Oxidação de microcistinas-LR em águas pelo íon ferrato(VI Aqueous oxidation of microcystin-LR by ferrate(VI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sérgio João de Luca

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Toxinas de cianobactérias têm se tornado um grave problema na produção segura de água para consumo humano e animal. Técnicas convencionais de tratamento falham em atingir padrões de potabilidade. O ferrato(VI de potássio, um composto oxidante e coagulante, mostra potencialidade no tratamento de águas contaminadas. Neste trabalho, são apresentados resultados da oxidação pelo ferrato(VI de uma toxina gerada por cianobactérias, a microcistina-LR. Ensaios de cinética de oxidação e de teste de jarros mostram um valor médio de 0,012 min-1 para a constante de taxa de reação de pseudoprimeira ordem, para concentrações de MC-LR de 100 a 200 µg.L-1 na água bruta. Dosagens de 1,6 a 5,0 mg.L-1 de ferrato(VI sugerem o atendimento ao padrão de potabilidade para microcistinas, mostrando que o oxidante poderá ser empregado como coadjuvante no tratamento de água.Algae toxins are becoming a severe problem in the water treatment industry, especially for human and animal consumption. Traditional treatment processes have failed in complying with water supply standards. Potassium ferrate(VI is a powerful oxidant, disinfectant and, also, a coagulant. In this paper, the results of microcystin-LR oxidation by ferrate(VI ion are presented. Kinetic and jar tests showed a average value of 0,012 min-1 for the pseudo first order reaction rate constant, for 100 and 200 µg.L-1 concentration of MC-LR. Ferrate(VI dosages between 1.6 and 5.0 mg.L-1 suggest that water supply standards for MC-LR can be reached, which means that the oxidant may be employed as coadjuvant in water treatment.

The hydration enthalpies of Md3+ and Lr3+

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruechle, W.; Schaedel, M.; Scherer, U.W.; Kratz, J.V.

1987-10-01

Lawrencium (3-min 260 Lr) and lighter actinides were produced in the bombardement of a 249 Bk target with 18 O ions and loaded onto a cation exchange column in 0.05 M α-hydroxy-isobutyrate solution at pH = 4.85 together with the radioactive lanthanide tracers 166 Ho, 171 Er, and 171 Tm. In elutions with 0.12 M α-hydroxy-isobutyrate solution (pH = 4.85) trivalent Lr was eluted exactly together with the Er tracer and Md close to Ho. Lr elutes much later than expected based on the known elution positions of the lighter actinides and the expected analogy to the elution positions of the homologous lanthanides. From the measured elution positions, ionic radii were calculated for Lr 3+ and Md 3+ . Semiempirical models allow the calculation of the heat of hydration from the ionic radii, resulting in ΔH hyd ≅ - 3654 kJ/mol for Md 3+ and ΔH hyd ≅ - 3689 kJ/mol for Lr 3+ . (orig.)

Quality assurance for environmental radon measurements by LR115 nuclear track detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomaa, M A [National Network of Radiation Physics, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt); Hafez, A F [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria Univercity, Alexandria (Egypt); Hussein, A S [Radiation Protection Department, Nuclear Power Plants Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

2007-06-15

Passive radon dosimeters based on LR115 nuclear track detectors are very attractive for assessment of radon exposure. For developing countries wishing to undertake national radon survey the most appropriate techniques are those making use of LR115 detectors. These detectors are small, cheap, simple, and non-hazardous and provide an entirely adequate tool for large scale use in assessing levels of radon over several months because of the short - term fluctuations in radon concentrations. In this paper, the principles and philosophy in order to improve the quality and reliability of radon exposure under a quality assurance (QA) program are presented . Also examples of how a QA program of radon measurements by LR115 detectors using the can-techniques are well defined and applied.

Quality assurance for environmental radon measurements by LR115 nuclear track detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomaa, M.A.; Hafez, A.F.; Hussein, A.S.

2007-01-01

Passive radon dosimeters based on LR115 nuclear track detectors are very attractive for assessment of radon exposure. For developing countries wishing to undertake national radon survey the most appropriate techniques are those making use of LR115 detectors. These detectors are small, cheap, simple, and non-hazardous and provide an entirely adequate tool for large scale use in assessing levels of radon over several months because of the short - term fluctuations in radon concentrations. In this paper, the principles and philosophy in order to improve the quality and reliability of radon exposure under a quality assurance (QA) program are presented . Also examples of how a QA program of radon measurements by LR115 detectors using the can-techniques are well defined and applied

L-R asymmetry in gut's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karadayi, H.R.

1982-01-01

An idea of L-R asymmetry is proposed for the grand unification schemes. The idea provides an intrinsic mechanism to obtain standard model charges of fermions in the case of more than one weak gauge boson. It is elaborated within a scheme based on the partial symmetry SU(4)sub(C)xSU(2)sub(L)xSU(2)sub(R) where the coupling constants gsub(L) and gsub(R) corresponding to the chiral SU(2) factors are assumed to be different from each other. Then, the embedding of this structure within the simple symmetry SO(10) is shown. In both cases, a consistent description of vector particle masses is given. These two schemes are considered as primary models to realize the L-R asymmetry idea due to the lack of family unification. However, in a subsequent work, we will show that the SO(14) unification of the three families can be obtained within the framework of L-R asymmetry. All formulations are carried out with the aid of a mathematical method that we recently proposed for the Lie algebra representations of classical groups. (author)

Roles of miRNAs in microcystin-LR-induced Sertoli cell toxicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Yuan [Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093 (China); Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093 (China); Wang, Hui [The Centre for Individualized Medication, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping University, Linköping SE-58185 (Sweden); Wang, Cong [Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093 (China); Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093 (China); Qiu, Xuefeng [Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008 (China); Benson, Mikael [The Centre for Individualized Medication, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping University, Linköping SE-58185 (Sweden); Yin, Xiaoqin [Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093 (China); Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093 (China); Xiang, Zou [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Mucosal Immunobiology and Vaccine Research Center, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg (Sweden); Li, Dongmei, E-mail: lidm@nju.edu.cn [Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093 (China); Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093 (China); and others

2015-08-15

Microcystin (MC)-LR, a cyclic heptapeptide, is a potent reproductive system toxin. To understand the molecular mechanisms of MC-induced reproductive system cytotoxicity, we evaluated global changes of miRNA and mRNA expression in mouse Sertoli cells following MC-LR treatment. Our results revealed that the exposure to MC-LR resulted in an altered miRNA expression profile that might be responsible for the modulation of mRNA expression. Bio-functional analysis indicated that the altered genes were involved in specific cellular processes, including cell death and proliferation. Target gene analysis suggested that junction injury in Sertoli cells exposed to MC-LR might be mediated by miRNAs through the regulation of the Sertoli cell-Sertoli cell pathway. Collectively, these findings may enhance our understanding on the modes of action of MC-LR on mouse Sertoli cells as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying the toxicity of MC-LR on the male reproductive system. - Highlights: • miRNAs were altered in Sertoli cells exposed to MC-LR. • Alerted genes were involved in different cell functions including the cell morphology. • MC-LR adversely affected Sertoli cell junction formation through the regulating miRNAs.

A further study of the (CR-LR) difference technique for retrospective radon exposure assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikezic, D.; Yip, C.W.Y.; Leung, S.Y.Y.; Leung, J.K.C.; Yu, K.N.

2006-01-01

The (CR-LR) difference technique, based on the CR-39 and LR 115 detectors, for the determination of implanted 210 Po in glass after deposition of short-lived radon progeny, was analyzed in details in this paper. The sensitivities of both detectors were calculated using the Monte Carlo method with V functions particularly derived in our previous works for the detectors used in the present experiments. The dependency of the sensitivity ratio on the removed layer of both detectors was determined and verified experimentally. The simulated sensitivity ratios correlate well with the experimental ones. A major finding of the present work is that the sensitivity ratio between the CR-39 and LR 115 detectors depends only weakly on the ratio between the 238 U and 232 Th concentrations in the glass samples. This is crucial for the application of the (CR-LR) difference technique for retrospective radon exposure assessments, since measurements of the 238 U and 232 Th concentrations in the relatively small real-life glass samples will make the retrospective radon exposure assessments impractical

Synthesis of visible light sensitized S, N and C co-doped polymorphic TiO2 for Microcystin-LR MC-LR removal

Science.gov (United States)

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is considered as one of the most widespread and toxic cyanotoxins, which had been discovered to be hepatotoxic, cytotoxic and neurotoxic. It is the only cyanotoxin that has been proposed by Word Health Organization (WHO) for a provisional guideline (1 ppb) ...

Homogeneous time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay of microcystin-LR using layered WS2 nanosheets as a transducer

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Xiaodan; Wang, Yuanxiu; Song, Bo; Wang, Xin; Ma, Hua; Yuan, Jingli

2017-06-01

A homogeneous time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay method for rapid and sensitive detection of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in water samples was developed based on the interaction between water-soluble WS2 nanosheets and the conjugate of MC-LR with a luminescent Eu3+ complex BHHBCB-Eu3+ (BHHBCB: 1,2-bis[4‧-(1″,1″,1″,2″,2″,3″,3″-heptafluoro-4″,6″-hexanedion-6″-yl)- benzyl]-4-chlorosulfobenzene). The large lateral dimensions and high surface areas of two-dimensional layered WS2 nanosheets enable easy adsorption of the MC-LR-BHHBCB-Eu3+ conjugate, that lead to efficient quenching of the luminescence of Eu3+ complex via energy transfer or electron transfer process. However, the addition of monoclonal anti-MC-LR antibody can induce the formation of MC-LR-BHHBCB-Eu3+/antibody immune complex, which prevents the interaction between WS2 nanosheets and MC-LR-BHHBCB-Eu3+ to result in the restoration of Eu3+ luminescence. This signal transduction mechanism made it possible for analysis of the target MC-LR in a homogeneous system. The present method has advantages of rapidity and simplicity since the B/F (bound reagent/free reagent) separation steps, the solid-phase carrier and antibody labeling or modification process are not necessary. The proposed immunosensing system displayed a wide linear range, good precision and accuracy, and comparable sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.3 μg l-1, which satisfied the World Health Organization (WHO) provisional guideline limit of 1.0 μg l-1 for MC-LR in drinking water.

WWER-440 control assembly local power peaking investigation on LR-0 reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikus, J.

2002-01-01

This paper presents information concerning the local power peaking problem induced by the WWER-440 control assembly and the investigation possibilities on the light water, zero power reactor LR-0 at the Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) Rez plc. A brief description is given about the disposable control assembly model, experimental arrangement and conditions on the LR-0 reactor with regard to the earlier performed investigations as well as to the relevant measurements to be realized in the near future.(abstract)

Life-cycle exposure to microcystin-LR interferes with the reproductive endocrine system of male zebrafish.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Yujing; Li, Li; Hou, Jie; Wu, Ning; Lin, Wang; Li, Guangyu

2016-06-01

Recently, MC-LR reproductive toxicity drew great attention. Limited information was available on endocrine-disrupting effects of MC-LR on the reproduction system in fish. In the present study, zebrafish hatchlings (5 d post-fertilization) were exposed to 0, 0.3, 3 and 30μg/L MC-LR for 90 d until they reached sexual maturity. Male zebrafish were selected, and changes in growth and developmental parameters, testicular histological structure as well as the levels of gonadal steroid hormones were studied along with the related-gene transcriptional responses in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG-axis). The results, for the first time, show a life cycle exposure to MC-LR causes growth inhibition, testicular damage and delayed sperm maturation. A significant decrease in T/E2 ratio indicated that MC-LR disrupted sex steroid hormones balance. The changes in transcriptional responses of HPG-axis related genes revealed that MC-LR promoted the conversion of T to E2 in circulating blood. It was also noted that vtg1 mRNA expression in the liver was up-regulated, which implied that MC-LR could induce estrogenic-like effects at environmentally relevant concentrations and long-term exposure. Our findings indicated that a life cycle exposure to MC-LR causes endocrine disruption with organic and functional damage of the testis, which might compromise the quality of life for the survivors and pose a potent threat on fish reproduction and thus population dynamics in MCs-contaminated aquatic environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant Effect of Curcumin Against Microcystin- LR-Induced ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To investigate the effect of curcumin on microcystin-LR (MC-LR)- induced renal oxidative damage in Balb/c mice. Methods: 40 male Balb/c mice were assigned randomly to 4 groups each having 10 mice. One group served as normal (saline treated) while another group was used as curcumin control. The third ...

The Lr34 adult plant rust resistance gene provides seedling resistance in durum wheat without senescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Rinaldo, Amy; Gilbert, Brian; Boni, Rainer; Krattinger, Simon G; Singh, Davinder; Park, Robert F; Lagudah, Evans; Ayliffe, Michael

2017-07-01

The hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) adult plant resistance gene, Lr34/Yr18/Sr57/Pm38/Ltn1, provides broad-spectrum resistance to wheat leaf rust (Lr34), stripe rust (Yr18), stem rust (Sr57) and powdery mildew (Pm38) pathogens, and has remained effective in wheat crops for many decades. The partial resistance provided by this gene is only apparent in adult plants and not effective in field-grown seedlings. Lr34 also causes leaf tip necrosis (Ltn1) in mature adult plant leaves when grown under field conditions. This D genome-encoded bread wheat gene was transferred to tetraploid durum wheat (T. turgidum) cultivar Stewart by transformation. Transgenic durum lines were produced with elevated gene expression levels when compared with the endogenous hexaploid gene. Unlike nontransgenic hexaploid and durum control lines, these transgenic plants showed robust seedling resistance to pathogens causing wheat leaf rust, stripe rust and powdery mildew disease. The effectiveness of seedling resistance against each pathogen correlated with the level of transgene expression. No evidence of accelerated leaf necrosis or up-regulation of senescence gene markers was apparent in these seedlings, suggesting senescence is not required for Lr34 resistance, although leaf tip necrosis occurred in mature plant flag leaves. Several abiotic stress-response genes were up-regulated in these seedlings in the absence of rust infection as previously observed in adult plant flag leaves of hexaploid wheat. Increasing day length significantly increased Lr34 seedling resistance. These data demonstrate that expression of a highly durable, broad-spectrum adult plant resistance gene can be modified to provide seedling resistance in durum wheat. © 2016 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Neutron flux characterization using Lr-115 NTD and binary glass metal as converter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarado, R.; Palacios, D.; Sajo B, L.; Greaves, E.; Barros, H.; Nemeth, P.; Goncalves, I. F.

2010-01-01

The installed neutron irradiation cell at the Simon Bolivar University Laboratory is employed frequently for applications where the neutron field should be monitored. The ratio of epithermal and thermal neutron flux were determined by the cadmium difference method in three different irradiation locations of a graphite thermalized 252 Cf source. Monte Carlo simulation provided the expected thermal neutron field inside the irradiation cell and the nuclear trace detectors sensitivity. The passive device is a Kodak-Pathe Lr-115 externally coated with a thin (0,1 mm) binary glass metal strip Fe 75 B 25 where the 10 B(n,α) 7 Li reaction converts free neutrons into alpha particles that are registered as etched tracks. The results allow to determine the neutron flux in an easy, reproducible and effective way, with the advantage of a low self-absorption effect due to the converter material. Improved etching process of the Lr-115 nuclear track detectors and the software parameters for track analysis are included. (Author)

Monitoring of microcystin-LR in Luvuvhu River catchment ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The main aim of this study is to assess the levels of microcystin-LR in Luvuvhu River catchment and to assess the physicochemical parameters that may promote the growth of cyanobacteria. The level of microcystin-LR in some of the sampling sites was <0.18 ìg/l except for one site (Luvuvhu River just before the confluence ...

Laboratory studies of dissolved radiolabelled microcystin-LR in lake water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyenstrand, Per; Rohrlack, Thomas; Beattie, Kenneth A

2003-01-01

The fate of dissolved microcystin-LR was studied in laboratory experiments using surface water taken from a eutrophic lake. Based on initial range finding, a concentration of 50 microg l(-1) dissolved 14C-microcystin-LR was selected for subsequent time-course experiments. The first was performed ...... fractions. The study demonstrated that biodegradation of dissolved microcystin-LR occurred in water collected at a lake surface with carbon dioxide as a major end-product....

Assessment of co-seismic landslide susceptibility using LR and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Suchita Shrestha

2018-03-28

Mar 28, 2018 ... statistical methods, namely Logistic Regression. (LR) and Analysis ... The LR method has been applied by various researchers ... many bivariate models need that the independent variables be .... through a point (per unit contour length), and tan β is the ..... by multivariate statistical techniques; Nat. Hazards ...

Microcystin-LR equivalent concentrations in fish tissue during a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effects of a decomposing cyanobacteria bloom on water quality and the accumulation of microcystin-LR equivalent toxin in fish at Loskop Dam were studied in May 2012. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] was used to confirm the presence of microcystin-LR equivalent in the water and to determine the ...

Comprehensive insights into microcystin-LR effects on hepatic lipid metabolism using cross-omics technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Zongyao; Zhang, Xu-Xiang; Wu, Bing; Yin, Jinbao; Yu, Yunjiang; Yang, Liuyan

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Use of cross-omics technologies to evaluate toxic effects of microcystin-LR. • Disturbance of hepatic lipid metabolism by oral exposure to microcystin-LR. • Crucial roles of gut microbial community shift in the metabolic disturbance induced by microcystin-LR. - Abstract: Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) can induce hepatic tissue damages and molecular toxicities, but its effects on lipid metabolism remain unknown. This study investigated the effects of MC-LR exposure on mice lipid metabolism and uncovered the underlying mechanism through metabonomic, transcriptomic and metagenomic analyses after administration of mice with MC-LR by gavage for 28 d. Increased liver weight and abdominal fat weight, and evident hepatic lipid vacuoles accumulation were observed in the mice fed with 0.2 mg/kg/d MC-LR. Serum nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that MC-LR treatment altered the levels of serum metabolites including triglyceride, unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) and very low density lipoprotein. Digital Gene Expression technology was used to reveal differential expression of hepatic transcriptomes, demonstrating that MC-LR treatment disturbed hepatic UFA biosynthesis and activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathways via Pparγ, Fabp1 and Fabp2 over-expression. Metagenomic analyses of gut microbiota revealed that MC-LR exposure also increased abundant ratio of Firmicutes vs. Bacteroidetes in gut and altered biosynthetic pathways of various microbial metabolic and pro-inflammatory molecules. In conclusion, oral MC-LR exposure can induce hepatic lipid metabolism disorder mediated by UFA biosynthesis and PPAR activation, and gut microbial community shift may play an important role in the metabolic disturbance.

Comprehensive insights into microcystin-LR effects on hepatic lipid metabolism using cross-omics technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Zongyao [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Center for Environmental Health Research, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Ministry of Environmental Protection of PRC, Guangzhou 510655 (China); Zhang, Xu-Xiang, E-mail: zhangxx@nju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Wu, Bing; Yin, Jinbao [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Yu, Yunjiang [Center for Environmental Health Research, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Ministry of Environmental Protection of PRC, Guangzhou 510655 (China); Yang, Liuyan, E-mail: yangly@nju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China)

2016-09-05

Highlights: • Use of cross-omics technologies to evaluate toxic effects of microcystin-LR. • Disturbance of hepatic lipid metabolism by oral exposure to microcystin-LR. • Crucial roles of gut microbial community shift in the metabolic disturbance induced by microcystin-LR. - Abstract: Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) can induce hepatic tissue damages and molecular toxicities, but its effects on lipid metabolism remain unknown. This study investigated the effects of MC-LR exposure on mice lipid metabolism and uncovered the underlying mechanism through metabonomic, transcriptomic and metagenomic analyses after administration of mice with MC-LR by gavage for 28 d. Increased liver weight and abdominal fat weight, and evident hepatic lipid vacuoles accumulation were observed in the mice fed with 0.2 mg/kg/d MC-LR. Serum nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that MC-LR treatment altered the levels of serum metabolites including triglyceride, unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) and very low density lipoprotein. Digital Gene Expression technology was used to reveal differential expression of hepatic transcriptomes, demonstrating that MC-LR treatment disturbed hepatic UFA biosynthesis and activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathways via Pparγ, Fabp1 and Fabp2 over-expression. Metagenomic analyses of gut microbiota revealed that MC-LR exposure also increased abundant ratio of Firmicutes vs. Bacteroidetes in gut and altered biosynthetic pathways of various microbial metabolic and pro-inflammatory molecules. In conclusion, oral MC-LR exposure can induce hepatic lipid metabolism disorder mediated by UFA biosynthesis and PPAR activation, and gut microbial community shift may play an important role in the metabolic disturbance.

Combined toxicity of microcystin-LR and copper on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Qing; Steinman, Alan D; Wan, Xiang; Xie, Liqiang

2018-05-10

Microcystins and copper commonly co-exist in the natural environment, but their combined toxicity remains unclear, especially in terrestrial plants. The present study investigated the toxicity effects of microcystin-LR (0, 5, 50, 500, 1000 μg L -1 ) and copper (0, 50, 500, 1000, 2000 μg L -1 ), both individually and in mixture, on the germination, growth and oxidative response of lettuce. The bioaccumulation of microcystin-LR and copper was also evaluated. Results showed that the decrease in lettuce germination induced by copper alone was not significantly different from that induced by the mixture, and the combined toxicity assessment showed a simple additive effect. Lettuce growth was not significantly reduced by microcystin-LR alone, whereas it was significantly reduced by copper alone and the mixture when copper concentration was higher than 500 μg L -1 . High concentrations of microcystin-LR (1000 μg L -1 ) and copper (≥50 μg L -1 ),as well as their mixture (≥50 + 500 μg L -1 ), induced oxidative stress in lettuce. A synergistic effect on the growth and antioxidative system of lettuce was observed when exposed to low concentrations of the mixture (≤50 + 500 μg L -1 ), whereas an antagonistic effect was observed at high concentrations (≥1000 + 2000 μg L -1 ). Moreover, the interaction of microcystin-LR and copper can increase their accumulation in lettuce. Our results suggest that the toxicity effects of microcystin-LR and copper are exacerbated when they co-exist in the natural environment at low concentrations, which not only negatively affects plant growth but also poses a potential risk to human health via the food chain. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Lr67/Yr46 confers adult plant resistance to stem rust and powdery mildew in wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera-Foessel, Sybil A; Singh, Ravi P; Lillemo, Morten; Huerta-Espino, Julio; Bhavani, Sridhar; Singh, Sukhwinder; Lan, Caixia; Calvo-Salazar, Violeta; Lagudah, Evans S

2014-04-01

We demonstrate that Lr67/Yr46 has pleiotropic effect on stem rust and powdery mildew resistance and is associated with leaf tip necrosis. Genes are designated as Sr55, Pm46 and Ltn3 , respectively. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) accession RL6077, known to carry the pleiotropic slow rusting leaf and yellow rust resistance genes Lr67/Yr46 in Thatcher background, displayed significantly lower stem rust (P. graminis tritici; Pgt) and powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis tritici; Bgt) severities in Kenya and in Norway, respectively, compared to its recurrent parent Thatcher. We investigated the resistance of RL6077 to stem rust and powdery mildew using Avocet × RL6077 F6 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from two photoperiod-insensitive F3 families segregating for Lr67/Yr46. Greenhouse seedling tests were conducted with Mexican Pgt race RTR. Field evaluations were conducted under artificially initiated stem rust epidemics with Pgt races RTR and TTKST (Ug99 + Sr24) at Ciudad Obregon (Mexico) and Njoro (Kenya) during 2010-2011; and under natural powdery mildew epiphytotic in Norway at Ås and Hamar during 2011 and 2012. In Mexico, a mean reduction of 41 % on stem rust severity was obtained for RILs carrying Lr67/Yr46, compared to RILs that lacked the gene, whereas in Kenya the difference was smaller (16 %) but significant. In Norway, leaf tip necrosis was associated with Lr67/Yr46 and RILs carrying Lr67/Yr46 showed a 20 % reduction in mean powdery mildew severity at both sites across the 2 years of evaluation. Our study demonstrates that Lr67/Yr46 confers partial resistance to stem rust and powdery mildew and is associated with leaf tip necrosis. The corresponding pleiotropic, or tightly linked, genes, designated as Sr55, Pm46, and Ltn3, can be utilized to provide broad-spectrum durable disease resistance in wheat.

Radon concentrations in some Egyptian dwellings using LR 115 detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussein, A.S.

2007-01-01

Radon, a well-established risk factor for human lung cancer, is present at low concentrations in most homes. Consequently, many countries have established national guidelines for residential radon concentrations. This survey provides additional information about indoor radon concentrations in Egypt. Indoor radon survey of a total of 15 randomly selected houses in Qena city, Upper Egypt was carried out. LR 115 detectors were exposed for one year, covering all the seasons. The estimated indoor radon levels varied from 19 to 59 Bq m 3 with an average of 40 Bq m 3 . Using the bare and filtered LR 115 detectors, the average equilibrium factor F was assessed as 0.30 indoors. An average annual effective dose of 0.40 mSv has been estimated and was found to be lower than the ICRP-65

Evaluation of the transfer and the accumulation of microcystins in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cultivar MicroTom) tissues using a cyanobacterial extract containing microcystins and the radiolabeled microcystin-LR ("1"4C-MC-LR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corbel, Sylvain; Mougin, Christian; Nélieu, Sylvie; Delarue, Ghislaine; Bouaïcha, Noureddine

2016-01-01

tomato Solanum lycopersicum cv. MicroTom, maintained 48 h in hydroponic growing system with "1"4C-MC-LR at 23 mg L"− "1. - Highlights: • Transfer of MCs from soil to tomato tissues is observed • MCs are present in all tissues of the tomato except in the fruit • The bioconcentration factor of the MC-LR is much more important in the tomato roots • Bound fraction of MC-LR was higher than that of free fraction in roots and leaves

Evaluation of the transfer and the accumulation of microcystins in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cultivar MicroTom) tissues using a cyanobacterial extract containing microcystins and the radiolabeled microcystin-LR ({sup 14}C-MC-LR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corbel, Sylvain [INRA, UMR1402 ECOSYS, F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon (France); AgroParisTech, UMR1402 ECOSYS, F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon (France); Laboratoire Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, UMR8079, Univ. Paris-Sud/CNRS/AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Sud, F-91405 Orsay (France); Mougin, Christian; Nélieu, Sylvie; Delarue, Ghislaine [INRA, UMR1402 ECOSYS, F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon (France); AgroParisTech, UMR1402 ECOSYS, F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon (France); Bouaïcha, Noureddine, E-mail: noureddine.bouaicha@u-psud.fr [Laboratoire Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, UMR8079, Univ. Paris-Sud/CNRS/AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Sud, F-91405 Orsay (France)

2016-01-15

factors in organs of the tomato Solanum lycopersicum cv. MicroTom, maintained 48 h in hydroponic growing system with {sup 14}C-MC-LR at 23 mg L{sup −} {sup 1}. - Highlights: • Transfer of MCs from soil to tomato tissues is observed • MCs are present in all tissues of the tomato except in the fruit • The bioconcentration factor of the MC-LR is much more important in the tomato roots • Bound fraction of MC-LR was higher than that of free fraction in roots and leaves.

Molecular and analysis of a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase gene (LrPAL2) from Lycoris radiata.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yumei; Xia, Bing; Liang, Lijian; Li, Xiaodan; Xu, Sheng; Peng, Feng; Wang, Ren

2013-03-01

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), the first enzyme of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, participates in the biosynthesis of flavonoids, lignins, stilbenes and many other compounds. In this study, we cloned a 2,326 bp full-length PAL2 gene from Lycoris radiata by using degenerate oligonucleotide primer PCR (DOP-PCR) and the rapid amplification of cDNA ends method. The cDNA contains a 2,124 bp coding region encoding 707 amino acids. The LrPAL2 shares about 77.0 % nucleic acid identity and 83 % amino acid identity with LrPAL1. Furthermore, genome sequence analysis demonstrated that LrPAL2 gene contains one intron and two exons. The 5' flanking sequence of LrPAL2 was also cloned by self-formed adaptor PCR (SEFA-PCR), and a group of putative cis-acting elements such as TATA box, CAAT box, G box, TC-rich repeats, CGTCA motif and TCA-element were identified. The LrPAL2 was detected in all tissues examined, with high abundance in bulbs at leaf sprouting stage and in petals at blooming stage. Besides, LrPAL2 drastically responded to MJ, SNP and UV, moderately responded to GA and SA, and a little increased under wounding. Comparison of LrPAL2 expression and LrPAL1 expression demonstrated that LrPAL2 can be more significantly induced than LrPAL1 under the above treatments, and LrPAL2 transcripts accumulated prominently at blooming stage, especially in petals, while LrPAL1 transcripts did not accumulated significantly at blooming stage. All these results suggested that LrPAL2 might play distinct roles in different branches of the phenylpropanoid pathway.

The uptake kinetics and immunotoxic effects of microcystin-LR in human and chicken peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lankoff, Anna; Carmichael, Wayne W.; Grasman, Keith A.; Yuan, Moucun

2004-01-01

Microcystin-LR is a cyanobacterial heptapeptide that presents acute and chronic hazards to animal and human health. We investigated the influence of this toxin on human and chicken immune system modulation in vitro. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were treated with microcystin-LR at environmentally relevant doses of 1, 10 and 25 μg/ml for 12, 24, 48, 72 h (for proliferation assay cells were treated for 72 h). T-cell and B-cell proliferation as well as apoptosis and necrosis were determined in human and chicken samples. IL-2 and IL-6 production by human lymphocytes also was measured. In addition, uptake kinetics of microcystin-LR into human and chicken peripheral blood lymphocytes were calculated by Liquid Chromatography (LS) /Mass Spectrometry (MS) analysis. At the highest dose microcystin-LR decreased T-cell proliferation and all doses of microcystin-LR inhibited B-cell proliferation. The frequency of apoptotic and necrotic cells increased in a dose and time-dependent manner. Human lymphocytes responded to stimulation with microcystin-LR by increased production of IL-6 and decreased production of IL-2. Human lymphocytes were able to uptake from 0.014 to 1.663 μg/ml and chicken lymphocytes from 0.035 to 1.733 μg/ml of the microcystin-LR added to the cultures, depending on the treatment time and dose. In conclusion, microcystin-LR acted as an immunomodulator in cytokine production and down-regulated lymphocyte functions by induction of apoptosis and necrosis. However, further studies dealing with the influence of microcystin-LR on expression cytokine genes and transcription factors are necessary to confirm these hypotheses

Reproduction impairment and endocrine disruption in female zebrafish after long-term exposure to MC-LR: A life cycle assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou, Jie; Li, Li; Wu, Ning; Su, Yujing; Lin, Wang; Li, Guangyu; Gu, Zemao

2016-01-01

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) has been found to cause reproductive and developmental impairments as well as to disrupt sex hormone homeostasis of fish during acute and sub-chronic toxic experiments. However, fish in natural environments are continuously exposed to MC-LR throughout their entire life cycle as opposed to short-term exposure. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the mechanism by which MC-LR harms female fish reproduction and development within natural water bodies is through interference of the reproductive endocrine system. In the present study, zebrafish hatchlings (5 d post-fertilization) were exposed to 0, 0.3, 3 and 30 μg/L MC-LR for 90 d until reaching sexual maturity. Female zebrafish were selected, and the changes in growth and developmental indicators, ovarian ultrastructure as well as the levels of gonadal steroid hormones and vitellogenin (VTG) were examined along with the transcription of related genes in the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal–liver axis (HPGL-axis). The results showed for the first time, a life cycle exposure to MC-LR caused growth inhibition, decreased ovary weight and ovarian ultra-pathological lesions. Decreased ovarian testosterone levels indicated that MC-LR disrupted sex steroid hormone balance. Significantly up-regulated transcription of brain FSHβ and LHβ along with ovarian ERα, FSHR and LHR suggested positive feedback regulation in the HPGL-axis was induced as a compensatory mechanism for MC-LR damage. It was also noted that ovarian VTG content and hepatic ERα and VTG1 expression were all down-regulated, which might be responsible for reduced vitellus storage noted in our histological observations. Our findings indicate that a life cycle exposure to MC-LR impairs the development and reproduction of female zebrafish by disrupting the transcription of related HPGL-axis genes, suggesting that MC-LR has potential adverse effects on fish reproduction and thus population dynamics in MCs-contaminated aquatic

Radon concentrations in some Egyptian dwellings using LR 115 detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hussein, A S [Radiation Protection Department, Nuclear Power Plants Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

2007-06-15

Radon, a well-established risk factor for human lung cancer, is present at low concentrations in most homes. Consequently, many countries have established national guidelines for residential radon concentrations. This survey provides additional information about indoor radon concentrations in Egypt. Indoor radon survey of a total of 15 randomly selected houses in Qena city, Upper Egypt was carried out. LR 115 detectors were exposed for one year, covering all the seasons. The estimated indoor radon levels varied from 19 to 59 Bq m{sup 3} with an average of 40 Bq m{sup 3}. Using the bare and filtered LR 115 detectors, the average equilibrium factor F was assessed as 0.30 indoors. An average annual effective dose of 0.40 mSv has been estimated and was found to be lower than the ICRP-65.

Roles of piRNAs in microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR) induced reproductive toxicity in testis on male offspring.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ling; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Huan; Benson, Mikael; Han, Xiaodong; Li, Dongmei

2017-07-01

In the present study, we evaluated the toxic effects on the testis of the male offspring of MC-LR exposure during fetal and lactational periods. Pregnant females were distributed into two experimental groups: control group and MC-LR group which were exposed to 0 and 10 μg/L of MC-LR, respectively, through drinking water separately during fetal and lactational periods. At the age of 30 days after birth, the male offspring were euthanized. The body weight, testis index, and histomorphology change were observed and the global changes of piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) expression were evaluated. The results revealed that MC-LR was found in the testis of male offspring, body weight and testis index decreased significantly, and testicular tissue structure was damaged in the MC-LR group. In addition, the exposure to MC-LR resulted in an altered piRNA expression profile and an increase of the cell apoptosis and a decrease of the cell proliferation in the testis of the male offspring. It was reasonable to speculate that the toxic effects on reproductive system of the male offspring in MC-LR group might be mediated by piRNAs through the regulation of the target genes. As far as we are aware, this is the first report showing that MC-LR could play a role in disorder of proliferative and cell apoptosis in the testis of the male offspring by the maternal transmission effect of toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinetic and mechanistic study of microcystin-LR degradation by nitrous acid under ultraviolet irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Qingwei; Ren, Jing; Huang, Honghui; Wang, Shoubing; Wang, Xiangrong; Fan, Zhengqiu

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► For the first time, degradation of MC-LR by nitrous acid under UV 365 nm was discovered. ► The effects of factors on MC-LR degradation were analyzed based on kinetic study. ► Mass spectrometry was applied for identification of intermediates and products. ► Special intermediates involved in this study were identified. ► Degradation mechanisms were proposed according to the results of LC–MS analysis. - Abstract: Degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in the presence of nitrous acid (HNO 2 ) under irradiation of 365 nm ultraviolet (UV) was studied for the first time. The influence of initial conditions including pH value, NaNO 2 concentration, MC-LR concentration and UV intensity were studied. MC-LR was degraded in the presence of HNO 2 ; enhanced degradation of MC-LR was observed with 365 nm UV irradiation, caused by the generation of hydroxyl radicals through the photolysis of HNO 2 . The degradation processes of MC-LR could well fit the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Mass spectrometry was applied for identification of the byproducts and the analysis of degradation mechanisms. Major degradation pathways were proposed according to the results of LC–MS analysis. The degradation of MC-LR was initiated via three major pathways: attack of hydroxyl radicals on the conjugated carbon double bonds of Adda, attack of hydroxyl radicals on the benzene ring of Adda, and attack of nitrosonium ion on the benzene ring of Adda.

Microcystin-LR induced reactive oxygen species mediate cytoskeletal disruption and apoptosis of hepatocytes in Cyprinus carpio L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinlin Jiang

Full Text Available Microcystins (MCs are a group of cyclic hepatotoxic peptides produced by cyanobacteria. Microcystin-LR (MC-LR contains Leucine (L and Arginine (R in the variable positions, and is one of the most common and potently toxic peptides. MC-LR can inhibit protein phosphatase type 1 and type 2A (PP1 and PP2A activities and induce excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS. The underlying mechanism of the inhibition of PP1 and PP2A has been extensively studied. The over-production of ROS is considered to be another main mechanism behind MC-LR toxicity; however, the detailed toxicological mechanism involved in over-production of ROS in carp (Cyprinus carpio L. remains largely unclear. In our present study, the hydroxyl radical (•OH was significantly induced in the liver of carp after a relatively short-term exposure to MC-LR. The elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS production may play an important role in the disruption of microtubule structure. Pre-injection of the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC provided significant protection to the cytoskeleton, however buthionine sulfoximine (BSO exacerbated cytoskeletal destruction. In addition, the elevated ROS formation induced the expression of apoptosis-related genes, including p38, JNKa, and bcl-2. A significant increase in apoptotic cells was observed at 12-48 hours. Our study further supports evidence that ROS are involved in MC-LR induced damage to liver cells in carp, and indicates the need for further study of the molecular mechanisms behind MC-LR toxicity.

Microcystin-LR Induced Reactive Oxygen Species Mediate Cytoskeletal Disruption and Apoptosis of Hepatocytes in Cyprinus carpio L.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jinlin; Shan, Zhengjun; Xu, Weili; Wang, Xiaorong; Zhou, Junying; Kong, Deyang; Xu, Jing

2013-01-01

Microcystins (MCs) are a group of cyclic hepatotoxic peptides produced by cyanobacteria. Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) contains Leucine (L) and Arginine (R) in the variable positions, and is one of the most common and potently toxic peptides. MC-LR can inhibit protein phosphatase type 1 and type 2A (PP1 and PP2A) activities and induce excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The underlying mechanism of the inhibition of PP1 and PP2A has been extensively studied. The over-production of ROS is considered to be another main mechanism behind MC-LR toxicity; however, the detailed toxicological mechanism involved in over-production of ROS in carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) remains largely unclear. In our present study, the hydroxyl radical (•OH) was significantly induced in the liver of carp after a relatively short-term exposure to MC-LR. The elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production may play an important role in the disruption of microtubule structure. Pre-injection of the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) provided significant protection to the cytoskeleton, however buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) exacerbated cytoskeletal destruction. In addition, the elevated ROS formation induced the expression of apoptosis-related genes, including p38, JNKa, and bcl-2. A significant increase in apoptotic cells was observed at 12 - 48 hours. Our study further supports evidence that ROS are involved in MC-LR induced damage to liver cells in carp, and indicates the need for further study of the molecular mechanisms behind MC-LR toxicity. PMID:24376844

Kinetic and mechanistic study of microcystin-LR degradation by nitrous acid under ultraviolet irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Qingwei; Ren, Jing; Huang, Honghui; Wang, Shoubing; Wang, Xiangrong; Fan, Zhengqiu

2012-05-15

Degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in the presence of nitrous acid (HNO(2)) under irradiation of 365nm ultraviolet (UV) was studied for the first time. The influence of initial conditions including pH value, NaNO(2) concentration, MC-LR concentration and UV intensity were studied. MC-LR was degraded in the presence of HNO(2); enhanced degradation of MC-LR was observed with 365nm UV irradiation, caused by the generation of hydroxyl radicals through the photolysis of HNO(2). The degradation processes of MC-LR could well fit the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Mass spectrometry was applied for identification of the byproducts and the analysis of degradation mechanisms. Major degradation pathways were proposed according to the results of LC-MS analysis. The degradation of MC-LR was initiated via three major pathways: attack of hydroxyl radicals on the conjugated carbon double bonds of Adda, attack of hydroxyl radicals on the benzene ring of Adda, and attack of nitrosonium ion on the benzene ring of Adda. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The wheat resistance gene Lr34 results in the constitutive induction of multiple defense pathways in transgenic barley.

Science.gov (United States)

Chauhan, Harsh; Boni, Rainer; Bucher, Rahel; Kuhn, Benjamin; Buchmann, Gabriele; Sucher, Justine; Selter, Liselotte L; Hensel, Goetz; Kumlehn, Jochen; Bigler, Laurent; Glauser, Gaëtan; Wicker, Thomas; Krattinger, Simon G; Keller, Beat

2015-10-01

The wheat gene Lr34 encodes an ABCG-type transporter which provides durable resistance against multiple pathogens. Lr34 is functional as a transgene in barley, but its mode of action has remained largely unknown both in wheat and barley. Here we studied gene expression in uninfected barley lines transgenic for Lr34. Genes from multiple defense pathways contributing to basal and inducible disease resistance were constitutively active in seedlings and mature leaves. In addition, the hormones jasmonic acid and salicylic acid were induced to high levels, and increased levels of lignin as well as hordatines were observed. These results demonstrate a strong, constitutive re-programming of metabolism by Lr34. The resistant Lr34 allele (Lr34res) encodes a protein that differs by two amino acid polymorphisms from the susceptible Lr34sus allele. The deletion of a single phenylalanine residue in Lr34sus was sufficient to induce the characteristic Lr34-based responses. Combination of Lr34res and Lr34sus in the same plant resulted in a reduction of Lr34res expression by 8- to 20-fold when the low-expressing Lr34res line BG8 was used as a parent. Crosses with the high-expressing Lr34res line BG9 resulted in an increase of Lr34sus expression by 13- to 16-fold in progenies that inherited both alleles. These results indicate an interaction of the two Lr34 alleles on the transcriptional level. Reduction of Lr34res expression in BG8 crosses reduced the negative pleiotropic effects of Lr34res on barley growth and vigor without compromising disease resistance, suggesting that transgenic combination of Lr34res and Lr34sus can result in agronomically useful resistance. © 2015 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Intraperitoneal exposure of whitefish to microcystin-LR induces rapid liver injury followed by regeneration and resilience to subsequent exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woźny, Maciej; Lewczuk, Bogdan; Ziółkowska, Natalia; Gomułka, Piotr; Dobosz, Stefan; Łakomiak, Alicja; Florczyk, Maciej; Brzuzan, Paweł

2016-01-01

To date, there has been no systematic approach comprehensively describing the sequence of pathological changes in fish during prolonged exposure to microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Towards this aim, juvenile whitefish individuals received an intraperitoneal injection with pure MC-LR, and the injection was repeated every week to maintain continuous exposure for 28 days. During the exposure period, growth and condition of the fish were assessed based on biometric measurements. Additionally, selected biochemical markers were analysed in the fishes' blood, and their livers were carefully examined for morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular changes. The higher dose of MC-LR (100 μg·kg −1 ) caused severe liver injury at the beginning of the exposure period, whereas the lower dose (10 μg·kg −1 ) caused less, probably reversible injury, and its effects began to be observed later in the exposure period. These marked changes were accompanied by substantial MC-LR uptake by the liver. However, starting on the 7th day of exposure, cell debris began to be removed by phagocytes, then by 14th day, proliferation of liver cells had markedly increased, which led to reconstruction of the liver parenchyma at the end of the treatment. Surprisingly, despite weekly-repeated intraperitoneal injections, MC-LR did not accumulate over time of exposure which suggests its limited uptake in the later phase of exposure. In support, mRNA expression of the membrane transport protein oatp1d was decreased at the same time as the regenerative processes were observed. Our study shows that closing of active membrane transport may serve as one defence mechanism against further MC-LR intoxication. - Highlights: • The study presents pathological changes in whitefish during prolonged MC-LR exposure. • After early, severe injury, the damaged liver parenchyma of the fish regenerated. • Endoplasmic reticulum, cytoskeleton, and chromatin were the main targets for MC-LR. • MC-LR did not

Kinetic and mechanistic study of microcystin-LR degradation by nitrous acid under ultraviolet irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Qingwei; Ren, Jing [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Huang, Honghui [Key Laboratory of Fisheries Ecology Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou 510300 (China); Wang, Shoubing [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Wang, Xiangrong, E-mail: xrxrwang@vip.sina.com [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Fan, Zhengqiu, E-mail: zhqfan@fudan.edu.cn [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

2012-05-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer For the first time, degradation of MC-LR by nitrous acid under UV 365 nm was discovered. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The effects of factors on MC-LR degradation were analyzed based on kinetic study. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mass spectrometry was applied for identification of intermediates and products. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Special intermediates involved in this study were identified. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Degradation mechanisms were proposed according to the results of LC-MS analysis. - Abstract: Degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in the presence of nitrous acid (HNO{sub 2}) under irradiation of 365 nm ultraviolet (UV) was studied for the first time. The influence of initial conditions including pH value, NaNO{sub 2} concentration, MC-LR concentration and UV intensity were studied. MC-LR was degraded in the presence of HNO{sub 2}; enhanced degradation of MC-LR was observed with 365 nm UV irradiation, caused by the generation of hydroxyl radicals through the photolysis of HNO{sub 2}. The degradation processes of MC-LR could well fit the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Mass spectrometry was applied for identification of the byproducts and the analysis of degradation mechanisms. Major degradation pathways were proposed according to the results of LC-MS analysis. The degradation of MC-LR was initiated via three major pathways: attack of hydroxyl radicals on the conjugated carbon double bonds of Adda, attack of hydroxyl radicals on the benzene ring of Adda, and attack of nitrosonium ion on the benzene ring of Adda.

Bulk etch rate of LR-115 cellulose nitrate film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, M.J.; Schlenker, R.A.

1977-01-01

Bulk etch rate (V/sub b/) of Kodak LR-115 cellulose nitrate film has been studied, and values for the parameter are presented. An interesting variability of V/sub b/ has been found which has implications for microdosimetry using this type of integrating nuclear track detector. Short-term and longer-term thickness changes have been observed which may increase the uncertainty in estimations of dose using this type of detector

LR1: a candidate RNA virus of Leishmania.

OpenAIRE

Tarr, P I; Aline, R F; Smiley, B L; Scholler, J; Keithly, J; Stuart, K

1988-01-01

Although viruses are important biological agents and useful molecular tools, little is known about the viruses of parasites. We report here the discovery of a candidate for an RNA virus in a kinetoplastid parasite. This potential virus, which we term LR1, is present in the promastigote form of the human pathogen Leishmania braziliensis guyanensis CUMC1-1A but not in 11 other stocks of Leishmania that were examined nor in Trypanosoma brucei. The candidate viral RNA has a size of approximately ...

Determination of microcystin-LR in drinking water using UPLC tandem mass spectrometry-matrix effects and measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Duan, Jinming; Niu, Chaoying; Qiang, Naichen; Mulcahy, Dennis

2011-10-01

A simple detection method using ultra-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS-MS) coupled with the sample dilution method for determining trace microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in drinking water is presented. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.04 µg/L and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 0.1 µg/L. Water matrix effects of ionic strength, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and pH were examined. The results indicate that signal detection intensity for MC-LR was significantly suppressed as the ionic strength increased from ultrapure water condition, whereas it increased slightly with solution pH and DOC at low concentrations. However, addition of methanol (MeOH) into the sample was able to counter the signal suppression effects. In this study, dilution of the tap water sample by adding 4% MeOH (v/v) was observed to be adequate to compensate for the signal suppression. The recoveries of the samples fortified with MC-LR (0.2, 1, and 10 µg/L) for three different tap water samples ranged from 84.4% to 112.9%.

Reproduction impairment and endocrine disruption in female zebrafish after long-term exposure to MC-LR: A life cycle assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Jie; Li, Li; Wu, Ning; Su, Yujing; Lin, Wang; Li, Guangyu; Gu, Zemao

2016-01-01

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) has been found to cause reproductive and developmental impairments as well as to disrupt sex hormone homeostasis of fish during acute and sub-chronic toxic experiments. However, fish in natural environments are continuously exposed to MC-LR throughout their entire life cycle as opposed to short-term exposure. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the mechanism by which MC-LR harms female fish reproduction and development within natural water bodies is through interference of the reproductive endocrine system. In the present study, zebrafish hatchlings (5 d post-fertilization) were exposed to 0, 0.3, 3 and 30 μg/L MC-LR for 90 d until reaching sexual maturity. Female zebrafish were selected, and the changes in growth and developmental indicators, ovarian ultrastructure as well as the levels of gonadal steroid hormones and vitellogenin (VTG) were examined along with the transcription of related genes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis (HPGL-axis). The results showed for the first time, a life cycle exposure to MC-LR caused growth inhibition, decreased ovary weight and ovarian ultra-pathological lesions. Decreased ovarian testosterone levels indicated that MC-LR disrupted sex steroid hormone balance. Significantly up-regulated transcription of brain FSHβ and LHβ along with ovarian ERα, FSHR and LHR suggested positive feedback regulation in the HPGL-axis was induced as a compensatory mechanism for MC-LR damage. It was also noted that ovarian VTG content and hepatic ERα and VTG1 expression were all down-regulated, which might be responsible for reduced vitellus storage noted in our histological observations. Our findings indicate that a life cycle exposure to MC-LR impairs the development and reproduction of female zebrafish by disrupting the transcription of related HPGL-axis genes, suggesting that MC-LR has potential adverse effects on fish reproduction and thus population dynamics in MCs-contaminated aquatic environment

The wheat Lr34 multipathogen resistance gene confers resistance to anthracnose and rust in sorghum.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnippenkoetter, Wendelin; Lo, Clive; Liu, Guoquan; Dibley, Katherine; Chan, Wai Lung; White, Jodie; Milne, Ricky; Zwart, Alexander; Kwong, Eunjung; Keller, Beat; Godwin, Ian; Krattinger, Simon G; Lagudah, Evans

2017-11-01

The ability of the wheat Lr34 multipathogen resistance gene (Lr34res) to function across a wide taxonomic boundary was investigated in transgenic Sorghum bicolor. Increased resistance to sorghum rust and anthracnose disease symptoms following infection with the biotrophic pathogen Puccinia purpurea and the hemibiotroph Colletotrichum sublineolum, respectively, occurred in transgenic plants expressing the Lr34res ABC transporter. Transgenic sorghum lines that highly expressed the wheat Lr34res gene exhibited immunity to sorghum rust compared to the low-expressing single copy Lr34res genotype that conferred partial resistance. Pathogen-induced pigmentation mediated by flavonoid phytoalexins was evident on transgenic sorghum leaves following P. purpurea infection within 24-72 h, which paralleled Lr34res gene expression. Elevated expression of flavone synthase II, flavanone 4-reductase and dihydroflavonol reductase genes which control the biosynthesis of flavonoid phytoalexins characterized the highly expressing Lr34res transgenic lines 24-h post-inoculation with P. purpurea. Metabolite analysis of mesocotyls infected with C. sublineolum showed increased levels of 3-deoxyanthocyanidin metabolites were associated with Lr34res expression, concomitant with reduced symptoms of anthracnose. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Intraperitoneal exposure of whitefish to microcystin-LR induces rapid liver injury followed by regeneration and resilience to subsequent exposures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woźny, Maciej, E-mail: maciej.wozny@uwm.edu.pl [Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Słoneczna 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn (Poland); Lewczuk, Bogdan; Ziółkowska, Natalia [Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. M. Oczapowskiego 13, 10-713 Olsztyn (Poland); Gomułka, Piotr [Department of Ichthyology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. M. Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn (Poland); Dobosz, Stefan [Department of the Salmonid Research in Rutki, Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn, Rutki, 83-330 Żukowo (Poland); Łakomiak, Alicja; Florczyk, Maciej; Brzuzan, Paweł [Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Słoneczna 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn (Poland)

2016-12-15

To date, there has been no systematic approach comprehensively describing the sequence of pathological changes in fish during prolonged exposure to microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Towards this aim, juvenile whitefish individuals received an intraperitoneal injection with pure MC-LR, and the injection was repeated every week to maintain continuous exposure for 28 days. During the exposure period, growth and condition of the fish were assessed based on biometric measurements. Additionally, selected biochemical markers were analysed in the fishes' blood, and their livers were carefully examined for morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular changes. The higher dose of MC-LR (100 μg·kg{sup −1}) caused severe liver injury at the beginning of the exposure period, whereas the lower dose (10 μg·kg{sup −1}) caused less, probably reversible injury, and its effects began to be observed later in the exposure period. These marked changes were accompanied by substantial MC-LR uptake by the liver. However, starting on the 7th day of exposure, cell debris began to be removed by phagocytes, then by 14th day, proliferation of liver cells had markedly increased, which led to reconstruction of the liver parenchyma at the end of the treatment. Surprisingly, despite weekly-repeated intraperitoneal injections, MC-LR did not accumulate over time of exposure which suggests its limited uptake in the later phase of exposure. In support, mRNA expression of the membrane transport protein oatp1d was decreased at the same time as the regenerative processes were observed. Our study shows that closing of active membrane transport may serve as one defence mechanism against further MC-LR intoxication. - Highlights: • The study presents pathological changes in whitefish during prolonged MC-LR exposure. • After early, severe injury, the damaged liver parenchyma of the fish regenerated. • Endoplasmic reticulum, cytoskeleton, and chromatin were the main targets for MC-LR. • MC-LR did not

Microcystin-LR in surface water of Ponjavica river

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natić Dejan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Cyanobacterial toxins befall a group of various compounds according to chemical structure and health effects on people and animals. The most significant in this large group of compounds are microcystins. Their presence in water used for human consumption causes serious health problems, liver beeing the target organ. Microcystins are spread all over the world. Waterblooms of cyanobacterias and their cyanotoxins are also common in the majority of surface waters in Serbia. The aim of this study was to propose HPLC method for determination of mikrocystin-LR, to validate the method and to use it for determination of microcystin-LR in the surface water of the river Ponjavica. The Ponjavica is very eutrophic water and has ideal conditions for the cyanobacterial growth. Methods. Sample of water form the Ponjavica river were collected during the summer 2008. Coupled columns (HLB, Sep-Pak, were used for sample preparation and HPLC/PDA method was used for quantification of microcystin- LR. Results. Parameters of validation show that the proposed method is simple, fast, sensitive (0.1 mg/L and selective with the yield of 89%-92%. The measuring uncertainty of

Photocatalytic Cellulosic Electrospun Fibers for the Degradation of Potent Cyanobacteria Toxin Microcystin-LR

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

visible light activated or UV light activated), the surface area of the fiber mat, and loading solution pH all have an effect on the distribution of...photocatalysis with nanoparticles (such as titania, TiO2 ) show tremendous promise as a simple and energy efficient tech- nology for water purification and...LR (MC-LR). MC- LR is one of the most commonly found cyanobacteria toxins generated by the more frequently occurring cyanobacteria algae blooms in

Pitavastatin attenuates the PDGF-induced LR11/uPA receptor-mediated migration of smooth muscle cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Meizi; Bujo, Hideaki; Zhu, Yanjuan; Yamazaki, Hiroyuki; Hirayama, Satoshi; Kanaki, Tatsuro; Shibasaki, Manabu; Takahashi, Kazuo; Schneider, Wolfgang J.; Saito, Yasushi

2006-01-01

Statins, inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase, elicit various actions on vascular cells including the modulation of proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Here, we have elucidated the mechanism by which statins, in particular pitavastatin, attenuate the migration activity of SMCs. The expression of LR11, a member of the LDL receptor family and an enhancer of cell surface localization of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), is increased in cultured SMCs by treatment with PDGF-BB. Pitavastatin attenuates the PDGF-BB -induced surface expression of LR11 and uPAR. The increased migration of SMCs observed both upon overexpression of LR11 and via stimulation of secretion of soluble LR11 is not reversed by pitavastatin. In vivo studies showed that the SMCs expressing LR11 in plaques are almost congruent with intimal cells expressing nonmuscle myosin heavy chain (SMemb). Pitavastatin reduced the expression of LR11 and SMemb, and the levels of LR11, uPAR, and SMemb in cultured intimal SMCs were reduced to those seen in medial SMCs. We propose that this statin reduces PDGF-induced migration through the attenuation of the LR11/uPAR system in SMCs. Modulation of the LR11/uPAR system with statins suggests a novel treatment strategy for atherogenesis based on suppression of intimal SMC migration

LR-90 prevents methylglyoxal-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in human endothelial cells

Science.gov (United States)

Figarola, James L.; Singhal, Jyotsana; Rahbar, Samuel; Awasthi, Sanjay

2014-01-01

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound known to induce cellular injury and cytoxicity, including apoptosis in vascular cells. Vascular endothelial cell apoptosis has been implicated in the pathophysiology and progression of atherosclerosis. We investigated whether the advanced glycation end-product inhibitor LR-90 could prevent MGO-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVECs were pre-treated with LR-90 and then stimulated with MGO. Cell morphology, cytotoxicity and apoptosis were evaluated by light microscopy, MTT assay, and Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide double staining, respectively. Levels of Bax, Bcl-2, cytochrome c, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and caspase activities were assessed by Western blotting. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were measured with fluorescent probes. LR-90 dose-dependently prevented MGO-associated HUVEC cytotoxicity and apoptotic biochemical changes such as loss of MMP, increased Bax/Bcl-2 protein ratio, mitochondrial cytochrome c release and activation of caspase-3 and 9. Additionally, LR-90 blocked intracellular ROS formation and MAPK (p44/p42, p38, JNK) activation, though the latter seem to be not directly involved in MGO-induced HUVEC apoptosis. LR-90 prevents MGO-induced HUVEC apoptosis by inhibiting ROS and associated mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic signaling cascades, suggesting that LR-90 possess cytoprotective ability which could be beneficial in prevention of diabetic related-atherosclerosis. PMID:24615331

Adsorption of microcystin-LR on mesoporous carbons and its potential use in drinking water source.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jeong-Ann; Jung, Sung-Mok; Yi, In-Geol; Choi, Jae-Woo; Kim, Song-Bae; Lee, Sang-Hyup

2017-06-01

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a common toxin derived from cyanobacterial blooms an effective, rapid and non-toxic method needs to be developed for its removal from drinking water treatment plants (DWTP). For an adsorption-based method, mesoporous carbon can be a promising supplemental adsorbent. The effect of mesoporous carbon (MC1, MC2, and MC3) properties and water quality parameters on the adsorption of MC-LR were investigated and the results were analyzed by kinetic, isotherm, thermodynamic, Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO), and intraparticle diffusion models. MC1 was the most appropriate type for the removal of MC-LR with a maximum adsorption capacity of 35,670.49 μg/g. Adsorption of MC-LR is a spontaneous reaction dominated by van der Waals interactions. Pore sizes of 8.5-14 nm enhance the pore diffusion of MC-LR from the surface to the mesopores of MC1. The adsorption capacity was not sensitive to changes in the pH (3.2-8.0) and the existence of organic matter (2-5 mg/L). Furthermore, the final concentration of MC-LR was below the WHO guideline level after a 10-min reaction with 20 mg/L of MC1 in the Nak-Dong River, a drinking water source. The MC-LR adsorption mainly competed with humic substances (500-1000 g/mole); however, they did not have a great effect on adsorption. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of human LR11 Vps10p domain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakata, Zenzaburo; Nagae, Masamichi; Yasui, Norihisa; Bujo, Hideaki; Nogi, Terukazu; Takagi, Junichi

2010-01-01

LR11/sorLA contains in its extracellular region a large (∼700-residue) Vps10p domain that is implicated in its intracellular protein-trafficking function. Here, the expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic characterization of this domain are described. Low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) relative with 11 binding repeats (LR11; also known as sorLA) is genetically associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease and is thought to be involved in neurodegenerative processes. LR11 contains a vacuolar protein-sorting 10 protein (Vps10p) domain. As this domain has been implicated in protein–protein interaction in other receptors, its structure and function are of great biological interest. Human LR11 Vps10p domain was expressed in mammalian cells and the purified protein was crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. Enzymatic deglycosylation of the sample was critical to obtaining diffraction-quality crystals. Deglycosylated LR11 Vps10p-domain crystals belonged to the hexagonal space group P6 1 22. A diffraction data set was collected to 2.4 Å resolution and a clear molecular-replacement solution was obtained

Detoxification of microcystin-LR in water by Portulaca oleracea cv.

Science.gov (United States)

Isobe, Takatoshi; Okuhata, Hiroshi; Miyasaka, Hitoshi; Jeon, Bong-Seok; Park, Ho-Dong

2014-03-01

Microcystin-LR (0.02 μg/ml) in the hydroculture medium of Portulaca oleracea cv., became below the detection level (<0.0001 μg/ml) by HPLC analysis after 7 days. The toxicity of microcystin estimated with protein phosphatase inhibition assay, however, remained at 37% of the initial level, indicating that microcystin-LR was transformed by P. oleracea cv. into unknown compound(s) of lower toxicity. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Main: 1LR5 [RPSD[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Aux311; Zea Mays Molecule: Auxin Binding Protein 1; Chain: A, B, C, D; Engineered: Yes; Mutation: Yes Protei...-.|EMBL; L08425; AAA33430.1; -.|PIR; S16262; S16262.|PDB; 1LR5; X-ray; A/B/C/D=39-201.|PDB; 1LRH; X-ray; A/B/C/D=39-201.|Mai

A simple highly sensitive and selective aptamer-based colorimetric sensor for environmental toxins microcystin-LR in water samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiuyan; Cheng, Ruojie; Shi, Huijie; Tang, Bo; Xiao, Hanshuang; Zhao, Guohua

2016-03-05

A simple and highly sensitive aptamer-based colorimetric sensor was developed for selective detection of Microcystin-LR (MC-LR). The aptamer (ABA) was employed as recognition element which could bind MC-LR with high-affinity, while gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) worked as sensing materials whose plasma resonance absorption peaks red shifted upon binding of the targets at a high concentration of sodium chloride. With the addition of MC-LR, the random coil aptamer adsorbed on Au NPs altered into regulated structure to form MC-LR-aptamer complexes and broke away from the surface of Au NPs, leading to the aggregation of AuNPs, and the color converted from red to blue due to the interparticle plasmon coupling. Results showed that our aptamer-based colorimetric sensor exhibited rapid and sensitive detection performance for MC-LR with linear range from 0.5 nM to 7.5 μM and the detection limit reached 0.37 nM. Meanwhile, the pollutants usually coexisting with MC-LR in pollutant water samples had not demonstrated disturbance for detecting of MC-LR. The mechanism was also proposed suggesting that high affinity interaction between aptamer and MC-LR significantly enhanced the sensitivity and selectivity for MC-LR detection. Besides, the established method was utilized in analyzing real water samples and splendid sensitivity and selectivity were obtained as well. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microcystin-LR induces anoikis resistance to the hepatocyte uptake transporter OATP1B3-expressing cell lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takano, Hiroyuki; Takumi, Shota; Ikema, Satoshi; Mizoue, Nozomi; Hotta, Yuki; Shiozaki, Kazuhiro; Sugiyama, Yasumasa; Furukawa, Tatsuhiko; Komatsu, Masaharu

2014-01-01

Microcystin-LR is a cyclic peptide released by several bloom-forming cyanobacteria. Understanding the mechanism of microcystin-LR toxicity is important, because of the both potencies of its acute cytotoxicity and tumor-promoting activity in hepatocytes of animals and humans. Recently, we have reported that the expression of human hepatocyte uptake transporter OATP1B3 was critical for the selective uptake of microcystin-LR into hepatocytes and for induction of its fatal cytotoxicity. In this study, we demonstrated a novel function of microcystin-LR which induced bipotential changes including anoikis resistance and cytoskeleton reorganization to OATP1B3-transfected HEK293 cells (HEK293-OATP1B3). After exposure to microcystin-LR, HEK293-OATP1B3 cells were divided to the floating cells and remaining adherent cells. After collection and reseeding the floating cells into a fresh flask, cells were confluently proliferated (HEK293-OATP1B3-FL) under the microcystin-LR-free condition. Both the proliferated HEK293-OATP1B3-FL and remaining adherent HEK293-OATP1B3-AD cells changed the character with down- and up-regulation of E-cadherin, respectively. Additionally, these cells acquired resistance to microcystin-LR. These results suggest that microcystin-LR could be associated with not only tumor promotion, but also epithelial–mesenchymal transition-mediated cancer metastasis. Furthermore, microcystin-LR might induce the cytoskeleton reorganization be accompanied epithelial–mesenchymal transition

Analysis of WRKY transcription factors and characterization of two Botrytis cinerea-responsive LrWRKY genes from Lilium regale.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Qi; Yan, Xiao; Gao, Xue; Zhang, Dong-Mei; He, Heng-Bin; Jia, Gui-Xia

2018-06-01

A major constraint in producing lilies is gray mold caused by Botrytis elliptica and B. cinerea. WRKY transcription factors play important roles in plant immune responses. However, limited information is available about the WRKY gene family in lily plants. In this study, 23 LrWRKY genes with complete WRKY domains were identified from the Botrytis-resistant species Lilium regale. The putative WRKY genes were divided into seven subgroups (Group I, IIa-e, and III) according to their structural features. Sequence alignment revealed that LrWRKY proteins have a highly conserved WRKYGQK domain and a variant, the WRKYGKK domain, and these proteins generally contained similar motif compositions throughout the same subgroup. Functional annotation predicted they might be involved in biological processes related to abiotic and biotic stresses. A qRT-PCR analysis confirmed that expression of six LrWRKY genes in L. regale or the susceptible Asian hybrid 'Yale' was induced by B. cinerea infection. Among these genes, LrWRKY4, LrWRKY8 and LrWRKY10 were expressed at a higher level in L. regale than 'Yale', while the expression of LrWRKY6 and LrWRKY12 was lower in L. regale. Furthermore, LrWRKY4 and LrWRKY12 genes, which also respond to salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments, were isolated from L. regale. Subcellular localization analysis determined that they were targeted to the nucleus. Constitutive expression of LrWRKY4 and LrWRKY12 in Arabidopsis resulted in plants that were more resistant to B. cinerea than wild-type plants. This resistance was coupled with the transcriptional changes of SA and JA-responsive genes. Overall, our study provides valuable information about the structural and functional characterization of LrWRKY genes that will not only deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the defense of lily against B. cinerea but also offer potential targets for cultivar improvement via biotechnology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson

Chronic exposure to microcystin-LR affected mitochondrial DNA maintenance and caused pathological changes of lung tissue in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Xinxiu; Xu, Lizhi; Zhou, Wei; Zhao, Qingya; Wang, Yaping

2016-01-01

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), an important variant of cyanotoxin family, was frequently encountered in the contaminated aquatic environment and taken as a potent hepatotoxin. However, a little was known on the association between the long-term MC-LR exposure and lung damage. In this study, we investigated the changes of the pulmonary histopathology, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) integrity and the expression of mtDNA encoded genes in the mice with chronic exposed to MC-LR at different concentrations (1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 μg/L) for 12 months. Our results showed that the long-term and persistent exposure to MC-LR disturbed the balance of redox system, influenced mtDNA stability, changed the expression of mitochondrial genes in the lung cells. Notably, MC-LR exposure influenced the level of inflammatory cytokines and resulted in thickening of the alveolar septa. In conclusion, chronic exposure to MC-LR affected mtDNA maintenance, and caused lung impairment in mice. - Highlights: • A simulated natural exposure to MC-LR caused the lung pathological changes. • The chronic exposure disturbed the redox system balance of lung tissue cells. • The chronic exposure impaired the mtDNA stability and mitochondria function. • The lung was one of the vulnerable organs to MC-LR exposure in mice. - Long-term exposure to MC-LR in drinking water disturbed the balance of redox system, affected mitochondrial DNA maintenance and caused lung impairment in mice.

