Multi-Tenant Isolation via Reconfigurable Networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aderholdt, Ferrol [Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States); Caldwell, Blake A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hicks, Susan Elaine [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Koch, Scott M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pelfrey, Daniel S. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pogge, James R. [Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States); Scott, Stephen L. [Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States); Shipman, Galen M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Sorrillo, Lawrence [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2014-12-01

High performance computing environments are often used for a wide variety of workloads ranging from simulation, data transformation and analysis, and complex workflows to name just a few. These systems may process data at various security levels but in so doing are often enclaved at the highest security posture. This approach places significant restrictions on the users of the system even when processing data at a lower security level and exposes data at higher levels of confidentiality to a much broader population than otherwise necessary. The traditional approach of isolation, while effective in establishing security enclaves poses significant challenges for the use of shared infrastructure in HPC environments. This report details current state-of-the-art in reconfigurable network enclaving through Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and their applicability to secure enclaves in HPC environments. SDN and NFV methods are based on a solid foundation of system wide virtualization. The purpose of which is very straight forward, the system administrator can deploy networks that are more amenable to customer needs, and at the same time achieve increased scalability making it easier to increase overall capacity as needed without negatively affecting functionality. The network administration of both the server system and the virtual sub-systems is simplified allowing control of the infrastructure through well-defined APIs (Application Programming Interface). While SDN and NFV technologies offer significant promise in meeting these goals, they also provide the ability to address a significant component of the multi-tenant challenge in HPC environments, namely resource isolation. Traditional HPC systems are built upon scalable high-performance networking technologies designed to meet specific application requirements. Dynamic isolation of resources within these environments has remained difficult to achieve. SDN and NFV methodology

Side Channels in the Cloud: Isolation Challenges, Attacks, and Countermeasures

OpenAIRE

Bazm , Mohammad-Mahdi; Lacoste , Marc; Südholt , Mario; Menaud , Jean-Marc

2017-01-01

Cloud computing is based on the sharing of physical resources among several virtual machines through a virtualization layer providing software isolation. Despite advances in virtualization, data security and isolation guarantees remain important challenges for cloud providers. Some of the most prominent isolation violations come from side-channel attacks that aim at exploiting and using a leaky channel to obtain sensitive data such as encryption keys. Such channels may be created by vulnerabl...

Resource quality or competition: why increase resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics?

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Jeremy M; Nufio, César R; Papaj, Daniel R

2011-07-01

Some animal species increase resource acceptance rates in the presence of conspecifics. Such responses may be adaptive if the presence of conspecifics is a reliable indicator of resource quality. Similarly, these responses could represent an adaptive reduction in choosiness under high levels of scramble competition. Although high resource quality and high levels of scramble competition should both favor increased resource acceptance, the contexts in which the increase occurs should differ. In this paper, we tested the effect of social environment on egg-laying and aggressive behavior in the walnut fly, Rhagoletis juglandis, in multiple contexts to determine whether increased resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics was better viewed as a response to increased host quality or increased competition. We found that grouped females oviposit more readily than isolated females when provided small (low-quality) artificial hosts but not when provided large (high-quality) artificial hosts, indicating that conspecific presence reduces choosiness. Increased resource acceptance was observed even when exposure to conspecifics was temporally or spatially separate from exposure to the resource. Finally, we found that individuals showed reduced aggression after being housed in groups, as expected under high levels of scramble competition. These results indicate that the pattern of resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics may be better viewed as a response to increased scramble competition rather than as a response to public information about resource quality.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant No-migration variance petition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-03-01

This report describes various aspects of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) including design data, waste characterization, dissolution features, ground water hydrology, natural resources, monitoring, general geology, and the gas generation/test program

Mapping isolated wetlands in a Karst landscape: GIS and remote sensing methods

Science.gov (United States)

Isolated wetlands occur in many areas of the United States, and although they are relatively common, they are a resource not yet thoroughly understood by the scientific community. Isolated wetlands have received increased attention recently, due to the 2001 Solid Waste Agency of ...

Resource slicing in virtual wireless networks: a survey

OpenAIRE

Richart, Matias; Baliosian De Lazzari, Javier Ernesto; Serrat Fernández, Juan; Gorricho Moreno, Juan Luis

2016-01-01

New architectural and design approaches for radio access networks have appeared with the introduction of network virtualization in the wireless domain. One of these approaches splits the wireless network infrastructure into isolated virtual slices under their own management, requirements, and characteristics. Despite the advances in wireless virtualization, there are still many open issues regarding the resource allocation and isolation of wireless slices. Because of the dynamics and share...

Antifungal susceptibility testing method for resource constrained laboratories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khan S

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: In resource-constrained laboratories of developing countries determination of antifungal susceptibility testing by NCCLS/CLSI method is not always feasible. We describe herein a simple yet comparable method for antifungal susceptibility testing. Methods: Reference MICs of 72 fungal isolates including two quality control strains were determined by NCCLS/CLSI methods against fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B and cancidas. Dermatophytes were also tested against terbinafine. Subsequently, on selection of optimum conditions, MIC was determined for all the fungal isolates by semisolid antifungal agar susceptibility method in Brain heart infusion broth supplemented with 0.5% agar (BHIA without oil overlay and results were compared with those obtained by reference NCCLS/CLSI methods. Results: Comparable results were obtained by NCCLS/CLSI and semisolid agar susceptibility (SAAS methods against quality control strains. MICs for 72 isolates did not differ by more than one dilution for all drugs by SAAS. Conclusions: SAAS using BHIA without oil overlay provides a simple and reproducible method for obtaining MICs against yeast, filamentous fungi and dermatophytes in resource-constrained laboratories.

[New isolation methods and phylogenetic diversity of actinobacteria from hypersaline beach in Aksu].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yao; Xia, Zhanfeng; Cao, Xinbo; Li, Jun; Zhang, Lili

2013-08-04

We explored 4 new methods to improve the isolation of actinobacterial resources from high salt areas. Optimized media based on 4 new strategies were used for isolating actinobacteria from hypersaline beaches. Glycerin-arginine, trehalose-creatine, glycerol-asparticacid, mannitol-casein, casein-mannitol, mannitol-alanine, chitosan-asparagineand GAUZE' No. 1 were used as basic media. New isolation strategy includes 4 methods: ten-fold dilution culture, simulation of the original environment, actinobacterial culture guided by uncultured molecular technology detected, and reference of actinobacterial media for brackish marine environment. The 16S rRNA genes of the isolates were amplified with bacterial universal primers. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequences were compared with sequences obtained from GenBank databases. We constructed phylogenetic tree with the neighbor-joining method. No actinobacterial strains were isolated by 8 media of control group, while 403 strains were isolated by new strategies. The isolates by new methods were members of 14 genera (Streptomyces, Streptomonospora, Saccharomonospora, Plantactinospora, Nocardia, Amycolatopsis, Glycomyces, Micromonospora, Nocardiopsis, Isoptericola, Nonomuraea, Thermobifida, Actinopolyspora, Actinomadura) of 10 families in 8 suborders. The most abundant and diverse isolates were the two suborders of Streptomycineae (69.96%) and Streptosporangineaesuborder (9.68%) within the phylum Actinobacteria, including 9 potential novel species. New isolation methods significantly improved the actinobacterial culturability of hypersaline areas, and obtained many potential novel species, which provided a new and more effective way to isolate actinobacteria resources in hypersaline environments.

Experimental Verification Of Hyper-V Performance Isolation Level

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krzysztof Rzecki

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The need for cost optimization in a broad sense constitutes the basis of operation of every enterprise. In the case of IT structure, which is present in almost every field of activity these days, one of the most commonly applied technologies leading to good cost-to-profit adjustment is virtualization. It consists in locating several operational systems with IT systems on a single server. In order for such optimization to be carried out correctly it has to be strictly controlled by means of allocating access to resources, which is known as performance isolation. Modern virtualizers allow to set up this allocation in quantitative terms (the number of processors, size of RAM, or disc space. It appears, however, that in qualitative terms (processor's time, RAM or hard disc bandwidth the actual allocation of resources does not always correspond with this configuration. This paper provides an experimental presentation of the achievable level of performance isolation of the Hyper-V virtualizer.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Land Management Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

To reflect the requirement of section 4 of the Wastes Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdrawal Act (the Act) (Public Law 102-579), this land management plan has been written for the withdrawal area consistent with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. The objective of this document, per the Act, is to describe the plan for the use of the withdrawn land until the end of the decommissioning phase. The plan identifies resource values within the withdrawal area and promotes the concept of multiple-use management. The plan also provides opportunity for participation in the land use planning process by the public and local, State, and Federal agencies. Chapter 1, Introduction, provides the reader with the purpose of this land management plan as well as an overview of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Chapter 2, Affected Environment, is a brief description of the existing resources within the withdrawal area. Chapter 3, Management Objectives and Planned Actions, describes the land management objectives and actions taken to accomplish these objectives

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Land Management Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-12-01

To reflect the requirement of section 4 of the Wastes Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdrawal Act (the Act) (Public Law 102-579), this land management plan has been written for the withdrawal area consistent with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. The objective of this document, per the Act, is to describe the plan for the use of the withdrawn land until the end of the decommissioning phase. The plan identifies resource values within the withdrawal area and promotes the concept of multiple-use management. The plan also provides opportunity for participation in the land use planning process by the public and local, State, and Federal agencies. Chapter 1, Introduction, provides the reader with the purpose of this land management plan as well as an overview of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Chapter 2, Affected Environment, is a brief description of the existing resources within the withdrawal area. Chapter 3, Management Objectives and Planned Actions, describes the land management objectives and actions taken to accomplish these objectives.

Regional Changes in the Timber Resources of and Lumber Production in Pennsylvania

Science.gov (United States)

William G. Luppold; Matthew S. Bumgardner; Matthew S. Bumgardner

2005-01-01

In this study we examine regional differences in the hardwood timber resources of Pennsylvania and explain how the combined changes in this resource and in lumber prices have influenced regional lumber production. Isolation of these relationships is important because shifts in lumber production affect harvesting levels and harvesting activity influences long-term...

Selection, isolation, and identification of fungi for bioherbicide production

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Angélica Rossana Castro de Souza

Full Text Available Abstract Production of a bioherbicide for biological control of weeds requires a series of steps, from selection of a suitable microbial strain to final formulation. Thus, this study aimed to select fungi for production of secondary metabolites with herbicidal activity using biological resources of the Brazilian Pampa biome. Phytopathogenic fungi were isolated from infected tissues of weeds in the Pampa biome. A liquid synthetic culture medium was used for production of metabolites. The phytotoxicity of fungal metabolites was assessed via biological tests using the plant Cucumis sativus L., and the most promising strain was identified by molecular analysis. Thirty-nine fungi were isolated, and 28 presented some phytotoxic symptoms against the target plant. Fungus VP51 belonging to the genus Diaporthe showed the most pronounced herbicidal activity. The Brazilian Pampa biome is a potential resource for the development of new and sustainable chemical compounds for modern agriculture.

Pressure in the Territories of the Tageiri, Taromenane and other Isolated Families in the Ecuadorian Amazon

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Kati Álvarez

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The territories in which the Tageiri, Taromenane and other isolated tribes in the Ecuadorian Amazon reside suffer from various pressures. As one will see later, these pressures respond to economic models implemented in the seventies by the different administrations and that have involved exploitation of natural resources, expansion of agricultural and livestock borders and the subordination of other socio-economic alternatives (even those of isolated communities to the logics of capital. Apparently, these territorial pressures can be multiplied and diversified on an accelerated manner by actors interested in the resources of the Amazon region in general, and in the territory of the Tageiri, Taromenane and other isolated tribes, in particular.

Antibacterial compounds from marine Vibrionaceae isolated on a global expedition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wietz, Matthias; Månsson, Maria; Gotfredsen, Charlotte Held

2010-01-01

known antibiotics as being responsible for the antibacterial activity; andrimid (from V. coralliilyticus) and holomycin (from P. halotolerans). Despite the isolation of already known antibiotics, our findings show that marine Vibrionaceae are a resource of antibacterial compounds and may have potential...

Social, environmental and resource impact of wood gasification on isolated communities. Part 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1977-01-01

The adequacy of forest resources and the social and environmental consequences of wood gasification on 15 northern communities that are serviced by diesel electric generators was assessed. Projections are based on the operation of the B.C. Research wood gasifier, with a gasifier supporting a 250 KW generator expected to need 750,000 lb. dry wood/year at 20% average load. Assuming that forest resources are harvested on a sustained yield basis and that wastewood is used, forest resources appear adequate to supply a small wood gasification plant (4 million BTUs/hour) for at least 50 years in each community. The social consequences are expected to be largely positive and the potential environmental impact minimal. Each plant would require two full-time and two part-time employees. The listed recommendations include a careful choice of harvesting and gasifier sites and suggested further studies, particularly on the six communities north of latitude 57 degrees where forest volume information is inadequate. Guidelines are given for the protection of the environment.

Investigation of Fungi in Drinking Water Resources as a Source of Contamination Tap Water in Sari, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z Yousefi

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Background and purpose: One of the most prominent concerns for the water consumers is pathogenic microorganism contamination. Wells and underground water resources are the main resources of drinking water in Sari city, Iran. The main objectives of the research project were to explore the distribution and frequency of mycoflora in wells and underground water resources of the city and their contamination effects on humans. Materials and methods: Three reservoirs and 18 wells or underground water resources were analyzed. Water samples were then filtered and analyzed according to the World Health Organization guidelines. Each filter and 0.2 ml of suspension inoculated on SDA+CG media. For fungal growth, plates were incubated at 27’C for 7-10 days. The fungi were identified by standard mycological techniques. Results: Fungal colonies were isolated from all samples. From total of 160 fungal colonies isolated from wells water, 14 species of fungi were distinguished. Rhodotorula (54.4%, Monilinia (13.7%, Alternaria (6.9% were the most commonly isolated. Drechslera, Rhizopus, and Exserohilum (0.6% had the lowest frequency. There was no significant difference between fungal elements isolated from three major reservoirs (P>0.05. Conclusion: This study revealed that resources of drinking water from an area have to monitored and if its fungal CFU be greater than a certain value, medical and health preventive measures should be taken before the water is used by human. In this context, public and private awareness should also be provided through the media, broadcasting, teachers and scholars.

Interplay between r- and K-strategists leads to phytoplankton underyielding under pulsed resource supply.

Science.gov (United States)

Papanikolopoulou, Lydia A; Smeti, Evangelia; Roelke, Daniel L; Dimitrakopoulos, Panayiotis G; Kokkoris, Giorgos D; Danielidis, Daniel B; Spatharis, Sofie

2018-03-01

Fluctuations in nutrient ratios over seasonal scales in aquatic ecosystems can result in overyielding, a condition arising when complementary life-history traits of coexisting phytoplankton species enables more complete use of resources. However, when nutrient concentrations fluctuate under short-period pulsed resource supply, the role of complementarity is less understood. We explore this using the framework of Resource Saturation Limitation Theory (r-strategists vs. K-strategists) to interpret findings from laboratory experiments. For these experiments, we isolated dominant species from a natural assemblage, stabilized to a state of coexistence in the laboratory and determined life-history traits for each species, important to categorize its competition strategy. Then, using monocultures we determined maximum biomass density under pulsed resource supply. These same conditions of resource supply were used with polycultures comprised of combinations of the isolated species. Our focal species were consistent of either r- or K-strategies and the biomass production achieved in monocultures depended on their efficiency to convert resources to biomass. For these species, the K-strategists were less efficient resource users. This affected biomass production in polycultures, which were characteristic of underyielding. In polycultures, K-strategists sequestered more resources than the r-strategists. This likely occurred because the intermittent periods of nutrient limitation that would have occurred just prior to the next nutrient supply pulse would have favored the K-strategists, leading to overall less efficient use of resources by the polyculture. This study provides evidence that fluctuation in resource concentrations resulting from pulsed resource supplies in aquatic ecosystems can result in phytoplankton assemblages' underyielding.

Global patterns of marine bacterioplankton diversity and characterisation of bioactive Vibrionaceae isolates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wietz, Matthias

from P. halotolerans and a novel siderophore-like compound from V. nigripulchritudo were isolated. All three compounds interfere with quorum sensing in S. aureus. During LOMROG-II further seventeen strains with antagonistic activity were isolated, affiliating with the Actinobacteria (8 strains......), Pseudoalteromonas (4 strains), the Vibrionaceae (3 strains), and Psychrobacter (2 strains). Seven of the eight bioactive Actinobacteria, being isolated from different sources throughout the Arctic Ocean, were related to Arthrobacter davidanieli. Its broad antibiotic spectrum was likely based on production...... demonstrated that marine Vibrionaceae and polar Actinobacteria are a resource of antibacterial compounds and may have potential for future natural product discovery....

The social isolation of young men with quadriplegia.

Science.gov (United States)

Blake, K

1995-01-01

This article describes the results of a study undertaken to identify perceptions of possible social isolation among individuals who become quadriplegic as young adults. Two focus group sessions were held with 4 male participants in each group. All the young men were between the ages of 19 years and 35 years, and all had been disabled for more than 3 years. The results showed that the participants felt challenged by the environment and their resources but did not experience the feelings associated with social isolation as defined by Goffman (1963). The participants, however, identified important socially isolating stressors based on the human needs described by Maslow (1970) as existing in a hierarchy. The results of the study suggest that people with disabilities need interpersonal techniques that enable them to feel a sense of security and control of their time; rehabilitation nurses are ideally suited to assist clients in developing such techniques.

Proposal for the establishment of an International Centre for Resource Management (ICRM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Islam, S.

1999-01-01

Energy and physical resources are necessary for development. These resources are not scarce. What is scarce is Technology. Technology is not only machines, it is also knowledge to run these machines. Most of the developing countries waste whatever resources they do have because of a lack of scientists, technologists and modern management. The main reason for underdevelopment of the poor countries is their weak linkage to modern science and technology. The scientists in the developing countries are isolated. Science cannot survive, let alone flourish, in isolation. The International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy (ICTP) was established to end scientific isolation and to stop brain drain. The centre was established in 1964 under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Now the centre's Management is run by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), ICTP in Trieste started in 1964 with a budget of US$ 355,000. The building was donated by the Government of Italy. Now its budget is about US$ 20 million (90 per cent from Italy). About 4,000 scientists visit the centre every year. Since its establishment about 40,000 scientists from developing countries and 20,000 from developed countries have visited ICTP. The principal purpose of the proposed International Centre for Resource Management will be to foster through seminars, conferences, teaching and research the advancement of better resource utilization and environmental protection in the less developed countries. An international teaching and research institute dealing in energy policy, research and project management, electronic communication, hydrology, water resource management, soil science, climatology, meteorology, oceanography and desertification will provide the developing countries with expertise needed for successful development policy. Since it happens that the major advance in these fields have relevance for development, aid giving

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant No-migration variance petition. Addendum: Volume 7, Revision 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-03-01

This report describes various aspects of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) including design data, waste characterization, dissolution features, ground water hydrology, natural resources, monitoring, general geology, and the gas generation/test program.

Optimized Dispatch Schedule for Autonomous Grids in Isolated Islands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Liuyang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The rapid development of wind power provides a new solution for power supply of isolated island. However, due to the intermittent and stochastic nature of renewable energy resources (RES, the energy storage unit (ESU is required for power grid reliability. This paper proposed an automatic programming method for autonomous grid in isolated islands. The sea water pumped storage plant serves as ESU to counter-balance the fluctuations of RESs. The penetration level of RES and the profit of the Island system operator (ISO increase significantly. With the geographical and historical data of an island in China, the effectiveness of the proposed method is testified.

Preliminary screening of bacterial isolates from mining wastes

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Rodino S.,

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Developing innovative biotechnology for obtaining new resources of high tech critical metals is strongly influenced by the need to reduce the potential risk of shortages, to support the development of industry at European level. To set up these new technologies is essential to isolate strains with high potential in bioleaching of ore, tailings and mine wastes and bioaccumulation of high tech critical metals. Microorganisms are capable of mediating metal and mineral bioprecipitation. In this paper are presented preliminary studies performed for the isolation of strains existing in mining residues containing high tech critical metals. Were used samples collected from various depths in an area of mining wastes containing high tech critical metals. The samples were fine grounded and the powder was washed with sterile saline water. Exact quantities of samples were dispersed in sterile saline water, shaken for a period of 60 minutes, diluted and plated in triplicate on selective agar. After several steps were isolated 3 strains of gram negative bacteria.

Plant Community Richness Mediates Inhibitory Interactions and Resource Competition between Streptomyces and Fusarium Populations in the Rhizosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Essarioui, Adil; LeBlanc, Nicholas; Kistler, Harold C; Kinkel, Linda L

2017-07-01

Plant community characteristics impact rhizosphere Streptomyces nutrient competition and antagonistic capacities. However, the effects of Streptomyces on, and their responses to, coexisting microorganisms as a function of plant host or plant species richness have received little attention. In this work, we characterized antagonistic activities and nutrient use among Streptomyces and Fusarium from the rhizosphere of Andropogon gerardii (Ag) and Lespedeza capitata (Lc) plants growing in communities of 1 (monoculture) or 16 (polyculture) plant species. Streptomyces from monoculture were more antagonistic against Fusarium than those from polyculture. In contrast, Fusarium isolates from polyculture had greater inhibitory capacities against Streptomyces than isolates from monoculture. Although Fusarium isolates had on average greater niche widths, the collection of Streptomyces isolates in total used a greater diversity of nutrients for growth. Plant richness, but not plant host, influenced the potential for resource competition between the two taxa. Fusarium isolates had greater niche overlap with Streptomyces in monoculture than polyculture, suggesting greater potential for Fusarium to competitively challenge Streptomyces in monoculture plant communities. In contrast, Streptomyces had greater niche overlap with Fusarium in polyculture than monoculture, suggesting that Fusarium experiences greater resource competition with Streptomyces in polyculture than monoculture. These patterns of competitive and inhibitory phenotypes among Streptomyces and Fusarium populations are consistent with selection for Fusarium-antagonistic Streptomyces populations in the presence of strong Fusarium resource competition in plant monocultures. Similarly, these results suggest selection for Streptomyces-inhibitory Fusarium populations in the presence of strong Streptomyces resource competition in more diverse plant communities. Thus, landscape-scale variation in plant species richness may be

Status of geothermal resources in Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le-Bert, G.

1990-01-01

Except for some isolated instances with tourist or therapeutic objectives and some attempts in the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, there are no projects for direct heat utilization of geothermal resources in Mexico. Therefore, all places that are studied are studied with geothermal-electric objectives. It is convenient to keep in mind that in Mexico, by law, the Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) is the public utility in charge of electrical energy service. This institution is directly responsible for the exploration, development and commercial use of geothermal energy for electrical generation. Therefore, this paper includes the present and planned exploration and utilization of geothermal resources only for electricity generation for the period 1985 to the present. Likewise, starting 5 years ago, the CFE efforts have been directed toward the development of high enthalpy fields

Struggles over Access and Authority in the Governance of new water resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cold-Ravnkilde, Signe Marie; Funder, Mikkel

Research on water scarcity in the South has often focused on the impacts of limited water resources for the rural poor, prompted most recently by the climate change debate. Less attention has been drawn to the social and institutional processes surrounding the emergence of new collective water...... of the way we understand the development of new water resources in the current context of inequality, water scarcity and climate change....... resources, and how this affects authority, access rights and social exclusion in local water governance. The paper addresses this issue through a study of local competition over access to new common-pool water resources in isolated rural areas of Zambia and Mali. In Mali, climate change has led...

Human Resource Architectures for New Teachers in Flemish Primary Education

Science.gov (United States)

Vekeman, Eva; Devos, Geert; Valcke, Martin

2016-01-01

Since research shows that the quality of a school's teaching force is related to its personnel practices, there is a growing interest in human resource management (HRM) in education. Existing research has generated insights into the differences, constraints and effects of single and isolated HR practices. Yet, little research is available…

Characterization of Leptospira isolates from humans and the environment in Uruguay.

Science.gov (United States)

Meny, Paulina; Menéndez, Clara; Quintero, Jair; Hernández, Elba; Ríos, Cristina; Balassiano, Ilana Teruszkin; Trindade, Camilla Nunes Dos Reis; Vital-Brazil, Juliana Magalhães; Ramos, Tatiane Mendes Varela; Ashfield, Natalia; Feble, Camila; Avila, Esthefani; Schelotto, Felipe; Varela, Gustavo

2017-12-21

Laboratory diagnosis of human leptospirosis usually relies on indirect methods exploring specific immune response. Isolation and identification of the involved strains are cumbersome, but can provide biological resources for pathogenic studies and relevant information for guiding prevention and control measures. The aim of the research we are hereby reporting was the characterization of Leptospira isolates obtained from humans and the environment in Uruguay. Blood cultures were performed from early samples of 302 Uruguayan patients, mainly rural workers, and from 36 water samples taken from their living or working environments. Eight human isolates and seven environmental isolates were obtained and analyzed by end point Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Multilocus Variable Number of Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA) and other molecular methods. Human isolates corresponded to several serogroups and serovars of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira kirschneri species, probably reflecting the infection with similar involved Leptospira species and serovars of an extended animal reservoir in rural settings of the country, mostly dedicated to meat and dairy production. Culture-positive patients were older than usually affected workers, and presented signs and symptoms of severe illness. A high organic and circulating bacterial burden may explain an easier positive result from these workers' samples. Environmental isolates were mainly identified as Leptospira biflexa strains, with a single L. meyeri isolate of uncertain significance.

South African uranium resources - 1997 assessment methodology and results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ainslie, L.C.

2001-01-01

The first commercial uranium production in South Africa started in 1953 to meet the demand for British/US nuclear weapons. This early production reached its peak in 1959 and began to decline with the reduced demand. The world oil crisis in the 1970s sparked a second resurgence of increased uranium production that peaked in 1980 to over 6,000 tonnes. Poor market condition allied with increasing political isolation resulted in uranium production declining to less than a third of the levels achieved in the early 1980s. South Africa is well endowed with uranium resource. Its uranium resources in the RAR and EAR-I categories, extractable at costs of less than $80/kg U, as of 1 January 1997, are estimated to 284 400 tonnes U. Nearly two thirds of these resources are associated with the gold deposits in the Witwatersrand conglomerates. Most of the remaining resources occur in the Karoo sandstone and coal deposits. (author)

Is there ethological isolation among Drosophila melanogaster strains reared for more than 35 generations on different food?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavković-Lučić Sofija

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Ethological isolation among three strains of D. melanogaster reared for more than 35 generations on different food (standard cornmeal-agar-yeast medium, banana, and tomato was tested in a series of multiple choice tests. Long-term maintenance on different substrates did not contribute to sexual isolation among three 'nutritional strains', as degrees of ethological isolation (Malogolowkin-Cohen's isolation indices were not statistically significant. Males and females reared on different nutritional resources were equally successful in matings, i.e., significant differences in the number of copulations achieved by males and females from various lines were not observed.

First report of isolation of Nocardia otitidiscaviarum from hospital water

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Shojaei Hasan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Nocardia otitidiscaviarum DSM43242 was first isolated as a novel species in 1924 from infected middle ear of guinea pig. Since then, there have only been a lot number additional reports for example from Spain, the USA, French and Japan, on the isolation of this species from clinical specimens such as pulmonary infection, disseminated infection, cutaneous infection and primary brain abscess. Nocardia infection is mainly associated with immunocompromised patients, but sometimes may appear in healthy humans. We herein present the first report on isolation of this organism from hospital water, which represents the environmental resources as a source of risk for people especially the hospital environment. The isolate NR4 was subjected to identification by conventional phenotypic tests such as resistance to lysozyme and molecular tests including genusspecific PCR for Nocardia based on partial 16S rDNA gene and sequencing analysis of 16S rDNA. Our finding of 16S rDNA gene sequence of the studied strain were identical and showed 100% similarties with those of Nocardia otitidiscaviarum.

Structural degradation of Thar lignite using MW1 fungal isolate: optimization studies

Science.gov (United States)

Haider, Rizwan; Ghauri, Muhammad A.; Jones, Elizabeth J.; Orem, William H.; SanFilipo, John R.

2015-01-01

Biological degradation of low-rank coals, particularly degradation mediated by fungi, can play an important role in helping us to utilize neglected lignite resources for both fuel and non-fuel applications. Fungal degradation of low-rank coals has already been investigated for the extraction of soil-conditioning agents and the substrates, which could be subjected to subsequent processing for the generation of alternative fuel options, like methane. However, to achieve an efficient degradation process, the fungal isolates must originate from an appropriate coal environment and the degradation process must be optimized. With this in mind, a representative sample from the Thar coalfield (the largest lignite resource of Pakistan) was treated with a fungal strain, MW1, which was previously isolated from a drilled core coal sample. The treatment caused the liberation of organic fractions from the structural matrix of coal. Fungal degradation was optimized, and it showed significant release of organics, with 0.1% glucose concentration and 1% coal loading ratio after an incubation time of 7 days. Analytical investigations revealed the release of complex organic moieties, pertaining to polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and it also helped in predicting structural units present within structure of coal. Such isolates, with enhanced degradation capabilities, can definitely help in exploiting the chemical-feedstock-status of coal.

Sustainability of coastal resource use in San Quintin, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguirre-Muñoz, A; Buddemeier, R W; Camacho-Ibar, V; Carriquiry, J D; Ibarra-Obando, S E; Massey, B W; Smith, S V; Wulff, F

2001-05-01

San Quintin, Mexico, provides a useful site for integrated analyses of material fluxes and socioeconomic constraints in a geographically isolated system. Natural resource utilization on the land is dominated by groundwater exploitation for cultivation of horticulture crops (primarily tomatoes). Irrigation exceeds water recharge minus export by a factor of 6. Resource utilization in the bay is dominated by oyster culture; food for the oysters is provided by tidal exchange of bay and ocean water. Consideration of oyster respiration and system respiration suggests that the present level of aquaculture is about 40% of the sustainable level. A "physical unsustainability index" (PhUI) was developed to measure the proportional departure of utilization of the most limiting resource for sustainability: 6 on land; 0.4 in the bay. Based on PhUI and measures of economic development, we conclude that aquaculture is more viable than agriculture.

Supporting Performance Isolation in Software as a Service Systems with Rich Clients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oral, A.; Tekinerdogan, B.

2015-01-01

In a non-isolated Software as a Service (SaaS) system, different clients can freely use the resources of the SaaS. Hereby, disruptive tenants who exceed their limits can easily cause degradation of performance of the provided services for other tenants. To ensure performance demands of the multiple

Sustainability of High-Level Isolation Capabilities among US Ebola Treatment Centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Herstein, Jocelyn J; Biddinger, Paul D; Gibbs, Shawn G; Le, Aurora B; Jelden, Katelyn C; Hewlett, Angela L; Lowe, John J

2017-06-01

To identify barriers to maintaining and applying capabilities of US high-level isolation units (HLIUs) used during the Ebola virus disease outbreak, during 2016 we surveyed HLIUs. HLIUs identified sustainability challenges and reported the highly infectious diseases they would treat. HLIUs expended substantial resources in development but must strategize models of sustainability to maintain readiness.

Resource conservation and recovery act draft hazardous waste facility permit: Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-08-01

Volume I contains the following attachments for Module II: waste analysis plan; quality assurance program plan for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Experiment Waste Characterization Program(QAPP); WIPP Characterization Sampling and Analysis Guidance Manual (Plan)(SAP); and no migration Determination Requirement Summary (NMD)

Genetics of Type 2 Diabetes: the Power of Isolated Populations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Mette Korre; Pedersen, Casper-Emil Tingskov; Moltke, Ida

2016-01-01

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) affects millions of people worldwide. Improving the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and ultimately improving the treatment strategies are, thus, of great interest. To achieve this, identification of genetic variation predisposing to T2D is important. A large number...... of complex disease variants and describe their contributions to the understanding of the genetics of T2D. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York....... disease-associated variants due to genetic drift. Collectively, this increases the statistical power to detect association signals in isolated populations compared to large outbred populations. In this review, we elaborate on why isolated populations are a powerful resource for the identification...

Seismic isolation structure for pool-type LMFBR - isolation building with vertically isolated floor for NSSS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakurai, A.; Shiojiri, H.; Aoyagi, S.; Matsuda, T.; Fujimoto, S.; Sasaki, Y.; Hirayama, H.

1987-01-01

The NSSS isolation floor vibration characteristics were made clear. Especially, the side support bearing (rubber bearing) is effective for horizontal floor motion restraint and rocking motion control. Seismic isolation effects for responses of the reactor components can be sufficiently expected, using the vertical seismic isolation floor. From the analytical and experimental studies, the following has been concluded: (1) Seismic isolation structure, which is suitable for large pool-type LMFBR, were proposed. (2) Seismic response characteristics of the seismic isolation structure were investigated. It was made clear that the proposed seismic isolation (Combination of the isolated building and the isolated NSSS floor) was effective. (orig./HP)

Nesting success and resource selection of Greater Sage-Grouse [chapter 8

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholas W. Kaczor; Kent C. Jensen; Robert W. Klaver; Mark A. Rumble; Katie M. Herman-Brunson; Christopher C. Swanson

2011-01-01

Declines of Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in South Dakota are a concern because further population declines may lead to isolation from populations in Wyoming and Montana. Furthermore, little information exists about reproductive ecology and resource selection of sage grouse on the eastern edge of their distribution. We investigated Greater Sage-Grouse...

Wind Energy Resource Assessment on Alaska Native Lands in Cordova Region of Prince William Sound

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whissel, John C. [Native Village of Eyak, Cordova, AK (United States); Piche, Matthew [Native Village of Eyak, Cordova, AK (United States)

2015-06-29

The Native Village of Eyak (NVE) has been monitoring wind resources around Cordova, Alaska in order to determine whether there is a role for wind energy to play in the city’s energy scheme, which is now supplies entirely by two run-of-the-river hydro plants and diesel generators. These data are reported in Appendices A and B. Because the hydro resources decline during winter months, and wind resources increase, wind is perhaps an ideal counterpart to round out Cordova’s renewable energy supply. The results of this effort suggests that this is the case, and that developing wind resources makes sense for our small, isolated community.

Prevention in old age psychiatry in low-resource settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bichitra Nanda Patra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Recently, the global population is aging as a result of demographic transition. The elderly are at a higher risk of developing mental illness. This could be due to many reasons including biological factors such as multiple physical illnesses and their treatments and psychosocial factors such as migration, social isolation, and changing family structure. At times, the psychiatric illnesses in the elderly present with atypical features and often go unnoticed. There is a huge treatment gap in addressing the mental health issues of older adults in low-resource countries like India. So far, the preventive aspects in psychiatry are less developed and the mental health care mainly focuses on sickness and treatment. As the number of trained mental health professionals and resources allocated to the field of mental health is meager in low-resource settings, prevention of psychiatric disorders in older adults seems to be a cost-effective option for these settings. In this article, various measures for prevention of psychiatric disorders in elderly low-resource settings have been discussed.

Annotated bibliography of cultural resources literature for the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-11-01

This annotated bibliography of the cultural resources literature pertinent for the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations was assembled in order to (1) identify and evaluate the prehistoric and historic properties previously recorded in the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations Project Area of southern Nye County, Nevada, (2) identify and develop research problems that have been and/or could be addressed by the cultural resources of this area, (3) isolate factors that might be important in the selection of a potential locality for a high level nuclear waste repository in the project area, and (4) critically evaluate the adequacy and current status of cultural resources knowledge in the project area. 195 references

[Isolation and physiological characteristics of endophytic actinobacteria from medicinal plants].

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Huijing; Su, Jing; Yu, Liyan; Zhang, Yuqin

2013-01-04

To isolate, incubate and characterize cultivable endophytic antinobacteria from medicinal plants, and analyze the diversity of the endophytic antinobacteria, then explore the novel microbial resources. Ten media were used to isolate endophytic antinobacteria from 37 fresh medicinal plant tissue samples. The optimal cultivation conditions for endophytic antinobacteria were determined by comparison. Based on the morphology of the colonies and cells of the new isolates, we chose 174 isolates to analyze their 16S rRNA gene sequences and the diversity of the medicinal plant endophytic antinobacteria. The physiological characteristics of 27 representative strains were studied using Biolog GEN III MicroPlates, API 50CH and API ZYM kits. In total 940 endophytics affiliated to 47 genera of 30 families were isolated, among which more than 600 actinobacteria belonged to 34 genera and 7 unknown taxa. Good growth of the endophytic antinobacteria on PYG (peptone-yeast-glycerol) medium with pH 7.2 at 28-32 degrees C was observed. Physiological characteristics differences of these isolates related to their phylogenetic relationships. Greater differences were shown among the strains from the same host plants than those from differ,ent plants grown in the same area. There are great diverse endophytic actinobacteria inside the medicinal plants. No direct relationship of the endophytic actinobacteria from medicinal plants with the host plants in the sole carbon source utilization, fermentation of carbon sources to produce acid and the enzyme activities was found, while it seemed that the physiological characteristics of the isolates related to the geographical distribution of their host.

Analysis and wafer-level design of a high-order silicon vibration isolator for resonating MEMS devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Sang Won; Lee, Sangwoo; Najafi, Khalil; Perkins, Noel C

2011-01-01

This paper presents the analysis and preliminary design, fabrication, and measurement for mechanical vibration-isolation platforms especially designed for resonating MEMS devices including gyroscopes. Important parameters for designing isolation platforms are specified and the first platform (in designs with cascaded multiple platforms) is crucial for improving vibration-isolation performance and minimizing side-effects on integrated gyroscopes. This isolation platform, made from a thick silicon wafer substrate for an environment-resistant MEMS package, incorporates the functionalities of a previous design including vacuum packaging and thermal resistance with no additional resources. This platform consists of platform mass, isolation beams, vertical feedthroughs, and bonding pads. Two isolation platform designs follow from two isolation beam designs: lateral clamped–clamped beams and vertical torsion beams. The beams function simultaneously as mechanical springs and electrical interconnects. The vibration-isolation platform can yield a multi-dimensional, high-order mechanical low pass filter. The isolation platform possesses eight interconnects within a 12.2 × 12.2 mm 2 footprint. The contact resistance ranges from 4–11 Ω depending on the beam design. Vibration measurements using a laser-Doppler vibrometer demonstrate that the lateral vibration-isolation platform suppresses external vibration having frequencies exceeding 2.1 kHz.

Pressure in the Territories of the Tageiri, Taromenane and other Isolated Families in the Ecuadorian Amazon

OpenAIRE

Kati Álvarez

2017-01-01

The territories in which the Tageiri, Taromenane and other isolated tribes in the Ecuadorian Amazon reside suffer from various pressures. As one will see later, these pressures respond to economic models implemented in the seventies by the different administrations and that have involved exploitation of natural resources, expansion of agricultural and livestock borders and the subordination of other socio-economic alternatives (even those of isolated communities) to the logics of capital. App...

Distributed resource management across process boundaries

KAUST Repository

Suresh, Lalith

2017-09-27

Multi-tenant distributed systems composed of small services, such as Service-oriented Architectures (SOAs) and Micro-services, raise new challenges in attaining high performance and efficient resource utilization. In these systems, a request execution spans tens to thousands of processes, and the execution paths and resource demands on different services are generally not known when a request first enters the system. In this paper, we highlight the fundamental challenges of regulating load and scheduling in SOAs while meeting end-to-end performance objectives on metrics of concern to both tenants and operators. We design Wisp, a framework for building SOAs that transparently adapts rate limiters and request schedulers system-wide according to operator policies to satisfy end-to-end goals while responding to changing system conditions. In evaluations against production as well as synthetic workloads, Wisp successfully enforces a range of end-to-end performance objectives, such as reducing average latencies, meeting deadlines, providing fairness and isolation, and avoiding system overload.

Distributed resource management across process boundaries

KAUST Repository

Suresh, Lalith; Bodik, Peter; Menache, Ishai; Canini, Marco; Ciucu, Florin

2017-01-01

Multi-tenant distributed systems composed of small services, such as Service-oriented Architectures (SOAs) and Micro-services, raise new challenges in attaining high performance and efficient resource utilization. In these systems, a request execution spans tens to thousands of processes, and the execution paths and resource demands on different services are generally not known when a request first enters the system. In this paper, we highlight the fundamental challenges of regulating load and scheduling in SOAs while meeting end-to-end performance objectives on metrics of concern to both tenants and operators. We design Wisp, a framework for building SOAs that transparently adapts rate limiters and request schedulers system-wide according to operator policies to satisfy end-to-end goals while responding to changing system conditions. In evaluations against production as well as synthetic workloads, Wisp successfully enforces a range of end-to-end performance objectives, such as reducing average latencies, meeting deadlines, providing fairness and isolation, and avoiding system overload.

Persistent social isolation reflects identity and social context but not maternal effects or early environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Brent, L J N; Ruiz-Lambides, A; Platt, M L

2017-12-19

Individuals who are well integrated into society have greater access to resources and tend to live longer. Why some individuals are socially isolated and others are not is therefore puzzling from an evolutionary perspective. Answering this question requires establishing the mix of intrinsic and contextual factors that contribute to social isolation. Using social network data spanning up to half of the median adult lifespan in a gregarious primate, we found that some measures of social isolation were modestly repeatable within individuals, consistent with a trait. By contrast, social isolation was not explained by the identity of an animal's mother or the group into which it was born. Nevertheless, age, sex and social status each played a role, as did kin dynamics and familiarity. Females with fewer close relatives were more isolated, and the more time males spent in a new group the less isolated they became, independent of their social status. These results show that social isolation results from a combination of intrinsic and environmental factors. From an evolutionary perspective, these findings suggest that social isolation could be adaptive in some contexts and partly maintained by selection.

Geothermal resource assessment of Ouray, Colorado. Resource series 15

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zacharakis, T.G.; Ringrose, C.D.; Pearl, R.H.

1981-01-01

In 1979, a program was initiated to delineate the geological features controlling the occurrence of geothermal resources in Colorado. In the Ouray area, this effort consisted of geological mapping, soil mercury geochemical surveys and resistivity geophysical surveys. The soil mercury obtained inconclusive results, with the Box Canyon area indicating a few anomalous values, but these values are questionable and probably are due to the hot spring activity and mineralization within the Leadville limestone rock. One isolated locality indicating anomalous values was near the Radium Springs pool and ball park, but this appears to be related to warm waters leaking from a buried pipe or from the Uncompahgre River. The electrical resistivity survey however, indicated several areas of low resistivity zones namely above the Box Canyon area, the power station area and the Wiesbaden Motel area. From these low zones it is surmised that the springs are related to a complex fault system which serves as a conduit for the deep circulation of ground waters through the system.

Isolation and Characterization of melanized yeast form of Aureobasidium pullulans and physiological studies on the melanization process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Gamal, M.S.; El-Bialy, H.A.; Elsayed, M.A.; Khalifa, M.A.

2017-01-01

Melanin pigments have immense application potentials in the fields of agriculture , cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries . Isolation and characterization of melanin producer from local resources is the main aim of the present study . Six melanized yeast isolates were selected from seventeen isolation resources including natural sources (Eucalyptus globules plant), industrial wastes (Tomato paste processing) and surface contaminants (Bathrooms). The selected yeasts were screened for melanin production in an individual experiment , results revealed the ability of yeast isolate selected from wastes of tomato paste processing (W 3 ) to produce melanin at 300 mM concentration . The selected melanized yeast was identified as Aureobasidium pullulans according to the morphological characteristics and 18S rRNA . Melanin production by the selected yeast was maximized by optimization of the cultural conditions and nutritional parameters by nearly two folds ( 550 mM ). The highest melanin yield was achieved in the fermentation medium contains 30 gl -1 sucrose , 35 gl -1 peptone and 1 mM L - DOPA concentration after nine days of incubation at 30°C and its pH value is adjusted at 7.0. Melanin characterization by FTIR and NMR resemble aliphatic and aromatic composition of A . pullulans ’ s melanin . In conclusion, the selected yeast is a promising candidate for melanin production in a semipilot scale

Living in a network of scaling cities and finite resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Qubbaj, Murad R; Shutters, Shade T; Muneepeerakul, Rachata

2015-02-01

Many urban phenomena exhibit remarkable regularity in the form of nonlinear scaling behaviors, but their implications on a system of networked cities has never been investigated. Such knowledge is crucial for our ability to harness the complexity of urban processes to further sustainability science. In this paper, we develop a dynamical modeling framework that embeds population-resource dynamics-a generalized Lotka-Volterra system with modifications to incorporate the urban scaling behaviors-in complex networks in which cities may be linked to the resources of other cities and people may migrate in pursuit of higher welfare. We find that isolated cities (i.e., no migration) are susceptible to collapse if they do not have access to adequate resources. Links to other cities may help cities that would otherwise collapse due to insufficient resources. The effects of inter-city links, however, can vary due to the interplay between the nonlinear scaling behaviors and network structure. The long-term population level of a city is, in many settings, largely a function of the city's access to resources over which the city has little or no competition. Nonetheless, careful investigation of dynamics is required to gain mechanistic understanding of a particular city-resource network because cities and resources may collapse and the scaling behaviors may influence the effects of inter-city links, thereby distorting what topological metrics really measure.

Frequency Regulation of a Hybrid Wind–Hydro Power Plant in an Isolated Power System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillermo Martínez-Lucas

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Currently, some small islands with high wind potential are trying to reduce the environmental and economic impact of fossil fuels by using renewable resources. Nevertheless, the characteristics of these renewable resources negatively affect the quality of the electrical energy, causing frequency disturbances, especially in isolated systems. In this study, the combined contribution to frequency regulation of variable speed wind turbines (VSWT and a pump storage hydropower plant (PSHP is analyzed. Different control strategies, using the kinetic energy stored in the VSWT, are studied: inertial, proportional, and their combination. In general, the gains of the VSWT controller for interconnected systems proposed in the literature are not adequate for isolated systems. Therefore, a methodology to adjust the controllers, based on exhaustive searches, is proposed for each of the control strategies. The control strategies and methodology have been applied to a hybrid wind–hydro power plant on El Hierro Island in the Canary archipelago. At present, in this isolated power system, frequency regulation is only provided by the PSHP and diesel generators. The improvements in the quality of frequency regulation, including the VSWT contribution, have been proven based on simulating different events related to wind speed, or variations in the power demand.

Life Cycle Assessment of concrete manufacturing in small isolated states: the case of Cyprus

Science.gov (United States)

Chrysostomou, Chrystalla; Kylili, Angeliki; Nicolaides, Demetris; Fokaides, Paris A.

2017-10-01

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an effective and valuable methodology for identifying the holistic sustainable behaviour of materials and products. It is also useful in analysing the impact a structure has over the course of its life cycle. Currently, there is no sufficient knowhow regarding the life cycle performance of building materials used in the case of small isolated states. This study focuses on the LCA of the production of concrete for the investigation of its environmental impact in isolated island states, using the case of Cyprus as an example. Four different scenarios for the production of 1 tonne of concrete are examined: (i) manufacturing of concrete by transporting raw materials from different locations around the island, (ii) manufacturing of concrete using alternative energy resources, (iii) manufacturing of concrete with reduced transportation needs, and (iv) on-site manufacturing of concrete. The results, in terms of environmental impacts of concrete produced, indicated that the use of renewable electricity instead of fossil-fuelled electricity in isolated states can drastically improve the environmental performance of the end product. Also, the minimisation of transportation distances and the use of locally available resources can also affect, to a degree, the environmental impact of concrete production.

Some disjointed observations on federal public-land and resources law

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coggins, G.C.

A review of the evolution of public-land law and policies concludes that: (1) Public-land and resources law cannot be divorced from history; in spite of recent developments, one cannot understand present problems without understanding their historical derivation. (2) Public-land management will always be as controversial as it is interesting because the perfect balance of resource uses in unattainable. (3) Multiple-use, sustained-yield management has failed; instead, like Christianity, it has never really been tried. (4) From the ecological maxim that everything is connected to everything else comes the notion that the isolation of public-land and resources law as a field of study is inherently artificial. Developments off federal lands that seem unrelated to them will heavily influence public-land policy: recreation pressures could decline in rough inverse proportion to gasoline prices; horizonal divestiture of oil companies would change the whole coal picture; mandatory recycling could lower demand for all virgin resources; and so on. Some notion of conservation is almost certainly going to be among the Nation's highest priorities in the next several decades.

Marshaling Resources: A Classic Grounded Theory Study of Online Learners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Yalof

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Classic grounded theory (CGT was used to identify a main concern of online students in higher education. One of the main impediments to studying online is a sense of isolation and lack of access to support systems as students navigate through complex requirements of their online programs. Hypothetical probability statements illustrate the imbalance between heightened needs of virtual learners and perceived inadequate support provided by educational institutions. The core variable, marshaling resources, explains how peer supports sustain motivation toward successful program completion. Understanding the critical contribution virtual interpersonal networks make towards maximizing resources by group problem solving is a significant aspect of this theory. Keywords: Online learning, e-learning, personal learning networks, peer networks

The significant surface-water connectivity of "geographically isolated wetlands"

Science.gov (United States)

Calhoun, Aram J.K.; Mushet, David M.; Alexander, Laurie C.; DeKeyser, Edward S.; Fowler, Laurie; Lane, Charles R.; Lang, Megan W.; Rains, Mark C.; Richter, Stephen; Walls, Susan

2017-01-01

We evaluated the current literature, coupled with our collective research expertise, on surface-water connectivity of wetlands considered to be “geographically isolated” (sensu Tiner Wetlands 23:494–516, 2003a) to critically assess the scientific foundation of grouping wetlands based on the singular condition of being surrounded by uplands. The most recent research on wetlands considered to be “geographically isolated” shows the difficulties in grouping an ecological resource that does not reliably indicate lack of surface water connectivity in order to meet legal, regulatory, or scientific needs. Additionally, the practice of identifying “geographically isolated wetlands” based on distance from a stream can result in gross overestimates of the number of wetlands lacking ecologically important surface-water connections. Our findings do not support use of the overly simplistic label of “geographically isolated wetlands”. Wetlands surrounded by uplands vary in function and surface-water connections based on wetland landscape setting, context, climate, and geographic region and should be evaluated as such. We found that the “geographically isolated” grouping does not reflect our understanding of the hydrologic variability of these wetlands and hence does not benefit conservation of the Nation’s diverse wetland resources. Therefore, we strongly discourage use of categorizations that provide overly simplistic views of surface-water connectivity of wetlands fully embedded in upland landscapes.

Generalized Growth of Estuarine, Household and Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz, Kelly E; Remold, Susanna K; Onyiri, Ogochukwu; Bozeman, Maura; Raymond, Peter A; Turner, Paul E

2018-01-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen of particular concern to immune-compromised people, such as cystic fibrosis patients and burn victims. These bacteria grow in built environments including hospitals and households, and in natural environments such as rivers and estuaries. However, there is conflicting evidence whether recent environments like the human lung and open ocean affect P. aeruginosa growth performance in alternate environments. We hypothesized that bacteria recently isolated from dissimilar habitats should grow differently in media containing artificial versus natural resources. To test this idea, we examined growth of P. aeruginosa isolates from three environments (estuary, household, and clinic) in three media types: minimal-glucose lab medium, and media prepared from sugar maple leaves or big bluestem grass. We used automated spectrophotometry to measure high-resolution growth curves for all isolate by media combinations, and studied two fitness parameters: growth rate and maximum population density. Results showed high variability in growth rate among isolates, both overall and in its dependence on assay media, but this variability was not associated with habitat of isolation. In contrast, total growth (change in absorbance over the experiment) differed overall among habitats of isolation, and there were media-specific differences in mean total growth among habitats of isolation, and in among-habitat variability in the media-specific response. This was driven primarily by greater total growth of estuary isolates when compared with those from other habitats of origin, and greater media-specific variability among household isolates than those from other habitats of origin. Taken together, these results suggest that for growth rate P. aeruginosa bacteria appear to be broad generalists without regard to current or recent habitat, whereas for total growth a signature of recent ecological history can be detected.

Generalized Growth of Estuarine, Household and Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz, Kelly E.; Remold, Susanna K.; Onyiri, Ogochukwu; Bozeman, Maura; Raymond, Peter A.; Turner, Paul E.

