Validation of VHTRC calculation benchmark of critical experiment using the MCB code

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanisz Przemysław

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The calculation benchmark problem Very High Temperature Reactor Critical (VHTR a pin-in-block type core critical assembly has been investigated with the Monte Carlo Burnup (MCB code in order to validate the latest version of Nuclear Data Library based on ENDF format. Executed benchmark has been made on the basis of VHTR benchmark available from the International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments. This benchmark is useful for verifying the discrepancies in keff values between various libraries and experimental values. This allows to improve accuracy of the neutron transport calculations that may help in designing the high performance commercial VHTRs. Almost all safety parameters depend on the accuracy of neutron transport calculation results that, in turn depend on the accuracy of nuclear data libraries. Thus, evaluation of the libraries applicability to VHTR modelling is one of the important subjects. We compared the numerical experiment results with experimental measurements using two versions of available nuclear data (ENDF-B-VII.1 and JEFF-3.2 prepared for required temperatures. Calculations have been performed with the MCB code which allows to obtain very precise representation of complex VHTR geometry, including the double heterogeneity of a fuel element. In this paper, together with impact of nuclear data, we discuss also the impact of different lattice modelling inside the fuel pins. The discrepancies of keff have been successfully observed and show good agreement with each other and with the experimental data within the 1 σ range of the experimental uncertainty. Because some propagated discrepancies observed, we proposed appropriate corrections in experimental constants which can improve the reactivity coefficient dependency. Obtained results confirm the accuracy of the new Nuclear Data Libraries.

Experiences on MIC monitoring by electrochemical techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cristiani, P.; Perboni, G.; Hilbert, Lisbeth Rischel

2002-01-01

Some results of practical experiences on the performances of electrochemical and electric MIC monitoring techniques, coming from the discussion in the Brite-Euram thematic network "MIC of industrial materials", are presented in this paper.......Some results of practical experiences on the performances of electrochemical and electric MIC monitoring techniques, coming from the discussion in the Brite-Euram thematic network "MIC of industrial materials", are presented in this paper....

Study of carrier mobility of N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′bis(1,1′-biphenyl)-4,4′-diamine (NPB) by transmission line model of impedance spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Chao; Xu, Hui; Wang, Xu-Liang; Liu, Wei; Liu, Rui-Lan; Rong, Zhou; Fan, Qu-Li; Huang, Wei

2013-01-01

As a powerful method for electrical measurement, impedance spectroscopy and admittance spectroscopy methods began to receive more and more attention in organic electronics research scholars. It demonstrates outstanding advantages especially in the measurement of the mobility of the charge carriers. In this paper, the hole mobility of N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′bis(1,1′-biphenyl)-4,4′-diamine (NPB) was studied by the transmission line model based on impedance spectroscopy. According to energy level of the materials of each layer, a hole-only current device with single-layer structure of indium-tin-oxide(ITO)/NPB/Ag was designed and fabricated, and its Nyquist diagram was measured at different biased voltage. The corresponding transmission line model was proposed according to the device structure and the materials, which was used to the fitting procedure to get the transfer time of the carrier. At last, the carrier mobility was obtained from the transfer time. The results showed that the hole mobility of NPB obtained by transmission line model was in line with the Poole–Freckle model. The zero-field mobility and the pre-exponential factor was further achieved to be 3.9 × 10 −5 cm 2 · V −1 · s −1 and 6.8 × 10 −3 (V/cm) −1/2 , respectively. Moreover, the method can also be easily used for the study of the electron transport properties of the organic semiconductor. - Highlights: • Hole mobility of N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′bis(1,1′-biphenyl)-4,4′-diamine (NPB) was studied by the transmission line model • The results was in line with the Poole-Freckle model • Zero-field mobility and the pre-exponential factor was further achieved

Evaluation of vancomycin MIC creep in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz, Raquel; Ramalheira, Elmano; Afreixo, Vera; Gago, Bruno

2017-09-01

Vancomycin is the primary treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, an increasing proportion of MRSA isolates with high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) within the susceptible range (vancomycin 'MIC creep') is being observed. The aim of this study was to assess the vancomycin MIC distribution for S. aureus isolates over a period of 4 years in Centro Hospitalar Baixo Vouga (Aveiro, Portugal) and to identify differences in vancomycin MIC determined by different susceptibility testing methods. For each S. aureus isolate, the vancomycin MIC was assayed by the VITEK ® 2 automated system and the broth microdilution testing method. The results showed significant differences in vancomycin MIC by different methods (P=0.021, sign test) and did not suggest the presence of vancomycin MIC creep during the study period. Vancomycin MIC creep is a regional problem, therefore it can only be assessed through the evaluation of local susceptibility profiles, and antibiogram based on real MIC assay should be an essential element in local MRSA infection clinical management. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ranking alloys for susceptibility to MIC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, P.J.B.; Davies, M.; Goldie, J.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that laboratory experiments demonstrate that alloys containing 6 to 9% Mo are susceptible to microbiologically influenced corrosion attack. They also demonstrate that corrosion behavior in batch cultures do not correlate well with standard ferric chloride and pitting potential tests of the same alloys. In recent years, there has been an increasing awareness of the incidence of plant equipment failures caused by microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). This has led to the search for suitable testing techniques to look for MIC, which, in turn, has expanded the list of known susceptible alloys. Faced with field failures, the normal response has been to upgrade the alloy of construction. There is, for example, a common belief that the addition of more molybdenum to austenitic stainless steels conveys immunity (or at least increased resistance) to MIC. The basis for this is an extrapolation of localized corrosion data. The supposed correlation between molybdenum content and resistance to MIC has not yet been supported by a comprehensive testing program

The frequent occurrence of MIC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Graff, Matthias [Gesellschaft fuer Technische Mikrobiologie und Hygieneueberwachung - Dr. Graff und Partner, Stadtweg 9, D-38176 Wendeburg (Germany); Neubert, Volkmar [Institut fuer Materialpruefung und Werkstofftechnik Dr. Doelling und Dr. Neubert GmbH, Freiberger Strasse 1, D-38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld (Germany)

2004-07-01

Microbial induced corrosion (MIC) is not as rare as many materials scientist and corrosion practitioners do believe. It is not an exotic and scarce event, but can be found frequently in many fields of corrosion research, provided that it is looked for. The reason for the relatively few descriptions of MIC cases seems to be the fact, that the microbiological approach is not widely known and applied in the world of materials science. MIC is not so much a corrosion mechanism on its own, but it enhances the corrosion rates of the 'normal' mechanisms to such an extent, that in some cases 'incredible' fast corrosion progress can be observed. The reason is the microorganisms' function as bio-catalysts: Chemical reactions, which are very slow under normal chemical conditions can be highly accelerated by living organisms. Besides that, several microorganisms do produce very corrosive substances which in natural environments do not occur without the activity of microorganisms, e. g. sulfuric or nitric acid. We want to point out, that it can be very worthy to take microbial induced corrosion into account. MIC is not the general answer for all unsolved corrosion problems, but to think about it helps in many corrosion cases as the authors had to experience. The initial indication for the presence of MIC are markedly increased corrosion rates. In the following, some of our 'lessons' are presented as short case studies: Two of them deal with steel corrosion characterized by increased corrosion rates. The third example presents corrosion damage of aluminium structures, where from a technical point of view corrosion was not expected, least of all microbial induced corrosion. (authors)

Comparison between a classical command law and a new advanced recovery command law in a MCB-ARS boost

Science.gov (United States)

Petit, Pierre; Saint-Eve, Frédéric; Sawicki, Jean-Paul; Aillerie, Michel

2017-02-01

This paper focuses on an original performed command on DC-DC boosts developed for applications in the LMOPS lab for the photovoltaic energy conversion and more specifically the Photovoltaic panels connected to HVDC smart grids. This boost, commonly named MCB-ARS (Magnetically Coupled Boost with Active Recovery Switch) presents great advantages concerning the simplicity of the command on the single constitutive switch, the global efficiency and the voltage conversion ratio. A fine analysis of the losses all over the entire converter shows that losses are not distributed uniformly in the constituting components. So a previous modification described in a previous paper consisting in the conducting assistance on the power flowing intermediate diode, performed advantageously the global efficiency. The present analysis takes into account the fact that the new configuration obtained after this important improvement looks like a classical half-bridge push-pull stage and may be controlled by a twice complementary command. In that way, a comparison has been done between a natural commutation recovery diode and an assisted switch commutation driven in a push-pull mode. As attempted, the switching command laws in charge to assume the energy transfer has been compared to the classical previous system described in anterior papers, and we demonstrate in this publication that a commutation based on a push-pull command mode within the two switches of the MCB-ARS converter is possible and increases the power transfer.

Cómics para la Disfemia

OpenAIRE

Pomares Puig, María Pilar

2015-01-01

Desde la Facultad de Educación se vienen desarrollando diversas estrategias para fomentar el uso del cómic en distintos niveles escolares y profundizar en el conocimiento del mismo y ampliar la labor de divulgación que realiza la asociación de Unicómic http://unicomic.blogspot.com, centrándonos en los aspectos didácticos. La disfemia es un trastorno de la fluidez verbal y del ritmo del habla caracterizado por disfluencias consistentes en repeticiones y prolongaciones de sonidos y dificultad p...

Root cause investigation of a viral contamination incident occurred during master cell bank (MCB) testing and characterization--a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Dayue; Nims, Raymond; Dusing, Sandra; Miller, Pamela; Luo, Wen; Quertinmont, Michelle; Parekh, Bhavin; Poorbaugh, Josh; Boose, Jeri Ann; Atkinson, E Morrey

2008-11-01

An adventitious agent contamination occurred during a routine 9 CFR bovine viral screening test at BioReliance for an Eli Lilly Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell-derived Master Cell Bank (MCB) intended for biological production. Scientists from the sponsor (Eli Lilly and Company) and the testing service company (BioReliance) jointly conducted a systematic investigation in an attempt to determine the root cause of the contamination. Our investigation resulted in the identification of the viral nature of the contaminant. Subsequent experiments indicated that the viral contaminant was a non-enveloped and non-hemadsorbing virus. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the viral contaminant was 25-30 nm in size and morphologically resembled viruses of the family Picornaviridae. The contaminant virus was readily inactivated when exposed to acidic pH, suggesting that the viral contaminant was a member of rhinoviruses. Although incapable of infecting CHO cells, the viral contaminant replicated efficiently in Vero cell with a life cycle of approximately 16 h. Our investigation provided compelling data demonstrating that the viral contaminant did not originate from the MCB. Instead, it was introduced into the process during cell passaging and a possible entry point was proposed. We identified the viral contaminant as an equine rhinitis A virus using molecular cloning and DNA sequencing. Finally, our investigation led us to conclude that the source of the viral contaminant was the equine serum added to the cell growth medium in the 9 CFR bovine virus test.

Vancomycin AUC/MIC and Corresponding Troughs in a Pediatric Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Kishk, Omayma A; Lardieri, Allison B; Heil, Emily L; Morgan, Jill A

2017-01-01

Adult guidelines suggest an area under the curve/minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC/MIC) > 400 corresponds to a vancomycin trough serum concentration of 15 to 20 mg/L for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections, but obtaining these troughs in children are difficult. The primary objective of this study was to assess the likelihood that 15 mg/kg of vancomycin every 6 hours in a child achieves an AUC/MIC > 400. This retrospective chart review included pediatric patients >2 months to AUCs were calculated four times using three pharmacokinetic methods. A total of 36 patients with 99 vancomycin trough serum concentrations were assessed. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. For troughs in group 1 (n = 55), the probability of achieving an AUC/MIC > 400 ranged from 16.4% to 90.9% with a median trough concentration of 11.4 mg/L, while in group 2 (n = 44) the probability of achieving AUC/MIC > 400 ranged from 15.9% to 54.5% with mean trough concentration of 9.2 mg/L. The AUC/MICs were not similar between the different pharmacokinetic methods used; however, a trapezoidal equation (Method A) yielded the highest correlation coefficient (r 2 = 0.59). When dosing every 6 hours, an AUC/MIC of 400 correlated to a trough serum concentration of 11 mg/L. The probability of achieving an AUC/MIC > 400 using only a trough serum concentration and an MIC with patients receiving 15 mg/kg every 6 hours is variable based on the method used to calculate the AUC. An AUC/MIC of 400 in children correlated to a trough concentration of 11 mg/L using a trapezoidal Method to calculate AUC.

Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) in the Oil and Gas Industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovhus, Torben Lund; Eckert, Rickard

2015-01-01

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is a serious corrosion threat that impacts the operating integrity and reliability of assets in the oil and gas, maritime, power generation, and other industries. Yet MIC is also commonly misunderstood, leading to ineffective mitigation programs, wasted...... and implement improved mitigation strategies and thereby reduce operating risk. Our experts provide guidance in applying the latest state-of-the-art molecular microbiological methods (MMM) and industry standards to properly diagnose MIC in operating assets and on failed components. With this understanding, MIC...... can be effectively addressed as part of the overall Corrosion Management System (CMS)....

Determination Of Appropriate Antibiotic In Bacterial Meningitis Of Children Based On MIC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noorbakhsh S

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Bacterial meningitis is one of the most serious infections in infants and children. Three organisms include S.Pneumo;N.mening;H.Influ are the most common cause of meningitis in children between 2M-14y age.Etest is a new method for determination the MIC of some antimicrobial drugs in agarose .This method is useful for some organisms like as S .Pneumo; N.mening; H.Influ;sensitive Streptococcus and anaerobic ;aerobic gram negative. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross sectional study; In 57 suspected meningitis children ; organisms isolated from blood; CSF or other sterile boy fluid after culturing and antibiogram;. .MIC of someorganisms detected by Etest method. Results: Streptococcuswas the most prevalent ( 70% and S.pneumon( 90% of all Streptococcus; H.infl 2%;N.mening 4%and L.monocyt 6%(more than expected;Gram negative (Ecoli; Klebsiella; entrobacter and psudomona 18%. There was significant difference (P =0.01in type of organisms between age groups. S.pneumonia was more frequent in children > 2 year ;N.meningitis in>4yr old .Site of isolation :blood; CSF (35.8*;28.3%other sterile site 18.4%;concomitant positive culture in two site:17%.Mean age in Streptococcus was significantly different with Listeria (p=0.05; N.meningitis (p=0.04;H.influ (p=0.04;.but no difference with Staphylococcus;Klebsiella and E.coli Two type of H.inf were sensitive to Ampici or chloram ;both of them were sensitive to ceftiaxon. GBS were sensitive to PNC or Ampici Strep.nonAnonBnon- Cotrimoxazol>32mic/ml /PNC >256mic/ml/ Vanco>256mic/ml Strep.D: Cotrimoxazol>0.062mg/ml/ /PNC >0.016mic/ml/Imipenem>0.032mic/ml. Strep Pneumonia: All fo them were sensitive except 3 cases /Cotrimoxazol>2ic/ml /PNC =0.01mic/ml/Vanco>0.125mic/ m Vanco>0. 25mic/ ml/.Cotrimoxazol>2ic/ml / PNC =0.01mg/ml Vanco>0.125mic/ ml / Cotrimoxazol>2mic/ml /MIC-PNC >0.016mic/ml Therefore high dose of PNC is adequate for S.pneu ;because of Interm resistance to PNC All 3 N.menin were

Comparison of MCB and MONTEBURNS Monte Carlo burnup codes on a one-pass deep burn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talamo, Alberto; Ji, Wei; Cetnar, Jerzy; Gudowski, Waclaw

2006-01-01

Numerical applications implemented on the Monte Carlo method have developed in line with the increase of computer power; nowadays, in the field of nuclear reactor physics, it is possible to perform burnup simulations in a detailed 3D geometry and a continuous energy description by the Monte Carlo method; moreover, the required computing time can be abundantly reduced by taking advantage of a computer cluster. In this paper we focused on comparing the results of the two major Monte Carlo burnup codes, MONTEBURNS and MCB, when they share the same MCNP geometry, nuclear data library, core thermal power, and they apply the same refueling and shuffling schedule. While simulating a total operation time of the Gas Turbine-Modular Helium Reactor of 2100 effective full power days and a one-pass deep burn in-core fuel management schedule, we have found that the two Monte Carlo codes produce very similar results both on the criticality value of the core and the transmutation of the key actinides

Comparison of MCB and MONTEBURNS Monte Carlo burnup codes on a one-pass deep burn

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Talamo, Alberto [Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Roslagstullsbacken 21, Stockholm S-10691 (Sweden)]. E-mail: alby@anl.gov; Ji, Wei [University of Michigan, Bonisteel Boulevard 2355, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2104 (United States); Cetnar, Jerzy [AGH-University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30 Cracow (Poland); Gudowski, Waclaw [Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Roslagstullsbacken 21, Stockholm S-10691 (Sweden)

2006-09-15

Numerical applications implemented on the Monte Carlo method have developed in line with the increase of computer power; nowadays, in the field of nuclear reactor physics, it is possible to perform burnup simulations in a detailed 3D geometry and a continuous energy description by the Monte Carlo method; moreover, the required computing time can be abundantly reduced by taking advantage of a computer cluster. In this paper we focused on comparing the results of the two major Monte Carlo burnup codes, MONTEBURNS and MCB, when they share the same MCNP geometry, nuclear data library, core thermal power, and they apply the same refueling and shuffling schedule. While simulating a total operation time of the Gas Turbine-Modular Helium Reactor of 2100 effective full power days and a one-pass deep burn in-core fuel management schedule, we have found that the two Monte Carlo codes produce very similar results both on the criticality value of the core and the transmutation of the key actinides.

MIC in long oil pipelines: diagnosis, treatment and monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jenneman, Gary; Harris, Jennifer; Webb, Robert [ConocoPhillips (Canada)

2011-07-01

The paper presents the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of microbial influenced corrosion (MIC) in long oil pipelines. The presence of inorganic solids, bacteria, gases and organic acids in produced water in the oil pipelines causes MIC, which is hard to detect or test and it does not produce any unique type of corrosion. Chemical analysis of water from pig runs is presented in a tabular form and a graphical analysis of pig sludge solids is shown. From the biometabolite analysis, 23 putative hydrocarbon biometabolites were identified and biometabolites for the anaerobic biodegradation of aromatic HC were also detected. Operational considerations include the history of MIC in upstream pipelines, water slugging, and presence of suspended solids, among others. From microbiological, chemical, metallurgical and operational evidence it was suggested that MIC is a likely mechanism. The mitigation program is described and suggestions for successful mitigation measures include removal of oxygen sources, scale inhibitor injection, and increasing CO2 inhibitor concentration.

NICHD Microscopy and Imaging Core (MIC)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The NICHD Microscopy and Imaging Core (MIC) is designed as a multi-user research facility providing training and instrumentation for high resolution microscopy and...

Peran Public Speaking dalam Kegiatan Open Mic (Studi tentang Peran Public Speaking terhadap Kemampuan Comic dalam Kegiatan Open Mic Komunitas Stand Up Indo Kota Medan)

OpenAIRE

Rovis, Disa Yumna

2016-01-01

This study, entitled "The Role of Public Speaking on Open Mic Activity". The aim of the research is knowing the public speaking proses and the use of public speaking on the ability of comic on open mic activity. Public speaking theory is used for this research. Descriptive qualitative method is used in this research by nonparticipant observation tecnique through interviewing the comic. Based on this research, open mic activity uses the specific elements of public speaking. They are, the speak...

Prevention for possible microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in RHLWE flush water system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, T.C.; Jenkins, C.F.

1995-01-01

This report is in response to the request to provide a recommendation for the prevention of possible microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) for the RHLWE (Replacement High-Level Waste Evaporator) flush water (FW) system. The recent occurrences of MIC at DWPF prompted HLWE to evaluate the possibility of MIC occurring in this 304L stainless steel RHLWE flush water system. Concern was heightened by the fact that the well water used and the other conditions at H-Tank Farm are similar to those at DWPF. However, only one known leak has occurred in the existing 304L evaporator flush water systems in either tank farm (in 1H system), and no MIC Corrosion has been confirmed in the tank farm area. The design of the RHLWE flush water system (completed long before the occurrence of MIC at DWPF) was modeled after the existing evaporator flush water systems and did not specifically include MIC prevention considerations. Therefore, MIC prevention was not specifically considered during the design phase of this flush water system. The system is presently being installed. After an extensive evaluation, a task team concluded that the best biocide to prevent the occurrence of MIC would be NaOH at fairly low concentration. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is optimal in this application, because of its effectiveness, low cost, and familiarity to the Operations personnel (see Appendix A). However, it is the opinion of the task group that application should be withheld until MIC corrosion is demonstrated in the system

Anti-MIC2 as a tool in examination of testicular biopsies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Visfeldt, J; Cortes, D; Thorup, J M

1999-01-01

MIC2 is a pseudoautosomal gene localized on X and Y chromosomes. The MIC2 gene product is a glycoprotein expressed on the cell membranes of a number of somatic cells, including Sertoli cells of the testis, but not on the cell membranes of germ cells. In cases of cryptorchidism, a testicular biopsy...... testes which had been cultured in vitro for 7, 14 or 21 days. In all cases the immunohistochemical method with DAKO antibody to the MIC2 gene product was helpful for identification of Sertoli cells and germ cells, and we therefore recommend the use of anti-MIC2 in all testicular biopsies where...

Vancomycin AUC/MIC ratio and 30-day mortality in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Natasha E; Turnidge, John D; Munckhof, Wendy J; Robinson, J Owen; Korman, Tony M; O'Sullivan, Matthew V N; Anderson, Tara L; Roberts, Sally A; Warren, Sanchia J C; Gao, Wei; Howden, Benjamin P; Johnson, Paul D R

2013-04-01

A ratio of the vancomycin area under the concentration-time curve to the MIC (AUC/MIC) of ≥ 400 has been associated with clinical success when treating Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia, and this target was recommended by recently published vancomycin therapeutic monitoring consensus guidelines for treating all serious S. aureus infections. Here, vancomycin serum trough levels and vancomycin AUC/MIC were evaluated in a "real-world" context by following a cohort of 182 patients with S. aureus bacteremia (SAB) and analyzing these parameters within the critical first 96 h of vancomycin therapy. The median vancomycin trough level at this time point was 19.5 mg/liter. There was a significant difference in vancomycin AUC/MIC when using broth microdilution (BMD) compared with Etest MIC (medians of 436.1 and 271.5, respectively; P AUC/MIC of ≥ 400 using BMD was not associated with lower 30-day all-cause or attributable mortality from SAB (P = 0.132 and P = 0.273, respectively). However, an alternative vancomycin AUC/MIC of >373, derived using classification and regression tree analysis, was associated with reduced mortality (P = 0.043) and remained significant in a multivariable model. This study demonstrated that we obtained vancomycin trough levels in the target therapeutic range early during the course of therapy and that obtaining a higher vancomycin AUC/MIC (in this case, >373) within 96 h was associated with reduced mortality. The MIC test method has a significant impact on vancomycin AUC/MIC estimation. Clinicians should be aware that the current target AUC/MIC of ≥ 400 was derived using the reference BMD method, so adjustments to this target need to be made when calculating AUC/MIC ratio using other MIC testing methods.

Generalidades de Queratitis Micótica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Fernando Buitrago Torrado

2013-12-01

Full Text Available La queratitis micótica es una importante causa de discapacidad visual en los países desarrollados. En los últimos años ha aumentado su incidencia en países de regiones tropicales, relacionado con el aumento de las conductas de riesgo como el uso indiscriminado de antifúngicos y corticoides oftálmicos en la práctica médica. La confirmación del diagnóstico es necesaria, no sólo en caso de queratitis micótica, sino también en otras enfermedades oculares infecciosas para así iniciar la terapia oportuna y exacta, y evitar el uso innecesario de antimicrobianos. El pronóstico visual de los pacientes dependerá del diagnóstico temprano y el tratamiento médico oportuno

Gene-specific cell labeling using MiMIC transposons.

Science.gov (United States)

Gnerer, Joshua P; Venken, Koen J T; Dierick, Herman A

2015-04-30

Binary expression systems such as GAL4/UAS, LexA/LexAop and QF/QUAS have greatly enhanced the power of Drosophila as a model organism by allowing spatio-temporal manipulation of gene function as well as cell and neural circuit function. Tissue-specific expression of these heterologous transcription factors relies on random transposon integration near enhancers or promoters that drive the binary transcription factor embedded in the transposon. Alternatively, gene-specific promoter elements are directly fused to the binary factor within the transposon followed by random or site-specific integration. However, such insertions do not consistently recapitulate endogenous expression. We used Minos-Mediated Integration Cassette (MiMIC) transposons to convert host loci into reliable gene-specific binary effectors. MiMIC transposons allow recombinase-mediated cassette exchange to modify the transposon content. We developed novel exchange cassettes to convert coding intronic MiMIC insertions into gene-specific binary factor protein-traps. In addition, we expanded the set of binary factor exchange cassettes available for non-coding intronic MiMIC insertions. We show that binary factor conversions of different insertions in the same locus have indistinguishable expression patterns, suggesting that they reliably reflect endogenous gene expression. We show the efficacy and broad applicability of these new tools by dissecting the cellular expression patterns of the Drosophila serotonin receptor gene family. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Mic it! microphones, microphone techniques, and their impact on the final mix

CERN Document Server

Corbett, Ian

2014-01-01

Capture great sound in the first place, and spend less time ""fixing it in the mix"" with Ian Corbett's Mic It! Microphones, Microphone Techniques, and Their Impact on the Final Mix. With his expert guidance, you'll quickly understand essential audio concepts as they relate to microphones and mic techniques, and learn how to apply them to your recording situation. Whether you only ever buy one microphone, are equipping a studio on a budget, or have a vast selection of great mics to use, you'll learn to better use whatever tools you have. Mic It! gives you the background to design and discover

Comparative antianaerobic activities of doripenem determined by MIC and time-kill analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Credito, Kim L; Ednie, Lois M; Appelbaum, Peter C

2008-01-01

Against 447 anaerobe strains, the investigational carbapenem doripenem had an MIC 50 of 0.125 microg/ml and an MIC 90 of 1 microg/ml. Results were similar to those for imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem. Time-kill studies showed that doripenem had very good bactericidal activity compared to other carbapenems, with 99.9% killing of 11 strains at 2x MIC after 48 h.

Immune protection of microneme 7 (EmMIC7) against Eimeria maxima challenge in chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jingwei; Zhang, Zhenchao; Li, Menghui; Song, Xiaokai; Yan, Ruofeng; Xu, Lixin; Li, Xiangrui

2015-10-01

In the present study, the immune protective effects of recombinant microneme protein 7 of Eimeria maxima (rEmMIC7) and a DNA vaccine encoding this antigen (pVAX1-EmMIC7) on experimental challenge were evaluated. Two-week-old chickens were randomly divided into five groups. Experimental groups of chickens were immunized with 100 μg DNA vaccine pVAX1-MIC7 or 200 μg rEmMIC7, while control groups of chickens were injected with pVAX1 plasmid or sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The results showed that the anti-EmMIC7 antibody titres in chickens of both rEmMIC7 and pVAX1-MIC7 groups were significantly higher as compared to PBS and pVAX1 control (P maxima challenge in chickens and it could be an effective antigen candidate for the development of new vaccines against E. maxima.

LDL electronegativa: caracterització fisico-química i biològica en individus normolipèmics i hipercolesterolèmics

OpenAIRE

Benítez i Gonzàlez, Sònia

2002-01-01

Consultable des del TDX Títol obtingut de la portada digitalitzada L'LDL electronegativa (LDL(-)) és una fracció modificada de l'LDL total present en circulació. Vàries evidències indiquen que l'LDL(-) pot presentar característiques aterogèniques, ja que se suggereix que podria estar mínimament oxidada. En la present tesi s'han estudiat les propietats de l'LDL(-) procedent d'individus normolipèmics (NL) i hipercolesterolèmics (HF). Es van avaluar els següents aspectes: 1) Característiqu...

Comparative Antianaerobic Activities of Doripenem Determined by MIC and Time-Kill Analysis▿

Science.gov (United States)

Credito, Kim L.; Ednie, Lois M.; Appelbaum, Peter C.

2008-01-01

Against 447 anaerobe strains, the investigational carbapenem doripenem had an MIC50 of 0.125 μg/ml and an MIC90 of 1 μg/ml. Results were similar to those for imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem. Time-kill studies showed that doripenem had very good bactericidal activity compared to other carbapenems, with 99.9% killing of 11 strains at 2× MIC after 48 h. PMID:17938185

El cómic en España: 1977-2007

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo Vergara Díaz

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Este artículo pretende repasar las tres últimas décadas del cómic en España. El estudio se realiza valorando la evolución de la industria del cómic, desde sus inicios durante la dictadura y su expansión con la llegada de la democracia hasta la época actual de dificultades y cambios. El auge del cómic se observa en su relevancia creciente dentro de la prensa, en la aceptación de un público que va madurando con el paso del tiempo y, sobre todo, en las ventas de una industria que tiene que adaptarse a nuevas situaciones.

Support for higher ciprofloxacin AUC 24/MIC targets in treating Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Zelenitsky, Sheryl A; Ariano, Robert E

2010-08-01

Given concerns regarding optimal therapy for serious Gram-negative infections, the goal was to characterize the pharmacodynamics of ciprofloxacin in the context of treating bloodstream infection. Data were collected from the medical records of 178 clinical cases. Blood isolates were retrieved and ciprofloxacin MICs were measured. Forty-two cases in which ciprofloxacin was initiated within 24 h of the positive blood culture were used in the pharmacodynamic analysis. Significant factors with regard to treatment failure were low ciprofloxacin AUC(24)/MIC (P AUC(24) (P = 0.01). AUC(24)/MIC (P = 0.012) and MIC (P = 0.019) were significant variables in multivariate analyses; however, only the former remained significant (P = 0.038) after excluding two cases with ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates. An AUC(24)/MIC breakpoint of 250 was most significant, with cure rates of 91.4% (32/35) and 28.6% (2/7) in patients with values above and below this threshold, respectively (P = 0.001). The risk of ciprofloxacin treatment failure was 27.8 times (95% confidence interval, 2.1-333) greater in those not achieving an AUC(24)/MIC >or=250 (P = 0.011). Monte Carlo simulation of 5000 study subjects predicted that 0.88 of the population would achieve an AUC(24)/MIC >or=250 with standard-dose ciprofloxacin (400 mg intravenously every 12 h). This study confirms the pharmacodynamic parameters of ciprofloxacin that are important for optimizing the treatment of serious infections, particularly the benefits of achieving an AUC(24)/MIC >or=250, rather than the conventional target of >or=125. It also shows the relevance of dose selection in optimizing target attainment, with important differences among pathogens, even those with MICs within the susceptible range.

Anti-MIC2 as a tool in examination of testicular biopsies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Visfeldt, J; Cortes, Dina; Thorup, J M

1999-01-01

MIC2 is a pseudoautosomal gene localized on X and Y chromosomes. The MIC2 gene product is a glycoprotein expressed on the cell membranes of a number of somatic cells, including Sertoli cells of the testis, but not on the cell membranes of germ cells. In cases of cryptorchidism, a testicular biopsy...... transverse section is lower than 1% of the lowest normal age-matched value. Besides Sertoli cells the seminiferous tubules in undescended testes contain only a few germ cells, and it may be difficult to pinpoint the germ cells in small biopsies. Especially in nonpalpable testes their number may be heavily...... reduced. A reliable identification of germ cells may also be difficult in cultures of testicular biopsies from undescended testes. Against this background, we tried the use of an immunohistochemical method with DAKO antibody to the MIC2 gene product (MIC2, 12 E7, code no. M3601) in order to obtain...

General technique for the integration of MIC/MMIC'S with waveguides

Science.gov (United States)

Geller, Bernard D. (Inventor); Zaghloul, Amir I. (Inventor)

1987-01-01

A technique for packaging and integrating of a microwave integrated circuit (MIC) or monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) with a waveguide uses a printed conductive circuit pattern on a dielectric substrate to transform impedance and mode of propagation between the MIC/MMIC and the waveguide. The virtually coplanar circuit pattern lies on an equipotential surface within the waveguide and therefore makes possible single or dual polarized mode structures.

High-performance computing on the Intel Xeon Phi how to fully exploit MIC architectures

CERN Document Server

Wang, Endong; Shen, Bo; Zhang, Guangyong; Lu, Xiaowei; Wu, Qing; Wang, Yajuan

2014-01-01

The aim of this book is to explain to high-performance computing (HPC) developers how to utilize the Intel® Xeon Phi™ series products efficiently. To that end, it introduces some computing grammar, programming technology and optimization methods for using many-integrated-core (MIC) platforms and also offers tips and tricks for actual use, based on the authors' first-hand optimization experience.The material is organized in three sections. The first section, "Basics of MIC", introduces the fundamentals of MIC architecture and programming, including the specific Intel MIC programming environment

Operational measures for the mitigation of MIC [microbiologically influenced corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, C.J.

1989-01-01

Although entitled Operational Measure, this section of the workshop encompasses aspects of mitigating MIC by controlling the hydraulic characteristics of a system. In order for operational considerations outside of the chemical treatment program to be effective, the system must be designed, constructed or modified, and maintained with MIC in mind. Since other papers in these proceedings discuss in detail the proper selection of materials, chemical treatments and detection of monitoring techniques, this paper is limited to quidelines for mitigating MIC and its effects by the mechanical design, maintenance and operation of the system. The key concept behind this philosophy is the synergistic relationships among microbes and among microbes and larger biofouling organisms. If the slime formers or other marine organisms can be prevented from attaching to the components, conducive environments for attack by other species is avoided

MIC risk in the Halfdan oil export system quantified with a DNA-based diagnostic tool

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larsen, Jan; Rasmussen, Kim; Andersen, Kenneth [Maersk Oil (Denmark); Holmkvist, Lars [DTI Oil and Gas (Denmark)

2011-07-01

The paper presents the risk involved due to microbial influenced corrosion (MIC) using the halfdan oil export system. With growth of assets, scale and microbial fouling, corrosion and souring have increased. Some of the consequences to operators include, safety issues and loss of production. An example of the effects caused by MIC is the Valhall platform in the Norwegian sector, which was shut down for 80 days. Some of the factors causing bacterial growth and MIC are O2, CO2, and H2S, solids. Consideration of four objectives, corrosive products, microbiological activities, microbes, and spatially associating microbes is very important for diagnosing MIC. The objective of the halfdan study was to investigate the corrosion mechanism in the oil export spool section. Observations show severe pitting inside the pipelines. Suggestions for the operator, including the risk assessment of MIC, are given along with a summary of results. It can be concluded that there is a certain need in the industry to understand and act upon MIC.

Guidelines for destructive examination of potential MIC [microbiologically influenced corrosion]-related failures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borenstein, S.S.

1989-01-01

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is recognized as a major cause of pitting corrosion failures in natural waters. In order to alleviate the problem, it is important to establish the exact cause of corrosion. If there is a possibility that the failure is due to MIC, a particularly careful failure analysis must be conducted. MIC can be misdiagnosed as attack due to conventional chloride crevice/pitting corrosion unless specialized techniques are used. Certain techniques generally must be employed, including a careful visual examination, is situ bacterial sampling of residual water, bacterial analysis for corrosion products, radiographic examinations, and metallographic examinations. Other techniques may be necessary, or may be very helpful in the analysis, including culture growth, scanning electron microscopy, and ultrasonic examinations. Metallographic examinations can reveal MIC characteristics such as selective pitting of one phase in duplex stainless steel weldments. The methods of failure analysis and their importance are addressed, including each of the steps in the nondestructive examinations and destructive analyses

Application of mineral insulated cable (MIC) in Tokamak fusion reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Tianyong; Jiang Jiaming; Cen Yishun

2014-01-01

To avoid the instability of plasma and achieve some experimental tasks in Tokamak fusion reactor, many in-vessel coils are designed such as the coils to mitigate the effect of Edge Localized Modes (ELMs coils) and the coils to provide vertical stabilization (VS coils). The in-vessel location presents special challenges in terms of nuclear radiation and temperature, and requires the use of mineral-insulated conductors. The in-vessel coils in ITER are designed to be Mineral-insulated Cable (MIC) with three-layer structures. The inner is hollow-core tube made by OFHC or CuCrZr, the middle is the insulation layer made by Mgo and the outer is the jacket by SS316L or Inconel 718. To control the effect of Edge Localized Modes and vertical instability of plasma, the MIC in-vessel coils shall be used in HL-2M. More details about the application of MIC in Tokamak fusion reactor will be shown in this report. (authors)

Analysis of the Sarcocystis neurona microneme protein SnMIC10: protein characteristics and expression during intracellular development.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoane, Jessica S; Carruthers, Vernon B; Striepen, Boris; Morrison, David P; Entzeroth, Rolf; Howe, Daniel K

2003-07-01

Sarcocystis neurona, an apicomplexan parasite, is the primary causative agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Like other members of the Apicomplexa, S. neurona zoites possess secretory organelles that contain proteins necessary for host cell invasion and intracellular survival. From a collection of S. neurona expressed sequence tags, we identified a sequence encoding a putative microneme protein based on similarity to Toxoplasma gondii MIC10 (TgMIC10). Pairwise sequence alignments of SnMIC10 to TgMIC10 and NcMIC10 from Neospora caninum revealed approximately 33% identity to both orthologues. The open reading frame of the S. neurona gene encodes a 255 amino acid protein with a predicted 39-residue signal peptide. Like TgMIC10 and NcMIC10, SnMIC10 is predicted to be hydrophilic, highly alpha-helical in structure, and devoid of identifiable adhesive domains. Antibodies raised against recombinant SnMIC10 recognised a protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 24 kDa in Western blots of S. neurona merozoites, consistent with the size predicted for SnMIC10. In vitro secretion assays demonstrated that this protein is secreted by extracellular merozoites in a temperature-dependent manner. Indirect immunofluorescence analysis of SnMIC10 showed a polar labelling pattern, which is consistent with the apical position of the micronemes, and immunoelectron microscopy provided definitive localisation of the protein to these secretory organelles. Further analysis of SnMIC10 in intracellular parasites revealed that expression of this protein is temporally regulated during endopolygeny, supporting the view that micronemes are only needed during host cell invasion. Collectively, the data indicate that SnMIC10 is a microneme protein that is part of the excreted/secreted antigen fraction of S. neurona. Identification and characterisation of additional S. neurona microneme antigens and comparisons to orthologues in other Apicomplexa could provide further insight into the

Comparison of Neisseria gonorrhoeae MICs Obtained by Etest and Agar Dilution for Ceftriaxone, Cefpodoxime, Cefixime and Azithromycin.

Science.gov (United States)

Gose, Severin; Kong, Carol J; Lee, Yer; Samuel, Michael C; Bauer, Heidi M; Dixon, Paula; Soge, Olusegun O; Lei, John; Pandori, Mark

2013-10-24

We evaluated Neisseria gonorrhoeae Etest minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) relative to agar dilution MICs for 664 urethral isolates for ceftriaxone (CRO) and azithromycin (AZM), 351 isolates for cefpodoxime (CPD) and 315 isolates for cefixime (CFM). Etest accurately determined CPD, CFM and AZM MICs, but resulted in higher CRO MICs. © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Threshold SRB populations for MIC of stainless alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angell, P.; Urbanic, K.; Gendron, T.S.

1997-12-01

The three CANDU reactor sites on the Great Lakes exhibit differences in susceptibility to microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) of heat exchanger tubes, despite similar colonization of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Therefore, it was suspected that bacterial activity, rather than numbers, is responsible for pit initiation. Accelerated corrosion tests are being used to examine the relationship between SRB colonization and pitting activity on stainless alloy heat exchanger tubes. Experimental conditions model those of the natural systems. At present, there appears to be little correlation between bacterial numbers and pit initiation. However, there does appear to be a correlation between bacterial activity (causing a decrease in corrosion potential, as a function of sulfide production), and pit initiation. Data are being collected to develop a model to predict MIC for the CHECWORKS service water module. (author)

El cómic español desde 1995

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Díaz de Guereñu, Juan Manuel

2011-09-01

Full Text Available In the last fifteen years comic has changed dramatically in Spain. The small size of the comics industry in the Spanish market doesn’t allow comic creators to turn his job into a profession, but the medium has attained prestige, critical attention on the cultural spaces and a place in the bookstores. Those changes are the consequence of some significant facts of the period: after the extinction of former comic magazines, comic books substituted them as the first format for comics edition, and a number of critical fanzines and self-edited fanzines and magazines were published by the authors themselves. Newborn and independent smallpress, more focused on the aesthetic values than on the economic profits of comics edition, have defined the new author comic, often printed in the format of books and associated to the “graphic novel” label.

En los últimos quince años, el cómic ha cambiado mucho en España. Aunque el escaso peso de la industria del cómic no permite a los autores vivir como profesionales, el medio ha ganado prestigio, atención crítica en las páginas culturales y un lugar en las librerías. Dichos cambios son consecuencia de algunos hechos significativos del periodo: tras la desaparición de las revistas, las sustituyeron cuadernillos o comic-books como soporte fundamental del cómic, y proliferaron revistas críticas de aficionados y fanzines o revistas autoeditadas por los autores. Nuevas editoriales, pequeñas e independientes, más atentas a los valores estéticos que a los comerciales, han definido el nuevo cómic de autor, a menudo identificado con el formato libro y la etiqueta “novela gráfica”.

micROS: a morphable, intelligent and collective robot operating system.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xuejun; Dai, Huadong; Yi, Xiaodong; Wang, Yanzhen; Yang, Shaowu; Zhang, Bo; Wang, Zhiyuan; Zhou, Yun; Peng, Xuefeng

2016-01-01

Robots are developing in much the same way that personal computers did 40 years ago, and robot operating system is the critical basis. Current robot software is mainly designed for individual robots. We present in this paper the design of micROS, a morphable, intelligent and collective robot operating system for future collective and collaborative robots. We first present the architecture of micROS, including the distributed architecture for collective robot system as a whole and the layered architecture for every single node. We then present the design of autonomous behavior management based on the observe-orient-decide-act cognitive behavior model and the design of collective intelligence including collective perception, collective cognition, collective game and collective dynamics. We also give the design of morphable resource management, which first categorizes robot resources into physical, information, cognitive and social domains, and then achieve morphability based on self-adaptive software technology. We finally deploy micROS on NuBot football robots and achieve significant improvement in real-time performance.

MiMIC: a highly versatile transposon insertion resource for engineering Drosophila melanogaster genes

Science.gov (United States)

Venken, Koen J. T.; Schulze, Karen L.; Haelterman, Nele A.; Pan, Hongling; He, Yuchun; Evans-Holm, Martha; Carlson, Joseph W.; Levis, Robert W.; Spradling, Allan C.; Hoskins, Roger A.; Bellen, Hugo J.

2011-01-01

We demonstrate the versatility of a collection of insertions of the transposon Minos mediated integration cassette (MiMIC), in Drosophila melanogaster. MiMIC contains a gene-trap cassette and the yellow+ marker flanked by two inverted bacteriophage ΦC31 attP sites. MiMIC integrates almost at random in the genome to create sites for DNA manipulation. The attP sites allow the replacement of the intervening sequence of the transposon with any other sequence through recombinase mediated cassette exchange (RMCE). We can revert insertions that function as gene traps and cause mutant phenotypes to wild type by RMCE and modify insertions to control GAL4 or QF overexpression systems or perform lineage analysis using the Flp system. Insertions within coding introns can be exchanged with protein-tag cassettes to create fusion proteins to follow protein expression and perform biochemical experiments. The applications of MiMIC vastly extend the Drosophila melanogaster toolkit. PMID:21985007

Growing interest in MIC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crum, J.R.; Little, B.J.

1991-01-01

Although corrosion has not caused a major nuclear accident, it has resulted in degraded nuclear systems and components, unscheduled shut-downs and loss of productivity. From 1981 to 1988, operating and maintenance costs for nuclear plants more than doubled, while plant capacity increased by only 10%. And as nuclear plants age, service water system problems cause losses in capacity. Many corrosion failures in these systems cannot be understood, controlled or prevented using theories based on classic, abiotic corrosion mechanisms. But research has now identified microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC - corrosion caused by the presence and activities of micro-organisms within biofilms on metals surfaces) as the cause of otherwise unexplained corrosion failures. Some prevention and control measures are examined. (author)

Discrepancy in Vancomycin AUC/MIC Ratio Targeted Attainment Based upon the Susceptibility Testing in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Eum, Seenae; Bergsbaken, Robert L; Harvey, Craig L; Warren, J Bryan; Rotschafer, John C

2016-09-27

This study demonstrated a statistically significant difference in vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Staphylococcus aureus between a common automated system (Vitek 2) and the E-test method in patients with S. aureus bloodstream infections. At an area under the serum concentration time curve (AUC) threshold of 400 mg∙h/L, we would have reached the current Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)/American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP)/Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP) guideline suggested AUC/MIC target in almost 100% of patients while using the Vitek 2 MIC data; however, we could only generate 40% target attainment while using E-test MIC data ( p AUC of 450 mg∙h/L or greater was required to achieve 100% target attainment using either Vitek 2 or E-test MIC results.

Traducción de cómic americano, superhéroes y chimichangas

OpenAIRE

Gonzalbes Valenzuela, Carla

2015-01-01

El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar el proceso de traducción de un cómic americano. Consiste de una traducción de varios fragmentos de un cómic de Marvel de Masacre (Deadpool, en inglés) y un posterior análisis de dicha traducción, en el que se comentan los problemas que han surgido, se explica la solución al problema y se justifican las decisiones tomadas L'objectiu d'aquest treball és estudiar el procés de traducció d'un còmic americà. Consisteix en la traducció de diversos fragments...

[Comparison of four MICS intraocular lenses regarding their rates of neodymium:YAG laser capsulotomy].

Science.gov (United States)

Spyridaki, M; Höh, H

2010-03-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of posterior capsule opacification up to 50 months following 1.7-mm bimanual MICS-cataract surgery. Bimanual MICS cataract surgery was performed in 197 eyes (135 patients) via two 1.7-mm corneal incisions. Four MICS acrylic foldable IOLs were implanted: AcriSmart 48S-5, n = 54 (Acritec GmbH, Hennigsdorf, now AT.Smart 48S Carl-Zeiss-Meditec, AG, Jena, Germany), ThinLens UltraChoice 1.0, n = 53 (Technomed GmbH, Baesweiler, Germany), AcriFlex 46, n = 41 und AcriFlex 48 CSE, n = 7 (Acrimed GmbH, Berlin, now: Lentis L-303, Oculentis GmbH, Berlin, Germany) and CareFlex, n = 43 (w2o Medizintechnik AG, Bruchsal, Germany). Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier technique. High levels of completeness of follow-up rates were: ThinLens 96%, CareFlex 100%, AcriSmart 93%, AcriFlex 92%. The capsulotomy rate was 43.13% for ThinLens within a mean/max. follow-up period of 801/1131 days, 34.88% for CareFlex (565/872 days), 40% for AcriSmart (988/1506 days) and 15.91% for AcriFlex (728/975 days). By limiting the follow-up period to a comparable maximum of 850 days for all four IOLs, our capsulotomy rates were as follows: ThinLens 33.33%, CareFlex 32.56 %, AcriSmart 20.0% and AcriFlex 11.36%. MICS IOLs have higher capsulotomy rates than hydrophobic acrylic lenses and sharp-edged silicone lenses. In literature comparisons MICS-IOLs do not exceed the variance levels of capsulotomy rates of PMMA, hydrophilic acrylic and silicone lenses without sharp edges. Cases of decentration or luxation of MICS-IOLs following Neodym:YAG laser capsulotomy were not detected. Capsulotomy frequency with the CareFlex was statistically significantly higher in comparison to the AcriSmart (Log Rank Mantel Cox Test, p = 0.007) and AcriFlex (log rank Mantel Cox test, p = 0.002). Capsulotomy rates observed varied for the four MICS-IOL-types tested. The posterior capsule opacification frequency of the two best MICS-IOLs (AcriFlex, Acri

Evaluation of vancomycin MIC creep in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz, R; Afreixo, V; Ramalheira, E; Rodrigues, C; Gago, B

2018-02-01

Vancomycin is currently the primary option treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, an increasing number of MRSA isolates with high MICs, within the susceptible range (vancomycin MIC creep), are being reported worldwide. Resorting to a meta-analysis approach, this study aims to assess the evidence of vancomycin MIC creep. We searched for studies in the PubMed database. The inclusion criteria for study eligibility included the possibility of retrieving the reported data values of vancomycin MIC and information concerning the applied MIC methodology. The mean values of vancomycin MICs, of all 29 234 S. aureus isolates reported in the 55 studies included in the meta-analysis, were 1.23 mg/L (95% CI 1.13-1.33) and 1.20 mg/L (95% CI 1.13-1.28) determined by Etest and broth microdilution method, respectively. No significant differences were observed between these two methodologies. We found negative correlation between pooled mean/pooled proportion and time strata. We have found no evidence of the MIC creep phenomenon. Copyright © 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Balancing vancomycin efficacy and nephrotoxicity: should we be aiming for trough or AUC/MIC?

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Karisma; Crumby, Ashley S; Maples, Holly D

2015-04-01

Sixty years later, the question that still remains is how to appropriately utilize vancomycin in the pediatric population. The Infectious Diseases Society of America published guidelines in 2011 that provide guidance for dosing and monitoring of vancomycin in adults and pediatrics. However, goal vancomycin trough concentrations of 15-20 μg/mL for invasive infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were based primarily on adult pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data that achieved an area under the curve to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio (AUC/MIC) of ≥400. Recent pediatric literature shows that vancomycin trough concentrations needed to achieve the target AUC/MIC are different than the adult goal troughs cited in the guidelines. This paper addresses several thoughts, including the role of vancomycin AUC/MIC in dosing strategies and safety monitoring, consistency in laboratory reporting, and future directions for calculating AUC/MIC in pediatrics.

Development of biological coal gasification (MicGAS Process)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walia, D.S.; Srivastava, K.C.

1994-10-01

The overall goal of the project is to develop an advanced, clean coal biogasification (MicGAS) Process. The objectives of the research during FY 1993--94 were to: (1) enhance kinetics of methane production (biogasification, biomethanation) from Texas lignite (TxL) by the Mic-1 consortium isolated and developed at ARCTECH, (2) increase coal solids loading, (3) optimize medium composition, and (4) reduce retention time. A closer analysis of the results described here indicate that biomethanation of TxL at >5% solids loading is feasible through appropriate development of nutrient medium and further adaptation of the microorganisms involved in this process. Further understanding of the inhibitory factors and some biochemical manipulations to overcome those inhibitions will hasten the process considerably. Results are discussed on the following: products of biomethanation and enhance of methane production including: bacterial adaptation; effect of nutrient amendment substitutes; effects of solids loading; effect of initial pH of the culture medium; effect of hydrogen donors and carbon balance.

CoMIC, the hidden dynamics of mitochondrial inner compartments.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Bongki; Sun, Woong

2017-12-01

Mitochondria have evolutionarily, functionally and structurally distinct outer- (OMM) and inner-membranes (IMM). Thus, mitochondrial morphology is controlled by independent but coordinated activity of fission and fusion of the OMM and IMM. Constriction and division of the OMM are mediated by endocytosis-like machineries, which include dynamin-related protein 1 with additional cytosolic vesicle scissoring machineries such as actin filament and Dynamin 2. However, structural alteration of the IMM during mitochondrial division has been poorly understood. Recently, we found that the IMM and the inner compartments undergo transient and reversible constriction prior to the OMM division, which we termed CoMIC, Constriction of Mitochondrial Inner Compartment. In this short review, we further discuss the evolutionary perspective and the regulatory mechanism of CoMIC during mitochondrial division. [BMB Reports 2017; 50(12): 597-598].

EL ESTADO DE LA CIENCIA. INVESTIGACIÓN Y CÓMIC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel Matly

2017-03-01

Full Text Available La investigación académica sobre el cómic español y latinoamericano es un mundo pequeño, sin memoria, poco organizado e insuficientemente conocido por sus propios miembros. Al contrario de otras disciplinas científicas, existe poca tradición de colaboración, pocas dinámicas de equipo o escuelas de pensamiento identificables como tal. La capitalización de su memoria se enfrenta a dificultades, unas externas, otras internas: los cómics antiguos y descatalogados no han sido conservados en un sistema coherente de bibliotecas y son de difícil acceso; casi no existen revistas indexadas donde publicar; los mismos trabajos científicos sobre el cómic están dispersos y sin indexar, complicando el trabajo de nuevos investigadores. El crecimiento durante estas últimas décadas de dicho sector de investigación abre nuevas oportunidades y a la vez crea nuevas obligaciones. El número creciente de investigadores abre más perspectivas para potenciar núcleos de pensamiento y desarrollar colaboraciones y competiciones, bases del avance científico. Estamos también a tiempo de organizar la bibliografía científica dedicada al cómic en español. En fin, la investigación debe aprender a desarrollar puentes entre los mundos académico y no académico, para encontrar cómo desarrollar una red de publicaciones científicas digitales y beneficiarse del importante trabajo de memoria realizado a través del mundo hispanista por comunidades de apasionados que recuperan y ponen a disposición de los interesados obras antiguas hasta ahora perdidas.

Is There an Opportunity for Current Chemotherapeutics to Up-regulate MIC-A/B Ligands?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kendel Quirk

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Natural killer (NK cells are critical effectors of the immune system. NK cells recognize unhealthy cells by specific ligands [e.g., MHC- class I chain related protein A or B (MIC-A/B] for further elimination by cytotoxicity. Paradoxically, cancer cells down-regulate MIC-A/B and evade NK cell’s anticancer activity. Recent data indicate that cellular-stress induces MIC-A/B, leading to enhanced sensitivity of cancer cells to NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. In this Perspective article, we hypothesize that current chemotherapeutics at sub-lethal, non-toxic dose may promote cellular-stress and up-regulate the expression of MIC-A/B ligands to augment cancer’s sensitivity to NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Preliminary data from two human breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and T47D treated with clinically relevant therapeutics such as doxorubicin, paclitaxel and methotrexate support the hypothesis. The goal of this Perspective is to underscore the prospects of current chemotherapeutics in NK cell immunotherapy, and discuss potential challenges and opportunities to improve cancer therapy.

The need to assay the real MIC when making the decision to eradicate Staphylococcus aureus with vancomycin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanna Tomczak

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of the study was a comparison of the MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration evaluated in the automatic system Vitek 2 and the real MIC of vancomycin by the Etest method for S. aureus strains isolated from clinical materials.Material and Methods: Over a twelve-month study period we compared the results obtained with two commercial methods – the automatic system VITEK 2 and the real MIC by Etest – for 359 strains of S. aureus isolated from clinical materials.Results: Most of the strains of S. aureus were cultured from wounds (84, the ear (60 and nose (42. MSSA (methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 342 cases and MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in 17 cases. The test with the Vitek automatic method showed that vancomycin had MIC values of ≤1.0 μg/ml in more than 96�0and 2.0 μg/ml in over 3�0of cases. Using the Etest technique MIC ≤ 1.0 μg/ml was obtained in only 16.4�0of cases and values of >1.0 μg/ml in 83.6�0of cases.Discussion: In view of such big differences between the MIC values obtained with the two methods the authors suggest that the Etest method of assaying the real MIC is more useful than the automatic method.

Development of biological coal gasification (MicGAS process). Final report, May 1, 1990--May 31, 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-12-31

ARCTECH has developed a novel process (MicGAS) for direct, anaerobic biomethanation of coals. Biomethanation potential of coals of different ranks (Anthracite, bitumious, sub-bitumious, and lignites of different types), by various microbial consortia, was investigated. Studies on biogasification of Texas Lignite (TxL) were conducted with a proprietary microbial consortium, Mic-1, isolated from hind guts of soil eating termites (Zootermopsis and Nasutitermes sp.) and further improved at ARCTECH. Various microbial populations of the Mic-1 consortium carry out the multi-step MicGAS Process. First, the primary coal degraders, or hydrolytic microbes, degrade the coal to high molecular weight (MW) compounds. Then acedogens ferment the high MW compounds to low MW volatile fatty acids. The volatile fatty acids are converted to acetate by acetogens, and the methanogens complete the biomethanation by converting acetate and CO{sub 2} to methane.

En el umbral. El cómic español contemporáneo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

García, Santiago

2011-09-01

Full Text Available These days, when we talk about contemporary Spanish comics, or comics produced primarily in Spain for the Spanish market, we have to contemplate two main trends: the graphic novel and the humor comics. The fall of the traditional industry opened the door to the realization of authoral ambitions that previous generations of artists couldn’t fulfil.

En la actualidad, cuando hablamos de cómic español contemporáneo, es decir, cuando nos referimos a cómics producidos en España y para el mercado español en primer lugar, tenemos que tener en cuenta dos corrientes principalmente: la novela gráfica y el cómic de humor. La caída de la industria tradicional ha abierto el camino para que se cumplan las aspiraciones autorales que durante décadas tuvieron muchos dibujantes españoles.

High MICs for Vancomycin and Daptomycin and Complicated Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections with Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus

Science.gov (United States)

Viedma, Esther; Chaves, Fernando; Lalueza, Antonio; Fortún, Jesús; Loza, Elena; Pujol, Miquel; Ardanuy, Carmen; Morales, Isabel; de Cueto, Marina; Resino-Foz, Elena; Morales-Cartagena, Alejandra; Rico, Alicia; Romero, María P.; Orellana, María Ángeles; López-Medrano, Francisco; Fernández-Ruiz, Mario; Aguado, José María

2016-01-01

We investigated the prognostic role of high MICs for antistaphylococcal agents in patients with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus catheter-related bloodstream infection (MSSA CRBSI). We prospectively reviewed 83 episodes from 5 centers in Spain during April 2011–June 2014 that had optimized clinical management and analyzed the relationship between E-test MICs for vancomycin, daptomycin, oxacillin, and linezolid and development of complicated bacteremia by using multivariate analysis. Complicated MSSA CRBSI occurred in 26 (31.3%) patients; MICs for vancomycin and daptomycin were higher in these patients (optimal cutoff values for predictive accuracy = 1.5 μg/mL and 0.5 μg/mL). High MICs for vancomycin (hazard ratio 2.4, 95% CI 1.2–5.5) and daptomycin (hazard ratio 2.4, 95% CI 1.1–5.9) were independent risk factors for development of complicated MSSA CRBSI. Our data suggest that patients with MSSA CRBSI caused by strains that have high MICs for vancomycin or daptomycin are at increased risk for complications. PMID:27192097

Multi-Kepler GPU vs. multi-Intel MIC for spin systems simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Bernaschi, M.; Bisson, M.; Salvadore, F.