Application of DNA RFLP procedures in interspecific gene transfer: The Lr19 translocation of wheat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prins, R.; Marais, G.F.; Marais, A.S.; Pretorius, Z.A.; Janse, B.J.H.

1998-01-01

Twenty-nine lines with deletions in the Lr19 ('Indis') translocated chromosome segment were used to physically map Thinopyrum Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) loci as well as the Sr25 and Sdl loci. The relative distances between marker loci on the translocation were then calculated. The information was then used as an aid to characterize several recombined forms of the translocation. The data confirmed the reported homoeology between the Lr19 segment and chromosome arm 7DL of wheat. Also, it seems that the Lr19 translocation in 'Indis' is very similar to the Lr19 segment in the T4 source and that the former may not derive from Thinopyrum distichum. Near-isogenic lines of the recombined segments were derived and used to study their expression of leaf rust resistance. It became evident that only one potentially useful recombinant was obtained in an earlier attempt to induce allosyndetic pairing between the Lr19 translocation and 7DL of wheat. (author)

Photocatalytic degradation and mineralization of microcystin-LR under UV-A, solar and visible light using nanostructured nitrogen doped TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Triantis, T.M.; Fotiou, T.; Kaloudis, T.; Kontos, A.G.; Falaras, P.; Dionysiou, D.D.; Pelaez, M.; Hiskia, A.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► N-TiO 2 exhibited effective degradation of MC-LR under UV-A, solar and visible light. ► Complete photocatalytic mineralization of MC-LR was achieved under UV-A and solar light. ► The organic nitrogen is mainly released as ammonium and nitrate ions. - Abstract: In an attempt to face serious environmental hazards, the degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR), one of the most common and more toxic water soluble cyanotoxin compounds released by cyanobacteria blooms, was investigated using nitrogen doped TiO 2 (N-TiO 2 ) photocatalyst, under UV-A, solar and visible light. Commercial Degussa P25 TiO 2 , Kronos and reference TiO 2 nanopowders were used for comparison. It was found that under UV-A irradiation, all photocatalysts were effective in toxin elimination. The higher MC-LR degradation (99%) was observed with Degussa P25 TiO 2 followed by N-TiO 2 with 96% toxin destruction after 20 min of illumination. Under solar light illumination, N-TiO 2 nanocatalyst exhibits similar photocatalytic activity with that of commercially available materials such as Degussa P25 and Kronos TiO 2 for the destruction of MC-LR. Upon irradiation with visible light Degussa P25 practically did not show any response, while the N-TiO 2 displayed remarkable photocatalytic efficiency. In addition, it has been shown that photodegradation products did not present any significant protein phosphatase inhibition activity, proving that toxicity is proportional only to the remaining MC-LR in solution. Finally, total organic carbon (TOC) and inorganic ions (NO 2 − , NO 3 − and NH 4 + ) determinations confirmed that complete photocatalytic mineralization of MC-LR was achieved under both UV-A and solar light.

Theoretical spectroscopic study of the conjugate microcystin-LR-europium cryptate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, Julio G.; Dutra, Jose Diogo L.; Costa Junior, Nivan B. da; Freire, Ricardo O., E-mail: rfreire@ufs.br [Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Sao Cristovao, SE (Brazil). Departamento de Quimica; Alves Junior, Severino; Sa, Gilberto F. de [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Departamento de Quimica Fundamental

2013-02-15

In this work, theoretical tools were used to study spectroscopic properties of the conjugate microcystin-LR-europium cryptate. The Sparkle/AM1 model was applied to predict the geometry of the system and the INDO/S-CIS model was used to calculate the excited state energies. Based on the Judd-Ofelt theory, the intensity parameters were predicted and a theoretical model based on the theory of the 4f-4f transitions was applied to calculate energy transfer and backtransfer rates, radiative and non-radiative decay rates, quantum efficiency and quantum yield. A detailed study of the luminescent properties of the conjugate Microcystin-LR-europium cryptate was carried out. The results show that the theoretical quantum yield of luminescence of 23% is in good agreement with the experimental value published. This fact suggests that this theoretical protocol can be used to design new systems in order to improve their luminescence properties. The results suggest that this luminescent system may be a good conjugate for using in assay ELISA for detection by luminescence of the Microcystin-LR in water. (author)

Study of the weekly irrigation cycle of a cultivated field in a semi-arid area (Marrakech region, Morocco) by using CR-39 and LR-115 II track detectors and radon as a natural tracer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misdaq, M.A.; Essaouif, Z.

2007-01-01

Uranium ( 238 U) and thorium ( 232 Th) concentrations were measured in the soil of a cultivated field situated in a semi-arid area (Marrakech, Morocco) by using CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). The same track detectors were used for measuring alpha- and beta-activities due to radon and thoron gases emanating from the soil of the studied irrigated agricultural field. The influence of the humidity (soil water content), soil depth and climate conditions on the weekly irrigation cycle of the studied cultivated field was investigated by exploiting radon measurements

Detection of trace microcystin-LR on a 20 MHz QCM sensor coated with in situ self-assembled MIPs.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Hao; Zhou, Lianqun; Wang, Yi; Li, Chuanyu; Yao, Jia; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Qingwen; Li, Mingyu; Li, Haiwen; Dong, Wen-fei

2015-01-01

A 20 MHz quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor coated with in situ self-assembled molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) was presented for the detection of trace microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in drinking water. The sensor performance obtained using the in situ self-assembled MIPs was compared with traditionally synthesized MIPs on 20 MHz and normal 10 MHz QCM chip. The results show that the response increases by more than 60% when using the in situ self-assembly method compared using the traditionally method while the 20 MHz QCM chip provides four-fold higher response than the 10 MHz one. Therefore, the in situ self-assembled MIPs coated on a high frequency QCM chip was used in the sensor performance test to detect MC-LR in tap water. It showed a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.04 nM which is lower than the safety guideline level (1 nM MC-LR) of drinking water in China. The low sensor response to other analogs indicated the high specificity of the sensor to MC-LR. The sensor showed high stability and low signal variation less than 2.58% after regeneration. The lake water sample analysis shows the sensor is possible for practical use. The combination of the higher frequency QCM with the in situ self-assembled MIPs provides a good candidate for the detection of other small molecules. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photocatalytic degradation and mineralization of microcystin-LR under UV-A, solar and visible light using nanostructured nitrogen doped TiO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Triantis, T.M.; Fotiou, T. [Laboratory of Catalytic - Photocatalytic Processes (Solar Energy - Environment), Institute of Physical Chemistry, National Center for Scientific Research ' Demokritos' , Neapoleos 25, 15310 Agia Paraskevi, Attiki (Greece); Kaloudis, T. [Organic Micropollutants Laboratory, Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP SA), WTP Aharnon, Menidi (Greece); Kontos, A.G.; Falaras, P. [Laboratory of Photo-redox Conversion and Storage of Solar Energy, Institute of Physical Chemistry, National Center for Scientific Research ' Demokritos' , Neapoleos 25, 15310 Agia Paraskevi, Attiki (Greece); Dionysiou, D.D.; Pelaez, M. [Environmental Engineering and Science Program, School of Energy, Environmental, Biological and Medical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, OH 45221-0012 (United States); Hiskia, A., E-mail: hiskia@chem.demokritos.gr [Laboratory of Catalytic - Photocatalytic Processes (Solar Energy - Environment), Institute of Physical Chemistry, National Center for Scientific Research ' Demokritos' , Neapoleos 25, 15310 Agia Paraskevi, Attiki (Greece)

2012-04-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer N-TiO{sub 2} exhibited effective degradation of MC-LR under UV-A, solar and visible light. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Complete photocatalytic mineralization of MC-LR was achieved under UV-A and solar light. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The organic nitrogen is mainly released as ammonium and nitrate ions. - Abstract: In an attempt to face serious environmental hazards, the degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR), one of the most common and more toxic water soluble cyanotoxin compounds released by cyanobacteria blooms, was investigated using nitrogen doped TiO{sub 2} (N-TiO{sub 2}) photocatalyst, under UV-A, solar and visible light. Commercial Degussa P25 TiO{sub 2}, Kronos and reference TiO{sub 2} nanopowders were used for comparison. It was found that under UV-A irradiation, all photocatalysts were effective in toxin elimination. The higher MC-LR degradation (99%) was observed with Degussa P25 TiO{sub 2} followed by N-TiO{sub 2} with 96% toxin destruction after 20 min of illumination. Under solar light illumination, N-TiO{sub 2} nanocatalyst exhibits similar photocatalytic activity with that of commercially available materials such as Degussa P25 and Kronos TiO{sub 2} for the destruction of MC-LR. Upon irradiation with visible light Degussa P25 practically did not show any response, while the N-TiO{sub 2} displayed remarkable photocatalytic efficiency. In addition, it has been shown that photodegradation products did not present any significant protein phosphatase inhibition activity, proving that toxicity is proportional only to the remaining MC-LR in solution. Finally, total organic carbon (TOC) and inorganic ions (NO{sub 2}{sup -}, NO{sub 3}{sup -} and NH{sub 4}{sup +}) determinations confirmed that complete photocatalytic mineralization of MC-LR was achieved under both UV-A and solar light.

Prospective evaluation of IOTA logistic regression models LR1 and LR2 in comparison with subjective pattern recognition for diagnosis of ovarian cancer in an outpatient setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Nunes, N; Ambler, G; Foo, X; Widschwendter, M; Jurkovic, D

2018-06-01

To determine whether International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) logistic regression models LR1 and LR2 developed for the preoperative diagnosis of ovarian cancer could also be used to differentiate between benign and malignant adnexal tumors in the population of women attending gynecology outpatient clinics. This was a single-center prospective observational study of consecutive women attending our gynecological diagnostic outpatient unit, recruited between May 2009 and January 2012. All the women were first examined by a Level-II ultrasound operator. In those diagnosed with adnexal tumors, the IOTA-LR1/2 protocol was used to evaluate the masses. The LR1 and LR2 models were then used to assess the risk of malignancy. Subsequently, the women were also examined by a Level-III examiner, who used pattern recognition to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors. Women with an ultrasound diagnosis of malignancy were offered surgery, while asymptomatic women with presumed benign lesions were offered conservative management with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. The initial diagnosis was compared with two reference standards: histological findings and/or a comparative assessment of tumor morphology on follow-up ultrasound scans. All women for whom the tumor classification on follow-up changed from benign to malignant were offered surgery. In the final analysis, 489 women who had either or both of the reference standards were included. Their mean age was 50 years (range, 16-91 years) and 45% were postmenopausal. Of the included women, 342/489 (69.9%) had surgery and 147/489 (30.1%) were managed conservatively. The malignancy rate was 137/489 (28.0%). Overall, sensitivities of LR1 and LR2 for the diagnosis of malignancy were 97.1% (95% CI, 92.7-99.2%) and 94.9% (95% CI, 89.8-97.9%) and specificities were 77.3% (95% CI, 72.5-81.5%) and 76.7% (95% CI, 71.9-81.0%), respectively (P > 0.05). In comparison with pattern recognition (sensitivity 94.2% (95% CI, 88

Evaluation of activation detectors for the SPHINX project at the LR-0 experimental reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lahodova, Zdena; Viererbl, Ladislav; Novak, Evzen; Svadlenkova, Marie; Rypar, Vojtech

2008-01-01

This article summarizes the measurements of neutron fluence distributions carried out at the LR-0 research reactor (Czech Republic) in the frame of the SPHINX project. The influence of fluoride-salts or graphite filling in the SR-0 modules on neutron spectrum was studied using activation detectors. The activation detectors (Mn, Ni, In and Au) were evaluated to determine the changes in neutron field. The In and Au detectors were also irradiated with a cadmium cover. Five different configurations of reactor core (EROS) were realized. (authors)

Evaluation of activation detectors for the SPHINX project at the LR-0 experimental reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lahodova, Zdena; Viererbl, Ladislav [Research Center Rez Ltd (Czech Republic); Novak, Evzen; Svadlenkova, Marie; Rypar, Vojtech [Nuclear Power and Safety Division, Nuclear Research Institute Rez plc (Czech Republic)

2008-07-01

This article summarizes the measurements of neutron fluence distributions carried out at the LR-0 research reactor (Czech Republic) in the frame of the SPHINX project. The influence of fluoride-salts or graphite filling in the SR-0 modules on neutron spectrum was studied using activation detectors. The activation detectors (Mn, Ni, In and Au) were evaluated to determine the changes in neutron field. The In and Au detectors were also irradiated with a cadmium cover. Five different configurations of reactor core (EROS) were realized. (authors)

Inhibition of Microcystis aeruginosa and microcystin- LR with one ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Yomi

2State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001,. China. ... industrial wastewater and domestic sewage. One of the .... LR detected by high performance liquid chromatography.

Evolution of the LR56 radioactive liquid waste transportation system for use at Hanford, Oak Ridge, and Savannah River Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clement, G.; Delvecchio, D.J.; Sazawal, V.

1997-01-01

The LR56 system is a radioactive liquid transportation cask licensed for use in France for on-site road transfer of Type B bulk quantities of radioactive liquids. Three LR56 systems (with adaptations for use at the Department of Energy (DOE) sites in the US) have been recently purchased for use at the Hanford site, the Oak Ridge National laboratory site and the Savannah River Site. The paper discussed the main features of the LR56 system and presents the evolution of the design. Particular attention is given to the last version developed for the Savannah River Site to be used for the transfer of highly concentrated alpha bearing liquids. For this application a special enhancement of the secondary vessel has been implemented which provides the system with a double leak tight confinement

76 FR 60937 - Draft License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance LR-ISG-2011-02; Aging Management Program for Steam...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-30

...-2011-02; Aging Management Program for Steam Generators AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION... License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG), LR-ISG-2011-02, ``Aging Management Program for Steam... using Revision 3 of NEI 97-06 to manage steam generator aging. The Draft LR-ISG revises the NRC staff's...

The interactive effects of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin on the growth rate of the freshwater algae Chlorella vulgaris.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinheiro, Carlos; Azevedo, Joana; Campos, Alexandre; Vasconcelos, Vítor; Loureiro, Susana

2016-05-01

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and cylindrospermopsin (CYN) are the most representative cyanobacterial cyanotoxins. They have been simultaneously detected in aquatic systems, but their combined ecotoxicological effects to aquatic organisms, especially microalgae, is unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of these cyanotoxins individually and as a binary mixture on the growth rate of the freshwater algae Chlorella vulgaris. Using the MIXTOX tool, the reference model concentration addition (CA) was selected to evaluate the combined effects of MC-LR and CYN on the growth of the freshwater green algae due to its conservative prediction of mixture effect for putative similar or dissimilar acting chemicals. Deviations from the CA model such as synergism/antagonism, dose-ratio and dose-level dependency were also assessed. In single exposures, our results demonstrated that MC-LR and CYN had different impacts on the growth rates of C. vulgaris at the highest tested concentrations, being CYN the most toxic. In the mixture exposure trial, MC-LR and CYN showed a synergistic deviation from the conceptual model CA as the best descriptive model. MC-LR individually was not toxic even at high concentrations (37 mg L(-1)); however, the presence of MC-LR at much lower concentrations (0.4-16.7 mg L(-1)) increased the CYN toxicity. From these results, the combined exposure of MC-LR and CYN should be considered for risk assessment of mixtures as the toxicity may be underestimated when looking only at the single cyanotoxins and not their combination. This study also represents an important step to understand the interactions among MC-LR and CYN detected previously in aquatic systems.

Process optimization for microcystin-LR degradation by Response Surface Methodology and mechanism analysis in gas-liquid hybrid discharge system.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yi; Wei, Hanyu; Xin, Qing; Wang, Mingang; Wang, Qi; Wang, Qiang; Cong, Yanqing

2016-12-01

A gas-liquid hybrid discharge system was applied to microcystin-LR (MC-LR) degradation. MC-LR degradation was completed after 1 min under a pulsed high voltage of 16 kV, gas-liquid interface gap of 10 mm and oxygen flow rate of 160 L/h. The Box-Behnken Design was proposed in Response Surface Methodology to evaluate the influence of pulsed high voltage, electrode distance and oxygen flow rate on MC-LR removal efficiency. Multiple regression analysis, focused on multivariable factors, was employed and a reduced cubic model was developed. The ANOVA analysis shows that the model is significant and the model prediction on MC-LR removal was also validated with experimental data. The optimum conditions for the process are obtained at pulsed voltage of 16 kV, gas-liquid interface gap of 10 mm and oxygen flow rate of 120 L/h with ta removal efficiency of MC-LR of 96.6%. The addition of catalysts (TiO 2 or Fe 2+ ) in the gas-liquid hybrid discharge system was found to enhance the removal of MC-LR. The intermediates of MC-LR degradation were analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The degradation pathway proposed envisaged the oxidation of hydroxyl radicals and ozone, and attack of high-energy electrons on the unsaturated double bonds of Adda and Mdha, with MC-LR finally decomposing into small molecular products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Main: 1LR4 [RPSD[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 1LR4 トウモロコシ Corn Zea mays L. Casein Kinase Ii, Alpha Chain Name=Ack2; Zea Mays Mole...cule: Protein Kinase Ck2; Chain: A; Synonym: Casein Kinase Ii, Alpha Chain; Engineered: Yes Transferase 2.7....ray; A=2-326.|PDB; 1M2Q; X-ray; A=2-328.|PDB; 1M2R; X-ray; A=2-328.|PDB; 1OM1; X-ray; A=1-332.|Mai

Ecological risk assessment of microcystin-LR in the upstream section of the Haihe River based on a species sensitivity distribution model.

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Zhiguang; Du, Lei; Li, Jiafu; Zhang, Ying; Lv, Zhiwei

2018-02-01

The eutrophication of surface water has been the main problem of water quality management in recent decades, and the ecological risk of microcystin-LR (MC-LR), which is the by-product of eutrophication, has drawn more attention worldwide. The aims of our study were to determine the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) of MC-LR and to assess the ecological risk of MC-LR in the upstream section of the Haihe River. HC 5 (hazardous concentration for 5% of biological species) and PNEC were obtained from a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) model, which was constructed with the acute toxicity data of MC-LR on aquatic organisms. The concentrations of MC-LR in the upstream section of the Haihe River from April to August of 2015 were analysed, and the ecological risk characteristics of MC-LR were evaluated based on the SSD model. The results showed that the HC 5 of MC-LR in freshwater was 17.18 μg/L and PNEC was 5.73 μg/L. The concentrations of MC-LR ranged from 0.68 μg/L to 32.21 μg/L and were obviously higher in summer than in spring. The values of the risk quotient (RQ) ranged from 0.12 to 5.62, suggesting that the risk of MC-LR for aquatic organisms in the river was at a medium or high level during the study period. Compared with other waterbodies in the world, the pollution level of MC-LR in the Haihe River was at a moderate level. This research could promote the study of the ecological risk of MC-LR at the ecosystem level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of Total Microcystin LR Concentration in Three Subtropical Hydroelectric Generation Reservoirs in Uruguay, South America.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Piana, Mauricio; Fabián, Daniel; Piccardo, Andrea; Chalar, Guillermo

2017-10-01

This study analyzed the temporal dynamics of total microcystin LR concentrations between the years of 2012 and 2015 in the Bonete, Baygorria and Palmar hydroelectric generation reservoirs in the central region of the Negro River, Uruguay. The three reservoirs showed differents total microcystin LR concentration, with no significant differences among them. Over 20 sampling dates, the three reservoirs exhibited total microcystin LR concentrations on eight occasions that corresponded to a slight to moderate human health risk according to WHO guideline values for recreational waters. By determining the concentration of microcystin LR in cyanobacterial biomass, we identified cyanobacterial populations that occurred over time with varying degrees of toxin production (maximal 85.4 µg/mm 3 ). The microcystin LR concentration in Bonete was positively correlated with temperature (r = 0.587) and cyanobacterial biomass (r = 0.736), in Baygorria with cyanobacterial biomass (r = 0.521), and in Palmar with temperature (r = 0.500) and negatively correlated with ammonia (r = -0.492). Action is needed to reduce the presence of toxic cyanobacteria in these systems. A decrease in the use of agrochemicals and management changes in the reservoir basins could be successful long-term measures.

A 3D graphene-based biosensor as an early microcystin-LR screening tool in sources of drinking water supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Wei; Han, Changseok; Jia, Baoping; Saint, Christopher; Nadagouda, Mallikarjuna; Falaras, Polycarpos; Sygellou, Labrini; Vogiazi, Vasileia; Dionysiou, Dionysios D.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • 3D graphene-based biosensors can detect MC-LR with remarkable sensitivity. • Good linear correlation between electron-transfer resistance and MC-LR concentration. • A detection limit of 0.04 μg/L MC-LR was accomplished. - Abstract: Recent advances in graphene synthesis and understanding of properties have led to enormous applications in a variety of areas. Graphene and its unique electrical properties can favor electrochemical biosensor applications for aqueous toxin monitoring. Graphene-based biosensors can be used as an alternative to time-consuming, expensive and non-portable conventional methods of analysis involved in water quality monitoring and assessment. In this work, we showcased a three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based biosensor for microcystin-LR (MC-LR) detection and quantification. We report the efficient functionalization and immobilization of microcystin-LR and its antibodies on the facile synthesized CVD 3D graphene. The modified graphene electrodes were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to electrochemically characterize the biochemical events on the electrodes. Specifically, as-prepared 3D graphene-based biosensors can detect MC-LR with remarkable sensitivity due to its macro-porous structure and large surface area, and high conductivity. A very good linear correlation of the electron-transfer resistance (R"2 = 0.93) was achieved over 0.05 and 20 μg/L MC-LR concentration range. Also, a detection limit of 0.05 μg/L was accomplished, which is much lower than the World Health Organization (WHO) provisional guideline limit of MC-LR concentration (i.e. 1 μg/L) in drinking water.

Low-priced, time-saving, reliable and stable LR-115 counting system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tchorz-Trzeciakiewicz, D.E.

2015-01-01

Nuclear alpha particles leave etches (tracks) when they hit the surface of a LR-115 detector. The density of these tracks is used to measure radon concentration. Counting these tracks by human sense is tedious and time-consuming procedure and may introduce counting error, whereas most available automatic and semiautomatic counting systems are expensive or complex. An uncomplicated, robust, reliable and stable counting system using freely available on the Internet software as Digimizer™ and PhotoScape was developed and proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed procedure was evaluated by comparing the amount of tracks counted by software with the amount of tracks counted manually for 223 detectors. The percentage error for each analysed detector was obtained as a difference between automatic and manual counts divided by manual count. For more than 97% of detectors, the percentage errors oscillated between −3% and 3%. - Highlights: • Semiautomatic, uncomplicated procedure was proposed to count the amount of alpha tracks. • Freely available software on the Internet used as alpha tracks counting system for LR-115. • LR-115 detectors used to measure radon concentration and radon exhalation rate

Operations of the LR56 radioactive liquid cask transport system at U.S. Department of Energy sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davidson, J.S.; Hornstra, D.J.; Sazawal, V.K.; Clement, G.

1996-01-01

The LR56 cask system is licensed for use in France under Certificate of Compliance F/309/B(U)F for transport of 4,000-liter volumes of radioactive liquids. Three LR56 cask systems (with modifications for use at Department of Energy (DOE) sites) have been purchased for delivery at the Hanford Site, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Savannah River Site (SRS). The LR56 cask systems will be used for on-site transfers of Type B quantities of radioactive liquid waste. The ORNL unit will also be used as a Type A packaging for transfers of radioactive liquids between DOE sites. This paper discusses LR56 operating features and the use of the cask system at the three DOE sites

Parameters of calibration of the measurement system of {sup 222} Rn based in LR-115; Parametros de calibracion del sistema de medicion de {sup 222} Rn basado en LR-115

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia, M.L.; Mireles, F.; Quirino, L.; Davila, I.; Lugo, F.; Pinedo, J.L. [CREN-UAZ, 98068 Zacatecas (Mexico); Chavez, A. [ININ, 52045 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)]. e-mail: mluisagb@hotmail.com

2003-07-01

Since the SSNTD technique (Solid State Nuclear Track Detection) it was discovered it has been used as passive method for the detection of subnuclear particles in great variety of fields of the science. The use of the technique in measurements of {sup 222} Rn in air have already been established implying better methodologies in the exhibition to the environment until their engraving and reading processes. The SSNTD technique is since a method by comparison since the material it can be used a single time, therefore it requires of calibration in one controlled radon atmosphere, using gauged standards. The objective of this work is to show the calibration of the devices used as radon monitors based on SSNTD. The material used as SSNTD is LR-115 Il. The standardization of the parameters used in the exhibition to radon in air, engraving and reading process, its are based on the response of the LR-115 Il, the one arrangement of the device, engraving speed and mainly the calibration factor. They are considered two types of monitors: Open camera and Closed camera, the difference among the calibration factors of both cameras is the percentage of the descendants of radon in the open camera. The standardized parameters are operation voltage of the counting system; temperature, time and concentration of the engraving solution; and thickness. (Author)

LALR(1) : LL(1) = LR(0) : LL(0)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruseman Aretz, F.E.J.; Emde Boas, van P.; Hemker, P.W.; Hoffman, W.; Houwen, van der P.J.; Pfluger, P.R.

1992-01-01

It is shown that LL(l) and LALR(l) acceptors can be obtained by restricting the action tables of the corresponding LL(O) and LR(O) acceptors to those entries that are accessed in at least one accepting sequence (of a sentence from the language). It follows that a number of properties that are easily

Microcystis aeruginos strain [D-Leu1] Mcyst-LR producer, from Buenos Aires province, Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorena Rosso

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: To show the toxicological and phylogenetic characterization of a native Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa strain (named CAAT 2005-3 isolated from a water body of Buenos Aires province, Argentine. Methods: A M. aeruginosa strain was isolated from the drainage canal of the sewage treatment in the town of Pila, Buenos Aires province, Argentina and acclimated to laboratory conditions. The amplification of cpcBA-IGS Phcocyanin (PC, intergenic spacer and flanking regions was carried out in order to build a phylogenetic tree. An exactive/orbitrap mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bremen, Germany was used for the LC/ESI-HRMS microcystins analysis. The number of cell/mL and [D-Leu1] Mcyst-LR production obtained as a function of time was modelled using the Gompertz equation. Results: The phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequence clustered with others M. aeruginosa sequences obtained from NCBI. The first Argentinian strain of M. aeruginosa (CAAT 2005-3 growing under culture conditions maintains the typical colonial architecture of M. aeruginosa with profuse mucilage. M. aeruginosa CAAT 2005-3 expresses a toxin variant, that was identified by LC-HRMS/Orbitrapas as [D-Leu1] microcystin-LR ([M+H]+=1 037.8 m/z. Conclusions: [D-Leu1] microcystin-LR has been also detected in M. aeruginosa samples from Canada, Brazil and Argentina. This work provides the basis for technological development and production of analytical standards of toxins present in our region.

Microcystin-LR nanobody screening from an alpaca phage display nanobody library and its expression and application.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Chongxin; Yang, Ying; Liu, Liwen; Li, Jianhong; Liu, Xiaoqin; Zhang, Xiao; Liu, Yuan; Zhang, Cunzheng; Liu, Xianjin

2018-04-30

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a type of biotoxin that pollutes the ecological environment and food. The study aimed to obtain new nanobodies from phage nanobody library for determination of MC-LR. The toxin was conjugated to keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), respectively, then the conjugates were used as coated antigens for enrichment (coated MC-LR-KLH) and screening (coated MC-LR-BSA) of MC-LR phage nanobodies from an alpaca phage display nanobody library. The antigen-specific phage particles were enriched effectively with four rounds of biopanning. At the last round of enrichment, total 20 positive monoclonal phage nanobodies were obtained from the library, which were analyzed after monoclonal phage enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), colony PCR and DNA sequencing. The most three positive nanobody genes, ANAb12, ANAb9 and ANAb7 were cloned into pET26b vector, then the nanobodies were expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 respectively. After being purified, the molecular weight (M.W.) of all nanobodies were approximate 15kDa with sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The purified nanobodies, ANAb12, ANAb9 and ANAb7 were used to establish the indirect competitive ELISA (IC-ELISA) for MC-LR, and their half-maximum inhibition concentrations (IC 50 ) were 0.87, 1.17 and 1.47μg/L, their detection limits (IC 10 ) were 0.06, 0.08 and 0.12μg/L, respectively. All of them showed strong cross-reactivity (CRs) of 82.7-116.9% for MC-RR, MC-YR and MC-WR, and weak CRs of less than 4.56% for MC-LW, less than 0.1% for MC-LY and MC-LF. It was found that all the IC-ELISAs for MC-LR spiked in tap water samples detection were with good accuracy, stability and repeatability, their recoveries were 84.0-106.5%, coefficient of variations (CVs) were 3.4-10.6%. These results showed that IC-ELISA based on the nanobodies from the alpaca phage display antibody library were promising for high sensitive determination of multiple

Modified CC-LR algorithm with three diverse feature sets for motor imagery tasks classification in EEG based brain-computer interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Siuly; Li, Yan; Paul Wen, Peng

2014-03-01

Motor imagery (MI) tasks classification provides an important basis for designing brain-computer interface (BCI) systems. If the MI tasks are reliably distinguished through identifying typical patterns in electroencephalography (EEG) data, a motor disabled people could communicate with a device by composing sequences of these mental states. In our earlier study, we developed a cross-correlation based logistic regression (CC-LR) algorithm for the classification of MI tasks for BCI applications, but its performance was not satisfactory. This study develops a modified version of the CC-LR algorithm exploring a suitable feature set that can improve the performance. The modified CC-LR algorithm uses the C3 electrode channel (in the international 10-20 system) as a reference channel for the cross-correlation (CC) technique and applies three diverse feature sets separately, as the input to the logistic regression (LR) classifier. The present algorithm investigates which feature set is the best to characterize the distribution of MI tasks based EEG data. This study also provides an insight into how to select a reference channel for the CC technique with EEG signals considering the anatomical structure of the human brain. The proposed algorithm is compared with eight of the most recently reported well-known methods including the BCI III Winner algorithm. The findings of this study indicate that the modified CC-LR algorithm has potential to improve the identification performance of MI tasks in BCI systems. The results demonstrate that the proposed technique provides a classification improvement over the existing methods tested. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of different algaecides on the photosynthetic capacity, cell integrity and microcystin-LR release of Microcystis aeruginosa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Shiqing; Shao, Yisheng; Gao, Naiyun; Deng, Yang; Qiao, Junlian; Ou, Huase; Deng, Jing

2013-01-01

Bench scale tests were conducted to study the effects of four common algaecides, including copper sulfate, hydrogen peroxide, diuron and ethyl 2-methylacetoacetate (EMA) on the photosynthetic capacity, cell integrity and microcystin-LR (MC-LR) release of Microcystis aeruginosa. The release of potassium (K + ) from cell membrane during algaecide exposure was also analyzed. The three typical photosynthetic parameters, including the effective quantum yield (φ e ), photosynthetic efficiency (α) and maximal electron transport rate (rETR max ), were measured by a pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry. Results showed that the photosynthetic capacity was all inhibited by the four algaecides, to different degrees, by limiting the energy capture in photosynthesis, and blocking the electron transfer chain in primary reaction. For example, at high diuron concentration (7.5 mg L −1 ), φ e , α and rETR max decreased from 0.46 to 0.19 (p −2 s −1 /μmol photons m −2 s −1 , and from 160.7 to 0.1 (p −2 s −1 compared with the control group after 96 h of exposure, respectively. Furthermore, the increase of algaecide dose could lead to the cell lysis, as well as release of intracellular MC-LR that enhanced the accumulation of extracellular MC-LR. The order of MC-LR release potential for the four algaecides was CuSO 4 > H 2 O 2 > diuron > EMA. Highlights: • PAM was used to investigate the effects of algaecides on Microcystis aeruginosa. • We estimate the release of potassium (K + ) from cell membrane for cell lysis. • The risk of microcystin-LR release was evaluated after algaecides exposure. • The order of MC-LR release potential was copper sulfate > hydrogen peroxide > diuron > ethyl 2-methylacetoacetate

A Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube-based Biosensor for Monitoring Microcystin-LR in Sources of Drinking Water Supplies

Science.gov (United States)

A multi-walled carbon nanotube-based electrochemical biosensor is developed for monitoring microcystin-LR (MC-LR), a toxic cyanobacterial toxin, in sources of drinking water supplies. The biosensor electrodes are fabricated using dense, mm-long multi-walled CNT (MWCNT) arrays gro...

Allelopathic effects of microcystin-LR on the germination, growth and metabolism of five charophyte species and a submerged angiosperm.

Science.gov (United States)

Rojo, Carmen; Segura, Matilde; Cortés, Francisco; Rodrigo, María A

2013-11-15

Microcystins (MCs) are produced by cyanobacteria in aquatic environments and adversely affect macrophytes at very high concentrations. However, the effects of MC on macrophytes at concentrations of environmental relevance are largely unknown. The main objective of this study was to analyze the allelopathic effects of MC-LR at natural concentrations (1, 8 and 16 μg MC-LR/L) on five charophyte species (Chara aspera, C. baltica, C. hispida, C. vulgaris and Nitella hyalina) and the angiosperm Myriophyllum spicatum. Macrophyte specimens were obtained from a restored area located in Albufera de València Natural Park, a protected coastal Mediterranean wetland. Two different experiments were conducted involving (i) the addition of MC-LR to natural sediment to evaluate its effects on seed germination and (ii) the addition of MC-LR to water cultures of macrophytes to evaluate its effects on growth and metabolic functions. In water, the MC-LR concentration decreased by 84% in two weeks; the loss was not significant in sediment. The first seedlings (all C. hispida) emerged from the wetland sediment following a delay of a few days in the presence of MC-LR. The germination rates in 8 and 16 μg MC-LR/L treatments were 44% and 11% of that occurring in the absence of MC, but these differences disappeared over time. The final density was 6-7 germlings/dm(3). Final germling length was unaffected by MC-LR. Rotifers (Lecane spp.) emerging from the natural sediment during the experiment were favored by MC-LR; the opposite pattern was observed in the cladoceran Daphnia magna. The growth rates of C. vulgaris, C. baltica and N. hyalina were unaffected by MC exposure, whereas those of C. hispida and C. aspera were reduced in the MC treatments relative to the control treatment. The concentration of chlorophyll-a and the in vivo net photosynthetic rate were lower in the presence of MC-LR, even at the lowest concentration, for all of the characeans tested. M. spicatum was sensitive to the

Evaluation of LR-115 cellulose nitrate film for use in bone autoradiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, M.J.; Schlenker, R.A.

1977-01-01

An evaluation of Kodak LR-115 cellulose nitrate (CN) film for alpha autoradiography of radium-burdened bone was undertaken. Comparison of the registration efficiency between a plaster of Paris radiator and bone samples on NTA nuclear track emulsion and on the CN film is presented. CN film was observed to record as etched-through holes 11 percent and as tracks only 32 percent of the events detected by NTA emulsion. Potential advantages and disadvantages of using CN film in microdosimetry and for adapting it to automated analysis are discussed

Application of the LR-56 at DOE Facilities in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, A.C.

1998-05-01

The ability to ship Type B liquid packages will be necessary for the nuclear industry to meet the energy production requirements of the next century. There are no packages licensed in the United States for transportation of large quantities of such liquids at present. Packages designed for transporting liquids must address technical challenges and incorporate features which are not common to packages designed for solid contents. These issues and the methods of addressing them are illustrated by the safety analysis performed for utilization of the LR-56 Liquid Package at US DOE facilities

A pM leveled photoelectrochemical sensor for microcystin-LR based on surface molecularly imprinted TiO2@CNTs nanostructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Meichuan; Ding, Xue; Yang, Qiwei; Wang, Yu; Zhao, Guohua; Yang, Nianjun

2017-06-05

A simple and highly sensitive photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor towards Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), a kind of typical cyanobacterial toxin in water samples, was developed on a surface molecular imprinted TiO 2 coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MI-TiO 2 @CNTs) hybrid nanostructure. It was synthesized using a feasible two-step sol-gel method combining with in situ surface molecular imprinting technique (MIT). With a controllable core-shell tube casing structure, the resultant MI-TiO 2 @CNTs are enhanced greatly in visible-light driven response capacity. In comparison with the traditional TiO 2 (P25) and non-imprinted (NI-)TiO 2 @CNTs, the MI-TiO 2 @CNTs based PEC sensor showed a much higher photoelectric oxidation capacity towards MC-LR. Using this sensor, the determination of MC-LR was doable in a wide linear range from 1.0pM to 3.0nM with a high photocurrent response sensitivity. An outstanding selectivity towards MC-LR was further achieved with this sensor, proven by simultaneously monitoring 100-fold potential co-existing interferences. The superiority of the obtained MC-LR sensor in sensitivity and selectivity is mainly attributed to the high specific surface area and excellent photoelectric activity of TiO 2 @CNTs heterojunction structure, as well as the abundant active recognition sites on its functionalized molecular imprinting surface. A promising PEC analysis platform with high sensitivity and selectivity for MC-LR has thus been provided. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Oxidation of microcystin-LR by the Fenton process : Kinetics, degradation intermediates, water quality and toxicity assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Park, Jeong-Ann; Yang, Boram; Park, Chanhyuk; Choi, Jae-Woo; van Genuchten, Case M.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/413489647; Lee, Sang-Hyup

2017-01-01

The Fenton process was assessed as a cost-effective technology for the removal of Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) among UV, UV/H2O2, and Fenton process according to efficiency and electrical energy per order (EE/O). The determined practical concentrations of the Fenton reagents were 5 mg/L Fe(II) and 5 mg/L

Parameters of calibration of the measurement system of 222 Rn based in LR-115

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, M.L.; Mireles, F.; Quirino, L.; Davila, I.; Lugo, F.; Pinedo, J.L.; Chavez, A.

2003-01-01

Since the SSNTD technique (Solid State Nuclear Track Detection) it was discovered it has been used as passive method for the detection of subnuclear particles in great variety of fields of the science. The use of the technique in measurements of 222 Rn in air have already been established implying better methodologies in the exhibition to the environment until their engraving and reading processes. The SSNTD technique is since a method by comparison since the material it can be used a single time, therefore it requires of calibration in one controlled radon atmosphere, using gauged standards. The objective of this work is to show the calibration of the devices used as radon monitors based on SSNTD. The material used as SSNTD is LR-115 Il. The standardization of the parameters used in the exhibition to radon in air, engraving and reading process, its are based on the response of the LR-115 Il, the one arrangement of the device, engraving speed and mainly the calibration factor. They are considered two types of monitors: Open camera and Closed camera, the difference among the calibration factors of both cameras is the percentage of the descendants of radon in the open camera. The standardized parameters are operation voltage of the counting system; temperature, time and concentration of the engraving solution; and thickness. (Author)

The calibration of the solid state nuclear track detector LR 115 for radon measurements

CERN Document Server

Gericke, C; Jönsson, G; Freyer, K; Treutler, H C; Enge, W

1999-01-01

An experimental calibration of indoor room and outdoor soil detector devices which are based on LR 115 as sensitive element has taken place at the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute in Stockholm (Sweden) in 1994 and 1996, at the Physikalisch-Technischen Bundesanstalt in Braunschweig (Germany) in 1997 and at the Umweltforschungszentrum Leipzig-Halle (Germany) in 1997. Special properties of the used solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) material LR 115 have been measured to define the application of the experimental calibration.

Effects of different algaecides on the photosynthetic capacity, cell integrity and microcystin-LR release of Microcystis aeruginosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Shiqing [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Shao, Yisheng, E-mail: yishengshao@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, Beijing 100037 (China); Gao, Naiyun [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Deng, Yang [Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, Montclair NJ 07043 (United States); Qiao, Junlian; Ou, Huase; Deng, Jing [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China)

2013-10-01

Bench scale tests were conducted to study the effects of four common algaecides, including copper sulfate, hydrogen peroxide, diuron and ethyl 2-methylacetoacetate (EMA) on the photosynthetic capacity, cell integrity and microcystin-LR (MC-LR) release of Microcystis aeruginosa. The release of potassium (K{sup +}) from cell membrane during algaecide exposure was also analyzed. The three typical photosynthetic parameters, including the effective quantum yield (φ{sub e}), photosynthetic efficiency (α) and maximal electron transport rate (rETR{sub max}), were measured by a pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry. Results showed that the photosynthetic capacity was all inhibited by the four algaecides, to different degrees, by limiting the energy capture in photosynthesis, and blocking the electron transfer chain in primary reaction. For example, at high diuron concentration (7.5 mg L{sup −1}), φ{sub e}, α and rETR{sub max} decreased from 0.46 to 0.19 (p < 0.01), from 0.20 to 0.01 (p < 0.01) μmol electrons m{sup −2} s{sup −1}/μmol photons m{sup −2} s{sup −1}, and from 160.7 to 0.1 (p < 0.001) μmol m{sup −2} s{sup −1} compared with the control group after 96 h of exposure, respectively. Furthermore, the increase of algaecide dose could lead to the cell lysis, as well as release of intracellular MC-LR that enhanced the accumulation of extracellular MC-LR. The order of MC-LR release potential for the four algaecides was CuSO{sub 4} > H{sub 2}O{sub 2} > diuron > EMA. Highlights: • PAM was used to investigate the effects of algaecides on Microcystis aeruginosa. • We estimate the release of potassium (K{sup +}) from cell membrane for cell lysis. • The risk of microcystin-LR release was evaluated after algaecides exposure. • The order of MC-LR release potential was copper sulfate > hydrogen peroxide > diuron > ethyl 2-methylacetoacetate.

Diagnostics on LALR(k) conflicts based on a method for LR(k) testing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Bent Bruun; Madsen, Ole Lehrmann

1981-01-01

A user of an LALR(k) parser generator system may have difficulties in understanding how a given LALR(k) conflict is generated. This is especially difficult if the conflict does not correspond to an LR(k) conflict. A practical method for giving informative diagnostics on LALR(k) conflicts is prese......A user of an LALR(k) parser generator system may have difficulties in understanding how a given LALR(k) conflict is generated. This is especially difficult if the conflict does not correspond to an LR(k) conflict. A practical method for giving informative diagnostics on LALR(k) conflicts...

Solar photo-Fenton treatment of microcystin-LR in aqueous environment: Transformation products and toxicity in different water matrices

Science.gov (United States)

Transformation products and toxicity patterns of microcystin-LR (MC-LR), a common cyanotoxin in freshwaters, during degradation by solar photo-Fenton process were studied in the absence and presence of two major water components, namely fulvic acid and alkalinity. The transformat...

First successful ionization of Lr (Z = 103) by a surface-ionization technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sato, Tetsuya K., E-mail: sato.tetsuya@jaea.go.jp; Sato, Nozomi; Asai, Masato; Tsukada, Kazuaki; Toyoshima, Atsushi; Ooe, Kazuhiro; Miyashita, Sunao; Schädel, Matthias [Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Kaneya, Yusuke; Nagame, Yuichiro [Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ibaraki University, 2-1-1, Bunkyo, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512 (Japan); Osa, Akihiko [Department of Research Reactor and Tandem Accelerator, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4 Shirakata shirane, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Ichikawa, Shin-ichi [Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Stora, Thierry [ISOLDE, CERN, CH-1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Kratz, Jens Volker [Institut für Kernchemie, Universität Mainz, D-55099 Mainz (Germany)

2013-02-15

We have developed a surface ionization ion-source as part of the JAEA-ISOL (Isotope Separator On-Line) setup, which is coupled to a He/CdI{sub 2} gas-jet transport system to determine the first ionization potential of the heaviest actinide lawrencium (Lr, Z = 103). The new ion-source is an improved version of the previous source that provided good ionization efficiencies for lanthanides. An additional filament was newly installed to give better control over its operation. We report, here, on the development of the new gas-jet coupled surface ion-source and on the first successful ionization and mass separation of 27-s {sup 256}Lr produced in the {sup 249}Cf + {sup 11}B reaction.

Sex-dependent effects of microcystin-LR on hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis and gametogenesis of adult zebrafish

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wanjing; Chen, Chuanyue; Chen, Liang; Wang, Li; Li, Jian; Chen, Yuanyuan; Jin, Jienan; Kawan, Atufa; Zhang, Xuezhen

2016-03-01

While microcystins (MCs) have been reported to exert reproductive toxicity on fish with a sex-dependent effect, the underlying mechanism has been rarely investigated. In the present study, zebrafish were exposed to 1, 5 and 20 μg/L MC-LR for 30 d. The gonad-somatic index declined in all treated males. 17β-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), 11-keto testosterone (11-KT) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels increased in serum from all treated females, while T, FSH and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels changed in all treated males. Histomorphological observation showed that MC-LR exposure evidently retarded oogenesis and spermatogenesis. Transcriptional changes of 22 genes of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis exhibited sex-specific responses, and the relationship between gene transcriptions and gametogenesis was evaluated by principle component analysis (PCA). Major contributors to PC1 (gnrh2, gnrhr3, ar, lhr, hmgra, hmgrb and cyp19a) were positively correlated with the number of post-vitellogenic oocytes, while PC1 (gnrh2, lhβ, erβ, fshr, cyp11a and 17βhsd) were positively correlated with the number of spermatozoa. The protein levels of 17βHSD and CYP19a were affected in both females and males. In conclusion, this study first investigated the sex-dependent effects of microcystins on fish reproduction and revealed some important molecular biomarkers related to gametogenesis in zebrafish suffered from MC-LR.

Similar uptake profiles of microcystin-LR and -RR in an in vitro human intestinal model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeller, P.; Clement, M.; Fessard, V.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → First description of in vitro cellular uptake of MCs into intestinal cells. → OATP 3A1 and OATP 4A1 are expressed in Caco-2 cell membranes. → MC-LR and MC-RR show similar uptake in Caco-2 cells. → MCs are probably excreted from Caco-2 cells by an active mechanism. -- Abstract: Microcystins (MCs) are cyclic hepatotoxins produced by various species of cyanobacteria. Their structure includes two variable amino acids (AA) leading to more than 80 MC variants. In this study, we focused on the most common variant, microcystin-LR (MC-LR), and microcystin-RR (MC-RR), a variant differing by only one AA. Despite their structural similarity, MC-LR elicits higher liver toxicity than MC-RR partly due to a discrepancy in their uptake by hepatic organic anion transporters (OATP 1B1 and 1B3). However, even though ingestion is the major pathway of human exposure to MCs, intestinal absorption of MCs has been poorly addressed. Consequently, we investigated the cellular uptake of the two MC variants in the human intestinal cell line Caco-2 by immunolocalization using an anti-MC antibody. Caco-2 cells were treated for 30 min to 24 h with several concentrations (1-50 μM) of both variants. We first confirmed the localization of OATP 3A1 and 4A1 at the cell membrane of Caco-2 cells. Our study also revealed a rapid uptake of both variants in less than 1 h. The uptake profiles of the two variants did not differ in our immunostaining study neither with respect to concentration nor the time of exposure. Furthermore, we have demonstrated for the first time the nuclear localization of MC-RR and confirmed that of MC-LR. Finally, our results suggest a facilitated uptake and an active excretion of MC-LR and MC-RR in Caco-2 cells. Further investigation on the role of OATP 3A1 and 4A1 in MC uptake should be useful to clarify the mechanism of intestinal absorption of MCs and contribute in risk assessment of cyanotoxin exposure.

Electrochemical Aptatoxisensor Responses on Nanocomposites Containing Electro-Deposited Silver Nanoparticles on Poly(Propyleneimine Dendrimer for the Detection of Microcystin-LR in Freshwater

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Mawethu P. Bilibana

2016-11-01

Full Text Available A sensitive and reagentless electrochemical aptatoxisensor was developed on cobalt (II salicylaldiimine metallodendrimer (SDD–Co(II doped with electro-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs for microcystin-LR (L, l-leucine; R, l-arginine, or MC-LR, detection in the nanomolar range. The GCE|SDD–Co(II|AgNPs aptatoxisensor was fabricated with 5’ thiolated aptamer through self-assembly on the modified surface of the glassy carbon electrode (GCE and the electronic response was measured using cyclic voltammetry (CV. Specific binding of MC-LR with the aptamer on GCE|SDD–Co(II|AgNPs aptatoxisensor caused the formation of a complex that resulted in steric hindrance and electrostatic repulsion culminating in variation of the corresponding peak current of the electrochemical probe. The aptatoxisensor showed a linear response for MC-LR between 0.1 and 1.1 µg·L−1 and the calculated limit of detection (LOD was 0.04 µg·L−1. In the detection of MC-LR in water samples, the aptatoxisensor proved to be highly sensitive and stable, performed well in the presence of interfering analog and was comparable to the conventional analytical techniques. The results demonstrate that the constructed MC-LR aptatoxisensor is a suitable device for routine quantification of MC-LR in freshwater and environmental samples.

SR and LR Union Suture for the Treatment of Myopic Strabismus Fixus: Is Scleral Fixation Necessary?

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Carol P. S. Lam

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of scleral fixation SR and LR union suture and nonscleral fixation union suture for the treatment of myopic strabismus fixus. Methods. Retrospective review of 32 eyes of 22 patients with myopic strabismus fixus who had undergone union suture of superior rectus (SR and lateral rectus (LR with or without scleral fixation, and follow-up longer than 6 months at Hong Kong Eye Hospital from 2006 to 2013. Surgical techniques and outcomes in terms of ocular alignment are analyzed. Results. There is significant overall improvement both in postoperative angle of esodeviation (P0.05. Conclusions. Union suture of SR and LR is an effective procedure in correcting myopic strabismus fixus. Fixation of the union suture to the sclera does not improve surgical outcome.

Dynamics of microcystins-LR and -RR in the phytoplanktivorous silver carp in a sub-chronic toxicity experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Liqiang; Xie Ping; Ozawa, Kazuhiko; Honma, Takamitsu; Yokoyama, Atsushi; Park, Ho-Dong

2004-01-01

A sub-chronic toxicity experiment was conducted to examine tissue distribution and depuration of two microcystins (microcystin-LR and microcystin -RR) in the phytoplanktivorous filter-feeding silver carp during a course of 80 days. Two large tanks (A, B) were used, and in Tank A, the fish were fed naturally with fresh Microcystis viridis cells (collected from a eutrophic pond) throughout the experiment, while in Tank B, the food of the fish were M. viridis cells for the first 40 days and then changed to artificial carp feed. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure MC-LR and MC-RR in the M. viridis cells, the seston, and the intestine, blood, liver and muscle tissue of silver carp at an interval of 20 days. MC-RR and MC-LR in the collected Microcystis cells varied between 268-580 and 110-292 μg g -1 DW, respectively. In Tank A, MC-RR and MC-LR varied between 41.5-99.5 and 6.9-15.8 μg g -1 DW in the seston, respectively. The maximum MC-RR in the blood, liver and muscle of the fish was 49.7, 17.8 and 1.77 μg g -1 DW, respectively. No MC-LR was detectable in the muscle and blood samples of the silver carp in spite of the abundant presence of this toxin in the intestines (for the liver, there was only one case when a relatively minor quantity was detected). These findings contrast with previous experimental results on rainbow trout. Perhaps silver carp has a mechanism to degrade MC-LR actively and to inhibit MC-LR transportation across the intestines. The depuration of MC-RR concentrations occurred slowly than uptakes in blood, liver and muscle, and the depuration rate was in the order of blood>liver>muscle. The grazing ability of silver carp on toxic cyanobacteria suggests an applicability of using phytoplanktivorous fish to counteract cyanotoxin contamination in eutrophic waters. - Silver carp are tolerant of cyanobacterial toxins, and might be used to control toxic algal blooms in highly eutrophic lakes

太冲穴古代文献应用分析%Application Analysis of Taichong(LR3) in the Ancient Literatures

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

王文琴; 张永臣; 贾红玲

2013-01-01

目的：通过对太冲古代文献的整理，总结太冲的应用规律。方法：以《中华医典》（第四版）收录的中医古籍1000部为检索范围，对太冲的主治病症、腧穴配伍、配伍主治病症、刺灸法、刺激量等文献进行系统整理，并建立数据库。结果：太冲应用符合纳入标准的有752条，治疗病症共有689条，涉及87部古籍。太冲配伍的使用频次共有1433次，与太冲穴配伍的经穴为167个。结论：太冲单穴适应于临床各科，尤善于治疗中医内科病症，前7位的内科病症为咳嗽、黄疸、痫病、呕吐、痹症、厥症、淋证；配伍后主治前10位的病症为痹症、胸痹、腹痛、血证、虚劳、黄疸、痉证、水肿、腰痛、中风；太冲的腧穴配伍以合谷、足三里、三阴交、行间、昆仑、照海、悬钟、中封、大敦、百会等经穴频数为较多，常用的配伍“穴对”为太冲与行间、太冲与合谷、太冲与三阴交；常用的刺灸法为灸法，针刺深度为针三分，针刺时间为十呼，灸法刺激量为三壮。%Objective:To sum up the application regularity of Taichong ( LR3) through studying the ancient lit-eratures about Taichong (LR3).Methods:We searched 1000 TCM Ancient Books in the “Encyclopedia of Tra-ditional Chinese”( the Fourth Edition ) and organized the information systematically including the primary disea-ses and symptoms of Taichong (LR3),the compatibility of acupionts, the primary diseases and symptoms of Tai-chong ( LR3 ) with compatible effects , the methods of needling and moxibustion , the stimulating quantity of nee-dling and moxibustion , with which we built a data base .Results:A total of 752 relevant articles of Taichong ( LR3) on the application and 689 primary diseases and symptoms were collected in accordance with the inclu-sive criteria in 87 TCM ancient books .The results also showed that the occurrence frequency of Taichong ( LR3

Omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid increases SorLA/LR11, a sorting protein with reduced expression in sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD): relevance to AD prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Qiu-Lan; Teter, Bruce; Ubeda, Oliver J; Morihara, Takashi; Dhoot, Dilsher; Nyby, Michael D; Tuck, Michael L; Frautschy, Sally A; Cole, Greg M

2007-12-26

Environmental and genetic factors, notably ApoE4, contribute to the etiology of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). Reduced mRNA and protein for an apolipoprotein E (ApoE) receptor family member, SorLA (LR11) has been found in LOAD but not early-onset AD, suggesting that LR11 loss is not secondary to pathology. LR11 is a neuronal sorting protein that reduces amyloid precursor protein (APP) trafficking to secretases that generate beta-amyloid (Abeta). Genetic polymorphisms that reduce LR11 expression are associated with increased AD risk. However these polymorphisms account for only a fraction of cases with LR11 deficits, suggesting involvement of environmental factors. Because lipoprotein receptors are typically lipid-regulated, we postulated that LR11 is regulated by docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid related to reduced AD risk and reduced Abeta accumulation. In this study, we report that DHA significantly increases LR11 in multiple systems, including primary rat neurons, aged non-Tg mice and an aged DHA-depleted APPsw AD mouse model. DHA also increased LR11 in a human neuronal line. In vivo elevation of LR11 was also observed with dietary fish oil in young rats with insulin resistance, a model for type II diabetes, another AD risk factor. These data argue that DHA induction of LR11 does not require DHA-depleting diets and is not age dependent. Because reduced LR11 is known to increase Abeta production and may be a significant genetic cause of LOAD, our results indicate that DHA increases in SorLA/LR11 levels may play an important role in preventing LOAD.

Inactivation Kinetics of the Cyanobacterial Toxin Microcystin-LR by Free Chlorine

Science.gov (United States)

Worldwide, the increasing occurrence of toxins produced by cyanobacteria in water bodies used as source waters for drinking water has become an important public health issue. Microcystin-LR is one of the most commonly found cyanotoxins. A detailed evaluation of the free chlorine ...

Effect of Acupuncture at LR3 on Cerebral Glucose Metabolism in a Rat Model of Hypertension: A 18F-FDG-PET Study

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Jing Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Our objective was to investigate the effect of acupuncture at LR3 on cerebral glucose metabolism in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs. We used 18F-2-fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET to examine the effects of acupuncture at LR3 on cerebral glucose metabolism in SHRs. SHRs were randomly allocated to receive no treatment (SHR group, needling at LR3 (SHR + LR3 group, or sham needling (SHR + sham group. Rats received 10 min acupuncture once per day for 7 days and were compared to normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY rats. Blood pressure (BP measurement and PET were performed after the first needling and the 7-day treatment period. BP was lower in the SHR + LR3 group compared to the other SHR groups between 30 and 60 min after the first needling and at 24 and 48 h after the 7-day treatment period. Glucose metabolism in the motor, sensory, and visual cortices was decreased in SHR group compared to WKY group. Needling at LR3 was associated with decreased glucose metabolism in the dorsal thalamus, thalamus, and hypothalamus and with increased metabolism in the cerebellar anterior and posterior lobes, medulla oblongata, and sensory cortex compared to the SHR group. These findings suggest that LR3 acupuncture improves hypertension through a mechanism involving altered brain activation in SHRs.

Comparative Studies on the pH Dependence of DOW of Microcystin-RR and -LR Using LC-MS

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Gaodao Liang

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Microcystins (MCs are well known worldwide as hepatotoxins produced by cyanobacteria, but little is known about the physicochemical properties of these compounds. The dependence of the n-octanol/water distribution ratio (DOW of MC-RR and -LR to pH was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (LC-MS. There was a remarkable difference in such relationships between MC-RR and -LR. The log DOW of MC-LR decreased from 1.63 at pH 1.0 to -1.26 at pH 6.5, and stabilized between -1.04 and -1.56 at a pH of 6.5~12.0; log DOW of MC-RR varied between -1.24 and -0.67 at a pH of 1.00~4.00, and stabilized between -1.20 and -1.54 at a pH of 4.00~12.00. The difference of hydrophobicity in acidic condition between MC-RR and -LR is important, not only for the analytical method of both toxins, but perhaps also for understanding the difference of toxicity to animals between the two toxins.

Cell density dependence of Microcystis aeruginosa responses to copper algaecide concentrations: Implications for microcystin-LR release.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinley, Ciera M; Iwinski, Kyla J; Hendrikse, Maas; Geer, Tyler D; Rodgers, John H

2017-11-01

Along with mechanistic models, predictions of exposure-response relationships for copper are often derived from laboratory toxicity experiments with standardized experimental exposures and conditions. For predictions of copper toxicity to algae, cell density is a critical factor often overlooked. For pulse exposures of copper-based algaecides in aquatic systems, cell density can significantly influence copper sorbed by the algal population, and consequent responses. A cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa, was exposed to a copper-based algaecide over a range of cell densities to model the density-dependence of exposures, and effects on microcystin-LR (MC-LR) release. Copper exposure concentrations were arrayed to result in a gradient of MC-LR release, and masses of copper sorbed to algal populations were measured following exposures. While copper exposure concentrations eliciting comparable MC-LR release ranged an order of magnitude (24-h EC50s 0.03-0.3mg Cu/L) among cell densities of 10 6 through 10 7 cells/mL, copper doses (mg Cu/mg algae) were similar (24-h EC50s 0.005-0.006mg Cu/mg algae). Comparisons of MC-LR release as a function of copper exposure concentrations and doses provided a metric of the density dependence of algal responses in the context of copper-based algaecide applications. Combined with estimates of other site-specific factors (e.g. water characteristics) and fate processes (e.g. dilution and dispersion, sorption to organic matter and sediments), measuring exposure-response relationships for specific cell densities can refine predictions for in situ exposures and algal responses. These measurements can in turn decrease the likelihood of amending unnecessary copper concentrations to aquatic systems, and minimize risks for non-target aquatic organisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experimental study on the aging process of the LR 115 cellulose nitrate radon detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siems, M.; Freyer, K.; Treutler, H.-C.; Joensson, G.; Enge, W.

2001-01-01

An experimental determination of the aging process of cellulose nitrate detector material was based on the examination of special properties of the LR 115 solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) of various ages up to 18 years. The examined relevant parameters are the bulk etching rate v b and the track etching rate v t . These parameters are responsible for the appearance, the size and the registration efficiency of tracks of α-particles from radon gas in the detector. To find a correlation between these material parameters and the detector sensitivity an experimental calibration of indoor room and outdoor soil detector devices based on LR 115 took place at the Umweltforschungszentrum Leipzig-Halle (Germany). To avoid routine calibration work in external radon exposure facilities a correction of the age dependent calibration factors with the material parameters measured in one's own laboratory was targeted. In this study a general age dependence, however, was not found. The following statements for practical applications can be made. (i) the bulk etching rate v b for detectors of the same batch has a depth dependence and this dependence is constant over 2 years (LR 115 September 1994). (ii) detectors of different batches older than 5 years and stored at room temperature show an odd v b behaviour when v b is used for describing track shapes. (iii) the calibration factor of detectors of different batches that were stored at about +4 deg. C is constant over 5 years (LR 115 September 1994 and February 1999, Table 2). The conclusion is that LR 115 detectors not older than 5 years and stored in a refrigerator at about +4 deg. C should be preferred for radon measurements. Furthermore these detectors should be recalibrated every year and the microscope work of this calibrations should be performed by the same person who performs the measurements. In addition, a phenomenon related to fundamental track formation mechanisms was found, that the time straggling of the

Mapping and characterization of the new adult plant leaf rust resistance gene Lr77 derived from Santa Fe winter wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolmer, James A; Su, Zhenqi; Bernardo, Amy; Bai, Guihua; Chao, Shiaoman

2018-04-25

A new gene for adult plant leaf rust resistance in wheat was mapped to chromosome 3BL. This gene was designated as Lr77. 'Santa Fe' is a hard red winter cultivar that has had long-lasting resistance to the leaf rust fungus, Puccinia triticina. The objective of this study was to determine the chromosome location of the adult plant leaf rust resistance in Santa Fe wheat. A partial backcross line of 'Thatcher' (Tc) wheat with adult plant leaf rust resistance derived from Santa Fe was crossed with Thatcher to develop a Thatcher//Tc*2/Santa Fe F 6 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. The RIL population and parental lines were evaluated for segregation of leaf rust resistance in three field plot tests and in an adult plant greenhouse test. A genetic map of the RIL population was constructed using 90,000 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers with the Illumina Infinium iSelect 90K wheat bead array. A significant quantitative trait locus for reduction of leaf rust severity in all four tests was found on chromosome 3BL that segregated as a single adult plant resistance gene. The RILs with the allele from the resistant parent for SNP marker IWB10344 had lower leaf rust severity and a moderately resistant to moderately susceptible response compared to the susceptible RILs and Thatcher. The gene derived from Santa Fe on chromosome 3BL was designated as Lr77. Kompetitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction assay markers linked to Lr77 on 3BL should be useful for selection of wheat germplasm with this gene.