2018-01-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen of particular concern to immune-compromised people, such as cystic fibrosis patients and burn victims. These bacteria grow in built environments including hospitals and households, and in natural environments such as rivers and estuaries. However, there is conflicting evidence whether recent environments like the human lung and open ocean affect P. aeruginosa growth performance in alternate environments. We hypothesized that bacteria recently isolated from dissimilar habitats should grow differently in media containing artificial versus natural resources. To test this idea, we examined growth of P. aeruginosa isolates from three environments (estuary, household, and clinic) in three media types: minimal-glucose lab medium, and media prepared from sugar maple leaves or big bluestem grass. We used automated spectrophotometry to measure high-resolution growth curves for all isolate by media combinations, and studied two fitness parameters: growth rate and maximum population density. Results showed high variability in growth rate among isolates, both overall and in its dependence on assay media, but this variability was not associated with habitat of isolation. In contrast, total growth (change in absorbance over the experiment) differed overall among habitats of isolation, and there were media-specific differences in mean total growth among habitats of isolation, and in among-habitat variability in the media-specific response. This was driven primarily by greater total growth of estuary isolates when compared with those from other habitats of origin, and greater media-specific variability among household isolates than those from other habitats of origin. Taken together, these results suggest that for growth rate P. aeruginosa bacteria appear to be broad generalists without regard to current or recent habitat, whereas for total growth a signature of recent ecological history can be detected. PMID:29599754

Generalized Growth of Estuarine, Household and Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly E. Diaz

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen of particular concern to immune-compromised people, such as cystic fibrosis patients and burn victims. These bacteria grow in built environments including hospitals and households, and in natural environments such as rivers and estuaries. However, there is conflicting evidence whether recent environments like the human lung and open ocean affect P. aeruginosa growth performance in alternate environments. We hypothesized that bacteria recently isolated from dissimilar habitats should grow differently in media containing artificial versus natural resources. To test this idea, we examined growth of P. aeruginosa isolates from three environments (estuary, household, and clinic in three media types: minimal-glucose lab medium, and media prepared from sugar maple leaves or big bluestem grass. We used automated spectrophotometry to measure high-resolution growth curves for all isolate by media combinations, and studied two fitness parameters: growth rate and maximum population density. Results showed high variability in growth rate among isolates, both overall and in its dependence on assay media, but this variability was not associated with habitat of isolation. In contrast, total growth (change in absorbance over the experiment differed overall among habitats of isolation, and there were media-specific differences in mean total growth among habitats of isolation, and in among-habitat variability in the media-specific response. This was driven primarily by greater total growth of estuary isolates when compared with those from other habitats of origin, and greater media-specific variability among household isolates than those from other habitats of origin. Taken together, these results suggest that for growth rate P. aeruginosa bacteria appear to be broad generalists without regard to current or recent habitat, whereas for total growth a signature of recent ecological history can be detected.

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: a potential solution for the disposal of transuranic waste

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

National Research Council Staff; Commission on Geosciences, Environment and Resources; Division on Earth and Life Studies; National Research Council; National Academy of Sciences

... Isolation Pilot Plant Board on Radioactive Waste Management Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources National Research Council NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Washington, D.C. 1996 i Copyrighttrue Please breaks inserted. are Page files. accidentally typesetting been have may original from the errors not typographic original retained, and from the c...

Isolation and culture exploration of Anas platyrhynchos amniotic fluid stem cells in vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingming Ning

2017-06-01

Conclusion: DAFSCs can be isolated from matrix that have strong self-renewal capacity in vitro. DAFSCs can be induced into adipocyte in vitro. These testify that DAFSCs can be an ideal seeded cells having potentials for preservation and utilization of rare genetic resources. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2017; 4(2.000: 140-146

Impact of adverse pancreatic injury at surgical procurement upon islet isolation outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Andres, Axel; Kin, Tatsuya; O'Gorman, Doug; Bigam, David; Kneteman, Norman; Senior, Peter; Shapiro, Am James

2014-11-01

The consequence of a pancreas injury during the procurement for islet isolation purpose is unknown. The goal of this work was to assess the injuries of the pancreata procured for islet isolation, and to determine their effect on the islet yield. Between January 2007 and October 2013, we prospectively documented every injury of the pancreata processed in our centre for islet isolation. Injuries involving the main duct were classified as major, the others as minor. Donors' characteristics and islet yields were compared between the groups of injuries. A pancreas injury was identified in 42 of 452 pancreata received for islet isolation (9.3%). In 15 cases, the injury was major (3.3% of all pancreata). Although a minor injury did not affect the islet yield, a major injury was significantly associated with unfavourable outcomes (postpurification mean islet equivalent of 364 ± 181, 405 ± 190 and 230 ± 115 × 10(3) for absence of injury, minor injury and major injury, respectively). A major injury was significantly more prevalent in lean and short donors. We recommend assessing the quality of the pancreas in the islet isolation centre before starting the isolation procedure. Each centre should determine its own policy based on its financial resources and on the wait list. © 2014 Steunstichting ESOT.

Pseudane-VII Isolated from Pseudoalteromonas sp. M2 Ameliorates LPS-Induced Inflammatory Response In Vitro and In Vivo

OpenAIRE

Mi Eun Kim; Inae Jung; Jong Suk Lee; Ju Yong Na; Woo Jung Kim; Young-Ok Kim; Yong-Duk Park; Jun Sik Lee

2017-01-01

The ocean is a rich resource of flora, fauna, food, and biological products. We found a wild-type bacterial strain, Pseudoalteromonas sp. M2, from marine water and isolated various secondary metabolites. Pseudane-VII is a compound isolated from the Pseudoalteromonas sp. M2 metabolite that possesses anti-melanogenic activity. Inflammation is a response of the innate immune system to microbial infections. Macrophages have a critical role in fighting microbial infections and inflammation. Recent...

Polysaccharides in Lentinus edodes: isolation, structure, immunomodulating activity and future prospective.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xiaofei; Yan, Huidan; Tang, Jian; Chen, Jian; Zhang, Xuewu

2014-01-01

Lentinus edodes has been valued as edible and medical resources. Polysaccharides have been known to be the most potent antitumor and immunomodulating substance in Lentinus edodes. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the polysaccharides isolated from Lentinus edodes, including extraction and purification methods, chemical structure and chain conformation, the effects on innate and adaptive immunity and their mechanism, relationship between structure and function, and the future prospects.

Identifying patients at risk of intraoperative and postoperative transfusion in isolated CABG: toward selective conservation strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Arora, Rakesh C; Légaré, Jean-Francois; Buth, Karen J; Sullivan, John A; Hirsch, Gregory M

2004-11-01

Allogeneic blood product use during cardiac operation is often reported to exceed 40% despite published guidelines and costly blood conservation strategies. We developed a predictive model, based on eight preoperative risk factors, of allogeneic blood product transfusion rates in patients undergoing a cardiac procedure. All 3,046 consecutive, isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures at a university hospital from 1995 to 1998 were included. A logistic regression model was created to identify independent predictors of allogeneic blood product transfusion. This model was validated using a prospective patient sample. Overall use of allogeneic blood products was 23% with a crude operative mortality of 2.1%. In isolated, elective, first-time CABG cases, 16.9% received allogeneic blood products. Independent predictors of blood product usage in CABG patients were preoperative hemoglobin 12.0 or less, emergent operation, renal failure, female sex, age 70 years or older, left ventricular ejection fraction 0.40 or less, redo procedure, and low body surface area. Prospective validation of this model on 2,117 consecutive isolated CABG patients demonstrated an observed-to-expected allogeneic blood product transfusion rate ratio of 1.06. This internally validated logistic regression risk model is a sensitive and specific predictor of allogeneic blood product use in patients undergoing isolated CABG. Utilization of this model allows for preoperative risk stratification and may allow for more rational resource allocation of costly blood conservation strategies and blood bank resources.

Investigation and Isolation of Cellulase-Producing microorganisms in the Red Sea

KAUST Repository

Fatani, Siham

2016-05-01

Cellulolytic microorganisms are considered to be key players in biorefinery, especially for the utilization of plant biomass. These organisms have been isolated from various environments. The Red Sea is one of the seas with high biodiversity and a unique environment, characterized by high water temperature and high salinity . However, there is little information regarding cellulases in Red Sea environments. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the Red Sea as a gene resource for microbial cellulase. I first surveyed microbial cellulases in the Red Sea using a method called metagenomes, and then investigated their abundance and diversity. My survey revealed that the Red Sea biome has a substantial abundance and a wide range of cellulase enzymes with substantial abundance, when compared with those in other environments. Next, I tried to isolate cellulase-active microorganisms from the Red Sea and I successfully obtained seven strains of four different taxonomic groups. These strains showed a similarity of 99% identity to Aspergillus ustus, 99% to Staphylococcus pasteuri, 99% to Bacillus aerius and 99% to Bacillus subtilis. The enzyme assay I conducted, revealed that these strains actually secreted active cellulases. These results suggest that the Red Sea environment can be, indeed, an excellent gene resource of microbial cellulases.

Isolated galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Einasto, Maret

1990-01-01

To test for the possible presence of really isolated galaxies, which form a randomly distributed population in voids, we compare the distribution of most isolated galaxies in an observed sample with distributions of the same number of random points using the nearest neighbour test. The results show that the random population of really isolated galaxies does not exist - even the most isolated galaxies are connected with systems of galaxies, forming their outlying parts. (author)

Resource Abundance and Resource Dependence in China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ji, K.; Magnus, J.R.; Wang, W.

2010-01-01

This paper reconsiders the ‘curse of resources’ hypothesis for the case of China, and distinguishes between resource abundance, resource rents, and resource dependence. Resource abundance and resource rents are shown to be approximately equivalent, and their association with resource dependence

New model of enterprises resource planning implementation planning process in manufacturing enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirjana Misita

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This article presents new model of enterprises resource planning implementation planning process in manufacturing enterprises based on assessment of risk sources. This assessment was performed by applying analytic hierarchy process. Analytic hierarchy process method allows variation of relative importance of specific risk sources dependent on the section from which the risk source originates (organizational environment, technical issues, people issues, adoption process management, and external support. Survey was conducted on 85 manufacturing enterprises involved with an enterprises resource planning solution. Ranking of risk sources assessments returns most frequent risks of enterprises resource planning implementation success in manufacturing enterprises, and representative factors were isolated through factor analysis by risk source origin. Finally, results indicate that there are hidden causes of failed implementation, for example, risk source “top management training and education,” from risk origin “adoption process management.”

Evaluating the effect of Locking on Multitenancy Isolation for Components of Cloud-hosted Services

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Laud Charles Ochei

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Multitenancy isolation is a way of ensuring that the performance, stored data volume and access privileges required by one tenant and/or component does not affect other tenants and/or components. One of the conditions that can influence the varying degrees of isolation is when locking is enabled for a process or component that is being shared. Although the concept of locking has been extensively studied in database management, there is little or no research on how locking affects multitenancy isolation and its implications for optimizing the deployment of components of a cloud-hosted service in response to workload changes. This paper applies COMITRE (Component-based approach to Multitenancy Isolation through Request Re-routing to evaluate the impact of enabling locking for a shared process or component of a cloud-hosted application. Results show that locking has a significant effect on the performance and resource consumption of tenants especially for operations that interact directly with the local file system of the platform used on the cloud infrastructure. We also present recommendations for achieving the required degree of multitenancy isolation when locking is enabled for three software processes: continuous integration, version control, and bug tracking.

Isolation, structural characterization and bioactivities of naturally occurring polysaccharide-polyphenolic conjugates from medicinal plants-A reivew.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Bai, Ruyu; Liu, Yunpeng; Zhang, Xin; Kan, Juan; Jin, Changhai

2018-02-01

In recent years, several medicinal plants have been demonstrated as valuable resources of naturally occurring polysaccharide-polyphenolic conjugates. For the first time, this article introduces recent advances of polysaccharide-polyphenolic conjugates isolated from different medicinal plants. The isolation, purification, structural characterization and biological activities of polysaccharide-polyphenolic conjugates are introduced in details. In general, polysaccharide-polyphenolic conjugates can be isolated by hot water or alkaline extraction followed by purification through anion exchange chromatography or gel filtration chromatography. The structures of conjugates are usually characterized by chemical composition analysis, UV-vis, Fourier-transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Moreover, polysaccharide-polyphenolic conjugates exhibit several biological activities including anticoagulant, antioxidant, radioprotective, anti-platelet, antitussive and bronchodilatory effects. Therefore, polysaccharide-polyphenolic conjugates isolated from medicinal plants are certain to have a bright prospect in the field of food and pharmaceutics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation of Ralstonia solanacearum-infecting bacteriophages from tomato fields in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and their experimental use as biocontrol agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhunchoth, A; Phironrit, N; Leksomboon, C; Chatchawankanphanich, O; Kotera, S; Narulita, E; Kawasaki, T; Fujie, M; Yamada, T

2015-04-01

To isolate and characterize novel bacteriophages infecting the phytopathogen, Ralstonia solanacearum, and to evaluate them as resources with potential uses in the biocontrol of bacterial wilt. Fourteen phages infecting R. solanacearum were isolated from soil samples collected in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The phages showed different host ranges when tested against 59 R. solanacearum strains isolated from Thailand and Japan. These phages were characterized as nine podoviruses and five myoviruses based on their morphology. Podovirus J2 in combination with another podovirus (φRSB2) lysed host cells very efficiently in contaminated soil. J2 treatment prevented wilting of tomato plants infected with a highly virulent R. solanacearum strain. Treatment with J2 effectively reduced the amount of the bacterial wilt pathogen in contaminated soil and prevented bacterial wilt of tomato in pot experiments. Myovirus J6 possessed jumbo phage features, giving a unique opportunity to study its utilization as a biocontrol agent. As exemplified by J2, the phages isolated in this study represent valuable resources with potential uses in biocontrol of bacterial wilt. A rare jumbo phage J6 served as a valuable subject to understand and utilize this new group of phages. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Biodiversity of Pigmented Fungi Isolated from Marine Environment in La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean: New Resources for Colored Metabolites

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Mireille Fouillaud

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Marine ecosystems cover about 70% of the planet surface and are still an underexploited source of useful metabolites. Among microbes, filamentous fungi are captivating organisms used for the production of many chemical classes of secondary metabolites bound to be used in various fields of industrial application. The present study was focused on the collection, isolation, screening and genotyping of pigmented filamentous fungi isolated from tropical marine environments around La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean. About 150 micromycetes were revived and isolated from 14 marine samples (sediments, living corals, coral rubble, sea water and hard substrates collected in four different locations. Forty-two colored fungal isolates belonging to 16 families, 25 genera and 31 species were further studied depending on their ability to produce pigments and thus subjected to molecular identification. From gene sequence analysis, the most frequently identified colored fungi belong to the widespread Penicillium, Talaromyces and Aspergillus genera in the family Trichocomaceae (11 species, then followed by the family Hypocreaceae (three species. This study demonstrates that marine biotopes in La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean, from coral reefs to underwater slopes of this volcanic island, shelter numerous species of micromycetes, from common or uncommon genera. This unstudied biodiversity comes along with the ability for some fungal marine inhabitants, to produce a range of pigments and hues.

Resource conversation and recovery act draft hazardous waste facility permit: Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-08-01

Volume II contains attachments for Module II and Module III. Attachments for Module II are: part A permit application; examples of acceptable documentation; Waste Isolation Pilot Plant generator/storage site waste screening and acceptance audit program; inspection schedule and monitoring schedule; inspection log forms; personnel training course outlines; hazardous waste job position training requirements; contingency plan; closure plan; and procedures for establishing background for the underground units. One attachment, facility process information, is included for Module III. Remaining attachments for this module are in Volume III

Alternative methodology for isolation of biosurfactant-producing bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Krepsky, N; Da Silva, F S; Fontana, L F; Crapez, M A C

2007-02-01

Wide biosurfactant application on biorremediation is limited by its high production cost. The search for cheaper biossurfactant production alternatives has guided our study. The use of selective media containing sucrose (10 g x L(-1)) and Arabian Light oil (2 g x L(-1)) as carbon sources showed to be effective to screen and maintain biosurfactant-producing consortia isolated from mangrove hydrocarbon-contaminated sediment. The biosurfactant production was assayed by kerosene, gasoline and Arabian Light Emulsification activity and the bacterial growth curve was determined by bacterial quantification. The parameters analyzed for biosurfactant production were the growth curve, salinity concentration, flask shape and oxygenation. All bacteria consortia screened were able to emulsify the petroleum derivatives tested. Biosurfactant production increased according to the incubation time; however the type of emulsification (non-aqueous phase or aqueous phase) did not change with time but with the compound tested. The methodology was able to isolate biosurfactant-producing consortia from superficial mangrove sediment contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons and was recommended for selection of biosurfactant producing bacteria in tropical countries with low financial resources.

Alternative methodology for isolation of biosurfactant-producing bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Krepsky

Full Text Available Wide biosurfactant application on biorremediation is limited by its high production cost. The search for cheaper biossurfactant production alternatives has guided our study. The use of selective media containing sucrose (10 g.L-1 and Arabian Light oil (2 g.L-1 as carbon sources showed to be effective to screen and maintain biosurfactant-producing consortia isolated from mangrove hydrocarbon-contaminated sediment. The biosurfactant production was assayed by kerosene, gasoline and Arabian Light Emulsification activity and the bacterial growth curve was determined by bacterial quantification. The parameters analyzed for biosurfactant production were the growth curve, salinity concentration, flask shape and oxygenation. All bacteria consortia screened were able to emulsify the petroleum derivatives tested. Biosurfactant production increased according to the incubation time; however the type of emulsification (non-aqueous phase or aqueous phase did not change with time but with the compound tested. The methodology was able to isolate biosurfactant-producing consortia from superficial mangrove sediment contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons and was recommended for selection of biosurfactant producing bacteria in tropical countries with low financial resources.

Multilocus sequence typing of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale isolated from pigeons and birds of prey revealed new insights into its population structure

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Susann Thieme

2016-12-01

The MLST results of ORT isolated from pigeons and birds of prey likely reflect evolutionary bacterial host adaptations but might also indicate a potential for interspecies transmission. Definite conclusions should be drawn carefully as so far a few strains from non-galliform birds were analyzed by MLST. By extending the number of ORT isolates and the range of potential avian hosts, the MLST database can provide a valuable resource in understanding transmission dynamics.

Archaeological survey and monitoring of initial excavations within the basalt waste isolation project reference repository location and associated drill borehole site locations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCarthy, M.M.

1984-01-01

This letter report concerns cultural resources studies undertaken in November 1982 for the exploratory shaft starter hole and surface facilities for the Basalt Waste Isolation Project (BWIP). These studies were carried out under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, the amended National Historic Preservation Act, and the Archaeological Resources Act. This report concludes that neither cultural nor palentological resources are being affected by the BWIP during the present phase of construction work and test drilling. 4 refs., 10 figs

The Westinghouse Waste Isolation Division Management and Supervisor Training Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbreath, B.

1992-01-01

The Westinghouse Waste Isolation Division (WID) is the management and operating contractor (MOC) for the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Waste Isolation Plant (WIPP). Managers and supervisors at DOE facilities such as the WIPP are required to complete extensive training. To meet this requirement, WID created a self-paced, self-study program known as Management and Supervisor Training (MAST). All WID managers and supervisors are required to earn certification through the MAST program. Selected employees are permitted to participate in MAST with prior approval from their manager and the Human Resources Manager. Initial MAST certification requires the completion of 31 modules. MAST participants check out modules and read them when convenient. When they are prepared, participants take module examinations. To receive credit for a given module, participants must score at least 80 percent on the examination. Lessons learned from the development, implementation, and administration are presented in this paper

Isolation of BAC Clones Containing Conserved Genes from Libraries of Three Distantly Related Moths: A Useful Resource for Comparative Genomics of Lepidoptera

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Yuji Yasukochi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Lepidoptera, butterflies and moths, is the second largest animal order and includes numerous agricultural pests. To facilitate comparative genomics in Lepidoptera, we isolated BAC clones containing conserved and putative single-copy genes from libraries of three pests, Heliothis virescens, Ostrinia nubilalis, and Plutella xylostella, harboring the haploid chromosome number, =31, which are not closely related with each other or with the silkworm, Bombyx mori, (=28, the sequenced model lepidopteran. A total of 108–184 clones representing 101–182 conserved genes were isolated for each species. For 79 genes, clones were isolated from more than two species, which will be useful as common markers for analysis using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH, as well as for comparison of genome sequence among multiple species. The PCR-based clone isolation method presented here is applicable to species which lack a sequenced genome but have a significant collection of cDNA or EST sequences.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 1999 Site Environmental Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, Roy B.; Adams, Amy; Martin, Don; Morris, Randall C.; Reynolds, Timothy D.; Warren, Ronald W.

2000-09-30

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)Carlsbad Area Office and the Westinghouse Waste Isolation Division (WID) are dedicated to maintaining high quality management of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) environmental resources. DOE Order 5400.1, General Environmental Protection Program, and DOE Order 231.1, Environmental, Safety, and Health Reporting, require that the environment at and near DOE facilities be monitored to ensure the safety and health of the public and the environment. This Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 1999 Site Environmental Report summarizes environmental data from calendar year 1999 that characterize environmental management performance and demonstrate compliance with federal and state regulations. This report was prepared in accordance with DOE Order 5400.1, DOE Order 231.1, the Environmental Regulatory Guide for Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance (DOE/EH- 0173T), and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Environmental Protection Implementation Plan (DOE/WIPP 96-2199). The above orders and guidance documents require that DOE facilities submit an Annual Site Environmental Report to DOE Headquarters, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health. The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive description of operational environmental monitoring activities, to provide an abstract of environmental activities conducted to characterize site environmental management performance to confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and to highlight significant programs and efforts of environmental merit at WIPP during calendar year 1999. WIPP received its first shipment of waste on March 26, 1999. In 1999, no evidence was found of any adverse effects from WIPP on the surrounding environment. Radionuclide concentrations in the environment surrounding WIPP were not statistically higher in 1999 than in 1998.

Experimental Study of Vibration Isolation Characteristics of a Geometric Anti-Spring Isolator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lixun Yan

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In order to realize low-frequency vibration isolation, a novel geometric anti-spring isolator consisting of several cantilever blade springs are developed in this paper. The optimal design parameters of the geometric anti-spring isolator for different nonlinear geometric parameters are theoretically obtained. The transmissibility characteristic of the geometric anti-spring isolator is investigated through mathematical simulation. A geometric anti-spring isolator with a nonlinear geometric parameter of 0.92 is designed and its vibration isolation performance and nonlinearity characteristic is experimentally studied. The experiment results show that the designed isolator has good low-frequency vibration isolation performance, of which the initial isolation frequency is less than 3.6 Hz when the load weight is 21 kg. The jump phenomena of the response of the isolator under linear frequency sweep excitation are observed, and this result demonstrates that the geometric anti-spring isolator has a complex nonlinearity characteristics with the increment of excitation amplitude. This research work provides a theoretical and experimental basis for the application of the nonlinear geometric anti-spring low-frequency passive vibration isolation technology in engineering practice.

Antituberculotic activity of actinobacteria isolated from the rare habitats.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, A; Rather, M A; Shah, A M; Bhat, Z S; Shah, A; Ahmad, Z; Parvaiz Hassan, Q

2017-09-01

A distinctive screening procedure resulted in the isolation and identification of antituberculotic actinobacteria. In this course, a total of 125 actinobacteria were isolated from various soil samples from untapped areas in Northwestern Himalayas, India. The antibacterial screening showed that 26 isolates inhibited the growth of at least one of the tested bacterial pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 11774), Micrococcus luteus (ATCC 10240), Escherichia coli (10536), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 10145) and Klebsiella pneumonia (ATCC BAA-2146). The production media was optimized for the active strains by estimation of their extract value by the quantification of the ethyl acetate extract. The screening of fermentation products from the selected 26 bioactive isolates revealed that 10 strains have metabolites antagonistic against the standard H37Rv strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The characterization by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the diverse nature of these antituberculosis strains. The secondary metabolites of potent, rare strain, Lentzea violacea AS08 exhibited promising antituberculosis activity with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3·9 μg ml -1 . The metabolites identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) included, Phenol, 2,5-bis (1, 1-dimethylethyl), n-Hexadecanoic acid, Hexadecanoic acid methyl-ester, Hexadecanoic acid ethyl-ester and, 9,12-Octadecadienoyl chloride(Z,Z) are biologically significant molecules. The study presents the isolation of rare actinobacteria from untapped sites in the Northwestern Himalayas and their in vitro potential against Mycobacterium tuberculosis for their metabolites. The study revealed that exploring the untapped natural sources as one of the resourceful approaches for the discovery of new natural products. This study also provided strong evidence for the ability of rare and

A Microbiological Preparation Based on the Homofermentative Strains of Lactobacillus plantarum Isolated from the Natural Sources for Bioconservation of Plant Resources (Review of Studies between 2000 and 2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R.A. Shurkhno

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The paper reviews studies performed by the author for improving the process of bioconservation of plant resources by creating an effective microbiological preparation based on the active strains of lactic acid bacteria. It is known that the problem of production of biological preservatives can be solved by using the basic principles of microbiological and biotechnological processes that contribute to the creation of biological preservatives ensuring the most optimal and efficient fermentation of plant mass, i.e., by using homofermentative lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from the natural ecological niches, as well as by conservation of plant mass with the help of lactic acid bacteria at the stage of high physiological activity. In view of the above features, а microbial preparation “Universal Silage Ferment – BIOAGRO” was developed on the basis of two new strains of Lactobacillus plantarum RS3 and L. plantarum RS4, both isolated from natural sources, and implemented in the industrial production. Indus-trial introduction and testing of the microbiological preparation was carried out for 3 years (2012–2014 in ten farms of eight districts of the Republic of Tatarstan (Russia. It was found that the use of the preparation along with an optimized technology of bioconservation of high-protein perennials, annual grasses, their mixtures and corn, and slightly dried herbs in anaerobic conditions improves the qualitative characteristics of silage and haylage, as well as increases their energy value and enhances the economic performance of technological processes of fodder conservation.

Sustainable development of water resources, water supply and environmental sanitation.

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Austin, LM

2006-01-01

Full Text Available and be capable of destroying or isolating pathogens. A need exists for documentary evidence to support various claims about different storage periods for ensuring pathogen die-off and safe handling of biosolids (Peasy 2000). Handling of faecal material... in Water and Environmental Health, Task no. 324. [Online] http://www/lboro.ac.uk/well/resources/well-studies/full-reports-pdf/task0324.pdf WHO (2001). Water quality, guidelines, standards and health: Assessment of risk and risk management for water...

Are Accounting Metrics Applicable to Human Resources? The Case of Return on Valuing Assignments

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Adam Steen

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The importance of accounting for human resources has long been recognised by the Accounting profession. Until recently, Human Resource Accounting (HRA literature has been dominated by discussion as to whether humans fit the traditional definition of assets, and how to measure and report them. We investigate the concept of human capital and its measurement through a review of the HRA literature, as well as the literature in Human Resources (HR. This paper then draws on the findings of a small exploratory study into the measurement of Return on Investment (ROI for international assignments. Interview data reveals that intangible costs and benefits are problematic when applying such a metric; that much of the outcome from the assignment is intellectual capital, in its broad sense, and therefore difficult to isolate and effectively measure.

Floral traits driving reproductive isolation of two co-flowering taxa that share vertebrate pollinators

Science.gov (United States)

Queiroz, Joel A.; Quirino, Zelma G. M.; Machado, Isabel C.

2015-01-01

Floral attributes evolve in response to frequent and efficient pollinators, which are potentially important drivers of floral diversification and reproductive isolation. In this context, we asked, how do flowers evolve in a bat–hummingbird pollination system? Hence, we investigated the pollination ecology of two co-flowering Ipomoea taxa (I. marcellia and I. aff. marcellia) pollinated by bats and hummingbirds, and factors favouring reproductive isolation and pollinator sharing in these plants. To identify the most important drivers of reproductive isolation, we compared the flowers of the two Ipomoea taxa in terms of morphometry, anthesis and nectar production. Pollinator services were assessed using frequency of visits, fruit set and the number of seeds per fruit after visits. The studied Ipomoea taxa differed in corolla size and width, beginning and duration of anthesis, and nectar attributes. However, they shared the same diurnal and nocturnal visitors. The hummingbird Heliomaster squamosus was more frequent in I. marcellia (1.90 visits h−1) than in I. aff. marcellia (0.57 visits h−1), whereas glossophagine bats showed similar visit rates in both taxa (I. marcellia: 0.57 visits h−1 and I. aff. marcellia: 0.64 visits h−1). Bat pollination was more efficient in I. aff. marcellia, whereas pollination by hummingbirds was more efficient in I. marcellia. Differences in floral attributes between Ipomoea taxa, especially related to the anthesis period, length of floral parts and floral arrangement in the inflorescence, favour reproductive isolation from congeners through differential pollen placement on pollinators. This bat–hummingbird pollination system seems to be advantageous in the study area, where the availability of pollinators and floral resources changes considerably throughout the year, mainly as a result of rainfall seasonality. This interaction is beneficial for both sides, as it maximizes the number of potential pollen vectors for plants and

Online Resources

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

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The heterogeneity of socially isolated older adults: a social isolation typology.

Science.gov (United States)

Machielse, Anja

2015-01-01

Recent statistics show a growing number of older adults who are living alone and are socially isolated. It is against this background that, in recent years, many interventions have been developed to address social isolation among the elderly. Evaluative studies show that most interventions are hardly effective, though. An important reason for this is the heterogeneity of the socially isolated. This article offers insight into this heterogeneity by presenting a typology with different profiles of socially isolated older adults and the intervention implications of this typology. The typology is derived from an extensive qualitative study on socially isolated elderly individuals in the Netherlands. The typology imposes some degree of order to a diversity of circumstances, ambitions, and possibilities of the socially isolated elderly, thereby deepening the understanding of the heterogeneity of this population. The definition of social isolation used in this study starts from a societal angle of incidence, namely the current policy context of Western European welfare states, in which governments emphasize the importance of independence and self-reliance of their citizens. Developed from that perspective, the typology provides a theoretical basis for applying interventions aimed at increasing self-reliance of social isolated elderly. This perspective on social isolation also has consequences for the way in which the effectiveness of interventions to alleviate social isolation is assessed.

Power generation using photovoltaic induction in an isolated power network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalantar, M.; Jiang, J.

2001-01-01

Owing to increased emphasis on renewable resources, the development of suitable isolated power generators driven by energy sources, the development of suitable isolated power generators driven by energy sources such as photovoltaic, wind, small hydroelectric, biogas and etc. has recently assumed greater significance. A single phase capacitor self excited induction generator has emerged as a suitable candidate of isolated power sources. This paper presents performance analysis of a single phase self-excited induction generator driven by photovoltaic (P V) system for low power isolated stand-alone applications. A single phase induction machine can work as a self-excited induction generator when its rotor is driven at suitable speed by an photovoltaic powered do motor. Its excitation is provided by connecting a single phase capacitor bank at a stator terminals. Either to augment grid power or to get uninterrupted power during grid failure stand-alone low capacity ac generators are used. These are driven by photovoltaic, wind power or I C engines using kerosene, diesel, petrol or biogas as fuel. Self-excitation with capacitors at the stator terminals of the stator terminals of the induction machines is well demonstrated experimentally on a P V powered dc motor-induction machine set. The parameters and the excitation requirements of the induction machine run in self-excited induction generator mode are determined. The effects of variations in prime mover speed,terminal capacitance and load power factor on the machine terminal voltage are studied

Injury, Interiority, and Isolation in Men's Suicidality.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliffe, John L; Creighton, Genevieve; Robertson, Steve; Broom, Alex; Jenkins, Emily K; Ogrodniczuk, John S; Ferlatte, Olivier

2017-07-01

Men's high suicide rates have been linked to individual risk factors including history of being abused as a child, single marital status, and financial difficulties. While it has also been suggested that the normative influences of hegemonic masculinities are implicated in men's suicide, the gendered experiences of male suicidality are poorly understood. In the current photovoice study, 20 men who previously had suicidal thoughts, plans, and/or attempts were interviewed as a means to better understanding the connections between masculinities and their experiences of suicidality. The study findings revealed injury, interiority, and isolation as interconnected themes characterizing men's suicidality. Injury comprised an array of childhood and/or cumulative traumas that fueled men's ruminating thoughts inhibiting recovery and limiting hopes for improved life quality. In attempting to blunt these traumas, many men described self-injuring through the overuse of alcohol and other drugs. The interiority theme revealed how suicidal thoughts can fuel hopelessness amid summonsing remedies from within. The challenges to self-manage, especially when experiencing muddled thinking and negative thought were evident, and led some participants to summons exterior resources to counter suicidality. Isolation included separateness from others, and was linked to abandonment issues and not having a job and/or partner. Self-isolating also featured as a protection strategy to avoid troubling others and/or reducing exposure to additional noxious stimuli. The study findings suggest multiple intervention points and strategies, the majority of which are premised on promoting men's social connectedness. The destigmatizing value of photovoice methods is also discussed.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B permit application [for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This volume contains Appendix D2, engineering design basis reports. Contents include: Design considerations for the waste hoist of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP); A site-specific study of wind and tornado probabilities at the WIPP Site in southeast New Mexico; Seismic evaluation report of underground facilities; and calculations for analysis of wind loads and tornado loads for WHB, seismic calculations, calculations for VOC-10 monitoring system, and for shaft at station A

A mathematical model of Clostridium difficile transmission in medical wards and a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing different strategies for laboratory diagnosis and patient isolation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vered Schechner

Full Text Available Clostridium difficile infection (CDI is a common and potentially fatal healthcare-associated infection. Improving diagnostic tests and infection control measures may prevent transmission. We aimed to determine, in resource-limited settings, whether it is more effective and cost-effective to allocate resources to isolation or to diagnostics.We constructed a mathematical model of CDI transmission based on hospital data (9 medical wards, 350 beds between March 2010 and February 2013. The model consisted of three compartments: susceptible patients, asymptomatic carriers and CDI patients. We used our model results to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis, comparing four strategies that were different combinations of 2 test methods (the two-step test and uniform PCR and 2 infection control measures (contact isolation in multiple-bed rooms or single-bed rooms/cohorting. For each strategy, we calculated the annual cost (of CDI diagnosis and isolation for a decrease of 1 in the average daily number of CDI patients; the strategy of the two-step test and contact isolation in multiple-bed rooms was the reference strategy.Our model showed that the average number of CDI patients increased exponentially as the transmission rate increased. Improving diagnosis by adopting uniform PCR assay reduced the average number of CDI cases per day per 350 beds from 9.4 to 8.5, while improving isolation by using single-bed rooms reduced the number to about 1; the latter was cost saving.CDI can be decreased by better isolation and more sensitive laboratory methods. From the hospital perspective, improving isolation is more cost-effective than improving diagnostics.

A mathematical model of Clostridium difficile transmission in medical wards and a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing different strategies for laboratory diagnosis and patient isolation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schechner, Vered; Carmeli, Yehuda; Leshno, Moshe

2017-01-01

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common and potentially fatal healthcare-associated infection. Improving diagnostic tests and infection control measures may prevent transmission. We aimed to determine, in resource-limited settings, whether it is more effective and cost-effective to allocate resources to isolation or to diagnostics. We constructed a mathematical model of CDI transmission based on hospital data (9 medical wards, 350 beds) between March 2010 and February 2013. The model consisted of three compartments: susceptible patients, asymptomatic carriers and CDI patients. We used our model results to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis, comparing four strategies that were different combinations of 2 test methods (the two-step test and uniform PCR) and 2 infection control measures (contact isolation in multiple-bed rooms or single-bed rooms/cohorting). For each strategy, we calculated the annual cost (of CDI diagnosis and isolation) for a decrease of 1 in the average daily number of CDI patients; the strategy of the two-step test and contact isolation in multiple-bed rooms was the reference strategy. Our model showed that the average number of CDI patients increased exponentially as the transmission rate increased. Improving diagnosis by adopting uniform PCR assay reduced the average number of CDI cases per day per 350 beds from 9.4 to 8.5, while improving isolation by using single-bed rooms reduced the number to about 1; the latter was cost saving. CDI can be decreased by better isolation and more sensitive laboratory methods. From the hospital perspective, improving isolation is more cost-effective than improving diagnostics.

The role of informatics in the coordinated management of biological resources collections.

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Paolo; Kracht, Manfred; Manniello, Maria Assunta; Stegehuis, Gerrit; Fritze, Dagmar

2005-01-01

The term 'biological resources' is applied to the living biological material collected, held and catalogued in culture collections: bacterial and fungal cultures; animal, human and plant cells; viruses; and isolated genetic material. A wealth of information on these materials has been accumulated in culture collections, and most of this information is accessible. Digitalisation of data has reached a high level; however, information is still dispersed. Individual and coordinated approaches have been initiated to improve accessibility of biological resource centres, their holdings and related information through the Internet. These approaches cover subjects such as standardisation of data handling and data accessibility, and standardisation and quality control of laboratory procedures. This article reviews some of the most important initiatives implemented so far, as well as the most recent achievements. It also discusses the possible improvements that could be achieved by adopting new communication standards and technologies, such as web services, in view of a deeper and more fruitful integration of biological resources information in the bioinformatics network environment.

PERMANENT GENETIC RESOURCES: Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from the Arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis).

Science.gov (United States)

Ramey, A; Graziano, S L; Nielsen, J L

2008-03-01

Eight polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for the Arctic cisco, Coregonus autumnalis. Loci were evaluated in 21 samples from the Colville River subsistence fishery. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 18. Observed heterozygosity of loci varied from 0.10 to 1.00, and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.09 to 0.92. All eight microsatellite markers were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The loci presented here will be useful in describing population structure and exploring populations of origin for Arctic cisco. © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd No claim to original US government works.

Archaeological reconnaissance of a proposed site for the Waste Isolation Plant (WIPP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, J.

1976-01-01

An archaeological reconnaissance was carried out on Sections 20, 21, 28, and 29 of T 22 S, R 31 E, Eddy County, NM, the core area of a site proposed for disposal of radioactive waste in bedded salt (the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant). This site is located in the Los Medanos area east of Carlsbad, NM. Results of the survey are presented in sections on survey techniques, geology, terrain, floristics, cultural resources, theoretical considerations, site description, and recommendations

Molecular epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolates from clinical and environmental sources of a metropolitan city.

Science.gov (United States)

Velayati, Ali Akbar; Farnia, Parissa; Mozafari, Mohadese; Malekshahian, Donya; Seif, Shima; Rahideh, Snaz; Mirsaeidi, Mehdi

2014-01-01

While NTM infection is mainly acquired from environmental exposure, monitoring of environmental niches for NTM is not a routine practice. This study aimed to find the prevalence of environmental NTM in soil and water in four highly populated suburbs of Tehran, Iran. A total of 4014 samples from soil and water resources were collected and studied. Sediments of each treated sample were cultured in Lowenstein-Jensen medium and observed twice per week for growth rate, colony morphology, and pigmentation. Colonies were studied with phenotypic tests. Molecular analysis was performed on single colonies derived from subculture of original isolates. Environmental samples were compared with 34 NTM isolates from patients who were residents of the study locations. Out of 4014 samples, mycobacteria were isolated from 862 (21.4%) specimens; 536 (62.1%) belonged to slow growing mycobacteria (SGM) and 326 (37.8%) were rapid growing mycobacteria (RGM). The five most frequent NTM were M. farcinogens (105/862; 12.1%), M. fortuitum (72/862; 8.3%), M. senegalense (58/862; 6.7%), M. kansasii (54/862; 6.2%), and M. simiae (46/862; 5.3%). In total, 62.5% (539/862) of mycobacterial positive samples were isolated from water and only 37.4% (323/862) of them were isolated from soil samples (Pdistribution pattern of environmental NTM isolates with clinical isolates suggests a possible transmission link, but this does not apply to all environmental NTM species. Our study confirms an increasing trend of NTM isolation from clinical samples that needs further investigation.

Transforming waste into resources: quantification of construction and demoliton in Buenos Aires

OpenAIRE

Yajnes, Marta Edith; Trulls, María Daniela; Putruele, María Belén

2015-01-01

In recent years, intense construction activity worldwide has led to massive environmental degradation, enormous CO² emissions and abuse of our natural resources. The lack of legislation to regulate the negative impact of the construction process in Argentina has allowed for unsustainable practices to take place. There is no standardized classification of materials in the construction area. Land is mixed with ceramic materials in the demolition stage which makes it more difficult to isolate...

A Practical Guide to Rodent Islet Isolation and Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carter Jeffrey D

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Pancreatic islets of Langerhans secrete hormones that are vital to the regulation of blood glucose and are, therefore, a key focus of diabetes research. Purifying viable and functional islets from the pancreas for study is an intricate process. This review highlights the key elements involved with mouse and rat islet isolation, including choices of collagenase, the collagenase digestion process, purification of islets using a density gradient, and islet culture conditions. In addition, this paper reviews commonly used techniques for assessing islet viability and function, including visual assessment, fluorescent markers of cell death, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and intracellular calcium measurements. A detailed protocol is also included that describes a common method for rodent islet isolation that our laboratory uses to obtain viable and functional mouse islets for in vitro study of islet function, beta-cell physiology, and in vivo rodent islet transplantation. The purpose of this review is to serve as a resource and foundation for successfully procuring and purifying high-quality islets for research purposes.

Front Range Infrastructure Resources Project: water-resources activities

Science.gov (United States)

Robson, Stanley G.; Heiny, Janet S.

1998-01-01

Infrastructure, such as roads, buildings, airports, and dams, is built and maintained by use of large quantities of natural resources such as aggregate (sand and gravel), energy, and water. As urban area expand, local sources of these resource are becoming inaccessible (gravel cannot be mined from under a subdivision, for example), or the cost of recovery of the resource becomes prohibitive (oil and gas drilling in urban areas is costly), or the resources may become unfit for some use (pollution of ground water may preclude its use as a water supply). Governmental land-use decision and environmental mandates can further preclude development of natural resources. If infrastructure resources are to remain economically available. current resource information must be available for use in well-reasoned decisions bout future land use. Ground water is an infrastructure resource that is present in shallow aquifers and deeper bedrock aquifers that underlie much of the 2,450-square-mile demonstration area of the Colorado Front Range Infrastructure Resources Project. In 1996, mapping of the area's ground-water resources was undertaken as a U.S. Geological Survey project in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

Bacillus licheniformis Isolated from Traditional Korean Food Resources Enhances the Longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans through Serotonin Signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Mi Ri; Oh, Sangnam; Son, Seok Jun; Park, Dong-June; Oh, Sejong; Kim, Sae Hun; Jeong, Do-Youn; Oh, Nam Su; Lee, Youngbok; Song, Minho; Kim, Younghoon

2015-12-02

In this study, we investigated potentially probiotic Bacillus licheniformis strains isolated from traditional Korean food sources for ability to enhance longevity using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a simple in vivo animal model. We first investigated whether B. licheniformis strains were capable of modulating the lifespan of C. elegans. Among the tested strains, preconditioning with four B. licheniformis strains significantly enhanced the longevity of C. elegans. Unexpectedly, plate counting and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results indicated that B. licheniformis strains were not more highly attached to the C. elegans intestine compared with Escherichia coli OP50 or Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG controls. In addition, qRT-PCR and an aging assay with mutant worms showed that the conditioning of B. licheniformis strain 141 directly influenced genes associated with serotonin signaling in nematodes, including tph-1 (tryptophan hydroxylase), bas-1 (serotonin- and dopamine-synthetic aromatic amino acid decarboxylase), mod-1 (serotonin-gated chloride channel), ser-1, and ser-7 (serotonin receptors) during C. elegans aging. Our findings suggest that B. licheniformis strain 141, which is isolated from traditional Korean foods, is a probiotic generally recognized as safe (GRAS) strain that enhances the lifespan of C. elegans via host serotonin signaling.

THE ANALYSIS OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (HRM IN MARITIME AFFAIRS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Goran Vučur

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Specifics of human resources management in maritime affairs is reflected in the fact that part of the staff of enterprises is displaced on ships which represent a specific and isolated environment. Specifics of human resources management on ships are focused to decision-making in crisis situations, the deployment of personnel and work load, and giving orders to perform certain tasks. In this context it is necessary to examine the management of human resources which should include managing, motivation, rewarding, communication, education, advancement, decision-making and employee satisfaction in the specific environment. The aim of the research is to analyze the above stated parameters and connect them with the characteristics of companies in the sector of maritime logistics. The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into the human resources management in companies involved in logistics in maritime transport i.e. delivery and transport of goods. Taking into account their differences, it can be concluded that companies in the maritime industry have different human resource management systems, which affects the company's business. The research methodology is based on the collection of data through questionnaires and databases created from them. The study included a total of 31 companies. According to the collected data, statistical analysis will be conducted which will be based on correlation and descriptive statistics. The analysis of the theoretical basis has not confirmed the existence of similar studies that take into account the observation of human resources management on ships. Therefore, it can be concluded that the research will be of interest for the field of business logistics as well as the whole scientific and professional community. Recommendations related to the current and future human resource management in maritime companies will be given in the conclusion.

Patterns of resource exploitation in four coexisting globeflower fly species ( Chiastocheta sp.)

Science.gov (United States)

Pompanon, François; Pettex, Emeline; Després, Laurence

2006-03-01

Life history and spatio-temporal patterns of resource utilisation were characterised in four Chiastocheta (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) species, whose larvae compete as seed predators on Trollius europaeus fruits. Interspecific co-occurrence was observed in 80% of the resource patches (= Trollius fruits) in the two communities studied. Isolated larvae from all species had a similar food intake, but differed in development time and size at emergence. Different species exhibit contrasting resource exploitation strategies with specific mining patterns and a partial temporal shift. Two species exhibited particularly singular strategies. C. rotundiventris escaped from strong interactions with other species because it was the first species to develop and the only one to exploit the central pith of Trollius fruits. The key role of this species as the main pollinator of the host-plant appears to be a by-product of constraints imposed by occupying a restricted niche. Although the resource is ephemeral due to seed dispersal, C. dentifera, the last species to oviposit, is not disadvantaged because it has a short development time and rapid food intake. The different patterns can partly explain the stability of Chiastocheta communities, but do not prevent competition to occur at high larval densities.

A note on isolate domination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismail Sahul Hamid

2016-04-01

Full Text Available A set $S$ of vertices of a graph $G$ such that $\\left\\langle S\\right\\rangle$ has an isolated vertex is called an \\emph{isolate set} of $G$. The minimum and maximum cardinality of a maximal isolate set are called the \\emph{isolate number} $i_0(G$ and the \\emph{upper isolate number} $I_0(G$ respectively. An isolate set that is also a dominating set (an irredundant set is an $\\emph{isolate dominating set} \\ (\\emph{an isolate irredundant set}$. The \\emph{isolate domination number} $\\gamma_0(G$ and the \\emph{upper isolate domination number} $\\Gamma_0(G$ are respectively the minimum and maximum cardinality of a minimal isolate dominating set while the \\emph{isolate irredundance number} $ir_0(G$ and the \\emph{upper isolate irredundance number} $IR_0(G$ are the minimum and maximum cardinality of a maximal isolate irredundant set of $G$. The notion of isolate domination was introduced in \\cite{sb} and the remaining were introduced in \\cite{isrn}. This paper further extends a study of these parameters.   

Social isolation in mental health: a conceptual and methodological review.

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Wang, Jingyi; Lloyd-Evans, Brynmor; Giacco, Domenico; Forsyth, Rebecca; Nebo, Cynthia; Mann, Farhana; Johnson, Sonia

2017-12-01

Social isolation and related concepts have been discussed increasingly in the field of mental health. Despite this, there is a lack of conceptual clarity and consistency in the definition and operationalisation of these terms. This review aimed to provide a clear framework for social isolation and related concepts, and to identify well-established measures in the field of mental health for each conceptual domain discussed. We used an iterative strategy of expert consultation and literature searching. A multi-disciplinary group of senior academics was consulted both before and after the literature searching to identify relevant terms, conceptual papers, or recommended measures. Our conceptual framework was also validated through expert consultation. We searched the Web of Science database using terms suggested by experts and subsequently identified further relevant studies through review articles and by reading full texts and reference lists of included studies. A narrative synthesis was conducted. We developed a model with five domains incorporating all the concepts relevant to social isolation in regular use in the mental health research literature. These five domains are: social network-quantity; social network-structure; social network-quality; appraisal of relationships-emotional; and appraisal of relationships-resources. We also identified well-developed measures suitable for assessing each of the five conceptual domains or covering multi-domains. Our review proposes a conceptual model to encompass and differentiate all terms relating to social isolation. Potential uses are in allowing researchers and intervention developers to identify precisely the intended outcomes of interventions, and to choose the most appropriate measures to use in mental health settings.

Learning on human resources management in the radiology residency program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Aparecido Ferreira de; Lederman, Henrique Manoel; Batista, Nildo Alves, E-mail: aparecidoliveira@ig.com.br [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Escola Paulista de Medicina

2014-03-15

Objective: to investigate the process of learning on human resource management in the radiology residency program at Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, aiming at improving radiologists' education. Materials and methods: exploratory study with a quantitative and qualitative approach developed with the faculty staff, preceptors and residents of the program, utilizing a Likert questionnaire (46), taped interviews (18), and categorization based on thematic analysis. Results: According to 71% of the participants, residents have clarity about their role in the development of their activities, and 48% said that residents have no opportunity to learn how to manage their work in a multidisciplinary team. Conclusion: Isolation at medical records room, little interactivity between sectors with diversified and fixed activities, absence of a previous culture and lack of a training program on human resources management may interfere in the development of skills for the residents' practice. There is a need to review objectives of the medical residency in the field of radiology, incorporating, whenever possible, the commitment to the training of skills related to human resources management thus widening the scope of abilities of the future radiologists. (author)

Learning on human resources management in the radiology residency program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, Aparecido Ferreira de; Lederman, Henrique Manoel; Batista, Nildo Alves

2014-01-01

Objective: to investigate the process of learning on human resource management in the radiology residency program at Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, aiming at improving radiologists' education. Materials and methods: exploratory study with a quantitative and qualitative approach developed with the faculty staff, preceptors and residents of the program, utilizing a Likert questionnaire (46), taped interviews (18), and categorization based on thematic analysis. Results: According to 71% of the participants, residents have clarity about their role in the development of their activities, and 48% said that residents have no opportunity to learn how to manage their work in a multidisciplinary team. Conclusion: Isolation at medical records room, little interactivity between sectors with diversified and fixed activities, absence of a previous culture and lack of a training program on human resources management may interfere in the development of skills for the residents' practice. There is a need to review objectives of the medical residency in the field of radiology, incorporating, whenever possible, the commitment to the training of skills related to human resources management thus widening the scope of abilities of the future radiologists. (author)

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission in a Ghanaian Burn Unit: The Importance of Active Surveillance in Resource-Limited Settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nana Ama Amissah

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives:Staphylococcus aureus infections in burn patients can lead to serious complications and death. The frequency of S. aureus infection is high in low- and middle-income countries presumably due to limited resources, misuse of antibiotics and poor infection control. The objective of the present study was to apply population genomics to precisely define, for the first time, the transmission of antibiotic resistant S. aureus in a resource-limited setting in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods:Staphylococcus aureus surveillance was performed amongst burn patients and healthcare workers during a 7-months survey within the burn unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana.Results: Sixty-six S. aureus isolates (59 colonizing and 7 clinical were obtained from 31 patients and 10 healthcare workers. Twenty-one of these isolates were ST250-IV methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA. Notably, 25 (81% of the 31 patients carried or were infected with S. aureus within 24 h of admission. Genome comparisons revealed six distinct S. aureus clones circulating in the burn unit, and demonstrated multiple transmission events between patients and healthcare workers. Further, the collected S. aureus isolates exhibited a wide range of genotypic resistances to antibiotics, including trimethoprim (21%, aminoglycosides (33%, oxacillin (33%, chloramphenicol (50%, tetracycline (59% and fluoroquinolones (100%.Conclusion: Population genomics uncovered multiple transmission events of S. aureus, especially MRSA, within the investigated burn unit. Our findings highlight lapses in infection control and prevention, and underscore the great importance of active surveillance to protect burn victims against multi-drug resistant pathogens in resource-limited settings.

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission in a Ghanaian Burn Unit: The Importance of Active Surveillance in Resource-Limited Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Amissah, Nana Ama; Buultjens, Andrew H; Ablordey, Anthony; van Dam, Lieke; Opoku-Ware, Ampomah; Baines, Sarah L; Bulach, Dieter; Tetteh, Caitlin S; Prah, Isaac; van der Werf, Tjip S; Friedrich, Alexander W; Seemann, Torsten; van Dijl, Jan Maarten; Stienstra, Ymkje; Stinear, Timothy P; Rossen, John W

2017-01-01

Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus infections in burn patients can lead to serious complications and death. The frequency of S. aureus infection is high in low- and middle-income countries presumably due to limited resources, misuse of antibiotics and poor infection control. The objective of the present study was to apply population genomics to precisely define, for the first time, the transmission of antibiotic resistant S. aureus in a resource-limited setting in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Staphylococcus aureus surveillance was performed amongst burn patients and healthcare workers during a 7-months survey within the burn unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Results: Sixty-six S. aureus isolates (59 colonizing and 7 clinical) were obtained from 31 patients and 10 healthcare workers. Twenty-one of these isolates were ST250-IV methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Notably, 25 (81%) of the 31 patients carried or were infected with S. aureus within 24 h of admission. Genome comparisons revealed six distinct S. aureus clones circulating in the burn unit, and demonstrated multiple transmission events between patients and healthcare workers. Further, the collected S. aureus isolates exhibited a wide range of genotypic resistances to antibiotics, including trimethoprim (21%), aminoglycosides (33%), oxacillin (33%), chloramphenicol (50%), tetracycline (59%) and fluoroquinolones (100%). Conclusion: Population genomics uncovered multiple transmission events of S. aureus , especially MRSA, within the investigated burn unit. Our findings highlight lapses in infection control and prevention, and underscore the great importance of active surveillance to protect burn victims against multi-drug resistant pathogens in resource-limited settings.

