correlation between the operational daily time and the seasonal load of combine harvesters is found, with the increase in the seasonal load causing the prolonged duration of operational daily time for harvesters being determined. To increase the efficient time of the seasonal load is possible due to a reasonable ratio of crop varieties according to their ripening periods, the necessary quantity of machines thereby to be reduced up to 40%. By timing and field testing the operational factor of the useful shift time of combine harvesters and the efficient modes of operating machines are defined, with the alternatives for improving the technical readiness of combine harvesters being identified.

  17. A fast ethanol assay to detect seed deterioration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kodde, J.; Buckley, W.T.; Groot, de C.C.; Retiere, M.; Víquez Zamora, A.M.; Groot, S.P.C.

    2012-01-01

    The most common way to test seed quality is to use a simple and reliable but time- and space-consuming germination test. In this paper we present a fast and simple method to analyse cabbage seed deterioration by measuring ethanol production from partially imbibed seeds. The method uses a modified

  18. Managing harvest and habitat as integrated components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osnas, Erik; Runge, Michael C.; Mattsson, Brady J.; Austin, Jane E.; Boomer, G. S.; Clark, R. G.; Devers, P.; Eadie, J. M.; Lonsdorf, E. V.; Tavernia, Brian G.

    2014-01-01

    In 2007, several important initiatives in the North American waterfowl management community called for an integrated approach to habitat and harvest management. The essence of the call for integration is that harvest and habitat management affect the same resources, yet exist as separate endeavours with very different regulatory contexts. A common modelling framework could help these management streams to better understand their mutual effects. Particularly, how does successful habitat management increase harvest potential? Also, how do regional habitat programmes and large-scale harvest strategies affect continental population sizes (a metric used to express habitat goals)? In the ensuing five years, several projects took on different aspects of these challenges. While all of these projects are still on-going, and are not yet sufficiently developed to produce guidance for management decisions, they have been influential in expanding the dialogue and producing some important emerging lessons. The first lesson has been that one of the more difficult aspects of integration is not the integration across decision contexts, but the integration across spatial and temporal scales. Habitat management occurs at local and regional scales. Harvest management decisions are made at a continental scale. How do these actions, taken at different scales, combine to influence waterfowl population dynamics at all scales? The second lesson has been that consideration of the interface of habitat and harvest management can generate important insights into the objectives underlying the decision context. Often the objectives are very complex and trade-off against one another. The third lesson follows from the second – if an understanding of the fundamental objectives is paramount, there is no escaping the need for a better understanding of human dimensions, specifically the desires of hunters and nonhunters and the role they play in conservation. In the end, the compelling question is

  19. Harvesting Information from Heterogeneous Sources

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qureshi, Pir Abdul Rasool; Memon, Nasrullah; Wiil, Uffe Kock

    2011-01-01

    The abundance of information regarding any topic makes the Internet a very good resource. Even though searching the Internet is very easy, what remains difficult is to automate the process of information extraction from the available online information due to the lack of structure and the diversi...... with performance of our tool with respect to each format. Finally, the different potential applications of the proposed tool are discussed with special emphasis on open source intelligence....... in the sharing methods. Most of the times, information is stored in different proprietary formats, complying with different standards and protocols which makes tasks like data mining and information harvesting very difficult. In this paper, an information harvesting tool (heteroHarvest) is presented...... with objectives to address these problems by filtering the useful information and then normalizing the information in a singular non hypertext format. We also discuss state of the art tools along with the shortcomings and present the results of an analysis carried out over different heterogeneous formats along...

  20. Passively-switched energy harvester for increased operational range

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Tian; Livermore, Carol; Pierre, Ryan St

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents modeling and experimental validation of a new type of vibrational energy harvester that passively switches between two dynamical modes of operation to expand the range of driving frequencies and accelerations over which the harvester effectively extracts power. In both modes, a driving beam with a low resonant frequency couples into ambient vibrations and transfers their energy to a generating beam that has a higher resonant frequency. The generating beam converts the mechanical power into electrical power. In coupled-motion mode, the driving beam bounces off the generating beam. In plucked mode, the driving beam deflects the generating beam until the driving beam passes from above the generating beam to below it or vice versa. Analytical system models are implemented numerically in the time domain for driving frequencies of 3 Hz to 27 Hz and accelerations from 0.1 g to 2.6 g, and both system dynamics and output power are predicted. A corresponding switched-dynamics harvester is tested experimentally, and its voltage, power, and dynamics are recorded. In both models and experiments, coupled-motion harvesting is observed at lower accelerations, whereas plucked harvesting and/or mixed mode harvesting are observed at higher accelerations. As expected, plucked harvesting outputs greater power than coupled-motion harvesting in both simulations and experiments. The predicted (1.8 mW) and measured (1.56 mW) maximum average power levels are similar under measured conditions at 0.5 g. When the system switches to dynamics that are characteristic of higher frequencies, the difference between predicted and measured power levels is more pronounced due to non-ideal mechanical interaction between the beams’ tips. Despite the beams’ non-ideal interactions, switched-dynamics operation increases the harvester’s operating range. (paper)