Degradation mechanisms of Microcystin-LR during UV-B photolysis and UV/H2O2 processes: Byproducts and pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Bo-Ram; Kim, Tae-Kyoung; Kim, Moon-Kyung; Choi, Jaewon; Zoh, Kyung-Duk

2017-10-01

The removal and degradation pathways of microcystin-LR (MC-LR, [M+H] +  = 995.6) in UV-B photolysis and UV-B/H 2 O 2 processes were examined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The UV/H 2 O 2 process was more efficient than UV-B photolysis for MC-LR removal. Eight by-products were newly identified in the UV-B photolysis ([M+H] +  = 414.3, 417.3, 709.6, 428.9, 608.6, 847.5, 807.4, and 823.6), and eleven by-products were identified in the UV-B/H 2 O 2 process ([M+H] +  = 707.4, 414.7, 429.3, 445.3, 608.6, 1052.0, 313.4, 823.6, 357.3, 245.2, and 805.7). Most of the MC-LR by-products had lower [M+H] + values than the MC-LR itself during both processes, except for the [M+H] + value of 1052.0 during UV-B photolysis. Based on identified by-products and peak area patterns, we proposed potential degradation pathways during the two processes. Bond cleavage and intramolecular electron rearrangement by electron pair in the nitrogen atom were the major reactions during UV-B photolysis and UV-B/H 2 O 2 processes, and hydroxylation by OH radical and the adduct formation reaction between the produced by-products were identified as additional pathways during the UV-B/H 2 O 2 process. Meanwhile, the degradation by-products identified from MC-LR during UV-B/H 2 O 2 process can be further degraded by increasing H 2 O 2 dose. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-based logistic regression model LR2 versus magnetic resonance imaging for discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses: a prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Kanane; Matsumoto, Koji; Mimura, Takashi; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Munechika, Jiro; Ohgiya, Yoshimitsu; Kushima, Miki; Hirose, Yusuke; Asami, Yuka; Iitsuka, Chiaki; Miyamoto, Shingo; Onuki, Mamiko; Tsunoda, Hajime; Matsuoka, Ryu; Ichizuka, Kiyotake; Sekizawa, Akihiko

2018-06-01

The diagnostic performances of the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) ultrasound-based logistic regression model (LR2) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses have not been directly compared in a single study. Using the IOTA LR2 model and subjective interpretation of MRI findings by experienced radiologists, 265 consecutive patients with adnexal masses were preoperatively evaluated in two hospitals between February 2014 and December 2015. Definitive histological diagnosis of excised tissues was used as a gold standard. From the 265 study subjects, 54 (20.4%) tumors were histologically diagnosed as malignant (including 11 borderline and 3 metastatic tumors). Preoperative diagnoses of malignant tumors showed 91.7% total agreement between IOTA LR2 and MRI, with a kappa value of 0.77 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.68-0.86]. Sensitivity of IOTA LR2 (0.94, 95% CI, 0.85-0.98) for predicting malignant tumors was similar to that of MRI (0.96, 95% CI, 0.87-0.99; P = 0.99), whereas specificity of IOTA LR2 (0.98, 95% CI, 0.95-0.99) was significantly higher than that of MRI (0.91, 95% CI, 0.87-0.95; P = 0.002). Combined IOTA LR2 and MRI results gave the greatest sensitivity (1.00, 95% CI, 0.93-1.00) and had similar specificity (0.91, 95% CI, 0.86-0.94) to MRI. The IOTA LR2 model had a similar sensitivity to MRI for discriminating between benign and malignant tumors and a higher specificity compared with MRI. Our findings suggest that the IOTA LR2 model, either alone or in conjunction with MRI, should be included in preoperative evaluation of adnexal masses.

siRNA - Mediated LRP/LR knock-down reduces cellular viability of malignant melanoma cells through the activation of apoptotic caspases.

Science.gov (United States)

Rebelo, Thalia M; Vania, Leila; Ferreira, Eloise; Weiss, Stefan F T

2018-07-01

The 37 kDa/67 kDa laminin receptor (LRP/LR) is over-expressed in tumor cells and has been implicated in several tumourigenic processes such as metastasis and telomerase activation, however, more importantly the focus of the present study is on the maintenance of cellular viability and the evasion of apoptosis. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of LRP/LR on the cellular viability of early (A375) and late stage (A375SM) malignant melanoma cells. Flow cytometry and western blot analysis revealed that A375SM cells contain more cell-surface and total LRP/LR levels in comparison to the A375 cells, respectively. In order to determine the effect of LRP/LR on cell viability and apoptosis, LRP was down-regulated via siRNA technology. MTT assays revealed that LRP knock-down led to significant reductions in the viability of A375 and A375SM cells. Confocal microscopy indicated nuclear morphological changes suggestive of apoptotic induction in both cell lines and Annexin-V FITC/PI assays confirmed this observation. Additionally, caspase-3 activity assays revealed that apoptosis was induced in both cell lines after siRNA-mediated down-regulation of LRP. Caspase-8 and -9 activity assays suggested that post LRP knock-down; A375 cells undergo apoptosis solely via the extrinsic pathway, while A375SM cells undergo apoptosis via the intrinsic pathway. siRNAs mediated LRP knock-down might represent a powerful alternative therapeutic strategy for the treatment of malignant melanoma through the induction of apoptosis. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Influence of the datasets size on the stability of the LR in the lower region of the within source distribution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haraksim, Rudolf; Meuwly, Didier

2013-01-01

This article focuses on the statistical evaluation of the fingermark evidence using the likelihood ratio (LR) approach. It studies the influence of the quantity of data used to model the within (WS) and between (BS) source variability. The LR system built for the experiment uses an Automated

Identification of leaf rust resistant gene Lr10 in Pakistani wheat ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Leaf (brown) rust is the major disease of wheat in Pakistan and other countries. The disease is more effectively controlled when several rust resistance genes are pyramided into a single line. Molecular survey was conducted to screen 25 Pakistan wheat germplasm for the presence of leaf rust resistance gene Lr10 using ...

Intrinsic efficiency of LR-115 in alpha particles detection: simulations and experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aharmim, B.; Sabir, A.; Marah, H.

2002-01-01

A numerical simulation is developed to characterize the response of the cellulose nitrate detector ''LR-115 type II'' to alpha particles of different incidence angles and energies. It permits to know whether an alpha particle at a given energy and direction is able to produce a visible etched track or not. For this purpose, a V t -variable track etch rate model is used. We have considered that the track etch rate is a function of the ionization rate and the defect created by delta rays along the alpha particle trajectory. Validation of the model is presented in the form of comparisons between theoretically computed values of the sensitive energy range and the track diameters and experimentally determined ones

alpha-particle radioactivity from LR 115 by two methods of analysis

CERN Document Server

Azkour, K; Adloff, J C; Pape, A

1999-01-01

LR115 track detectors were exposed to samples of Moroccan phosphate and phosphogypsum to measure their alpha-particle radioactivity. Then two formalisms were used for the dosimetry: simulation by a Monte Carlo method and determination of concentrations from a numerically integrated track registration equation. The results were compared with those deduced gamma-ray spectrometry.

WWER safety investigations on LR-0 reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikus, J.

2001-01-01

A set of the measurement needed for the WWER-440 and WWER-1000 reactor lifetime assessment, verification of the methods, codes and input cross section libraries for the WWER reactor pressure vessel exposure evaluation has been performed on the LR-0 experimental reactor. The WWER Mock-ups (engineering benchmarks) has been carried out on the reactor, with the aim to investigate differential neutron spectra for reactor dosimetry purposes. Critical experiments have also been performed to determine the perturbation of the fission density distribution caused by the WWER-440 control assembly. Such assembly, partially inserted in the core, has significant influence on the space power distribution. A wide research program for sub-criticality investigations of the spent nuclear fuel storage has been realized on the LR-0 reactor. A benchmark experiment is realized on the reactor in corresponding geometry for CASTOR 440/84 container for storage and transportation of spent fuel. Critical experiments with new fuel assemblies including various burnable absorbers and different enrichments are performed. A set of critical experiments is performed using the fuel assemblies with 3,6% and 4,4% enrichment, arranged in the WWER-440 type cores with various lattice pitch. The critical high of the moderator level and the moderator level coefficient of reactivity are measured and the effect of the fuel assembly, placed in a hexagonal tube of stainless steel containing boron absorber (ATABOR - STANDARD) is investigated. The obtained results are used for the validation of the codes (MCNP, KENO and SCALE) in the frame of the contract 'Burn-up credit implementation for the storage and transport containers of the spent fuel'. Combined neutron-gamma spectra measurements in the WWER-1000 Mock-up are carried out during 2001

Development of COS-SNP and HRM markers for high-throughput and reliable haplotype-based detection of Lr14a in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.).

Science.gov (United States)

Terracciano, Irma; Maccaferri, Marco; Bassi, Filippo; Mantovani, Paola; Sanguineti, Maria C; Salvi, Silvio; Simková, Hana; Doležel, Jaroslav; Massi, Andrea; Ammar, Karim; Kolmer, James; Tuberosa, Roberto

2013-04-01

Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks. & Henn.) is a major disease affecting durum wheat production. The Lr14a-resistant gene present in the durum wheat cv. Creso and its derivative cv. Colosseo is one of the best characterized leaf-rust resistance sources deployed in durum wheat breeding. Lr14a has been mapped close to the simple sequence repeat markers gwm146, gwm344 and wmc10 in the distal portion of the chromosome arm 7BL, a gene-dense region. The objectives of this study were: (1) to enrich the Lr14a region with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and high-resolution melting (HRM)-based markers developed from conserved ortholog set (COS) genes and from sequenced Diversity Array Technology (DArT(®)) markers; (2) to further investigate the gene content and colinearity of this region with the Brachypodium and rice genomes. Ten new COS-SNP and five HRM markers were mapped within an 8.0 cM interval spanning Lr14a. Two HRM markers pinpointed the locus in an interval of HRM designed for agarose gel electrophoresis/KASPar(®) assays and high-resolution melting analysis, respectively, as well as the double-marker combinations ubw14/ubw18, ubw14/ubw35 and wPt-4038-HRM-ubw35 will be useful for germplasm haplotyping and for molecular-assisted breeding.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) leaf-proteome profiles after exposure to cylindrospermopsin and a microcystin-LR/cylindrospermopsin mixture: a concentration-dependent response.

Science.gov (United States)

Freitas, Marisa; Campos, Alexandre; Azevedo, Joana; Barreiro, Aldo; Planchon, Sébastien; Renaut, Jenny; Vasconcelos, Vitor

2015-02-01

The intensification of agricultural productivity is an important challenge worldwide. However, environmental stressors can provide challenges to this intensification. The progressive occurrence of the cyanotoxins cylindrospermopsin (CYN) and microcystin-LR (MC-LR) as a potential consequence of eutrophication and climate change is of increasing concern in the agricultural sector because it has been reported that these cyanotoxins exert harmful effects in crop plants. A proteomic-based approach has been shown to be a suitable tool for the detection and identification of the primary responses of organisms exposed to cyanotoxins. The aim of this study was to compare the leaf-proteome profiles of lettuce plants exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of CYN and a MC-LR/CYN mixture. Lettuce plants were exposed to 1, 10, and 100 μg/l CYN and a MC-LR/CYN mixture for five days. The proteins of lettuce leaves were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), and those that were differentially abundant were then identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS). The biological functions of the proteins that were most represented in both experiments were photosynthesis and carbon metabolism and stress/defense response. Proteins involved in protein synthesis and signal transduction were also highly observed in the MC-LR/CYN experiment. Although distinct protein abundance patterns were observed in both experiments, the effects appear to be concentration-dependent, and the effects of the mixture were clearly stronger than those of CYN alone. The obtained results highlight the putative tolerance of lettuce to CYN at concentrations up to 100 μg/l. Furthermore, the combination of CYN with MC-LR at low concentrations (1 μg/l) stimulated a significant increase in the fresh weight (fr. wt) of lettuce leaves and at the proteomic level resulted in the increase in abundance of a high number of proteins. In

TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation promotes myofibroblast differentiation of LR-MSCs and exacerbates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Jiwei; Ma, Tan; Cao, Honghui; Chen, Yabing; Wang, Cong; Chen, Xiang; Xiang, Zou; Han, Xiaodong

2018-03-01

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible lung disease of unknown cause. It has been reported that both lung resident mesenchymal stem cells (LR-MSCs) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) play important roles in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. However, the underlying connections between LR-MSCs and TNF-α in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis are still elusive. In this study, we found that the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 subunit were both upregulated in bleomycin-induced fibrotic lung tissue. In addition, we discovered that TNF-α promotes myofibroblast differentiation of LR-MSCs through activating NF-κB signaling. Interestingly, we also found that TNF-α promotes the expression of β-catenin. Moreover, we demonstrated that suppression of the NF-κB signaling could attenuate myofibroblast differentiation of LR-MSCs and bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis which were accompanied with decreased expression of β-catenin. Our data implicates that inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway may provide a therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that warrants more effective treatment approaches. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Addition of phosphotungstic acid to ethanol for dehydration improves both the ultrastructure and antigenicity of pituitary tissue embedded in LR White acrylic resin.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Yuko; Hosaka, Masahiro; Hira, Yoshiki; Watanabe, Tsuyoshi

2005-12-01

Although hydrophilic acrylic resins including LR White have been widely utilized as embedding media for immunocytochemical use, the constituents of tissues are often extracted by the resin monomer during the infiltration process of the embedment, resulting in a discernible impairment of the ultrastructure when the tissue is weakly fixed only with aldehydes. To minimize the extraction by the resin monomer, the embedding procedure with LR White resin was reexamined in the present study. Among the treatments tested, a partial dehydration with 70% ethanol containing 2% phosphotungstic acid (PTA) well preserved the ultrastructure of the pituitary tissue without spoiling the antigenicity of LHbeta and other representative markers for the Golgi apparatus. In addition, treatment with 1% tannic acid (TA) prior to the dehydration described above synergistically improved both the ultrastructure and antigenicity of the tissue so that the orientation of the Golgi apparatus could be determined by double immunogold labeling with commercially available anti-GM130 and anti-TGN38 antibodies. The ultrathin sections from the LR White-embedded tissue treated with TA and dehydrated in 70% ethanol containing 2% PTA also enhanced contrast without conventional heavy-metal staining with uranyl acetate and lead citrate. Our findings further suggest that the precipitation of TA and PTA protected the tissue from being extracted during the embedment, probably because an insoluble complex was transiently formed with the constituents of the tissue. This simple modification of the LR White embedment can extend the application of post-embedding immunocytochemistry as an alternative to pre-embedding immunolabeling with frozen ultrathin sections.

Effects of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin on plant-soil systems: A review of their relevance for agricultural plant quality and public health

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Machado, J.; Campos, A. [Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto (Portugal); Vasconcelos, V. [Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto (Portugal); Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, P 4069-007 Porto (Portugal); Freitas, M., E-mail: maf@ess.ipp.pt [Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto (Portugal); Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Department of Environmental Health, School of Allied Health Technologies, CISA/Research Center in Environment and Health, Rua de Valente Perfeito, 322, P 440-330 Gaia (Portugal)

2017-02-15

Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are recognized as an emerging environmental threat worldwide. Although microcystin-LR is the most frequently documented cyanotoxin, studies on cylindrospermopsin have been increasing due to the invasive nature of cylindrospermopsin-producing cyanobacteria. The number of studies regarding the effects of cyanotoxins on agricultural plants has increased in recent years, and it has been suggested that the presence of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin in irrigation water may cause toxic effects in edible plants. The uptake of these cyanotoxins by agricultural plants has been shown to induce morphological and physiological changes that lead to a potential loss of productivity. There is also evidence that edible terrestrial plants can bioaccumulate cyanotoxins in their tissues in a concentration dependent-manner. Moreover, the number of consecutive cycles of watering and planting in addition to the potential persistence of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin in the environment are likely to result in groundwater contamination. The use of cyanotoxin-contaminated water for agricultural purposes may therefore represent a threat to both food security and food safety. However, the deleterious effects of cyanotoxins on agricultural plants and public health seem to be dependent on the concentrations studied, which in most cases are non-environmentally relevant. Interestingly, at ecologically relevant concentrations, the productivity and nutritional quality of some agricultural plants seem not to be impaired and may even be enhanced. However, studies assessing if the potential tolerance of agricultural plants to these concentrations can result in cyanotoxin and allergen accumulation in the edible tissues are lacking. This review combines the most current information available regarding this topic with a realistic assessment of the impact of cyanobacterial toxins on agricultural plants, groundwater quality and public health. - Highlights: �

Effects of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin on plant-soil systems: A review of their relevance for agricultural plant quality and public health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machado, J.; Campos, A.; Vasconcelos, V.; Freitas, M.

2017-01-01

Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are recognized as an emerging environmental threat worldwide. Although microcystin-LR is the most frequently documented cyanotoxin, studies on cylindrospermopsin have been increasing due to the invasive nature of cylindrospermopsin-producing cyanobacteria. The number of studies regarding the effects of cyanotoxins on agricultural plants has increased in recent years, and it has been suggested that the presence of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin in irrigation water may cause toxic effects in edible plants. The uptake of these cyanotoxins by agricultural plants has been shown to induce morphological and physiological changes that lead to a potential loss of productivity. There is also evidence that edible terrestrial plants can bioaccumulate cyanotoxins in their tissues in a concentration dependent-manner. Moreover, the number of consecutive cycles of watering and planting in addition to the potential persistence of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin in the environment are likely to result in groundwater contamination. The use of cyanotoxin-contaminated water for agricultural purposes may therefore represent a threat to both food security and food safety. However, the deleterious effects of cyanotoxins on agricultural plants and public health seem to be dependent on the concentrations studied, which in most cases are non-environmentally relevant. Interestingly, at ecologically relevant concentrations, the productivity and nutritional quality of some agricultural plants seem not to be impaired and may even be enhanced. However, studies assessing if the potential tolerance of agricultural plants to these concentrations can result in cyanotoxin and allergen accumulation in the edible tissues are lacking. This review combines the most current information available regarding this topic with a realistic assessment of the impact of cyanobacterial toxins on agricultural plants, groundwater quality and public health. - Highlights: �

Development of COS-SNP and HRM markers for cost efficient and reliable haplotype-based detection of Lr14a in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)

Science.gov (United States)

Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks. & Henn.) is a major disease affecting durum wheat production. The Lr14a leaf rust resistant gene present in the durum wheat cv. Creso and its derivative Colosseo is one of the best characterized leaf rust resistance sources presently deployed in durum wheat breed...

Identification of rust resistance genes Lr10 and Sr9a in Pakistani ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Identification of rust resistance genes Lr10 and Sr9a in Pakistani wheat germplasm using PCR based molecular markers. M Babar, AF Mashhadi, A Mehvish, AN Zahra, R Waheed, A Hasnain, S ur-Rahman, N Hussain, M Ali, I Khaliq, A Aziz ...

Bond scission cross sections for alpha-particles in cellulose nitrate (LR115)

CERN Document Server

Barillon, R; Chambaudet, A; Katz, R; Stoquert, J P; Pape, A

1999-01-01

Chemical damage created by alpha-particles in cellulose nitrate (LR115) have been studied by infrared spectroscopy. This technique enables identifying the sensitive bonds and giving an order of magnitude of their scission cross sections for given alpha-particle energies. The high cross sections observed suggest a new description of the track etch velocity in this material.

Bioleaching of Primary Nickel Ore Using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LR Cells Immobilized in Glass Beads

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ellen Cristine Giese

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Sulphide minerals are one of the most important sources of value metals. For several years, a large number of hydrometallurgical and biotechnological processes have been developed to leach low-grade sulphide ores and the conditions are well established. However, the management of microorganisms in the bioleaching process is not easy to handle. In this paper, the use of immobilized cells of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LR in glass beads in bioleaching of primary nickel ore was evaluated. The column experiments inoculated with immobilized cells of A. ferrooxidans LR showed the same efficiency than the conventional method using free cells and is promising for application on a larger scale as it ensuring integrity and activity of biomining microorganisms and reduce process costs. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v7i2.698 

The review of the reactor physics experiments carried out on the LR-0 research reactor NRI Rez plc for reactors of the VVER type

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudec, Frantisek; Jansky, Bohumil; Juricek, Vlastimil; Mikus, Jan; Novak, Evzen; Osmera, Bohumil; Posta, Severin; Rypar, Vojtech; Svadlenkova, Marie

2010-01-01

LR-0 is an experimental zero power reactor mainly used for the determination of the neutron-physical characteristics of WWER and PWR type reactor lattices and shielding with UO2 or MOX fuel. Its major assets include capability to design and operate multizone cores, i.e. substituted cores, with an inner inserted part in hexagonal or square geometry (driven by LR-0 standard assemblies); Standard and special supporting plates for mock-up experiments; special supporting plates, which enables the triangular symmetrical assembly arrangement with an arbitrary pitch; Modeling neutron field parameters of power reactors; Wide range benchmarking possibilities, with high reproducibility of the benchmark design parameters; Wide range of measurement techniques including equipment and experienced personal; Flexible rearrangements of the core. The main experiments included: Pin wise flux distribution measurements; VVER-440 and VVER-1000 mock-ups; compact spent fuel storage; space kinetics experiment; core parameters experimental determination; experiment with new design fuel assembly; WWER-440 control assembly influence; and burnable absorber study. International research projects are also described. (P.A.)

Accumulation of free and covalently bound microcystins in tissues of Lymnaea stagnalis (Gastropoda) following toxic cyanobacteria or dissolved microcystin-LR exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lance, Emilie; Neffling, Milla-Riina; Gerard, Claudia; Meriluoto, Jussi; Bormans, Myriam

2010-01-01

Accumulation of free microcystins (MCs) in freshwater gastropods has been demonstrated but accumulation of MCs covalently bound to tissues has never been considered so far. Here, we follow the accumulation of total (free and bound) MCs in Lymnaea stagnalis exposed to i) dissolved MC-LR (33 and 100 μg L -1 ) and ii) Planktothrix agardhii suspensions producing 5 and 33 μg MC-LR equivalents L -1 over a 5-week period, and after a 3-week depuration period. Snails exposed to dissolved MC-LR accumulated up to 0.26 μg total MCs g -1 dry weight (DW), with no detection of bound MCs. Snails exposed to MCs producing P. agardhii accumulated up to 69.9 μg total MCs g -1 DW, of which from 17.7 to 66.7% were bound. After depuration, up to 15.3 μg g -1 DW of bound MCs were detected in snails previously exposed to toxic cyanobacteria, representing a potential source of MCs transfer through the food web. - The study concerns accumulation and elimination of both free and bound microcystins (MCs) in tissues of a gastropod exposed to MCs producing cyanobacteria or dissolved MC-LR.

Accumulation of free and covalently bound microcystins in tissues of Lymnaea stagnalis (Gastropoda) following toxic cyanobacteria or dissolved microcystin-LR exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lance, Emilie, E-mail: emilie.lance@live.f [UMR CNRS Ecobio 6553, University of Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 265 Avenue du General Leclerc, 35042 Rennes Cedex (France); Neffling, Milla-Riina [Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacy, Abo Akademi University, Tykistoekatu 6, FI-20520 Turku (Finland); Gerard, Claudia [UMR CNRS Ecobio 6553, University of Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 265 Avenue du General Leclerc, 35042 Rennes Cedex (France); Meriluoto, Jussi [Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacy, Abo Akademi University, Tykistoekatu 6, FI-20520 Turku (Finland); Bormans, Myriam [UMR CNRS Ecobio 6553, University of Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 265 Avenue du General Leclerc, 35042 Rennes Cedex (France)

2010-03-15

Accumulation of free microcystins (MCs) in freshwater gastropods has been demonstrated but accumulation of MCs covalently bound to tissues has never been considered so far. Here, we follow the accumulation of total (free and bound) MCs in Lymnaea stagnalis exposed to i) dissolved MC-LR (33 and 100 mug L{sup -1}) and ii) Planktothrix agardhii suspensions producing 5 and 33 mug MC-LR equivalents L{sup -1} over a 5-week period, and after a 3-week depuration period. Snails exposed to dissolved MC-LR accumulated up to 0.26 mug total MCs g{sup -1} dry weight (DW), with no detection of bound MCs. Snails exposed to MCs producing P. agardhii accumulated up to 69.9 mug total MCs g{sup -1} DW, of which from 17.7 to 66.7% were bound. After depuration, up to 15.3 mug g{sup -1} DW of bound MCs were detected in snails previously exposed to toxic cyanobacteria, representing a potential source of MCs transfer through the food web. - The study concerns accumulation and elimination of both free and bound microcystins (MCs) in tissues of a gastropod exposed to MCs producing cyanobacteria or dissolved MC-LR.

IMAGING OF BRAIN FUNCTION BASED ON THE ANALYSIS OF FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY - IMAGING ANALYSIS OF BRAIN FUNCTION BY FMRI AFTER ACUPUNCTURE AT LR3 IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yu; Wang, Yuying; Lan, Yujun; Qu, Xiaodong; Lin, Kelin; Zhang, Jiping; Qu, Shanshan; Wang, Yanjie; Tang, Chunzhi; Huang, Yong

2016-01-01

This Study observed the relevant brain areas activated by acupuncture at the Taichong acupoint (LR3) and analyzed the functional connectivity among brain areas using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the acupoint specificity of the Taichong acupoint. A total of 45 healthy subjects were randomly divided into the Taichong (LR3) group, sham acupuncture group and sham acupoint group. Subjects received resting state fMRI before acupuncture, after true (sham) acupuncture in each group. Analysis of changes in connectivity among the brain areas was performed using the brain functional connectivity method. The right cerebrum temporal lobe was selected as the seed point to analyze the functional connectivity. It had a functional connectivity with right cerebrum superior frontal gyrus, limbic lobe cingulate gyrus and left cerebrum inferior temporal gyrus (BA 37), inferior parietal lobule compared by before vs. after acupuncture at LR3, and right cerebrum sub-lobar insula and left cerebrum middle frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus compared by true vs. sham acupuncture at LR3, and right cerebrum occipital lobe cuneus, occipital lobe sub-gyral, parietal lobe precuneus and left cerebellum anterior lobe culmen by acupuncture at LR3 vs. sham acupoint. Acupuncture at LR3 mainly specifically activated the brain functional network that participates in visual function, associative function, and emotion cognition, which are similar to the features on LR3 in tradition Chinese medicine. These brain areas constituted a neural network structure with specific functions that had specific reference values for the interpretation of the acupoint specificity of the Taichong acupoint.

Prediction of the transition energies of atomic No and Lr by the intermediate Hamiltonian coupled cluster method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borschevsky, A.; Eliav, E.; Kaldor, U.; Vilkas, M.J.; Ishikawa, Y.

2007-01-01

Complete text of publication follows: Measurements of the spectroscopic properties of the superheavy elements present a serious challenge to the experimentalist. Their short lifetimes and the low quantities of their production necessitate reliable prediction of transition energies to avoid the need for broad wavelength scans and to assist in identifying the lines. Thus, reliable high-accuracy calculations are necessary prior and parallel to experimental research. Nobelium and Lawrencium are at present the two most likely candidates for spectroscopic measurements, with the first experiments planned at GSI, Darmstadt. The intermediate Hamiltonian (IH) coupled cluster method is applied to the ionization potentials, electron affinities, and excitation energies of atomic nobelium and lawrencium. Large basis sets are used (37s31p26d21f16g11h6i). All levels of a particular atom are obtained simultaneously by diagonalizing the IH matrix. The matrix elements correspond to all excitations from correlated occupied orbitals to virtual orbitals in a large P space, and are 'dressed' by folding in excitations to higher virtual orbitals (Q space) at the coupled cluster singles-and-doubles level. Lamb-shift corrections are included. The same approach was applied to the lighter homologues of Lr and No, lutetium and ytterbium, for which many transition energies are experimentally known, in order to assess the accuracy of the calculation. The average absolute error of 20 excitation energies of Lu is 423 cm -1 , and the error limits for Lr are therefore put at 700 cm -1 . Predicted Lr excitations with large transition moments in the prime range for the planned experiment, 20,000-30,000 cm -1 , are 7p → 8s at 20,100 cm -1 and 7p →p 7d at 28,100 cm -1 . In case of Yb, the calculated ionization potential was within 20 cm -1 of the experiment, and the average error of the 20 lowest calculated excitations was about 300 cm -1 . Hence, the error limits of nobelium are set to 800 cm -1

Absolute Transition Rates in {sup 188}lr

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malmskog, S G; Berg, V

1969-09-15

Half-lives of several excited levels in {sup 188}lr have been measured using an electron-electron delayed coincidence spectrometer. Active {sup 188}Pt sources were prepared from spallation products using the ISOLDE on-line mass separator facility at CERN. The following half-lives were obtained: T{sub 1/2} (54.8 keV level) = (1.93 {+-} 0.10) nsec; T{sub 1/2} (96.7 keV level) = (0.59 {+-} 0.12) nsec; T{sub 1/2} (187.6 keV level) = (0.056 {+-} 0.013) nsec; T{sub 1/2} (195.1 keV level) = (0.051 {+-} 0.010) nsec; T{sub 1/2} (478. 3 keV level) {<=} 0.15 nsec The 54.8 keV transition was found to have an enhanced E2 transition probability indicating a collective character for this transition.

Experimental demonstration of CMOS-compatible long-range dielectric-loaded surface plasmon-polariton waveguides (LR-DLSPPWs)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zektzer, Roy; Desiatov, Boris; Mazurski, Noa

2015-01-01

We demonstrate the design, fabrication and experimental characterization of long-range dielectric-loaded surface plasmon-polariton waveguides (LR-DLSPPWs) that are compatible with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The demonstrated waveguides feature good mode confinement...

Direct determination of bulk etching rate for LR-115-II solid state ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The thickness of the removed layer of the LR-115-II solid state nuclear track detector during etching is measured directly with a rather precise instrument. Dependence of bulk etching rate on temperature of the etching solution is investigated. It has been found that the bulk etching rate is 3.2 m/h at 60°C in 2.5 N NaOH of ...

Enhanced microactuation with magnetic field curing of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

ples have been enhanced by two times when compared with that of zero field cured samples. The effect of .... Gauge of wire ... electrolitic-300 mesh (84.67 µm) LR, Product No. ... be in the body centered cubic phase with a lattice parameter.

Neutron and photon spectrometry in mixed radiation fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jancar, A.; Kopecky, Z.; Veskrna, M.

2014-01-01

Spectrometric measurements of the mixed fields of neutron and photon radiation in the workplaces with the L-R-0 research reactor located in the UJV Rez and with the Van de Graaff accelerator, located in the UTEF laboratories Prague, are presented in this paper. The experimental spectrometric measurements were performed using a newly developed digital measuring system, based on the technology of analog-digital converters with a very high sampling frequency (up to 2 GHz), in connection with organic scintillation detector, type BC-501A, and stilbene detector. The results of experimental measurements show high quality of spectrometry mixed fields of neutron and photon radiation across the wide dynamic range of measured energy. (authors)

Estudo da potencialidade dos processos oxidativos avançados na remediação de águas contaminadas por microcistina - LR.

OpenAIRE

Jacobs, Loraine Cristina do Valle

2011-01-01

Resumo:Dentre os muitos efeitos deleterios provocados pelo processo de eutrofizacao de aguas naturais, importante destaque deve ser dado ao surgimento de floracoes de cianobacterias e a consequente geracao de cianotoxinas de potente efeito hapatotoxico (ex. Microcistina-LR). Em geral, rotinas convencionais para potabilizacao da agua se mostram ineficientes para a remocao destes micropoluentes, o que tem estimulado o estudo de novas alternativas de tratamento. O presente trabalho teve como pri...

Rapid Isolation of a Single-Chain Antibody against the Cyanobacterial Toxin Microcystin-LR by Phage Display and Its Use in the Immunoaffinity Concentration of Microcystins from Water

Science.gov (United States)

McElhiney, Jacqui; Drever, Mathew; Lawton, Linda A.; Porter, Andy J.

2002-01-01

A naïve (unimmunized) human semisynthetic phage display library was employed to isolate recombinant antibody fragments against the cyanobacterial hepatotoxin microcystin-LR. Selected antibody scFv genes were cloned into a soluble expression vector and expressed in Escherichia coli for characterization against purified microcystin-LR by competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The most sensitive single-chain antibody (scAb) isolated was capable of detecting microcystin-LR at levels below the World Health Organization limit in drinking water (1 μg liter−1) and cross-reacted with three other purified microcystin variants (microcystin-RR, -LW, and -LF) and the related cyanotoxin nodularin. Extracts of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa were assayed by ELISA, and quantifications of microcystins in toxic samples showed good correlation with analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography. Immobilized scAb was also used to prepare immunoaffinity columns, which were assessed for the ability to concentrate microcystin-LR from water for subsequent analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography. Anti-microcystin-LR scAb was immobilized on columns via a hexahistidine tag, ensuring maximum exposure of antigen binding sites, and the performance of the columns was evaluated by directly applying 150 ml of distilled water spiked with 4 μg of purified microcystin-LR. The procedure was simple, and a recovery rate of 94% was achieved following elution in 1 ml of 100% methanol. Large-scale, low-cost production of anti-microcystin-LR scAb in E. coli is an exciting prospect for the development of biosensors and on-line monitoring systems for microcystins and will also facilitate a range of immunoaffinity applications for the cleanup and concentration of these toxins from environmental samples. PMID:12406716

IRT-LR-DIF with Estimation of the Focal-Group Density as an Empirical Histogram

Science.gov (United States)

Woods, Carol M.

2008-01-01

Item response theory-likelihood ratio-differential item functioning (IRT-LR-DIF) is used to evaluate the degree to which items on a test or questionnaire have different measurement properties for one group of people versus another, irrespective of group-mean differences on the construct. Usually, the latent distribution is presumed normal for both…

Major Gene for Field Stem Rust Resistance Co-Locates with Resistance Gene Sr12 in 'Thatcher' Wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiebert, Colin W; Kolmer, James A; McCartney, Curt A; Briggs, Jordan; Fetch, Tom; Bariana, Harbans; Choulet, Frederic; Rouse, Matthew N; Spielmeyer, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

Stem rust, caused by Puccinia graminis (Pgt), is a damaging disease of wheat that can be controlled by utilizing effective stem rust resistance genes. 'Thatcher' wheat carries complex resistance to stem rust that is enhanced in the presence of the resistance gene Lr34. The purpose of this study was to examine APR in 'Thatcher' and look for genetic interactions with Lr34. A RIL population was tested for stem rust resistance in field nurseries in Canada, USA, and Kenya. BSA was used to find SNP markers associated with reduced stem rust severity. A major QTL was identified on chromosome 3BL near the centromere in all environments. Seedling testing showed that Sr12 mapped to the same region as the QTL for APR. The SNP markers were physically mapped and the region carrying the resistance was searched for sequences with homology to members of the NB-LRR resistance gene family. SNP marker from one NB-LRR-like sequence, NB-LRR3 co-segregated with Sr12. Two additional populations, including one that lacked Lr34, were tested in field nurseries. NB-LRR3 mapped near the maximum LOD for reduction in stem rust severity in both populations. Lines from a population that segregated for Sr12 and Lr34 were tested for seedling Pgt biomass and infection type, as well as APR to field stem rust which showed an interaction between the genes. We concluded that Sr12, or a gene closely linked to Sr12, was responsible for 'Thatcher'-derived APR in several environments and this resistance was enhanced in the presence of Lr34.

Investigations into the biodegradation of microcystin-LR in wastewaters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ho, Lionel; Hoefel, Daniel; Palazot, Sebastien; Sawade, Emma; Newcombe, Gayle; Saint, Christopher P.; Brookes, Justin D.

2010-01-01

Microcystins are potent hepatotoxins that can be produced by cyanobacteria. These organisms can proliferate in wastewaters due to a number of factors including high concentrations of nutrients for growth. As treated wastewaters are now being considered as supplementary drinking water sources, in addition to their frequent use for irrigated agriculture, it is imperative that these wastewaters are free of toxins such as microcystins. This study investigated the potential for biodegradation of microcystin-LR (MCLR) in wastewaters through a biological sand filtration experiment and in static batch reactor experiments. MCLR was effectively removed at a range of concentrations and at various temperatures, with degradation attributed to the action of microorganisms indigenous to the wastewaters. No hepatotoxic by-products were detected following the degradation of MCLR as determined by a protein phosphatase inhibition assay. Using TaqMan polymerase chain reaction, the first gene involved in bacterial degradation of MCLR (mlrA) was detected and the responsible bacteria shown to increase with the amount of MCLR being degraded. This finding suggested that the degradation of MCLR was dependent upon the abundance of MCLR-degrading organisms present within the wastewater, and that MCLR may provide bacteria with a significant carbon source for proliferation; in turn increasing MCLR removal.

High performance sulfur, nitrogen and carbon doped mesoporous anatase–brookite TiO2 photocatalyst for the removal of microcystin-LR under visible light irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Sheikh, Said M.; Zhang, Geshan; El-Hosainy, Hamza M.; Ismail, Adel A.; O'Shea, Kevin E.; Falaras, Polycarpos; Kontos, Athanassios G.; Dionysiou, Dionysios D.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Synthesis of tailor-designed C, N and S doped titania anatase–brookite nano-heterojunction photocatalyst. • Microcystin-LR was completely removed in the presence of doped sample under visible light. • The MC-LR degradation rate achieved by the doped sample was much better than that of un-doped sample under visible light. - Abstract: Carbon, nitrogen and sulfur (C, N and S) doped mesoporous anatase–brookite nano-heterojunction titania photocatalysts have been synthesized through a simple sol–gel method in the presence of triblock copolymer Pluronic P123. XRD and Raman spectra revealed the formation of anatase and brookite mixed phases. XPS spectra indicated the presence of C, N and S dopants. The TEM images demonstrated the formation of almost monodisperse titania nanoparticles with particle sizes of approximately 10 nm. N 2 isotherm measurements confirmed that both doped and undoped titania anatase–brookite materials have mesoporous structure. The photocatalytic degradation of the cyanotoxin microcystin-LR (MC-LR) has been investigated using these novel nanomaterials under visible light illumination. The photocatalytic efficiency of the mesoporous titania anatase–brookite photocatalyst dramatically increased with the addition of the C, N and S non-metal, achieving complete degradation (∼100%) of MC-LR. The results demonstrate the advantages of the synthetic approach and the great potential of the visible light activated C, N, and S doped titania photocatalysts for the treatment of organic micropollutants in contaminated waters under visible light

MACVIA-LR (Fighting Chronic Diseases for Active and Healthy Ageing in Languedoc-Roussillon): A Success Story of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing.

Science.gov (United States)

Bousquet, J; Bourret, R; Camuzat, T; Augé, P; Bringer, J; Noguès, M; Jonquet, O; de la Coussaye, J E; Ankri, J; Cesari, M; Guérin, O; Vellas, B; Blain, H; Arnavielhe, S; Avignon, A; Combe, B; Canovas, G; Daien, C; Dray, G; Dupeyron, A; Jeandel, C; Laffont, I; Laune, D; Marion, C; Pastor, E; Pélissier, J Y; Galan, B; Reynes, J; Reuzeau, J C; Bedbrook, A; Granier, S; Adnet, P A; Amouyal, M; Alomène, B; Bernard, P L; Berr, C; Caimmi, D; Claret, P G; Costa, D J; Cristol, J P; Fesler, P; Hève, D; Millot-Keurinck, J; Morquin, D; Ninot, G; Picot, M C; Raffort, N; Roubille, F; Sultan, A; Touchon, J; Attalin, V; Azevedo, C; Badin, M; Bakhti, K; Bardy, B; Battesti, M P; Bobia, X; Boegner, C; Boichot, S; Bonnin, H Y; Bouly, S; Boubakri, C; Bourrain, J L; Bourrel, G; Bouix, V; Bruguière, V; Cade, S; Camu, W; Carre, V; Cavalli, G; Cayla, G; Chiron, R; Coignard, P; Coroian, F; Costa, P; Cottalorda, J; Coulet, B; Coupet, A L; Courrouy-Michel, M C; Courtet, P; Cros, V; Cuisinier, F; Danko, M; Dauenhauer, P; Dauzat, M; David, M; Davy, J M; Delignières, D; Demoly, P; Desplan, J; Dujols, P; Dupeyron, G; Engberink, O; Enjalbert, M; Fattal, C; Fernandes, J; Fouletier, M; Fraisse, P; Gabrion, P; Gellerat-Rogier, M; Gelis, A; Genis, C; Giraudeau, N; Goucham, A Y; Gouzi, F; Gressard, F; Gris, J C; Guillot, B; Guiraud, D; Handweiler, V; Hayot, M; Hérisson, C; Heroum, C; Hoa, D; Jacquemin, S; Jaber, S; Jakovenko, D; Jorgensen, C; Kouyoudjian, P; Lamoureux, R; Landreau, L; Lapierre, M; Larrey, D; Laurent, C; Léglise, M S; Lemaitre, J M; Le Quellec, A; Leclercq, F; Lehmann, S; Lognos, B; Lussert, Cj M; Makinson, A; Mandrick, K; Mares, P; Martin-Gousset, P; Matheron, A; Mathieu, G; Meissonnier, M; Mercier, G; Messner, P; Meunier, C; Mondain, M; Morales, R; Morel, J; Mottet, D; Nérin, P; Nicolas, P; Nouvel, F; Paccard, D; Pandraud, G; Pasdelou, M P; Pasquié, J L; Patte, K; Perrey, S; Pers, Y M; Portejoie, F; Pujol, J L E; Quantin, X; Quéré, I; Ramdani, S; Ribstein, J; Rédini-Martinez, I; Richard, S; Ritchie, K; Riso, J P; Rivier, F; Robine, J M; Rolland, C; Royère, E; Sablot, D; Savy, J L; Schifano, L; Senesse, P; Sicard, R; Stephan, Y; Strubel, D; Tallon, G; Tanfin, M; Tassery, H; Tavares, I; Torre, K; Tribout, V; Uziel, A; Van de Perre, P; Venail, F; Vergne-Richard, C; Vergotte, G; Vian, L; Vialla, F; Viart, F; Villain, M; Viollet, E; Ychou, M; Mercier, J

2016-01-01

The Région Languedoc Roussillon is the umbrella organisation for an interconnected and integrated project on active and healthy ageing (AHA). It covers the 3 pillars of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA): (A) Prevention and health promotion, (B) Care and cure, (C) and (D) Active and independent living of elderly people. All sub-activities (poly-pharmacy, falls prevention initiative, prevention of frailty, chronic respiratory diseases, chronic diseases with multimorbidities, chronic infectious diseases, active and independent living and disability) have been included in MACVIA-LR which has a strong political commitment and involves all stakeholders (public, private, patients, policy makers) including CARSAT-LR and the Eurobiomed cluster. It is a Reference Site of the EIP on AHA. The framework of MACVIA-LR has the vision that the prevention and management of chronic diseases is essential for the promotion of AHA and for the reduction of handicap. The main objectives of MACVIA-LR are: (i) to develop innovative solutions for a network of Living labs in order to reduce avoidable hospitalisations and loss of autonomy while improving quality of life, (ii) to disseminate the innovation. The three years of MACVIA-LR activities are reported in this paper.

Major Gene for Field Stem Rust Resistance Co-Locates with Resistance Gene Sr12 in ‘Thatcher’ Wheat

Science.gov (United States)

Hiebert, Colin W.; Kolmer, James A.; McCartney, Curt A.; Briggs, Jordan; Fetch, Tom; Bariana, Harbans; Choulet, Frederic; Rouse, Matthew N.; Spielmeyer, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

Stem rust, caused by Puccinia graminis (Pgt), is a damaging disease of wheat that can be controlled by utilizing effective stem rust resistance genes. ‘Thatcher’ wheat carries complex resistance to stem rust that is enhanced in the presence of the resistance gene Lr34. The purpose of this study was to examine APR in ‘Thatcher’ and look for genetic interactions with Lr34. A RIL population was tested for stem rust resistance in field nurseries in Canada, USA, and Kenya. BSA was used to find SNP markers associated with reduced stem rust severity. A major QTL was identified on chromosome 3BL near the centromere in all environments. Seedling testing showed that Sr12 mapped to the same region as the QTL for APR. The SNP markers were physically mapped and the region carrying the resistance was searched for sequences with homology to members of the NB-LRR resistance gene family. SNP marker from one NB-LRR-like sequence, NB-LRR3 co-segregated with Sr12. Two additional populations, including one that lacked Lr34, were tested in field nurseries. NB-LRR3 mapped near the maximum LOD for reduction in stem rust severity in both populations. Lines from a population that segregated for Sr12 and Lr34 were tested for seedling Pgt biomass and infection type, as well as APR to field stem rust which showed an interaction between the genes. We concluded that Sr12, or a gene closely linked to Sr12, was responsible for ‘Thatcher’-derived APR in several environments and this resistance was enhanced in the presence of Lr34. PMID:27309724

Removal of microcystin-LR from drinking water using a bamboo-based charcoal adsorbent modified with chitosan.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hangjun; Zhu, Guoying; Jia, Xiuying; Ding, Ying; Zhang, Mi; Gao, Qing; Hu, Ciming; Xu, Shuying

2011-01-01

A new kind of low-cost syntactic adsorbent from bamboo charcoal and chitosan was developed for the removal of microcystin-LR from drinking water. Removal efficiency was higher for the syntactic adsorbent when the amount of bamboo charcoal was increased. The optimum dose ratio of bamboo charcoal to chitosan was 6:4, and the optimum amount was 15 mg/L; equilibrium time was 6 hr. The adsorption isotherm was non-linear and could be simulated by the Freundlich model (R2 = 0.9337). Adsorption efficiency was strongly affected by pH and natural organic matter (NOM). Removal efficiency was 16% higher at pH 3 than at pH 9. Efficiency rate was reduced by 15% with 25 mg/L NOM (UV254 = 0.089 cm(-1)) in drinking water. This study demonstrated that the bamboo charcoal modified with chitosan can effectively remove microcystin-LR from drinking water.

In vitro translocation experiments with RxLR-reporter fusion proteins of Avr1b from Phytophthora sojae and AVR3a from Phytophthora infestans fail to demonstrate specific autonomous uptake in plant and animal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wawra, Stephan; Djamei, Armin; Albert, Isabell; Nürnberger, Thorsten; Kahmann, Regine; van West, Pieter

2013-05-01

Plant-pathogenic oomycetes have a large set of secreted effectors that can be translocated into their host cells during infection. One group of these effectors are the RxLR effectors for which it has been shown, in a few cases, that the RxLR motif is important for their translocation. It has been suggested that the RxLR-leader sequences alone are enough to translocate the respective effectors into eukaryotic cells through binding to surface-exposed phosphoinositol-3-phosphate. These conclusions were primary based on translocation experiments conducted with recombinant fusion proteins whereby the RxLR leader of RxLR effectors (i.e., Avr1b from Phytophthora sojae) were fused to the green fluorescent protein reporter-protein. However, we failed to observe specific cellular uptake for a comparable fusion protein where the RxLR leader of the P. infestans AVR3a was fused to monomeric red fluorescent protein. Therefore, we reexamined the ability of the reported P. sojae AVR1b RxLR leader to enter eukaryotic cells. Different relevant experiments were performed in three independent laboratories, using fluorescent reporter fusion constructs of AVR3a and Avr1b proteins in a side-by-side comparative study on plant tissue and human and animal cells. We report that we were unable to obtain conclusive evidence for specific RxLR-mediated translocation.

Accumulation of free and covalently bound microcystins in tissues of Lymnaea stagnalis (Gastropoda) following toxic cyanobacteria or dissolved microcystin-LR exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Lance, Emilie; Neffling, Milla-Riina; Gérard, Claudia; Meriluoto, Jussi; Bormans, Myriam

2010-03-01

Accumulation of free microcystins (MCs) in freshwater gastropods has been demonstrated but accumulation of MCs covalently bound to tissues has never been considered so far. Here, we follow the accumulation of total (free and bound) MCs in Lymnaea stagnalis exposed to i) dissolved MC-LR (33 and 100 microg L(-1)) and ii) Planktothrix agardhii suspensions producing 5 and 33 microg MC-LR equivalents L(-1) over a 5-week period, and after a 3-week depuration period. Snails exposed to dissolved MC-LR accumulated up to 0.26 microg total MCs g(-1) dry weight (DW), with no detection of bound MCs. Snails exposed to MCs producing P. agardhii accumulated up to 69.9 microg total MCs g(-1) DW, of which from 17.7 to 66.7% were bound. After depuration, up to 15.3 microg g(-1) DW of bound MCs were detected in snails previously exposed to toxic cyanobacteria, representing a potential source of MCs transfer through the food web. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Conserved Arginine Cluster in the Insert of the Third Cytoplasmic Loop of the Long Form of the D2 Dopamine Receptor (D2L-R Acts as an Intracellular Retention Signal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Kubale

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study examined whether the conserved arginine cluster present within the 29-amino acid insert of the long form of the D2 dopamine receptor (D2L-R confers its predominant intracellular localization. We hypothesized that the conserved arginine cluster (RRR located within the insert could act as an RXR-type endoplasmic reticulum (ER retention signal. Arginine residues (R within the cluster at positions 267, 268, and 269 were charge-reserved to glutamic acids (E, either individually or in clusters, thus generating single, double, and triple D2L-R mutants. Through analyses of cellular localization by confocal microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, radioligand binding assay, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET2 β-arrestin 2 (βarr2 recruitment assay, and cAMP signaling, it was revealed that charge reversal of the R residues at all three positions within the motif impaired their colocalization with ER marker calnexin and led to significantly improved cell surface expression. Additionally, these data demonstrate that an R to glutamic acid (E substitution at position 2 within the RXR motif is not functionally permissible. Furthermore, all generated D2L-R mutants preserved their functional integrity regarding ligand binding, agonist-induced βarr2 recruitment and Gαi-mediated signaling. In summary, our results show that the conserved arginine cluster within the 29-amino acid insert of third cytoplasmic loop (IC3 of the D2L-R appears to be the ER retention signal.

Recent progress in photoactive organic field-effect transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wakayama, Yutaka; Hayakawa, Ryoma; Seo, Hoon-Seok

2014-04-01

Recent progress in photoactive organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) is reviewed. Photoactive OFETs are divided into light-emitting (LE) and light-receiving (LR) OFETs. In the first part, LE-OFETs are reviewed from the viewpoint of the evolution of device structures. Device performances have improved in the last decade with the evolution of device structures from single-layer unipolar to multi-layer ambipolar transistors. In the second part, various kinds of LR-OFETs are featured. These are categorized according to their functionalities: phototransistors, non-volatile optical memories, and photochromism-based transistors. For both, various device configurations are introduced: thin-film based transistors for practical applications, single-crystalline transistors to investigate fundamental physics, nanowires, multi-layers, and vertical transistors based on new concepts.

Recent progress in photoactive organic field-effect transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakayama, Yutaka; Hayakawa, Ryoma; Seo, Hoon-Seok

2014-01-01

Recent progress in photoactive organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) is reviewed. Photoactive OFETs are divided into light-emitting (LE) and light-receiving (LR) OFETs. In the first part, LE-OFETs are reviewed from the viewpoint of the evolution of device structures. Device performances have improved in the last decade with the evolution of device structures from single-layer unipolar to multi-layer ambipolar transistors. In the second part, various kinds of LR-OFETs are featured. These are categorized according to their functionalities: phototransistors, non-volatile optical memories, and photochromism-based transistors. For both, various device configurations are introduced: thin-film based transistors for practical applications, single-crystalline transistors to investigate fundamental physics, nanowires, multi-layers, and vertical transistors based on new concepts. (review)

Microcystin-LR equivalent concentrations in fish tissue during a postbloom Microcystis exposure in Loskop Dam, South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Nchabeleng, T

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The effects of a decomposing cyanobacteria bloom on water quality and the accumulation of microcystin-LR equivalent toxin in fish at Loskop Dam were studied in May 2012. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] was used to confirm the presence...

Determination of power density in VVER-1000 Mock-Up in LR-0 reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Košál Michal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The pin power density is an important quantity which has to be monitored during the reactor operation, for two main reasons. Firstly, it is part of the limits and conditions of safe operation and, secondly, it is source term in neutron transport calculations used for the adequate assessing of the state of core structures and pressure vessel material. It is often calculated using deterministic codes which may have problems with an adequate definition of boundary conditions in subcritical regions. This may lead to overestimation of real situation, and therefore the validation of the utility codes contributes not only to better fuel utilization, but also to more precise description of radiation situation in structural components of core. Current paper presents methods developed at LR-0 reactor, as well as selected results for pin power density measurement in peripheral regions of VVER-1000 mock-up. The presented data show that the results of a utility diffusion code at core boundary overestimate the measurement. This situation, however satisfactory safe, may lead to unduly conservative approach in the determination of radiation damage of core structures.

Effects of serotonin on expression of the LDL receptor family member LR11 and 7-ketocholesterol-induced apoptosis in human vascular smooth muscle cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagayama, Daiji; Ishihara, Noriko [Center of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Toho University, Sakura Medical Center, 564-1, Shimoshizu, Sakura-City, Chiba 285-8741 (Japan); Bujo, Hideaki [Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Toho University, Sakura Medical Center, 564-1, Shimoshizu, Sakura-City, Chiba 285-8741 (Japan); Shirai, Kohji [Department of Vascular Function, Toho University, Sakura Medical Center, 564-1, Shimoshizu, Sakura-City, Chiba 285-8741 (Japan); Tatsuno, Ichiro, E-mail: ichiro.tatsuno@med.toho-u.ac.jp [Center of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Toho University, Sakura Medical Center, 564-1, Shimoshizu, Sakura-City, Chiba 285-8741 (Japan)

2014-04-18

Highlights: • The dedifferentiation of VSMCs in arterial intima is involved in atherosclerosis. • 5-HT showed proliferative effect on VSMCs which was abolished by sarpogrelate. • 5-HT enhanced expression of LR11 mRNA in VSMCs which was abolished by sarpogrelate. • 5-HT suppressed 7KCHO-induced apoptosis of VSMCs via caspase-3/7-dependent pathway. • The mechanisms explain the 5-HT-induced remodeling of arterial structure. - Abstract: Serotonin (5-HT) is a known mitogen for vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The dedifferentiation and proliferation/apoptosis of VSMCs in the arterial intima represent one of the atherosclerotic changes. LR11, a member of low-density lipoprotein receptor family, may contribute to the proliferation of VSMCs in neointimal hyperplasia. We conducted an in vitro study to investigate whether 5-HT is involved in LR11 expression in human VSMCs and apoptosis of VSMCs induced by 7-ketocholesterol (7KCHO), an oxysterol that destabilizes plaque. 5-HT enhanced the proliferation of VSMCs, and this effect was abolished by sarpogrelate, a selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist. Sarpogrelate also inhibited the 5-HT-enhanced LR11 mRNA expression in VSMCs. Furthermore, 5-HT suppressed the 7KCHO-induced apoptosis of VSMCs via caspase-3/7-dependent pathway. These findings provide new insights on the changes in the differentiation stage of VSMCs mediated by 5-HT.

Assessment of hemolytic activity, enzyme production and bacteriocin characterization of Bacillus subtilis LR1 isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Goutam; Nandi, Ankita; Ray, Arun Kumar

2017-01-01

In the present investigation, probiotic potential (antagonistic activity, enzyme production, hemolytic activity, biosafety, antibiotic sensitivity and bile tolerance level) of Bacillus subtilis LR1 was evaluated. Bacteriocin produced by the bacterial strain B. subtilis LR1 isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of Labeo rohita was purified and characterized. The molecular weight of the purified bacteriocin was ~50 kDa in 12 % Native PAGE and showed inhibitory activity against four fish pathogens such as Bacillus mycoides, Aeromonas salmonicida, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Aeromonas hydrophila. The purified bacteriocin was maximally active at temperature 40 °C and pH 7.0, while none of the tested surfactants affect the bacteriocin activity. Extracellular enzyme activity of the selected bacterial strain was also evaluated. Amylase activity was estimated to be highest (38.23 ± 1.15 µg of maltose liberated mg -1  protein ml -1 of culture filtrate) followed by cellulase and protease activity. The selected bacterium was sensitive to most of the antibiotics used in this experiment, can tolerate 0.25 % bile salt and non-hemolytic in nature. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed probiotic candidate was evaluated in in vivo condition. It was detected that the bacterial strain can effectively reduce bacterial pathogenicity in Indian major carps.

The Dopants and Doping Level Dependence of the Structure and Magnetic Properties of the Eu (BA_1-xLR_x)₂Cu₃O_7+δ

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Yu [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2002-12-31

Eu(Ba_1-xLR_x)₂Cu₃O_7+δ were systematically studied in order to understand how the valence of the rear earth elements, ionic sizes and magnetic moment affect the crystal structure and magnetic and electrical properties. Differential thermal analyses were carried out to check the phase purity, X-ray data were least-squares fitted to determine the lattice parameters, and DC-SQUID magnetometry was used to characterize the superconducting properties. These results showed that the crystallography is consistent with other EuLR123ss series, LR = La, Pr, Eu. The lattice parameters vary with the ionic radii of the rare earth ions. Unlike the uniform change in lattice parameter, the superconducting transition did not vary systematically with the ionic size of the dopants. Although the general trend was for T_c to decrease with decreasing ionic size of the dopant, for the same doping level, Pr was anomalous, depressing T_c faster. Although the exact mechanism is not clear, this result is consistent with the depression of T_c for Pr substitution for the rare earth in R123. The critical current J_c was determined using the Bean model from magnetization versus field measurements as a function of temperature and field. The effect of the dopants on J_c with the increasing of temperature or applied field was determined. For T < 77 K and small values of x, the value of J_c was increased over that of the x = 0 sample. In addition, the smaller the substituting atom, the higher the J_c becomes. For instance, at x = 0.025, Eu123 < EuLa.025 < EuPr.025 < EuNd.025 < EuEu.025. The enhancement of J_c disappears for x > 0.05 and T > 0.5T_c.

Activity and Transcriptional Responses of Hepatopancreatic Biotransformation and Antioxidant Enzymes in the Oriental River Prawn Macrobrachium nipponense Exposed to Microcystin-LR

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Julin Yuan

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Microcystins (MCs are a major group of cyanotoxins with side effects in many organisms; thus, compounds in this group are recognized as potent stressors and health hazards in aquatic ecosystems. In order to assess the toxicity of MCs and detoxification mechanism of freshwater shrimp Macrobrachium nipponense, the full-length cDNAs of the glutathione S-transferase (gst and catalase (cat genes were isolated from the hepatopancreas. The transcription level and activity changes in the biotransformation enzyme (glutathione S-transferase (GST and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD, catalase (CAT, glutathione peroxidase (GPx in the hepatopancreas of M. nipponense exposed to MC-LR (0.2, 1, 5, and 25 μg/L for 12, 24, 72 and 96 h were analyzed. The results showed that the isolated full-length cDNAs of cat and gst genes from M. nipponense displayed a high similarity to other crustaceans, and their mRNAs were mainly expressed in the hepatopancreas. MC-LR caused significant increase of GST activity following 48–96 h (p < 0.05 and an increase in SOD activity especially in 24- and 48-h exposures. CAT activity was activated when exposed to MC-LR in 12-, 24- and 48-h exposures and then it was inhibited at 96-h exposure. There was no significant effect on GPx activity after the 12- and 24-h exposures, whereas it was significantly stimulated after the 72- and 96-h exposures (p < 0.05. The transcription was altered similarly to enzyme activity, but the transcriptional response was generally more immediate and had greater amplitude than enzymatic response, particularly for GST. All of the results suggested that MC-LR can induce antioxidative modulation variations in M. nipponense hepatopancreas in order to eliminate oxidative damage.

IMAGING OF BRAIN FUNCTION BASED ON THE ANALYSIS OF FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY - IMAGING ANALYSIS OF BRAIN FUNCTION BY FMRI AFTER ACUPUNCTURE AT LR3 IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS

OpenAIRE

Zheng, Yu; Wang, Yuying; Lan, Yujun; Qu, Xiaodong; Lin, Kelin; Zhang, Jiping; Qu, Shanshan; Wang, Yanjie; Tang, Chunzhi; Huang, Yong

2016-01-01

Objective: This Study observed the relevant brain areas activated by acupuncture at the Taichong acupoint (LR3) and analyzed the functional connectivity among brain areas using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the acupoint specificity of the Taichong acupoint. Methods: A total of 45 healthy subjects were randomly divided into the Taichong (LR3) group, sham acupuncture group and sham acupoint group. Subjects received resting state fMRI before acupuncture, a...

Type B liquid package technical issues -- Experience with LR-56 safety analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, A.C.; Alstine, M.N. van; Gromada, R.J.; Hensel, S.J.; Gupta, N.K.

1997-01-01

In the course of the development of nuclear industry in France, shipment of Type B quantities (i.e., quantities having significant radiological consequences) of radioactive liquids between different, sites became necessary. Based on the experience acquired at the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) nuclear centers, a series of tanker trailers has been developed to meet this need. Similarly, as part of the ongoing program to process wastes to stable end forms, a need exists to move radioactive liquids at several DOE sites. The LR-56, developed by CEA to transport liquids of medium to high activity, was selected for these US applications, based on its design features and successful operating experience in France. No comparable Type B liquid packages are certified in the US Packages employed in transport of Type B quantities of liquids are either only suitable for small volumes, or are used within site boundaries with extensive administrative controls employed to insure that an adequate level of safety is maintained. The requirement is to provide safety equivalent to the level established by federal regulations in 10 CFR 71. Type B radioactive materials packages (RAM packages) are typically simple, rugged containers which are designed and fabricated in accordance with the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code to provide containment under the normal conditions of transport (NCT) and hypothetical accident conditions (HAC) established by the regulations. Packages designed for liquid contents must address a number of technical issues which are not common to packages for solid contents. This paper reviews the technical issues associated with Type B liquid packages from the perspective of the experience gained from the evaluation of the LR-56 for use at DOE sites

Perturbation measurements in reactor LR-0 and their evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rypar, W.; Faehrmann, K.H.

1988-07-01

To investigate space-dependent kinetic effects in reactors of the WWER-1000 type, two central and one eccentric perturbation measurements were performed in the zero power reactor LR-0 of the UJV Rez (CSSR) by trapeze-form movements of an absorber cluster. The measurements were based ona computer aided CAMAC system for the simultaneous data acquisition of 20 spatially distributed neutron detectors and for cluster movement control. The measurements were followed by a detailed evaluation in the ZfK Rossendorf (GDR) with respect to the calculation results of flux response obtained by nodal code HEXDYN3D, the aim of which was to demostrate the limits of the point reactor model and to account for space-dependent effects by approximative methods. A sensitive check of the calculation methods was made possible especially by the eccentric perturbation where the space dependent effects,due to a larger distance of cluster movement, were most significant. (author). 17 figs., 9 refs

Influence of management of variables, sampling zones and land units on LR analysis for landslide spatial prevision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Greco

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Several authors, according to different methodological approaches, have employed logistic Regression (LR, a multivariate statistical analysis adopted to assess the spatial probability of landslide, even though its fundamental principles have remained unaltered. This study aims at assessing the influence of some of these methodological approaches on the performance of LR, through a series of sensitivity analyses developed over a test area of about 300 km2 in Calabria (southern Italy. In particular, four types of sampling (1 – the whole study area; 2 – transects running parallel to the general slope direction of the study area with a total surface of about 1/3 of the whole study area; 3 – buffers surrounding the phenomena with a 1/1 ratio between the stable and the unstable area; 4 – buffers surrounding the phenomena with a 1/2 ratio between the stable and the unstable area, two variable coding modes (1 – grouped variables; 2 – binary variables, and two types of elementary land (1 – cells units; 2 – slope units units have been tested. The obtained results must be considered as statistically relevant in all cases (Aroc values > 70%, thus confirming the soundness of the LR analysis which maintains high predictive capacities notwithstanding the features of input data. As for the area under investigation, the best performing methodological choices are the following: (i transects produced the best results (0 P(y ≤ 93.4%; Aroc = 79.5%; (ii as for sampling modalities, binary variables (0 P(y ≤ 98.3%; Aroc = 80.7% provide better performance than ordinated variables; (iii as for the choice of elementary land units, slope units (0 P(y ≤ 100%; Aroc = 84.2% have obtained better results than cells matrix.

Adult Plant Leaf Rust Resistance Derived from Toropi Wheat is Conditioned by Lr78 and Three Minor QTL.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolmer, J A; Bernardo, A; Bai, G; Hayden, M J; Chao, S

2018-02-01

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina is an important disease of wheat in many regions worldwide. Durable or long-lasting leaf rust resistance has been difficult to achieve because populations of P. triticina are highly variable for virulence to race-specific resistance genes, and respond to selection by resistance genes in released wheat cultivars. The wheat cultivar Toropi, developed and grown in Brazil, was noted to have long-lasting leaf rust resistance that was effective only in adult plants. The objectives of this study were to determine the chromosome location of the leaf rust resistance genes derived from Toropi in two populations of recombinant inbred lines in a partial Thatcher wheat background. In the first population, a single gene with major effects on chromosome 5DS that mapped 2.2 centimorgans distal to IWA6289, strongly reduced leaf rust severity in all 3 years of field plot tests. This gene for adult plant leaf rust resistance was designated as Lr78. In the second population, quantitative trait loci (QTL) with small effects on chromosomes 1BL, 3BS, and 4BS were found. These QTL expressed inconsistently over 4 years of field plot tests. The adult plant leaf rust resistance derived from Toropi involved a complex combination of QTL with large and small effects.

Rod drop in the LR-0 reactor core comprising 55 fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadek, J.; Grundmann, U.

1989-09-01

Data from the third stage of kinetic measurements on the LR-0 reactor, performed in 1988, were employed for additional calculations using the 3-dimensional neutron kinetics code HEXDYN3D. The reactor consists of subassemblies similar to those in the WWER-1000 (PWR) reactor. The theoretical and experimental results are compared for the time behavior of the neutron flux caused by drop of the control rod cluster in various subassemblies of the reactor. The results demonstrate that the HEXDYN3D code is well suited to the treatment of the space-time behavior of the neutron flux. (author). 21 figs., 2 tabs., 16 refs

Response of LR-115 type II and CR-39 plastic track detectors to Am-Be and 14.1-MeV neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradley, D.A.; Chong, C.S.; Saat, Ahmat; Sidik, A.G.; Ghose, A.M.

1987-01-01

The fast-neutron response of the plastic LR-115 type II and CR-39 track detectors have been compared, using a 14.1-MeV neutron generator and a radionuclide Am-Be neutron source (effective primary neutron energy 4.5-MeV). The distribution of track diameters for a range of etching times has been evaluated, taking into account track registration efficiency and the relevant fast neutron scattering cross-sections. The efficiency of etched-track formation in LR-115 type II due to neutron irradiation is approximately double that in CR-39. The 14.1-MeV neutrons also tend to produce tracks in both materials with somewhat greater efficiency than do the lower energy neutrons from the radionuclide source, for a given etching time. (author)

Using RNA-sequencing and in silico subtraction to identify resistance gene analog markers for Lr16 in wheat

Science.gov (United States)

Leaf rust, caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks., is one of the most widespread diseases of wheat worldwide and breeding for resistance is one of the most effective methods of control. Lr16 is a wheat leaf rust resistance gene that provides resistance at both the seedling and adult stages. Simple s...