2014-10-01

We present and compare the performances of two many-core architectures: the Nvidia Kepler and the Intel MIC both in a single system and in cluster configuration for the simulation of spin systems. As a benchmark we consider the time required to update a single spin of the 3D Heisenberg spin glass model by using the Over-relaxation algorithm. We present data also for a traditional high-end multi-core architecture: the Intel Sandy Bridge. The results show that although on the two Intel architectures it is possible to use basically the same code, the performances of a Intel MIC change dramatically depending on (apparently) minor details. Another issue is that to obtain a reasonable scalability with the Intel Phi coprocessor (Phi is the coprocessor that implements the MIC architecture) in a cluster configuration it is necessary to use the so-called offload mode which reduces the performances of the single system. As to the GPU, the Kepler architecture offers a clear advantage with respect to the previous Fermi architecture maintaining exactly the same source code. Scalability of the multi-GPU implementation remains very good by using the CPU as a communication co-processor of the GPU. All source codes are provided for inspection and for double-checking the results.

El aprovechamiento del cómic como herramienta didáctica desde el enfoque comunicativo

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Isabel García Martínez

2015-10-01

Full Text Available El cómic es un recurso que, en muchos casos, se utiliza de modo anecdótico en el aula y con una función puramente de entretenimiento, sin dar muchas veces la importancia que se merece a lo que muchos consideran el noveno arte. Esta experiencia práctica pretende mostrar la idoneidad y la versatilidad de este medio narrativo en el aula de español como lengua extranjera. Tras un breve acercamiento teórico al uso del cómic en el aula de E/LE, se presentan los resultados de un análisis previo sobre la presencia de cómics en los manuales de E/LE. Las diferentes aplicaciones didácticas que se presentan, dirigidas a diferentes niveles que oscilan desde el nivel B1 hasta el C2, suplen las carencias detectadas en el mencionado análisis, utilizan cómics españoles e hispanoamericanos, y fomentan el uso de las TIC y los álbumes completos.

Efecto del EcoMic® en la emergencia de plántulas de Jatropha curcas (Nota Técnica Effect of EcoMic® on the emergence of Jatropha curcas seedlings (Technical Note

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yolai Noda

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Con el objetivo de estudiar el efecto del EcoMic® en la emergencia de las plántulas de Jatropha curcas, se hizo una prueba de observación en el laboratorio de análisis químico de la Estación Experimental de Pastos y Forrajes «Indio Hatuey». Se usaron semillas recién cosechadas, en dos tratamientos: semillas inoculadas con EcoMic® (T1, y sin inóculo (T2, con cuatro réplicas de 100 semillas cada una. Se utilizó un diseño totalmente aleatorizado y se realizaron 15 observaciones (a los 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 y 16 días de emergencia. Las medias se compararon a través de un análisis descriptivo. El efecto del T1 fue notable durante todo el período; a partir del cuarto día se observaron 45 plántulas emergidas, lo que representó el 11,2% del total de las tratadas con este biofertilizante, y el último día del estudio había emergido el 96,2%. En el T2 no se observaron plántulas emergidas en ningún momento. Se concluye que el EcoMic® ejerció un efecto positivo en la emergencia de las plántulas de J. curcas al ser utilizado como inóculo en condiciones de laboratorio. Se recomienda realizar estudios pregerminativos para determinar la dormancia en la semilla de Jatropha, teniendo en cuenta el empleo del EcoMic® como uno de los tratamientos.In order to study the effect of EcoMic® on the emergence of Jatropha curcas seedlings, an observation test was conducted in the laboratory of chemical analysis of the Experimental Station of Pastures and Forages «Indio Hatuey». Newly-harvested seeds were used, in two treatments: seeds inoculated with EcoMic® (T1, and without inoculation (T2, with four replications of 100 seeds each. A completely randomized design was used and 15 observations were made (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 days after emergence. The means were compared through a descriptive analysis. The effect of T1 was remarkable throughout the period; since the fourth day 45

Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1/GDF15 slows cancer development but increases metastases in TRAMP prostate cancer prone mice.

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Yasmin Husaini

Full Text Available Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1/GDF15, a divergent member of the TGF-β superfamily, is over-expressed by many common cancers including those of the prostate (PCa and its expression is linked to cancer outcome. We have evaluated the effect of MIC-1/GDF15 overexpression on PCa development and spread in the TRAMP transgenic model of spontaneous prostate cancer. TRAMP mice were crossed with MIC-1/GDF15 overexpressing mice (MIC-1(fms to produce syngeneic TRAMP(fmsmic-1 mice. Survival rate, prostate tumor size, histopathological grades and extent of distant organ metastases were compared. Metastasis of TC1-T5, an androgen independent TRAMP cell line that lacks MIC-1/GDF15 expression, was compared by injecting intravenously into MIC-1(fms and syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. Whilst TRAMP(fmsmic-1 survived on average 7.4 weeks longer, had significantly smaller genitourinary (GU tumors and lower PCa histopathological grades than TRAMP mice, more of these mice developed distant organ metastases. Additionally, a higher number of TC1-T5 lung tumor colonies were observed in MIC-1(fms mice than syngeneic WT C57BL/6 mice. Our studies strongly suggest that MIC-1/GDF15 has complex actions on tumor behavior: it limits local tumor growth but may with advancing disease, promote metastases. As MIC-1/GDF15 is induced by all cancer treatments and metastasis is the major cause of cancer treatment failure and cancer deaths, these results, if applicable to humans, may have a direct impact on patient care.

Predominant MIC Mechanisms in the Oil and Gas Industry

Science.gov (United States)

literature, terms such as microbial corrosion, biocorrosion, microbially influenced/induced corrosion, and biodegradation are often applied. All descriptions...express that microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, and fungi) influence the corrosion process of a given material. In this chapter, an overview of the common MIC mechanisms encountered in the oil and gas industry is presented.

Management and control of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in the oil and gas industry - Overview and a North Sea case study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovhus, Torben Lund; Eckert, Richard B; Rodrigues, Edgar

2017-01-01

the oil and gas industry has seen regarding MIC research over the past decade. The paper starts out with an overview of where in the process stream MIC occurs - from the oil reservoir to the consumer. Both biotic and abiotic corrosion mechanisms are explained in the context of managing MIC using...... to manage the corrosion threat, operators commonly use models to support decision making. The models use qualitative, semi-quantitative or quantitative measures to help assess the rate of degradation caused by MIC. The paper reviews four existing models for MIC Threat Assessment and describe a new model...

The Relationship Between Vancomycin Trough Concentrations and AUC/MIC Ratios in Pediatric Patients: A Qualitative Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Tkachuk, Stacey; Collins, Kyle; Ensom, Mary H H

2018-04-01

In adults, the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) divided by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is associated with better clinical and bacteriological response to vancomycin in patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus who achieve target AUC/MIC ≥ 400. This target is often extrapolated to pediatric patients despite the lack of similar evidence. The impracticalities of calculating the AUC in practice means vancomycin trough concentrations are used to predict the AUC/MIC. This review aimed to determine the relationship between vancomycin trough concentrations and AUC/MIC in pediatric patients. We searched the MEDLINE and Embase databases, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials using the medical subject heading (MeSH) terms vancomycin and AUC and pediatric* or paediatric*. Articles were included if they were published in English and reported a relationship between vancomycin trough concentrations and AUC/MIC. Of 122 articles retrieved, 11 met the inclusion criteria. One trial reported a relationship between vancomycin trough concentrations, AUC/MIC, and clinical outcomes but was likely underpowered. Five studies found troughs 6-10 mg/l were sufficient to attain an AUC/MIC > 400 in most general hospitalized pediatric patients. One study in patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery found a trough of 18.4 mg/l achieved an AUC/MIC > 400. Two oncology studies reported troughs ≥ 15 mg/l likely attained an AUC/MIC ≥ 400. In critical care patients: one study found a trough of 9 mg/l did not attain the AUC/MIC target; another found 7 mg/l corresponded to an AUC/MIC of 400. Potential vancomycin targets varied based on the population studied but, for general hospitalized pediatric patients, troughs of 6-10 mg/l are likely sufficient to achieve AUC/MIC ≥ 400. For MIC ≥ 2 mg/l, higher troughs are likely necessary to achieve an AUC/MIC ≥ 400. More

Wild-type MIC distributions for aminoglycoside and cyclic polypeptide antibiotics used for treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Juréen, P; Angeby, K; Sturegård, E; Chryssanthou, E; Giske, C G; Werngren, J; Nordvall, M; Johansson, A; Kahlmeter, G; Hoffner, S; Schön, T

2010-05-01

The aminoglycosides and cyclic polypeptides are essential drugs in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, underscoring the need for accurate and reproducible drug susceptibility testing (DST). The epidemiological cutoff value (ECOFF) separating wild-type susceptible strains from non-wild-type strains is an important but rarely used tool for indicating susceptibility breakpoints against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In this study, we established wild-type MIC distributions on Middlebrook 7H10 medium for amikacin, kanamycin, streptomycin, capreomycin, and viomycin using 90 consecutive clinical isolates and 21 resistant strains. Overall, the MIC variation between and within runs did not exceed +/-1 MIC dilution step, and validation of MIC values in Bactec 960 MGIT demonstrated good agreement. Tentative ECOFFs defining the wild type were established for all investigated drugs, including amikacin and viomycin, which currently lack susceptibility breakpoints for 7H10. Five out of seven amikacin- and kanamycin-resistant isolates were classified as susceptible to capreomycin according to the current critical concentration (10 mg/liter) but were non-wild type according to the ECOFF (4 mg/liter), suggesting that the critical concentration may be too high. All amikacin- and kanamycin-resistant isolates were clearly below the ECOFF for viomycin, and two of them were below the ECOFF for streptomycin, indicating that these two drugs may be considered for treatment of amikacin-resistant strains. Pharmacodynamic indices (peak serum concentration [Cmax]/MIC) were more favorable for amikacin and viomycin compared to kanamycin and capreomycin. In conclusion, our data emphasize the importance of establishing wild-type MIC distributions for improving the quality of drug susceptibility testing against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Imagen popular de la ciencia transmitida por los cómics

OpenAIRE

Gallego Torres, Adriana Patricia

2007-01-01

In this work we will be centered in the critical analysis of the popular image of the science transmitted by cómics existing in the market (in the measurement that makes reference to the scientific work).

Ceftaroline efficacy against high-MIC clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates in an in vitro hollow-fibre infection model.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Renu; Almutairi, Mashal; Alm, Richard A; Lahiri, Sushmita D; San Martin, Maryann; Chen, April; Ambler, Jane E

2017-10-01

The current CLSI and EUCAST clinical susceptible breakpoint for 600 mg q12h dosing of ceftaroline (active metabolite of ceftaroline fosamil) for Staphylococcus aureus is ≤1 mg/L. Efficacy data for S. aureus infections with ceftaroline MIC ≥2 mg/L are limited. This study was designed to generate in-depth pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) understanding of S. aureus isolates inhibited by ≥ 2 mg/L ceftaroline using an in vitro hollow-fibre infection model (HFIM). The PK/PD target of ceftaroline was investigated against 12 diverse characterized clinical MRSA isolates with ceftaroline MICs of 2 or 4 mg/L using q8h dosing for 24 h. These isolates carried substitutions in the penicillin-binding domain (PBD) and/or the non-PBD. Additionally, PD responses of mutants with ceftaroline MICs ranging from 2 to 32 mg/L were evaluated against the mean 600 mg q8h human-simulated dose over 72 h. The mean stasis, 1 log10-kill and 2 log10-kill PK/PD targets were 29%, 32% and 35% f T>MIC, respectively. In addition, these data suggest that the PK/PD target for MRSA is not impacted by the presence of substitutions in the non-PBD commonly found in isolates with ceftaroline MIC values of ≤ 2 mg/L. HFIM studies with 600 mg q8h dosing demonstrated a sustained long-term bacterial suppression for isolates with ceftaroline MICs of 2 and 4 mg/L. Overall, efficacy was demonstrated against a diverse collection of clinical isolates using HFIM indicating the utility of 600 mg ceftaroline fosamil for S. aureus isolates with MIC ≤4 mg/L using q8h dosing. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Wild-Type MIC Distributions for Aminoglycoside and Cyclic Polypeptide Antibiotics Used for Treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infections▿

Science.gov (United States)

Juréen, P.; Ängeby, K.; Sturegård, E.; Chryssanthou, E.; Giske, C. G.; Werngren, J.; Nordvall, M.; Johansson, A.; Kahlmeter, G.; Hoffner, S.; Schön, T.

2010-01-01

The aminoglycosides and cyclic polypeptides are essential drugs in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, underscoring the need for accurate and reproducible drug susceptibility testing (DST). The epidemiological cutoff value (ECOFF) separating wild-type susceptible strains from non-wild-type strains is an important but rarely used tool for indicating susceptibility breakpoints against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In this study, we established wild-type MIC distributions on Middlebrook 7H10 medium for amikacin, kanamycin, streptomycin, capreomycin, and viomycin using 90 consecutive clinical isolates and 21 resistant strains. Overall, the MIC variation between and within runs did not exceed ±1 MIC dilution step, and validation of MIC values in Bactec 960 MGIT demonstrated good agreement. Tentative ECOFFs defining the wild type were established for all investigated drugs, including amikacin and viomycin, which currently lack susceptibility breakpoints for 7H10. Five out of seven amikacin- and kanamycin-resistant isolates were classified as susceptible to capreomycin according to the current critical concentration (10 mg/liter) but were non-wild type according to the ECOFF (4 mg/liter), suggesting that the critical concentration may be too high. All amikacin- and kanamycin-resistant isolates were clearly below the ECOFF for viomycin, and two of them were below the ECOFF for streptomycin, indicating that these two drugs may be considered for treatment of amikacin-resistant strains. Pharmacodynamic indices (peak serum concentration [Cmax]/MIC) were more favorable for amikacin and viomycin compared to kanamycin and capreomycin. In conclusion, our data emphasize the importance of establishing wild-type MIC distributions for improving the quality of drug susceptibility testing against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. PMID:20237102

Influence of subinhibitory-concentration (sub-MIC Cefetoxime on biofilm formation. SEM study of ESBL-producing Salmonella typhi

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Rahul Narasanna, Manjunath Chavadi, Ajaykumar Oli

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives: In the present study, we have analyzed ESBL-producing S. typhi’s capability in forming a significant amount of biofilm on plastic and glass surface, and the influence of cefetoxime on biofilm development at subinhibitory (Sub-MIC concentration. Methods: Nine strains of cefetoxime-mediated ESBL-producing S. typhi were used in the study. S. typhi formed biofilm on plastic and glass materials; it was demonstrated using micro titre plate (MTP and standard test tube methods. Comparative study of the influence of cefetoxime on biofilm formation in its MIC (128 µg/ml and at sub-MIC (64 µg/ml was demonstrated by microtitre plate method. The biofilm production was observed in SEM images, statistical analysis (ANOVA showed significant increase in cell surface and volume due to the influence of Cefetoxime. Results: Of the nine selected isolates, two S. typhi strains, namely BST 51 and BST 130, produced relatively strong biofilm in the presence of cefetoxime at sub-MIC level (64 µg/ml, comparatively weak biofilm formation at MIC level (128 µg/ml. Typical morphological changes were observed in cefetoxime-resistant strains, S. typhi BST 51 and BST 130, in comparison to cefetoxime-sensitive strain S. typhi BST 63 used as a control. We found an increase in surface and volume of a cell in response to cefetoxime and statistical data (ANOVA proved that resistant strains were significantly different from control strains. Conclusion: The above study clearly shows that cefetoxime at sub-MIC level efficiently induces biofilm formation and promotes changes in morphology of the cell. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2017; 7(2: 67-75

Imagen popular de la ciencia transmitida por los cómics

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Gallego, A.P.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In this work we will be centered in the critical analysis of the popular image of the science transmitted by cómics existing in the market (in the measurement that makes reference to the scientific work.

Assessment of in situ biodegradation of monochlorobenzene in contaminated groundwater treated in a constructed wetland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braeckevelt, Mareike; Rokadia, Hemal; Imfeld, Gwenael; Stelzer, Nicole; Paschke, Heidrun; Kuschk, Peter; Kaestner, Matthias; Richnow, Hans-H.; Weber, Stefanie

2007-01-01

The degradation of monochlorobenzene (MCB) was assessed in a constructed wetland treating MCB contaminated groundwater using a detailed geochemical characterisation, stable isotope composition analysis and in situ microcosm experiments. A correlation between ferrous iron mobilisation, decreasing MCB concentration and enrichment in carbon isotope composition was visible at increasing distance from the inflow point, indicating biodegradation of MCB in the wetland. Additionally, in situ microcosm systems loaded with 13 C-labelled MCB were deployed for the first time in sediments to investigate the biotransformation of MCB. Incorporation of 13 C-labelled carbon derived from the MCB into bacterial fatty acids substantiated in situ degradation of MCB. The detection of 13 C-labelled benzene indicated reductive dehalogenation of MCB. This integrated approach indicated the natural attenuation of the MCB in a wetland system. Further investigations are required to document and optimise the in situ biodegradation of MCB in constructed and natural wetland systems treating contaminated groundwater. - An integrated approach including isotope composition analysis and in situ microcosm experiments provided evidences for in situ biodegradation of MCB in a wetland system

Assessment of in situ biodegradation of monochlorobenzene in contaminated groundwater treated in a constructed wetland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Braeckevelt, Mareike [Departments of Bioremediation, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig D-04318, Saxonia (Germany); Rokadia, Hemal [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig D-04318, Saxonia (Germany); Imfeld, Gwenael [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig D-04318, Saxonia (Germany)]. E-mail: gwenael.imfeld@ufz.de; Stelzer, Nicole [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig D-04318, Saxonia (Germany); Paschke, Heidrun [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig D-04318, Saxonia (Germany); Kuschk, Peter [Departments of Bioremediation, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig D-04318, Saxonia (Germany); Kaestner, Matthias [Departments of Bioremediation, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig D-04318, Saxonia (Germany); Richnow, Hans-H. [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig D-04318, Saxonia (Germany); Weber, Stefanie [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig D-04318, Saxonia (Germany)

2007-07-15

The degradation of monochlorobenzene (MCB) was assessed in a constructed wetland treating MCB contaminated groundwater using a detailed geochemical characterisation, stable isotope composition analysis and in situ microcosm experiments. A correlation between ferrous iron mobilisation, decreasing MCB concentration and enrichment in carbon isotope composition was visible at increasing distance from the inflow point, indicating biodegradation of MCB in the wetland. Additionally, in situ microcosm systems loaded with {sup 13}C-labelled MCB were deployed for the first time in sediments to investigate the biotransformation of MCB. Incorporation of {sup 13}C-labelled carbon derived from the MCB into bacterial fatty acids substantiated in situ degradation of MCB. The detection of {sup 13}C-labelled benzene indicated reductive dehalogenation of MCB. This integrated approach indicated the natural attenuation of the MCB in a wetland system. Further investigations are required to document and optimise the in situ biodegradation of MCB in constructed and natural wetland systems treating contaminated groundwater. - An integrated approach including isotope composition analysis and in situ microcosm experiments provided evidences for in situ biodegradation of MCB in a wetland system.

Fast and efficient Drosophila melanogaster gene knock-ins using MiMIC transposons.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilain, Sven; Vanhauwaert, Roeland; Maes, Ine; Schoovaerts, Nils; Zhou, Lujia; Soukup, Sandra; da Cunha, Raquel; Lauwers, Elsa; Fiers, Mark; Verstreken, Patrik

2014-10-08

Modern molecular genetics studies necessitate the manipulation of genes in their endogenous locus, but most of the current methodologies require an inefficient donor-dependent homologous recombination step to locally modify the genome. Here we describe a methodology to efficiently generate Drosophila knock-in alleles by capitalizing on the availability of numerous genomic MiMIC transposon insertions carrying recombinogenic attP sites. Our methodology entails the efficient PhiC31-mediated integration of a recombination cassette flanked by unique I-SceI and/or I-CreI restriction enzyme sites into an attP-site. These restriction enzyme sites allow for double-strand break-mediated removal of unwanted flanking transposon sequences, while leaving the desired genomic modifications or recombination cassettes. As a proof-of-principle, we mutated LRRK, tau, and sky by using different MiMIC elements. We replaced 6 kb of genomic DNA encompassing the tau locus and 35 kb encompassing the sky locus with a recombination cassette that permits easy integration of DNA at these loci and we also generated a functional LRRK(HA) knock in allele. Given that ~92% of the Drosophila genes are located within the vicinity (MiMIC element, our methodology enables the efficient manipulation of nearly every locus in the fruit fly genome without the need for inefficient donor-dependent homologous recombination events. Copyright © 2014 Vilain et al.

Imagen popular de la ciencia transmitida por los cómics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Patricia Gallego-Torres

2007-01-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo nos centraremos en el análisis crítico de la imagen popular de la ciencia transmitida por los cómics existentes en el mercado (en la medida que hagan referencia al trabajo científico.

Overexpression of MicA induces production of OmpC-enriched outer membrane vesicles that protect against Salmonella challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hyun-Il; Kim, Moonjeong; Jeon, Jinseong; Han, Jin Kwan; Kim, Kwang-Sun

2017-08-26

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from bacteria are promising candidates for subunit vaccines. Stresses that modulate the composition of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) are important for OMV synthesis. Small RNAs (sRNAs) expressed in response to stress regulate OMPs, although the mechanism underlying sRNA-mediated OMV biogenesis and its utility for developing vaccine platforms remains to be elucidated. Here, we characterized the role of a sRNA, MicA, which regulates OmpA, a major OMP involved in both production of OMVs and reactive immunity against Salmonella challenge. A Salmonella strain overexpressing MicA generated more OMVs than a control strain. In addition, OmpC was the major component of MicA-derived OMV proteins. MicA-derived OMVs induced Th1- and Th17-type immune responses in vitro and reduced Salmonella-mediated lethality in a mouse model. Thus, OmpA-regulatory sRNA-derived OMVs may facilitate production of Salmonella-protective vaccines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dual Regulation of the Small RNA MicC and the Quiescent Porin OmpN in Response to Antibiotic Stress in Escherichia coli

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Sushovan Dam

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Antibiotic resistant Gram-negative bacteria are a serious threat for public health. The permeation of antibiotics through their outer membrane is largely dependent on porin, changes in which cause reduced drug uptake and efficacy. Escherichia coli produces two major porins, OmpF and OmpC. MicF and MicC are small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs that modulate the expression of OmpF and OmpC, respectively. In this work, we investigated factors that lead to increased production of MicC. micC promoter region was fused to lacZ, and the reporter plasmid was transformed into E. coli MC4100 and derivative mutants. The response of micC–lacZ to antimicrobials was measured during growth over a 6 h time period. The data showed that the expression of micC was increased in the presence of β-lactam antibiotics and in an rpoE depleted mutant. Interestingly, the same conditions enhanced the activity of an ompN–lacZ fusion, suggesting a dual transcriptional regulation of micC and the quiescent adjacent ompN. Increased levels of OmpN in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of chemicals could not be confirmed by Western blot analysis, except when analyzed in the absence of the sigma factor σE. We suggest that the MicC sRNA acts together with the σE envelope stress response pathway to control the OmpC/N levels in response to β-lactam antibiotics.

Single-Event Latchup Testing of the Micrel MIC4424 Dual Power MOSFET Driver

Science.gov (United States)

Pellish, J. A.; Boutte, A.; Kim, H.; Phan, A.; Topper, A.

2016-01-01

We conducted 47 exposures of four different MIC4424 devices and did not observe any SEL or high-current events. This included worst-case conditions with a LET of 81 MeV-sq cm/mg, applied voltage of 18.5 V, a case temperature greater than 120 C, and a final fluence of 1x10(exp 7)/sq cm. We also monitored both the outputs for the presence of SETs. While the period of the 1 MHz square wave was slightly altered in some cases, no pulses were added or deleted. 1. Purpose: The purpose of this testing is to characterize the BiCMOS/DMOS Micrel MIC4424 dual, non-inverting MOSFET driver for single-event latchup (SEL) susceptibility. These data will be used for flight lot evaluation purposes. 2. Devices Tested: The MIC4423/4424/4425 family are highly reliable BiCMOS/DMOS buffer/driver MOSFET drivers. They are higher output current versions of the MIC4426/4427/4428. They can survive up to 5V of noise spiking, of either polarity, on the ground pin. They can accept, without either damage or logic upset, up to half an amp of reverse current (either polarity) forced back into their outputs. Primarily intended for driving power MOSFETs, the MIC4423/4424/4425 drivers are suitable for driving other loads (capacitive, resistive, or inductive) which require low-impedance, high peak currents, and fast switching times. Heavily loaded clock lines, coaxial cables, or piezoelectric transducers are some examples. The only known limitation on loading is that total power dissipated in the driver must be kept within the maximum power dissipation limits of the package. Five (5) parts were provided for SEL testing. We prepared four parts for irradiation and reserved one piece as an un-irradiated control. More information about the devices can be found in Table 1. The parts were prepared for testing by removing the lid from the CDIP package to expose the target die. The parts were then soldered to small copper circuit adapter boards for easy handling. These parts are fabricated in a bulk Bi

The anorectic actions of the TGFβ cytokine MIC-1/GDF15 require an intact brainstem area postrema and nucleus of the solitary tract.

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Vicky Wang-Wei Tsai

Full Text Available Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1/GDF15 modulates food intake and body weight under physiological and pathological conditions by acting on the hypothalamus and brainstem. When overexpressed in disease, such as in advanced cancer, elevated serum MIC-1/GDF15 levels lead to an anorexia/cachexia syndrome. To gain a better understanding of its actions in the brainstem we studied MIC-1/GDF15 induced neuronal activation identified by induction of Fos protein. Intraperitoneal injection of human MIC-1/GDF15 in mice activated brainstem neurons in the area postrema (AP and the medial (m portion of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS, which did not stain with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH. To determine the importance of these brainstem nuclei in the anorexigenic effect of MIC-1/GDF15, we ablated the AP alone or the AP and the NTS. The latter combined lesion completely reversed the anorexigenic effects of MIC-1/GDF15. Altogether, this study identified neurons in the AP and/or NTS, as being critical for the regulation of food intake and body weight by MIC-1/GDF15.

Macrophage Inhibitory Cytokine-1 (MIC-1 as A Biomarker for Diagnosis 
and Prognosis of Stage I-II Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

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Yuning LIU

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background and objective Increased macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1, member of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β superfamily, was found in patients serum with epithelial tumors. Therefore, our aim was to delineate the diagnostic and prognostic value of serum MIC-1 in patients with stage I-II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC. Methods A total of 152 consecutive patients with stage I–II NSCLC were prospectively enrolled and underwent follow up after total resection of tumor. Serum MIC-1 level was detected in lung cancer patients by ELISA, 48 benign pulmonary disease patients and 105 healthy controls, and was correlated with clinical features and prognosis of patients. Results The level of MIC-1 of NSCLC patients was significantly higher than that of controls (P<0.001 and benign pulmonary disease patients (P<0.001. A threshold of 1,000 pg/mL could be used to diagnose early-stage NSCLC with 70.4% sensitivity and 99.0% specificity. The level of MIC-1 was associated with elder age (P=0.001, female (P=0.03 and T2 (P=0.022. A threshold of 1,465 pg/mL could identify patients with early poor outcome with 72.2% sensitivity and 66.1% specificity. The overall 3-year survival rate in patients with high level of MIC-1 (≥1,465 pg/mL was significantly lower than that of patients with low MIC-1 level (77.6% vs 94.8%. Multivariable Cox regression revealed that a high level of MIC-1 was an independent risk factor for compromised overall survival (HR=3.37, 95%CI: 1.09-10.42, P=0.035. Conclusion High level of serum MIC-1 could be served as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and poorer outcome in patients with early-stage NSCLC.

The ciprofloxacin target AUC : MIC ratio is not reached in hospitalized patients with the recommended dosing regimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Haeseker, Michiel; Stolk, Leo; Nieman, Fred; Hoebe, Christian; Neef, Cees; Bruggeman, Cathrien; Verbon, Annelies

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the ciprofloxacin serum concentrations in hospitalized patients and to determine which percentage reached the efficacy target of AUC : MIC > 125. Additionally, the influence of demographic anthropomorphic and clinical parameters on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ciprofloxacin were investigated. In serum of 80 hospitalized patients ciprofloxacin concentrations were measured with reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The ciprofloxacin dose was 400-1200 mg day(-1) i.v. in two or three doses depending on renal function and causative bacteria. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated with maximum a posteriori Bayesian estimation (MW\\PHARM 3.60). A two compartment open model was used. Mean (± SD) age was 66 (± 17) years, the mean clearance corrected for bodyweight was 0.24 l h(-1) kg(-1) and the mean AUC was 49 mg l(-1) h. Ciprofloxacin clearance and thus AUC were associated with both age and serum creatinine. Of all patients, 21% and 75% of the patients, did not reach the proposed ciprofloxacin AUC : MIC > 125 target with MICs of 0.25 and 0.5 mg l(-1), respectively. A computer simulated increase in the daily dose from 800 mg to 1200 mg, decreased these percentages to 1% and 37%, respectively. A substantial proportion of the hospitalized patients did not reach the target ciprofloxacin AUC : MIC and are suboptimally dosed with recommended doses. Taking into account the increasing resistance to ciprofloxacin worldwide, a ciprofloxacin dose of 1200 mg i.v. daily in patients with normal renal function is necessary to reach the targeted AUC : MIC > 125. © 2012 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology © 2012 The British Pharmacological Society.

Relationship between the clinical efficacy and AUC/MIC of intravenous ciprofloxacin in Japanese patients with intraabdominal infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohki, Emiko; Yamagishi, Yuka; Mikamo, Hiroshige

2013-10-01

The efficacy of fluoroquinolones (FQs) correlates with the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) parameter, AUC/MIC. To our knowledge, however, no prospective studies have reported the relationship between FQ efficacy and PK-PD parameters in intraabdominal infection; therefore, we prospectively investigated the relationship between the efficacy of intravenous ciprofloxacin (CPFX IV) and PK-PD parameters. The study included 16 patients diagnosed with peritonitis between 2006 and 2008: 14 patients infected with a single organism and 2 patients infected with more than one organism. Each patient was treated with CPFX IV (300 mg twice daily). The response rate was 56% (9 responders and 7 non-responders). Non-responders were infected with Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacteroides fragilis (6 patients were infected with a single organism and 1 with more than one organism). Plasma drug concentrations were measured 1 h and 2 or 4 h after administration of CPFX IV. AUC for 24 h (AUC(0-24))/MIC values was calculated. The range of AUC(0-24)/MIC values in responders [95.3-3628.4 (geometric mean, 521.6)] was significantly different from that in non-responders [7.0-45.2 (geometric mean, 16.5)] (p = 0.001). The target AUC/MIC value of CPFX IV would be considered to be 45-95 in patients with peritonitis.

Thread-level parallelization and optimization of NWChem for the Intel MIC architecture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shan, Hongzhang [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Williams, Samuel [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); de Jong, Wibe [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Oliker, Leonid [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2015-01-01

In the multicore era it was possible to exploit the increase in on-chip parallelism by simply running multiple MPI processes per chip. Unfortunately, manycore processors' greatly increased thread- and data-level parallelism coupled with a reduced memory capacity demand an altogether different approach. In this paper we explore augmenting two NWChem modules, triples correction of the CCSD(T) and Fock matrix construction, with OpenMP in order that they might run efficiently on future manycore architectures. As the next NERSC machine will be a self-hosted Intel MIC (Xeon Phi) based supercomputer, we leverage an existing MIC testbed at NERSC to evaluate our experiments. In order to proxy the fact that future MIC machines will not have a host processor, we run all of our experiments in native mode. We found that while straightforward application of OpenMP to the deep loop nests associated with the tensor contractions of CCSD(T) was sufficient in attaining high performance, significant e ort was required to safely and efeciently thread the TEXAS integral package when constructing the Fock matrix. Ultimately, our new MPI+OpenMP hybrid implementations attain up to 65× better performance for the triples part of the CCSD(T) due in large part to the fact that the limited on-card memory limits the existing MPI implementation to a single process per card. Additionally, we obtain up to 1.6× better performance on Fock matrix constructions when compared with the best MPI implementations running multiple processes per card.

Thread-Level Parallelization and Optimization of NWChem for the Intel MIC Architecture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shan, Hongzhang; Williams, Samuel; Jong, Wibe de; Oliker, Leonid

2014-10-10

In the multicore era it was possible to exploit the increase in on-chip parallelism by simply running multiple MPI processes per chip. Unfortunately, manycore processors' greatly increased thread- and data-level parallelism coupled with a reduced memory capacity demand an altogether different approach. In this paper we explore augmenting two NWChem modules, triples correction of the CCSD(T) and Fock matrix construction, with OpenMP in order that they might run efficiently on future manycore architectures. As the next NERSC machine will be a self-hosted Intel MIC (Xeon Phi) based supercomputer, we leverage an existing MIC testbed at NERSC to evaluate our experiments. In order to proxy the fact that future MIC machines will not have a host processor, we run all of our experiments in tt native mode. We found that while straightforward application of OpenMP to the deep loop nests associated with the tensor contractions of CCSD(T) was sufficient in attaining high performance, significant effort was required to safely and efficiently thread the TEXAS integral package when constructing the Fock matrix. Ultimately, our new MPI OpenMP hybrid implementations attain up to 65x better performance for the triples part of the CCSD(T) due in large part to the fact that the limited on-card memory limits the existing MPI implementation to a single process per card. Additionally, we obtain up to 1.6x better performance on Fock matrix constructions when compared with the best MPI implementations running multiple processes per card.

Management and control of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in the oil and gas industry-Overview and a North Sea case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Skovhus, Torben Lund; Eckert, Richard B; Rodrigues, Edgar

2017-08-20

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is the terminology applied where the actions of microorganisms influence the corrosion process. In literature, terms such as microbial corrosion, biocorrosion, microbially influenced/induced corrosion, and biodegradation are often applied. MIC research in the oil and gas industry has seen a revolution over the past decade, with the introduction of molecular microbiological methods: (MMM) as well as new industry standards and procedures of sampling biofilm and corrosion products from the process system. This review aims to capture the most important trends the oil and gas industry has seen regarding MIC research over the past decade. The paper starts out with an overview of where in the process stream MIC occurs - from the oil reservoir to the consumer. Both biotic and abiotic corrosion mechanisms are explained in the context of managing MIC using a structured corrosion management (CM) approach. The corrosion management approach employs the elements of a management system to ensure that essential corrosion control activities are carried out in an effective, sustainable, well-planned and properly executed manner. The 3-phase corrosion management approach covering of both biotic and abiotic internal corrosion mechanisms consists of 1) corrosion assessment, 2) corrosion mitigation and 3) corrosion monitoring. Each of the three phases are described in detail with links to recent field cases, methods, industry standards and sampling protocols. In order to manage the corrosion threat, operators commonly use models to support decision making. The models use qualitative, semi-quantitative or quantitative measures to help assess the rate of degradation caused by MIC. The paper reviews four existing models for MIC Threat Assessment and describe a new model that links the threat of MIC in the oil processing system located on an offshore platform with a Risk Based Inspection (RBI) approach. A recent field case highlights and explains

Spectrophotometric Determination of Microamounts of Uranium previous Extraction with TBP-MIC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vera Palomino, J.; Palomares Delgado, F.; Petrement, J.; Fernandez Cellini, R.

1962-01-01

Selective extraction of uranium in nitric acid medium with a mixture of Tbp-MIC (1:10) has been achieved. Aluminium nitrate was used as salting agent. Complexing agents were added in order to avoid extraction of impurities. Extraction conditions have been studied so that extraction is almost practically complete in a single run. (Author) 19 refs

[Efficacy of a multidisciplinary care management program for patients admitted at hospital because of heart failure (ProMIC)].

Science.gov (United States)

Domingo, Cristina; Aros, Fernando; Otxandategi, Agurtzane; Beistegui, Idoia; Besga, Ariadna; Latorre, Pedro María

2018-02-26

To assess the efficacy of the ProMIC, multidisciplinary program for patients admitted at hospital because of heart failure (HF) programme, in reducing the HF-related readmission rate. Quasi-experimental research with control group. Twelve primary health care centres and 3 hospitals from the Basque Country. Aged 40 years old or above patients admitted for HF with a New York Heart Association functional class II to IV. Patients in the intervention group carried out the ProMIC programme, a structured clinical intervention based on clinical guidelines and on the chronic care model. Control group received usual care. The rate of readmission for HF and health-related quality of life RESULTS: One hundred fifty five patients were included in ProMIC group and 129 in control group. 45 rehospitalisation due to heart failure happened in ProMIC versus 75 in control group (adjusted hazard ratio=0.59, CI 95%: 0.36-0.98; P=.049). There were significant differences in specific quality of life al 6 months. No significant differences were found in rehospitalisation due to all causes, due to cardiovascular causes, visits to emergency room, mortality, the combined variable of these events, the functional capacity or quality of life at 12 months of follow up. ProMIC reduces significantly heart failure rehospitalisation and improve quality of life al 6 months of follow up. No significant differences were found in the rests of variables. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Potentials of plasma NGAL and MIC-1 as biomarker(s in the diagnosis of lethal pancreatic cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sukhwinder Kaur

Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer (PC is lethal malignancy with very high mortality rate. Absence of sensitive and specific marker(s is one of the major factors for poor prognosis of PC patients. In pilot studies using small set of patients, secreted acute phase proteins neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL and TGF-β family member macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1 are proposed as most potential biomarkers specifically elevated in the blood of PC patients. However, their performance as diagnostic markers for PC, particularly in pre-treatment patients, remains unknown. In order to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of NGAL and MIC-1, their levels were measured in plasma samples from patients with pre-treatment PC patients (n = 91 and compared it with those in healthy control (HC individuals (n = 24 and patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP, n = 23. The diagnostic performance of these two proteins was further compared with that of CA19-9, a tumor marker commonly used to follow PC progression. The levels of all three biomarkers were significantly higher in PC compared to HCs. The mean (± standard deviation, SD plasma NGAL, CA19-9 and MIC-1 levels in PC patients was 111.1 ng/mL (2.2, 219.2 U/mL (7.8 and 4.5 ng/mL (4.1, respectively. In comparing resectable PC to healthy patients, all three biomarkers were found to have comparable sensitivities (between 64%-81% but CA19-9 and NGAL had a higher specificity (92% and 88%, respectively. For distinguishing resectable PC from CP patients, CA19-9 and MIC-1 were most specific (74% and 78% respectively. CA19-9 at an optimal cut-off of 54.1 U/ml is highly specific in differentiating resectable (stage 1/2 pancreatic cancer patients from controls in comparison to its clinical cut-off (37.1 U/ml. Notably, the addition of MIC-1 to CA19-9 significantly improved the ability to distinguish resectable PC cases from CP (p = 0.029. Overall, MIC-1 in combination with CA19-9 improved the diagnostic

AUC/MIC Pharmacodynamic Target Is Not a Good Predictor of Vancomycin Efficacy in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Experimental Endocarditis.

Science.gov (United States)

Castañeda, Ximena; García-de-la-Mària, Cristina; Gasch, Oriol; Pericas, Juan M; Armero, Yolanda; Soy, Dolors; García-González, Javier; Falces, Carlos; Ninot, Salvador; Almela, Manel; Ambrosioni, Juan; Quintana, Eduardo; Vidal, Barbara; Fuster, David; Llopis, Jaume; Soto, Sara; Moreno, Asuncion; Marco, Francesc; Miró, Jose M

2017-06-01

The aim of this in vivo study was to compare the efficacy of vancomycin at standard doses (VAN-SD) to that of VAN at adjusted doses (VAN-AD) in achieving a VAN area under the curve/MIC ratio (AUC/MIC) of ≥400 against three methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains with different microdilution VAN MICs in an experimental endocarditis model. The valve vegetation bacterial counts after 48 h of VAN therapy were compared, and no differences were observed between the two treatment groups for any of the three strains tested. Overall, for VAN-SD and VAN-AD, the rates of sterile vegetations were 15/45 (33.3%) and 21/49 (42.8%) ( P = 0.343), while the medians (interquartile ranges [IQRs]) for log 10 CFU/g of vegetation were 2 (0 to 6.9) and 2 (0 to 4.5) ( P = 0.384), respectively. In conclusion, this VAN AUC/MIC pharmacodynamic target was not a good predictor of vancomycin efficacy in MRSA experimental endocarditis. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Evaluation of protective effect of multiantigenic DNA vaccine encoding MIC3 and ROP18 antigen segments of Toxoplasma gondii in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Daofeng; Han, Jianzhong; Du, Aifang

2013-07-01

The high incidence and severe damage caused by Toxoplasma gondii infection clearly indicates the need for the development of a vaccine. In this study, we evaluated the immune responses and protection against toxoplasmosis by immunizing ICR mice with a multiantigenic DNA vaccine. To develop the multiantigenic vaccine, two T. gondii antigens, MIC3 and ROP18, selected on the basis of previous studies were chosen. ICR mice were immunized subcutaneously with PBS, empty pcDNA3.1 vector, pMIC3, pROP18, and pROP18-MIC3, respectively. The results of lymphocyte proliferation assay, cytokine, and antibody determinations showed that mice immunized with pROP18-MIC3 elicited stronger humoral and Th1-type cellular immune responses than those immunized with single-gene plasmids, empty plasmid, or phosphate-buffered saline. After a lethal challenge with the highly virulent T. gondii RH strain, a prolonged survival time in pROP18-MIC3-immunized mice was observed in comparison to control groups. Our study indicates that the introduction of multiantigenic DNA vaccine is more powerful and efficient than single-gene vaccine, and deserves further evaluation and development.

Iron oxides stimulate microbial monochlorobenzene in situ transformation in constructed wetlands and laboratory systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Marie; Wolfram, Diana; Birkigt, Jan; Ahlheim, Jörg; Paschke, Heidrun; Richnow, Hans-Hermann; Nijenhuis, Ivonne

2014-01-01

Natural wetlands are transition zones between anoxic ground and oxic surface water which may enhance the (bio)transformation potential for recalcitrant chloro-organic contaminants due to the unique geochemical conditions and gradients. Monochlorobenzene (MCB) is a frequently detected groundwater contaminant which is toxic and was thought to be persistent under anoxic conditions. Furthermore, to date, no degradation pathways for anoxic MCB removal have been proven in the field. Hence, it is important to investigate MCB biodegradation in the environment, as groundwater is an important drinking water source in many European countries. Therefore, two pilot-scale horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetlands, planted and unplanted, were used to investigate the processes in situ contributing to the biotransformation of MCB in these gradient systems. The wetlands were fed with anoxic MCB-contaminated groundwater from a nearby aquifer in Bitterfeld, Germany. An overall MCB removal was observed in both wetlands, whereas just 10% of the original MCB inflow concentration was detected in the ponds. In particular in the gravel bed of the planted wetland, MCB removal was highest in summer season with 73 ± 9% compared to the unplanted one with 40 ± 5%. Whereas the MCB concentrations rapidly decreased in the transition zone of unplanted gravel to the pond, a significant MCB removal was already determined in the anoxic gravel bed of the planted system. The investigation of hydro-geochemical parameters revealed that iron and sulphate reduction were relevant redox processes in both wetlands. In parallel, the addition of ferric iron or nitrate stimulated the mineralisation of MCB in laboratory microcosms with anoxic groundwater from the same source, indicating that the potential for anaerobic microbial degradation of MCB is present at the field site. - Highlights: • MCB removal in anoxic gravel bed of a planted and an unplanted constructed wetland was accompanied by iron

Iron oxides stimulate microbial monochlorobenzene in situ transformation in constructed wetlands and laboratory systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, Marie; Wolfram, Diana; Birkigt, Jan [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research — UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Ahlheim, Jörg [Department of Groundwater Remediation, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research — UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Paschke, Heidrun [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research — UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Richnow, Hans-Hermann [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research — UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Nijenhuis, Ivonne, E-mail: ivonne.nijenhuis@ufz.de [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research — UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany)

2014-02-01

Natural wetlands are transition zones between anoxic ground and oxic surface water which may enhance the (bio)transformation potential for recalcitrant chloro-organic contaminants due to the unique geochemical conditions and gradients. Monochlorobenzene (MCB) is a frequently detected groundwater contaminant which is toxic and was thought to be persistent under anoxic conditions. Furthermore, to date, no degradation pathways for anoxic MCB removal have been proven in the field. Hence, it is important to investigate MCB biodegradation in the environment, as groundwater is an important drinking water source in many European countries. Therefore, two pilot-scale horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetlands, planted and unplanted, were used to investigate the processes in situ contributing to the biotransformation of MCB in these gradient systems. The wetlands were fed with anoxic MCB-contaminated groundwater from a nearby aquifer in Bitterfeld, Germany. An overall MCB removal was observed in both wetlands, whereas just 10% of the original MCB inflow concentration was detected in the ponds. In particular in the gravel bed of the planted wetland, MCB removal was highest in summer season with 73 ± 9% compared to the unplanted one with 40 ± 5%. Whereas the MCB concentrations rapidly decreased in the transition zone of unplanted gravel to the pond, a significant MCB removal was already determined in the anoxic gravel bed of the planted system. The investigation of hydro-geochemical parameters revealed that iron and sulphate reduction were relevant redox processes in both wetlands. In parallel, the addition of ferric iron or nitrate stimulated the mineralisation of MCB in laboratory microcosms with anoxic groundwater from the same source, indicating that the potential for anaerobic microbial degradation of MCB is present at the field site. - Highlights: • MCB removal in anoxic gravel bed of a planted and an unplanted constructed wetland was accompanied by iron

Comparrisson of MICs of ceftioufur and other antimicrobial agents against bacterial pathogens of swine from the United States, Canada and Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Salmon, S.A.; Watts, J.L.; Case, C.A.

1995-01-01

, sulfamethazine, trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (1:19), erythromycin, lincomycin, spectinomycin, lincomycin-spectinomycin (1:8), tilmicosin, and tetracycline. Tilmicosin was only tested against the U.S. isolates. Overall, ceftiofur and enrofloxacin were the most active antimicrobial agents tested against all isolates.......0 and 8.0 mu g/ml, respectively). However, this compound was not active against the remaining U.S. isolates (MIC(90)s, >64.0 mu g/ml), Differences in the MICs from one country to another were not detected with enrofloxacin, ceftiofur, or lincomycin for the strains tested, but variations in the MICs...

Test methods for microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in marine environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Little, B.; Wagner, P.; Mansfeld, F.

1992-01-01

Electrochemical techniques such as measurements of corrosion and redox potentials, polarization curves, polarization resistance, electrochemical impedance and electrochemical noise have been used to evaluate the impact of marine microorganisms on corrosion processes. Surface analytical techniques including microbiological culturing, scanning electron microscopy, microprobes and microelectrodes have been used to characterize metal surfaces after exposure to marine waters. A combination of electrochemical, surface analytical and microbiological techniques is the most promising approach for determining mechanisms of MIC

Marketer consolidated billing : realizing the value of customer relationships

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schiratti, A. [Sunoco, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2001-07-01

This presentation focused on timely issues regarding marketer consolidated billing (MCB). MCB allows energy marketers to directly bill customers for both gas and electric commodities and distribution services. MCB is mandated by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) in the electricity sector through the Retail Settlements Task Force and is proposed by the OEB in the Gas Distributor Access Rule. The main topics discussed in this paper were the new relationship under MCB, benefits for customers and challenges for marketers. The major obstacles for a successful MCB model were also proposed. The new MCB approach strengthens the relationship between the marketer and the customer. The MCB will allow both electricity and natural gas customers to choose marketers who bill for both delivery and gas on one bill.

Marketer consolidated billing : realizing the value of customer relationships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schiratti, A.

2001-01-01

This presentation focused on timely issues regarding marketer consolidated billing (MCB). MCB allows energy marketers to directly bill customers for both gas and electric commodities and distribution services. MCB is mandated by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) in the electricity sector through the Retail Settlements Task Force and is proposed by the OEB in the Gas Distributor Access Rule. The main topics discussed in this paper were the new relationship under MCB, benefits for customers and challenges for marketers. The major obstacles for a successful MCB model were also proposed. The new MCB approach strengthens the relationship between the marketer and the customer. The MCB will allow both electricity and natural gas customers to choose marketers who bill for both delivery and gas on one bill

Wild-type MIC distributions of four fluoroquinolones active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in relation to current critical concentrations and available pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Angeby, K A; Jureen, P; Giske, C G; Chryssanthou, E; Sturegård, E; Nordvall, M; Johansson, A G; Werngren, J; Kahlmeter, G; Hoffner, S E; Schön, T

2010-05-01

To describe wild-type distributions of the MIC of fluoroquinolones for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in relation to current critical concentrations used for drug susceptibility testing and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) data. A 96-stick replicator on Middlebrook 7H10 medium was used to define the MICs of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, moxifloxacin and levofloxacin for 90 consecutive clinical strains and 24 drug-resistant strains. The MICs were compared with routine BACTEC 460 susceptibility results and with MIC determinations in the BACTEC MGIT 960 system in a subset of strains using ofloxacin as a class representative. PK/PD data for each drug were reviewed in relation to the wild-type MIC distribution. The wild-type MICs of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, moxifloxacin and levofloxacin were distributed from 0.125 to 1, 0.25 to 1, 0.032 to 0.5 and 0.125 to 0.5 mg/L, respectively. The MIC data correlated well with the BACTEC 960 MGIT and BACTEC 460 results. PD indices were the most favourable for levofloxacin, followed by moxifloxacin, ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. We propose S (susceptible) MIC data could shift the ECOFFs for ofloxacin and levofloxacin one dilution upwards. The proposed ECOFFs may be more appropriate if used as clinical breakpoints on Middlebrook 7H10 agar than the current critical concentrations of S

In Vitro Activity of Ertapenem versus Ceftriaxone against Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates with Highly Diverse Ceftriaxone MIC Values and Effects of Ceftriaxone Resistance Determinants: Ertapenem for Treatment of Gonorrhea?

Science.gov (United States)

Golparian, Daniel; Limnios, Athena; Whiley, David; Ohnishi, Makoto; Lahra, Monica M.; Tapsall, John W.

2012-01-01

Clinical resistance to the currently recommended extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs), the last remaining treatment options for gonorrhea, is being reported. Gonorrhea may become untreatable, and new treatment options are crucial. We investigated the in vitro activity of ertapenem, relative to ceftriaxone, against N. gonorrhoeae isolates and the effects of ESC resistance determinants on ertapenem. MICs were determined using agar dilution technique or Etest for international reference strains (n = 17) and clinical N. gonorrhoeae isolates (n = 257), which included the two extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains H041 and F89 and additional isolates with high ESC MICs, clinical ESC resistance, and other types of clinical high-level and multidrug resistance (MDR). Genetic resistance determinants for ESCs (penA, mtrR, and penB) were sequenced. In general, the MICs of ertapenem (MIC50 = 0.032 μg/ml; MIC90 = 0.064 μg/ml) paralleled those of ceftriaxone (MIC50 = 0.032 μg/ml; MIC90 = 0.125 μg/ml). The ESC resistance determinants mainly increased the ertapenem MIC and ceftriaxone MIC at similar levels. However, the MIC ranges for ertapenem (0.002 to 0.125 μg/ml) and ceftriaxone (gonorrhea, particularly for the currently identified ESC-resistant cases and possibly in a dual antimicrobial therapy regimen. However, further knowledge regarding the genetic determinants (and their evolution) conferring resistance to both antimicrobials, and clear correlates between genetic and phenotypic laboratory parameters and clinical treatment outcomes, is essential. PMID:22547617

E. coli encoding blaNDM-5 associated with community-acquired UTI cases with unusual MIC creep like phenomenon against Imipenem.

Science.gov (United States)

Gajamer, Varsha Rani; Bhattacharjee, Amitabha; Paul, Deepjyoti; Deshamukhya, Chandrayee; Singh, Ashish Kr; Pradhan, Nilu; Tiwari, Hare Krishna

2018-05-15

Carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli are of major clinical concern. The present study aimed to identify NDM-5 producing E.coli associated with community-acquired urinary tract infection, co-harboring ESBL genes and a pattern of imipenem MIC creep. A total of 973 urine samples were collected from females of age between 18-49 diagnosed with UTI. Isolates were identified by standard microbiological procedures. Presence of bla NDM and ESBL genes was determined by PCR assay and sequencing.PCR based replicon typing was performed. Plasmid stability of all bla producers and their transformants study were analyzed by serial passages and MIC creep phenomenon was analysed by studying revertants. Among 34 bla NDM-5 positive E.coli isolates, 21 isolates co harbored bla CTX-M-15 , followed by multiple combinations of genes. The study revealed diverse types of plasmids type viz; HI1, I1, FIA+FIB, FIA and Y. The strains showed progressive plasmid loss after 31 passages.Twenty-eight isolates mostly had MIC value of 0.5μg/ml and 1μg/ml against imipenem, ertapenem and meropenem. However, on studying the MIC creep activity; the MIC was found elevated from 0.5ug/ml to 64μg/ml and from 1μg/ml to 128μg/ml. While analyzing the revertants, MIC of most of the NDM positive isolates was reduced to 16μg/ml after the 30th serial passages. This study observed a unique phenotype of NDM producers which is not been reported earlier. In the current study, the observed phenomenon poses a global threat as these pathogens may evade phenotypic screening by routine laboratories. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Cómo, cuándo y por qué hicimos un cómic bollo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gema Arquero (Project Manager

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Este artículo traza un recorrido por distintos aspectos que desempeñaron un papel destacado en la génesis del cómic Salidas de Emergencia. Sus autoras explican la importancia que su situación personal y el contexto político de la España de 2005 tuvieron en la decisión de iniciar su proyecto creativo, situándonos a la vez en las coordenadas culturales en que éste se inscribe. Con ello, también se lleva a cabo un repaso por distintos productos culturales de temática lésbica, con el que se ponen en evidencia las particularidades de este cómic.

Validitas Utrecht-Management Of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) Versi Indonesia: Struktur Faktor, Invariansi Pengukuran Gender, dan Usia

OpenAIRE

Muttaqin, Darmawan

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of Indonesian version of the U-MICS, a measure three identity dimensions. Participants were 910 adolescents (12-21 years old). The Confirmatory Factor Analyses and Multi-Group Analyses were used to examine the factor structure, gender, and age measurement invariance of Indonesian version of the U-MICS. We further tested the gender and age differences using Multivariate Analysis of Variance. The results indicated that the fac...

Mastite micótica em ruminantes causada por leveduras

OpenAIRE

Spanamberg,Andréia; Sanches,Edna Maria Cavallini; Santurio,Janio Morais; Ferreiro,Laerte

2009-01-01

A ocorrência de casos esporádicos de mastite causados por microrganismos de origem ambiental pode ser considerada como emergente e as leveduras, os fungos leveduriformes e os filamentosos são alguns dos principais agentes envolvidos. Em relação à mastite micótica, as leveduras são freqüentemente causas de infecções da glândula mamária em animais produtores de leite. A maior parte dos casos ocorre sob a forma de surtos localizados e/ou após tratamento com antimicrobianos. Os principais gêneros...

El vocabulario de las armas en micénico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernabé, Alberto

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Systematic analysis of rise, structure, and development of the words referred to weapons in Mycenaean tablets and in first Millennium Greek. The results of application of linguistic or philological methods can so be collated with ones achieved by archaeologists.

Estudio sistemático de la creación, estructura y desarrollo del vocabulario referido a las armas en las tablillas micénicas y en el griego posterior. Los resultados obtenidos por métodos lingüísticos o filológicos pueden así ser cotejados con los logrados por la arqueología.

MICs of Oxazolidinones for Rhodococcus equi Strains Isolated from Humans and Animals

OpenAIRE

Bowersock, Terry L.; Salmon, Sarah A.; Portis, Ellen S.; Prescott, John F.; Robison, Denise A.; Ford, Charles W.; Watts, Jeffrey L.

2000-01-01

Eperezolid and linezolid are representatives of a new class of orally active, synthetic antimicrobial agents. The in vitro activity values (MICs) of linezolid, eperezolid, and comparator antibiotics against 102 strains of Rhodococcus equi isolated from humans and animals were determined. Linezolid was more active than eperezolid against the strains tested; premafloxacin was the most active comparator antibiotic.

Clustering, haplotype diversity and locations of MIC-3: a unique root-specific defense-related gene family in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Science.gov (United States)

MIC-3-related genes of cotton (Gossypium spp.) were identified and shown to have root-specific expression, associated with pathogen defense-related function and specifically increased expression in root-knot nematode (RKN) resistant plants after nematode infection. Here we cloned and sequenced MIC-...

Rhodium, iridium and nickel complexes with a 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene tris-MIC ligand. Study of the electronic properties and catalytic activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Mejuto

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The coordination versatility of a 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene-tris-mesoionic carbene ligand is illustrated by the preparation of complexes with three different metals: rhodium, iridium and nickel. The rhodium and iridium complexes contained the [MCl(COD] fragments, while the nickel compound contained [NiCpCl]. The preparation of the tris-MIC (MIC = mesoionic carbene complex with three [IrCl(CO2] fragments, allowed the estimation of the Tolman electronic parameter (TEP for the ligand, which was compared with the TEP value for a related 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene-tris-NHC ligand. The electronic properties of the tris-MIC ligand were studied by cyclic voltammetry measurements. In all cases, the tris-MIC ligand showed a stronger electron-donating character than the corresponding NHC-based ligands. The catalytic activity of the tri-rhodium complex was tested in the addition reaction of arylboronic acids to α,β-unsaturated ketones.