Extremophiles: developments of their special functions and potential resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujiwara, Shinsuke

2002-01-01

Extremophilles are valuable resources in biotechnology. Enzymes from extremophiles are expected to fill the gap between biological and chemical processes due to their unusual properties. Especially enzymes from hyperthermophiles that can grow at above 90 degrees C were devoted owing to its extraordinary thermostability and denaturant tolerance. Screening trials of hyperthermophilic microorganisms were performed by a number of microbiologists and various unique strains were isolated from natural environments. One of the most successful uses of thermostable enzymes was DNA polymerase in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Thermostable enzymes are used in the chemical, food, pharmaceutical, paper and textile industries. Recombinant forms of thermostable enzymes that have been expressed in Escherichia coli are commonly utilized in industrial applications however their enzymatic characteristics and tertiary structure are different from the native ones produced in the original strains. In vitro heat treatment induces a structural conversion of the recombinant protein to its natural form. High temperature itself plays an important role in determining the specific characteristics and tertiary structure of the enzyme. Recent studies have revealed that hyperthermophiles can grow under numerous conditions not only in geothermal or deep-sea thermal environments. Technological advances have allowed DNA to be isolated from natural environments. Now genes could be isolated from microorganisms that have not been cultured. In this review, innovative approaches to hunt genes from natural environments without pure culturing of microorganisms are also discussed.

Dynamic isolation technologies in negative pressure isolation wards

CERN Document Server

Xu, Zhonglin

2017-01-01

This book presents novel design principles and technologies for dynamic isolation based on experimental studies. These approaches have now become the local standard in Beijing and are currently being promoted for use nationwide. Further, the book provides details of measures and guidelines for the design process. Departing from the traditional understanding that isolation wards should be designed with high negative pressure, airtight doors and fresh air, it establishes the basis for designing biological clean rooms, including isolation wards, using a simple and convenient scientific approach. This book is intended for designers, engineers, researchers, hospital management staff and graduate students in heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC), air cleaning technologies and related areas.

Isolated Proofs of Knowledge and Isolated Zero Knowledge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damgård, Ivan Bjerre; Nielsen, Jesper Buus; Wichs, Daniel

2008-01-01

. This is because the prover may just be forwarding messages between the environment and the verifier while the environment performs all the necessary computation. In this paper we consider an ℓ-isolated prover, which is restricted to exchanging at most ℓ bits of information with its environment. We introduce a new...... notion called ℓ-isolated proofs of knowledge (ℓ-IPoK). These protocols securely ensure that an ℓ-isolated prover knows the witness. To prevent the above-mentioned attack, an ℓ-IPoK protocol has to have communication complexity greater than ℓ. We show that for any relation in NP and any value ℓ...

From local strains to specific starters: the process structuring a research program on the activation and management of a biotechnological resource

OpenAIRE

Casalta, Erick; Bona, Pascale

2009-01-01

This study presents a research-action program carried out in Corsica with a group of cheese makers to develop specific starters. Based on the direct participation of the cheese makers, this study consisted in designing starters with lactic acid bacterial strains isolated from milks and cheeses of this group of cheese makers. This process modified an individually and empirically used resource, local strains, into a shared and collectively managed resource, specific starters. Patrimonial featur...

Technical support for GEIS: radioactive waste isolation in geologic formations. Volume 23. Environmental effluent analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-04-01

This volume, Y/OWI/TM-36/23, ''Environmental Effluent Analysis,'' is one of a 23-volume series, ''Technical Support for GEIS: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations,'' Y/OWI/TM-36, which supplements the ''Contribution to Drat Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Commercial Waste Management: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations,'' Y/OWI/TM-44. The series provides a more complete technical basis for the preconceptual designs, resource requirements, and environmental source terms associated with isolating commercial LWR wastes in underground repositories in salt, granite, shale and basalt. Wastes are considered from three fuel cycles: uranium and plutonium recycling, no recycling of spent fuel and uranium-only recycling. This volume discusses the releases to the environment of radioactive and non-radioactive materials that arise during facility construction and waste handling operations, as well as releases that could occur in the event of an operational accident. The results of the analyses are presented along with a detailed description of the analytical methodologies employed

Spoligotyping of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Mumbai, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulkarni, Savita; Sola, Christophe; Filliol, Ingrid; Rastogi, Nalin; Kadival, Gururaj

2005-05-01

Tuberculosis remains a major health problem in India, with 2 million new cases and 421,000 deaths each year. In this paper, we describe the spoligotyping results of 216 Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture isolates from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Mumbai, India. As spoligotyping data from India have rarely been described until now, and as there is limited information on the major circulating clades of M. tuberculosis, the data obtained were also compared to an international spoligotype database (SpolDB4) that contained patterns from 22,546 isolates from more than 100 countries. Eighty-four (39%) of the isolates were definitively marked as orphan strains, indicating the paucity of such data from India. The remaining 132 isolates clustered among 59 shared types; among these, 42 shared types were already present in the database, 17 were newly created, and 5 of them were specifically reported from Mumbai. A total of 9 major types in this study clustered 32% of the isolates. At the phylogenetic level, 30% of the isolates belonged to the Central Asian families CAS1 and CAS2, of the major genetic group (MGG) 1, 29% to MGG 2 and 3 families (spacers 33-36 missing) and 17% to the ancestral East African Indian (EAI) family. Finally, nearly 10% of the isolates belonged to the W-Beijing family in a broad sense, also in the MGG 1 group. In conclusion, historic clones of the MGG 1 group of M. tuberculosis are responsible for roughly 60% of all tuberculosis cases in Mumbai. Together with the fact that organisms presumably of European descent (such as the Haarlem family) were only rarely found, our observations suggest that tuberculosis in Mumbai, India is essentially caused by historical clones of tubercle bacilli undergoing active circulation due to uncontrolled demography, high prevalence of the disease, and a paucity of resources.

[Diversity and bioactivity analysis of actinomycetes isolated from grand Shangri-La soil].

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Yanru; Jiang, Yi; Xu, Lihua

2009-01-01

To obtain new pharmaceuticals and enzymes with high activity,we studied the composition as well as antimicrobial and enzyme activities of actinomycetes in Grand Shangri-La. Using 4 media,we isolated mesophilic and psychrophilic actinomycetes from 220 soil samples collected from areas with different altitudes in Grand Shangri-La. Twenty-five representative isolates were phylogenetically analyzed based on their 16S rRNA gene sequences. Antimicrobial activities against four bacteria and seven fungi were tested using agar well diffusion method. Genes encoding type I and II polyketide synthases (PKS I, PKS II), nonribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS) and polyene cytochrome P450 hydroxylase (CYP) were screened by PCR. Furthermore,several enzyme activities of psychrophilic actinomycetes were examined. The 25 representative strains belonged to 6 suborders, 12 families and 15 genera of the order Actinomycetals. For NRPS and CYP genes screening, positive strains were 14 and 11, respectively. Among the 111 actinomycetes isolated under low-temperature conditions, 88% were psychrotroph strains, 12% were psychrophilic actinomycetes, and most of them utilized gelatin, cellulose and chitin. Actinomycetes diversity is rich in Grand Shangri-la, and has the potential for conservation and utilization of actinomycetes resources.

Rural electrification for isolated consumers: Sustainable management model based on residue biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinheiro, Giorgiana; Rendeiro, Goncalo; Pinho, Joao; Macedo, Emanuel

2011-01-01

This paper presents a case study of the electrification of a riparian community in the State of Para, Brazil, within the scope of the Program for Electric Power Service Universalization in Brazil. The community is located in a remote area; approximately 100 km from the municipal district, there is no regular transport to access the community, and adequate communication service. The community is provided with electrification facilities through a small biomass-based power plant, directly firing residues produced by the local economic activity. The objective of the paper is to propose a sustainable management model that is suitable for community's isolation conditions, considering the high costs with operation and maintenance related to the supply of isolated consumers in small locations. A simulation is conducted for the operation of the small biomass-based power plant, the generation costs are determined, the legal aspects are analyzed, and a suggestion for the management model is presented. - Highlights: → Electrification of isolated consumers is a great challenge for utilities. → Using local labor and resources allows lower energy costs for electrification. → Creation of a specific legislation for utilities is required. → Should also be implemented social activities together with electrification.

Isolation and identification of the native population bacteria for bioremediation of high levels of arsenic from water resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Jebelli, Mohammad Ahmadi; Maleki, Afshin; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Kalantar, Enayatollah; Gharibi, Fardin; Darvish, Neda; Tashayoe, Hamidreza

2018-04-15

Health of millions of people is threatened by the risk of drinking arsenic-contaminated water worldwide. Arsenic naturally conflicts with the concept of life, but recent studies showed that some microorganisms use toxic minerals as the source of energy. Hence, the researchers should consider the development of cost-effective and highly productive procedures to remove arsenic. The current study was conducted on a native bacterial population of Seyed-Jalaleddin Spring Kurdistan, Iran. Accordingly, the arsenic amount in water samples was measured >500 μg/L by the two field and in vitro methods. Water samples were transferred to laboratory and cultured on chemically defined medium (CDM) with arsenic salts. A total of 14 native arsenic-resistant bacterial strains were isolated and after providing pure culture and performing biochemical tests, the isolates were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and 16s rRNA genomic sequencing. The potential of bacterial strains for the biotransformation of arsenic was assessed by the qualitative assessment of AgNO 3 method and efficiency of arsenic speciation was determined for the first time by silver diethyldithiocarbamate (SDDC) method with an error of less than 5%. Among the isolated strains, only strain As-11 and strain As-12 showed arsenic transformation characteristics and were registered in NCBI database by the access numbers KY119262 and KY119261, respectively. Results of the current study indicated that strain As-11 had the potential of biotransformation of As(V) to As(III) and vice versa with the efficiency of 78% and 48%, respectively. On the other hand, strain As-12 had the potential for biotransformation of As(V) to As(III) and vice versa with the efficiency of 28% and 45%, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of the host contact sequence on the outcome of competition among aspergillus flavus isolates during host tissue invasion.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehl, H L; Cotty, P J

2011-03-01

Biological control of aflatoxin contamination by Aspergillus flavus is achieved through competitive exclusion of aflatoxin producers by atoxigenic strains. Factors dictating the extent to which competitive displacement occurs during host infection are unknown. The role of initial host contact in competition between pairs of A. flavus isolates coinfecting maize kernels was examined. Isolate success during tissue invasion and reproduction was assessed by quantification of isolate-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms using pyrosequencing. Isolates were inoculated either simultaneously or 1 h apart. Increased success during competition was conferred to the first isolate to contact the host independent of that isolate's innate competitive ability. The first-isolate advantage decreased with the conidial concentration, suggesting capture of limited resources on kernel surfaces contributes to competitive exclusion. Attempts to modify access to putative attachment sites by either coating kernels with dead conidia or washing kernels with solvents did not influence the success of the first isolate, suggesting competition for limited attachment sites on kernel surfaces does not mediate first-isolate advantage. The current study is the first to demonstrate an immediate competitive advantage conferred to A. flavus isolates upon host contact and prior to either germ tube emergence or host colonization. This suggests the timing of host contact is as important to competition during disease cycles as innate competitive ability. Early dispersal to susceptible crop components may allow maintenance within A. flavus populations of genetic types with low competitive ability during host tissue invasion.

Molecular epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolates from clinical and environmental sources of a metropolitan city.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Akbar Velayati

Full Text Available While NTM infection is mainly acquired from environmental exposure, monitoring of environmental niches for NTM is not a routine practice. This study aimed to find the prevalence of environmental NTM in soil and water in four highly populated suburbs of Tehran, Iran.A total of 4014 samples from soil and water resources were collected and studied. Sediments of each treated sample were cultured in Lowenstein-Jensen medium and observed twice per week for growth rate, colony morphology, and pigmentation. Colonies were studied with phenotypic tests. Molecular analysis was performed on single colonies derived from subculture of original isolates. Environmental samples were compared with 34 NTM isolates from patients who were residents of the study locations.Out of 4014 samples, mycobacteria were isolated from 862 (21.4% specimens; 536 (62.1% belonged to slow growing mycobacteria (SGM and 326 (37.8% were rapid growing mycobacteria (RGM. The five most frequent NTM were M. farcinogens (105/862; 12.1%, M. fortuitum (72/862; 8.3%, M. senegalense (58/862; 6.7%, M. kansasii (54/862; 6.2%, and M. simiae (46/862; 5.3%. In total, 62.5% (539/862 of mycobacterial positive samples were isolated from water and only 37.4% (323/862 of them were isolated from soil samples (P<0.05. Out of 5314 positive clinical samples for mycobacteria, 175 (3.2% isolates were NTM. The trend of NTM isolates increased from 1.2% (13 out of 1078 in 2004 to 3.8% (39 out of 1005 in 2014 (P = 0.0001. The major clinical isolates were M. simiae (51; 29.1%, M. kansasii (26; 14.8%, M. chelonae (28; 16%, and M. fortuitum (13; 7.4%.Comparing the distribution pattern of environmental NTM isolates with clinical isolates suggests a possible transmission link, but this does not apply to all environmental NTM species. Our study confirms an increasing trend of NTM isolation from clinical samples that needs further investigation.

Investment into the future of microbial resources: culture collection funding models and BRC business plans for biological resource centres.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, David; McCluskey, Kevin; Stackebrandt, Erko

2014-01-01

Through their long history of public service, diverse microbial Biological Resource Centres (mBRCs) have made myriad contributions to society and science. They have enabled the maintenance of specimens isolated before antibiotics, made available strains showing the development and change of pathogenicity toward animals, humans and plants, and have maintained and provided reference strains to ensure quality and reproducibility of science. However, this has not been achieved without considerable financial commitment. Different collections have unique histories and their support is often tied to their origins. However many collections have grown to serve large constituencies and need to develop novel funding mechanisms. Moreover, several international initiatives have described mBRCs as a factor in economic development and have led to the increased professionalism among mBRCs.

Effect of isolation techniques on the characteristics of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) protein isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Adenekan, Monilola K; Fadimu, Gbemisola J; Odunmbaku, Lukumon A; Oke, Emmanuel K

2018-01-01

In this study, the effect of different isolation techniques on the isolated proteins from pigeon pea was investigated. Water, methanol, ammonium sulfate, and acetone were used for the precipitation of proteins from pigeon pea. Proximate composition, and antinutritional and functional properties of the pigeon pea flour and the isolated proteins were measured. Data generated were statistically analyzed. The proximate composition of the water-extracted protein isolate was moisture 8.30%, protein 91.83%, fat 0.25%, ash 0.05%, and crude fiber 0.05%. The methanol-extracted protein isolate composition was moisture 7.87%, protein 91.83%, fat 0.17%, and ash 0.13%, while crude fiber and carbohydrates were not detected. The composition of the ammonium sulfate-extracted protein isolate was moisture 7.73%, protein 91.73%, fat 0.36, ash 0.13%, and crude fiber 0.67%. The acetone-extracted protein isolate composition was moisture 8.03%, protein 91.50%, ash 0.67%, and fat 0.30%, but crude fiber and carbohydrates were not detected. The isolate precipitated with ammonium sulfate displayed the highest foaming capacity (37.63%) and foaming stability (55.75%). Isolates precipitated with methanol and acetone had the highest water absorption capacity (160%). Pigeon pea protein isolates extracted with methanol and ammonium sulfate had the highest oil absorption capacity of 145%. Protein isolates recovered through acetone and methanol had the highest emulsifying capacity of 2.23% and emulsifying stability of 91.47%, respectively. The proximate composition of the recovered protein isolates were of high purity. This shows the efficiency of the extraction techniques. The isolates had desirable solubility index. All the isolation techniques brought significant impact on the characteristics of the isolated pigeon pea protein.

Novel optimization technique of isolated microgrid with hydrogen energy storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Beshr, Eman Hassan; Abdelghany, Hazem; Eteiba, Mahmoud

2018-01-01

This paper presents a novel optimization technique for energy management studies of an isolated microgrid. The system is supplied by various Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), Diesel Generator (DG), a Wind Turbine Generator (WTG), Photovoltaic (PV) arrays and supported by fuel cell/electrolyzer Hydrogen storage system for short term storage. Multi-objective optimization is used through non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm to suit the load requirements under the given constraints. A novel multi-objective flower pollination algorithm is utilized to check the results. The Pros and cons of the two optimization techniques are compared and evaluated. An isolated microgrid is modelled using MATLAB software package, dispatch of active/reactive power, optimal load flow analysis with slack bus selection are carried out to be able to minimize fuel cost and line losses under realistic constraints. The performance of the system is studied and analyzed during both summer and winter conditions and three case studies are presented for each condition. The modified IEEE 15 bus system is used to validate the proposed algorithm.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Site Environmental Report Calendar Year 2002

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Washington Regulatory and Environmental Services

2003-09-17

The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) and Washington TRU Solutions LLC (WTS) are dedicated to maintaining high quality management of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) environmental resources. DOE Order 5400.1, General Environmental Protection Program, and DOE Order 231.1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting, require that the environment at and near DOE facilities be monitored to ensure the safety and health of the public and the environment. This Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 2002 Site Environmental Report summarizes environmental data from calendar year 2002 that characterize environmental management performance and demonstrate compliance with federal and state regulations. This report was prepared in accordance with DOE Order 5400.1, DOE Order 231.1, and Guidance for the Preparation of DOE Annual Site Environmental Reports (ASERs) for Calendar Year 2002 (DOE Memorandum EH-41: Natoli:6-1336, April 4, 2003). These Orders and the guidance document require that DOE facilities submit an annual site environmental report to DOE Headquarters, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health; and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED).

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Site Environmental Report Calendar Year 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Washington Regulatory and Environmental Services

2003-01-01

The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) and Washington TRU Solutions LLC (WTS) are dedicated to maintaining high quality management of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) environmental resources. DOE Order 5400.1, General Environmental Protection Program, and DOE Order 231.1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting, require that the environment at and near DOE facilities be monitored to ensure the safety and health of the public and the environment. This Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 2002 Site Environmental Report summarizes environmental data from calendar year 2002 that characterize environmental management performance and demonstrate compliance with federal and state regulations. This report was prepared in accordance with DOE Order 5400.1, DOE Order 231.1, and Guidance for the Preparation of DOE Annual Site Environmental Reports (ASERs) for Calendar Year 2002 (DOE Memorandum EH-41: Natoli:6-1336, April 4, 2003). These Orders and the guidance document require that DOE facilities submit an annual site environmental report to DOE Headquarters, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health; and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED)

Novel optimization technique of isolated microgrid with hydrogen energy storage.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eman Hassan Beshr

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel optimization technique for energy management studies of an isolated microgrid. The system is supplied by various Distributed Energy Resources (DERs, Diesel Generator (DG, a Wind Turbine Generator (WTG, Photovoltaic (PV arrays and supported by fuel cell/electrolyzer Hydrogen storage system for short term storage. Multi-objective optimization is used through non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm to suit the load requirements under the given constraints. A novel multi-objective flower pollination algorithm is utilized to check the results. The Pros and cons of the two optimization techniques are compared and evaluated. An isolated microgrid is modelled using MATLAB software package, dispatch of active/reactive power, optimal load flow analysis with slack bus selection are carried out to be able to minimize fuel cost and line losses under realistic constraints. The performance of the system is studied and analyzed during both summer and winter conditions and three case studies are presented for each condition. The modified IEEE 15 bus system is used to validate the proposed algorithm.

Isolation and Screening of Thermophilic Bacilli from Compost for Electrotransformation and Fermentation: Characterization of Bacillus smithii ET 138 as a New Biocatalyst

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosma, E.F.; Weijer, van de A.H.P.; Daas, M.J.A.; Oost, van der J.; Vos, de W.M.; Kranenburg, van R.

2015-01-01

Thermophilic bacteria are regarded as attractive production organisms for cost-efficient conversion of renewable resources to green chemicals, but their genetic accessibility is a major bottleneck in developing them into versatile platform organisms. In this study, we aimed to isolate thermophilic,

Wire rope isolators for vibration isolation of equipment and structures – A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balaji, P S; Rahman, M E; Lau, H H; Moussa, Leblouba

2015-01-01

Vibrations and shocks are studied using various techniques and analyzed to predict their detrimental effect on the equipment and structures. In cases, where the effects of vibration become unacceptable, it may cause structural damage and affect the operation of the equipment. Hence, adding a discrete system to isolate the vibration from source becomes necessary. The Wire Rope Isolator (WRI) can be used to effectively isolate the system from disturbing vibrations. The WRI is a type of passive isolator that exhibits nonlinear behavior. It consists of stranded wire rope held between two metal retainer bars and the metal wire rope is made up of individual wire strands that are in frictional contact with each other, hence, it is a kind of friction-type isolator. This paper compiles the research work on wire rope isolators. This paper presents the research work under two categories, namely monotonic and cyclic loading behaviors of WRI. The review also discusses the different terminologies associated with vibration isolation system and highlights the comparison between various isolation systems. (paper)

Mutation and premating isolation

Science.gov (United States)

Woodruff, R. C.; Thompson, J. N. Jr

2002-01-01

While premating isolation might be traceable to different genetic mechanisms in different species, evidence supports the idea that as few as one or two genes may often be sufficient to initiate isolation. Thus, new mutation can theoretically play a key role in the process. But it has long been thought that a new isolation mutation would fail, because there would be no other individuals for the isolation-mutation-carrier to mate with. We now realize that premeiotic mutations are very common and will yield a cluster of progeny carrying the same new mutant allele. In this paper, we discuss the evidence for genetically simple premating isolation barriers and the role that clusters of an isolation mutation may play in initiating allopatric, and even sympatric, species divisions.

Resource programs: Draft Environmental Impact Statement Resource Programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-03-01

Every two years, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) prepares a Resource Program which identifies the resource actions BPA will take to meet its obligation to serve the forecasted power requirements of its customers. The Resource Program's Environmental Impact Statement (RPEIS) is a programmatic environmental document which will support decisions made in several future Resource Programs. Environmental documents tiered to the EIS may be prepared on a site-specific basis. The RPEIS includes a description of the environmental effects and mitigation for the various resource types available in order to evaluate the trade-offs among them. It also assesses the environmental impacts of adding thirteen alternative combinations of resources to the existing power system. This report contains the appendices to the RPEIS

SPI Conformance Gel Applications in Geothermal Zonal Isolation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burns, Lyle [Clean Tech Innovations, Bartlesville, OK (United States)

2017-08-08

Zonal isolation in geothermal injection and producing wells is important while drilling the wells when highly fractured geothermal zones are encountered and there is a need to keep the fluids from interfering with the drilling operation. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) objectives are to advance technologies to make it more cost effective to develop, produce, and monitor geothermal reservoirs and produce geothermal energy. Thus, zonal isolation is critical to well cost, reservoir evaluation and operations. Traditional cementing off of the lost circulation or thief zones during drilling is often done to stem the drilling mud losses. This is an expensive and generally unsuccessful technique losing the potential of the remaining fracture system. Selective placement of strong SPI gels into only the offending fractures can maintain and even improve operational efficiency and resource life. The SPI gel system is a unique silicate based gel system that offers a promising solution to thief zones and conformance problems with water and CO2 floods and potentially geothermal operations. This gel system remains a low viscosity fluid until an initiator (either internal such as an additive or external such as CO2) triggers gelation. This is a clear improvement over current mechanical methods of using packers, plugs, liners and cementing technologies that often severely damage the highly fractured area that is isolated. In the SPI gels, the initiator sets up the fluid into a water-like (not a precipitate) gel and when the isolated zone needs to be reopened, the SPI gel may be removed with an alkaline solution without formation damage occurring. In addition, the SPI gel in commercial quantities is expected to be less expensive than competing mechanical systems and has unique deep placement possibilities. This project seeks to improve upon the SPI gel integrity by modifying the various components to impart temperature stability for use in

Existing conditions socioeconomic portion. Waste isolation pilot plant environmental impact report, chapter 2, sections 2. 2, 2. 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-07-01

The population characteristics and the economic setting of Eddy and Lea Counties, New Mexico, are reviewed as related to site selection for a radioactive waste isolation pilot plant. Sections are included on population distribution, basic industries, trade and services, financial resources, personal income, tourism, labor force, employment, land use, water systems, utilities, transportation, and local government. (JRD)

Existing conditions socioeconomic portion. Waste isolation pilot plant environmental impact report, chapter 2, sections 2.2, 2.3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-07-01

The population characteristics and the economic setting of Eddy and Lea Counties, New Mexico, are reviewed as related to site selection for a radioactive waste isolation pilot plant. Sections are included on population distribution, basic industries, trade and services, financial resources, personal income, tourism, labor force, employment, land use, water systems, utilities, transportation, and local government

Environmental baseline study of the Los Medanos Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project area of New Mexico: a progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolfe, H.G. (ed.)

1977-09-01

Exploratory drilling operations are being conducted for a Waste Isolation Pilot Program in southeastern New Mexico. Prior to the establishment of such a program, an environmental study was initiated to serve as a baseline for evaluation of the impact of future activities in the Los Medanos area. Much of this area has been influenced by human activities over a long period, and hence the baseline data only reflects the present, relatively disturbed condition of the environment. The study covers air resources, soils, and biotic resources. 23 tables, 6 figs. (DLC)

Load Frequency Control in Isolated Micro-Grids with Electrical Vehicles Based on Multivariable Generalized Predictive Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Yang

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In power systems, although the inertia energy in power sources can partly cover power unbalances caused by load disturbance or renewable energy fluctuation, it is still hard to maintain the frequency deviation within acceptable ranges. However, with the vehicle-to-grid (V2G technique, electric vehicles (EVs can act as mobile energy storage units, which could be a solution for load frequency control (LFC in an isolated grid. In this paper, a LFC model of an isolated micro-grid with EVs, distributed generations and their constraints is developed. In addition, a controller based on multivariable generalized predictive control (MGPC theory is proposed for LFC in the isolated micro-grid, where EVs and diesel generator (DG are coordinated to achieve a satisfied performance on load frequency. A benchmark isolated micro-grid with EVs, DG, and wind farm is modeled in the Matlab/Simulink environment to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Simulation results demonstrate that with MGPC, the energy stored in EVs can be managed intelligently according to LFC requirement. This improves the system frequency stability with complex operation situations including the random renewable energy resource and the continuous load disturbances.

Identification and characterization of novel natural pathogen of Drosophila melanogaster isolated from wild captured Drosophila spp.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Karan; Zulkifli, Mohammad; Prasad, N G

2016-12-01

Drosophila melanogaster is an emerging model system for the study of evolutionary ecology of immunity. However, a large number of studies have used non natural pathogens as very few natural pathogens have been isolated and identified. Our aim was to isolate and characterize natural pathogen/s of D. melanogaster. A bacterial pathogen was isolated from wild caught Drosophila spp., identified as a new strain of Staphylococcus succinus subsp. succinus and named PK-1. This strain induced substantial mortality (36-62%) in adults of several laboratory populations of D. melanogaster. PK-1 grew rapidly within the body of the flies post infection and both males and females had roughly same number of colony forming units. Mortality was affected by mode of infection and dosage of the pathogen. However mating status of the host had no effect on mortality post infection. Given that there are very few known natural bacterial pathogens of D. melanogaster and that PK-1 can establish a sustained infection across various outbred and inbred populations of D. melanogaster this new isolate is a potential resource for future studies on immunity. Copyright © 2016 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Cloud-Centric and Logically Isolated Virtual Network Environment Based on Software-Defined Wide Area Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dongkyun Kim

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Recent development of distributed cloud environments requires advanced network infrastructure in order to facilitate network automation, virtualization, high performance data transfer, and secured access of end-to-end resources across regional boundaries. In order to meet these innovative cloud networking requirements, software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN is primarily demanded to converge distributed cloud resources (e.g., virtual machines (VMs in a programmable and intelligent manner over distant networks. Therefore, this paper proposes a logically isolated networking scheme designed to integrate distributed cloud resources to dynamic and on-demand virtual networking over SD-WAN. The performance evaluation and experimental results of the proposed scheme indicate that virtual network convergence time is minimized in two different network models such as: (1 an operating OpenFlow-oriented SD-WAN infrastructure (KREONET-S which is deployed on the advanced national research network in Korea, and (2 Mininet-based experimental and emulated networks.

Online Resources and Community Support for REU Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Sloan, V.; Haacker, R.

2015-12-01

Creating and running undergraduate research programs is very time and resource intensive, and leaders work in relative isolation, managing every aspect of REU programs. This paper will give an update on new tools, resources, and support gathered from the geoscience REU community and made available through the SOARS Center for Undergraduate Research via the web, a listserv, and workshops. These include advice and tools on topics such as broadening participation, ethics and safety training, and communicating with mentors. The demand from the private sector for graduates to be more adaptable, adept at problem solving, and skilled at writing and presenting (Chronicle for Higher Education, 2012) increases the need for the REU community to provide professional development for students. As a result, we are also working to provide materials and webinars on teaching interns how to prepare talks and posters, how to write their internship experience into their résumé, and about graduate school and other non-academic career paths. REUs continue to successfully attract strong students into STEM fields, and the quality of these programs is enhanced by the generous sharing of insight and tools within the GEO REU community (ucar.scied.edu/soars/reu).

No-migration variance petition for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duff, M.; Carnes, R.; Hart, J.; Hansen, R.

1991-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is petitioning the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the emplacement of hazardous wastes subject to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) land disposal restrictions in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The basis of the petition is that there will be no migration of hazardous constituents from the repository for as long as the wastes remain hazardous. The EPA regulations in 40 CFR Section 268.6 identify specific criteria that must be addressed in making a demonstration of no migration. EPA's approval of this petition will allow the WIPP facility to accept wastes otherwise prohibited or restricted from land disposal. 5 refs

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 2001 Site Environmental Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westinghouse TRU Solutions, Inc.

2002-09-20

The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) and Westinghouse TRU Solutions LLC (WTS) are dedicated to maintaining high quality management of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) environmental resources. DOE Order 5400.1, General Environmental Protection Program, and DOE Order 231.1, Environmental, Safety, and Health Reporting, require that the environment at and near DOE facilities be monitored to ensure the safety and health of the public and the environment. This Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 2001 Site Environmental Report summarizes environmental data from calendar year (CY) 2001 that characterize environmental management performance and demonstrate compliance with federal and state regulations. This report was prepared in accordance with DOE Order 5400.1, DOE Order 231.1, the Environmental Regulatory Guide for Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance (DOE/EH- 0173T), and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Environmental Protection Implementation Plan (DOE/WIPP 96-2199). The above Orders and guidance documents require that DOE facilities submit an annual site environmental report to DOE Headquarters, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health; and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive description of operational environmental monitoring activities, to provide an abstract of environmental activities conducted to characterize site environmental management performance to confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and to highlight significant programs and efforts of environmental merit at WIPP during CY 2001. WIPP received its first shipment of waste on March 26, 1999. In 2001, no evidence was found of any adverse effects from WIPP on the surrounding environment.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 2001 Site Environmental Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westinghouse TRU Solutions, Inc.

2002-01-01

The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) and Westinghouse TRU Solutions LLC (WTS) are dedicated to maintaining high quality management of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) environmental resources. DOE Order 5400.1, General Environmental Protection Program, and DOE Order 231.1, Environmental, Safety, and Health Reporting, require that the environment at and near DOE facilities be monitored to ensure the safety and health of the public and the environment. This Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 2001 Site Environmental Report summarizes environmental data from calendar year (CY) 2001 that characterize environmental management performance and demonstrate compliance with federal and state regulations. This report was prepared in accordance with DOE Order 5400.1, DOE Order 231.1, the Environmental Regulatory Guide for Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance (DOE/EH- 0173T), and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Environmental Protection Implementation Plan (DOE/WIPP 96-2199). The above Orders and guidance documents require that DOE facilities submit an annual site environmental report to DOE Headquarters, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health; and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive description of operational environmental monitoring activities, to provide an abstract of environmental activities conducted to characterize site environmental management performance to confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and to highlight significant programs and efforts of environmental merit at WIPP during CY 2001. WIPP received its first shipment of waste on March 26, 1999. In 2001, no evidence was found of any adverse effects from WIPP on the surrounding environment

Herpes - resources

Science.gov (United States)

Genital herpes - resources; Resources - genital herpes ... following organizations are good resources for information on genital herpes : March of Dimes -- www.marchofdimes.org/complications/sexually- ...

Hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria isolated from petroleum contaminated sites in Tunisia: isolation, identification and characterization of the biotechnological potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahjoubi, Mouna; Jaouani, Atef; Guesmi, Amel; Ben Amor, Sonia; Jouini, Ahlem; Cherif, Hanen; Najjari, Afef; Boudabous, Abdellatif; Koubaa, Nedra; Cherif, Ameur

2013-09-25

Petroleum hydrocarbons are important energy resources used by industry and in our daily life, whose production contributes highly to environmental pollution. To control such risk, bioremediation constitutes an environmentally friendly alternative technology that has been established and applied. It constitutes the primary mechanism for the elimination of hydrocarbons from contaminated sites by natural existing populations of microorganisms. In this work, a collection of 125 strains, adapted to grow on minimal medium supplemented with crude oil, was obtained from contaminated sediments and seawater from a refinery harbor of the Bizerte coast in the North of Tunisia. The diversity of the bacterial collection was analyzed by amplification of the internal transcribed spacers between the 16S and the 23S rRNA genes (ITS-PCR) and by 16S rRNA sequencing. A total of 36 distinct ITS haplotypes were detected on agarose matrix. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing performed on 50 isolates showed high level of identity with known sequences. Strains were affiliated to Ochrabactrum, Sphingobium, Acinetobacter, Gordonia, Microbacterium, Brevundimonas, Novosphingobium, Stenotrophomonas, Luteibacter, Rhodococcus, Agrobacterium, Achromobacter, Bacilllus, Kocuria and Pseudomonas genera. Acinetobacter and Stenotrophomons were found to be the most abundant species characterized by a marked microdiversity as shown through ITS typing. Culture-independent approach (DGGE) showed high diversity in the microbial community in all the studied samples with a clear correlation with the hydrocarbon pollution rate. Sequencing of the DGGE bands revealed a high proportion of Proteobacteria represented by the Alpha and Gamma subclasses. The predominant bacterial detected by both dependent and independent approaches were the Proteobacteria. The biotechnological potential of the isolates revealed a significant production of biosurfactants with important emulsification activities useful in bioremediation

Novel Poly[(R-3-Hydroxybutyrate]-Producing Bacterium Isolated from a Bolivian Hypersaline Lake

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Soledad Marqués-Calvo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Poly[(R-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB constitutes a biopolymer synthesized from renewable resources by various microorganisms. This work focuses on finding a new PHB-producing bacterium capable of growing in conventional media used for industrial biopolymer production, its taxonomical identification, and characterization of its biopolymer. Thus, a bacterial isolation process was carried out from environmental samples of water and mud. Among the isolates, strain S29 was selected and used in a fed-batch fermentation to generate a biopolymer. This biopolymer was recovered and identified as PHB homopolymer. Surprisingly, it featured several fractions of different molecular masses, and thermal properties unusual for PHB. Hence, the microorganism S29, genetically identified as a new strain of Bacillus megaterium, proved to be interesting not only due to its growth and PHB accumulation kinetics under the investigated cultivation conditions, but also due to the thermal properties of the produced PHB.

SYMBIODINIUM ISOLATES FROM STONY CORAL: ISOLATION, GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS AND EFFECTS OF UV IRRADIATION

Science.gov (United States)

Symbiodinium spp. Isolates from Stony Coral: Isolation, Growth Characteristics and Effects of UV Irradiation (Abstract). J. Phycol. 37(3):42-43.Symbiodinium species were isolated from Montipora capitata, Acropora palmata and two field samples of Porites porites. Cultures ...

Isolation and characterization of novel bacteria containing acc deaminase from the rhizosphere resource on dry-farming lands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, P.; Tian, L.; Chen, F.; Cui, Z.

2014-01-01

Soil-microbe-plant interactions are known to be intricate and they can greatly influence the crop vigor and yield. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) containing ACC deaminase can markedly affect plant metabolic processes under stress conditions. In the present study, we isolated 300 bacterial strains from the rhizosphere of maize or apple grown in drought-hit soil including four different locations of the Loess Plateau, China. Of all isolated strains, four with ACC deaminase activity (ranging from 28.88 to 155.12 nmol alpha-ketobutyrate mg-1 h-1) were further studied by determining their biological characters and sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. All four strains showed positive performance in terms of arabinose, citrate utilization, urease, indol, glucose and melibiose. In connection with the results of biochemical characters and phylogenetic analysis, these strains commonly belong to three different genera: Klebsiella, Pseudomonas and Raoultella and four different species: Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella variicola, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Raoultella planticola. Although some researchers have reported their performance under stress conditions, we are the first to report Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella variicola and Raoultella planticola containing ACC deaminase under drought stress. These findings are a reasonable explanation to their superb ability of causing stress-resistance in maize (Zea mays) or apple (Malus domestica) plants. The presence of diverse PGPR possessing potential ACC deaminase activity may be beneficial for enhancing crop production under different stress conditions. (author)

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Part B permit application [for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)]. Volume 1, Revision 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-03-01

This volume includes the following chapters: Waste Isolation Pilot Plant RCRA A permit application; facility description; waste analysis plan; groundwater monitoring; procedures to prevent hazards; RCRA contingency plan; personnel training; corrective action for solid waste management units; and other Federal laws.

A Multifunctional Isolated and Non-Isolated Dual Mode Converter for Renewable Energy Conversion Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiwang Wang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a multifunctional isolated and non-isolated dual-mode low-power converter was designed for renewable energy conversion applications such as photovoltaic power generation to achieve different operating modes under bi-directional electrical conversion. The proposed topology consists of a bidirectional non-isolated DC/DC circuit and an isolated converter with a high-frequency transformer, which merge the advantages of both the conventional isolated converter and non-isolated converter with the combination of the two converter technologies. Compared with traditional converters, the multifunctional converter can not only realize conventional bi-directional functions, but can also be applied for many different operation modes and meet the high output/input ratio demands with the two converter circuits operating together. A novel control algorithm was proposed to achieve the various functions of the proposed converter. An experimental platform based on the proposed circuit was established. Both the simulation and experimental results indicated that the proposed converter could provide isolated and non-isolated modes in different applications, which could meet different practical engineering requirements.

Reciprocal Relationships between Job Resources, Personal Resources, and Work Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Xanthopoulou, Despoina; Bakker, Arnold B.; Demerouti, Evangelia; Schaufeli, Wilmar B.

2009-01-01

This study examined longitudinal relationships between job resources, personal resources, and work engagement. On the basis of Conservation of Resources theory, we hypothesized that job resources, personal resources, and work engagement are reciprocal over time. The study was conducted among 163 employees, who were followed-up over a period of 18…

Physics in isolation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1986-01-01

In late May, about 330 physicists made their way up to isolated and beautiful Lake Louise high in the Canadian Rockies about 100 miles west of Calgary in a second effort to increase interactions between particle and nuclear physicists. The conference series aims to foster exciting and diverse physics by bringing the different physicists together somewhere which is so isolated that they must interact with each other. The formula worked very well and isolated Lake Louise was a huge success

Physics in isolation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

1986-09-15

In late May, about 330 physicists made their way up to isolated and beautiful Lake Louise high in the Canadian Rockies about 100 miles west of Calgary in a second effort to increase interactions between particle and nuclear physicists. The conference series aims to foster exciting and diverse physics by bringing the different physicists together somewhere which is so isolated that they must interact with each other. The formula worked very well and isolated Lake Louise was a huge success.

Resource acquisition policy: Multiple account evaluation of electricity resource alternatives [and] resource acquisition strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

British Columbia Hydro has been directed by the provincial government to develop evaluation procedures to rank electricity resource alternatives in terms of their social benefits and costs, and to acquire resources on the basis of need. The current state of development of social costing at BC Hydro is detailed along with its application to the multiple account evaluation of resources. In this evaluation, BC Hydro's corporate costs, customer cost, transfer payments to the province, direct costs incurred by provincial or regional governments or other Crown agences, direct environmental impact costs from air emissions and land/water use, community and social impact costs, and economic development impacts are taken into account. The BC Hydro resource acquisition strategy is also described as it was developed in response to provincial policy on electricity supply from independent power producers. This strategy includes a determination of need, a decision to acquire need-determined resources either by itself or from a private sector developer, and decisions to acquire resources in advance of need for reasons such as economic opportunity, long-term strategies, or load displacement. Background information is included on calculation of air emissions costs. An illustrative example is provided of the multiple account evaluation of several types of resource projects. 1 fig., 5 tabs

Australian uranium resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Battey, G.C.; Miezitis, Y.; McKay, A.D.

1987-01-01

Australia's uranium resources amount to 29% of the WOCA countries (world outside centrally-planned-economies areas) low-cost Reasonably Assured Resources and 28% of the WOCA countries low-cost Estimated Additional Resources. As at 1 January 1986, the Bureau of Mineral Resources estimated Australia's uranium resources as: (1) Cost range to US$80/kg U -Reasonably Assured Resources, 465 000 t U; Estimated Additional Resources, 256 000 t U; (2) Cost range US$80-130/kg U -Reasonably Assured Resources, 56 000 t U; Estimated Additional Resources, 127 000 t U. Most resources are contained in Proterozoic unconformity-related deposits in the Alligator Rivers uranium field in the Northern Territory (Jabiluka, Ranger, Koongarra, Nabarlek deposits) and the Proterozoic stratabound deposit at Olympic Dam on the Stuart Shelf in South Australia

Indentification of huperzine A-producing endophytic fungi isolated from Huperzia serrata.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Li-Hui; Fan, San-Wei; Ling, Qing-Zhi; Huang, Bei-Bei; Wei, Zhao-Jun

2014-03-01

This present study was designed to investigate the production of huperzine A (HupA), an acetylcholine inhibitor, which was produced by an endophytic fungi isolated from Huperzia serrata. Screening of 94 endophytic fungal isolates obtained from plant H. serrata was carried out for the production of HupA. Their morphological characteristics were studied and rDNA sequence analysis was carried out. The cultures were grown in liquid culture medium and the extracted metabolites were analyzed by thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatograph for the presence of HupA. The DPPH scavenging ratio and inhibition ratio of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) of the same were determined. 3 out of 94 strains i.e. S29, L44 and S94 showed significant AchE-inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity. Strain L44 which exhibited maximum yield of HupA (37.63 μg/g on dry weight basis) was identified as Trichoderma species by ITS sequence analysis. In conclusion, endophytic fungi from H. serrata can be used as a new resource of HupA.

Landscape and biodiversity as new resources for agro-ecology? Insights from farmers' perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolas Salliou

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Pesticide reduction is a key current challenge. Scientific findings in landscape ecology suggest that complex landscapes favor insect pest biological control by conservation of natural enemy habitats. A potential agro-ecological innovation is to conserve or engineer such complex landscapes to reduce pesticide use. However, whereas the relevant resources are often well known in most natural resource management situations, potential resources involved in this innovation (natural enemies and the landscape are not necessarily considered as resources in the eyes of their potential users. From the perspective that resources are socially constructed, our objective was to investigate whether and how these resources are considered by their potential users. To do so, we conducted research in an area specializing in tree-fruit (apple production in southwestern France. This site was selected for its high pest incidence and high use of insecticides on orchards and, consequently, high stakes involved for any alternative. We conducted 30 comprehensive interviews with stakeholders (farmers and crop advisors about their pest control strategies to explore their representation of their landscape and natural enemies. Our results show that natural enemies are considered by local stakeholders as public good resources, especially in the context of interventions by public institutions for their conservation, acclimation, and management. Farmers sometimes consider natural enemies as private goods when they can isolate the crop, enclosing it with nets or some other type of boundary. We also show that the landscape was not considered as a resource for biological pest control by conservation, but rather as a source of pests. We advocate for more research on the effects of landscapes on natural enemies, including participatory research based on dialogue among farmers, crop advisors, and scientists.

Whole-Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas graminis Strain UASWS1507, a Potential Biological Control Agent and Biofertilizer Isolated in Switzerland.

Science.gov (United States)

Crovadore, Julien; Calmin, Gautier; Chablais, Romain; Cochard, Bastien; Schulz, Torsten; Lefort, François

2016-10-06

We report here the whole-genome shotgun sequence of the strain UASWS1507 of the species Pseudomonas graminis, isolated in Switzerland from an apple tree. This is the first genome registered for this species, which is considered as a potential and valuable resource of biological control agents and biofertilizers for agriculture. Copyright © 2016 Crovadore et al.

Asymmetric reproductive isolation between two sympatric annual killifish with extremely short lifespans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matej Polačik

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Interspecific reproductive isolation is typically achieved by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic barriers. Behavioural isolating barriers between sympatric, closely related species are often of primary importance and frequently aided by extrinsic factors causing spatial and temporal interspecific separation. Study systems with a severely limited role of extrinsic factors on reproductive isolation may provide valuable insights into how reproductive isolation between sympatric species is maintained. We used no-choice experimental set-up to study reproductive barriers between two closely related sympatric African killifish species, Nothobranchius furzeri and Nothobranchius orthonotus. These fish live in small temporary savannah pools and have complete spatial and temporal overlap in reproductive activities and share a similar ecology. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We found that the two species display largely incomplete and asymmetric reproductive isolation. Mating between N. furzeri males and N. orthonotus females was absent under standard experimental conditions and eggs were not viable when fish were forced to mate in a modified experimental setup. In contrast, male N. orthonotus indiscriminately mated with N. furzeri females, the eggs were viable, and offspring successfully hatched. Most spawnings, however, were achieved by male coercion and egg production and embryo survival were low. Behavioural asymmetry was likely facilitated by mating coercion from larger males of N. orthonotus and at relatively low cost to females. Interestingly, the direction of asymmetry was positively associated with asymmetry in post-mating reproductive barriers. SIGNIFICANCE: We showed that, in fish species with a promiscuous mating system and multiple matings each day, selection for strong mate preferences was relaxed. This effect was likely due to the small proportion of resources allocated to each single mating and the high potential cost to females from

Rapid screening of rpoB and katG mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates by high-resolution melting curve analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Haeili

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Early detection of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB is essential to prevent its transmission in the community and initiate effective anti-TB treatment regimen. Materials and Methods: High-resolution melting curve (HRM analysis was evaluated for rapid detection of resistance conferring mutations in rpoB and katG genes. We screened 95 Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates including 20 rifampin resistant (RIF-R, 21 isoniazid resistant (INH-R and 54 fully susceptible (S isolates determined by proportion method of drug susceptibility testing. Nineteen M. tuberculosis isolates with known drug susceptibility genotypes were used as references for the assay validation. The nucleotide sequences of the target regions rpoB and katG genes were determined to investigate the frequency and type of mutations and to confirm HRM results. Results: HRM analysis of a 129-bp fragment of rpoB allowed correct identification of 19 of the 20 phenotypically RIF-R and all RIF-S isolates. All INH-S isolates generated wild-type HRM curves and 18 out of 21 INH-R isolates harboured any mutation in 109-bp fragment of katG exhibited mutant type HRM curves. However, 1 RIF-R and 3 INH-R isolates were falsely identified as susceptible which were confirmed for having no mutation in their target regions by sequencing. The main mutations involved in RIF and INH resistance were found at codons rpoB531 (60% of RIF-R isolates and katG315 (85.7% of INH-R isolates, respectively. Conclusion: HRM was found to be a reliable, rapid and low cost method to characterise drug susceptibility of clinical TB isolates in resource-limited settings.

Optimum Shock Isolation

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Bolotnik, Nikolai

2001-01-01

.... Several types of performance criteria for isolation are considered, the most important of which are the peak force transmitted to the body to be isolated and the maximum displacement of the body relative to the base...

Isolation and Rheological Characterization of Cellulose Nanofibrils (CNFs from Coir Fibers in Comparison to Wood and Cotton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daran Yue

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this report, the isolation and rheological characterization of cellulose nanofibrils from coir (CNFs-1 were studied and compared with the CNFs from wood (CNFs-2 and cotton (CNFs-3. Cellulose nanofibrils were isolated successfully from coir fibers by chemical treatments followed by ultrasonic fibrillation. During ultrasonic processing, the size and the crystal structure of the CNFs were influenced by the raw materials. In comparison to CNFs-2 and CNFs-3, CNFs-1 from coir fibers presented diverse advantages, such as sufficient fibrillation with a low diameter distribution, in the range of 2–4 nm and high crystallinity. In the dynamic rheology study of CNFs-1, elastic behavior was observed and maintained due to the formation of gel-like steady network structures, which could not be easily deconstructured by frequency shearing and temperature changing. All results indicated that coir fibers could be used as a valuable resource for the preparation of CNFs, which exhibited comparable properties with those isolated from wood, in regard to morphology and rheological properties. This work provides a basis for further advanced applications using the CNFs isolated from coir fibers.

Resources and Resourcefulness in Language Teaching and Learning

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Attempts will be made in this paper to examine what we mean by language, language teaching and learning, resources and resourcefulness in language teaching and learning and the benefit of teachers being resourceful in language teaching and learning to both the learners, the teachers, the society and the nation at ...

Isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jonbergen, J.P.W. van; Poolman, R.W.; Kampen, A. van

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The optimal treatment for isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis is unclear at present. We systematically reviewed the highest level of available evidence on the nonoperative and operative treatment of isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis to develop an evidenced-based

[Isolation and identification of cow-origin Cryptosporidium isolates in Hefei].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Tao; Liu, Wei; Wang, Ju-Hua; Xue, Xiu-Heng; Zhao, Chang-Cheng; Li, Pei-Ying

2011-12-01

To isolate cow-origin Cryptosporidium in Hefei, and identify its species. 285 dairy cattle fecal samples collected from a farm in Hefei were examined by using floating saturated solution of sucrose and modified acid-fast staining. Cryptosporidium oocysts were isolated and purified from positive fecal samples. Genetic DNA was extracted to be the template. According to the sequence of 18S rRNA gene and HSP70 gene from Cryptosporidium sp., the primers were designed and synthesized. The PCR products were amplified by PCR and nested-PCR. The nested PCR products were cloned and sequenced. Homology searches and phylogenic tree construction were done by DNAStar software. Five fecal samples were positive by morphological methods with an infection rate of 1.8% (5/285). Oocysts from the 5 positive fecal samples were elliptical or ovoid detected by using floating saturated solution of sucrose and modified acid-fast staining with the size of 7.37 microm x 6.13 microm and 7.58 microm x 6.20 microm, and a shape index of 1.20 and 1.22, respectively. Nested-PCR resulted in a 18S rRNA and HSP70 gene fragments with approximately 250 bp and 325 bp, respectively. The five isolates showed a high level of nucleic acid identity with sequence data of the 18S rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium andersoni (DQ989573), and they were clustered in the same clade. The highest HSP70 gene sequence identity was found among the five isolates and other reported C. andersoni isolates (AY954892 and DQ989576), and they were placed into the same clade. The cow-origin Cryptosporidium isolates derived from Hefei is Cryptosporidium andersoni.

Optimal electricity development by increasing solar resources in diesel-based micro grid of island society in Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prachuab Peerapong

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Isolated grid diesel-based systems have been a basic electricity system in islands in developing countries. Nevertheless, the increasing diesel price and the higher cost of diesel transport to a long distance to the remote islands make the diesel-based systems unsustainable. This study analyzes the viability to increase solar photovoltaic (PV resources in the existing diesel-based systems. The hybrid PV/diesel system is not only reducing the cost of electricity generation but also decreasing the harmful emissions from fossil fuels. This study uses net present cost (NPC to evaluate the optimum PV/diesel system configurations for installation in isolated island in Thailand. The results of analyses show that the optimal case PV/diesel system can decrease COE from $0.429/kWh to $0.374/kWh when compared to the existing diesel-based system and can decrease emissions both carbon dioxide of 796.61 tons/yr and other gases of 21.47 tons/yr. The hybrid PV/diesel system also reduces diesel fuel consumption of 302,510 liters per year as a result from an optimal of 41% PV resource shares in this system.

Static and dynamic stability of pneumatic vibration isolators and systems of isolators

Science.gov (United States)

Ryaboy, Vyacheslav M.

2014-01-01

Pneumatic vibration isolation is the most widespread effective method for creating vibration-free environments that are vital for precise experiments and manufacturing operations in optoelectronics, life sciences, microelectronics, nanotechnology and other areas. The modeling and design principles of a dual-chamber pneumatic vibration isolator, basically established a few decades ago, continue to attract attention of researchers. On the other hand, behavior of systems of such isolators was never explained in the literature in sufficient detail. This paper covers a range of questions essential for understanding the mechanics of pneumatic isolation systems from both design and application perspectives. The theory and a model of a single standalone isolator are presented in concise form necessary for subsequent analysis. Then the dynamics of a system of isolators supporting a payload is considered with main attention directed to two aspects of their behavior: first, the static stability of payloads with high positions of the center of gravity; second, dynamic stability of the feedback system formed by mechanical leveling valves. The direct method of calculating the maximum stable position of the center of gravity is presented and illustrated by three-dimensional stability domains; analytic formulas are given that delineate these domains. A numerical method for feedback stability analysis of self-leveling valve systems is given, and the results are compared with the analytical estimates for a single isolator. The relation between the static and dynamic phenomena is discussed.

Solving Multiple Isolated, Interleaved, and Blended Tasks through Modular Neuroevolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Schrum, Jacob; Miikkulainen, Risto

2016-01-01

Many challenging sequential decision-making problems require agents to master multiple tasks. For instance, game agents may need to gather resources, attack opponents, and defend against attacks. Learning algorithms can thus benefit from having separate policies for these tasks, and from knowing when each one is appropriate. How well this approach works depends on how tightly coupled the tasks are. Three cases are identified: Isolated tasks have distinct semantics and do not interact, interleaved tasks have distinct semantics but do interact, and blended tasks have regions where semantics from multiple tasks overlap. Learning across multiple tasks is studied in this article with Modular Multiobjective NEAT, a neuroevolution framework applied to three variants of the challenging Ms. Pac-Man video game. In the standard blended version of the game, a surprising, highly effective machine-discovered task division surpasses human-specified divisions, achieving the best scores to date in this game. In isolated and interleaved versions of the game, human-specified task divisions are also successful, though the best scores are surprisingly still achieved by machine discovery. Modular neuroevolution is thus shown to be capable of finding useful, unexpected task divisions better than those apparent to a human designer.