Status Report on Scoping Reactor Physics and Sensitivity/Uncertainty Analysis of LR-0 Reactor Molten Salt Experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Nicholas R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division; Mueller, Donald E. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division; Patton, Bruce W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division; Powers, Jeffrey J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division

2016-08-31

Experiments are being planned at Research Centre Rež (RC Rež) to use the FLiBe (2 ⁷LiF-BeF₂) salt from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) to perform reactor physics measurements in the LR-0 low power nuclear reactor. These experiments are intended to inform on neutron spectral effects and nuclear data uncertainties for advanced reactor systems utilizing FLiBe salt in a thermal neutron energy spectrum. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is performing sensitivity/uncertainty (S/U) analysis of these planned experiments as part of the ongoing collaboration between the United States and the Czech Republic on civilian nuclear energy research and development. The objective of these analyses is to produce the sensitivity of neutron multiplication to cross section data on an energy-dependent basis for specific nuclides. This report provides a status update on the S/U analyses of critical experiments at the LR-0 Reactor relevant to fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) and liquid-fueled molten salt reactor (MSR) concepts. The S/U analyses will be used to inform design of FLiBe-based experiments using the salt from MSRE.

Status Report on Scoping Reactor Physics and Sensitivity/Uncertainty Analysis of LR-0 Reactor Molten Salt Experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, Nicholas R.; Mueller, Donald E.; Patton, Bruce W.; Powers, Jeffrey J.

2016-01-01

Experiments are being planned at Research Centre Rež (RC Rež) to use the FLiBe (2 "7LiF-BeF_2) salt from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) to perform reactor physics measurements in the LR-0 low power nuclear reactor. These experiments are intended to inform on neutron spectral effects and nuclear data uncertainties for advanced reactor systems utilizing FLiBe salt in a thermal neutron energy spectrum. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is performing sensitivity/uncertainty (S/U) analysis of these planned experiments as part of the ongoing collaboration between the United States and the Czech Republic on civilian nuclear energy research and development. The objective of these analyses is to produce the sensitivity of neutron multiplication to cross section data on an energy-dependent basis for specific nuclides. This report provides a status update on the S/U analyses of critical experiments at the LR-0 Reactor relevant to fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) and liquid-fueled molten salt reactor (MSR) concepts. The S/U analyses will be used to inform design of FLiBe-based experiments using the salt from MSRE.

Explicit Determinants of the RFPrLrR Circulant and RLPrFrL Circulant Matrices Involving Some Famous Numbers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tingting Xu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Circulant matrices may play a crucial role in solving various differential equations. In this paper, the techniques used herein are based on the inverse factorization of polynomial. We give the explicit determinants of the RFPrLrR circulant matrices and RLPrFrL circulant matrices involving Fibonacci, Lucas, Pell, and Pell-Lucas number, respectively.

Correlation consistent basis sets for actinides. II. The atoms Ac and Np-Lr.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Rulin; Peterson, Kirk A

2017-08-28

New correlation consistent basis sets optimized using the all-electron third-order Douglas-Kroll-Hess (DKH3) scalar relativistic Hamiltonian are reported for the actinide elements Ac and Np through Lr. These complete the series of sets reported previously for Th-U [K. A. Peterson, J. Chem. Phys. 142, 074105 (2015); M. Vasiliu et al., J. Phys. Chem. A 119, 11422 (2015)]. The new sets range in size from double- to quadruple-zeta and encompass both those optimized for valence (6s6p5f7s6d) and outer-core electron correlations (valence + 5s5p5d). The final sets have been contracted for both the DKH3 and eXact 2-component (X2C) Hamiltonians, yielding cc-pVnZ-DK3/cc-pVnZ-X2C sets for valence correlation and cc-pwCVnZ-DK3/cc-pwCVnZ-X2C sets for outer-core correlation (n = D, T, Q in each case). In order to test the effectiveness of the new basis sets, both atomic and molecular benchmark calculations have been carried out. In the first case, the first three atomic ionization potentials (IPs) of all the actinide elements Ac-Lr have been calculated using the Feller-Peterson-Dixon (FPD) composite approach, primarily with the multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) method. Excellent convergence towards the respective complete basis set (CBS) limits is achieved with the new sets, leading to good agreement with experiment, where these exist, after accurately accounting for spin-orbit effects using the 4-component Dirac-Hartree-Fock method. For a molecular test, the IP and atomization energy (AE) of PuO 2 have been calculated also using the FPD method but using a coupled cluster approach with spin-orbit coupling accounted for using the 4-component MRCI. The present calculations yield an IP 0 for PuO 2 of 159.8 kcal/mol, which is in excellent agreement with the experimental electron transfer bracketing value of 162 ± 3 kcal/mol. Likewise, the calculated 0 K AE of 305.6 kcal/mol is in very good agreement with the currently accepted experimental value of 303.1 ± 5 kcal

Visual Fields at Presentation and after Trans-sphenoidal Resection of Pituitary Adenomas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renu Dhasmana

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To evaluate visual field changes in patients with pituitary adenomas following trans-sphenoidal surgery. Methods: Eighteen patients with pituitary adenomas underwent a complete ophthalmic assessment and visual field analysis using the Humphrey Field Analyzer 30-2 program before and after trans-sphenoidal surgical resection at the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences over a one year period. Visual acuity, duration of symptoms, optic nerve head changes, pattern of visual field defects, and variables such as mean deviation and visual field index were compared. Results: Thirty-six eyes of 18 patients including 10 male and 8 female subjects with mean age of 35.1±9.9 years and histologically proven pituitary adenoma were included. Mean visual acuity at presentation was 0.29 logMAR which improved to 0.21 logMAR postoperatively (P = 0.305. Of 36 eyes, 24 (66.7% had visual field defects including temporal defects in 12 eyes (33.3%, non-specific defects in 10 eyes (27.8%, and peripheral field constriction in 2 eyes (5.6%. Mean deviation of visual fields at presentation was -14.28 dB which improved to -11.32 dB postoperatively. The visual field index improved from 63.5% to 75% postoperatively. Favorable visual field outcomes were correlated with shorter duration of symptoms and absence of optic nerve head changes at presentation. Conclusion: Visual field defects were present in two thirds of patients at presentation. An overall improvement in vision and visual fields was noted after surgical resection. An inverse correlation was found between the duration of symptoms and postoperative visual field recovery, signifying the importance of early surgical intervention.

Track counting and thickness measurement of LR115 radon detectors using a commercial image scanner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Cicco, F.; Pugliese, M.; Roca, V.; Sabbarese, C.

2014-01-01

An original optical method for track counting and film thickness determination of etched LR115 radon detectors was developed. The method offers several advantages compared with standard techniques. In particular, it is non-destructive, very simple and rather inexpensive, since it uses a commercial scanner and a free software. The complete analysis and the calibration procedure carried out for the determination of radon specific activity are reported. A comparison with the results of spark counting defines the accuracy and the precision of the new technique. (authors)

Radon measurement by Solid States Nuclear Tracks Detectors (SSNTD/LR-115) in the city of Cocody (Abidjan)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agba, Dabo Salif Ignace

2011-02-01

Radon as natural gas is permanently present in our environment. It is the main natural radiological exposure source for human beings. So, the study of the concentration of this rare gas is essential in order to evaluate the risks incured by the population and the environment. The results of different studies will guide as to take the appropriate protection decisions as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The present work consists in measuring the concentration of radon (Rn 222 isotope) in seven (7) pre-selected sites in the city of Cocody (Abidjan) using SSNTD/LR-115 (photographic film detectors). Our measurements showed some variations in the concentration of radon according to seasons and the influence of main factors such as the porosity, humidity and the diameter of the specks of soil. We noticed that our measured values remain very low compared to international standards. This work is the first step for more important measurements throughout the whole ivorian territory. The aim is to draw a national cartography of radon in Cote d'Ivoire. [fr

Blind void filling in LR-EPONs: How efficient it can be?

KAUST Repository

Elrasad, Amr; Shihada, Basem

2015-01-01

This work proposes a novel blind void (idle periods) filling in Long-Reach Ethernet Passive Optical Networks (LR-EPONs) namely Size Controlled Batch Void Filling (SCBVF). We emphasize on reducing grant delays and hence reducing the average packet delay. SCBVF delay reduction is achieved by early flushing data during the idle time periods (voids) between allocated grants. The proposed approach can be integrated with almost all of the previously reported dynamic bandwidth allocation schemes. SCBVF is less sensitive to differential distance between ONUs and can work well in case of small differential distances compared to previously reported void filling schemes. We support our work by extensive simulation study considering bursty traffic with long range dependency. Numerical results show a delay reduction up to 35% compared to non-void filling scheme outperforming its main competitors that can achieve up to 7% delay reduction.

Blind void filling in LR-EPONs: How efficient it can be?

KAUST Repository

Elrasad, Amr

2015-07-01

This work proposes a novel blind void (idle periods) filling in Long-Reach Ethernet Passive Optical Networks (LR-EPONs) namely Size Controlled Batch Void Filling (SCBVF). We emphasize on reducing grant delays and hence reducing the average packet delay. SCBVF delay reduction is achieved by early flushing data during the idle time periods (voids) between allocated grants. The proposed approach can be integrated with almost all of the previously reported dynamic bandwidth allocation schemes. SCBVF is less sensitive to differential distance between ONUs and can work well in case of small differential distances compared to previously reported void filling schemes. We support our work by extensive simulation study considering bursty traffic with long range dependency. Numerical results show a delay reduction up to 35% compared to non-void filling scheme outperforming its main competitors that can achieve up to 7% delay reduction.

Microcystin-LR removal from aqueous solutions using a magnetically separable N-doped TiO2 nanocomposite under visible light irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

The performance of magnetically separable N-doped TiO2 was found to be significantly improved when compared with a non-magnetic N-doped TiO2 for the aqueous removal of cyanotoxin Microcystin-LR. The observed enhanced photocatalytic activity may be related to the presence of ferri...

Comparison of fast neutron spectra in graphite and FLINA salt inserted in well-defined core assembled in LR-0 reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Košťál, Michal; Veškrna, Martin; Cvachovec, František; Jánský, Bohumil; Novák, Evžen; Rypar, Vojtěch; Milčák, Ján; Losa, Evžen; Mravec, Filip; Matěj, Zdeněk; Rejchrt, Jiří; Forget, Benoit; Harper, Sterling

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Neutron spectra measured in graphite and LiF + NaF. • Comparison of calculated and measured neutron spectra. • Effect of 19F on variation between various library calculated spectra. - Abstract: The present paper aims to compare the calculated and measured spectra after insertion of candidate materials for the Molten salt reactor/Fluoride cooled high temperature reactor system concept into the LR-0 reactor. The calculation is realized with MCNP6 code using ENDF/B-VII.0, JEFF-3.1, JENDL-3.3, JENDL-4, ROSFOND-2010 and CENDL-3.1 nuclear data libraries. Additionally, comparisons between the slowing down power of each media were performed. The slowing down properties are important parameters affecting the thickness of moderator media in a reactor

Radon survey related to construction materials and soils in Zacatecas, Mexico using LR-115

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mireles, F.; Garcia, M.L.; Quirino, L.L.; Davila, J.I.; Pinedo, J.L.; Rios, C.; Montero, M.E.; Colmenero, L.; Villalba, L.

2007-01-01

Indoor radon gas ( 222 Rn), present in the air inside buildings, is one of the most important sources of radiation exposure to the population. This gas originates in the 238 U radioactive decay chain, which is contained in rock and solid soil particles. Radon accumulation in confined spaces, inside buildings, depends on several factors such as the type of soils, type of constructions, building materials, and ventilation. The aim of this work is to present indoor and outdoor radon concentrations for 202 dwellings and indoor concentrations for 148 public clinics; and the radon concentrations relate to the type of predominant soils, the construction years; and building materials used in the ceilings, walls and floors, for cities and towns of the 57 municipalities in the State of Zacatecas, Mexico. The 222 Rn concentrations were measured with a passive-type radon monitor, with LR-115 as detector material; and the radon survey was made during four stages of three months each throughout Zacatecas from 2001 to 2002. The indoor and outdoor radon concentration averages in dwellings were 55.6±4.9Bqm -3 and 46.5±5.3Bqm -3 , respectively. The indoor radon concentration average in public clinics was 57.8±5.4Bqm -3 . These values were lower than the US EPA action limit of 148Bqm -3

Characterization of plastic nuclear track detectors on solid state, CR-39 and LR-115 and its possibilities application on thermal and fast neutron dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vallejo Delgado, L.R.

1989-01-01

This work is an study about the use feasibility of plastic nuclear track detectors, LR 115, II-B (of Eastmann Kodak Co) and CR-39 (of American Acrylics and Plastics), for thermal and fast neutron dosimetry, respectively. The LR-115 with converter (n, alpha) was exposed to thermal neutrons with energy of 0,046 e V, proceeding from nuclear reactor RECH-1 of Nuclear Energy Chilean Commission. The irradiated films were submited to a chemical etching with NaOH, plus a washing and brushing. The CR-39 with polyethylene irradiator, was exposed to fast neutrons proceeding of calibrated sources of Am-Se. The irradiated plates were submited to a chemical pre-etching with KOH and a electrochemical post-etching. (author)

Nanomaterials in the field of design ergonomics: present status.

Science.gov (United States)

Chowdhury, Anirban; Sanjog, J; Reddy, Swathi Matta; Karmakar, Sougata

2012-01-01

Application of nanotechnology and nanomaterials is not new in the field of design, but a recent trend of extensive use of nanomaterials in product and/or workplace design is drawing attention of design researchers all over the world. In the present paper, an attempt has been made to describe the diverse use of nanomaterials in product and workplace design with special emphasis on ergonomics (occupational health and safety; thermo-regulation and work efficiency, cognitive interface design; maintenance of workplace, etc.) to popularise the new discipline 'nanoergonomics' among designers, design users and design researchers. Nanoergonomics for sustainable product and workplace design by minimising occupational health risks has been felt by the authors to be an emerging research area in coming years. Use of nanomaterials in the field of design ergonomics is less explored till date. In the present review, an attempt has been made to extend general awareness among ergonomists/designers about applications of nanomaterials/nanotechnology in the field of design ergonomics and about health implications of nanomaterials during their use.

Tissue distributions and seasonal dynamics of the hepatotoxic microcystins-LR and -RR in a freshwater snail (Bellamya aeruginosa) from a large shallow, eutrophic lake of the subtropical China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jun; Xie Ping; Guo Longgen; Zheng Li; Ni Leyi

2005-01-01

Tissue distributions and seasonal dynamics of the hepatotoxic microcystins-LR and -RR in a freshwater snail (Bellamya aeruginosa) were studied monthly in a large shallow, eutrophic lake of the subtropical China during June-November, 2003. Microcystins (MCs) were quantitatively determined by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with a qualitative analysis by a Finnigan LC-MS system. On the average of the study period, hepatopancreas was the highest in MC contents (mean 4.14 and range 1.06-7.42 μg g -1 DW), followed by digestive tracts (mean 1.69 and range 0.8-4.54 μg g -1 DW) and gonad (mean 0.715 and range 0-2.62 μg g -1 DW), whereas foot was the least (mean 0.01 and range 0-0.06 μg g -1 DW). There was a positive correlation in MC contents between digestive tracts and hepatopancreas. A constantly higher MC content in hepatopancreas than in digestive tracts indicates a substantial bioaccumulation of MCs in the hepatopancreas of the snail. The average ratio of MC-LR/MC-RR showed a steady increase from digestive tracts (0.44) to hepatopancreas (0.63) and to gonad (0.96), suggesting that MC-LR was more resistant to degradation in the snail. Since most MCs were present in the hepatopancreas, digestive tracts and gonad with only a very small amount in the edible foot, the risk to human health may not be significant if these toxic parts are removed prior to snail consumption. However, the possible transference of toxins along food chains should not be a negligible concern. - Snails bioaccumulate microcystins in their hepatopancreas, gut and gonad, posing a risk to human consumers

Optimum Design of LLC Resonant Converter using Inductance Ratio (Lm/Lr)

Science.gov (United States)

Palle, Kowstubha; Krishnaveni, K.; Ramesh Reddy, Kolli

2017-06-01

The main benefits of LLC resonant dc/dc converter over conventional series and parallel resonant converters are its light load regulation, less circulating currents, larger bandwidth for zero voltage switching, and less tuning of switching frequency for controlled output. An unique analytical tool, called fundamental harmonic approximation with peak gain adjustment is used for designing the converter. In this paper, an optimum design of the converter is proposed by considering three different design criterions with different values of inductance ratio (Lm/Lr) to achieve good efficiency at high input voltage. The optimum design includes the analysis in operating range, switching frequency range, primary side losses of a switch and stability. The analysis is carried out with simulation using the software tools like MATLAB and PSIM. The performance of the optimized design is demonstrated for a design specification of 12 V, 5 A output operating with an input voltage range of 300-400 V using FSFR 2100 IC of Texas instruments.

A perspective of leaf rust race fhprn and its impact on leaf rust resistance in pakistani wheat varieties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohail, Y.

2015-01-01

Leaf rust infected leaves of a widely growing variety Seher-06 were collected in wheat season of 2011-12. The leaf rust isolates were assessed on Thatcher derived Lr isogenic lines and a race FHPRN was identified. Seventy six wheat varieties/lines besides Lr isogenic lines were screened against this race for seedling in glass house and for adult plant resistance at Bahawalpur and Faisalabad during 2012-13. Lr1, Lr2a, Lr9, Lr19, Lr24, Lr10+27+31 (Gatcher) and Lr28 were found completely resistant at both stages against FHPRN. Molecular screening of the wheat varieties/lines indicated the presence of leaf rust resistance genes Lr9 (0%), Lr13 (43%), Lr19 (1%), Lr20 (0%), Lr24 (4%), Lr26 (23%), Lr28 (0%), Lr34 (38%), Lr37 (1%) and Lr47 (1%) in them. Field data suggested that As-02 (Lr10+26+34), Bhakar-02 (Lr13) and Shafaq-06 (Lr10+13+27) were resistant; Pasban-90 (Lr10+13+26+27), Chenab-2000 (Lr10+13+26+27+31+34), Fbd-08 (Lr10), Millat-11 (unknown) and Punjab-11 (unknown) were found moderately resistant; Blue silver (Lr13+14a), Pak-81 (Lr10+23+26+31), Bahawalpur-97 (Lr13+26) and Lasani-08 (Lr13+27+31) were susceptible while Sh-88 (unknown), Auqab-2000 (Lr10+23+26+27+31), Iqbal-2000 (Lr3+10+13+26+27+31), Bahawalpur-2000 (Lr34) and Seher-06 (Lr10+27+31) were found highly susceptible against FHPRN. Present and previous studies revealed the presence of Lr3, 10, 13, 14a, 23, 26, 27, 31 and 34 in the Pakistani wheat varieties yet lacking Lr9, 19, 24 and 28. Therefore, the latter genes and their effective combinations should be incorporated in Pakistani varieties to combat leaf rust effectively. (author)

Feasibility studies of colorless LR 115 SSNTD for alpha-particle radiobiological experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, K.F.; Tse, A.K.W.; Fong, W.F.; Yu, K.N.

2006-01-01

The feasibility of using the active layer of the colorless LR 115 SSNTD for alpha-particle radiobiological experiments was studied. The track revelation time on the bottom side (the side attached to the polyester base) was much longer than that on the top side (the side not attached to the polyester base) of the active layer so track formation on the top side was more desirable. In relation to this, culture of HeLa cells on the bottom side of the active layer was found feasible although the cultured cell number was relatively smaller. The feasibility of using this SSNTD for alpha-particle radiobiological experiments was demonstrated by culturing cells on the bottom side while performing alpha-particle irradiation and chemical etching on the top side, and by taking photographs of the cells and alpha-particle tracks together under the optical microscope

Jumping spark evaluation of α-radiograms taken on strippable LR-115 film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Somogyi, G.; Hunyadi, I.; Varga, Zs.

1978-01-01

Jumping spark counting was used for the automatic measurement of α-ray tracks on Kodak Pathe LR-115 type special cellulose nitrate films. The effect of temperature and interruptions on the etching rate was observed during the etching of the α track detectors. The recommended parameters for the etching are the following: 10% NaOH solution, 60 +- 0.1 deg C, 1.5 h etching time, 20 rotations/min. The final thickness is 6-7 μm. The counting efficiency of the jumping spark evaluation in the function of the track density and the α energy was carefully studied. The angular distribution of the α particles from the Al(p, α) 24 Mg reaction was determined. This method can be effectively used for the measurement of environmental α activity as for 222 Rn release from 226 Ra. (V.N.)

Levels of the soluble LDL receptor-relative LR11 decrease in overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes upon diet-induced weight loss

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K.A.C. Berk (Kirsten); R. Vongpromek (Ranitha); M. Jiang (Meizi); W.J. Schneider (Wolfgang); R. Timman (Reinier); A.J.M. Verhoeven; H. Bujo (Hideaki); E.J.G. Sijbrands (Eric); M.T. Mulder (Monique)

2016-01-01

markdownabstract__Background and aims__ Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major complication in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), especially in those with obesity. Plasma soluble low density lipoprotein receptor-relative with 11 ligand-binding repeats (sLR11) plays a role in the development of

Development of measuring system with self-powered neutron detectors for the LR-0 reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erben, O.; Horinek, K.; Szasz, Z.

1989-01-01

A measuring channel with self-powered detectors was developed for measuring neutron fluxs density in the reactor core. The measuring channel consists of a measuring probe with standard self-powered detectors of Soviet make, a signal pathway, a current/voltage converter and a measuring and recording unit. Neutron flux density in the LR-0 reactor core reaches a maximum of 10 13 m -2 s -1 . Experiments using the channel were carried out both in steady-state operation and after emergency shutdown of the reactor, this from power levels of 2,096 W and 1,830 W. The results of the experiments are tabulated and briefly analyzed. (Z.M.). 4 figs., 3 tabs., 5 refs

Fast Neutron Transport in the Biological Shielding Model and Other Regions of the VVER-1000 Mock-Up on the LR-0 Research Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Košťál Michal

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A set of benchmark experiments was carried out in the full scale VVER-1000 mock-up on the reactor LR-0 in order to validate neutron transport calculation methodologies and to perform the optimization of the shape and locations of neutron flux operation monitors channels inside the shielding of the new VVER-1000 type reactors. Compared with previous experiments on the VVER-1000 mock-up on the reactor LR-0, the fast neutron spectra were measured in the extended neutron energy interval (0.1–10 MeV and new calculations were carried out with the MCNPX code using various nuclear data libraries (ENDF/B VII.0, JEFF 3.1, JENDL 3.3, JENDL 4, ROSFOND 2009, and CENDL 3.1. Measurements and calculations were carried out at different points in the mock-up. The calculation and experimental data are compared.

Radon studies for extending Los Azufres geothermal energy field in Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavera, L.; Balcazar, M.; Camacho, M.E.; Chavez, A.; Perez, H.; Gomez, J.

1999-01-01

Los Azufres is a 98 MW producing geothermal energy field situated in the Mexican volcanic belt at the west part of the country. Recently, hydrothermal activity and geochemical analysis of geothermal fluids from the north part of the geothermal field gave indications of a possible geothermal-production area, similar to the already producing field. In order to investigate the activity of geological structures, which are considered the means of geothermal fluids transporters, radon mapping was carried out using sets of 240 LR-115 detectors in the area of interest. Radon values higher than 10 kBq m -3 were considered anomalous and indicative of geothermal anomalies

Radon studies for extending Los Azufres geothermal energy field in Mexico

CERN Document Server

Tavera, L; Camacho, M E; Chavez, A; Pérez, H; Gómez, J

1999-01-01

Los Azufres is a 98 MW producing geothermal energy field situated in the Mexican volcanic belt at the west part of the country. Recently, hydrothermal activity and geochemical analysis of geothermal fluids from the north part of the geothermal field gave indications of a possible geothermal-production area, similar to the already producing field. In order to investigate the activity of geological structures, which are considered the means of geothermal fluids transporters, radon mapping was carried out using sets of 240 LR-115 detectors in the area of interest. Radon values higher than 10 kBq m sup - sup 3 were considered anomalous and indicative of geothermal anomalies.

Development of Blueberry and Carrot Juice Blend Fermented by Lactobacillus reuteri LR92

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Saori Ishii Mauro

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the blueberry and carrot juice blend as a fermentable substrate for Lactobacillus reuteri LR92, in order to develop a fermented non-dairy functional beverage. Analysis of cell viability, pH, and acidity were performed during the fermentation process. The resistance of the microorganism in the blend, under simulated gastrointestinal conditions and in storage at 4 °C for 28 days, was evaluated at the same time as the antioxidant potential of the fermented juice. After 40 h of fermentation, the L. reuteri population presented a logarithmic growth of three cycles, reaching count records of 10.26 ± 0.23 log CFU/mL and after 28 days of storage at 4 °C, the bacterial population maintained elevated numbers of viable cell (8.96 ± 0.08 log CFU/mL, with increase in the antioxidant capacity of the fermented blend. However, in the test of gastric simulation, the L. reuteri population had a logarithmic reduction of five cycles. In the presence of bile salts, the viability was maintained even after 150 min of incubation. This way, the results suggested that the blueberry and carrot blend juice can be considered as a good medium for the growth of L. reuteri, providing microbiological stability during refrigerated storage with elevated antioxidant capacity, which allows for the development of a non-dairy probiotic beverage.

Decadal prediction skill in the ocean with surface nudging in the IPSL-CM5A-LR climate model

OpenAIRE

Mignot , Juliette; García-Serrano , Javier; Swingedouw , Didier; Germe , Agathe; Nguyen , Sébastien; Ortega , Pablo; Guilyardi , Éric; Ray , Sulagna

2016-01-01

International audience; Two decadal prediction ensembles, based on the same climate model (IPSL-CM5A-LR) and the same surface nudging initialization strategy are analyzed and compared with a focus on upper-ocean variables in different regions of the globe. One ensemble consists of 3-member hindcasts launched every year since 1961 while the other ensemble benefits from 9 members but with start dates only every 5 years. Analysis includes anomaly correlation coefficients and root mean square err...

System for the chemical professing and evaluation gives the residual thickness the gives detecting for gives appearances LR115 type 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrazana Gonzalez, J.A.; Tomas Zerquera, J.; Prendes Alonso, M.

1998-01-01

In this work the system is described built in the CPHR for the homogeneous chemical processing gives detecting gives nuclear appearances. A new developed method is exposed, based on the application gives the technique optical densitometry, for the precise estimate gives the residual thickness, gives detecting, gives nuclear appearances LR115 type 2 after the process gives chemical engraving

Dynamics of Protein Phosphatase Gene Expression in Corbicula fluminea Exposed to Microcystin-LR and to Toxic Microcystis aeruginosa Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vitor Vasconcelos

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the in vivo effects of microcystins on gene expression of several phosphoprotein phosphatases (PPP in the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea with two different exposure scenarios. Clams were exposed for 96 h to 5 µg L−1 of dissolved microcystin-LR and the relative changes of gene expression of three different types of PPP (PPP1, 2 and 4 were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed a significant induction of PPP2 gene expression in the visceral mass. In contrast, the cyanotoxin did not cause any significant changes on PPP1 and PPP4 gene expression. Based on these results, we studied alterations in transcriptional patterns in parallel with enzymatic activity of C. fluminea for PPP2, induced by a Microcystis aeruginosa toxic strain (1 × 105 cells cm−3 during 96 h. The relative changes of gene expression and enzyme activity in visceral mass were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and colorimetric assays respectively. The clams exhibited a significant reduction of PPP2 activity with a concomitant enhancement of gene expression. Considering all the results we can conclude that the exposure to an ecologically relevant concentration of pure or intracellular microcystins (-LR promoted an in vivo effect on PPP2 gene expression in C. fluminea.

Evaluation Of Silicon Diodes As IN-SITU Cryogenic Field Emission Detectors For SRF Cavity Development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palczewski, Ari; Geng, Rongli

2012-01-01

We performed in-situ cryogenic testing of four silicon diodes as possible candidates for field emission (FE) monitors of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities during qualification testing and in accelerator cryo-modules. We evaluated diodes from 2 companies - from Hamamatsu corporation model S1223-01; and from OSI Optoelectronics models OSD35-LR-A, XUV-50C, and FIL-UV20. The measurements were done by placing the diodes in superfluid liquid helium near the top of a field emitting 9-cell cavity during its vertical test. For each diode, we will discuss their viability as a 2K cryogenic detector for FE mapping of SRF cavities and the directionality of S1223-01 in such environments. We will also present calibration curves between the diodes and JLab's standard radiation detector placed above the Dewar's top plate.

The RxLR effector Avh241 from Phytophthora sojae requires plasma membrane localization to induce plant cell death.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xiaoli; Tang, Junli; Wang, Qunqing; Ye, Wenwu; Tao, Kai; Duan, Shuyi; Lu, Chenchen; Yang, Xinyu; Dong, Suomeng; Zheng, Xiaobo; Wang, Yuanchao

2012-10-01

• The Phytophthora sojae genome encodes hundreds of RxLR effectors predicted to manipulate various plant defense responses, but the molecular mechanisms involved are largely unknown. Here we have characterized in detail the P. sojae RxLR effector Avh241. • To determine the function and localization of Avh241, we transiently expressed it on different plants. Silencing of Avh241 in P. sojae, we determined its virulence during infection. Through the assay of promoting infection by Phytophthora capsici to Nicotiana benthamiana, we further confirmed this virulence role. • Avh241 induced cell death in several different plants and localized to the plant plasma membrane. An N-terminal motif within Avh241 was important for membrane localization and cell death-inducing activity. Two mitogen-activated protein kinases, NbMEK2 and NbWIPK, were required for the cell death triggered by Avh241 in N. benthamiana. Avh241 was important for the pathogen's full virulence on soybean. Avh241 could also promote infection by P. capsici and the membrane localization motif was not required to promote infection. • This work suggests that Avh241 interacts with the plant immune system via at least two different mechanisms, one recognized by plants dependent on subcellular localization and one promoting infection independent on membrane localization. © 2012 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2012 New Phytologist Trust.

On asymptotic behavior of anisotropic branes with induced gravity inspired by L(R) term

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heydari-Fard, Malihe

2010-01-01

The DGP brane-world scenario provides the accelerated expansion of the universe at late-time by large-distance modification of general relativity without any need for dark energy. Using the method in reference [33], we investigate the asymptotic behavior of homogeneous and anisotropic cosmologies on a generalization of DGP scenario where the effective theory of gravity induced on the brane is given by a L(R) term. We show that for a constant induced curvature term on the brane all Bianchi models except type IX isotropize, like general relativity, if the effective energy density and E ab term satisfy some energy conditions. Finally, we compare the result of the model with the result of anisotropic DGP branes and general relativity

Etched-hole formation in LR-115 cellulose nitrate detector irradiated with fast neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawamura, Teruko; Yamazaki, Hatsuo

1988-01-01

This paper deals with the neutron detection sensitivity of LR-115 cellulose nitrate by counting the etched holes of α-tracks produced by the (n,α) reactions of the constituent nuclei of the cellulose nitrate. A formula for the etched-hole formation efficiency is derived, and applied to obtain the efficiency for each of the (n,α) reactions of 14 N, 16 O and 12 C by using an experimental expression relating the track-to-bulk etch-rate ratio to the residual range of the α-particle. From the efficiencies obtained, and the reaction cross sections, the neutron detection sensitivity is evaluated against neutron energy up to 11 MeV, and compared with the experimental values in the energy region between 2.2 and 5 MeV; the agreement is fairly good in the region. (author)

Validity of the MMPI-2-RF (Restructured Form) L-r and K-r Scales in Detecting Underreporting in Clinical and Nonclinical Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Sellbom, Martin; Bagby, R. Michael

2008-01-01

In the current investigation, the authors examined the validity of the L-r and K-r scales on the recently developed Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Y. S. Ben-Porath & A. Tellegen, in press) in measuring underreported response bias. Three archival samples previously collected for examining MMPI-2…

Reactor prospects and present status of field-reversed configurations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, A.L.

1995-01-01

Field-Reversed Configurations (FRC) have an ideal geometry for a reactor, combining high beta toroidal confinement, with a linear external geometry. Present small diameter FRCs are thought to be stabilized by kinetic effects, but recent experiments in the Large s Experiment (LSX) have demonstrated stability as well into the MHD regime. Present empirical transport coefficients are already sufficient for a small pulsed reactor, but small steady state reactors will require about an order of magnitude reduction in plasma diffusivity. 13 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Experimental study on stabilizing range extension of diamagnetic levitation under modulated magnetic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chow, T C S; Wong, P L; Liu, K P, E-mail: 50578230@student.cityu.edu.h, E-mail: meplwong@cityu.edu.h, E-mail: mekpliu@cityu.edu.h [Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management Department, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon (Hong Kong)

2010-01-01

The real energy-free levitation exists with the help of diamagnetic material. Its ultra-high sensitivity to force is particularly attractive to micro/nano force sensing. A key parameter: Levitation Stabilizing Local Range, LR (allowable moving range of the floater) is critical to the load and self-rotating performance. Besides, larger LR reduces the energy loss due to the eddy current and has greater application potential. Recently, an idea of extending the LR by a modulating coil array has been validated using numerical simulation. This paper takes the next move to carry out an experimental study on the shape effect of stacked coil arrays with different currents on LR.

Visual half-field presentations of incongruent color words: effects of gender and handedness.

Science.gov (United States)

Franzon, M; Hugdahl, K

1986-09-01

Right-handed (dextral) and left-handed (sinistral) males and females (N = 15) were compared for language lateralization in a visual half-field (VHF) incongruent color-words paradigm. The paradigm consists of repeated brief (less than 200 msec) presentations of color-words written in an incongruent color. Presentations are either to the right or to the left of center fixation. The task of the subject is to report the color the word is written in on each trial, ignoring the color-word. Color-bars and congruent color-words were used as control stimuli. Vocal reaction time (VRT) and error frequency were used as dependent measures. The logic behind the paradigm is that incongruent color-words should lead to a greater cognitive conflict when presented in the half-field contralateral to the dominant hemisphere. The results showed significantly longer VRTs in the right half-field for the dextral subjects. Furthermore, significantly more errors were observed in the male dextral group when the incongruent stimuli were presented in the right half-field. There was a similar trend in the data for the sinistral males. No differences between half-fields were observed for the female groups. It is concluded that the present results strengthen previous findings from our laboratory (Hugdahl and Franzon, 1985) that the incongruent color-words paradigm is a useful non-invasive technique for the study of lateralization in the intact brain.

Field endocrinology of nonhuman primates: past, present, and future.

Science.gov (United States)

Higham, James P

2016-08-01

In the past few decades, research on nonhuman primate endocrinology has moved from the lab to the field, leading to a huge increase in both the breadth and depth of primate field studies. Here, I discuss the past, present, and future of primate field endocrinology. I review the history of the field, and go on to discuss methodological developments and the issues that they sometimes entail. Next, I consider ways in which we might conceptualize the role of hormones, and focus on the need to distinguish proximate from ultimate levels of explanation. Current potentially problematic issues in the field include: 1) an inability to obtain noninvasive measurements of Central Nervous System (CNS) rather than peripheral hormone concentrations; 2) research questions that become stuck (e.g., questions regarding sexual swelling expression mechanisms); 3) data dredging and post-hoc linking of hormones to any plausible variable, leading to a lack of clarity on their role in animal ecology and behavior. I finish by discussing several unanswered questions that might benefit from further research. These are how we might: 1) best obtain measurements for CNS hormone concentrations non-invasively; 2) measure hormone receptor expression alongside hormone concentrations; 3) consider the human endocrinology literature more thoroughly and perhaps take more multimarker approaches; 4) better consider the social environment, including audience and dyadic familiarity effects; and 5) apply our findings to conservation issues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurement of 89Y(n,2n) spectral averaged cross section in LR-0 special core reactor spectrum

Science.gov (United States)

Košťál, Michal; Losa, Evžen; Baroň, Petr; Šolc, Jaroslav; Švadlenková, Marie; Koleška, Michal; Mareček, Martin; Uhlíř, Jan

2017-12-01

The present paper describes reaction rate measurement of 89Y(n,2n)88Y in a well-defined reactor spectrum of a special core assembled in the LR-0 reactor and compares this value with results of simulation. The reaction rate is derived from the measurement of activity of 88Y using gamma-ray spectrometry of irradiated Y2O3 sample. The resulting cross section value averaged in spectrum is 43.9 ± 1.5 μb, averaged in the 235U spectrum is 0.172 ± 0.006 mb. This cross-section is important as it is used as high energy neutron monitor and is therefore included in the International Reactor Dosimetry and Fusion File. Calculations of reaction rates were performed with the MCNP6 code using ENDF/B-VII.0, JEFF-3.1, JEFF-3.2, JENDL-3.3, JENDL-4, ROSFOND-2010, CENDL-3.1 and IRDFF nuclear data libraries. The agreement with uranium description by CIELO library is very good, while in ENDF/B-VII.0 description of uranium, underprediction about 10% in average can be observed.

Organização estrutural da folha de Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus (Gomes L.R. Landrum, Myrtaceae Leaf structural organization of Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus (Gomes L.R. Landrum, Myrtaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanessa de Farias

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Com grande distribuição no Brasil e ocorrência principalmente no cerrado, caatinga e floresta atlântica, Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus (Gomes L.R. Landrum, que está inclusa em um dos menores gêneros de Myrtaceae, é popularmente conhecida como craveiro-do-mato, louro-cravo ou chá-de-bugre. Trata-se de uma espécie nativa e suas folhas são usadas na culinária substituindo o cravo-da-índia (Syzygium aromaticum devido ao aroma semelhante. O estudo tem o objetivo de caracterizar anatomicamente a folha dessa espécie. Para a confecção do laminário, amostras da região mediana da folha e do pecíolo foram seccionadas em micrótomo de rotação e coradas com azul de toluidina a 1%. Em vista frontal, a epiderme é glabra na face adaxial e pilosa na face abaxial, com tricomas unicelulares. A folha é hipoestomática e os complexos estomáticos são anomocíticos. Em secção transversal, a epiderme é uniestratificada revestida por cutícula espessa e camada subepidérmica formada por 1-2 estratos celulares. O mesofilo é dorsiventral e bainha esclerenquimática envolve o feixe vascular bicolateral. Na folha e no pecíolo observam-se colênquima lacunar, flanges cuticulares, canais secretores e idioblastos contendo drusas e monocristais. Concluise que a espécie possui características freqüentes para Myrtaceae, com exceção da camada subepidérmica e flanges cuticulares, e que os resultados obtidos contribuem com novas informações que podem subsidiar estudos futuros no que se refere à identificação e delimitação do táxon.Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus (Gomes L.R. Landrum is a native species from Brazil and occurs mainly in cerrado, caatinga and Atlantic rainforest vegetation. It is commonly known as "craveiro-do-mato", "louro-cravo" or "chá-de-bugre". It is a tree species whose leaves are used for cooking; they smell and taste like cloves (Syzygium aromaticum. This study describes the leaf anatomy of the species. The leaves were sliced

Antagonism of yeasts to Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris on cabbage phylloplane in field Antagonismo de leveduras a Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris no filoplano de repolho em condições de campo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sayonara M.P. Assis

1999-07-01

Full Text Available Twenty yeast isolates, obtained from cabbage phylloplane, were evaluated for antagonistic activity against Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, in field. Plants of cabbage cv. Midori were pulverized simultaneously with suspensions of antagonists and pathogen. After 10 days, plants were evaluated through percentage of foliar area with lesions. Percentage of disease severity reduction (DSR% was also calculated. Yeast isolates LR32, LR42 and LR19 showed, respectively, 72, 75 and 79% of DSR. These antagonists were tested in seven different application periods in relation to pathogen inoculation (T1=4 d before; T2=simultaneously; T3=4 d after; T4=4 d before + simultaneously; T5=4 d after + simultaneously; T6=4 d before + 4 d after; T7=4 d before + simultaneously + 4 d after. The highest DSRs were showed by LR42 (71%, LR42 (67%, LR35 (69% and LR19 (68% in the treatments T7, T4, T5 and T6, which significantly differed from the others. The same yeast antagonists were also tested for black rot control using different cabbage cultivars (Fuyutoyo, Master-325, Matsukaze, Midori, Sekai I and Red Winner. The DSRs varied from 58 to 61%, and there was no significant difference among cultivars.Vinte isolados de leveduras, obtidos a partir do filoplano de repolho foram avaliados pela atividade antagônica contra Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, em condições de campo. Plantas de repolho cv. Midori foram pulverizadas simultaneamente com suspensões do antagonista e do patógeno. Após 10 dias, as plantas foram avaliadas através da porcentagem de área foliar infectada. A porcentagem de redução da severidade da doença (DSR%, também foi calculada. Os isolados de leveduras LR32, LR42 e LR19 apresentaram, respectivamente, 72, 75 e 79% de DSR. Estes isolados foram testados em sete diferentes períodos de aplicação dos antagonistas em relação a inoculação do patógeno. (T1=4d antes; T2=simultaneamente; T3=4 d após; T4=4 d antes + simultaneamente; T5

Time evolution of primordial magnetic fields and present day extragalactic magnetism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saveliev, Andrey

2014-05-01

The topic of the present thesis is the time evolution of Primordial Magnetic Fields which have been generated in the Early Universe. Assuming this so-called Cosmological Scenario of magnetogenesis to be true, it is shown in the following that this would account for the present day Extragalactic Magnetic Fields. This is particularly important in light of recent gamma ray observations which are used to derive a lower limit for the corresponding magnetic field strength, even though also an alternative approach, claiming instead that these observations are due to interactions with the Intergalactic Medium, is possible and will be tested here with Monte Carlo simulations. In order to describe the aforementioned evolution of Primordial Magnetic Fields, a set of general Master Equations for the spectral magnetic, kinetic and helical components of the system are derived and then solved numerically for the Early Universe. This semianalytical method allows it to perform a full quantitative study for the time development of the power spectra, in particular by fully taking into account the backreaction of the turbulent medium onto the magnetic fields. Applying the formalism to non-helical Primordial Magnetic Fields created on some characteristic length measure, it is shown that on large scales L their spectrum 5 builds up a slope which behaves as B∝L -(5)/(2) and governs the evolution of the coherence (or integral) scale. In addition, the claim of equipartition between the magnetic and the kinetic energy is found to be true. Extending the analysis to helical magnetic fields, it is observed that the time evolution changes dramatically, hence confirming quantitatively that an Inverse Cascade, i.e. an efficient transport of energy from small to large scales, as predicted in previous works, indeed does take place.

Recognition of emotion in hemifaces presented to the left and right visual fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Wedding, D; Cyrus, P

1986-09-01

Thirty-two right-handed subjects (16 males and 16 females) participated in a choice reaction time experiment replicating two previous studies which demonstrated the superiority of the left hemisphere in rapidly identifying facial emotion as either positive or negative. Slides of hemifaces split along the vertical axis, showing either positive (happiness, surprise) or negative (anger, disgust, or sadness) affect were presented tachistoscopically to either the left or right visual field. A 2 X 2 X 2 mixed ANOVA revealed main effects for visual field and type of affect. In contrast to earlier studies which presented full face stimuli, presentation of hemifaces produced a strong left visual field advantage and, as expected, positive faces produced faster reaction times than negative faces.

Mean field theory of nuclei and shell model. Present status and future outlook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakada, Hitoshi

2003-01-01

Many of the recent topics of the nuclear structure are concerned on the problems of unstable nuclei. It has been revealed experimentally that the nuclear halos and the neutron skins as well as the cluster structures or the molecule-like structures can be present in the unstable nuclei, and the magic numbers well established in the stable nuclei disappear occasionally while new ones appear. The shell model based on the mean field approximation has been successfully applied to stable nuclei to explain the nuclear structure as the finite many body system quantitatively and it is considered as the standard model at present. If the unstable nuclei will be understood on the same model basis or not is a matter related to fundamental principle of nuclear structure theories. In this lecture, the fundamental concept and the framework of the theory of nuclear structure based on the mean field theory and the shell model are presented to make clear the problems and to suggest directions for future researches. At first fundamental properties of nuclei are described under the subtitles: saturation and magic numbers, nuclear force and effective interactions, nuclear matter, and LS splitting. Then the mean field theory is presented under subtitles: the potential model, the mean field theory, Hartree-Fock approximation for nuclear matter, density dependent force, semiclassical mean field theory, mean field theory and symmetry, Skyrme interaction and density functional, density matrix expansion, finite range interactions, effective masses, and motion of center of mass. The subsequent section is devoted to the shell model with the subtitles: beyond the mean field approximation, core polarization, effective interaction of shell model, one-particle wave function, nuclear deformation and shell model, and shell model of cross shell. Finally structure of unstable nuclei is discussed with the subtitles: general remark on the study of unstable nuclear structure, asymptotic behavior of wave

Observation of field-induced long-range order in disordered Sr14Cu24O41

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohsugi, S.; Matsumoto, S.; Kitaoka, Y.; Matsuda, M.; Uehara, M.; Nagata, T.; Akimitsu, J.

2004-01-01

Field-induced magnetic order in a structural disordered single-crystal Sr 14 Cu 24 O 41 (Sr 14 -B) has been observed in the Cu-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements for the ladder sites below 20 K under the magnetic field H∼11 T. For the Zhang Rice (ZR) sites in the chains, the spectrum splits below 20 K due to an appearance of the internal field, whereas that of less disordered Sr 14 -A does not. This gives an evidence of three-dimensional (3D) long-range (LR) ordering in Sr 14 -B below T N ∼20 K under H∼11 T

WWER-440 local power peaking experiment with/without Hf inserts in the LR-0 reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Josek, R.; Hudec, F.; Rypar, V.

2006-01-01

One of the known issues of the WWER-440 reactors is the control rod coupler induced power peaking in the neighbouring fuel assemblies. The effect has been discovered some years ago and is believed to be the cause of several fuel failures during operation in WWER-440 reactors. The effect itself is due to over-moderation and small absorption in the region of control rod coupler, leading to increase in thermal neutron flux and hence to power flare-up in the neighbouring fuel pins. The fuel vendor tackled the problem by attaching hafnium inserts on the inside of the control assembly box. The experiment performed in the LR-0 reactor was focused on the axial and radial power profiles in the vicinity of the control assembly with and without the hafnium inserts. The results of measurements with zero boron concentration are presented. The hafnium insert causes a decrease in peaking factor of about 30% in selected pins close to the control assembly. The measurements are compared with calculations performed with the MCNP-4C code. The compared variables are: the axial fission density distributions; peking factors and peaking factor decrease due to Hf insert. The MCNP results are accurate with respect to the experimental results. A series of benchmarks is being prepared on the basis of these measurements

Sensitivity of species to chemicals: dose-response characteristics for various test types (LC(50), LR(50) and LD(50)) and modes of action.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendriks, A Jan; Awkerman, Jill A; de Zwart, Dick; Huijbregts, Mark A J

2013-11-01

While variable sensitivity of model species to common toxicants has been addressed in previous studies, a systematic analysis of inter-species variability for different test types, modes of action and species is as of yet lacking. Hence, the aim of the present study was to identify similarities and differences in contaminant levels affecting cold-blooded and warm-blooded species administered via different routes. To that end, data on lethal water concentrations LC50, tissue residues LR50 and oral doses LD50 were collected from databases, each representing the largest of its kind. LC50 data were multiplied by a bioconcentration factor (BCF) to convert them to internal concentrations that allow for comparison among species. For each endpoint data set, we calculated the mean and standard deviation of species' lethal level per compound. Next, the means and standard deviations were averaged by mode of action. Both the means and standard deviations calculated depended on the number of species tested, which is at odds with quality standard setting procedures. Means calculated from (BCF) LC50, LR50 and LD50 were largely similar, suggesting that different administration routes roughly yield similar internal levels. Levels for compounds interfering biochemically with elementary life processes were about one order of magnitude below that of narcotics disturbing membranes, and neurotoxic pesticides and dioxins induced death in even lower amounts. Standard deviations for LD50 data were similar across modes of action, while variability of LC50 values was lower for narcotics than for substances with a specific mode of action. The study indicates several directions to go for efficient use of available data in risk assessment and reduction of species testing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Visual Field Presentation on Action Planning (Estimating Reach) in Children

Science.gov (United States)

Gabbard, Carl; Cordova, Alberto

2012-01-01

In this article, the authors examined the effects of target information presented in different visual fields (lower, upper, central) on estimates of reach via use of motor imagery in children (5-11 years old) and young adults. Results indicated an advantage for estimating reach movements for targets placed in lower visual field (LoVF), with all…

Quasi-1D s=1/2 antiferromagnet Cs2CuCl4 in a magnetic field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Coldea, R.; Tennant, D.A.; Cowley, R.A.

1997-01-01

than the field (similar or equal to 8 T) required to fully align the spins, are observed to decouple the chains, and the system enters a disordered intermediate-field phase (IFP). The IFP excitations are in agreement with the predictions of Muller et al. for the 1D S = 1/2 HAF, and Talstra and Haldane......Magnetic excitations of the quasi-1D S = 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet (HAF) Cs2CuCl4 have beer measured as a function of magnetic field using neutron scattering. For T Fields greater than B-c = 1.66 T, but less...... for the related l/r(2) chain (the Haldane-Shastry model). This behavior is inconsistent with linear spin-wave theory....

Landslide susceptibility mapping using decision-tree based CHi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) and Logistic regression (LR) integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Althuwaynee, Omar F; Pradhan, Biswajeet; Ahmad, Noordin

2014-01-01

This article uses methodology based on chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID), as a multivariate method that has an automatic classification capacity to analyse large numbers of landslide conditioning factors. This new algorithm was developed to overcome the subjectivity of the manual categorization of scale data of landslide conditioning factors, and to predict rainfall-induced susceptibility map in Kuala Lumpur city and surrounding areas using geographic information system (GIS). The main objective of this article is to use CHi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) method to perform the best classification fit for each conditioning factor, then, combining it with logistic regression (LR). LR model was used to find the corresponding coefficients of best fitting function that assess the optimal terminal nodes. A cluster pattern of landslide locations was extracted in previous study using nearest neighbor index (NNI), which were then used to identify the clustered landslide locations range. Clustered locations were used as model training data with 14 landslide conditioning factors such as; topographic derived parameters, lithology, NDVI, land use and land cover maps. Pearson chi-squared value was used to find the best classification fit between the dependent variable and conditioning factors. Finally the relationship between conditioning factors were assessed and the landslide susceptibility map (LSM) was produced. An area under the curve (AUC) was used to test the model reliability and prediction capability with the training and validation landslide locations respectively. This study proved the efficiency and reliability of decision tree (DT) model in landslide susceptibility mapping. Also it provided a valuable scientific basis for spatial decision making in planning and urban management studies

Landslide susceptibility mapping using decision-tree based CHi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) and Logistic regression (LR) integration

Science.gov (United States)

Althuwaynee, Omar F.; Pradhan, Biswajeet; Ahmad, Noordin

2014-06-01

This article uses methodology based on chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID), as a multivariate method that has an automatic classification capacity to analyse large numbers of landslide conditioning factors. This new algorithm was developed to overcome the subjectivity of the manual categorization of scale data of landslide conditioning factors, and to predict rainfall-induced susceptibility map in Kuala Lumpur city and surrounding areas using geographic information system (GIS). The main objective of this article is to use CHi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) method to perform the best classification fit for each conditioning factor, then, combining it with logistic regression (LR). LR model was used to find the corresponding coefficients of best fitting function that assess the optimal terminal nodes. A cluster pattern of landslide locations was extracted in previous study using nearest neighbor index (NNI), which were then used to identify the clustered landslide locations range. Clustered locations were used as model training data with 14 landslide conditioning factors such as; topographic derived parameters, lithology, NDVI, land use and land cover maps. Pearson chi-squared value was used to find the best classification fit between the dependent variable and conditioning factors. Finally the relationship between conditioning factors were assessed and the landslide susceptibility map (LSM) was produced. An area under the curve (AUC) was used to test the model reliability and prediction capability with the training and validation landslide locations respectively. This study proved the efficiency and reliability of decision tree (DT) model in landslide susceptibility mapping. Also it provided a valuable scientific basis for spatial decision making in planning and urban management studies.

Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicle Field Evaluations (Presentation)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walkowicz, K.

2014-06-01

This presentation discusses field evaluations of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles performed by NREL. The project provides medium-duty (MD) and heavy-duty (HD) test results, aggregated data, and detailed analysis, including 3rd party unbiased data (data that would not normally be shared by industry in an aggregated and detailed manner). Over 5.6 million miles of advanced technology MD and HD truck data have been collected, documented, and analyzed on over 240 different vehicles since 2002. Data, analysis, and reports are shared within DOE, national laboratory partners, and industry for R&D planning and strategy. The results help guide R&D for new technology development, help define intelligent usage of newly developed technology, and help fleets/users understand all aspects of advanced technology.

History and present status of field application of radiotracers, (2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koyama, Takeo; Shimizu, Makoto.

1988-01-01

In the field of agriculture, radiotracers were first used in 1957 in studies for improvement in fertilizing techniques. Techniques were established for accurate measurement of extremely low radioactivity in crops and for the separate determination of the phosphorus in crops of the fertilizer origin and soil origin. Then, RI or stable isotope tracing test methods were developed using 32 P or 15 N to determine the flow and absorption of fertilizers. Other techniques using radiotracers developed in this period served for the construction of maps of the root activity of crops, investigation of the effects of different fertilizers in farms where double-cropping was practised, identification of suitable fertilizers for orange cultivation, development of new fertilizing techniques for Japanese persimmon cultivation, etc. Practically, no field use of radiotracers has been found since 1970. At present, it is prohibited and replaced by other techniques using stable isotopes, etc. In the field fishery, radiotracers have been used for studies of various dynamic phenomena including the flow of water and deposits in the sea, behaviors of fish, food, chain, circulation of chemical substances in the ecological system, etc. (Nogami, K.)

Microcystin-LR exposure induces developmental neurotoxicity in zebrafish embryo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Qin; Yan, Wei; Liu, Chunsheng; Li, Li; Yu, Liqin; Zhao, Sujuan; Li, Guangyu

2016-01-01

Microcystin-LR (MCLR) is a commonly acting potent hepatotoxin and has been pointed out of potentially causing developmental neurotoxicity, but the exact mechanism is little known. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 0.8, 1.6 or 3.2 mg/L MCLR for 120 h. MCLR exposure through submersion caused serious hatching delay and body length decrease. The content of MCLR in zebrafish larvae was analyzed and the results demonstrated that MCLR can accumulate in zebrafish larvae. The locomotor speed of zebrafish larvae was decreased. Furthermore, the dopamine and acetylcholine (ACh) content were detected to be significantly decreased in MCLR exposure groups. And the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was significantly increased after exposure to 1.6 and 3.2 mg/L MCLR. The transcription pattern of manf, chrnα7 and ache gene was consistent with the change of the dopamine content, ACh content and AChE activity. Gene expression involved in the development of neurons was also measured. α1-tubulin and shha gene expression were down-regulated, whereas mbp and gap43 gene expression were observed to be significantly up-regulated upon exposure to MCLR. The above results indicated that MCLR-induced developmental toxicity might attribute to the disorder of cholinergic system, dopaminergic signaling, and the development of neurons. - Highlights: • MCLR accumulation induces developmental neurotoxicity in zebrafish embryo. • The decrease of dopamine levels might be associated with the MCLR-induced developmental neurotoxicity in zebrafish larvae. • The alternation of cholinergic system might contribute to the change of neurobehavior in zebrafish larvae exposure with MCLR. - MCLR accumulation induces developmental neurotoxicity by affecting cholinergic system, dopaminergic signaling, and the development of neurons in zebrafish embryo.

Microcystin-LR and Cylindrospermopsin Induced Alterations in Chromatin Organization of Plant Cells

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Máthé, Csaba; M-Hamvas, Márta; Vasas, Gábor

2013-01-01

Cyanobacteria produce metabolites with diverse bioactivities, structures and pharmacological properties. The effects of microcystins (MCYs), a family of peptide type protein-phosphatase inhibitors and cylindrospermopsin (CYN), an alkaloid type of protein synthesis blocker will be discussed in this review. We are focusing mainly on cyanotoxin-induced changes of chromatin organization and their possible cellular mechanisms. The particularities of plant cells explain the importance of such studies. Preprophase bands (PPBs) are premitotic cytoskeletal structures important in the determination of plant cell division plane. Phragmoplasts are cytoskeletal structures involved in plant cytokinesis. Both cyanotoxins induce the formation of multipolar spindles and disrupted phragmoplasts, leading to abnormal sister chromatid segregation during mitosis. Thus, MCY and CYN are probably inducing alterations of chromosome number. MCY induces programmed cell death: chromatin condensation, nucleus fragmentation, necrosis, alterations of nuclease and protease enzyme activities and patterns. The above effects may be related to elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and/or disfunctioning of microtubule associated proteins. Specific effects: MCY-LR induces histone H3 hyperphosphorylation leading to incomplete chromatid segregation and the formation of micronuclei. CYN induces the formation of split or double PPB directly related to protein synthesis inhibition. Cyanotoxins are powerful tools in the study of plant cell organization. PMID:24084787

Microcystin-LR and Cylindrospermopsin Induced Alterations in Chromatin Organization of Plant Cells

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Gábor Vasas

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Cyanobacteria produce metabolites with diverse bioactivities, structures and pharmacological properties. The effects of microcystins (MCYs, a family of peptide type protein-phosphatase inhibitors and cylindrospermopsin (CYN, an alkaloid type of protein synthesis blocker will be discussed in this review. We are focusing mainly on cyanotoxin-induced changes of chromatin organization and their possible cellular mechanisms. The particularities of plant cells explain the importance of such studies. Preprophase bands (PPBs are premitotic cytoskeletal structures important in the determination of plant cell division plane. Phragmoplasts are cytoskeletal structures involved in plant cytokinesis. Both cyanotoxins induce the formation of multipolar spindles and disrupted phragmoplasts, leading to abnormal sister chromatid segregation during mitosis. Thus, MCY and CYN are probably inducing alterations of chromosome number. MCY induces programmed cell death: chromatin condensation, nucleus fragmentation, necrosis, alterations of nuclease and protease enzyme activities and patterns. The above effects may be related to elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS and/or disfunctioning of microtubule associated proteins. Specific effects: MCY-LR induces histone H3 hyperphosphorylation leading to incomplete chromatid segregation and the formation of micronuclei. CYN induces the formation of split or double PPB directly related to protein synthesis inhibition. Cyanotoxins are powerful tools in the study of plant cell organization.

On the trajectories of CRL...LR...R orbits, their period-doubling cascades and saddle-node bifurcation cascades

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerrada, Lucia; San Martin, Jesus

2011-01-01

In this Letter, it is shown that from a two region partition of the phase space of a one-dimensional dynamical system, a p-region partition can be obtained for the CRL...LR...R orbits. That is, permutations associated with symbolic sequences are obtained. As a consequence, the trajectory in phase space is directly deduced from permutation. From this permutation other permutations associated with period-doubling and saddle-node bifurcation cascades are derived, as well as other composite permutations. - Research highlights: → Symbolic sequences are the usual topological approach to dynamical systems. → Permutations bear more physical information than symbolic sequences. → Period-doubling cascade permutations associated with original sequences are obtained. → Saddle-node cascade permutations associated with original sequences are obtained. → Composite permutations are derived.

Microcystin-LR detection in water by the Fabry-Pérot interferometer using an optical fibre coated with a sol-gel imprinted sensing membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Queirós, Raquel B; Silva, S O; Noronha, J P; Frazão, O; Jorge, P; Aguilar, G; Marques, P V S; Sales, M G F

2011-05-15

Cyanobacteria deteriorate the water quality and are responsible for emerging outbreaks and epidemics causing harmful diseases in Humans and animals because of their toxins. Microcystin-LR (MCT) is one of the most relevant cyanotoxin, being the most widely studied hepatotoxin. For safety purposes, the World Health Organization recommends a maximum value of 1 μg L(-1) of MCT in drinking water. Therefore, there is a great demand for remote and real-time sensing techniques to detect and quantify MCT. In this work a Fabry-Pérot sensing probe based on an optical fibre tip coated with a MCT selective thin film is presented. The membranes were developed by imprinting MCT in a sol-gel matrix that was applied over the tip of the fibre by dip coating. The imprinting effect was obtained by curing the sol-gel membrane, prepared with (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APTMS), diphenyl-dimethoxysilane (DPDMS), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), in the presence of MCT. The imprinting effect was tested by preparing a similar membrane without template. In general, the fibre Fabry-Pérot with a Molecular Imprinted Polymer (MIP) sensor showed low thermal effect, thus avoiding the need of temperature control in field applications. It presented a linear response to MCT concentration within 0.3-1.4 μg L(-1) with a sensitivity of -12.4±0.7 nm L μg(-1). The corresponding Non-Imprinted Polymer (NIP) displayed linear behaviour for the same MCT concentration range, but with much less sensitivity, of -5.9±0.2 nm L μg(-1). The method shows excellent selectivity for MCT against other species co-existing with the analyte in environmental waters. It was successfully applied to the determination of MCT in contaminated samples. The main advantages of the proposed optical sensor include high sensitivity and specificity, low-cost, robustness, easy preparation and preservation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Locoregional failures following thoracic irradiation in patients with limited-stage small cell lung carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giuliani, Meredith E.; Lindsay, Patricia E.; Sun, Alexander; Bezjak, Andrea; Le, Lisa W.; Brade, Anthony; Cho, John; Leighl, Natasha B.; Shepherd, Frances A.; Hope, Andrew J.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To determine the patterns of loco-regional (LR) and distant failure in patients with limited-stage small cell lung carcinoma (LS-SCLC) treated with curative intent. Methods: From 1997 to 2008, 253 LS-SCLC patients were treated with curative intent chemo-radiation at our institution. A retrospective review identified sites of failure. The cumulative LR failure (LRF) rate was calculated. Distant failure-free survival (FFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Volumetric images of LR failures were delineated and registered with the original radiation treatment plans if available. Dosimetric parameters for the delineated failure volumes were calculated from the original treatment information. Results: The median follow-up was 19 months. The site of first failure was LR in 34, distant in 80 and simultaneous LR and distant in 31 patients. The cumulative LRF rate was 29% and 38% at 2 and 5 years. OS was 44% at 2 years. Seventy patients had electronically archived treatment plans of which there were 16 LR failures (7 local and 39 regional failure volumes). Of the local and regional failure volumes 29% and 31% were in-field, respectively. Conclusions: The predominant pattern of LR failure was marginal or out-of-field. LR failures may be preventable with improved radiotherapy target definition.

Structural effects on fusion reactor blankets due to liquid metals in magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehner, J.R.; Reich, M.; Powell, J.R.

1976-01-01

The transient stress distribution caused in the blanket structure when the plasma current suddenly switches off in a time short compared to the L/R decay time of the liquid metal blanket was studied. Poloidal field of the plasma will induce a current to flow in the liquid metal and blanket walls. Since the resistance of the liquid lithium will be much less than that of the metal walls, the current can be considered as flowing around the blanket near the cross section perimeter, but in the lithium

Distinct Roles of Th17 and Th1 Cells in Inflammatory Responses Associated with the Presentation of Paucibacillary Leprosy and Leprosy Reactions.

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Santos, M B; de Oliveira, D T; Cazzaniga, R A; Varjão, C S; Dos Santos, P L; Santos, M L B; Correia, C B; Faria, D R; Simon, M do V; Silva, J S; Dutra, W O; Reed, S G; Duthie, M S; de Almeida, R P; de Jesus, A R

2017-07-01

It is well established that helper T cell responses influence resistance or susceptibility to Mycobacterium leprae infection, but the role of more recently described helper T cell subsets in determining severity is less clear. To investigate the involvement of Th17 cells in the pathogenesis of leprosy, we determined the immune profile with variant presentations of leprosy. Firstly, IL-17A, IFN-γ and IL-10 were evaluated in conjunction with CD4 + T cell staining by confocal microscopy of lesion biopsies from tuberculoid (TT) and lepromatous leprosy (LL) patients. Secondly, inflammatory cytokines were measured by multiplex assay of serum samples from Multibacillary (MB, n = 28) and Paucibacillary (PB, n = 23) patients and household contacts (HHC, n = 23). Patients with leprosy were also evaluated for leprosy reaction occurrence: LR+ (n = 8) and LR- (n = 20). Finally, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analysed by flow cytometry used to determine the phenotype of cytokine-producing cells. Lesions from TT patients were found to have more CD4 + IL-17A + cells than those from LL patients. Higher concentrations of IL-17A and IL-1β were observed in serum from PB than MB patients. The highest serum IFN-γ concentrations were, however, detected in sera from MB patients that developed leprosy reactions (MB LR + ). Together, these results indicate that Th1 cells were associated with both the PB presentation and also with leprosy reactions. In contrast, Th17 cells were associated with an effective inflammatory response that is present in the PB forms but were not predictive of leprosy reactions in MB patients. © 2017 The Foundation for the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology.

Clinical effects of buprenorphine on open field behaviour and gait symmetry in healthy and lame weaned piglets.