Plasma MIC-1 correlates with systemic inflammation but is not an independent determinant of nutritional status or survival in oesophago-gastric cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Skipworth, R J E; Deans, D A C; Tan, B H L; Sangster, K; Paterson-Brown, S; Brown, D A; Hunter, M; Breit, S N; Ross, J A; Fearon, K C H

2010-02-16

Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1(MIC-1) is a potential modulator of systemic inflammation and nutritional depletion, both of which are adverse prognostic factors in oesophago-gastric cancer (OGC). Plasma MIC-1, systemic inflammation (defined as plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) of > or =10 mg l(-1) or modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) of > or =1), and nutritional status were assessed in newly diagnosed OGC patients (n=293). Healthy volunteers (n=35) served as controls. MIC-1 was elevated in patients (median=1371 pg ml(-1); range 141-39 053) when compared with controls (median=377 pg ml(-1); range 141-3786; Pgastric tumours (median=1592 pg ml(-1); range 141-12 643) showed higher MIC-1 concentrations than patients with junctional (median=1337 pg ml(-1); range 383-39 053) and oesophageal tumours (median=1180 pg ml(-1); range 258-31 184; P=0.015). Patients showed a median weight loss of 6.4% (range 0.0-33.4%), and 42% of patients had an mGPS of > or =1 or plasma CRP of > or =10 mg l(-1) (median=9 mg l(-1); range 1-200). MIC-1 correlated positively with disease stage (r(2)=0.217; Pnutritional status or survival in OGC.

Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture optimization strategies for a memory-bound Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Goddard microphysics scheme

Science.gov (United States)

Mielikainen, Jarno; Huang, Bormin; Huang, Allen H.

2014-10-01

The Goddard cloud microphysics scheme is a sophisticated cloud microphysics scheme in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The WRF is a widely used weather prediction system in the world. It development is a done in collaborative around the globe. The Goddard microphysics scheme is very suitable for massively parallel computation as there are no interactions among horizontal grid points. Compared to the earlier microphysics schemes, the Goddard scheme incorporates a large number of improvements. Thus, we have optimized the code of this important part of WRF. In this paper, we present our results of optimizing the Goddard microphysics scheme on Intel Many Integrated Core Architecture (MIC) hardware. The Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor is the first product based on Intel MIC architecture, and it consists of up to 61 cores connected by a high performance on-die bidirectional interconnect. The Intel MIC is capable of executing a full operating system and entire programs rather than just kernels as the GPU do. The MIC coprocessor supports all important Intel development tools. Thus, the development environment is familiar one to a vast number of CPU developers. Although, getting a maximum performance out of MICs will require using some novel optimization techniques. Those optimization techniques are discusses in this paper. The results show that the optimizations improved performance of the original code on Xeon Phi 7120P by a factor of 4.7x. Furthermore, the same optimizations improved performance on a dual socket Intel Xeon E5-2670 system by a factor of 2.8x compared to the original code.

Increased cefepime MIC for enterobacteriacae clinical isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Najafi, Narges; Alikhani, Ahmad; Babamahmoudi, Farhang; Davoudi, Alireza; Ghasemiyan, Roya; Aliyan, Shahriar; Shoujaiifar, Arman

2013-01-01

Background : Cefepime was used as empirical treatment in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) induced by gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of cefepime against microorganism causing VAP in Mazandaran, North of Iran. This study was performed on VAP patients diagnosed with clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS) scores in ICU of two hospitals. For each patient suspected of having VAP, quantitative culture of endotracheal aspiration (QEA) was performed and MIC was determined by micro dilution test. Data were collected and analyzed. Thirty- five cases of enterobacteriaceae were isolated orderly including E coli 13, P. aeruginosa 11, Enterobacter 7 and K. pneumonia 4 cases. All the isolated E. coli, Enterobacter and Klebsiella, 54.5% of P. aeruginosa isolated were fully resistant to cefepime. The results of this study show that cefepime is not a reasonable choice for empirical treatment of nosocomial pneumonia and VAP.

Serum Levels of Human MIC-1/GDF15 Vary in a Diurnal Pattern, Do Not Display a Profile Suggestive of a Satiety Factor and Are Related to BMI.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicky Wang-Wei Tsai

Full Text Available The TGF-b superfamily cytokine MIC-1/GDF15 circulates in the blood of healthy humans. Its levels rise substantially in cancer and other diseases and this may sometimes lead to development of an anorexia/cachexia syndrome. This is mediated by a direct action of MIC-1/GDF15 on feeding centres in the hypothalamus and brainstem. More recent studies in germline gene deleted mice also suggest that this cytokine may play a role in physiological regulation of energy homeostasis. To further characterize the role of MIC-1/GDF15 in physiological regulation of energy homeostasis in man, we have examined diurnal and food associated variation in serum levels and whether variation in circulating levels relate to BMI in human monozygotic twin pairs. We found that the within twin pair differences in serum MIC-1/GDF15 levels were significantly correlated with within twin pair differences in BMI, suggesting a role for MIC-1/GDF15 in the regulation of energy balance in man. MIC-1/GDF15 serum levels altered slightly in response to a meal, but comparison with variation its serum levels over a 24 hour period suggested that these changes are likely to be due to bimodal diurnal variation which can alter serum MIC-1/GDF15 levels by about plus or minus 10% from the mesor. The lack of a rapid and substantial postprandial increase in MIC-1/GDF15 serum levels suggests that MIC1/GDF15 is unlikely to act as a satiety factor. Taken together, our findings suggest that MIC-1/GDF15 may be a physiological regulator of energy homeostasis in man, most probably due to actions on long-term regulation of energy homeostasis.

Nuevos lenguajes para nuevas tecnologías. El cómic, una publicación electrónica de entretenimiento

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lic. Virginia Luzón Fernández

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Hasta hoy día el cómic ha sido concebido como un medio narrativo de comunicación social que comprende gráficos y textos con un desarrollo secuencial y una narrativa interna. Ha estado relacionado con unos códigos particulares y una serie de convenciones expresivas, como los globos. Pero, el cómic de papel que leíamos, coleccionábamos e incluso algunos veneraban, está dejando paso a un nuevo tipo de cómic que nace con el desarrollo de las nuevas tecnologías y encaja a la perfección en la que denominamos, no sólo sociedad de la información, sino también nueva sociedad de la velocidad.

ZZ MCNPDATA, Standard Neutron, Photon and Electron Data Libraries for MCNP-4C and MCB1C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

1 - Description: These cross-section libraries are released by the Diagnostics Applications Group, X-5, at Los Alamos National Laboratory for use with the MCNP Monte Carlo code package. This release includes all of the X-5 distributed neutron data libraries, the photon libraries MCPLIB1 and MCPLIB02, the electron libraries EL1 and EL03, an updated XSDIR file, and information files Readme.txt and Readme e ndf60.txt. This release is intended to completely replace previous RSICC releases DLC-105, DLC-181, and DLC-189 as well as the cross sections previously included with CCC-200/MCNP4A, and will be updated as new libraries become available. The README file provides information regarding each data library of this release. Additional documentation for some of the individual libraries and example SPECS files for use with MAKXSF are also provided. The XSDIR file is specific to this release and may not work with previous packages. Currently the neutron data library ENDF60 (based on ENDF/B-VI, up through and including release 2) is the default library for continuous-energy neutron transport. Additionally, the libraries MCPLIB02 and EL03 are the default libraries for photon and electron transport respectively. More information on the data libraries contained in this release is available in Appendix G of the MCNP4C manual. 2 - Description of program or function: ZZ-MCB-DLC200 contains the same cross section tables as the DLC-0200/03 package for the MCNP-4C code, except that the installation procedures are adapted to the MCB1C code system (NEA 1643/01). 3 - Application of the data: DLC-200/MCNPDATA is for use with Version 4C and later of the MCNP transport code. This data library provides a comprehensive set of cross sections for a wide range of radiation transport applications using the Monte Carlo code package CCC-700/MCNP4C. See Appendix G of the MCNP report LA-13709-M for information on the libraries and how to select specific nuclides for use in MCNP. 4 - Source and scope

LiF Reduces MICs of Antibiotics against Clinical Isolates of Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria

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H. C. Syed

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Antibiotic resistance is an ever-growing problem yet the development of new antibiotics has slowed to a trickle, giving rise to the use of combination therapy to eradicate infections. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the combined inhibitory effect of lithium fluoride (LiF and commonly used antimicrobials on the growth of the following bacteria: Enterococcus faecalis, Staphyloccoccus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The in vitro activities of ceftazidime, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, streptomycin, erythromycin, amoxicillin, and ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, alone or combined with LiF were performed by microdilution method. MICs were determined visually following 18–20 h of incubation at 37°C. We observed reduced MICs of antibiotics associated with LiF ranging from two-fold to sixteen-fold. The strongest decreases of MICs observed were for streptomycin and erythromycin associated with LiF against Acinetobacter baumannii and Streptococcus pneumoniae. An eight-fold reduction was recorded for streptomycin against S. pneumoniae whereas an eight-fold and a sixteen-fold reduction were obtained for erythromycin against A. baumannii and S. pneumoniae. This suggests that LiF exhibits a synergistic effect with a wide range of antibiotics and is indicative of its potential as an adjuvant in antibiotic therapy.

La representación icónica y narrativa de la mujer en el cómic japonés masculino: el shounen manga y el horror manga

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Juan A. García Pacheco

2012-06-01

Full Text Available El cómic japonés (Manga es un importante medio de comunicación en su país de origen y, gracias su progresiva expansión internacional, en muchos países occidentales. Gran parte de los estudios de género realizados sobre el cómic japonés se han centrado en las obras dirigidas a una audiencia femenina. El presente artículo analiza un área menos abordada como es la representación de la mujer en el cómic japonés masculino, la cual es estudiada a través de dos métodos de análisis (iconográfico y narrativo en dos tipos de cómics bien definidos en sus características como son el cómic de acción y aventura para adolescentes masculinos (shounen manga y el cómic de terror (horror manga para el público adulto.

Comparison of EUCAST and CLSI Reference Microdilution MICs of Eight Antifungal Compounds for Candida auris and Associated Tentative Epidemiological Cutoff Values

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arendrup, M. C.; Prakash, Anupam; Meletiadis, Joseph

2017-01-01

) and lowest for isavuconazole and anidulafungin (58%/76% to 75% within ±1/±2 dilutions). We found that 90.2%/100% of the isolates were amphotericin B susceptible based on CLSI/EUCAST methods, respectively (i.e., with MICs of ≤1 mg/liter), and 100%/97.6% were fluconazole nonsusceptible by CLSI/EUCAST (MICs > 2......, the estimated ECOFFs were dependent on the method applied for voriconazole (1 to 32) and isavuconazole (0.125 to 4). CLSI and EUCAST MICs were remarkably similar and confirmed uniform fluconazole resistance and variable acquired resistance to the other agents....

Optimizing the updated Goddard shortwave radiation Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) scheme for Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Mielikainen, Jarno; Huang, Bormin; Huang, Allen H.-L.

2015-05-01

Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) ushers in a new era of supercomputing speed, performance, and compatibility. It allows the developers to run code at trillions of calculations per second using the familiar programming model. In this paper, we present our results of optimizing the updated Goddard shortwave radiation Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) scheme on Intel Many Integrated Core Architecture (MIC) hardware. The Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor is the first product based on Intel MIC architecture, and it consists of up to 61 cores connected by a high performance on-die bidirectional interconnect. The co-processor supports all important Intel development tools. Thus, the development environment is familiar one to a vast number of CPU developers. Although, getting a maximum performance out of Xeon Phi will require using some novel optimization techniques. Those optimization techniques are discusses in this paper. The results show that the optimizations improved performance of the original code on Xeon Phi 7120P by a factor of 1.3x.

Antimycobacterial activity evaluation and MIC determination of liophilizated hydroalcoholic extracts of Bixa orellana L., Bixaceae

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Renata B. Silva

Full Text Available Bixa orellana is used in popular medicine against several diseases. Extracts of its fruit, root and leaf presented antimicrobial activity, while seed extract showed negative results. This study aimed at verifying the antimycobacterial activity of B. orellanalyophilized hydroalcoholic extracts over Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration against five bacteria. Antimycobacterial activity was determined by diffusion technique, while MIC was assessed by diffusion and colorimetric analysis. MICs were 0.3, 0.5 and 0.2 mg/mL respectively, for leaf, root and stem extracts, against M. tuberculosis. Stem's extract showed 1.2 mg/mL for B. cereus, 1.53 mg/mL for S. aureusand S. typhimurium, 4.50 mg/mL for P. aeruginosaand 8.01 mg/mL for P. mirabillis.Leaf extracts showed 0.66 mg/mL for P. aeruginosa, 0.94 mg/mL for P. mirabillis, 1.88 mg/mL for S. aureus, 3.95 mg/mL for B. cereusand 8.37 mg/mL for S. typhimurium. Root's extracts showed 0.25 mg/mL for P. aeruginosa,0.31 mg/mL for S. aureus, 0.62 mg/mL for S. typhimuriumand 3.00 mg/mL for B. cereusand P. mirabillis. Leaf and stem extracts showed antimycobacterial activity. MICs were lower in colorimetric analysis than in agar diffusion. Extracts revealed bacteriostatic activity against the five bacterial.

Implementation of body area networks based on MICS/WMTS medical bands for healthcare systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuce, Mehmet R; Ho, Chee Keong

2008-01-01

A multi-hoping sensor network system has been implemented to monitor physiological parameters from multiple patient bodies by means of medical communication standards MICS (Medical Implant Communication Service) and WMTS (Wireless Medical Telemetry Service). Unlike the other medical sensor networks (they usually use 2.4 GHz ISM band), we used the two medical standards occupying the frequency bands that are mainly assigned to medical applications. The prototype system uses the MICS band (402-405 MHz) between the sensor nodes and a remote central control unit (CCU). And WMTS frequencies (608-614MHz) are used between the CCUs and the remote base stations allowing for a much larger range acting as an intermediate node. The sensor nodes in the prototype can measure up to four body signals (i.e. 4-channel) where one is dedicated to a continuous physiological signal such as ECC/EEG. The system includes firmware and software designs that can provide a long distance data transfer through the internet or a mobile network.

[Effectiveness of Mitral Natural Folding Plasty for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Mitral Valve Plasty (MICS MVP)].

Science.gov (United States)

Kondo, Shunichi; Tsuboi, Eitoshi; Rokkaku, Kyu; Irie, Yoshihito; Yokoyama, Hitoshi

2015-01-01

We performed 45 cases of Natural folding plasty without leaflet resection for degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR) between September 2005 and July 2014. Twenty cases of 45 were operated by right small intercostal approach (MICS). There was no operative mortality. No patient had greater than mild MR intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography. The median follow-up was 847 (19~1,747) days. One case needed a second pump run performed without complication. One patient had a reoperation performed for recurrent MR 20 months later. Natural folding plasty for degenerative MR with favorable long term out come in our results. This technique is simple and reproducible for most surgeons. Furthermore, with its simplicity and reversibility, we considered it to be suitable for MICS approach.

Cómic como instrumento didáctico. La narración gráfica en ámbito universitario

OpenAIRE

Baile López, Eduard; Maestre-Brotons, Antoni; Ortiz Hernández, Francisco Javier; Rovira-Collado, José; Pomares Puig, María Pilar; Soler-Quílez, Guillermo; Villaverde Pérez, Abel; Bernabé Gallardo, Carlos; Rovira Collado, Joan Miquel; Sánchez Verdú, Ramón; Serna-Rodrigo, Rocío; Vidal Martín-Toledano, Jesús

2016-01-01

Mediante la red 3489, se ha pretendido dar, tal como ya se hizo en la convocatòria anterior de Redes de la UA, presencia académica a la labor de estudio y difusión sobre las posibilidades didácticas del cómic que se viene desarrollando desde los núcleos de Unicómic y CLUECA. En este sentido, la memoria pretende ser testimonio del trabajo investigador y docente llevado a cabo por los diversos miembros en el curso académico 2015-2016. A nuestro juicio, hacer recuento del camino recorrido es con...

El cómic en la clase de ELE: una propuesta didáctica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alonso Abal, Marina

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Suplemento del número 14 de marcoELE (enero - junio de 2012 La presente memoria pretende hacer una reflexión sobre el valor del cómic como herramienta pedagógica. Para ello y, como punto de partida, se plantean tres cuestiones que sirven como eje vertebrador de dicho trabajo. La primera tiene que ver con los motivos de su utilización en la clase de ELE. En dicho apartado, se tratan aspectos como el factor afectivo, lo lúdico, el humor, la interculturalidad, etc., todos ellos presentes en las tiras cómicas y que, tal y como se pone de manifiesto en el segundo bloque, en el que se analiza la finalidad de su explotación en el aula, favorecen un aprendizaje significativo en consonancia con los postulados del MCER y del PCIC. El tercer bloque pretende desarrollar de manera práctica los aspectos teóricos abordados anteriormente. Se presentan tres cómics que se utilizarán como eje central de tres secuencias de actividades, correspondientes a cada uno de los niveles del MCER (A, B, C. En cada secuencia se desarrollarán una serie de actividades para alcanzar un objetivo comunicativo concreto confirmando, así, el valor didáctico de los cómics más allá de la utilización de dicho material como actividad complementaria de revisión al final de la unidad, como una actividad aislada para practicar un determinado contenido lingüístico o como una mera distracción o una excusa para la conversación.

Postantibiotic effect and postantibiotic sub-MIC effect of LTX-109 and mupirocin on Staphylococcus aureus blood isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Saravolatz, L D; Pawlak, J; Martin, H; Saravolatz, S; Johnson, L; Wold, H; Husbyn, M; Olsen, W M

2017-11-01

The development of new synthetic antimicrobial peptides like LTX-109 provides a new class of drugs for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections. We evaluated LTX-109 and mupirocin for pharmacodynamic parameters against 10 methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates. The postantibiotic effect (PAE) is defined as the length of time that bacterial growth is suppressed following a brief exposure to an antibiotic. We also determined the sub-MIC effect (SME) which measures the direct effect of subinhibitory levels on strains that have not previously been exposed to antibiotics. The postantibiotic sub-MIC effect (PA-SME) is a combination of the PAE and SME. LTX-109 had an average PAE of 5·51 h vs 1·04 h for mupirocin. The PA-SME of LTX-109 ranged from 2·51 to 9·33 h as the concentration increased from 0·2 to 0·4 times the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The PA-SME range for mupirocin was 0·93-2·58 h. LTX-109, as compared to mupirocin, demonstrated prolonged time of effect for these pharmacodynamic parameters, which supports persistent activity for several hours after the drug is no longer present or is below the MIC. The pharmacodynamic parameters studied here suggest that LTX-109 is less likely than mupirocin to generate resistance to S. aureus. Resistant bacterial infections continue to be a challenge for clinicians. Identification of antibiotics with pharmacodynamic advantages may be beneficial in the treatment of these infections. An antibiotic with a longer postantibiotic effect may be able to be administered less frequently resulting in improved adherence. In this study, a new synthetic antimicrobial peptide, LTX-109, demonstrated a more prolonged time for LTX-109 than mupirocin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Un nuevo enfoque para la explotación del cómic en E/LE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Consuelo Escudero Medina

2007-01-01

Full Text Available En esta ocasión, nos hemos decantado por trabajar con el cómic. Los elementos que configuran este material favorecen sobre todo la motivación del alumno, puesto que no le son ajenos, existen en su cultura.

Optimizing zonal advection of the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) dynamics for Intel MIC

Science.gov (United States)

Mielikainen, Jarno; Huang, Bormin; Huang, Allen H.

2014-10-01

The Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model is the most widely used community weather forecast and research model in the world. There are two distinct varieties of WRF. The Advanced Research WRF (ARW) is an experimental, advanced research version featuring very high resolution. The WRF Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model (WRF-NMM) has been designed for forecasting operations. WRF consists of dynamics code and several physics modules. The WRF-ARW core is based on an Eulerian solver for the fully compressible nonhydrostatic equations. In the paper, we will use Intel Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture to substantially increase the performance of a zonal advection subroutine for optimization. It is of the most time consuming routines in the ARW dynamics core. Advection advances the explicit perturbation horizontal momentum equations by adding in the large-timestep tendency along with the small timestep pressure gradient tendency. We will describe the challenges we met during the development of a high-speed dynamics code subroutine for MIC architecture. Furthermore, lessons learned from the code optimization process will be discussed. The results show that the optimizations improved performance of the original code on Xeon Phi 5110P by a factor of 2.4x.

Surface topography and ultrastructural changes of mucinous carcinoma breast cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Voloudakis, G E; Baltatzis, G E; Agnantis, N J; Arnogianaki, N; Misitzis, J; Voloudakis-Baltatzis, I

2007-01-01

Mucinous carcinoma of the breast (MCB) is histologically classified into 2 groups: (1) pure MCB and (2) mixed MCB. Pure MCB carries a better diagnosis than mixed MCB. This research relates to the cell surface topography and ultrastructure of the cells in the above cases and aims to find the differences between them, by means of two methods: scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). For the SEM examination, it was necessary to initially culture the MCB tissues and then proceed with the usual SEM method. In contrast, for the TEM technique, MCB tissues were initially fixed followed by the classic TEM method. The authors found the topography of pure MCB cases to be without nodes. The cell membrane was smooth, with numerous pores and small ruffles that covered the entire cell. The ultrastructural appearance of the same cases was with a normal cell membrane containing abundant collagen fibers. They also had many small vesicles containing mucin as well as secretory droplets. In contrast the mixed MCB had a number of lymph nodes and their cell surface topography showed stronger changes such as microvilli, numerous blebs, ruffles and many long projections. Their ultrastructure showed very long microvilli with large cytoplasmic inclusions and extracellular mucin collections, electron-dense material vacuoles, and many important cytoplasmic organelles. An important fact is that mixed MCB also contains areas of infiltrating ductal carcinoma. These cells of the cytoplasmic organelles are clearly responsible for the synthesis, storage, and secretion of the characteristic mucin of this tumor type. Evidently, this abnormal mucin production and the abundance of secretory granules along with the long projections observed in the topographical structure might be responsible for transferring tumor cells to neighboring organs, thus being responsible for metastatic disease.

Evaluation Logic of Main Control Board Fire Risk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Dae Il; Kim, Kilyoo; Lim, Ho Gon [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

The main control board (MCB) is defined as the collection of control panels inside the main control room (MCR) of a nuclear power plant (NPP). As the MCB has the control and instrumentation circuits of redundant trains for almost all plant systems, small fires within the control panels may be detrimental to the safe shutdown capability. A big fire affecting many panels in the MCB can cause a forced MCR abandonment of the operators as well as function failures or spurious operations of the control and instrumentation-related components. If the MCR cannot be habitable, a safe shutdown from outside the MCR can be achieved and maintained at an alternate shutdown panel electrically and physically independent from the MCR. Because the MCB consist of many electrical panels, it may have internal barriers between them to prevent a fire from spreading from its origin to neighboring locations. However, most MCBs of domestic NPPs do not have internal barriers within them. If the MCB cabinets are not separated by a double wall with an air gap, the fire propagation of an MCB panel fire cannot be ruled out. Recently, Joglar et al. proposed a new evaluation logic for the MCB panel fires and mentioned that an MCB fire can be divided into propagation and non-propagating fires for abandonment and non-abandonment fire scenarios. However, they did not present the details on the fire modeling approaches and probability formulas for the fire scenarios. In this paper, a decision tree for evaluating the risk of an MCB fire is proposed to systematically determine the fire scenarios in terms of the fire modeling approaches. This paper proposed a decision tree for evaluating the risk of an MCB fire to systematically determine the fire scenarios in terms of fire modeling approaches.

Un nuevo enfoque para la explotación del cómic en E/LE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Consuelo Escudero Medina

2012-08-01

Full Text Available En esta ocasión, nos hemos decantado por trabajar con el cómic.  Los elementos que configuran este material favorecen sobre todo la motivación del alumno, puesto que no le son ajenos, existen en su cultura.

Study of thermal degradation of organic light emitting device structures by X-ray scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Young-Joo; Lee, Heeju; Byun, Youngsuk; Song, Sanghoon; Kim, Je-Eun; Eom, Daeyong; Cha, Wonsuk; Park, Seong-Sik; Kim, Jinwoo; Kim, Hyunjung

2007-01-01

We report the process of thermal degradation of organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) having multilayered structure of [LiF/tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum(Alq 3 )/N,N'-Bis(naphthalen-1-yl)-N,N'-bis(phenyl)benzidine (NPB)/copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)/indium tin oxide (ITO)/SiO 2 on a glass] by synchrotron X-ray scattering. The results show that the thermally induced degradation process of OLED multilayers has undergone several evolutions due to thermal expansion of NPB, intermixing between NPB, Alq 3 , and LiF layers, dewetting of NPB on CuPc, and crystallization of NPB and Alq 3 depending on the annealing temperature. The crystallization of NPB appears at 180 deg. C, much higher temperature than the glass transition temperature (T g = 96 deg. C) of NPB. The results are also compared with the findings from the atomic force microscope (AFM) images

Nucleoplasmic bridges are a sensitive measure of chromosome rearrangement in the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenech, M.; Umegaki, K.

2003-01-01

Full text: We have performed experiments using the WIL2-NS human B-lymphoblastoid cell line and primary human lymphocytes to (a) determine the importance of including measurements of nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB) in the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay and (b) provide evidence that NPB originate from dicentric chromosomes and centric ring chromosomes. In addition we describe theoretical models that explain how dicentric chromosomes and centric ring chromosomes may result in the formation of NPB at anaphase. The results with WIL2-NS showed that it was possible to distinguish genotoxic effects induced by different oxidizing agents in terms of the NPB/micronucleus frequency ratio. The results with lymphocytes indicated a strong correlation (a) between NPB, centric ring chromosomes and dicentric chromosomes in metaphases (R>0.93, P 0.93, P<0.0001). The dose-response curves with gamma rays were very similar for NPB, ring chromosomes and dicentric chromosomes, as were the dose-responses for MNi, acentric rings and fragments. However, not all acentric chromosomes and dicentric chromosomes/centric rings were converted to MNi and NPB respectively, depending on the dose of radiation. Preliminary data, using FISH, suggests that NPB often represent DNA from a structural rearrangement involving only one or two homologous chromosomes. The results from this study validate the inclusion of NPB in the CBMN assay which provides a valuable measure of chromosome breakage/ rearrangement that was otherwise not available in the micronucleus assay. The CBMN assay allows NPB measurement to be achieved reliably because inhibition of cytokinesis prevents the loss of NPB that would otherwise occur if cells were allowed to divide

MicROS-drt: supporting real-time and scalable data distribution in distributed robotic systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Bo; Wang, Huaimin; Fan, Zedong; Zhang, Pengfei; Liu, Hui

A primary requirement in distributed robotic software systems is the dissemination of data to all interested collaborative entities in a timely and scalable manner. However, providing such a service in a highly dynamic and resource-limited robotic environment is a challenging task, and existing robot software infrastructure has limitations in this aspect. This paper presents a novel robot software infrastructure, micROS-drt, which supports real-time and scalable data distribution. The solution is based on a loosely coupled data publish-subscribe model with the ability to support various time-related constraints. And to realize this model, a mature data distribution standard, the data distribution service for real-time systems (DDS), is adopted as the foundation of the transport layer of this software infrastructure. By elaborately adapting and encapsulating the capability of the underlying DDS middleware, micROS-drt can meet the requirement of real-time and scalable data distribution in distributed robotic systems. Evaluation results in terms of scalability, latency jitter and transport priority as well as the experiment on real robots validate the effectiveness of this work.

Chulos y novios en viñetas. Cómo dedicarse al cómic (gay y no morir en el intento

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebas Martín (autor de cómics

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Vivir del cómic es, de por sí, un imposible, pero las dificultades se acrecientan si el objetivo de un autor es dedicarse al cómic gay. En este artículo de cariz autobiográfico, se relatan los obstáculos y los éxitos que han marcado la trayectoria profesional de su autor, desde sus inicios, en los años 80, como creador de un fanzine, hasta la proliferación de proyectos que marcan los 2000. Con todo, se traza un recorrido por el panorama cultural e ideológico de la España de las últimas décadas, a través del cual asistimos a la lenta pero constante superación de los prejuicios que aún hoy rodean tanto el género del cómic como el mundo gay.

[Evaluation of the methodological quality of the Rémic (microbiology guidelines - bacteriology and mycology) of the Société française de microbiologie].

Science.gov (United States)

Fonfrède, Michèle; Couaillac, Jean Paul; Augereau, Christine; De Moüy, Danny; Lepargneur, Jean Pierre; Szymanowicz, Anton; Watine, Joseph

2011-01-01

We have evaluated the methodological quality of the Rémic (microbiology guidelines - bacteriology and mycology) of the Société française de microbiologie (edition2007), using to AGREE criteria, which are consensual at an international level, in particular at the the World Health Organisation (WHO) and at the European Union. The methodological quality of the Rémic appears to be sub-optimal. These shortcomings in quality are mainly observed in AGREE domain n° 5 (applicability), in AGREE item n° 5 (patients' opinions were not considered), and in AGREE item n° 23 (conflicts of interest were not declared). The users of the Rémic must be aware of these few methodological shortcomings in order for them to be careful before they put its recommendation in practice. In conclusion, we advise the editors of the Rémic to insert at least a methodological chapter in their next edition.

Towards Porting a Real-World Seismological Application to the Intel MIC Architecture

OpenAIRE

V. Weinberg

2014-01-01

This whitepaper aims to discuss first experiences with porting an MPI-based real-world geophysical application to the new Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture. The selected code SeisSol is an application written in Fortran that can be used to simulate earthquake rupture and radiating seismic wave propagation in complex 3-D heterogeneous materials. The PRACE prototype cluster EURORA at CINECA, Italy, was accessed to analyse the MPI-performance of SeisSol on Intel Xeon Phi on both sing...

Neuropeptide B in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus: molecular cloning and its effects on the regulation of food intake and mRNA expression of growth hormone and prolactin.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Lu; Sun, Caiyun; Li, Wensheng

2014-05-01

Neuropeptide B (NPB) regulates food intake, energy homeostasis and hormone secretion in mammals via two G-protein coupled receptors, termed as GPR 7 and GPR 8. However, there is no study that reports the function of NPB in teleosts. In this study, the full-length cDNA of prepro-NPB with the size of 663bp was cloned from the hypothalamus of Nile tilapia. The CDS of the prepro-NPB is 387bp which encodes a precursor protein with the size of 128a.a. This precursor contains a mature peptide with the size of 29a.a, and it was named as NPB29. Tissue distribution study showed that this gene was mainly expressed in different parts of brain, especially in the diencephalon as well as hypothalamus, and the spinal cord in Nile tilapia. Fasting significantly stimulated the mRNA expression of NPB in the brain area without hypothalamus, and refeeding after fasting for 3 and 14days also showed similar effects on NPB expression. While, only short-term fasting (3days) and refeeding after fasting for 7 and 14days induced mRNA expression of NPB in the hypothalamus. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of NPB remarkably elevated the mRNA expression of hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY), cholecystokinin 1 (CCK1) and pituitary prolactin (PRL), whereas significantly inhibited growth hormone (GH) expression in pituitary. These observations in the present study suggested that NPB may participate in the regulation of feeding and gene expression of pituitary GH and PRL in Nile tilapia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Department of Energy: MICS (Mathematical Information, and Computational Sciences Division). High performance computing and communications program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-06-01

This document is intended to serve two purposes. Its first purpose is that of a program status report of the considerable progress that the Department of Energy (DOE) has made since 1993, the time of the last such report (DOE/ER-0536, {open_quotes}The DOE Program in HPCC{close_quotes}), toward achieving the goals of the High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) Program. The second purpose is that of a summary report of the many research programs administered by the Mathematical, Information, and Computational Sciences (MICS) Division of the Office of Energy Research under the auspices of the HPCC Program and to provide, wherever relevant, easy access to pertinent information about MICS-Division activities via universal resource locators (URLs) on the World Wide Web (WWW). The information pointed to by the URL is updated frequently, and the interested reader is urged to access the WWW for the latest information.

Disidencia sexual en el cómic alemán contemporáneo: el caso de Ralf König

OpenAIRE

Saxe, Facundo

2016-01-01

Este trabajo aborda la representación de la sexualidad disidente en el cómic alemán contemporáneo. Se analiza la obra del autor alemán Ralf König desde una perspectiva propia de los estudios queer y la disidencia de sexo-género. A través de un recorrido crítico se conceptualiza la figura del autor en su campo cultural y su proyección vinculada a las sexualidades disidentes en Europa y a la tradición del cómic en Alemania. Como caso paradigmático se realiza un análisis textual d...

Evaluation of MIC Strip Isavuconazole test for susceptibility testing of wild-type and non-wild-type Aspergillus fumigatus isolates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arendrup, Maiken Cavling; Verweij, Paul; Nielsen, Henrik Vedel

2017-01-01

We evaluated the MIC Strip Isavuconazole test against EUCAST E.Def 9.3 by using 40 wild-type and 39 CYP51A mutant Aspergillus fumigatus strains. The strip full inhibition endpoint (FIE) and 80% growth inhibition endpoint were determined by two independent readers, reader 1 (R1) and R2. The essent......We evaluated the MIC Strip Isavuconazole test against EUCAST E.Def 9.3 by using 40 wild-type and 39 CYP51A mutant Aspergillus fumigatus strains. The strip full inhibition endpoint (FIE) and 80% growth inhibition endpoint were determined by two independent readers, reader 1 (R1) and R2...

An accelerated electrochemical MIC test for stainless alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gendron, T.S.; Cleland, R.D.

1994-01-01

Previous work in our laboratory and elsewhere has suggested that MIC of stainless steels and nickel-base alloys occurs in locally anaerobic regions that support the growth of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). The cathodic reaction is provided by oxygen reduction at remote sites. Such a coupling between anode and cathode is difficult to reproduce in the laboratory, but can be simulated indirectly using a double electrochemical cell, as in previous work. A more realistic simulation using a single aerated electrochemical cell has now been developed, in which a second organism (P. aeruginosa) is used to provide an anoxic habitat for SRB growth and possibly a source of organic carbon, within a layer of silt. A bare alloy electrode is used as the oxygen cathode. Tests of this kind using rigorous microbiological procedures have generated pitting corrosion of several alloys in low chloride media simulating freshwater heat exchanger conditions. Similar test procedures are applicable to other environments of interest to this symposium

Optimizing the Betts-Miller-Janjic cumulus parameterization with Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Melin; Huang, Bormin; Huang, Allen H.-L.

2015-10-01

The schemes of cumulus parameterization are responsible for the sub-grid-scale effects of convective and/or shallow clouds, and intended to represent vertical fluxes due to unresolved updrafts and downdrafts and compensating motion outside the clouds. Some schemes additionally provide cloud and precipitation field tendencies in the convective column, and momentum tendencies due to convective transport of momentum. The schemes all provide the convective component of surface rainfall. Betts-Miller-Janjic (BMJ) is one scheme to fulfill such purposes in the weather research and forecast (WRF) model. National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) has tried to optimize the BMJ scheme for operational application. As there are no interactions among horizontal grid points, this scheme is very suitable for parallel computation. With the advantage of Intel Xeon Phi Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture, efficient parallelization and vectorization essentials, it allows us to optimize the BMJ scheme. If compared to the original code respectively running on one CPU socket (eight cores) and on one CPU core with Intel Xeon E5-2670, the MIC-based optimization of this scheme running on Xeon Phi coprocessor 7120P improves the performance by 2.4x and 17.0x, respectively.

Identification of genes with altered expression in medullary breast cancer vs. ductal breast cancer and normal breast epithelia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjerstorff, Morten; Benoit, Vivian; Laenkholm, Anne-Vibeke

2006-01-01

to both immunological and endogenous cellular factors, although little is known about the distinct biology of MCB that may contribute to the improved outcome of MCB patients. To identify candidate genes, we performed gene array expression analysis of cell lines of MCB, ductal breast cancer and normal......Medullary breast cancer (MCB) is a morphologically and biologically distinct subtype that, despite cytologically highly malignant characteristics, has a favorable prognosis compared to the more common infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma. MCB metastasizes less frequently, which has been attributed...... breast epithelia, and the differential expression of a panel of candidate genes was further validated by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical analysis of cell lines and tumor biopsies. A limited number of genes, including several members of the GAGE and insulin growth factor binding protein (IGFBP...

Sobre el plagi acadèmic a Europa. Un enfocament analític basat en quatre estudis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanja Pupovac

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Amb el desenvolupament de les tecnologies de la informació i la comunicació (TIC, el plagi esdevé un problema cada cop més greu en la comunitat acadèmica. Segons els estudis sobre el plagi acadèmic elaborats en universitats de quatre països europeus diferents, l'índex de plagi entre els estudiants és considerablement alt i els estudiants majoritàriament passen per alt o permeten el plagi per la manca de coneixement, la manca de conseqüències o simplement perquè les TIC fan que el plagi sigui fàcil de cometre. Les conclusions dels estudis que es presenten en aquest article indiquen que cal introduir polítiques estrictes contra el plagi a les universitats. Pensem que s'hauria de captar l'atenció del públic sobre el problema del plagi, que s'hauria de debatre en altes esferes i que s'haurien d'aplicar mesures efectives contra el plagi. L'abast del plagi entre estudiants i les seves actituds envers el plagi reben influències de l'entorn cultural i també per l'escenari acadèmic. En comunitats multiculturals, com ara la comunitat europea, és necessari investigar i comparar el comportament acadèmic a diferents països per a establir estàndards equivalents en l'ensenyament arreu d'Europa. Text complet (PDFDossier complet (PDF

Risk assessment of main control board fire using fire dynamics simulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Dae Il, E-mail: dikang@kaeri.re.kr [KAERI, 1045 Daedeokdaero, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Kilyoo; Jang, Seung-Cheol [KAERI, 1045 Daedeokdaero, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of); Yoo, Seong Yeon [Chungnam National University, 79, Daehagro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-08-15

Highlights: • A decision tree for evaluating the risk of a main control board (MCB) fire was proposed to systematically determine the MCB fire scenarios. • Fire simulations using fire dynamics simulator (FDS) were performed to estimate the time to MCR abandonment. • Non-propagating and propagating fire scenarios were considered for fire simulations. • The current study indicates that the quantification of the MCB fire risk should address the propagating fire and non-propagating fire scenarios if the MCB has no internal barriers between the panels. - Abstract: This paper presents the process and results of a risk assessment for a main control board (MCB) fire using fire dynamics simulator (FDS). A decision tree for evaluating the risk of a MCB fire was proposed to systematically determine the MCB fire scenarios, and fire simulations using FDS were performed to estimate the time to MCR abandonment. As a reference NPP for this study, Hanul unit 3 in Korea was selected and its core damage frequency (CDF) owing to the MCB fire was quantified. Two types of fire scenarios were considered for fire simulations: non-propagating fire scenarios occurring within a single MCB panel and propagating fire scenarios spreading from one control panel to the adjacent panels. Further, the fire scenarios were classified into fires with and without a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVACS). The fire simulation results showed that the major factor causing the MCR evacuation was the optical density irrelevant to the availability of the HVACS. The risk assessment results showed that the abandonment fire scenario risk was less than the non-abandonment fire scenario risk and the propagating fire scenario risk was greater than the non-propagating fire scenario risk.

Risk assessment of main control board fire using fire dynamics simulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Dae Il; Kim, Kilyoo; Jang, Seung-Cheol; Yoo, Seong Yeon

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A decision tree for evaluating the risk of a main control board (MCB) fire was proposed to systematically determine the MCB fire scenarios. • Fire simulations using fire dynamics simulator (FDS) were performed to estimate the time to MCR abandonment. • Non-propagating and propagating fire scenarios were considered for fire simulations. • The current study indicates that the quantification of the MCB fire risk should address the propagating fire and non-propagating fire scenarios if the MCB has no internal barriers between the panels. - Abstract: This paper presents the process and results of a risk assessment for a main control board (MCB) fire using fire dynamics simulator (FDS). A decision tree for evaluating the risk of a MCB fire was proposed to systematically determine the MCB fire scenarios, and fire simulations using FDS were performed to estimate the time to MCR abandonment. As a reference NPP for this study, Hanul unit 3 in Korea was selected and its core damage frequency (CDF) owing to the MCB fire was quantified. Two types of fire scenarios were considered for fire simulations: non-propagating fire scenarios occurring within a single MCB panel and propagating fire scenarios spreading from one control panel to the adjacent panels. Further, the fire scenarios were classified into fires with and without a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVACS). The fire simulation results showed that the major factor causing the MCR evacuation was the optical density irrelevant to the availability of the HVACS. The risk assessment results showed that the abandonment fire scenario risk was less than the non-abandonment fire scenario risk and the propagating fire scenario risk was greater than the non-propagating fire scenario risk

Luces y sombras de la amazona de cómic Wonder Woman, la mujer maravilla = Lights and shadows of the comic Wonderwoman

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.ª Inmaculada Concepción Marfil Díaz

2015-06-01

Full Text Available La mujer constituye una parte determinante que sustenta el tejido social de todas las culturas y, sin embargo, no ha sido protagonista principal en el mundo del cómic de superhéroes. Pero hay excepciones, como Wonder Woman, la Mujer Maravilla. ¿Qué sucede con este personaje que forma trinidad con Batman y Superman sin apenas resonancia en el universo del cómic? ¿Qué relación existe entre el mito y el cómic? ¿Quién crea esta superheroina? Este trabajo es una aproximación al mito de las amazonas junto a la evolución de este personaje de cómic norteamericano.Even though women are crucial to the sustainability of the social fabric in every culture, they have not been the main protagonists in the world of Comic Superheroes. There are, of course, exceptions such as Wonder Woman but, who is this character that, in spite of forming a trinity with Batman and Superman, has hardly had any relevance in the universe of Comics? What is the relationship between the myth and the comic? Who created this Superheroine? This work intends to shed a light on the myth of the Amazons as well as on the evolution of this American comic character.

Application of Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) accelerators to the Pleim-Xiu land surface scheme

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Melin; Huang, Bormin; Huang, Allen H.

2015-10-01

The land-surface model (LSM) is one physics process in the weather research and forecast (WRF) model. The LSM includes atmospheric information from the surface layer scheme, radiative forcing from the radiation scheme, and precipitation forcing from the microphysics and convective schemes, together with internal information on the land's state variables and land-surface properties. The LSM is to provide heat and moisture fluxes over land points and sea-ice points. The Pleim-Xiu (PX) scheme is one LSM. The PX LSM features three pathways for moisture fluxes: evapotranspiration, soil evaporation, and evaporation from wet canopies. To accelerate the computation process of this scheme, we employ Intel Xeon Phi Many Integrated Core (MIC) Architecture as it is a multiprocessor computer structure with merits of efficient parallelization and vectorization essentials. Our results show that the MIC-based optimization of this scheme running on Xeon Phi coprocessor 7120P improves the performance by 2.3x and 11.7x as compared to the original code respectively running on one CPU socket (eight cores) and on one CPU core with Intel Xeon E5-2670.

Hole-transport limited S-shaped I-V curves in planar heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Minlu; Wang, Hui; Tang, C. W.

2011-11-01

Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of planar heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells based on N',N'-Di-[(1-naphthyl)-N',N'-diphenyl]-1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) and C60 are investigated. Through variation of the layer thickness and composition, specifically chemical doping NPB with MoOx, we show that the hole-transport limitation in the NPB layer is the determining factor in shaping the I-V characteristics of NPB/C60 cells.

El cómic en Ecuador, una historia en génesis permanente

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Daniel Santibáñez

2012-09-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo presenta una síntesis histórica del cómic en Ecuador y las diferentes tendencias temáticas y de uso, a través de su evolución, principalmente en los medios de información de masas. También se exponen los nombres de los cultores de este arte/medio y de los historietistas más reconocidos en el país.

Uso del EcoMic® y el producto bioactivo Pectimorf® en el establecimiento de dos especies forrajeras Use of EcoMic® and the bioactive product Pectimorf® in the establishment of two forage species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gertrudis Pentón

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Con el objetivo de evaluar el efecto de EcoMic®, Pectimorf® y/o su combinación en el establecimiento de las especies forrajeras Morus alba L. (morera y Sorghum bicolor L. (sorgo, se realizaron dos experimentos. El primero se hizo con M. alba, inoculada o no con HMA, y se evaluaron las variables del rendimiento y la supervivencia de las plantas a los 90 y 240 días. El experimento con S. bicolor se realizó durante 30 días a partir de la siembra, y se evaluó la germinación de las semillas y las variables del rendimiento a los 7, 15 y 30 días. Los tratamientos fueron: testigo, inoculación con HMA, imbibición en Pectimorf, y su combinación. Se empleó un diseño en bloques al azar, con tres repeticiones. Se obtuvo respuesta de la morera a la inoculación con HMA a los 90 días de establecimiento, en términos de peso verde de las raicillas y las raíces, que triplicaron los resultados del testigo. A los 240 días las plantas inoculadas duplicaron el rendimiento del testigo y no hubo diferencias significativas en la supervivencia, en el incremento de biomasa comestible por unidad de área foliar, ni en la relación del sistema asimilativo por unidad de biomasa comestible. En el sorgo, el empleo combinado del Pectimorf® y el EcoMic® produjo un aumento significativo, respecto al testigo, en la germinación de las semillas a los 30 días (89 vs 58%, la altura efectiva (4,04 vs 3,55 cm, el grosor de la base del tallo (0,18 vs 0,15 cm, el área del limbo, el número de hojas abiertas (4 vs 3 y el largo de las hojas. Se concluye que los productos EcoMic® y Pectimorf®, así como su combinación constituyen una alternativa efectiva para el establecimiento de las especies forrajeras estudiadas.In order to evaluate the effect of EcoMic®, Pectimorf® and/or their combination on the establishment of the forage species Morus alba L. (mulberry and Sorghum bicolor L. (sorghum, two trials were conducted. The first one was done with M. alba

An investigation of microbial diversity in crude oil & seawater injection systems and microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) of linepipe steels under different exposure conditions

Science.gov (United States)

AlAbbas, Faisal Mohammed

During oil and gas operations, pipeline networks are subjected to different corrosion deterioration mechanisms that result from the interaction between the fluid process and the linepipe steel. Among these mechanisms is microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) that results from accelerated deterioration caused by different indigenous microorganisms that naturally reside in the hydrocarbon and associated seawater injection systems. The focus of this research is to obtain comprehensive understanding of MIC. This work has explored the most essential elements (identifications, implications and mitigations) required to fully understand MIC. Advanced molecular-based techniques, including sequencing of 16S rRNA genes via 454 pyrosequencing methodologies, were deployed to provide in-depth understanding of the microbial diversity associated with crude oil and seawater injection systems and their relevant impact on MIC. Key microbes including sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and iron reducing bacteria (IRB) were cultivated from sour oil well field samples. The microbes' phylotypes were identified in the laboratory to gain more thorough understanding of how they impact microbial corrosion. Electrochemical and advanced surface analytical techniques were used for corrosion evaluations of linepipe carbon steels (API 5L X52 and X80) under different exposure conditions. On the identification front, 454 pyrosequencing of both 16S rRNA genes indicated that the microbial communities in the corrosion products obtained from the sour oil pipeline, sweet crude pipeline and seawater pipeline were dominated by bacteria, though archaeal sequences (predominately Methanobacteriaceae and Methanomicrobiaceae) were also identified in the sweet and sour crude oil samples, respectively. The dominant bacterial phylotypes in the sour crude sample included members of the Thermoanaerobacterales, Synergistales, and Syntrophobacterales. In the sweet crude sample, the dominant phylotypes included

The burnup capabilities of the Deep Burn Modular Helium Reactor analyzed by the Monte Carlo Continuous Energy Code MCB

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Talamo, Alberto E-mail: alby@neutron.kth.se; Gudowski, Waclaw E-mail: wacek@neutron.kth.se; Venneri, Francesco E-mail: venneri@lanl.gov

2004-01-01

We have investigated the waste actinide burnup capabilities of a Gas Turbine Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR, similar to the reactor being designed by General Atomics and Minatom for surplus weapons plutonium destruction) with the Monte Carlo Continuous Energy Burnup Code MCB, an extension of MCNP developed at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and University of Mining and Metallurgy in Krakow. The GT-MHR is a gas-cooled, graphite-moderated reactor, which can be powered with a wide variety of fuels, like thorium, uranium or plutonium. In the present work, the GT-MHR is fueled with the transuranic actinides contained in Light Water Reactors (LWRs) spent fuel for the purpose of destroying them as completely as possible with minimum reliance on multiple reprocessing steps. After uranium extraction from the LWR spent fuel (UREX), the remaining waste actinides, including plutonium are partitioned into two distinct types of fuel for use in the GT-MHR: Driver Fuel (DF) and Transmutation Fuel (TF). The DF supplies the neutrons to maintain the fission chain reaction, whereas the TF emphasizes neutron capture to induce a deep burn transmutation and provide reactivity control by a negative feedback. When used in this mode, the GT-MHR is called Deep Burn Modular Helium Reactor (DB-MHR). Both fuels are contained in a structure of triple isotropic coated layers, TRISO coating, which has been proven to retain fission products up to 1600 deg. C and is expected to remain intact for hundreds of thousands of years after irradiation. Other benefits of this reactor consist of: a well-developed technology, both for the graphite-moderated core and the TRISO structure, a high energy conversion efficiency (about 50%), well established passive safety mechanism and a competitive cost. The destruction of more than 94% of {sup 239}Pu and the other geologically problematic actinide species makes this reactor a valid proposal for the reduction of nuclear waste and the prevention of

The burnup capabilities of the Deep Burn Modular Helium Reactor analyzed by the Monte Carlo Continuous Energy Code MCB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talamo, Alberto; Gudowski, Waclaw; Venneri, Francesco

2004-01-01

We have investigated the waste actinide burnup capabilities of a Gas Turbine Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR, similar to the reactor being designed by General Atomics and Minatom for surplus weapons plutonium destruction) with the Monte Carlo Continuous Energy Burnup Code MCB, an extension of MCNP developed at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and University of Mining and Metallurgy in Krakow. The GT-MHR is a gas-cooled, graphite-moderated reactor, which can be powered with a wide variety of fuels, like thorium, uranium or plutonium. In the present work, the GT-MHR is fueled with the transuranic actinides contained in Light Water Reactors (LWRs) spent fuel for the purpose of destroying them as completely as possible with minimum reliance on multiple reprocessing steps. After uranium extraction from the LWR spent fuel (UREX), the remaining waste actinides, including plutonium are partitioned into two distinct types of fuel for use in the GT-MHR: Driver Fuel (DF) and Transmutation Fuel (TF). The DF supplies the neutrons to maintain the fission chain reaction, whereas the TF emphasizes neutron capture to induce a deep burn transmutation and provide reactivity control by a negative feedback. When used in this mode, the GT-MHR is called Deep Burn Modular Helium Reactor (DB-MHR). Both fuels are contained in a structure of triple isotropic coated layers, TRISO coating, which has been proven to retain fission products up to 1600 deg. C and is expected to remain intact for hundreds of thousands of years after irradiation. Other benefits of this reactor consist of: a well-developed technology, both for the graphite-moderated core and the TRISO structure, a high energy conversion efficiency (about 50%), well established passive safety mechanism and a competitive cost. The destruction of more than 94% of 239 Pu and the other geologically problematic actinide species makes this reactor a valid proposal for the reduction of nuclear waste and the prevention of

MIC damage in a water coolant header for remote process equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenkins, C.F.

1994-01-01

Stainless steel water piping used to supply coolant for remote chemical separations equipment developed leaks during low flow conditions resulting from an extended interruption of operations. All the leaks occurred at welds in the bottom zone of the pipe, which was blanketed with silt deposits from the unfiltered well water used for cooling. Ultrasonic, radiographic, and metallographic examinations of leak sites revealed worm hole pitting adjacent to the welds. Seepage at the penetrations was strongly acidic and resulted in corrosion on the external pipe surfaces beneath brown crusty deposits which had developed. Analyses of the water and deposits suggest a strong propensity toward microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) and fouling

Are Vancomycin Trough Concentrations of 15 to 20 mg/L Associated With Increased Attainment of an AUC/MIC ≥ 400 in Patients With Presumed MRSA Infection?

Science.gov (United States)

Hale, Cory M; Seabury, Robert W; Steele, Jeffrey M; Darko, William; Miller, Christopher D

2017-06-01

To determine whether there is an association between higher vancomycin trough concentrations and attainment of a calculated area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)/minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≥400. A retrospective analysis was conducted among vancomycin-treated adult patients with a positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) culture. Attainment of a calculated AUC/MIC ≥400 was compared between patients with troughs in the reference range of 15 to 20 mg/L and those with troughs in the following ranges: 20 mg/L. Nephrotoxicity was assessed as a secondary outcome based on corrected average vancomycin troughs over 10 days of treatment. Overall, 226 patients were reviewed and 100 included. Relative to troughs ≥10, patients with vancomycin troughs AUC/MIC ≥400 (odds ratio [OR] 0.27, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01-0.75). No difference was found in the attainment of an AUC/MIC ≥400 in patients with troughs of 10 to 14.9 mg/L and >20 mg/L when compared to patients with troughs of 15 to 20 mg/L. The mean corrected average vancomycin trough was higher in patients developing nephrotoxicity compared to those who did not (19.5 vs 14.5 mg/L, P AUC/MIC target relative to troughs of 10 to 14.9 mg/L but may increase nephrotoxicity risk.

Coupling of MIC-3 overexpression with the chromosomes 11 and 14 root-knot nematode (RKN) (Meloidogyne incognita) resistance QTLs provides insights into the regulation of the RKN resistance response in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum).

Science.gov (United States)

Wubben, Martin J; Callahan, Franklin E; Jenkins, Johnie N; Deng, Dewayne D

2016-09-01

Genetic analysis of MIC-3 transgene with RKN resistance QTLs provides insight into the resistance regulatory mechanism and provides a framework for testing additional hypotheses. Resistance to root-knot nematode (RKN) (Meloidogyne incognita) in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is mediated by two major quantitative trait loci (QTL) located on chromosomes 11 and 14. The MIC-3 (Meloidogyne Induced Cotton3) protein accumulates specifically within the immature galls of RKN-resistant plants that possess these QTLs. Recently, we showed that MIC-3 overexpression in an RKN-susceptible cotton genotype suppressed RKN egg production but not RKN-induced root galling. In this study, the MIC-3 overexpression construct T-DNA in the single-copy transgenic line '14-7-1' was converted into a codominant molecular marker that allowed the marker assisted selection of F2:3 cotton lines, derived from a cross between 14-7-1 and M-240 RNR, having all possible combinations of the chromosomes 11 and 14 QTLs with and without the MIC-3 overexpression construct. Root-knot nematode reproduction (eggs g(-1) root) and severity of RKN-induced root galling were assessed in these lines. We discovered that the addition of MIC-3 overexpression suppressed RKN reproduction in lines lacking both resistance QTLs and in lines having only the chromosome 14 QTL, suggesting an additive effect of the MIC-3 construct with this QTL. In contrast, MIC-3 overexpression did not improve resistance in lines having the single chromosome 11 QTL or in lines having both resistance QTLs, suggesting an epistatic interaction between the chromosome 11 QTL and the MIC-3 construct. Overexpression of MIC-3 did not affect the severity of RKN-induced root galling regardless of QTL genotype. These data provide new insights into the relative order of action of the chromosomes 11 and 14 QTLs and their potential roles in regulating MIC-3 expression as part of the RKN resistance response.

Human monoclonal antibodies against glucagon receptor improve glucose homeostasis by suppression of hepatic glucose output in diet-induced obese mice.

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Wook-Dong Kim

Full Text Available AIM: Glucagon is an essential regulator of hepatic glucose production (HGP, which provides an alternative therapeutic target for managing type 2 diabetes with glucagon antagonists. We studied the effect of a novel human monoclonal antibody against glucagon receptor (GCGR, NPB112, on glucose homeostasis in diet-induced obese (DIO mice. METHODS: The glucose-lowering efficacy and safety of NPB112 were investigated in DIO mice with human GCGR for 11 weeks, and a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp study was conducted to measure HGP. RESULTS: Single intraperitoneal injection of NPB112 with 5 mg/kg effectively decreased blood glucose levels in DIO mice for 5 days. A significant reduction in blood glucose was observed in DIO mice treated with NPB112 at a dose ≥5 mg/kg for 6 weeks, and its glucose-lowering effect was dose-dependent. Long-term administration of NPB112 also caused a mild 29% elevation in glucagon level, which was returned to the normal range after discontinuation of treatment. The clamp study showed that DIO mice injected with NPB112 at 5 mg/kg were more insulin sensitive than control mice, indicating amelioration of insulin resistance by treatment with NPB112. DIO mice treated with NPB112 showed a significant improvement in the ability of insulin to suppress HGP, showing a 33% suppression (from 8.3 mg/kg/min to 5.6 mg/kg/min compared to the 2% suppression (from 9.8 mg/kg/min to 9.6 mg/kg/min in control mice. In addition, no hypoglycemia or adverse effect was observed during the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A novel human monoclonal GCGR antibody, NPB112, effectively lowered the glucose level in diabetic animal models with mild and reversible hyperglucagonemia. Suppression of excess HGP with NPB112 may be a promising therapeutic modality for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

CONSIDERAȚII TEORETICO-METODOLOGICE PRIVIND DESFĂȘURAREA AUTOEDUCAȚIEI ȘCOLARULUI MIC

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Natalia POPA

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Analiza literaturii de specialitate, observațiile noastre, rezultatele chestionării și ale conversației cu cadrele didactice demonstrează posibilitățile realizării unei auto/educații de calitate și necesitatea depunerii unui efort intelectual și moral-volitiv atât din partea elevilor, cât și a părinților și pedagogilor în direcția autoinstruirii, autoeducației și învățării pe parcursul vieții. În acest sens a fost elaborată matricea achizițiilor principale ale școlarului mic, care orientează adulții în direcția strategiilor ce pot fi aplicate în stimularea autoeducației școlarului mic.THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS ON UNFOLDING PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN SELF-EDUCATIONThe literature analysis, our observations, results of questioning and conversation with teachers demonstrate the possibilities of achieving quality self/education and the need to make an intellectual and moral-volitional effort, both from students, parents and teachers towards self-training, self-education and lifelong learning. In this respect, the matrix of main achievements of small pupil, guiding adults towards strategies that can be applied to stimulate self-education primary school children has been developed.