Chemical dependence - resources

Science.gov (United States)

Substance use - resources, Drug abuse - resources; Resources - chemical dependence ... are a good resource for information on drug dependence: National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence -- ncadd. ...

Effect of isolation techniques on the characteristics of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) protein isolates

OpenAIRE

Adenekan, Monilola K.; Fadimu, Gbemisola J.; Odunmbaku, Lukumon A.; Oke, Emmanuel K.

2017-01-01

Abstract In this study, the effect of different isolation techniques on the isolated proteins from pigeon pea was investigated. Water, methanol, ammonium sulfate, and acetone were used for the precipitation of proteins from pigeon pea. Proximate composition, and antinutritional and functional properties of the pigeon pea flour and the isolated proteins were measured. Data generated were statistically analyzed. The proximate composition of the water‐extracted protein isolate was moisture 8.30%...

Performance Analysis of Isolated Hybrid Power Plant Model with Dynamic Load Conditions - Morning, Noon and Afternoon Transitions

Science.gov (United States)

Irawati, Rina

2018-02-01

Diesel Generator with Photovoltaic Hybrid Power Plant is one of the solutions for supply electric demand to isolated area. The energy sources that can be used for hybrid system are such as photovoltaic, wind turbine, and biomass or biogas, because these sources are almost available in every isolated area. This research used a model of hybrid system from diesel generator and 1.28 kWp photovoltaic power plant. The reliability and some of power quality of this system tested by 1300VA house hold daily load characteristic effectively 24 hour. Power quality and some electricity parameters during transition mode for each resource will be analyzed. Furthermore the power quality analyze will be conducted and evaluated base on Electrical Engineers' Association (EEA).

Integrated sizing and scheduling of wind/PV/diesel/battery isolated systems

KAUST Repository

Malheiro, André

2015-05-22

In this paper we address the optimal sizing and scheduling of isolated hybrid systems using an optimization framework. The hybrid system features wind and photovoltaic conversion systems, batteries and diesel backup generators to supply electricity demand. A Mixed-Integer Linear Programming formulation is used to model system behavior over a time horizon of one year, considering hourly changes in both the availability of renewable resources and energy demand. The optimal solution is achieved with respect to the minimization of the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) over a lifetime of 20 years. Results for a case study show that the most economical solution features all four postulated subsystems. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

Integrated sizing and scheduling of wind/PV/diesel/battery isolated systems

KAUST Repository

Malheiro, André ; Castro, Pedro M.; Lima, Ricardo; Estanqueiro, Ana; Estanqueiro, Ana

2015-01-01

In this paper we address the optimal sizing and scheduling of isolated hybrid systems using an optimization framework. The hybrid system features wind and photovoltaic conversion systems, batteries and diesel backup generators to supply electricity demand. A Mixed-Integer Linear Programming formulation is used to model system behavior over a time horizon of one year, considering hourly changes in both the availability of renewable resources and energy demand. The optimal solution is achieved with respect to the minimization of the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) over a lifetime of 20 years. Results for a case study show that the most economical solution features all four postulated subsystems. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

The effects of human resource flexibility on human resources development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SeidMehdi Veise

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Human resources are the primary factor for development of competitiveness and innovation and reaching competitive advantage and they try to improve corporate capabilities through various characteristics such as value creation, scarcity and difficulty of imitation. This paper investigates the effect of human resource flexibility and its dimensions on human resource development and its dimensions. The survey was conducted using descriptive-correlation method that intended to describe how human resource flexibility was effective on human resource development. Questionnaire was tool of data collection. The statistical population included one hundred employees of the Electric Company in Ilam province, thus census method was used. Reliability of the questionnaire was measured via Cronbach's alpha equal to 0.96. The findings revealed that flexibility and its dimensions were effective on human resource development and dimensions of it. As a result, human resource flexibility should be considered for development of human resources and employees with the highest flexibility should be selected.

Environmental programs for grades K-12 sponsored by the Westinghouse Waste Isolation Division Educational Programs Department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikel, C.J.

1993-01-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) created its educational programs department in 1990 as a result of the Secretary of Energy's focus on education stated in SEN-23-90. This Secretary of Energy Notice reflects the focus for US Department of Energy facilities to enhance education through their resources (both human and financial) with an emphasis on math and science. The mission of the Westinghouse Waste Isolation Division (WID) educational programs department is to enhance education at all levels and to promote educational experiences that give students the opportunity to make decisions and develop skills for productive lives. Programs have been developed around the environmental monitoring department, to give students from different grade levels hands on experiences in the environmental sciences field to stimulate their interest in the natural sciences

Significance of coagulase negative Staphylococcus from blood cultures: persisting problems and partial progress in resource constrained settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Sidhu, Shailpreet K; Malhotra, Sita; Devi, Pushpa; Tuli, Arpandeep K

2016-12-01

Coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) is frequently isolated from blood cultures but their significance is difficult to interpret. CoNS bacteria which are often previously dismissed as culture contaminants are attracting greater importance as true pathogens in the past decades. Clinical evaluation of these isolates suggests that although there is a relative increase of CoNS associated bloodstream infections in recent years, the microorganisms still remain the most common contaminants in blood cultures. The objective of this study was to determine the significance of CoNS isolated from blood cultures. A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the rate of contamination in blood cultures in a tertiary care hospital. The paired specimens of blood were cultured using conventional culture methods and the isolates of coagulase negative staphylococci were identified by standard methodology. Clinical data, laboratory indices, microbiological parameters and patient characteristics were analyzed. Of 3503 blood samples, CoNS were isolated from blood culture of 307 patients (8.76%). The isolates were reported as true pathogens of bloodstream infections in only 74 out of 307 cases (24.1%). In the vast majority, 212 of 307 (69.0%), they were mere blood culture contaminants and reported as insignificant/contaminant. Determining whether a growth in the blood culture is a pathogen or a contaminant is a critical issue and multiple parameters have to be considered before arriving at a conclusion. Ideally, the molecular approach is for the most part a consistent method in determining the significant isolates of CoNS. However, in countries with inadequate resources, species identification and antibiogram tests are recommended when determining significance of these isolates.

Partial Results Regarding the Genetic Analysis of Thoroughbred Horse from Cislău Studfarm: Reproductive Isolation and Age Structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marius Maftei

2011-05-01

Full Text Available This study is a part of an ample research concerning the genetic analysis (history of Thoroughbred horses from Cislău studfarm. The genetic analysis studies are a part of Animal Genetic Resources Management because just start of them we elaborate the strategies for inbreeding management. This study has as purpose to present two important aspects of genetic analysis: reproductive isolation level and age structure.This parameters has a capital importance in animal breeding because there has a directly influence in animal population evolution. The reproductive isolation situation was quantified using the relation elaborated by S. Wright in 1921. The age structure situation is based on the age distribution histogram. The analysis showed that the Nonius horse from Izvin stud is a reproductively isolated population and have its own evolutionary path. Age structure is not balanced with negative repercurssions on generation interval.

Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori and Its Associate Urease by Labdane Diterpenoids Isolated from Andrographis paniculata.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaikh, Rafik U; Dawane, Ashwini A; Pawar, Rajendra P; Gond, Dhananjay S; Meshram, Rohan J; Gacche, Rajesh N

2016-03-01

The present study was carried out to evaluate anti-Helicobacter pylori and its associated urease activity of labdane diterpenoids isolated from Andrographis paniculata. A molecular docking analysis was performed by using ArgusLab 4.0.1 software. The results obtained indicate that compound A possesses strong inhibition to H. pylori, 28 ± 2.98 (minimum inhibitory concentration, 9 µg/mL), and its urease, 85.54 ± 2.62% (IC50 , 20.2 µg/mL). Compounds B, C, and D also showed moderate inhibition to H. pylori and its urease. The obtained results were in agreement with the molecular docking analysis of compounds. The phytochemicals under investigation were found to be promising antibacterial agents. Moreover, the isolated compounds can be considered as a resource for searching novel anti-H. pylori agents possessing urease inhibition. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

SUSCEPTIBILITY OF RESPIRATORY ISOLATES OF STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE ISOLATED FROM CHILDREN HOSPITALIZED IN THE CLINICAL CENTER NIS.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinić, Marina M; Mladenović Antić, Snezana; Kocić, Branislava; Stanković Dordević, Dobrila; Vrbić, Miodrag; Bogdanović, Milena

2016-01-01

Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most common causes of respiratory infections. The aim was to study the susceptibility to antimicrobial agents of respiratory isolates ofStreptococcus pneumoniae obtained from hospitalized children. A total of 190 respiratory pneumococcal isolates obtained from children aged from 0 to 14 years were isolated and identified by using standard microbiological methods. Susceptibility to oxacillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, cotrimoxazole, ofloxacin and rifampicin was tested by disc diffusion method. Minimal inhibitory concentrations for amoxicillin and ceftriaxone were determined by means of E test. The macrolide-resistant phenotype was detected by double disc diffusion test. All tested isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin and ceftriaxone. The minimal amoxicillin concentration inhibiting the growth of 50% of isolates and of 90% of isolates was 0.50 microg/ml and 1.0 microg/ml, respectively and the minimal ceftriaxone concentration inhibiting the growth of 50% of isolates and of 90% of isolates was 0.25 microg/ml and 0.50 microg/ml, respectively. Susceptibility to erythromycin and clindamycin was observed in 21.6% and 29.47% of isolates, respectively. The resistence to macrolides-M phenotype was detected in 10.07% of isolates and constitutive macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin phenotype (constitutive MLS phenotype) was found in 89.93% of isolates. All tested isolates were susceptible to ofloxacin and rifampicin. Amoxicillin could be the therapy of choice in pediatric practice. The macrolides should not be recommended for the empirical therapy of pneumococcal respiratory tract infection in our local area.

Water Resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abira, M.A.

1997-01-01

Water is essential for life and ecological sustenance; its availability is essential component of national welfare and productivity.The country's socio-economic activities are largely dependent on the natural endowment of water resources. Kenya's water resources comprises of surface waters (rivers, lakes and wetlands) and ground water. Surface water forms 86% of total water resources while the rest is ground water Geological, topographical and climatic factors influence the natural availability and distribution of water with the rainfall distribution having the major influence. Water resources in Kenya are continuously under threat of depletion and quality degradation owing to rising population, industrialization, changing land use and settlement activities as well as natural changes. However, the anticipated climate change is likely to exacerbate the situation resulting in increased conflict over water use rights in particular, and, natural resource utilisation in general. The impacts of climate change on the water resources would lead to other impacts on environmental and socio-economic systems

Yeast Isolation for Bioethanol Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

EKA RURIANI

2012-09-01

Full Text Available We have isolated 12 yeast isolates from five different rotten fruits by using a yeast glucose chloramphenicol agar (YGCA medium supplemented with tetracycline. From pre-screening assay, four isolates exhibited higher substrate (glucose-xylose consumption efficiency in the reaction tube fermentation compared to Saccharomyces cerevisiae dan Saccharomyces ellipsoids as the reference strains. Based on the fermentation process in gooseneck flasks, we observed that two isolates (K and SB showed high fermentation efficiency both in sole glucose and mixed glucose-xylose substrate. Moreover, isolates K and SB produced relatively identical level of ethanol concentration compared to the reference strains. Isolates H and MP could only produce high levels of ethanol in glucose fermentation, while only half of that amount of ethanol was detected in glucose-xylose fermentation. Isolate K and SB were identified as Pichia kudriavzeevii (100% based on large sub unit (LSU ribosomal DNA D1/D2 region.

Field studies on two rock phosphate solubilizing actinomycete isolates as biofertilizer sources

Science.gov (United States)

Mba, Caroline C.

1994-03-01

Recently biotechnology is focusing attention on utilization of biological resources to solve a number of environmental problems such as soil fertility management. Results of microbial studies on earthworm compost in the University of Nigeria farm identified a number of rock phosphate solubilizing actinomycetes. Two of these, isclates 02 and 13, were found to be efficient rock phosphate (RP) solubilizers and fast-growing cellulolytic microbes producing extracellular hydrolase enzymes. In this preliminary field study the two microbial isolates were investigated with respect to their effects on the growth of soybean and egusi as well as their effect on the incidence of toxicity of poultry droppings. Application of these isolates in poultry manure-treated field plots, as microbial fertilizers, brought about yield increases of 43% and 17% with soybeans and 19% and 33% with egusi, respectively. Soil properties were also improved. With isolates 02 and 13, the soil available phosphorus increased at the five-leaf stage, while N-fixation in the soil increased by 45% or 11% relative to control. It was further observed that air-dried poultry manure after four days of incubation was still toxic to soybean. The toxic effect of the applied poultry manure was reduced or eliminated with microbial fertilizers 02 or 13, respectively. The beneficial effects of the microbial organic fertilizer are discussed. Justification for more intensive research on rock phosphate organic fertilizer is highlighted.

Actinomycetes with antimicrobial activity isolated from paper wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) nests.

Science.gov (United States)

Madden, Anne A; Grassetti, Andrew; Soriano, Jonathan-Andrew N; Starks, Philip T

2013-08-01

Actinomycetes-a group of antimicrobial producing bacteria-have been successfully cultured and characterized from the nest material of diverse arthropods. Some are symbionts that produce antimicrobial chemicals found to protect nest brood and resources from pathogenic microbes. Others have no known fitness relationship with their associated insects, but have been found to produce antimicrobials in vitro. Consequently, insect nest material is being investigated as a new source of novel antimicrobial producing actinomycetes, which could be harnessed for therapeutic potential. To extend studies of actinomycete-insect associations beyond soil-substrate dwelling insects and wood boring excavators, we conducted a preliminary assessment of the actinomycetes within the nests of the paper wasp, Polistes dominulus (Christ). We found that actinomycetes were readily cultured from nest material across multiple invasive P. dominulus populations-including members of the genera Streptomyces, Micromonospora, and Actinoplanes. Thirty of these isolates were assayed for antimicrobial activity against the challenge bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, and Bacillus subtilis. Sixty percent of isolates inhibited the growth of at least one challenge strain. This study provides the first assessment of bacteria associated with nests of P. dominulus, and the first record of antimicrobial producing actinomycetes isolated from social wasps. We provide a new system to explore nest associated actinomycetes from a ubiquitous and cosmopolitan group of insects.

Isolation, characterization, antibiogram and pathology of Pasteurella multocida isolated from pigs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mamta Tigga

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Aim: Isolation, characterization and antibiogram of Pasteurella multocida from diseased pigs of district Durg of Chhattisgarh, and to study pathological changes caused by swine pasteurellosis. Materials and Methods: An outbreak of swine pasteurellosis was suspected in pigs of Ruwabandha (Bhilai, Anjora, Somni, Tedesara, Tirgajhola villages of Durg district in Chhattisgarh, India during August and September of 2011. Nasal Swabs and blood samples from ailing pigs and heart blood and impression smears from morbid pigs were processed for detection and isolation of P. multocida by bacteriological methods. Detailed necropsy was conducted and gross and histopathological lesions were recorded. The test Isolates were subjected to antimicrobial sensitivity profile by disc-diffusion method. Results: The blood smears from heart blood and tissue impression smears revealed teaming of bipolar organisms indicating the presence of Pasteurella spp. The isolates obtained were subjected to Gram's staining for checking the purity and bipolar morphology and characterized biochemically. Gross lesions included severe acute pneumonia and haemorrhages in lungs, petechial haemorrhages on serous membranes and other visceral organs. On histopathological examination, lungs showed typical fibrinous bronchopneumonia, multifocal suppuration. All the isolates of P. multocida were 100% sensitive to Amoxicillin, Gentamicin, Enrofloxacin and showed100% resistance to Ceftizoxim and Cloxacillin. Conclusion: Gross and microscopic lesions in dead animals are of great diagnostic value and are of characteristic of P. multocida infection. Cultural, morphological and biochemical characters are useful to rule out the causative agent as P. multocida. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolates should routinely be carried out for knowing the antibiotic resistance trends in an endemic area.

Active Fault Isolation in MIMO Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niemann, Hans Henrik; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad

2014-01-01

isolation is based directly on the input/output s ignals applied for the fault detection. It is guaranteed that the fault group includes the fault that had occurred in the system. The second step is individual fault isolation in the fault group . Both types of isolation are obtained by applying dedicated......Active fault isolation of parametric faults in closed-loop MIMO system s are considered in this paper. The fault isolation consists of two steps. T he first step is group- wise fault isolation. Here, a group of faults is isolated from other pos sible faults in the system. The group-wise fault...

Single spore isolation and morphological characterization of local Malaysian isolates of rice blast fungus Magnoporthe grisea

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Ankitta; Ratnam, Wickneswari; Bhuiyan, Md Atiqur Rahman; Ponaya, Ariane; Jena, Khisord K.

2015-09-01

Rice blast is a destructive disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe grisea. It causes considerable damage to rice and leads to crop loss in rice growing regions worldwide. Although fungicides can be used to control rice blast, they generate additional cost in rice production and contamination of environment and food. Therefore, the use of resistant varieties is thought to be one of the most economically and environmentally efficient ways of crop protection from the disease. Six new local Malaysian isolates of M. grisea were isolated using single spore isolation method. Five isolates were from infected leaf samples collected from Kompleks Latihan MADA, Kedah and one was from Kelantan. These isolates were identified using morphological characteristics and microscopic studies and later confirmed by ITSequences. These isolates were induced to sporulate and used for greenhouse screening on two differential rice varieties: Mahsuri (susceptible) and Pongsu Seribu 2 (resistant). Among the 6 isolates, isolate number 3 was found to be the most virulent showing high sporulation while isolate number 4 was very slow growing, and the least virulent.

Comparative analysis of field-isolate and monkey-adapted Plasmodium vivax genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Ernest R; Barnwell, John W; Zimmerman, Peter A; Serre, David

2015-03-01

Significant insights into the biology of Plasmodium vivax have been gained from the ability to successfully adapt human infections to non-human primates. P. vivax strains grown in monkeys serve as a renewable source of parasites for in vitro and ex vivo experimental studies and functional assays, or for studying in vivo the relapse characteristics, mosquito species compatibilities, drug susceptibility profiles or immune responses towards potential vaccine candidates. Despite the importance of these studies, little is known as to how adaptation to a different host species may influence the genome of P. vivax. In addition, it is unclear whether these monkey-adapted strains consist of a single clonal population of parasites or if they retain the multiclonal complexity commonly observed in field isolates. Here we compare the genome sequences of seven P. vivax strains adapted to New World monkeys with those of six human clinical isolates collected directly in the field. We show that the adaptation of P. vivax parasites to monkey hosts, and their subsequent propagation, did not result in significant modifications of their genome sequence and that these monkey-adapted strains recapitulate the genomic diversity of field isolates. Our analyses also reveal that these strains are not always genetically homogeneous and should be analyzed cautiously. Overall, our study provides a framework to better leverage this important research material and fully utilize this resource for improving our understanding of P. vivax biology.

Resource distributions among habitats determine solitary bee offspring production in a mosaic landscape.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Neal M; Kremen, Claire

2007-04-01

Within mosaic landscapes, many organisms depend on attributes of the environment that operate over scales ranging from a single habitat patch to the entire landscape. One such attribute is resource distribution. Organisms' reliance on resources from within a local patch vs. those found among habitats throughout the landscape will depend on local habitat quality, patch quality, and landscape composition. The ability of individuals to move among complementary habitat types to obtain various resources may be a critical mechanism underlying the dynamics of animal populations and ultimately the level of biodiversity at different spatial scales. We examined the effects that local habitat type and landscape composition had on offspring production and survival of the solitary bee Osmia lignaria in an agri-natural landscape in California (U.S.A.). Female bees were placed on farms that did not use pesticides (organic farms), on farms that did use pesticides (conventional farms), or in seminatural riparian habitats. We identified pollens collected by bees nesting in different habitat types and matched these to pollens of flowering plants from throughout the landscape. These data enabled us to determine the importance of different plant species and habitat types in providing food for offspring, and how this importance changed with landscape and local nesting-site characteristics. We found that increasing isolation from natural habitat significantly decreased offspring production and survival for bees nesting at conventional farms, had weaker effects on bees in patches of seminatural habitat, and had little impact on those at organic farm sites. Pollen sampled from nests showed that females nesting in both farm and seminatural habitats relied on pollen from principally native plant species growing in seminatural habitat. Thus connectivity among habitats was critical for offspring production. Females nesting on organic farms were buffered to isolation effects by switching to

Exploring relationships among social integration, social isolation, self-rated health, and demographics among Latino day laborers.

Science.gov (United States)

Steel, Kenneth C; Fernandez-Esquer, Maria Eugenia; Atkinson, John S; Taylor, Wendell C

2018-05-01

Research indicates social integration and social isolation are related to health, and Latino day laborers (LDLs) tend to be socially isolated and, thus, at high risk for adverse health consequences. relationships among social isolation, social integration, self-rated health (SRH), and demographics were examined in a sample of LDLs to contribute to the literature on social networks and health in this and other migrant populations. We analyzed data from 324 LDLs who participated in Proyecto SHILOS (Salud del Hombre Inmigrante Latino), a Houston-based survey of Latino immigrant men's health. Based on the literature, we hypothesized SRH would be (1) positively associated with social integration and (2) negatively associated with social isolation. All proposed measures were first entered into a correlation matrix to identify significant bivariate relationships (p ≤ .05, two-tailed). Associations between variables that were directly correlated with SRH and variables that were, in turn, proximally associated with these variables were then used to develop a structural equation path model of SRH. Individual paths in the model were measured for significance, and goodness of fit was assessed by the model chi-square, the Comparative Fit Index, and the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation. Inconsistent with the first hypothesis, SRH was negatively associated with social integration, as measured by the number of trusted friends. Consistent with the second hypothesis, SRH was negatively associated with social isolation, as measured by needing someone to talk to. More frequent contact with family was also negatively associated with social isolation. Our findings suggest social integration may not always protect and promote health. Therefore, assessing the quality of LDLs' different relationships, not just the quantity, is vital. Future studies should further analyze the effects that social resources have on perceptions of social isolation and health in LDLs and other

Internet and mobile technologies: addressing the mental health of trauma survivors in less resourced communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruzek, J I; Yeager, C M

2017-01-01

Internet and mobile technologies offer potentially critical ways of delivering mental health support in low-resource settings. Much evidence indicates an enormous negative impact of mental health problems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and many of these problems are caused, or worsened, by exposure to wars, conflicts, natural and human-caused disasters, and other traumatic events. Though specific mental health treatments have been found to be efficacious and cost-effective for low-resource settings, most individuals living in these areas do not have access to them. Low-intensity task-sharing interventions will help, but there is a limit to the scalability and sustainability of human resources in these settings. To address the needs of trauma survivors, it will be important to develop and implement Internet and mobile technology resources to help reduce the scarcity, inequity, and inefficiency of current mental health services in LMICs. Mobile and Internet resources are experiencing a rapid growth in LMICs and can help address time, stigma, and cost barriers and connect those who have been socially isolated by traumatic events. This review discusses current research in technological interventions in low-resource settings and outlines key issues and future challenges and opportunities. Though formidable challenges exist for large-scale deployment of mobile and Internet mental health technologies, work to date indicates that these technologies are indeed feasible to develop, evaluate, and deliver to those in need of mental health services, and that they can be effective.

Bacterial isolates from the bryozoan Membranipora membranacea: influence of culture media on isolation and antimicrobial activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Heindl, Herwig; Thiel, Vera; Wiese, Jutta; Imhoff, Johannes F

2012-03-01

From specimens of the bryozoan Membranipora membranacea collected in the Baltic Sea, bacteria were isolated on four different media, which significantly increased the diversity of the isolated groups. All isolates were classified according to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and tested for antimicrobial properties using a panel of five indicator strains and six different media. Each medium featured a unique set of isolated phylotypes, and a phylogenetically diverse collection of isolates was obtained. A total of 96 isolates were assigned to 49 phylotypes and 29 genera. Only one-third of the members of these genera had been isolated previously from comparable sources. The isolates were affiliated with Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, and Actinobacteria. A comparable large portion of up to 22 isolates, i.e., 15 phylotypes, probably represent new species. Likewise, 47 isolates (approximately 50%) displayed antibiotic activities, mostly against grampositive indicator strains. Of the active strains, 63.8 % had antibiotic traits only on one or two of the growth media, whereas only 12.7 % inhibited growth on five or all six media. The application of six different media for antimicrobial testing resulted in twice the number of positive hits as obtained with only a single medium. The use of different media for the isolation of bacteria as well as the variation of media considered suitable for the production of antibiotic substances significantly enhanced both the number of isolates obtained and the proportion of antibiotic active cultures. Thus the approach described herein offers an improved strategy in the search for new antibiotic compounds.

Network resource management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2009-01-01

The invention provides real time dynamic resource management to improve end-to-end QoS by mobile devices regularly updating a resource availability server (RAS) with resource update information. Examples of resource update information are device battery status, available memory, session bandwidth,

Performance Analysis of Isolated Hybrid Power Plant Model with Dynamic Load Conditions – Morning, Noon and Afternoon Transitions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irawati Rina

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Diesel Generator with Photovoltaic Hybrid Power Plant is one of the solutions for supply electric demand to isolated area. The energy sources that can be used for hybrid system are such as photovoltaic, wind turbine, and biomass or biogas, because these sources are almost available in every isolated area. This research used a model of hybrid system from diesel generator and 1.28 kWp photovoltaic power plant. The reliability and some of power quality of this system tested by 1300VA house hold daily load characteristic effectively 24 hour. Power quality and some electricity parameters during transition mode for each resource will be analyzed. Furthermore the power quality analyze will be conducted and evaluated base on Electrical Engineers’ Association (EEA.

Microbial enhanced heavy crude oil recovery through biodegradation using bacterial isolates from an Omani oil field.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Sayegh, Abdullah; Al-Wahaibi, Yahya; Al-Bahry, Saif; Elshafie, Abdulkadir; Al-Bemani, Ali; Joshi, Sanket

2015-09-16

Biodegradation is a cheap and environmentally friendly process that could breakdown and utilizes heavy crude oil (HCO) resources. Numerous bacteria are able to grow using hydrocarbons as a carbon source; however, bacteria that are able to grow using HCO hydrocarbons are limited. In this study, HCO degrading bacteria were isolated from an Omani heavy crude oil field. They were then identified and assessed for their biodegradation and biotransformation abilities under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Bacteria were grown in five different minimum salts media. The isolates were identified by MALDI biotyper and 16S rRNA sequencing. The nucleotide sequences were submitted to GenBank (NCBI) database. The bacteria were identified as Bacillus subtilis and B. licheniformis. To assess microbial growth and biodegradation of HCO by well-assay on agar plates, samples were collected at different intervals. The HCO biodegradation and biotransformation were determined using GC-FID, which showed direct correlation of microbial growth with an increased biotransformation of light hydrocarbons (C12 and C14). Among the isolates, B. licheniformis AS5 was the most efficient isolate in biodegradation and biotransformation of the HCO. Therefore, isolate AS5 was used for heavy crude oil recovery experiments, in core flooding experiments using Berea core plugs, where an additional 16 % of oil initially in place was recovered. This is the first report from Oman for bacteria isolated from an oil field that were able to degrade and transform HCO to lighter components, illustrating the potential use in HCO recovery. The data suggested that biodegradation and biotransformation processes may lead to additional oil recovery from heavy oil fields, if bacteria are grown in suitable medium under optimum growth conditions.

An analysis of health system resources in relation to pandemic response capacity in the Greater Mekong Subregion

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Hanvoravongchai Piya

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is increasing perception that countries cannot work in isolation to militate against the threat of pandemic influenza. In the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS of Asia, high socio-economic diversity and fertile conditions for the emergence and spread of infectious diseases underscore the importance of transnational cooperation. Investigation of healthcare resource distribution and inequalities can help determine the need for, and inform decisions regarding, resource sharing and mobilisation. Methods We collected data on healthcare resources deemed important for responding to pandemic influenza through surveys of hospitals and district health offices across four countries of the GMS (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, Vietnam. Focusing on four key resource types (oseltamivir, hospital beds, ventilators, and health workers, we mapped and analysed resource distributions at province level to identify relative shortages, mismatches, and clustering of resources. We analysed inequalities in resource distribution using the Gini coefficient and Theil index. Results Three quarters of the Cambodian population and two thirds of the Laotian population live in relatively underserved provinces (those with resource densities in the lowest quintile across the region in relation to health workers, ventilators, and hospital beds. More than a quarter of the Thai population is relatively underserved for health workers and oseltamivir. Approximately one fifth of the Vietnamese population is underserved for beds and ventilators. All Cambodian provinces are underserved for at least one resource. In Lao PDR, 11 percent of the population is underserved by all four resource items. Of the four resources, ventilators and oseltamivir were most unequally distributed. Cambodia generally showed higher levels of inequalities in resource distribution compared to other countries. Decomposition of the Theil index suggests that inequalities result principally from

First TILLING platform in Cucurbita pepo: a new mutant resource for gene function and crop improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Vicente-Dólera, Nelly; Troadec, Christelle; Moya, Manuel; del Río-Celestino, Mercedes; Pomares-Viciana, Teresa; Bendahmane, Abdelhafid; Picó, Belén; Román, Belén; Gómez, Pedro

2014-01-01

Although the availability of genetic and genomic resources for Cucurbita pepo has increased significantly, functional genomic resources are still limited for this crop. In this direction, we have developed a high throughput reverse genetic tool: the first TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes) resource for this species. Additionally, we have used this resource to demonstrate that the previous EMS mutant population we developed has the highest mutation density compared with other cucurbits mutant populations. The overall mutation density in this first C. pepo TILLING platform was estimated to be 1/133 Kb by screening five additional genes. In total, 58 mutations confirmed by sequencing were identified in the five targeted genes, thirteen of which were predicted to have an impact on the function of the protein. The genotype/phenotype correlation was studied in a peroxidase gene, revealing that the phenotype of seedling homozygous for one of the isolated mutant alleles was albino. These results indicate that the TILLING approach in this species was successful at providing new mutations and can address the major challenge of linking sequence information to biological function and also the identification of novel variation for crop breeding.

Technical support for GEIS: radioactive waste isolation in geologic formations. Volume 22. Nuclear considerations for repository design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-04-01

This volume, Y/OWI/TM-36/22, ''Nuclear Considerations for Repository Design,'' is one of a 23-volume series, ''Technical Support for GEIS: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations,'' Y/OWI/TM-36, which supplements the ''Contribution to Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Commercial Waste Management: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations,'' Y/OWI/TM-44. The series provides a more complete technical basis for the preconceptual designs, resource requirements, and environmental source terms associated with isolating commercial LWR wastes in underground repositories in salt, granite, shale and basalt. Wastes are considered from three fuel cycles: uranium and plutonium recycling, no recycling of spent fuel and uranium-only recycling. Included in this volume are baseline design considerations such as characteristics of canisters, drums, casks, overpacks, and shipping containers; maximum allowable and actual decay-heat levels; and canister radiation levels. Other topics include safeguard and protection considerations; occupational radiation exposure including ALARA programs; shielding of canisters, transporters and forklift trucks; monitoring considerations; mine water treatment; canister integrity; and criticality calculations

Heritability and demographic analyses in the large isolated population of Val Borbera suggest advantages in mapping complex traits genes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michela Traglia

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Isolated populations are a useful resource for mapping complex traits due to shared stable environment, reduced genetic complexity and extended Linkage Disequilibrium (LD compared to the general population. Here we describe a large genetic isolate from the North West Apennines, the mountain range that runs through Italy from the North West Alps to the South.The study involved 1,803 people living in 7 villages of the upper Borbera Valley. For this large population cohort, data from genealogy reconstruction, medical questionnaires, blood, anthropometric and bone status QUS parameters were evaluated. Demographic and epidemiological analyses indicated a substantial genetic component contributing to each trait variation as well as overlapping genetic determinants and family clustering for some traits.The data provide evidence for significant heritability of medical relevant traits that will be important in mapping quantitative traits. We suggest that this population isolate is suitable to identify rare variants associated with complex phenotypes that may be difficult to study in larger but more heterogeneous populations.

Isolation & characterization of Brucella melitensis isolated from patients suspected for human brucellosis in India

Science.gov (United States)

Barua, Anita; Kumar, Ashu; Thavaselvam, Duraipandian; Mangalgi, Smita; Prakash, Archana; Tiwari, Sapana; Arora, Sonia; Sathyaseelan, Kannusamy

2016-01-01

Background & objectives: Brucellosis is endemic in the southern part of India. A combination of biochemical, serological and molecular methods is required for identification and biotyping of Brucella. The present study describes the isolation and biochemical, molecular characterization of Brucella melitensis from patients suspected for human brucellosis. Methods: The blood samples were collected from febrile patients suspected to have brucellosis. A total of 18 isolates were obtained from 102 blood samples subjected to culture. The characterization of these 18 isolates was done by growth on Brucella specific medium, biochemical reactions, CO2 requirement, H2S production, agglutination with A and M mono-specific antiserum, dye sensitivity to basic fuchsin and thionin. Further, molecular characterization of the isolates was done by amplification of B. melitensis species specific IS711 repetitive DNA fragment and 16S (rRNA) sequence analysis. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of omp2 locus and IS711 gene was also done for molecular characterization. Results: All 102 suspected samples were subjected to bacteria isolation and of these, 18 isolates could be recovered on blood culture. The biochemical, PCR and PCR-RFLP and 16s rRNA sequencing revealed that all isolates were of B. melitensis and matched exactly with reference strain B. melitensis 16M. Interpretation & conclusions: The present study showed an overall isolation rate of 17.64 per cent for B. melitensis. There is a need to establish facilities for isolation and characterization of Brucella species for effective clinical management of the disease among patients as well as surveillance and control of infection in domestic animals. Further studies are needed from different geographical areas of the country with different level of endemicity to plan and execute control strategies against human brucellosis. PMID:27488010

[Identification and Nitrogen Removal Characteristics of a Heterotrophic Nitrification-Aerobic Denitrification Strain Isolated from Marine Environment].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qing-hua; Yu, De-shuang; Zhang, Pei-yu; Lin, Xue-zheng; Li, Jin

2016-02-15

A heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification strain named y5 was isolated from marine environment by traditional microbial isolation method using seawater as medium. It was identified as Klebsiella sp. based on the morphological, physiological and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The experiment results showed that the optimal carbon resource was sodium citrate; the optimal pH was 7.0; and the optimal C/N was 17. The strain could use NH4Cl, NaNO2 and KNO3 as sole nitrogen source, and the removal efficiencies were77.07%, 64.14% and 100% after 36 hours, respectively. The removal efficiency reached 100% after 36 hours in the coexistence of NH4Cl, NaNO2 and KNO3. The results showed that the strain y5 had independent and efficient heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification activities in high salt wastewater.

Diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia: potential options for resource-limited countries

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Nisreen Rumman

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Primary ciliary dyskinesia is a genetic disease of ciliary function leading to chronic upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms. The diagnosis is frequently overlooked because the symptoms are nonspecific and the knowledge about the disease in the primary care setting is poor. Additionally, none of the available tests is accurate enough to be used in isolation. These tests are expensive, and need sophisticated equipment and expertise to analyse and interpret results; diagnosis is therefore only available at highly specialised centres. The diagnosis is particularly challenging in countries with limited resources due to the lack of such costly equipment and expertise. In this review, we discuss the importance of early and accurate diagnosis especially for countries where the disease is clinically prevalent but diagnostic tests are lacking. We review the diagnostic tests available in specialised centres (nasal nitric oxide, high-speed video microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescence and genetics. We then consider modifications that might be considered in less well-resourced countries whilst maintaining acceptable accuracy.

Review of nuclear waste isolation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richard, B.H.

1978-06-01

On Jun 22 and 23, 1978, Rockwell Hanford Operations assembled a committee of their personnel, subcontractors, and representatives of other waste isolation programs for a review of nuclear waste isolation. Appendix A lists the participants and their affiliations; Appendix B indicates the agenda. The purpose of the review was to gather experts in the areas pertaining to isolation of nuclear waste to discuss three basic issues that must be addressed in isolation studies. These were: the paths of transport to the biosphere; the barriers needed for containment; and the isolation time necessary for each radioactive isotope. In that these issues are media dependent, the basalt medium was emphasized. Conclusions of the review are described

Recent results of seismic isolation study in CRIEPI: Tests on seismic isolation elements, vibration tests and observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishida, Katsuhiko; Shiojiri, Hiroo; Mazda, Taiji; Ohtori, Yasuki; Aoyagi, Sakae

1992-01-01

Seismic isolation is expected to be effective in raising reliability during earthquake, reducing cost, enlarging and promoting the design standardization of electric power facilities. In Japan, it has been applied to several buildings. However it is considered that more research is needed to verify the reliability and effectiveness of seismic isolation for fast breeder reactors. In the preliminary study of isolation concepts for FBRs the horizontal base isolation of buildings was investigated in detail. The laminated rubber bearings were considered to be most suitable isolation system. Tests on large scale models of rubber bearing and vibration test of base isolation system have been conducted as well as the earthquake response observation of isolated buildings were conducted

Recent results of seismic isolation study in CRIEPI: Tests on seismic isolation elements, vibration tests and observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishida, Katsuhiko; Shiojiri, Hiroo; Mazda, Taiji; Ohtori, Yasuki [Abiko Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (Japan); Aoyagi, Sakae [Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (Japan)

1992-07-01

Seismic isolation is expected to be effective in raising reliability during earthquake, reducing cost, enlarging and promoting the design standardization of electric power facilities. In Japan, it has been applied to several buildings. However it is considered that more research is needed to verify the reliability and effectiveness of seismic isolation for fast breeder reactors. In the preliminary study of isolation concepts for FBRs the horizontal base isolation of buildings was investigated in detail. The laminated rubber bearings were considered to be most suitable isolation system. Tests on large scale models of rubber bearing and vibration test of base isolation system have been conducted as well as the earthquake response observation of isolated buildings were conducted.

SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW ON RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND RESOURCE SCHEDULING IN CLOUD COMPUTING

OpenAIRE

B. Muni Lavanya; C. Shoba Bindu

2016-01-01

The objective the work is intended to highlight the key features and afford finest future directions in the research community of Resource Allocation, Resource Scheduling and Resource management from 2009 to 2016. Exemplifying how research on Resource Allocation, Resource Scheduling and Resource management has progressively increased in the past decade by inspecting articles, papers from scientific and standard publications. Survey materialized in three-fold process. Firstly, investigate on t...

The Neuroendocrinology of Social Isolation

Science.gov (United States)

Cacioppo, John T.; Cacioppo, Stephanie; Capitanio, John P.; Cole, Steven W.

2016-01-01

Social isolation has been recognized as a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality in humans for more than a quarter of a century. Although the focus of research has been on objective social roles and health behavior, the brain is the key organ for forming, monitoring, maintaining, repairing, and replacing salutary connections with others. Accordingly, population-based longitudinal research indicates that perceived social isolation (loneliness) is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality independent of objective social isolation and health behavior. Human and animal investigations of neuroendocrine stress mechanisms that may be involved suggest that (a) chronic social isolation increases the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical axis, and (b) these effects are more dependent on the disruption of a social bond between a significant pair than objective isolation per se. The relational factors and neuroendocrine, neurobiological, and genetic mechanisms that may contribute to the association between perceived isolation and mortality are reviewed. PMID:25148851

The neuroendocrinology of social isolation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cacioppo, John T; Cacioppo, Stephanie; Capitanio, John P; Cole, Steven W

2015-01-03

Social isolation has been recognized as a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality in humans for more than a quarter of a century. Although the focus of research has been on objective social roles and health behavior, the brain is the key organ for forming, monitoring, maintaining, repairing, and replacing salutary connections with others. Accordingly, population-based longitudinal research indicates that perceived social isolation (loneliness) is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality independent of objective social isolation and health behavior. Human and animal investigations of neuroendocrine stress mechanisms that may be involved suggest that (a) chronic social isolation increases the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical axis, and (b) these effects are more dependent on the disruption of a social bond between a significant pair than objective isolation per se. The relational factors and neuroendocrine, neurobiological, and genetic mechanisms that may contribute to the association between perceived isolation and mortality are reviewed.

Discrete optimization of isolator locations for vibration isolation systems: An analytical and experimental investigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ponslet, E.R.; Eldred, M.S. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Structural Dynamics Dept.

1996-05-17

An analytical and experimental study is conducted to investigate the effect of isolator locations on the effectiveness of vibration isolation systems. The study uses isolators with fixed properties and evaluates potential improvements to the isolation system that can be achieved by optimizing isolator locations. Because the available locations for the isolators are discrete in this application, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used as the optimization method. The system is modeled in MATLAB{trademark} and coupled with the GA available in the DAKOTA optimization toolkit under development at Sandia National Laboratories. Design constraints dictated by hardware and experimental limitations are implemented through penalty function techniques. A series of GA runs reveal difficulties in the search on this heavily constrained, multimodal, discrete problem. However, the GA runs provide a variety of optimized designs with predicted performance from 30 to 70 times better than a baseline configuration. An alternate approach is also tested on this problem: it uses continuous optimization, followed by rounding of the solution to neighboring discrete configurations. Results show that this approach leads to either infeasible or poor designs. Finally, a number of optimized designs obtained from the GA searches are tested in the laboratory and compared to the baseline design. These experimental results show a 7 to 46 times improvement in vibration isolation from the baseline configuration.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant CY 2000 Site Environmental Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westinghouse TRU Solutions, LLC; Environmental Science and Research Foundation, Inc.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Field Office and Westinghouse TRU Solutions, LLC (WTS) are dedicated to maintaining high quality management of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) environmental resources. DOE Order 5400.1, General Environmental Protection Program, and DOE Order 231.1, Environmental, Safety, and Health Reporting, require that the environment at and near DOE facilities be monitored to ensure the safety and health of the public and the environment. This Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 2000 Site Environmental Report summarizes environmental data from calendar year (CY) 2000 that characterize environmental management performance and demonstrate compliance with federal and state regulations. This report was prepared in accordance with DOE Order 5400.1, DOE Order 231.1, the Environmental Regulatory Guide for Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance (DOE/EH-0173T), and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Environmental Protect ion Implementation Plan (DOE/WIPP 96-2199). The above orders and guidance documents require that DOE facilities submit an Annual Site Environmental Report to DOE Headquarters, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health. The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive description of operational environmental monitoring activities, to provide an abstract of environmental activities conducted to characterize site environmental management performance to confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and to highlight significant programs and efforts of environmental merit at WIPP during CY 2000. The format of this report follows guidance offered in a June 1, 2001 memo from DOE's Office of Policy and Guidance with the subject ''Guidance for the preparation of Department of Energy (DOE) Annual Site Environmental Reports (ASERs) for Calendar Year 2000.'' WIPP received its first shipment of waste on March 26, 1999. In 2000, no evidence was found of any adverse

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant CY 2000 Site Environmental Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westinghouse TRU Solutions, LLC; Environmental Science and Research Foundation, Inc.

2001-12-31

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Field Office and Westinghouse TRU Solutions, LLC (WTS) are dedicated to maintaining high quality management of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) environmental resources. DOE Order 5400.1, General Environmental Protection Program, and DOE Order 231.1, Environmental, Safety, and Health Reporting, require that the environment at and near DOE facilities be monitored to ensure the safety and health of the public and the environment. This Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 2000 Site Environmental Report summarizes environmental data from calendar year (CY) 2000 that characterize environmental management performance and demonstrate compliance with federal and state regulations. This report was prepared in accordance with DOE Order 5400.1, DOE Order 231.1, the Environmental Regulatory Guide for Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance (DOE/EH-0173T), and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Environmental Protect ion Implementation Plan (DOE/WIPP 96-2199). The above orders and guidance documents require that DOE facilities submit an Annual Site Environmental Report to DOE Headquarters, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health. The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive description of operational environmental monitoring activities, to provide an abstract of environmental activities conducted to characterize site environmental management performance to confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and to highlight significant programs and efforts of environmental merit at WIPP during CY 2000. The format of this report follows guidance offered in a June 1, 2001 memo from DOE's Office of Policy and Guidance with the subject ''Guidance for the preparation of Department of Energy (DOE) Annual Site Environmental Reports (ASERs) for Calendar Year 2000.'' WIPP received its first shipment of waste on March 26, 1999. In 2000, no

Isolation of novel microsatellites using FIASCO by dual probe enrichment from Jatropha curcas L. and study on genetic equilibrium and diversity of Indian population revealed by isolated microsatellites

KAUST Repository

Pamidimarri, D. V N N Sudheer

2010-03-11

Jatropha curcas L. belongs to family Euphorbiaceae, native to South America attained significant importance for its seed oil which can be converted to biodiesel, a renewable energy source alternative to conventional petrodiesel. Very few attempts were made to isolate novel microsatellite markers and assessment of the extent of genetic equilibrium and diversity that exists in J. curcas. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to isolate the novel microsatellites and access genetic equilibrium, diversity that exists among 44 diverse germplasm collected from distinct geographical areas in India using isolated microsatellites. The overall efficiency of the enrichment of microsatellite by dual probe in the present study found to be 54% and among the sequences obtained the percentage of sequences having suitable flanking regions for the primer designing was found to be 89.58%. The mean co-efficient of genetic similarity (CGS) was found to be 0.97. The overall diversity obtained by microsatellites was found to be low in comparison with the diversity reported by multilocus markers systems observed in earlier studies; however, the good allele polymorphism was observed. The overall dendrogram of microsatellite analysis resulted in random clustering of germplasm and not in accordance to geographical area of collection. The present study, diversity analysis using microsatellite markers concludes the low genetic diversity and genetic disequlibrium of J. curcas in India and will provide pavement for further intra-population studies on narrow geographical areas to understand the population genetic structure, phylogeography and molecular ecological studies. The germplasm characterized, and the microsatellite markers isolated and characterized in the present study can be employed efficiently in breeding programs for genetic improvement of the species through marker assisted selection and QTL analysis, for further genetic resource management and help in making the J

Chemical analyses of potash-bearing horizons from 21 exploratory holes drilled at a tentative site for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Eddy County, New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griswold, G.B.

1977-09-01

Sandia Laboratories drilled 21 potash drill holes over an 18,960-acre site in east-central Eddy County, New Mexico, to evaluate potash resources as part of their Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project. This report furnishes assay information on samples obtained from the drilling program

Isolation and Characterization of Pollulan Produced by a Local Isolate of Aureobasidium Pullulans

OpenAIRE

Kassim, Mohammad Bashir Ismail [محمد بشيراسماعيل قاسم

2000-01-01

A local isolate of Aureobasidium pullulans was obtained from fig leaves surface. The isolate was identified as A. pullulans on the basis of appearance of polymorphism in the colonies, melanin pigment and pullulan production in shake flask cultures. Pullulan production by the local isolate of A pullulans was two thirds of that produced by ATCC 42023. The studies of physico — chemical properties, chemical analysis, sugar composition periodate oxidation and smith degradation showed that the pull...

Recent advances in micro-vibration isolation

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chunchuan; Jing, Xingjian; Daley, Steve; Li, Fengming

2015-05-01

Micro-vibration caused by disturbance sources onboard spacecraft can severely degrade the working environment of sensitive payloads. Some notable vibration control methods have been developed particularly for the suppression or isolation of micro-vibration over recent decades. Usually, passive isolation techniques are deployed in aerospace engineering. Active isolators, however, are often proposed to deal with the low frequency vibration that is common in spacecraft. Active/passive hybrid isolation has also been effectively used in some spacecraft structures for a number of years. In semi-active isolation systems, the inherent structural performance can be adjusted to deal with variation in the aerospace environment. This latter approach is potentially one of the most practical isolation techniques for micro-vibration isolation tasks. Some emerging advanced vibration isolation methods that exploit the benefits of nonlinearity have also been reported in the literature. This represents an interesting and highly promising approach for solving some challenging problems in the area. This paper serves as a state-of-the-art review of the vibration isolation theory and/or methods which were developed, mainly over the last decade, specifically for or potentially could be used for, micro-vibration control.

Isolation and characterization of string-forming female germline stem cells from ovaries of neonatal mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jing; Shang, Dantong; Xiao, Yao; Zhong, Pei; Cheng, Hanhua; Zhou, Rongjia

2017-09-29

Germline stem cells are essential in the generation of both male and female gametes. In mammals, the male testis produces sperm throughout the entire lifetime, facilitated by testicular germline stem cells. Oocyte renewal ceases in postnatal or adult life in mammalian females, suggesting that germline stem cells are absent from the mammalian ovary. However, studies in mice, rats, and humans have recently provided evidence for ovarian female germline stem cells (FGSCs). A better understanding of the role of FGSCs in ovaries could help improve fertility treatments. Here, we developed a rapid and efficient method for isolating FGSCs from ovaries of neonatal mice. Notably, our FGSC isolation method could efficiently isolate on average 15 cell "strings" per ovary from mice at 1-3 days postpartum. FGSCs isolated from neonatal mice displayed the string-forming cell configuration at mitosis ( i.e. a "stringing" FGSC (sFGSC) phenotype) and a disperse phenotype in postnatal mice. We also found that sFGSCs undergo vigorous mitosis especially at 1-3 days postpartum. After cell division, the sFGSC membranes tended to be connected to form sFGSCs. Moreover, F-actin filaments exhibited a cell-cortex distribution in sFGSCs, and E-cadherin converged in cell-cell connection regions, resulting in the string-forming morphology. Our new method provides a platform for isolating FGSCs from the neonatal ovary, and our findings indicate that FGCSs exhibit string-forming features in neonatal mice. The sFGSCs represent a valuable resource for analysis of ovary function and an in vitro model for future clinical use to address ovarian dysfunction. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

How to spend it: Resource wealth and the distribution of resource rents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segal, Paul

2012-01-01

Natural resource revenues differ from other government revenues both in their time profile, and in their political and legal status: they are volatile and exhaustible, and belong to all citizens of the country in which they are located. This paper discusses the theory of natural resource revenues and examines expenditure practices in a range of resource-rich countries. It considers both the distributional impact and the efficiency of expenditure policies, focusing on the extent to which they succeed in providing all citizens with their share of the benefits due to natural resources. - Highlights: ► We examine the relationship between resource rents and government resource revenues. ► We discuss the intertemporal management of resource revenues in theory and in practice. ► We critically examine existing policies for distributing resource revenues to populations.

Bacterial isolates and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among pediatric patients with urinary tract infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayelign, Birhanu; Abebe, Betelehem; Shibeshi, Adugna; Meshesha, Sosina; Shibabaw, Tewodros; Addis, Zelalem; Gelaw, Aschalew; Dagnew, Mulat

2018-01-01

Urinary tract infection is a common pediatric problem with the potential to produce long-term morbidity. Therefore, appropriate diagnosis and prompt treatment is required. However, studies about magnitude of uropathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance pattern of pediatric urinary tract infection (UTI) are lacking in resource limited countries including Ethiopia. This study was aimed to determine bacterial isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern among pediatric patients with UTI. A cross- sectional study was conducted. Pathogenic bacterial isolates were identified by culture and biochemical methods following standard procedures. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the isolates for commonly used antibiotics was done using the standard disc diffusion method on Muller Hinton agar. Associations between dependent and independent variables were measured using chi-square test and within 95% confidence interval. P values pediatric patients were included in the study, and 82 (26.45%) bacterial isolates were detected. Gram- negative bacteria were predominant etiologic agents of UTI in this study. E. coli was the most frequently occurring pathogen (n=45; 54.88%) followed by S. aureus and P.aeruginosa (n=8; 9.75% for both), P. vulgaris , P.aeruginosa (n=4; 4.88%, for both) and Enterococcus species (n=3; 3.66%). All K. pneumoniae , P. mirabilis , and K. ozanae straines were 100% resistance to ampicillin, followed by P. aeruginosa (87.5%) and E. coli (69%). While all Gram- positive bacterial isolates were 100% sensitive to ciprofloxacin. Malnutrition, history of catherization and previous history of UTI were independently associated with UTI (p=0.000). There was a high prevalence of uropathogenic bacteria and drug resistance particularly to ampicillin (72%) and tetracycline (37.80%). This condition indicates that antibiotic selection should be based on knowledge of the local prevalence of bacterial organisms and antibiotic sensitivities rather than empirical

Patients experience of source isolation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Kamilla; Pedersen, Didde; Kragbak, Nina

2014-01-01

, Nursing education in Århus, Hedeager 2, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. Background: Medical treatment and care of patients with infections may include source isolation of the patient, to avoid spreading of the infection. However, isolation is a potential physiological and psychological stress factor...... of the patients perspectives of being isolated to identify areas of potential interest for developing new caring strategies to minimize the negative side effects of isolation. Methods: Literature was systematically searched in CINAHL, Nursing Reference Center, Social Care Online, SveMed+, The Cochrane Library...... of Care: The patients felt abandoned and forgotten by the nurses, because of fewer visits and time limited communication. This led to emotions such as frustrations, insecurity and neglect. While isolated the patients felt it difficult to achieve contact and have an optimal relation with the nurses...