Science.gov (United States)

Meijer, Ellen; van Nes, Arie; Back, Willem; van der Staay, Franz Josef

2015-12-01

Lameness in pigs decreases animal welfare and economic profit for the farmer. An important reason for impaired welfare in lame animals is pain due to lameness. No direct measurement of pain is possible in animals, and methods to indirectly detect and quantify the amount of pain an animal is experiencing are urgently needed. In this study, two methods to assess pain associated with lameness in pigs were evaluated to determine if they were sensitive enough to detect a lameness reduction as an effect of an experimental analgesic medication. Asymmetry associated with lameness was objectively quantified using pressure mat kinetic parameters: peak vertical force (PVF), load rate (LR), vertical impulse (VI) and peak vertical pressure (PVP). Locomotor activity was assessed in an open field test. A dose of 0.04 mg/kg buprenorphine, a strong analgesic, was used to treat 10 lame pigs, while eight other lame pigs, treated with physiological saline solution, served as controls. Buprenorphine decreased lameness-associated asymmetry for pressure mat LR (P = 0.002), VI (P = 0.003) and PVP (P = 0.001) and increased activity of the lame pigs in the open field (P = 0.023), while saline-treated animals did not show any changes in asymmetry and became less active in the open field (P open field test are both sensitive enough to detect the analgesic effects of buprenorphine when used to treat moderate to severe clinical pain in a relatively small group of affected pigs. The methods used in this study may also provide promising additional tools for future research into early pain recognition and lameness treatment in pigs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Archeomagnetic field in South America: Present status and perspectives (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, G. A.; Trindade, R. I.; Gallet, Y.; Poletti, W.; Begnini, G. S.; Genevey, A.; Legoff, M.

2013-12-01

Geomagnetic field variations over decadal to millennial timescales can be determined from direct (i.e. observatory) and indirect (e.g. from archeological artifacts and volcanics) sources. Before the observatory era, the recovery of these variations is however still strongly penalized by the very uneven both geographical and temporal distributions of the available archeo/paleomagnetic dataset. In particular, the southern hemisphere contributes with only ~3% of the global archeomagnetic database. Moreover, most of these data present restrictions due to their poor experimental reliability and to the lack of good age control. Therefore, new intensity and directional data from the southern hemisphere are strongly requested for the next generation of archeomagnetic field models. In this presentation, we will report on intensity and inclination results obtained from different regions in Brazil. A collection of twenty-three site-mean archeointensity data were obtained by our team from architectural brick fragments dated to the past 500 years from Northeast and Southeast Brazil. This dataset was complemented by a series of new results from South Brazil. In addition, we also obtained inclination data, after reconstructing the firing position of the ancient bricks from modern analogs of historical brickyards. Thirteen site-mean inclination results dated to between 1790 AD and 1950 AD and five inclination results spanning the 1590-1920 AD time interval were so determined from Southeast and Northeast Brazil, respectively. Altogether, our data, which are geographically distributed over more than 20 degrees in latitude, allow us to discuss the large-scale influence in Brazil and South America of non-dipolar features of the geomagnetic field during the past few centuries.

The relationship between the presence and extent of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) and the risk of local recurrence (LR) in patients with infiltrating cancer of the breast treated with conservative surgery (CS) and radiation therapy (RT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abner, A.; Schnitt, S.; Connolly, J.; Recht, A.; Bornstein, B.; Nixon, A.; Hetelekidis, S.; Silver, B.; Harris, J.R.

1997-01-01

Purpose: Lobular carcinoma in situ, when found in an otherwise benign breast biopsy, is associated with an increased risk of developing a subsequent invasive breast cancer. Among patients with an infiltrating cancer resected without margin assessment, the extent of ductal carcinoma in situ is an established risk factor for LR after CS and RT. However, the association between the presence and extent of LCIS and the risk of recurrence in patients treated with CS and RT for infiltrating breast cancer remains at issue. Materials and Methods: Between 1968 and 1986, 1625 patients with clinical stage T1 and T2 invasive breast cancer were treated at the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy with complete gross tumor excision and RT to a total of ≥60 Gy. Of these, 1160 had infiltrating ductal cancer (IDC), infiltrating lobular cancer (ILC), or mixed IDC/ILC (IMC) and sufficient pathologic material for review by the study pathologists (SS and JC) to establish the presence or absence of LCIS and were evaluable at 10 years. LCIS was present adjacent to the invasive cancer in (43(1027)) IDC (4%), and either within or adjacent to the infiltrating tumor in (70(82)) ILC (85%) and (26(51)) IMC (51%). Margins were evaluable in 35% of LCIS-positive patients and 33% of LCIS-negative patients. The median follow-up time was 153 months for surviving patients. Results: The 10-year crude risk of recurrence by first site of failure for all patients was as follows: Furthermore, there was no significant relationship between the extent of the LCIS adjacent to the invasive tumor and the LR risk: The 10-year crude risk of contralateral breast cancer was 7% for the patients with LCIS and 7% for those without LCIS. CONCLUSION: We conclude that neither the presence nor the extent of LCIS is related to the risk of LR in patients with invasive breast cancer treated with CS and RT. Thus, LCIS should not be considered a contraindication to breast conservation with CS and RT

The first report of RPSA polymorphisms, also called 37/67 kDa LRP/LR gene, in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD

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Jeong Byung-Hoon

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although polymorphisms of PRNP, the gene encoding prion protein, are known as a determinant affecting prion disease susceptibility, other genes also influence prion incubation time. This finding offers the opportunity to identify other genetic or environmental factor (s modulating susceptibility to prion disease. Ribosomal protein SA (RPSA, also called 37 kDa laminin receptor precursor (LRP/67 kDa laminin receptor (LR, acts as a receptor for laminin, viruses and prion proteins. The binding/internalization of prion protein is dependent for LRP/LR. Methods To identify other susceptibility genes involved in prion disease, we performed genetic analysis of RPSA. For this case-control study, we included 180 sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD patients and 189 healthy Koreans. We investigated genotype and allele frequencies of polymorphism on RPSA by direct sequencing or restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP analysis. Results We observed four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, including -8T>C (rs1803893 in the 5'-untranslated region (UTR of exon 2, 134-32C>T (rs3772138 in the intron, 519G>A (rs2269350 in the intron and 793+58C>T (rs2723 in the intron on the RPSA. The 519G>A (at codon 173 is located in the direct PrP binding site. The genotypes and allele frequencies of the RPSA polymorphisms showed no significant differences between the controls and sporadic CJD patients. Conclusion These results suggest that these RPSA polymorphisms have no direct influence on the susceptibility to sporadic CJD. This was the first genetic association study of the polymorphisms of RPSA gene with sporadic CJD.

Identificação de microcistina LR ao nível molecular empregando microscopia de força atômica

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Augusto Etchegaray

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Microcystins are non-ribosomal peptides that must be detected for its health concern. Here, microcystin LR and its specific antibody were respectively tethered to the substrate and to the tip of an atomic force microscope, after surface functionalization using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and glutaraldehyde. Functionalization was confirmed comparing topographic images taken on bare and modified tips. Force versus distance curves were successfully used to measure the specific antibody-antigen interactions comparing with a control in which microcystin was initially blocked by incubation with free antibodies. The results showed unequivocally the specific recognition of MLR, suggesting that this method could be useful for biosensor development.

Emotion separation is completed early and it depends on visual field presentation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lichan Liu

Full Text Available It is now apparent that the visual system reacts to stimuli very fast, with many brain areas activated within 100 ms. It is, however, unclear how much detail is extracted about stimulus properties in the early stages of visual processing. Here, using magnetoencephalography we show that the visual system separates different facial expressions of emotion well within 100 ms after image onset, and that this separation is processed differently depending on where in the visual field the stimulus is presented. Seven right-handed males participated in a face affect recognition experiment in which they viewed happy, fearful and neutral faces. Blocks of images were shown either at the center or in one of the four quadrants of the visual field. For centrally presented faces, the emotions were separated fast, first in the right superior temporal sulcus (STS; 35-48 ms, followed by the right amygdala (57-64 ms and medial pre-frontal cortex (83-96 ms. For faces presented in the periphery, the emotions were separated first in the ipsilateral amygdala and contralateral STS. We conclude that amygdala and STS likely play a different role in early visual processing, recruiting distinct neural networks for action: the amygdala alerts sub-cortical centers for appropriate autonomic system response for fight or flight decisions, while the STS facilitates more cognitive appraisal of situations and links appropriate cortical sites together. It is then likely that different problems may arise when either network fails to initiate or function properly.

Study of graphite reactivity worth on well-defined cores assembled on LR-0 reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Košťál, Michal; Rypar, Vojtěch; Milčák, Ján; Juříček, Vlastimil; Losa, Evžen; Forget, Benoit; Harper, Sterling

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A light water critical facility for graphite reactivity worth measurements. • Comparison of calculated and measured k eff . • Effect of graphite description on k eff . - Abstract: Graphite is an often-used moderating material on the basis of its good moderating power and very low absorption cross section. This small absorption cross section permits the use of natural or low-enriched uranium in graphite moderated reactors. Graphite is now being considered as the moderator for Fluoride-salt-cooled High Temperature Reactors (FHR). The critical moderator level was measured for various graphite block configurations in an experimental dry assembly of the LR-0 reactor. Comparisons with experiments were performed between Monte Carlo simulation tools for which satisfactory agreement was obtained with the exception of some systematic discrepancies. The larger discrepancies were observed when using the ENDF/B-VII.0 library. To decrease the uncertainties, based on conservative assumptions, relative comparisons were done. The results provided by the different nuclear data libraries are within 3 sigma interval of experimental uncertainties. It has been determined that differences between the results of calculations are caused by variations in the (n,n), (n,n′), (n,g) reactions and also by various angular distributions, while the (n,g) cross section variations play only a minor role for these configurations.

Occurrence of Toxic Cyanobacterial Blooms in Rio de la Plata Estuary, Argentina: Field Study and Data Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Giannuzzi, L.; Carvajal, G.; Corradini, M. G.; Araujo Andrade, C.; Echenique, R.; Andrinolo, D.

2012-01-01

Water samples were collected during 3 years (2004–2007) at three sampling sites in the Rio de la Plata estuary. Thirteen biological, physical, and chemical parameters were determined on the water samples. The presence of microcystin-LR in the reservoir samples, and also in domestic water samples, was confirmed and quantified. Microcystin-LR concentration ranged between 0.02 and 8.6 μg.L−1. Principal components analysis was used to identify the factors promoting cyanobacteria growth. The proliferation of cyanobacteria was accompanied by the presence of high total and fecal coliforms bacteria (>1500 MNP/100 mL), temperature ≥25°C, and total phosphorus content ≥1.24 mg·L−1. The observed fluctuating patterns of Microcystis aeruginosa, total coliforms, and Microcystin-LR were also described by probabilistic models based on the log-normal and extreme value distributions. The sampling sites were compared in terms of the distribution parameters and the probability of observing high concentrations for Microcystis aeruginosa, total coliforms, and microcystin-LR concentration. PMID:22523486

Characteristics of competitive uptake between Microcystin-LR and natural organic matter (NOM) fractions using strongly basic anion exchange resins.

Science.gov (United States)

Dixit, Fuhar; Barbeau, Benoit; Mohseni, Madjid

2018-03-29

Microcystins are the most commonly occurring cyanotoxins, and have been extensively studied across the globe. In the present study, a strongly basic anion exchange resin was employed to investigate the removal of Microcystin-LR (MCLR), one of the most toxic microcystin variants. Factors influencing the uptake behavior included the MCLR and resin concentrations, resin dosage, and natural organic matter (NOM) characteristics, specifically, the charge density and molecular weight distribution of source water NOM. Equivalent background concentration (EBC) was employed to evaluate the competitive uptake between NOM and MCLR. The experimental data were compared with different mathematical and physical models and pore diffusion was determined as the rate-limiting step. The resin dose/solute concentration ratio played a key role in the MCLR uptake process and MCLR removal was attributed primarily to electrostatic attractions. Charge density and molecular weight distribution of the background NOM fractions played a major role in MCLR removal at lower resin dosages (200 mg/L ∼ 1 mL/L and below), where a competitive uptake was observed due to the limited exchange sites. Further, evidences of pore blockage and site reduction were also observed in the presence of humics and larger molecular weight organic fractions, where a four-fold reduction in the MCLR uptake was observed. Comparable results were obtained for laboratory studies on synthetic laboratory water and surface water under similar conditions. Given their excellent performance and low cost, anion exchange resins are expected to present promising potentials for applications involving the removal of removal of algal toxins and NOM from surface waters. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tissue distribution, excretion and hepatic biotransformation of microcystin-LR in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, N.A.; Pace, J.G.; Matson, C.F.; Miura, G.A.; Lawrence, W.B.

1991-01-01

The distribution, excretion and hepatic metabolism of [3H]microcystin-LR (sublethal i.v.) were measured in mice. Plasma elimination was biexponential with alpha- and beta-phase half-lives of 0.8 and 6.9 min, respectively. At 60 min, liver contained 67 +/- 4% of dose. Through the 6-day study the amount of hepatic radioactivity did not change whereas 23.7 +/- 1.7% of the dose was excreted; 9.2 +/- 1.0% in urine and 14.5 +/- 1.1% in feces. Approximately 60% of the urine and fecal radiolabel 6 and 12 hr postinjection was the parent toxin. Hepatic cytosol, which contained 70 +/- 2% of the hepatic radiolabel (1 hr through 6 days), was prepared for high-performance liquid chromatography analysis by heat denaturation, pronase digestion and C18 Sep Pak extraction. At 1 hr, 35 +/- 2% of the radiolabel was insoluble or C18 Sep Pak-bound; 43 +/- 3% was associated with a peak of retention time (rt) 6.6 min, and 16 +/- 3% with the parent toxin (rt 9.4 min). After 6 days, 8 +/- 1% was C18 Sep Pak-bound or insoluble; 5 +/- 0% occurred at rt 6.6 min, 17 +/- 1% with parent and 60 +/- 2% was associated with rt 8.1 min. Two other peaks, rt 4.9 and 5.6 min, appeared transiently. Analysis of hepatic cytosol by desalting chromatography under nondenaturing and denaturing conditions revealed that all of the radiolabel was associated with cytosolic components, and 83 +/- 5% was bound covalently through 1 day. By day 6 the amount of covalently bound isotope decreased to 42 +/- 11%. This is the first study to describe the long-term hepatic retention of microcystin toxin and documents putative detoxication products

Augmented reality on poster presentations, in the field and in the classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Hawemann, Friedrich; Kolawole, Folarin

2017-04-01

Augmented reality (AR) is the direct addition of virtual information through an interface to a real-world environment. In practice, through a mobile device such as a tablet or smartphone, information can be projected onto a target- for example, an image on a poster. Mobile devices are widely distributed today such that augmented reality is easily accessible to almost everyone. Numerous studies have shown that multi-dimensional visualization is essential for efficient perception of the spatial, temporal and geometrical configuration of geological structures and processes. Print media, such as posters and handouts lack the ability to display content in the third and fourth dimensions, which might be in space-domain as seen in three-dimensional (3-D) objects, or time-domain (four-dimensional, 4-D) expressible in the form of videos. Here, we show that augmented reality content can be complimentary to geoscience poster presentations, hands-on material and in the field. In the latter example, location based data is loaded and for example, a virtual geological profile can be draped over a real-world landscape. In object based AR, the application is trained to recognize an image or object through the camera of the user's mobile device, such that specific content is automatically downloaded and displayed on the screen of the device, and positioned relative to the trained image or object. We used ZapWorks, a commercially-available software application to create and present examples of content that is poster-based, in which important supplementary information is presented as interactive virtual images, videos and 3-D models. We suggest that the flexibility and real-time interactivity offered by AR makes it an invaluable tool for effective geoscience poster presentation, class-room and field geoscience learning.

Alpha and fission autoradiography of uranium rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Copic, M.; Ilicj, R.; Najzher, M.; Rant, J.

1977-01-01

Macro and micro-distribution of uranium minerals in ore bodies are investigated by alpha autoradiography and by neutron induced fission autoradiography using LR 115 solid state track detector. Optimal conditions are determined experimentally for both methods and examples presented. For field applications the alpha autoradiography (author)

Visual field defect as a presenting sign for hemorrhagic stroke caused by sildenafil

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Mehdizadeh Morteza

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Herein, we describe the presenting symptoms, history, ophthalmic examination, visual fields and brain magnetic resonance imaging of a patient who developed left homonymous hemianopia due to right occipital lobe hemorrhage after ingestion of sildenafil citrate (Novagra Forte. To the best of our knowledge, association of homonymous hemianopia with sildenafil usage has not been reported before.

Development of a rapid and sensitive battery of bioassays for risk assessment of cyanobacterial microcystin-LR in drinking water of rural water treatment plants, South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Oberholster, Paul J

2009-09-01

Full Text Available minor and Lemna gibba are the most commonly tested species used in numerous studies in first world countries as indi- cator macrophyte species (Marwood et al., 2001). No clear trend exists to the relative sensitivities of the dif- ferent duckweed..., Gu KD, Lam PKA, Yang M, Fong WF (2000). Study on the cytotoxicity of microcystin-LR on cultured cells. Chemosphere, 41: 143-147. Cowgill UM, Milazzo DP, Landenberger BD (1991). The sensitivity of Lemma gibba G-3 and four clones of Lemna minor...

Circular Wilson loops in defect conformal field theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aguilera-Damia, Jeremías; Correa, Diego H. [Instituto de Física La Plata, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de La Plata,C.C. 67, 1900 La Plata (Argentina); Giraldo-Rivera, Victor I. [International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS-TIFR),Shivakote, Hesaraghatta Hobli, Bengaluru 560089 (India)

2017-03-06

We study a D3-D5 system dual to a conformal field theory with a codimension-one defect that separates regions where the ranks of the gauge groups differ by k. With the help of this additional parameter, as observed by Nagasaki, Tanida and Yamaguchi, one can define a double scaling limit in which the quantum corrections are organized in powers of λ/k{sup 2}, which should allow to extrapolate results between weak and strong coupling regimes. In particular we consider a radius R circular Wilson loop placed at a distance L, whose internal space orientation is given by an angle χ. We compute its vacuum expectation value and show that, in the double scaling limit and for small χ and small L/R, weak coupling results can be extrapolated to the strong coupling limit.

Determining the axial power profile of partly flooded fuel in a compact core assembled in reactor LR-0

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Košťál, Michal; Švadlenková, Marie; Baroň, Petr; Rypar, Vojtěch; Milčák, Ján

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Fission density in partly flooded compact core. • Calculation of fission density axial profile. • Significant calculational under prediction of experimental axial profile. - Abstract: Measurement and calculation of the axial power profile near the boundary of a moderated and non-moderated core is used to analyze the suitability of the neutron-physical process description, mainly the angular cross-section of a water-moderated uranium system. This is also an important issue because it affects the radiation situation above the partly flooded core of a water-moderated reactor. Axial power profiles of various fuel pins irradiated on reactor LR-0 were measured and the results were compared with MCNP6 code calculations using the ENDF/B-VII.0 nuclear data library. The calculated power profile in positions above the moderator level significantly underestimates experimental results. This might be caused by an improper description of the angular distribution of scattered neutrons in a water-moderated uranium system.

Stability of cyanotoxins, microcystin-LR, microcystin-RR and nodularin in seawater and BG-11 medium of different salinity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanna Mazur

2001-09-01

Full Text Available Microcystins and nodularin are potent hepatotoxins produced by fresh and seawater cyanobacteria. The persistence of three hepatotoxins - microcystin-LR, microcystin-RR and nodularin - was investigated in sterile BG-11 medium of different salinity and in water collected from the Gulf of Gdansk. After 21 days of incubation at 17 ± 1oC and constant illumination of about 40 µmol photon m-2 s-1 the concentration of toxins decreased by about 30-37%. No significant changes in toxin concentration in the BG-11 media of different salinity were observed. When toxins were incubated in non-sterile seawater, their concentrations decreased markedly. It is likely that some strains of bacteria are responsible for the breakdown of the toxins. Nodularin turned out to be more resistant to biodegradation than the two microcystins. The influence of certain components of cyanobacteria cells on the accelerated rate of toxin degradation was also considered.

15.SFPS "Ieņēmumi no līgumiem ar klientiem"un 16.SFPS "Noma" prasības un to salīdzinājums ar iepriekšējiem SFPS/SGS un LR likumdošanu

OpenAIRE

Dābola, Iveta

2016-01-01

Maģistra darba temats 15. SFPS “Ieņēmumi no līgumiem ar klientiem” un 16. SFPS “Noma” prasības un to salīdzinājums ar iepriekšējiem SFPS/SGS un LR likumdošanu. Maģistra darba mērķis - balstoties uz 15. SFPS “Ieņēmumi no līgumiem ar klientiem” un 16. SFPS “Noma” standartu prasību izpēti un analīzi, novērtēt Latvijas likumdošanas atbilstību minēto standartu prasībām un sniegt priekšlikumus konkrētu jautājumu risināšanai Latvijas kontekstā. Maģistra darbā izpētīti LR normatīvie regulējumi un sta...

The location of locoregional recurrence in pathologic T3N0, non-irradiated lower rectal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Mi Sun; Keum, Ki Chang; Rhee, Woo Joong; Kim, Hyun Ju; Kim, Min Ji; Choi, Seo Hee; Nam, Ki Chang; Koom, Woong Sub

2013-01-01

To investigate the patterns of locoregional recurrence of pathologic T3N0 (pT3N0) lower rectal cancer omitting postoperative radiotherapy (RT) and explore the potential of modification of a RT field. From Jan 2003 to Nov 2011, 35 patients omitting preoperative or postoperative RT for pT3N0 lower rectal cancer were included. We defined the lower rectal cancer as the tumor with the inferior margin located below the virtual line-a convergent level between rectal wall and levator ani muscle. All patients had radiologic examinations for recurrence evaluation during the follow-up duration. The median follow-up duration was 66.4 months (range, 1.4 to 126.1 months). Eight (22.9%) of the 35 patients had recurrence. Three (8.6%) was local recurrence (LR) only, 3 (8.6%) was distant metastasis (DM) only, and 2 (5.7%) was LR with DM. All LR were located at primary tumor sites. The overall survival rate, LR-free survival rate, and DM-free survival rate at 5 years was 79.8%, 83%, and 87%, respectively. All LR developed from tumors over 5 cm. However, there was no statistical significance (p = 0.065). There was no other risk factor for LR. Even though the patients included in this study had pathologically favorable pT3N0 rectal cancer, LR developed in 14.3% of patients. Most of the LR was located at primary tumor sites prior to surgery. Based on these findings, it might seem reasonable to consider postoperative RT with a smaller radiation field to the primary tumor site rather than the conventional whole pelvic irradiation.

Lexicographical structuring: the number and types of fields, data distribution, searching and data presentation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergenholtz, Henning; Pedersen, Heidi Agerbo

2015-01-01

This contribution will not describe the structure in existing dictionaries. Instead, it will focus on the decisions that lexicographers make when they draw up the concept for and carry out the production of one or more new dictionaries, or when they consider making changes in the data presentation...... in an existing dictionary. This part of the lexicographical work is what we call structuring, which encompasses a number of various lexicographical decisions. One of these is choosing the fields that a database should contain. Typically, for some of these field types, it will be easy to distribute data......, but for other fields it will require long considerations as there are several distribution options with different outcomes of varying usefulness. A second type of lexicographical decision to be made by the lexicographer is the predefined searching, which involves in what order searches are to be made...

Decadal prediction skill in the ocean with surface nudging in the IPSL-CM5A-LR climate model

Science.gov (United States)

Mignot, Juliette; García-Serrano, Javier; Swingedouw, Didier; Germe, Agathe; Nguyen, Sébastien; Ortega, Pablo; Guilyardi, Eric; Ray, Sulagna

2016-08-01

Two decadal prediction ensembles, based on the same climate model (IPSL-CM5A-LR) and the same surface nudging initialization strategy are analyzed and compared with a focus on upper-ocean variables in different regions of the globe. One ensemble consists of 3-member hindcasts launched every year since 1961 while the other ensemble benefits from 9 members but with start dates only every 5 years. Analysis includes anomaly correlation coefficients and root mean square errors computed against several reanalysis and gridded observational fields, as well as against the nudged simulation used to produce the hindcasts initial conditions. The last skill measure gives an upper limit of the predictability horizon one can expect in the forecast system, while the comparison with different datasets highlights uncertainty when assessing the actual skill. Results provide a potential prediction skill (verification against the nudged simulation) beyond the linear trend of the order of 10 years ahead at the global scale, but essentially associated with non-linear radiative forcings, in particular from volcanoes. At regional scale, we obtain 1 year in the tropical band, 10 years at midlatitudes in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, and 5 years at tropical latitudes in the North Atlantic, for both sea surface temperature (SST) and upper-ocean heat content. Actual prediction skill (verified against observational or reanalysis data) is overall more limited and less robust. Even so, large actual skill is found in the extratropical North Atlantic for SST and in the tropical to subtropical North Pacific for upper-ocean heat content. Results are analyzed with respect to the specific dynamics of the model and the way it is influenced by the nudging. The interplay between initialization and internal modes of variability is also analyzed for sea surface salinity. The study illustrates the importance of two key ingredients both necessary for the success of future coordinated decadal

The role of packaging size on contamination rates during simulated presentation to a sterile field.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tony Trier

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to assess the impact of package size on the contact between medical devices and non-sterile surfaces (i.e. the hands of the practitioner and the outside of the package during aseptic presentation to a simulated sterile field. Rationale for this objective stems from the decades-long problem of hospital-acquired infections. This work approaches the problem from a unique perspective, namely packaging size.Randomized complete block design with subsampling.Research study conducted at professional conferences for surgical technologists and nursing professionals.Ninety-seven healthcare providers, primarily surgical technologists and nurses.Participants were gloved and asked to present the contents of six pouches of three different sizes to a simulated sterile field. The exterior of pouches and gloves of participants were coated with a simulated contaminant prior to each opening trial. After presentation to the simulated sterile field, the presence of the contaminant on package contents was recorded as indicative of contact with non-sterile surfaces and analyzed in a binary fashion using a generalized linear mixed model.Recruited subjects were 26-64 years of age (81 females, 16 males, with 2.5-44 years of professional experience. Results indicated a significant main effect of pouch size on contact rate of package contents (P = 0.0108, whereby larger pouches induced greater rates of contact than smaller pouches (estimates±SEM: 14.7±2.9% vs. 6.0±1.7%, respectively.This study utilized novel methodologies which simulate contamination in aseptic presentation. Results of this work indicate that increased contamination rates are associated with larger pouches when compared to smaller pouches. The results add to a growing body of research which investigate packaging's role in serving as a pathway for product contamination during aseptic presentation. Future work should investigate other packaging design factors (e

Kebijakan PPN atas Jasa Pengelolaan Gedung Diselenggarakan Perhimpunan Penghuni Rumah Susun Strata Title: Studi Kasus pada Apartemen LR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maya Safira Dewi

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Building management service that delivered by appartment tenant association is categorized as service that not imposed PPN. Subject determination PPN becoming not clear, because definition difference between this hand bill and the rules of hits honor bound party collects PPN. Though apartment tenant association LR have circulation bruto exceeds definition small entrepreneur, tenant association remain not to be obliged as taxable employers. Evaluated from PPN object also not gives rule of law because intrinsically its service included in facility understanding or amenity or rights is available to weared as understanding taxable service as the same manner as determined by section 4 UU PPN, until provisions in this handbill opposes against rule on it. Evaluated from elementary imposition PPN generates indistinctness the level of income that obtained from management fee can become elementary imposition PPN or not, because existed difference of object definition PPN between hand bill and the rules of other PPN.

The left visual-field advantage in rapid visual presentation is amplified rather than reduced by posterior-parietal rTMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Verleger, Rolf; Möller, Friderike; Kuniecki, Michal

2010-01-01

) either as effective or as sham stimulation. In two experiments, either one of these two factors, hemisphere and effectiveness of rTMS, was varied within or between participants. Again, T2 was much better identified in the left than in the right visual field. This advantage of the left visual field......In the present task, series of visual stimuli are rapidly presented left and right, containing two target stimuli, T1 and T2. In previous studies, T2 was better identified in the left than in the right visual field. This advantage of the left visual field might reflect dominance exerted...... by the right over the left hemisphere. If so, then repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the right parietal cortex might release the left hemisphere from right-hemispheric control, thereby improving T2 identification in the right visual field. Alternatively or additionally, the asymmetry in T2...

Protein phosphatase 2A inhibition and subsequent cytoskeleton reorganization contributes to cell migration caused by microcystin-LR in human laryngeal epithelial cells (Hep-2).

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Beilei; Liu, Jinghui; Huang, Pu; Xu, Kailun; Wang, Hanying; Wang, Xiaofeng; Guo, Zonglou; Xu, Lihong

2017-03-01

The major toxic mechanism of Microcystin-LR is inhibition of the activity of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), resulting in a series of cytotoxic effects. Our previous studies have demonstrated that microcystin-LR (MCLR) induced very different molecular effects in normal cells and the tumor cell line SMMC7721. To further explore the MCLR toxicity mechanism in tumor cells, human laryngeal epithelial cells (Hep-2) was examined in this study. Western blot, immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, and transwell migration assay were used to detect the effects of MCLR on PP2A activity, PP2A substrates, cytoskeleton, and cell migration. The results showed that the protein level of PP2A subunits and the posttranslational modification of the catalytic subunit were altered and that the binding of the AC core enzyme as well as the binding of PP2A/C and α4, was also affected. As PP2A substrates, the phosphorylation of MAPK pathway members, p38, ERK1/2, and the cytoskeleton-associated proteins, Hsp27, VASP, Tau, and Ezrin were increased. Furthermore, MCLR induced reorganization of the cytoskeleton and promoted cell migration. Taken together, direct covalent binding to PP2A/C, alteration of the protein levels and posttranslational modification, as well as the binding of subunits, are the main pattern for the effects of MCLR on PP2A in Hep-2. A dose-dependent change in p-Tau and p-Ezrin due to PP2A inhibition may contribute to the changes in the cytoskeleton and be related to the cell migration in Hep-2. Our data provide a comprehensive exposition of the MCLR mechanism on tumor cells. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 890-903, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Predictive factors of local-regional recurrences following parotid sparing intensity modulated or 3D conformal radiotherapy for head and neck cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Mary; Jabbari, Siavash; Lin, Alexander; Bradford, Carol R.; Chepeha, Douglas B.; Teknos, Theodoros N.; Worden, Francis P.; Tsien, Christina; Schipper, Matthew J.; Wolf, Gregory T.; Dawson, Laura A.; Eisbruch, Avraham

2005-01-01

Background and purpose: Predictive factors for local-regional (LR) failures after parotid-sparing, Intensity modulated (IMRT) or 3D conformal radiotherapy for head and neck (HN) cancers were assessed. Patients and methods: One hundred and fifty-eight patients with mostly stages III-IV HN squamous cell carcinoma underwent curative bilateral neck irradiation aimed at sparing the parotid glands. Patient, tumor, and treatment factors were analyzed as predictive factors for LR failure. Results: Twenty-three patients had LR recurrence (19 in-field and four marginal). No differences were found in the doses delivered to the PTVs of patients with or without in-field recurrences. In univariate analysis, tumor site was highly predictive for LR failure in both postoperative and definitive RT patients. In postoperative RT patients, pathologic tumor size, margin status, extracapsular extension (ECE) and number of lymph node metastases, were also significantly predictive. Multivariate analysis showed tumor site (oropharynx vs. other sites) to be a significant predictor in all patients, and involved margins and number of involved lymph nodes in postoperative patients. Conclusions: Clinical rather than dosimetric factors predicted for LR failures in this series, and were similar to those reported following standard RT. These factors may aid in the selection of patients for studies of treatment intensification using IMRT

Complete Sensitivity/Uncertainty Analysis of LR-0 Reactor Experiments with MSRE FLiBe Salt and Perform Comparison with Molten Salt Cooled and Molten Salt Fueled Reactor Models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Nicholas R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Powers, Jeffrey J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Mueller, Don [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Patton, Bruce W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-12-01

In September 2016, reactor physics measurements were conducted at Research Centre Rez (RC Rez) using the FLiBe (2 ⁷LiF + BeF₂) salt from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) in the LR-0 low power nuclear reactor. These experiments were intended to inform on neutron spectral effects and nuclear data uncertainties for advanced reactor systems using FLiBe salt in a thermal neutron energy spectrum. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), in collaboration with RC Rez, performed sensitivity/uncertainty (S/U) analyses of these experiments as part of the ongoing collaboration between the United States and the Czech Republic on civilian nuclear energy research and development. The objectives of these analyses were (1) to identify potential sources of bias in fluoride salt-cooled and salt-fueled reactor simulations resulting from cross section uncertainties, and (2) to produce the sensitivity of neutron multiplication to cross section data on an energy-dependent basis for specific nuclides. This report provides a final report on the S/U analyses of critical experiments at the LR-0 Reactor relevant to fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) and liquid-fueled molten salt reactor (MSR) concepts. In the future, these S/U analyses could be used to inform the design of additional FLiBe-based experiments using the salt from MSRE. The key finding of this work is that, for both solid and liquid fueled fluoride salt reactors, radiative capture in ⁷Li is the most significant contributor to potential bias in neutronics calculations within the FLiBe salt.

Integrated-Optics Components Utilizing Long-Range Surface Plasmon Polaritons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boltasseva, Alexandra

2004-01-01

This thesis describes a new class of components for integrated optics, based on the propagation of long-range surface plasmon polaritons (LR-SPPs) along metal stripes embedded in a dielectric. These novel components can provide guiding of light as well as coupling and splitting from/into a number...... with experimental results is obtained. The interaction of LR-SPPs with photonic crystals (PCs) is also studied. The PC structures are formed by periodic arrays of gold bumps that are arranged in a triangular lattice and placed symmetrically on both sides of a thin gold film. The LR-SPP transmission through...... of channels with good performance. Guiding of LR-SPPs along nm-thin and µm-wide gold stripes embedded in polymer is investigated in the wavelength range of 1250 – 1650 nm. LR-SPP guiding properties, such as the propagation loss and mode field diameter, are studied for different stripe widths and thicknesses...

The Influence of Aerosol Hygroscopicity on Retrieving the Aerosol Extincting Coefficient from MPL Data

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, G.; Zhao, C.

2016-12-01

Micro-pulse Lidar (MPL) measurements have been widely used to profile the ambient aerosol extincting coefficient(). Lidar Ratio (LR) ,which highly depends on the particle number size distribution (PNSD) and aerosol hygroscopicity, is the most important factor to retrieve the profile. A constant AOD constrained LR is usually used in current algorithms, which would lead to large bias when the relative humidity (RH) in the mixed layer is high. In this research, the influences of PNSD, aerosol hygroscopicity and RH profiles on the vertical variation of LR were investigated based on the datasets from field measurements in the North China Plain (NCP). Results show that LR can have an enhancement factor of more than 120% when the RH reaches to 92%. A new algorithm of retrieving the profile is proposed based on the variation of LR due to aerosol hygroscopicity. The magnitude and vertical structures of retrieved using this method can be significantly different to that of the fiexed LR method. The relative difference can reach up to 40% when the RH in the mixed layer is higher than 90% . Sensitivity studies show that RH profile and PNSD affect most on the retrieved by fiexed LR method. In view of this, a scheme of LR enhancement factor by RH is proposed in the NCP. The relative differnce of the calculated between using this scheme and the new algorithm with the variable LR can be less than 10%.

A precise measurement of the left-right cross section asymmetry in Z boson production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lath, A.

1994-09-01

The thesis presents a measurement of the left-right asymmetry, A{sub LR}, n the production cross section of Z Bosons produced by e{sup +}e{sup -} annihilations, using polarized electrons, at a center of mass energy of 91.26 Gev. The data presented was recorded by the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider during the 1993 run. The mean luminosity-weighted polarization of the electron beam was {rho}{sup lum} = (63.0{+-}1.1)%. Using a sample of 49,392 Z events, we measure A{sub LR} to be 0.1626{+-}0.0071(stat){+-}0.0030(sys.), which determined the effective weak mixing angle to be sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub W}{sup eff} = 0.2292{+-}0.0009(stat.){+-}0.0004(sys.). This result differs from that expected by the Standard Model of Particles and Fields by 2.5 standard deviations.

A precise measurement of the left-right cross section asymmetry in Z boson production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lath, A.

1994-09-01

The thesis presents a measurement of the left-right asymmetry, A LR , n the production cross section of Z Bosons produced by e + e - annihilations, using polarized electrons, at a center of mass energy of 91.26 Gev. The data presented was recorded by the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider during the 1993 run. The mean luminosity-weighted polarization of the electron beam was ρ lum = (63.0±1.1)%. Using a sample of 49,392 Z events, we measure A LR to be 0.1626±0.0071(stat)±0.0030(sys.), which determined the effective weak mixing angle to be sin 2 θ W eff = 0.2292±0.0009(stat.)±0.0004(sys.). This result differs from that expected by the Standard Model of Particles and Fields by 2.5 standard deviations

Rust resistance evaluation of advanced wheat (triticum aestivum l.) genotypes using pcr-based dna markers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, S.U.; Younis, M.; Iqbal, M.Z.; Nawaz, M.

2014-01-01

The most effective and environmental friendly approach for the control of wheat rust disease is the use of resistant genotypes. The present study was conducted to explore rust resistance potential of 85 elite wheat genotypes (36 varieties and 49 advanced lines) using various types of DNA markers like STS, SCAR and SSR. DNA markers linked with different genes conferring resistance to rusts (Leaf rust=Lr, Yellow rust=Yr and Stem rust=Sr) were employed in this study. A total of 18 genes, consisting of eleven Lr (lr1, lr10, lr19, lr21, lr28, lr34, lr39, lr46, lr47, lr51 and lr52), four Yr (yr5, yr18, yr26 and yr29) and three Sr genes (sr2, sr29, and sr36) were studied through linked DNA markers. Maximum number of Lr genes was found in 17 advanced lines and 9 varieties, Yr genes in 26 advanced lines and 20 wheat varieties, and Sr genes in 43 advanced lines and 27 varieties. Minimum number of Lr genes was found in advanced line D-97 and variety Kohinoor-83, Yr genes in wheat variety Bwp-97 and Sr genes in 6 advanced lines and 8 varieties. Molecular data revealed that genotypes having same origin, from a specified area showed resistance for similar type of genes. In this study, an average similarity of 84% was recorded among wheat genotypes. Out of 18 loci, 15 were found to be polymorphic. (author)

Validity of Madras Diabetes Research Foundation: Indian Diabetes Risk Score for Screening of Diabetes Mellitus among Adult Population of Urban Field Practice Area, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaushal, Kanica; Mahajan, Anjali; Parashar, Anupam; Dhadwal, Dineshwar Singh; Jaswal, V M S; Jaret, Pramod; Mazta, Salig Ram

2017-01-01

IDRS is based on four simple parameters derived from known risk factors for diabetes; two modifiable risk factors (waist circumference and physical inactivity) and two non-modifiable risk factors (age and family history of diabetes), which may be amenable to intervention. The present study has been planned as the region specific validation is important before it can be used for screening in this part of the country. The aim of the present study was to validate MDRF-IDRS for screening of diabetes mellitus among adult population of urban field practice area, IGMC, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. The present community based cross sectional study was conducted among 417 adults fulfilling the eligibility criteria using a two stage sampling design. In the present study IDRS value ≥70 had an optimum sensitivity of 61.33% and specificity of 56.14% for detecting undiagnosed type 2 diabetes in the community. At an IDRS score of ≥70, the PPV was 23.47%, NPV as 86.88%, the diagnostic accuracy as 57.07%, LR for positive test as 1.398, LR for negative test as 0.69 and Youden's index as 0.17. However Youden's index was 0.19 at a cut of ≥60 i.e. higher than what was at ≥70. Higher IDRS scores increased the specificity but the sensitivity dramatically decreased. Conversely, lower IDRS values increased the sensitivity but the specificity drastically decreased. Area under the curve = 0.630 and a P value < 0.001. MDRF IDRS is user friendly screening tool but the criteria of including the parameter of physical activity for the calculation of the risk score needs to be clearly defined. In the present study the maximum sensitivity of 100% was seen at a cut off of ≥30. Hence we would recommend that all those in the medium and high risk group should be screened for type 2 Diabetes.

Time dependent mean-field games

KAUST Repository

Gomes, Diogo A.

2014-01-06

We consider time dependent mean-field games (MFG) with a local power-like dependence on the measure and Hamiltonians satisfying both sub and superquadratic growth conditions. We establish existence of smooth solutions under a certain set of conditions depending both on the growth of the Hamiltonian as well as on the dimension. In the subquadratic case this is done by combining a Gagliardo-Nirenberg type of argument with a new class of polynomial estimates for solutions of the Fokker-Planck equation in terms of LrLp- norms of DpH. These techniques do not apply to the superquadratic case. In this setting we recur to a delicate argument that combines the non-linear adjoint method with polynomial estimates for solutions of the Fokker-Planck equation in terms of L1L1-norms of DpH. Concerning the subquadratic case, we substantially improve and extend the results previously obtained. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, the superquadratic case has not been addressed in the literature yet. In fact, it is likely that our estimates may also add to the current understanding of Hamilton-Jacobi equations with superquadratic Hamiltonians.

A new method of presentation the large-scale magnetic field structure on the Sun and solar corona

Science.gov (United States)

Ponyavin, D. I.

1995-01-01

The large-scale photospheric magnetic field, measured at Stanford, has been analyzed in terms of surface harmonics. Changes of the photospheric field which occur within whole solar rotation period can be resolved by this analysis. For this reason we used daily magnetograms of the line-of-sight magnetic field component observed from Earth over solar disc. We have estimated the period during which day-to-day full disc magnetograms must be collected. An original algorithm was applied to resolve time variations of spherical harmonics that reflect time evolution of large-scale magnetic field within solar rotation period. This method of magnetic field presentation can be useful enough in lack of direct magnetograph observations due to sometimes bad weather conditions. We have used the calculated surface harmonics to reconstruct the large-scale magnetic field structure on the source surface near the sun - the origin of heliospheric current sheet and solar wind streams. The obtained results have been compared with spacecraft in situ observations and geomagnetic activity. We tried to show that proposed technique can trace shon-time variations of heliospheric current sheet and short-lived solar wind streams. We have compared also our results with those obtained traditionally from potential field approximation and extrapolation using synoptic charts as initial boundary conditions.

Present and future K and B meson mixing constraints on TeV scale left-right symmetry

Science.gov (United States)

Bertolini, Stefano; Maiezza, Alessio; Nesti, Fabrizio

2014-05-01

We revisit the ΔF=2 transitions in the K and Bd ,s neutral meson systems in the context of the minimal left-right symmetric model. We take into account, in addition to up-to-date phenomenological data, the contributions related to the renormalization of the flavor-changing neutral Higgs tree-level amplitude. These contributions were neglected in recent discussions, albeit formally needed in order to obtain a gauge-independent result. Their impact on the minimal LR model is crucial and twofold. First, the effects are relevant in B meson oscillations, for both CP conserving and CP violating observables, so that for the first time these imply constraints on the LR scenario which compete with those of the K sector (plagued by long-distance uncertainties). Second, they sizably contribute to the indirect kaon CP violation parameter ɛ. We discuss the bounds from B and K mesons in both cases of LR symmetry: generalized parity (P) and charge conjugation (C). In the case of P, the interplay between the CP-violation parameters ɛ and ɛ' leads us to rule out the regime of very hierarchical bidoublet vacuum expectation values v2/v1handed currents, we find that a right-handed gauge boson WR as light as 3 TeV is allowed at the 95% C. L. This is well within the reach of direct detection at the next LHC run. If not discovered, within a decade the upgraded LHCb and Super B factories may reach an indirect sensitivity to a left-right scale of 8 TeV.

Validation of General Electric Aviation DAPS2015 Digital Recording and 1/3 Octave Analysis System for Use in Support of Aircraft Noise Certification Efforts in Compliance with 14 CFR Part 36; Letter Report: V324-FA5JBQ-LR4 Rev. 1

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-31

NOTE: This is a revision of Letter Report V324-FA5JBQ-LR4. The purpose of the revision is to correctly identify the system designation for which the validation applies. The applicant originally identified the materials provided in support of this val...

Present status and needs of human resource development in nuclear field in Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Young-Myung; Lee, Eui-Jin [Nuclear Training Center, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea)

2000-12-01

The Nuclear Training Center (NTC) of KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) began training technical personnel in the field of radioisotope utilization and radiation protection during the 1960's. During the first stage of the nation's nuclear power project in the 1970's, the main effort of the Center focused on training those in nuclear power and nuclear engineering. During a stage of increased technical self-reliance in the 1980's, the Center extended its training role to implement more specific training courses on nuclear power and safety fields. Since 1983, the Center has been empowered at the request of government to provide retraining courses for nuclear-related license holders and qualified engineers. The Center has offered IAEA regional training course annually for Asia and Pacific region member states since 1988. Since 1967, the total number of trainees is up to 27,777 as of the end of 1998. KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) started Nuclear Power Education Center (NPEC) in 1990. The outlines of KEPCO's in-house training programs are presented in the report. The reactor operators, and the persons engaged in nuclear fuel materials, radioisotope or radiation generating devices need particular licenses in accordance with Korean Atomic Energy Laws and Regulation. NTC/KAERI and NPEC/KEPCO should report annual retraining programs for licensed personnel to Ministry Of Science and Technology (MOST) every year. The outlines of projects, which are directly related to human resources development in nuclear field in Korea, are described in the paper. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has made efforts to provide training programs for technical personnel of developing countries for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Korea has also received lots of assistance for her manpower development from the Agency. Korea is now on the verge of transforming herself from a technology recipient country in some practical and

Present status and needs of human resource development in nuclear field in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Young-Myung; Lee, Eui-Jin

2000-01-01

The Nuclear Training Center (NTC) of KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) began training technical personnel in the field of radioisotope utilization and radiation protection during the 1960's. During the first stage of the nation's nuclear power project in the 1970's, the main effort of the Center focused on training those in nuclear power and nuclear engineering. During a stage of increased technical self-reliance in the 1980's, the Center extended its training role to implement more specific training courses on nuclear power and safety fields. Since 1983, the Center has been empowered at the request of government to provide retraining courses for nuclear-related license holders and qualified engineers. The Center has offered IAEA regional training course annually for Asia and Pacific region member states since 1988. Since 1967, the total number of trainees is up to 27,777 as of the end of 1998. KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) started Nuclear Power Education Center (NPEC) in 1990. The outlines of KEPCO's in-house training programs are presented in the report. The reactor operators, and the persons engaged in nuclear fuel materials, radioisotope or radiation generating devices need particular licenses in accordance with Korean Atomic Energy Laws and Regulation. NTC/KAERI and NPEC/KEPCO should report annual retraining programs for licensed personnel to Ministry Of Science and Technology (MOST) every year. The outlines of projects, which are directly related to human resources development in nuclear field in Korea, are described in the paper. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has made efforts to provide training programs for technical personnel of developing countries for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Korea has also received lots of assistance for her manpower development from the Agency. Korea is now on the verge of transforming herself from a technology recipient country in some practical and fundamental fields. The

A Monte-Carlo study to assess the effect of 1.5 T magnetic fields on the overall robustness of pencil-beam scanning proton radiotherapy plans for prostate cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Kurz, Christopher; Landry, Guillaume; Resch, Andreas F.; Dedes, George; Kamp, Florian; Ganswindt, Ute; Belka, Claus; Raaymakers, Bas W.; Parodi, Katia

2017-11-01

Combining magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) and proton therapy (PT) using pencil-beam scanning (PBS) may improve image-guided radiotherapy. We aimed at assessing the impact of a magnetic field on PBS-PT plan quality and robustness. Specifically, the robustness against anatomical changes and positioning errors in an MRI-guided scenario with a 30 cm radius 1.5 T magnetic field was studied for prostate PT. Five prostate cancer patients with three consecutive CT images (CT1-3) were considered. Single-field uniform dose PBS-PT plans were generated on the segmented CT1 with Monte-Carlo-based treatment planning software for inverse optimization. Plans were optimized at 90° gantry angle without B-field (no B), with  ±1.5 T B-field (B and minus B), as well as at 81° gantry angle and  +1.5 T (B G81). Plans were re-calculated on aligned CT2 and CT3 to study the impact of anatomical changes. Dose distributions were compared in terms of changes in DVH parameters, proton range and gamma-index pass-rates. To assess the impact of positioning errors, DVH parameters were compared for  ±5 mm CT1 patient shifts in anterior-posterior (AP) and left-right (LR) direction. Proton beam deflection considerably reduced robustness against inter-fractional changes for the B scenario. Range agreement, gamma-index pass-rates and PTV V95% were significantly lower compared to no B. Improved robustness was obtained for minus B and B G81, the latter showing only minor differences to no B. The magnetic field introduced slight dosimetric changes under LR shifts. The impact of AP shifts was considerably larger, and equivalent for scenarios with and without B-field. Results suggest that robustness equivalent to PT without magnetic field can be achieved by adaptation of the treatment parameters, such as B-field orientation (minus B) with respect to the patient and/or gantry angle (B G81). MRI-guided PT for prostate cancer might thus be implemented without compromising robustness

Remoção de microcistina-LR da Microcystis aeruginosa utilizando bagaço de cana-de-açúcar in natura e carvão ativado

OpenAIRE

Almeida,Aline Rafaela de; Passig,Fernando Hermes; Pagioro,Thomaz Aurélio; Nascimento,Priscila Tiemi Higuti do; Carvalho,Karina Querne de

2016-01-01

Resumo Microcistina-LR é um tipo de toxina liberada pela cianobactéria Microcystis aeruginosa encontrada em mananciais de água usados para abastecimento humano que pode causar doenças e até mesmo a mortandade do homem se não for totalmente removida no tratamento convencional da água. A retenção desta toxina é muitas vezes realizada através do processo de adsorção em carvão ativado nas estações de tratamento de água. Neste estudo foi avaliada a utilização do bagaço de cana-de-açúcar in natura ...

High novelty-seeking rats are resilient to negative physiological effects of the early life stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Clinton, Sarah M; Watson, Stanley J; Akil, Huda

2014-01-01

Exposure to early life stress dramatically impacts adult behavior, physiology, and neuroendocrine function. Using rats bred for novelty-seeking differences and known to display divergent anxiety, depression, and stress vulnerability, we examined the interaction between early life adversity and genetic predisposition for high- versus low-emotional reactivity. Thus, bred Low Novelty Responder (bLR) rats, which naturally exhibit high anxiety- and depression-like behavior, and bred High Novelty Responder (bHR) rats, which show low anxiety/depression together with elevated aggression, impulsivity, and addictive behavior, were subjected to daily 3 h maternal separation (MS) stress postnatal days 1-14. We hypothesized that MS stress would differentially impact adult bHR/bLR behavior, physiology (stress-induced defecation), and neuroendocrine reactivity. While MS stress did not impact bHR and bLR anxiety-like behavior in the open field test and elevated plus maze, it exacerbated bLRs' already high physiological response to stress - stress-induced defecation. In both tests, MS bLR adult offspring showed exaggerated stress-induced defecation compared to bLR controls while bHR offspring were unaffected. MS also selectively impacted bLRs' (but not bHRs') neuroendocrine stress reactivity, producing an exaggerated corticosterone acute stress response in MS bLR versus control bLR rats. These findings highlight how genetic predisposition shapes individuals' response to early life stress. Future work will explore neural mechanisms underlying the distinct behavioral and neuroendocrine consequences of MS in bHR/bLR animals.

Short presentation on some researches activities about near field earthquakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donald, John

2002-01-01

The major hazard posed by earthquakes is often thought to be due to moderate to large magnitude events. However, there have been many cases where earthquakes of moderate and even small magnitude have caused very significant destruction when they have coincided with population centres. Even though the area of intense ground shaking caused by such events is generally small, the epicentral motions can be severe enough to cause damage even in well-engineered structures. Two issues are addressed here, the first being the identification of the minimum earthquake magnitude likely to cause damage to engineered structures and the limits of the near-field for small-to-moderate magnitude earthquakes. The second issue addressed is whether features of near-field ground motions such as directivity, which can significantly enhance the destructive potential, occur in small-to-moderate magnitude events. The accelerograms from the 1986 San Salvador (El Salvador) earthquake indicate that it may be non conservative to assume that near-field directivity effects only need to be considered for earthquakes of moment magnitude M 6.5 and greater. (author)

The Present Situation and Trend of Wearable Equipment in Electric Field Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guangwei Shao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With the innovation of mobile internet technology and intelligent terminal technology, the wearable equipment has been gradually applied in various industries. Through the typical application of wearable equipment, the characteristics of wearable equipment technology and application are summarized. Based on the analysis of power field business application and technology, combined with the demand of electric field management, the design situation of the wearable equipment in electric field service is designed, and the future development direction of electric field wear can be forecasted.

The Relationship Between Local Recurrence and Radiotherapy Treatment Volume for Soft Tissue Sarcomas Treated With External Beam Radiotherapy and Function Preservation Surgery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dickie, Colleen I., E-mail: Colleen.dickie@rmp.uhn.on.ca [Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto (Canada); Griffin, Anthony M. [Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Musculoskeletal Oncology Unit, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto (Canada); University of Toronto, Toronto (Canada); Parent, Amy L. [Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto (Canada); Chung, Peter W.M.; Catton, Charles N. [Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto (Canada); University of Toronto, Toronto (Canada); Svensson, Jon [AngliaRuskin University, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Ferguson, Peter C.; Wunder, Jay S.; Bell, Robert S. [Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Musculoskeletal Oncology Unit, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto (Canada); University of Toronto, Toronto (Canada); Sharpe, Michael B.; O' Sullivan, Brian [Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto (Canada); University of Toronto, Toronto (Canada)

2012-03-15

Purpose: To examine the geometric relationship between local recurrence (LR) and external beam radiotherapy (RT) volumes for soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) patients treated with function-preserving surgery and RT. Methods and Materials: Sixty of 768 (7.8%) STS patients treated with combined therapy within our institution from 1990 through 2006 developed an LR. Thirty-two received preoperative RT, 16 postoperative RT, and 12 preoperative RT plus a postoperative boost. Treatment records, RT simulation images, and diagnostic MRI/CT data sets of the original and LR disease were retrospectively compared. For LR location analysis, three RT target volumes were defined according to the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements 29 as follows: (1) the gross tumor or operative bed; (2) the treatment volume (TV) extending 5 cm longitudinally beyond the tumor or operative bed unless protected by intact barriers to spread and at least 1-2 cm axially (the TV was enclosed by the isodose curve representing the prescribed target absorbed dose [TAD] and accounted for target/patient setup uncertainty and beam characteristics), and (3) the irradiated volume (IRV) that received at least 50% of the TAD, including the TV. LRs were categorized as developing in field within the TV, marginal (on the edge of the IRV), and out of field (occurring outside of the IRV). Results: Forty-nine tumors relapsed in field (6.4% overall). Nine were out of field (1.1% overall), and 2 were marginal (0.3% overall). Conclusions: The majority of STS tumors recur in field, indicating that the incidence of LR may be affected more by differences in biologic and molecular characteristics rather than aberrations in RT dose or target volume coverage. In contrast, only two patients relapsed at the IRV boundary, suggesting that the risk of a marginal relapse is low when the TV is appropriately defined. These data support the accurate delivery of optimal RT volumes in the most precise way using advanced

The Relationship Between Local Recurrence and Radiotherapy Treatment Volume for Soft Tissue Sarcomas Treated With External Beam Radiotherapy and Function Preservation Surgery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickie, Colleen I.; Griffin, Anthony M.; Parent, Amy L.; Chung, Peter W.M.; Catton, Charles N.; Svensson, Jon; Ferguson, Peter C.; Wunder, Jay S.; Bell, Robert S.; Sharpe, Michael B.; O’Sullivan, Brian

2012-01-01

Purpose: To examine the geometric relationship between local recurrence (LR) and external beam radiotherapy (RT) volumes for soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) patients treated with function-preserving surgery and RT. Methods and Materials: Sixty of 768 (7.8%) STS patients treated with combined therapy within our institution from 1990 through 2006 developed an LR. Thirty-two received preoperative RT, 16 postoperative RT, and 12 preoperative RT plus a postoperative boost. Treatment records, RT simulation images, and diagnostic MRI/CT data sets of the original and LR disease were retrospectively compared. For LR location analysis, three RT target volumes were defined according to the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements 29 as follows: (1) the gross tumor or operative bed; (2) the treatment volume (TV) extending 5 cm longitudinally beyond the tumor or operative bed unless protected by intact barriers to spread and at least 1–2 cm axially (the TV was enclosed by the isodose curve representing the prescribed target absorbed dose [TAD] and accounted for target/patient setup uncertainty and beam characteristics), and (3) the irradiated volume (IRV) that received at least 50% of the TAD, including the TV. LRs were categorized as developing in field within the TV, marginal (on the edge of the IRV), and out of field (occurring outside of the IRV). Results: Forty-nine tumors relapsed in field (6.4% overall). Nine were out of field (1.1% overall), and 2 were marginal (0.3% overall). Conclusions: The majority of STS tumors recur in field, indicating that the incidence of LR may be affected more by differences in biologic and molecular characteristics rather than aberrations in RT dose or target volume coverage. In contrast, only two patients relapsed at the IRV boundary, suggesting that the risk of a marginal relapse is low when the TV is appropriately defined. These data support the accurate delivery of optimal RT volumes in the most precise way using advanced

History and present status of field application of radiotracers, 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, Shigehiko; Sato, Otomaru.

1988-01-01

The history and present status of the utilization of RI tracers for hydrology are described by dividing into surface water and groundwater. By the birth of nuclear reactors, the availability of RIs became easy, and the utilization of tracers for hydrology has been attempted worldwide. The large scale development of water resources is required for increasing agricultural production, and the analysis of the actual condition of hydrological phenomena is indispensable for the purpose. The hydrology committee of IAEA aided the development of new techniques in the peaceful use of atomic energy, and let developing countries use the developed techniques together with researchers. The research on the field application of RI tracers in Japan began in agriculture, and the investigation of water leak in dams, the measurement of flow rate and flow velocity in rivers, the detection of the state of sand movement on sea bottom, the analysis of groundwater flow and so on have been carried out. Also the recent situation in foreign countries is reported about the measurement of flow rate, the measurement of flowing-down time and diffusion, the analysis of the behavior of lake water, the movement of mud and sediment, and the analysis of groundwater flow. (Kako, I.)

History and present status of field application of radiotracers, 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kimura, Shigehiko; Sato, Otomaru

1988-06-01

The history and present status of the utilization of RI tracers for hydrology are described by dividing into surface water and groundwater. By the birth of nuclear reactors, the availability of RIs became easy, and the utilization of tracers for hydrology has been attempted worldwide. The large scale development of water resources is required for increasing agricultural production, and the analysis of the actual condition of hydrological phenomena is indispensable for the purpose. The hydrology committee of IAEA aided the development of new techniques in the peaceful use of atomic energy, and let developing countries use the developed techniques together with researchers. The research on the field application of RI tracers in Japan began in agriculture, and the investigation of water leak in dams, the measurement of flow rate and flow velocity in rivers, the detection of the state of sand movement on sea bottom, the analysis of groundwater flow and so on have been carried out. Also the recent situation in foreign countries is reported about the measurement of flow rate, the measurement of flowing-down time and diffusion, the analysis of the behavior of lake water, the movement of mud and sediment, and the analysis of groundwater flow. (Kako, I.).

Effects of laser remelting on microstructures and immersion corrosion performance of arc sprayed Al coating in 3.5% NaCl solution

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Ze; Zhang, Donghui; Yan, Baoxu; Kong, Dejun

2018-02-01

An arc sprayed aluminum (Al) coating on S355 steel was processed using a laser remelting (LR). The microstructures, chemical element composition, and phases of the obtained Al coating were analyzed using a field mission scanning electronic microscope (FESEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and X-ray diffractometer (XRD), respectively, and the residual stresses were measured using an X-ray diffraction stress tester. The immersion corrosion tests and potentiodynamic polarization of Al coating in 3.5% NaCl solution were performed to investigate the effects of LR on its immersion corrosion behaviors, and the corrosion mechanism of Al coating was also discussed. The results show that the arc sprayed Al coating is composed of Al phase, while that by LR is composed of Al-Fe and AlO4FeO6 phases, and the porosities and cracks in the arc sprayed Al coating are eliminated by LR, The residual stress of arc sprayed Al coating is -5.6 ± 18 MPa, while that after LR is 137.9 ± 12 MPa, which deduces the immersion corrosion resistance of Al coating. The corrosion mechanism of arc sprayed Al coating is pitting corrosion and crevice corrosion, while that by LR is uniform corrosion and pitting corrosion. The corrosion potential of arc sprayed Al coating by LR shifts positively, which improves its immersion corrosion resistance.

Central and Divided Visual Field Presentation of Emotional Images to Measure Hemispheric Differences in Motivated Attention.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Hare, Aminda J; Atchley, Ruth Ann; Young, Keith M

2017-11-16

Two dominant theories on lateralized processing of emotional information exist in the literature. One theory posits that unpleasant emotions are processed by right frontal regions, while pleasant emotions are processed by left frontal regions. The other theory posits that the right hemisphere is more specialized for the processing of emotional information overall, particularly in posterior regions. Assessing the different roles of the cerebral hemispheres in processing emotional information can be difficult without the use of neuroimaging methodologies, which are not accessible or affordable to all scientists. Divided visual field presentation of stimuli can allow for the investigation of lateralized processing of information without the use of neuroimaging technology. This study compared central versus divided visual field presentations of emotional images to assess differences in motivated attention between the two hemispheres. The late positive potential (LPP) was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs) methodologies to assess motivated attention. Future work will pair this paradigm with a more active behavioral task to explore the behavioral impacts on the attentional differences found.

Genetics of leprosy reactions: an overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinicius Fava

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Type-1 (T1R and Type-2 (T2R leprosy reactions (LR, which affect up to 50% of leprosy patients, are aggressive inflammatory episodes of sudden onset and highly variable incidence across populations. LR are often diagnosed concurrently with leprosy, but more frequently occur several months after treatment onset. It is not uncommon for leprosy patients to develop recurring reactional episodes; however, they rarely undergo both types of LR. Today, LR are the main cause of permanent disabilities associated with leprosy and represent a major challenge in the clinical management of leprosy patients. Although progress has been made in understanding the immunopathology of LR, the factors that cause a leprosy patient to suffer from LR are largely unknown. Given the impact that ethnic background has on the risk of developing LR, host genetic factors have long been suspected of contributing to LR. Indeed, polymorphisms in seven genes [Toll-like receptors (TLR1, TLR2, nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain containing 2, vitamin D receptor, natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1, C4B and interleukin-6] have been found to be associated with one or more LR outcomes. The identification of host genetic markers with predictive value for LR would have a major impact on nerve damage control in leprosy. In this review, we present the recent advances achieved through genetic studies of LR.

Magnetic properties of the charged Anderson-Brinkman-Morel state: Absence of Hc1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kita, T.

1991-01-01

Magnetic properties of the charged Anderson-Brinkman-Morel state are investigated theoretically as a special case of time-reversal-symmetry-breaking superconductivity. The magnetic field is expressed as a superposition of the one from the supercurrent j s (r) and that from the magnetic moment l(r) due to the internal motion of each Cooper pair. This procedure enables us to get rid of the paradox in zero external field that the moments are ordered (l=const) with no magnetic field nor supercurrent, leading to a natural conclusion that there is indeed a field due to l(r) which is screened almost completely by j s (r). If the system size is large enough compared with the penetration depth, the direction l(r) changes gradually toward the surface and the current j s (r) flows over the bulk. This means that the system is essentially nonuniform and forms a coreless vortex in zero external field. As for the magnetization process, the lattice of coreless vortices grows from the infinitesimal external field without H c1 (i.e., no Meissner state), which is subsequently followed by the first-order transition to the lattice with cores. Finally, the transition to the normal state occurs at H c2 enhanced over that of the conventional type-II superconductor due to the field l. An example of the magnetization curve is also given

48Ca+249Bk fusion reaction leading to element Z = 117: long-lived α-decaying 270Db and discovery of 266Lr.

Science.gov (United States)

Khuyagbaatar, J; Yakushev, A; Düllmann, Ch E; Ackermann, D; Andersson, L-L; Asai, M; Block, M; Boll, R A; Brand, H; Cox, D M; Dasgupta, M; Derkx, X; Di Nitto, A; Eberhardt, K; Even, J; Evers, M; Fahlander, C; Forsberg, U; Gates, J M; Gharibyan, N; Golubev, P; Gregorich, K E; Hamilton, J H; Hartmann, W; Herzberg, R-D; Heßberger, F P; Hinde, D J; Hoffmann, J; Hollinger, R; Hübner, A; Jäger, E; Kindler, B; Kratz, J V; Krier, J; Kurz, N; Laatiaoui, M; Lahiri, S; Lang, R; Lommel, B; Maiti, M; Miernik, K; Minami, S; Mistry, A; Mokry, C; Nitsche, H; Omtvedt, J P; Pang, G K; Papadakis, P; Renisch, D; Roberto, J; Rudolph, D; Runke, J; Rykaczewski, K P; Sarmiento, L G; Schädel, M; Schausten, B; Semchenkov, A; Shaughnessy, D A; Steinegger, P; Steiner, J; Tereshatov, E E; Thörle-Pospiech, P; Tinschert, K; Torres De Heidenreich, T; Trautmann, N; Türler, A; Uusitalo, J; Ward, D E; Wegrzecki, M; Wiehl, N; Van Cleve, S M; Yakusheva, V

2014-05-02

The superheavy element with atomic number Z=117 was produced as an evaporation residue in the (48)Ca+(249)Bk fusion reaction at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA at GSI Darmstadt, Germany. The radioactive decay of evaporation residues and their α-decay products was studied using a detection setup that allowed measuring decays of single atomic nuclei with half-lives between sub-μs and a few days. Two decay chains comprising seven α decays and a spontaneous fission each were identified and are assigned to the isotope (294)117 and its decay products. A hitherto unknown α-decay branch in (270)Db (Z = 105) was observed, which populated the new isotope (266)Lr (Z = 103). The identification of the long-lived (T(1/2) = 1.0(-0.4)(+1.9) h) α-emitter (270)Db marks an important step towards the observation of even more long-lived nuclei of superheavy elements located on an "island of stability."