Effects of Nanoscale Carbon Black Modified by HNO3 on Immobilization and Phytoavailability of Ni in Contaminated Soil

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Jiemin Cheng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A surface-modified nanoscale carbon black (MCB as Ni adsorbent in contaminated soil was prepared by oxidizing the carbon black with 65% HNO3. The surface properties of the adsorbent were characterized by zeta potential analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRs. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the improvement of Ni2+ adsorption by MCB. Greenhouse cultivation experiments were conducted to examine the effect of MCB on the DTPA-extractable Ni2+ in soil, Ni2+ uptake of ryegrass shoot, and growth of ryegrass. Results indicated that MCB had much lower negative zeta potential, more functional groups for exchange and complexation of cation, and more heterogeneous pores and cavities for the adsorption of cation than the unmodified parent one (CB. MCB showed enhanced sorption capacity for Ni (qmax, 49.02 mg·g−1 compared with CB (qmax, 39.22 mg·g−1. Greenhouse cultivation experiment results showed that the biomass of ryegrass shoot and the Ni uptake of the ryegrass shoot were significantly increased and the concentrations of DTPA-extractable Ni in soil were significantly decreased with the increasing of MCB amount. It is clear from this work that the MCB had good adsorption properties for the Ni and could be applied in the in situ immobilization and remediation of heavy metal contaminated saline-alkali soils.

A Positive Feedback Process Between Tropical Cyclone Intensity and the Moisture Conveyor Belt Assessed With Lagrangian Diagnostics

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Fujiwara, Keita; Kawamura, Ryuichi; Hirata, Hidetaka; Kawano, Tetsuya; Kato, Masaya; Shinoda, Taro

2017-12-01

Using a cloud-resolving regional model and Lagrangian diagnostics, we assess a positive feedback process between tropical cyclone (TC) intensity and the moisture conveyor belt (MCB), which connects a TC and the Indian Ocean (IO), the South China Sea (SCS), and the Philippine Sea (PS) vapors, from a macroscopic view. We performed sensitivity experiments that modified the observed sea surface temperature field over the IO and the SCS to regulate the MCB behavior, and we examined the remote response of a prototypical TC. The results show that the connection between MCB formation and TC development is very robust, which was also observed in another TC's case. The MCB plays a vital role in transporting lots of moist air parcels toward the TC from the IO, SCS, and PS regions. The transported parcels, which further gained the underlying ocean vapor along the MCB, are easily trapped in the inner core by radial inflow in the atmospheric boundary layer and, subsequently, release latent heat around the eyewall, resulting in the TC's intensifying. This acts to further penetrate the moist parcels of remote ocean origin into the inner core through the enhanced and expanded inflow. An additional experiment suggested that the MCB is not formed unless the westward propagation of equatorial waves induced by TC heating overlaps with the background monsoon westerlies. These findings support the reliability and validity of TC-MCB feedback.

Absence of methylation of a CpG-rich region at the 5' end of the MIC2 gene on the active X, the inactive X, and the Y chromosome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodfellow, P.J.; Mondello, C.; Darling, S.M.; Pym, B.; Little, P.; Goodfellow, P.N.

1988-01-01

The authors have identified and characterized a Hpa II tiny fragment (HTF) island associated with the promoter region of the pseudoautosomal gene MIC2. The MIC2 HTF island is unmethylated on both the active and inactive X chromosome and is similarly unmethylated on the Y chromosome. Unlike the majority of genes borne on the X chromosome, MIC2 fails to undergo X chromosome inactivation. HTF islands associated with X chromosome-liked genes that are inactivated are highly methylated on the inactive or transcriptionally silent homologue. The failure of MIC2 to undergo X chromosome inactivation correlates with the lack of methylation of HTF island at the 5' end of the gene. These results provide further evidence that DNA methylation plays an important role in the phenomenon of X chromosome inactivation

Application of natural antimicrobial compounds for reservoir souring and MIC prevention in offshore oil and gas production systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Mette Hedegaard; Skovhus, Torben Lund; Mashietti, Marco

Offshore oil production facilities are subjectable to internal corrosion, potentially leading to human and environmental risk and significant economic losses. Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) and reservoir souring - sulphide production by sulfate reducing microorganisms in the reservo...

An accelerated electrochemical MIC test for stainless alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gendron, T.S.; Cleland, R.D.

1994-11-01

Previous work in our laboratory and elsewhere has suggested that microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) of stainless steels and nickel-base alloys occurs in locally anaerobic regions that support the growth of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The cathodic reaction is provided by oxygen reduction at remote sites. Such a coupling between anode and cathode is difficult to reproduce in the laboratory, but can be simulated indirectly using a double electrochemical cell, as in previous work. A more realistic simulation using a single aerated electrochemical cell has now been developed, in which a second organism (P. aeruginosa) is used to provide an anoxic habitat for SRB growth and possible a source of organic carbon, within a layer of silt. A bare alloy electrode is used as the oxygen cathode. Tests of this kind using rigorous microbiological procedures have generated pitting corrosion of several alloys in low chloride media simulating freshwater heat exchanger conditions. This report discusses the adaption of these procedures to study corrosion of nuclear waste containers. (author). 20 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs

Automatic Locker Key With Barcode Based Microcontroller Atmega 8535

Science.gov (United States)

Fahmi, M. Irfan; Efendi Hutagalung, Jhonson

2017-12-01

MCB (miniature circuit breaker) is an electromagnetic device that embodies complete enclosure in a molded insulating material. The main function of an MCB is to switch the circuit, i.e., to open the circuit (which has been connected to it) automatically when the current passing through it (MCB) exceeds the value for which it is set. Unlike fuse, an MCB can be easily reset and thus offers improved operational safety and greater convenience without incurring large operating cost.The principal of operation is simple. In simple terms MCB is a switch which automatically turns off when the current flowing through it passes the maximum allowable limit. Generally MCB are designed to protect against over current and over temperature faults (over heating). Sometimes the overload the current through the bimetal causes to raise the temperature of it. The heat generated within the bimetal itself enough to cause deflection due to thermal expansion of metals. This solution is used by LDR, and LM 35 as the sencor to control center. Therefore it is very important because it is related about local control switches, isolating switches against faults and overload protection devices for installations or specific equipments or appliances

Performance Analysis of GFDL's GCM Line-By-Line Radiative Transfer Model on GPU and MIC Architectures

Science.gov (United States)

Menzel, R.; Paynter, D.; Jones, A. L.

2017-12-01

Due to their relatively low computational cost, radiative transfer models in global climate models (GCMs) run on traditional CPU architectures generally consist of shortwave and longwave parameterizations over a small number of wavelength bands. With the rise of newer GPU and MIC architectures, however, the performance of high resolution line-by-line radiative transfer models may soon approach those of the physical parameterizations currently employed in GCMs. Here we present an analysis of the current performance of a new line-by-line radiative transfer model currently under development at GFDL. Although originally designed to specifically exploit GPU architectures through the use of CUDA, the radiative transfer model has recently been extended to include OpenMP in an effort to also effectively target MIC architectures such as Intel's Xeon Phi. Using input data provided by the upcoming Radiative Forcing Model Intercomparison Project (RFMIP, as part of CMIP 6), we compare model results and performance data for various model configurations and spectral resolutions run on both GPU and Intel Knights Landing architectures to analogous runs of the standard Oxford Reference Forward Model on traditional CPUs.

National and Gender Measurement Invariance of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS): A 10-Nation Study With University Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Crocetti, Elisabetta; Cieciuch, Jan; Gao, Cheng-Hai; Klimstra, Theo; Lin, Ching-Ling; Matos, Paula Mena; Morsünbül, Ümit; Negru, Oana; Sugimura, Kazumi; Zimmermann, Grégoire; Meeus, Wim

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS), a self-report measure aimed at assessing identity processes of commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment. We tested its factor structure in university students from a large array of cultural contexts, including 10 nations located in Europe (i.e., Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland), Middle East (i.e., Turkey), and Asia (i.e., China, Japan, and Taiwan). Furthermore, we tested national and gender measurement invariance. Participants were 6,118 (63.2% females) university students aged from 18 to 25 years (Mage = 20.91 years). Results indicated that the three-factor structure of the U-MICS fitted well in the total sample, in each national group, and in gender groups. Furthermore, national and gender measurement invariance were established. Thus, the U-MICS can be fruitfully applied to study identity in university students from various Western and non-Western contexts. © The Author(s) 2015.

[Severe diarrhea after the original well-functioning percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube was replaced by a Mic-Key button].

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Susanne Wigh; Eriksen, Jan; Kristensen, Kurt

2006-03-06

We report two cases of colocutaneous fistula as a complication of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in small children. Both children developed severe osmotic diarrhoea immediately after the original PEG tube was replaced by a Mic-Key button which subsequently migrated to the colon.

Measuring coverage in MNCH: tracking progress in health for women and children using DHS and MICS household surveys.

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Attila Hancioglu

Full Text Available Household surveys are the primary data source of coverage indicators for children and women for most developing countries. Most of this information is generated by two global household survey programmes-the USAID-supported Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS and the UNICEF-supported Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS. In this review, we provide an overview of these two programmes, which cover a wide range of child and maternal health topics and provide estimates of many Millennium Development Goal indicators, as well as estimates of the indicators for the Countdown to 2015 initiative and the Commission on Information and Accountability for Women's and Children's Health. MICS and DHS collaborate closely and work through interagency processes to ensure that survey tools are harmonized and comparable as far as possible, but we highlight differences between DHS and MICS in the population covered and the reference periods used to measure coverage. These differences need to be considered when comparing estimates of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health indicators across countries and over time and we discuss the implications of these differences for coverage measurement. Finally, we discuss the need for survey planners and consumers of survey results to understand the strengths, limitations, and constraints of coverage measurements generated through household surveys, and address some technical issues surrounding sampling and quality control. We conclude that, although much effort has been made to improve coverage measurement in household surveys, continuing efforts are needed, including further research to improve and refine survey methods and analytical techniques.

Serum levels of human MIC-1/GDF15 vary in a diurnal pattern, do not display a profile suggestive of a satiety factor and are related to BMI

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsai, Vicky Wang-Wei; Macia, Laurence; Feinle-Bisset, Christine

2015-01-01

The TGF-b superfamily cytokine MIC-1/GDF15 circulates in the blood of healthy humans. Its levels rise substantially in cancer and other diseases and this may sometimes lead to development of an anorexia/cachexia syndrome. This is mediated by a direct action of MIC-1/GDF15 on feeding centres...

A Novel and Validated Protocol for Performing MIC Tests to Determine the Susceptibility of Piscirickettsia salmonis Isolates to Florfenicol and Oxytetracycline

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Sergio Contreras-Lynch

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a validated protocol, using a novel, specifically formulated medium, to perform broth microdilution antimicrobial susceptibility assays of the salmonid bacterial pathogen Piscirickettsia salmonis. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC for florfenicol and oxytetracycline against 58 P. salmonis isolates recovered from various outbreaks occurred in Chilean salmonid farms were determined using this protocol. Normalized resistance interpretation (NRI analysis was applied to these data to calculate appropriate protocol-specific epidemiological cut-off values. These cut-off values allow the isolates to be categorized as either fully susceptible wild type (WT members of this species, or as manifesting reduced susceptibility non-wild type (NWT. The distribution of MIC values of florfenicol was bimodal and the distribution of the normalized values for the putative WT observation had a standard deviation of 0.896 log2 μg mL-1. This analysis calculated a cut-off value of ≤0.25 μg mL-1 and categorized 33 (56% of the isolates as manifesting reduced susceptibility to florfenicol. For the oxytetracycline MIC data the NRI analysis also treated the distribution as bimodal. The distribution of the normalized values for the putative WT observation had a standard deviation of 0.951 log2 μg mL-1. This analysis gave a cut-off value of ≤0.5 μg mL-1 and categorized five isolates (9% as manifesting reduced susceptibility to oxytetracycline. The susceptibility testing protocol developed in this study was capable of generating MIC data from all the isolates tested. On the basis of the precision of the data it generated, and the degree of separation of values for WT and NWT it achieved, it is argued that this protocol has the performance characteristics necessary for it to be considered as a standard protocol.

Plasma MIC-1 and PAPP-a levels are decreased among women presenting to an early pregnancy assessment unit, have fetal viability confirmed but later miscarry.

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Tu'uhevaha J Kaitu'u-Lino

Full Text Available We have recently shown first trimester Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1 and Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein-A (PAPP-A serum concentrations are depressed among asymptomatic women destined to miscarry. Here we examined whether plasma levels of MIC-1 and PAPP-A are depressed among women presenting to an Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU, noted to have a confirmed viable fetus, but subsequently miscarry.We performed a prospective cohort study, recruiting 462 women in the first trimester presenting to EPAU and had fetal viability confirmed by ultrasound. We obtained plasma samples on the same day and measured MIC-1, PAPP-A and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG, grouping the cohort according to whether they later miscarried or not. To correct for changes in analyte levels across gestation, we expressed the data as Multiples of the normal Median (MoMs.We recruited 462 participants presenting to EPAU at 5-12 weeks gestation. Most (80% presented with symptoms of threatened miscarriage (e.g. abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding. 34 (7.4% subsequently miscarried. Median plasma MIC-1 levels among those who miscarried were 50% of those with ongoing pregnancies (Miscarriage cohort MoM 0.50 (25(th-75(th centiles: 0.29-1.33 vs ongoing pregnancies MoM 1.00 (0.65-1.38; p=0.0025. Median plasma PAPP-A MoMs among those who miscarried was 0.57 (0.00-1.12, significantly lower than those with ongoing pregnancies (MoMs 1.00 (0.59-1.59; p=0.036. Plasma hCG levels were also significantly depressed among those who miscarried compared to those with ongoing pregnancies. However, the performance of MIC-1 as a diagnostic marker to predict miscarriage in this cohort was modest, and not improved with the addition of hCG.MIC-1 and PAPP-A levels are significantly depressed in women presenting to EPAU with ultrasound evidence of fetal viability, but later miscarry. While they are unlikely to be useful as predictive biomarkers in this clinical setting, they probably play

Biodegradation of mono-chlorobenzene by using a trickle bed air biofilter (TBAB).

Science.gov (United States)

Mathur, Anil K; Majumder, C B; Singh, Dhananjay; Bala, Shashi

2010-07-01

In the present study, performance of the trickle bed airbiofilter (TBAB) for treating mono-chlorobenzene (MCB) was evaluated for various influent volatile organic compound (VOC) loadings using coal and mixed consortium of activated sludge as the packing material. Microbial acclimation to MCB was achieved by exposing the system continuously for 31 d to an average inlet MCB concentration of 0.688 g m(-3) at an empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 188 s. The TBAB achieved maximum removal efficiency of 87% at an EBRT of 188 s for an inlet concentration of 0.681 g m(-3), which is quite significance than the values reported in the literature. Elimination capacities of MCB increased with an increase of the influent VOC loading, but an opposite trend was observed for the removal efficiency The maximum elimination capacity of the biofilter was 110.75 g m(-3) hr(-1) at an inlet MCB concentration of 1.47 g m(-3). The effect of starvation on the TBAB was also studied. After starvation, the TBAB lost its ability to degrade MCB initially However the biofilter recovered very quickly Evaluation of the concentration profile along the bed height indicated that the bottom section of TBAB has the best performance for all concentrations. By using Wani's method of macrokinetic determination based on simple Monod kinetics, the maximum removal rate of MCB, r(max) and saturation constant K(m) was to be found as 1.304 g m(-3)s(-1) and 113.446 g m(-3), respectively.

Chelsea Boys: paradigmas sexuales de un cómic queer

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Rafael Manuel Mérida Jiménez

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Más allá del barrio neoyorquino que da título a este serie de volúmenes –aunque en diálogo tanto con su realidad como con sus representaciones anteriores, como Rear Window, dónde se presenta ya como espacio sexualizado–; y más allá del estereotipo gay que la misma expresión representa, Chelsea Boys aparece como un espacio de ruptura de clichés. En el contexto del cómic gay norteamericano que se repasa en este artículo, constituye una propuesta plural, donde la universalidad de las situaciones que representa superan tanto el localismo como la rigidez estereotípica de algunas creaciones anteriores. En él emerge una comunidad queer a través de cuya representación se plantean cuestiones cruciales en y para la/s realidad/es gays.

75 FR 71083 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-22

...), Building 24, McHugh Boulevard, Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, NC 28547-2519. The Corporate... the Network Operations Center (NOC), Building 24, McHugh Boulevard, Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp...

Herramienta observacional para el estudio de conductas violentas en un cómic audiovisual

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Zaida Márquez

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract This research paper presents a study which aimed to structure a system of categories for observation and description of violent behavior within an audiovisual children program, specifically in cartoons. A chapter of an audiovisual cartoon was chosen as an example. This chapter presented three main female characters in a random fashion in order to be observed by the children. Categories were established using the taxonomic criteria proposed by Anguera (2001 and were made up of various typed behaviors according to levels of response. To identify a stable behavioral pattern, some events were taken as a sample, taking into account one or several behavior registered in the observed sessions. The episode was analyzed by two observers who appreciated the material simultaneously, making two observations, registering the relevant data and contrasting opinions. The researchers determined a set of categories which expressed violent behavior such as: Nonverbal behavior, special behavior, and vocal/verbal behavior. It was concluded that there was a pattern of predominant and stable violent behavior in the cartoon observed. Resumen El presente artículo de investigación presenta un trabajo cuyo objetivo consistió en estructurar un sistema de categorías para la observación y descripción de conductas violentas en un cómic audiovisual (dibujo animado. Se seleccionó como muestra un cómic audiovisual que tiene tres personajes principales femeninos; tomándose de forma aleatoria, para su observación, uno de sus capítulos. Para el establecimiento de las categorías se escogieron como base los criterios taxonómicos propuestos por Anguera (2001, con lo cual se tipificaron las conductas que conforman cada categoría según los niveles de respuesta. Y para identificar un patrón de conducta estable se ha realizado un muestreo de eventos, usando todas las ocurrencias de una o varias conductas que se registraron en las sesiones observadas. El episodio

Comparative Effectiveness of Vancomycin Versus Daptomycin for MRSA Bacteremia With Vancomycin MIC >1 mg/L: A Multicenter Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Moise, Pamela A; Culshaw, Darren L; Wong-Beringer, Annie; Bensman, Joyce; Lamp, Kenneth C; Smith, Winter J; Bauer, Karri; Goff, Debra A; Adamson, Robert; Leuthner, Kimberly; Virata, Michael D; McKinnell, James A; Chaudhry, Saira B; Eskandarian, Romic; Lodise, Thomas; Reyes, Katherine; Zervos, Marcus J

2016-01-01

Clinical studies comparing vancomycin with alternative therapy for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia are limited. The objective of this study was to compare outcomes of early daptomycin versus vancomycin treatment for MRSA bacteremia with high vancomycin MICs in a geographically diverse multicenter evaluation. This nationwide, retrospective, multicenter (N = 11), matched, cohort study compared outcomes of early daptomycin with vancomycin for MRSA bloodstream infection (BSI) with vancomycin MICs 1.5 to 2 µg/mL. Matching variables, based on propensity regression analysis, included age, intensive care unit (ICU), and type of BSI. Outcomes were as follows: (1) composite failure (60-day all-cause mortality, 7-day clinical or microbiologic failure, 30-day BSI relapse, or end-of-treatment failure (EOT; discontinue/change daptomycin or vancomycin because of treatment failure or adverse event]); (2) nephrotoxicity; and (2) day 4 BSI clearance. A total of 170 patients were included. The median (interquartile range) age was 60 years (50-74); the median (range) Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was 15 (10-18); 31% were in an ICU; and 92% had an infectious disease consultation. BSI types included endocarditis/endovascular (39%), extravascular (55%), and central catheter (6%). The median daptomycin dose was 6 mg/kg, and the vancomycin trough level was 17 mg/L. Overall composite failure was 35% (59 of 170): 15% due to 60-day all-cause mortality, 14% for lack of clinical or microbiologic response by 7 days, and 17% due to failure at end of therapy (discontinue/change because of treatment failure or adverse event). Predictors of composite failure according to multivariate analysis were age >60 years (odds ratio, 3.7; P day 4 bacteremia clearance rates for immunocompromised patients (n = 26) (94% vs 56% for daptomycin vs vancomycin; P = 0.035). Results from this multicenter study provide, for the first time, a geographically diverse

Efficient Execution of Microscopy Image Analysis on CPU, GPU, and MIC Equipped Cluster Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, G; Ferreira, R; Teodoro, George; Rocha, Leonardo; Saltz, Joel H; Kurc, Tahsin

2014-10-01

High performance computing is experiencing a major paradigm shift with the introduction of accelerators, such as graphics processing units (GPUs) and Intel Xeon Phi (MIC). These processors have made available a tremendous computing power at low cost, and are transforming machines into hybrid systems equipped with CPUs and accelerators. Although these systems can deliver a very high peak performance, making full use of its resources in real-world applications is a complex problem. Most current applications deployed to these machines are still being executed in a single processor, leaving other devices underutilized. In this paper we explore a scenario in which applications are composed of hierarchical data flow tasks which are allocated to nodes of a distributed memory machine in coarse-grain, but each of them may be composed of several finer-grain tasks which can be allocated to different devices within the node. We propose and implement novel performance aware scheduling techniques that can be used to allocate tasks to devices. We evaluate our techniques using a pathology image analysis application used to investigate brain cancer morphology, and our experimental evaluation shows that the proposed scheduling strategies significantly outperforms other efficient scheduling techniques, such as Heterogeneous Earliest Finish Time - HEFT, in cooperative executions using CPUs, GPUs, and MICs. We also experimentally show that our strategies are less sensitive to inaccuracy in the scheduling input data and that the performance gains are maintained as the application scales.

A positive feedback process between tropical cyclone intensity and the moisture conveyor belt assessed with Lagrangian diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

Fujiwara, K.; Kawamura, R.; Hirata, H.; Kawano, T.

2017-12-01

Using a cloud-resolving regional model and Lagrangian diagnostics, we assess a positive feedback process between tropical cyclone (TC) intensity and the moisture conveyor belt (MCB), which connects a TC and the Indian Ocean (IO), the South China Sea (SCS), and the Philippine Sea vapors, from a macroscopic view. We performed sensitivity experiments that modified the observed sea surface temperature (SST) field over the IO and the SCS to regulate the MCB behavior, and we examined the remote response of a prototypical TC. The results show that the connection between MCB formation and TC development is very robust, which was also observed in another TC's case. The MCB plays a vital role in transporting lots of moist air parcels toward the TC from the remote ocean. The transported parcels are easily trapped in the inner core by radial inflow in the atmospheric boundary layer and, subsequently, release latent heat around the eye wall, resulting in the TC's intensifying. This acts to further penetrate the moist parcels of remote ocean origin into the inner core through the enhanced and expanded inflow. An additional experiment confirmed that the MCB is not formed unless the westward propagation of equatorial Rossby waves induced by TC heating overlaps with the background monsoon westerlies. These findings support the reliability and validity of TC-MCB feedback.

Heavy Metals Pollution of Alluvial Soil in the Copşa Mică Area

OpenAIRE

, D. Popa; , I.M. Prundeanu; , R. Lăcătuşu

2011-01-01

The objective of our study was to determine the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and Fe) from soil samples, which have been previously treated with HNO3 and concentrated HClO4. The study was performed on a series of 24 soil samples and one soil profile, collected from the alluvial soil in the Copşa Mică area. The concentrations of heavy metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The pH was determined by using the potentiometric method in aqueous...

Minimum inhibitory (MIC) and minimum microbicidal concentration (MMC) of polihexanide and triclosan against antibiotic sensitive and resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains

Science.gov (United States)

Assadian, Ojan; Wehse, Katrin; Hübner, Nils-Olaf; Koburger, Torsten; Bagel, Simone; Jethon, Frank; Kramer, Axel

2011-01-01

Background: An in-vitro study was conducted investigating the antimicrobial efficacy of polihexanide and triclosan against clinical isolates and reference laboratory strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Methods: The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimal microbicidal concentration (MMC) were determined following DIN 58940-81 using a micro-dilution assay and a quantitative suspension test following EN 1040. Polihexanide was tested in polyethylene glycol 4000, triclosan in aqueous solutions. Results: Against all tested strains the MIC of polihexanide ranged between 1–2 µg/mL. For triclosan the MICs varied depending on strains ranging between 0.5 µg/mL for the reference strains and 64 µg/mL for two clinical isolates. A logRF >5 without and logRF >3 with 0.2% albumin burden was achieved at 0.6 µg/mL triclosan. One exception was S. aureus strain H-5-24, where a triclosan concentration of 0.6 µg/mL required 1 minute without and 10 minutes with albumin burden to achieve the same logRFs. Polihexanide achieved a logRF >5 without and logRF >3 with albumin burden at a concentration of 0.6 µg/mL within 30 sec. The exception was the North-German epidemic MRSA strain, were an application time of 5 minutes was required. Conclusion: The clinical isolates of E. coli generally showed higher MICs against triclosan, both in the micro-dilution assay as well in the quantitative suspension test than comparable reference laboratory strains. For polihexanide and triclosan strain dependant susceptibility was shown. However, both antimicrobial compounds are effective when used in concentrations common in practice. PMID:22242087

Epidemiological cut-off values for Flavobacterium psychrophilum MIC data generated by a standard test protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, P; Endris, R; Kronvall, G; Thomas, V; Verner-Jeffreys, D; Wilhelm, C; Dalsgaard, I

2016-02-01

Epidemiological cut-off values were developed for application to antibiotic susceptibility data for Flavobacterium psychrophilum generated by standard CLSI test protocols. The MIC values for ten antibiotic agents against Flavobacterium psychrophilum were determined in two laboratories. For five antibiotics, the data sets were of sufficient quality and quantity to allow the setting of valid epidemiological cut-off values. For these agents, the cut-off values, calculated by the application of the statistically based normalized resistance interpretation method, were ≤16 mg L(-1) for erythromycin, ≤2 mg L(-1) for florfenicol, ≤0.025 mg L(-1) for oxolinic acid (OXO), ≤0.125 mg L(-1) for oxytetracycline and ≤20 (1/19) mg L(-1) for trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole. For ampicillin and amoxicillin, the majority of putative wild-type observations were 'off scale', and therefore, statistically valid cut-off values could not be calculated. For ormetoprim/sulphadimethoxine, the data were excessively diverse and a valid cut-off could not be determined. For flumequine, the putative wild-type data were extremely skewed, and for enrofloxacin, there was inadequate separation in the MIC values for putative wild-type and non-wild-type strains. It is argued that the adoption of OXO as a class representative for the quinolone group would be a valid method of determining susceptibilities to these agents. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Anorexia-cachexia syndrome in hepatoma tumour-bearing rats requires the area postrema but not vagal afferents and is paralleled by increased MIC-1/GDF15.

Science.gov (United States)

Borner, Tito; Arnold, Myrtha; Ruud, Johan; Breit, Samuel N; Langhans, Wolfgang; Lutz, Thomas A; Blomqvist, Anders; Riediger, Thomas

2017-06-01

The cancer-anorexia-cachexia syndrome (CACS) negatively affects survival and therapy success in cancer patients. Inflammatory mediators and tumour-derived factors are thought to play an important role in the aetiology of CACS. However, the central and peripheral mechanisms contributing to CACS are insufficiently understood. The area postrema (AP) and the nucleus tractus solitarii are two important brainstem centres for the control of eating during acute sickness conditions. Recently, the tumour-derived macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1) emerged as a possible mediator of cancer anorexia because lesions of these brainstem areas attenuated the anorectic effect of exogenous MIC-1 in mice. Using a rat hepatoma tumour model, we examined the roles of the AP and of vagal afferents in the mediation of CACS. Specifically, we investigated whether a lesion of the AP (APX) or subdiaphragmatic vagal deafferentation (SDA) attenuate anorexia, body weight, muscle, and fat loss. Moreover, we analysed MIC-1 levels in this tumour model and their correlation with tumour size and the severity of the anorectic response. In tumour-bearing sham-operated animals mean daily food intake significantly decreased. The anorectic response was paralleled by a significant loss of body weight and muscle mass. APX rats were protected against anorexia, body weight loss, and muscle atrophy after tumour induction. In contrast, subdiaphragmatic vagal deafferentation did not attenuate cancer-induced anorexia or body weight loss. Tumour-bearing rats had substantially increased MIC-1 levels, which positively correlated with tumour size and cancer progression and negatively correlated with food intake. These findings demonstrate the importance of the AP in the mediation of cancer-dependent anorexia and body weight loss and support a pathological role of MIC-1 as a tumour-derived factor mediating CACS, possibly via an AP-dependent action. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle

Nanoscale investigation of moisture-induced degradation mechanisms of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminium-based organic light-emitting diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, M S; Xu, J B; Chen, H Z; Wang, M

2004-01-01

By exploiting tapping mode atomic force microscopy, the moisture-induced degradation mechanisms of ITO (indium tin oxide)-coated glass/CuPc (copper phthalocyanine)/NPB (N, N'-di(naphthalene-1-yl)-N, N'-diphthalbenzidine)/Alq 3 (tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminium)-based organic light-emitting diodes without cathode were investigated. It is found that three types of degradation mechanisms are associated with moisture-exposed Alq 3 films, when the device is exposed to moisture, namely, hydration of Alq 3 , crystallization of Alq 3 and reaction of the Alq 3 complex with H 2 O. Crystallization of the NPB layer of ITO/CuPc/NPB was observed on exposure to moisture, and de-wetting simultaneously takes place at the interface of CuPc/NPB. Indium and/or oxygen may diffuse from ITO into the organic layers. These observations provide a clear picture of the moisture-induced degradation mechanisms of the ITO/CuPc/NPB/Alq 3 -based OLEDs

Effects of neutral particle beam on nano-crystalline silicon thin films, with application to thin film transistor backplane for flexible active matrix organic light emitting diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Jin Nyoung; Song, Byoung Chul; Lee, Dong Hyeok; Yoo, Suk Jae; Lee, Bonju; Hong, MunPyo

2011-01-01

A novel deposition process for nano-crystalline silicon (nc-Si) thin films was developed using neutral beam assisted chemical vapor deposition (NBaCVD) technology for the application of the thin film transistor (TFT) backplane of flexible active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED). During the formation of a nc-Si thin film, the energetic particles enhance nano-sized crystalline rather microcrystalline Si in thin films. Neutral Particle Beam (NPB) affects the crystallinity in two ways: (1) NPB energy enhances nano-crystallinity through kinetic energy transfer and chemical annealing, and (2) heavier NPB (such as Ar) induces damage and amorphization through energetic particle impinging. Nc-Si thin film properties effectively can be changed by the reflector bias. As increase of NPB energy limits growing the crystalline, the performance of TFT supports this NPB behavior. The results of nc-Si TFT by NBaCVD demonstrate the technical potentials of neutral beam based processes for achieving high stability and reduced leakage in TFT backplanes for AMOLEDs.

Webgrafia al voltant del ciberplagi. Referències a la xarxa sobre el ciberplagi acadèmic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaume Sureda

2008-12-01

Full Text Available En aquest article es proporcionen les fonts de documentació que hi ha a internet i que poden aportar al lector que hi estigui interessat un coneixement més profund de qualsevol de les cares, les arestes i els vèrtexs del polièdric fenomen del plagi acadèmic entre l'alumnat. Text complet (PDFDossier complet (PDF

Efficacy of single-stage breast-conserving treatment using multicatheter partial breast brachytherapy evaluated by GEC-ESTRO phase 3 trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Kazuhiko; Fuchikami, Hiromi; Kato, Masahiro; Shimo, Takahiro; Kubota, Jun; Takeda, Naoko; Inoue, Yuko; Seto, Hiroshi; Okawa, Tomohiko

2017-10-01

The GEC-ESTRO has reported the equivalent outcomes of partial breast irradiation (PBI) using multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy (MCB) to whole breast irradiation (WBI) in breast-conserving therapy (BCT). We performed single-stage BCT with partial breast brachytherapy by intraoperative catheter placement. After the categorization of patients into inclusion and exclusion criteria on this trial, our databases were evaluated in order to translate it to Japanese patients. Patients undergoing BCT were retrospectively examined between November 2007 and December 2015. The technique is an open-cavity implant with a dose of 32 Gy in 8 fractions. The 4-year clinical outcomes of MCB-PBI were evaluated in the 2 distinct categories, and the comparison of the outcomes of MCB-PBI with WBI was performed in patients with unfavorable features. Of a total of 501 lesions undergoing BCT, 301 lesions were treated with MCB-PBI and 200 lesions with WBI. At the median follow-up time of 52 months, the 4-year rate of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR)-free, disease-free (DFS), and overall survival (OS) in patients with MCB-PBI and WBI were 98.9% vs. 98.0% ( p = 0.56), 97.0% vs. 95.3% ( p = 0.78), and 99.6% vs. 98.2% ( p = 0.38), respectively. Although in exclusion cohort treated with MCB-PBI, IBTR-free, and disease-free survival were significantly worse than in inclusion cohort, non-significantly worse outcomes was demonstrated than in exclusion cohort with WBI; IBTR-free survival (95.0% vs. 97.2%, p = 0.24), and disease-free survival (95.0% vs. 95.8%, p = 0.31). Single-stage BCT using MCB-PBI offered similar tumor control rates compering to WBI. However, further research is needed to define the benefit for patients with an exclusion criteria.

Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC determination of disinfectant and/or sterilizing agents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priscila Gava Mazzola

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Due to the growing number of outbreaks of infection in hospital and nurseries, it becomes essential to set up a sanitation program that indicates that the appropriate chemical agent was chosen for application in the most effective way. Validating the effectiveness of decontamination and disinfection is an important and often challenging task. In order to study and compare the behavior of selected microorganisms, they were submitted to minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC. The MIC intervals, which reduced bacteria populations over 6 log10, were: 59 to 156 mg/L of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs; 63 to 10000 mg/L of chlorhexidine; 1375 to 3250 mg/L of glutaraldehyde; 39 to 246 mg/L of formaldehyde; 43750 to 87500 mg/L of ethanol; 1250 to 6250 mg/L of iodine in polyvinyl-pyrolidone complexes, 150 to 4491 mg/L of chlorine-releasing-agents (CRAs and 469 to 2500 mg/L of hydrogen peroxide. Chlorhexidine showed non inhibitory activity over germinating spores. A. calcoaceticus showed resistance to the majority of the agents tested, followed by E. cloacae and S. marcescens.Devido ao número crescente de surtos de infecção hospitalar, torna-se proeminente o estabelecimento de um programa de sanitização que liste os agentes químicos a serem empregados e o modo de aplicação mais efetivo. Validação da eficácia de descontaminação é uma tarefa ao mesmo tempo importante e desafiadora. Para estudar e comparar o comportamento dos microrganismos selecionados foram realizados ensaios de concentração inibitória mínima (CIM. A CIM capaz de reduzir o bioburden inicial (>6 log10 foi: 59 - 156 mg/L de quartenários de amônia; 63 - 10000 mg/L de clorexidina, 1375 - 3250 mg/mL de glutaraldeído, 39 - 246 mg/L de formaldeído, 43750 - 87500 mg/L de etanol 1250 - 6250 mg/L de PVPI, 150 - 4491 mg/L de compostos liberadores de cloro e 469 -2500 mg/L de peróxido de hidrogênio.

THE CHIRONOMIDAE ASSEMBLAGES IN SOMESUL MIC RIVER (ROMANIA DURING 1996 AND 1997

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria-Monica Tudorancea

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The communities of Chironomidae larvae in the Gilau – Gherla sector of the Somesul Mic River (Transylvania, Romania were studied during 1996 and 1997 in order to compare their species composition and to see if their component species could be good indicators for water quality deterioration. A total of 102 species were recorded, out of which 12 are new records for the Romanian fauna. Four of these species are known only from East Asia and from the North America. Some species such as Chironomus thumi, Microcricotopus bicolor, Dicrotendipes nervosus and Dicrotendipes notatus occurred in organically enriched waters. Other species, such as Cricotopus algarum, Cricotopus bicinctus, Cricotopus tremulus and Cricotopus trifasciatus occurred in both clean and organically polluted water which indicate they are not good bioindicators for water quality deterioration.

Microbial induced corrosion (MIC) on DHP copper by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans and Bacillus megaterium strains in media simulating heater waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zumelzu, E.; Cabezas, C.; Schoebitz, R.; Ugarte, R.; Rodriguez, E.D.; Rios, J.

2003-01-01

The complexity and diversity of microbial populations in water heating systems of steam generators make it necessary to study the magnitude of the metabolic activity of bacteria and biofilm development that may lead to degradation of metal components through microbial induced corrosion (MIC). Electrolytes simulating the conditions found in heater water networks were used to induce biofilm formation on DHP copper coupons by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans DSMZ and Bacillus megaterium C10, a commercial strain and an isolate from these waters, respectively. In order to enhance their action, industrial waters enriched with the minimum nutrient content such as sodium lactate and sodium sulphite for the DSMZ strain and glucose, proteose peptone and starch for the C10 strain were employed. Biofilm formation was studied under controlled temperature, time, shaking, pH and concentrations of the media used in this study. Then, the samples were electrochemically tested in an artificial solution of sea water as control medium, based on the hypothesis that the action of an aggressive biofilm/electrolyte medium generates damaged and non-damaged areas on the metal surface, and assuming that the sea water trial can detect the latter. Hence, a higher anodic current was associated with a lower degradation of the metal surface by the action of one of the media under study. All these trials were performed along with bacterial count, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Furthermore, it was possible to identify under which conditions MIC on DHP copper occurred and complex mechanisms from retention of cations to diffusion processes at the biofilm/tested media interface level were proposed. Surface corrosion by MIC took place on DHP copper; therefore, greater control on the treatment of industrial waters is highly desirable. (author)

Adaptation of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) to the measurement of the parental identity domain.

Science.gov (United States)

Piotrowski, Konrad

2018-04-01

The present studies examined the psychometric properties of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) adapted to the measurement of identity formation in the parental identity domain. As the parental identity domain has only been studied within the neo-Eriksonian approach to a very limited extent, the aim of these studies was to prepare a short, valid and reliable tool for the measurement of parental identity in order to fill this gap. The associations of commitment, in-depth exploration and reconsideration of commitment in the parental domain with well-being and with other identity constructs were analyzed. The results showed that parental identity formation is associated with mothers' satisfaction with life and trait anxiety and with identity formation in other areas as well. The initial results suggest that the adapted version of the U-MICS is a valid and reliable measure that can be used in future studies on parental identity formation. © 2017 The Author. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology published by Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Multicenter evaluation of MIC distributions for epidemiologic cutoff value definition to detect amphotericin B, posaconazole, and itraconazole resistance among the most clinically relevant species of Mucorales.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinel-Ingroff, A; Chakrabarti, A; Chowdhary, A; Cordoba, S; Dannaoui, E; Dufresne, P; Fothergill, A; Ghannoum, M; Gonzalez, G M; Guarro, J; Kidd, S; Lass-Flörl, C; Meis, J F; Pelaez, T; Tortorano, A M; Turnidge, J

2015-03-01

Clinical breakpoints (CBPs) have not been established for the Mucorales and any antifungal agent. In lieu of CBPs, epidemiologic cutoff values (ECVs) are proposed for amphotericin B, posaconazole, and itraconazole and four Mucorales species. Wild-type (WT) MIC distributions (organisms in a species-drug combination with no detectable acquired resistance mechanisms) were defined with available pooled CLSI MICs from 14 laboratories (Argentina, Australia, Canada, Europe, India, Mexico, and the United States) as follows: 10 Apophysomyces variabilis, 32 Cunninghamella bertholletiae, 136 Lichtheimia corymbifera, 10 Mucor indicus, 123 M. circinelloides, 19 M. ramosissimus, 349 Rhizopus arrhizus, 146 R. microsporus, 33 Rhizomucor pusillus, and 36 Syncephalastrum racemosum isolates. CLSI broth microdilution MICs were aggregated for the analyses. ECVs comprising ≥95% and ≥97.5% of the modeled populations were as follows: amphotericin B ECVs for L. corymbifera were 1 and 2 μg/ml, those for M. circinelloides were 1 and 2 μg/ml, those for R. arrhizus were 2 and 4 μg/ml, and those for R. microsporus were 2 and 2 μg/ml, respectively; posaconazole ECVs for L. corymbifera were 1 and 2, those for M. circinelloides were 4 and 4, those for R. arrhizus were 1 and 2, and those for R. microsporus were 1 and 2, respectively; both itraconazole ECVs for R. arrhizus were 2 μg/ml. ECVs may aid in detecting emerging resistance or isolates with reduced susceptibility (non-WT MICs) to the agents evaluated. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Bleaching effects of massecuite on some properties of crystallized sugar beet and milk chocolate bars produced.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadjadi, F Seyed; Honarvar, M; Kalbasi-Ashtari, A; Motaghian, P

2018-04-01

Four kinds of bleached, unbleached, second and third crystal sugars (BCS, UCS, SCS and TCS) were made from different massecuites in a sugar-beet factory, and their physiochemical (polarization, invert sugar, colorants, pH, ash and SO 2 ), microbiological and functional properties were measured. While the polarization of UCS, SCS and TCS were lower than BCS; their invert sucrose, colorants, pH and ash contents were significantly higher than BCS. The phenols and betaine of BCS, UCS, SCS, and TCS were 144, 401, 384 and 673 (mg/100 g); and 244, 791, 4662, and 6589 (mg/100 g); respectively. Whereas the phenol of milk chocolate bars (MCB) made with UCS, SCS, and TCS were only 10% higher than MCB completed with BCS; their betaine contents were substantially (up to 16 times) higher than the ones finished with BCS. Sensory evaluation showed that the MCB prepared with three sugars including UCS, SCS and TCS had significantly higher glossiness, brittleness, flavor and mouth feel than those made with BCS. The greater colorants, ash content and inverted sugars of UCS, SCS and TCS (in comparison with BCS) made considerable improvements in the glossiness, flavor and brittleness of MCB, respectively. BCS had 8 ppm of toxic sulfur; whereas, UCS, SCS and TCS had no detectable sulfur and significantly higher beneficial copper content than BCS. No pathogenic microorganism were detected in UCS, SCS, TCS or their subsequent MCB. Our results highly recommend using UCS, SCS and TCS instead of BCS in food products (such as MCB) due to their higher health benefits.

Generative Mechanistic Explanation Building in Undergraduate Molecular and Cellular Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Southard, Katelyn M.; Espindola, Melissa R.; Zaepfel, Samantha D.; Bolger, Molly S.

2017-01-01

When conducting scientific research, experts in molecular and cellular biology (MCB) use specific reasoning strategies to construct mechanistic explanations for the underlying causal features of molecular phenomena. We explored how undergraduate students applied this scientific practice in MCB. Drawing from studies of explanation building among…

TU-AB-BRC-10: Modeling of Radiotherapy Linac Source Terms Using ARCHER Monte Carlo Code: Performance Comparison of GPU and MIC Computing Accelerators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, T; Lin, H; Xu, X [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (United States); Su, L [John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (United States); Shi, C [Saint Vincent Medical Center, Bridgeport, CT (United States); Tang, X [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, West Harrison, NY (United States); Bednarz, B [University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: (1) To perform phase space (PS) based source modeling for Tomotherapy and Varian TrueBeam 6 MV Linacs, (2) to examine the accuracy and performance of the ARCHER Monte Carlo code on a heterogeneous computing platform with Many Integrated Core coprocessors (MIC, aka Xeon Phi) and GPUs, and (3) to explore the software micro-optimization methods. Methods: The patient-specific source of Tomotherapy and Varian TrueBeam Linacs was modeled using the PS approach. For the helical Tomotherapy case, the PS data were calculated in our previous study (Su et al. 2014 41(7) Medical Physics). For the single-view Varian TrueBeam case, we analytically derived them from the raw patient-independent PS data in IAEA’s database, partial geometry information of the jaw and MLC as well as the fluence map. The phantom was generated from DICOM images. The Monte Carlo simulation was performed by ARCHER-MIC and GPU codes, which were benchmarked against a modified parallel DPM code. Software micro-optimization was systematically conducted, and was focused on SIMD vectorization of tight for-loops and data prefetch, with the ultimate goal of increasing 512-bit register utilization and reducing memory access latency. Results: Dose calculation was performed for two clinical cases, a Tomotherapy-based prostate cancer treatment and a TrueBeam-based left breast treatment. ARCHER was verified against the DPM code. The statistical uncertainty of the dose to the PTV was less than 1%. Using double-precision, the total wall time of the multithreaded CPU code on a X5650 CPU was 339 seconds for the Tomotherapy case and 131 seconds for the TrueBeam, while on 3 5110P MICs it was reduced to 79 and 59 seconds, respectively. The single-precision GPU code on a K40 GPU took 45 seconds for the Tomotherapy dose calculation. Conclusion: We have extended ARCHER, the MIC and GPU-based Monte Carlo dose engine to Tomotherapy and Truebeam dose calculations.

TU-AB-BRC-10: Modeling of Radiotherapy Linac Source Terms Using ARCHER Monte Carlo Code: Performance Comparison of GPU and MIC Computing Accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, T; Lin, H; Xu, X; Su, L; Shi, C; Tang, X; Bednarz, B

2016-01-01

Purpose: (1) To perform phase space (PS) based source modeling for Tomotherapy and Varian TrueBeam 6 MV Linacs, (2) to examine the accuracy and performance of the ARCHER Monte Carlo code on a heterogeneous computing platform with Many Integrated Core coprocessors (MIC, aka Xeon Phi) and GPUs, and (3) to explore the software micro-optimization methods. Methods: The patient-specific source of Tomotherapy and Varian TrueBeam Linacs was modeled using the PS approach. For the helical Tomotherapy case, the PS data were calculated in our previous study (Su et al. 2014 41(7) Medical Physics). For the single-view Varian TrueBeam case, we analytically derived them from the raw patient-independent PS data in IAEA’s database, partial geometry information of the jaw and MLC as well as the fluence map. The phantom was generated from DICOM images. The Monte Carlo simulation was performed by ARCHER-MIC and GPU codes, which were benchmarked against a modified parallel DPM code. Software micro-optimization was systematically conducted, and was focused on SIMD vectorization of tight for-loops and data prefetch, with the ultimate goal of increasing 512-bit register utilization and reducing memory access latency. Results: Dose calculation was performed for two clinical cases, a Tomotherapy-based prostate cancer treatment and a TrueBeam-based left breast treatment. ARCHER was verified against the DPM code. The statistical uncertainty of the dose to the PTV was less than 1%. Using double-precision, the total wall time of the multithreaded CPU code on a X5650 CPU was 339 seconds for the Tomotherapy case and 131 seconds for the TrueBeam, while on 3 5110P MICs it was reduced to 79 and 59 seconds, respectively. The single-precision GPU code on a K40 GPU took 45 seconds for the Tomotherapy dose calculation. Conclusion: We have extended ARCHER, the MIC and GPU-based Monte Carlo dose engine to Tomotherapy and Truebeam dose calculations.

Assessing the Accuracy of High Resolution Digital Surface Models Computed by PhotoScan® and MicMac® in Sub-Optimal Survey Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marion Jaud

2016-06-01

Full Text Available For monitoring purposes and in the context of geomorphological research, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV appear to be a promising solution to provide multi-temporal Digital Surface Models (DSMs and orthophotographs. There are a variety of photogrammetric software tools available for UAV-based data. The objective of this study is to investigate the level of accuracy that can be achieved using two of these software tools: Agisoft PhotoScan® Pro and an open-source alternative, IGN© MicMac®, in sub-optimal survey conditions (rugged terrain, with a large variety of morphological features covering a range of roughness sizes, poor GPS reception. A set of UAV images has been taken by a hexacopter drone above the Rivière des Remparts, a river on Reunion Island. This site was chosen for its challenging survey conditions: the topography of the study area (i involved constraints on the flight plan; (ii implied errors on some GPS measurements; (iii prevented an optimal distribution of the Ground Control Points (GCPs and; (iv was very complex to reconstruct. Several image processing tests are performed with different scenarios in order to analyze the sensitivity of each software package to different parameters (image quality, numbers of GCPs, etc.. When computing the horizontal and vertical errors within a control region on a set of ground reference targets, both methods provide rather similar results. A precision up to 3–4 cm is achievable with these software packages. The DSM quality is also assessed over the entire study area comparing PhotoScan DSM and MicMac DSM with a Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS point cloud. PhotoScan and MicMac DSM are also compared at the scale of particular features. Both software packages provide satisfying results: PhotoScan is more straightforward to use but its source code is not open; MicMac is recommended for experimented users as it is more flexible.

Deep blue exciplex organic light-emitting diodes with enhanced efficiency; P-type or E-type triplet conversion to singlet excitons?

Science.gov (United States)

Jankus, Vygintas; Chiang, Chien-Jung; Dias, Fernando; Monkman, Andrew P

2013-03-13

Simple trilayer, deep blue, fluorescent exciplex organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are reported. These OLEDs emit from an exciplex state formed between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of N,N'-bis(1-naphthyl)N,N'-diphenyl-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine (NPB) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of 1,3,5-tri(1-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)phenyl (TPBi) and the NPB singlet manifold, yielding 2.7% external quantum efficiency at 450 nm. It is shown that the majority of the delayed emission in electroluminescence arises from P-type triplet fusion at NPB sites not E-type reverse intersystem crossing because of the presence of the NPB triplet state acting as a deep trap. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Elemental and Isotopic Analysis of Uranium Oxide an NIST Glass Standards by FEMTOSECOND-LA-ICP-MIC-MS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebert, Chris; Zamzow, Daniel S.; McBay, Eddie H.; Bostick, Debra A.; Bajic, Stanley J.; Baldwin, David P.; Houk, R.S.

2009-01-01

The objective of this work was to test and demonstrate the analytical figures of merit of a femtosecond-laser ablation (fs-LA) system coupled with an inductively coupled plasma-multi-ion collector-mass spectrometer (ICP-MIC-MS). The mobile fs-LA sampling system was designed and assembled at Ames Laboratory and shipped to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), where it was integrated with an ICP-MIC-MS. The test period of the integrated systems was February 2-6, 2009. Spatially-resolved analysis of particulate samples is accomplished by 100-shot laser ablation using a fs-pulsewidth laser and monitoring selected isotopes in the resulting ICP-MS transient signal. The capability of performing high sensitivity, spatially resolved, isotopic analyses with high accuracy and precision and with virtually no sample preparation makes fs-LA-ICP-MIC-MS valuable for the measurement of actinide isotopes at low concentrations in very small samples for nonproliferation purposes. Femtosecond-LA has been shown to generate particles from the sample that are more representative of the bulk composition, thereby minimizing weaknesses encountered in previous work using nanosecond-LA (ns-LA). The improvement of fs- over ns-LA sampling arises from the different mechanisms for transfer of energy into the sample in these two laser pulse-length regimes. The shorter duration fs-LA pulses induce less heating and cause less damage to the sample than the longer ns pulses. This results in better stoichiometric sampling (i.e., a closer correlation between the composition of the ablated particles and that of the original solid sample), which improves accuracy for both intra- and inter-elemental analysis. The primary samples analyzed in this work are (a) solid uranium oxide powdered samples having different 235 U to 238 U concentration ratios, and (b) glass reference materials (NIST 610, 612, 614, and 616). Solid uranium oxide samples containing 235 U in depleted, natural, and enriched abundances were

Application of Modified Nanonaturally Montmorillonite in Monochlorobenzene Remediation in River Water

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chen; Chen, Jun-Feng; Li, Yun; Chen, Rong-Chang; Asaoka, Sachio; Yuan, Guo-Li

2012-12-01

As the inland waterway transportation developed rapidly in China, the frequency of hazardous chemical leakage accidents is increasing every year. Such pollution to inland river environment has become a world-wide issue. Montmorillonite (Mont) is typical 2:1 layer type silicate clay and due to their special structure, it has been used in organic pollution removal process. In order to improve their ability in pollution adsorption, the pillared Mont was made in this work. Since the common toxic structure in most chemical pollutants is the halogen atom-benzene ring part, we select a typical compound Monochlorobenzene (MCB) as the aim contaminant. In this research, the original Mont, Na-Mont, TiO2 and TiO2-Mont were prepared and used in MCB degradation experiment as catalysts. The influence of catalyst amount, promoter (H2O2) amount, MCB concentration and reaction time to MCB removal rate were studied, respectively in detail.

Initial steps in the microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) of metallic surfaces in a natural marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esteso, M.A.; Estrella, C.N.; Dolores de la Rosa, M.; Martinez-Trujillo, R.; Rosales, B.M.; Podesta, J.J.

1992-01-01

Immersion of various metal samples in polluted seawater from Tenerife Harbor was followed by microbial attachment as an intermediate step in fouling development. The purpose of this research was to determine the initial steps in MIC by identifying the different microbial species attached to the respective metal or alloy. Image analysis was used to determine the morphologic changes in the metal surfaces. The corrosion products were determined by X-ray diffraction. The open circuit potentials were measured periodically and their variation with time used to assess the electrochemical behavior in the aforementioned marine environment

La narració gràfica en àmbit universitari. Perspectives didàctiques del còmic i de l’àlbum il·lustrat

OpenAIRE

Baile López, Eduard; Rovira-Collado, José; Maestre-Brotons, Antoni; Ortiz Hernández, Francisco Javier; Pomares Puig, María Pilar; Soler-Quílez, Guillermo; Villaverde Pérez, Abel; Sánchez Verdú, Ramón; Serna-Rodrigo, Rocío; Vidal Martín-Toledano, Jesús

2017-01-01

Mitjançant la xarxa 3858, s’ha pretés oferir, tal com ja s’ha fet en diverses convocatòries prèvies del programa de xarxes de la Universitat d’Alacant, presència acadèmica a la tasca d’estudi i de difusió sobre les possibilitats didàctiques del còmic que s’està desenvolupant des dels nuclis dels grups Unicòmic i CLUECA. En aquest sentit, la memòria aspira a ser testimoni del treball investigador i docent dut a terme pels membres de la xarxa durant el curs 2016-2017. Al nostre parer, fer recom...

Veneno para la mente: La participación de los especialistas en salud mental en la campaña anti-cómic estadounidense (1940-1960)

OpenAIRE

Fernández Sarasola, Ignacio

2016-01-01

Entre 1940 y 1960 se desarrolló en Estados Unidos una intensa campaña anti-cómic impulsada por ciudadanos que consideraban que aquellas revistas no solo suponían una mala influencia para sus niños, sino que eran responsables de un incremento en la delincuencia juvenil. Un punto de inflexión se produjo en el momento en que psiquiatras y psicólogos se incorporaron a la citada campaña. Su líder fue Fredric Wertham, un psiquiatra de origen germano que acusó a los cómics de dañar la mente de los n...

UNC-Utah NA-MIC Framework for DTI Fiber Tract Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Audrey Rose Verde

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Diffusion tensor imaging has become an important modality in the field ofneuroimaging to capture changes in micro-organization and to assess white matterintegrity or development. While there exists a number of tractography toolsets,these usually lack tools for preprocessing or to analyze diffusion properties alongthe fiber tracts. Currently, the field is in critical need of a coherent end-to-endtoolset for performing an along-fiber tract analysis, accessible to non-technicalneuroimaging researchers. The UNC-Utah NA-MIC DTI framework represents acoherent, open source, end-to-end toolset for atlas fiber tract based DTI analysisencompassing DICOM data conversion, quality control, atlas building, fibertractography, fiber parameterization, and statistical analysis of diffusionproperties. Most steps utilize graphical user interfaces (GUI to simplifyinteraction and provide an extensive DTI analysis framework for non-technicalresearchers/investigators. We illustrate the use of our framework on a smallsample, cross sectional neuroimaging study of 8 healthy 1-year-old children fromthe Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS Network. In this limited test study, weillustrate the power of our method by quantifying the diffusion properties at 1year of age on the genu and splenium fiber tracts.

UNC-Utah NA-MIC framework for DTI fiber tract analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Verde, Audrey R; Budin, Francois; Berger, Jean-Baptiste; Gupta, Aditya; Farzinfar, Mahshid; Kaiser, Adrien; Ahn, Mihye; Johnson, Hans; Matsui, Joy; Hazlett, Heather C; Sharma, Anuja; Goodlett, Casey; Shi, Yundi; Gouttard, Sylvain; Vachet, Clement; Piven, Joseph; Zhu, Hongtu; Gerig, Guido; Styner, Martin

2014-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging has become an important modality in the field of neuroimaging to capture changes in micro-organization and to assess white matter integrity or development. While there exists a number of tractography toolsets, these usually lack tools for preprocessing or to analyze diffusion properties along the fiber tracts. Currently, the field is in critical need of a coherent end-to-end toolset for performing an along-fiber tract analysis, accessible to non-technical neuroimaging researchers. The UNC-Utah NA-MIC DTI framework represents a coherent, open source, end-to-end toolset for atlas fiber tract based DTI analysis encompassing DICOM data conversion, quality control, atlas building, fiber tractography, fiber parameterization, and statistical analysis of diffusion properties. Most steps utilize graphical user interfaces (GUI) to simplify interaction and provide an extensive DTI analysis framework for non-technical researchers/investigators. We illustrate the use of our framework on a small sample, cross sectional neuroimaging study of eight healthy 1-year-old children from the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS) Network. In this limited test study, we illustrate the power of our method by quantifying the diffusion properties at 1 year of age on the genu and splenium fiber tracts.