Optimized Hybrid Renewable Energy System of Isolated Islands in Smart-Grid Scenario - A Case Study in Indian Context

OpenAIRE

Aurobi Das; V. Balakrishnan

2012-01-01

This paper focuses on the integration of hybrid renewable energy resources available in remote isolated islands of Sundarban-24 Parganas-South of Eastern part of India to National Grid of conventional power supply to give a Smart-Grid scenario. Before grid-integration, feasibility of optimization of hybrid renewable energy system is monitored through an Intelligent Controller proposed to be installed at Moushuni Island of Sundarban. The objective is to ensure the reliability and efficiency of...

Seismic isolation of nuclear power plants using sliding isolation bearings

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Manish

Nuclear power plants (NPP) are designed for earthquake shaking with very long return periods. Seismic isolation is a viable strategy to protect NPPs from extreme earthquake shaking because it filters a significant fraction of earthquake input energy. This study addresses the seismic isolation of NPPs using sliding bearings, with a focus on the single concave Friction Pendulum(TM) (FP) bearing. Friction at the sliding surface of an FP bearing changes continuously during an earthquake as a function of sliding velocity, axial pressure and temperature at the sliding surface. The temperature at the sliding surface, in turn, is a function of the histories of coefficient of friction, sliding velocity and axial pressure, and the travel path of the slider. A simple model to describe the complex interdependence of the coefficient of friction, axial pressure, sliding velocity and temperature at the sliding surface is proposed, and then verified and validated. Seismic hazard for a seismically isolated nuclear power plant is defined in the United States using a uniform hazard response spectrum (UHRS) at mean annual frequencies of exceedance (MAFE) of 10-4 and 10 -5. A key design parameter is the clearance to the hard stop (CHS), which is influenced substantially by the definition of the seismic hazard. Four alternate representations of seismic hazard are studied, which incorporate different variabilities and uncertainties. Response-history analyses performed on single FP-bearing isolation systems using ground motions consistent with the four representations at the two shaking levels indicate that the CHS is influenced primarily by whether the observed difference between the two horizontal components of ground motions in a given set is accounted for. The UHRS at the MAFE of 10-4 is increased by a design factor (≥ 1) for conventional (fixed base) nuclear structure to achieve a target annual frequency of unacceptable performance. Risk oriented calculations are performed for

Improved hybrid isolator with maglev actuator integrated in air spring for active-passive isolation of ship machinery vibration

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; He, Lin; Shuai, Chang-geng; Wang, Chun-yu

2017-10-01

A hybrid isolator consisting of maglev actuator and air spring is proposed and developed for application in active-passive vibration isolation system of ship machinery. The dynamic characteristics of this hybrid isolator are analyzed and tested. The stability and adaptability of this hybrid isolator to shock and swing in the marine environment are improved by a compliant gap protection technique and a disengageable suspended structure. The functions of these new engineering designs are proved by analytical verification and experimental validation of the designed stiffness of such a hybrid isolator, and also by shock adaptability testing of the hybrid isolator. Finally, such hybrid isolators are installed in an engineering mounting loaded with a 200-kW ship diesel generator, and the broadband and low-frequency sinusoidal isolation performance is tested.

Development of useful genetic resources by proton-beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, In Gyu; Kim, Kug Chan; Park, Hyi Gook; Jung, Il Lae; Seo, Yong Won; Chang, Chul Seong; Kim, Jae Yoon; Ham, Jae Woong

2005-08-01

The aim of this study is to develop new, useful and high-valuable genetic resources through the overproduction of biodegradable plastics and the propagation of wheat using proton-beam irradiation. Useful host strain was isolated through the mutagenization of the Escherichia coli K-12 strain, followed by characterizing the genetic and physiological properties of the E. coli mutant strains. The selected E. coli mutant strain produced above 85g/L of PHB, showed above 99% of PHB intracellular content and spontaneously liberated intracellular PHB granules. Based on the results, the production cost of PHB has been estimated to approximately 2$/kg, leading effective cost-down. Investigated the propagation of wheat and its variation, a selectable criterion of wet pro of was established and genetic analysis of useful mutant was carried out

Loktanella spp. Gb03 as an algicidal bacterium, isolated from the culture of Dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus belizeanus.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloh, Anmar Hameed; Usup, Gires; Ahmad, Asmat

2016-02-01

Bacteria associated with harmful algal blooms can play a crucial role in regulating algal blooms in the environment. This study aimed at isolating and identifying algicidal bacteria in Dinoflagellate culture and to determine the optimum growth requirement of the algicidal bacteria, Loktanella sp. Gb-03. The Dinoflagellate culture used in this study was supplied by Professor Gires Usup's Laboratory, School of Environmental and Natural Resources Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia. The culture was used for the isolation of Loktanella sp., using biochemical tests, API 20 ONE kits. The fatty acid content of the isolates and the algicidal activity were further evaluated, and the phenotype was determined through the phylogenetic tree. Gram-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming, short rod-shaped, aerobic bacteria (Gb01, Gb02, Gb03, Gb04, Gb05, and Gb06) were isolated from the Dinoflagellate culture. The colonies were pink in color, convex with a smooth surface and entire edge. The optimum growth temperature for the Loktanella sp. Gb03 isolate was determined to be 30°C, in 1% of NaCl and pH7. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the bacterium belonged to the genus Loktanella of the class Alphaproteobacteria and formed a tight cluster with the type strain of Loktanella pyoseonensis (97.0% sequence similarity). On the basis of phenotypic, phylogenetic data and genetic distinctiveness, strain Gb-03, were placed in the genus Loktanella as the type strain of species. Moreover, it has algicidal activity against seven toxic Dinoflagellate. The algicidal property of the isolated Loktanella is vital, especially where biological control is needed to mitigate algal bloom or targeted Dinoflagellates.

State-of-the-art on Virtualization and Software Defined Networking for Efficient Resource Allocation on Multi-tenant 5G Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsirakis Christos

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Global data traffic explosion is expected to set stringent requirements for next generation networks in the next decades. Besides, very low latencies will have to be guaranteed for enabling new delay critical services. However, current Software Defined Networking (SDN solutions have limitations in terms of separating both data and control planes among tenants/operators, and the capability to adapt to new or changing requirements. Moreover, some virtualization schemes do not ensure isolation of resources and do not guarantee bandwidth across the entities. While some others fail to provide flexibility to the slices to customize the resource allocation across the users. Therefore, novel SDN and virtualization techniques should be implemented to realize the upcoming 5G network that will facilitate at least efficient resource allocation and multi-tenancy among the plethora of different requirements.

Isolation and in vitro evaluation of bacteriophages against MDR-bacterial isolates from septic wound infections.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roja Rani Pallavali

Full Text Available Multi-drug resistance has become a major problem for the treatment of pathogenic bacterial infections. The use of bacteriophages is an attractive approach to overcome the problem of drug resistance in several pathogens that cause fatal diseases. Our study aimed to isolate multi drug resistant bacteria from patients with septic wounds and then isolate and apply bacteriophages in vitro as alternative therapeutic agents. Pus samples were aseptically collected from Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Science (RIMS, Kadapa, A.P., and samples were analyzed by gram staining, evaluating morphological characteristics, and biochemical methods. MDR-bacterial strains were collected using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method against a variety of antibiotics. Bacteriophages were collected and tested in vitro for lytic activity against MDR-bacterial isolates. Analysis of the pus swab samples revealed that the most of the isolates detected had Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the predominant bacterium, followed by Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Our results suggested that gram-negative bacteria were more predominant than gram-positive bacteria in septic wounds; most of these isolates were resistant to ampicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, vancomycin and tetracycline. All the gram-positive isolates (100% were multi-drug resistant, whereas 86% of the gram-negative isolates had a drug resistant nature. Further bacteriophages isolated from sewage demonstrated perfect lytic activity against the multi-drug resistant bacteria causing septic wounds. In vitro analysis of the isolated bacteriophages demonstrated perfect lysis against the corresponding MDR-bacteria, and these isolated phages may be promising as a first choice for prophylaxis against wound sepsis, Moreover, phage therapy does not enhance multi-drug resistance in bacteria and could work simultaneously on a wide variety of MDR-bacteria when used in a bacteriophage cocktail. Hence

Variable stiffness and damping MR isolator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, X Z; Wang, X Y; Li, W H; Kostidis, K [University of Wollongong, School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, NSW 2522 (Australia)], E-mail: weihuali@uow.edu.au

2009-02-01

This paper presents the development of a magnetorheological (MR) fluid-based variable stiffness and damping isolator for vibration suppressions. The MR fluid isolator used a sole MR control unit to achieve the variable stiffness and damping in stepless and relative large scope. A mathematical model of the isolator was derived, and a prototype of the MR fluid isolator was fabricated and its dynamic behavior was measured in vibration under various applied magnetic fields. The parameters of the model under various magnetic fields were identified and the dynamic performances of isolator were evaluated.

World resources: engineering solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1976-01-01

The proceedings include 10 papers that contribute to population environment; fossil fuel resources and energy conservation; nuclear and solar power; production of ores and manufacture and use of metallic resources; resources of manufactured and natural nonmetallic materials; water as a reusable resource; and timber as a replaceable resource.

Semantic distributed resource discovery for multiple resource providers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pittaras, C.; Ghijsen, M.; Wibisono, A.; Grosso, P.; van der Ham, J.; de Laat, C.

2012-01-01

An emerging modus operandi among providers of cloud infrastructures is the one where they share and combine their heterogenous resources to offer end user services tailored to specific scientific and business needs. A challenge to overcome is the discovery of suitable resources among these multiple

Frequency of isolation and antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial isolates from wound infections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stojanović-Radić, Z.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Six hundred and thirteen bacterial strains were isolated from wound swabs and the isolates were identified on the basis of growth on differential and selective media. In order to test the sensitivity of isolated strains to different antibiotics, the disc diffusion method, according to EUCAST protocol v 5.0 was used. The most common species isolated from wound swabs was Staphylococcus epidermidis (18.4%, followed by Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis (16.8%, 12.7% and 10.4%, respectively. The maximum resistance of Gram-positive cocci was observed to penicillin and the lowest to linezolid. Gram-negative bacteria showed the highest resistance to tetracyclines, while the same strains demonstrated the highest sensitivity to polypeptide antibiotics. Comparison of the resistance patterns of Gramnegative and Gram-positive bacterial strains showed significant difference in the tetracycline efficiency.

Assessment of the in vitro bioactive properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from native ecological niches of Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Benavides, Ana B; Ulcuango, Mario; Yépez, Lucía; Tenea, Gabriela N

Lactic acid bacteria are known for their biotechnological potential. In various regions of Ecuador numerous indigenous biological resources are largely undocumented. In this study, we evaluated the potential probiotic characteristics and antagonistic in vitro properties of some lactic acid bacteria from native niches of the subtropical rain forests of Ecuador. These isolates were identified according to their morphological properties, standard API50CH fermentation profile and RAPD-DNA polymorphism pattern. The selected isolates were further evaluated for their probiotic potential. The isolates grew at 15°C and 45°C, survived at a pH ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 in the presence of 0.3% bile (>90%) and grew under sodium chloride conditions. All selected isolates were sensitive to ampicillin, amoxicillin and cefuroxime and some showed resistance to gentamicin, kanamycin and tetracycline. Moreover, the agar well diffusion assay showed that the supernatant of each strain at pH 3.0 and pH 4.0, but not at pH 7.0 exhibited increased antimicrobial activity (inhibition zone >15mm) against two foodborne pathogens, Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the antagonistic activity against two foodborne pathogens and the probiotic in vitro potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from native biota of Ecuador. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Comparison of seismic isolation concepts for FBR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiojiri, H.; Mazda, T.; Kasai, H.; Kanda, J.N.; Kubo, T.; Madokoro, M.; Shimomura, T.; Nojima, O.

1989-01-01

This paper seeks to verify the reliability and effectiveness of seismic isolation for FBR. Some results of the preliminary study of the program are described. Seismic isolation concepts and corresponding seismic isolation devices were selected. Three kinds of seismically-isolated FBR plant concepts were developed by applying promising seismic isolation concepts to the non-isolated FBR plant, and by developing plant component layout plans and building structural designs. Each plant was subjected to seismic response analysis and reduction in the amount of material of components and buildings were estimated for each seismic isolation concepts. Research and development items were evaluated

Competition over personal resources favors contribution to shared resources in human groups.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica L Barker

Full Text Available Members of social groups face a trade-off between investing selfish effort for themselves and investing cooperative effort to produce a shared group resource. Many group resources are shared equitably: they may be intrinsically non-excludable public goods, such as vigilance against predators, or so large that there is little cost to sharing, such as cooperatively hunted big game. However, group members' personal resources, such as food hunted individually, may be monopolizable. In such cases, an individual may benefit by investing effort in taking others' personal resources, and in defending one's own resources against others. We use a game theoretic "tug-of-war" model to predict that when such competition over personal resources is possible, players will contribute more towards a group resource, and also obtain higher payoffs from doing so. We test and find support for these predictions in two laboratory economic games with humans, comparing people's investment decisions in games with and without the options to compete over personal resources or invest in a group resource. Our results help explain why people cooperatively contribute to group resources, suggest how a tragedy of the commons may be avoided, and highlight unifying features in the evolution of cooperation and competition in human and non-human societies.

U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program—Mineral resource science supporting informed decisionmaking

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, Aleeza M.; Doebrich, Jeff L.

2016-09-19

The USGS Mineral Resources Program (MRP) delivers unbiased science and information to increase understanding of mineral resource potential, production, and consumption, and how mineral resources interact with the environment. The MRP is the Federal Government’s sole source for this mineral resource science and information. Program goals are to (1) increase understanding of mineral resource formation, (2) provide mineral resource inventories and assessments, (3) broaden knowledge of the effects of mineral resources on the environment and society, and (4) provide analysis on the availability and reliability of mineral supplies.

Resource stoichiometry and availability modulate species richness and biomass of tropical litter macro-invertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Jochum, Malte; Barnes, Andrew D; Weigelt, Patrick; Ott, David; Rembold, Katja; Farajallah, Achmad; Brose, Ulrich

2017-09-01

High biodiversity and biomass of soil communities are crucial for litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems such as tropical forests. However, the leaf litter that these communities consume is of particularly poor quality as indicated by elemental stoichiometry. The impact of resource quantity, quality and other habitat parameters on species richness and biomass of consumer communities is often studied in isolation, although much can be learned from simultaneously studying both community characteristics. Using a dataset of 780 macro-invertebrate consumer species across 32 sites in tropical lowland rain forest and agricultural systems on Sumatra, Indonesia, we investigated the effects of basal resource stoichiometry (C:X ratios of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, S in local leaf litter), litter mass (basal resource quantity and habitat space), plant species richness (surrogate for litter habitat heterogeneity), and soil pH (acidity) on consumer species richness and biomass across different consumer groups (i.e. 3 feeding guilds and 10 selected taxonomic groups). In order to distinguish the most important predictors of consumer species richness and biomass, we applied a standardised model averaging approach investigating the effects of basal resource stoichiometry, litter mass, plant species richness and soil pH on both consumer community characteristics. This standardised approach enabled us to identify differences and similarities in the magnitude and importance of such effects on consumer species richness and biomass. Across consumer groups, we found litter mass to be the most important predictor of both species richness and biomass. Resource stoichiometry had a more pronounced impact on consumer species richness than on their biomass. As expected, taxonomic groups differed in which resource and habitat parameters (basal resource stoichiometry, litter mass, plant species richness and pH) were most important for modulating their community characteristics. The importance

Energy Resource Planning. Optimal utilization of energy resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miclescu, T.; Domschke, W.; Bazacliu, G.; Dumbrava, V.

1996-01-01

For a thermal power plants system, the primary energy resources cost constitutes a significant percentage of the total system operational cost. Therefore a small percentage saving in primary energy resource allocation cost for a long term, often turns out to be a significant monetary value. In recent years, with a rapidly changing fuel supply situation, including the impact of energy policies changing, this area has become extremely sensitive. Natural gas availability has been restricted in many areas, coal production and transportation cost have risen while productivity has decreased, oil imports have increased and refinery capacity failed to meet demand. The paper presents a mathematical model and a practical procedure to solve the primary energy resource allocation. The objectives is to minimise the total energy cost over the planning period subject to constraints with regards to primary energy resource, transportation and energy consumption. Various aspects of the proposed approach are discussed, and its application to a power system is illustrated.(author) 2 figs., 1 tab., 3 refs

Teaching basic lung isolation skills on human anatomy simulator: attainment and retention of lung isolation skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Latif, Rana K; VanHorne, Edgar M; Kandadai, Sunitha Kanchi; Bautista, Alexander F; Neamtu, Aurel; Wadhwa, Anupama; Carter, Mary B; Ziegler, Craig H; Memon, Mohammed Faisal; Akça, Ozan

2016-01-20

Lung isolation skills, such as correct insertion of double lumen endobronchial tube and bronchial blocker, are essential in anesthesia training; however, how to teach novices these skills is underexplored. Our aims were to determine (1) if novices can be trained to a basic proficiency level of lung isolation skills, (2) whether video-didactic and simulation-based trainings are comparable in teaching lung isolation basic skills, and (3) whether novice learners' lung isolation skills decay over time without practice. First, five board certified anesthesiologist with experience of more than 100 successful lung isolations were tested on Human Airway Anatomy Simulator (HAAS) to establish Expert proficiency skill level. Thirty senior medical students, who were naive to bronchoscopy and lung isolation techniques (Novice) were randomized to video-didactic and simulation-based trainings to learn lung isolation skills. Before and after training, Novices' performances were scored for correct placement using pass/fail scoring and a 5-point Global Rating Scale (GRS); and time of insertion was recorded. Fourteen novices were retested 2 months later to assess skill decay. Experts' and novices' double lumen endobronchial tube and bronchial blocker passing rates showed similar success rates after training (P >0.99). There were no differences between the video-didactic and simulation-based methods. Novices' time of insertion decayed within 2 months without practice. Novices could be trained to basic skill proficiency level of lung isolation. Video-didactic and simulation-based methods we utilized were found equally successful in training novices for lung isolation skills. Acquired skills partially decayed without practice.

Assessment for Complex Learning Resources: Development and Validation of an Integrated Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gudrun Wesiak

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Today’s e-learning systems meet the challenge to provide interactive, personalized environments that support self-regulated learning as well as social collaboration and simulation. At the same time assessment procedures have to be adapted to the new learning environments by moving from isolated summative assessments to integrated assessment forms. Therefore, learning experiences enriched with complex didactic resources - such as virtualized collaborations and serious games - have emerged. In this extension of [1] an integrated model for e-assessment (IMA is outlined, which incorporates complex learning resources and assessment forms as main components for the development of an enriched learning experience. For a validation the IMA was presented to a group of experts from the fields of cognitive science, pedagogy, and e-learning. The findings from the validation lead to several refinements of the model, which mainly concern the component forms of assessment and the integration of social aspects. Both aspects are accounted for in the revised model, the former by providing a detailed sub-model for assessment forms.

MOX Fabrication Isolation Considerations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eric L. Shaber; Bradley J Schrader

2005-08-01

This document provides a technical position on the preferred level of isolation to fabricate demonstration quantities of mixed oxide transmutation fuels. The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative should design and construct automated glovebox fabrication lines for this purpose. This level of isolation adequately protects the health and safety of workers and the general public for all mixed oxide (and other transmutation fuel) manufacturing efforts while retaining flexibility, allowing parallel development and setup, and minimizing capital expense. The basis regulations, issues, and advantages/disadvantages of five potential forms of isolation are summarized here as justification for selection of the preferred technical position.

Fresh Water Cyanobacteria Geitlerinema sp. CCC728 and Arthrospira sp. CCC729 as an Anticancer Drug Resource

OpenAIRE

Srivastava, Akanksha; Tiwari, Ratnakar; Srivastava, Vikas; Singh, Tej Bali; Asthana, Ravi Kumar

2015-01-01

An increasing number of cancer patients worldwide, especially in third world countries, have raised concern to explore natural drug resources, such as the less explored fresh water filamentous cyanobacteria. Six strains of cyanobacteria (Phormidium sp. CCC727, Geitlerinema sp. CCC728, Arthrospira sp. CCC729, Phormidium sp. CCC731, Phormidium sp. CCC730, and Leptolyngbya sp. CCC732) were isolated (paddy fields and ponds in the Banaras Hindu University, campus) and five strains screened for ant...

Natural resources youth training program (NRYTP), resource rangers 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-09-15

In 2010, for a second year, the natural resources youth training program (NRYTP) was developed in northern Manitoba thanks to Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO) and the collaboration of 42 sponsors. 16 aboriginal youth representing six northern communities took part in the five-week program located at the Egg Lake camp. The objective was to provide these resources rangers with knowledge and training in the most widespread resource sectors in northern Manitoba, including mining, forestry and hydropower. Trainers and experts provided by industry partners offered training sessions, hands-on work experience and other activities to help resource rangers to acquire a better understanding of the employability in this field in the northern region and the knowledge and skills the resource-based careers require. Life and professional skills training was given by the camp staff and local professionals. On-site elders and cultural events also allowed the integration of a northern Cree cultural component. Three staff members, a cook and elders assisted daily the resource rangers. Many improvements and refinements have been made since the success of the 2009 program, including the involvement of a larger number of communities, program contributors and program graduates. The program length has doubled and the number of jobs created has increased, important cultural aspects were introduced and the overall expenses were reduced.

Isolation and identification of citrus psorosis virus Egyptian isolate (CPsV-EG).

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazal, S A; El-Dougdoug, Kh A; Mousa, A A; Fahmy, H; Sofy, A R

2008-01-01

Citrus psorosis ophiovirus (CPsV), is considered to be of the most serious and deter mental virus pathogen's citrus species trees in Egypt. CPsV-EG was isolated from infected citrus grapefruit (C. paradisi Macf.) at Agric. Res. Centre (ARC). The grapefruit which used for CPsV-EG isolate was found to be free from CTV, CEVd and Spiroplasma citri where as gave -ve results with DTBIA, tissue print hybridization and Diene's stain respectively. CPsV-EG was detected on the basis of biological indexing by graft inoculation which gave oak leaf pattern (OLP) on Dweet tangor and serological assay by DAS-ELISA using Mab specific CPsV. CPsV-EG was reacted with variable responses on 16 host plants belonging to 6 families. Only 8 host plants are susceptible and showed visible external symptoms which appeared as local, systemic and local followed by systemic infections. CPsV-EG isolate was transmitted from infected citrus to citrus by syringe and grafting and herbaceous plants by forefinger inoculation and syringe. The woody indicators and rootstocks were differed in response to CPsV-EG isolate which appeared as no-response, response, sensitivity and hypersensitivity. The serological characters represented as the antigenic determinants of CPsV-EG isolate related to monoclonal antibodies specific CPsV strain where as appeared precipitation reaction by DAS-ELISA and DTBIA. The partial fragment of RNA3 (coat protein gene) of CPsV-EG (-1140bp and -571bp) was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from grapefruit tissues using two sets primers specific CPsV (CPV3 and CPV4) and (PS66 and PS65) respectively. The virus under study was identified as CPsV-EG isolate according to biological, serological and molecular characters.

Cultural resource management and the necessity of cultural and natural resource collaboration

Science.gov (United States)

Roderick Kevin Donald; Kara Kusche; Collin Gaines

2005-01-01

Cultural Resource Specialists function as interpreters of past and present human behavior through the analysis of cultural/natural resources vital to human ecological sustainability. When developing short and long-term preservation strategies for cultural resources, it is more current and innovative for Cultural Resource Specialists to think of past human populations...

Isolation, characterization, virulence and immunogenicity testing of field isolates of Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae in laboratory settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Qudratullah; Muhammad, G; Saqib, M; Bilal, M Qamar

2017-08-01

The present study was designed to investigate isolation, characterization, virulence and immunogenicity testing of field isolates of Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae in rabbits and mice. Isolates of P. multocida, S. aureus and Str. agalactiae recovered from field cases of Hemorragic septicemia and mastitis were scrutinized for virulence/pathogenicity and immunogenicity. Mouse LD 50 of P. multocida showed that P. multocida isolate No.1 was more virulent than isolates No. 2 and 3. Virulence of isolate No.1S. aureus and Str. agalactiae revealed that 100, 80% rabbits died within 18h of inoculation. Seven-digit numerical profiles of these 4 isolates with API ® Staph test strips isolates, No.1 (6736153) showed good identification (S. aureus id=90.3%). Indirect ELISA-based serum antibody titers to P. multocida isolate No.1, S. aureus No.1, Str. agalactiae, isolate No.1 elicited high antibody titers 1.9, 1.23, 1.12 respectively. All the pathogens of Isolate No. 1 (P. multocida, S. aureus Str. agalactiae), were high antibody than others isolates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation and antibiogram of Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Escherichia coli isolates from clinical and subclinical cases of bovine mastitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nihar Nalini Mohanty,

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Aim: The present study was aimed to isolate and evaluate the continuous change in the pattern of drug resistance showed by different mastitogenic organisms, isolated from clinical and subclinical cases of mastitis.Materials and Methods: The study was carried out using 150 milk samples received from various clinical and subclinical cases, from which the causative organisms were isolated and subjected to in vitro antibiotic sensitivity test.Results: The bacteriological analysis of the samples indicated the presence of both Gram positive and Gram negative organisms followed by isolation of isolates like Staphylococcus, E. coli, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Listeria, Klebsiella. The in vitro sensitivity of Staphylococcus, E. coli and Streptococcus isolates revealed that they were more sensitive towards newer antimicrobials like Levofloxacin and Enrofloxacin.Conclusion: The prevalence of Staphylococcus was found to be maximum followed by Streptococcus and E. coli among the isolated organisms. Levofloxacin and Enrofloxacin were found to be most effective against the targeted isolates.

Isolation and identification of bovine Brucella isolates from Pakistan by biochemical tests and PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Shahzad; Ali, Qurban; Melzer, Falk; Khan, Iahtasham; Akhter, Shamim; Neubauer, Heinrich; Jamal, Syed M

2014-01-01

Brucellosis is endemic in bovines in Pakistan. The Brucella species and biovars involved, however, are unknown. The objectives of the present study were to isolate and characterize brucellae from seropositive milk samples, aborted fetuses, and vaginal swabs of cattle and buffaloes which had recently aborted. The seropositive milk samples, aborted fetuses, and vaginal swabs of cattle and buffaloes were collected from the Potohar Plateau, Pakistan. Isolation of brucellae was done on modified Farrell's serum dextrose agar. Isolates were characterized by conventional biotyping methods, while molecular typing was done by genus (B4/B5) and species-specific (Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella ovis, and Brucella suis) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 30 isolates were recovered from milk (n = 5), aborted fetuses (n = 13), and vaginal swabs (n = 12). Most isolates were from cattle (56.7 %). All of them were identified as B. abortus biovar 1 based on conventional biotyping methods and genus and species-specific PCR. This preliminary study provides the first report on the prevalence of B. abortus biovar 1 in cattle and buffaloes in Pakistan.

Competition over personal resources favors contribution to shared resources in human groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barker, Jessie; Barclay, Pat; Reeve, H. Kern

2013-01-01

laboratory economic games with humans, comparing people's investment decisions in games with and without the options to compete over personal resources or invest in a group resource. Our results help explain why people cooperatively contribute to group resources, suggest how a tragedy of the commons may......Members of social groups face a trade-off between investing selfish effort for themselves and investing cooperative effort to produce a shared group resource. Many group resources are shared equitably: they may be intrinsically non-excludable public goods, such as vigilance against predators, or so...... large that there is little cost to sharing, such as cooperatively hunted big game. However, group members' personal resources, such as food hunted individually, may be monopolizable. In such cases, an individual may benefit by investing effort in taking others' personal resources, and in defending one...

Technical support for GEIS: radioactive waste isolation in geologic formations. Volume 10. Repository preconceptual design studies: granite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-04-01

This volume, Volume 10 ''Repository Preconceptual Design Studies: Granite,'' is one of a 23-volume series, ''Technical Support for GEIS: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations,'' Y/OWI/TM-36, which supplements the ''Contribution to Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Commercial Waste Management: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations,'' Y/OWI/TM-44. The series provides a more complete technical basis for the preconceptual designs, resource requirements, and environmental source terms associated with isolating commercial LWR wastes in underground repositories in salt, granite, shale and basalt. Wastes are considered from three fuel cycles: uranium and plutonium recycling, no recycling of spent fuel and uranium-only recycling. This document describes a preconceptual design for a nuclear waste storage facility in granite. The facility design consists of several chambers excavated deep within a geologic formation together with access shafts and supportive surface structures. The facility design provides for: receiving and unloading waste containers; lowering them down shafts to the mine level; transporting them to the proper storage area, and emplacing them in mined storage rooms. Drawings of the facility design are contained in TM-36/11, ''Drawings for Repository Preconceptual Design Studies: Granite.''

Technical support for GEIS: radioactive waste isolation in geologic formations. Volume 8. Repository preconceptual design studies: salt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-04-01

This volume, Volume 8 ''Repository Preconceptual Design Studies: Salt,'' is one of a 23-volume series, ''Technical Support for GEIS: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations,'' Y/OWI/TM-36, which supplements the ''Contribution to Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Commercial Waste Management: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations,'' Y/OWI/TM-44. The series provides a more complete technical basis for the preconceptual designs, resource requirements, and environmental source terms associated with isolating commercial LWR wastes in underground repositories in salt, granite, shale and basalt. Wastes are considered from three fuel cycles: uranium and plutonium recycling, no recycling of spent fuel and uranium-only recycling. This document describes a preconceptual design for a nuclear waste storage facility in salt. The facility design consists of several chambers excavated deep within a geologic formation together with access shafts and supportive surface structures. The facility design provides for: receiving and unloading waste containers; lowering them down shafts to the mine level; transporting them to the proper storage area, and emplacing them in mined storage rooms. Drawings of the facility design are contained in TM-36/9, ''Drawings for Repository Preconceptual Design Studies: Salt.''

Application of MALDI-TOF MS for requalification of a Candida clinical isolates culture collection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reginaldo Lima-Neto

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Microbial culture collections underpin biotechnology applications and are important resources for clinical microbiology by supplying reference strains and/or performing microbial identifications as a service. Proteomic profiles by MALDI-TOF MS have been used for Candida spp. identification in clinical laboratories and demonstrated to be a fast and reliable technique for the routine identification of pathogenic yeasts. The main aim of this study was to apply MALDI-TOF MS combined with classical phenotypic and molecular approaches to identify Candida clinical isolates preserved from 1 up to 52 years in a Brazilian culture collection and assess its value for the identification of yeasts preserved in this type of collections. Forty Candida spp. clinical isolates were identified by morphological and biochemical analyses. Identifications were also performed by the new proteomic approach based on MALDI-TOF MS. Results demonstrated 15% discordance when compared with morphological and biochemical analyses. Discordant isolates were analysed by ITS sequencing, which confirmed the MALDI-TOF MS identifications and these strains were renamed in the culture collection catalogue. In conclusion, proteomic profiles by MALDI-TOF MS represents a rapid and reliable method for identifying clinical Candida species preserved in culture collections and may present clear benefits when compared with the performance of existing daily routine methods applied at health centres and hospitals.

Isolation, Identification, and Evaluation of Novel Probiotic Strains Isolated from Feces of Breast-Fed Infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Panya, Marutpong; Lulitanond, Viraphong; Rattanachaikunsopon, Pongsak; Srivoramas, Thanyakarn; Chaiwong, Tarinee

2016-01-01

To isolate, identify, and evaluate the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from the feces of breast-fed infants. The probiotic tests included investigation of hemolysis activity, survival in simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions (acid and bile salt tolerance), susceptibility to antibiotics, and ability to inhibit selected bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar Typhimurium). The bacterial species identification was performed by both carbohydrate utilization and partial 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. Five of fifty LAB isolates (UBU-03, UBU-06, UBU-09, UBU-34, and UBU-37) showed good probiotic properties. These five isolates showed non-hemolysis type (gamma-hemolysis), susceptibility to all antibiotics tested except for vancomycin, ability to survive in the simulated gastrointestinal conditions of both acid and bile salt solution, and ability to inhibit growth of E. coli O157: H7 and V. cholerae. Bacterial species identification revealed that all five isolates were firmly identified as Lactobacillus rhamnosus species. The L. rhamnosus strains that were isolated and characterized in this study could be considered as probiotic strains, and then used for further probiotic characterization in human cell cultures or animal models.

Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated in 1965 are more susceptible to triclosan than current isolates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovgaard, Sissel; Nielsen, Lene Nørby; Larsen, Marianne Halberg

2013-01-01

pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis with isolates collected in the 1960s prior to introduction of triclosan to the market. Of 64 current S. epidermidis isolates 12.5% were found to have tolerance towards triclosan defined as MIC≥0.25 mg/l compared to none of 34 isolates obtained in the 1960s. When passaged......Since its introduction to the market in the 1970s, the synthetic biocide triclosan has had widespread use in household and medical products. Although decreased triclosan susceptibility has been observed for several bacterial species, when exposed under laboratory settings, no in vivo studies have...... in the laboratory in the presence of triclosan, old and current susceptible isolates could be adapted to the same triclosan MIC level as found in current tolerant isolates. DNA sequence analysis revealed that laboratory-adapted strains carried mutations in fabI encoding the enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase...

Different Babesia canis isolates, different diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Schetters, T P; Moubri, K; Précigout, E; Kleuskens, J; Scholtes, N C; Gorenflot, A

1997-11-01

Using surface immunofluorescence isolate-specific antigens were detected on the membrane of erythrocytes infected with Babesia parasites. In addition, the strains reacted differently with Plasmagel in that the European isolate (B.c. canis) could be purified on Plasmagel effectively, whereas infected erythrocytes of the South-African isolate (B.c. rossi) could not. Experimental infection of dogs with Babesia canis isolates from geographically different areas revealed different pathology. The European isolate obtained from France exhibited transient parasitaemia, usually below 1%, associated with low PCV values and congestion of internal organs. Clinical disease was correlated with an effect on the coagulation system, and not with peripheral parasitaemia. Infection of dogs with South-African-derived isolate induced high parasitaemia usually much higher than 1%, which required chemotherapeutic treatment. In these animals clinical disease was correlated with peripheral parasitaemia and not with parameters of the coagulation system. The results show that the etiology of disease caused by these isolates of B.c. canis and B.c. rossi is different. This might have implications for the development of vaccines against these infections.

The dilemma of contact: voluntary isolation and the impacts of gas exploitation on health and rights in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve, Peruvian Amazon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Napolitano, Dora A; Ryan, Aliya S S

2007-01-01

Many small groups of indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin avoid and resist direct encounters with outsiders. As far as we know, they do so because of appalling experiences in earlier encounters with national society. When contacted today, they are extremely vulnerable to introduced diseases and exploitation. In this paper we draw on our experience in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve for isolated peoples in SE Peru to discuss some of the current debates about whether isolated peoples should be contacted and how best to respect their right to life, health, autonomy and territory. The remote headwater regions where isolated peoples sought refuge during the last century are increasingly sought after for resource extraction. In particular, the extraction of oil and gas is increasing throughout the Peruvian Amazon. In the second part of the paper we give some examples of how oil/gas companies and the energy sector in Peru have affected the well-being of the peoples in this reserve in the 21st century. If this trend is not reversed the impacts for isolated peoples will be irreparable

The dilemma of contact: voluntary isolation and the impacts of gas exploitation on health and rights in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve, Peruvian Amazon

Science.gov (United States)

Napolitano, Dora A.; Ryan, Aliya S. S.

2007-10-01

Many small groups of indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin avoid and resist direct encounters with outsiders. As far as we know, they do so because of appalling experiences in earlier encounters with national society. When contacted today, they are extremely vulnerable to introduced diseases and exploitation. In this paper we draw on our experience in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve for isolated peoples in SE Peru to discuss some of the current debates about whether isolated peoples should be contacted and how best to respect their right to life, health, autonomy and territory. The remote headwater regions where isolated peoples sought refuge during the last century are increasingly sought after for resource extraction. In particular, the extraction of oil and gas is increasing throughout the Peruvian Amazon. In the second part of the paper we give some examples of how oil/gas companies and the energy sector in Peru have affected the well-being of the peoples in this reserve in the 21st century. If this trend is not reversed the impacts for isolated peoples will be irreparable.

Healthy time use in the encore years: do work, resources, relations, and gender matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Flood, Sarah M; Moen, Phyllis

2015-03-01

Social engagement is theorized to promote health, with ages 55 to 75-what some call "encore" adulthood-potentially being a time for ongoing engagement or social isolation. We use the American Time Use Survey (N = 11,952) and a life course perspective to examine associations between paid work, resources, relations, and healthy time use for men and women in the first (55-64) and second (65-74) halves of the encore years. Work limits sufficient sleep (full-time working men) and television watching (all workers) but also time spent in physical activity (full-time workers). College-educated and healthy encore adults-across age and gender divides-are more likely to exercise and watch less television. Marriage and caregiving encourage socializing and limit television watching, despite differential effects on physical activity and sleep. These findings fit well with a gendered life course perspective suggesting socially patterned (by work, resources, relationships, gender, age) health behaviors. © American Sociological Association 2015.

Healthy Time Use in the Encore Years: Do Work, Resources, Relations, and Gender Matter?*

Science.gov (United States)

Flood, Sarah M.; Moen, Phyllis

2015-01-01

Social engagement is theorized to promote health, with ages 55 to 75 – what some call “encore” adulthood – potentially a time for ongoing engagement or social isolation. We use the American Time Use Survey (N=11,952) and a life course perspective to examine associations between paid work, resources, relations, and healthy time use for men and women in the first (55–64) and second (65–74) halves of the encore years. Work limits sufficient sleep (full-time working men) and television watching (all workers) but also time spent in physical activity (full-time workers). College-educated and healthy encore adults – across age and gender divides – are more likely to exercise and watch less television. Marriage and caregiving encourage socializing and limit television watching, despite differential effects on physical activity and sleep. These findings fit well with a gendered life course perspective suggesting socially patterned (by work, resources, relationships, gender, age) health behaviors. PMID:25722126

The Natural Resources Conservation Service land resource hierarchy and ecological sites

Science.gov (United States)

Resource areas of the NRCS have long been important to soil geography. At both regional and landscape scales, resource areas are used to stratify programs and practices based on geographical areas where resource concerns, problems, or treatment needs are similar. However, the inability to quantifiab...

Knowledge and Natural Resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bertelsen, Rasmus Gjedssø; Justinussen, Jens Christian Svabo

2016-01-01

Arctic economies are generally natural resource based economies, whether they are indigenous economies largely dependent on living on the land or industrialized economies depending on marine resources, mineral resources or fossil or renewable energy resources. However, the central role of knowledge...

Isolated Systolic Hypertension: A Health Concern?

Science.gov (United States)

Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern? Is having a high top number (systolic) blood pressure, but a normal bottom number (diastolic) ... mm Hg, you have a common type of high blood pressure called isolated systolic hypertension. Isolated systolic hypertension can ...

Seismic isolation in New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skinner, R.I.; Robinson, W.H.; McVerry, G.H.

1989-01-01

Bridges, buildings, and industrial equipment can be given increased protection from earthquake damage by limiting the earthquake attack through seismic isolation. A broad summary of the seismic responses of base-isolated structures is of considerable assistance for their preliminary design. Seismic isolation as already used in New Zealand consists of a flexible base or support combined with some form of energy-dissipating device, usually involving the hysteretic working of steel or lead. This paper presents examples of the New Zealand experience, where seismic isolation has been used for 42 bridges, 3 buildings, a tall chimney, and high-voltage capacitor banks. Additional seismic response factors, which may be important for nuclear power plants, are also discussed briefly

Isolation facilities for highly infectious diseases in Europe--a cross-sectional analysis in 16 countries.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Schilling

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Highly Infectious Diseases (HIDs are (i easily transmissible form person to person; (ii cause a life-threatening illness with no or few treatment options; and (iii pose a threat for both personnel and the public. Hence, even suspected HID cases should be managed in specialised facilities minimizing infection risks but allowing state-of-the-art critical care. Consensus statements on the operational management of isolation facilities have been published recently. The study presented was set up to compare the operational management, resources, and technical equipment among European isolation facilities. Due to differences in geography, population density, and national response plans it was hypothesized that adherence to recommendations will vary. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Until mid of 2010 the European Network for Highly Infectious Diseases conducted a cross-sectional analysis of isolation facilities in Europe, recruiting 48 isolation facilities in 16 countries. Three checklists were disseminated, assessing 44 items and 148 specific questions. The median feedback rate for specific questions was 97.9% (n = 47/48 (range: n = 7/48 (14.6% to n = 48/48 (100%. Although all facilities enrolled were nominated specialised facilities' serving countries or regions, their design, equipment and personnel management varied. Eighteen facilities fulfilled the definition of a High Level Isolation Unit'. In contrast, 24 facilities could not operate independently from their co-located hospital, and five could not ensure access to equipment essential for infection control. Data presented are not representative for the EU in general, as only 16/27 (59.3% of all Member States agreed to participate. Another limitation of this study is the time elapsed between data collection and publication; e.g. in Germany one additional facility opened in the meantime. CONCLUSION: There are disparities both within and between European countries regarding the design

Evaluation of spoligotyping, SNPs and customised MIRU-VNTR combination for genotyping Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates in Madagascar.

Science.gov (United States)

Rasoahanitralisoa, Rondroarivelo; Rakotosamimanana, Niaina; Stucki, David; Sola, Christophe; Gagneux, Sebastien; Rasolofo Razanamparany, Voahangy

2017-01-01

Combining different molecular typing methods for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) can be a powerful tool for molecular epidemiology-based investigation of TB. However, the current standard method that provides high discriminatory power for such a combination, mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units-variable numbers of tandem repeats typing (MIRU-VNTR), is laborious, time-consuming and often too costly for many resource-limited laboratories. We aimed to evaluate a reduced set of loci for MIRU-VNTR typing in combination with spoligotyping and SNP-typing for routine molecular epidemiology of TB. Spoligotyping and SNP-typing, in combination with the 15 loci MIRU-VNTR typing, were first used to type clinical MTBC isolates (n = 158) from Madagascar. A step by step reduction of MIRU-VNTR loci number was then performed according to the Hunter and Gaston Discriminatory Index (HGDI) and to the Principal component analysis (PCA) correlation with the spoligotype profiles to evaluate the discrimination power inside the generated spoligotype clusters. The 15 MIRU-VNTR was used as reference and SNP-typing was used to determine the main MTBC lineages. Of the 158 clinical isolates studied, the SNP-typing classified 23 into Lineage 1 (14.6%), 31 into Lineage 2 (19.6%), 23 into Lineage 3 (14.6%) and 81 into Lineage 4 strains (51.3%). 37 different spoligotypes profiles were obtained, 15 of which were unique and 20 in clusters. 15-loci MIRU-VNTR typing revealed 144 different genotypes: 132 isolates had a unique MIRU-VNTR profile and 27 isolates were grouped into 12 clusters. After a stepwise reduction of the MIRU-VNTR loci number within each main spoligotype families, three different sets composed of 5 customised MIRU-VNTR loci had a similar discrimination level to the reference 15 loci MIRU-VNTR in lineage 1, lineage 2 and lineage 3. For lineage 4, a set of 4 and 3 MIRU-VNTR loci were proposed to subtype the Harleem and LAM spoligotype families, respectively. For the T

Egg beater as centrifuge: isolating human blood plasma from whole blood in resource-poor settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Amy P; Gupta, Malancha; Shevkoplyas, Sergey S; Whitesides, George M

2008-12-01

This paper demonstrates that a hand-powered egg beater can be modified to serve as a centrifuge for separating plasma from human whole blood. Immunoassays used to diagnose infectious diseases often require plasma from whole blood, and obtaining plasma typically requires electrically-powered centrifuges, which are not widely available in resource-limited settings. Human whole blood was loaded into polyethylene (PE) tubing, and the tubing was attached to the paddle of an egg beater. Spinning the paddle pelleted the blood cells to the distal end of the PE tubing; the plasma remained as the supernatant. A cholesterol assay (run on patterned paper) demonstrated the suitability of this plasma for use in diagnostic assays. The physics of the system was also analyzed as a guide for the selection of other rotating systems for use in centrifugation. Egg beaters, polyethylene tubing, and paper are readily available devices and supplies that can facilitate the use of point-of-care diagnostics at sites far from centralized laboratory facilities.

Tiamulin resistance in porcine Brachyspira pilosicoli isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Pringle, M; Landén, A; Franklin, A

2006-02-01

There are few studies on antimicrobial susceptibility of Brachyspira pilosicoli, therefore this study was performed to investigate the situation among isolates from pigs. The tiamulin and tylosin susceptibility was determined by broth dilution for 93 and 86 porcine B. pilosicoli isolates, respectively. The isolates came from clinical samples taken in Swedish pig herds during the years 2002 and 2003. The tylosin minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was >16 microg/ml for 50% (n=43) of the isolates tested. A tiamulin MIC >2 microg/ml was obtained for 14% (n=13) of the isolates and these were also tested against doxycycline, salinomycin, valnemulin, lincomycin and aivlosin. For these isolates the susceptibility to salinomycin and doxycycline was high but the MICs for aivlosin varied. The relationship between the 13 tiamulin resistant isolates was analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Among the 13 isolates 10 different PFGE patterns were identified.

NATURAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D.F. Fenster

2000-01-01

The purpose of this report is to summarize the scientific work that was performed to evaluate and assess the occurrence and economic potential of natural resources within the geologic setting of the Yucca Mountain area. The extent of the regional areas of investigation for each commodity differs and those areas are described in more detail in the major subsections of this report. Natural resource assessments have focused on an area defined as the ''conceptual controlled area'' because of the requirements contained in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulation, 10 CFR Part 60, to define long-term boundaries for potential radionuclide releases. New requirements (proposed 10 CFR Part 63 [Dyer 1999]) have obviated the need for defining such an area. However, for the purposes of this report, the area being discussed, in most cases, is the previously defined ''conceptual controlled area'', now renamed the ''natural resources site study area'' for this report (shown on Figure 1). Resource potential can be difficult to assess because it is dependent upon many factors, including economics (demand, supply, cost), the potential discovery of new uses for resources, or the potential discovery of synthetics to replace natural resource use. The evaluations summarized are based on present-day use and economic potential of the resources. The objective of this report is to summarize the existing reports and information for the Yucca Mountain area on: (1) Metallic mineral and mined energy resources (such as gold, silver, etc., including uranium); (2) Industrial rocks and minerals (such as sand, gravel, building stone, etc.); (3) Hydrocarbons (including oil, natural gas, tar sands, oil shales, and coal); and (4) Geothermal resources. Groundwater is present at the Yucca Mountain site at depths ranging from 500 to 750 m (about 1,600 to 2,500 ft) below the ground surface. Groundwater resources are not discussed in this report, but are planned to be included in the hydrology

Isolation and identification of indigenous prokaryotic bacteria from arsenic-contaminated water resources and their impact on arsenic transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jebelli, Mohammad Ahmadi; Maleki, Afshin; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Kalantar, Enayatollah; Shahmoradi, Behzad; Gharibi, Fardin

2017-06-01

Arsenic is a known human carcinogen. Arsenite [As(III), H 3 AsO 3 ] and arsenate [As(V), H 2 AsO 4 - and HAsO 4 2- ] are the two predominant compounds of As found in surface water and groundwater. The aim of this study was to explore a bioremediation strategy for biotransformation of arsenite to arsenate by microorganisms. In this study, Babagorgor Spring, located west of Iran, was selected as the arsenic-contaminated source and its physicochemical characteristics and in situ microbiological composition were analyzed. Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) analysis indicated that the arsenic level was 614μg/l. Fourteen arsenic tolerant indigenous bacteria were isolated from arsenic-contaminated water using chemically defined medium (CDM), supplemented with 260-3900mg/l arsenite and 1560-21800mg/l arsenate. Among the isolates, a strain As-11 exhibited high ability of arsenic transformation. Biochemical tests were used for bacterial identification and confirmation was conducted by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Results confirmed that As-11 was related to the genus Pseudomonas. This bacterium showed maximum tolerable concentration to arsenite up to 3250mg/l and arsenate up to 20280mg/l. Under heterotrophic conditions, the bacterium exhibited 48% of As(III) and 78% of As(V) transformation from the medium amended with 130 and 312mg/l of sodium arsenite and sodium arsenate, respectively. Moreover, under chemolithotrophic conditions, bacterium was able to transform 41% of 130mg/l of As(III) from the medium amended with nitrate as the terminal electron acceptor. Pseudomonas strain As-11 was reported as an arsenic transformer, for the first time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ONLINE RESOURCES Isolation and characterization of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Windows User

activity lacks management plan to ensure that lobster populations remain at sustainable levels. ... As biological information on P. echinatus is still scarce, it is of paramount ... Thus, the knowledge of genetic variability in P. echinatus and its populations is essential to ... Sequencing (NGS) technology (Abdelkrim et al. 2009).

Renewable energy resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellabban, Omar S.; Abu-Rub, Haitham A.; Blaabjerg, Frede

2014-01-01

Electric energy security is essential, yet the high cost and limited sources of fossil fuels, in addition to the need to reduce greenhouse gasses emission, have made renewable resources attractive in world energy-based economies. The potential for renewable energy resources is enormous because...... they can, in principle, exponentially exceed the world's energy demand; therefore, these types of resources will have a significant share in the future global energy portfolio, much of which is now concentrating on advancing their pool of renewable energy resources. Accordingly, this paper presents how...... renewable energy resources are currently being used, scientific developments to improve their use, their future prospects, and their deployment. Additionally, the paper represents the impact of power electronics and smart grid technologies that can enable the proportionate share of renewable energy...

Assessing Social Isolation: Pilot Testing Different Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Harry Owen; Herbers, Stephanie; Talisman, Samuel; Morrow-Howell, Nancy

2016-04-01

Social isolation is a significant public health problem among many older adults; however, most of the empirical knowledge about isolation derives from community-based samples. There has been less attention given to isolation in senior housing communities. The objectives of this pilot study were to test two methods to identify socially isolated residents in low-income senior housing and compare findings about the extent of isolation from these two methods. The first method, self-report by residents, included 47 out of 135 residents who completed in-person interviews. To determine self-report isolation, residents completed the Lubben Social Network Scale 6 (LSNS-6). The second method involved a staff member who reported the extent of isolation on all 135 residents via an online survey. Results indicated that 26% of residents who were interviewed were deemed socially isolated by the LSNS-6. Staff members rated 12% of residents as having some or a lot of isolation. In comparing the two methods, staff members rated 2% of interviewed residents as having a lot of isolation. The combination of self-report and staff report could be more informative than just self-report alone, particularly when participation rates are low. However, researchers should be aware of the potential discrepancy between these two methods.

The Global Resource Nexus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ridder, M. de; Duijne, F. van; Jong, S. de; Jones, J.; Luit, E. van; Bekkers, F.F.; Auping, W.

2014-01-01

Supply and demand of resources are connected in a complex way. This interconnectivity has been framed as the global resource nexus and can conceivebly include all types of resources. This study focus on the nexus of five essential natural resources: land, food, energy, water and minerals. Together

Miniature Optical Isolator, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — To address NASA's need for compact optical isolators, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to continue the development of a new Miniature Optical Isolator...

Self managing experiment resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stagni, F; Ubeda, M; Charpentier, P; Tsaregorodtsev, A; Romanovskiy, V; Roiser, S; Graciani, R

2014-01-01

Within this paper we present an autonomic Computing resources management system, used by LHCb for assessing the status of their Grid resources. Virtual Organizations Grids include heterogeneous resources. For example, LHC experiments very often use resources not provided by WLCG, and Cloud Computing resources will soon provide a non-negligible fraction of their computing power. The lack of standards and procedures across experiments and sites generated the appearance of multiple information systems, monitoring tools, ticket portals, etc... which nowadays coexist and represent a very precious source of information for running HEP experiments Computing systems as well as sites. These two facts lead to many particular solutions for a general problem: managing the experiment resources. In this paper we present how LHCb, via the DIRAC interware, addressed such issues. With a renewed Central Information Schema hosting all resources metadata and a Status System (Resource Status System) delivering real time information, the system controls the resources topology, independently of the resource types. The Resource Status System applies data mining techniques against all possible information sources available and assesses the status changes, that are then propagated to the topology description. Obviously, giving full control to such an automated system is not risk-free. Therefore, in order to minimise the probability of misbehavior, a battery of tests has been developed in order to certify the correctness of its assessments. We will demonstrate the performance and efficiency of such a system in terms of cost reduction and reliability.

Preventing social isolation in older people.