Laboratory simulated transport of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin in groundwater under the influence of stormwater ponds: implications for harvesting of infiltrated stormwater

Science.gov (United States)

O'Reilly, Andrew M.; Wanielista, Martin P.; Loftin, Keith A.; Chang, Ni-Bin; Schirmer, Mario; Hoehn, Eduard; Vogt, Tobias

2011-01-01

Water shortages in the southeastern United States have led to a need for more intensive management and usage of stormwater for beneficial uses such as irrigation. Harvesting of infiltrated stormwater from horizontal wells in sandy aquifer sediments beneath stormwater ponds has emerged as an alternative in need of evaluation. Cyanobacteria may proliferate in stormwater ponds; cyanotoxins produced by these organisms represent potential public health concerns. Results of two, saturated flow, sand column experiments indicate breakthrough of microcystin-LR (MCLR) and cylindrospermopsin (CYL) within 1―2 pore volumes indicating little removal attributable to sorption. Concentration-based MCLR removal efficiencies up to 90% were achieved, which we hypothesize were predominantly due to biodegradation. In contrast, CYL removal efficiencies were generally less than 15%. On the basis of these results, removal of sandy soil in the stormwater pond bottom and addition of sorption media with greater binding affinities to cyanotoxins may enhance natural attenuation processes prior to water withdrawal.

The Present Situation and Trend of Wearable Equipment in Electric Field Application

OpenAIRE

Guangwei Shao; Zhongjun Ji; Bing Liu

2017-01-01

With the innovation of mobile internet technology and intelligent terminal technology, the wearable equipment has been gradually applied in various industries. Through the typical application of wearable equipment, the characteristics of wearable equipment technology and application are summarized. Based on the analysis of power field business application and technology, combined with the demand of electric field management, the design situation of the wearable equipment in electric field ser...

Magnetic moments in present relativistic nuclear theories: a mean-field problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desplanques, B.

1986-07-01

We show that the magnetic moments of LS closed shell nuclei plus or minus one nucleon derived from non-relativistic Hartree-Fock mean-fields are as bad as those obtained in relativistic approaches of nuclear structure. Deviations with respect to more complete results in both cases are ascribed to the mean-field approximation which neglects some degrees of freedom in the nucleus description. 18 refs

A new method for studying the transport of radon and thoron in various building materials using CR-39 and LR-115 solid state nuclear track detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misdaq, M.A.; Ktata, A.; Bakhchi, A.

2000-01-01

Radon ( 222 Rn) and thoron ( 220 Rn) α-activities per unit volume were measured inside and outside different building materials by using two types of solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) (CR-39 and LR-115 type II). In addition, the radon and thoron emanation coefficients of the studied materials were evaluated. Based on these data, the transport of radon and thoron across parallelepipedic blocks of the building materials could be investigated and radon and thoron global α-activities per unit volume outside different building material blocks were determined. Moreover, the diffusion length and the effective diffusion coefficient of radon in the building materials were evaluated and the total alpha activity due to radon in the atmospheres of different rooms consisting of different building materials was studied

Effect of Lithospermi Radix on Contact Dermatitis Induced by Dinitrofluorobenzene in Mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Han-Na

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc. (Lithospermi Radix, LR is a kind of heat clearing and blood cooling medicinal herbs. It can clear away heat and cool the blood, reduce toxins and disperse maculae. LR has long been used as efficacious therapy for inflammation, burns, frostbite and skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. Methods: In the present study, we investigate anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects of LR by using the 1-fluoro-2, 4- dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB-induced contact dermatitis mouse model. Results: Topical application of 10 mg/mL of LR effectively inhibited skin lesions induced by repeated paintings with DNFB. Topical application of LR also inhibited hyperplasia, edema, spongiosis and infiltrations of mononuclear cells. In addition, production levels of total immunoglobulin and IgG1 in serum were decreased by using LR in vivo. Conclusions: These data suggest that LR acts as an antiinflammatory agent, improving skin lesions in CD mice.

Using track detectors in neutron dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spurny, F.; Turek, K.

1977-01-01

The usage of track detectors of charged particles provides a new possibility of neutron dosimetry. Presented is a comparison of the main dosimetric characteristics of three various types of track detectots of fast neutrons, i.e. glass in the contact with 232 Th; KODAK LR115 cellulose nitrate; MAKROFOL E polycarbonate. Results of studing energy dependences of detectors are presented. Results obtained using phantoms under radiation fields of various sources of complex gamma-neutron radiation are discussed [ru

Development of everlasting flowers (Comanthera elegans (Bong. L.R. Parra & Giul. in three cultivation systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda da Conceição Moreira

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Marketing the inflorescences of Comanthera elegans (Bong. L.R. Parra & Giul. represents a source of income to many families from extractives communities in the portion of the Espinhaço Range located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Cultivating this species stands out by allying income generation with conservation since the species is currently endangered. This study aimed to assess aspects of the development of C. elegans in three cultivation systems: beds, rows, and whole area. Sowing took place in January 2009 and the inflorescences were harvested in May 2010, which characterized the experimental period. Emergence; plant density; rates of flowering, mortality, resprouting, and recruiting of new individuals; and production of inflorescences per plant and per area were assessed. Emergence began approximately 50 days after sowing. Plant density ranged from 130 to 350 plants.m-2 among the three cultivation systems. The highest mortality rate (18% was observed at the peak of the dry season (August and the overall mortality rate over one reproductive cycle was 49%. Of the plants that lost the aerial part, 36% resprouted. Sprouting and seed germination accounted for 30 and 3% of the recruiting of new individuals, respectively. C. elegans had two bloom (AprilMay 2009 and April-May 2010: 5.4% of the plants bloomed in the first season and 78%, in the second. Each plant produced between three and 178 inflorescences and the highest inflorescence production in terms of weight (232 g.m-2 and number (2,910 inflorescences.m-2 was observed in the cultivation in beds at 1,624 kg.ha-1.

Long-term determination of airborne concentrations of unattached and attached radon progeny using stacked LR 115 detector with multi-step etching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikezic, D.; Yu, K.N.

2010-01-01

We developed the theoretical basis for long-term determination of airborne concentrations of unattached and attached radon progeny. The work was separated into two parts. First, we showed that (stacked and multiply etched) LR 115 detectors could be used to determine airborne concentrations of the short-lived radon progeny, 218 Po and 214 Bi. The equilibrium factor F between radon and its progeny could then be determined through the use of the reduced equilibrium factor F red . The airborne concentrations of 214 Pb could then be determined. Second, we developed a method based on the airborne concentrations of 218 Po, 214 Pb and 214 Bi to determine the parameters of the Jacobi room model, viz., the ventilation rate λ v , aerosol attachment rate λ a , deposition rate of unattached progeny λ d u and the deposition rate of attached progeny λ d u . With these parameters, the unattached fraction f p of the potential alpha energy concentration could also be determined. Knowledge of f p , together with F, would enable more accurate determination of the effective dose in the human lung.

Rearfoot and midfoot or forefoot impacts in habitually shod runners.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyer, Elizabeth R; Rooney, Brandon D; Derrick, Timothy R

2014-07-01

Shear loading rates (LR) have not been investigated in runners with a mid- or forefoot strike (FFS) versus rearfoot strike (RFS). The purpose of this study was to compare three-dimensional ground reaction forces (GRF) and LR during impact in habitual rearfoot strikers (hRF) and habitual forefoot strikers (hFF) strikers. Thirty competitive runners performed 10 overground running trials with both foot strike styles. Peak three-dimensional and resultant GRF and instantaneous LR during impact were compared. Vertical LR significantly decreased for hRF using an FFS (RFS = 148 ± 36 body weight [BW]·s(-1), FFS = 98 ± 31 BW·s(-1)) but was similar for hFF running with either foot strike (FFS = 136 ± 35 BW·s(-1), RFS = 135 ± 28 BW·s(-1)). Posterior impact forces were present during FFS but not during RFS, and posterior LR was significantly greater for both groups during FFS (-58 ± 17 vs -19 ± 6 BW·s(-1)). Medial impact forces were also present during FFS but not during RFS, and medial LR was significantly larger for both groups during FFS (-21 ± 7 vs -6 ± 6 BW·s(-1)). Interestingly, hFF had greater impact peaks and LR in all directions compared with hRF during FFS. This may be explained by hFF using a smaller strike index (hFF = 62% ± 9%, hRF = 67% ± 9%; P = 0.02), which was significantly inversely related to vertical LR and impact peak. Peak resultant and vertical LR are not ubiquitously lower when using a shod FFS versus RFS despite an absence of resultant and vertical impact peaks. Furthermore, there were impact peaks in the posterior and medial directions, leading also to greater LR in these directions during FFS. Therefore, transitioning from RFS to FFS in traditional running shoes may not offer long-term protection against impact-related running injuries because hFF running with an FFS demonstrated many GRF and LR similar to or greater than RFS.

Landau ghost pole problem in quantum field theory: From 50th of last century to the present day

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jafarov, Rauf G., E-mail: rauf-jafarov@hotmail.com [Institute for Physical Problems, Baku State University, Baku (Azerbaijan); Mutallimov, Mutallim M. [Institute of Applied Mathematics, Baku State University, Baku (Azerbaijan)

2016-03-25

In this paper we present our results of the investigation of asymptotical behavior of amplitude at short distances in four-dimensional scalar field theory with ϕ{sup 4} interaction. To formulate of our calculating model – two-particle approximation of the mean-field expansion we have used an Rochev’s iteration scheme of solution of the Schwinger-Dyson equations with the fermion bilocal source. We have considered the nonlinear integral equations in deep-inelastic region of momenta. As result we have a non-trivial behavior of amplitude at large momenta.

High-resolution temperature-based optimization for hyperthermia treatment planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kok, H P; Haaren, P M A van; Kamer, J B Van de; Wiersma, J; Dijk, J D P Van; Crezee, J

2005-01-01

In regional hyperthermia, optimization techniques are valuable in order to obtain amplitude/phase settings for the applicators to achieve maximal tumour heating without toxicity to normal tissue. We implemented a temperature-based optimization technique and maximized tumour temperature with constraints on normal tissue temperature to prevent hot spots. E-field distributions are the primary input for the optimization method. Due to computer limitations we are restricted to a resolution of 1 x 1 x 1 cm 3 for E-field calculations, too low for reliable treatment planning. A major problem is the fact that hot spots at low-resolution (LR) do not always correspond to hot spots at high-resolution (HR), and vice versa. Thus, HR temperature-based optimization is necessary for adequate treatment planning and satisfactory results cannot be obtained with LR strategies. To obtain HR power density (PD) distributions from LR E-field calculations, a quasi-static zooming technique has been developed earlier at the UMC Utrecht. However, quasi-static zooming does not preserve phase information and therefore it does not provide the HR E-field information required for direct HR optimization. We combined quasi-static zooming with the optimization method to obtain a millimetre resolution temperature-based optimization strategy. First we performed a LR (1 cm) optimization and used the obtained settings to calculate the HR (2 mm) PD and corresponding HR temperature distribution. Next, we performed a HR optimization using an estimation of the new HR temperature distribution based on previous calculations. This estimation is based on the assumption that the HR and LR temperature distributions, though strongly different, respond in a similar way to amplitude/phase steering. To verify the newly obtained settings, we calculate the corresponding HR temperature distribution. This method was applied to several clinical situations and found to work very well. Deviations of this estimation method for

Comparation of the Uptake and Accumulation of Heavy Metals by Rape Species Grown in Contaminated Soil Surrounding Mining Tails in Chenzhou, China

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YANG Yang

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The rape is usually used for phytoremediation of metal-contaminated soils, because it has the characteristics of rapid growth, large biomass, and high potential to tolerate and accumulate large quantities of heavy metals. In this work, accumulation and transformation of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd in four rape species(B. juncea L.(BJ, Brassica napus L.(BL, Canadian Brassica napus L.(CBL, local rape(LRwere investigated in soils surrounding mine area contaminated by lead-zinc ore tailings in Chenzhou, Hunan Province. The results showed a significantly high accumulation of Cu, Zn and Cd in leaves and roots of four rape species. However, the concentration of Pb in roots of all rape species was usually one or two orders of magnitude than other parts, and the concentration of heavy metals in stems and fruits was lower. The accumulation of heavy metals in leaves parts was in the order: Zn >Cu >Pb >Cd, and in roots was as: Pb >Zn >Cu >Cd; the order of bioconcentration factor(BCFof heavy metals in above-ground parts(leavesof rape species was: Cu: BJ ≥LR >BL >CBL, Zn: BL >CBL >BJ >LR, Pb: BJ≈LR > BL≈CBL, Cd: BL >CBL >BJ >LR; and the order of translocation factor(TFfrom stems to leaves was: Cu: LR >BJ≈CBL >BL,Zn: BL >LR > BJ >CBL, Pb: BJ >CBL≈LR >BL,Cd: BJ >BL >CBL >LR. It indicated there were significant differences among the species. The results of the field experiment suggested that B. juncea L. was suitable for phytoextraction of Cu, Pb contaminated soil, Brassica napus L. could be used to remediate Zn, Cd or heavy metal combined polluted soils.

Usefulness of the second heart sound for predicting pulmonary hypertension in patients with interstitial lung disease

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Sandra de Barros Cobra

Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: P2 hyperphonesis is considered to be a valuable finding in semiological diagnoses of pulmonary hypertension (PH. The aim here was to evaluate the accuracy of the pulmonary component of second heart sounds for predicting PH in patients with interstitial lung disease. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study at the University of Brasilia and Hospital de Base do Distrito Federal. METHODS: Heart sounds were acquired using an electronic stethoscope and were analyzed using phonocardiography. Clinical signs suggestive of PH, such as second heart sound (S2 in pulmonary area louder than in aortic area; P2 > A2 in pulmonary area and P2 present in mitral area, were compared with Doppler echocardiographic parameters suggestive of PH. Sensitivity (S, specificity (Sp and positive (LR+ and negative (LR- likelihood ratios were evaluated. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between S2 or P2 amplitude and PASP (pulmonary artery systolic pressure (P = 0.185 and 0.115; P= 0.13 and 0.34, respectively. Higher S2 in pulmonary area than in aortic area, compared with all the criteria suggestive of PH, showed S = 60%, Sp= 22%; LR+ = 0.7; LR- = 1.7; while P2> A2 showed S= 57%, Sp = 39%; LR+ = 0.9; LR- = 1.1; and P2 in mitral area showed: S= 68%, Sp = 41%; LR+ = 1.1; LR- = 0.7. All these signals together showed: S= 50%, Sp = 56%. CONCLUSIONS: The semiological signs indicative of PH presented low sensitivity and specificity levels for clinically diagnosing this comorbidity.

Genome analysis of two type 6 echovirus (E6) strains recovered from sewage specimens in Greece in 2006.

Science.gov (United States)

Kyriakopoulou, Zaharoula; Pliaka, Vaia; Tsakogiannis, Dimitris; Ruether, Irina G A; Komiotis, Dimitris; Gartzonika, Constantina; Levidiotou-Stefanou, Stamatina; Markoulatos, Panayotis

2012-04-01

Echovirus 6 (E6) is one of the main enteroviral serotypes that was isolated from cases of aseptic meningitis and encephalitis during the last years in Greece. Two E6 (LR51A5 and LR61G3) were isolated from the sewage treatment plant unit in Larissa, Greece, in May 2006, 1 year before their characterization from aseptic meningitis cases. The two isolates were initially found to be intra-serotypic recombinants in the genomic region VP1, a finding that initiated a full genome sequence analysis. In the present study, nucleotide, amino acid, and phylogenetic analyses for all genomic regions were conducted. For the detection of recombination events, Simplot and bootscan analyses were carried out. The continuous phylogenetic relationship in 2C-3D genomic region of strains LR51A5 and LR61G3 with E30 isolated in France in 2002-2005 indicated that the two strains were recombinants. SimPlot and Bootscan analyses confirmed that LR51A5 and LR61G3 carry an inter-serotypic recombination in the 2C genomic region. The present study provide evidence that recombination events occurred in the regions VP1 (intraserotypic) and non-capsid (interserotypic) during the evolution of LR51A5 and LR61G3, supporting the statement that the genomes of circulating enteroviruses are a mosaic of genomic regions of viral strains of the same or different serotypes. In conclusion, full genome sequence analysis of circulating enteroviral strains is a prerequisite to understand the complexity of enterovirus evolution.

Magnetic properties of the charged Anderson-Brinkman-Morel state: Absence of Hc1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kita, T.

1992-01-01

Magnetic properties of the charged Anderson-Brinkman-Morel (ABM) state are investigated theoretically as a special case of time-reversal-symmetry-breaking (T-symmetry breaking) superconductivity, the possibility of which is discussed in heavy-fermion and high T c superconductors. In the ABM state there are two sources of current: The one from the supercurrent j s (r) and that from the moment l(r) due to the internal motion of Cooper pairs. In zero external field, the field h m (r) from l(r) is screened almost completely by j s (r), as expected, with l(r) changing gradually towards the surface and j s (r) flowing over the bulk. This means changing gradually towards the surface and j s (r) flowing over the bulk. This means that the system as a whole is a nonsingular vortex. As for the magnetization process, the lattice of nonsingular vortices grows from the infinitesimal external field without H c1 , subsequently followed by the first-order transition to the lattice with singular cores. Finally, the transition to the normal state occurs at H c2 which is enhanced over that of the conventional type-II superconductor due to the field l. (orig.)

Top-down freezing in a Fe-FeS core and Ganymede's present-day magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Rückriemen, Tina; Breuer, Doris; Spohn, Tilman

2018-06-01

Ganymede's core most likely possesses an active dynamo today, which produces a magnetic field at the surface of ∼ 719 nT. Thermochemical convection triggered by cooling of the core is a feasible power source for the dynamo. Experiments of different research groups indicate low pressure gradients of the melting temperatures for Fe-FeS core alloys at pressures prevailing in Ganymede's core ( < 10 GPa). This may entail that the core crystallizes from the top instead of from the bottom as is expected for Earth's core. Depending on the core sulfur concentration being more iron- or more sulfur-rich than the eutectic concentration either snowing iron crystals or a solid FeS layer can form at the top of the core. We investigate whether these two core crystallization scenarios are capable of explaining Ganymede's present magnetic activity. To do so, we set up a parametrized one-dimensional thermal evolution model. We explore a wide range of parameters by running a large set of Monte Carlo simulations. Both freezing scenarios can explain Ganymede's present-day magnetic field. Dynamos of iron snow models are rather young ( < 1 Gyr), whereas dynamos below the FeS layer can be both young and much older ( ∼ 3.8 Gyr). Successful models preferably contain less radiogenic heat sources in the mantle than the chondritic abundance and show a correlation between the reference viscosity in the mantle and the initial core sulfur concentration.

Field measurements of radon exhalation and Ra-226 content in soil using the can-technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hafez, A.F.; El-Khatib, A.M.; Moharram, B.M.; Kotb, M.A.; Abdel-Naby, A.

1991-01-01

CR-39 and LR-115 plastic nuclear track detectors in the can-technique have been employed in the field measurements of radon exhalation, Ra-226 and U-238 content in dry-soil air at numerous regions in Sudan (the Blue and White Nile and Mogran regions). Measurements gave an average radon exhalation from the soil to the atmosphere and Ra-226 content of (23.4±2.60) kBq.m -2 and (123±13.65) Bq.kg -1 respectively. A polyethylene permeable memebrane cover was used to eliminate the contribution of thoron activity inside the can. Assuming a radioactive equilibrium between the U-series, the average U-238 content in the soil was found to be (9.92±1.01) ppm. This survey may be used for uranium prospection in soil. (orig.) [de

Variation in the response of the invasive species Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Smith) to natural (cyanobacterial toxin) and anthropogenic (herbicide atrazine) stressors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerard, Claudia; Poullain, Virginie

2005-01-01

In the context of increasing freshwater pollution, the impact on life-traits (survival, growth and fecundity) and locomotion of Potamopyrgus antipodarum of a 5-week field-concentration exposure to the cyanobacterial toxin microcystin-LR and the triazine herbicide, atrazine was studied. Whatever the age of exposed snails (juveniles, subadults, adults), microcystin-LR induced a decrease in survival, growth and fecundity but had no effect on locomotion. Atrazine induced a decrease in locomotory activity but had no significant effect on the life-traits. These results are discussed in terms of consequences to field populations. - At concentrations relevant to the field, cyanobacterial toxins (natural) and atrazine (anthropogenic) are detrimental to the gastropod Potamopyrgus antipodarum, with a greater toxicity for the natural (vs anthropogenic) stressor

Variation in the response of the invasive species Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Smith) to natural (cyanobacterial toxin) and anthropogenic (herbicide atrazine) stressors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerard, Claudia [UMR CNRS Ecobio 6553, Equipe Physiologie et Ecophysiologie, Universite de Rennes 1, Avenue du General Leclerc, 35042 Rennes cedex (France)]. E-mail: claudia.gerard@univ-rennes1.fr; Poullain, Virginie [UMR CNRS Ecobio 6553, Equipe Physiologie et Ecophysiologie, Universite de Rennes 1, Avenue du General Leclerc, 35042 Rennes cedex (France)

2005-11-15

In the context of increasing freshwater pollution, the impact on life-traits (survival, growth and fecundity) and locomotion of Potamopyrgus antipodarum of a 5-week field-concentration exposure to the cyanobacterial toxin microcystin-LR and the triazine herbicide, atrazine was studied. Whatever the age of exposed snails (juveniles, subadults, adults), microcystin-LR induced a decrease in survival, growth and fecundity but had no effect on locomotion. Atrazine induced a decrease in locomotory activity but had no significant effect on the life-traits. These results are discussed in terms of consequences to field populations. - At concentrations relevant to the field, cyanobacterial toxins (natural) and atrazine (anthropogenic) are detrimental to the gastropod Potamopyrgus antipodarum, with a greater toxicity for the natural (vs anthropogenic) stressor.

Depth-resolved incoherent and coherent wide-field high-content imaging (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

So, Peter T.

2016-03-01

Recent advances in depth-resolved wide-field imaging technique has enabled many high throughput applications in biology and medicine. Depth resolved imaging of incoherent signals can be readily accomplished with structured light illumination or nonlinear temporal focusing. The integration of these high throughput systems with novel spectroscopic resolving elements further enable high-content information extraction. We will introduce a novel near common-path interferometer and demonstrate its uses in toxicology and cancer biology applications. The extension of incoherent depth-resolved wide-field imaging to coherent modality is non-trivial. Here, we will cover recent advances in wide-field 3D resolved mapping of refractive index, absorbance, and vibronic components in biological specimens.

The present status of international training and education in nuclear field held in Japan for Asian countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-11-01

This report summarizes the training and educational courses for Asian countries carried out in Japan by the related institutions. The 2nd Workshop on Human Resources Development in the Nuclear Field was held on 27 and 28 of November 2000, based on FNCA (Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia) organized by the Nuclear Energy Commission, and then the following day ''The Present Status of the International Training and Education in Japan for Asian Countries'' was reported for Asian participants on 29, November. This report is the Japanese edition of the handout distributed at the meeting. I believe it can be helpful for the related institutions in Japan to support the human resources development in the nuclear field efficiently and effectively in future. (author)

The Laser Ranging Experiment of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter: Five Years of Operations and Data Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Dandan; McGarry, Jan F.; Mazarico, Erwan; Neumann, Gregory A.; Sun, Xiaoli; Torrence, Mark H.; Zagwodzki, Thomas W.; Rowlands, David D.; Hoffman, Evan D.; Horvath, Julie E.;

Patterns of Local Recurrence and Dose Fractionation of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy in 462 Patients With Soft Tissue Sarcoma of Extremity and Trunk Wall

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jebsen, Nina L.; Engellau, Jacob; Engström, Katarina; Bauer, Henrik C.; Monge, Odd R.; Muren, Ludvig P.; Eide, Geir E.; Trovik, Clement S.; Bruland, Øyvind S.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To study the impact of dose fractionation of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) on local recurrence (LR) and the relation of LR to radiation fields. Methods and Materials: LR rates were analyzed in 462 adult patients with soft tissue sarcoma who underwent surgical excision and adjuvant RT at five Scandinavian sarcoma centers from 1998 to 2009. Medical records were reviewed for dose fractionation parameters and to determine the location of the LR relative to the radiation portals. Results: Fifty-five of 462 patients developed a LR (11.9%). Negative prognostic factors included intralesional surgical margin (hazard ratio [HR]: 7.83, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.08-20.0), high malignancy grade (HR: 5.82, 95% CI: 1.31-25.8), age at diagnosis (HR per 10 years: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.03-1.56), and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor histological subtype (HR: 6.66, 95% CI: 2.56-17.3). RT dose was tailored to margin status. No correlation between RT dose and LR rate was found in multiple Cox regression analysis. The majority (65%) of LRs occurred within the primary RT volume. Conclusions: No significant dose–response effect of adjuvant RT was demonstrated. Interestingly, patients given 45-Gy accelerated RT (1.8 Gy twice daily/2.5 weeks) had the best local outcome. A total dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions seemed adequate following wide margin surgery. The risk of LR was associated with histopathologic subtype, which should be included in the treatment algorithm of adjuvant RT in soft tissue sarcoma

Patterns of Local Recurrence and Dose Fractionation of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy in 462 Patients With Soft Tissue Sarcoma of Extremity and Trunk Wall

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jebsen, Nina L., E-mail: nina.louise.jebsen@helse-bergen.no [Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen (Norway); Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen (Norway); Engellau, Jacob [Department of Oncology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund (Sweden); Engström, Katarina [Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg (Sweden); Bauer, Henrik C. [Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Section for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Monge, Odd R. [Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen (Norway); Muren, Ludvig P. [Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, Bergen (Norway); Department of Medical Physics, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus (Denmark); Eide, Geir E. [Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen (Norway); Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Bergen (Norway); Trovik, Clement S. [Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen (Norway); Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen (Norway); Bruland, Øyvind S. [Department of Oncology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo (Norway); Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo (Norway)

2013-08-01

Purpose: To study the impact of dose fractionation of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) on local recurrence (LR) and the relation of LR to radiation fields. Methods and Materials: LR rates were analyzed in 462 adult patients with soft tissue sarcoma who underwent surgical excision and adjuvant RT at five Scandinavian sarcoma centers from 1998 to 2009. Medical records were reviewed for dose fractionation parameters and to determine the location of the LR relative to the radiation portals. Results: Fifty-five of 462 patients developed a LR (11.9%). Negative prognostic factors included intralesional surgical margin (hazard ratio [HR]: 7.83, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.08-20.0), high malignancy grade (HR: 5.82, 95% CI: 1.31-25.8), age at diagnosis (HR per 10 years: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.03-1.56), and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor histological subtype (HR: 6.66, 95% CI: 2.56-17.3). RT dose was tailored to margin status. No correlation between RT dose and LR rate was found in multiple Cox regression analysis. The majority (65%) of LRs occurred within the primary RT volume. Conclusions: No significant dose–response effect of adjuvant RT was demonstrated. Interestingly, patients given 45-Gy accelerated RT (1.8 Gy twice daily/2.5 weeks) had the best local outcome. A total dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions seemed adequate following wide margin surgery. The risk of LR was associated with histopathologic subtype, which should be included in the treatment algorithm of adjuvant RT in soft tissue sarcoma.

Application of Long-Range Surface Plasmon Resonance for ABO Blood Typing

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Wanida Tangkawsakul

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, we demonstrate a long-range surface plasmon resonance (LR-SPR biosensor for the detection of whole cell by captured antigens A and B on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs as a model. The LR-SPR sensor chip consists of high-refractive index glass, a Cytop film layer, and a thin gold (Au film, which makes the evanescent field intensity and the penetration depth longer than conventional SPR. Therefore, the LR-SPR biosensor has improved capability for detecting large analytes, such as RBCs. The antibodies specific to blood group A and group B (Anti-A and Anti-B are covalently immobilized on a grafting self-assembled monolayer (SAM/Au surface on the biosensor. For blood typing, RBC samples can be detected by the LR-SPR biosensor through a change in the refractive index. We determined that the results of blood typing using the LR-SPR biosensor are consistent with the results obtained from the agglutination test. We obtained the lowest detection limits of 1.58 × 105 cells/ml for RBC-A and 3.83 × 105 cells/ml for RBC-B, indicating that the LR-SPR chip has a higher sensitivity than conventional SPR biosensors (3.3 × 108 cells/ml. The surface of the biosensor can be efficiently regenerated using 20 mM NaOH. In summary, as the LR-SPR technique is sensitive and has a simple experimental setup, it can easily be applied for ABO blood group typing.

Present Situation of Field Training for the Students of Accounting in Saudi Universities: A Field Study on Female Students of the Accounting Department – Princess Nora University

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mhasen Ali Khalil Alhaj

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to explore the present situation of field training for the students of the accounting education in Saudi Universities, so as to raise its level and make the best use of it to gain practical experience and professional skills in accounting and other relevant field skills. To achieve this, a field study was conducted on trainee students of the Accounting Department – Princess Nourah University. To collect data for the study, a questionnaire consisting of two parts was used and distributed to groups of female students who were selected through the stratified random method. The sample represented students who were expected to graduate from the department, and who were registered in the Field Training Program. The sample involved students from different three academic levels, and various training days. The results showed statistically significant differences at (α =0.05 in the type of training for building accounting knowledge and skills of the students in the accounting department. This is attributed to the different training institutions. The results also revealed that writing graduation research simultaneously with the training program, whose allotted time is inadequate, would reduce the chance of gaining the desired experiences of field training. It was also clear that discontinuous training would hinder the students from getting the appropriate training opportunities, and that conducting training during the summer semester seemed sufficient and appropriate. Keywords: Accounting education, Field training.

Nasally administered Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains differentially modulate respiratory antiviral immune responses and induce protection against respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomosada, Yohsuke; Chiba, Eriko; Zelaya, Hortensia; Takahashi, Takuya; Tsukida, Kohichiro; Kitazawa, Haruki; Alvarez, Susana; Villena, Julio

2013-08-15

Some studies have shown that nasally administered immunobiotics had the potential to improve the outcome of influenza virus infection. However, the capacity of immunobiotics to improve protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection was not investigated before. The aims of this study were: a) to evaluate whether the nasal administration of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CRL1505 (Lr05) and L. rhamnosus CRL1506 (Lr06) are able to improve respiratory antiviral defenses and beneficially modulate the immune response triggered by TLR3/RIG-I activation; b) to investigate whether viability of Lr05 or Lr06 is indispensable to modulate respiratory immunity and; c) to evaluate the capacity of Lr05 and Lr06 to improve the resistance of infant mice against RSV infection. Nasally administered Lr05 and Lr06 differentially modulated the TLR3/RIG-I-triggered antiviral respiratory immune response. Lr06 administration significantly modulated the production of IFN-α, IFN-β and IL-6 in the response to poly(I:C) challenge, while nasal priming with Lr05 was more effective to improve levels of IFN-γ and IL-10. Both viable Lr05 and Lr06 strains increased the resistance of infant mice to RSV infection while only heat-killed Lr05 showed a protective effect similar to those observed with viable strains. The present work demonstrated that nasal administration of immunobiotics is able to beneficially modulate the immune response triggered by TLR3/RIG-I activation in the respiratory tract and to increase the resistance of mice to the challenge with RSV. Comparative studies using two Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains of the same origin and with similar technological properties showed that each strain has an specific immunoregulatory effect in the respiratory tract and that they differentially modulate the immune response after poly(I:C) or RSV challenges, conferring different degree of protection and using distinct immune mechanisms. We also demonstrated in this work that it is possible

International co-operation in the nuclear field - past, present and prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldschmidt, B.

1978-01-01

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its creation, the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (NEA/OECD) held a symposium in Paris on 1 and 2 February 1978. Some 200 participants from the 23 Member countries of the NEA as well as representatives of the Commission of European Communities, FORATOM and the IAEA attended the symposium. At a panel discussion at the symposium, led by Dr. Sigvard Eklund, Director General of the IAEA, the future of international co-operation between advanced nations in the nuclear field was discussed. While recognizing that nuclear energy is at present going through a period of uncertainty pending resolution of the intertwined problems of gaining public confidence and of non-proliferation, the panel expressed its strong confidence in the future of nuclear power, and the vital contribution it would make, particularly between now and the end of the century. During the meeting, a critical review was made of the way in which international co-operation has evolved since the early stages of peaceful nuclear development, and of the influence on this co-operation of the changing relationship between government and industry. The contribution of international co-operation - and its limitations - was carefully scrutinized, notably in the crucial area of the nuclear fuel cycle

Autologous leukocyte-reduced platelet-rich plasma therapy for Achilles tendinopathy induced by collagenase in a rabbit model.

Science.gov (United States)

González, Juan C; López, Catalina; Álvarez, María E; Pérez, Jorge E; Carmona, Jorge U

2016-01-19

Leukocyte-reduced platelet-rich plasma (LR-PRP) is a therapy for tendinopathy of the Achilles tendon (TAT); however, there is scarce information regarding LR-PRP effects in rabbit models of TAT. We compared, at 4 and 12 weeks (w), the LR-PRP and placebo (PBS) effects on ultrasonography, histology and relative gene expression of collagen types I (COL1A1) and III (COL3A1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in 24 rabbits with TAT induced by collagenase. The rabbits (treated with both treatments) were euthanatised after either 4 or 12 w. A healthy group (HG (n = 6)) was included. At 4 and 12 w, the LR-PRP group had a no statistically different histology score to the HG. At w 4, the COL1A1 expression was significantly higher in the LR-PRP group when compared to HG, and the expression of COL3A1 from both LR-PRP and PBS-treated tendons was significantly higher when compared to the HG. At w 12, the expression of COL3A1 remained significantly higher in the PBS group in comparison to the LR-PRP group and the HG. At w 4, the LR-PRP group presented a significantly higher expression of VEGF when compared to the PBS group and the HG. In conclusion, LR-PRP treatment showed regenerative properties in rabbits with TAT.

Analysis of Parameters Assessment on Laminated Rubber-Metal Spring for Structural Vibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salim, M.A.; Putra, A.; Mansor, M.R.; Musthafah, M.T.; Akop, M.Z.; Abdullah, M.A.

2016-01-01

This paper presents the analysis of parameter assessment on laminated rubber-metal spring (LR-MS) for vibrating structure. Three parameters were selected for the assessment which are mass, Young's modulus and radius. Natural rubber materials has been used to develop the LR-MS model. Three analyses were later conducted based on the selected parameters to the LR-MS performance which are natural frequency, location of the internal resonance frequency and transmissibility of internal resonance. Results of the analysis performed were plotted in frequency domain function graph. Transmissibility of laminated rubber-metal spring (LR-MS) is changed by changing the value of the parameter. This occurrence was referred to the theory from open literature then final conclusion has been make which are these parameters have a potential to give an effects and trends for LR-MS transmissibility. (paper)

Maternal Style Selectively Shapes Amygdalar Development and Social Behavior in Rats Genetically Prone to High Anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Joshua L; Glover, Matthew E; Pugh, Phyllis C; Fant, Andrew D; Simmons, Rebecca K; Akil, Huda; Kerman, Ilan A; Clinton, Sarah M

2015-01-01

The early-life environment critically influences neurodevelopment and later psychological health. To elucidate neural and environmental elements that shape emotional behavior, we developed a rat model of individual differences in temperament and environmental reactivity. We selectively bred rats for high versus low behavioral response to novelty and found that high-reactive (bred high-responder, bHR) rats displayed greater risk-taking, impulsivity and aggression relative to low-reactive (bred low-responder, bLR) rats, which showed high levels of anxiety/depression-like behavior and certain stress vulnerability. The bHR/bLR traits are heritable, but prior work revealed bHR/bLR maternal style differences, with bLR dams showing more maternal attention than bHRs. The present study implemented a cross-fostering paradigm to examine the contribution of maternal behavior to the brain development and emotional behavior of bLR offspring. bLR offspring were reared by biological bLR mothers or fostered to a bLR or bHR mother and then evaluated to determine the effects on the following: (1) developmental gene expression in the hippocampus and amygdala and (2) adult anxiety/depression-like behavior. Genome-wide expression profiling showed that cross-fostering bLR rats to bHR mothers shifted developmental gene expression in the amygdala (but not hippocampus), reduced adult anxiety and enhanced social interaction. Our findings illustrate how an early-life manipulation such as cross-fostering changes the brain's developmental trajectory and ultimately impacts adult behavior. Moreover, while earlier studies highlighted hippocampal differences contributing to the bHR/bLR phenotypes, our results point to a role of the amygdala as well. Future work will pursue genetic and cellular mechanisms within the amygdala that contribute to bHR/bLR behavior either at baseline or following environmental manipulations. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Field Test Results of Using a Nacelle-Mounted Lidar for Improving Wind Energy Capture by Reducing Yaw Misalignment (Presentation)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fleming, P.; Scholbrock, A.; Wright, A.

2014-11-01

Presented at the Nordic Wind Power Conference on November 5, 2014. This presentation describes field-test campaigns performed at the National Wind Technology Center in which lidar technology was used to improve the yaw alignment of the Controls Advanced Research Turbine (CART) 2 and CART3 wind turbines. The campaigns demonstrated that whether by learning a correction function to the nacelle vane, or by controlling yaw directly with the lidar signal, a significant improvement in power capture was demonstrated.

Proceedings of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) Scientific Conference 17-22 November 2013 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: plenaries and oral presentations

OpenAIRE

Gitta, Sheba Nakacubo; Mwesiga, Allan; Kamadjeu, Raoul; Stanley, Claire; Borchert, Jeff; Mensah, George; Bejtullahu, Armand; Kamadjeu, Raoul; Kebede, Amha; Berhane, Yemane; Jocker, Mathew Lado; Ebontane, Ndode Corlins; Feyissa, Daba; Yeshitila, Kidanie; Mehari, Goitom

2015-01-01

Biennially, trainees and graduates of Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs (FELTPs) are presented with a platform to share investigations and projects undertaken during their two-year training in Applied Epidemiology. The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) Scientific Conference, is a perfect opportunity for public health professionals from various sectors and organizations to come together to discuss issues that impact on public health in Africa. This year's conference...

Tedizolid susceptibility in linezolid- and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Klupp, E-M; Both, A; Belmar Campos, C; Büttner, H; König, C; Christopeit, M; Christner, M; Aepfelbacher, M; Rohde, H

2016-12-01

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are of ever-increasing importance, most notably in high-risk patient populations. Therapy options are often limited for these isolates, and apart from tigecycline and daptomycin, oxazolidinone linezolid is frequently administered. The broad usage of linezolid, however, has driven the emergence of linezolid-resistant VRE strains (LR-VRE), further shortening therapeutic options. Second-generation oxazolidinone tedizolid has the advantage of being active against a specific subset of LR-VRE, i.e. isolates expressing the plasmid-encoded chloramphenicol-florfenicol resistance (cfr) gene. Here we tested tedizolid activity in a collection of 30 LR Enterococcus faecium VRE (MIC range 32-256 mg/l) isolated between 2012 and 2015 from clinical and screening specimens. By pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) isolates were assigned to 16 clonal lineages. In three cases, linezolid-susceptible progenitor isolates of LR-VRE were isolated, thus demonstrating the de-novo emergence of the linezolid-resistant phenotype. PCR did not detect cfr, cfr(B) or novel oxazolidinone resistance gene optrA in LR-VRE. All isolates, however, carried mutations within the 23S rDNA. Compared to linezolid, tedizolid MICs were lower in all isolates (MIC range 2-32 mg/l), but remained above the FDA tedizolid breakpoint for E. faecalis at 0.5 mg/l. Thus, related to the predominant resistance mechanism, tedizolid is of limited value for treatment of most LR-VRE and represents a therapeutic option only for a limited subset of isolates.

Validation of Likelihood Ratio Methods Used for Forensic Evidence Evaluation: Application in Forensic Fingerprints

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haraksim, Rudolf

2014-01-01

In this chapter the Likelihood Ratio (LR) inference model will be introduced, the theoretical aspects of probabilities will be discussed and the validation framework for LR methods used for forensic evidence evaluation will be presented. Prior to introducing the validation framework, following

Outcomes and Patterns of Failure for Grade 2 Meningioma Treated With Reduced-Margin Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Press, Robert H. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Prabhu, Roshan S., E-mail: roshansprabhu@gmail.com [Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Appin, Christina L.; Brat, Daniel J. [Department of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Shu, Hui-Kuo G. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Hadjipanayis, Constantinos; Olson, Jeffrey J.; Oyesiku, Nelson M. [Department of Neurosurgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Curran, Walter J.; Crocker, Ian [Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States)

2014-04-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate intracranial control and patterns of local recurrence (LR) for grade 2 meningiomas treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with limited total margin expansions of ≤1 cm. Methods and Materials: We reviewed records of patients with a neuropathological diagnosis of grade 2 meningioma who underwent IMRT at our institution between 2002 and 2012. Actuarial rates were determined by the Kaplan-Meier method from the end of RT. LR was defined as in-field if ≥90% of the recurrence was within the prescription isodose, out-of-field (marginal) if ≥90% was outside of the prescription isodose, and both if neither criterion was met. Results: Between 2002 and 2012, a total of 54 consecutive patients underwent IMRT for grade 2 meningioma. Eight of these patients had total initial margins >1 cm and were excluded, leaving 46 patients for analysis. The median imaging follow-up period was 26.2 months (range, 7-107 months). The median dose for fractionated IMRT was 59.4 Gy (range, 49.2-61.2 Gy). Median clinical target volume (CTV), planning target volume (PTV), and total margin expansion were 0.5 cm, 0.3 cm, and 0.8 cm, respectively. LR occurred in 8 patients (17%), with 2-year and 3-year actuarial local control (LC) of 92% and 74%, respectively. Six of 8 patients (85%) had a known pattern of failure. Five patients (83%) had in-field LR; no patients had marginal LR; and 1 patient (17%) had both. Conclusions: The use of IMRT to treat grade 2 meningiomas with total initial margins (CTV + PTV) ≤1 cm did not appear to compromise outcomes or increase marginal failures compared with other modern retrospective series. Of the 46 patients who had margins ≤1 cm, none experienced marginal failure only. These results demonstrate efficacy and low risk of marginal failure after IMRT treatment of grade 2 meningiomas with reduced margins, warranting study within a prospective clinical trial.

Speckle correlation resolution enhancement of wide-field fluorescence imaging (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz, Hasan

2016-03-01

Structured illumination enables high-resolution fluorescence imaging of nanostructures [1]. We demonstrate a new high-resolution fluorescence imaging method that uses a scattering layer with a high-index substrate as a solid immersion lens [2]. Random scattering of coherent light enables a speckle pattern with a very fine structure that illuminates the fluorescent nanospheres on the back surface of the high-index substrate. The speckle pattern is raster-scanned over the fluorescent nanospheres using a speckle correlation effect known as the optical memory effect. A series of standard-resolution fluorescence images per each speckle pattern displacement are recorded by an electron-multiplying CCD camera using a commercial microscope objective. We have developed a new phase-retrieval algorithm to reconstruct a high-resolution, wide-field image from several standard-resolution wide-field images. We have introduced phase information of Fourier components of standard-resolution images as a new constraint in our algorithm which discards ambiguities therefore ensures convergence to a unique solution. We demonstrate two-dimensional fluorescence images of a collection of nanospheres with a deconvolved Abbe resolution of 116 nm and a field of view of 10 µm × 10 µm. Our method is robust against optical aberrations and stage drifts, therefore excellent for imaging nanostructures under ambient conditions. [1] M. G. L. Gustafsson, J. Microsc. 198, 82-87 (2000). [2] H. Yilmaz, E. G. van Putten, J. Bertolotti, A. Lagendijk, W. L. Vos, and A. P. Mosk, Optica 2, 424-429 (2015).

LumenRECON Guidewire: Pilot Study of a Novel, Nonimaging Technology for Accurate Vessel Sizing and Delivery of Therapy in Femoropopliteal Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Pradeep K; Carr, Jeffrey G; Bigelow, Brian; Bhatt, Deepak L; Berwick, Zachary C; Adams, George

2018-01-01

Proper vessel sizing during endovascular interventions is crucial to avoid adverse procedural and clinical outcomes. LumenRECON (LR) is a novel, nonimaging, 0.035-inch wire-based technology that uses the physics-based principle of Ohm's law to provide a simple, real-time luminal size while also providing a platform for therapy delivery. This study evaluated the accuracy, reliability, and safety of the LR system in patients presenting for a femoropopliteal artery intervention. This multicenter, prospective pilot study of 24 patients presenting for peripheral intervention compared LR measurements of femoropopliteal artery size to angiographic visual estimation, duplex ultrasound, quantitative angiography, and intravascular ultrasound. The primary effectiveness and safety end point was comparison against core laboratory adjudicated intravascular ultrasound values and major adverse events, respectively. Additional preclinical studies were also performed in vitro and in vivo in swine to determine the accuracy of the LR guidewire system. No intra- or postprocedure device-related adverse events occurred. A balloon or stent was successfully delivered in 12 patients (50%) over the LR wire. Differences in repeatability between successive LR measurements was 2.5±0.40% ( R 2 =0.96) with no significant bias. Differences in measurements of LR to other modalities were 0.5±1.7%, 5.0±1.8%, -1.5±2.0%, and 6.8±3.4% for intravascular ultrasound core laboratory, quantitative angiography, angiographic, and duplex ultrasound, respectively. This study demonstrates that through a physics-based principle, LR provides a real-time, safe, reproducible, and accurate vessel size of the femoropopliteal artery during intervention and can additionally serve as a conduit for therapy delivery over its wire-based platform. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Linguistic & Rhetorical Paradigm as Innovative Theoretical Methodological Platform of Studying Discursive Processes of East Slavic and Western Cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Аlexandra A. Vorozhbitova

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The paper suggests studying conceptual models and mechanisms of linguistic consciousness of East Slavic and Western cultures with the application of the theoretical methodological approach of Linguistic & Rhetorical (L&R Paradigm as an integrative philological trend of an innovative type. The L&R Paradigm rests on the intersection of three categorical dimensions: ideological aspects of a speech event (ethos, logos, pathos; stages of universal cycle of idea-into-speech transformation (invention, disposition, elocution as a technology of discursive processes; levels of the structure of a linguistic personality as a discourse producer and ideology bearer (associative verbal network, thesaurus, pragmatic field. Hence, the article proposes three groups of L&R parameters of studying speech and thinking phenomena: ethos-motivational-dispositional; logos-thesaurus-inventional; pathos-verbal-elocutionary.

Automatic Lung-RADS™ classification with a natural language processing system.

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, Sebastian E; McKee, Brady J; Regis, Shawn M; McKee, Andrea B; Flacke, Sebastian; El Saadawi, Gilan; Wald, Christoph

2017-09-01

Our aim was to train a natural language processing (NLP) algorithm to capture imaging characteristics of lung nodules reported in a structured CT report and suggest the applicable Lung-RADS™ (LR) category. Our study included structured, clinical reports of consecutive CT lung screening (CTLS) exams performed from 08/2014 to 08/2015 at an ACR accredited Lung Cancer Screening Center. All patients screened were at high-risk for lung cancer according to the NCCN Guidelines ® . All exams were interpreted by one of three radiologists credentialed to read CTLS exams using LR using a standard reporting template. Training and test sets consisted of consecutive exams. Lung screening exams were divided into two groups: three training sets (500, 120, and 383 reports each) and one final evaluation set (498 reports). NLP algorithm results were compared with the gold standard of LR category assigned by the radiologist. The sensitivity/specificity of the NLP algorithm to correctly assign LR categories for suspicious nodules (LR 4) and positive nodules (LR 3/4) were 74.1%/98.6% and 75.0%/98.8% respectively. The majority of mismatches occurred in cases where pulmonary findings were present not currently addressed by LR. Misclassifications also resulted from the failure to identify exams as follow-up and the failure to completely characterize part-solid nodules. In a sub-group analysis among structured reports with standardized language, the sensitivity and specificity to detect LR 4 nodules were 87.0% and 99.5%, respectively. An NLP system can accurately suggest the appropriate LR category from CTLS exam findings when standardized reporting is used.

Nanoimprinted reflecting gratings for long-range surface plasmon polaritons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Rasmus Haugstrup; Boltasseva, Alexandra; Johansen, Dan Mario

2007-01-01

We present a novel design, fabrication, and characterization of reflecting gratings for long-range surface plasmon polaritons (LR-SPPs) at telecom wavelengths. LR-SPP waveguides consisting of a thin (12 nm) gold film embedded in a thick (45 μm) layer of dielectric polymer cladding are structured...

Consciousness wanted, attention found: Reasons for the advantage of the left visual field in identifying T2 among rapidly presented series.

Science.gov (United States)

Verleger, Rolf; Śmigasiewicz, Kamila

2015-09-01

Everyday experience suggests that people are equally aware of events in both hemi-fields. However, when two streams of stimuli are rapidly presented left and right containing two targets, the second target is better identified in the left than in the right visual field. This might be considered evidence for a right-hemisphere advantage in generating conscious percepts. However, this putative asymmetry of conscious perception cannot be measured independently of participants' access to their conscious percepts, and there is actually evidence from split-brain patients for the reverse, left-hemisphere advantage in having access to conscious percepts. Several other topics were studied in search of the responsible mechanism, among others: Mutual inhibition of hemispheres, cooperation of hemispheres in perceiving midline stimuli, and asymmetries in processing various perceptual inputs. Directing attention by salient cues turned out to be one of the few mechanisms capable of modifying the left visual-field advantage in this paradigm. Thus, this left visual-field advantage is best explained by the notion of a right-hemisphere advantage in directing attention to salient events. Dovetailing with the pathological asymmetries of attention after right-hemisphere lesions and with asymmetries of brain activation when healthy participants shift their attention, the present results extend that body of evidence by demonstrating unusually large and reliable behavioral asymmetries for attention-directing processes in healthy participants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Paul trap experiment to simulate intense nonneutral beam propagation through a periodic focusing field configuration

CERN Document Server

Davidson, R C; Majeski, R; Qin, H; Shvets, G

2001-01-01

This paper describes the design concept for a compact Paul trap experimental configuration that fully simulates the collective processes and nonlinear transverse dynamics of an intense charged particle beam that propagates over large distances through a periodic quadrupole magnetic field. To summarize, a long nonneutral plasma column (L>=r sub p) is confined axially by applied DC voltages V[circ]=const. on end cylinders at z=+-L, and transverse confinement is provided by segmented cylindrical electrodes (at radius r sub w) with applied oscillatory voltages +-V sub 0 (t) over 90 deg. segments. Because the transverse focusing force is similar in waveform to that produced by a discrete set of periodic quadrupole magnets in a frame moving with the beam, the Paul trap configuration offers the possibility of simulating intense beam propagation in a compact experimental facility. The nominal operating parameters in the experimental design are: barium ions (A=137); plasma column length 2L=2 m; wall radius r sub w =10...

Statistical Study of the Properties of Magnetosheath Lion Roars using MMS observations

Science.gov (United States)

Giagkiozis, S.; Wilson, L. B., III

2017-12-01

Intense whistler-mode waves of very short duration are frequently encountered in the magnetosheath. These emissions have been linked to mirror mode waves and the Earth's bow shock. They can efficiently transfer energy between different plasma populations. These electromagnetic waves are commonly referred to as Lion roars (LR), due to the sound generated when the signals are sonified. They are generally observed during dips of the magnetic field that are anti-correlated with increases of density. Using MMS data, we have identified more than 1750 individual LR burst intervals. Each emission was band-pass filtered and further split into >35,000 subintervals, for which the direction of propagation and the polarization were calculated. The analysis of subinterval properties provides a more accurate representation of their true nature than the more commonly used time- and frequency-averaged dynamic spectra analysis. The results of the statistical analysis of the wave properties will be presented.

Likelihood ratio data to report the validation of a forensic fingerprint evaluation method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ramos, Daniel; Haraksim, Rudolf; Meuwly, Didier

2017-01-01

Data to which the authors refer to throughout this article are likelihood ratios (LR) computed from the comparison of 5–12 minutiae fingermarks with fingerprints. These LRs data are used for the validation of a likelihood ratio (LR) method in forensic evidence evaluation. These data present a

Computational Study of Estrogen Receptor-Alpha Antagonist with Three-Dimensional Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Support Vector Regression, and Linear Regression Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying-Hsin Chang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Human estrogen receptor (ER isoforms, ERα and ERβ, have long been an important focus in the field of biology. To better understand the structural features associated with the binding of ERα ligands to ERα and modulate their function, several QSAR models, including CoMFA, CoMSIA, SVR, and LR methods, have been employed to predict the inhibitory activity of 68 raloxifene derivatives. In the SVR and LR modeling, 11 descriptors were selected through feature ranking and sequential feature addition/deletion to generate equations to predict the inhibitory activity toward ERα. Among four descriptors that constantly appear in various generated equations, two agree with CoMFA and CoMSIA steric fields and another two can be correlated to a calculated electrostatic potential of ERα.

Impaired Expression of Focal Adhesion Kinase in Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Low-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuenv Wu

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The pathogenic role of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS development and progression has been investigated by numerous studies, yet, it remains controversial in some aspects (1, 2. In the present study, we found distinct features of MSCs from low-risk (LR-MDS stromal microenvironment as compared to those from healthy subjects. At the molecular level, focal adhesion kinase, a key tyrosine kinase in control of cell proliferation, survival, and adhesion process, was found profoundly suppressed in expression and activation in LR-MDS MSC. At a functional level, LR-MDS MSCs showed impaired growth and clonogenic capacity, which were independent of cellular senescence and apoptosis. The pro-adipogenic differentiation and attenuated osteogenic capacity along with reduced SDF-1 expression could be involved in creating an unfavorable microenvironment for hematopoiesis. In conclusion, our experiments support the theory that the stromal microenvironment is fundamentally altered in LR-MDS, and these preliminary data offer a new perspective on LR-MDS pathophysiology.

Measurement with SR-0 experimental modules of the SPHINX nuclear transmutation system. Variants 2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rypar, Vojtech; Juricek, Vlastimil; Svadlenkova, Marie; Heraltova, Lenka; Viererbl, Ladislav; Lahodova, Zdena

2008-12-01

Experiments were performed with two LR-0 rector core arrangements and 3 variants of SR-0 insertion modules with a view to establishing the critical parameters of the reactor cores for the 3 module variants comprising different materials and different numbers of LR-0 fuel pins. The effect of the materials on the photon dose distribution and, on the axial and radial neutron field distributions (via 140 Ba and 140 La activities) was examined and the reaction rate distribution of activation foils inside the experimental module was measured

Present scenery of cuban legislation in the field of legal verification of dosimetric instruments used in radiological protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salas G, Walwyn; Morales Monzon, J.A.; Hernandez Blanche, E.

2001-01-01

The main objective of legal metrology is to ensure the public guaranty from the point of view of safety, and the suitable accuracy of the measurements that are made on health, environmental applications, and trade. The International Organization of Legal Metrology included the ionizing radiation field on those for which the use of the verified measuring instruments are suggested. . The paper presents the advances of Cuban legislation in this field, promoted by issue of the Decree-Law 183 of Metrology. As part of such advances, the Cuban standards for verification NC 44:1999 'X and Gamma Radiation Measuring Instruments. Verification methods' is discussed. This standard was elaborated in the Cuban Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory, and it is based on the available relevant international standards. Results from verification service during the year 2000 are also provided.(author)

From Mahan excitons to Landau levels at high magnetic fields: 2DFT spectroscopy reveals hidden quantum correlations (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Karaiskaj, Denis

2017-02-01

Two-dimensional electron gases have been the subject of research for decades. Modulation doped GaAs quantum wells in the absence of magnetic fields exhibit interesting many-body physics such as the Fermi edge singularity or Mahan exciton and can be regarded as a collective excitation of the system. Under high magnetic fields Landau levels form which have been studied using transport and optical measurements. Nonlinear coherent two-dimensional Fourier transform (2DFT) spectroscopy however provides new insights into these systems. We present the 2DFT spectra of Mahan Excitons associated with the heavy-hole and light-hole resonances observed in a modulation doped GaAs/AlGaAs single quantum well [1]. These resonances are observed to be strongly coupled through many-body interactions. The 2DFT spectra were measured using co-linear, cross-linear, and co-circular polarizations and reveal striking differences. Furthermore, 2DFT spectra at high magnetic fields performed at the National High Magnetic Field Lab (NHMFL) in Tallahassee, Florida will be discussed. The spectra exhibit new features and peculiar line shapes suggesting interesting underlying physics. [1] J. Paul, C. E. Stevens, C. Liu, P. Dey, C. McIntyre, V. Turkowski, J. L. Reno, D. J. Hilton, and D. Karaiskaj, Phys. Rev. Lett.116, 157401 (2016).

Cell Chirality Drives Left-Right Asymmetric Morphogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Inaki, Mikiko; Sasamura, Takeshi; Matsuno, Kenji

2018-01-01

Most macromolecules found in cells are chiral, meaning that they cannot be superimposed onto their mirror image. However, cells themselves can also be chiral, a subject that has received little attention until very recently. In our studies on the mechanisms of left-right (LR) asymmetric development in Drosophila , we discovered that cells can have an intrinsic chirality to their structure, and that this "cell chirality" is generally responsible for the LR asymmetric development of certain organs in this species. The actin cytoskeleton plays important roles in the formation of cell chirality. In addition, Myosin31DF ( Myo31DF ), which encodes Drosophila Myosin ID, was identified as a molecular switch for cell chirality. In other invertebrate species, including snails and Caenorhabditis elegans , chirality of the blastomeres, another type of cell chirality, determines the LR asymmetry of structures in the body. Thus, chirality at the cellular level may broadly contribute to LR asymmetric development in various invertebrate species. Recently, cell chirality was also reported for various vertebrate cultured cells, and studies suggested that cell chirality is evolutionarily conserved, including the essential role of the actin cytoskeleton. Although the biological roles of cell chirality in vertebrates remain unknown, it may control LR asymmetric development or other morphogenetic events. The investigation of cell chirality has just begun, and this new field should provide valuable new insights in biology and medicine.

The Landauer resistance and band spectra for the counting quantum Turing machine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benioff, P.

1996-01-01

In other work, the generalized counting quantum Turing machine (GCQTM) was studied. For any N this machine enumerates the first 2 N integers in succession as binary strings. The generalization consists of associating a potential with read 1 steps only. The Landauer Resistance (LR) and band spectra were determined for the tight binding Hamiltonians associated with the GCQTM for energies below the potential height. Here these calculations are extended to energies both above and below the barrier height. For parameters and potentials in the electron region, the LR fluctuates rapidly between very high and very low values as a function of momentum. The rapidity and extent of the fluctuations increases rapidly with increasing N. For N = 18, the largest value considered, the LR shows good transmission probability as a function of momentum with numerous holes of very high LR values present. This is true for energies both above and below the potential height. It is suggested that the main features of the LR can be explained by coherent superposition of the component waves reflected from or transmitted through or across the 2 N-1 potentials present in the distribution. If this explanation is correct, it provides a dramatic illustration of the effects of quantum nonlocality

Nitric oxide mediates strigolactone signaling in auxin and ethylene-sensitive lateral root formation in sunflower seedlings.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharti, Niharika; Bhatla, Satish C

2015-01-01

Strigolactones (SLs) play significant role in shaping root architecture whereby auxin-SL crosstalk has been observed in SL-mediated responses of primary root elongation, lateral root formation and adventitious root (AR) initiation. Whereas GR24 (a synthetic strigolactone) inhibits LR and AR formation, the effect of SL biosynthesis inhibitor (fluridone) is just the opposite (root proliferation). Naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) leads to LR proliferation but completely inhibits AR development. The diffusive distribution of PIN1 in the provascular cells in the differentiating zone of the roots in response to GR24, fluridone or NPA treatments further indicates the involvement of localized auxin accumulation in LR development responses. Inhibition of LR formation by GR24 treatment coincides with inhibition of ACC synthase activity. Profuse LR development by fluridone and NPA treatments correlates with enhanced [Ca(2+)]cyt in the apical region and differentiating zones of LR, indicating a critical role of [Ca(2+)] in LR development in response to the coordinated action of auxins, ethylene and SLs. Significant enhancement of carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (CCD) activity (enzyme responsible for SL biosynthesis) in tissue homogenates in presence of cPTIO (NO scavenger) indicates the role of endogenous NO as a negative modulator of CCD activity. Differences in the spatial distribution of NO in the primary and lateral roots further highlight the involvement of NO in SL-modulated root morphogenesis in sunflower seedlings. Present work provides new report on the negative modulation of SL biosynthesis through modulation of CCD activity by endogenous nitric oxide during SL-modulated LR development.

Diagnostic utility of magnetic resonance imaging and radiography in juvenile spondyloarthritis: evaluation of the sacroiliac joints in controls and affected subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaremko, Jacob L; Liu, Lei; Winn, Naomi J; Ellsworth, Janet E; Lambert, Robert G W

2014-05-01

To compare the utility of radiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of juvenile-onset spondyloarthritis in pediatric patients presenting with low back and/or sacroiliac (SI) pain of potentially inflammatory etiology. Radiographs and MRI studies of the SI joints in 26 patients with juvenile spondyloarthritis (JSpA) and 35 controls were assessed independently by 2 radiologists, with discrepancies arbitrated by a third. Radiographs and MRI were blinded and read in separate batches in random order. Erosion was common and was the most useful diagnostic feature on radiography [positive likelihood ratio (LR) = 3.5] and was especially diagnostic of SpA on MRI (LR = 6.7). Subchondral sclerosis was common but was the least specific feature for both modalities. Joint space narrowing had some utility on radiography (LR = 2.0) and MRI (LR = 2.7) but was uncommon and had poor reader reliability. Bone marrow edema (LR = 3.1) and subarticular fat infiltration (LR = 4.5), detectable only on MRI, were both useful features. Global diagnostic impression of MRI (LR = 9.4) had very high utility for the diagnosis of JSpA, exceeding radiography (LR = 4.4) because of superior specificity. In addition, global diagnosis of SpA is much more reliably made on MRI (κ = 0.80) compared to radiography (κ = 0.30). Specificity and reliability of MRI of the SI joints are superior to radiography for the diagnosis of juvenile-onset SpA and, where available, MRI should replace radiography as the first line of investigation.

Identifying Contributors of DNA Mixtures by Means of Quantitative Information of STR Typing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tvedebrink, Torben; Eriksen, Poul Svante; Mogensen, Helle Smidt

2012-01-01

identified using polymorphic genetic markers. However, modern typing techniques supply additional quantitative data, which contain very important information about the observed evidence. This is particularly true for cases of DNA mixtures, where more than one individual has contributed to the observed......Abstract Estimating the weight of evidence in forensic genetics is often done in terms of a likelihood ratio, LR. The LR evaluates the probability of the observed evidence under competing hypotheses. Most often, probabilities used in the LR only consider the evidence from the genomic variation...... biological stain. This article presents a method for including the quantitative information of short tandem repeat (STR) DNA mixtures in the LR. Also, an efficient algorithmic method for finding the best matching combination of DNA mixture profiles is derived and implemented in an on-line tool for two...

Nurturing Diversity in STEM Fields through Geography: The Past, the Present, and the Future

Science.gov (United States)

Oyana, Tonny J.; Garcia, Sonia J.; Haegele, Jennifer A.; Hawthorne, Timothy L.; Morgan, Joe; Young, Nekya Jenise

2015-01-01

To date, there has been a wealth of research on participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, but most research focuses on the implementation of programs and whether these programs work. Such research can be expanded and enhanced by considering geographic perspectives on participation in the STEM fields and by…

High impact ionization rate in silicon by sub-picosecond THz electric field pulses (Conference Presentation)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tarekegne, Abebe Tilahun; Iwaszczuk, Krzysztof; Hirori, Hideki

2017-01-01

Summary form only given. Metallic antenna arrays fabricated on high resistivity silicon are used to localize and enhance the incident THz field resulting in high electric field pulses with peak electric field strength reaching several MV/cm on the silicon surface near the antenna tips. In such high...... electric field strengths high density of carriers are generated in silicon through impact ionization process. The high density of generated carriers induces a change of refractive index in silicon. By measuring the change of reflectivity of tightly focused 800 nm light, the local density of free carriers...... near the antenna tips is measured. Using the NIR probing technique, we observed that the density of carriers increases by over 8 orders of magnitude in a time duration of approximately 500 fs with an incident THz pulse of peak electric field strength 700 kV/cm. This shows that a single impact...

Postulation of rust resistance genes in Nordic spring wheat genotypes and identification of widely effective sources of resistance against the Australian rust flora.

Science.gov (United States)

Randhawa, Mandeep; Bansal, Urmil; Lillemo, Morten; Miah, Hanif; Bariana, Harbans

2016-11-01

Wild relatives, landraces and cultivars from different geographical regions have been demonstrated as the sources of genetic variation for resistance to rust diseases. This study involved assessment of diversity for resistance to three rust diseases among a set of Nordic spring wheat cultivars. These cultivars were tested at the seedling stage against several pathotypes of three rust pathogens in the greenhouse. All stage stem rust resistance genes Sr7b, Sr8a, Sr12, Sr15, Sr17, Sr23 and Sr30, and leaf rust resistance genes Lr1, Lr3a, Lr13, Lr14a, Lr16 and Lr20 were postulated either singly or in different combinations among these cultivars. A high proportion of cultivars were identified to carry linked rust resistance genes Sr15 and Lr20. Although 51 cultivars showed variation against Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) pathotypes used in this study, results were not clearly contrasting to enable postulation of stripe rust resistance genes in these genotypes. Stripe rust resistance gene Yr27 was postulated in four cultivars and Yr1 was present in cultivar Zebra. Cultivar Tjalve produced low stripe rust response against all Pst pathotypes indicating the presence either of a widely effective resistance gene or combination of genes with compensating pathogenic specificities. Several cultivars carried moderate to high level of APR to leaf rust and stripe rust. Seedling stem rust susceptible cultivar Aston exhibited moderately resistant to moderately susceptible response, whereas other cultivars belonging to this class were rated moderately susceptible or higher. Molecular markers linked with APR genes Yr48, Lr34/Yr18/Sr57, Lr68 and Sr2 detected the presence of these genes in some genotypes.