New methodology for Ozone Depletion Potentials of short-lived compounds: n-Propyl bromide as an example

Science.gov (United States)

Wuebbles, Donald J.; Patten, Kenneth O.; Johnson, Matthew T.; Kotamarthi, Rao

2001-07-01

A number of the compounds proposed as replacements for substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol have extremely short atmospheric lifetimes, on the order of days to a few months. An important example is n-propyl bromide (also referred to as 1-bromopropane, CH2BrCH2CH3 or simplified as 1-C3H7Br or nPB). This compound, useful as a solvent, has an atmospheric lifetime of less than 20 days due to its reaction with hydroxyl. Because nPB contains bromine, any amount reaching the stratosphere has the potential to affect concentrations of stratospheric ozone. The definition of Ozone Depletion Potentials (ODP) needs to be modified for such short-lived compounds to account for the location and timing of emissions. It is not adequate to treat these chemicals as if they were uniformly emitted at all latitudes and longitudes as normally done for longer-lived gases. Thus, for short-lived compounds, policymakers will need a table of ODP values instead of the single value generally provided in past studies. This study uses the MOZART2 three-dimensional chemical-transport model in combination with studies with our less computationally expensive two-dimensional model to examine potential effects of nPB on stratospheric ozone. Multiple facets of this study examine key questions regarding the amount of bromine reaching the stratosphere following emission of nPB. Our most significant findings from this study for the purposes of short-lived replacement compound ozone effects are summarized as follows. The degradation of nPB produces a significant quantity of bromoacetone which increases the amount of bromine transported to the stratosphere due to nPB. However, much of that effect is not due to bromoacetone itself, but instead to inorganic bromine which is produced from tropospheric oxidation of nPB, bromoacetone, and other degradation products and is transported above the dry and wet deposition processes of the model. The MOZART2 nPB results indicate a minimal correction of the

Separation of compounds with multiple -OH groups from dilute aqueous solutions via complexation with organoboronate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chow, Tina Kuo Fung [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1992-05-01

The complexing extractant agent investigated in this work is 3-nitrophenylboronic acid (NPBA) in its anionic form (NPB). NPBA and Aliquat 336 (quaternary amine) is dissolved in 2-ethyl-l-hexanol, and the extractant is contacted with aq. NaOH. Solutes investigated were 1,2-propanediol, glycerol, fructose, sorbitol and lactic acid. Batch extraction experiments were performed at 25°C. Partition coefficients, distribution ratios and loadings are reported for varying concentrations of solute and NPB. All solutes complexed with NPB^-, with all complexes containing only one NPB^- per complex. The 1:1 complexation constants for the solutes glycerol, fructose and sorbitol follow trends similar to complexation with B(OH)₄^- (aq.), i.e. the complexation constants increase with increasing number of -OH groups available for complexation. Assumption of 1:1 complex is not valid for 1, 2-propanediol, which showed overloading (more than one mole of solute complexed to one mole NPB^-) at higher concentrations. The -OH group on the NPB^- which is left uncomplexed after one solute molecule had bound to the other two -OH groups may be responsible for the overloading. Overloading is also observed in extraction of tactic acid, but through a different mechanism. It was found that TOMA⁺ can extract lactic acid to an extent comparable to the uptake of lactic acid by NPB^-. The complexation is probably through formation of an acid-base ion pair. Losses of NPBA into the aqueous phase could lead to problems, poor economics in industrial separation processes. One way of overcoming this problem would be to incorporate the NPBA onto a solid support.

Separation of compounds with multiple -OH groups from dilute aqueous solutions via complexation with organoboronate. [1,2-propanediol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chow, Tina Kuo Fung.

1992-05-01

The complexing extractant agent investigated in this work is 3-nitrophenylboronic acid (NPBA) in its anionic form (NPB). NPBA and Aliquat 336 (quaternary amine) is dissolved in 2-ethyl-l-hexanol, and the extractant is contacted with aq. NaOH. Solutes investigated were 1,2-propanediol, glycerol, fructose, sorbitol and lactic acid. Batch extraction experiments were performed at 25{degree}C. Partition coefficients, distribution ratios and loadings are reported for varying concentrations of solute and NPB. All solutes complexed with NPB{sup {minus}}, with all complexes containing only one NPB{sup {minus}} per complex. The 1:1 complexation constants for the solutes glycerol, fructose and sorbitol follow trends similar to complexation with B(OH){sub 4}{sup {minus}} (aq.), i.e. the complexation constants increase with increasing number of {minus}OH groups available for complexation. Assumption of 1:1 complex is not valid for 1, 2-propanediol, which showed overloading (more than one mole of solute complexed to one mole NPB{sup {minus}}) at higher concentrations. The {minus}OH group on the NPB{sup {minus}} which is left uncomplexed after one solute molecule had bound to the other two {minus}OH groups may be responsible for the overloading. Overloading is also observed in extraction of tactic acid, but through a different mechanism. It was found that TOMA{sup +} can extract lactic acid to an extent comparable to the uptake of lactic acid by NPB{sup {minus}}. The complexation is probably through formation of an acid-base ion pair. Losses of NPBA into the aqueous phase could lead to problems, poor economics in industrial separation processes. One way of overcoming this problem would be to incorporate the NPBA onto a solid support.

The Poincaré compactification of the MIC-Kepler problem with positive energies

CERN Document Server

Iwai, T

2001-01-01

The Poincare compactification and the symplectic reduction methods are first reviewed and then used to study the behaviour at infinity of the MIC (McIntosh-Cisneros)-Kepler problem at positive energies. The hyperbolic orbits leave the unstable equilibrium point set at infinity and tend eventually to the stable equilibrium point set at infinity. Both of these equilibrium point sets are diffeomorphic with S/sup 2/, the unit sphere in R/sup 3/. The hyperbolic orbits determine a map of the unstable equilibrium point set to the stable equilibrium point set in such a manner that the initial point (or the limit point as t to - infinity ) of an orbit is mapped to its final point (or the limit point as t to infinity ). This map is found explicitly as a rotation matrix which depends on the energy and the angular momentum of the orbits. (9 refs).

Spirobifluorene Core-Based Novel Hole Transporting Materials for Red Phosphorescence OLEDs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramanaskanda Braveenth

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Two new hole transporting materials, named HTM 1A and HTM 1B, were designed and synthesized in significant yields using the well-known Buchwald Hartwig and Suzuki cross- coupling reactions. Both materials showed higher decomposition temperatures (over 450 °C at 5% weight reduction and HTM 1B exhibited a higher glass transition temperature of 180 °C. Red phosphorescence-based OLED devices were fabricated to analyze the device performances compared to Spiro-NPB and NPB as reference hole transporting materials. Devices consist of hole transporting material as HTM 1B showed better maximum current and power efficiencies of 16.16 cd/A and 11.17 lm/W, at the same time it revealed an improved external quantum efficiency of 13.64%. This efficiency is considerably higher than that of Spiro-NPB and NPB-based reference devices.

National and gender measurement invariance of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) : A 10-nation study with university students

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Crocetti, E.; Cieciuch, J.; Gao, C.-H.; Klimstra, T.A.; Lin, C.-L.; Mena de Matos, P.; Morsünbül, U.; Negru, O.; Sugimura, K.; Zimmermann, G.; Meeus, W.H.J.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS), a self-report measure aimed at assessing identity processes of commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment. We tested its factor structure in

National and Gender Measurement Invariance of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) : A 10-Nation Study With University Students

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Crocetti, Elisabetta; Cieciuch, Jan; Gao, Cheng Hai; Klimstra, Theo; Lin, Ching Ling; Matos, Paula Mena; Morsünbül, Ümit; Negru, Oana; Sugimura, Kazumi; Zimmermann, Grégoire; Meeus, Wim

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS), a self-report measure aimed at assessing identity processes of commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment. We tested its factor structure in

ENVIRONMENTALLY BENIGN MITIGATION OF MICROBIOLOGICALLY INFLUENCED CORROSION (MIC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John J. Kilbane II; William Bogan

2004-01-31

The overall program objective is to develop and evaluate environmentally benign agents or products that are effective in the prevention, inhibition, and mitigation of microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) in the internal surfaces of metallic natural gas pipelines. The goal is to develop one or more environmentally benign (a.k.a. ''green'') products that can be applied to maintain the structure and dependability of the natural gas infrastructure. The technical approach for this quarter included the fractionation of extracts prepared from several varieties of pepper plants, and using several solvents, by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A preliminary determination of antimicrobial activities of the new extracts and fractions using a growth inhibition assay, and evaluation of the extracts ability to inhibit biofilm formation was also performed. The analysis of multiple extracts of pepper plants and fractions of extracts of pepper plants obtained by HPLC illustrated that these extracts and fractions are extremely complex mixtures of chemicals. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify the chemical constituents of these extracts and fractions to the greatest degree possible. Analysis of the chemical composition of various extracts of pepper plants has illustrated the complexity of the chemical mixtures present, and while additional work will be performed to further characterize the extracts to identify bioactive compounds the focus of efforts should now shift to an evaluation of the ability of extracts to inhibit corrosion in mixed culture biofilms, and in pure cultures of bacterial types which are known or believed to be important in corrosion.

Pathobiological implications of the expression of EGFR, pAkt, NF-κB and MIC-1 in prostate cancer stem cells and their progenies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murielle Mimeault

Full Text Available The progression of prostate cancers (PCs to locally invasive, androgen-independent and metastatic disease states is generally associated with treatment resistance and disease relapse. The present study was undertaken to establish the possibility of using a combination of specific oncogenic products, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, pAkt, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB and macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1 as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for optimizing the management of patients with localized PC at earlier disease stages. The immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence data have revealed that the expression levels of EGFR, Ser(473-pAkt, NF-κB p65 and MIC-1 proteins were significantly enhanced in the same subset of 76 cases of prostatic adenocarcinoma specimens during the disease progression and these biomarkers were expressed in a small subpopulation of CD133(+ PC cells and the bulk tumor mass of CD133(- PC cells. Importantly, all of these biomarkers were also overexpressed in 80-100% of 30 PC metastasis bone tissue specimens. Moreover, the results have indicated that the EGF-EGFR signaling pathway can provide critical functions for the self-renewal of side population (SP cells endowed with stem cell-like features from highly invasive WPE1-NB26 cells. Of therapeutic interest, the targeting of EGFR, pAkt, NF-κB or MIC-1 was also effective at suppressing the basal and EGF-promoted prostasphere formation by SP WPE1-NB26 cells, inducing disintegration of SP cell-derived prostaspheres and decreasing the viability of SP and non-SP WPE1-NB26 cell fractions. Also, the targeting of these oncogenic products induced the caspase-dependent apoptosis in chemoresistant SP WPE1-NB26 cells and enhanced their sensibility to the cytotoxic effects induced by docetaxel. These findings suggest that the combined use of EGFR, pAkt, NF-κB and/or MIC-1 may represent promising strategies for improving the accuracy of current diagnostic and

Short forms of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) with the domains of job, romantic relationship, and region.

Science.gov (United States)

Schubach, Elisabeth; Zimmermann, Julia; Noack, Peter; Neyer, Franz J

2017-01-01

The U-MICS is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess the identity dimensions from a domain-specific perspective. The present study reports on the development of a short-form version for the domains of job and romantic relationship in young adults from Germany and extends this scale to include the domain of region (n Sample1  = 95, 84% female, mean age 22.45 years; n Sample2  = 1,795, 71% female, mean age 24.53 years). We found the short form to possess adequate psychometric properties and to demonstrate a factor structure congruent to the long-form version. Regarding validity, the small correlations across domains within dimensions support a domain-specific approach to identity. The associations between the different identity domains with personality traits are similar, indicating a consistent pattern of convergent validity for all domains. We conclude that "region" provides a valuable complement to the established domains that can all be reliably assessed with the U-MICS-Short Form. Copyright © 2016 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Liberalismo vs. neo-fascismo: perspectiva sociosemiótica y análisis político del cómic Guerra Civil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liber Daniel Cuñarro Conde

2014-01-01

Full Text Available La presente investigación analiza desde una perspectiva sociosemiótica y política algunos de los aspectos más relevantes del cómic Guerra Civil de Marvel como expresión de los eventos del 11 de septiembre de 2001 en los Estados Unidos de América. Dicho texto se examina desde los enfoques postulados por Greimas (1966 y Eco (1993. A tal efecto se ha seleccionado un corpus concreto, constituido por los siete ejemplares que representan la historia principal de la serie titulada Civil War, en su lenguaje original. Para lograr la comprensión del programa narrativo del cómic, este estudio proporciona el antetexto y la información pertinente para hacer posible una interpretación de los elementos políticos e ideológicos de la Guerra Civil de Marvel, su relación con la representación alegórica de los hechos históricos y su textualización como expresión simbólica de la sociedad contemporánea.

Mastite micótica em ruminantes causada por leveduras Mycotic mastitis in ruminants caused by yeasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andréia Spanamberg

2009-02-01

Full Text Available A ocorrência de casos esporádicos de mastite causados por microrganismos de origem ambiental pode ser considerada como emergente e as leveduras, os fungos leveduriformes e os filamentosos são alguns dos principais agentes envolvidos. Em relação à mastite micótica, as leveduras são freqüentemente causas de infecções da glândula mamária em animais produtores de leite. A maior parte dos casos ocorre sob a forma de surtos localizados e/ou após tratamento com antimicrobianos. Os principais gêneros envolvidos são Candida e Cryptococcus, além de outros como Geotrichum, Pichia e Trichosporon. O objetivo do trabalho é revisar os aspectos gerais sobre a mastite micótica causada por leveduras e fungos leveduriformes, tais como etiologia, causas predisponentes, patogenicidade, diagnóstico, tratamento e profilaxia por meio de uma abordagem cronológica dos primeiros relatos, mas com enfoque principal nos resultados descritos recentemente na literatura veterinária nacional e internacional. O controle da mastite micótica é fundamentado em métodos preventivos, como adequado manejo da ordenha, correta higienização dos equipamentos e das instalações, com a finalidade de reduzir o número de animais acometidos, além de garantir a qualidade e a inocuidade dos produtos lácteos.The veterinary literature registers sporadic cases of infections caused by environmental microorganisms in which the main agents involved are yeasts, yeasts-like and filamentous fungi. In relation to dairy animals, the yeasts are more frequently incriminated as the aetiological agents of mycotic mastitis. Most cases occur under the form of localized outbreaks and / or after treatment with antimicrobial agents. The main genera involved in mastitis are Candida and Cryptococcus, besides others such as Geotrichum, Pichia and Trichosporon. The purpose of this review is to point out the main aspects of mastitis caused by yeasts and yeast-like fungi, such as etiology

Anorexia-cachexia and obesity treatment may be two sides of the same coin: role of the TGF-b superfamily cytokine MIC-1/GDF15.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, V W W; Lin, S; Brown, D A; Salis, A; Breit, S N

2016-02-01

Anorexia-cachexia associated with cancer and other diseases is a common and often fatal condition representing a large area of unmet medical need. It occurs most commonly in advanced cancer and is probably a consequence of molecules released by tumour cells, or tumour-associated interstitial or immune cells. These may then act directly on muscle to cause atrophy and/or may cause anorexia, which then leads to loss of both fat and lean mass. Although the aetiological triggers for this syndrome are not well characterized, recent data suggest that MIC-1/GDF15, a transforming growth factor-beta superfamily cytokine produced in large amounts by cancer cells and as a part of other disease processes, may be an important trigger. This cytokine acts on feeding centres in the hypothalamus and brainstem to cause anorexia leading to loss of lean and fat mass and eventually cachexia. In animal studies, the circulating concentrations of MIC-1/GDF15 required to cause this syndrome are similar to those seen in patients with advanced cancer, and at least some epidemiological studies support an association between MIC-1/GDF15 serum levels and measures of nutrition. This article will discuss its mechanisms of central appetite regulation, and the available data linking this action to anorexia-cachexia syndromes that suggest it is a potential target for therapy of cancer anorexia-cachexia and conversely may also be useful for the treatment of severe obesity.

Some aspects of digital I and C and digital human-system interface upgrades in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mandic, D.

2005-01-01

Digital I and C technology introduces some new terms and new processes like software life cycle, process computer configuration control, digital human-system interface (HSI), software V and V (Verification and Validation), software common mode failure potential, software documentation, etc. Based on the experience from NEK, and other NPPs and published reports from other organizations, this paper sheds light on challenging tasks related to some aspects of the digital I and C upgrades and especially the NPP MCR/MCB HSI (Nuclear Power Plant Main Control Room / Main Control Board Human-System Interface) upgrade. The Ref. [1], EPRI Report TR-1008122 was used as a guidance to analyze original NEK MCR/MCB HSI design (1970s), to describe migration from the original MCR/MCB HSI design to the 2005 AS-BUILT status and to propose the authors vision for the key planning aspects for I and C upgrades and MCR modernization. This paper submits the justified proposal for the endpoint vision and the migration path applicable to NEK MCR/MCB HSI modernization, as well as some of the possible risks and lessons learned. (author)

A phase III trial of docetaxel/carboplatin versus mitomycin C/ifosfamide/cisplatin (MIC) or mitomycin C/vinblastine/cisplatin (MVP) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a randomised multicentre trial of the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG1).

Science.gov (United States)

Booton, R; Lorigan, P; Anderson, H; Baka, S; Ashcroft, L; Nicolson, M; O'Brien, M; Dunlop, D; O'Byrne, K; Laurence, V; Snee, M; Dark, G; Thatcher, N

2006-07-01

Phase III studies suggest that non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with cisplatin-docetaxel may have higher response rates and better survival compared with other platinum-based regimens. We report the final results of a randomised phase III study of docetaxel and carboplatin versus MIC or MVP in patients with advanced NSCLC. Patients with biopsy proven stage III-IV NSCLC not suitable for curative surgery or radiotherapy were randomised to receive four cycles of either DCb (docetaxel 75 mg/m(2), carboplatin AUC 6), or MIC/MVP (mitomycin 6 mg/m(2), ifosfamide 3 g/m(2) and cisplatin 50 mg/m(2) or mitomycin 6 mg/m(2), vinblastine 6 mg/m(2) and cisplatin 50 mg/m(2), respectively), 3 weekly. The primary end point was survival, secondary end points included response rates, toxicity and quality of life. The median follow-up was 17.4 months. Overall response rate was 32% for both arms (partial response = 31%, complete response = 1%); 32% of MIC/MVP and 26% of DCb patients had stable disease. One-year survival was 39% and 35% for DCb and MIC/MVP, respectively. Two-year survival was 13% with both arms. Grade 3/4 neutropenia (74% versus 43%, P MVP. The MIC/MVP arm had significant worsening in overall EORTC score and global health status whereas the DCb arm showed no significant change. The combination of DCb had similar efficacy to MIC/MVP but quality of life was better maintained.

Brief report: the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS): gender and age measurement invariance and convergent validity of the Turkish version.

Science.gov (United States)

Morsunbul, Umit; Crocetti, Elisabetta; Cok, Figen; Meeus, Wim

2014-08-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure and convergent validity of the Turkish version of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS). Participants were 1201 (59.6% females) youth aged between 12 and 24 years (M(age) = 17.53 years, SD(age) = 3.25). Results indicated that the three-factor model consisting of commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment provided a very good fit to the data and applied equally well to boys and girls as well as to three age groups (early adolescents, middle adolescents, and emerging adults). Significant relations between identity processes and self-concept clarity, personality, internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors, and parental relationships supported convergent validity. Thus, the Turkish version of U-MICS is a reliable tool for assessing identity in Turkish-speaking respondents. Copyright © 2014 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy investigation of interface formation in an indium-tin oxide/fluorocarbon/organic semiconductor contact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tong, S.W.; Lau, K.M.; Sun, H.Y.; Fung, M.K.; Lee, C.S.; Lifshitz, Y.; Lee, S.T.

2006-01-01

It has been demonstrated that hole-injection in organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) can be enhanced by inserting a UV-illuminated fluorocarbon (CF x ) layer between indium-tin oxide (ITO) and organic hole-transporting layer (HTL). In this work, the process of interface formation and electronic properties of the ITO/CF x /HTL interface were investigated with ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that UV-illuminated fluorocarbon layer decreases the hole-injection barrier from ITO to α-napthylphenylbiphenyl diamine (NPB). Energy level diagrams deduced from the ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) spectra show that the hole-injection barrier in ITO/UV-treated CF x /NPB is the smallest (0.46 eV), compared to that in the ITO/untreated CF x /NPB (0.60 eV) and the standard ITO/NPB interface (0.68 eV). The improved current density-voltage (I-V) characteristics in the UV-treated CF x -coated ITO contact are consistent with its smallest barrier height

Brief report: The Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) : Gender and age measurement invariance and convergent validity of the Turkish version

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morsunbul, Umit; Crocetti, Elisabetta; Cok, Figen; Meeus, W.H.J.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure and convergent validity of the Turkish version of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS). Participants were 1201 (59.6% females) youth aged between 12 and 24 years (Mage = 17.53 years, SDage = 3.25). Results

DNA as an Optical Material

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-01

the electron blocking function of the DNA layer; electroluminescence occurs in either the AlQ3 (green) or NPB layer (blue) layers. Source: J. A...been observed for sev- eral fluorescent materials with different HOMO/LUMO levels, including AlQ3 (green emission) and NPB (blue emission). OLEDs

Liberalismo vs. neo-fascismo: perspectiva sociosemiótica y análisis político del cómic Guerra Civil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liber Daniel Cuñarro Conde

2014-01-01

Full Text Available La presente investigación analiza desde una perspectiva socios emiótica y política algunos de los aspectos más relevantes del cómic Guerra Civil de Marvel como expresión de los eventos del 11 de septiembre de 2001 en los Estados Unidos de América. Dicho texto se examina desde los enfoques postulados por Greimas (1966 y Eco (1993. A tal efecto se ha seleccionado un corpus concreto, constituido por los siete ejemplares que representan la historia principal de la serie titulada Civil War, en su lenguaje original. Para lograr la comprensión del programa narrativo del cómic, este estudio proporciona el ante texto y la información pertinente para hacer posible una interpretación de los elementos políticos e ideológicos de la Guerra Civil de Marvel, su relación con la representación alegórica de los hechos históricos y su textualización como expresión simbólica de la sociedad contemporánea.

La rentabilidad del cómic en la enseñanza de la cultura en E/LE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaume Brines Gandía

2012-08-01

Full Text Available El presente trabajo trata sobre el uso del cómic como recurso didáctico en la clase de E/LE para enseñar cultura. Aunque la cultura en la clase de E/LE muchas veces pasa desapercibida, constituye un excelente instrumento para la enseñanza de la lengua extranjera y, sobre todo, para que el futuro aprendiente sepa cómo, cuándo y de qué modo usar la lengua. Antes de desarrollar la presente experiencia práctica, es necesario que tratemos el término cultura y las distintas acepciones que supone.

La rentabilidad del cómic en la enseñanza de la cultura en E/LE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaume Brines Gandía

2012-01-01

Full Text Available El presente trabajo trata sobre el uso del cómic como recurso didáctico en la clase de E/LE para enseñar cultura. Aunque la cultura en la clase de E/LE muchas veces pasa desapercibida, constituye un excelente instrumento para la enseñanza de la lengua extranjera y, sobre todo, para que el futuro aprendiente sepa cómo, cuándo y de qué modo usar la lengua. Antes de desarrollar la presente experiencia práctica, es necesario que tratemos el término cultura y las distintas acepciones que supone.

Brief report: The Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS): Gender and age measurement invariance and convergent validity of the Turkish version

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morsunbul, Umit; Crocetti, Elisabetta; Cok, Figen; Meeus, Wim

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure and convergent validity of the Turkish version of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS). Participants were 1201 (59.6% females) youth aged between 12 and 24 years (Mage=17.53 years, SDage=3.25). Results indicated

Sensitivity Analysis on Fire Modeling of Main Control Board Fire Using Fire Dynamics Simulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Dae Il; Lim, Ho Gon

2015-01-01

In this study, sensitivity analyses for an MCB fire were performed to identify the effects on the MCR forced abandonment time according to the changes of height and number for fire initiation places. Hanul Unit 3 NPP was selected as a reference plant for this study. In this study, sensitivity analyses for an MCB fire were performed to identify the effects on the MCR forced abandonment time according to the changes of height and number of fire initiation places. A main control board (MCB) fire can cause a forced main control room (MCR) abandonment of the operators as well as the function failures or spurious operations of the control and instrumentation-related components. If the MCR cannot be habitable, a safe shutdown from outside the MCR can be achieved and maintained at an alternate shutdown panel independent from the MCR. When the fire modeling for an electrical cabinet such as an MCB was performed, its many input parameters can affect the fire simulation results. This study results showed that the decrease in the height of fire ignition place and the use of single fire ignition place in fire modeling for the propagating fire shortened MCR abandonment time

Features of Knowledge Building in Biology: Understanding Undergraduate Students’ Ideas about Molecular Mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Southard, Katelyn; Wince, Tyler; Meddleton, Shanice; Bolger, Molly S.

2016-01-01

Research has suggested that teaching and learning in molecular and cellular biology (MCB) is difficult. We used a new lens to understand undergraduate reasoning about molecular mechanisms: the knowledge-integration approach to conceptual change. Knowledge integration is the dynamic process by which learners acquire new ideas, develop connections between ideas, and reorganize and restructure prior knowledge. Semistructured, clinical think-aloud interviews were conducted with introductory and upper-division MCB students. Interviews included a written conceptual assessment, a concept-mapping activity, and an opportunity to explain the biomechanisms of DNA replication, transcription, and translation. Student reasoning patterns were explored through mixed-method analyses. Results suggested that students must sort mechanistic entities into appropriate mental categories that reflect the nature of MCB mechanisms and that conflation between these categories is common. We also showed how connections between molecular mechanisms and their biological roles are part of building an integrated knowledge network as students develop expertise. We observed differences in the nature of connections between ideas related to different forms of reasoning. Finally, we provide a tentative model for MCB knowledge integration and suggest its implications for undergraduate learning. PMID:26931398

Sensitivity Analysis on Fire Modeling of Main Control Board Fire Using Fire Dynamics Simulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Dae Il; Lim, Ho Gon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

In this study, sensitivity analyses for an MCB fire were performed to identify the effects on the MCR forced abandonment time according to the changes of height and number for fire initiation places. Hanul Unit 3 NPP was selected as a reference plant for this study. In this study, sensitivity analyses for an MCB fire were performed to identify the effects on the MCR forced abandonment time according to the changes of height and number of fire initiation places. A main control board (MCB) fire can cause a forced main control room (MCR) abandonment of the operators as well as the function failures or spurious operations of the control and instrumentation-related components. If the MCR cannot be habitable, a safe shutdown from outside the MCR can be achieved and maintained at an alternate shutdown panel independent from the MCR. When the fire modeling for an electrical cabinet such as an MCB was performed, its many input parameters can affect the fire simulation results. This study results showed that the decrease in the height of fire ignition place and the use of single fire ignition place in fire modeling for the propagating fire shortened MCR abandonment time.

Gold Nanoparticle-based Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering Fe(III) Ion Sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ly, Nguyen Hoang; Joo, Sang-Woo; Cho, Kwang Hwi

2015-01-01

We performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations of 4-aminobenzo-15-crown-5 (4AB15C5) in conjugation with 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4MCB) with the polarizable continuum model (PCM) while considering the aqueous media. After specific binding of the ferric ion onto the 4MCB.4AB15C5 compound, the Raman frequencies and intensities were estimated by DFT calculations with the PCM. It was predicted that the Raman intensities became significantly increased upon binding of the ferric ion. 4MCB.4AB15C5 could be assembled on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) via the cleavage of the thiol bond. Colorimetric and UV.Vis absorption spectroscopy indicated that AuNPs became significantly aggregated in the presence of 1.10 mM of the ferric ion. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of 4MCB.4AB15C5 was used to identify the dissimilar spectral behaviors that yield a difference in intensity in the presence of the ferric ion. These changes were not observed in the other biological ions Zn 2+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Na + , K + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , NH 4+ , and Co 2+ . This study indicated that 4AB15C5 could be used to detect ferric ions in aqueous AuNP solutions by a combined method of colorimetric, UV.Vis absorption, and Raman spectroscopy. AuNPs.[4MCB. 4AB15C5] can thus be utilized as a selective turn-on sensor to Fe3 + in aqueous solutions above 1 mM.

The Movement Control Battalions Role in Airfield Operations

Science.gov (United States)

2016-05-17

November–December 2015 Army Sustainment44 The 53rd Transportation Bat-talion ( Movement Control) (MCB) arrived in Liberia in support of the...over Internet Pro- tocol. The MCT did not have these capabilities. During the deployment, the 53rd MCB consisted of the headquarters The Movement ...Control Battalion’s Role in Airfield Operations The 53rd Transportation Battalion ( Movement Control) assumed responsibility for airfield operations

Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR). Volume 19, Number 3, March 2012

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

injury events (Parris Island/Beaufort, SC [n=899], MCB Camp Lejeune/Cherry Point, NC [n=659], Fort Polk, LA [n=555], Fort Cambell , KY [n=508]). Of the...7.7 MCB Camp Lejuene/ Cherry Hill, NC 659 5.7 Fort Polk, LA 555 4.8 Fort Cambell , KY 508 4.4 Camp Pendleton, CA 336 2.9 Fort Hood, TX 330 2.8 Fort

EL CÓMIC COMO RECURSO DIDÁCTICO PARA EL APRENDIZAJE DE LAS ACTIVIDADES FÍSICAS EN EL MEDIO NATURAL EN EL 2º CICLO DE LA EDUCACIÓN PRIMARIA ESPAÑOLA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eliseo García Cantó

2010-01-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo pretende mostrar la manera de trabajar la competencia lingüística en el segundo ciclo del área de Educación Física en España y más concretamente en los contenidos relacionados con las actividades en la naturaleza, a través de una herramienta motivadora para los niños como es el cómic. El alumnado va a mejorar sus hábitos lectores a través de la lectura del cómic y la realización de su correspondiente ficha de trabajo.

Flares on dMe stars: IUE and optical observations of At Mic, and comparison of far-ultraviolet stellar and solar flares

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bromage, G.E.; Phillips, K.J.H.; Dufton, P.L.; Kingston, A.E.

1986-01-01

The paper concerns observations of a large flare event on the dMe star At Mic, detected by the International Ultraviolet Explorer. The far-ultraviolet spectra of the flare is compared with those of other stellar flares, and also with a large solar flare recorded by the Skylab mission in 1973. The quiescent-phase optical and ultraviolet spectrum of the same dMe flare star is discussed. (U.K.)

Increased micronucleus, nucleoplasmic bridge, and nuclear bud frequencies in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of diesel engine exhaust-exposed workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiao; Duan, Huawei; Gao, Feng; Li, Yuanyuan; Huang, Chuanfeng; Niu, Yong; Gao, Weimin; Yu, Shanfa; Zheng, Yuxin

2015-02-01

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has recently reclassified diesel engine exhaust (DEE) as a Group 1 carcinogen. Micronucleus (MN), nucleoplasmic bridge (NPB), and nuclear bud (NBUD) frequencies in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) are associated with cancer risk. However, the impact of DEE exposure on MN frequency has not been thoroughly elucidated due to mixed exposure and its impact on NPB and NBUD frequencies has never been explored in humans. We recruited 117 diesel engine testing workers with exclusive exposure to DEE and 112 non-DEE-exposed workers, and then we measured urinary levels of 4 mono-hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry as well as MN, NPB, and NBUD frequencies in PBLs using cytokinesis-block MN assay. The DEE-exposed workers exhibited significantly higher MN, NPB, and NBUD frequencies than the non-DEE-exposed workers (P < 0.05). Among all study subjects, increasing levels of all 4 urinary OH-PAHs, on both quartile and continuous scales, were associated with increased MN, NPB, and NBUD frequencies (all P < 0.05). When the associations were analyzed separately in DEE-exposed and non-DEE-exposed workers, we found that the association between increasing quartiles of urinary 9-hydroxyphenanthrene (9-OHPh) and MN frequencies persisted in DEE-exposed workers (P = 0.001). The percent of MN frequencies increased, on average, by 23.99% (95% confidential interval, 9.64-39.93) per 1-unit increase in ln-transformed 9-OHPh. Our results clearly show that exposure to DEE can induce increases in MN, NPB, and NBUD frequencies in PBLs and suggest that DEE exposure level is associated with MN frequencies. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Arquetipos iconográficos femeninos en el cómic y la animación japonesa para adolescentes masculinos

OpenAIRE

López Rodríguez, Francisco Javier; García Pacheco, Juan A.

2011-01-01

El cómic japonés (manga) y la animación japonesa (anime) son poderosas industrias culturales que, progresivamente, se han ido expandiendo internacionalmente. A medida que estas obras han ido llegando a los mercados occidentales, la atención de los investigadores se ha fijado en las particularidades expresivas, narrativas y culturales de estos productos. La investigación en género relacionada con el manga y el anime se ha centrado principalmente en las obras destinadas a un público femenino y,...

Análisis de los problemas expresivos del cómic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Luís RODRÍGUEZ BELTRÁN

2009-11-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN: Se plantea en este artículo una aproximación a los códigos específicos del cómic que busca principalmente determinar algunas de las relaciones existentes entre los mismos. No se busca, por lo tanto, definir cada uno de estos códigos, tarea ya realizada en numerosos trabajos más extensos que el presente artículo, sino buscar claves que permitan entender por qué algunas historietas presentan una narración fluida y otras, en cambio, resultan de lectura difícil y poco clara. El proceso que se siguió a este efecto fue la realización de un estudio estadístico sobre una muestra de cómics "de calidad". Los criterios para la selección de la muestra residieron fundamentalmente en la eliminación de subproductos, con la intención de dejar aisladas una serie de historietas narradas con efectividad. A continuación, una vez definida la muestra, se trató de convertir en variables bipolares todo aquello que, a juicio del autor y de las referencias consultadas, fuera de importancia como código específico o elemento significativo en una narración de viñetas. El resultado arroja cierta luz sobre la conveniencia o no de usar determinados recursos de modo conjunto, y podría resultar útil como marco de referencia flexible para aquellos interesados en conocer la gramática del cómic más allá de sus elementos constitutivos mínimos.ABSTRACT: This article sets forth an approach to the specific codes of the comic, in which the main aim is to determine some of the relationships existing between them. The objective is thus not to define each one of these codes - a task already performed in numerous studies, more extensive than this article, - but to find keys that will enable us to understand why some comic strips have a fluent series of incidents and others, on the contrary, are difficult to read and not very clear. The process foliowed for this purpose was that of carrying out a statistical study of a sample of "quality" comics. The

Neutron-proton bremsstrahlung studies using the white neutron source at the LAMPF/WNR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wender, S.A.; Nelson, R.O.; Schillaci, M.E.; Blann, M.

1990-01-01

Nucleon-nucleon bremsstrahlung is a few-body radiative process that provides insight into several areas of nuclear physics. It is one of the simplest systems for studying the off-shell behavior of the nucleon-nucleon potential. The physics involved in neutron-proton bremsstrahlung (NPB) is significantly different from that of proton-proton bremsstrahlung (PPB). In particular, NPB cross sections are much larger than PPB cross sections because NPB allows E1 radiation, and the contribution to the cross section from the meson exchange currents has been calculated to be as large as the contributions from external radiation. To date there have been essentially four NPB experiments. These measurements have covered only a small part of the available phase space. A major experimental problem in performing these measurements has been the lack of a suitable intense, high-energy neutron beam. We are planning a measurement of the NPB cross section using the white neutron source at the WNR target area at the LAMPF accelerator. We plant to implement the experiment in three phases. In this first state, we shall measure inclusive hard-photon production using a multi-element gamma-ray telescope that is insensitive to neutrons. In the second phase, we shall measure the bremsstrahlung gamma-rays in coincidence with recoil protons. In the last phase, we shall detect the scattered neutrons in coincidence with the recoil protons and gamma rays. 8 refs., 6 figs

ENVIROMENTALLY BENIGN MITIGATION OF MICROBIOLOGICALLY INFLUENCED CORROSION (MIC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. Robert Paterek; Gemma Husmillo; Amrutha Daram; Vesna Trbovic

2003-10-31

The overall program objective is to develop and evaluate environmentally benign agents or products that are effective in the prevention, inhibition, and mitigation of microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) in the internal surfaces of metallic natural gas pipelines. The goal is to develop one or more environmentally benign (a.k.a. ''green'') products that can be applied to maintain the structure and dependability of the natural gas infrastructure. The technical approach for this quarter includes the application of the method of fractionation of the extracts by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); determination of antimicrobial activities of the new extracts and fractions using a growth inhibition assay, and evaluation of the extracts' ability to inhibit biofilm formation. We initiated the delivery system for these new biocides in the test cell and in mixtures of foam components and biocides/anti-biofilms. A total of 51 fractions collected by HPLC from crude extracts that were obtained from three varieties of Capsicum sp. (Serrano, Habanero, Chile de Arbol) were subjected to growth inhibition tests against two SRB strains, D. vulgaris and D. desulfuricans. Five fractions showed growth inhibition against both strains while seven inhibited D. desulfuricans only. The crude extracts did not show growth inhibition on both strains but were proven to be potent in preventing the formation of biofilm. Growth inhibition tests of the same set of crude extracts against Comamonas denitrificans did not show positive results. The fractions will be subjected to biofilm inhibition and dissociation assay as well. The delivery system to be evaluated first was foam. The ''foam pig'' components of surfactants and water were tested with the biocide addition. The first chemical and physical parameters to be tested were pH and surfactants. Tests using the fractionated pepper extracts are progressing rapidly. Gas chromatographic analysis

Using temperature and time criteria to control the effectiveness of continuous thermal sanitation of piggery effluent in terms of set microbial indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunault, C; Pourcher, A M; Burton, C H

2011-12-01

To determine the minimal conditions (temperature-time), necessary to achieve set sanitation targets for selected microbial indicators during the continuous thermal treatment of pig slurry. The effectiveness of thermal treatment between 55 and 96°C was studied using Escherichia coli, enterococci, sulfite-reducing Clostridia (SRC), mesophilic culturable bacteria (MCB), F+-specific and somatic phages. Identification of SRC and MCB was performed using 16S rRNA gene analysis. Ten minutes at 70°C or 1 h at 60°C was sufficient to reduce the vegetative bacteria by 4-5 log(10), but it had little effect on somatic phages nor on spore formers, dominated by Clostridium sp. At 96°C, somatic phages were still detected, but there was a reduction of 3.1 log(10) for SRC and of 1.4 log(10) for MCB. At 96°C, Clostridium botulinum was identified among the thermotolerant MCB. Only those hygienic risks relating to mesophilic vegetative bacteria can be totally eliminated from pig slurry treated at 60°C (60 min) or 70°C (cost treatment using heat recovery). However, even at 96°C, certain pathogens may persist. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology. No claim to French Government works.

La imagen y el texto en Le Photographe: una reflexión sobre fotoperiodismo, cómics y traducción

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabrina Moura Aragao

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo analiza cómo se produce el conocimiento del otro, es decir, del extranjero, a partir de la imagen y del texto en la traducción al portugués de Brasil del cómic francés “Le Photographe”. La obra está compuesta por dibujos, de Emmanuel Guibert, y de fotografías realizadas por Didier Levèfre que narran el trabajo de los Médicos Sin Fronteras durante la guerra en Afganistán a mediados de los años 1980. La obra fue publicada por primera vez en Francia en 2003 y en Brasil en 2006. Le Photographe constituye un rico material para el análisis gracias a la simultaneidad de discursos: el periodístico y el del cómic, al mismo tiempo que también propicia una reflexión sobre el proceso de traducción, ya que la obra intenta representar una cultura extranjera – la afgana – para franceses (en el contexto original y para brasileños (en el contexto de la traducción, lo que produce distintas representaciones y forma identidades culturales sobre aquel pueblo en los dos contextos de lectura de la obra. De esta manera, en el transcurso de la lectura del original a la traducción se construyen distintos tipos de conocimiento. Cuando analizamos Le Photographe, que se vale de un discurso periodístico y documental con las fotografías y la narración de los hechos de la guerra, nos vemos ante la construcción de “realidades”, y el periodismo tiene, para el sentido común, el poder de mostrar lo “real”. Nos interesa, entonces, investigar y discutir la formación de representaciones de la alteridad y de la “realidad” en el ámbito de los estudios de la traducción de cómics, observando la relación entre imagen y texto propio de este lenguaje y de qué manera el texto original y el traducido contribuyen, o no, para la formación de nuevas identidades culturales acerca del pueblo afgano.

Flight time, number of sectors and risk of low back pain among short and medium haul commercial female flight attendants in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irma Khrisnapandit

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstrak Latar belakang: Nyeri pinggang bawah (NPB sering dialami pramugari dan dapat membatasi tugas serta tanggung jawab pramugari. Tujuan penelitian ialah untuk mengetahui hubungan antara jam terbang dan faktor lainnya dengan NPB pramugari sipil penerbangan jarak dekat dan menengah di Indonesia. Metode: Studi potong lintang dengan sampling purposif dilakukan pada pramugari sipil penerbangan jarak dekat dan menengah yang melaksanakan pengujian kesehatan di Balai Kesehatan Penerbangan tanggal 5-26 Mei 2014. Data demografi, pekerjaan dan NPB dikumpulkan dengan pengisian kuesioner dan pemeriksaan fisik. Definisi NPB ialah nyeri anamnesis yang pernah atau masih dirasakan pada pinggang bawah 1 bulan terakhir, non-neural, dan tidak terkait cedera akut yang tidak berhubungan pekerjaan. Analisis regresi Cox digunakan untuk mengidentifikasi faktor risiko yang berhubungan NPB. Hasil: Di antara 333 pramugari yang melaksanakan pengujian kesehatan, 287 orang bersedia berpartisipasi, dan 240 di antaranya memenuhi kriteria inklusi. Sebanyak 37,9% pramugari menderita NPB. Faktor dominan yang mempertinggi risiko NPB ialah jam terbang dan jumlah sektor 24 jam terakhir. Pramugari dengan jam terbang 9 jam atau lebih dibandingkan dengan yang  kurang dari 9 jam berisiko 82% lebih tinggi mengalami NPB [risiko relatif suaian (RRa = 1,82; p = 0,000]. Ditinjau dari jumlah sektor 24 jam terakhir, pramugari dengan 4 sektor atau lebih dibandingkan yang kurang dari 4 sektor berisiko 53% lebih tinggi mengalami NPB (RRa = 1,53; p = 0,034.   Kesimpulan: Jam terbang 24 jam terakhir selama 9 jam atau lebih dan jumlah sektor sebanyak 24 jam terakhir 4 sektor atau lebih meningkatkan risiko NPB Kata kunci: nyeri pinggang bawah, pramugari, jam terbang, jumlah sektor   Abstract Background: Low back pain (LBP often experienced by flight attendants could limit their duties and responsibilities. Aim of this study was to determine the correlation between flight time and other factors

Spectrophotometric Determination of Microamounts of Uranium previous Extraction with TBP-MIC; Determinacion Espectrofotometrica de Microcantidades de Uranio previa extraccin con Metilisobutilcetona-Fosfato de Tributilo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vera Palomino, J; Palomares Delgado, F; Petrement, J; Fernandez Cellini, R

1962-07-01

Selective extraction of uranium in nitric acid medium with a mixture of Tbp-MIC (1:10) has been achieved. Aluminium nitrate was used as salting agent. Complexing agents were added in order to avoid extraction of impurities. Extraction conditions have been studied so that extraction is almost practically complete in a single run. (Author) 19 refs.

Application of Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture to the Yonsei University planetary boundary layer scheme in Weather Research and Forecasting model

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Melin; Huang, Bormin; Huang, Allen H.

2014-10-01

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model provided operational services worldwide in many areas and has linked to our daily activity, in particular during severe weather events. The scheme of Yonsei University (YSU) is one of planetary boundary layer (PBL) models in WRF. The PBL is responsible for vertical sub-grid-scale fluxes due to eddy transports in the whole atmospheric column, determines the flux profiles within the well-mixed boundary layer and the stable layer, and thus provide atmospheric tendencies of temperature, moisture (including clouds), and horizontal momentum in the entire atmospheric column. The YSU scheme is very suitable for massively parallel computation as there are no interactions among horizontal grid points. To accelerate the computation process of the YSU scheme, we employ Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) Architecture as it is a multiprocessor computer structure with merits of efficient parallelization and vectorization essentials. Our results show that the MIC-based optimization improved the performance of the first version of multi-threaded code on Xeon Phi 5110P by a factor of 2.4x. Furthermore, the same CPU-based optimizations improved the performance on Intel Xeon E5-2603 by a factor of 1.6x as compared to the first version of multi-threaded code.

Tratamiento quirúrgico de un aneurisma micótico en paciente con riñón en herradura por vía retroperitoneal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Muñoz-García

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 73 años diagnosticado de un aneurisma de aorta abdominal micótico que presenta un riñón en herradura. El paciente fue intervenido por vía retroperitoneal, realizándose resección del aneurisma, con postoperatorio irregular, pero finalmente siendo dado de alta sin incidencias y asintomático.

Los insectos como Estrategia Didactica en la enseñanza de la Ecologia, a través del Cómic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jairo Robles Piñeros

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo se desarrolló con el objetivo de implementar una estrategia didáctica basada en el estudio de los insectos como organismo tipo, haciendo énfasis en su importancia filogenética y ecológica. Por consiguiente, se abordaron algunos conceptos estructurantes de ecología pertinentes y necesarios en los grados octavos del Instituto Pedagógico Nacional (IPN; se propició un acercamiento a las problemáticas ambientales actuales y se promovió la conservación biológica desde el contexto inmediato. Parallevar a cabo estos objetivos, el proyecto se fundamentó en la realización de un cómic que funcionó como herramienta y recurso educativo que articula conceptos de entomología, ecología, conservación y permitió contribuir en la alfabetización científica del estudiante a través de un lenguaje sencillo y atractivo, hecho que además brindó la posibilidad de abordar la ciencia desde una visión holística y contextual. La finalización del proyecto de investigación permitió la evaluación de la estrategia y la materialización del cómic. El seguimiento realizado posibilitó visualizar la ampliación delas concepciones en uno de los obstáculos en el aprendizaje de las ciencias referido a los conocimientos previos, lo cual desarrolló en los estudiantes actitudes y tendencias positivas frente a los insectos y la naturaleza, su conservación y la responsabilidad inminente con el medio ambiente. El lenguaje cotidiano, promovido por el contexto social y cultural, se concibe como el principal obstáculo epistemológico en la enseñanza de la ecología. El abordaje de conceptos básicos en ecología fue un factor de transformación en las actitudes y percepciones de los estudiantes con respecto a los insectos. En cuanto al cómic, este se mantiene como una herramienta llamativa, eficaz y motivadora para la enseñanza de las temáticas científicas y promueve al estudiante actuar frente a las problemáticas ambientales más pr

Marine cloud brightening: regional applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Latham, John; Gadian, Alan; Fournier, Jim; Parkes, Ben; Wadhams, Peter; Chen, Jack

2014-12-28

The general principle behind the marine cloud brightening (MCB) climate engineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with substantial concentrations of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre-sized seawater particles might significantly enhance cloud albedo and longevity, thereby producing a cooling effect. This paper is concerned with preliminary studies of the possible beneficial application of MCB to three regional issues: (1) recovery of polar ice loss, (2) weakening of developing hurricanes and (3) elimination or reduction of coral bleaching. The primary focus is on Item 1. We focus discussion herein on advantages associated with engaging in limited-area seeding, regional effects rather than global; and the levels of seeding that may be required to address changing current and near-term conditions in the Arctic. We also mention the possibility that MCB might be capable of producing a localized cooling to help stabilize the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Final safety analysis report for the Ground Test Accelerator (GTA), Phase 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-10-01

This document is the first volume of a 3 volume safety analysis report on the Ground Test Accelerator (GTA). The GTA program at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is the major element of the national Neutral Particle Beam (NPB) program, which is supported by the Strategic Defense Initiative Office (SDIO). A principal goal of the national NPB program is to assess the feasibility of using hydrogen and deuterium neutral particle beams outside the Earth`s atmosphere. The main effort of the NPB program at Los Alamos concentrates on developing the GTA. The GTA is classified as a low-hazard facility, except for the cryogenic-cooling system, which is classified as a moderate-hazard facility. This volume consists of an introduction, summary/conclusion, site description and assessment, description of facility, and description of operation.

Kinetics of the removal of mono-chlorobenzene vapour from waste gases using a trickle bed air biofilter.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathur, Anil K; Sundaramurthy, J; Balomajumder, C

2006-10-11

The performance of a trickle bed air biofilter (TBAB) in the removal of mono-chlorobenzene (MCB) was evaluated in concentrations varying from 0.133 to 7.187 g m(-3) and at empty bed residence time (EBRT) varying from 37.7 to 188.52 s. More than 90% removal efficiency in the trickle bed air biofilter was achieved for the inlet MCB concentration up to 1.069 g m(-3) and EBRT less than 94.26 s. The trickle bed air biofilter was constructed with coal packing material, inoculated with a mixed consortium of activated sludge obtained from sewage treatment plant. The continuous performance of the removal of MCB in the trickle bed air biofilter was monitored for various gas concentrations, gas flow rates, and empty bed residence time. The experiment was conducted for a period of 75 days. The trickle bed air biofilter degrading MCB with an average elimination capacity of 80 g m(-3) h(-1) was obtained. The effect of starvation was also studied. After starvation period of 8 days, the degradation was low but recovered within a short period of time. Using macrokinetic determination method, the Michaelis-Menten kinetic constant K(m) and maximum reaction rate, r(max) evaluated as 0.121 g m(-3) s(-1) and 7.45 g m(-3), respectively.

Transformer Efficiency Assessment - Okinawa, Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas L. Baldwin; Robert J. Turk; Kurt S. Myers; Jake P. Gentle; Jason W. Bush

2012-08-01

The US Army Engineering & Support Center, Huntsville (USAESCH), and the US Marine Corps Base (MCB), Okinawa, Japan retained Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to conduct a Transformer Efficiency Assessment of “key” transformers located at multiple military bases in Okinawa, Japan. The purpose of this assessment is to support the Marine Corps Base, Okinawa in evaluating medium voltage distribution transformers for potential efficiency upgrades. The original scope of work included the MCB providing actual transformer nameplate data, manufacturer’s factory test sheets, electrical system data (kWh), demand data (kWd), power factor data, and electricity cost data. Unfortunately, the MCB’s actual data is not available and therefore making it necessary to de-scope the original assessment. Note: Any similar nameplate data, photos of similar transformer nameplates, and basic electrical details from one-line drawings (provided by MCB) are not a replacement for actual load loss test data. It is recommended that load measurements are performed on the high and low sides of transformers to better quantify actual load losses, demand data, and power factor data. We also recommend that actual data, when available, be inserted by MCB Okinawa where assumptions have been made and then the LCC analysis updated. This report covers a generalized assessment of modern U.S. transformers in a three level efficiency category, Low-Level efficiency, Medium-Level efficiency, and High-Level efficiency.

Transformer Efficiency Assessment - Okinawa, Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas L. Baldwin; Robert J. Turk; Kurt S. Myers; Jake P. Gentle; Jason W. Bush

2012-05-01

The US Army Engineering & Support Center, Huntsville (USAESCH), and the US Marine Corps Base (MCB), Okinawa, Japan retained Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to conduct a Transformer Efficiency Assessment of “key” transformers located at multiple military bases in Okinawa, Japan. The purpose of this assessment is to support the Marine Corps Base, Okinawa in evaluating medium voltage distribution transformers for potential efficiency upgrades. The original scope of work included the MCB providing actual transformer nameplate data, manufacturer’s factory test sheets, electrical system data (kWh), demand data (kWd), power factor data, and electricity cost data. Unfortunately, the MCB’s actual data is not available and therefore making it necessary to de-scope the original assessment. Note: Any similar nameplate data, photos of similar transformer nameplates, and basic electrical details from one-line drawings (provided by MCB) are not a replacement for actual load loss test data. It is recommended that load measurements are performed on the high and low sides of transformers to better quantify actual load losses, demand data, and power factor data. We also recommend that actual data, when available, be inserted by MCB Okinawa where assumptions have been made and then the LCC analysis updated. This report covers a generalized assessment of modern U.S. transformers in a three level efficiency category, Low-Level efficiency, Medium-Level efficiency, and High-Level efficiency.

Accuracy of the Thermo Fisher Scientific (Sensititre™) dry-form broth microdilution MIC product when testing ceftaroline.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Ronald N; Holliday, Nicole M; Critchley, Ian A

2015-04-01

Ceftaroline, the active metabolite of the ceftaroline fosamil pro-drug, was the first advanced-spectrum cephalosporin with potent activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. After 4 years of clinical use, few ceftaroline commercial susceptibility testing devices other than agar diffusion methods (disks and stable gradient) are available. Here, we validate a broth microdilution product (Sensititre™; Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cleveland, OH, USA) that achieved 99.2% essential agreement (manual and automated reading) and 95.3-100.0% categorical agreement, with high reproducibility (98.0-100.0%). Sensititre™ MIC values for ceftaroline, however, were slightly skewed toward an elevated value (0.5 × log2 dilution step), greatest when testing for streptococci and Enterobacteriaceae. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementation of an Agent-Based Parallel Tissue Modelling Framework for the Intel MIC Architecture

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Maciej Cytowski

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Timothy is a novel large scale modelling framework that allows simulating of biological processes involving different cellular colonies growing and interacting with variable environment. Timothy was designed for execution on massively parallel High Performance Computing (HPC systems. The high parallel scalability of the implementation allows for simulations of up to 109 individual cells (i.e., simulations at tissue spatial scales of up to 1 cm3 in size. With the recent advancements of the Timothy model, it has become critical to ensure appropriate performance level on emerging HPC architectures. For instance, the introduction of blood vessels supplying nutrients to the tissue is a very important step towards realistic simulations of complex biological processes, but it greatly increased the computational complexity of the model. In this paper, we describe the process of modernization of the application in order to achieve high computational performance on HPC hybrid systems based on modern Intel® MIC architecture. Experimental results on the Intel Xeon Phi™ coprocessor x100 and the Intel Xeon Phi processor x200 are presented.

Autoras contemporáneas en la historieta española. Revisión de la etiqueta ‘cómic femenino’

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cortijo, Adela

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This article, whose title is so generic, does not intend to be an exhaustive and historiographic list of women authoring contemporary Spanish comics. A priori, the deficiencies of the global label “woman comic” are questioned and the representative work of a group of draftswomen and scriptwriters is shown, since the 1980 decade (Madriz, El Cairo and El Víbora to nowadays publications: Laura Pérez-Vernetti, Ana Juan, Ana Miralles, Sonia Pulido and Clara- Tanit. These authors are linked by a generational bond and offer a series of sights, paintstrokes, subjects and diverse plastic styles. The woman production phenomenon is observed along with its reception in ad hoc-collections published by some publishing houses through retrospectives, symposium and exhibitions which are still alerting about the so needed visibility. At the same time, both the atraction and the tendency towards the drawing art and equally the links between comic made by women and the concept related to the author comic, literature and egotistic tales are studied too.

Este artículo, de título tan genérico, no pretende ser un listado exhaustivo e historiográfico de autoras de historieta contemporánea española. En esta aproximación se cuestionan a priori las deficiencias de la etiqueta global de “cómic femenino”, y se muestra el trabajo representativo de una serie de dibujantes y guionistas mujeres, desde los años ochenta (desde Madriz, El Cairo y El Víbora hasta la actualidad: Laura Pérez-Vernetti, Ana Juan, Ana Miralles, Sonia Pulido y Clara-Tanit. Autoras que se hilvanan en un hilo generacional y que ofrecen una explosión de miradas, de trazos, temas y estilos plásticos distintos. Se observa el fenómeno de la producción femenina y su recepción a través de colecciones ad hoc de algunas casas de edición, de retrospectivas, coloquios y exposiciones, que siguen alertando de la necesidad de una visibilidad

Entornos tecnológicos en el discurso del cómic japonés: Akira, Dragon Head y Gantz

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Manuel García Pérez

2017-10-01

Full Text Available El estudio de los contenidos de algunos cómics japoneses puede conducirnos al conocimiento de motivos, temas y estructuras recurrentes. El miedo al Apocalipsis y el recelo al milenarismo forman parte de la aventura literaria de muchas obras Manga donde el texto descriptivo y el texto cinematográfico operan juntos para producir esta clase de sensaciones que el receptor asume como premonitorias. Este recurso explica el miedo también a un entorno tecnológico que ha convertido las democracias reales en una clase de democracias virtuales donde los negocios y los lobbies dominan el caudal de la opinión pública

Perspectivas de la niñez adulta: El cómic como espacio de denuncia desde la marginalidad de sus personajes

OpenAIRE

Ana Merino

2010-01-01

Este artículo analiza la representación de la niñez en varios cómics iberoamericanos: Mafalda de Quino, Paracuellos de Carlos Jiménez y Socorro de Miguel Rep. En ellos se articula la infancia desde una perspectiva adulta y crítica con la sociedad mostrando una dimensión comprometida que interpela al lector. This article analyzes the representation of childhood in several Latin American comics: Mafalda by Quino, Paracuellos by Carlos Jiménez, and Socorro by Miguel Rep. In these comics, infancy...

Perspectivas de la niñez adulta: el cómic como espacio de denuncia desde la marginalidad de sus personajes

OpenAIRE

Merino, Ana

2010-01-01

Este artículo analiza la representación de la niñez en varios cómics iberoamericanos: mafalda de quino, paracuellos de carlos jiménez y socorro de miguel rep. En ellos se articula la infancia desde una perspectiva adulta y crítica con la sociedad mostrand This article analyzes the representation of childhood in several latin american comics: mafalda by quino, paracuellos by carlos jiménez, and socorro by miguel rep. In these comics, infancy is articulated from an adult angle critical with ...