Science.gov (United States)

Cotterell, Natalie; Buffel, Tine; Phillipson, Christopher

2018-07-01

The extent of social isolation amongst older people has emerged as a major concern for health and social policy. Although the social and health outcomes of social isolation are well documented, evidence regarding the prevention of isolation in later life remains scarce. This article addresses this by presenting the findings from a literature review focusing on the identification, assessment, prevention, and intervention strategies relevant to social isolation in older age. The paper first addresses the issues of identification and assessment, using an ecological framework to identify the risk factors for social isolation at four levels: individual, relationship, community, and societal. It then reviews different types of interventions to reduce or prevent social isolation in later life, including one-to-one, group, service provision, technology-based, neighbourhood, and structural interventions. The paper discusses both the opportunities and the constraints associated with these different approaches. The discussion highlights future directions for research, emphasising the need for a cultural change from 'cure' to 'prevention' of social isolation across the life-course, and the importance of acknowledging greater diversity within the ageing population. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genome sequence of Mycobacterium yongonense RT 955-2015 isolate from a patient misdiagnosed with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis: first clinical isolate in Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

Mnyambwa, Nicholaus Peter; Kim, Dong-Jin; Ngadaya, Esther; Chun, Jongsik; Ha, Sung-Min; Petrucka, Pammla; Addo, Kennedy Kwasi; Kazwala, Rudovick R; Mfinanga, Sayoki G

2018-04-24

Mycobacterium yongonense is a recently described novel species belonging to Mycobacterium avium complex which is the most prevalent etiology of non-tuberculous mycobacteria associated with pulmonary infections, and posing tuberculosis diagnostic challenges in high-burden, resource-constrained settings. We used whole genome shotgun sequencing and comparative microbial genomic analyses to characterize the isolate from a patient diagnosed with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) after relapse. We present a genome sequence of the first case of M. yongonense (M. yongonense RT 955-2015) in Tanzania. Sequence analysis revealed that the RT 955-2015 strain had a high similarity to M. yongonense 05-1390(T) (98.74%) and M. chimaera DSM 44623(T) (98%). Its 16S rRNA showed similarity to M. paraintracellulare KCTC 290849(T) (100%); M. intracellulare ATCC 13950(T) (100%); M. chimaera DSM 44623(T) (99.9%); and M. yongonense 05-1390(T) (98%). The strain had a substantially different rpoB sequence from that of M. yongonense 05-1390 (95.16%) but exhibited a sequence closely related to M. chimaera DSM 44623(T) (99.86%), M. intracellulare ATCC 13950(T) (99.53%), and M. paraintracellulare KCTC 290849(T) (99.53%). In light of the OrthoANI algorithm, and phylogenetic analysis, we conclude that the isolate was M. yongonense Type II genotype, which is an indication that the patient was misdiagnosed with TB/MDR-TB and received inappropriate treatment. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Resource Structuring and Ambidexterity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Yucheng; Li, Peter Ping

-shaped effect on organizational ambidexterity in new ventures. Further, because of the traditional culture and economic transition characteristics, new ventures actively leverage managerial ties as key social relations to obtain special resources or nurture business transactions. We propose that ties with other......Focusing on how resource structuring mechanisms and managerial ties influence organizational ambidexterity of new ventures in emerging economy, this study explores the effects of resource structuring mechanisms (i.e., resource acquiring and resource accumulating) on organizational ambidexterity....... It further examines the moderating effects of managerial ties, (i.e., ties with other firms and ties with the government) on the above relationships. Survey data from China¡¯s 202 new ventures demonstrates that the resource acquiring has an inverted U-shaped effect whereas the resource accumulating has a U...

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Shigella spp. isolated from children under 5 years of age attending tertiary care hospitals, Nepal along with first finding of ESBL-production.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhital, Subhash; Sherchand, Jeevan Bahadur; Pokharel, Bharat Mani; Parajuli, Keshab; Mishra, Shyam Kumar; Sharma, Sangita; Kattel, Hari Prasad; Khadka, Sundar; Khatiwada, Sulochana; Rijal, Basista

2017-06-05

Shigella is an important cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in resource-poor countries. The treatment of shigellosis mostly requires antibiotics. However, the increase of multidrug resistance along with emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase and ciprofloxacin resistance among Shigella spp. has challenged the situation. This study was conducted to determine the distribution of species and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Shigella species isolated from stool specimen among children less than 5 years of age in Nepal. Out of total 717 stool samples collected, 15 cases of Shigella spp. was isolated which includes 12 S. flexneri and 3 S. sonnei. Multidrug resistance was found among 13(86%) of the isolates. One of the isolates of S. flexneri was found to be ESBL-producer with MIC >256 mg/L for cefixime. The high occurrence of multidrug resistance among Shigella spp. along with a case of ESBL-production for the first time in Nepal alarms the concerns about dissemination of the resistant isolates. So, systemic monitoring of the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Shigella spp. is becoming crucial to guide therapy.

Technical support for GEIS: radioactive waste isolation in geologic formations. Volume 5. Baseline rock properties-granite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-04-01

This volume, Y/OWI/TM-36/5, Baseline Rock Properties--Granite, is one of a 23-volume series, ''Technical Support for GEIS: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations, Y/OWI/TM-36'' which supplements a ''Contribution to Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Commercial Waste Management: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations, Y/OWI/TM-44.'' The series provides a more complete technical basis for the preconceptual designs, resource requirements, and environmental source terms associated with isolating commercial LWR wastes in underground repositories in salt, granite, shale and basalt. Wastes are considered from three fuel cycles: uranium and plutonium recycling, no recycling of spent fuel and uranium-only recycling. This report, on the rock properties of typical granites, includes an evaluation of the various test results reported in the literature. Firstly, a literature survey was made in order to obtain a feel for the range of rock properties encountered. Then, granites representative of different geologic ages and from different parts of the United States were selected and studied in further detail. Some of the special characteristics of granite, such as anisotropy, creep and weathering were also investigated. Lastly, intact properties for a typical granite were selected and rock mass properties were derived using appropriate correction factors

Characterization of a novel enterovirus serotype and an enterovirus EV-B93 isolated from acute flaccid paralysis patients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahzad Shaukat

Full Text Available Non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs are among the most common viruses infecting humans worldwide. Most of these infections are asymptomatic but few can lead to systemic and neurological disorders like Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP. Acute Flaccid Paralysis is a clinical syndrome and NPEVs have been isolated frequently from the patients suffering from AFP but little is known about their causal relationship. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize the NPEV serotypes recovered from 184 stool samples collected from AFP patients in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA in north-west of Pakistan. Overall, 44 (95.6 % isolates were successfully typed through microneutralization assay as a member of enterovirus B species including echovirus (E-2, E-3, E-4, E-6, E-7, E-11, E-13, E-14, E-21 and E-29 while two isolates (PAK NIH SP6545B and PAK NIH SP1202B remained untypeable. The VP1 and capsid regions analysis characterized these viruses as EV-B93 and EV-B106. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that PAK NIH isolates had high genetic diversity and represent distinct genotypes circulating in the country. Our findings highlight the role of NPEVs in AFP cases to be thoroughly investigated especially in high disease risk areas, with limited surveillance activities and health resources.

Resources for our Future. Key issues and best practices in resource efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weterings, R.; Bastein, T.; Tukker, A. [TNO, Delft (Netherlands); Rademaker, M.; De Ridder, M. [The Hague Centre for Strategic studies HCSS, Den Haag (Netherlands)

2013-08-15

This book provides an analysis of the issues surrounding international resources and inspiring accounts of industrial best practices. The book consists of two distinct parts. The first part of the book brings together the results of years of research into the geopolitical, economic and ecological dimensions of material scarcity and resource efficiency. Chapter 2 discusses the main challenges and constraints related to the use of energy resources, water and land, industrial and metallic minerals, construction minerals and biotic resources, including water use and ecosystem degradation. The chapter also addresses important linkages between these various resources. Chapter 3 describes the international trends that are shaping the geopolitics of natural resources and looks at the implications for Europe and the Netherlands. Chapter 4 presents a wide range of strategies by which governments, producers and consumers may contribute to the more sustainable use of natural resources. The second part of the book describes 21 inspiring best practices in resource efficiency in a variety of industrial sectors. Based on a series of interviews with industrial pioneers, these chapters relate their first-hand experiences in improving resource efficiency. These business cases demonstrate that innovation and entrepreneurship can result in substantial improvements in resource efficiency. Chapter 5 focuses on best practices in the built environment, where substantial amounts of energy and minerals are used. Chapter 6 presents four ambitious strategies to promote sustainable food production and consumption. Chapter 7 describes recent developments in the chemical process industry, which produces most of the ingredients, compounds and semi-products for the vast range of products used by society. Chapter 8 provides four examples of the state-of-the-art in resource efficiency in the metal and high-tech industries. This chapter presents four business cases highlighting the benefits of the

When resources get sparse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Graungaard, Anette Hauskov; Andersen, John Sahl; Skov, Liselotte

2011-01-01

resources through positive cognitive reappraisals of their circumstances, the consequences of those circumstances and their coping possibilities. Nine main coping strategies were identified constituting transformative pathways in resource-creation. A theory of resource-creation is proposed as an addition...... coped with parenting a disabled child and how they maintained their energy and personal resources. We explored parents' experiences, coping and resources over a two-year period after their child was diagnosed with a severely disabling condition using a qualitative, longitudinal approach. Findings were...... to the current understanding of coping and the role of positive emotions. Coping and resources were found to be closely interrelated and portals of intervention are discussed....

Sharing network resources

CERN Document Server

Parekh, Abhay

2014-01-01

Resource Allocation lies at the heart of network control. In the early days of the Internet the scarcest resource was bandwidth, but as the network has evolved to become an essential utility in the lives of billions, the nature of the resource allocation problem has changed. This book attempts to describe the facets of resource allocation that are most relevant to modern networks. It is targeted at graduate students and researchers who have an introductory background in networking and who desire to internalize core concepts before designing new protocols and applications. We start from the fun

World energy resources

Science.gov (United States)

Clerici, A.; Alimonti, G.

2015-08-01

As energy is the main "fuel" for social and economic development and since energy-related activities have significant environmental impacts, it is important for decision-makers to have access to reliable and accurate data in an user-friendly format. The World Energy Council (WEC) has for decades been a pioneer in the field of energy resources and every three years publishes its flagship report Survey of Energy Resources. A commented analysis in the light of latest data summarized in such a report, World Energy Resources (WER) 2013, is presented together with the evolution of the world energy resources over the last twenty years.

The Biomedical Resource Ontology (BRO) to enable resource discovery in clinical and translational research.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, Jessica D; Whetzel, Patricia L; Anderson, Kent; Borromeo, Charles D; Dinov, Ivo D; Gabriel, Davera; Kirschner, Beth; Mirel, Barbara; Morris, Tim; Noy, Natasha; Nyulas, Csongor; Rubenson, David; Saxman, Paul R; Singh, Harpreet; Whelan, Nancy; Wright, Zach; Athey, Brian D; Becich, Michael J; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S; Musen, Mark A; Smith, Kevin A; Tarantal, Alice F; Rubin, Daniel L; Lyster, Peter

2011-02-01

The biomedical research community relies on a diverse set of resources, both within their own institutions and at other research centers. In addition, an increasing number of shared electronic resources have been developed. Without effective means to locate and query these resources, it is challenging, if not impossible, for investigators to be aware of the myriad resources available, or to effectively perform resource discovery when the need arises. In this paper, we describe the development and use of the Biomedical Resource Ontology (BRO) to enable semantic annotation and discovery of biomedical resources. We also describe the Resource Discovery System (RDS) which is a federated, inter-institutional pilot project that uses the BRO to facilitate resource discovery on the Internet. Through the RDS framework and its associated Biositemaps infrastructure, the BRO facilitates semantic search and discovery of biomedical resources, breaking down barriers and streamlining scientific research that will improve human health. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mind the gap: Exploring information gaps for the development of an online resource hub for epilepsy and depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Crooks, Rachel E; Bell, Meaghan; Patten, Scott B; Wiebe, Samuel; Holroyd-Leduc, Jayna; Bulloch, Andrew G; Macrodimitris, Sophia; Mackie, Aaron; Sauro, Khara M; Federico, Paolo; Jetté, Nathalie

2017-05-01

Depression is common in epilepsy, and is often under-detected and under-treated. The motivation to create a depression eHub for persons with epilepsy is to connect them to the best available online resources to effectively manage their depression. The study sought to: 1) identify facilitators and barriers to accessing resources related to management of epilepsy and/or depression and 2) discuss gaps in available resources (free and in the public domain) and 3) identify suggestions for future content. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten patients with epilepsy and a history of depression. Using inductive analysis, two team members engaged in a process of textual open-coding utilizing a conventional content analysis approach whereby content was conceptually clustered based on the research questions. A phenomenological framework was applied to describe the phenomenon of online health resource access and utilization from the perspective of people with epilepsy. Facilitators to the use of online resources included information credibility, thoughtful organization, and accessibility of resources. Barriers included difficulties finding and piecing together information from many different sites. Patients reported difficulty having the motivation to seek out resources while depressed, which was compounded by feelings of stigma, social isolation, and lack of control. Gaps in resources included a lack of information about living with epilepsy day-to-day and resources for family and friends. Suggested content included information to raise awareness about epilepsy and depression; questionnaires to screen for symptoms of depression; stories of other patients with epilepsy and depression via video or moderated forums; current research and news; local community resources; and tools and strategies to manage depression in epilepsy. There is a gap in accessible resources for patients with epilepsy and depression as well as barriers that include epilepsy

Genetic diversity among brazilian isolates of beauveria bassiana: comparisons with non-brazilian isolates and other beauveria species

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, E.K.K.; Moraes, A.M.L.; Pacheco, R.S.; Rangel, D.E.N.; Miller, M.P.; Bittencourt, V.R.E.P.; Roberts, D.W.

2009-01-01

Aims: The genetic diversity of Beauveria bassiana was investigated by comparing isolates of this species to each other (49 from different geographical regions of Brazil and 4 from USA) and to other Beauveria spp. Methods and Results: The isolates were examined by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), and rDNA sequencing. MLEE and AFLP revealed considerable genetic variability among B. bassiana isolates. Several isolates from South and Southeast Brazil had high similarity coefficients, providing evidence of at least one population with clonal structure. There were clear genomic differences between most Brazilian and USA B. bassiana isolates. A Mantel test using data generated by AFLP provided evidence that greater geographical distances were associated with higher genetic distances. AFLP and rDNA sequencing demonstrated notable genotypic variation between B. bassiana and other Beauveria spp. Conclusion: Geographical distance between populations apparently is an important factor influencing genotypic variability among B. bassiana populations in Brazil. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study characterized many B. bassiana isolates. The results indicate that certain Brazilian isolates are considerably different from others and possibly should be regarded as separate species from B. bassiana sensu latu. The information on genetic variation among the Brazilian isolates, therefore, will be important to comprehending the population structure of B. bassiana in Brazil. ?? 2009 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Antagonistic Activity of Trichoderma ISolates against Sclerotium rolfsii : Screening of Efficient Isolates from Morocco Soils for Biological Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Khattabi

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Seventy Trichoderma spp. isolates collected from different regions of Morocco were tested for their capacity to inhibit in vitro mycelial growth of Sclerotium rolfsii, and for their effect on the viability of S. rolfsii sclerotia in the soil. The Trichoderma spp. isolates inhibited mycelial growth of S. rolfsii to various degrees, with 52% of isolates expressing an average inhibition, varying between 45 and 55%. The effect on the viability of sclerotia in the soil also varied between isolates of Trichoderma, with the majority (84% having a slight effect. A group of twenty isolates identified as Trichoderma harzianum when tested in sterilized soil, significantly reduced sclerotial viability though not in natural soil. Four of these isolates (Nz, Kb2, Kb3 and Kf1 showed good antagonistic activity against S. rolfsii and were also highly competitive in natural soil. These isolates would therefore be candidates for development in biological control program.

Sensitivity of seismically isolated structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Politopoulos, I.; Hoan, Khac Pham

2009-01-01

In this paper we study the sensitivity of seismically isolated structures to a small variability of the earthquake excitation and of some structural properties with respect to the probability of failure and floor spectra. In particular, the influence of the nonlinear behaviour of the isolated superstructure on the vulnerability and on the floor spectra is investigated by means of a series of Monte Carlo simulations of simple two degrees-of-freedom systems. Several types of passive and active isolation systems are examined and three different idealized nonlinear constitutive laws are considered for the superstructure. It is found that, in general, the probability of failure does not depend on the specific cyclic behaviour of the assumed constitutive law and general trends regarding the impact of different isolation devices on vulnerability are established. As for the floor spectra, the influence of moderate nonlinear behaviour of isolated Superstructures, with the exception of the case of a non-dissipative elastic nonlinear law is negligible, contrary to the case of conventional Structures. (authors)

Sensitivity of seismically isolated structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Politopoulos, I. [CEA Saclay, DEN DANS DM2S, 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France); Hoan, Khac Pham

2009-07-15

In this paper we study the sensitivity of seismically isolated structures to a small variability of the earthquake excitation and of some structural properties with respect to the probability of failure and floor spectra. In particular, the influence of the nonlinear behaviour of the isolated superstructure on the vulnerability and on the floor spectra is investigated by means of a series of Monte Carlo simulations of simple two degrees-of-freedom systems. Several types of passive and active isolation systems are examined and three different idealized nonlinear constitutive laws are considered for the superstructure. It is found that, in general, the probability of failure does not depend on the specific cyclic behaviour of the assumed constitutive law and general trends regarding the impact of different isolation devices on vulnerability are established. As for the floor spectra, the influence of moderate nonlinear behaviour of isolated Superstructures, with the exception of the case of a non-dissipative elastic nonlinear law is negligible, contrary to the case of conventional Structures. (authors)

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Part B Permit Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-02-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project was authorized by the Department of Energy National Security and Military Applications of Nuclear Energy Authorization Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-164) as a research and development facility to demonstrate the safe, environmentally sound disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive wastes derived from the defense activities of the United States. The WIPP facility is owned and operated by the US Department of Energy (DOE). The TRU waste to be received at WIPP consists largely of such items as laboratory glassware and utensils, tools, scrap metal, shielding, personnel protection equipment, and solidified sludges from the treatment of waste water. Approximately 60 percent of this waste is ''mixed,'' that is, it is also contaminated with hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and by the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Management Regulations (HWMR-5). Therefore, emplacement of TRU mixed waste in the WIPP repository is subject to regulation under HWMR-5 and RCRA. The permit application under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act for WIPP is divided into five volumes. This document, Volume 4, contains Appendices C3, C4, and D1--D10. These appendices cover information on environmental impacts, site characterization, geology and hydrology of the area, monitoring of the environment, compatibility of waste forms and containers, and removal of volatile organic compounds (VOC)

Isolation, characterization and identification of actinomycetes from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A total of 62 isolates of actinomycetes were isolated from 7 soil samples collected from Agriculture Research Center Semongok, Sarawak. All 62 isolates exhibited a range of colony colours (dark grey, grey, dark brown, brownish, whitish and yellowish white). All the isolates were later purified and subjected to a few ...

Natural Resource Damage Assessment in highly impacted systems: A case study of the Anacostia River oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinkney, A.E.; Frithsen, J.B.; Burton, W.H.; Scott, L.C.; Siciliano, J.

1993-01-01

An approach and case study are presented to assessing natural resource damages due to additional perturbations in highly disturbed systems. The approach involves: (1) defining chemical characteristics unique to the additional perturbation, (2) identifying specific natural resources that may be sensitive to the additional perturbation and the most appropriate sampling period for each, and (3) using existing data to characterize previous conditions. This approach was used to assess the residual effects of a January 1992 spill of 3,400 gallons of number-sign 4 fuel oil in the Anacostia River, Washington, DC. Water quality is poor due to continuing inputs from urban runoff; one upstream tributary (Hickey Run) has a fifty year history of chronic oil spills and stormwater runoff of oil and grease. The challenge was to isolate possible spill impacts from those due to chronic pollutant inputs. GC/FID fingerprinting analyses were used to characterize spill material and hydrocarbons found in the spill area and two adjacent reference areas. Fish larvae (ichthyoplankton) and benthic invertebrates were identified as biological resources most likely to demonstrate residual effects. Results indicated that there were insignificant amounts of the hydrocarbons from the spill in the water, sediments, and biota of the river, and no residual impacts on biological resources could be identified

Identity of streptococcal blood isolates and oral isolates from two patients with infective endocarditis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fiehn, N E; Gutschik, E; Larsen, Tove

1995-01-01

The purpose of this study was to isolate streptococcal strains from the oral cavities of streptococcal endocarditis patients and compare these strains biochemically and genetically with the corresponding streptococcal blood isolates. Total identity was observed between the blood and oral cavity...

State Electricity Regulatory Policy and Distributed Resources: Distributed Resources and Electric System Reliability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cowart, R.; Harrington, C.; Moskovitz, D.; Shirley, W.; Weston, F.; Sedano, R.

2002-10-01

Designing and implementing credit-based pilot programs for distributed resources distribution is a low-cost, low-risk opportunity to find out how these resources can help defer or avoid costly electric power system (utility grid) distribution upgrades. This report describes implementation options for deaveraged distribution credits and distributed resource development zones. Developing workable programs implementing these policies can dramatically increase the deployment of distributed resources in ways that benefit distributed resource vendors, users, and distribution utilities. This report is one in the State Electricity Regulatory Policy and Distributed Resources series developed under contract to NREL (see Annual Technical Status Report of the Regulatory Assistance Project: September 2000-September 2001, NREL/SR-560-32733). Other titles in this series are: (1) Accommodating Distributed Resources in Wholesale Markets, NREL/SR-560-32497; (2) Distributed Resources and Electric System Re liability, NREL/SR-560-32498; (3) Distribution System Cost Methodologies for Distributed Generation, NREL/SR-560-32500; (4) Distribution System Cost Methodologies for Distributed Generation Appendices, NREL/SR-560-32501.

Duality between resource reservation and proportional share resource allocation

Science.gov (United States)

Stoica, Ion; Abdel-Wahab, Hussein; Jeffay, Kevin

1997-01-01

We describe anew framework for resource allocation that unifies the well-known proportional share and resource reservation policies. Each client is characterized by two parameters: a weight that represents the rate at which the client 'pays' for the resource, and a share that represents the fraction of the resource that the client should receive. A fixed rate corresponds to a proportional share allocation, while a fixed share corresponds to a reservation. Furthermore, rates and shares are duals of each other. Once one parameters is fixed the other becomes fixed as well. If a client asks for a fixed share then the level of competition for the resource determines the rate at which it has to pay, while if the rate is fixed, level of competition determines the service time the clients should receive. To implement this framework we use a new proportional share algorithm, called earliest eligible virtual deadline first, that achieves optical accuracy in the rates at which process execute. This makes it possible to provide support for highly predictable, real-time services. As a proof of concept we have implemented a prototype of a CPU scheduler under the FreeBSD operating system. The experimental results show that our scheduler achieves the goal of providing integrated support for batch and real-time applications.

Age-related associative deficits and the isolation effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Badham, Stephen P; Maylor, Elizabeth A

2013-01-01

If all but one of the items in a list are similar (e.g., all black except one red), memory for the different item is enhanced (the isolation effect). Older adults generally show similar or smaller isolation effects compared to young adults, which has been attributed to age-related deficits in associative memory whereby older adults are less able to associate an isolated stimulus to its isolating feature. Experiment 1 examined the isolation effect for isolation based on spatial position, modality and color; in Experiment 2, the criterion for isolation was the associative relation between stimuli. The results consistently showed no differences between young and older participants in the magnitude of the isolation effect. Whilst age deficits in associative memory may act to reduce the isolation effect in older adults, age deficits in self-initiated processing and inhibitory functionality may counteract this reduction by enhancing the isolation effect in older adults.

Waste isolation safety assessment program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandstetter, A.; Harwell, M.A.

1979-05-01

Associated with commercial nuclear power production in the United States is the generation of potentially hazardous radioactive wastes. The Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Program, is seeking to develop nuclear waste isolation systems in geologic formations that will preclude contact with the biosphere of waste radionuclides in concentrations which are sufficient to cause deleterious impact on humans or their environments. Comprehensive analyses of specific isolation systems are needed to assess the expectations of meeting that objective. The Waste Isolation Safety Assessment Program (WISAP) has been established at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (operated by Battelle Memorial Institute) for developing the capability of making those analyses. Among the analyses required for isolation system evaluation is the detailed assessment of the post-closure performance of nuclear waste repositories in geologic formations. This assessment is essential, since it is concerned with aspects of the nuclear power program which previously have not been addressed. Specifically, the nature of the isolation systems (e.g., involving breach scenarios and transport through the geosphere), and the time-scales necessary for isolation, dictate the development, demonstration and application of novel assessment capabilities. The assessment methodology needs to be thorough, flexible, objective, and scientifically defensible. Further, the data utilized must be accurate, documented, reproducible, and based on sound scientific principles

Resource sharing on CSMA/CD networks in the presence of noise. M.S. Thesis

Science.gov (United States)

Dinschel, Duane Edward

1987-01-01

Resource sharing on carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) networks can be accomplished by using window-control algorithms for bus contention. The window-control algorithms are designed to grant permission to transmit to the station with the minimum contention parameter. Proper operation of the window-control algorithm requires that all stations sense the same state of the newtork in each contention slot. Noise causes the state of the network to appear as a collision. False collisions can cause the window-control algorithm to terminate without isolating any stations. A two-phase window-control protocol and approximate recurrence equation with noise as a parameter to improve the performance of the window-control algorithms in the presence of noise are developed. The results are compared through simulation, with the approximate recurrence equation yielding the best overall performance. Noise is even a bigger problem when it is not detected by all stations. In such cases it is possible for the window boundaries of the contending stations to become out of phase. Consequently, it is possible to isolate a station other than the one with the minimum contention parameter. To guarantee proper isolation of the minimum, a broadcast phase must be added after the termination of the algorithm. The protocol required to correct the window-control algorithm when noise is not detected by all stations is discussed.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Annual Site Environmental Report for 2016

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ward, Anderson [Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO), NM (United States); Basabilvazo, George T. [Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO), NM (United States)

2017-09-01

The purpose of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Annual Site Environmental Report for 2016 (ASER) is to provide the information required by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 231.1B, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting. The DOE Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) and the management and operating contractor (MOC) maintain and preserve the environmental resources at the WIPP facility. DOE Order 231.1B; DOE Order 436.1, Departmental Sustainability; and DOE Order 458.1, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment, require that the affected environment at and near DOE facilities be monitored to ensure the safety and health of the public and workers, and preservation of the environment. This report was prepared in accordance with DOE Order 231.1B, which requires DOE facilities to submit an ASER to the DOE Headquarters Chief Health, Safety, and Security Officer.

Timber resource statistics for the central coast resource area of California.

Science.gov (United States)

Karen L. Waddell; Patricia M. Bassett

1996-01-01

This report is a summary of timber resource statistics for the Central Coast Resource Area of California, which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Ventura Counties. Data were collected as part of a statewide multi-resource inventory. The inventory...

Experiments on seismic isolation in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonacina, G.; Bettinali, F.; Martelli, A.; Olivieri, M.

1992-01-01

Static and dynamic tests have been performed in Italy on high damping steel-laminated elastomer bearings in various scales, rubber specimens and structures isolated by means of such bearings, in the framework of studies in progress to support seismic isolation development. Tests on rubber specimens and bearings have already provided important data (vertical and horizontal stiffness, damping, creep, temperature, aging and scale effects, etc.), necessary for the development and validation of numerical models, comparison with the test results of isolated structure mockups and actual buildings, and improvement of design guidelines. Dynamic experiments of structures concerned both full-scale and scaled isolated structure mock-ups and actual isolated buildings (one of those forming the SIP Administration Center at Ancona, an isolated house at Squillace, Calabria). Both snap-back tests and forced excitation experiments were performed, to rather large displacements. The latter were both sinusoidal and (on a 1/4 scale mock-up) seismic, with one- and multidirectional simultaneous excitations. Test results have already demonstrated the adequacy of seismic isolation and have provided data useful for the comparison with single bearing test results and validation of numerical models for the analysis of isolated structures. This paper reports the main features and results of tests performed or in progress. Further tests planned have been mentioned in the Status Report. Numerical analysis of measured data and guidelines development have been discussed in separate technical papers. (author)

Technical support for GEIS: radioactive waste isolation in geologic formations. Volume 21. Ground water movement and nuclide transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1978-04-01

This volume, TM-36/21 Ground Water Movement and Nuclide Transport, is one of a 23-volume series, ''Technical Support for GEIS: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations, Y/OWI/TM-36'' which supplements a ''Contribution to Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Commercial Waste Management: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations, Y/OWI/TM-44.'' The series provides a more complete technical basis for the preconceptual designs, resource requirements, and environmental source terms associated with isolating commercial LWR wastes in underground repositories in salt, granite, shale and basalt. Wastes are considered from three fuel cycles: uranium and plutonium recycling of spent fuel and uranium-only recycling. The studies presented in this volume consider the effect of the construction of the repository and the consequent heat generation on the ground water movement. Additionally, the source concentrations and leach rates of selected radionuclides were studied in relation to the estimated ground water inflow rates. Studies were also performed to evaluate the long term migration of radionuclides as affected by the ground water flow. In all these studies, three geologic environments are considered; granite, shale and basalt.

Uranium resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gangloff, A.

1978-01-01

It is first indicated how to evaluate the mining resources as a function of the cost of production and the degree of certainty in the knowledge of the deposit. A table is given of the world resources (at the beginning 1977) and resources and reserves are compared. There is a concordance between requirements and possible production until 1990. The case of France is examined: known reserves, present and future prospection, present production (In 1978 2200 T of U metal will be produced from 3 French processing plants), production coming from Cogema. A total production of 2000 T in 1980 and 10.000 in 1985 is expected [fr

NATURAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D.F. Fenster

2000-12-11

The purpose of this report is to summarize the scientific work that was performed to evaluate and assess the occurrence and economic potential of natural resources within the geologic setting of the Yucca Mountain area. The extent of the regional areas of investigation for each commodity differs and those areas are described in more detail in the major subsections of this report. Natural resource assessments have focused on an area defined as the ''conceptual controlled area'' because of the requirements contained in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulation, 10 CFR Part 60, to define long-term boundaries for potential radionuclide releases. New requirements (proposed 10 CFR Part 63 [Dyer 1999]) have obviated the need for defining such an area. However, for the purposes of this report, the area being discussed, in most cases, is the previously defined ''conceptual controlled area'', now renamed the ''natural resources site study area'' for this report (shown on Figure 1). Resource potential can be difficult to assess because it is dependent upon many factors, including economics (demand, supply, cost), the potential discovery of new uses for resources, or the potential discovery of synthetics to replace natural resource use. The evaluations summarized are based on present-day use and economic potential of the resources. The objective of this report is to summarize the existing reports and information for the Yucca Mountain area on: (1) Metallic mineral and mined energy resources (such as gold, silver, etc., including uranium); (2) Industrial rocks and minerals (such as sand, gravel, building stone, etc.); (3) Hydrocarbons (including oil, natural gas, tar sands, oil shales, and coal); and (4) Geothermal resources. Groundwater is present at the Yucca Mountain site at depths ranging from 500 to 750 m (about 1,600 to 2,500 ft) below the ground surface. Groundwater resources are not discussed in this

Uranium resource assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The objective of this investigation is to examine what is generally known about uranium resources, what is subject to conjecture, how well do the explorers themselves understand the occurrence of uranium, and who are the various participants in the exploration process. From this we hope to reach a better understanding of the quality of uranium resource estimates as well as the nature of the exploration process. The underlying questions will remain unanswered. But given an inability to estimate precisely our uranium resources, how much do we really need to know. To answer this latter question, the various Department of Energy needs for uranium resource estimates are examined. This allows consideration of whether or not given the absence of more complete long-term supply data and the associated problems of uranium deliverability for the electric utility industry, we are now threatened with nuclear power plants eventually standing idle due to an unanticipated lack of fuel for their reactors. Obviously this is of some consequence to the government and energy consuming public. The report is organized into four parts. Section I evaluates the uranium resource data base and the various methodologies of resource assessment. Part II describes the manner in which a private company goes about exploring for uranium and the nature of its internal need for resource information. Part III examines the structure of the industry for the purpose of determining the character of the industry with respect to resource development. Part IV arrives at conclusions about the emerging pattern of industrial behavior with respect to uranium supply and the implications this has for coping with national energy issues

Isolation, characterization, and evaluation of wild isolates of Lactobacillus reuteri from pig feces.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Deog Yong; Seo, Yeon-Soo; Rayamajhi, Nabin; Kang, Mi Lan; Lee, Su In; Yoo, Han Sang

2009-12-01

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a well-used probiotics for health improvements in both humans and animals. Despite of several benefits, non-host-specific LAB showed poor probiotics effects due to difficulty in colonization and competition with normal flora. Therefore, the feasibility of porcine LAB isolates was evaluated as a probiotics. Ten of 49 Lactobacillus spp. isolates harbored 2 approximately 10 kb plasmid DNA. Seven strains were selected based on the safety test, such as hemolytic activity, ammonia, indole, and phenylalanine production. After safety test, five strains were selected again by several tests, such as epithelial adherence, antimicrobial activity, tolerance against acid, bile, heat, and cold-drying, and production of acid and hydrogen peroxide. Then, enzyme profiles (ZYM test) and antibiotics resistance were analyzed for further characterization. Five Lactobacillus reuteri isolates from pig feces were selected by safety and functional tests. The plasmid DNA which was able to develop vector system was detected in the isolates. Together with these approaches, pig-specific Lactobacillus spp. originated from pigs were selected. These strains may be useful tools to develop oral delivery system.

[Application of job demands-resources model in research on relationships between job satisfaction, job resources, individual resources and job demands].

Science.gov (United States)

Potocka, Adrianna; Waszkowska, Małgorzata

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between job demands, job resourses, personal resourses and job satisfaction and to assess the usefulness of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model in the explanation of these phenomena. The research was based on a sample of 500 social workers. The "Psychosocial Factors" and "Job satisfaction" questionnaires were used to test the hypothesis. The results showed that job satisfaction increased with increasing job accessibility and personal resources (r = 0.44; r = 0.31; p job resources and job demands [F(1.474) = 4.004; F(1.474) = 4.166; p job satisfaction. Moreover, interactions between job demands and job resources [F(3,474) = 2.748; p job demands and personal resources [F(3.474) = 3.021; p job satisfaction. The post hoc tests showed that 1) in low job demands, but high job resources employees declared higher job satisfaction, than those who perceived them as medium (p = 0.0001) or low (p = 0.0157); 2) when the level of job demands was perceived as medium, employees with high personal resources declared significantly higher job satisfaction than those with low personal resources (p = 0.0001). The JD-R model can be used to investigate job satisfaction. Taking into account fundamental factors of this model, in organizational management there are possibilities of shaping job satisfaction among employees.

Growth and metabolic characteristics of oleaginous microalgal isolates from Nilgiri biosphere Reserve of India.

Science.gov (United States)

Thangavel, Kalaiselvi; Radha Krishnan, Preethi; Nagaiah, Srimeena; Kuppusamy, Senthil; Chinnasamy, Senthil; Rajadorai, Jude Sudhagar; Nellaiappan Olaganathan, Gopal; Dananjeyan, Balachandar

2018-01-03

Renewable energy for sustainable development is a subject of a worldwide debate since continuous utilization of non-renewable energy sources has a drastic impact on the environment and economy; a search for alternative energy resources is indispensable. Microalgae are promising and potential alternate energy resources for biodiesel production. Thus, our efforts were focused on surveying the natural diversity of microalgae for the production of biodiesel. The present study aimed at identification, isolation, and characterization of oleaginous microalgae from shola forests of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), the biodiversity hot spot of India, where the microalgal diversity has not yet been systematically investigated. Overall the higher biomass yield, higher lipid accumulation and thermotolerance observed in the isolated microalgal strains have been found to be the desirable traits for the efficient biodiesel production. Species composition and diversity analysis yielded ten potential microalgal isolates belonging to Chlorophyceae and Cyanophyceae classes. The chlorophytes exhibited higher growth rate, maximum biomass yield, and higher lipid accumulation than Cyanophyceae. Among the chlorophytes, the best performing strains were identified and represented by Acutodesmus dissociatus (TGA1), Chlorella sp. (TGA2), Chlamydomonadales sp. (TGA3) and Hindakia tetrachotoma (PGA1). The Chlamydomonadales sp. recorded with the highest growth rate, lipid accumulation and biomass yield of 0.28 ± 0.03 day -1 (μ exp ), 29.7 ± 0.69% and 134.17 ± 16.87 mg L -1  day -1 , respectively. It was also found to grow well at various temperatures, viz., 25 °C, 35 °C, and 45 °C, indicating its suitability for open pond cultivation. The fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis of stationary phase cultures of selected four algal strains by tandem mass spectrograph showed C16:0, C18:1 and C18:3 as dominant fatty acids suitable for biodiesel production. All the three

World energy resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clerici A.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available As energy is the main “fuel” for social and economic development and since energy-related activities have significant environmental impacts, it is important for decision-makers to have access to reliable and accurate data in an user-friendly format. The World Energy Council (WEC has for decades been a pioneer in the field of energy resources and every three years publishes its flagship report Survey of Energy Resources. A commented analysis in the light of latest data summarized in such a report, World Energy Resources (WER 2013, is presented together with the evolution of the world energy resources over the last twenty years.

Pasteurella multocida isolated from wild birds of North America: a serotype and DNA fingerprint study of isolates from 1978 to 1993

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, M.A.; Duncan, R.M.; Nordholm, G.E.; Berlowski, B.M.

1995-01-01

Serotype and DNA fingerprint methods were used to study Pasteurella multocida isolated from 320 wild birds of North America. Isolates were collected during 1978-93. The HhaI profiles of 314 isolates matched the HhaI profile of somatic reference type 1, strain X-73; somatic type 1 antigen was expressed by 310 isolates, and the serotype of four isolates was undetected. Differentiation of the 314 isolates was observed by digestion of DNA with HpaII. None of the HpaII profiles matched the HpaII profile of X-73 (designated HhaI 001/HpaII 001). Three HpaII profiles were recognized among the somatic type 1 isolates: HpaII 002 (n = 18), HpaII 003 (n = 122), and HpaII 004 (n = 174). Profile HpaII 002 was found among isolates collected during 1979-83. Profile HpaII 003 was identified from isolates collected during 1979-89, with the exception of two isolates in 1992. The HpaII 004 profile was identified from isolates collected during 1983-93. Of the six remaining isolates, four expressed somatic type 4 and had HhaI profiles identical to the somatic type 4 reference strain P-1662 profile (designated HhaI 004); these isolates were differentiated by digestion of DNA with HpaII. One isolate was identified as serotype F:11, and another was serotype A:3,4. In the present study, 314 of 316 (99.4%) isolates from wild birds in the Central, Mississippi, and Pacific flyways during 1978-93, were P. multocida somatic type 1.

Defense Human Resources Activity > PERSEREC

Science.gov (United States)

Skip to main content (Press Enter). Toggle navigation Defense Human Resources Activity Search Search Defense Human Resources Activity: Search Search Defense Human Resources Activity: Search Defense Human Resources Activity U.S. Department of Defense Defense Human Resources Activity Overview

Isolation and Fermentation of Lactobacillus plantarum JR64 as an Omega 6 Probiotic Producer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lanjar Sumarno

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Application of lactic acid probiotic bacteria in health food diversification currently is progressing rapidly.  It is encouraged the study of searching the potential strains from local resources (Ponorogo Residence namely noni fruits (badeg pace and noni wine.  Aims of this study were to perform the isolation, identification, and production of  probiotic Lactobacillus sp. JR64 fermentation process as a producer of Omega-6 (ω-6 lowering cholesterol and design of probiotic creamy product.   Beginning stages of research was strains isolating and in-vitro testing, the best result were used in  molecular  identification technology development for the production of metabolites through the manipulation of environmental variation  of glucose 20 g / l, 30 g / l and 40 g / l that influenced the substrate concentration of linoleic acid productivity. The result of new isolates isolation showed that isolates that obtained from noni wine, Lactobacillus plantarum JR64, was potential as probiotic condidate.   The effieciency of fermentation  substrates using  Yx/s and Yp /s  in the exponential phase was the highest value for the fermentation of 24 hours of  Yx/ s; 17.03% and Y p/s; 74.72%, while the results of design and the best formulation for viability cells of lactobacillus  plantarum probiotics JR64 was composed of 15 g and 50g butter 15 g icing sugar as well as during storage of the refrigerant temperature was 8.92 x 108 CFU / ml.  [Key Words : Omega-6,  Lactobacillus plantarum JR64, fermentation

National trends of incidence, treatment, and hospital charges of isolated C-2 fractures in three different age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Kukreja, Sunil; Kalakoti, Piyush; Murray, Richard; Nixon, Menarvia; Missios, Symeon; Guthikonda, Bharat; Nanda, Anil

2015-04-01

Incidence of C-2 fracture is increasing in elderly patients. Patient age also influences decision making in the management of these fractures. There are very limited data on the national trends of incidence, treatment interventions, and resource utilization in patients in different age groups with isolated C-2 fractures. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence, treatment, complications, length of stay, and hospital charges of isolated C-2 fracture in patients in 3 different age groups by using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The data were obtained from NIS from 2002 to 2011. Data on patients with closed fractures of C-2 without spinal cord injury were extracted using ICD-9-CM diagnosis code 805.02. Patients with isolated C-2 fractures were identified by excluding patients with other associated injuries. The cohort was divided into 3 age groups: 80 years. Incidence, treatment characteristics, inpatient/postoperative complications, and hospital charges (mean and total annual charges) were compared between the 3 age groups. A total of 10,336 patients with isolated C-2 fractures were identified. The majority of the patients were in the very elderly age group (> 80 years; 42.3%) followed by 29.7% in the 65- to 80-year age group and 28% in age group. From 2002 to 2011, the incidence of hospitalization significantly increased in the 65- to 80-year and > 80-year age groups (p age group (p = 0.287). Overall, 21% of the patients were treated surgically, and 12.2% of the patients underwent nonoperative interventions (halo and spinal traction). The rate of nonoperative interventions significantly decreased over time in all age groups (p age groups had a greater risk of inpatient/postoperative complications, nonroutine discharges, and longer hospitalization. The mean hospital charges were significantly higher in older age groups (p age groups. Simultaneously, there has been a steadily decreasing trend in the preference for nonoperative

Study of the Mechanical Properties and Vibration Isolation Performance of a Molecular Spring Isolator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muchun Yu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Molecular Spring Isolator (MSI is a novel passive vibration isolation technique, providing High-Static-Low-Dynamic (HSLD stiffness based on the use of molecular spring material. The molecular spring material is a solid-liquid mixture consisting of water and hydrophobic nanoporous materials. Under a certain level of external pressure, water molecules can intrude into the hydrophobic pores of nanoporous materials, developing an additional solid-liquid interface. Such interfaces are able to store, release, and transform mechanical energy, providing properties like mechanical spring. Having been only recently developed, the basic mechanic properties of a MSI have not been studied in depth. This paper focuses on the stiffness influence factors, the dynamic frequency response, and the vibration isolation performance of a MSI; these properties help engineers to design MSIs for different engineering applications. First, the working mechanism of a MSI is introduced from a three-dimensional general view of the water infiltration massive hydrophobic nanoporous pores. Next, a wide range of influence factors on the stiffness properties of MSI are studied. In addition, the frequency response functions (FRFs of the MSI vibration isolation system are studied utilizing the matching method based on equivalent piecewise linear (EPL system. Finally, the vibration isolation properties of MSI are evaluated by force transmissibility.

Isolated optic nerve pseudotumour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patankar, T.; Prasad, S.; Krishnan, A.; Laxminarayan, R.

2000-01-01

Isolated optic nerve involvement by the idiopathic inflammatory process is a rare finding and very few reports are available. Here a case of an isolated optic nerve inflammatory pseudotumour presenting with gradually progressive unilateral loss of vision is described. It showed dramatic response to a trial of steroids and its differential diagnoses are discussed. Copyright (1999) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

Phytotoxicity of sarmentine isolated from long pepper (Piper longum) fruit.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Huazhang; Morgan, Christy M; Asolkar, Ratnakar N; Koivunen, Marja E; Marrone, Pamela G

2010-09-22

Discovery of novel natural herbicides has become crucial to overcome increasing weed resistance and environmental issues. In this article, we describe the finding that a methanol extract of dry long pepper (Piper longum L.) fruits is phytotoxic to lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) seedlings. The bioassay-guided fractionation and purification of the crude extract led to isolation of sarmentine (1), a known compound, as the active principle. Phytotoxicity of 1 was examined with a variety of seedlings of field crops and weeds. Results indicated that 1 was a contact herbicide and possessed broad-spectrum herbicidal activity. Moreover, a series of sarmentine analogues were then synthesized to study the structure-activity relationship (SAR). SAR studies suggested that phytotoxicity of sarmentine and its analogues was specific due to chemical structures, i.e., the analogues of the acid moiety of 1 were active, but the amine and its analogues were inactive; the ester analogues and amide analogues with a primary amine of 1 were also inactive. In addition, quantification of 1 from different resources of the dry P. longum fruits using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry showed a wide variation, ranging from almost zero to 0.57%. This study suggests that 1 has potential as an active lead molecule for synthesized herbicides as well as for bioherbicides derived from natural resources.

Characteristics of plasmids in multi-drug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolated during prospective surveillance of a newly opened hospital in Iraq.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Zhe Huang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Gram-negative multidrug-resistant (MDR bacteria are major causes of nosocomial infections, and antibiotic resistance in these organisms is often plasmid mediated. Data are scarce pertaining to molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in resource constrained areas such as Iraq. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, all MDR Enterobacteriaceae (n = 38 and randomly selected non-MDR counterparts (n = 41 isolated from patients, healthcare workers and environmental surfaces in a newly opened hospital in Iraq were investigated to characterize plasmids found in these isolates and determine their contribution to antibiotic resistance. Our results demonstrated that MDR E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates harbored significantly more (≥ 3 plasmids compared to their non-MDR counterparts, which carried ≤ 2 plasmids (p<0.01. Various large plasmids (~52 to 100 kb from representative isolates were confirmed to contain multiple resistance genes by DNA microarray analysis. Aminoglycoside (acc, aadA, aph, strA/B, and ksgA, β-lactam (bla(TEM1, bla(AMPC, bla(CTX-M-15, bla(OXA-1, bla(VIM-2 and bla(SHV, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (sul/dfr, tetracycline (tet and chloramphenicol (cat resistance genes were detected on these plasmids. Additionally, multiple plasmids carrying multiple antibiotic resistance genes were found in the same host strain. Genetic transfer-associated genes were identified on the plasmids from both MDR and non-MDR isolates. Seven plasmid replicon types (FII, FIA, FIB, B/O, K, I1 and N were detected in the isolates, while globally disseminated IncA/C and IncHI1 plasmids were not detected in these isolates. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first report of the characteristics of the plasmids found in Enterobacteriaceae isolated following the opening of a new hospital in Iraq. The information provided here furthers our understanding of the mechanisms of drug resistance in this specific region and their evolutionary

Red mason bees cannot compete with honey bees for floral resources in a cage experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Hudewenz, Anika; Klein, Alexandra-Maria

2015-11-01

Intensive beekeeping to mitigate crop pollination deficits and habitat loss may cause interspecific competition between bees. Studies show negative correlations between flower visitation of honey bees (Apis mellifera) and wild bees, but effects on the reproduction of wild bees were not proven. Likely reasons are that honey bees can hardly be excluded from controls and wild bee nests are generally difficult to detect in field experiments. The goal of this study was to investigate whether red mason bees (Osmia bicornis) compete with honey bees in cages in order to compare the reproduction of red mason bees under different honey bee densities. Three treatments were applied, each replicated in four cages of 18 m³ with 38 red mason bees in all treatments and 0, 100, and 300 honey bees per treatment with 10-20% being foragers. Within the cages, the flower visitation and interspecific displacements from flowers were observed. Niche breadths and resource overlaps of both bee species were calculated, and the reproduction of red mason bees was measured. Red mason bees visited fewer flowers when honey bees were present. Niche breadth of red mason bees decreased with increasing honey bee density while resource overlaps remained constant. The reproduction of red mason bees decreased in cages with honey bees. In conclusion, our experimental results show that in small and isolated flower patches, wild bees can temporarily suffer from competition with honey bees. Further research should aim to test for competition on small and isolated flower patches in real landscapes.

Evidence-based human resource management: a study of nurse leaders' resource allocation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fagerström, Lisbeth

2009-05-01

The aims were to illustrate how the RAFAELA system can be used to facilitate evidence-based human resource management. The theoretical framework of the RAFAELA system is based on a holistic view of humankind and a view of leadership founded on human resource management. Nine wards from three central hospitals in Finland participated in the study. The data, stemming from 2006-2007, were taken from the critical indicators (ward-related and nursing intensity information) for national benchmarking used in the RAFAELA system. The data were analysed descriptively. The daily nursing resources per classified patient ratio is a more specific method of measurement than the nurse-to-patient ratio. For four wards, the nursing intensity per nurse surpassed the optimal level 34% to 62.2% of days. Resource allocation was clearly improved in that a better balance between patients' care needs and available nursing resources was maintained. The RAFAELA system provides a rational, systematic and objective foundation for evidence-based human resource management. Data from a systematic use of the RAFAELA system offer objective facts and motives for evidence-based decision making in human resource management, and will therefore enhance the nurse leaders' evidence and scientific based way of working.

Isolation and Cultivation of Anaerobes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aragao Börner, Rosa

2016-01-01

Anaerobic microorganisms play important roles in different biotechnological processes. Their complex metabolism and special cultivation requirements have led to less isolated representatives in comparison to their aerobic counterparts.In view of that, the isolation and cultivation of anaerobic...

Predicting Perceived Isolation among Midlife and Older LGBT Adults: The Role of Welcoming Aging Service Providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jie; Chu, Yoosun; Salmon, Mary Anne

2017-06-16

Older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults are more likely to live alone and less likely to have children compared with their heterosexual counterparts. The lack of immediate family system can render older LGBT adults particularly vulnerable to social isolation and its consequences. The current study utilizes social exclusion theory, which asserts that not only material resources but also engagement with and inclusion into the society are necessary for marginalized people to be integrated into the mainstream. The study examines whether aging service providers (e.g., senior centers, adult day care, transportation, employment services) who are perceived by older LGBT adults as welcoming to LGBT people may reduce this population's perceived isolation. Data were collected through a needs assessment survey designed for the aging LGBT community in North Carolina. Adults aged 45 and over who self-identified as LGBT were recruited at several formal and informal groups. The survey yielded 222 valid responses. The outcome variable was perceived isolation. Key independent variables included having experienced welcoming aging service providers and living alone. After controlling for potential confounders and demographics, logistic regression results showed that having experienced welcoming aging service providers was a protective factor against perceived isolation and it also buffered the negative impact of living alone. The findings provided preliminary evidence for a new direction of intervention research-targeting LGBT cultural competence training for medical and social service providers. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A comparison between complete immobilisation and protected active mobilisation in sensory nerve recovery following isolated digital nerve injury.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Henry, F P

2012-06-01

Post-operative immobilisation following isolated digital nerve repair remains a controversial issue amongst the microsurgical community. Protocols differ from unit to unit and even, as evidenced in our unit, may differ from consultant to consultant. We undertook a retrospective review of 46 patients who underwent isolated digital nerve repair over a 6-month period. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 18 months. Twenty-four were managed with protected active mobilisation over a 4-week period while 22 were immobilised over the same period. Outcomes such as return to work, cold intolerance, two-point discrimination and temperature differentiation were used as indicators of clinical recovery. Our results showed that there was no significant difference noted in either clinical assessment of recovery or return to work following either post-operative protocol, suggesting that either regime may be adopted, tailored to the patient\\'s needs and resources of the unit.

Evaluating the interacting influences of pollination, seed predation, invasive species and isolation on reproductive success in a threatened alpine plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Krushelnycky, Paul D

2014-01-01

Reproduction in rare plants may be influenced and limited by a complex combination of factors. External threats such as invasive species and landscape characteristics such as isolation may impinge on both pollination and seed predation dynamics, which in turn can strongly affect reproduction. I assessed how patterns in floral visitation, seed predation, invasive ant presence, and plant isolation influenced one another and ultimately affected viable seed production in Haleakalā silverswords (Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. macrocephalum) of Hawai'i. Floral visitation was dominated by endemic Hylaeus bees, and patterns of visitation were influenced by floral display size and number of plants clustered together, but not by floral herbivory or nearest flowering neighbor distance. There was also some indication that Argentine ant presence impacted floral visitation, but contradictory evidence and limitations of the study design make this result uncertain. Degree of seed predation was associated only with plant isolation, with the two main herbivores partitioning resources such that one preferentially attacked isolated plants while the other attacked clumped plants; total seed predation was greater in more isolated plants. Net viable seed production was highly variable among individuals (0-55% seed set), and was affected mainly by nearest neighbor distance, apparently owing to low cross-pollination among plants separated by even short distances (>10-20 m). This isolation effect dominated net seed set, with no apparent influence from floral visitation rates, percent seed predation, or invasive ant presence. The measured steep decline in seed set with isolation distance may not be typical of the entire silversword range, and may indicate that pollinators in addition to Hylaeus bees could be important for greater gene flow. Management aimed at maintaining or maximizing silversword reproduction should focus on the spatial context of field populations and outplanting

Mycoplasma contamination of Chlamydia pneumoniae isolates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huniche, BS; Jensen, Lise Torp; Birkelund, Svend

1998-01-01

media, immunoblotting, polymerase chain reaction and pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Two of the 6 ATCC isolates [ATCC VR1355 (TWAR strain 2043) and ATCC VR1356 (TWAR strain 2023)] were infected with Mycoplasma hominis and 1 isolate [ATCC VR2282 (TWAR strain TW183)] was contaminated with both...... Mycoplasma hominis and Mycoplasma orale, whereas 3 of the ATCC isolates [ATCC VR1310, ATCC VR1360 (TWAR strain CM-1) and ATCC 53592 (TWAR strain AR39)] were not contaminated. The Finnish C. pneumoniae isolates Kajaani 6 and Parola were found to be contaminated with M. hominis and M. orale, respectively...