Presenting in Virtual Worlds: Towards an Architecture for a 3D Presenter explaining 2D-Presented Information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Welbergen, H.; Hendler, J.; Goren-Bar, D.; Nijholt, Antinus; Reidsma, Dennis; Mayora-Ibarra, O.; Zwiers, Jakob

Meeting and lecture room technology is a burgeoning field. Such technology can provide real-time support for physically present participants, for online remote participation, or for offline access to meetings or lectures. Capturing relevant information from meetings or lectures is necessary to

Marker-assisted pyramiding of Thinopyrum-derived leaf rust ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Mona Singh

2017-12-08

Dec 8, 2017 ... Abstract. This study was undertaken to pyramid two effective leaf rust resistance genes (Lr19 and Lr24) derived from ... genes such as Lr9, Lr19, Lr26 and Lr28 became ineffective ..... Disease management recommendations.

Prognostic Value of External Beam Radiation Therapy in Patients Treated With Surgical Resection and Intraoperative Electron Beam Radiation Therapy for Locally Recurrent Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A Multicentric Long-Term Outcome Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calvo, Felipe A. [Department of Oncology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid (Spain); School of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid (Spain); Sole, Claudio V., E-mail: cvsole@uc.cl [Department of Oncology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid (Spain); School of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid (Spain); Service of Radiation Oncology, Instituto de Radiomedicina, Santiago (Chile); Cambeiro, Mauricio [Service of Radiation Oncology, Clínica Universitaria, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona (Spain); Montero, Angel; Polo, Alfredo [Service of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Universidad de Alcala, Madrid (Spain); Gonzalez, Carmen [School of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid (Spain); Service of Radiation Oncology, Instituto de Radiomedicina, Santiago (Chile); Service of Radiation Oncology, Clínica Universitaria, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona (Spain); Service of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Universidad de Alcala, Madrid (Spain); Service of Radiation Oncology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid (Spain); Cuervo, Miguel [Service of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid (Spain); San Julian, Mikel [Service of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Clínica Universitaria, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona (Spain); and others

2014-01-01

Background: A joint analysis of data from centers involved in the Spanish Cooperative Initiative for Intraoperative Electron Radiotherapy was performed to investigate long-term outcomes of locally recurrent soft tissue sarcoma (LR-STS) patients treated with a multidisciplinary approach. Methods and Materials: Patients with a histologic diagnosis of LR-STS (extremity, 43%; trunk wall, 24%; retroperitoneum, 33%) and no distant metastases who underwent radical surgery and intraoperative electron radiation therapy (IOERT; median dose, 12.5 Gy) were considered eligible for participation in this study. In addition, 62% received external beam radiation therapy (EBRT; median dose, 50 Gy). Results: From 1986 to 2012, a total of 103 patients from 3 Spanish expert IOERT institutions were analyzed. With a median follow-up of 57 months (range, 2-311 months), 5-year local control (LC) was 60%. The 5-year IORT in-field control, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival were 73%, 43%, and 52%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, no EBRT to treat the LR-STS (P=.02) and microscopically involved margin resection status (P=.04) retained significance in relation to LC. With regard to IORT in-field control, only not delivering EBRT to the LR-STS retained significance in the multivariate analysis (P=.03). Conclusion: This joint analysis revealed that surgical margin and EBRT affect LC but that, given the high risk of distant metastases, DFS remains modest. Intensified local treatment needs to be further tested in the context of more efficient concurrent, neoadjuvant, and adjuvant systemic therapy.

Prognostic Value of External Beam Radiation Therapy in Patients Treated With Surgical Resection and Intraoperative Electron Beam Radiation Therapy for Locally Recurrent Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A Multicentric Long-Term Outcome Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calvo, Felipe A.; Sole, Claudio V.; Cambeiro, Mauricio; Montero, Angel; Polo, Alfredo; Gonzalez, Carmen; Cuervo, Miguel; San Julian, Mikel

2014-01-01

Background: A joint analysis of data from centers involved in the Spanish Cooperative Initiative for Intraoperative Electron Radiotherapy was performed to investigate long-term outcomes of locally recurrent soft tissue sarcoma (LR-STS) patients treated with a multidisciplinary approach. Methods and Materials: Patients with a histologic diagnosis of LR-STS (extremity, 43%; trunk wall, 24%; retroperitoneum, 33%) and no distant metastases who underwent radical surgery and intraoperative electron radiation therapy (IOERT; median dose, 12.5 Gy) were considered eligible for participation in this study. In addition, 62% received external beam radiation therapy (EBRT; median dose, 50 Gy). Results: From 1986 to 2012, a total of 103 patients from 3 Spanish expert IOERT institutions were analyzed. With a median follow-up of 57 months (range, 2-311 months), 5-year local control (LC) was 60%. The 5-year IORT in-field control, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival were 73%, 43%, and 52%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, no EBRT to treat the LR-STS (P=.02) and microscopically involved margin resection status (P=.04) retained significance in relation to LC. With regard to IORT in-field control, only not delivering EBRT to the LR-STS retained significance in the multivariate analysis (P=.03). Conclusion: This joint analysis revealed that surgical margin and EBRT affect LC but that, given the high risk of distant metastases, DFS remains modest. Intensified local treatment needs to be further tested in the context of more efficient concurrent, neoadjuvant, and adjuvant systemic therapy

Characterization and Mapping of Leaf Rust and Stripe Rust Resistance Loci in Hexaploid Wheat Lines UC1110 and PI610750 under Mexican Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Caixia; Hale, Iago L; Herrera-Foessel, Sybil A; Basnet, Bhoja R; Randhawa, Mandeep S; Huerta-Espino, Julio; Dubcovsky, Jorge; Singh, Ravi P

2017-01-01

Growing resistant wheat varieties is a key method of minimizing the extent of yield losses caused by the globally important wheat leaf rust (LR) and stripe rust (YR) diseases. In this study, a population of 186 F 8 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between a synthetic wheat derivative (PI610750) and an adapted common wheat line (cv. "UC1110") were phenotyped for LR and YR response at both seedling and adult plant stages over multiple seasons. Using a genetic linkage map consisting of single sequence repeats and diversity arrays technology markers, in combination with inclusive composite interval mapping analysis, we detected a new LR adult plant resistance (APR) locus, QLr.cim-2DS , contributed by UC1110. One co-located resistance locus to both rusts, QLr.cim-3DC/QYr.cim-3DC , and the known seedling resistance gene Lr26 were also mapped. QLr.cim-2DS and QLr.cim-3DC showed a marginally significant interaction for LR resistance in the adult plant stage. In addition, two previously reported YR APR loci, QYr.ucw-3BS and Yr48 , were found to exhibit stable performances in rust environments in both Mexico and the United States and showed a highly significant interaction in the field. Yr48 was also observed to confer intermediate seedling resistance against Mexican YR races, thus suggesting it should be re-classified as an all-stage resistance gene. We also identified 5 and 2 RILs that possessed all detected YR and LR resistance loci, respectively. With the closely linked molecular markers reported here, these RILs could be used as donors for multiple resistance loci to both rusts in wheat breeding programs.

The International Gravity Field Service (IGFS): Present Day Activities And Future Plans

Science.gov (United States)

Barzaghi, R.; Vergos, G. S.

2016-12-01

IGFS is a unified "umbrella" IAG service that coordinates the servicing of the geodetic and geophysical community with gravity field related data, software and information. The combined data of the IGFS entities will include global geopotential models, terrestrial, airborne, satellite and marine gravity observations, Earth tide data, GPS/levelling data, digital models of terrain and bathymetry, as well as ocean gravity field and geoid from satellite altimetry. The IGFS structure is based on the Gravity Services, the "operating arms" of IGFS. These Services related to IGFS are: BGI (Bureau Gravimetrique International), Toulouse, France ISG (International Service for the Geoid), Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy IGETS (International Geodynamics and Earth Tides Service), EOST, Strasbourg, France ICGEM (International Center for Global Earth Models), GFZ, Potsdam, Germany IDEMS (International Digital Elevation Model Service), ESRI, Redlands, CA, USA The Central Bureau, hosted at the Aristotle Thessaloniki University, is in charge for all the interactions among the services and the other IAG bodies, particularly GGOS. In this respect, connections with the GGOS Bureaus of Products and Standards and of Networks and Observations have been recently strengthened in order to align the Gravity services to the GGOS standards. IGFS is also strongly involved in the most relevant projects related to the gravity field such as the establishment of the new Global Absolute Gravity Reference System and of the International Height Reference System. These projects, along with the organization of Geoid Schools devoted to methods for gravity and geoid estimate, will play a central role in the IGFS future actions in the framework of GGOS.

Slow rusting response of different wheat genotypes against the leaf rust in relation to epidemiological factors in Faisalabad

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, M.A.; Haider, M.M.; Hussain, M.; Ahmad, S.

2007-01-01

Wheat genotypes were screened against leaf rust to evaluate slow rusting response. Among one hundred and sixty varieties/lines, 86 showed response to leaf rust while all other remained immune or showed no response. The slow rusting, wheat varieties/ lines displayed 20-40% severity level and these were Maxi-Pak65, Blue silver, Pothohar, Punjab81, Faisalabd-83, Shalimar-88, Kohnoor-83, Pasban-90, Inqilab-91, Uqab-99-94105, Punjab-76, Parwaz-94, HD2169, HD2179, HD2204, HD2285, Lr27+31, LrB, LR17, Lr14A, Lr15 and Yr1-E-1 while the fast rusting varieties/lines that showed severity level up to 90% were WL-711, Morocco, PAK-1, Punjab-85 and Chakwal-86 SA42, SA75, Lr1, Lr2A, Lr2B. Lr23, Lr3KA, Lr3g, Lr10, Lr18, Lr21, Lr24, Yr2-E35 and 95153 respectively. Slow rusting genotypes exhibited low AUDPC (200-400) values while fast rusters displayed high AUDPC (400-1500) values. Leaf rust severity displayed significant correlation with maximum and minimum temperatures, rainfall and sunshine radiation. It was observed that with an increase of these environmental conditions a significant increase in disease severity was recorded

Lecture Presentations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

The Symposium on Physics of Elementary Interactions in the LHC Era held in Warsaw from 21 to 22 April 2008. The main subject of the workshop was to present the progress in CERN LHC collider project. Additionally some satellite activities in field of education, knowledge and technology transfer in the frame of CERN - Poland cooperation were shown

Proceedings of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) Scientific Conference 17-22 November 2013 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: plenaries and oral presentations.

Science.gov (United States)

Gitta, Sheba Nakacubo; Mwesiga, Allan; Kamadjeu, Raoul

2015-01-01

Biennially, trainees and graduates of Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs (FELTPs) are presented with a platform to share investigations and projects undertaken during their two-year training in Applied Epidemiology. The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) Scientific Conference, is a perfect opportunity for public health professionals from various sectors and organizations to come together to discuss issues that impact on public health in Africa. This year's conference was organized by the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute in collaboration with the Ethiopia Ministry of Health, Ethiopian Public Health Association (EPHA), Ethiopia Field Epidemiology Training Program (EFETP), Addis Ababa University (AAU), Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET) and AFENET. Participants at this year's conference numbered 400 from over 20 countries including; Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen and Zimbabwe. The topics covered in the 144 oral presentations included: global health security, emergency response, public health informatics, vaccine preventable diseases, immunization, outbreak investigation, Millennium Development Goals, Non-Communicable Diseases, and public health surveillance. The theme for the 5th AFENET Scientific Conference was; "Addressing Public Health Priorities in Africa through FELTPs." Previous AFENET Scientific conferences have been held in: Accra, Ghana (2005), Kampala, Uganda (2007), Mombasa, Kenya (2009) and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (2011).

Presentation of CEA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graf, J.J.

1976-01-01

The organization of the CEA, its missions and means are presented. Its activities in the field of light water reactors, fast neutron reactors and PWR reactors of small and medium power for electricity and/or heat generation are emphasized [fr

Associations between chlorophyll a and various microcystin-LR health advisory concentrations [version 1; referees: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey W. Hollister

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (cHABs are associated with a wide range of adverse health effects that stem mostly from the presence of cyanotoxins. To help protect against these impacts, several health advisory levels have been set for some toxins. In particular, one of the more common toxins, microcystin-LR, has several advisory levels set for drinking water and recreational use. However, compared to other water quality measures, field measurements of microcystin-LR are not commonly available due to cost and advanced understanding required to interpret results. Addressing these issues will take time and resources. Thus, there is utility in finding indicators of microcystin-LR that are already widely available, can be estimated quickly and in situ, and used as a first defense against high concentrations of microcystin-LR. Chlorophyll a is commonly measured, can be estimated in situ, and has been shown to be positively associated with microcystin-LR. In this paper, we use this association to provide estimates of chlorophyll a concentrations that are indicative of a higher probability of exceeding select health advisory concentrations for microcystin-LR. Using the 2007 National Lakes Assessment and a conditional probability approach, we identify chlorophyll a concentrations that are more likely than not to be associated with an exceedance of a microcystin-LR health advisory level. We look at the recent US EPA health advisories for drinking water as well as the World Health Organization levels for drinking water and recreational use and identify a range of chlorophyll a thresholds. A 50% chance of exceeding one of the microcystin-LR advisory concentrations of 0.3, 1, 1.6, and 2 g/L is associated with chlorophyll a concentration thresholds of 23.4, 67.0, 83.5, and 105.8, respectively. When managing for these various microcystin-LR levels, exceeding these reported chlorophyll a concentrations should be a trigger for

Does EMS Perceived Anatomic Injury Predict Trauma Center Need?

Science.gov (United States)

Lerner, E. Brooke; Roberts, Jennifer; Guse, Clare E.; Shah, Manish N.; Swor, Robert; Cushman, Jeremy T.; Blatt, Alan; Jurkovich, Gregory J.; Brasel, Karen

2013-01-01

Objective Our objective was to determine the predictive value of the anatomic step of the 2011 Field Triage Decision Scheme for identifying trauma center need. Methods EMS providers caring for injured adults transported to regional trauma centers in 3 midsized communities were interviewed over two years. Patients were included, regardless of injury severity, if they were at least 18 years old and were transported by EMS with a mechanism of injury that was an assault, motor vehicle or motorcycle crash, fall, or pedestrian or bicyclist struck. The interview was conducted upon ED arrival and collected physiologic condition and anatomic injury data. Patients who met the physiologic criteria were excluded. Trauma center need was defined as non-orthopedic surgery within 24 hours, intensive care unit admission, or death prior to hospital discharge. Data were analyzed by calculating descriptive statistics including positive likelihood ratios (+LR) with 95% confidence intervals. Results 11,892 interviews were conducted. One was excluded because of missing outcome data and 1,274 were excluded because they met the physiologic step. EMS providers identified 1,167 cases that met the anatomic criteria, of which 307 (26%) needed the resources of a trauma center (38% sensitivity, 91% specificity, +LR 4.4; CI: 3.9 - 4.9). Criteria with a +LR ≥5 were flail chest (9.0; CI: 4.1 - 19.4), paralysis (6.8; CI: 4.2 - 11.2), two or more long bone fractures (6.3; CI: 4.5 - 8.9), and amputation (6.1; CI: 1.5 - 24.4). Criteria with a +LR >2 and <5 were penetrating injury (4.8; CI: 4.2 - 5.6), and skull fracture (4.8; CI: 3.0 - 7.7). Only pelvic fracture (1.9; CI: 1.3 - 2.9) had a +LR less than 2. Conclusions The anatomic step of the Field Triage Guidelines as determined by EMS providers is a reasonable tool for determining trauma center need. Use of EMS perceived pelvic fracture as an indicator for trauma center need should be re-evaluated. PMID:23627418

Current ramp-up experiments in full current drive plasmas on TRIAM-1M

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanada, K.; Nakamura, K.; Hasegawa, M.

2003-01-01

Four types of plasma current ramp-up experiments were executed on TRIAM-1M in full lower hybrid current drive plasmas (LHCD: 8.2GHz, up to 0.4 MW, 8 x 2 grill antenna); 1) the current start up by the combination between electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECH: 170GHz, up to 0.2 MW, O-mode launching) and LHCD at the density of ∼2x10 19 m -3 at B t =6.7T, 2) the tail heating by the additional LHCD, 3) the bulk heating by ECH, 4) the spontaneous ramp up by the transition to enhanced current drive (ECD) mode. The time evolutions of plasma current during four types of ramp-up phase were investigated and an exponential type and a tangent-hyperbolic one were observed. The time evolutions of plasma current during the tail and the bulk heating show the exponential type except the tail heating with high n parallel and it has a tangent-hyperbolic one during the ECD mode and the current start-up. A simple model with two different time constants, which are a time defined by L/R, τ L/R , and a time caused by change of the effective refractive index along the magnetic field, τ, is proposed to explain two types of the time evolution of the plasma current. The estimated τ L/R is consistent with the calculated one from the plasma parameter. It is found that τ are less than τ L/R in the cases of the tail and the bulk heating, and comparable in the cases of the ECD mode, and more than τ L/R in the cases of the plasma start-up. This indicates that the value of the effective refractive index along the magnetic field, parallel >, develops during the ECD mode and the current start-up. The value of τ depends on the RF power. The estimated is close to the expected up-shifted n parallel due to the toroidal effect and the magnetic shear. (author)

Diagnostic Accuracy of Dual-Source Computerized Tomography Coronary Angiography in Symptomatic Patients Presenting to a Referral Cardiovascular Center During Daily Clinical Practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahdavi, Arash; Mohammadzadeh, Ali; Joodi, Golsa; Tabatabaei, Mohammad Reza; Sheikholeslami, Farhad; Motevalli, Marzieh

2016-01-01

There are numerous studies that address the diagnostic value of dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) as an alternative to conventional coronary angiography (CCA). However, the benefit of application of DSCT in a real world clinical setting should be evaluated. To determine the diagnostic accuracy of DSCT technique compared with CCA as the gold standard method in detection of coronary artery stenosis among symptomatic patients who are presented to a referral cardiovascular center during daily clinical practice. Evaluating the medical records of a tertiary care referral cardiovascular center, 47 patients who had undergone DSCT and CCA, and also met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study were selected. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and likelihood ratios (LRs) of the DSCT imaging technique were calculated. In total, 97.8% of the segments (628/642) could be visualized with diagnostic image quality via DSCT coronary angiography. The mean heart rate during DSCT was 69.2 ± 12.2 bpm (range: 39 - 83 bpm), and the mean Agatston score was 507.7 ± 590.5 (range: 0 - 2328). Per segment analysis of the findings revealed that the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, positive LR (PLR) and negative LR (NLR) of DSCT technique for evaluation of patients with coronary artery disease were 93.7%, 96.8%, 92.7%, 97.2%, 29.4, and 0.066, respectively. Also per vessel, analysis of the findings showed a sensitivity of 97.1%, a specificity of 94.0%, PPV of 95.3%, NPV of 96.3%, PLR of 16.1, and NLR of 0.030. Our results indicate that DSCT coronary angiography provides high diagnostic accuracy for the evaluation of CAD patients during daily routine practice of a referral cardiovascular setting

Measurements of equilibrium factor between radon and its progeny by using of SSNTD and quality assurance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikezic, D.

2009-01-01

In this paper, a critical survey of existing methods for equilibrium factor determination by using SSNTD is given. An original method, developed by Nikezic and Yu [11,12], that is based on application of LR115 detector is presented. New introduced quantity, so called, proxy factor, that is measurable with LR115 detector, is well correlated with equilibrium factor. (author) [sr

A passive technique using SSNTDs for Estimation of thorium to uranium ratios in rocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenawy, M.A.; Sayyah, T.A.; Said, A.F.; Hafez, A.F.

2005-01-01

A passive technique using plastic nuclear track detectors (CR-39 and LR-115) is presented to estimate Th/U ratios and consequently the thorium and uranium content in granites taken from uranium exploration mines in Egyptian desert. The registration sensitivities of both CR-39 and LR-115 detector for close contact alpha-radiography uranium and thorium concentrations in ppm were computed

Biodegradação da hepatotoxina(D-Leu1-microcistina-LR por bactérias presentes em filtros biológicos de carvão

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro Minillo

2013-09-01

Full Text Available A persistência das microcistinas (MCs em ambientes aquáticos e sua difícil remoção no tratamento convencional de água representam um desafio às companhias de saneamento. Contudo, as MCs são susceptíveis à degradação por bactérias presentes na água, sedimentos e efluentes de esgotos. Neste estudo, avaliou-se a biodegradação de MCs por microrganismos presentes em filtros de carvão com atividade biológica (CAB e sua identificação filogenética pelo sequenciamento do gene 16S RNA. Foi utilizada uma água de estudo contendo MCs com diferentes composições, acrescida de efluente de filtros CAB. Os resultados demonstraram que as MCs foram biodegradadas por microrganismos presentes no biofilme. Este estudo infere sobre a capacidade de biodegradação de MCs por bactérias presentes em filtros CAB e o possível uso destes microorganismos como alternativa de remoção de MCs no tratamento de água potável.

Calculations of fission rate distribution in the core of WWER-1000 mock-up on the LR-0 reactor using alternative methods and comparison with results of measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaritskiy, S.; Kovalishin, A.; Tsvetkov, T.; Rypar, V.; Svadlenkova, M.

2011-01-01

General review of experimental and calculation researches on WWER-440 and WWER-1000 mock-ups on the reactor LR-0 was introduced on the twentieth Symposium AER. The experimental core fission rate distribution was obtained by means of gamma-scanning of the fuel pins - 140La single peak (1596 keV) measurements and wide energy range (approximately 600-900 keV) measurements. Altogether from 260 to 500 fuel pins were scanned in different experiments. The measurements were arranged in the middle of the fuel (the active part of pin). Pin-to-pin calculations of the WWER-1000 mock-up core fission rate distribution were performed with several codes: Monte Carlo codes MCU-REA/2 and MCNPX with different nuclear data libraries, diffusion code RADAR (63 energy groups library) and code SVL based on Surface Harmonics Method (69 energy groups). Calculated data are compared with experimental ones. The obtained results allow developing the benchmark for core calculations methodologies, evaluating and validating source reliability for the out-of-core (inside and outside pressure vessel) neutron transport calculations. (Authors)

''Radon-emanometry'' applied to internal geophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, J.L.

1982-02-01

An experimental set-up for in ground radon 222 measurements has been realised with solid state track detectors (cellulose nitrates CN85 and LR115). A preliminary study of radon activity variations has been conducted over various sites expecting using radon as one of forerunner geophysical parameters of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes predictions. The first data obtained in the field are presented: Etna (Sicily), Krafla (Iceland), Poas and Arenal (Costa Rica), Colima and Paricutin (Mexico) for active volcanoes, Ech Cheliff (Algeria) and Alsace (France) for sismotectonic areas [fr

Survey of Viruses Present in Radish Fields in 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinsoo Chung

2015-09-01

Full Text Available A 2014 nationwide survey in radish fields investigated the distribution of common viruses and possible emerging viruses. Radish leaves with virus-like symptoms were collected and 108 samples assayed by RT-PCR using specific primers for Radish mosaic virus (RaMV, Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV, and Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV; 47 samples were TuMV positive, and RaMV and CMV were detected in 3 and 2 samples, respectively. No samples showed double infection of TuMV/RaMV, or RaMV/CMV, but two double infections of TuMV/CMV were detected. TuMV isolates were sorted by symptom severity, and three isolates (R007-mild; R041 and R065-severe selected for BLAST and phylogenetic analysis, which indicated that the coat protein (CP of these isolates (R007, R041, and R065 have approx. 98-99% homology to a previously reported TuMV isolate. RaMV CP showed approx. 99% homology to a previously reported isolate, and the CMV CP is identical to a previously reported Korean isolate (GenBank : GU327368. Three isolates of TuMV showing different pathogenicity (degree of symptom severity will be valuable to study determinants of pathogenicity.

A systematic review of tests for lymph node status in primary endometrial cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Selman, Tara J; Mann, Christopher H; Zamora, Javier; Khan, Khalid S

2008-05-05

The lymph node status of a patient is a key determinate in staging, prognosis and adjuvant treatment of endometrial cancer. Despite this, the potential additional morbidity associated with lymphadenectomy makes its role controversial. This study systematically reviews the accuracy literature on sentinel node biopsy; ultra sound scanning, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer tomography (CT) for determining lymph node status in endometrial cancer. Relevant articles were identified form MEDLINE (1966-2006), EMBASE (1980-2006), MEDION, the Cochrane library, hand searching of reference lists from primary articles and reviews, conference abstracts and contact with experts in the field. The review included 18 relevant primary studies (693 women). Data was extracted for study characteristics and quality. Bivariate random-effect model meta-analysis was used to estimate diagnostic accuracy of the various index tests. MRI (pooled positive LR 26.7, 95% CI 10.6 - 67.6 and negative LR 0.29 95% CI 0.17 - 0.49) and successful sentinel node biopsy (pooled positive LR 18.9 95% CI 6.7 - 53.2 and negative LR 0.22, 95% CI 0.1 - 0.48) were the most accurate tests. CT was not as accurate a test (pooled positive LR 3.8, 95% CI 2.0 - 7.3 and negative LR of 0.62, 95% CI 0.45 - 0.86. There was only one study that reported the use of ultrasound scanning. MRI and sentinel node biopsy have shown similar diagnostic accuracy in confirming lymph node status among women with primary endometrial cancer than CT scanning, although the comparisons made are indirect and hence subject to bias. MRI should be used in preference, in light of the ASTEC trial, because of its non invasive nature.

A systematic review of tests for lymph node status in primary endometrial cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zamora Javier

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The lymph node status of a patient is a key determinate in staging, prognosis and adjuvant treatment of endometrial cancer. Despite this, the potential additional morbidity associated with lymphadenectomy makes its role controversial. This study systematically reviews the accuracy literature on sentinel node biopsy; ultra sound scanning, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI and computer tomography (CT for determining lymph node status in endometrial cancer. Methods Relevant articles were identified form MEDLINE (1966–2006, EMBASE (1980–2006, MEDION, the Cochrane library, hand searching of reference lists from primary articles and reviews, conference abstracts and contact with experts in the field. The review included 18 relevant primary studies (693 women. Data was extracted for study characteristics and quality. Bivariate random-effect model meta-analysis was used to estimate diagnostic accuracy of the various index tests. Results MRI (pooled positive LR 26.7, 95% CI 10.6 – 67.6 and negative LR 0.29 95% CI 0.17 – 0.49 and successful sentinel node biopsy (pooled positive LR 18.9 95% CI 6.7 – 53.2 and negative LR 0.22, 95% CI 0.1 – 0.48 were the most accurate tests. CT was not as accurate a test (pooled positive LR 3.8, 95% CI 2.0 – 7.3 and negative LR of 0.62, 95% CI 0.45 – 0.86. There was only one study that reported the use of ultrasound scanning. Conclusion MRI and sentinel node biopsy have shown similar diagnostic accuracy in confirming lymph node status among women with primary endometrial cancer than CT scanning, although the comparisons made are indirect and hence subject to bias. MRI should be used in preference, in light of the ASTEC trial, because of its non invasive nature.

A comparison of the exposure response of French and Irish radon detectors during field measurements in houses in Brittany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tymen, G.; Mouden, A.; McLaughlin, J.P.; Wasiolek, P.; Rannou, A.

1988-01-01

Intercomparisons between French (CEA) and Irish (UCD) radon detectors were made during 1986/87 under field conditions in over 100 dwellings within the framework of a regional study in Britanny which commenced in 1984. Two different types of passive radon detectors, both using Kodak-Pathe LR-115 film, were used. The French type is of the open variety while the Irish type is closed. Preliminary analysis of the results obtained from about one hundred exposures shows that while good agreement was found in some cases a mean relative variation of 40% appears to exist between the French and Irish data. In general the Irish data gave the lower radon determinations. Likely reasons for any lack of agreement between the radon data sets obtained from the passive detectors are discussed and also comparisons are made in relation to potential alpha energy data, gamma exposure data and the exposure conditions in the dwellings. (author)

Screening of wheat germplasm for the source of resistance against leaf and stripe rust under climatic conditions in Bhakkar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatti, M.A.; Burhan, M.; Shahzad, M.A.; Aslam, M.

2009-01-01

A field experiment was conducted to assess the level of resistance and susceptibility against stripe and leaf rust of wheat at Arid Zone Research 1, Institute, Bhakkar during, Rabi 2009, One hundred wheat genotypes were sown in second week of November. Each test line/variety of planted in two rows of 2 meter reach will two row of Morocco after every three entries to increase the disease pressure, fest lines/ varieties were inoculated thrice with highly susceptible Morocco and two most virulent Lr-26 and Lr-23 patho type. Out of eighty four test entries/varieties screened against le leaf rust, 5 exhibited resistant 21 moderately susceptible, 20 susceptible, 28 moderately resistant and 10 were highly susceptible. The present investigation indicated that there was no highly resistant lines/variety with zero disease severity. On the other hand, as regards stripe rust, out of thirty seven lines/varieties only two lines were susceptible to disease, Among other lines/ varieties, 12 resistant, 11 moderately resistant, 6 moderately susceptible and 2 susceptible against disease. Four (4) lines /varieties proved as highly resistant with zero disease severity.

Sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratios of PCR in the diagnosis of syphilis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gayet-Ageron, Angèle; Lautenschlager, Stephan; Ninet, Béatrice; Perneger, Thomas V; Combescure, Christophe

2013-05-01

To systematically review and estimate pooled sensitivity and specificity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique compared to recommended reference tests in the diagnosis of suspected syphilis at various stages and in various biological materials. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Search of three electronic bibliographic databases from January 1990 to January 2012 and the abstract books of five congresses specialized in the infectious diseases' field (1999-2011). Search key terms included syphilis, Treponema pallidum or neurosyphilis and molecular amplification, polymerase chain reaction or PCR. We included studies that used both reference tests to diagnose syphilis plus PCR and we presented pooled estimates of PCR sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR) per syphilis stages and biological materials. Of 1160 identified abstracts, 69 were selected and 46 studies used adequate reference tests to diagnose syphilis. Sensitivity was highest in the swabs from primary genital or anal chancres (78.4%; 95% CI: 68.2-86.0) and in blood from neonates with congenital syphilis (83.0%; 55.0-95.2). Most pooled specificities were ∼95%, except those in blood. A positive PCR is highly informative with a positive LR around 20 in ulcers or skin lesions. In the blood, the positive LR was syphilis diagnosis in lesions. PCR is a useful diagnostic tool in ulcers, especially when serology is still negative and in medical settings with a high prevalence of syphilis.

Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits TLR4 signaling through the 67-kDa laminin receptor on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated dendritic cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byun, Eui-Baek; Choi, Han-Gyu; Sung, Nak-Yun; Byun, Eui-Hong

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Expressions of CD80, CD86, and MHC class I/II were inhibited by EGCG via 67LR. ► EGCG-treated DCs inhibited LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines via 67LR. ► EGCG-treated DCs inhibited MAPKs activation and NF-κB p65 translocation via 67LR. ► EGCG elevated the expression of the Tollip protein through 67LR in DCs. -- Abstract: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major active polyphenol of green tea, has been shown to down-regulate inflammatory responses in dendritic cells (DCs); however, the underlying mechanism has not been understood. Recently, we identified the 67-kDa laminin receptor (67LR) as a cell-surface EGCG receptor. In this study, we showed the molecular basis for the down-regulation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signal transduction by EGCG in DCs. The expressions of CD80, CD86, and MHC class I and II, which are molecules essential for antigen presentation by DCs, were inhibited by EGCG via 67LR. In addition, EGCG-treated DCs inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interleukin [IL]-1β, and IL-6) and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), e.g., extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) p65 translocation through 67LR. Interestingly, we also found that EGCG markedly elevated the expression of the Tollip protein, a negative regulator of TLR signaling, through 67LR. These novel findings provide new insight into the understanding of negative regulatory mechanisms of the TLR4 signaling pathway and consequent inflammatory responses that are implicated in the development and progression of many chronic diseases.

Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits TLR4 signaling through the 67-kDa laminin receptor on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated dendritic cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Byun, Eui-Baek [Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup 580-185 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Han-Gyu [Department of Microbiology and Research Institute for Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 301-747 (Korea, Republic of); Sung, Nak-Yun [Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup 580-185 (Korea, Republic of); Byun, Eui-Hong, E-mail: ehbyun80@gmail.com [Department of Microbiology and Research Institute for Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 301-747 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-05

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Expressions of CD80, CD86, and MHC class I/II were inhibited by EGCG via 67LR. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer EGCG-treated DCs inhibited LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines via 67LR. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer EGCG-treated DCs inhibited MAPKs activation and NF-{kappa}B p65 translocation via 67LR. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer EGCG elevated the expression of the Tollip protein through 67LR in DCs. -- Abstract: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major active polyphenol of green tea, has been shown to down-regulate inflammatory responses in dendritic cells (DCs); however, the underlying mechanism has not been understood. Recently, we identified the 67-kDa laminin receptor (67LR) as a cell-surface EGCG receptor. In this study, we showed the molecular basis for the down-regulation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signal transduction by EGCG in DCs. The expressions of CD80, CD86, and MHC class I and II, which are molecules essential for antigen presentation by DCs, were inhibited by EGCG via 67LR. In addition, EGCG-treated DCs inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-{alpha}, interleukin [IL]-1{beta}, and IL-6) and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), e.g., extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and nuclear factor {kappa}B (NF-{kappa}B) p65 translocation through 67LR. Interestingly, we also found that EGCG markedly elevated the expression of the Tollip protein, a negative regulator of TLR signaling, through 67LR. These novel findings provide new insight into the understanding of negative regulatory mechanisms of the TLR4 signaling pathway and consequent inflammatory responses that are implicated in the development and progression of many chronic diseases.

Accuracy of deformable image registration on magnetic resonance images in digital and physical phantoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Ger, Rachel B; Yang, Jinzhong; Ding, Yao; Jacobsen, Megan C; Fuller, Clifton D; Howell, Rebecca M; Li, Heng; Jason Stafford, R; Zhou, Shouhao; Court, Laurence E

2017-10-01

Accurate deformable image registration is necessary for longitudinal studies. The error associated with commercial systems has been evaluated using computed tomography (CT). Several in-house algorithms have been evaluated for use with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but there is still relatively little information about MRI deformable image registration. This work presents an evaluation of two deformable image registration systems, one commercial (Velocity) and one in-house (demons-based algorithm), with MRI using two different metrics to quantify the registration error. The registration error was analyzed with synthetic MR images. These images were generated from interpatient and intrapatient variation models trained on 28 patients. Four synthetic post-treatment images were generated for each of four synthetic pretreatment images, resulting in 16 image registrations for both the T1- and T2-weighted images. The synthetic post-treatment images were registered to their corresponding synthetic pretreatment image. The registration error was calculated between the known deformation vector field and the generated deformation vector field from the image registration system. The registration error was also analyzed using a porcine phantom with ten implanted 0.35-mm diameter gold markers. The markers were visible on CT but not MRI. CT, T1-weighted MR, and T2-weighted MR images were taken in four different positions. The markers were contoured on the CT images and rigidly registered to their corresponding MR images. The MR images were deformably registered and the distance between the projected marker location and true marker location was measured as the registration error. The synthetic images were evaluated only on Velocity. Root mean square errors (RMSEs) of 0.76 mm in the left-right (LR) direction, 0.76 mm in the anteroposterior (AP) direction, and 0.69 mm in the superior-inferior (SI) direction were observed for the T1-weighted MR images. RMSEs of 1.1 mm in the LR

Potential risk levels of invasive Neoleucinodes elegantalis (small tomato borer) in areas optimal for open-field Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) cultivation in the present and under predicted climate change.

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Ricardo Siqueira; Kumar, Lalit; Shabani, Farzin; Picanço, Marcelo Coutinho

2017-03-01

Neoleucinodes elegantalis is one of the major insect pests of Solanum lycopersicum. Currently, N. elegantalis is present only in America and the Caribbean, and is a threat in the world's largest S. lycopersicum-producing countries. In terms of potential impact on agriculture, the impact of climate change on insect invasions must be a concern. At present, no research exists regarding the effects of climatic change on the risk level of N. elegantalis. The purpose of this study was to develop a model for S. lycopersicum and N. elegantalis, utilizing CLIMEX to determine risk levels of N. elegantalis in open-field S. lycopersicum cultivation in the present and under projected climate change, using the global climate model CSIRO-Mk3.0. Large areas are projected to be suitable for N. elegantalis and optimal for open-field S. lycopersicum cultivation at the present time. However, in the future these areas will become unsuitable for both species. Conversely, other regions in the future may become optimal for open-field S. lycopersicum cultivation, with a varying risk level for N. elegantalis. The risk level results presented here provide a useful tool to design strategies to prevent the introduction and establishment of N. elegantalis in open-field S. lycopersicum cultivation. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Wake fields and wake field acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bane, K.L.F.; Wilson, P.B.; Weiland, T.

1984-12-01

In this lecture we introduce the concepts of wake fields and wake potentials, examine some basic properties of these functions, show how they can be calculated, and look briefly at a few important applications. One such application is wake field acceleration. The wake field accelerator is capable of producing the high gradients required for future very high energy e + e - linear colliders. The principles of wake field acceleration, and a brief description of experiments in progress in this area, are presented in the concluding section. 40 references, 27 figures

Automatic luminous reflections detector using global threshold with increased luminosity contrast in images

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Ricardo Petri; Naozuka, Gustavo Taiji; Mastelini, Saulo Martiello; Felinto, Alan Salvany

2018-01-01

The incidence of luminous reflections (LR) in captured images can interfere with the color of the affected regions. These regions tend to oversaturate, becoming whitish and, consequently, losing the original color information of the scene. Decision processes that employ images acquired from digital cameras can be impaired by the LR incidence. Such applications include real-time video surgeries, facial, and ocular recognition. This work proposes an algorithm called contrast enhancement of potential LR regions, which is a preprocessing to increase the contrast of potential LR regions, in order to improve the performance of automatic LR detectors. In addition, three automatic detectors were compared with and without the employment of our preprocessing method. The first one is a technique already consolidated in the literature called the Chang-Tseng threshold. We propose two automatic detectors called adapted histogram peak and global threshold. We employed four performance metrics to evaluate the detectors, namely, accuracy, precision, exactitude, and root mean square error. The exactitude metric is developed by this work. Thus, a manually defined reference model was created. The global threshold detector combined with our preprocessing method presented the best results, with an average exactitude rate of 82.47%.

Two-step superresolution approach for surveillance face image through radial basis function-partial least squares regression and locality-induced sparse representation

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Junjun; Hu, Ruimin; Han, Zhen; Wang, Zhongyuan; Chen, Jun

2013-10-01

Face superresolution (SR), or face hallucination, refers to the technique of generating a high-resolution (HR) face image from a low-resolution (LR) one with the help of a set of training examples. It aims at transcending the limitations of electronic imaging systems. Applications of face SR include video surveillance, in which the individual of interest is often far from cameras. A two-step method is proposed to infer a high-quality and HR face image from a low-quality and LR observation. First, we establish the nonlinear relationship between LR face images and HR ones, according to radial basis function and partial least squares (RBF-PLS) regression, to transform the LR face into the global face space. Then, a locality-induced sparse representation (LiSR) approach is presented to enhance the local facial details once all the global faces for each LR training face are constructed. A comparison of some state-of-the-art SR methods shows the superiority of the proposed two-step approach, RBF-PLS global face regression followed by LiSR-based local patch reconstruction. Experiments also demonstrate the effectiveness under both simulation conditions and some real conditions.

Heat Killed Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-263 Reduces Fibrosis Effects on the Liver and Heart in High Fat Diet-Hamsters via TGF-β Suppression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei-Jen Ting

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Obesity is one of the major risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, and NAFLD is highly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD. Scholars have suggested that certain probiotics may significantly impact cardiovascular health, particularly certain Lactobacillus species, such as Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-263 (Lr263 probiotics, which have been shown to reduce obesity and arteriosclerosis in vivo. In the present study, we examined the potential of heat-killed bacteria to attenuate high fat diet (HFD-induced hepatic and cardiac damages and the possible underlying mechanism of the positive effects of heat-killed Lr263 oral supplements. Heat-killed Lr263 treatments (625 and 3125 mg/kg-hamster/day were provided as a daily supplement by oral gavage to HFD-fed hamsters for eight weeks. The results show that heat-killed Lr263 treatments reduce fatty liver syndrome. Moreover, heat-killed Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-263 supplementation in HFD hamsters also reduced fibrosis in the liver and heart by reducing transforming growth factor β (TGF-β expression levels. In conclusion, heat-killed Lr263 can reduce lipid metabolic stress in HFD hamsters and decrease the risk of fatty liver and cardiovascular disease.

A hybrid genetic algorithm and linear regression for prediction of NOx emission in power generation plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunyamin, Muhammad Afif; Yap, Keem Siah; Aziz, Nur Liyana Afiqah Abdul; Tiong, Sheih Kiong; Wong, Shen Yuong; Kamal, Md Fauzan

2013-01-01

This paper presents a new approach of gas emission estimation in power generation plant using a hybrid Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Linear Regression (LR) (denoted as GA-LR). The LR is one of the approaches that model the relationship between an output dependant variable, y, with one or more explanatory variables or inputs which denoted as x. It is able to estimate unknown model parameters from inputs data. On the other hand, GA is used to search for the optimal solution until specific criteria is met causing termination. These results include providing good solutions as compared to one optimal solution for complex problems. Thus, GA is widely used as feature selection. By combining the LR and GA (GA-LR), this new technique is able to select the most important input features as well as giving more accurate prediction by minimizing the prediction errors. This new technique is able to produce more consistent of gas emission estimation, which may help in reducing population to the environment. In this paper, the study's interest is focused on nitrous oxides (NOx) prediction. The results of the experiment are encouraging.

Supersymmetric unification in the light of neutrino mass

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

which translates as: 'the universe becomes manifold by the differentiation of reciprocally ... fective field theory of fermions, gauge bosons and a scalar Higgs. .... tum number B L so that the electric charge in the LR model takes the appealing ...

Country report present status and need of human resource development in nuclear field in Vietnam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ngo Qui Viet; Vu Dang Ninh

2000-01-01

Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission (VAEC) was officially established in 1976, and is a national research and development organization in the field of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes in Vietnam. Under the VAEC, there are three institutes and one center. Status of main facilities, such as TRIGA MARK II, neutron generator, electron accelerator MT-17, and irradiation facilities are outlined in the paper. At present, the VAEC has a total staff of about 540 persons. The number of staff appears adequate to fulfill the present task on application of isotopes and nuclear techniques. When Vietnam decides to develop nuclear power program, the demand for human resources will be significantly high. During the last five years, Vietnam has been developing and implementing a national regulatory program on Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MOSTE) have established independent Vietnam Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority (VRPA) in 1994. If the Vietnamese Government approves the proposed nuclear power program, human resources training should be a key point for all research and development directions at all revel of personnel. When looking back in the history of formation and development of nuclear science and technology in Vietnam, the international cooperation has played an extremely important role in promoting the program. The exchange of information and direct participation in concrete cooperation activities under the framework of the Forum are expected. (Tanaka, Y.)

Country report present status and need of human resource development in nuclear field in Vietnam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ngo Qui Viet [Department of Organization and Scientific Human Resource Development, The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Vu Dang Ninh [Department of Administration and Personnel, The Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission, Hanoi (Viet Nam)

2000-12-01

Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission (VAEC) was officially established in 1976, and is a national research and development organization in the field of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes in Vietnam. Under the VAEC, there are three institutes and one center. Status of main facilities, such as TRIGA MARK II, neutron generator, electron accelerator MT-17, and irradiation facilities are outlined in the paper. At present, the VAEC has a total staff of about 540 persons. The number of staff appears adequate to fulfill the present task on application of isotopes and nuclear techniques. When Vietnam decides to develop nuclear power program, the demand for human resources will be significantly high. During the last five years, Vietnam has been developing and implementing a national regulatory program on Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MOSTE) have established independent Vietnam Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority (VRPA) in 1994. If the Vietnamese Government approves the proposed nuclear power program, human resources training should be a key point for all research and development directions at all revel of personnel. When looking back in the history of formation and development of nuclear science and technology in Vietnam, the international cooperation has played an extremely important role in promoting the program. The exchange of information and direct participation in concrete cooperation activities under the framework of the Forum are expected. (Tanaka, Y.)

Indoor radon measurements in the dwellings of Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh, India, using LR-115 nuclear track detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dhiman, M. [Punjab Technical University (India); Mehra, R. [Department of Physics, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology (India); Tyagi, A.K. [Department of Applied Sciences, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engineering and Technology (India)

2014-07-01

Study of indoor radon was carried out in the domestic environment of 15 villages of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Time integrated track etch technique has been used for the measurement of indoor radon levels. Bare cellulose nitrate LR-115 type II films have been used as detectors in the survey of indoor radon for four seasons of three months each covering a period of one year from March 2012 to March 2013. The houses were chosen randomly in such a way that the dwellings constructed with different types of building materials such as soil, bricks, cement, marble, concrete, wood in different localities of the village are covered. It has been found that indoor radon concentration depends upon the type of house, ventilation condition etc. The calibration constant of 1 track cm{sup -2} day{sup -1} which is equal to 50 Bqm{sup -3} has been used to express radon concentration in Bqm{sup -3}. The conversion factors have been used to calculate the exposure (an exposure of an individual to radon progeny of 1 WLM is equivalent to 3.54 mJ h m{sup -3}), the annual effective dose (1 WLM=3.88 mSv) and the lifetime fatality risk (3 x 10{sup -4} WLM). Indoor radon concentrations were found to vary from 132.25 Bqm{sup -3} to 449.75 Bqm{sup -3} with an average value of 261.40 Bqm{sup -3}. Annual effective dose in these dwellings were found to vary form 2.78 mSv to 7.68 mSv with an average value of 4.5 mSv. The average radon concentration in dwellings in most of the villages falls in the action level (200-600 Bqm{sup -3}) recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection. Document available in abstract form only. (authors)

Consistent left-right asymmetry cannot be established by late organizers in Xenopus unless the late organizer is a conjoined twin.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandenberg, Laura N; Levin, Michael

2010-04-01

How embryos consistently orient asymmetries of the left-right (LR) axis is an intriguing question, as no macroscopic environmental cues reliably distinguish left from right. Especially unclear are the events coordinating LR patterning with the establishment of the dorsoventral (DV) axes and midline determination in early embryos. In frog embryos, consistent physiological and molecular asymmetries manifest by the second cell cleavage; however, models based on extracellular fluid flow at the node predict correct de novo asymmetry orientation during neurulation. We addressed these issues in Xenopus embryos by manipulating the timing and location of dorsal organizer induction: the primary dorsal organizer was ablated by UV irradiation, and a new organizer was induced at various locations, either early, by mechanical rotation, or late, by injection of lithium chloride (at 32 cells) or of the transcription factor XSiamois (which functions after mid-blastula transition). These embryos were then analyzed for the position of three asymmetric organs. Whereas organizers rescued before cleavage properly oriented the LR axis 90% of the time, organizers induced in any position at any time after the 32-cell stage exhibited randomized laterality. Late organizers were unable to correctly orient the LR axis even when placed back in their endogenous location. Strikingly, conjoined twins produced by late induction of ectopic organizers did have normal asymmetry. These data reveal that although correct LR orientation must occur no later than early cleavage stages in singleton embryos, a novel instructive influence from an early organizer can impose normal asymmetry upon late organizers in the same cell field.

Fine mapping of the latency-related gene of herpes simplex virus type 1: alternative splicing produces distinct latency-related RNAs containing open reading frames

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wechsler, S.L.; Nesburn, A.B.; Watson, R.; Slanina, S.M.; Ghiasi, H.

1988-01-01

The latency-related (LR) gene of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is transcriptionally active during HSV-1 latency, producing at least two LR-RNAs. The LR gene partially overlaps the immediate-early gene ICP0 and is transcribed in the opposite direction from ICP0, producing LR-RNAs that are complementary (antisense) to ICP0 mRNA. The LR gene is thought to be involved in HSV-1 latency. The authors report here the time mapping and partial sequence analysis of this HSV-1 LR gene. 32 P-labeled genomic DNA restriction fragments and synthetic oligonucleotides were used as probes for in situ hybridizations and Northern (RNA) blot hybridizations of RNA from trigeminal ganglia of rabbits latently infected with HSV-1. The two most abundant LR-RNAs appeared to share their 5' and 3' ends and to be produced by alternative splicing. These LR-RNAs were approximately 2 and 1.3 to 1.5 kilobases in length and were designated LR-RNA 1 and LF-RNA 2, respectively. LR-RNA 1 appeared to have at least one intron removed, while LR-RNA 2 appeared to have at least two introns removed. The LR-RNAs contained two potential long open reading frames, suggesting the possibility that one or more of the LR-RNAs may be a functional mRNA

Oncologic outcome after local recurrence of chondrosarcoma: Analysis of prognostic factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Han-Soo; Bindiganavile, Srimanth S; Han, Ilkyu

2015-06-01

Literature on outcome after local recurrence (LR) in chondrosarcoma is scarce and better appreciation of prognostic factors is needed. (1) To evaluate post-LR oncologic outcomes of disease-specific survival and subsequent LR and (2) to identify prognostic factors for post-LR oncologic outcomes. Review of 28 patients with locally recurrent chondrosarcoma from the original cohort of 150 patients, who were treated surgically with or without adjuvants between 1982 and 2011, was performed. Mean age was 46 years (range, 21-73) which included 20 males and 8 females with mean follow up of 8.4 ± 7.5 years (range, 1.2-31.0). Post-LR survival at 5 years was 58.6 ± 10.3%. Age greater than 50 years (P = 0.011) and LR occurring within 1 year of primary surgery (P = 0.011) independently predicted poor survival. Seven patients suffered subsequent LR, which was significantly affected by surgical margin for LR (P = 0.038). Long-term survival of locally recurrent chondrosarcoma is achievable in a substantial number of patients. Older age at onset of LR and shorter interval from primary surgery to LR identifies high risk patients for poor post-LR survival while, wide surgical margins at LR surgery reduces the risk of subsequent LR. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Recent IAEA Achievements in the Field of Fast Reactors and Presentation of the Scope and Objectives of the Meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monti, Stefano

2013-01-01

Scope of the Technical Meeting: • Fast reactors deployment scenario are intensely being assessed worldwide, taking into consideration the main technical aspects and requirements, the different marked drivers including resource utilization, fuel cycle options, waste management, economic competitiveness and proliferation issues. • The theme of fast reactor deployment, scenarios and economics has been largely debated during the recent IAEA FR13 conference; Several papers discussed the economics of fast reactors from different national and regional perspectives. • This technical meeting addresses Member States’ expressed need for information exchange in the field, with the aim of identifying the main open issues and launching possible activities under the IAEA’s aegis. Main Objectives of the Meeting: • Identify issues and technical features that affect capital and energy production costs of fast reactors and related fuel cycle facilities. • Present FR concepts with enhanced economic characteristics, as well as innovative technical solutions that have the potential to reduce the capital costs of FR and related fuel cycle facilities. • Present energy models and advanced tools for the cost assessment of innovative fast reactors and associated nuclear fuel cycles. • Discuss the results of studies and on-going R&D activities that address cost reduction and the future economic competitiveness of fast reactors; and • Identify R&DT needs in the field, also in view of new IAEA initiatives to help and support Member States in improving the economic competitiveness of fast reactors and associated nuclear fuel cycles

Rendimiento en pruebas cognitivas breves, de adultos mayores con demencia en estadios avanzados, residentes de una comunidad urbana de Lima, Perú

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilton Custodio

Full Text Available Objetivos. Evaluar el rendimiento de la prueba de dibujo de reloj en versión de Manos (PDR-M y Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE en su versión peruana, para detectar demencia de cualquier tipo en adultos mayores residentes de una comunidad urbana de Lima, Perú. Materiales y métodos. Análisis secundario de base de datos, de tipo observacional, analítico y transversal; con diseño de prueba diagnóstica, teniendo como prueba estándar a las evaluaciones clínica y neuropsicológica en conjunto. Se evaluó el rendimiento de las pruebas individualmente, así como de forma combinada. Resultados. El rendimiento de MMSE para la evaluación de pacientes con demencia de cualquier tipo presentó sensibilidad de 64,1%, especificidad de 84,1%, VPP de 24,4%, VPN de 96,7%, LR (+ de 4,03 y LR (- de 0,43. La PDR-M presentó sensibilidad de 89,3%, especificidad de 98,1%, VPP de 79,3%, VPN de 99,1%, LR (+ de 47,79 y LR (- de 0,11. Cuando se aplicaron ambas pruebas, y al menos una de ellas fue positiva, presentaron sensibilidad de 98,1%, especificidad de 84,1%, VPP de 33,1%, VPN de 99,8%, LR (+ de 6,17 y LR (- de 0,02. Al realizar el análisis, por separado, de demencia tipo alzhéimer y no alzhéimer, los valores de los parámetros no se diferencian sustancialmente de los obtenidos para demencias de cualquier tipo. Conclusiones. La combinación de MMSE y PDR-M demuestran un buen rendimiento para detectar demencia en estadios moderado y severo en población residente de una comunidad urbana de Lima.

Near-field and far-field modeling of scattered surface waves. Application to the apertureless scanning near-field optical microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muller, J.; Parent, G.; Fumeron, S.; Jeandel, G.; Lacroix, D.

2011-01-01

The detection of surface waves through scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) is a promising technique for thermal measurements at very small scales. Recent studies have shown that electromagnetic waves, in the vicinity of a scattering structure such as an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip, can be scattered from near to far-field and thus detected. In the present work, a model based on the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method and the near-field to far-field (NFTFF) transformation for electromagnetic waves propagation is presented. This model has been validated by studying the electromagnetic field of a dipole in vacuum and close to a dielectric substrate. Then simulations for a tetrahedral tip close to an interface are presented and discussed.

Evidence Based Medicine; Positive and Negative Likelihood Ratios of Diagnostic Tests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Baratloo

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In the previous two parts of educational manuscript series in Emergency, we explained some screening characteristics of diagnostic tests including accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. In the 3rd  part we aimed to explain positive and negative likelihood ratio (LR as one of the most reliable performance measures of a diagnostic test. To better understand this characteristic of a test, it is first necessary to fully understand the concept of sensitivity and specificity. So we strongly advise you to review the 1st part of this series again. In short, the likelihood ratios are about the percentage of people with and without a disease but having the same test result. The prevalence of a disease can directly influence screening characteristics of a diagnostic test, especially its sensitivity and specificity. Trying to eliminate this effect, LR was developed. Pre-test probability of a disease multiplied by positive or negative LR can estimate post-test probability. Therefore, LR is the most important characteristic of a test to rule out or rule in a diagnosis. A positive likelihood ratio > 1 means higher probability of the disease to be present in a patient with a positive test. The further from 1, either higher or lower, the stronger the evidence to rule in or rule out the disease, respectively. It is obvious that tests with LR close to one are less practical. On the other hand, LR further from one will have more value for application in medicine. Usually tests with 0.1 < LR > 10 are considered suitable for implication in routine practice.

Quantitative comparison of clustered microcalcifications in for-presentation and for-processing mammograms in full-field digital mammography.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Juan; Nishikawa, Robert M; Yang, Yongyi

2017-07-01

Mammograms acquired with full-field digital mammography (FFDM) systems are provided in both "for-processing'' and "for-presentation'' image formats. For-presentation images are traditionally intended for visual assessment by the radiologists. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using for-presentation images in computerized analysis and diagnosis of microcalcification (MC) lesions. We make use of a set of 188 matched mammogram image pairs of MC lesions from 95 cases (biopsy proven), in which both for-presentation and for-processing images are provided for each lesion. We then analyze and characterize the MC lesions from for-presentation images and compare them with their counterparts in for-processing images. Specifically, we consider three important aspects in computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) of MC lesions. First, we quantify each MC lesion with a set of 10 image features of clustered MCs and 12 textural features of the lesion area. Second, we assess the detectability of individual MCs in each lesion from the for-presentation images by a commonly used difference-of-Gaussians (DoG) detector. Finally, we study the diagnostic accuracy in discriminating between benign and malignant MC lesions from the for-presentation images by a pretrained support vector machine (SVM) classifier. To accommodate the underlying background suppression and image enhancement in for-presentation images, a normalization procedure is applied. The quantitative image features of MC lesions from for-presentation images are highly consistent with that from for-processing images. The values of Pearson's correlation coefficient between features from the two formats range from 0.824 to 0.961 for the 10 MC image features, and from 0.871 to 0.963 for the 12 textural features. In detection of individual MCs, the FROC curve from for-presentation is similar to that from for-processing. In particular, at sensitivity level of 80%, the average number of false-positives (FPs) per image region is 9

Field Model: An Object-Oriented Data Model for Fields

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Moran, Patrick J.

2001-01-01

We present an extensible, object-oriented data model designed for field data entitled Field Model (FM). FM objects can represent a wide variety of fields, including fields of arbitrary dimension and node type. FM can also handle time-series data. FM achieves generality through carefully selected topological primitives and through an implementation that leverages the potential of templated C++. FM supports fields where the nodes values are paired with any cell type. Thus FM can represent data where the field nodes are paired with the vertices ("vertex-centered" data), fields where the nodes are paired with the D-dimensional cells in R(sup D) (often called "cell-centered" data), as well as fields where nodes are paired with edges or other cell types. FM is designed to effectively handle very large data sets; in particular FM employs a demand-driven evaluation strategy that works especially well with large field data. Finally, the interfaces developed for FM have the potential to effectively abstract field data based on adaptive meshes. We present initial results with a triangular adaptive grid in R(sup 2) and discuss how the same design abstractions would work equally well with other adaptive-grid variations, including meshes in R(sup 3).

Publications of the Division of Mechanical Engineering and the National Aeronautical Establishment. Series Number 2, Supplement Number 7.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-01-01

made in the linear cases. LR-600 A COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR CALIBRATION AND USE OF MULTI- COMPONENT STRAIN GAUGE WIND TUNNEL BALANCES Galway, R.D...National Aeronautical Establishment, March 1980. A method is presented for calibration of strain - gauge balances which does not require that the...operations during visual flight conditions. LR-604 A KALMAN FILTER APPROACH TO NAVIGATION ON THE NAE CONVAIR 580 AEROMAGNETICS RESEARCH AIRCRAFT. Leach

Two field formulation of closed string field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogojevic, A.R.

1990-09-01

A formulation of closed string field theory is presented that is based on a two field action. It represents a generalization of Witten's Chern-Simons formulation of 3d gravity. The action contains only 3 string interactions and no string field truncations, unlike the previous non-polynomial action of Zwiebach. The two field action is found to follow from a purely cubic, background independent action similar to the one for open strings. (orig.)

Predicting beta-turns in proteins using support vector machines with fractional polynomials.

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Elbashir, Murtada; Wang, Jianxin; Wu, Fang-Xiang; Wang, Lusheng

2013-11-07

β-turns are secondary structure type that have essential role in molecular recognition, protein folding, and stability. They are found to be the most common type of non-repetitive structures since 25% of amino acids in protein structures are situated on them. Their prediction is considered to be one of the crucial problems in bioinformatics and molecular biology, which can provide valuable insights and inputs for the fold recognition and drug design. We propose an approach that combines support vector machines (SVMs) and logistic regression (LR) in a hybrid prediction method, which we call (H-SVM-LR) to predict β-turns in proteins. Fractional polynomials are used for LR modeling. We utilize position specific scoring matrices (PSSMs) and predicted secondary structure (PSS) as features. Our simulation studies show that H-SVM-LR achieves Qtotal of 82.87%, 82.84%, and 82.32% on the BT426, BT547, and BT823 datasets respectively. These values are the highest among other β-turns prediction methods that are based on PSSMs and secondary structure information. H-SVM-LR also achieves favorable performance in predicting β-turns as measured by the Matthew's correlation coefficient (MCC) on these datasets. Furthermore, H-SVM-LR shows good performance when considering shape strings as additional features. In this paper, we present a comprehensive approach for β-turns prediction. Experiments show that our proposed approach achieves better performance compared to other competing prediction methods.

The Case for Extant Life on Mars and Its Possible Detection by the Viking Labeled Release Experiment.

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Levin, Gilbert V; Straat, Patricia Ann

2016-10-01

The 1976 Viking Labeled Release (LR) experiment was positive for extant microbial life on the surface of Mars. Experiments on both Viking landers, 4000 miles apart, yielded similar, repeatable, positive responses. While the authors eventually concluded that the experiment detected martian life, this was and remains a highly controversial conclusion. Many believe that the martian environment is inimical to life and the LR responses were nonbiological, attributed to an as-yet-unidentified oxidant (or oxidants) in the martian soil. Unfortunately, no further metabolic experiments have been conducted on Mars. Instead, follow-on missions have sought to define the martian environment, mostly searching for signs of water. These missions have collected considerable data regarding Mars as a habitat, both past and present. The purpose of this article is to consider recent findings about martian water, methane, and organics that impact the case for extant life on Mars. Further, the biological explanation of the LR and recent nonbiological hypotheses are evaluated. It is concluded that extant life is a strong possibility, that abiotic interpretations of the LR data are not conclusive, and that, even setting our conclusion aside, biology should still be considered as an explanation for the LR experiment. Because of possible contamination of Mars by terrestrial microbes after Viking, we note that the LR data are the only data we will ever have on biologically pristine martian samples. Key Words: Extant life on Mars-Viking Labeled Release experiment-Astrobiology-Extraterrestrial life-Mars. Astrobiology 16, 798-810.

On the mobility of partially denatured DNA in gel electrophoresis: a theoretical investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Sean, David

There are technologies which exploit a rapid reduction of the gel electrophoretic mobility of DNA arising from partial denaturation. The underlying phenomenon behind these experiments---the mechanisms which reduce the mobility---are not very well understood. Such is the purpose of my thesis. The first chapter provides a brief introduction to the field of polymer physics. The subjects covered are carefully chosen to directly relate to the forthcoming research. There is a published semi-empirical formula used to model the rapid decrease of mobility which is largely considered to be consistent with experimental data. The second chapter of this thesis demonstrates that there is a fundamental confusion in the literature regarding the fitting parameter Lr, in the said formula. By going back to the original derivation, a physical interpretation can be given to L r. This interpretation yields theoretical values which are consistent with what has been published. However, we find that an underlying assumption---that the effect of the denaturation does not depend on its position along the DNA fragment---may systematically overestimate experimental observations of Lr. To measure the impact of this assumption, a simulation model of DNA is presented. The article presented in the third chapter reveals that indeed, the position of the denatured region affects the migration of the DNA fragment. A refined version of the formula which takes these factors into account is proposed. The simulations also reveal that, for certain fields, an unexpected conformation completely dominates during migration of the fragment. This surprising result: a squid-like conformation, is explored in chapter four.

Development and validation of a real time PCR for the detection of myxoma virus based on the diploid gene M000.5L/R.

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Margarida Dias; Barros, Sílvia Carla; Henriques, Ana Margarida; Fagulha, Maria Teresa; Ramos, Fernanda; Luís, Tiago; Fevereiro, Miguel

2014-02-01

The myxoma virus (MYXV) causes severe infections in European rabbits that may reach mortality rates up to 100% depending on the viral strain. The typical symptoms and lesions induced by the virus are usually enough to permit the correct clinical diagnosis. However, in peracute forms the infection may be accompanied by unspecific symptoms. Sudden death may also occur without evident clinical signs of myxomatosis. Likewise, a clinical diagnosis of atypical forms of myxomatosis (amyxomatous) is often complicated and delayed due to the scarceness of skin lesions. As the disease control often depends on an early and unequivocal diagnosis of MYXV, laboratorial methods play a relevant role in the confirmation of MYXV infection. This study describes the development and validation of a novel, high accurate real time polymerase chain reaction assay (rtPCR) for the detection of MYXV. Primers were designed to amplify a 125-bp within the gene M000.5L/R, which is duplicated in the termini of the genome and is unique among Leporipoxvirus. The assay was negative for SFV and other poxviruses and was able to detect 2.6 copies of MYXV DNA proving the effectiveness, specificity and sensitivity of this diagnosis tool. The rtPCR has been applied successfully in INIAV laboratory for routine diagnosis of myxomatosis since 2005. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SNC Meteorites, Organic Matter and a New Look at Viking

Science.gov (United States)

Warmflash, David M.; Clemett, Simon J.; McKay, David S.