The influence on the performance of operators along with the introduction of the advanced main control board

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohsuga, Yasuhiko

2010-01-01

This paper describes an influence on the performance of operators along with the introduction of the advanced main control board (MCB). The influence on the performance of operators is considered based on the operating procedure, the requirements for operators and the operator training. The operating procedure is the document which puts forward the way that the designer has thought in advance for the operators and describes the performance of operators. The introduction of the advanced MCB seems to be bringing a change of the operating procedure. The requirements for operators are the knowledge, skills and attitude, and crew resource management (CRM) skill. CRM skill makes use of the knowledge, skills and attitude and improves the team performance. The advanced MCB seems to induce a change of CRM skill i.e. the communication, decision making or problem solving, team building, situation awareness, and workload management of different shift teams. The operator training is the best way to verify the change of the operating procedure and CRM skill. (author)

Postantibiotic effects and postantibiotic sub-MIC effects of tilmicosin, erythromycin and tiamulin on erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus suis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liping; Zhang, Yuanshu

2009-10-01

The postantibiotic effects (PAEs) and postantibiotic sub-MIC effects (PA SMEs) of tilmicosin, erythromycin and tiamulin on erythromycin-susceptible and erythromycin-resistant strains of Streptococcus suis (M phenotype) were investigated in vitro. Tilmicosin and tiamulin induced significantly longer PAE and PA SME against both erythromycin-susceptible and erythromycin-resistant strains than did erythromycin. The durations of PAE and PA SMEs were proportional to the concentrations of drugs used for exposure. The PA SMEs were substantially longer than PAEs on S. suis (P<0.05) regardless of the antimicrobial used for exposure. The results indicated that the PAE and PA SME could help in the design of efficient control strategies for infection especially caused by erythromycin-resistant S. suis and that they may provide additional valuable information for the rational drug use in clinical practice.

Performance of a 100V Half-Bridge MOSFET Driver, Type MIC4103, Over a Wide Temperature Range

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Richard L.; Hammoud, Ahmad

2011-01-01

The operation of a high frequency, high voltage MOSFET (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors) driver was investigated over a wide temperature regime that extended beyond its specified range. The Micrel MIC4103 is a 100V, non-inverting, dual driver that is designed to independently drive both high-side and low-side N-channel MOSFETs. It features fast propagation delay times and can drive 1000 pF load with 10ns rise times and 6 ns fall times [1]. The device consumes very little power, has supply under-voltage protection, and is rated for a -40 C to +125 C junction temperature range. The floating high-side driver of the chip can sustain boost voltages up to 100 V. Table I shows some of the device manufacturer s specification.

Optimal thickness of hole transport layer in doped OLEDs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Y.C.; Zhou, J.; Zhao, J.M.; Zhang, S.T.; Zhan, Y.Q.; Wang, X.Z.; Wu, Y.; Ding, X.M.; Hou, X.Y. [Fudan University, Surface Physics Laboratory (National Key Laboratory), Shanghai (China)

2006-06-15

Current-voltage (I-V) and electroluminescence (EL) characteristics of organic light-emitting devices with N,N'-Di-[(1-naphthalenyl)-N,N'-diphenyl]-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) of various thicknesses as the hole transport layer, and tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq{sub 3}) selectively doped with 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM) as the electron transport layer, have been investigated. A trapped charge induced band bend model is proposed to explain the I-V characteristics. It is suggested that space charge changes the injection barrier and therefore influences the electron injection process in addition to the carrier transport process. Enhanced external quantum efficiency of the devices due to the electron blocking effect of an inserted NPB layer is observed. The optimal thickness of the NPB layer is experimentally determined to be 12{+-}3 nm in doped devices, a value different from that for undoped devices, which is attributed to the electron trap effect of DCM molecules. This is consistent with the result that the proportion of Alq{sub 3} luminescence in the total electroluminescence (EL) spectra increases with NPB thickness up to 12 nm under a fixed bias. (orig.)

The characterization of electroplex generated from the interface between 2-(4-trifluoromethyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole] zinc and N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'- bis(1-naphthyl)-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ye; Hao, Yuying; Meng, Weixin; Xu, Huixia; Wang, Hua; Xu, Bingshe

2012-03-01

The electroplex between (2-(4-trifluoromethyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole) zinc [Zn(4-TfmBTZ)2] as an electron-acceptor and N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(1-naphthyl)-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) as an electron-donor was characterized by bilayer, blend, and multilayer quantum-well (MQW) device, respectively. The blend composition and quantum-well number are effective parameters for tuning electroluminescence color. White light with high color purity and color rendering index (CRI) was observed from these devices based on Zn(4-TfmBTZ)2/NPB. Moreover, the blend and MQW devices all exhibit high operation stability, hence excellent color stability. For the device with 5 mol% NPB in blend layer, its Commission International Del'Eclairage (CIE) coordinate region is x=0.28-0.31, y=0.33-0.35 and CRI is 83.3-91.2 at 5-9 V. For MQW structure device with NPB of 60 nm thickness, its CIE coordinate region is x=0.29-0.32, y=0.31-0.34 and CRI=87.9-92.5 at 10-15 V. Such high color stability and purity and CRI, being close to ideal white light, are of current important for white OLED.

Comparative studies of ENDF/B-6.8, JEF-2.2 and JENDL-3.2 data libraries by monte carlo modeling of high temperature reactors on plutonium based fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talamo, Alberto; Gudowski, Waclaw; Cetnar, Jerzy

2004-01-01

We performed a numerical comparative analysis of the burnup capability of the Gas Turbine-Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR) by the Monte Carlo Continuous Energy Burnup Code (MCB). The MCB code is an extension of MCNP that includes the burnup implementation; it adopts continuous energy cross sections and it evaluates the transmutation trajectories for over 2,400 decaying nuclides. We equipped the MCB code with three different nuclear data libraries: JENDL-3.2, JEF-2.2 and ENDF/B-6.8 processed for temperatures from 300 to 1,800K. The GT-MHR model studied in this paper is fueled by actinides coming from the Light Water Reactors waste, converted into two different types of fuel: Driver Fuel and Transmutation Fuel. The Driver Fuel supplies the fissile nuclides needed to maintain the criticality of the reactor, whereas the Transmutation Fuel depletes non-fissile isotopes and controls reactivity excess. We set the refueling and shuffling period to one year and the in-core fuel residency time to three years. The comparative analysis of the MCB code consists of accuracy and precision studies. In the accuracy studies, we performed the burnup calculation with different nuclear data libraries during the year at which the refueling and shuffling schedule set the equilibrium of the fuel composition. In the precision studies, we repeated the same simulations 20 times with a different pseudorandom number stride and the same nuclear data library. (author)

Comparison of the effectiveness of complex decongestive therapy and compression bandaging as a method of treatment of lymphedema in the elderly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zasadzka E

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Ewa Zasadzka,1 Tomasz Trzmiel,1 Maria Kleczewska,2 Mariola Pawlaczyk1 1Department of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; 2Day Rehabilitation Center, Hospicjum Palium, Poznań, Poland Background: Lymphedema is a chronic condition which significantly lowers the quality of patient life, particularly among elderly populations, whose mobility and physical function are often reduced. Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of multi-layer compression bandaging (MCB and complex decongestive therapy (CDT, and to show that MCB is a cheaper, more accessible and less labor intensive method of treating lymphedema in elderly patients. Patients and methods: The study included 103 patients (85 women and 18 men aged ≥60 years, with unilateral lower limb lymphedema. The subjects were divided into two groups: 50 treated with CDT and 53 with MCB. Pre- and post-treatment BMI, and average and maximum circumference of the edematous extremities were analyzed. Results: Reduction in swelling in both groups was achieved after 15 interventions. Both therapies demonstrated similar efficacy in reducing limb volume and circumference, but MCB showed greater efficacy in reducing the maximum circumference. Conclusion: Compression bandaging is a vital component of CDT. Maximum lymphedema reduction during therapy and maintaining its effect cannot be achieved without it. It also demonstrates its effectiveness as an independent method, which can reduce therapy cost and accessibility. Keywords: lymphedema, elderly, therapy, compression bandaging

Postantibiotic effects and postantibiotic sub-MIC effects of tilmicosin, erythromycin and tiamulin on erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus suis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liping Wang

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The postantibiotic effects (PAEs and postantibiotic sub-MIC effects (PA SMEs of tilmicosin, erythromycin and tiamulin on erythromycin-susceptible and erythromycin-resistant strains of Streptococcus suis (M phenotype were investigated in vitro. Tilmicosin and tiamulin induced significantly longer PAE and PA SME against both erythromycin-susceptible and erythromycin-resistant strains than did erythromycin. The durations of PAE and PA SMEs were proportional to the concentrations of drugs used for exposure. The PA SMEs were substantially longer than PAEs on S. suis (P<0.05 regardless of the antimicrobial used for exposure. The results indicated that the PAE and PA SME could help in the design of efficient control strategies for infection especially caused by erythromycin-resistant S. suis and that they may provide additional valuable information for the rational drug use in clinical practice.

Extension of the AMBER molecular dynamics software to Intel's Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Needham, Perri J.; Bhuiyan, Ashraf; Walker, Ross C.

2016-04-01

We present an implementation of explicit solvent particle mesh Ewald (PME) classical molecular dynamics (MD) within the PMEMD molecular dynamics engine, that forms part of the AMBER v14 MD software package, that makes use of Intel Xeon Phi coprocessors by offloading portions of the PME direct summation and neighbor list build to the coprocessor. We refer to this implementation as pmemd MIC offload and in this paper present the technical details of the algorithm, including basic models for MPI and OpenMP configuration, and analyze the resultant performance. The algorithm provides the best performance improvement for large systems (>400,000 atoms), achieving a ∼35% performance improvement for satellite tobacco mosaic virus (1,067,095 atoms) when 2 Intel E5-2697 v2 processors (2 ×12 cores, 30M cache, 2.7 GHz) are coupled to an Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor (Model 7120P-1.238/1.333 GHz, 61 cores). The implementation utilizes a two-fold decomposition strategy: spatial decomposition using an MPI library and thread-based decomposition using OpenMP. We also present compiler optimization settings that improve the performance on Intel Xeon processors, while retaining simulation accuracy.

Effect of organic small-molecule hole injection materials on the performance of inverted organic solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jie; Zheng, Yifan; Zheng, Ding; Yu, Junsheng

2016-07-01

In this study, the influence of small-molecule organic hole injection materials on the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) as the hole transport layer (HTL) with an architecture of ITO/ZnO/P3HT:PC71BM/HTL/Ag has been investigated. A significant enhancement on the performance of OSCs from 1.06% to 2.63% is obtained by using N, N‧-bis(1-naphthalenyl)-N, N‧-bis-phenyl-(1, 1‧-biphenyl)-4, 4‧-diamine (NPB) HTL. Through the resistance simulation and space-charge limited current analysis, we found that NPB HTL cannot merely improve the hole mobility of the device but also form the Ohmic contact between the active layer and anode. Besides, when we apply mix HTL by depositing the NPB on the surface of molybdenum oxide, the power conversion efficiency of OSC are able to be further improved to 2.96%.

Identification and analytical characterization of six synthetic cannabinoids NNL-3, 5F-NPB-22-7N, 5F-AKB-48-7N, 5F-EDMB-PINACA, EMB-FUBINACA, and EG-018.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Cuimei; Jia, Wei; Hua, Zhendong; Qian, Zhenhua

2017-08-01

Clinical and forensic toxicology laboratories are continuously confronted by analytical challenges when dealing with the new psychoactive substances phenomenon. The number of synthetic cannabinoids, the chemical diversity, and the speed of emergence make this group of compounds particularly challenging in terms of detection, monitoring, and responding. Three indazole 7N positional isomer synthetic cannabinoids, two ethyl 2-amino-3-methylbutanoate-type synthetic cannabinoids, and one 9H-carbazole substituted synthetic cannabinoid were identified in seized materials. These six synthetic cannabinoid derivatives included: 1H-benzo[d] [1,2,3]triazol-1-yl 1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-3-carboxylate (NNL-3, 1), quinolin-8-yl 1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-3-carboxylate (5F-NPB-22-7N, 2), N-((1 s,3 s)-adamantan-1-yl)-1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-3-carboxamide (5F-AKB-48-7N, 3), ethyl 2-(1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (5F-EDMB-PINACA, 4), ethyl 2-(1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido)-3-methylbutanoate (EMB-FUBINACA, 5), and naphthalen-1-yl(9-pentyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)methanone (EG-018, 6). The identification was based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The analytical characterization of these six synthetic cannabinoids was described, so as to assist forensic laboratories in identifying these compounds or other substances with similar structure in their case work. To our knowledge, no analytical data about the compounds 1-5 have appeared until now, making this the first report on these compounds. The GC-MS data of 6 has been reported, but this study added the LC-MS, NMR, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), data to render the analytical data collection process more complete. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

The effect of dietary supplementation with rumen-protected methionine alone or in combination with rumen-protected choline and betaine on sheep milk and antioxidant capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsiplakou, E; Mavrommatis, A; Kalogeropoulos, T; Chatzikonstantinou, M; Koutsouli, P; Sotirakoglou, K; Labrou, N; Zervas, G

2017-10-01

This study investigated the effects of dietary inclusion of rumen-protected methionine alone or in combination with rumen-protected choline and betaine on: (i) milk yield, chemical composition and fatty acids (FA) profile and (ii) blood plasma glutathione transferase (GST) activity of periparturient ewes. Furthermore, the oxidative stress indicators for measuring total antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity [ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assays] were also determined in plasma and milk of ewes. Thus, 45 ewes were divided into three equal groups. Each animal of the control group fed daily with a basal diet. The same diet was offered also in each animal of the other two groups. However, the concentrate fed to M group was supplemented with 2.5 g/kg rumen-protected methionine, while the concentrate fed to MCB group with 5 g/kg of a commercial product which contained a combination of methionine, choline and betaine, all three in rumen-protected form. The results showed that the M diet, compared with the control, increased significantly the ewe's milk fat and the total solids content. Likewise, a tendency for higher milk fat and total solids content in ewes fed the MCB diet was also observed. Both M and MCB diets had not noticeable impact on ewes milk FA profile. Significantly higher FRAP values in the blood plasma of ewes fed the MCB and in the milk of ewes fed with the M diet compared with the control were found. Additionally, significantly higher GST activity in the blood plasma of ewes fed the M diet, compared with the control, was observed. Moreover, a significant increase (by 20%) and a tendency for increase (by 16.72%) in the growth rate of lambs nursing ewes fed with M and MCB diets, respectively, compared to controls, were found. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Stellar Winds and Dust Avalanches in the AU Mic Debris Disk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiang, Eugene; Fung, Jeffrey, E-mail: echiang@astro.berkeley.edu, E-mail: jeffrey.fung@berkeley.edu [Department of Astronomy, University of California at Berkeley, Campbell Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States)

2017-10-10

We explain the fast-moving, ripple-like features in the edge-on debris disk orbiting the young M dwarf AU Mic. The bright features are clouds of submicron dust repelled by the host star’s wind. The clouds are produced by avalanches: radial outflows of dust that gain exponentially more mass as they shatter background disk particles in collisional chain reactions. The avalanches are triggered from a region a few au across—the “avalanche zone”—located on AU Mic’s primary “birth” ring at a true distance of ∼35 au from the star but at a projected distance more than a factor of 10 smaller: the avalanche zone sits directly along the line of sight to the star, on the side of the ring nearest Earth, launching clouds that disk rotation sends wholly to the southeast, as observed. The avalanche zone marks where the primary ring intersects a secondary ring of debris left by the catastrophic disruption of a progenitor up to Varuna in size, less than tens of thousands of years ago. Only where the rings intersect are particle collisions sufficiently violent to spawn the submicron dust needed to seed the avalanches. We show that this picture works quantitatively, reproducing the masses, sizes, and velocities of the observed escaping clouds. The Lorentz force exerted by the wind’s magnetic field, whose polarity reverses periodically according to the stellar magnetic cycle, promises to explain the observed vertical undulations. The timescale between avalanches, about 10 yr, might be set by time variability of the wind mass loss rate or, more speculatively, by some self-regulating limit cycle.

Thermal decomposition of selected chlorinated hydrocarbons during gas combustion in fluidized bed

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Olek Malgorzata

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The process of thermal decomposition of dichloromethane (DCM and chlorobenzene (MCB during the combustion in an inert, bubbling fluidized bed, supported by LPG as auxiliary fuel, have been studied. The concentration profiles of C6H5CI, CH2Cl2, CO2, CO, NOx, COCl2, CHCl3, CH3Cl, C2H2, C6H6, CH4 in the flue gases were specified versus mean bed temperature. Results The role of preheating of gaseous mixture in fluidized bed prior to its ignition inside bubbles was identified as important factor for increase the degree of conversion of DCM and MCB in low bed temperature, in comparison to similar process in the tubular reactor. Conclusions Taking into account possible combustion mechanisms, it was identified that autoignition in bubbles rather than flame propagation between bubbles is needed to achieve complete destruction of DCM and MCB. These condition occurs above 900°C causing the degree of conversion of chlorine compounds of 92-100%.

Comparative plant uptake and microbial degradation of trichloroethylene in the rhizospheres of five plant species-- implications for bioremediation of contaminated surface soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, T. A. [Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States); Walton, B. T. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

1992-01-01

The objective of this study was to collect data that would provide a foundation for the concept of using vegetation to enhance in situ bioremediation of contaminated surface soils. Soil and vegetation (Lespedeza cuneata, Paspalum notatum, Pinus taeda, and Solidago sp.) samples from the Miscellaneous Chemicals Basin (MCB) at the Savannah River Site were used in tests to identify critical plant and microbiological variables affecting the fate of trichloroethylene (TCE) in the root zone. Microbiological assays including phospholipid acid analyses, and 14C-acetate incorporation were conducted to elucidate differences in rhizosphere and nonvegetated soil microbial communities from the MCB. The microbial activity, biomass, and degradation of TCE in rhizosphere soils were significantly greater than corresponding nonvegetated soils. Vegetation had a positive effect on microbial degradation of 14C-TCE in whole-plant experiments. Soils from the MCB containing Lespedeza cuneata, Pinus taeda, and Glycine max mineralized greater than 25% of the 14C- TCE added compared with less than 20% in nonvegetated soils. Collectively, these results provide evidence for the positive role of vegetation in enhancing biodegradation.

Comparative plant uptake and microbial degradation of trichloroethylene in the rhizospheres of five plant species-- implications for bioremediation of contaminated surface soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, T.A. (Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States)); Walton, B.T. (Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States))

1992-01-01

The objective of this study was to collect data that would provide a foundation for the concept of using vegetation to enhance in situ bioremediation of contaminated surface soils. Soil and vegetation (Lespedeza cuneata, Paspalum notatum, Pinus taeda, and Solidago sp.) samples from the Miscellaneous Chemicals Basin (MCB) at the Savannah River Site were used in tests to identify critical plant and microbiological variables affecting the fate of trichloroethylene (TCE) in the root zone. Microbiological assays including phospholipid acid analyses, and {sup 14}C-acetate incorporation were conducted to elucidate differences in rhizosphere and nonvegetated soil microbial communities from the MCB. The microbial activity, biomass, and degradation of TCE in rhizosphere soils were significantly greater than corresponding nonvegetated soils. Vegetation had a positive effect on microbial degradation of {sup 14}C-TCE in whole-plant experiments. Soils from the MCB containing Lespedeza cuneata, Pinus taeda, and Glycine max mineralized greater than 25% of the {sup 14}C- TCE added compared with less than 20% in nonvegetated soils. Collectively, these results provide evidence for the positive role of vegetation in enhancing biodegradation.

Competições e festivais na Grécia Pré-Helênica: as evidências minóico-micênicas

OpenAIRE

Ana Claudia Torralvo

1997-01-01

O que conhecemos das competições desportivas e dos festivais durante a Idade do Bronze na Grécia e no Egeu chegou até nós através das imagens representadas sobre os mais diversos suportes, como os afrescos, os relevos, a glíptica e outras manifestações da arte desse período. Neles percebemos algumas atividades físicas que podem caracterizar práticas desportivas: a luta corporal, praticada com luvas de couro, e a corrida, ambas comuns ao universo minóico-micênico. Já a tauromaquia ou salto do ...

Features of Knowledge Building in Biology: Understanding Undergraduate Students' Ideas about Molecular Mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Southard, Katelyn; Wince, Tyler; Meddleton, Shanice; Bolger, Molly S

2016-01-01

Research has suggested that teaching and learning in molecular and cellular biology (MCB) is difficult. We used a new lens to understand undergraduate reasoning about molecular mechanisms: the knowledge-integration approach to conceptual change. Knowledge integration is the dynamic process by which learners acquire new ideas, develop connections between ideas, and reorganize and restructure prior knowledge. Semistructured, clinical think-aloud interviews were conducted with introductory and upper-division MCB students. Interviews included a written conceptual assessment, a concept-mapping activity, and an opportunity to explain the biomechanisms of DNA replication, transcription, and translation. Student reasoning patterns were explored through mixed-method analyses. Results suggested that students must sort mechanistic entities into appropriate mental categories that reflect the nature of MCB mechanisms and that conflation between these categories is common. We also showed how connections between molecular mechanisms and their biological roles are part of building an integrated knowledge network as students develop expertise. We observed differences in the nature of connections between ideas related to different forms of reasoning. Finally, we provide a tentative model for MCB knowledge integration and suggest its implications for undergraduate learning. © 2016 K. Southard et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Optical Coronagraphic Spectroscopy of AU Mic: Evidence of Time Variable Colors?

Science.gov (United States)

Lomax, Jamie R.; Wisniewski, John P.; Roberge, Aki; Donaldson, Jessica K.; Debes, John H.; Malumuth, Eliot M.; Weinberger, Alycia J.

2018-02-01

We present coronagraphic long slit spectra of AU Mic’s debris disk taken with the STIS instrument aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. Our spectra are the first spatially-resolved, scattered light spectra of the system’s disk, which we detect at projected distances between approximately 10 and 45 au. Our spectra cover a wavelength range between 5200 and 10200 Å. We find that the color of AU Mic’s debris disk is bluest at small (12–17 au) projected separations. These results both confirm and quantify the findings qualitatively noted by Krist et al. and are different than IR observations that suggested a uniform blue or gray color as a function of projected separation in this region of the disk. Unlike previous literature, which reported that the color of AU Mic’s disk became increasingly more blue as a function of projected separation beyond ∼30 au, we find the disk’s optical color between 35 and 45 au to be uniformly blue on the southeast side of the disk and decreasingly blue on the northwest side. We note that this apparent change in disk color at larger projected separations coincides with several fast, outward moving “features” that are passing through this region of the southeast side of the disk. We speculate that these phenomenon might be related and that the fast moving features could be changing the localized distribution of sub-micron-sized grains as they pass by, thereby reducing the blue color of the disk in the process. We encourage follow-up optical spectroscopic observations of AU Mic to both confirm this result and search for further modifications of the disk color caused by additional fast moving features propagating through the disk.

Brief Report: The Identity Style Inventory (ISI-3) and the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS)--Factor Structure, Reliability, and Convergent Validity in French-Speaking University Students

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, Gregoire; Mahaim, Elodie Biermann; Mantzouranis, Gregory; Genoud, Philippe A.; Crocetti, Elisabetta

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure and the reliability of the French versions of the Identity Style Inventory (ISI-3) and the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) in a sample of college students (N = 457, 18-25 years old). Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the hypothesized three-factor solution…

Performance of a radio link between a base station and a medical implant utilising the MICS standard.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Anders J

2004-01-01

Modern medical implants are of increasing complexity and with that, the need for fast and flexible communication with them grows. A wireless system is preferable and an inductive link is the most commonly used. But it has the drawback of a very short range, essentially limited to having the external transceiver touching the patient. The Medical Implant Communication System, MICS, is a standard aimed at improving the communication distance. It operates at a higher frequency band between 402 MHz and 405 MHz. We have by simulations and measurements investigated the channel properties of this band and calculated the link performance for a typical implant application. The result is a link speed between a base station and a bedridden patient of 600 kbit bits per second with a bit error rate of 2% in the downlink to the implant and 1 % in the uplink to the base station. Conclusions on the necessary complexity of the base station are also given.

Oxidation of dibenzothiophene (DBT by Serratia marcescens UCP 1549 formed biphenyl as final product

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

de Araújo Hélvia W

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The desulphurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT, a recalcitrant thiophenic fossil fuel component by Serratia marcescens (UCP 1549 in order for reducing the Sulphur content was investigated. The Study was carried out establishing the growth profile using Luria Bertani medium to different concentrations of DBT during 120 hours at 28°C, and orbital Shaker at 150 rpm. Results The results indicated that concentrations of DBT 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mM do not affected the growth of the bacterium. The DBT showed similar Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MCB (3.68 mM. The desulphurization of DBT by S. marcescens was used with 96 hours of growth on 2 mM of DBT, and was determined by gas chromatography (GC and GC-mass spectrometry. In order to study the desulphurization process by S. marcescens was observed the presence of a sulfur-free product at 16 hours of cultivation. Conclusions The data suggests the use of metabolic pathway “4S” by S. marcescens (UCP 1549 and formed biphenyl. The microbial desulphurization process by Serratia can be suggest significant reducing sulphur content in DBT, and showed promising potential for reduction of the sulfur content in diesel oil.

Coupling of MIC-3 overexpression with the chromosome 11 and 14 root-knot nematode (RKN) (Meloidogyne incognita) resistance QTLs provides insights into the regulation of the RKN resistance response in Upland cotton...

Science.gov (United States)

High levels of resistance to root-knot nematode (RKN) (Meloidogyne incognita) in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is mediated by two major quantitative trait loci (QTL) located on chromosomes 11 and 14. We had previously determined that MIC-3 expression played a direct role in suppressing RKN egg...

A Educação Não Formal na Prevenção dos Problemas Ligados ao Álcool

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Tatiana Nunes

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The consumption of alcohol by young people and alcohol problems have been a growing concern in Portugal and worldwide. The origin of these consumptions arise numerous reasons, among them, the frustration of basic psychological needs (NPB, situation ripe for the adoption of compensatory behaviors in the face of frustration, as the consumption of alcohol. In preventing these behaviors and to the satisfaction of the NPB, can greatly contribute, by their inherent characteristics, Social Pedagogy, Social Education and Non Formal Education (NFE, concepts interlinked and associate noticeably. This paper then presents a study that examined the contributions that an intervention based on ENF brings to satisfaction of NPB and the decrease in the consumption patterns of young people. O consumo de álcool pelos jovens e os problemas ligados ao álcool têm sido uma preocupação crescente em Portugal e no Mundo. Na origem destes consumos surgem inúmeros motivos, entre os quais, a frustração das necessidades psicológicas básicas (NPB, situação propícia à adoção de comportamentos compensatórios face à frustração, como o consumo de álcool. Na prevenção destes comportamentos e para a satisfação das NPB, em muito pode contribuir, pelas suas caraterísticas inerentes, a Pedagogia Social, a Educação Social e a Educação Não Formal (ENF, conceitos que se interligam e associam percetivelmente. Neste artigo apresenta-se então um estudo que analisou os contributos que uma intervenção com base na ENF traz à satisfação das NPB e à diminuição dos padrões de consumo dos jovens. El consumo de alcohol entre los jóvenes y los problemas con el alcohol han sido una preocupación creciente en Portugal y en todo el mundo. El origen de estos consumos surgen numerosas razones, entre ellas, la frustración de las necesidades básicas psicológicas (NPB, situación propicia para la adopción de comportamientos compensatorios en la cara de frustraci

Mathematical model for the growth of P. aeruginosa and four mutator strains in sub-MIC concentration of Ciprofloxacin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philipsen, Kirsten Riber; Christiansen, Lasse Engbo; Madsen, Henrik

growing under sub-MIC Ciprofloxacin concentration (0.1 μg/ml), in order to describe the growth pattern under the presence of antibiotic. Data available for the modelling process is bioscreen measurements of the bacterial content as a function of time for each bacteria strain growing in LB media...... is that the presence of antibiotic results in selection of mutators in the lungs of CF patients, as these bacteria has a higher fitness under the presence of antibiotics. The goal of this study is to model the growth of P. aeruginosa and four different mutator strains (PAO1 mutT, mutY, mutM and mutM-mutY mutants) when......P. aeruginosa causes very critical and complicated infections, for which treatment is strongly dependent on successful antibiotic treatment. Therefore the evolution of antibiotic resistant P. aeruginosa does have serious consequences. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by the chronic P...

Perspectivas de la niñez adulta: El cómic como espacio de denuncia desde la marginalidad de sus personajes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Merino

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Este artículo analiza la representación de la niñez en varios cómics iberoamericanos: Mafalda de Quino, Paracuellos de Carlos Jiménez y Socorro de Miguel Rep. En ellos se articula la infancia desde una perspectiva adulta y crítica con la sociedad mostrando una dimensión comprometida que interpela al lector. This article analyzes the representation of childhood in several Latin American comics: Mafalda by Quino, Paracuellos by Carlos Jiménez, and Socorro by Miguel Rep. In these comics, infancy is articulated from an adult angle critical with society, showing a dimension of commitment appealing to their readership.

A Molecular Beam Deposition of DNA Nanometer Films

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

device structure consists of ITO/PEDOT:PSS (50 nm)/NPB (30 nm)/ Alq3 (40 nm)/BCP (20 nm)/ Alq3 (10 nm)/Li:Al, while the Bi- OLED has an additional DNA...layer; DNA- CTMA is an electron blocking layer (EBL); NPB is used as hole transport layer; Alq3 is used for both the electron transport layer and the...N,N’-bis(naphthalen-1-yl)-N,N’- bis(phenyl)benzidine)], Alq3 [tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum] and BCP [2,9- Dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10

White organic light-emitting diodes based on doped and ultrathin Rubrene layer

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yi; Jiang, Yadong; Wen, Wen; Yu, Junsheng

2010-10-01

Based on a yellow fluorescent dye of 5, 6, 11, 12-tetraphenylnaphthacene (Rubrene), WOLEDs were fabricated, with doping structure and ultrathin layer structure utilized in the devices. By doping Rubrene into blue-emitting N,N'-bis-(1- naphthyl)-N,N'-biphenyl-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine (NPB), the device with a structure of indium-tin-oxide (ITO)/NPB (40 nm)/NPB:Rubrene (0.25 wt%, 7 nm)/2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BCP) (30 nm)/Mg:Ag exhibited a warm white light with Commissions Internationale De L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.38, 0.41) at 12 V. The electroluminescent spectrum of the OLED consisted of blue and yellow fluorescent emissions, the intensity of blue emission increased gradually relative to the orange emission with increasing voltage. This is mainly due to the recombination zone shifted towards the anode side as the transmission rate of electrons grows faster than that of holes under higher bias voltage. A maximum luminance of 7300 cd/m2 and a maximum power efficiency of 0.57 lm/W were achieved. Comparatively, by utilizing ultrathin dopant layer, the device with a structure of ITO/NPB (40 nm)/Rubrene (0.3 nm)/NPB (7 nm)/BCP (30 nm)/Mg:Ag achieved a low turn-on voltage of 3 V and a more stable white light. The peaks of EL spectra located at 430 and 560 nm corresponding to the CIE coordinates of (0.32, 0.32) under bias voltage ranging from 5 to 15 V. A maximum luminance of 5630 cd/m2 and a maximum power efficiency of 0.6 lm/W were achieved. The balanced spectra were attributed to the stable confining of charge carriers and exciton by the thin emitting layers. Hence, with simple device structure and fabricating process, the device with ultrathin layer achieved low turn-on voltage, stable white light emitting and higher power efficiency.

Factores de riesgo en pacientes con sospecha de úlcera corneal micótica en Pinar del Río Risk factors found in patients with possible diagnosis of mycotic corneal ulcer in Pinar del Río province

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Janet González Sotero

2010-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Identificar los principales factores de riesgo en pacientes con sospecha de úlcera corneal micótica en la provincia Pinar del Río. MÉTODOS: Se realizó una investigación observacional, analítica de tipo caso-control. La información fue obtenida a través de la revisión de historias clínicas de los pacientes que ingresaron en el Servicio de Oftalmología del Hospital Clinicoquirúrgico "Abel Santamaría Cuadrado" con impresión diagnóstica de úlcera corneal micótica en el periodo comprendido entre el 1 de enero de 2004 y el 30 de noviembre de 2007. Se emplearon como variables edad, sexo, ocupación, tipo de lugar de residencia, antecedente reciente de trauma corneal con materia vegetal, trauma corneal, uso de lentes de contacto, uso de esteroides tópicos, enfermedades sistémicas inmunosupresoras, cirugía ocular previa y enfermedades crónicas de la superficie ocular. Se emplearon medidas de frecuencia y asociación. RESULTADOS: Se determinó que la ocupación, el tipo de lugar de residencia y el antecedente de trauma corneal con materia vegetal constituyen posibles factores de riesgo de la úlcera corneal micótica en esa provincia. La frecuencia de la úlcera corneal micótica fue de un 27 % con respecto al total de pacientes ingresados con diagnóstico de úlcera corneal. El sexo más afectado fue el masculino y el grupo etario el de 38 a 57 años. CONCLUSIONES: El antecedente de trauma corneal con materia vegetal, el lugar de residencia rural y las actividades laborales relacionadas con la manipulación directa de plantas constituyeron factores de riesgo de úlcera corneal micótica en los pacientes estudiados. La frecuencia de la úlcera corneal micótica en el estudio se correspondió con el patrón observado en países con clima cálido y húmedo, especialmente cerca del ecuador. La úlcera corneal micótica es más común en hombres en edades laboralmente activas.OBJECTIVE: To identify the main risk factors in

Modeling of the YALINA booster facility by the Monte Carlo code MONK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talamo, A.; Gohar, Y.; Kondev, F.; Kiyavitskaya, H.; Serafimovich, I.; Bournos, V.; Fokov, Y.; Routkovskaya, C.

2007-01-01

The YALINA-Booster facility has been modeled according to the benchmark specifications defined for the IAEA activity without any geometrical homogenization using the Monte Carlo codes MONK and MCNP/MCNPX/MCB. The MONK model perfectly matches the MCNP one. The computational analyses have been extended through the MCB code, which is an extension of the MCNP code with burnup capability because of its additional feature for analyzing source driven multiplying assemblies. The main neutronics arameters of the YALINA-Booster facility were calculated using these computer codes with different nuclear data libraries based on ENDF/B-VI-0, -6, JEF-2.2, and JEF-3.1.

Molecular evolution of Theta-class glutathione transferase for enhanced activity with the anticancer drug 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea and other alkylating agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Larsson, Anna-Karin; Shokeer, Abeer; Mannervik, Bengt

2010-05-01

Glutathione transferase (GST) displaying enhanced activity with the cytostatic drug 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) and structurally related alkylating agents was obtained by molecular evolution. Mutant libraries created by recursive recombination of cDNA coding for human and rodent Theta-class GSTs were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and screened with the surrogate substrate 4-nitrophenethyl bromide (NPB) for enhanced alkyltransferase activity. A mutant with a 70-fold increased catalytic efficiency with NPB, compared to human GST T1-1, was isolated. The efficiency in degrading BCNU had improved 170-fold, significantly more than with the model substrate NPB. The enhanced catalytic activity of the mutant GST was also 2-fold higher with BCNU than wild-type mouse GST T1-1, which is 80-fold more efficient than wild-type human GST T1-1. We propose that GSTs catalyzing inactivation of anticancer drugs may find clinical use in protecting sensitive normal tissues to toxic side-effects in treated patients, and as selectable markers in gene therapy. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Final safety analysis report for the Ground Test Accelerator (GTA), Phase 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-10-01

This document is the second volume of a 3 volume safety analysis report on the Ground Test Accelerator (GTA). The GTA program at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is the major element of the national Neutral Particle Beam (NPB) program, which is supported by the Strategic Defense Initiative Office (SDIO). A principal goal of the national NPB program is to assess the feasibility of using hydrogen and deuterium neutral particle beams outside the Earth`s atmosphere. The main effort of the NPB program at Los Alamos concentrates on developing the GTA. The GTA is classified as a low-hazard facility, except for the cryogenic-cooling system, which is classified as a moderate-hazard facility. This volume consists of failure modes and effects analysis; accident analysis; operational safety requirements; quality assurance program; ES&H management program; environmental, safety, and health systems critical to safety; summary of waste-management program; environmental monitoring program; facility expansion, decontamination, and decommissioning; summary of emergency response plan; summary plan for employee training; summary plan for operating procedures; glossary; and appendices A and B.

Trap effect of an ultrathin DCJTB layer in organic light-emitting diodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Yuanmin [Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Key Laboratory for Information Storage, Displays and Materials, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 (China); Teng Feng [Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Key Laboratory for Information Storage, Displays and Materials, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 (China)]. E-mail: advanced9898@126.com; Xu Zheng [Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Key Laboratory for Information Storage, Displays and Materials, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 (China); Hou Yanbing [Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Key Laboratory for Information Storage, Displays and Materials, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 (China); Yang Shengyi [Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Key Laboratory for Information Storage, Displays and Materials, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 (China); Xu Xurong [Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Key Laboratory for Information Storage, Displays and Materials, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 (China)

2005-08-15

An improved performance of organic light-emitting diodes has been obtained by using 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl) -4Hpyran (DCJTB) as an ultrathin emitting layer. When 0.1 nm DCJTB was inserted between the hole-transporting layer and electron-transporting layer, for an unoptimized device indium-tin oxide (ITO)/naphtylphenyliphenyl diamine (NPB)/DCJTB (0.1 nm)/8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq{sub 3})/Al, the maximum brightness was 1531 cd m{sup -2} at 15 V. Compared with doped devices ITO/NPB/Alq{sub 3}:DCJTB (1%)/Alq{sub 3}/LiF/Al, a higher efficiency has been achieved. Compared with the conventional device ITO/NPB/Alq{sub 3}/Al, the inserted device has a slightly higher current efficiency and lower turn-on voltage. We suggest the ultrathin DCJTB layer acts as trap for carriers, and the accumulated holes at the hole-transport layer/electron-transport layer interface have enhanced the electric field in the electron-transport layer and improved the electron injection at the cathode.

White light emission from exciplex using tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum as chromaticity-tuning layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Jing; Li, Feng; Gao, Wenbao; Liu, Shiyong; Liu, Yu; Wang, Yue

2001-01-01

We demonstrate efficient organic white light-emitting devices (LEDs), using N,N prime-diphenyl-N,N prime-bis(1-naphthyl) - (1,1 prime-biphenyl)-4,4 prime-diamine (NPB) as the hole-transporting layer, 1,6-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)pyridine boron complex [(dppy)BF] as the emitting layer, tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq) as the electron-transporting and chromaticity-tuning layer. The white light comes from exciplex emission at the solid-state interface between (dppy)BF and NPB in addition to the exciton emission from NPB and (dppy)BF, respectively. The chromaticity of white emission can be tuned by adjusting the thickness of the Alq layer. The white LEDs with an Alq thickness of 15 nm exhibit a maximum luminescence of 2000 cd/m2 and efficiency of 0.58 lm/W, and the Commission Internationale De l'Eclairage coordinates of resulting emission vary from (0.29,0.33) to (0.31,0.35) with increasing forward bias from 10 to 25 V. The region is very close to the equienergy white point (0.33,0.33). [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

El cómic en la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Catalá Carrasco

2007-01-01

Full Text Available La experiencia práctica que voy a relatar pretende mostrar las posibilidades que el cómic tiene, como producto cultural, dentro de las clases de español para extranjeros. Mi relación con las clases de español como lengua extranjera (E/LE se ciñe a estudiantes universitarios de un nivel avanzado, esto es, aquellos que han cursado las clases básicas de gramática y quieren profundizar en la lengua y la cultura hispánicas. Dentro de este marco es donde encuadro la presente experiencia. Los estudiantes con los que he trabajado provienen, en su mayoría, de The University of Georgia en los EE.UU. y cursan un semestre en Valencia (España para perfeccionar el idioma. Mi relación profesional con esta universidad norteamericana data de hace más de 4 años, primero como profesor asistente de español en los EE.UU. y luego como coordinador y profesor dentro del programa académico UGA en España, en Valencia.

El cómic en la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Catalá Carrasco

2012-08-01

Full Text Available La experiencia práctica que voy a relatar pretende mostrar las posibilidades que el cómic tiene, como producto cultural, dentro de las clases de español para extranjeros. Mi relación con las clases de español como lengua extranjera (E/LE se ciñe a estudiantes universitarios de un nivel avanzado, esto es,  aquellos que han cursado las clases básicas de gramática y quieren profundizar en la lengua y la cultura hispánicas. Dentro de este marco es donde encuadro la presente experiencia. Los estudiantes con los que he trabajado provienen, en su mayoría, de The University of Georgia en los EE.UU. y cursan un semestre en Valencia (España para perfeccionar el idioma. Mi relación profesional con esta universidad norteamericana data de hace más de 4 años, primero como profesor asistente de español en los EE.UU. y luego como  coordinador y profesor dentro del programa académico UGA en España, en Valencia.

MCB-2 concentration meter for boric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lisecki, W.

1978-01-01

The principles are explained of the thermal neutron absorption method for monitoring boric acid concentration in the WWER type reactor coolant. The design principles and the characteristics of four variants are described of the MSB-2 type boric acid concentration monitor developed by IBJ. (B.S.)

The Widely Used ATB FUNGUS 3 Automated Readings in China and Its Misleading High MICs of Candida spp. to Azoles: Challenges for Developing Countries' Clinical Microbiology Labs

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Li; Wang, He; Xiao, Meng; Kudinha, Timothy; Mao, Lei-Li; Zhao, Hao-Ran; Kong, Fanrong; Xu, Ying-Chun

2014-01-01

The rapid development in the clinical microbiology diagnostic assays presents more challenges for developing countries than for the developed world, especially in the area of test validation before the introduction of new tests. Here we report on the misleading high MICs of Candida spp. to azoles using the ATB FUNGUS 3 (bioMérieux, La Balme-les Grottes, France) with automated readings in China to highlight the dangers of introducing a diagnostic assay without validation. ATB FUNGUS 3 is the m...

SOLUTION FOR ICHTHYOFAUNA MIGRATION UPSTREAM- DOWNSTREAM OF THE TWO SPILLWAYS LOCATED NEAR MANASTUR DAM ON THE SOMESUL MIC RIVER IN THE CLUJ NAPOCA CITY (ROMÂNIA

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Razvan VOICU

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Longitudinal connectivity represent the way in which organisms move the energy and material exchanges located throughout the water. Fragmentation the longitudinal connectivity of watercourses caused by dams or other hydrotechnical constructions represent a major impact on sediment transport, hydrological regime, downstream moving and biota migration. The hydromorphological elements (river continuity, as well as chemical, biological, physicochemical elements characterize the ecological status of rivers.Migratory fish species: nase (Chondrostoma nasus - protected by Bern Convention - Appendix III and barbel (Barbus barbus - rare species, protected Habitats Directive (Annex V, annex 4A of Low nr.462 and Red List of RBDD are blocked but the Hydrotechnical constructions (discharge sills, dams etc located across the watercourse Somes Mic River. One of the important think of this system is the gravitational fall of water. This solution will lead to the restoration of the longitudinal connection of the Someşul Mic River in the Manastur neighborhood. România is part of the European Union and it has the obligation to implement the provisions of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, transposed into Romanian legislation by the Water Law 107/1996 as supplemented and amended (Act 310/2004. This engineering solution for fish fauna migration upstream – downstream of the spillways supports the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, transposed into Romanian legislation by the Water Law 107/1996 as supplemented and amended (Act 310/2004.

Marine cloud brightening

Science.gov (United States)

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, Hugh; Connolly, Paul; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John; Neukermans, Armand; Ormond, Bob; Parkes, Ben; Rasch, Phillip; Rush, John; Salter, Stephen; Stevenson, Tom; Wang, Hailong; Wang, Qin; Wood, Rob

2012-01-01

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could—subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identified herein—have the capacity to balance global warming up to the carbon dioxide-doubling point. We describe herein an account of our recent research on a number of critical issues associated with MCB. This involves (i) GCM studies, which are our primary tools for evaluating globally the effectiveness of MCB, and assessing its climate impacts on rainfall amounts and distribution, and also polar sea-ice cover and thickness; (ii) high-resolution modelling of the effects of seeding on marine stratocumulus, which are required to understand the complex array of interacting processes involved in cloud brightening; (iii) microphysical modelling sensitivity studies, examining the influence of seeding amount, seed-particle salt-mass, air-mass characteristics, updraught speed and other parameters on cloud–albedo change; (iv) sea water spray-production techniques; (v) computational fluid dynamics studies of possible large-scale periodicities in Flettner rotors; and (vi) the planning of a three-stage limited-area field research experiment, with the primary objectives of technology testing and determining to what extent, if any, cloud albedo might be enhanced by seeding marine stratocumulus clouds on a spatial scale of around 100×100 km. We stress that there would be no justification for deployment of MCB unless it was clearly established that no significant adverse consequences would result. There would also need to be an international agreement firmly in favour of such action

Marine Cloud Brightening

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, H.; Connolly, P.; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John; Neukermans, Armand; Ormond, Bob; Parkes, Ben; Rasch, Philip J.; Rush, John; Salter, Stephen; Stevenson, Tom; Wang, Hailong; Wang, Qin; Wood, Robert

2012-09-07

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could - subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identified herein - have the capacity to balance global warming up to the carbon dioxide-doubling point. We describe herein an account of our recent research on a number of critical issues associated with MCB. This involves (i) GCM studies, which are our primary tools for evaluating globally the effectiveness of MCB, and assessing its climate impacts on rainfall amounts and distribution, and also polar sea-ice cover and thickness; (ii) high-resolution modelling of the effects of seeding on marine stratocumulus, which are required to understand the complex array of interacting processes involved in cloud brightening; (iii) microphysical modelling sensitivity studies, examining the influence of seeding amount, seedparticle salt-mass, air-mass characteristics, updraught speed and other parameters on cloud-albedo change; (iv) sea water spray-production techniques; (v) computational fluid dynamics studies of possible large-scale periodicities in Flettner rotors; and (vi) the planning of a three-stage limited-area field research experiment, with the primary objectives of technology testing and determining to what extent, if any, cloud albedo might be enhanced by seeding marine stratocumulus clouds on a spatial scale of around 100 km. We stress that there would be no justification for deployment of MCB unless it was clearly established that no significant adverse consequences would result. There would also need to be an international agreement firmly in favour of such action.

Marine cloud brightening.

Science.gov (United States)

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, Hugh; Connolly, Paul; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John; Neukermans, Armand; Ormond, Bob; Parkes, Ben; Rasch, Phillip; Rush, John; Salter, Stephen; Stevenson, Tom; Wang, Hailong; Wang, Qin; Wood, Rob

2012-09-13

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could-subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identified herein-have the capacity to balance global warming up to the carbon dioxide-doubling point. We describe herein an account of our recent research on a number of critical issues associated with MCB. This involves (i) GCM studies, which are our primary tools for evaluating globally the effectiveness of MCB, and assessing its climate impacts on rainfall amounts and distribution, and also polar sea-ice cover and thickness; (ii) high-resolution modelling of the effects of seeding on marine stratocumulus, which are required to understand the complex array of interacting processes involved in cloud brightening; (iii) microphysical modelling sensitivity studies, examining the influence of seeding amount, seed-particle salt-mass, air-mass characteristics, updraught speed and other parameters on cloud-albedo change; (iv) sea water spray-production techniques; (v) computational fluid dynamics studies of possible large-scale periodicities in Flettner rotors; and (vi) the planning of a three-stage limited-area field research experiment, with the primary objectives of technology testing and determining to what extent, if any, cloud albedo might be enhanced by seeding marine stratocumulus clouds on a spatial scale of around 100×100 km. We stress that there would be no justification for deployment of MCB unless it was clearly established that no significant adverse consequences would result. There would also need to be an international agreement firmly in favour of such action.

El problema de las concepciones alternativas en la actualidad (parte III). Utilización didáctica de los errores conceptuales que aparecen en cómics, prensa, novelas y libros de texto

OpenAIRE

Jaime Carrascosa-Alís

2006-01-01

La existencia de graves errores conceptuales en artículos de prensa, novelas, cómics e incluso libros de texto está relacionada con el origen y persistencia de determinadas ideas alternativas. Cabe plantearse si no podrían utilizarse estos mismos medios para contribuir al tratamiento y el cambio de tales ideas.

A library of MiMICs allows tagging of genes and reversible, spatial and temporal knockdown of proteins in Drosophila

Science.gov (United States)

Nagarkar-Jaiswal, Sonal; Lee, Pei-Tseng; Campbell, Megan E; Chen, Kuchuan; Anguiano-Zarate, Stephanie; Cantu Gutierrez, Manuel; Busby, Theodore; Lin, Wen-Wen; He, Yuchun; Schulze, Karen L; Booth, Benjamin W; Evans-Holm, Martha; Venken, Koen JT; Levis, Robert W; Spradling, Allan C; Hoskins, Roger A; Bellen, Hugo J

2015-01-01

Here, we document a collection of ∼7434 MiMIC (Minos Mediated Integration Cassette) insertions of which 2854 are inserted in coding introns. They allowed us to create a library of 400 GFP-tagged genes. We show that 72% of internally tagged proteins are functional, and that more than 90% can be imaged in unfixed tissues. Moreover, the tagged mRNAs can be knocked down by RNAi against GFP (iGFPi), and the tagged proteins can be efficiently knocked down by deGradFP technology. The phenotypes associated with RNA and protein knockdown typically correspond to severe loss of function or null mutant phenotypes. Finally, we demonstrate reversible, spatial, and temporal knockdown of tagged proteins in larvae and adult flies. This new strategy and collection of strains allows unprecedented in vivo manipulations in flies for many genes. These strategies will likely extend to vertebrates. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05338.001 PMID:25824290

La Multimodalidad del cómic: Una experiencia de lectura de imágenes en los primeros grados escolares

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Adriana Chacón Méndez

2015-07-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo es el resultado de la investigación “Lectores de cómics: constructores de sentido”, una experiencia de lectura de imágenes que desde la perspectiva semiótica favorece la construcción de sentido de lo que se lee y posibilita la producción escrita en el contexto escolar. Esta investigación se realizó con estudiantes de segundo de primaria, en clase de lenguaje, en una institución educativa pública de Bogotá. El proyecto se desarrolló a través del diseño metodológico de la sistematización de experiencias que correlaciona los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje a través de prácticas pedagógicas que responden a nuevos modos de leer nuevos lenguajes, nuevas formas de representar y configurar la cultura.

Family nurture intervention improves the quality of maternal caregiving in the neonatal intensive care unit: evidence from a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hane, Amie A; Myers, Michael M; Hofer, Myron A; Ludwig, Robert J; Halperin, Meeka S; Austin, Judy; Glickstein, Sara B; Welch, Martha G

2015-04-01

This study assessed the impact of Family Nurture Intervention (FNI) on the quality of maternal caregiving behavior (MCB) while in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). FNI is a randomized controlled trial conducted in a high-acuity NICU to facilitate an emotional connection between mothers and their premature infants. FNI begins shortly after birth, continues until discharge, and involves mother/infant calming sessions that include scent cloth exchange, vocal soothing and emotion expression, eye contact, skin-to-skin and clothed holding, and family-based support sessions. Maternal caregiving behavior was coded during a single holding and feeding session (∼30 min) in the NICU before discharge at approximately 36 weeks gestational age (GA). Sixty-five mothers and their premature infants (34 male, 31 female; 26-34 wk GA) were included in these analyses (FNI, n = 35; standard care [SC], n = 30). Relative to mothers in the SC condition, those in the FNI group showed significantly higher quality MCB, which remained significant when controlling for birth order, twin status, maternal depression, and maternal anxiety. This is the first study to demonstrate that in-unit MCB can be enhanced by a hospital-based intervention. FNI provides a new rationale for integrating nurture-based interventions into standard NICU care.

Facial dimensions, bite force and masticatory muscle thickness in preschool children with functional posterior crossbite

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Paula Midori Castelo

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Posterior crossbite may affect craniofacial growth and development. Thus, this study aimed to associate facial dimensions (by standardized frontal photographs to masseter and anterior portion of the temporal muscle thickness (by ultrasonography and maximal bilateral bite force in 49 children with deciduous and early mixed dentitions. They were distributed in four groups: deciduous-normal occlusion (DNO, n = 15, deciduous-crossbite (DCB, n = 10, mixed-normal occlusion (MNO, n = 13 and mixed-crossbite (MCB, n = 11. Anterior facial height (AFH, bizygomatic width (FWB, and intergonial width (FWI were determined and associated with muscle thickness and bite force, applying Pearson’s coefficients and multiple logistic regression, with age, gender, body weight and height as the covariates. FWB and FWI were correlated positively with the masseter thickness, whereas AFH/FWB and AFH/FWI ratios had negative correlation, except in the DNO group. The correlation between AFH/FWB and bite force in the MCB group was significantly negative. A higher AFH/FWB in MNO and MCB led to a significantly higher probability for functional crossbite development. In the studied sample, it was observed that children in the early mixed dentition with a long-face trend showed lower bite force and higher probability to present functional posterior crossbite, without significant influence of the covariates.

El vídeo, el cómic y el rap: una forma diferente de desbloquear al candidato del DELE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florencia Battagliero Bocco

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Resumen: El objetivo del presente artículo es trabajar y reforzar las destrezas y competencias necesarias para aprobar el Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera. Para ello, se planteará una serie de recursos que buscan desbloquear al estudiante en un ambiente distendido, sobre todo los días previos al examen. La propuesta se centrará en la Prueba de Expresión e Interacción Orales, concretamente en la tarea 3 del nivel B1 y en la tarea 2 del nivel B2, que corresponden a la descripción de una fotografía. Se empleará, por una parte, un vídeo de carácter estático (donde el interlocutor no expresa movimientos corporales pronunciados y por otra, cómics de Argentina que a su vez servirán para ampliar el léxico en la variante rioplatense. Por último, se tratará el uso del rap como herramienta para mejorar la pronunciación, entonación y el empleo del lenguaje no verbal. Palabras claves: DELE, vídeo, cómic, rap.   Abstract: The purpose of the following essay is to train and to strengthen the skills and the competences required to pass the “Spanish as a Foreign Language Certificate”. In order to do so, we will first consider various resources which aim to release students from any kind of stress by setting up a relaxed atmosphere – especially a few days before the exam. The focus of the present essay has to be linked to the Expression and Oral Interaction tests and above all to the assignments 3 (B1 level and 2 (B2 level, and their picture descriptions. On the one hand, we will use a static video and, on the other hand, we will tackle Argentinian comics in order to expand students’ knowledge of the Río de la Plata lexicon. Finally, we will deal with the use of rap as a tool to improve pronunciation, intonation, and non-verbal communication. Key words: DELE, video, comic, rap.

El problema de las concepciones alternativas en la actualidad (parte III. utilización didáctica de los errores conceptuales que aparecen en cómics, prensa, novelas y libros de texto

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carrascosa, J.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available La existencia de graves errores conceptuales en artículos de prensa, novelas, cómics e incluso libros de texto está relacionada con el origen y persistencia de determinadas ideas alternativas. Cabe plantearse si no podrían utilizarse estos mismos medios para contribuir al tratamiento y el cambio de tales ideas.

La intertextualidad en el cine de Álex de la Iglesia:El caso del cómic

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Neftalí Pérez Franco

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Este artículo repasa la influencia del tebeo en las películas del director vasco, Alex de la Iglesia, cuyas primeras obras artísticas se deben a su condición de joven autor de historietas. El cine de este cineasta está marcado por claras reminiscencias provenientes de las viñetas: los superhéroes patéticos de Acción mutante se mueven por un contexto futurista muy del cómic de ciencia ficción; el humor estereotipado y los personajes grotescos del tebeo de la editorial Bruguera inundan todas sus comedias; o también son destacables los diversos homenajes narrativos o estéticos a la escuela franco-belga de Hergé y Goscinny. Esta fuerte influencia recorre toda su filmografía desde la mencionada ópera prima Acción mutante, hasta Crimen Ferpecto, pasando por títulos como El día de la bestia, Perdita Durango, Muertos de risa o La comunidad, hasta convertirse en un autor abanderado del fenómeno freak que marca tendencia en el cine español.

Determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC and mutant prevention concentration (MPC of selected antimicrobials in bovine and swine Pasteurella multocida, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus isolates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kateřina Nedbalcová

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We compared the values of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC and mutant prevention concentration (MPC values ​​of three antimicrobial agents for 72 bovine isolates of Pasteurella multocida, 80 swine isolates of P. multocida, 80 bovine isolates of Escherichia coli, 80 swine isolates of E. coli, and 80 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from bovine mastitis. The ratio of MIC90​​/MPC90 which limited mutant selection window (MSW was ≤ 0.12/4 mg/l for enrofloxacin, 0.5/≥ 64 mg/l for florfenicol and 4/≥ 128 mg/l for tulathromycin in bovine P. multocida isolates, ≤ 0.12/2 mg/l for enrofloxacin, 0.5/≥ 64 mg/l for florfenicol and 4/≥ 128 mg/l for tulathromycin in swine P. multocida isolates, 1/16 mg/l for enrofloxacin, 8/≥ 64 mg/l for florfenicol and 8/≥ 128 mg/l for tulathromycin in bovine E. coli isolates, 0.5/16 mg/l for enrofloxacin, ≥ 64/≥ 64 mg/l for florfenicol and 8/≥ 128 mg/l for tulathromycin in swine E. coli isolates, and 0.25/16 mg/l for enrofloxacin, 4/≥ 64 mg/l for florfenicol and 4/≥ 128 mg/l for tulathromycin in S. aureus isolates. These findings indicate that the dosage of antimicrobial agents to achieve serum concentration equal to or higher than MPC could reduce selection of resistant bacterial subpopulation.

Mol - Research Division Report 1986 - 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delbarre, J.

1987-03-01

This report covers the research activities carried out at the SCK-CEN, Mol during the second semester of 1986. It deals with chemistry, chemical engineering, biology, nuclear metrology, analytical chemistry. (MCB)

Resistance training reduces whole-body protein turnover and improves net protein retention in untrained young males.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, Joseph W; Moore, Daniel R; Phillips, Stuart M

2006-10-01

It is thought that resistance exercise results in an increased need for dietary protein; however, data also exists to support the opposite conclusion. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of resistance exercise training on protein metabolism in novices with the hypothesis that resistance training would reduce protein turnover and improve whole-body protein retention. Healthy males (n = 8, 22 +/- 1 y, BMI = 25.3 +/- 1.8 kg.m(-2)) participated in a progressive whole-body split routine resistance-training program 5d/week for 12 weeks. Before (PRE) and after (POST) the training, oral [15N]-glycine ingestion was used to assess nitrogen flux (Q), protein synthesis (PS), protein breakdown (PB), and net protein balance (NPB = PS-PB). Macronutrient intake was controlled over a 5d period PRE and POST, while estimates of protein turnover and urinary nitrogen balance (N(bal) = N(in) - urine N(out)) were conducted. Bench press and leg press increased 40% and 50%, respectively (p training-induced increases in both NPB (PRE = 0.22 +/- 0.13 g.kg(-1).d(-1); POST = 0.54 +/- 0.08 g.kg(-1).d(-1)) and urinary nitrogen balance (PRE = 2.8 +/- 1.7 g N.d(-1); POST = 6.5 +/- 0.9 g N.d(-1)) were observed. A program of resistance training that induced significant muscle hypertrophy resulted in reductions of both whole-body PS and PB, but an improved NPB, which favoured the accretion of skeletal muscle protein. Urinary nitrogen balance increased after training. The reduction in PS and PB and a higher NPB in combination with an increased nitrogen balance after training suggest that dietary requirements for protein in novice resistance-trained athletes are not higher, but lower, after resistance training.