Permanent isolation surface barrier: Functional performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wing, N.R.

1993-10-01

This document presents the functional performance parameters for permanent isolation surface barriers. Permanent isolation surface barriers have been proposed for use at the Hanford Site (and elsewhere) to isolate and dispose of certain types of waste in place. Much of the waste that would be disposed of using in-place isolation techniques is located in subsurface structures, such as solid waste burial grounds, tanks, vaults, and cribs. Unless protected in some way, the wastes could be transported to the accessible environment via transport pathways, such as water infiltration, biointrusion, wind and water erosion, human interference, and/or gaseous release

Fault Isolation for Shipboard Decision Support

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lajic, Zoran; Blanke, Mogens; Nielsen, Ulrik Dam

2010-01-01

Fault detection and fault isolation for in-service decision support systems for marine surface vehicles will be presented in this paper. The stochastic wave elevation and the associated ship responses are modeled in the frequency domain. The paper takes as an example fault isolation of a containe......Fault detection and fault isolation for in-service decision support systems for marine surface vehicles will be presented in this paper. The stochastic wave elevation and the associated ship responses are modeled in the frequency domain. The paper takes as an example fault isolation...... to the quality of decisions given to navigators....

A 3-D aerodynamic method for the analysis of isolated horizontal-axis wind turbines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ammara, I.; Masson, C.; Paraschivoiu, I. [Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal (Canada)

1997-12-31

In most existing performance-analysis methods, wind turbines are considered isolated so that interference effects caused by other rotors or by the site topography are neglected. The main objective of this paper is to propose a practical 3-D method suitable for the study of these effects, in order to optimize the arrangement and the positioning of Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines (HAWTs) in a wind farm. In the proposed methodology, the flow field around isolated HAWTs is predicted by solving the 3-D, time-averaged, steady-state, incompressible, Navier-Stokes equations in which the turbines are represented by distributions of momentum sources. The resulting governing equations are solved using a Control-Volume Finite Element Method (CVFEM). The fundamental aspects related to the development of a practical 3-D method are discussed in this paper, with an emphasis on some of the challenges that arose during its implementation. The current implementation is limited to the analysis of isolated HAWTs. Preliminary results have indicated that, the proposed 3-D method reaches the same level of accuracy, in terms of performance predictions, that the previously developed 2-D axisymmetric model and the well-known momentum-strip theory, while still using reasonable computers resources. It can be considered as a useful tool for the design of HAWTs. Its main advantages, however, are its intrinsic capacity to predict the details of the flow in the wake, and its capabilities of modelling arbitrary wind-turbine arrangements and including ground effects.

Enterprise Resource Planning Software in the Human Resource Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Bedell, Michael D.; Floyd, Barry D.; Nicols, Kay McGlashan; Ellis, Rebecca

2007-01-01

The relatively recent development of comprehensive human resource information systems (HRIS) software has led to a large demand for technologically literate human resource (HR) professionals. For the college student who is about to begin the search for that first postcollege job, the need to develop technology literacy is even more necessary. To…

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Part B permit application [of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)]. Volume 11, Chapter D, Appendix D4--Chapter D, Appendix D17: Revision 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-03-01

This volume contains appendices D4 through D17 which cover the following: Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site environmental report; ecological monitoring program at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant; site characterization; regional and site geology and hydrology; general geology; dissolution features; ground water hydrology; typical carbon sorption bed efficiency; VOC monitoring plan for bin-room tests; chemical compatibility analysis of waste forms and container materials; probable maximum precipitation; WHIP supplementary roof support system room 1, panel 1; and corrosion risk assessment of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant ``humid`` test bins.

Site selection and evaluation studies of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), Los Medanos, Eddy County, NM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griswold, G.B.

1977-12-01

Bedded-salt deposits of the Salado Formation have been selected for evaluation for a proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) to be located in Eddy County, NM, approximately 26 mi east of Carlsbad. Site selection and evaluation studies that included geologic mapping, geophysical surveys, drilling, and resource appraisal were conducted over and under the prospective location. The lower portion of the Salado meets essential criteria for waste isolation. Beds chosen for waste storage lie 2074 to 2730 ft below the surface. High-purity salt exists at these depths, and the geologic structure revealed by geophysical surveys indicates that these beds are essentially flat. Additional geophysical surveys are now under way. The initial interpretation of the new data indicates that more structure may exist in the salt beds in the northern portion of the site area. Full evaluation of potentially commercial deposits of potash and natural gas within the WIPP site will be reported by separate studies, as will be the hydrologic details of the region

Natural resource dependence, human capital accumulation, and economic growth: A combined explanation for the resource curse and the resource blessing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao, Shuai; Yang, Lili

2014-01-01

In existing studies, no consensus has been reached on the relationship between natural resource dependence and human capital accumulation. To narrow the divergence, this paper carries out a normative research to explain the co-existence of the phenomena of the resource curse and the resource blessing based on an organic combination of conceptual and mathematical models. It first establishes a conceptual model to analyse the potential effects of the government's policy preference and natural resource development activities on human capital accumulation and economic growth. Furthermore, it develops an endogenous growth model to normatively illuminate the effects in the conceptual model and to explore the condition for the occurrence of the resource curse. The conceptual model analysis indicates that the rate of return on education investment and government behaviours play the crucial role in promoting the formation of the economic virtuous circle at the micro-level and macro-level, respectively, while resource development activities exert dual impacts on the circle. The main mechanisms in the conceptual model can be validated in the mathematical model. The rise in the subjective discount rate, the elasticity of intertemporal substitution, and resource goods price are adverse to the economic virtuous circle, while high-quality education and the institutional environment giving priority to manufacturing can become the necessary condition and sufficient condition for forming the circle, respectively. The allocation efficiency of production factors plays a decisive role in whether the blessing occurs, whereas sufficient human capital is an essential guarantee for evading the curse. - Highlights: • We conduct normative research combining a conceptual model and a mathematical model. • We discuss the potential impact of resource dependence on human capital and growth. • We explain the co-existence of the resource blessing and resource curse phenomena. �

Seismic isolation systems designed with distinct multiple frequencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Ting-shu; Seidensticker, R.W.

1991-01-01

Two systems for seismic base isolation are presented. The main feature of these system is that, instead of only one isolation frequency as in conventional isolation systems, they are designed to have two distinct isolation frequencies. When the responses during an earthquake exceed the design value(s), the system will automatically and passively shift to the secondly isolation frequency. Responses of these two systems to different ground motions including a harmonic motion with frequency same as the primary isolation frequency, show that no excessive amplification will occur. Adoption of these new systems certainly will greatly enhance the safety and reliability of an isolated superstructure against future strong earthquakes. 3 refs

Patterns of reproductive isolation in the Drosophila subquinaria complex: can reinforced premating isolation cascade to other species?

Science.gov (United States)

Humphreys, Devon P.; Rundle, Howard D.; Dyer, Kelly A.

2016-01-01

Abstract The reinforcement of premating barriers due to reduced hybrid fitness in sympatry may cause secondary sexual isolation within a species as a by-product. Consistent with this, in the fly Drosophila subquinaria, females that are sympatric with D. recens mate at very low rates not only with D. recens, but also with conspecific D. subquinaria males from allopatry. Here, we ask if these effects of reinforcement cascade more broadly to affect sexual isolation with other closely related species. We assay reproductive isolation of these species with D. transversa and find that choosy D. subquinaria females from the region sympatric with D. recens discriminate strongly against male D. transversa, whereas D. subquinaria from the allopatric region do not. This increased sexual isolation cannot be explained by natural selection to avoid mating with this species, as they are allopatric in geographic range and we do not identify any intrinsic postzygotic isolation between D. subquinaria and D. transversa. Variation in epicuticular hydrocarbons, which are used as mating signals in D. subquinaria, follow patterns of premating isolation: D. transversa and allopatric D. subquinaria are most similar to each other and differ from sympatric D. subquinaria, and those of D. recens are distinct from the other two species. We suggest that the secondary effects of reinforcement may cascade to strengthen reproductive isolation with other species that were not a target of selection. These effects may enhance the divergence that occurs in allopatry to help explain why some species are already sexually isolated upon secondary contact. PMID:29491905

Cultural Resource Predictive Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

CR cultural resource CRM cultural resource management CRPM Cultural Resource Predictive Modeling DoD Department of Defense ESTCP Environmental...resource management ( CRM ) legal obligations under NEPA and the NHPA, military installations need to demonstrate that CRM decisions are based on objective...maxim “one size does not fit all,” and demonstrate that DoD installations have many different CRM needs that can and should be met through a variety

Study on three dimensional seismic isolation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morishita, Masaki; Kitamura, Seiji

2003-01-01

Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) and Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) launched joint research programs on structural design and three-dimensional seismic isolation technologies, as part of the supporting R and D activities for the feasibility studies on commercialized fast breeder reactor cycle systems. A research project by JAPC under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) with technical support by JNC is included in this joint study. This report contains the results of the research on the three-dimensional seismic isolation technologies, and the results of this year's study are summarized in the following five aspects. (1) Study on Earthquake Condition for Developing 3-dimensional Base Isolation System. The case study S2 is one of the maximum ground motions, of which the records were investigated up to this time. But a few observed near the fault exceed the case study S2 in the long period domain, depending on the fault length and conditions. Generally it is appropriate that the response spectra ratio (vertical/horizontal) is 0.6. (2) Performance Requirement for 3-dimensional Base Isolation System and Devices. Although the integrity map of main equipment/piping dominate the design criteria for the 3-dimensional base isolation system, the combined integrity map is the same as those of FY 2000, which are under fv=1Hz and over hv=20%. (3) Developing Targets and Schedule for 3-dimensional Isolation Technology. The target items for 3-dimensional base isolation system were rearranged into a table, and developing items to be examined concerning the device were also adjusted. A development plan until FY 2009 was made from the viewpoint of realization and establishment of a design guideline on 3-dimensional base isolation system. (4) Study on 3-dimensional Entire Building Base Isolation System. Three ideas among six ideas that had been proposed in FY2001, i.e., '3-dimensional base isolation system incorporating hydraulic

Isolation of Pasteurella multocida subspec. Multocida from chronic periapical lesion: First isolation in ex-Yugoslavia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suvajdžić Ljiljana Ð.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This study presents five isolates of Pasteurella multocida subsp. multo-cida isolated from chronic periapical inflammatory lesion. We described the methods of sampling and cultivation as well as diagnostic criteria. Pasteurella multocida was diagnosed on the basis of characteristic cultural and tinctorial properties and the facts that all strains produced indole and induced ornithine decarboxilation, glucose, saccharose and manitole fermentation. Isolates produced neither urease, nor fermented lactose and maltose. Further classification to subspecies multocida was based on the fact that all investigated isolates fermented trechalose, xylose and sorbitol the traits which are diagnostically significant for the species. Patients deny any contact with farm animals or pets, which indicates a possible aerosol transport and animal-human as well as human-human infection. We consider that this organism should be paid more attention by dentist, oral surgeons and microbiologists.

Library resources on the Internet

Science.gov (United States)

Buchanan, Nancy L.

1995-07-01

Library resources are prevalent on the Internet. Library catalogs, electronic books, electronic periodicals, periodical indexes, reference sources, and U.S. Government documents are available by telnet, Gopher, World Wide Web, and FTP. Comparatively few copyrighted library resources are available freely on the Internet. Internet implementations of library resources can add useful features, such as full-text searching. There are discussion lists, Gophers, and World Wide Web pages to help users keep up with new resources and changes to existing ones. The future will bring more library resources, more types of library resources, and more integrated implementations of such resources to the Internet.

Isolation and Identification of Phenol Degrader Bacteria from Sirjan Golgohar Mine Effluent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehdi Hassanshhian

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Phenol and phenolic compounds are highly toxic substances that are found as monoaromatic compounds in various industrial effluents from oil refineries, petrochemical plants, (coal mines, and phenol resin plants. Their discharge into the environment, especially in water resources, causes serious toxicity. Traditionally, physicochemical methods have been used for the removal of phenol and phenolic compounds. Nowadays, bioremediation is known to be the best method for phenol removal from wastewater. The objective of the present study was twofold: isolation and identification of phenol degrading bacteria in the effluent from Golgohar Mine in Sirjan. For this purpose, samples were collected from different sections at Golgohar Mine and its effluent. Phenol degrading bacteria were isolated via enrichment of the samples in the Bushnell Hass medium with phenol used as the only source of carbon and energy. The predominant phenol degrader bacteria were selected by measuring turbidity at 600 nm. The bacteria were subsequently identified by amplification of 16S rRNA with specific primers and PCR sequencing. In this study, 17 strains of phenol degrader bacteria were isolated in soil and wastewater samples collected from different zones of the mine. Screening methods confirmed that 4 strains exhibit a better capability for phenol degradation as evidenced by their capability to degrade 0.4 g/l of phenol. Molecular identification showed that these bacteria belong to the species Pesudomonas sp, Nitrratireductor sp., and Salegentibacter sp. The results also show that the effluent from Golgohar Mine in Sirjan contains many phenol degrading bacteria. The use of these bacteria in the treatment process may lead to a significant reduction in phenol pollution in the mineral effluent.

Glucanase and Chitinase from Some Isolates of Endophytic Fungus Trichoderma spp.

Science.gov (United States)

Prasetyawan, Sasangka; Sulistyowati, Lilik; Aulanni'am

2018-01-01

Endophytic fungi are those fungi that are able to grow in plant tissue without causing symptoms of disease. It is thought that these fungi may confer on the host plants degree of resistance to parasitic invasion. Endophytic fungi have been isolated from stem tissue and these fungi are known to be antagonistic to pathogenic fungi. These endophytes produce chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase enzymes. Based on the fact that chitin and β-1,3-glucan are the main skeletal polysaccharides of the cell walls of fungal patogen. The aim of this research is to do potential test on some of isolates of Trichoderma’s endophytic (L-1, L-2, Is-1, Is-2 and Is-7) in the chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase activity in effort to determine endophytic which be chossen to be gene resource for the next research. The gene will be transformed to citrus plant japanese citroen in effort to make citrus plant transgenic resistance to phytopatogenic invasion. The result of this research is endofit namely L-1 is the most potential endophytic fungi with chitinase activities is 4,8 10-2 Unit and glucanase 24,2. 1012 Unit. The addition of chitin and cell wall of phytophtora causes chitinase activity significantly increase, and also addition of laminarin and cell wall of phytophtora makes glucanase activity increase.

Design experience on seismically isolated buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giuliani, G.C.

1989-01-01

This paper describes the practical problems associated with the structural design of a group of seismically isolated buildings now under construction in Ancona, Italy. These structures are the first seismically isolated buildings in Italy. Taking into account previous earthquakes, the structural design of these new buildings was performed according to an acceleration spectrum which was different from its Zone 2 seismic code and which provided protection for stronger ground motions. To minimize the cost of the structure, the buildings used ribbed plate decks, thus reducing the amount of material and the mass of the structures to be isolated. The design requirements, dynamic analysis performed, structural design, and practical engineering employed are reported in this paper. A comparison between the costs of a conventionally designed and a base-isolated structure is also reported. The tests undertaken for certifying the mechanical properties of the isolators for both static and dynamic loads are also described, as is the full-scale dynamic test which is scheduled for next year (1990) for one of the completed buildings. Lessons learned in this design effort are potentially applicable to seismic base isolation for nuclear power plants

Can individual and social patterns of resource use buffer animal populations against resource decline?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sam C Banks

Full Text Available Species in many ecosystems are facing declines of key resources. If we are to understand and predict the effects of resource loss on natural populations, we need to understand whether and how the way animals use resources changes under resource decline. We investigated how the abundance of arboreal marsupials varies in response to a critical resource, hollow-bearing trees. Principally, we asked what mechanisms mediate the relationship between resources and abundance? Do animals use a greater or smaller proportion of the remaining resource, and is there a change in cooperative resource use (den sharing, as the availability of hollow trees declines? Analyses of data from 160 sites surveyed from 1997 to 2007 showed that hollow tree availability was positively associated with abundance of the mountain brushtail possum, the agile antechinus and the greater glider. The abundance of Leadbeater's possum was primarily influenced by forest age. Notably, the relationship between abundance and hollow tree availability was significantly less than 1:1 for all species. This was due primarily to a significant increase by all species in the proportional use of hollow-bearing trees where the abundance of this resource was low. The resource-sharing response was weaker and inconsistent among species. Two species, the mountain brushtail possum and the agile antechinus, showed significant but contrasting relationships between the number of animals per occupied tree and hollow tree abundance. The discrepancies between the species can be explained partly by differences in several aspects of the species' biology, including body size, types of hollows used and social behaviour as it relates to hollow use. Our results show that individual and social aspects of resource use are not always static in response to resource availability and support the need to account for dynamic resource use patterns in predictive models of animal distribution and abundance.

A half mode inkjet printed tunable ferrite isolator

KAUST Repository

Ghaffar, Farhan A.

2017-10-24

A novel half mode waveguide based ferrite isolator design is presented in this work. For the first time, tunability of the isolation band is demonstrated for a ferrite isolator. Instead of using the conventional antisymmetric bias the isolator requires a single direction of the magnetic bias field due to the half mode operation. Yttrium Iron Garnet (YIG) is used as the substrate for the device. The metallic walls of the waveguide are realized using inkjet printing. The magnetic biasing applied to the waveguide causes the RF waves to experience negative permeability in one direction of propagation hence providing isolation for this direction. For an applied bias of 3000 Oe, the device provides a maximum isolation figure of merit of 76.7 dB at 7.5 GHz. The isolation band can be controlled by changing the applied magnetostatic bias. As the bias is varied from 1500 Oe to 3500 Oe the center frequency of the isolation band varies from 4.45 GHz to 9 GHz. The measured response of the isolator shows that it can be integrated in any RF system requiring lower cost and good isolation.

Comparison of biochemical and molecular methods for the identification of bacterial isolates associated with failed loggerhead sea turtle eggs.

Science.gov (United States)

Awong-Taylor, J; Craven, K S; Griffiths, L; Bass, C; Muscarella, M

2008-05-01

Comparison of biochemical vs molecular methods for identification of microbial populations associated with failed loggerhead turtle eggs. Two biochemical (API and Microgen) and one molecular methods (16s rRNA analysis) were compared in the areas of cost, identification, corroboration of data with other methods, ease of use, resources and software. The molecular method was costly and identified only 66% of the isolates tested compared with 74% for API. A 74% discrepancy in identifications occurred between API and 16s rRNA analysis. The two biochemical methods were comparable in cost, but Microgen was easier to use and yielded the lowest discrepancy among identifications (29%) when compared with both API 20 enteric (API 20E) and API 20 nonenteric (API 20NE) combined. A comparison of API 20E and API 20NE indicated an 83% discrepancy between the two methods. The Microgen identification system appears to be better suited than API or 16s rRNA analysis for identification of environmental isolates associated with failed loggerhead eggs. Most identification methods are not intended for use with environmental isolates. A comparison of identification systems would provide better options for identifying environmental bacteria for ecological studies.

The cellulose resource matrix

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keijsers, E.R.P.; Yilmaz, G.; Dam, van J.E.G.

2013-01-01

The emerging biobased economy is causing shifts from mineral fossil oil based resources towards renewable resources. Because of market mechanisms, current and new industries utilising renewable commodities, will attempt to secure their supply of resources. Cellulose is among these commodities, where

Oligotrophic bacteria isolated from clinical materials.

OpenAIRE

Tada, Y; Ihmori, M; Yamaguchi, J

1995-01-01

Oligotrophic bacteria (oligotrophs) are microorganisms that grow in extremely nutritionally deficient conditions in which the concentrations of organic substances are low. Many oligotrophic bacteria were isolated from clinical materials including urine, sputum, swabbings of the throat, vaginal discharges, and others. Seventy-seven strains of oligotrophic bacteria from 871 samples of clinical material were isolated. A relatively higher frequency of isolation of oligotrophic bacteria was shown ...

Resource management: Hotel Zira human resource management department analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petrović Jelena

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The world is changing at a fast pace in a number of different areas, economically, politically technologically and socially. All these facts have strong impact on how managers organize their work. Traditionally they focus on delivering efficiency through large bureaucracies which are hierarchical in nature, very much around process and stability. What this mitigates against perhaps it is innovation and flexibility. A demand is no longer predictable and service has to be equally flexible for demand that exists nowadays. The emergence of post bureaucratic organizations is about being leaner, flatter and being much more network-based. Within that network employees are being empowered to take responsibility for producing innovations themselves. In order to speed up the process it is critical to systematize the process of managing people in the back office. Human Resource Management strategies are being transformed by internal social networks and social human resource technologies to better collaborative, transition into social enterprises, and change the positioning of human resource departments from back office to front office activities. All of these subjects are applied and the case study of hotel Zira human resource department is explained and showed in detail with the specific questionnaire. One of the main challenges that human resource management is also facing is the talent management and the number one responsibility of leadership is how to manage talent, how to attract it, utilize and eventually retain it.

Space and Planetary Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Abbud-Madrid, Angel

2018-02-01

The space and multitude of celestial bodies surrounding Earth hold a vast wealth of resources for a variety of space and terrestrial applications. The unlimited solar energy, vacuum, and low gravity in space, as well as the minerals, metals, water, atmospheric gases, and volatile elements on the Moon, asteroids, comets, and the inner and outer planets of the Solar System and their moons, constitute potential valuable resources for robotic and human space missions and for future use in our own planet. In the short term, these resources could be transformed into useful materials at the site where they are found to extend mission duration and to reduce the costly dependence from materials sent from Earth. Making propellants and human consumables from local resources can significantly reduce mission mass and cost, enabling longer stays and fueling transportation systems for use within and beyond the planetary surface. Use of finely grained soils and rocks can serve for habitat construction, radiation protection, solar cell fabrication, and food growth. The same material could also be used to develop repair and replacement capabilities using advanced manufacturing technologies. Following similar mining practices utilized for centuries on Earth, identifying, extracting, and utilizing extraterrestrial resources will enable further space exploration, while increasing commercial activities beyond our planet. In the long term, planetary resources and solar energy could also be brought to Earth if obtaining these resources locally prove to be no longer economically or environmentally acceptable. Throughout human history, resources have been the driving force for the exploration and settling of our planet. Similarly, extraterrestrial resources will make space the next destination in the quest for further exploration and expansion of our species. However, just like on Earth, not all challenges are scientific and technological. As private companies start working toward

EMPLACEMENT DRIFT ISOLATION DOOR CONTROL SYSTEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

N.T. Raczka

1998-01-01

The purpose of this analysis is to review and refine key design concepts related to the control system presently under consideration for remotely operating the emplacement drift isolation doors at the potential subsurface nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. This analysis will discuss the key design concepts of the control system that may be utilized for remotely monitoring, opening, and closing the emplacement drift isolation doors. The scope and primary objectives of this analysis are to: (1) Discuss the purpose and function of the isolation doors (Presented in Section 7.1). (2) Review the construction of the isolation door and other physical characteristics of the doors that the control system will interface with (Presented in Section 7.2). (3) Discuss monitoring and controlling the operation of the isolation doors with a digital control system (either a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system or a Distributed Control System (DCS)) (Presented in Section 7.3). (4) Discuss how all isolation doors can be monitored and controlled from a subsurface central control center (Presented in Section 7.4). This analysis will focus on the development of input/output (I/O) counts including the types of I/O, redundancy and fault tolerance considerations, and processor requirements for the isolation door control system. Attention will be placed on operability, maintainability, and reliability issues for the system operating in the subsurface environment with exposure to high temperatures and radiation

Hydrography - Water Resources

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC Education | GIS Inventory — A Water Resource is a DEP primary facility type related to the Water Use Planning Program. The sub-facility types related to Water Resources that are included are:...

Isolation Effect in Immediate and Delayed Recall

Science.gov (United States)

Bellezza, Francis S.; Cheney, Terry L.

1973-01-01

If the hypothesis of selective rehearsal is used to account for the isolation effect, then the recall of isolated items will depend both on the serial position of the isolated item and on whether recall is immediate or delayed. (Author)

Resources for Sale: Corruption, Democracy and the Natural Resource Curse

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Damania, R.; Bulte, E.H.

2008-01-01

A puzzling piece of empirical evidence suggests that resource-abundant countries tend to grow slower than their resource-poor counterparts. We attempt to explain this phenomenon by developing a lobbying game in which rent seeking firms interact with corrupt governments. The presence or absence of

Timber resource statistics for the North Coast resource area of California 1994.

Science.gov (United States)

Karen L. Waddell; Patricia M. Bassett

1996-01-01

This report is a summary of timber resource statistics for the North Coast Resource Area of California, which includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, and Sonoma Counties. Data were collected by the Pacific Northwest Research Station as part of a State-wide multi-resource inventory. The inventory sampled private and public lands except reserved areas and National...

2005 resource options report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, T.

2005-01-01

This resource options report (ROR) fulfils regulatory requirements in British Columbia's two-year resource planning process. It identifies a wide range of resources and technologies that could be used to meet BC Hydro's future electricity demand. As such, it facilitates a transparent public review of resource options which include both supply-side and demand-side options. The resource options that will be used in the 2005 integrated electricity plan (IEP) were characterized. This ROR also documents where there is a general agreement or disagreement on the resource type characterization, based on the First Nations and Stakeholder engagement. BC Hydro used current information to provide realistic ranges on volume and cost to characterize environmental and social attributes. The BC Hydro system was modelled to assess the benefit and cost of various resource options. The information resulting from this ROR and IEP will help in making decisions on how to structure competitive acquisition calls and to determine the level of transmission services needed to advance certain BC Hydro projects. The IEP forecasts the nature and quantity of domestic resources required over the next 20 years. A strategic direction on how those needs will be met has been created to guide the management of BC Hydro's energy resources. Supply-side options include near-commercial technologies such as energy storage, ocean waves, tidal, fuel cells and integrated coal gasification combined cycle technology. Supply-side options also include natural gas, coal, biomass, geothermal, wind, and hydro. 120 refs., 39 tabs., 21 figs., 6 appendices

The rebound effect of resource efficiency; Het reboundeffect bij resource efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oosterhuis, F.; Bouma, J. [Instituut voor Milieuvraagstukken IVM, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Hanemaaijer, A. [Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving PBL, Den Haag (Netherlands)

2013-12-15

As a result of efficient use of natural resources production and use of goods and services can be made cheaper, which increases demand. However, that might partially offset savings in energy and other natural resources. This so-called 'rebound effect' can not be ignored. It is therefore worthwhile to keep that in formulating 'resource efficiency' policy [Dutch] Door efficienter om te gaan met natuurlijke hulpbronnen kunnen de productie en het gebruik van goederen en diensten goedkoper worden, waardoor de vraag ernaar toeneemt. Dat kan de besparingen op energie en andere natuurlijke hulpbronnen deels weer teniet doen. Dit 'rebound-effect' is niet verwaarloosbaar. Het is zinvol om hier bij beleid gericht op 'resource efficiency' rekening mee te houden.

Preliminary research on quantitative methods of water resources carrying capacity based on water resources balance sheet

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yanqiu; Huang, Xiaorong; Gao, Linyun; Guo, Biying; Ma, Kai

2018-06-01

Water resources are not only basic natural resources, but also strategic economic resources and ecological control factors. Water resources carrying capacity constrains the sustainable development of regional economy and society. Studies of water resources carrying capacity can provide helpful information about how the socioeconomic system is both supported and restrained by the water resources system. Based on the research of different scholars, major problems in the study of water resources carrying capacity were summarized as follows: the definition of water resources carrying capacity is not yet unified; the methods of carrying capacity quantification based on the definition of inconsistency are poor in operability; the current quantitative research methods of water resources carrying capacity did not fully reflect the principles of sustainable development; it is difficult to quantify the relationship among the water resources, economic society and ecological environment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a better quantitative evaluation method to determine the regional water resources carrying capacity. This paper proposes a new approach to quantifying water resources carrying capacity (that is, through the compilation of the water resources balance sheet) to get a grasp of the regional water resources depletion and water environmental degradation (as well as regional water resources stock assets and liabilities), figure out the squeeze of socioeconomic activities on the environment, and discuss the quantitative calculation methods and technical route of water resources carrying capacity which are able to embody the substance of sustainable development.

METHICILLIN RESISTANCE IN STAPHYLOCOCCAL ISOLATES ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study assessed the importance of Staphylococcus aureus as a urinary pathogen and the incidence of multidrug resistant (MDR), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A total of 86 staphylococcal isolates made up of 50 clinical isolates from urine samples submitted to the Medical Microbiology Laboratory ...

Ohio Water Resources Council

Science.gov (United States)

Ohio.gov State Agencies | Online Services Twitter YouTube EPA IMAGE Ohio Water Resources Committee Ohio enjoys abundant water resources. Few states enjoy as many streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands as Ohio. Numerous agencies and organizations are involved in protecting Ohio's valuable water resources

Dielectric isolation for power integrated circuits; Isolation dielectrique enterree pour les circuits integres de puissance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zerrouk, D.

1997-07-18

Considerable efforts have been recently directed towards integrating onto the same chip, sense or protection elements that is low voltage analog and/or digital control circuitry together with high voltage/high current devices. Most of these so called `smart power` devices use either self isolation, junction isolation or Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) to integrate low voltage elements with vertical power devices. Dielectric isolation is superior to the other isolation techniques such as self isolation or junction isolation. Thesis work consists of the study of the feasibility of a dielectric technology based on the melting and the solidification in a Rapid Thermal Processing furnace (RTP), of thick polysilicon films deposited on oxide. The purpose of this technique is to obtain substrate with localized SOI structures for smart power applications. SOI technology offers significant potential advantages, such as non-occurrence of latch-up in CMOS structures, high packaging density, low parasitic capacitance and the possibility of 3D structures. In addition, SOI technology using thick silicon films (10-100 {mu}m) offers special advantages for high voltage integrated circuits. Several techniques have been developed to form SOI films. Zone melting recrystallization is one of the most promising for localized SOI. The SOI structures have first been analyzed in term of extended defects. N-channel MOSFET`s transistors have also been fabricated in the SOI substrates and electrically characterized (threshold voltages, off-state leakage current, mobilities,...). The SOI transistors exhibit good characteristics, although inferior to witness transistors. The recrystallized silicon films are therefore found to be suitable for the fabrication of SOI devices. (author) 106 refs.

Technical support for GEIS: radioactive waste isolation in geologic formations. Volume 7. Baseline rock properties-basalt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-04-01

This volume, Y/OWI/TM-36/7 Baseline Rock Properties--Basalt, is one of a 23-volume series, ''Technical Support for GEIS: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations, Y/OWI/TM-36'' which supplements a ''Contribution to Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Commercial Waste Management: Radioactive Waste Isolation in Geologic Formations, Y/OWI/TM-44.'' The series provides a more complete technical basis for the preconceptual designs, resource requirements, and environmental source terms associated with isolating commercial LWR wastes in underground repositories in salt, granite, shale and basalt. Wastes are considered from three fuel cycles: uranium and plutonium recycling, no recycling of spent fuel and uranium-only recycling. This report contains an evaluation of the results of a literature survey to define the rock mass properties of a generic basalt, which could be considered as a geological medium for storing radioactive waste. The general formation and structure of basaltic rocks is described. This is followed by specific descriptions and rock property data for the Dresser Basalt, the Amchitka Island Basalt, the Nevada Test Site Basalt and the Columbia River Group Basalt. Engineering judgment has been used to derive the rock mass properties of a typical basalt from the relevant intact rock property data and the geological information pertaining to structural defects, such as joints and faults

Comparison of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae Isolates Recovered from Pigs in Apparently Healthy Multiplier Herds with Isolates from Herds with Swine Dysentery.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tom La

Full Text Available Swine dysentery (SD is a mucohaemorrhagic colitis of grower/finisher pigs classically resulting from infection by the anaerobic intestinal spirochaete Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. This study aimed to determine whether B. hyodysenteriae isolates from pigs in three healthy German multiplier herds supplying gilts to other farms differed from isolates from nine German production herds with SD. Isolates were subjected to whole genomic sequencing, and in silico multilocus sequence typing showed that those from the three multiplier herds were of previously undescribed sequence types (ST132, ST133 and ST134, with all isolates from the same herd having the same ST. All isolates were examined for the presence of 332 genes encoding predicted virulence or virulence lifestyle associated factors, and these were well conserved. Isolates from one multiplier herd were atypical in being weakly haemolytic: they had 10 amino acid substitutions in the haemolysin III protein and five in the haemolysin activation protein compared to reference strain WA1, and had a disruption in the promoter site of the hlyA gene. These changes likely contribute to the weakly haemolytic phenotype and putative lack of virulence. These same isolates also had nine base pair insertions in the iron metabolism genes bitB and bitC and lacked five of six plasmid genes that previously have been associated with colonisation. Other overall differences between isolates from the different herds were in genes from three of five outer membrane proteins, which were not found in all the isolates, and in members of a block of six plasmid genes. Isolates from three herds with SD had all six plasmid genes, while isolates lacking some of these genes were found in the three healthy herds-but also in isolates from six herds with SD. Other differences in genes of unknown function or in gene expression may contribute to variation in virulence; alternatively, superior husbandry and better general health may have

Isolation of rat adrenocortical mitochondria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solinas, Paola [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Department of Medicine, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Fujioka, Hisashi [Electron Microscopy Facility, Department of Pharmacology, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Tandler, Bernard [Department of Biological Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Hoppel, Charles L., E-mail: charles.hoppel@case.edu [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Department of Medicine, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States)

2012-10-12

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A method for isolation of adrenocortical mitochondria from the adrenal gland of rats is described. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The purified isolated mitochondria show excellent morphological integrity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The properties of oxidative phosphorylation are excellent. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The method increases the opportunity of direct analysis of adrenal mitochondria from small animals. -- Abstract: This report describes a relatively simple and reliable method for isolating adrenocortical mitochondria from rats in good, reasonably pure yield. These organelles, which heretofore have been unobtainable in isolated form from small laboratory animals, are now readily accessible. A high degree of mitochondrial purity is shown by the electron micrographs, as well as the structural integrity of each mitochondrion. That these organelles have retained their functional integrity is shown by their high respiratory control ratios. In general, the biochemical performance of these adrenal cortical mitochondria closely mirrors that of typical hepatic or cardiac mitochondria.

Application of Job Demands-Resources model in research on relationships between job satisfaction, job resources, individual resources and job demands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrianna Potocka

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between job demands, job resourses, personal resourses and job satisfaction and to assess the usefulness of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R model in the explanation of these phenomena. Materials and Methods: The research was based on a sample of 500 social workers. The "Psychosocial Factors" and "Job satisfaction" questionnaires were used to test the hypothesis. Results: The results showed that job satisfaction increased with increasing job accessibility and personal resources (r = 0.44; r = 0.31; p < 0.05. The analysis of variance (ANOVA indicated that job resources and job demands [F(1.474 = 4.004; F(1.474 = 4.166; p < 0.05] were statistically significant sources of variation in job satisfaction. Moreover, interactions between job demands and job resources [F(3,474 = 2.748; p < 0.05], as well as between job demands and personal resources [F(3.474 = 3.021; p < 0.05] had a significant impact on job satisfaction. The post hoc tests showed that 1 in low job demands, but high job resources employees declared higher job satisfaction, than those who perceived them as medium (p = 0.0001 or low (p = 0.0157; 2 when the level of job demands was perceived as medium, employees with high personal resources declared significantly higher job satisfaction than those with low personal resources (p = 0.0001. Conclusion: The JD-R model can be used to investigate job satisfaction. Taking into account fundamental factors of this model, in organizational management there are possibilities of shaping job satisfaction among employees. Med Pr 2013;64(2:217–225

Seismic Isolation Studies and Applications for Nuclear Facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choun, Young Sun

2005-01-01

Seismic isolation, which is being used worldwide for buildings, is a well-known technology to protect structures from destructive earthquakes. In spite of the many potential advantages of a seismic isolation, however, the applications of a seismic isolation to nuclear facilities have been very limited because of a lack of sufficient knowledge about the isolation practices. The most important advantage of seismic isolation applications in nuclear power plants is that the safety and reliability of the plants can be remarkably improved through the standardization of the structures and equipment regardless of the seismic conditions of the sites. The standardization of structures and equipment will reduce the capital cost and design/construction schedule for future plants. Also, a seismic isolation can facilitate decoupling of the design and development for equipment, piping, and components due to the use of the generic in-structure response spectra associated with the standardized plant. Moreover, a seismic isolation will improve the plant safety margin against the design basis earthquake (DBE) as well as a beyond design basis seismic event due to its superior seismic performance. A number of seismic isolation systems have been developed and tested since 1970s, and some of them have been applied to conventional structures in several countries of high seismicity. In the nuclear field, there have been many studies on the applicability of such seismic isolation systems, but the application of a seismic isolation is very limited. Currently, there are some discussions on the application of seismic isolation systems to nuclear facilities between the nuclear industries and the regulatory agencies in the U.S.. In the future, a seismic isolation for nuclear facilities will be one of the important issues in the nuclear industry. This paper summarizes the past studies and applications of a seismic isolation in the nuclear industry

Isolated Horizon, Killing Horizon and Event Horizon

OpenAIRE

Date, G.

2001-01-01

We consider space-times which in addition to admitting an isolated horizon also admit Killing horizons with or without an event horizon. We show that an isolated horizon is a Killing horizon provided either (1) it admits a stationary neighbourhood or (2) it admits a neighbourhood with two independent, commuting Killing vectors. A Killing horizon is always an isolated horizon. For the case when an event horizon is definable, all conceivable relative locations of isolated horizon and event hori...

The state of human dimensions capacity for natural resource management: needs, knowledge, and resources

Science.gov (United States)

Sexton, Natalie R.; Leong, Kirsten M.; Milley, Brad J.; Clarke, Melinda M.; Teel, Tara L.; Chase, Mark A.; Dietsch, Alia M.

2013-01-01

The social sciences have become increasingly important in understanding natural resource management contexts and audiences, and are essential in design and delivery of effective and durable management strategies. Yet many agencies and organizations do not have the necessary resource management. We draw on the textbook definition of HD: how and why people value natural resources, what benefits people seek and derive from those resources, and how people affect and are affected by those resources and their management (Decker, Brown, and Seimer 2001). Clearly articulating how HD information can be used and integrated into natural resource management planning and decision-making is an important challenge faced by the HD field. To address this challenge, we formed a collaborative team to explore the issue of HD capacity-building for natural resource organizations and to advance the HD field. We define HD capacity as activities, efforts, and resources that enhance the ability of HD researchers and practitioners and natural managers and decision-makers to understand and address the social aspects of conservation.Specifically, we sought to examine current barriers to integration of HD into natural resource management, knowledge needed to improve HD capacity, and existing HD tools, resources, and training opportunities. We conducted a needs assessment of HD experts and practitioners, developed a framework for considering HD activities that can contribute both directly and indirectly throughout any phase of an adaptive management cycle, and held a workshop to review preliminary findings and gather additional input through breakout group discussions. This paper provides highlights from our collaborative initiative to help frame and inform future HD capacity-building efforts and natural resource organizations and also provides a list of existing human dimensions tools and resources.

Comparison of the isolation rates and characteristics of Salmonella isolated from antibiotic-free and conventional chicken meat samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, J-H; Kim, H-S; Yim, J-H; Kim, Y-J; Kim, D-H; Chon, J-W; Kim, H; Om, A-S; Seo, K-H

2017-08-01

Salmonella contamination in chicken samples can cause major health problems in humans. However, not only the effects of antibiotic treatment during growth but also the impacts of the poultry slaughter line on the prevalence of Salmonellae in final chicken meat sold to consumers are unknown. In this study, we compared the isolation rates and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonellae among antibiotic-free, conventional, conventional Korean native retail chicken meat samples, and clonal divergence of Salmonella isolates by multilocus sequence typing. In addition, the distribution of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes in ESBL-producing Salmonella isolates was analyzed. A total of 72 retail chicken meat samples (n = 24 antibiotic-free broiler [AFB] chickens, n = 24 conventional broiler [CB] chickens, and n = 24 conventional Korean native [CK] chickens) was collected from local retail markets in Seoul, South Korea. The isolation rates of Salmonellae were 66.6% in AFB chickens, 45.8% in CB chickens, and 25% in CK chickens. By analyzing the minimum inhibitory concentrations of β-lactam antibiotics with the disc-diffusion test, we found that 81.2% of Salmonella isolates from AFB chickens, 63.6% of isolates from CB chickens, and 50% of isolates from CK chickens were ESBL producers; all ESBL-positive isolates had the CTX-M-15 genotype. Interestingly, all ESBL-producing Salmonellae were revealed as ST16 by multilocus sequence typing and had the genetic platform of blaCTX-M gene (IS26-ISEcp1-blaCTX-M-15-IS903), which was first reported in Salmonellae around the world. The Salmonella ST33 strain (S. Hadar) isolated in this study has never been reported in South Korea. In conclusion, our findings showed that antibiotic-free retail chicken meat products were also largely contaminated with ESBL-producing Salmonellae and that their ESBL genes and genetic platforms were the same as those isolated from conventional retail chicken meat products. © 2017 Poultry Science

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Part B permit application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-02-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project was authorized by the Department of Energy National Security and Military Applications of Nuclear Energy Authorization Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-164) as a research and development facility to demonstrate the safe, environmentally sound disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive wastes derived from the defense activities of the United States. The WIPP facility is owned and operated by the US Department of Energy (DOE). The TRU waste to be received at WIPP consists largely of such items as laboratory glassware and utensils, tools, scrap metal, shielding, personnel protection equipment, and solidified sludges from the treatment of waste water. Approximately 60 percent of this waste is ''mixed,'' that is, it is also contaminated with hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and by the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Management Regulations (HWMR-5). Therefore, emplacement of TRU mixed waste in the WIPP repository is subject to regulation under HWMR-5 and RCRA. The permit application under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act for WIPP is divided into five volumes. This document, Volume 3, is Appendix C2 continued. This appendix contains information on shipping; inventories of chemicals present in waste; chemical compatibility of wastes; the methodology to determine compatibility; analytical data regarding volatile organic compounds (VOC), metals, and solvents; and a description of sampling programs of waste drum gases

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B permit application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-02-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project was authorized by the Department of Energy National Security and Military Applications of Nuclear Energy Authorization Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-164) as a research and development facility to demonstrate the safe, environmentally sound disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive wastes derived from the defense activities of the United States. The WIPP facility is owned and operated by the US Department of Energy (DOE). The TRU waste to be received at WIPP consists largely of such items as laboratory glassware and utensils, tools, scrap metal, shielding, personnel protection equipment, and solidified sludges from the treatment of waste water. Approximately 60 percent of this waste is ''mixed,'' that is, it is also contaminated with hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and by the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Management Regulations (HWMR-5). Therefore, emplacement of TRU mixed waste in the WIPP repository is subject to regulation under HWMR-5 and RCRA. The permit application under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act for WIPP is divided into five volumes. This document, Volume 1, contains a site and facility description of WIPP; procedures for waste analysis and characterization, testing, monitoring, inspection, and training; hazard prevention, safety and security plans; plans for closure; and a discussion of other applicable laws. Also included are maps, photographs, and diagrams of the facilities and surrounding areas. 180 refs., 75 figs., 24 tabs

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Part B Permit Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-02-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project was authorized by the Department of Energy National Security and Military Applications of Nuclear Energy Authorization Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-164) as a research and development facility to demonstrate the safe, environmentally sound disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive wastes derived from the defense activities of the United States. The WIPP facility is owned and operated by the US Department of Energy (DOE). The TRU waste to be received at WIPP consists largely of such items as laboratory glassware and utensils, tools, scrap metal, shielding, personnel protection equipment, and solidified sludges from the treatment of waste water. Approximately 60 percent of this waste is ''mixed,'' that is, it is also contaminated with hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and by the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Management Regulations (HWMR-5). Therefore, emplacement of TRU mixed waste in the WIPP repository is subject to regulation under HWMR-5 and RCRA. The permit application under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act for WIPP is divided into five volumes. This document, Volume 2, contains Appendices B1, C1, and C2. These appendices describe the surface hydrology of the area, provide a description of the physical and chemical characteristics of wastes to be placed in WIPP, and outline a waste analysis plan which gives an overview of the total waste inventory planned for WIPP. 34 refs., 107 figs., 27 tabs

Global resource sharing

CERN Document Server

Frederiksen, Linda; Nance, Heidi

2011-01-01

Written from a global perspective, this book reviews sharing of library resources on a global scale. With expanded discovery tools and massive digitization projects, the rich and extensive holdings of the world's libraries are more visible now than at any time in the past. Advanced communication and transmission technologies, along with improved international standards, present a means for the sharing of library resources around the globe. Despite these significant improvements, a number of challenges remain. Global Resource Sharing provides librarians and library managers with a comprehensive

K-Basin isolation barrier seal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruff, E.S.

1994-10-01

This report documents various aspects of the design, analysis, procurement, and fabrication of the hydraulic seal on the isolation barriers to be installed in the 100-K Area spent nuclear fuel basin. The isolation barrier is used to keep water in the basin in the event of an earthquake

Geographically isolated wetlands: Rethinking a misnomer

Science.gov (United States)

Mushet, David M.; Calhoun, Aram J.K.; Alexander, Laurie C.; Cohen, Matthew J.; DeKeyser, Edward S.; Fowler, Laurie G.; Lane, Charles R.; Lang, Megan W.; Rains, Mark C.; Walls, Susan

2015-01-01

We explore the category “geographically isolated wetlands” (GIWs; i.e., wetlands completely surrounded by uplands at the local scale) as used in the wetland sciences. As currently used, the GIW category (1) hampers scientific efforts by obscuring important hydrological and ecological differences among multiple wetland functional types, (2) aggregates wetlands in a manner not reflective of regulatory and management information needs, (3) implies wetlands so described are in some way “isolated,” an often incorrect implication, (4) is inconsistent with more broadly used and accepted concepts of “geographic isolation,” and (5) has injected unnecessary confusion into scientific investigations and discussions. Instead, we suggest other wetland classification systems offer more informative alternatives. For example, hydrogeomorphic (HGM) classes based on well-established scientific definitions account for wetland functional diversity thereby facilitating explorations into questions of connectivity without an a priori designation of “isolation.” Additionally, an HGM-type approach could be used in combination with terms reflective of current regulatory or policymaking needs. For those rare cases in which the condition of being surrounded by uplands is the relevant distinguishing characteristic, use of terminology that does not unnecessarily imply isolation (e.g., “upland embedded wetlands”) would help alleviate much confusion caused by the “geographically isolated wetlands” misnomer.

Draft 1992 Resource Program : Technical Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration.

1992-01-01

The 1992 Resource Program will propose actions to meet future loads placed on the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). It will also discuss and attempt to resolve resource-related policy issues. The Resource Program assesses resource availability and costs, and analyzes resource requirements and alternative ways of meeting those requirements through both conservation and generation resources. These general resource conclusions are then translated to actions for both conservation and generation. The Resource Program recommends budgets for the Office of Energy Resources for Fiscal Years (FY) 1994 and 1995. BPA's Resource Program bears directly on an important BPA responsibility: the obligation under the Northwest Power Act{sup 3} to meet the power requirements of public and private utility and direct service industrial (DSI) customers according to their contractual agreements. BPA's Draft 1992 Resource Program is contained in four documents: (1) 1992 Resource Program Summary; (2) Technical Report; (3) Technical Assumptions Appendix; and, (4) Conservation Implementation Plan. This volume is the Draft 1992 Resource Program Technical Report, a comprehensive document that provides supporting data and analyses for Resource Program recommendations.

Draft 1992 Resource Program : Technical Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration.

1992-01-01

The 1992 Resource Program will propose actions to meet future loads placed on the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). It will also discuss and attempt to resolve resource-related policy issues. The Resource Program assesses resource availability and costs, and analyzes resource requirements and alternative ways of meeting those requirements through both conservation and generation resources. These general resource conclusions are then translated to actions for both conservation and generation. The Resource Program recommends budgets for the Office of Energy Resources for Fiscal Years (FY) 1994 and 1995. BPA`s Resource Program bears directly on an important BPA responsibility: the obligation under the Northwest Power Act{sup 3} to meet the power requirements of public and private utility and direct service industrial (DSI) customers according to their contractual agreements. BPA`s Draft 1992 Resource Program is contained in four documents: (1) 1992 Resource Program Summary; (2) Technical Report; (3) Technical Assumptions Appendix; and, (4) Conservation Implementation Plan. This volume is the Draft 1992 Resource Program Technical Report, a comprehensive document that provides supporting data and analyses for Resource Program recommendations.

Behavioural reproductive isolation and speciation in Drosophila

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the genus Drosophila, the phenomenon of behavioural reproductive isolation, which is an important type of premating (prezygotic) reproductive isolating mechanisms, has been extensively studied and interesting data have been documented. In many cases incomplete sexual isolation has been observed and the pattern ...

Isolation and morphological characterization of antibiotic producing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To isolate and characterize antibiotic producing actinomycetes from soil samples in Belgaum, Karnataka, India. Methods: Crowded plate technique was used for the isolation of actinomycetes in media such as soybean – casein digest medium and actinomycetes isolation agar. The morphological and cultural ...

Solar Resource Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Renne, D.; George, R.; Wilcox, S.; Stoffel, T.; Myers, D.; Heimiller, D.

2008-02-01

This report covers the solar resource assessment aspects of the Renewable Systems Interconnection study. The status of solar resource assessment in the United States is described, and summaries of the availability of modeled data sets are provided.

Isolation, screening and identification of novel isolates of Actinomycetes from India for antimicrobial applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vineeta Singh

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The search for novel bioactive compounds from the natural environment has been rapidly increased with the increase in multi-drug resistant (MDR pathogens. In the present study, the antimicrobial potential of novel actinomycetes has been evaluated by initial screening of six soil samples. Primary and secondary screening was performed against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Trichophyton rubrum, and other MDR bacterial and fungal test strains, and at the end thirteen active isolates were selected for further study. Microbial strains were identified on the basis of growth conditions and other biochemical characters. Five most active microbial strains were identified using 16S rRNA sequence homology and designated as Streptomyces xanthophaeus MTCC 11938, Streptomyces variabilis MTCC 12266, Streptomyces xanthochromogenes MTCC 11937, Streptomyces levis EU 124569 and Streptomyces sp. NCIM 5500. Four antibacterial and three antifungal compounds isolated from the above five isolates were purified and partially characterized using UV absorption and IR spectra. Two antibacterial metabolites, belong to chromone and peptide antibiotic, respectively. The antifungal compounds were found to be of non-polyene nature. In conclusion, we study the isolation of novel bacterial strains of actinomycetes for producing novel compounds having antibacterial and antifungal activities from the unexplored agro-ecological niches of India. Also, this study paves the way for further characterization of these isolates of Streptomyces sp. for their optimum utilization for antimicrobial purposes.

Isolation and Identification of L-asparaginase producing Erwinia strains which isolated from Potato Farms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arastoo Badoei-Dalfard

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: L-Asparaginase can be effectively used for the treatment of lymphoblastic leukemia. The rapid growth of cancer cells are needed for L-asparagine abundant storage. L-asparaginase catalyzes the hydrolysis of L-asparagine into L-aspartic acid and ammonia. The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify the L-asparaginase producing Erwinia strains from the potato farms of Jiroft. Materials and methods: Pectolytic Erwinia species isolated from crumbling potato in M9 medium. The desired L-asparaginase producing bacteria were isolated based on the color changes. Biochemical-microbial and the plant pathogenicity tests of these strains were also investigated with potato and geranium. The L-asparaginase production and molecular detection of these Erwinia strains were also investigated. Results: In this study, L-asparaginase producing Erwinia was isolated on the CVP and M9 mediums. The inoculation of Erwinia strains on the potato and geranium plants showed that Er8 and Er11 species have the ability to cause plant pathogenicity. Results showed that the maximum pathogenicity of Er8 and Er11 was observed after 48 and 15 h of inoculation in potato and geranium plants, respectively. 16S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analyses exhibited that Er8 and Er11 strains were similar to Erwinia chrysanthemi with 98% homology. Discussion and conclusion: Because of several applications of the Erwinia L-asparaginase in various fields, isolated Erwinia and their L-asparaginase can be suitable for applied utilization.