2001-01-01

Recently, evidence has begun to grow supporting the possibility that the Viking GC-MS would not have detected certain carboxylate salts that could have been present as metastable oxidation products of high molecular weight organic species. Additionally, despite the instrument's high sensitivity, the possibility had remained that very low levels of organic matter, below the instrument's detection limit, could have been present. In fact, a recent study indicates that the degradation products of several million microorganisms per gram of soil on Mars would not have been detected by the Viking GC-MS. Since the strength of the GC-MS findings was considered enough to dismiss the biology packet, particularly the LR results, any subsequent evidence suggesting that organic molecules may in fact be present on the Martian surface necessitates a re-evaluation of the Viking LR data. In addition to an advanced mass spectrometer to look for isotopic signatures of biogenic processes, future lander missions will include the ability to detect methane produced by methanogenic bacteria, as well as techniques based on biotechnology. Meanwhile, the identification of Mars samples already present on Earth in the form of the SNC meteorites has provided us with the ability to study samples of the Martian upper crust a decade or more in advance of any planned sample return missions. While contamination issues are of serious concern, the presence of indigenous organic matter in the form of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons has been detected in the Martian meteorites ALH84001 and Nakhla, while there is circumstantial evidence for carbonaceous material in Chassigny. The radiochronological ages of these meteorites are 4.5 Ga, 1.3 Ga, and 165 Ma respectively representing a span of time in Earth history from the earliest single-celled organisms to the present day. Given this perspective on organic material, a biological interpretation to the Viking LR results can no longer be ruled out. In the LR

Likelihood ratio data to report the validation of a forensic fingerprint evaluation method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Ramos

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Data to which the authors refer to throughout this article are likelihood ratios (LR computed from the comparison of 5–12 minutiae fingermarks with fingerprints. These LRs data are used for the validation of a likelihood ratio (LR method in forensic evidence evaluation. These data present a necessary asset for conducting validation experiments when validating LR methods used in forensic evidence evaluation and set up validation reports. These data can be also used as a baseline for comparing the fingermark evidence in the same minutiae configuration as presented in (D. Meuwly, D. Ramos, R. Haraksim, [1], although the reader should keep in mind that different feature extraction algorithms and different AFIS systems used may produce different LRs values. Moreover, these data may serve as a reproducibility exercise, in order to train the generation of validation reports of forensic methods, according to [1]. Alongside the data, a justification and motivation for the use of methods is given. These methods calculate LRs from the fingerprint/mark data and are subject to a validation procedure. The choice of using real forensic fingerprint in the validation and simulated data in the development is described and justified. Validation criteria are set for the purpose of validation of the LR methods, which are used to calculate the LR values from the data and the validation report. For privacy and data protection reasons, the original fingerprint/mark images cannot be shared. But these images do not constitute the core data for the validation, contrarily to the LRs that are shared.

Male rats that differ in novelty exploration demonstrate distinct patterns of sexual behavior

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Cummings, Jennifer A.; Clinton, Sarah M.; Perry, Adam N.; Akil, Huda; Becker, Jill B.

2014-01-01

High versus low novelty exploration predicts a variety of behavioral differences. For example, rats selectively-bred for high novelty exploration (bred High Responders, bHR) exhibit exaggerated aggression, impulsivity, and proclivity to addictive behaviors compared to low novelty-reactive rats (bred Low Responders, bLRs), which are characterized by a high anxiety/depressive-like phenotype. Since bHR/bLR rats exhibit differences in dopaminergic circuitry and differential response to rewarding stimuli (i.e., psychostimulants, food), the present study examined whether they also differ in another key hedonic behavior – sex. Thus, adult bHR/bLR males were given five 30-min opportunities to engage in sexual activity with a receptive female. Sexual behavior and motivation were examined and compared between the groups. The bHR/bLR phenotype affected both sexual motivation and behavior, with bLR males demonstrating reduced motivation for sex compared with bHR males (i.e., fewer animals copulated, longer latency to engage in sex). The bHR males required more intromissions at a faster pace per ejaculation than did bLR males. Thus, neurobiological differences that affect motivation for drugs of abuse, aggression, and impulsivity in rats also affect sexual motivation and performance. PMID:23398441

[Analysis of methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism in wheat genome under the wheat leaf rust stress].

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Sheng-Jie; Wang, Hui; Feng, Li-Na; Sun, Yi; Yang, Wen-Xiang; Liu, Da-Qun

2009-03-01

Intrinsic DNA methylation pattern is an integral component of the epigenetic network in many eukaryotes. DNA methylation plays an important role in regulating gene expression in eukaryotes. Biological stress in plant provides an inherent epigenetic driving force of evolution. Study of DNA methylation patterns arising from biological stress will help us fully understand the epigenetic regulation of gene expression and DNA methylation of biological functions. The wheat near-isogenic lines TcLr19 and TcLr41 were resistant to races THTT and TKTJ, respectively, and Thatcher is compatible in the interaction with Puccinia triticina THTT and TKTJ, respectively. By means of methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) analysis, the patterns of cytosine methylation in TcLr19, TcLr41, and Thatcher inoculated with P. triticina THTT and TKTJ were compared with those of the untreated samples. All the DNA fragments, each representing a recognition site cleaved by each or both of isoschizomers, were amplified using 60 pairs of selective primers. The results indicated that there was no significant difference between the challenged and unchallenged plants at DNA methylation level. However, epigenetic difference between the near-isogenic line for wheat leaf rust resistance gene Lr41 and Thatcher was present.

Influence of disintegrants in different substrate physical form on dimensional recovery of multi-component tablet.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Srimanta; Ooi, Shing Ming; Liew, Celine Valeria; Tan, Bing Xun; Heng, Paul Wan Sia

2014-11-20

This study investigated the influence of different disintegrants, present in different substrate physical forms, on dimensional recovery of multi-component tablets prepared at different compression pressures. Formulations containing model drug, metformin, (10%, w/w), different disintegrants (10%, w/w), and lactose (80%, w/w) were compressed directly or after granulation using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (1%, w/w) as binder, into tablets (350 mg, 10mm diameter) at 150, 200, and 250 N/mm(2) compression pressures. Tablets were characterized for immediate dimensional recovery (IR) after ejection from the die, latent dimensional recovery (LR) over 24 h, tensile strength, and disintegration. The IR was predominantly contributed by crystalline components whereas LR was brought about by polymeric materials. With increased compression pressure, higher degree of plastic deformation of the polymeric disintegrants resulted in tablet with lower LR and higher tensile strength. Presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone in the granules contributed considerably to plastic deformation, and the tablets produced had lower LR, higher tensile strength, and longer disintegration time. This study indicated that use of granules as the feed substrate physical form and a prudent selection of components may enable the coating of resultant tablets immediately after compression without the risk of coat damage due to LR. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Curative Intent Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma - 844 Cases Treated in a General Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Grigorie, Răzvan; Alexandrescu, Sorin; Smira, Gabriela; Ionescu, Mihnea; Hrehoreţ, Doina; Braşoveanu, Vladislav; Dima, Simona; Ciurea, Silviu; Boeţi, Patricia; Dudus, Ionut; Picu, Nausica; Zamfir, Radu; David, Leonard; Botea, Florin; Gheorghe, Liana; Tomescu, Dana; Lupescu, Ioana; Boroş, Mirela; Grasu, Mugur; Dumitru, Radu; Toma, Mihai; Croitoru, Adina; Herlea, Vlad; Pechianu, Cătălin; Năstase, Anca; Popescu, Irinel

2017-01-01

Background: The objective of this study is to assess the outcome of the patients treated for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a General Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center. Methods: This retrospective study includes 844 patients diagnosed with HCC and surgically treated with curative intent methods. Curative intent treatment is mainly based on surgery, consisting of liver resection (LR), liver transplantation (LT). Tumor ablation could become the choice of treatment in HCC cases not manageable for surgery (LT or LR). 518 patients underwent LR, 162 patients benefited from LT and in 164 patients radiofrequency ablation (RFA) was performed. 615 patients (73%) presented liver cirrhosis. Results: Mordidity rates of patient treated for HCC was 30% and mortality was 4,3% for the entire study population. Five year overall survival rate was 39 % with statistically significant differences between transplanted, resected, or ablated patients (p 0.05) with better results in case of LT followed by LR and RFA. Conclusions: In HCC patients without liver cirrhosis, liver resection is the treatment of choice. For early HCC occurred on cirrhosis, LT offers the best outcome in terms of overall and disease free survival. RFA colud be a curative method for HCC patients not amenable for LT of LR. Celsius.

1,3-Propanediol dehydrogenases in Lactobacillus reuteri: impact on central metabolism and 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde production.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Marc J A; Vollenweider, Sabine; Meile, Leo; Lacroix, Christophe

2011-08-03

Lactobacillus reuteri metabolizes glycerol to 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA) and further to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO), the latter step catalysed by a propanediol dehydrogenase (PDH). The last step in this pathway regenerates NAD+ and enables therefore the energetically more favourable production of acetate over ethanol during growth on glucose. A search throughout the genome of L. reuteri DSM 20016 revealed two putative PDHs encoded by ORFs lr_0030 and lr_1734. ORF lr_1734 is situated in the pdu operon encoding the glycerol conversion machinery and therefore likely involved in 1,3-PDO formation. ORF lr_0030 has not been associated with PDH-activity so far. To elucidate the role of these two PDHs, gene deletion mutant strains were constructed. Growth behaviour on glucose was comparable between the wild type and both mutant strains. However, on glucose + glycerol, the exponential growth rate of Δlr_0030 was lower compared to the wild type and the lr_1734 mutant. Furthermore, glycerol addition resulted in decreased ethanol production in the wild type and Δlr_1734, but not in Δlr_0030. PDH activity measurements using 3-HPA as a substrate revealed lower activity of Δlr_0030 extracts from exponential growing cells compared to wild type and Δlr_1734 extracts.During biotechnological 3-HPA production using non-growing cells, the ratio 3-HPA to 1,3-PDO was approximately 7 in the wild type and Δlr_0030, whereas this ratio was 12.5 in the mutant Δlr_1734. The enzyme encoded by lr_0030 plays a pivotal role in 3-HPA conversion in exponential growing L. reuteri cells. The enzyme encoded by lr_1734 is active during 3-HPA production by non-growing cells and this enzyme is a useful target to enhance 3-HPA production and minimize formation of the by-product 1,3-PDO.

[The influence of combinations of alien translocations on in vitro androgenesis in near-isogenic lines of spring bread wheat].

Science.gov (United States)

Sibikeeva, Yu E; Sibikeev, S N

2014-07-01

The features of in vitro androgenesis were studied in Cultured anthers of spring bread wheats L503 and Dobrynya, having 7DS-7DL-7Ae#1 L translocation with genes Lrl9/Sr25 (Lrl9 translocation) from Agropyron elongatum (Host.) P.B. and their near-isogenic lines carrying combinations of Lrl9 translocation with translocations: 1BL-IR#1S with genes Pm8/Sr31/Lr26/Yr9 (Lr26translocation) from Secale cereal L., 4BS-4BL-2R#1L with genes Lr25/Pm7 (Lr25 translocation) from Secale cereal, 3DS-3DL-3Ae#1L with genes Lr24/Sr24 (Lr24 translocation) from Agropyron elongatum and 6BS-6BL-6U#1L with gene Lr9 (Lr9 translocation) from Aegilops umbellulata Zhuk. In comparison with those varieties having received the Lrl9 translocation, the following was established: (1) the combination of translocations Lr19+26 increased embryo frequency and green plant regeneration; (2) the combination of translocations Lr19+9 decreased embryo frequency but increased green plant regeneration; (3) the combination of translocations Lr19+24 decreased embryo frequency but increased green and albino plant regeneration; (4) the combination of translocations Lr19+25 increased embryo frequency and green plant regeneration but decreased albino plant regeneration. Thus, on near-isogenic lines of spring bread wheat, the influences of genotypes of four alien translocation combinations on in vitro androgenesis were determined.

Stabilizing effect of passive conductors with arbitrary shape for positional instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seki, Shogo; Ninomiya, Hiromasa; Yoshida, Hidetoshi

1983-10-01

For positional instabilities in the tokamak, the stabilizing index nsub(s) is an adequate parameter to characterize the stabilizing effect produced by several kinds of passive conductors around a plasma column such as vacuum vessel and poloidal field coils. Since a system of passive conductors with arbitrary shape can be involved into multiple L-R circuits, this parameter nsub(s) of those passive conductors is expressed in a simple form by using a method of the eigen mode expansion of multiple L-R circuits. This parameter nsub(s) is very useful to estimate not only a growth rate of positional instability and its feedback stabilization but also an inward shift of plasma column due to a minor disruption. (author)

Integration of a Radiosensitivity Molecular Signature Into the Assessment of Local Recurrence Risk in Breast Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres-Roca, Javier F.; Fulp, William J.; Caudell, Jimmy J.; Servant, Nicolas; Bollet, Marc A.; Vijver, Marc van de; Naghavi, Arash O.; Harris, Eleanor E.; Eschrich, Steven A.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Recently, we developed radiosensitivity (RSI), a clinically validated molecular signature that estimates tumor radiosensitivity. In the present study, we tested whether integrating RSI with the molecular subtype refines the classification of local recurrence (LR) risk in breast cancer. Methods and Materials: RSI and molecular subtype were evaluated in 343 patients treated with breast-conserving therapy that included whole-breast radiation therapy with or without a tumor bed boost (dose range 45-72 Gy). The follow-up period for patients without recurrence was 10 years. The clinical endpoint was LR-free survival. Results: Although RSI did not uniformly predict for LR across the entire cohort, combining RSI and the molecular subtype identified a subpopulation with an increased risk of LR: triple negative (TN) and radioresistant (reference TN-radioresistant, hazard ratio [HR] 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.15-0.92, P=.02). TN patients who were RSI-sensitive/intermediate had LR rates similar to those of luminal (LUM) patients (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.47-1.57, P=.63). On multivariate analysis, combined RSI and molecular subtype (P=.004) and age (P=.001) were the most significant predictors of LR. In contrast, integrating RSI into the LUM subtype did not identify additional risk groups. We hypothesized that radiation dose escalation was affecting radioresistance in the LUM subtype and serving as a confounder. An increased radiation dose decreased LR only in the luminal-resistant (LUM-R) subset (HR 0.23, 95% CI 0.05-0.98, P=.03). On multivariate analysis, the radiation dose was an independent variable only in the LUMA/B-RR subset (HR 0.025, 95% CI 0.001-0.946, P=.046), along with age (P=.008), T stage (P=.004), and chemotherapy (P=.008). Conclusions: The combined molecular subtype–RSI identified a novel molecular subpopulation (TN and radioresistant) with an increased risk of LR after breast-conserving therapy. We propose that the combination of RSI and

Integration of a Radiosensitivity Molecular Signature Into the Assessment of Local Recurrence Risk in Breast Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Torres-Roca, Javier F., E-mail: javier.torresroca@moffitt.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Department of Chemical Biology and Molecular Medicine, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Fulp, William J. [Department of Bioinformatics, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Department of Biostatistics, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Caudell, Jimmy J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Servant, Nicolas [Institut Curie, INSERM U900, Paris (France); Mines ParisTech, Paris (France); Bollet, Marc A. [Institut Curie, INSERM U900, Paris (France); Vijver, Marc van de [Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Naghavi, Arash O. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Harris, Eleanor E. [East Carolina University, Greensborough, North Carolina (United States); Eschrich, Steven A. [Department of Bioinformatics, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States)

2015-11-01

Purpose: Recently, we developed radiosensitivity (RSI), a clinically validated molecular signature that estimates tumor radiosensitivity. In the present study, we tested whether integrating RSI with the molecular subtype refines the classification of local recurrence (LR) risk in breast cancer. Methods and Materials: RSI and molecular subtype were evaluated in 343 patients treated with breast-conserving therapy that included whole-breast radiation therapy with or without a tumor bed boost (dose range 45-72 Gy). The follow-up period for patients without recurrence was 10 years. The clinical endpoint was LR-free survival. Results: Although RSI did not uniformly predict for LR across the entire cohort, combining RSI and the molecular subtype identified a subpopulation with an increased risk of LR: triple negative (TN) and radioresistant (reference TN-radioresistant, hazard ratio [HR] 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.15-0.92, P=.02). TN patients who were RSI-sensitive/intermediate had LR rates similar to those of luminal (LUM) patients (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.47-1.57, P=.63). On multivariate analysis, combined RSI and molecular subtype (P=.004) and age (P=.001) were the most significant predictors of LR. In contrast, integrating RSI into the LUM subtype did not identify additional risk groups. We hypothesized that radiation dose escalation was affecting radioresistance in the LUM subtype and serving as a confounder. An increased radiation dose decreased LR only in the luminal-resistant (LUM-R) subset (HR 0.23, 95% CI 0.05-0.98, P=.03). On multivariate analysis, the radiation dose was an independent variable only in the LUMA/B-RR subset (HR 0.025, 95% CI 0.001-0.946, P=.046), along with age (P=.008), T stage (P=.004), and chemotherapy (P=.008). Conclusions: The combined molecular subtype–RSI identified a novel molecular subpopulation (TN and radioresistant) with an increased risk of LR after breast-conserving therapy. We propose that the combination of RSI and

Prognosis after local recurrence after conservative surgery and radiation for early-stage breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galper, Sharon; Blood, Emily; Gelman, Rebecca; Abner, Anthony; Recht, Abram; Kohli, Anita; Wong, Julia S.; Smith, Darrell; Bellon, Jennifer; Connolly, James; Schnitt, Stuart; Winer, Eric; Silver, Barbara B.A.; Harris, Jay R.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To determine the long-term prognosis of patients who develop a local recurrence (LR) after conservative surgery (CS) and radiation therapy (RT) for early-stage invasive breast cancer. Methods and materials: Between 1970 and 1987, 2102 patients with clinical Stage I-II breast cancer were treated with CS+RT. LR was defined as any recurrence within the ipsilateral breast with or without simultaneous regional nodal or distant metastasis. Patients were at risk for a LR until the first of distant metastases, second nonbreast malignancy, or death (DF/S/D). The final study population comprised 341 patients with LR. The median time to LR was 72 months. The median follow-up time after LR was 85 months. A proportional hazards model of time from LR to DF/S/D was done to investigate the influence of factors at initial diagnosis and at LR on subsequent outcome. Results: The actuarial freedom from DF/S/D 5 years after LR was 65% and the survival was 81%. Variables significantly associated with time to DF/S/D were: LR histology (invasive vs. ductal carcinoma in situ, hazard ratio [HR] = 4.1, p 5 years, HR = 2.6, p 5 years, HR = 1.8, p = 0.006); and age at initial diagnosis (≥60 vs. < 60, HR = 1.6, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Many patients with LR after CS+RT have prolonged distant disease-free survival, particularly those able to be treated with mastectomy. Patients with a noninvasive LR, longer interval to LR, or age <60 had a longer time to distant failure, second malignancy, or death than other patients

Cytogenetic analysis and mapping of leaf rust resistance in Aegilops speltoides Tausch derived bread wheat line Selection2427 carrying putative gametocidal gene(s).

Science.gov (United States)

Niranjana, M; Vinod; Sharma, J B; Mallick, Niharika; Tomar, S M S; Jha, S K

2017-12-01

Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) is a major biotic stress affecting wheat yields worldwide. Host-plant resistance is the best method for controlling leaf rust. Aegilops speltoides is a good source of resistance against wheat rusts. To date, five Lr genes, Lr28, Lr35, Lr36, Lr47, and Lr51, have been transferred from Ae. speltoides to bread wheat. In Selection2427, a bread wheat introgresed line with Ae. speltoides as the donor parent, a dominant gene for leaf rust resistance was mapped to the long arm of chromosome 3B (LrS2427). None of the Lr genes introgressed from Ae. speltoides have been mapped to chromosome 3B. Since none of the designated seedling leaf rust resistance genes have been located on chromosome 3B, LrS2427 seems to be a novel gene. Selection2427 showed a unique property typical of gametocidal genes, that when crossed to other bread wheat cultivars, the F 1 showed partial pollen sterility and poor seed setting, whilst Selection2427 showed reasonable male and female fertility. Accidental co-transfer of gametocidal genes with LrS2427 may have occurred in Selection2427. Though LrS2427 did not show any segregation distortion and assorted independently of putative gametocidal gene(s), its utilization will be difficult due to the selfish behavior of gametocidal genes.

Predicting the susceptibility to gully initiation in data-poor regions

Science.gov (United States)

Dewitte, Olivier; Daoudi, Mohamed; Bosco, Claudio; Van Den Eeckhaut, Miet

2015-01-01

Permanent gullies are common features in many landscapes and quite often they represent the dominant soil erosion process. Once a gully has initiated, field evidence shows that gully channel formation and headcut migration rapidly occur. In order to prevent the undesired effects of gullying, there is a need to predict the places where new gullies might initiate. From detailed field measurements, studies have demonstrated strong inverse relationships between slope gradient of the soil surface (S) and drainage area (A) at the point of channel initiation across catchments in different climatic and morphological environments. Such slope-area thresholds (S-A) can be used to predict locations in the landscape where gullies might initiate. However, acquiring S-A requires detailed field investigations and accurate high resolution digital elevation data, which are usually difficult to acquire. To circumvent this issue, we propose a two-step method that uses published S-A thresholds and a logistic regression analysis (LR). S-A thresholds from the literature are used as proxies of field measurement. The method is calibrated and validated on a watershed, close to the town of Algiers, northern Algeria, where gully erosion affects most of the slopes. The gullies extend up to several kilometres in length and cover 16% of the study area. First we reconstruct the initiation areas of the existing gullies by applying S-A thresholds for similar environments. Then, using the initiation area map as the dependent variable with combinations of topographic and lithological predictor variables, we calibrate several LR models. It provides relevant results in terms of statistical reliability, prediction performance, and geomorphological significance. This method using S-A thresholds with data-driven assessment methods like LR proves to be efficient when applied to common spatial data and establishes a methodology that will allow similar studies to be undertaken elsewhere.

First ionization potential of the heaviest actinide lawrencium, element 103

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sato Tetsuya K.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The first ionization potential (IP1 of element 103, lawrencium (Lr, has been successfully determined for the first time by using a newly developed method based on a surface ionization process. The measured IP1 value is 4.9630.080.07 eV. This value is the smallest among those of actinide elements and is in excellent agreement with the value of 4.963(15 eV predicted by state-of-the-art relativistic calculations also performed in this work. Our results strongly support that the Lr atom has an electronic configuration of [Rn]7s25f147p11/2, which is influenced by strong relativistic effects. The present work provides a reliable benchmark for theoretical calculations and also opens the way for studies on atomic properties of heavy elements with atomic number Z > 100. Moreover, the present achievement has triggered a controversy on the position of lutetium (Lu and Lr in the Periodic Table of Elements.

Analysis of a Permo-Triassic polarity transition in different absolute reconstructions of Pangaea, considering a model with features of the present Earth magnetic field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Van Zele

2007-06-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this paper is to show that the distribution of transitional palaeomagnetic data recorded at 250 Ma are in agreement with simulated data that depend on the sampling site, using a model that considers features of the Present Earth magnetic field. The analysis was performed comparing simulated reversals with the Permo-Triassic polarity transition recorded in the Siberian Trap Basalts. The palaeomagnetic data were corrected according to the Palaeo-latitude and Palaeo-longitude of Siberia (absolute reconstruction at 250 Ma using hotspot tracks. To obtain the motion of Siberia relative to hotspots from the Present time back to 250 Ma, three different Pangaea models were considered (Pangaea A, Pangaea A2, Pangaea B. In spite of the uncertainties associated with the use of hotspot frameworks and Pangaea configurations, both the modelled and recorded data show a remarkable fit when absolute reconstructions of Pangaea A and A2 configurations are performed. The agreement between both simulated and recorded data suggests that similar features to that of the Present Earth magnetic field could have been involved in reversals since the Permo-Triassic.

Conformal invariant quantum field theory and composite field operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurak, V.

1976-01-01

The present status of conformal invariance in quantum field theory is reviewed from a non group theoretical point of view. Composite field operators dimensions are computed in some simple models and related to conformal symmetry

Neutron dosemeter responses in workplace fields and the implications of using realistic neutron calibration fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, D.J.; Horwood, N.; Taylor, G.C.

1999-01-01

The use of realistic neutron calibration fields to overcome some of the problems associated with the response functions of presently available dosemeters, both area survey instruments and personal dosemeters, has been investigated. Realistic calibration fields have spectra which, compared to conventional radionuclide source based calibration fields, more closely match those of the workplace fields in which dosemeters are used. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to identify laboratory systems which would produce appropriate workplace-like calibration fields. A detailed analysis was then undertaken of the predicted under- and over-responses of dosemeters in a wide selection of measured workplace field spectra assuming calibration in a selection of calibration fields. These included both conventional radionuclide source calibration fields, and also several proposed realistic calibration fields. The present state of the art for dosemeter performance, and the possibilities of improving accuracy by using realistic calibration fields are both presented. (author)

Does This Patient Have Infectious Mononucleosis?: The Rational Clinical Examination Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebell, Mark H; Call, Marlene; Shinholser, JoAnna; Gardner, Jack

2016-04-12

Early, accurate diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis can help clinicians target treatment, avoid antibiotics, and provide an accurate prognosis. To systematically review the literature regarding the value of the clinical examination and white blood cell count for the diagnosis of mononucleosis. The databases of PubMed (from 1966-2016) and EMBASE (from 1947-2015) were searched and a total of 670 articles and abstracts were reviewed for eligibility. Eleven studies were included that reported data sufficient to calculate sensitivity, specificity, or both for clinical examination findings and white blood cell count parameters compared with a valid reference standard. Data were abstracted from each article by at least 2 reviewers, with discrepancies reconciled by consensus. Clinical findings evaluated in only 1 study are reported with sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio (LR), and 95% confidence interval, which were calculated from the available data. Findings evaluated in only 2 studies were summarized with their range, findings evaluated in 3 studies were summarized with a univariate random-effects summary, and findings evaluated in 4 or more studies were summarized with a bivariate random-effects meta-analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, and LRs for the diagnosis of mononucleosis. Mononucleosis is most commonly present among patients aged 5 to 25 years (especially those aged 16-20 years, among whom approximately 1 in 13 patients presenting with sore throat has mononucleosis). The likelihood of mononucleosis is reduced with the absence of any lymphadenopathy (summary sensitivity, 0.91; positive LR range, 0.23-0.44), whereas the likelihood increases with the presence of posterior cervical adenopathy (summary specificity, 0.87; positive LR, 3.1 [95% CI, 1.6-5.9]), inguinal or axillary adenopathy (specificity range, 0.82-0.91; positive LR range, 3.0-3.1), palatine petechiae (specificity, 0.95; positive LR, 5.3 [95% CI, 2.1-13]), and splenomegaly (specificity range

Omnigenous magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stupakov, G.V.

1982-01-01

In omnigenous magnetic fields particles' drift surfaces coincide with plasma magnetic surfaces. In this paper we formulate equations of omnigenous magnetic fields in natural curvilinear coordinates. An analysis of fields which are omnigenous only in the paraxial approximation is presented. (author)

Emerging Executive Functioning and Motor Development in Infants at High and Low Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

St John, Tanya; Estes, Annette M; Dager, Stephen R; Kostopoulos, Penelope; Wolff, Jason J; Pandey, Juhi; Elison, Jed T; Paterson, Sarah J; Schultz, Robert T; Botteron, Kelly; Hazlett, Heather; Piven, Joseph

2016-01-01

Existing evidence suggests executive functioning (EF) deficits may be present in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by 3 years of age. It is less clear when, prior to 3 years, EF deficits may emerge and how EF unfold over time. The contribution of motor skill difficulties to poorer EF in children with ASD has not been systematically studied. We investigated the developmental trajectory of EF in infants at high and low familial risk for ASD (HR and LR) and the potential associations between motor skills, diagnostic group, and EF performance. Participants included 186 HR and 76 LR infants. EF (A-not-B), motor skills (Fine and Gross Motor), and cognitive ability were directly assessed at 12 months and 24 months of age. Participants were directly evaluated for ASD at 24 months using DSM-IV-TR criteria and categorized as HR-ASD, HR-Negative, and LR-Negative. HR-ASD and HR-Negative siblings demonstrated less improvement in EF over time compared to the LR-Negative group. Motor skills were associated with group and EF performance at 12 months. No group differences were found at 12 months, but at 24 months, the HR-ASD and HR-Negative groups performed worse than the LR-Negative group overall after controlling for visual reception and maternal education. On reversal trials, the HR-ASD group performed worse than the LR-Negative group. Motor skills were associated with group and EF performance on reversal trials at 24 months. Findings suggest that HR siblings demonstrate altered EF development and that motor skills may play an important role in this process.

Modeling the potential risk factors of bovine viral diarrhea prevalence in Egypt using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdelfattah M. Selim

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Aim: The present cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and potential risk factors associated with Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV disease in cattle and buffaloes in Egypt, to model the potential risk factors associated with the disease using logistic regression (LR models, and to fit the best predictive model for the current data. Materials and Methods: A total of 740 blood samples were collected within November 2012-March 2013 from animals aged between 6 months and 3 years. The potential risk factors studied were species, age, sex, and herd location. All serum samples were examined with indirect ELIZA test for antibody detection. Data were analyzed with different statistical approaches such as Chi-square test, odds ratios (OR, univariable, and multivariable LR models. Results: Results revealed a non-significant association between being seropositive with BVDV and all risk factors, except for species of animal. Seroprevalence percentages were 40% and 23% for cattle and buffaloes, respectively. OR for all categories were close to one with the highest OR for cattle relative to buffaloes, which was 2.237. Likelihood ratio tests showed a significant drop of the -2LL from univariable LR to multivariable LR models. Conclusion: There was an evidence of high seroprevalence of BVDV among cattle as compared with buffaloes with the possibility of infection in different age groups of animals. In addition, multivariable LR model was proved to provide more information for association and prediction purposes relative to univariable LR models and Chi-square tests if we have more than one predictor.

Clinical Diagnosis of Bordetella Pertussis Infection: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebell, Mark H; Marchello, Christian; Callahan, Maria

2017-01-01

Bordetella pertussis (BP) is a common cause of prolonged cough. Our objective was to perform an updated systematic review of the clinical diagnosis of BP without restriction by patient age. We identified prospective cohort studies of patients with cough or suspected pertussis and assessed study quality using QUADAS-2. We performed bivariate meta-analysis to calculate summary estimates of accuracy and created summary receiver operating characteristic curves to explore heterogeneity by vaccination status and age. Of 381 studies initially identified, 22 met our inclusion criteria, of which 14 had a low risk of bias. The overall clinical impression was the most accurate predictor of BP (positive likelihood ratio [LR+], 3.3; negative likelihood ratio [LR-], 0.63). The presence of whooping cough (LR+, 2.1) and posttussive vomiting (LR+, 1.7) somewhat increased the likelihood of BP, whereas the absence of paroxysmal cough (LR-, 0.58) and the absence of sputum (LR-, 0.63) decreased it. Whooping cough and posttussive vomiting have lower sensitivity in adults. Clinical criteria defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were sensitive (0.90) but nonspecific. Typical signs and symptoms of BP may be more sensitive but less specific in vaccinated patients. The clinician's overall impression was the most accurate way to determine the likelihood of BP infection when a patient initially presented. Clinical decision rules that combine signs, symptoms, and point-of-care tests have not yet been developed or validated. © Copyright 2017 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Measurement of the left-right asymmetry in Z boson production by electron-positron collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elia, R.D.

1994-04-01

We present the first measurement of the left-right cross-section asymmetry (A LR ) in Z boson production at the SLAC Linear Collider. The left-right asymmetry provides a direct measurement of the e - -Z coupling and thus of the effective weak mixing angle; in addition, A LR is sensitive to the unknown top-quark and Higgs-boson masses. In 1992 the SLD detector recorded 10224 Z events produced by the collision of longitudinally polarized electrons with an unpolarized positron beam at a center-of-mass energy of 91.55 GeV. The average electron beam polarization during the run was (22.4 ± 0.6)%. We measure A LR to be 0.101 ± 0.044 (stat.) ± 0.004 (syst.), which determines the effective weak mixing angle to be sin 2 θeff/W = 0.2377 ± 0.0056 (stat.) ± 0.0005 (syst.). This measurement of A LR is in agreement with comparable measurements and is consistent with Standard-Model predictions for allowed top and Higgs masses

Controlled thermonuclear fusion. Present state and prospective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Consoli, T.

1976-01-01

The interest of thermonuclear fusion for energy production is underlined. The present state of the research in this field is presented, emphasis being given to Tokamak configurations. The problems concerning confinement and additional heating in these devices are presented [fr

Power peak in vicinity of WWER-440 control rod at end of fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikus, J.

2003-01-01

This paper presents some results of the axial power distribution measurements carried out in a WWER-440 type core on the light-water, zero-power reactor LR-O in the vicinity of the WWER-440 control rod model at zero boron concentration in moderator. Further presented information concern the description of the control rod model, LR-0 core arrangement, specification of the fuel assemblies and measurement conditions. The aim of performed experiment is enlargement of the available 'power peaking database' to enable the calculation codes validation also by means of data that correspond to the end of WWER-440 fuel cycle (Authors)

Selfdecomposable Fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barndorff-Nielsen, Ole E.; Sauri, Orimar; Szozda, Benedykt

In the present paper we study selfdecomposability of random fields, as defined directly rather than in terms of finite-dimensional distributions. The main tools in our analysis are the master Lévy measure and the associated Lévy-Itô representation. We give the dilation criterion for selfdecomposa......In the present paper we study selfdecomposability of random fields, as defined directly rather than in terms of finite-dimensional distributions. The main tools in our analysis are the master Lévy measure and the associated Lévy-Itô representation. We give the dilation criterion...... for selfdecomposability analogous to the classical one. Next, we give necessary and sufficient conditions (in terms of the kernel functions) for a Volterra field driven by a Lévy basis to be selfdecomposable. In this context we also study the so-called Urbanik classes of random fields. We follow this with the study...... of existence and selfdecomposability of integrated Volterra fields. Finally, we introduce infinitely divisible field-valued Lévy processes, give the Lévy-Itô representation associated with them and study stochastic integration with respect to such processes. We provide examples in the form of Lévy...

Selfdecomposable Fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barndorff-Nielsen, Ole E.; Sauri, Orimar; Szozda, Benedykt

In the present paper we study selfdecomposability of random fields, as defined directly rather than in terms of finite-dimensional distributions. The main tools in our analysis are the master L\\'evy measure and the associated L\\'evy-It\\^o representation. We give the dilation criterion for selfdec......In the present paper we study selfdecomposability of random fields, as defined directly rather than in terms of finite-dimensional distributions. The main tools in our analysis are the master L\\'evy measure and the associated L\\'evy-It\\^o representation. We give the dilation criterion...... for selfdecomposability analogous to the classical one. Next, we give necessary and sufficient conditions (in terms of the kernel functions) for a Volterra field driven by a L\\'evy basis to be selfdecomposable. In this context we also study the so-called Urbanik classes of random fields. We follow this with the study...... of existence and selfdecomposability of integrated Volterra fields. Finally, we introduce infinitely divisible field-valued L\\'evy processes, give the L\\'evy-It\\^o representation associated with them and study stochastic integration with respect to such processes. We provide examples in the form of L...

Lexical Decision with Left, Right and Center Visual Field Presentation: A Comparison between Dyslexic and Regular Readers by Means of Electrophysiological and Behavioral Measures

Science.gov (United States)

Shaul, Shelley

2012-01-01

This study examined the differences in processing between regular and dyslexic readers in a lexical decision task in different visual field presentations (left, right, and center). The research utilized behavioral measures that provide information on accuracy and reaction time and electro-physiological measures that permit the examination of brain…

1,3-Propanediol dehydrogenases in Lactobacillus reuteri: impact on central metabolism and 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde production

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Meile Leo

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Lactobacillus reuteri metabolizes glycerol to 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA and further to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO, the latter step catalysed by a propanediol dehydrogenase (PDH. The last step in this pathway regenerates NAD+ and enables therefore the energetically more favourable production of acetate over ethanol during growth on glucose. Results A search throughout the genome of L. reuteri DSM 20016 revealed two putative PDHs encoded by ORFs lr_0030 and lr_1734. ORF lr_1734 is situated in the pdu operon encoding the glycerol conversion machinery and therefore likely involved in 1,3-PDO formation. ORF lr_0030 has not been associated with PDH-activity so far. To elucidate the role of these two PDHs, gene deletion mutant strains were constructed. Growth behaviour on glucose was comparable between the wild type and both mutant strains. However, on glucose + glycerol, the exponential growth rate of Δlr_0030 was lower compared to the wild type and the lr_1734 mutant. Furthermore, glycerol addition resulted in decreased ethanol production in the wild type and Δlr_1734, but not in Δlr_0030. PDH activity measurements using 3-HPA as a substrate revealed lower activity of Δlr_0030 extracts from exponential growing cells compared to wild type and Δlr_1734 extracts. During biotechnological 3-HPA production using non-growing cells, the ratio 3-HPA to 1,3-PDO was approximately 7 in the wild type and Δlr_0030, whereas this ratio was 12.5 in the mutant Δlr_1734. Conclusion The enzyme encoded by lr_0030 plays a pivotal role in 3-HPA conversion in exponential growing L. reuteri cells. The enzyme encoded by lr_1734 is active during 3-HPA production by non-growing cells and this enzyme is a useful target to enhance 3-HPA production and minimize formation of the by-product 1,3-PDO.

Recent advances in head-mounted light field displays for virtual and augmented reality (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Hua, Hong

2017-02-01

Head-mounted light field displays render a true 3D scene by sampling either the projections of the 3D scene at different depths or the directions of the light rays apparently emitted by the 3D scene and viewed from different eye positions. They are capable of rendering correct or nearly correct focus cues and addressing the very well-known vergence-accommodation mismatch problem in conventional virtual and augmented reality displays. In this talk, I will focus on reviewing recent advancements of head-mounted light field displays for VR and AR applications. I will demonstrate examples of HMD systems developed in my group.

Motion in the unstable thoracolumbar spine when spine boarding a prone patient

Science.gov (United States)

Conrad, Bryan P.; Marchese, Diana L.; Rechtine, Glenn R.; Horodyski, MaryBeth

2012-01-01

Introduction Previous research has found that the log roll (LR) technique produces significant motion in the spinal column while transferring a supine patient onto a spine board. The purpose of this project was to determine whether log rolling a patient with an unstable spine from prone to supine with a pulling motion provides better thoracolumbar immobilization compared to log rolling with a push technique. Methods A global instability was surgically created at the L1 level in five cadavers. Two spine-boarding protocols were tested (LR Push and LR Pull). Both techniques entailed performing a 180° LR rotation of the prone patient from the ground to the supine position on the spine board. An electromagnetic tracking device registered motion between the T12 and L2 vertebral segments. Six motion parameters were tracked. Repeated-measures statistical analysis was performed to evaluate angular and translational motion. Results Less motion was produced during the LR Push compared to the LR Pull for all six motion parameters. The difference was statistically significant for three of the six parameters (flexion–extension, axial translation, and anterior–posterior (A–P) translation). Conclusions Both the LR Push and LR Pull generated significant motion in the thoracolumbar spine during the prone to supine LR. The LR Push technique produced statistically less motion than the LR Pull, and should be considered when a prone patient with a suspected thoracolumbar injury needs to be transferred to a long spine board. More research is needed to identify techniques to further reduce the motion in the unstable spine during prone to supine LR. PMID:22330191

Reversed field pinch diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, P.G.

1986-01-01

The Reversed Field Pinch (RFP) is a toroidal, axisymmetric magnetic confinement configuration characterized by a magnetic field configuration in which the toroidal magnetic field is of similar strength to the poloidal field, and is reversed at the edge compared to the center. The RFP routinely operates at high beta, and is a strong candidate for a compact fusion device. Relevant attributes of the configuration will be presented, together with an overview of present and planned experiments and their diagnostics. RFP diagnostics are in many ways similar to those of other magnetic confinement devices (such as tokamaks); these lectures will point out pertinent differences, and will present some diagnostics which provide special insights into unique attributes of the RFP

A Study of QMM Hysteresis Cycle Data. Field Linearity and Field Reproducibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vernin, P.; Fonvieille, H.; Quemener, G.

1997-08-01

A study of the hysteresis data provided by the quadrupole field mapping of the HRS Electron Arm is presented. For each quad Q1, Q2, Q3, a series of runs was performed to obtain the hysteresis curve of the magnet at maximal current. The focus of the present document is not the field maps but a specific analysis of QMM data in terms of hysteresis curves, and field linearity as a function of the current. These measurements allow to put limits on the reproducibility of magnet setting for the presently used operating mode of the quads. (K.A.)

Room Acoustical Fields

CERN Document Server

Mechel, Fridolin

2013-01-01

This book presents the theory of room acoustical fields and revises the Mirror Source Methods for practical computational use, emphasizing the wave character of acoustical fields.  The presented higher methods include the concepts of “Mirror Point Sources” and “Corner sources which allow for an excellent approximation of complex room geometries and even equipped rooms. In contrast to classical description, this book extends the theory of sound fields describing them by their complex sound pressure and the particle velocity. This approach enables accurate descriptions of interference and absorption phenomena.

Indonesia's present status and needs of human resource development in nuclear field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruslan, Jeni; Sagala, F.P.

2000-01-01

BATAN, started out as a governmental committee established in 1954, has a new organizational structure, based on Presidential Decree of 1998. BATAN has developed its researches in almost practically all-nuclear fields. The situation in Indonesia has been much influenced by the economic crisis, which still being faced by Indonesia. BATAN's strategic planning is described in four areas, those are: 1. Basic human needs, 2. Energy, natural resources and environment, 3. Industry, 4. Socio-cultural and institution. Priority has been given to fulfill, as well as to promote agriculture, health and the industry related to people's welfare, which may develop and improve the immediate needs of the people. In the meantime, we have made considerable investments in manpower development in anticipation of the introduction of nuclear power. BATAN, as of September 1999, has 3889 employees, 26 % of them have bachelor degree, 6 % hold master degrees, and only 2% hold doctoral degree, a total of 34 % employees with university education. Others 11 % have either non-vocational or vocational education beyond High School. The rest of 55 % have high school education or lower, they are administrative clerks (25 %) or technicians (30 %). In the human resources development, BATAN's Education and Training Center, in collaboration with some universities and other national/international institutions, is managing education and training programs for employees. To date, there are 43 BATAN employees studying in various universities in Japan, while another 42 employees are studying in six different countries. Research and Development that have more direct impact to the community will become a priority in the coming years. Without undermining the importance of basic research in advanced fields, we will expect to have more research on application to optimize utilization of research reactors and related facilities for the benefit of both the energy and non-energy sectors. (Tanaka, Y.)

Projections onto Convex Sets Super-Resolution Reconstruction Based on Point Spread Function Estimation of Low-Resolution Remote Sensing Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chong Fan

2017-02-01

Full Text Available To solve the problem on inaccuracy when estimating the point spread function (PSF of the ideal original image in traditional projection onto convex set (POCS super-resolution (SR reconstruction, this paper presents an improved POCS SR algorithm based on PSF estimation of low-resolution (LR remote sensing images. The proposed algorithm can improve the spatial resolution of the image and benefit agricultural crop visual interpolation. The PSF of the highresolution (HR image is unknown in reality. Therefore, analysis of the relationship between the PSF of the HR image and the PSF of the LR image is important to estimate the PSF of the HR image by using multiple LR images. In this study, the linear relationship between the PSFs of the HR and LR images can be proven. In addition, the novel slant knife-edge method is employed, which can improve the accuracy of the PSF estimation of LR images. Finally, the proposed method is applied to reconstruct airborne digital sensor 40 (ADS40 three-line array images and the overlapped areas of two adjacent GF-2 images by embedding the estimated PSF of the HR image to the original POCS SR algorithm. Experimental results show that the proposed method yields higher quality of reconstructed images than that produced by the blind SR method and the bicubic interpolation method.

Immunomodulatory effects and anti-Candida activity of lactobacilli in macrophages and in invertebrate model of Galleria mellonella.

Science.gov (United States)

de Oliveira, Felipe Eduardo; Rossoni, Rodnei Dennis; de Barros, Patricia Pimentel; Begnini, Barbara Evelyn; Junqueira, Juliana Campos; Jorge, Antonio Olavo Cardoso; Leão, Mariella Vieira Pereira; de Oliveira, Luciane Dias

2017-09-01

Due to the growing number of multi-resistant Candida spp., adjuvant treatments that may help combat these fungal pathogens are relevant and useful. This study evaluated the immunomodulation and anti-Candida activity of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR), Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus paracasei suspensions, either single- or multiple-strain, in mouse macrophages (RAW 264.7) and Galleria mellonella (GM). Mouse macrophages were activated by different lactobacilli suspensions and challenged with C. albicans (CA). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-17 production and cell viability were investigated. LR was the best suspension for stimulating all evaluated cytokines and thus was used in subsequent in vivo assays. Two C. albicans clinical strains, CA21 and CA60, were then added to the GM assays to further confirm the results. LR suspension was injected into the larvae 24 h before challenging with CA. Survival curve, CFU per larva and hemocytes were counted. In the GM, the LR suspension increased the survival rate and hemocyte counts and decreased the CFU per larva counts for all groups. Lactobacilli suspensions presented strain-dependent immunomodulation; however, single suspensions showed better results. Anti-Candida activity was demonstrated by decreased Candida counts in the GM with the use of LR. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiview Hessian regularization for image annotation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Weifeng; Tao, Dacheng

2013-07-01

The rapid development of computer hardware and Internet technology makes large scale data dependent models computationally tractable, and opens a bright avenue for annotating images through innovative machine learning algorithms. Semisupervised learning (SSL) therefore received intensive attention in recent years and was successfully deployed in image annotation. One representative work in SSL is Laplacian regularization (LR), which smoothes the conditional distribution for classification along the manifold encoded in the graph Laplacian, however, it is observed that LR biases the classification function toward a constant function that possibly results in poor generalization. In addition, LR is developed to handle uniformly distributed data (or single-view data), although instances or objects, such as images and videos, are usually represented by multiview features, such as color, shape, and texture. In this paper, we present multiview Hessian regularization (mHR) to address the above two problems in LR-based image annotation. In particular, mHR optimally combines multiple HR, each of which is obtained from a particular view of instances, and steers the classification function that varies linearly along the data manifold. We apply mHR to kernel least squares and support vector machines as two examples for image annotation. Extensive experiments on the PASCAL VOC'07 dataset validate the effectiveness of mHR by comparing it with baseline algorithms, including LR and HR.

A comprehensive immunoassay for the detection of microcystins in waters based on polyclonal antibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheng Jianwu; He Miao; Shi Hanchang; Qian Yi

2006-01-01

Microcystins (MCs) are a group of closely related toxic cyclic heptapeptides produced by common cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), and microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR) is among the most frequent and most toxic microcystin congeners. In this study, a free amino group was introduced to MC-LR at its seventh amino acid residue with 2-mercaptoethylamine, and the product aminoethyl-MC-LR was coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and horseradish peroxidise (HRP) by glutaraldehyde to be complete antigen (MC-LR-BSA) and labelled hapten (MC-LR-HRP), respectively. Polyclonal antibodies against MC-LR were generated by immunization with MC-LR-BSA. A direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dc-ELISA) was established to detect the MCs in waters, which showed a good cross-reactivity with MC-LR, MC-RR, MC-YR, MC-LF, MC-LW and nodularin, and have a detection limit for MC-LR 0.12 μg L -1 , the 50% inhibition concentration (IC 50 ) for MC-LR was 0.63 ± 0.06 μg L -1 and the quantitative detection range was from 0.17 to 2.32 μg L -1 , the analysis result of water samples showed good recovery and reliability. So the comprehensive and reliable dc-ELISA will well potentially suit for sensitive analysis for total MCs in drinking as well as resource water samples

Removal of cyanotoxins from surface water resources using reusable molecularly imprinted polymer adsorbents.

Science.gov (United States)

Krupadam, Reddithota J; Patel, Govind P; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar

2012-06-01

Microcystins (MCs; cyclic heptapeptides) are produced by freshwater cyanobacteria and cause public health concern in potable water supplies. There are more than 60 types of MCs identified to date, of which MC-LR is the most common found worldwide. For MC-LR, the WHO has established a threshold value of 1 μg L(-1) for drinking water. The present MCs removal methods such as coagulation, flocculation, adsorption, and filtration showed low efficiency for removing dissolved MC fraction from surface waters to the stipulated limit prescribed by WHO based on MC health impacts. The search for cost-effective and efficient removal method is still warranted for remediation of dissolved MC-LR-contaminated water resources. Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) adsorbent has been prepared using non-covalent imprinting approach. Using MC-LR as a template, itaconic acid as a functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linking monomer, a MIP has been synthesized. Computer simulations were used to design effective binding sites for MC-LR binding in aqueous solutions. Batch binding adsorption assay was followed to determine binding capacity of MIP under the influence of environmental parameters such as total dissolved solids and pH. The adsorptive removal of MC-LR from lake water has been investigated using MIPs. The MIP showed excellent adsorption potential toward MC-LR in aqueous solutions with a binding capacity of 3.64 μg mg(-1) which is about 60% and 70% more than the commercially used powdered activated carbon (PAC) and resin XAD, respectively. Environmental parameters such as total organic carbon (represented as chemical oxygen demand (COD)) and total dissolved solids (TDS) showed no significant interference up to 300 mg L(-1) for MC-LR removal from lake water samples. It was found that the binding sites on PAC and XAD have more affinity toward COD and TDS than the MC-LR. Further, the adsorption capacity of the MIP was evaluated rigorously by its repeated

Pulsed magnetic field generation suited for low-field unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance systems

Science.gov (United States)

Gaunkar, Neelam Prabhu; Selvaraj, Jayaprakash; Theh, Wei-Shen; Weber, Robert; Mina, Mani

2018-05-01

Pulsed magnetic fields can be used to provide instantaneous localized magnetic field variations. In presence of static fields, pulsed field variations are often used to apply torques and in-effect to measure behavior of magnetic moments in different states. In this work, the design and experimental performance of a pulsed magnetic field generator suited for low static field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) applications is presented. One of the challenges of low bias field NMR measurements is low signal to noise ratio due to the comparable nature of the bias field and the pulsed field. Therefore, a circuit is designed to apply pulsed currents through an inductive load, leading to generation of pulsed magnetic fields which can temporarily overpower the effect of the bias field on magnetic moments. The designed circuit will be tuned to operate at the precession frequency of 1H (protons) placed in a bias field produced by permanent magnets. The designed circuit parameters may be tuned to operate under different bias conditions. Therefore, low field NMR measurements can be performed for different bias fields. Circuit simulations were used to determine design parameters, corresponding experimental measurements will be presented in this work.

Field quality issues in iron-dominated dipoles at low fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, B.C.

1996-10-01

In order to help assess the usable dynamic range of iron-dominated dipoles, field shape data at low field on several Fermi-lab accelerator dipole designs are presented. Emphasis is placed on the systematic and random values of the low field sextupole since it is the first ''allowed'' field error. The Main Injector dipoles provide four times smaller sextupole and more than 20 times less sextupole hysteresis than earlier designs for the Main Ring

The earth's magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merrill, R.T.

1983-01-01

After a historical introduction in Chapter 1, the more traditional aspects of geomagnetism relating to the present field and historical observations are presented in Chapter 2. The various methods and techniques and theoretical background of palaeomagnetism are given in Chapter 3. Chapters 4, 5 and 6 present the results of palaeomagnetic and archaeomagnetic studies in three topics. Chapter 4 relates to studies of the geomagnetic field roughly back to about 50,000 years ago. Chapter 5 is about reversals of the geomagnetic field and Chapter 6 presents studies of the field for times older than 50,000 years and on the geological time scale of millions or hundreds of millions of years. Chapters 7, 8 and 9 provide insight into dynamo theory. Chapter 7 is essentially a non-mathematical attempt to explain the physical basis of dynamo theories to palaeomagnetists. This is followed in Chapter 8 by a more advanced theoretical treatment. Chapter 9 explains theoretical aspects of secular variation and the origin of reversals of the geomagnetic field. Chapter 10 is our attempt to relate theory to experiment and vice versa. The final two chapters consider the magnetic fields of the moon, sun, planets and meteorites, in an attempt to determine the necessary and sufficient conditions for magnetic field generation in large solar system bodies. (author)

Alteration in the Expression of Cytochrome P450s (CYP1A1, CYP2E1, and CYP3A11 in the Liver of Mouse Induced by Microcystin-LR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bangjun Zhang

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Microcystins (MCs are cyclic heptapeptide toxins and can accumulate in the liver. Cytochrome P450s (CYPs play an important role in the biotransformation of endogenous substances and xenobiotics in animals. It is unclear if the CYPs are affected by MCs exposure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of microcystin-LR (MCLR on cytochrome P450 isozymes (CYP1A1, CYP2E1, and CYP3A11 at mRNA level, protein content, and enzyme activity in the liver of mice the received daily, intraperitoneally, 2, 4, and 8 µg/kg body weight of MCLR for seven days. The result showed that MCLR significantly decreased ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD (CYP1A1 and erythromycin N-demthylase (ERND (CYP3A11 activities and increased aniline hydroxylase (ANH activity (CYP2E1 in the liver of mice during the period of exposure. Our findings suggest that MCLR exposure may disrupt the function of CYPs in liver, which may be partly attributed to the toxicity of MCLR in mice.

Applying Technology To Facilitate Poster Presentations.

Science.gov (United States)

Marek, Pam; Christopher, Andrew N.; Koenig, Cynthia S.

2002-01-01

Promotes the use of presentation software in psychology courses to teach students technological skills that prepare them for the future. Explains that many graduates in psychology are employed in other fields after graduation. Discusses the use of presentation software with a focus on poster preparation using Microsoft PowerPoint software. (CMK)

Local recurrence of prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy is at risk to be missed in {sup 68}Ga-PSMA-11-PET of PET/CT and PET/MRI: comparison with mpMRI integrated in simultaneous PET/MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freitag, Martin T. [Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg (Germany); Clinical Cooperation Unit Nuclear Medicine, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg (Germany); Radtke, Jan P. [Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg (Germany); University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Urology, Heidelberg (Germany); Afshar-Oromieh, Ali; Flechsig, Paul; Giesel, Frederik; Haberkorn, Uwe [University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg (Germany); Roethke, Matthias C.; Bonekamp, David; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter [Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg (Germany); Hadaschik, Boris A.; Hohenfellner, Markus [University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Urology, Heidelberg (Germany); Gleave, Martin [University of British Columbia, The Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver (Canada); Kopka, Klaus; Eder, Matthias [Division of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg (Germany); Heusser, Thorsten; Kachelriess, Marc [Department of Medical Physics in Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg (Germany); Wieczorek, Kathrin [University Hospital Heidelberg, Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg (Germany); Sachpekidis, Christos; Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss, A. [Clinical Cooperation Unit Nuclear Medicine, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg (Germany)

2017-05-15

The positron emission tomography (PET) tracer {sup 68}Ga-PSMA-11, targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), is rapidly excreted into the urinary tract. This leads to significant radioactivity in the bladder, which may limit the PET-detection of local recurrence (LR) of prostate cancer (PC) after radical prostatectomy (RP), developing in close proximity to the bladder. Here, we analyze if there is additional value of multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) compared to the {sup 68}Ga-PSMA-11-PET-component of PET/CT or PET/MRI to detect LR. One hundred and nineteen patients with biochemical recurrence after prior RP underwent both hybrid {sup 68}Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT{sub low-dose} (1 h p.i.) and -PET/MRI (2-3 h p.i.) including a mpMRI protocol of the prostatic bed. The comparison of both methods was restricted to the abdomen with focus on LR (McNemar). Bladder-LR distance and recurrence size were measured in axial T2w-TSE. A logistic regression was performed to determine the influence of these variables on detectability in {sup 68}Ga-PSMA-11-PET. Standardized-uptake-value (SUV{sub mean}) quantification of LR was performed. There were 93/119 patients that had at least one pathologic finding. In addition, 18/119 Patients (15.1%) were diagnosed with a LR in mpMRI of PET/MRI but only nine were PET-positive in PET/CT and PET/MRI. This mismatch was statistically significant (p = 0.004). Detection of LR using the PET-component was significantly influenced by proximity to the bladder (p = 0.028). The PET-pattern of LR-uptake was classified into three types (1): separated from bladder; (2): fuses with bladder, and (3): obliterated by bladder. The size of LRs did not affect PET-detectability (p = 0.84), mean size was 1.7 ± 0.69 cm long axis, 1.2 ± 0.46 cm short-axis. SUV{sub mean} in nine men was 8.7 ± 3.7 (PET/CT) and 7.0 ± 4.2 (PET/MRI) but could not be quantified in the remaining nine cases (obliterated by bladder). The present study demonstrates

Hyperbolic-symmetry vector fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Xu-Zhen; Pan, Yue; Cai, Meng-Qiang; Li, Yongnan; Tu, Chenghou; Wang, Hui-Tian

2015-12-14

We present and construct a new kind of orthogonal coordinate system, hyperbolic coordinate system. We present and design a new kind of local linearly polarized vector fields, which is defined as the hyperbolic-symmetry vector fields because the points with the same polarization form a series of hyperbolae. We experimentally demonstrate the generation of such a kind of hyperbolic-symmetry vector optical fields. In particular, we also study the modified hyperbolic-symmetry vector optical fields with the twofold and fourfold symmetric states of polarization when introducing the mirror symmetry. The tight focusing behaviors of these vector fields are also investigated. In addition, we also fabricate micro-structures on the K9 glass surfaces by several tightly focused (modified) hyperbolic-symmetry vector fields patterns, which demonstrate that the simulated tightly focused fields are in good agreement with the fabricated micro-structures.

Investigations in the field electron emission at the Siemens research laboratory directed by Gustav Hertz between 1935 and 1945 and their significance for the present-day surface physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haefer, R.A.

1987-01-01

The author, who was a co-worker of Gustav Hertz, describes briefly the early history of field emission research and the fundamental results, i.e. the invention of the field electron microscope by E. W. Mueller and the first confirmation of the quantum mechanical Fowler-Nordheim theory by R. A. Haefer, and points out their significance for present-day surface physics and technology. (author)

A code of ethics for health care ethics consultants: journey to the present and implications for the field.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarzian, Anita J; Wocial, Lucia D

2015-01-01

For decades a debate has played out in the literature about who bioethicists are, what they do, whether they can be considered professionals qua bioethicists, and, if so, what professional responsibilities they are called to uphold. Health care ethics consultants are bioethicists who work in health care settings. They have been seeking guidance documents that speak to their special relationships/duties toward those they serve. By approving a Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibilities for Health Care Ethics Consultants, the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH) has moved the professionalization debate forward in a significant way. This first code of ethics focuses on individuals who provide health care ethics consultation (HCEC) in clinical settings. The evolution of the code's development, implications for the field of HCEC and bioethics, and considerations for future directions are presented here.

Correlation between the Limbus-Insertion Distance of the Lateral Rectus Muscle and Lateral Rectus Recession Surgery in Intermittent Exotropia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ju-Yeun Lee

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate whether the limbus-insertion distance (LID of the lateral rectus (LR muscle can be a useful indicator for predicting the surgical effect of recession surgery in intermittent exotropia (IXT. Patients who underwent unilateral or bilateral LR recession for the basic type of IXT were included. The distance between the corneal limbus and the posterior edge of the insertion of LR muscle (limbus-insertion distance was measured intraoperatively using surgical calipers (graded with 0.25 mm precision. We calculated the actual dose-response effect as the difference between the angle of preoperative deviation and the angle of postoperative deviation, and then divided the figure by the total amount of recession at postoperative months 1, 3, and 6. The correlation between the limbus-insertion distance (LID of LR muscle and each dose-response effect was statistically analyzed. A total of 60 subjects were enrolled in this study. The mean LID of LR muscle was 5.8±0.7 mm. The dose-response effect was 3.2±1.0 prism diopters (PD/mm at postoperative month 1, 3.4±1.0 PD/mm at postoperative month 3, and 3.4±1.1 PD/mm at postoperative month 6. The LID of the LR muscle was significantly correlated with dose-response effects in cases of unilateral and bilateral LR recession at postoperative months 3 and 6 (P = 0.01, <0.01, 0.04 and <0.01 respectively. As the LID of the LR muscle increased by 1 mm, the dose-response effect increased by 0.2PD/mm in unilateral LR recession, and by 0.4 PD/mm in bilateral LR recession at postoperative month 6. In conclusion, the LID of the LR muscle can be used as one predictor of the recession effect to assist in surgical planning for IXT. Moreover, undercorrection at the time of LR recession might be considered in patients with long LID of the LR muscle.

LLNL high-field coil program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, J.R.

1986-01-01

An overview is presented of the LLNL High-Field Superconducting Magnet Development Program wherein the technology is being developed for producing fields in the range of 15 T and higher for both mirror and tokamak applications. Applications requiring less field will also benefit from this program. In addition, recent results on the thermomechanical performance of cable-in-conduit conductor systems are presented and their importance to high-field coil design discussed

Neural and environmental factors impacting maternal behavior differences in high- versus low-novelty-seeking rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Clinton, Sarah M; Bedrosian, Tracy A; Abraham, Antony D; Watson, Stanley J; Akil, Huda

2010-04-01

Selective breeding of rats exhibiting differences in novelty-induced locomotion revealed that this trait predicts several differences in emotional behavior. Bred High Responders (bHRs) show exaggerated novelty-induced locomotion, aggression, and psychostimulant self-administration, compared to bred Low Responders (bLRs), which are inhibited and prone to anxiety- and depression-like behavior. Our breeding studies highlight the heritability of the bHR/bLR phenotypes, although environmental factors like maternal care also shape some aspects of these traits. We previously reported that HR vs. LR mothers act differently, but it was unclear whether their behaviors were genetically driven or influenced by their pups. The present study (a) used cross-fostering to evaluate whether the bHR/bLR maternal styles are inherent to mothers and/or are modulated by pups; and (b) assessed oxytocin and oxytocin receptor mRNA expression to examine possible underpinnings of bHR/bLR maternal differences. While bHR dams exhibited less maternal behavior than bLRs during the dark/active phase, they were very attentive to pups during the light phase, spending greater time passive nursing and in contact with pups compared to bLRs. Cross-fostering only subtly changed bHR and bLR dams' behavior, suggesting that their distinct maternal styles are largely inherent to the mothers. We also found elevated oxytocin mRNA levels in the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus in bHR versus bLR dams, which may play some role in driving their behavior differences. Overall these studies shed light on the interplay between the genetics of mothers and infants in driving differences in maternal style. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emerging Executive Functioning and Motor Development in Infants at High and Low Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

St. John, Tanya; Estes, Annette M.; Dager, Stephen R.; Kostopoulos, Penelope; Wolff, Jason J.; Pandey, Juhi; Elison, Jed T.; Paterson, Sarah J.; Schultz, Robert T.; Botteron, Kelly; Hazlett, Heather; Piven, Joseph

2016-01-01

Existing evidence suggests executive functioning (EF) deficits may be present in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by 3 years of age. It is less clear when, prior to 3 years, EF deficits may emerge and how EF unfold over time. The contribution of motor skill difficulties to poorer EF in children with ASD has not been systematically studied. We investigated the developmental trajectory of EF in infants at high and low familial risk for ASD (HR and LR) and the potential associations between motor skills, diagnostic group, and EF performance. Participants included 186 HR and 76 LR infants. EF (A-not-B), motor skills (Fine and Gross Motor), and cognitive ability were directly assessed at 12 months and 24 months of age. Participants were directly evaluated for ASD at 24 months using DSM-IV-TR criteria and categorized as HR-ASD, HR-Negative, and LR-Negative. HR-ASD and HR-Negative siblings demonstrated less improvement in EF over time compared to the LR-Negative group. Motor skills were associated with group and EF performance at 12 months. No group differences were found at 12 months, but at 24 months, the HR-ASD and HR-Negative groups performed worse than the LR-Negative group overall after controlling for visual reception and maternal education. On reversal trials, the HR-ASD group performed worse than the LR-Negative group. Motor skills were associated with group and EF performance on reversal trials at 24 months. Findings suggest that HR siblings demonstrate altered EF development and that motor skills may play an important role in this process. PMID:27458411

Identification of Patients at Very Low Risk of Local Recurrence After Breast-Conserving Surgery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, Sally L., E-mail: ssmith11@bccancer.bc.ca [Radiation Therapy Program and Breast Cancer Outcomes Unit, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island Centre, University of British Columbia, Victoria, British Columbia (Canada); Truong, Pauline T. [Radiation Therapy Program and Breast Cancer Outcomes Unit, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island Centre, University of British Columbia, Victoria, British Columbia (Canada); Lu, Linghong; Lesperance, Mary [Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia (Canada); Olivotto, Ivo A. [Division of Radiation Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

2014-07-01

Purpose: To identify clinical and pathological factors that identify groups of women with stage I breast cancer with a 5-year risk of local recurrence (LR) ≤1.5% after breast-conserving therapy (BCS) plus whole-breast radiation therapy (RT). Methods and Materials: Study subjects were 5974 patients ≥50 years of age whose cancer was diagnosed between 1989 and 2006, and were referred with pT1 pN0 invasive breast cancer treated with BCS and RT. Cases of 5- and 10-year LR were examined using Kaplan-Meier methods. Recursive partitioning analysis was performed in patients treated with and without endocrine therapy to identify combinations of factors associated with a 5-year LR risk ≤1.5%. Results: The median follow-up was 8.61 years. Median age was 63 years of age (range, 50 to 91). Overall 5-year LR was 1.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2%-1.9%) and 10-year LR was 3.4% (95% CI, 2.8%-4.0%). Of 2830 patients treated with endocrine therapy, patient subsets identified with 5-year LR ≤1.5% included patients with grade 1 histology (n=1038; LR, 0.2%; 95% CI, 0%-0.5%) or grade 2 histology plus ≥60 years of age (n=843; LR, 0.5%; 95% CI, 0%-1.0%). Ten-year LR for these groups were 0.8% (95% CI, 0.1%-1.6%) and 0.9% (95% CI, 0.2%-1.6%), respectively. Of 3144 patients treated without endocrine therapy, patients with grade 1 histology plus clear margins had 5-year LR ≤1.5% (n=821; LR, 0.6%; 95% CI, 0.1%-1.2%). Ten-year LR for this group was 2.2% (95% CI, 1.0%-3.4%). Conclusions: Histologic grade, age, margin status, and use of endocrine therapy identified 45% of a population-based cohort of female patients over age 50 with stage I breast cancer with a 5-year LR risk ≤1.5% after BCS plus RT. Prospective study is needed to evaluate the safety of omitting RT in patients with such a low risk of LR.

Present and future of kaon physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)