The influence of zygote pronuclear morphology on in vitro human embryo development

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Lidija Križančić-Bombek

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The selection of embryos with largest implantation potential is an important part in assisted reproduction. Besides the embryo or blastocyst morphology, selection criteria such as position and orientation of pronuclei (PN in relation to polar body positioning and the number, size and distribution of nucleolar precursor bodies (NPB have been proposed. In our study, a correlation between PN and NBP morphology with the development of early embryos (day 2 of cultivation and blastocysts (day 5 was investigated.Methods: 653 zygotes from 113 IVF (in vitro fertilization and ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients, younger than 40 years, were assessed 18–20 hours post-insemination. Optimal zygotes (Z1 had thouching centrally located PN with equall numbers of alligned NPB. Other zygote types differred from Z1 in having scattered NPB in both PN (Z2 or alligned NPB in one PN (Z3 or in PN beeing distant from one another (Z4. For each zygote type a percentage of normal early embryos and blastocysts was calculated.Results: Among 653 assessed zygotes 21.8 % were Z1; 29.1 % Z2, 34.6 % Z3 and 14.5 % Z4. The percentage of normal early embryos decreased from Z1 to Z4 zygote type (70.4 % vs. 55.3 % vs. 59.7 % vs.45.3 %; p < 0.05 as well as the percentage of developed blastocysts (63.4 % vs. 55.3 % vs. 58.8 % vs. 43.2 %. However, the percentages of optimal blastocysts in the four groups did not differ (11.3 % vs. 11.1 % vs. 8.4 % vs. 6.3 %.Conclusions: Best grade zygotes result in batter early embryo and blastocyst development suggesting that zygote morphology can be used in combination with embryo and/or blastocyst evaluation as a method for embryo selection prior to embryo transfer.

Haloperidol plasmatic levels and their clinical response to the treatment. Comparison between the radioimmunoassay and radioreceptorassay: preliminary data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cabranes, J A; Almoguera, I; Santos, J L; Prieto, P; Ramos, J A

1988-06-01

Schizophrenic patients were treated with haloperidol. Their haloperidol levels in plasma were determined with radioimmunoassay (RIA) and radioreceptor assay (RRA). The results obtained are compared with the clinical improvement. (M.C.B.).

Haloperidol plasmatic levels and their clinical response to the treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabranes, J.A.; Almoguera, I.; Santos, J.L.; Prieto, P.; Ramos, J.A.

1988-01-01

Schizophrenic patients were treated with haloperidol. Their haloperidol levels in plasma were determined with radioimmunoassay (RIA) and radioreceptor assay (RRA). The results obtained are compared with the clinical improvement. (M.C.B.)

Resolved Dual-Frequency Observations of the Debris Disk Around AU Mic: Strengths of Bodies in the Collisional Cascade

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Evan; Hughes, A. Meredith; Daley, Cail; Flaherty, Kevin; Pan, Margaret; Schlichting, Hilke; Chiang, Eugene; MacGregor, Meredith Ann; Wilner, David; Dent, Bill; Carpenter, John; Andrews, Sean; Moor, Attila; Kospal, Agnes

2018-01-01

Debris disks are hallmarks of mature planetary systems, with second-generation dust produced via collisions between pluto-like planetesimals. The vertical structure of a debris disk encodes unique information about the dynamical state of the system, particularly at millimeter wavelengths where gravitational effects dominate over the effects of stellar radiation. We present 450 μm Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the edge-on debris disk around AU Mic, a nearby (d = 9.91 ± 0.10 pc) M1-type star. The 0.3'' angular resolution of the data allows us to spatially resolve the scale height of the disk, complementing previous observations at a wavelength of 1.3 mm. By resolving the vertical structure of the disk at these two widely-separated frequencies, we are able to spatially resolve the spectral index and study variations in the grain size distribution as a function of disk radius. The comparison of scale heights for two different wavelengths and therefore particle sizes also constrains the velocity dispersion as a function of grain size, which allows us to probe the strengths of bodies in the collisional cascade for the first time outside the Solar System.

El discurso político del Cómic sobre el pasado nacional. Tres lecturas del Siglo de Oro.

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Isabelle Touton

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Este artículo se propone mostrar cómo la representación del pasado en el cómic, por medio de opciones estéticas y de recursos específicos a este arte, conlleva como cualquier relectura una dimensión política no siempre explícita. Para ello, nos hemos centrado en la reelaboración de tres “lugares de memoria” del Siglo de Oro (la España y la figura de Felipe II; los tercios de Flandes en tiempos de Felipe IV; Santa Teresa de Jesús en tres obras con objetivos, tonos, modalidades formales y dimensiones plásticas bastante alejados unos de otros: Felipe II (1999 de Antonio Hernández Palacios; El capitán Alatriste (2005, adaptación de la primera novela del ciclo de Pérez-Reverte, con guión Carlos Giménez y dibujos de Joan Mundet, y La vie passionnée de Thérèse d’Avila (1980 de la historietista francesa Claire Brétécher.

An effective potential for electron-nucleus scattering in neutrino-pair bremsstrahlung in neutron star crust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ofengeim, D D; Kaminker, A D; Yakovlev, D G

2015-01-01

We derive an analytic approximation for the emissivity of neutrino-pair bremsstrahlung (NPB) due to scattering of electrons by atomic nuclei in a neutron star (NS) crust of any realistic composition. The emissivity is expressed through generalized Coulomb logarithm by introducing an effective potential of electron-nucleus scattering. In addition, we study the conditions at which NPB in the crust is affected by strong magnetic fields and outline the main effects of the fields on neutrino emission in NSs. The results can be used for modelling of many phenomena in NSs, such as cooling of young isolated NSs, thermal relaxation of accreting NSs with overheated crust in soft X-ray transients and evolution of magnetars. (paper)

Contaminant mass flow rates between groundwater, streambed sediments and surface water at the regionally contaminated site Bitterfeld; Schadstoffmassenstroeme zwischen Grundwasser, Flussbettsedimenten und Oberflaechenwasser am regional kontaminierten Standort Bitterfeld

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, C.; Krieg, R.; Bayer-Raich, M.; Leschik, S. [Helmholtz-Zentrum fuer Umweltforschung GmbH - UFZ, Department Hydrogeologie, Leipzig (Germany); Kalbus, E. [Eberhard-Karls-Universitaet Tuebingen, Zentrum fuer Angewandte Geowissenschaften (ZAG), Tuebingen (Germany); UFZ - Helmholtz-Zentrum fuer Umweltforschung GmbH, Department Umweltinformatik, Leipzig (Germany); Reinstorf, F. [Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal, Fachbereich Wasser- und Kreislaufwirtschaft, Magdeburg (Germany); Martienssen, M. [Helmholtz-Zentrum fuer Umweltforschung GmbH - UFZ, Department Hydrogeologie, Halle/Saale (Germany); Schirmer, M. [EAWAG, das Wasserforschungs-Institut des ETH-Bereichs, Abteilung Wasserressourcen und Trinkwasser, Duebendorf (Switzerland)

2008-09-15

As a result of intensive industrial, mining, and urban development, numerous large-scale contaminated areas exist in Germany. These so-called megasites represent a challenge to risk assessment and remediation strategies. At the Bitterfeld megasite, the contaminated groundwater interacts with the local streams. Along a stream reach 280 m long, the mass flow rates of chlorinated benzenes were estimated by combining integral pumping tests, streambed temperature mapping, and analyses of contaminant concentrations in the streambed sediments. On average, a total mass flow rate of 617 mg d{sup -1} monochlorobenzene (MCB) and 157 mg d{sup -1} dichlorobenzene (DCB) is released from the adjoining aquifer into the stream along the investigated reach. Further, the streambed sediment acts as the dominant contaminant source. Considering the streambed sediments, the contaminant mass flow rate to the river increases to values between 2,355 and 4,323 mg d{sup -1} MCB and between 892 and 3,587 mg d{sup -1} DCB. (orig.) [German] Als Folge intensiver industrieller, bergbaulicher und urbaner Nutzung gibt es in Deutschland zahlreiche grossflaechig kontaminierte Standorte. Diese so genannten Megasites stellen eine grosse Herausforderung fuer die Risikobewertung und Sanierung dar. An der Megasite Bitterfeld kommt es zudem zu Wechselwirkungen zwischen kontaminiertem Grundwasser und den lokalen Vorflutern. An einem 280 m langen Flussabschnitt wurden durch die Kombination integraler Pumpversuche, Kartierung der Flussbettsedimenttemperaturen und Analysen der Schadstoffkonzentrationen im Flussbettsediment die Schadstoffmassenstroeme chlorierter Benzole abgeschaetzt, die mit der Grundwasserstroemung aus dem Aquifer und dem Flussbettsediment in den Vorfluter gelangen. Im Mittel gelangt am untersuchten Flussabschnitt eine Fracht von 617 mg d{sup -1} Monochlorbenzen (MCB) und 157 mg d{sup -1} Dichlorbenzen (DCB) aus dem Aquifer in den Vorfluter. Das Flussbettsediment des untersuchten Vorfluters

Efficient white organic light emitting devices with dual emitting layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Yaoshan; Hwang Shiaowen; Chen Hsianhung; Lee Mengting; Shen Wenjian; Chen, C.H.

2005-01-01

In this paper, a new white organic light-emitting device (OLED) with the structure of indium tin oxide / CF x / 1,4-bis[N-(1-naphthyl)-N'-phenylamino]-biphenyl (NPB) (30 nm)/NPB: 2,8-di(t-butyl)-5,11-di[4-(t-butyl)phenyl]-6,12-diphenylnaphthacene (20 nm; 1.6 %) / 2-methyl-9,10-di(2-naphthyl) anthracene: p-bis(p-N,N-di-phenyl-aminostyryl)benzene (40 nm, 3%) / aluminum tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) (20 nm) / LiF (1 nm) / Al (200 nm) has been investigated. The device showed white emission with a high-luminous yield of 9.75 cd/A at 20 mA/cm 2 , but its Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage chromaticity coordinates appeared to change from (0.34, 0.42) at 6 mA/cm2 to (0.27, 0.37) at 200 mA/cm 2 due to the shift of recombination zone. The change of color with drive current was suppressed by introduction of an electron-blocking layer of NPB along with a hole-blocking layer of aluminum (III) bis(2-methyl-8-quinolinato)4-phenylphenolato to the white OLED which successfully confined the recombination site and achieved a luminous yield of 9.9 cd/A at 20 mA/cm 2

Chernobyl. Radioactivity measurements in Belgium and abroad

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lejeune, P; Gillard, J; Declercq, H; Avaux, J L; Binet, J; Flemal, J M

1986-01-01

A survey of the fallout on the Belgian territory after the Chernobyl accident is presented. Contamination of air, soil, water milk, grass and vegetables is considered. Figures for other countries are also given. (MCB).

Chernobyl. Radioactivity measurements in Belgium and abroad

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lejeune, P.; Gillard, J.; Declercq, H.; Avaux, J.L.; Binet, J.; Flemal, J.M.

1986-01-01

A survey of the fallout on the Belgian territory after the Chernobyl accident is presented. Contamination of air, soil, water milk, grass and vegetables is considered. Figures for other countries are also given. (MCB)

Final Environmental Impact Statement. Section 404 Clean Water Act Draft 404 (b) (1) Analysis and Public Interest Review for MILCON Projects P-010 and P-030

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1997-01-01

...) Camp Pendleton and Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Camp Pendleton. In addition, the USMC proposes to replace the temporary Basilone Bridge across the Santa Margarita River in the southeast portion of MCB Camp Pendleton...

Reliability impact of RF tube technology for the NPB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bueck, J.C.

1989-01-01

Two reliability options, redundancy and operating margin, are examined to determine their effect on power system configurations using RF tube technology (klystron and klystrode) powered Neutral Particle Beam weapons. Redundance is addressed by providing an additional identical RF tube to the tubes required to power an accelerator RF element (DTL section, RFQ, or CCL). RF elements do not share RF power with other RF elements. Operating margin provides increased reliability by sizing the RF tubes such that tube operating levels may be increased compensate for the loss of a tube. It is shown that power system mass is affected by the choice of reliability measures, that higher power tubes coupled with higher power RF elements may mitigate mass increases, and that redundancy appears preferable to operating margin as a method of improving RF system reliability

A compendium of the measurements related to the Chernobyl nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deworm, J.P.

1987-01-01

Results of radiation measurements performed in Belgium after the Chernobyl accident are presented. Contamination of air, soil, milk, grass, fruit, vegetables and water is studied. The committed effective dose equivalents for the population are estimated. (MCB)

Commissioning the GTA accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sander, O.R.; Atkins, W.H.; Bolme, G.O.; Bowling, S.; Brown, S.; Cole, R.; Gilpatrick, J.D.; Garnett, R.; Guy, F.W.; Ingalls, W.B.; Johnson, K.F.; Kerstiens, D.; Little, C.; Lohsen, R.A.; Lloyd, S.; Lysenko, W.P.; Mottershead, C.T.; Neuschaefer, G.; Power, J.; Rusthoi, D.P.; Sandoval, D.P. Stevens, R.R. Jr.; Vaughn, G.; Wadlinger, E.A.; Yuan, V.; Connolly, R.; Weiss, R.; Saadatmand, K.

1992-01-01

The Ground Test Accelerator (GTA) is supported by the Strategic Defense command as part of their Neutral Particle Beam (NPB) program. Neutral particles have the advantage that in space they are unaffected by the earth's magnetic field and travel in straight lines unless they enter the earth's atmosphere and become charged by stripping. Heavy particles are difficult to stop and can probe the interior of space vehicles; hence, NPB can function as a discriminator between warheads and decoys. We are using GTA to resolve the physics and engineering issues related to accelerating, focusing, and steering a high-brightness, high-current H - beam and then neutralizing it. Our immediate goal is to produce a 24-MeV, 50mA device with a 2% duty factor

Mol - Research Division report 1987 - 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delbarre, J.

1988-03-01

This report covers the research activities at the SCK-CEN, MOl, during the second semester of 1987. It deals with materials physics, nuclear physics, metallurgy, ceramics, nuclear chemistry, chemical engineering, biology, nuclear metrology and analytical chemistry. (MCB)

Mol - Research Division report 1987 - 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delbarre, J.

1987-10-01

This report covers the research activities at the SCK-CEN, Mol, during the first semester of 1987. It deals with material physics, nuclear physics, metallurgy, ceramics, nuclear chemistry, chemical engineering, biology, nuclear metrology and analytical chemistry. (MCB)

49 CFR 238.307 - Periodic mechanical inspection of passenger cars and unpowered vehicles used in passenger trains.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...: (i) Emergency lighting systems required under § 238.115 are in place and operational; and (ii... type couplers (MCB contour 1904), or not more than 55/16 inches on D&E couplers; (ii) The free slack in...

Changing circulation structure and precipitation characteristics in Asian monsoon regions: greenhouse warming vs. aerosol effects

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, William K. M.; Kim, Kyu-Myong; Ruby Leung, L.

2017-12-01

Using model outputs from CMIP5 historical integrations, we have investigated the relative roles of anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and aerosols in changing the characteristics of the large-scale circulation and rainfall in Asian summer monsoon (ASM) regions. Under GHG warming, a strong positive trend in low-level moist static energy (MSE) is found over ASM regions, associated with increasing large-scale land-sea thermal contrast from 1870s to present. During the same period, a mid-tropospheric convective barrier (MCB) due to widespread reduction in relative humidity in the mid- and lower troposphere is strengthening over the ASM regions, in conjunction with expanding areas of anomalous subsidence associated with the Deep Tropical Squeeze (Lau and Kim in Proc Natl Acad Sci 12:3630-3635, 2015). The opposing effects of MSE and MCB lead to enhanced total ASM rainfall, but only a partial strengthening of the southern portion of the monsoon meridional circulation, coupled to anomalous multi-cellular overturning motions over ASM land. Including anthropogenic aerosol emissions strongly masks MSE but enhances MCB via increased stability in the lower troposphere, resulting in an overall weakened ASM circulation with suppressed rainfall. Analyses of rainfall characteristics indicate that under GHG, overall precipitation efficiency over the ASM region is reduced, manifesting in less moderate but more extreme heavy rain events. Under combined effects of GHG and aerosols, precipitation efficiency is unchanged, with more moderate, but less extreme rainfall.

A Combined Ethical and Scientific Analysis of Large-scale Tests of Solar Climate Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Ackerman, T. P.

2017-12-01

Our research group recently published an analysis of the combined ethical and scientific issues surrounding large-scale testing of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI; Lenferna et al., 2017, Earth's Future). We are expanding this study in two directions. The first is extending this same analysis to other geoengineering techniques, particularly marine cloud brightening (MCB). MCB has substantial differences to SAI in this context because MCB can be tested over significantly smaller areas of the planet and, following injection, has a much shorter lifetime of weeks as opposed to years for SAI. We examine issues such as the role of intent, the lesser of two evils, and the nature of consent. In addition, several groups are currently considering climate engineering governance tools such as a code of ethics and a registry. We examine how these tools might influence climate engineering research programs and, specifically, large-scale testing. The second direction of expansion is asking whether ethical and scientific issues associated with large-scale testing are so significant that they effectively preclude moving ahead with climate engineering research and testing. Some previous authors have suggested that no research should take place until these issues are resolved. We think this position is too draconian and consider a more nuanced version of this argument. We note, however, that there are serious questions regarding the ability of the scientific research community to move to the point of carrying out large-scale tests.

Mol - Research Division Report 1986 - 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delbarre, J.; Assche, P. van

1986-11-01

This report covers the research activities carried out at the SCK-CEN, Mol from the middle of 1985 till mid 1986. It deals with materials science, metallurgy, ceramics, nuclear chemistry, chemical engineering, biology, nuclear meteorology and analytical chemistry. (MCB)

Food irradiation. Present status of the development of the treatment in Belgium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacroix, J.P.; Dardenne, P.

1987-01-01

The method and the apparatus are reviewed as well as possible applications. As an example, the percentage of nitrogen in fresh fish is given in function of time. It is shown that irradiation appreciably increases the conservation time. (MCB)

Numerical study of the light output intensity of the bilayer organic light-emitting diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Feiping

2017-02-01

The structure of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) is one of most important issues that influence the light output intensity (LOI) of OLEDs. In this paper, based on a simple but accurate optical model, the influences of hole and electron transport layer thickness on the LOI of bilayer OLEDs, which with N,N0- bis(naphthalen-1-yl)-N,N0- bis(phenyl)- benzidine (NPB) or N,N'- diphenyl-N,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4-diamine (TPD) as hole transport layer, with tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) as electron transport and light emitting layers, were investigated. The laws of LOI for OLEDs under different organic layer thickness values were obtained. The results show that the LOI of devices varies in accordance with damped cosine or sine function as the increasing of organic layer thickness, and the results show that the bilayer OLEDs with the structure of Glass/ITO/NPB (55 nm)/Alq3 (75 nm)/Al and Glass/ITO/TPB (60 nm)/Alq3 (75 nm)/Al have most largest LOI. When the thickness of Alq3 is less than 105 nm, the OLEDs with TPD as hole transport layer have larger LOI than that with NPB as hole transport layer. The results obtained in this paper can present an in-depth understanding of the working mechanism of OLEDs and help ones fabricate high efficiency OLEDs.

Importance of the pluripotency factor LIN28 in the mammalian nucleolus during early embryonic development.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogt, Edgar J; Meglicki, Maciej; Hartung, Kristina Ilka; Borsuk, Ewa; Behr, Rüdiger

2012-12-01

The maternal nucleolus is required for proper activation of the embryonic genome (EGA) and early embryonic development. Nucleologenesis is characterized by the transformation of a nucleolar precursor body (NPB) to a mature nucleolus during preimplantation development. However, the function of NPBs and the involved molecular factors are unknown. We uncover a novel role for the pluripotency factor LIN28, the biological significance of which was previously demonstrated in the reprogramming of human somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Here, we show that LIN28 accumulates at the NPB and the mature nucleolus in mouse preimplantation embryos and embryonic stem cells (ESCs), where it colocalizes with the nucleolar marker B23 (nucleophosmin 1). LIN28 has nucleolar localization in non-human primate (NHP) preimplantation embryos, but is cytoplasmic in NHP ESCs. Lin28 transcripts show a striking decline before mouse EGA, whereas LIN28 protein localizes to NPBs at the time of EGA. Following knockdown with a Lin28 morpholino, the majority of embryos arrest between the 2- and 4-cell stages and never develop to morula or blastocyst. Lin28 morpholino-injected embryos arrested at the 2-cell stage were not enriched with nucleophosmin at presumptive NPB sites, indicating that functional NPBs were not assembled. Based on these results, we propose that LIN28 is an essential factor of nucleologenesis during early embryonic development.

Efficient white organic light emitting devices with dual emitting layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu Yaoshan [Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 30050 (China); Hwang Shiaowen [Display Institute, Microelectronics and Information Systems Research Center, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 30050 (China)]. E-mail: jesse@faculty.nctu.edu.tw; Chen Hsianhung [Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 30050 (China); Lee Mengting [Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 30050 (China); Shen Wenjian [Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 30050 (China); Chen, C.H. [Display Institute, Microelectronics and Information Systems Research Center, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 30050 (China)

2005-09-22

In this paper, a new white organic light-emitting device (OLED) with the structure of indium tin oxide / CF {sub x} / 1,4-bis[N-(1-naphthyl)-N'-phenylamino]-biphenyl (NPB) (30 nm)/NPB: 2,8-di(t-butyl)-5,11-di[4-(t-butyl)phenyl]-6,12-diphenylnaphthacene (20 nm; 1.6 %) / 2-methyl-9,10-di(2-naphthyl) anthracene: p-bis(p-N,N-di-phenyl-aminostyryl)benzene (40 nm, 3%) / aluminum tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) (20 nm) / LiF (1 nm) / Al (200 nm) has been investigated. The device showed white emission with a high-luminous yield of 9.75 cd/A at 20 mA/cm{sup 2}, but its Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage chromaticity coordinates appeared to change from (0.34, 0.42) at 6 mA/cm2 to (0.27, 0.37) at 200 mA/cm{sup 2} due to the shift of recombination zone. The change of color with drive current was suppressed by introduction of an electron-blocking layer of NPB along with a hole-blocking layer of aluminum (III) bis(2-methyl-8-quinolinato)4-phenylphenolato to the white OLED which successfully confined the recombination site and achieved a luminous yield of 9.9 cd/A at 20 mA/cm{sup 2}.

A white organic light emitting diode with improved stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Zhilin; Jiang Xueyin; Zhu Wenqing; Zhang Buxin; Xu Shaohong

2001-01-01

A white organic light emitting diode (OLED) has been constructed by employing a new blue material and a red dye directly doped in the blue emitting layer. For comparison, another white cell with a blocking layer has also been made. The configurations of the devices are ITO/CuPc/NPB/JBEM(P):DCJT/Alq/MgAg (device 1) and ITO/CuPc/NPB/TPBi:DCJT/Alq/MgAg (device 2) where copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) is the buffer layer, N,N'-bis-(1-naphthyl)-N,N'-diphenyl-1.1'bipheny1-4-4'-diamine (NPB) is the hole transporting layer, 9,10-bis(3'5'-diaryl)phenyl anthracene doped with perylene (JBEM(P)) is the new blue emitting material, N,arylbenzimidazoles (TPBi) is the hole blocking layer, tris(8-quinolinolato)aluminium complex (Alq) is the electron transporting layer, and DCJT is a red dye. A stable and current independent white OLED has been obtained in device 1, which has a maximum luminance of 14 850 cd m -2 , an efficiency of 2.88 Lm W -1 , Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage coordinates of x=0.32, y=0.38 between 4-200 mA cm -2 , and a half lifetime of 2860 h at the starting luminance of 100 cd m -2 . Device 1 has a stability more than 50 times better than that of device 2. (author)

Attempt to validate breakpoint MIC values estimated from pharmacokinetic data obtained during oxolinic acid therapy of winter ulcer disease in Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar )

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Coyne, R.; Bergh, Ø.; Samuelsen, O.

2004-01-01

Concentrations of oxolinic acid (OXA) were measured in the plasma, muscle, liver, and kidney of 48 Atlantic salmons (Salmo salar) 1 day after the end of an oral administration. OXA was administered over a period of 13 days to control an outbreak of winter ulcer disease in a commercial marine farm...... administration of OXA. A numerical description of the concentration of the antimicrobial agent achieved in therapy is necessary to determine the resistance or sensitivity of the bacteria involved in the infection. The degree of fish-to-fish variation in the concentrations of OXA, both within the healthy fish...... a useful parameter for describing the concentrations of agents achieved during therapy. The plasma data from this investigation were used to estimate clinically relevant breakpoint minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. The validity of these breakpoint values was discussed with reference...

The Effectiveness of an Interactive Map Display in Tutoring Geography

Science.gov (United States)

1976-08-01

MCIT LG Hanscom Field Bedford, MA 01730 Director, Office of Manpower Utilization Headquarters, Marine Corps (Code MPU ) MCB (Building 2009...Lantz University of Denver Denver Research Institute Industrial Economics Division Denver, CO 80210 Mr. Brian McNally Educational Testing Service

Efectivitat de l'exoesquelet en comparació amb la hidroteràpia per a la reeducació de l'equilibri i la marxa en pacients post-ictus isquèmic

OpenAIRE

Rabasa Martín, Oscar

2016-01-01

Pregunta clínica: En la recuperació de l’equilibri i la marxa després de tres mesos d’un accident cerebrovascular isquèmic en adults, s’evidencia millora en el dolor, l’espasticitat, la dependència i la qualitat de vida amb l´ús de l’exosquelet combinat amb la fisioteràpia convencional en comparació amb la hidroteràpia i la fisioteràpia convencional? Objectius: - General: Valorar l’efectivitat de l’exosquelet comparat amb la hidroteràpia en pacients entre 65 i 85 anys diagnosticats d’...

Synthesis and Electroluminescent Properties of Bis(3H-1,2,3-triazolo-[4,5-b]pyridine-3-olzinc Zn(TAP2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trinh Dac Hoanh

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A new light-emissive material, bis(3H-1,2,3-triazolo-[4,5-b]pyridine-3-olzinc (Zn(TAP2, has been synthesized and characterized by FT-NMR, FT-IR, UV-Vis, and elemental analysis. The photoluminescence (PL of Zn(TAP2 was measured from the DMF solution at 460 nm. The HOMO (6.5 eV and LUMO (2.8 eV energy levels of Zn(TAP2 were estimated from the measurement of cyclic voltammetry. The devices with structures of ITO/NPB/Zn(TAP2/LiF/Al and ITO/NPB/Zn(TAP2/Alq3/LiF/Al were constructed to investigate their electroluminescent (EL performance. Zn (TAP2 is supposed to be a good emitting material in the EL device.

Fused Methoxynaphthyl Phenanthrimidazole Semiconductors as Functional Layer in High Efficient OLEDs.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayabharathi, Jayaraman; Ramanathan, Periyasamy; Karunakaran, Chockalingam; Thanikachalam, Venugopal

2016-01-01

Efficient hole transport materials based on novel fused methoxynaphthyl phenanthrimidazole core structure were synthesised and characterized. Their device performances in phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes were investigated. The high thermal stability in combination with the reversible oxidation process made promising candidates as hole-transporting materials for organic light-emitting devices. Highly efficient Alq3-based organic light emitting devices have been developed using phenanthrimidazoles as functional layers between NPB [4,4-bis(N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenylamino)biphenyl] and Alq3 [tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminium] layers. Using the device of ITO/NPB/4/Alq3/LiF/Al, a maximum luminous efficiency of 5.99 cd A(-1) was obtained with a maximum brightness of 40,623 cd m(-2) and a power efficiency of 5.25 lm W(-1).

De los cómics a la cinematografía = From Comics to Cinematography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Román Gubern Garriga-Nogués

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Desde una perspectiva multidisciplinar nos sumergimos en la Historia del Arte para bucear en los antecedentes del cómic y, a partir de ahí, seguir a lo largo del tiempo la interacción que ha existido entre éste y los grandes medios de difusión de imágenes y de creación de iconos visuales: pintura, fotografía y especialmente el cine. Analiza el paso de la imagen estática a la imagen en movimiento tanto en la alta cultura como en la cultura popular y como todas estas artes visuales se han interrelacionado y retroalimentado, mucho más aún en la actualidad. Un largo recorrido que tiene por objeto rastrear los procesos, la dinámica y la evolución que existe alrededor de la viñeta desde sus orígenes ancestrales hasta el mundo del cine, sus semejanzas y sus diferencias, su interactividad y, sobre todo la influencia y los nexos existentes entre uno y otro en la búsqueda y desarrollo de un lenguaje plástico narrativo.From a multidisciplinary perspective we immerse ourselves into the History of Art, to dive into the background of the history of comics and, from there, to follow along the way the interaction that has existed between this and the main media that are specialized in images and creating visual icons, painting, photography and especially the cinema. It analyses the step from the static image to the moving image, in both high culture and popular culture, and shows how all these visual arts have been interrelating and have nurtured themselves, even more so nowadays. A long journey that aims to track the processes, the dynamic and the evolution that exist around the vignette from their ancestral origins to the cinematic world, their similarities and their differences, its interactivity and especially the influence and links between one another in the pursuit and development of a narrative visual language.

Effects of embryo induction media and pretreatments in isolated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-11-16

Nov 16, 2009 ... chemical + heat and also the effects of 5 embryo induction media (NPB-99, C17, ... Key words: Hexaploid wheat, haploid, isolated microspore culture, pretreatment, ..... this method is influenced by several mentioned factors.

Cold in-place recycling characterization framework for single or multiple component binder systems

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Benjamin C.

Cold in-place recycling (CIR) is a pavement rehabilitation technique which has gained momentum in recent years. This momentum is due partly to its economic and sustainability characteristics, which has led to CIR market expansion. When pavement network deterioration is considered alongside increasing material costs, it is not beyond reason to expect demands on CIR to continue to increase. Historically, single component binder (SCB) systems, those with one stabilization binder (or two if the secondary binder dosage is 1% or less), have dominated the CIR market and could be considered the general state of practice. Common stabilization binders are either bituminous or cementitious. Two example SCB systems would be: 1) 3% portland cement, or 2) 3% asphalt emulsion with 1% hydrated lime. While traditional SCB systems have demonstrated positive economic and sustainability impacts, this dissertation focuses on multiple component binder (MCB) systems (bituminous and cementitious combined) which exhibit the potential to provide better overall economics and performance. Use of MCBs has the potential to alleviate SCB issues to some extent (e.g. cracking with cementitious SCBs, rutting with bituminous SCBs). Furthermore, to fairly represent both binders in an MCB system a universal design method which can accommodate multiple binder types is needed. The main objectives of this dissertation are to develop a universal CIR design framework and, using this framework, characterize multiple SCB and MCB systems. Approximately 1500 CIR specimens were tested herein along with approximately 300 asphalt concrete specimens which serve as a reference data set for CIR characterization. A case study of a high-traffic Mississippi CIR project which included cement SCB and emulsion SCB sections is also presented to support laboratory efforts. Individual components needed to comprise a universal design framework, such as curing protocols, were developed. SCB and MCB characterization indicated

Determination Of Prevalence Of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Infections Through Measurement Of Mics Of S. Aureus Isolates Imam Hospital (November 2001 To January 2003

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Mohraz

2003-08-01

Full Text Available Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA is a predominantly nosocomial pathogen which its prevalence has increased worldwide over the past three decades."nMaterials and Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The following study is designed for determination of prevalence of MRSA infection through measurement of MICs of S. aureus isolates in Imam Khomeini Hospital (a teaching hospital from November 2001 to January 2003. A total number of 402 specimens were isolated and specified as S. aureus by Imam Khomeini microbiology lab. Demographic and clinical data and results of MIC were analysed by Epilnfo 6 software."nResults: During the study, staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 402 patients that 187 (46.5% of isolates were MRSA and 215 (53.5% were MSSA. Of 402 patients, 254 (63.2% were male and 148 (36.8% were female. The difference of the prevalence of MRSA between males and females was not statistically significant (p= 0.09. The difference in mean age in MRSA and MSSA groups was not statistically significant (p= 0.55. In the age group of < 1 month, the prevalence of MRSA infection was significantly higher than other groups (P= 0.01."nConclusion: In this study, the prevalence of MRSA infection was increased, statistically significant in the presence of such factors as sepsis, longer duration of hospitalization, hospital- acquired infection, history of invasive procedure, history of antimicrobials used in the past 3 months and type of administered antimicrobial (s, history of hospitalization in the preceding year, certain underlying diseases, type of admission ward, type of infection, type of specimen and type of administered antimicrobials for treatment. Surprisingly, the prevalence of MRSA infection in IV drug user group was low that was statistically significant (p< 0.0001. In this study, there was no statistically significant difference in outcome between MRSA infected and MSSA infected patients. Based on results of

Characterization of porcine CD19 and anti-CD19 monoclonal antibodies

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Sun, J.; Šinkora, J.; Wertz, N.; Morávková, Alena; Butler, J. E.

2004-01-01

Roč. 41, - (2004), s. 929-938 ISSN 0161-5890 Grant - others:NSF-MCB(US) 0077237; NSF International grant(US) 99-04130 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5045916 Keywords : swine * B cell * sequence Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 3.196, year: 2004

On Learning Maps

Science.gov (United States)

1975-09-01

Director, Office of Manpower Utilizatic Headquarters, Marine Corps (Code MPU ) MCB (Building 2009) Quantico, VA 22134 1 Dr. A.L. Slafkosky...National Defence HQ Ottawa, Canada K1A OK 2 1 Dr. Alma E. Lantz University of Denver Denver Research Institute Industrial Economics Division

Development of a sprayable slow-release formulation for the sex pheromone of the Mediterranean Corn Borer, Sesamia nonagroides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlieger, J.J. de

2008-01-01

In the FAIR project "Pheromaize", CT96-1302, the main objective is to provide European growers with a reliable, cost effective and environmentally friendly technology based on pest mating disruption. The project is mainly focused on Mediterranean Corn Borer (MCB), Sesamia nonagroides, the key pest

Conserved gene regulatory module specifies lateral neural borders across bilaterians.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yongbin; Zhao, Di; Horie, Takeo; Chen, Geng; Bao, Hongcun; Chen, Siyu; Liu, Weihong; Horie, Ryoko; Liang, Tao; Dong, Biyu; Feng, Qianqian; Tao, Qinghua; Liu, Xiao

2017-08-01

The lateral neural plate border (NPB), the neural part of the vertebrate neural border, is composed of central nervous system (CNS) progenitors and peripheral nervous system (PNS) progenitors. In invertebrates, PNS progenitors are also juxtaposed to the lateral boundary of the CNS. Whether there are conserved molecular mechanisms determining vertebrate and invertebrate lateral neural borders remains unclear. Using single-cell-resolution gene-expression profiling and genetic analysis, we present evidence that orthologs of the NPB specification module specify the invertebrate lateral neural border, which is composed of CNS and PNS progenitors. First, like in vertebrates, the conserved neuroectoderm lateral border specifier Msx/vab-15 specifies lateral neuroblasts in Caenorhabditis elegans Second, orthologs of the vertebrate NPB specification module ( Msx/vab-15 , Pax3/7/pax-3 , and Zic/ref-2 ) are significantly enriched in worm lateral neuroblasts. In addition, like in other bilaterians, the expression domain of Msx/vab-15 is more lateral than those of Pax3/7/pax-3 and Zic/ref- 2 in C. elegans Third, we show that Msx/vab-15 regulates the development of mechanosensory neurons derived from lateral neural progenitors in multiple invertebrate species, including C. elegans , Drosophila melanogaster , and Ciona intestinalis We also identify a novel lateral neural border specifier, ZNF703/tlp-1 , which functions synergistically with Msx/vab- 15 in both C. elegans and Xenopus laevis These data suggest a common origin of the molecular mechanism specifying lateral neural borders across bilaterians.

Swamp plots for dynamic aperture studies of PEP-II lattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Y.T.; Irwin, J.; Cai, Y.; Chen, T.; Ritson, D.

1995-01-01

With a newly developed algorithm using resonance basis Lie generators and their evaluation with action-angle Poisson bracket maps (nPB tracking) the authors have been able to perform fast tracking for dynamic aperture studies of PEP-II lattices as well as incorporate lattice nonlinearities in beam-beam studies. They have been able to better understand the relationship between dynamic apertures and the tune shift and resonance coefficients in the generators of the one-turn maps. To obtain swamp plots (dynamic aperture vs. working point) of the PEP-II lattices, they first compute a one-turn resonance basis map for a nominal working point and then perform nPB tracking by switching the working point while holding fixed all other terms in the map. Results have been spot-checked by comparing with element-by-element tracking

CYCP2;1 integrates genetic and nutritional information to promote meristem cell division in Arabidopsis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Peng, L.; Skylar, A.; Chang, P.L.; Bišová, Kateřina; Wu, X.

2014-01-01

Roč. 393, č. 2 (2014), s. 160-170 ISSN 0012-1606 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR M200201205 Grant - others:NSF(US) MCB-1122213 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : cell cycle * arabidopsis * meristem Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 3.547, year: 2014

Genetic diversity and temporal variation of the marine Synechococcus community in the subtropical coastal waters of Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Jing, Hongmei; Zhang, Rui; Pointing, Stephen B; Liu, Hongbin; Qian, Peiyuan

2009-03-01

The phylogenetic diversity of the marine Synechococcus community in the subtropical coastal waters of Hong Kong, China, was examined through intergenic transcribed spacer clone libraries. All the sequences obtained fell within both marine cluster A (MC-A) and B (MC-B), with MC-A phylotypes dominating throughout the year. Distinct phylogenetic lineages specific to Hong Kong waters were detected from both MC-A and MC-B. The highest Synechococcus community diversity occurred in December, but the highest Synechococcus abundance occurred in August. On the other hand, both the abundance and diversity of Synechococcus showed a minimum in February. The remarkable seasonal variations of Synechococcus diversity observed were likely the result of the changes of hydrographic condition modulated by monsoons. Principal component analysis revealed that the in situ abiotic water characteristics, especially salinity and water turbidity, explained much of the variability of the marine Synechococcus population diversity in Hong Kong coastal waters. In addition, the temporal changes of Synechococcus abundance were largely driven by water temperature.

77 FR 5398 - Safety Zone; Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Vicinity of Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, NC

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-03

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Vicinity of Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, NC... zone on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) adjacent to Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune..., Vicinity of Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, NC in the Federal Register (77 FR 1431). We received no...

Nano/micro particle beam for ceramic deposition and mechanical etching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chun, Doo-Man; Kim, Min-Saeng; Kim, Min-Hyeng; Ahn, Sung-Hoon; Yeo, Jun-Cheol; Lee, Caroline Sunyong

2010-01-01

Nano/micro particle beam (NPB) is a newly developed ceramic deposition and mechanical etching process. Additive (deposition) and subtractive (mechanical etching) processes can be realized in one manufacturing process using ceramic nano/micro particles. Nano- or micro-sized powders are sprayed through the supersonic nozzle at room temperature and low vacuum conditions. According to the process conditions, the ceramic powder can be deposited on metal substrates without thermal damage, and mechanical etching can be conducted in the same process with a simple change of process conditions and powders. In the present work, ceramic aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) thin films were deposited on metal substrates. In addition, the glass substrate was etched using a mask to make small channels. Deposited and mechanically etched surface morphology, coating thickness and channel depth were investigated. The test results showed that the NPB provides a feasible additive and subtractive process using ceramic powders.

Efficiency improvement of flexible fluorescent and phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes by inserting a spin-coating buffer layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, Yu-Sheng; Wang, Shun-Hsi; Chen, Shen-Yaur; Su, Shin-Yuan; Juang, Fuh-Shyang

2009-01-01

We dissolved hole transport materials α-NPD and NPB in THF solvent, and spin-coated the α-NPD + THF or NPB + THF solution onto ITO anode surface to improve the luminance efficiency and lifetime of flexible fluorescent and phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes. Then the BCP and TPBi were employed as hole blocking layer (HBL) of phosphorescent device and its thickness was optimized. From the experimental results, the maximum luminance efficiency is 4.4 cd/A at 9 V of fluorescent device and 24.4 cd/A of phosphorescent device, respectively. Such an improvement in the device performance was attributed to the smoother surface and good contact between the interface of spin-coated HTL/ITO, the hole were effectively injected from the anode into the organic layer. And the deposited HTL can block excitons from diffusing into the anode to quench, thus improving the luminance efficiency and lifetime greatly.

High-performance tandem organic light-emitting diodes based on a buffer-modified p/n-type planar organic heterojunction as charge generation layer

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yukun; Sun, Ying; Qin, Houyun; Hu, Shoucheng; Wu, Qingyang; Zhao, Yi

2017-04-01

High-performance tandem organic light-emitting diodes (TOLEDs) were realized using a buffer-modified p/n-type planar organic heterojunction (OHJ) as charge generation layer (CGL) consisting of common organic materials, and the configuration of this p/n-type CGL was "LiF/N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(1-napthyl)-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine (NPB)/4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Bphen)/molybdenum oxide (MoOx)". The optimized TOLED exhibited a maximum current efficiency of 77.6 cd/A without any out-coupling techniques, and the efficiency roll-off was greatly improved compared to the single-unit OLED. The working mechanism of the p/n-type CGL was discussed in detail. It is found that the NPB/Bphen heterojunction generated enough charges under a forward applied voltage and the carrier extraction was a tunneling process. These results could provide a new method to fabricate high-performance TOLEDs.

Functional loading test for expert estimation of health candidates in cosmonauts (the innovative approach)

Science.gov (United States)

Voronkov, Yury; Skedina, Marina; Degterenkova, Natalia; Stepanova, Galina

Long stay of cosmonauts in conditions of International Space Station demands the increased medical control over their health during selection. Various parameters of cardiovascular system (CVS) undergo significant changes both during adaptation to space flight (period of removing into an orbit), directly under conditions of weightlessness and during readaptation to terrestrial environment. The CVS is sensitive indicator of adaptation reaction of total organism. Therefore much attention is given to the research of CVS regulation, its opportunities to adapt to various stress conditions, detection of pre-nozological changes in mechanisms of its regulation. One of the informative methods for detecting problems in CVS regulation is a postural orthostatic test. This work was designed to research regulation of hemodynamics during passive orthostatic test. 21 practically healthy people in the age from 18 to 36 years old have passed the test. During test the following parameters were registered: 12 Lead ECG and the BP, parameters of a myocardium by means of "CardioVisor-06" (CV) device, and also a condition of microcirculatory bloodstream (MCB) was estimated by means of ultrasonic high-frequency dopplerograph "Minimax-Doppler-K" with 20 MHz sensor. The impedance method of rheoencephalography (REG) by means of the "Encephalan-EEGR-13103" device was used to research a cerebral blood circulation. All subjects had normal parameters of ECG during test. However, during analysis data of CV, REG and MCB high tolerability to the test was observed in 14 test subjects. In other 7 subjects dynamics of parameters during test reflected problems in mechanisms of CVS regulation in its separate parts. Changes in parameters of REG and ultrasound in 4 test subjects reflected a hypotensive reaction. The parameter of a tone of arterioles in carotid and vertebral arteries system decreased for 15,3 % and 55,2 % accordingly. The parameters of MCB: average speed, vascular tone and peripheric

Oscillometric blood pressure estimation by combining nonparametric bootstrap with Gaussian mixture model.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Soojeong; Rajan, Sreeraman; Jeon, Gwanggil; Chang, Joon-Hyuk; Dajani, Hilmi R; Groza, Voicu Z

2017-06-01

Blood pressure (BP) is one of the most important vital indicators and plays a key role in determining the cardiovascular activity of patients. This paper proposes a hybrid approach consisting of nonparametric bootstrap (NPB) and machine learning techniques to obtain the characteristic ratios (CR) used in the blood pressure estimation algorithm to improve the accuracy of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) estimates and obtain confidence intervals (CI). The NPB technique is used to circumvent the requirement for large sample set for obtaining the CI. A mixture of Gaussian densities is assumed for the CRs and Gaussian mixture model (GMM) is chosen to estimate the SBP and DBP ratios. The K-means clustering technique is used to obtain the mixture order of the Gaussian densities. The proposed approach achieves grade "A" under British Society of Hypertension testing protocol and is superior to the conventional approach based on maximum amplitude algorithm (MAA) that uses fixed CR ratios. The proposed approach also yields a lower mean error (ME) and the standard deviation of the error (SDE) in the estimates when compared to the conventional MAA method. In addition, CIs obtained through the proposed hybrid approach are also narrower with a lower SDE. The proposed approach combining the NPB technique with the GMM provides a methodology to derive individualized characteristic ratio. The results exhibit that the proposed approach enhances the accuracy of SBP and DBP estimation and provides narrower confidence intervals for the estimates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the structure and the FT-IR and Raman spectra of 2-(4-nitrophenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one. Comparisons with the chlorinated and methylated derivatives

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo, María V.; Rudyk, Roxana A.; Davies, Lilian; Brandán, Silvia Antonia

2017-07-01

In this work, the structural, topological and vibrational properties of the monomer and three dimers of the 2-(4-nitrophenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one (NPB) derivative were studied combining the experimental FTIR and FT-Raman spectra in the solid phase with DFT calculations. Here, Natural Bond Orbital (NBO), Atoms in Molecules (AIM) and HOMO and LUMO calculations were performed by using the hybrid B3LYP/6-31G*and B3LYP/6-311++G** methods in order to compute those properties and to predict their reactivities. The comparisons with the properties reported for the chlorinated (Cl-PB) and methylated (CH3-PB) derivatives at the same levels of theory can be clearly justified by the activating (CH3) and deactivating (NO2 and Cl) characteristics of the different groups linked to oxaxin rings. The NBO and AIM studies evidence the following stability orders: Cl-PB > NO2-PB > CH3-PB in very good concordance with the f(νC23-X26) force constants values. The frontier orbitals analyses reveal that the Cl-PB and NO2-PB derivatives have good stabilities and high chemical hardness while CH3-PB has a higher chemical reactivity. On the other hand, the complete vibrational assignments for monomer and dimers species of NPB were presented. The presence of the IR bands at 1574 and 1037 cm-1 and, of the Raman bands at 1571 and 1038 cm-1 support clearly the presence of the different dimeric species proposed for NPB.

Un acercamiento didáctico a la primera mitad del s. XX a través de los cómics = A didactic approach to the first half of the 20th century through the comics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Becerra Romero

2015-06-01

Full Text Available El cómic ha sido un recurso didáctico que, aunque conocido, se ha utilizado poco en el mundo de la enseñanza, sobre todo si tenemos en cuenta sus posibilidades. En el presente artículo nos hemos planteado un acercamiento a la Historia Contemporánea mundial pero centrada en el periodo que va, más o menos, entre 1900 y 1950. El debut del siglo XX trajo consigo numerosos acontecimientos de carácter bélico, aunque no exclusivamente, que fueron muy importantes y que marcaron la historia del mundo. Hemos propuesto una pequeña selección de cómics que pueden ayudar al alumnado a acercarse y comprender mejor estos acontecimientos.Comic has been a didactic resource that, though known, has hardly been used in the educational world, especially when we take into consideration its possibilities. In this article we have proposed an approach to global Contemporary History that is focused on the period roughly between 1900 and 1950. The beginning of the twentieth century brought numerous warlike events, but it should not be forgotten that other important events also marked the History of the world in that period. We have proposed a small selection of comics that can help students to approach and understand better these events.

Optimum ADP Support for Financial Management of Marine Corps Facilities Maintenance.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-06-01

Japan X Camp Smedley D. Eutler, Okinawa, Japan X Camp H.M. Smith, Oahu, Hawaii X Regur Ind ze. Trinin MCDEC Quantico, Virginia x MCED Parris Island, South...18 May 1983 21. Interview with dr. Robert Herd, Administrative Divisicn, Fac. maint. Dept., MCB Camp Pendletcn cn 18 May 1983 22. Department of

Dual beam organic depth profiling using large argon cluster ion beams

Science.gov (United States)

Holzweber, M; Shard, AG; Jungnickel, H; Luch, A; Unger, WES

2014-01-01

Argon cluster sputtering of an organic multilayer reference material consisting of two organic components, 4,4′-bis[N-(1-naphthyl-1-)-N-phenyl- amino]-biphenyl (NPB) and aluminium tris-(8-hydroxyquinolate) (Alq3), materials commonly used in organic light-emitting diodes industry, was carried out using time-of-flight SIMS in dual beam mode. The sample used in this study consists of a ∽400-nm-thick NPB matrix with 3-nm marker layers of Alq3 at depth of ∽50, 100, 200 and 300 nm. Argon cluster sputtering provides a constant sputter yield throughout the depth profiles, and the sputter yield volumes and depth resolution are presented for Ar-cluster sizes of 630, 820, 1000, 1250 and 1660 atoms at a kinetic energy of 2.5 keV. The effect of cluster size in this material and over this range is shown to be negligible. © 2014 The Authors. Surface and Interface Analysis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. PMID:25892830

Improved hole-injection and power efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes using an ultrathin cerium fluoride buffer layer

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Hsin-Wei; Kao, Po-Ching; Chu, Sheng-Yuan

2016-09-01

In this study, the efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) was enhanced by depositing a CeF3 film as an ultra-thin buffer layer between the ITO and NPB hole transport layer, with the structure configuration ITO/CeF3 (1 nm)/NPB (40 nm)/Alq3 (60 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (150 nm). The enhancement mechanism was systematically investigated via several approaches. The work function increased from 4.8 eV (standard ITO electrode) to 5.2 eV (1-nm-thick UV-ozone treated CeF3 film deposited on the ITO electrode). The turn-on voltage decreased from 4.2 V to 4.0 V at 1 mA/cm2, the luminance increased from 7588 cd/m2 to 10820 cd/m2, and the current efficiency increased from 3.2 cd/A to 3.5 cd/A when the 1-nm-thick UV-ozone treated CeF3 film was inserted into the OLEDs.

Synthesis and luminescent properties of two Schiff-base boron complexes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou Qiufei [Key Lab for Supramolecular Structure and Materials of Ministry of Education, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China); Zhao Liyan [Key Lab for Supramolecular Structure and Materials of Ministry of Education, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China); Zhang Hongyu [Key Lab for Supramolecular Structure and Materials of Ministry of Education, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China); Wang Yue [Key Lab for Supramolecular Structure and Materials of Ministry of Education, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China); Jiang Shimei [Key Lab for Supramolecular Structure and Materials of Ministry of Education, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China)]. E-mail: smjiang@jlu.edu.cn

2007-10-15

Schiff bases N,N'-o-phenylenebis (salicylideneimine) (H{sub 2} L{sup 1} ), N,N'-p-phenylenebis (salicylideneimine) (H{sub 2} L{sup 2} ) and their corresponding boron complexes (BF{sub 2}){sub 2} L{sup 1} (BF{sub 2}){sub 2} L{sup 2} were synthesized, respectively. The two boron complexes have been characterized by {sup 1}H NMR, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis, while the luminescent properties of them were investigated with UV-VIS spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Then the three-layer devices [ITO/NPB (60 nm)/(BF{sub 2}){sub 2} L{sup 1} (50 nm)/Alq3 (20 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (200 nm)] (device I) and [ITO/NPB (60 nm)/(BF{sub 2}){sub 2} L{sup 2} (50 nm)/Alq3 (20 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (200 nm)] (device II) were fabricated by vacuum deposition. These two devices both exhibited blue green emission at 500 nm, but showed different luminances and efficiencies.

Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833 transitorily reduces tomato bacterial wilt incidence caused by Ralstonia solanacearum under in vitro conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chave, Marie; Crozilhac, Patrice; Deberdt, Péninna; Plouznikoff, Katia; Declerck, Stéphane

2017-10-01

Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is one of the world's most important soil-borne plant diseases. In Martinique, French West Indies, a highly virulent new pathogenic variant of this bacterium (phylotype IIB/4NPB) severely impacts tomato production. Here we report on the effect of R. solanacearum CFBP 6783, classified in phytotype IIB/4NPB, on tomato plantlets grown under strict in vitro culture conditions in the presence or absence of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833. A mycelium donor plant (i.e. Crotalaria spectabilis) was used for rapid, uniform mycorrhization of tomato plantlets that were subsequently infected by the bacterium. Bacterial wilt was significantly delayed and the incidence of the disease consequently reduced in the mycorrhizal tomato plantlets. Conversely, R. solanacearum did not affect root colonization by the AMF within the 16 days of the experiment. These results suggested that the mycorrhizal fungus was able to reduce bacterial wilt symptoms, probably by eliciting defence mechanisms in the plant.

Synthesis and luminescent properties of pentacene derivatives having a chromophore

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Eun-Jee; Kim, Yeong-Eun; Lee, Chang-Jun; Park, Jong-Wook

2006-01-01

We introduced carbazole and fluorene moieties into pentacene compound for comparing optical and EL properties together. The structure was identified by NMR, IR, UV-Visible spectroscopies and FAB-Mass analysis. 6,13-Bis(9,9-diethyl-9H-fluoren-2-ly)pentacene (DFP) and 6,13-bis(9-ethyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)pentacene (ECP) showed similar red PL spectrum pattern and their maximum wavelengths appeared at 627 nm and 633 nm. ITO/m-MTDATA/NPB/Alq 3 :DFP (5%)/LiF/Al device showed red EL spectrum at 636 nm with 0.03 cd/A efficiency. ITO/m-MTDATA/NPB/Alq 3 :ECP (5%)/LiF/Al device also showed similar red EL spectrum at same range and higher efficiency (> 0.21 cd/A) than DFPs. We suppose the dopant EL property of pentacene compound can be changed as the electronic property and steric effect of 6,13-substituted moiety in 6- and 13-positions

Electroplex light emission based on BCP and a novel star-shaped hexafluorenylbenzene

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Tao; Yu, Junsheng; Lou, Shuangling; Jiang, Yadong; Zhang, Qing

2009-05-01

Organic light emitting diode (OLEDs) are fabricated using a novel star-shaped hexafluorenylbenzene with a simple structure of indium-tin-oxide (ITO)/1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis(9,9-diethyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)benzene (HKEthFLYPh):N, N'-bis-(1-naphthyl)-N,N'-diphenyl-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB)/2,9-dimenthyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BCP)/tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3)/Mg:Ag by spin coating method. The electroluminescent properties of the device are characterized. The results show that there is a new peak at 600 nm, which is no appearance in PL spectra. This new emission is proposed to be electroplex that occurred at the solid-state interface between HKEthFLYPh and BCP in addition to the exciton emission from NPB. The Commissions Internationale De L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of the device are (x=0.33, y=0.29) at 10 V, which obviously belongs to white light emission.

El cómic como fuente histórica : el falso testimonio de Tintín en el Congo Belga

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Óscar Gual Boronat

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A través del estudio de la obra Tintin au Congo del dibujante belga Hergé, tratamos de probar la capacidad del cómic para ser utilizado como fuente histórica. La actual definición de fuente puede englobarlo perfectamente pero es necesaria una demostración práctica. Tras contextualizar dicha historieta pasamos a realizar una lectura atenta de la misma, así como de sus aspectos más polémicos, para a continuación describir el proceso de trabajo del propio Hergé y las influencias de su entorno. Por último, entraremos a debatir cuál es el origen de la historieta como medio y cuál es el método de análisis a la hora de interrogarla históricamente.Through the study of the Belgian cartoonist Hergé's work Tintin au Congo we try to test the ability of comics to be used as a historical source. The current source definition can cover it very well but requires a practical demonstration. After we contextualize this story we make a careful reading of it and of its most controversial features, then we describe the process of Hergé's own work and the influences of their environment. Finally we enter into a discussion about which is the origin of comics as a medium and which is the method of analysis when questioning historically.

Reactor Division semestrial progress report January - June 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

This report covers the activities of the reactor division at the SCK-CEN during the first semester of 1987. It deals with the BR-2 materials testing reactor, the BR-3 power plant, reactor physics, water cooled reactors, fast neutron reactors, fusion, non nuclear programmes, testing and commissioning, high and medium activities, and informatics. (MCB)

Sustainability: Land Management

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-24

8217. .’" , .. . . . . Aqula Harbour , , MCB Quantico Notification Area MMF Legend Flight Tracks - FixedW1ng - Rot;wy Wing TBS :::_-, FIXed Wing Alea ...Rot;wy Wing Alea TBS Rotary Wing /Vea lmpuln Noise Buffer SMile APZ~l Range Safety Zone C Range Safety Zone A IZ2Zl Corr4losile Su1ace

Reactor Division semestrial progress report July - December 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

This report covers the activities of the reactor division at the SCK-CEN during the second semester of 1987. It deals with the BR-2 materials testing reactor, the BR-3 power plant, reactor physics, water cooled reactors, fast neutron reactors, fusion, non nuclear programmes, testing and commissioning, high and medium activities, and informatics. (MCB)

Air quality and climate change, Topic 3 of the Model Inter-Comparison Study for Asia Phase III (MICS-Asia III) - Part 1: Overview and model evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Meng; Han, Zhiwei; Liu, Zirui; Li, Meng; Xin, Jinyuan; Tao, Zhining; Li, Jiawei; Kang, Jeong-Eon; Huang, Kan; Dong, Xinyi; Zhuang, Bingliang; Li, Shu; Ge, Baozhu; Wu, Qizhong; Cheng, Yafang; Wang, Yuesi; Lee, Hyo-Jung; Kim, Cheol-Hee; Fu, Joshua S.; Wang, Tijian; Chin, Mian; Woo, Jung-Hun; Zhang, Qiang; Wang, Zifa; Carmichael, Gregory R.