Screening and Isolation of Associated Bioactive Microorganisms from Fasciospongia cavernosa from of Visakhapatnam Coast, Bay of Bengal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Shamsher Kumar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Nature, especially the marine environment, provides the most effective drugs used in human therapy. Among the metazoans, the marine sponges produce the most potent and highly selective bioactive secondary metabolites. These animals (or their associated symbiotic microorganisms synthesize secondary metabolites whose activity and selectivity has developed during their long evolutionary history. During the course of exploitation of these resources two marine sponges, Fasciospongia cavernosa doc var.brown (dark brown Fasciospongia cavernosa doc var.yellow (yellow collected from the visakhapatnam coast of Bay of Bengal were investigated in order to assess the potential of these microorganisms for the production of antimicrobial compounds. The aqueous and organic extracts of both the sponges showed broad spectrum antibiotic activity. In this study a total of 178 microorganisms were isolated from different parts of two sponges and most of them from middle part of the sponge. The isolates were investigated in order to assess the potential of these microorganisms for the production of antimicrobial compounds. Testing for antimicrobial activities were performed against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, fungi (Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and 10 pathogenic organisms. Resulting mean diameter of inhibition zones revealed isolates B4 & B6 were the most potent of all the isolates. The present study has revealed the presence of high numbers of diverse culturable microorganisms associated with the marine sponges from Visakhapatnam Coast of Bay of Bengal as well as their potential to produce bioactive metabolites.

Verification and improvement of analytical modeling of seismic isolation bearings and isolated structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forni, M.; La Grotteria, M.; Martelli, A.; Bertola, S.; Bettinali, F.; Dusi, A.; Bergamo, G.; Bonacina, G.

2002-01-01

Due to the complexity of dynamic behaviour of seismic isolation (SI) devices, high cost of their tests and non-negligible number of devices having excellent potential for nuclear applications, several countries judged of great interest to extend validation of their numerical models of such devices to the analysis of experimental data obtained by others. Thus, a four-years Coordinated Research Program (CRP) on Intercomparison of Analysis Methods for Isolated Nuclear Structures, proposed by ENEA (1995), was endorsed by the IAEA in 1995. There, Italy was jointly represented by ENEA, ENEL and ISMES, and supplied test results concerning both High Damping Rubber Bearings (HDRBs) and the MISS (Model of Isolated Steel Structure) mock-up, which had been isolated using such bearings. Test data provided by Italy to the other countries were also re-analysed to improve mathematical models. Aim of this final report is to summarise, after a brief description of the devices and structures considered, the most important results and conclusions of the numerical analyses carried out by Italy. For more detailed information, especially as far as the execution of the tests and the implementation of the numerical models are concerned, please refer to the technical reports presented by Italy to the Research Coordination Meetings (RCMs). (author)

ECONOMICS OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

IOANA - JULIETA JOSAN

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to analyze human resources in terms of quantitative and qualitative side with special focus on the human capital accumulation influence. The paper examines the human resources trough human capital accumulation in terms of modern theory of human resources, educational capital, health, unemployment and migration. The findings presented in this work are based on theoretical economy publications and data collected from research materials. Sources of information include: documents from organizations - the EUROSTAT, INSSE - studies from publications, books, periodicals, and the Internet. The paper describes and analyzes human resources characteristics, human resource capacities, social and economic benefits of human capital accumulation based on economy, and the government plans and policies on health, education and labor market.

LHCb: Self managing experiment resources

CERN Multimedia

Stagni, F

2013-01-01

Within this paper we present an autonomic Computing resources management system used by LHCb for assessing the status of their Grid resources. Virtual Organizations Grids include heterogeneous resources. For example, LHC experiments very often use resources not provided by WLCG and Cloud Computing resources will soon provide a non-negligible fraction of their computing power. The lack of standards and procedures across experiments and sites generated the appearance of multiple information systems, monitoring tools, ticket portals, etc... which nowadays coexist and represent a very precious source of information for running HEP experiments Computing systems as well as sites. These two facts lead to many particular solutions for a general problem: managing the experiment resources. In this paper we present how LHCb, via the DIRAC interware addressed such issues. With a renewed Central Information Schema hosting all resources metadata and a Status System ( Resource Status System ) delivering real time informatio...

Isolation and antibiotic resistance of Ureaplasma spp. isolated from urogenital specimen between 2002 to 2007

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Tito Del Gaudio

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Ureaplasma spp. and Mycoplasma hominis are frequently isolated from urogenital samples. Ureaplasma spp is responsible for cervicovaginitis, salpingitis, urethritis, epididymitis, male and female infertility, spontaneous abortion, and during pregnancy, for the premature rupture of the membranes, because of chorionamnionitis. Our study aimed to establish the pattern of antimicrobial resistance among Ureaplasma spp isolated in the area of Andria,Apulia Region, from January 2002 to December 2007. 240/781 (30.7% of the urogenital samples examined were found Ureaplasma spp.-positive. 152/240 (63.3 % were >104 UFC/ml and 88/240 (36.7 % were <104 UFC/ml. With regard to the resistance rate, we observed significant increase in resistance to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin. While we did not observe resistance to doxycycline, strains resistant to tetracycline, josamycin, and pristinamycins, were isolated during last years of investigation. Our data may help improve the management of these infections above all in consideration of the differences among isolates in different geographic regions.

Security Isolation Strategy Mechanism for Lightweight Virtualization Environment

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Liu Qian

2017-01-01

Full Text Available For cloud service providers, lightweight virtualization is a more economical way of virtualization. While the user is worried about the safety of applications and data of the container, due to the container sharing the underlying interface and the kernel, therefore the security and trusted degree of lightweight virtualization container isolation mechanism is critical for the promotion of lightweight virtualization service. Because the user cannot directly participate in the process of the construction and management of container isolation mechanism, it is difficult for them to establish confidence in the security and trusted degree of container isolation mechanism. Based on the research and analysis of system credible and virtualization isolation mechanism, this paper puts forward a set of lightweight virtualization security isolation strategy mechanism, divides lightweight virtualization container storage address space into several parts, puts forward the definition of lightweight virtualization security isolation, gives the formal description and proof of container security isolation strategy, and combines with related technology to verify the feasibility of lightweight virtualization security isolation strategy mechanism. The mechanism has important guiding significance for cloud services providers to deploy container security isolation.

Utilities/industries joint study on seismic isolation systems for LWR: Part I. Experimental and analytical studies on seismic isolation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Muneaki; Sato, Shoji; Shimomura, Issei

1989-01-01

This paper describes a joint study program on seismic isolation systems for light-water reactors (LWRs) performed by ten electric power companies, three manufacturers, and five construction companies. The fundamental response characteristics of base-isolated structures and base-isolation devices are described. Applications of a base-isolation system to LWR buildings are given. Finally, three-dimensional shaking table experiments are described

Permanent isolation surface barrier development plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wing, N.R.

1994-01-01

The exhumation and treatment of wastes may not always be the preferred alternative in the remediation of a waste site. In-place disposal alternatives, under certain circumstances, may be the most desirable alternatives to use in the protection of human health and the environment. The implementation of an in-place disposal alternative will likely require some type of protective covering that will provide long-term isolation of the wastes from the accessible environment. Even if the wastes are exhumed and treated, a long-term barrier may still be needed to adequately dispose of the treated wastes or any remaining waste residuals. Currently, no open-quotes provenclose quotes long-term barrier is available. The Hanford Site Permanent Isolation Surface Barrier Development Program (BDP) was organized to develop the technology needed to provide a long-term surface barrier capability for the Hanford Site. The permanent isolation barrier technology also could be used at other sites. Permanent isolation barriers use engineered layers of natural materials to create an integrated structure with redundant protective features. Drawings of conceptual permanent isolation surface barriers are shown. The natural construction materials (e.g., fine soil, sand, gravel, riprap, asphalt) have been selected to optimize barrier performance and longevity. The objective of current designs is to use natural materials to develop a maintenance-free permanent isolation surface barrier that isolates wastes for a minimum of 1,000 years by limiting water drainage to near-zero amounts; reducing the likelihood of plant, animal, and human intrusion; controlling the exhalation of noxious gases; and minimizing erosion-related problems

Permanent isolation surface barrier development plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wing, N.R.

1994-01-01

The exhumation and treatment of wastes may not always be the preferred alternative in the remediation of a waste site. In-place disposal alternatives, under certain circumstances, may be the most desirable alternatives to use in the protection of human health and the environment. The implementation of an in-place disposal alternative will likely require some type of protective covering that will provide long-term isolation of the wastes from the accessible environment. Even if the wastes are exhumed and treated, a long-term barrier may still be needed to adequately dispose of the treated wastes or any remaining waste residuals. Currently, no {open_quotes}proven{close_quotes} long-term barrier is available. The Hanford Site Permanent Isolation Surface Barrier Development Program (BDP) was organized to develop the technology needed to provide a long-term surface barrier capability for the Hanford Site. The permanent isolation barrier technology also could be used at other sites. Permanent isolation barriers use engineered layers of natural materials to create an integrated structure with redundant protective features. Drawings of conceptual permanent isolation surface barriers are shown. The natural construction materials (e.g., fine soil, sand, gravel, riprap, asphalt) have been selected to optimize barrier performance and longevity. The objective of current designs is to use natural materials to develop a maintenance-free permanent isolation surface barrier that isolates wastes for a minimum of 1,000 years by limiting water drainage to near-zero amounts; reducing the likelihood of plant, animal, and human intrusion; controlling the exhalation of noxious gases; and minimizing erosion-related problems.

Management Resource Values

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A. B. Bakuradze

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The paper looks at the managerial resource values guaranteeing the effective functioning and development of any social institution. The main emphasis is on the asset management in educational sphere and optimizationopportunities of organizational processes. The human, logistical, technical, informational and time resources ofmanagerial activity are outlined and specified from the strategic perspective and effectiveness standpoint. The necessary criteria of a strategic resource are identified as the value, rarity, originality and indispensability. The author makes a conclusion about the priority of human resources in the value hierarchy of social organization in the era of information society. The paper demonstrates both the theoretical and practical ways and means of raising the effectiveness and efficiency of educational institutions, as well as the constant need for teacher’s training, retraining, and stimulation of self-education. The investment in human resources and motivating environment, aimed at developing the potential of academic staff and other employees of educational institutions, benefits both the managers and employees alike and leads to social partnership, harmony, and conciliation of economic and social interests within the organization.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in Rehmannia glutinosa (Scrophulariaceae), a medicinal herb.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiao, Zhenbin; Cheng, Yueqin; Wang, Hongwei; Lei, Caiyan; Wang, G Geoff; Han, Linjiang

2015-10-01

Rehmannia glutinosa (Scrophulariaceae) is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Microsatellite primers were developed and characterized for this species to evaluate its genetic diversity and population genetic structure. Sixteen microsatellite loci were isolated from R. glutinosa using an enriched genomic library, and these markers were characterized in two wild populations of this species. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 20. A high genetic diversity was observed in two populations, with average observed heterozygosity of 0.812 and 0.794, and average expected heterozygosity of 0.802 and 0.814, respectively. Rehmannia glutinosa is an important medicinal resource. The genetic markers described in our study will be useful for future population genetic studies and molecular breeding programs on this species.

Dirofilaria immitis JYD-34 isolate: whole genome analysis

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Catherine Bourguinat

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Macrocyclic lactone (ML anthelmintics are used for chemoprophylaxis for heartworm infection in dogs and cats. Cases of dogs becoming infected with heartworms, despite apparent compliance to recommended chemoprophylaxis with approved preventives, has led to such cases being considered as suspected lack of efficacy (LOE. Recently, microfilariae collected from a small number of LOE isolates were used as a source of infection of new host dogs and confirmed to have reduced susceptibility to ML in controlled efficacy studies using L3 challenge in dogs. A specific Dirofilaria immitis laboratory isolate named JYD-34 has also been confirmed to have less than 100% susceptibility to ML-based preventives. For preventive claims against heartworm disease, evidence of 100% efficacy is required by FDA-CVM. It was therefore of interest to determine whether JYD-34 has a genetic profile similar to other documented LOE and confirmed reduced susceptibility isolates or has a genetic profile similar to known ML-susceptible isolates. Methods In this study, the 90Mbp whole genome of the JYD-34 strain was sequenced. This genome was compared using bioinformatics tools to pooled whole genomes of four well-characterized susceptible D. immitis populations, one susceptible Missouri laboratory isolate, as well as the pooled whole genomes of four LOE D. immitis populations. Fixation indexes (FST, which allow the genetic structure of each population (isolate to be compared at the level of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP across the genome, have been calculated. Forty-one previously reported SNP, that appeared to differentiate between susceptible and LOE and confirmed reduced susceptibility isolates, were also investigated in the JYD-34 isolate. Results The FST analysis, and the analysis of the 41 SNP that appeared to differentiate reduced susceptibility from fully susceptible isolates, confirmed that the JYD-34 isolate has a genome similar to previously

The study and analysis of point-to-point vibration isolation and its utility to seismic base isolator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehboob, M.; Qureshi, A.S.

2001-01-01

This paper presents systematic approach to regarding the piece wise vibration isolation generally termed as point-to-point vibration isolation system, and its broad spectrum-utilities to an economic seismic base isolation. Transfer of curves for coulomb damped i.e. softening damper flexible mountings are presented and the utility has been proved equally good for both rigidly and elastically coupled damping. It is clearly shown that the very closest solutions are easily obtainable for both slipping and sticking nature of phases of the motion. This eliminates the conventional and conceptual approximations based on the linearization of the damping. This new concept will not endanger-super-structure if mounted on such isolation systems. (author)

Prevalence and Biotyping of Pasteurella Haemolytica Isolates from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

P. haemolytica isolated from Sahel sheep and goat in Maiduguri was characterized phenotypically. A total of 92 P. haemolytica isolates were obtained from the nasopharyngeal swabs while a total of 15 isolates came from pneumonic lung samples. The results showed that 37(20.22%) P. haemolytica isolates were obtained ...

Isolation barriers between petunia axillaris and Petunia integrifolia (Solanaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Dell'olivo, Alexandre; Hoballah, Maria Elena; Gübitz, Thomas; Kuhlemeier, Cris

2011-07-01

The isolation barriers restricting gene flow between populations or species are of crucial interest for understanding how biological species arise and how they are maintained. Few studies have examined the entire range of possible isolation barriers from geographic isolation to next generation hybrid viability. Here, we present a detailed analysis of isolation barriers between two flowering plant species of the genus Petunia (Solanaceae). Petunia integrifolia and P. axillaris feature divergent pollination syndromes but can produce fertile hybrids when crossed in the laboratory. Both Petunia species are primarily isolated in space but appear not to hybridize in sympatry. Our experiments demonstrate that pollinator isolation is very high but not strong enough to explain the absence of hybrids in nature. However, pollinator isolation in conjunction with male gametic isolation (i.e., pollen-pistil interaction) can explain the lack of natural hybridization, while postzygotic isolation barriers are low or nonexistent. Our study supports the notion that reproductive isolation in flowering plants is mainly caused by pre- rather than postzygotic isolation mechanisms. © 2011 The Author(s). Evolution© 2011 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Resource Disambiguator for the Web: Extracting Biomedical Resources and Their Citations from the Scientific Literature.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Burak Ozyurt

Full Text Available The NIF Registry developed and maintained by the Neuroscience Information Framework is a cooperative project aimed at cataloging research resources, e.g., software tools, databases and tissue banks, funded largely by governments and available as tools to research scientists. Although originally conceived for neuroscience, the NIF Registry has over the years broadened in the scope to include research resources of general relevance to biomedical research. The current number of research resources listed by the Registry numbers over 13K. The broadening in scope to biomedical science led us to re-christen the NIF Registry platform as SciCrunch. The NIF/SciCrunch Registry has been cataloging the resource landscape since 2006; as such, it serves as a valuable dataset for tracking the breadth, fate and utilization of these resources. Our experience shows research resources like databases are dynamic objects, that can change location and scope over time. Although each record is entered manually and human-curated, the current size of the registry requires tools that can aid in curation efforts to keep content up to date, including when and where such resources are used. To address this challenge, we have developed an open source tool suite, collectively termed RDW: Resource Disambiguator for the (Web. RDW is designed to help in the upkeep and curation of the registry as well as in enhancing the content of the registry by automated extraction of resource candidates from the literature. The RDW toolkit includes a URL extractor from papers, resource candidate screen, resource URL change tracker, resource content change tracker. Curators access these tools via a web based user interface. Several strategies are used to optimize these tools, including supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms as well as statistical text analysis. The complete tool suite is used to enhance and maintain the resource registry as well as track the usage of individual

Resource-adaptive cognitive processes

CERN Document Server

Crocker, Matthew W

2010-01-01

This book investigates the adaptation of cognitive processes to limited resources. The central topics of this book are heuristics considered as results of the adaptation to resource limitations, through natural evolution in the case of humans, or through artificial construction in the case of computational systems; the construction and analysis of resource control in cognitive processes; and an analysis of resource-adaptivity within the paradigm of concurrent computation. The editors integrated the results of a collaborative 5-year research project that involved over 50 scientists. After a mot

Integrated Resource Management and Recovery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard

2014-01-01

, depends on the quality of these resources and technological abilities to extract resources from mixed materials, e.g. mobile phones, solar cells, or mixed domestic waste. The "effort" invested in recovery of secondary resources should not be more than the "benefit" associated with the secondary resources...

Human Resource Construction

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2015-01-01

Centering on strategic objective of reform and development,CIAE formulated its objectives in human resource construction for the 13th Five-year Plan period,and achieved new apparent progress in human resource construction in 2015.1 Implementation of"LONGMA Project"

21 CFR 870.2600 - Signal isolation system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... system. (a) Identification. A signal isolation system is a device that electrically isolates the patient... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Signal isolation system. 870.2600 Section 870.2600 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED...

Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) 10: operationalising disinvestment in a conceptual framework for resource allocation.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Claire; Green, Sally; Elshaug, Adam G

2017-09-08

This is the tenth in a series of papers reporting a program of Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) in a local healthcare setting. After more than a decade of research, there is little published evidence of active and successful disinvestment. The paucity of frameworks, methods and tools is reported to be a factor in the lack of success. However there are clear and consistent messages in the literature that can be used to inform development of a framework for operationalising disinvestment. This paper, along with the conceptual review of disinvestment in Paper 9 of this series, aims to integrate the findings of the SHARE Program with the existing disinvestment literature to address the lack of information regarding systematic organisation-wide approaches to disinvestment at the local health service level. A framework for disinvestment in a local healthcare setting is proposed. Definitions for essential terms and key concepts underpinning the framework have been made explicit to address the lack of consistent terminology. Given the negative connotations of the word 'disinvestment' and the problems inherent in considering disinvestment in isolation, the basis for the proposed framework is 'resource allocation' to address the spectrum of decision-making from investment to disinvestment. The focus is positive: optimising healthcare, improving health outcomes, using resources effectively. The framework is based on three components: a program for decision-making, projects to implement decisions and evaluate outcomes, and research to understand and improve the program and project activities. The program consists of principles for decision-making and settings that provide opportunities to introduce systematic prompts and triggers to initiate disinvestment. The projects follow the steps in the disinvestment process. Potential methods and tools are presented, however the framework does not stipulate project design or conduct; allowing

The genotypic characterization of Cronobacter spp. isolated in China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinghua Cui

Full Text Available Cronobacter spp. (Enterobacter sakazakii is an important pathogen contaminating powdered infant formula (PIF. To describe the genotypic diversity of Cronobacter isolated in China, we identified the isolates using fusA allele sequencing, and subtyped all of the isolates using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST, and multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA. A total of 105 isolates were identified, which included C. sakazakii (58 isolates, C. malonaticus (30 isolates, C. dublinensis (11 isolates, C. turicensis (5 isolates, and C. muytjensii (1 isolate. These isolates were showed to have 85 PFGE-patterns, 71 sequence types (STs, and 55 MLVA-patterns. Comparisons among the three molecular subtyping methods revealed that the PFGE method was the most distinguishable tool in identifying clusters of Cronobacter spp. through DNA fingerprinting, and MLST method came second. However, ESTR-1, ESTR-2, ESTR-3, and ESTR-4 were not effective loci for subtyping Cronobacter spp. such that the MLVA method requires further improvement.

Performance expectations, personal resources, and job resources : how do they predict work engagement?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barbier, M.; Hansez, I.; Chmiel, N.; Demerouti, E.

2013-01-01

Research on work engagement has mainly focused on the role of job and personal resources and has ignored the possible impact of personal demands workers develop with regard to their work. The aim of our study was to test the reciprocal relationships that job resources, personal resources, and

Mongolia wind resource assessment project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliott, D.; Chadraa, B.; Natsagdorj, L.

1998-01-01

The development of detailed, regional wind-resource distributions and other pertinent wind resource characteristics (e.g., assessment maps and reliable estimates of seasonal, diurnal, and directional) is an important step in planning and accelerating the deployment of wind energy systems. This paper summarizes the approach and methods being used to conduct a wind energy resource assessment of Mongolia. The primary goals of this project are to develop a comprehensive wind energy resource atlas of Mongolia and to establish a wind measurement program in specific regions of Mongolia to identify prospective sites for wind energy projects and to help validate some of the wind resource estimates. The Mongolian wind resource atlas will include detailed, computerized wind power maps and other valuable wind resource characteristic information for the different regions of Mongolia

Uranium market and resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capus, G.; Arnold, T.

2005-01-01

Under the combined effect of various factors, such as interrogations related to facing the climatic changes, the increasing prices of oil versus announced decrease of its resources, the major geopolitical evolution and the remarkable development of Asia, we live nowadays a revival of nuclear power in the very front of stage. In tis context, the following question is posed: could the nuclear fission be a sustainable source of energy when taking into consideration the availability of uranium resources? The article aims at pinpointing the knowledge we have about the world uranium resources, their limits of uncertainty and the relation between knowledge resources and market evolution. To conclude, some susceptible tracks are proposed to improve the using process of uranium resources particularly in softening the impact of high prices

Merge of terminological resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Lina; Braasch, Anna

2012-01-01

In our globalized world, the amount of cross-national communication increases rapidly, which also calls for easy access to multi-lingual high quality terminological resources. Sharing of terminology resources is currently becoming common practice, and efficient strategies for integration...... – or merging – of terminology resources are strongly needed. This paper discusses prerequisites for successful merging with the focus on identification of candidate duplicates of a subject domain found in the resources to be merged, and it describes automatic merging strategies to be applied to such duplicates...... in electronic terminology resources. Further, some perspectives of manual, supplementary assessment methods supporting the automatic procedures are sketched. Our considerations are primarily based on experience gained in the IATE and EuroTermBank projects, as merging was a much discussed issue in both projects....

Effect of Trichoderma isolates on tomato seedling growth response ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Trichoderma species are commonly used as biological control agents against phytopathogenic fungi and some isolates are able to improve plant growth. In this study, the effects of three Trichoderma isolates including Trichoderma harzianum isolate T969, T. harzianum isolate T447 and Trichoderma sp. isolate T in tomato ...

Childhood acute non-traumatic coma: aetiology and challenges in management in resource-poor countries of Africa and Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gwer, Samson; Chacha, Clifford; Newton, Charles R; Idro, Richard

2013-08-01

This review examines the best available evidence on the aetiology of childhood acute non-traumatic coma in resource-poor countries (RPCs), discusses the challenges associated with management, and explores strategies to address them. Publications in English and French which reported on studies on the aetiology of childhood non-traumatic coma in RPCs are reviewed. Primarily, the MEDLINE database was searched using the keywords coma, unconsciousness, causality, aetiology, child, malaria cerebral, meningitis, encephalitis, Africa, Asia, and developing countries. 14 records were identified for inclusion in the review. Cerebral malaria (CM) was the commonest cause of childhood coma in most of the studies conducted in Africa. Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) was the second most common known cause of coma in seven of the African studies. Of the studies in Asia, encephalitides were the commonest cause of coma in two studies in India, and ABM was the commonest cause of coma in Pakistan. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most commonly isolated organism in ABM. Japanese encephalitis, dengue fever and enteroviruses were the viral agents most commonly isolated. Accurate diagnosis of the aetiology of childhood coma in RPCs is complicated by overlap in clinical presentation, limited diagnostic resources, disease endemicity and co-morbidity. For improved outcomes, studies are needed to further elucidate the aetiology of childhood coma in RPCs, explore simple and practical diagnostic tools, and investigate the most appropriate specific and supportive interventions to manage and prevent infectious encephalopathies.

Isolation, identification and characterization of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BZ-6, a bacterial isolate for enhancing oil recovery from oily sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wuxing; Wang, Xiaobing; Wu, Longhua; Chen, Mengfang; Tu, Chen; Luo, Yongming; Christie, Peter

2012-06-01

Over 100 biosurfactant-producing microorganisms were isolated from oily sludge and petroleum-contaminated soil from Shengli oil field in north China. Sixteen of the bacterial isolates produced biosurfactants and reduced the surface tension of the growth medium from 71 to treat oily sludge and the recovery efficiencies of oil from oily sludge were determined. The oil recovery efficiencies of different isolates ranged from 39% to 88%. Bacterial isolate BZ-6 was found to be the most efficient strain and the three phases (oil, water and sediment) were separated automatically after the sludge was treated with the culture medium of BZ-6. Based on morphological, physiological characteristics and molecular identification, isolate BZ-6 was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The biosurfactant produced by isolate BZ-6 was purified and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. There were four ion peaks representing four different fengycin A homologues. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

K. OXYTOCA BACTERIOPHAGES ISOLATION METHODS IMPROVEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. R. Sadrtdinova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of a study related to increasing the efficiency of phage isolation of bacteria of the species K. oxytoca, by developing the optimal composition of the medium used in the work. In scientific research, in almost all methods associated with the isolation of bacteriophages, meat-peptone broth and meat-peptone agar are used as the nutrient basis. The peculiarities of growth and cultivation of microorganisms create certain difficulties for the isolation of phages active against bacteria of the species K. oxytoca. The selection of components and the creation of an environment that would ensure the optimal growth of both the bacterial culture and the reproduction of the virus makes it possible to facilitate the isolation of bacteriophages. The number of bacterial strains used in the work was 7. All strains of cultures were obtained from the Museum of the Department of Microbiology, Virology, Epizootology and Veterinary and Sanitary Expertise of the Federal State Budget Educational Institution of Higher Education “Ulyanovsk State Agrarian University named after P.A. Stolypin”. The studies included 2 main stages. The first stage consisted in isolation of bacteriophages by the method of isolation from the external environment by the method of Adelson L.I., Lyashenko E.A. The material for the studies were samples: soil, sewage sample, fecal samples (2. Only 4 samples. According to the chosen method, the sowing of the putative phagolysate was carried out on meat-peptone agar (1.5% and the agar for isolating bacteriophages (Aph (1.5%. A positive result was the presence on the environment of negative colonies, clearly visible on the matt background of deep growth of bacteria. A negative result is a continuous growth (“lawn” of bacterial culture. As a control, the culture of the microorganism studied was used for the media. In the course of the conducted studies for the first stage, 2 bacteriophages were isolated, active

Social Isolation, Depression, and Psychological Distress Among Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Harry Owen; Taylor, Robert Joseph; Nguyen, Ann W; Chatters, Linda

2018-02-01

To investigate the impact of objective and subjective social isolation from extended family members and friends on depressive symptoms and psychological distress among a national sample of older adults. Data for older adults (55 years and above) from the National Survey of American Life ( N = 1,439) were used to assess level of objective social isolation and subjective social isolation and to test regression models examining their impact on depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression [CES-D] Scale) and psychological distress (Kessler 6 [K6] Scale). The majority of respondents were not socially isolated from family or friends; 5% were objectively isolated from family and friends, and less than 1% were subjectively isolated from family and friends. Regression analyses using both social isolation measures indicated that objective social isolation was unrelated to depressive symptoms and psychological distress. However, subjective social isolation from both family and friends and from friends only was associated with more depressive symptoms, and subjective social isolation from friends only was associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Assessments of social isolation among older populations should account for both subjective and objective dimensions, as well as both family and friend social networks. Social isolation from friends is an important, but understudied, issue that has significant consequences for older adult mental health.

Test on large-scale seismic isolation elements, 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazda, T.; Moteki, M.; Ishida, K.; Shiojiri, H.; Fujita, T.

1991-01-01

Seismic isolation test program of Central Research Inst. of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) to apply seismic isolation to Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) plant was started in 1987. In this test program, demonstration test of seismic isolation elements was considered as one of the most important research items. Facilities for testing seismic isolation elements were built in Abiko Research Laboratory of CRIEPI. Various tests of large-scale seismic isolation elements were conducted up to this day. Many important test data to develop design technical guidelines was obtained. (author)

From biomedicine to natural history research: EST resources for ambystomatid salamanders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bryant Susan V

2004-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Establishing genomic resources for closely related species will provide comparative insights that are crucial for understanding diversity and variability at multiple levels of biological organization. We developed ESTs for Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum and Eastern tiger salamander (A. tigrinum tigrinum, species with deep and diverse research histories. Results Approximately 40,000 quality cDNA sequences were isolated for these species from various tissues, including regenerating limb and tail. These sequences and an existing set of 16,030 cDNA sequences for A. mexicanum were processed to yield 35,413 and 20,599 high quality ESTs for A. mexicanum and A. t. tigrinum, respectively. Because the A. t. tigrinum ESTs were obtained primarily from a normalized library, an approximately equal number of contigs were obtained for each species, with 21,091 unique contigs identified overall. The 10,592 contigs that showed significant similarity to sequences from the human RefSeq database reflected a diverse array of molecular functions and biological processes, with many corresponding to genes expressed during spinal cord injury in rat and fin regeneration in zebrafish. To demonstrate the utility of these EST resources, we searched databases to identify probes for regeneration research, characterized intra- and interspecific nucleotide polymorphism, saturated a human – Ambystoma synteny group with marker loci, and extended PCR primer sets designed for A. mexicanum / A. t. tigrinum orthologues to a related tiger salamander species. Conclusions Our study highlights the value of developing resources in traditional model systems where the likelihood of information transfer to multiple, closely related taxa is high, thus simultaneously enabling both laboratory and natural history research.

From biomedicine to natural history research: EST resources for ambystomatid salamanders

Science.gov (United States)

Putta, Srikrishna; Smith, Jeramiah J; Walker, John A; Rondet, Mathieu; Weisrock, David W; Monaghan, James; Samuels, Amy K; Kump, Kevin; King, David C; Maness, Nicholas J; Habermann, Bianca; Tanaka, Elly; Bryant, Susan V; Gardiner, David M; Parichy, David M; Voss, S Randal

2004-01-01

Background Establishing genomic resources for closely related species will provide comparative insights that are crucial for understanding diversity and variability at multiple levels of biological organization. We developed ESTs for Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) and Eastern tiger salamander (A. tigrinum tigrinum), species with deep and diverse research histories. Results Approximately 40,000 quality cDNA sequences were isolated for these species from various tissues, including regenerating limb and tail. These sequences and an existing set of 16,030 cDNA sequences for A. mexicanum were processed to yield 35,413 and 20,599 high quality ESTs for A. mexicanum and A. t. tigrinum, respectively. Because the A. t. tigrinum ESTs were obtained primarily from a normalized library, an approximately equal number of contigs were obtained for each species, with 21,091 unique contigs identified overall. The 10,592 contigs that showed significant similarity to sequences from the human RefSeq database reflected a diverse array of molecular functions and biological processes, with many corresponding to genes expressed during spinal cord injury in rat and fin regeneration in zebrafish. To demonstrate the utility of these EST resources, we searched databases to identify probes for regeneration research, characterized intra- and interspecific nucleotide polymorphism, saturated a human – Ambystoma synteny group with marker loci, and extended PCR primer sets designed for A. mexicanum / A. t. tigrinum orthologues to a related tiger salamander species. Conclusions Our study highlights the value of developing resources in traditional model systems where the likelihood of information transfer to multiple, closely related taxa is high, thus simultaneously enabling both laboratory and natural history research. PMID:15310388

Measuring protected-area isolation and correlations of isolation with land-use intensity and protection status.

Science.gov (United States)

Seiferling, Ian S; Proulx, Raphaël; Peres-Neto, Pedro R; Fahrig, Lenore; Messier, Christian

2012-08-01

Protected areas cover over 12% of the terrestrial surface of Earth, and yet many fail to protect species and ecological processes as originally envisioned. Results of recent studies suggest that a critical reason for this failure is an increasing contrast between the protected lands and the surrounding matrix of often highly altered land cover. We measured the isolation of 114 protected areas distributed worldwide by comparing vegetation-cover heterogeneity inside protected areas with heterogeneity outside the protected areas. We quantified heterogeneity as the contagion of greenness on the basis of NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) values, for which a higher value of contagion indicates less heterogeneous land cover. We then measured isolation as the difference between mean contagion inside the protected area and mean contagion in 3 buffer areas of increasing distance from the protected-area border. The isolation of protected areas was significantly positive in 110 of the 114 areas, indicating that vegetation cover was consistently more heterogeneous 10-20 km outside protected areas than inside their borders. Unlike previous researchers, we found that protected areas in which low levels of human activity are allowed were more isolated than areas in which high levels are allowed. Our method is a novel way to assess the isolation of protected areas in different environmental contexts and regions. ©2011 Society for Conservation Biology.

The requirement for freshly isolated human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells in isolating CRC stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, F; Bellister, S; Lu, J; Ye, X; Boulbes, D R; Tozzi, F; Sceusi, E; Kopetz, S; Tian, F; Xia, L; Zhou, Y; Bhattacharya, R; Ellis, L M

2015-02-03

Isolation of colorectal cancer (CRC) cell populations enriched for cancer stem cells (CSCs) may facilitate target identification. There is no consensus regarding the best methods for isolating CRC stem cells (CRC-SCs). We determined the suitability of various cellular models and various stem cell markers for the isolation of CRC-SCs. Established human CRC cell lines, established CRC cell lines passaged through mice, patient-derived xenograft (PDX)-derived cells, early passage/newly established cell lines, and cells directly from clinical specimens were studied. Cells were FAC-sorted for the CRC-SC markers CD44, CD133, and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Sphere formation and in vivo tumorigenicity studies were used to validate CRC-SC enrichment. None of the markers studied in established cell lines, grown either in vitro or in vivo, consistently enriched for CRC-SCs. In the three other cellular models, CD44 and CD133 did not reliably enrich for stemness. In contrast, freshly isolated PDX-derived cells or early passage/newly established CRC cell lines with high ALDH activity formed spheres in vitro and enhanced tumorigenicity in vivo, whereas cells with low ALDH activity did not. PDX-derived cells, early passages/newly established CRC cell lines and cells from clinical specimen with high ALDH activity can be used to identify CRC-SC-enriched populations. Established CRC cell lines should not be used to isolate CSCs.

The waste isolation safety assessment programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandstetter, A.; Harwell, M.A.

1980-01-01

Associated with commercial nuclear power production in the USA is the generation of potentially hazardous radioactive wastes. The Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Programme, is seeking to develop nuclear waste isolation systems in geologic formations that will preclude contact with the biosphere of waste radionuclides in concentrations which are sufficient to cause deleterious impact on humans or their environments. Comprehensive analyses of specific isolation systems are needed to assess the expectations of meeting that objective. The Waste Isolation Safety Assessment Programme (WISAP) has been established at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (operated by Battelle Memorial Institute) for developing the capability of making those analyses. Among the analyses required for isolation system evaluation is the detailed assessment of the post-closure performance of nuclear waste repositories in geologic formations. This assessment is essential, since it is concerned with aspects of the nuclear power programme which previously have not been addressed. Specifically, the nature of the isolation systems (e.g. involving breach scenarios and transport through the geosphere), and the time-scales necessary for isolation, dictate the development, demonstration and application of novel assessment capabilities. The assessment methodology needs to be thorough, flexible, objective, and scientifically defensible. Further, the data utilized must be accurate, documented, reproducible, and based on sound scientific principles. (author)

Study on design method for seismically isolated FBR plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirata, Kazuta; Yabana, Shuichi; Ohtori, Yasuki; Ishida, Katsuhiko; Sawada, Yoshihiro; Shiojiri; Hiroo; Mazda, Taiji

1998-01-01

CRIEPI conducted 'Demonstration test on FBR seismic isolation system' from 1987 to 1996 under contract with Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Japan. In the demonstration test, base isolation technologies are prepared and demonstrated to apply to FBR and the design guidelines are proposed. In this report overall contents of the design guidelines entitled Design guidelines for seismically base isolated FBR plants' are included. The design guidelines, as a rule, are limited to apply to FBR plants where entire reactor building is isolated in the horizontal direction using laminated rubber bearings as isolators. The design guidelines and its concepts, however, will be useful for the development of similar guidelines for other isolation systems using different type of isolation methods and other nuclear facilities. The design guidelines consist of three parts and appendices. The first part is 'Policy for Safety Design of Base Isolated FBR Plants' specifying the principles and the requirements in the planning and the design for the safety of base isolated FBR plants. The second part is Policy for Seismic Design of Base Isolated FBR' describing the principles and the requirements in the seismic design and the evaluation of safety for base isolated FBR plants. The third part is 'Design Methods for Seismic Isolated FBR Plants' detailing the methods, procedures and parameters to be used in the design and the evaluation of safety fro base isolated FBR plants. In appendices examples of design procedures for base isolated reactor building and laminated rubber bearings as well as various test data on laminated rubber bearings, etc. are shown. (author)

Isolated Amoebic Abscess of Spleen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaushik M

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Amoebic liver abscess is the most common extraintestinal manifestation of amoebiasis. Extrahepatic amoebic abscesses have occasionally been described in the lung, brain, and skin and presumably result from hematogenous spread. Isolated amoebic abscess of spleen has been reported scarcely in literature. We report here a case of isolated amoebic abscess of spleen.

Social Isolation in Later Life: Extending the Conversation.

Science.gov (United States)

Weldrick, Rachel; Grenier, Amanda

2018-03-01

As Canada's population continues to age, social isolation among older people is a growing concern and national-level priority. Although much is known about individual-level risks and negative health outcomes associated with social isolation in later life, the impact of life course trajectories and the more collective experiences are seldom considered. Current definitions and program responses tend to rely on individualized approaches to social isolation. Here, we argue that the conversation be extended to consider the social and cultural aspects of social isolation among older people. Specifically, we suggest that definitions and approaches consider three particular dimensions: temporal factors, spatial factors, and the relationship between social isolation and exclusion. Doing so, we argue, would result in a more inclusive approach to social isolation in late life, and the development of capacity to address social isolation among a wide range of older people, particularly the needs of vulnerable or marginalized groups.

Experimental platform utilising melting curve technology for detection of mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Broda, Agnieszka; Nikolayevskyy, Vlad; Casali, Nicki; Khan, Huma; Bowker, Richard; Blackwell, Gemma; Patel, Bhakti; Hume, James; Hussain, Waqar; Drobniewski, Francis

2018-04-20

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most deadly infections with approximately a quarter of cases not being identified and/or treated mainly due to a lack of resources. Rapid detection of TB or drug-resistant TB enables timely adequate treatment and is a cornerstone of effective TB management. We evaluated the analytical performance of a single-tube assay for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) on an experimental platform utilising RT-PCR and melting curve analysis that could potentially be operated as a point-of-care (PoC) test in resource-constrained settings with a high burden of TB. Firstly, we developed and evaluated the prototype MDR-TB assay using specimens extracted from well-characterised TB isolates with a variety of distinct rifampicin and isoniazid resistance conferring mutations and nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) strains. Secondly, we validated the experimental platform using 98 clinical sputum samples from pulmonary TB patients collected in high MDR-TB settings. The sensitivity of the platform for TB detection in clinical specimens was 75% for smear-negative and 92.6% for smear-positive sputum samples. The sensitivity of detection for rifampicin and isoniazid resistance was 88.9 and 96.0% and specificity was 87.5 and 100%, respectively. Observed limitations in sensitivity and specificity could be resolved by adjusting the sample preparation methodology and melting curve recognition algorithm. Overall technology could be considered a promising PoC methodology especially in resource-constrained settings based on its combined accuracy, convenience, simplicity, speed, and cost characteristics.

Human Resource Management and Human Resource Development: Evolution and Contributions

Science.gov (United States)

Richman, Nicole

2015-01-01

Research agrees that a high performance organization (HPO) cannot exist without an elevated value placed on human resource management (HRM) and human resource development (HRD). However, a complementary pairing of HRM and HRD has not always existed. The evolution of HRD from its roots in human knowledge transference to HRM and present day HRD…

Timber resource statistics for the Sacramento resource area of California.

Science.gov (United States)

Karen L. Waddell; Patricia M. Bassett

1997-01-01

This report is a summary of timber resource statistics for the Sacramento Resource Area of California, which includes Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, and Yuba Counties. Data were collected as part of a statewide multiresource inventory. The inventory sampled private and public lands except...

Reasoning abstractly about resources

Science.gov (United States)

Clement, B.; Barrett, A.

2001-01-01

r describes a way to schedule high level activities before distributing them across multiple rovers in order to coordinate the resultant use of shared resources regardless of how each rover decides how to perform its activities. We present an algorithm for summarizing the metric resource requirements of an abstract activity based n the resource usages of its potential refinements.

Save Our Water Resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Bromley, Albert W.

The purpose of this booklet, developed as part of Project SOAR (Save Our American Resources), is to give Scout leaders some facts about the world's resources, the sources of water pollution, and how people can help in obtaining solutions. Among the topics discussed are the world's water resources, the water cycle, water quality, sources of water…

State Electricity Regulatory Policy and Distributed Resources: Accommodating Distributed Resources in Wholesale Markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weston, F.; Harrington, C.; Moskovitz, D.; Shirley, W.; Cowart, R.; Sedano, R.

2002-10-01

Distributed resources can provide cost-effective reliability and energy services - in many cases, obviating the need for more expensive investments in wires and central station electricity generating facilities. Given the unique features of distributed resources, the challenge facing policymakers today is how to restructure wholesale markets for electricity and related services so as to reveal the full value that distributed resources can provide to the electric power system (utility grid). This report looks at the functions that distributed resources can perform and examines the barriers to them. It then identifies a series of policy and operational approaches to promoting DR in wholesale markets. This report is one in the State Electricity Regulatory Policy and Distributed Resources series developed under contract to NREL (see Annual Technical Status Report of the Regulatory Assistance Project: September 2000-September 2001, NREL/SR-560-32733). Other titles in this series are: (1) Distributed Resource Distribution Credit Pilot Programs - Revealing the Value to Consumers and Vendors, NREL/SR-560-32499; (2) Distributed Resources and Electric System Reliability, NREL/SR-560-32498; (3) Distribution System Cost Methodologies for Distributed Generation, NREL/SR-560-32500; (4) Distribution System Cost Methodologies for Distributed Generation Appendices, NREL/SR-560-32501

A Resource Perspective on the Work-Home Interface: The Work-Home Resources Model

Science.gov (United States)

ten Brummelhuis, Lieke L.; Bakker, Arnold B.

2012-01-01

The objective of this article is to provide a theoretical framework explaining positive and negative work-home processes integrally. Using insights from conservation of resources theory, we explain how personal resources (e.g., time, energy, and mood) link demanding and resourceful aspects of one domain to outcomes in the other domain. The…

Supplier Resource Mobilization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellegaard, Chris; Kragh, Hanne; Andersen, Poul Houman

theoretical perspectives. This review, synthesis, and resultant discussion allow us to propose that future research should look closer at the resource activation process on the supplier side, the role of the buyer-supplier relationship in resource mobilization, and the approach of the buying company...

MULTILOCUS SEQUENCE TYPING OF BRUCELLA ISOLATES FROM THAILAND.

Science.gov (United States)

Chawjiraphan, Wireeya; Sonthayanon, Piengchan; Chanket, Phanita; Benjathummarak, Surachet; Kerdsin, Anusak; Kalambhaheti, Thareerat

2016-11-01

Although brucellosis outbreaks in Thailand are rare, they cause abortions and infertility in animals, resulting in significant economic loss. Because Brucella spp display > 90% DNA homology, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was employed to categorize local Brucella isolates into sequence types (STs) and to determine their genetic relatedness. Brucella samples were isolated from vaginal secretion of cows and goats, and from blood cultures of infected individuals. Brucella species were determined by multiplex PCR of eight loci, in addition to MLST based on partial DNA sequences of nine house-keeping genes. MLST analysis of 36 isolates revealed 78 distinct novel allele types and 34 novel STs, while two isolates possessed the known ST8. Sequence alignments identified polymorphic sites in each allele, ranging from 2-6%, while overall genetic diversity was 3.6%. MLST analysis of the 36 Brucella isolates classified them into three species, namely, B. melitensis, B. abortus and B. suis, in agreement with multiplex PCR results. Genetic relatedness among ST members of B. melitensis and B. abortus determined by eBURST program revealed ST2 as founder of B. abortus isolates and ST8 the founder of B. melitensis isolates. ST 36, 41 and 50 of Thai Brucella isolates were identified as single locus variants of clonal cluster (CC) 8, while the majority of STs were diverse. The genetic diversity and relatedness identified using MLST revealed hitherto unexpected diversity among Thai Brucella isolates. Genetic classification of isolates could reveal the route of brucellosis transmission among humans and farm animals and also reveal their relationship with other isolates in the region and other parts of the world.

Environmental monitoring and cooperative resource management at the WIPP site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

This poster session by the Environmental Monitoring Section of the US DOE Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is to demonstrate that the DOE is committed to sound environmental management. This WIPP poster session demonstrates radiological as well as nonradiological environmental monitoring activities conducted routinely at the WIPP. And how data collected prior to the WIPP being operational is used to establish a preoperational baseline for environmental studies in which the samples collected during the operational phase will be compared. Cooperative Resource Management is a relatively new concept for governments agencies. It allows two or more agencies the ability to jointly share in funding a program or project and yet both agencies can benefit from the outcome. These programs are usually a biological type study. The WIPP cooperative agreement between the US BLM, DOE and its contractors is to continue the ongoing documentation of the diversity of the Chihuahuan desert

Lightning Safety Tips and Resources

Science.gov (United States)

... Services Careers Contact Us Glossary Safety National Program Lightning Safety Tips and Resources Weather.gov > Safety > Lightning Safety Tips and Resources Lightning Resources Lightning strikes ...

Resource revenues report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

Preliminary forecasts of resource revenues that may be forthcoming with the lifting of the moratorium on the west coast of British Columbia were presented. The forecasts are based on the development scenarios of one natural gas project in the Hecate Strait, and one oil project in the Queen Charlotte Sound. Both projects were assessed in an effort to demonstrate some of the potential resource revenues and public benefits that may be possible from offshore development in the province. Resource revenues provide the return-on-investments to the resource developer and public benefits in the form of taxes, royalties, lease payments and related fees to all levels of governments. Much of the revenues generated from the British Columbia offshore oil and gas development will accrue as income taxes. A public energy trust offers a way to transform non-renewable resource revenues into a renewable source of wealth for citizens of the province. The report presents estimates of project investment, pipeline capacity limitation, operating costs for offshore platforms, and earnings. It was estimated that about $2.0 billion in public benefits would be generated from combined project revenues of $6.9 billion. Information was obtained from offshore leaseholders as well as pipeline and engineering companies. refs., tabs., figs

Uranium resources, 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

The specific character of uranium as energy resources, the history of development of uranium resources, the production and reserve of uranium in the world, the prospect regarding the demand and supply of uranium, Japanese activity of exploring uranium resources in foreign countries and the state of development of uranium resources in various countries are reported. The formation of uranium deposits, the classification of uranium deposits and the reserve quantity of each type are described. As the geological environment of uranium deposits, there are six types, that is, quartz medium gravel conglomerate deposit, the deposit related to the unconformity in Proterozoic era, the dissemination type magma deposit, pegmatite deposit and contact deposit in igneaus rocks and metamorphic rocks, vein deposit, sandstone type deposit and the other types of deposit. The main features of respective types are explained. The most important uranium resources in Japan are those in the Tertiary formations, and most of the found reserve belongs to this type. The geological features, the state of yield and the scale of the deposits in Ningyotoge, Tono and Kanmon Mesozoic formation are reported. Uranium minerals, the promising districts in the world, and the matters related to the exploration and mining of uranium are described. (Kako, I.)

Entrepreneurship as re-sourcing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Korsgaard, Steffen; Anderson, Alistair; Gaddefors, Johan

Objectives The purpose of this paper is to re-examine the concept of entrepreneurship in light of the current financial and environmental crisis and its socio-spatial impact. Building on Hudson’s analysis of production in late-capitalist societies, we identify problems inherent in the dominant...... of grounding in material reality, lacking emphasis on environmental externalities and an impoverished conceptualization of spatial relations. Comparing this analysis with the dominant opportunistic image of the entrepreneur, leads us to formulate a critique of this image. In formulating an alternative we build...... The paper presents a “new image” of entrepreneurship as re-sourcing. The concept of re-sourcing emphasizes the dual meaning of the word resource as both a stock of supply and strategy or action adopted in adverse circumstances. Re-sourcing thus signifies a shift in focus from opportunities to resources...

Resource price turbulence and macroeconomic adjustment for a resource exporter. A conceptual framework for policy analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, Grant M.; Harvie, Charles

2010-01-01

Increased global demand for energy and other resources, particularly from the rapidly developing economies of China and India and the opening up of global resource markets to global investors and speculative activity, has resulted in considerable recent turbulence in resource prices. The recent magnitude of change in resource prices, both positive and negative, and their macroeconomic implications is of considerable contemporary importance to both resource importing and exporting economies. For a resource exporting economy, such as that of Australia, the recent resource price boom has resulted in: increased government taxation revenue, increased employment and wages in the resource and resource related sectors, increased spending in the domestic economy that contributed to buoyant economic growth, increased resource exports to the booming economies of China and India and contributed to a stronger domestic currency with beneficial effects upon inflation. On the other hand these developments have had adverse effects on the non-resource sector by: subjecting it to more intense competition for limited resources, contributing to a loss of international competitiveness and reduced exports arising from a stronger exchange rate, reducing employment in the relatively more labour intensive non-resource sector, and contributing to an eventual slow down in the overall economy. These positive and negative effects, and the overall impact of a resource price boom, require a fundamentally closer analysis of the structure of the economy under scrutiny. In this context the policy response by government is likely to be pivotal in determining the overall macroeconomic outcomes from a resource price boom. The aim of this paper is to develop a generic analytical framework to appraise economic outcomes in the wake of a resource price boom for a resource producing and exporting economy. To this end a dynamic long run macroeconomic model is developed, emphasising the important role and

A case of familial isolated hemihyperplasia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bacino Carlos A

2004-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hemihyperplasia (hemihypertrophy is defined as asymmetric body overgrowth of one or more body parts. Hemihyperplasia can be isolated or be part of well-defined syndromes such as in the case of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS. Isolated hemihyperplasia is usually sporadic, but a number of familial occurrences have been described. Case presentation We describe a Tunisian family in which three maternal cousins and their maternal grandfather present with isolated hemihyperplasia. Conclusions The etiology of isolated hemihyperplasia is unknown although in BWS, genomic imprinting has been shown to play a role in the asymmetric overgrowth. Given the similarity between these two conditions, it is possible that both may share a common pathogenesis. We also discuss the possible genetic mechanisms leading to the production of hemihyperplasia in this family.

Polyketides isolated from Penicillium herquei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marinho, Andrey Moacir do Rosario; Marinho, Patricia Santana Barbosa; Rodrigues Filho, Edson; Ferreira, Izabel Cristina Piloto

2011-01-01

In this work we are reporting the isolation of polyketides citreoserine (1), emodin (2), janthinone (3), dihydrocitrinone (4) and citrinin H-1 (5). The compounds were isolated by chromatographic procedures and identified by spectral methods of NMR 1D and 2D and MS. The compounds 1, 2 and 3 were tested against promastigotes of Leishmania brasiliensis. (author)

Neurophysiological correlates of word processing deficits in isolated reading and isolated spelling disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Bakos, Sarolta; Landerl, Karin; Bartling, Jürgen; Schulte-Körne, Gerd; Moll, Kristina

2018-03-01

In consistent orthographies, isolated reading disorders (iRD) and isolated spelling disorders (iSD) are nearly as common as combined reading-spelling disorders (cRSD). However, the exact nature of the underlying word processing deficits in isolated versus combined literacy deficits are not well understood yet. We applied a phonological lexical decision task (including words, pseudohomophones, legal and illegal pseudowords) during ERP recording to investigate the neurophysiological correlates of lexical and sublexical word-processing in children with iRD, iSD and cRSD compared to typically developing (TD) 9-year-olds. TD children showed enhanced early sensitivity (N170) for word material and for the violation of orthographic rules compared to the other groups. Lexical orthographic effects (higher LPC amplitude for words than for pseudohomophones) were the same in the TD and iRD groups, although processing took longer in children with iRD. In the iSD and cRSD groups, lexical orthographic effects were evident and stable over time only for correctly spelled words. Orthographic representations were intact in iRD children, but word processing took longer compared to TD. Children with spelling disorders had partly missing orthographic representations. Our study is the first to specify the underlying neurophysiology of word processing deficits associated with isolated literacy deficits. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vegetation and moisture performance on a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act-equivalent landfill cap at the Hanford site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kemp, C.J.; Sackschewsky, M.R.

1997-03-01

Landfills, as defined under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) can receive waste materials from commercial and industrial operations, residences, and other sources. Sanitary landfills that are used to dispose of solid waste require a landfill cover that meets RCRA requirements to prevent leaching of water through buried wastes and to isolate the waste for a period of 30 years. The purpose of a RCRA landfill cover is to 'protect public health, to prevent land, air, and water pollution, and conserve the state's natural, economic, and energy resources' (Washington Administrative Code [WAC] 173-304). The hypothesis of this study were as follows: (1) amending soil nitrogen would enhance perennial grass biomass; (2) the amount of biomass produced by commercially-available wheatgrass species would be similar to bluebunch wheatgrass; and (3) the vegetative biomass, as required by WAC-173-304, would not be produced in a semiarid climate