2018-04-01

Topic 3 of the Model Inter-Comparison Study for Asia (MICS-Asia) Phase III examines how online coupled air quality models perform in simulating high aerosol pollution in the North China Plain region during wintertime haze events and evaluates the importance of aerosol radiative and microphysical feedbacks. A comprehensive overview of the MICS-Asia III Topic 3 study design, including descriptions of participating models and model inputs, the experimental designs, and results of model evaluation, are presented. Six modeling groups from China, Korea and the United States submitted results from seven applications of online coupled chemistry-meteorology models. Results are compared to meteorology and air quality measurements, including data from the Campaign on Atmospheric Aerosol Research Network of China (CARE-China) and the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET). The correlation coefficients between the multi-model ensemble mean and the CARE-China observed near-surface air pollutants range from 0.51 to 0.94 (0.51 for ozone and 0.94 for PM2.5) for January 2010. However, large discrepancies exist between simulated aerosol chemical compositions from different models. The coefficient of variation (SD divided by the mean) can reach above 1.3 for sulfate in Beijing and above 1.6 for nitrate and organic aerosols in coastal regions, indicating that these compositions are less consistent from different models. During clean periods, simulated aerosol optical depths (AODs) from different models are similar, but peak values differ during severe haze events, which can be explained by the differences in simulated inorganic aerosol concentrations and the hygroscopic growth efficiency (affected by varied relative humidity). These differences in composition and AOD suggest that future models can be improved by including new heterogeneous or aqueous pathways for sulfate and nitrate formation under hazy conditions, a secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation chemical

Integrative approach to delineate natural attenuation of chlorinated benzenes in anoxic aquifers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stelzer, Nicole; Imfeld, Gwenael; Thullner, Martin; Lehmann, Juergen; Poser, Alexander; Richnow, Hans-H.; Nijenhuis, Ivonne

2009-01-01

Biodegradation of chlorobenzenes was assessed at an anoxic aquifer by combining hydrogeochemistry and stable isotope analyses. In situ microcosm analysis evidenced microbial assimilation of chlorobenzene (MCB) derived carbon and laboratory investigations asserted mineralization of MCB at low rates. Sequential dehalogenation of chlorinated benzenes may affect the isotope signature of single chlorobenzene species due to simultaneous depletion and enrichment of 13 C, which complicates the evaluation of degradation. Therefore, the compound-specific isotope analysis was interpreted based on an isotope balance. The enrichment of the cumulative isotope composition of all chlorobenzenes indicated in situ biodegradation. Additionally, the relationship between hydrogeochemistry and degradation activity was investigated by principal component analysis underlining variable hydrogeochemical conditions associated with degradation activity at the plume scale. Although the complexity of the field site did not allow straightforward assessment of natural attenuation processes, the application of an integrative approach appeared relevant to characterize the in situ biodegradation potential. - Lines of evidence for in situ biodegradation of chlorinated benzenes in an anoxic aquifer by combining hydrogeochemical and stable isotope data with multivariate statistics.

Integrative approach to delineate natural attenuation of chlorinated benzenes in anoxic aquifers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stelzer, Nicole; Imfeld, Gwenael [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Thullner, Martin [Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Lehmann, Juergen [Ingenieurbuero Roth and Partner GmbH, Hans-Sachs-Str. 9, 76133 Karlsruhe (Germany); Poser, Alexander [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Richnow, Hans-H., E-mail: hans.richnow@ufz.d [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Nijenhuis, Ivonne [Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany)

2009-06-15

Biodegradation of chlorobenzenes was assessed at an anoxic aquifer by combining hydrogeochemistry and stable isotope analyses. In situ microcosm analysis evidenced microbial assimilation of chlorobenzene (MCB) derived carbon and laboratory investigations asserted mineralization of MCB at low rates. Sequential dehalogenation of chlorinated benzenes may affect the isotope signature of single chlorobenzene species due to simultaneous depletion and enrichment of {sup 13}C, which complicates the evaluation of degradation. Therefore, the compound-specific isotope analysis was interpreted based on an isotope balance. The enrichment of the cumulative isotope composition of all chlorobenzenes indicated in situ biodegradation. Additionally, the relationship between hydrogeochemistry and degradation activity was investigated by principal component analysis underlining variable hydrogeochemical conditions associated with degradation activity at the plume scale. Although the complexity of the field site did not allow straightforward assessment of natural attenuation processes, the application of an integrative approach appeared relevant to characterize the in situ biodegradation potential. - Lines of evidence for in situ biodegradation of chlorinated benzenes in an anoxic aquifer by combining hydrogeochemical and stable isotope data with multivariate statistics.

The removal of dinitrochlorobenzene from industrial residuals by liquid-liquid extraction with chemical reaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. C. M. Ferreira

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Nitrochlorobenzenes (NCBs are very important in the chemical industry since they have been used as raw material for the manufacture of crop protection products, as active ingredients in the pharmaceutical industry, as pigments and as antioxidants as well as for other uses. In industrial processes, NCBs are produced by monochlorobenzene (MCB nitration reactions and one of the main residuals formed is dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB, which is mainly composed of the isomer 2,4DNCB. This subproduct, although of commercial interest when in its pure state, is generally incinerated due to the high costs of recovery treatment and purification. The objective of this study is to present an alternative to the treatment of industrial residuals containing DNCB. The technique consists of converting DNCB into sodium dinitrophenolate, which is very soluble in water and is also easy to reuse. For this purpose, liquid-liquid extraction with chemical reaction (alkaline hydrolysis with a rotating disc contactor (RDC is used. Experimental data on MCB nitration reactions as well as alkaline hydrolysis using a rotating disc contactor are presented.

Beef traders' and consumers' perceptions on the development of a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Beef traders' and consumers' perceptions on the development of a natural pasture-fed beef (NPB) brand by smallholder cattle producers were investigated. In total, 18 meat traders (five abattoirs and 13 beef retailers) and 155 beef consumers were interviewed using structured questionnaires. All meat traders had the ...

Analysis of the Electrical Properties of an Electron Injection Layer in Alq3-Based Organic Light Emitting Diodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Soonkon; Choi, Pyungho; Kim, Sangsub; Park, Hyoungsun; Baek, Dohyun; Kim, Sangsoo; Choi, Byoungdeog

2016-05-01

We investigated the carrier transfer and luminescence characteristics of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with structure ITO/HAT-CN/NPB/Alq3/Al, ITO/HAT-CN/NPB/Alq3/Liq/Al, and ITO/HAT-CN/NPB/Alq3/LiF/A. The performance of the OLED device is improved by inserting an electron injection layer (EIL), which induces lowering of the electron injection barrier. We also investigated the electrical transport behaviors of p-Si/Alq3/Al, p-Si/Alq3/Liq/Al, and p-Si/Alq3/LiF/Al Schottky diodes, by using current-voltage (L-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characterization methods. The parameters of diode quality factor n and barrier height φ(b) were dependent on the interlayer materials between Alq3 and Al. The barrier heights φ(b) were 0.59, 0.49, and 0.45 eV, respectively, and the diode quality factors n were 1.34, 1.31, and 1.30, respectively, obtained from the I-V characteristics. The built in potentials V(bi) were 0.41, 0.42, and 0.42 eV, respectively, obtained from the C-V characteristics. In this experiment, Liq and LiF thin film layers improved the carrier transport behaviors by increasing electron injection from Al to Alq3, and the LiF schottky diode showed better I-V performance than the Liq schottky diode. We confirmed that a Liq or LiF thin film inter-layer governs electron and hole transport at the Al/Alq3 interface, and has an important role in determining the electrical properties of OLED devices.

Fabrication and characterization of organic light-emitting diodes using zinc complexes as hole-blocking layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Won Sam; You, Jung Min; Lee, Burm-Jong; Jang, Yoon-Ki; Kim, Dong-Eun; Kwon, Young-Soo

2006-11-01

2-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HPB) was employed as organic ligand and the corresponding zinc complexes (Zn(HPB)2 and Zn(HPB)q) were synthesized. And their EL properties were characterized. The structures of zinc complexes were determined with FT-NMR, FT-IR, UV-Vis, and XPS. The thermal stability showed up to about 300 degrees C under nitrogen flow, which was measured by TGA. The photoluminescence (PL) of zinc complexes were measured from the DMF solution. The PL emitted in blue and yellow region, respectively. The EL devices were fabricated by the vacuum deposition. Two kinds of OLEDs devices were fabricated; ITO/NPB (40 nm)/Zn complexes (60 nm)/LiF/Al and ITO/NPB (40 nm)/Alq3 (60 nm)/Zn complexes (5 nm)/LiF/Al. Both of the EL properties as the emitting and the hole-blocking layer were investigated. The EL emission of Zn(HPB)q exhibited green light centered at 532 nm. The device showed a turn-on voltage at 5 V and a luminance of 6073 cd/m2 at 10 V. Meanwhile, the maximum EL the emission of the Zn(HPB)2 device was found to be at 447 nm. And the device showed a luminance of 2813 cd/m2 at 10 V. The ITO/NPB (40 nm)/Alq3 (60 nm)/Zn(HPB)2 (5 nm)/LiF/Al device showed increased luminance of L=17000 cd/m2 compared to L=12000 cd/m2 for similar device fabricated without the hole-blocking layer. And the turn-on voltage was significantly affected by the existence of the hole-blocking layer.

An Investigation Into Ventilation And Dust Issues For The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-01

as Ni)....| 7440-02-0 | ........ | 1 | Nicotine...............| 54-11-5 | ........ | 0.5 | X Nitric acid ............| 7697-37-2...Os)..............| 20816-12-0 | ........ | 0.002 | Oxalic acid ............| 144-62-7 | ........ | 1 | Oxygen difluoride......| 7783-41-7...substance exposure resulting from TOW Missile motor propellant combustion products while firing from inside the MC-B. • Inadequate ventilation for operation

Initial results on computational performance of Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture: implementation of the Weather and Research Forecasting (WRF) Purdue-Lin microphysics scheme

Science.gov (United States)

Mielikainen, Jarno; Huang, Bormin; Huang, Allen H.

2014-10-01

Purdue-Lin scheme is a relatively sophisticated microphysics scheme in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The scheme includes six classes of hydro meteors: water vapor, cloud water, raid, cloud ice, snow and graupel. The scheme is very suitable for massively parallel computation as there are no interactions among horizontal grid points. In this paper, we accelerate the Purdue Lin scheme using Intel Many Integrated Core Architecture (MIC) hardware. The Intel Xeon Phi is a high performance coprocessor consists of up to 61 cores. The Xeon Phi is connected to a CPU via the PCI Express (PICe) bus. In this paper, we will discuss in detail the code optimization issues encountered while tuning the Purdue-Lin microphysics Fortran code for Xeon Phi. In particularly, getting a good performance required utilizing multiple cores, the wide vector operations and make efficient use of memory. The results show that the optimizations improved performance of the original code on Xeon Phi 5110P by a factor of 4.2x. Furthermore, the same optimizations improved performance on Intel Xeon E5-2603 CPU by a factor of 1.2x compared to the original code.

Cómics, viñetas y dibujos de la Movida madrileña: de los setenta a los ochenta, pasando por el Rastro = Cartoons, comics and drawings of the Movida: from the seventies to the eighties, through the Rastro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo Dopico

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Treinta años después, la Movida madrileña sigue siendo un fenómeno variable. Una corriente creativa vanguardista y multidisciplinar que fue utilizada por las instituciones de la incipiente democracia española para consolidar y proyectar una nueva imagen de la capital y del país. Un movimiento cultural que encontró sus orígenes gráficos y estéticos en el cómic underground y la prensa marginal madrileña de los años setenta, donde localizamos una parte esencial de su germen visual. Un cómic contracultural que reflejó una realidad social diferente a la que mostraban los medios de comunicación tradicionales, ofreciendo un reflejo histórico superior al que ofrecían otras artes coetáneas.Thirty years later, the Movida is a variable phenomenon. A ground-breaking, multidisciplinary creative flow that was used by the institutions of the emerging Spanish democracy to consolidate and project a new image of the capital and the country. A cultural movement that found its graphics and aesthetic origins in underground comics and marginal press of the seventies, where we found an essential part of his visual germ. A countercultural comic that reflected a different social reality that showed the traditional media, offering historical reflection superior than other contemporary arts.

Many-integrated core (MIC) technology for accelerating Monte Carlo simulation of radiation transport: A study based on the code DPM

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, M.; Brualla, L.

2018-04-01

Monte Carlo simulation of radiation transport is computationally demanding to obtain reasonably low statistical uncertainties of the estimated quantities. Therefore, it can benefit in a large extent from high-performance computing. This work is aimed at assessing the performance of the first generation of the many-integrated core architecture (MIC) Xeon Phi coprocessor with respect to that of a CPU consisting of a double 12-core Xeon processor in Monte Carlo simulation of coupled electron-photonshowers. The comparison was made twofold, first, through a suite of basic tests including parallel versions of the random number generators Mersenne Twister and a modified implementation of RANECU. These tests were addressed to establish a baseline comparison between both devices. Secondly, through the p DPM code developed in this work. p DPM is a parallel version of the Dose Planning Method (DPM) program for fast Monte Carlo simulation of radiation transport in voxelized geometries. A variety of techniques addressed to obtain a large scalability on the Xeon Phi were implemented in p DPM. Maximum scalabilities of 84 . 2 × and 107 . 5 × were obtained in the Xeon Phi for simulations of electron and photon beams, respectively. Nevertheless, in none of the tests involving radiation transport the Xeon Phi performed better than the CPU. The disadvantage of the Xeon Phi with respect to the CPU owes to the low performance of the single core of the former. A single core of the Xeon Phi was more than 10 times less efficient than a single core of the CPU for all radiation transport simulations.

Les etapes d’édification de la fortification de Horodca Mică

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Octavian Munteanu

2013-12-01

Full Text Available La fortification Horodca Mică est située dans la zone centrale de l'espace pruto-dniesterien, aux environs des sources de la rivière Botna, et elle est devenue objet des recherches systématiques depuis 2006. Plusieurs des résultats obtenus depuis cette date on été publiés entre temps. On compte parmi ceux-ci une étude concernant les éléments défensifs de la forteresse, où l'on a mis en avant l'hypothèse d'une fortification par étapes, du promontoire, alternées avec des destructions périodiques. Au départ, on avait plus insisté sur la première phase d'édification du système défensif, en décrivant ses éléments constitutifs, les techniques utilisées dans le processus d'édification, mais aussi l'évolution de la fortification même, jusqu'au dévastateur incendie qui a écroulé la construction défensive. Dans cet article on a repris le débat portant sur le système défensif. L'hypothèse sur laquelle on se fonde admet l'existence de trois autres phases de refortification du même espace, suite à la première destruction. Pour l'argumentaire de ce point de vue on s'est proposé de présenter dans un premier temps, le tableau des observations objectives, enregistrées sur le terrain, et dans un deuxième temps, partant de ces observations, offrir une explication de la vision que nous avons construit. Cette analyse porte y compris sur les modalités d'édification du système défensif dans chacune des phases identifiées, sur les techniques et matériaux utilisés, ainsi que des raisonnements concernant les repères chronologiques. On est donc d'avis que dans ces phases ultérieures de fortification du promontoire, a été procédé de la même manière que dans la première : un fossé a été creusé (en réalité c'est l'ancien qui a été étendu en largeur, derrière a été montée une palissade complexe, en bois (sur le sommet même de la vague constituée suite à l'écroulement de la construction de la phase

Molecular model of a cell plasma membrane with an asymmetric multicomponent composition: Water permeation and ion effects

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vácha, Robert; Berkowitz, M. L.; Jungwirth, Pavel

2009-01-01

Roč. 96, č. 11 (2009), s. 4493-4501 ISSN 0006-3495 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GD203/05/H001; GA ČR GA203/08/0114 Grant - others:NSF(US) MCB-0615469 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : membrane * ions * molecular dynamics Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 4.390, year: 2009

A duplex PCR assay for the detection of Ralstonia solanacearum phylotype II strains in Musa spp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gilles Cellier

Full Text Available Banana wilt outbreaks that are attributable to Moko disease-causing strains of the pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs remain a social and economic burden for both multinational corporations and subsistence farmers. All known Moko strains belong to the phylotype II lineage, which has been previously recognized for its broad genetic basis. Moko strains are paraphyletic and are distributed among seven related but distinct phylogenetic clusters (sequevars that are potentially major threats to Musaceae, Solanaceae, and ornamental crops in many countries. Although clustered within the Moko IIB-4 sequevar, strains of the epidemiologically variant IIB-4NPB do not cause wilt on Cavendish or plantain bananas; instead, they establish a latent infection in the vascular tissues of plantains and demonstrate an expanded host range and high aggressiveness toward Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae. Although most molecular diagnostic methods focus on strains that wilt Solanaceae (particularly potato, no relevant protocol has been described that universally detects strains of the Musaceae-infecting Rs phylotype II. Thus, a duplex PCR assay targeting Moko and IIB-4NPB variant strains was developed, and its performance was assessed using an extensive collection of 111 strains representing the known diversity of Rs Moko-related strains and IIB-4NPB variant strains along with certain related strains and families. The proposed diagnostic protocol demonstrated both high accuracy (inclusivity and exclusivity and high repeatability, detected targets on either pure culture or spiked plant extracts. Although they did not belong to the Moko clusters described at the time of the study, recently discovered banana-infecting strains from Brazil were also detected. According to our comprehensive evaluation, this duplex PCR assay appears suitable for both research and diagnostic laboratories and provides reliable detection of phylotype II Rs strains that infect Musaceae.

Predictive cytogenetic biomarkers for colorectal neoplasia in medium risk patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ionescu, E M; Nicolaie, T; Ionescu, M A; Becheanu, G; Andrei, F; Diculescu, M; Ciocirlan, M

2015-01-01

DNA damage and chromosomal alterations in peripheral lymphocytes parallels DNA mutations in tumor tissues. The aim of our study was to predict the presence of neoplastic colorectal lesions by specific biomarkers in "medium risk" individuals (age 50 to 75, with no personal or family of any colorectal neoplasia). We designed a prospective cohort observational study including patients undergoing diagnostic or opportunistic screening colonoscopy. Specific biomarkers were analyzed for each patient in peripheral lymphocytes - presence of micronuclei (MN), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB) and the Nuclear Division Index (NDI) by the cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay (CBMN). Of 98 patients included, 57 were "medium risk" individuals. MN frequency and NPB presence were not significantly different in patients with neoplastic lesions compared to controls. In "medium risk" individuals, mean NDI was significantly lower for patients with any neoplastic lesions (adenomas and adenocarcinomas, AUROC 0.668, p 00.5), for patients with advanced neoplasia (advanced adenoma and adenocarcinoma, AUROC 0.636 p 0.029) as well as for patients with adenocarcinoma (AUROC 0.650, p 0.048), for each comparison with the rest of the population. For a cut-off of 1.8, in "medium risk" individuals, an NDI inferior to that value may predict any neoplastic lesion with a sensitivity of 97.7%, an advanced neoplastic lesion with a sensitivity of 97% and adenocarcinoma with a sensitivity of 94.4%. NDI score may have a role as a colorectal cancer-screening test in "medium risk" individuals. DNA = deoxyribonucleic acid; CRC = colorectal cancer; EU = European Union; WHO = World Health Organization; FOBT = fecal occult blood test; CBMN = cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay; MN = micronuclei; NPB = nucleoplasmic bridges; NDI = Nuclear Division Index; FAP = familial adenomatous polyposis; HNPCC = hereditary non-polypoid colorectal cancer; IBD = inflammatory bowel diseases; ROC = receiver operating

Air quality and climate change, Topic 3 of the Model Inter-Comparison Study for Asia Phase III (MICS-Asia III – Part 1: Overview and model evaluation

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M. Gao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Topic 3 of the Model Inter-Comparison Study for Asia (MICS-Asia Phase III examines how online coupled air quality models perform in simulating high aerosol pollution in the North China Plain region during wintertime haze events and evaluates the importance of aerosol radiative and microphysical feedbacks. A comprehensive overview of the MICS-Asia III Topic 3 study design, including descriptions of participating models and model inputs, the experimental designs, and results of model evaluation, are presented. Six modeling groups from China, Korea and the United States submitted results from seven applications of online coupled chemistry–meteorology models. Results are compared to meteorology and air quality measurements, including data from the Campaign on Atmospheric Aerosol Research Network of China (CARE-China and the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET. The correlation coefficients between the multi-model ensemble mean and the CARE-China observed near-surface air pollutants range from 0.51 to 0.94 (0.51 for ozone and 0.94 for PM2.5 for January 2010. However, large discrepancies exist between simulated aerosol chemical compositions from different models. The coefficient of variation (SD divided by the mean can reach above 1.3 for sulfate in Beijing and above 1.6 for nitrate and organic aerosols in coastal regions, indicating that these compositions are less consistent from different models. During clean periods, simulated aerosol optical depths (AODs from different models are similar, but peak values differ during severe haze events, which can be explained by the differences in simulated inorganic aerosol concentrations and the hygroscopic growth efficiency (affected by varied relative humidity. These differences in composition and AOD suggest that future models can be improved by including new heterogeneous or aqueous pathways for sulfate and nitrate formation under hazy conditions, a secondary organic aerosol (SOA

Sharp green electroluminescence from 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline-based light-emitting diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Y. T.; Balasubramaniam, E.; Danel, A.; Jarosz, B.; Tomasik, P.

2000-09-01

A multilayer organic light-emitting diode was fabricated using a fluorescent compound {6-N,N-diethylamino-1-methyl-3-phenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline} (PAQ-NEt2) doped into the hole-transporting layer of NPB {4,4'-bis[N-(1-naphthyl-1-)-N-phenyl-amino]-biphenyl}, with the TPBI {2,2',2″-(1,3,5-phenylene)tris[1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazole]} as an electrontransporting material. At 16% PAQ-NEt2 doping concentration, the device gave a sharp, bright, and efficient green electroluminescence (EL) peaked at around 530 nm. The full width at half maximum of the EL is 60 nm, which is 60% of the green emission from typical NPB/AlQ [where AlQ=tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum] device. For the same concentration, a maximum luminance of 37 000 cd/m2 was obtained at 10.0 V and the maximum power, luminescence, and external quantum efficiencies were obtained 4.2 lm/W, 6.0 cd/A, and 1.6%, respectively, at 5.0 V.

Comparison of 250 MHz R10K Origin 2000 and 400 MHz Origin 2000 Using NAS Parallel Benchmarks

Science.gov (United States)

Turney, Raymond D.; Thigpen, William W. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This report describes results of benchmark tests on Steger, a 250 MHz Origin 2000 system with R10K processors, currently installed at the NASA Ames National Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) facility. For comparison purposes, the tests were also run on Lomax, a 400 MHz Origin 2000 with R12K processors. The BT, LU, and SP application benchmarks in the NAS Parallel Benchmark Suite and the kernel benchmark FT were chosen to measure system performance. Having been written to measure performance on Computational Fluid Dynamics applications, these benchmarks are assumed appropriate to represent the NAS workload. Since the NAS runs both message passing (MPI) and shared-memory, compiler directive type codes, both MPI and OpenMP versions of the benchmarks were used. The MPI versions used were the latest official release of the NAS Parallel Benchmarks, version 2.3. The OpenMP versions used were PBN3b2, a beta version that is in the process of being released. NPB 2.3 and PBN3b2 are technically different benchmarks, and NPB results are not directly comparable to PBN results.

Stoichiometric and Oxygen-Deficient VO2 as Versatile Hole Injection Electrode for Organic Semiconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Keke; Wang, Rongbin; Katase, Takayoshi; Ohta, Hiromichi; Koch, Norbert; Duhm, Steffen

2018-03-28

Using photoemission spectroscopy, we show that the surface electronic structure of VO 2 is determined by the temperature-dependent metal-insulator phase transition and the density of oxygen vacancies, which depends on the temperature and ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. The atomically clean and stoichiometric VO 2 surface is insulating at room temperature and features an ultrahigh work function of up to 6.7 eV. Heating in UHV just above the phase transition temperature induces the expected metallic phase, which goes in hand with the formation of oxygen defects (up to 6% in this study), but a high work function >6 eV is maintained. To demonstrate the suitability of VO 2 as hole injection contact for organic semiconductors, we investigated the energy-level alignment with the prototypical organic hole transport material N, N'-di(1-naphthyl)- N, N'-diphenyl-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB). Evidence for strong Fermi-level pinning and the associated energy-level bending in NPB is found, rendering an Ohmic contact for holes.

A white organic light emitting diode based on anthracene-triphenylamine derivatives

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Quan; Qu, Jianjun; Yu, Junsheng; Tao, Silu; Gan, Yuanyuan; Jiang, Yadong

2010-10-01

White organic lighting-diode (WOLED) can be used as flat light sources, backlights for liquid crystal displays and full color displays. Recently, a research mainstream of white OLED is to develop the novel materials and optimize the structure of devices. In this work a WOLED with a structure of ITO/NPB/PAA/Alq3: x% rubrene/Alq3/Mg: Ag, was fabricated. The device has two light-emitting layers. NPB is used as a hole transport layer, PAA as a blue emitting layer, Alq3: rubrene host-guest system as a yellow emitting layer, and Alq3 close to the cathode as an electron transport layer. In the experiment, the doping concentration of rubrene was optimized. WOLED 1 with 4% rubrene achieved a maximum luminous efficiency of 1.80 lm/W, a maximum luminance of 3926 cd/m2 and CIE coordinates of (0.374, 0.341) .WOLED 2 with 2% rubrene achieved a maximum luminous efficiency of 0.65 lm/W, a maximum luminance of 7495cd/m2 and CIE coordinates of (0.365,0.365).

La industria del cómic en España: radiografía de ¿un mito o una realidad?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pons, Álvaro M.

2011-09-01

Full Text Available In spite of the importance of figures referred to published titles, or number of copies printed, which help to set publishing strategies and to really know the comic situation in Spain, there are no liable data. We are giving in this article, some enlightening data along with some explanations related to the evolution of the market from 2001 to 2009. The different titles are grouped considering the place they come from (Europe, Asia, United States…, along with their format (album, book, magazine, comic-book…. Using all this information, we can deduce evolution lines, tendencies, futures perspectives in an industry that, despite its precariousness, is facing an increasing number of copies sold and a progressive settlement in the Spanish publishing world.

A pesar de la importancia que revestiría para establecer estrategias editoriales y para un mejor conocimiento de la situación del cómic en España, no existen cifras fiables sobre títulos publicados y cifras de tiradas. En este artículo se proporcionan algunos datos aclaradores al respecto. Se ofrece una evolución de nuestro mercado desde 2001 a 2009. Se agrupan los diversos títulos por lugar de procedencia (Europa, Asia, Estados Unidos…, así como por formatos (álbum, libro, revista, comic-book…. De todo ello se desprenden líneas evolutivas, tendencias y perspectivas de futuro de una industria que, a pesar de su precariedad, conoce un aumento de las ventas y un progresivo asentamiento en el panorama de la edición española.

STAR 21, Technology Forecast Assessments. Strategic Technologies for the Army of the Twenty-First Century

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

with neodymium and chromium NEPE Nitrate ester plasticized polyethane NHAM Nonlinear holographic associative memory NPB Neutral particle beam NRL Naval...characteristics of a natural medium; chaotic processes or other means of describing multiscale media have a role here. Finally, new physical and...Biomolecular Novel biomaterials for countermeasures engineering countermeasures Propellants and Bioproduction Novel nitrate -based materials for

Marine cloud brightening

OpenAIRE

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, Hugh; Connolly, Paul; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John

2012-01-01

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could—subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identi...

The function and developmental expression of alternatively spliced isoforms of amphioxus and Xenopus laevis Pax2/5/8 genes: revealing divergence at the invertebrate to vertebrate transition

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Short, S.; Kozmik, Zbyněk; Holland, L. Z.

2012-01-01

Roč. 318, č. 7 (2012), s. 555-571 ISSN 1552-5007 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP305/10/2141; GA MŠk LH12047 Grant - others:NSF(US) MCB 06-20019 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Keywords : Pax2/5/8 * alternative splicing * eye development * amphioxus * Xenopus laevis Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.123, year: 2012

Development of a microbiological ammonium to nitrate recycling bioreactor for space capsules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pycke, B.

2009-01-01

Since 1988, the Expertise group of Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) is an important partner in the development of the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA). The MELiSSA was designed to allow a small crew to survive on an Antarctic, lunar or Mars outpost, and is a joint research project currently fostered by the European Space Agency, ESA. The MELiSSA functions through a series of five interconnected compartments, of which four are microbial bioreactors and was engineered to degrade organic waste, regenerate the outpost's atmosphere and water, and provide the crew with an additional vegetarian diet. The bioreactor of the third compartment provides the edible cyanobacteria and plants of the fourth compartment with nitrate instead of ammonium as a source of nitrogen. The two bacteria responsible for the biological transformation of ammonium to nitrate (nitrification) are Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrobacter winogradskyi. Since all MELiSSA-reactors are to be relied on for a period of several years, reactor operation is to be studied exhaustively to allow optimal process- and reactor performance. Therefore, a pilot reactor for the third compartment was engineered and constructed at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), where the pilot plant of the MELiSSA is installed. The reactor was able to perform nitrification with high efficiency for the entire trial period of nearly five years and was the subject of this study. Collaboration between the unit of MCB and researchers at Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) allowed the development and validation of a mathematical model for the third compartment of the MELiSSA. A mathematical model will allow optimizing reactor operation and reactor performance even further. A Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (Q-PCR) was developed at MCB that allowed the quantitative assessment of the relative distribution of the two autotrophic nitrifying bacterial species along the reactor's packed

Effective exciton blocking by the hole-transporting material 5,10,15-tribenzyl-5H-diindolo[3,2-a:3′,2′-c]-carbazole (TBDI) in the tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene (DBP) based organic photovoltaic cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Jing; Yang, Fang [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, P.O. Box 143, 149 Yanchang Rd., Shanghai 200072 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Display and System Applications, Ministry of Education, Shanghai University, P.O. Box 143, 149 Yanchang Rd., Shanghai 200072 (China); Zheng, Yanqiong, E-mail: zhengyanqiong@shu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Advanced Display and System Applications, Ministry of Education, Shanghai University, P.O. Box 143, 149 Yanchang Rd., Shanghai 200072 (China); Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Flat Panel Display, Shanghai University, P.O. Box 143, 149 Yanchang Rd., Shanghai 200072 (China); Wei, Bin [Key Laboratory of Advanced Display and System Applications, Ministry of Education, Shanghai University, P.O. Box 143, 149 Yanchang Rd., Shanghai 200072 (China); Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Flat Panel Display, Shanghai University, P.O. Box 143, 149 Yanchang Rd., Shanghai 200072 (China); Zhang, Xiaowen [Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, 1 Jinji Road, Guilin 541004 (China); Zhang, Jianhua; Wang, Zixing [Key Laboratory of Advanced Display and System Applications, Ministry of Education, Shanghai University, P.O. Box 143, 149 Yanchang Rd., Shanghai 200072 (China); Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Flat Panel Display, Shanghai University, P.O. Box 143, 149 Yanchang Rd., Shanghai 200072 (China); Pu, Wenhong; Yang, Changzhu [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2015-12-01

Graphical abstract: The hole-transporting materials of TBDI, NPB and TAPC were used as exciton blocking layer (EBL) in DBP based PHJs for successfully blocking the misdirected electrons. PHJ cell with TBDI showed an improvement of 36% in η{sub PCE} relative to the reference cell without any EBL, owing to enhanced optical electric field, stronger prevention of exciton quenching, and a smoother TBDI/DBP surface. - Highlights: • TBDI, NPB, and TAPC as exciton blocking layers (EBLs) all successfully improved the performance of DBP PHJs. • A highest η{sub PCE} improvement of 36% is obtained by TBDI EBL among the three EBLs. • Optical electric fields for the wavelength of 610 nm are significantly enhanced via inserting 10-nm EBLs. • PL spectra indicated stronger prevention of exciton quenching by TBDI. • AFM images suggested smoother donor/acceptor interface with TBDI EBL. - Abstract: To explore the novel application of the hole-transporting material (HTM) as exciton blocking layer (EBL) in small molecule organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells, we introduce a recently reported HTM, 5,10,15-tribenzyl-5H-diindolo[3,2-a:3′,2′-c]-carbazole (TBDI), and the other two traditional HTMs, N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(1-naphthyl)-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (NPB) and 1,1′-bis(di-4-tolylaminophenyl) cyclohexane (TAPC), to serve as EBLs in the tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene (DBP) based planar heterojunction cells. Due to the large band gap of these materials, the EBLs successfully block the misdirected electrons. The optimized devices including the EBLs of TBDI, NPB and TAPC achieve power conversion efficiency (η{sub PCE}) of 1.70%, 1.33%, and 1.33%, respectively, whereas the control device without any EBL shows a η{sub PCE} of only 1.25%. The optical simulation indicates that the maximum optical electric fields for the PHJs including 10-nm EBLs at the wavelength of 610 nm are significantly enhanced relative to that for the 20-nm DBP based control device. By impedance

Internacionalització de les destinacions rurals i de muntanya: idees per a la Vall de Boí del turisme gastronòmic de la regió de Canterbury (Nova Zelanda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesc Fusté Forné

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Tant la innovació en els productes i serveis turístics com la internacionalització de les destinacions són dues de les principals preocupacions dels gestors de turisme. La necessitat de diversificació de l’oferta turística es fa encara més palesa en entorns rurals i de muntanya on l’estacionalitat del turisme hi és més accentuada. En aquest context, el turisme gastronòmic es consolida com una tipologia de referència per a la posada en valor de la identitat i autenticitat vinculades a cada territori, tant pel que fa al seu paisatge cultural com natural. Exemples de la regió neozelandesa de Canterbury s’utilitzen també en aquest article per tal de donar idees que ajudin en el procés d’internacionalització de la Vall de Boí com espai rural i destinació turística de muntanya als Pirineus catalans.

Mic Check/Reality Check

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wanda Vrasti

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Over the past couple of months history has been unfolding with dizzying speed. The #occupy model of leaderless, demandless direct action, which in the beginning no one with only a slim understanding of how capitalism works thought could become anything more than a facile if charming jab at anti-corporate activism, has gone viral. Every morning we wake up to new reports about ‘occupying X’, where X can be anything from cities, campuses, boardrooms, buildings, highways, and public events, all the way to academic disciplines. What originally seemed like a romantic fantasy about temporary autonomous zones now feels like history. And no one likes to find themselves on thewrong side of history, especially not intellectuals, let alone intellectuals in the business of explaining global politics.

In-Transit Visibility Systems for an Expeditionary Force

Science.gov (United States)

2015-11-01

November–December 2015 Army Sustainment42 In September 2014, the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa overwhelmed the region’s...of system failures in theater, the MCB developed procedures to ensure that ITV was captured and maintained for all cargo entering Liberia . The...II during redeployment. All the systems were reimaged prior to arriving in Liberia and were capa- ble of operating alone or through a very small

Environmental Assessment Newport Research Facility Irish Hill

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-12

Classification Symbol Burdett silt loam, 3 to 8 percent BuB Not Hydric Prime Farmland if Drained slopes Honeoye and Lansing silt loams, Hre Not...Part USDA - llap unit symbol BuB ~ CsB HrE HsD HIB HtC LnC LnD McB MIS ~ MoB I MoD NaB NaC NaD I 1R0 •ShF llap unit Mille Rating

The anchor-based minimal important change, based on receiver operating characteristic analysis or predictive modeling, may need to be adjusted for the proportion of improved patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Terluin, Berend; Eekhout, Iris; Terwee, Caroline B

2017-03-01

Patients have their individual minimal important changes (iMICs) as their personal benchmarks to determine whether a perceived health-related quality of life (HRQOL) change constitutes a (minimally) important change for them. We denote the mean iMIC in a group of patients as the "genuine MIC" (gMIC). The aims of this paper are (1) to examine the relationship between the gMIC and the anchor-based minimal important change (MIC), determined by receiver operating characteristic analysis or by predictive modeling; (2) to examine the impact of the proportion of improved patients on these MICs; and (3) to explore the possibility to adjust the MIC for the influence of the proportion of improved patients. Multiple simulations of patient samples involved in anchor-based MIC studies with different characteristics of HRQOL (change) scores and distributions of iMICs. In addition, a real data set is analyzed for illustration. The receiver operating characteristic-based and predictive modeling MICs equal the gMIC when the proportion of improved patients equals 0.5. The MIC is estimated higher than the gMIC when the proportion improved is greater than 0.5, and the MIC is estimated lower than the gMIC when the proportion improved is less than 0.5. Using an equation including the predictive modeling MIC, the log-odds of improvement, the standard deviation of the HRQOL change score, and the correlation between the HRQOL change score and the anchor results in an adjusted MIC reflecting the gMIC irrespective of the proportion of improved patients. Adjusting the predictive modeling MIC for the proportion of improved patients assures that the adjusted MIC reflects the gMIC. We assumed normal distributions and global perceived change scores that were independent on the follow-up score. Additionally, floor and ceiling effects were not taken into account. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance characteristics of hybrid MPI/OpenMP implementations of NAS parallel benchmarks SP and BT on large-scale multicore supercomputers

KAUST Repository

Wu, Xingfu; Taylor, Valerie

2011-01-01

The NAS Parallel Benchmarks (NPB) are well-known applications with the fixed algorithms for evaluating parallel systems and tools. Multicore supercomputers provide a natural programming paradigm for hybrid programs, whereby OpenMP can be used with the data sharing with the multicores that comprise a node and MPI can be used with the communication between nodes. In this paper, we use SP and BT benchmarks of MPI NPB 3.3 as a basis for a comparative approach to implement hybrid MPI/OpenMP versions of SP and BT. In particular, we can compare the performance of the hybrid SP and BT with the MPI counterparts on large-scale multicore supercomputers. Our performance results indicate that the hybrid SP outperforms the MPI SP by up to 20.76%, and the hybrid BT outperforms the MPI BT by up to 8.58% on up to 10,000 cores on BlueGene/P at Argonne National Laboratory and Jaguar (Cray XT4/5) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. We also use performance tools and MPI trace libraries available on these supercomputers to further investigate the performance characteristics of the hybrid SP and BT.

Performance characteristics of hybrid MPI/OpenMP implementations of NAS parallel benchmarks SP and BT on large-scale multicore supercomputers

KAUST Repository

Wu, Xingfu

2011-03-29

The NAS Parallel Benchmarks (NPB) are well-known applications with the fixed algorithms for evaluating parallel systems and tools. Multicore supercomputers provide a natural programming paradigm for hybrid programs, whereby OpenMP can be used with the data sharing with the multicores that comprise a node and MPI can be used with the communication between nodes. In this paper, we use SP and BT benchmarks of MPI NPB 3.3 as a basis for a comparative approach to implement hybrid MPI/OpenMP versions of SP and BT. In particular, we can compare the performance of the hybrid SP and BT with the MPI counterparts on large-scale multicore supercomputers. Our performance results indicate that the hybrid SP outperforms the MPI SP by up to 20.76%, and the hybrid BT outperforms the MPI BT by up to 8.58% on up to 10,000 cores on BlueGene/P at Argonne National Laboratory and Jaguar (Cray XT4/5) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. We also use performance tools and MPI trace libraries available on these supercomputers to further investigate the performance characteristics of the hybrid SP and BT.

White OLED using β-diketones rare earth binuclear complex as emitting layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quirino, W.G.; Legnani, C.; Cremona, M.; Lima, P.P.; Junior, S.A.; Malta, O.L.

2006-01-01

In this work, the fabrication and the characterization of a white triple-layer OLED using a β-diketones binuclear complex [Eu(btfa) 3 phenterpyTb(acac) 3 ] as the emitting layer is reported. The devices were assembled using a heterojunction between three organic molecular materials: the N,N'-bis(naphthalen-1-yl)-N,N'-bis(phenyl)benzidine (NPB) as hole-transporting layer, the β-diketones binuclear complex and the tris(8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum) (Alq 3 ) as the electron transporting layer. All the organic layers were sequentially deposited under high vacuum environment by thermal evaporation onto ITO substrates and without breaking vacuum. Continuous electroluminescence emission was obtained varying the applied bias voltage from 10 to 22 V showing a wide emission band from 400 to 700 nm with about 100 cd/m 2 of luminance. The white emission results from a combined action between the binuclear complex, acting as hole blocking and emitting layer, blue from NPB and the typical Alq 3 green emission. The intensity ratio of the peaks is determined by the layer thickness and by the bias voltage applied to the OLED, allowing us to obtain a color tunable light source

Effect of a thin layer of tris (8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum doped with 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl) on the chromaticity of white organic light-emitting devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Gang; Zhao Yi; Li Feng; Xie Wenfa; Liu Shiyong

2004-01-01

Efficient white organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) are demonstrated by inserting a thin layer of tris (8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq) doped with 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl) (DCJTB) into N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(1-naphthyl)-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) layer. Alq without doping is used as an electron-transporting layer and 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (bathocuproine or BCP) as an exciton-blocking layer. NPB layers are separated by the doped Alq layer, the layer that sandwiched between BCP and doped Alq layers acts as a blue-emitting layer, and the other as a hole-transporting layer. The doped Alq layer acts as a red and green-emitting as well as chromaticity-tuning layer, whose thickness and position as well as the concentration of DCJTB in Alq permit the tuning of the device spectrum to achieve a balanced white emission with Commission Internationale De L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.33, 0.33). The device has a maximum luminance of 6745 cd/m 2 , a maximum external efficiency of 1.36 %, corresponding to 2.56 cd/A

Possibilities for a neutron-proton bremsstrahlung experiment at WNR/LAMPF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wender, S.A.; Nelson, R.O.; Laymon, C.M.; Schillaci, M.; Gibson, B.F.

1990-01-01

The high energy and high intensity of the continuous energy (white) neutron source at the WNR target area of the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF) may make possible a direct measurement of the neutron-proton bremsstrahlung (NPB) cross section. Several recent papers have discussed the operation of the WNR white neutron source in detail so we will just include a short description of the relevant properties of the source in this article. Next the authors will describe one possible method of measuring the NPB cross section which is based on two calorimetric detectors that measure the energies of the scattered neutrons and the recoil protons. Although there are many other possible experimental approaches and geometries, such as measuring the bremsstrahlung gamma ray directly with a multi-element possibilities in this paper. There are several advantages in using a white neutron source for this type of measurement. First, a wide range of incident neutron energies may be covered. In the case of the WNR, the energy range is from below 50 MeV to over 400 MeV which is above the pion production threshold. Second, all incident neutron energies are measure simultaneously. 6 refs., 5 figs

Generative mechanistic explanation building in undergraduate molecular and cellular biology

Science.gov (United States)

Southard, Katelyn M.; Espindola, Melissa R.; Zaepfel, Samantha D.; Bolger, Molly S.

2017-09-01

When conducting scientific research, experts in molecular and cellular biology (MCB) use specific reasoning strategies to construct mechanistic explanations for the underlying causal features of molecular phenomena. We explored how undergraduate students applied this scientific practice in MCB. Drawing from studies of explanation building among scientists, we created and applied a theoretical framework to explore the strategies students use to construct explanations for 'novel' biological phenomena. Specifically, we explored how students navigated the multi-level nature of complex biological systems using generative mechanistic reasoning. Interviews were conducted with introductory and upper-division biology students at a large public university in the United States. Results of qualitative coding revealed key features of students' explanation building. Students used modular thinking to consider the functional subdivisions of the system, which they 'filled in' to varying degrees with mechanistic elements. They also hypothesised the involvement of mechanistic entities and instantiated abstract schema to adapt their explanations to unfamiliar biological contexts. Finally, we explored the flexible thinking that students used to hypothesise the impact of mutations on multi-leveled biological systems. Results revealed a number of ways that students drew mechanistic connections between molecules, functional modules (sets of molecules with an emergent function), cells, tissues, organisms and populations.

High-brightness H/sup -/ accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jameson, R.A.

1987-01-01

Neutral particle beam (NPB) devices based on high-brightness H/sup -/ accelerators are an important component of proposed strategic defense systems. The basic rational and R and D program are outlined and examples given of the underlying technology thrusts toward advanced systems. Much of the research accomplished in the past year is applicable to accelerator systems in general; some of these activities are discussed

Commentary: critical questions, misconceptions and a road map for improving the use of the lymphocyte cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay for in vivo biomonitoring of human exposure to genotoxic chemicals-a HUMN project perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirsch-Volders, Micheline; Bonassi, Stefano; Knasmueller, Siegfried; Holland, Nina; Bolognesi, Claudia; Fenech, Michael F

2014-01-01

The lymphocyte cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay has been applied in hundreds of in vivo biomonitoring studies of humans exposed to genotoxic chemicals because it allows the measurement of both structural and numerical chromosome aberrations. The CBMN cytome assay version which, apart from measuring micronuclei (MN) already present in cells in vivo or expressed ex vivo, also includes measurement of nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB), nuclear buds (NBUD), necrosis and apoptosis, is also increasingly being used in such studies. Because of the numerous published studies there is now a need to re-evaluate the use of MN and other biomarkers within the lymphocyte CBMN cytome assay as quantitative indicators of exposure to chemical genotoxins and the genetic hazard this may cause. This review has identified some important misconceptions as well as knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to make further progress in the proper application of this promising technique and enable its full potential to be realised. The HUMN project consortium recommends a three pronged approach to further improve the knowledge base and application of the lymphocyte CBMN cytome assay to measure DNA damage in humans exposed to chemical genotoxins: (i) a series of systematic reviews, one for each class of chemical genotoxins, of studies which have investigated the association of in vivo exposure in humans with MN, NPB and NBUD induction in lymphocytes; (ii) a comprehensive analysis of the literature to obtain new insights on the potential mechanisms by which different classes of chemicals may induce MN, NPB and NBUD in vitro and in vivo and (iii) investigation of the potential advantages of using the lymphocyte CBMN cytome assay in conjunction with other promising complementary DNA damage diagnostics to obtain an even more complete assessment of the DNA damage profile induced by in vivo exposure to chemical genotoxins in humans. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All

Resistance of novel mouse strains different in MHC class I and the NKC domain to the development of experimental tumors

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fišerová, A.; Richter, J.; Čapková, K.; Bieblová, Jana; Mikyšková, Romana; Reiniš, Milan; Indrová, Marie

2016-01-01

Roč. 49, č. 2 (2016), s. 763-772 ISSN 1019-6439 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-10100S; GA MŠk(CZ) LM2011032; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109 Institutional support: RVO:68378050 Keywords : novel mouse strains * NKC domain * TC-1/A9 * B16F10 * MCB8 * colorectal cancer * cancer development Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 3.079, year: 2016

Photoacidic and Photobasic Behavior of Transition Metal Compounds with Carboxylic Acid Group(s)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O’Donnell, Ryan M. [Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States; Sampaio, Renato N. [Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States; Li, Guocan [Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States; Johansson, Patrik G. [Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States; Ward, Cassandra L. [Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States; Meyer, Gerald J. [Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States

2016-03-10

Excited state proton transfer studies of six Ru polypyridyl compounds with carboxylic acid/carboxylate group(s) revealed that some were photoacids and some were photobases. The compounds [Ru^II(btfmb)₂(LL)]²⁺, [Ru^II(dtb)2(LL)]2+, and [RuII(bpy)2(LL)]2+, where bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, btfmb is 4,4'-(CF₃)₂-bpy, and dtb is 4,4'-((CH₃)₃C)₂-bpy, and LL is either dcb = 4,4'-(CO₂H)₂-bpy or mcb = 4-(CO₂H),4'-(CO2Et)-2,2'-bpy, were synthesized and characterized. The compounds exhibited intense metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) absorption bands in the visible region and room temperature photoluminescence (PL) with long τ > 100 ns excited state lifetimes. The mcb compounds had very similar ground state pKa’s of 2.31 ± 0.07, and their characterization enabled accurate determination of the two pK_a values for the commonly utilized dcb ligand, pK_a1 = 2.1 ± 0.1 and pKa2 = 3.0 ± 0.2. Compounds with the btfmb ligand were photoacidic, and the other compounds were photobasic. Transient absorption spectra indicated that btfmb compounds displayed a [Ru^III(btfmb–)L₂]^2+* localized excited state and a [Ru^III(dcb–)L₂]^2+* formulation for all the other excited states. Time dependent PL spectral shifts provided the first kinetic data for excited state proton transfer in a transition metal compound. PL titrations, thermochemical cycles, and kinetic analysis (for the mcb compounds) provided self-consistent pK_a* values. The ability to make a single ionizable group photobasic or photoacidic through ligand design was unprecedented and was understood based on the orientation of the lowest-lying MLCT excited state dipole relative to the ligand that contained the carboxylic acid group(s).

One step hydrogenation–esterification of model compounds and bio-oil to alcohols and esters over Raney Ni catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Ying; Zhang, Limin; Chang, Jiamin; Zhang, Xinghua; Ma, Longlong; Wang, Tiejun; Zhang, Qi

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Fe–RN and Mo–RN showed excellent inhibition of alkylation and hydrogenation activity of phenol respectively. • The esterification activity of alcohols with acetic acid was followed as methanol > THFA > ethanediol. • After OHE of bio-oil, the total content of alcohols and esters reached to 87.27% in the product. - Abstract: Acids, aldehydes, ketones and phenols, which are the main components of bio-oil, have negative effects on the properties. In this paper, the mixture of acetic acid, furfural, hydroxyacetone, ethanediol, phenol and water were chosen as hybrid model compounds of bio-oil (MCB). To convert these compounds into stable and combustible oxygenated organics (alcohols and esters), one step hydrogenation–esterification (OHE) was carried out over Raney Ni catalyst (RN) and Mo, Sn, Fe, Cu modified Raney Ni catalysts (RNs) in the presence of methanol. 100% conversions of furfural and hydroxyacetone were achieved over RNs with high selectivity to desired products. The acetic acid conversion was only 35.1% with no methanol addition, while within 6 g/8 g methanol/MCB addition, the conversion of acetic acid increased to 81.1%. The esterification activity of alcohols was followed by methanol > tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA), the hydrogenation product of furfural > ethanediol. Among the RNs, the addition of Fe catalyst restrained the aqueous-phase reforming of methanol and promoted the esterification of methanol and acetic acid. The Mo–RN showed the most favorable performance in the hydrogenation of phenol among the RNs. But the RN modified by both Fe and Mo did not give a good performance. After the OHE of light fraction of raw bio-oil over Mo–RN, there was no ketone & aldehyde detected and the contents of acids and phenols decreased from 49.04% and 7.35% to 8.21% and 3.84%. The conversion of acids could reach to 85.01% which was nearly to the conversion of acetic acid in MCB. The contents of alcohols and esters increased from 5

Impacts of Recent Climatic Wetting on Distributed Snow and Streamflow Responses in a Terminal Lake Basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Hoy, D.; Mahmood, T. H.; Jeannotte, T.; Todhunter, P. E.

2017-12-01

The recent shift in hydroclimatic conditions in the Northern Great Plains (NGP) has led to an increase in precipitation, rainfall rate, and wetland connectivity over the last few decades. These changes yield an integrated response resulting in high mean annual streamflow and subsequent flooding in many NGP basins such as the terminal Devils Lake Basin (DLB). In this study, we investigate the impacts of recent climatic wetting on distributed hydrologic responses such as snow processes and streamflow using a field-tested and physically-based cold region hydrologic model (CRHM). CHRM is designed for cold prairie regions and has modules to simulate major processes such as blowing snow transport, sublimation, interception, frozen soil infiltration, snowmelt and subsequent streamflow generation. Our modeling focuses on a tributary basin of the DLB known as the Mauvais Coulee Basin (MCB). Since there were no snow observations in the MCB, we conducted a detailed snow survey at distributed locations estimating snow depth, density, and snow water equivalent (SWE) using a prairie snow tube four times during winter of 2016-17. The MCB model was evaluated against distributed snow observations and streamflow measured at the basin outlet (USGS) for the year 2016-2017. Preliminary results indicate that the simulated SWEs at distributed locations and streamflow (NSE ≈ 0.70) are in good agreement with observations. The simulated SWE maps exhibit large spatiotemporal variation during 2016-17 winter due to spatial variability in precipitation, snow redistribution from stubble field to wooded areas, and snow accumulations in small depressions across the subbasins. The main source of snow appears to be the hills and ridges of the eastern and western edges of the basin, while the main sink is the large flat central valleys. The model will be used to examine the effect of recent changes to precipitation and temperature on snow processes and subsequent streamflow for 2004-2017 season. We

Biotronics

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-01

including butanol, methanol, ethanol and isopropanol, as well as an alcohol- chloroform blend. To spin-coat a thin film for photonics applications...CTMA and then dissolved in butanol. PCBM was dissolved in chloroform prior to mixing it with DNA-CTMA in butanol. These solutions were spin coated...tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum HTL Hole Transport Layer LUMO Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital NPB N- propyl Bromide HBL Hole Blocking Layer

Antimicrobial evaluation of new metallic complexes with xylitol active against P. aeruginosa and C. albicans: MIC determination, post-agent effect and Zn-uptake.

Science.gov (United States)

Santi, E; Facchin, G; Faccio, R; Barroso, R P; Costa-Filho, A J; Borthagaray, G; Torre, M H

2016-02-01

Xylitol (xylH5) is metabolized via the pentose pathway in humans, but it is unsuitable as an energy source for many microorganisms where it produces a xylitol-induced growth inhibition and disturbance in protein synthesis. For this reason, xylitol is used in the prophylaxis of several infections. In the search of better antimicrobial agents, new copper and zinc complexes with xylitol were synthesized and characterized by analytical and spectrosco pic methods: Na2[Cu3(xylH−4)2]·NaCl·4.5H2O (Cu-xyl) and [Zn4(xylH−4)2(H2O)2]·NaCl·3H2O (Zn-xyl). Both copper and zinc complexes presented higher MIC against Pseudomona aeruginosa than the free xylitol while two different behaviors were found against Candida albicans depending on the complex. The growth curves showed that Cu-xyl presented lower activity than the free ligand during all the studied period. In the case of Znxyl the growth curves showed that the inhibition of the microorganism growth in the first stage was equivalent to that of xylitol but in the second stage (after 18 h) Zn-xyl inhibited more. Besides, the PAE (post agent effect)obtained for Zn-xyl and xyl showed that the recovery from the damage of microbial cells had a delay of 14 and 13 h respectively. This behavior could be useful in prophylaxis treatments for infectious diseases where it is important that the antimicrobial effect lasts longer. With the aim to understand the microbiological activities the analysis of the particle size, lipophilicity and Zn uptake was performed.

U. S. Naval Forces, Vietnam Monthly Historical Supplement for November 1966

Science.gov (United States)

1967-02-16

the mouth of the Cai Lon River near Rach Gia on the Ca Mau Peninsula 65 » alea east of An Thoi. Five Viet Cong were killed while the Coastal Group...force, moved through Jungles and over mountains under heavy monsoon rains without enemy contact. This operation, which ended on 18 November, marked...crash. The battalion also constructed an all-weather road to the top of Monkey Mountain and built an Air Force radar site there. MCB-11 replaced

Calcium carbonate concretions in caves : an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gewelt, M.; Ek, C.

1988-01-01

The scientific work of the last twenty years on calcium carbonate cave deposits (dripstones and flowstones) is presented. Recent studies on speleothems composition, growth, age and paleoclimatic environment are examined. Main new results are related with the development of isotopic and radiometric dating methods. Increasing numbers of dates allow for statistical speleothem repartition studies which could be related with paleoclimates. Two new frequency curves of U-series ages data of speleothems are given. (M.C.B.)

Cambio de rumbo. Interacción comercial entre el Bronce Final atlántico ibérico y micénico en el Mediterráneo Central (1425-1050 a.C.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mederos Martín, Alfredo

1997-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is to present a new interpretation on the commercial exchanges during the Late Bronze Age IC-IIC, c. 1425-I050 BC, between the Western and Central Mediterranean, starting from a review of two types of metallic artefact, axes and swords, originating from the Iberian Peninsula, and present in Sardinia, Sicily and Lazio in the Italian Peninsula. We start from three premises: the calibrated chronology of the Late Bronze Age in the Iberian Peninsula, Sardinia and Sicily-Eolian. Secondly, a more accurate chronology of the Iberian artefacts present in Italian settlements and deposits. And finally, the analysis of the confluence between the Atlantic and Mycenaean trade in the Central Mediterranean, particularly during the Late Bronze Age IC-IIA/Late Helladic IIIA-IIIB, c. 1425-1225 BC, to reveal that the mycenaean pottery presence in Andalusia can not be tried as an isolated phenomenon, but is integrated within the commercial interrelationship that existed between the Western and Eastern Mediterranean around the islands of Sardinia and Sicily in the Central Mediterranean.

El objetivo de este trabajo es ofrecer una nueva interpretación sobre los intercambios comerciales durante el Bronce Final IC-IIC, ca. 1425-1050 AC, entre el Mediterráneo Occidental y Central, a partir de una revisión de dos tipos de artefactos metálicos, hachas y espadas, procedentes de la Península Ibérica, y presentes en Cerdeña, Sicilia y el Lazio en la Península Italiana. Se parte de tres premisas; la primera, la cronología calibrada del Bronce Final en la Península Ibérica, Cerdeña y Sicilia-Eolias. En segundo lugar, un encuadre temporal más preciso de los artefactos ibéricos presentes en los yacimientos y depósitos italianos. Y finalmente, el análisis de la confluencia del comercio atlántico y micénico en el Mediterráneo Central, particularmente durante el Bronce Final IC-IIA/ Heládico Final IIIA-IIIB, ca. 1425

Recommendations for Improving the Food Service Operations at MCB Camp Pendleton, CA MCAS El Toro and MCAS(H) Santa Ana, CA, MCB Camp Lejeune, NC, and MCDEC, Quantico, VA

Science.gov (United States)

1979-12-01

Green Beans Nicoise Egg Plant Parmesan or Zucchini Parmesan Club Spinach Dinner: Cheese Ravioli (frozen) rotate or Beef Ravioli (frozen) Cheese...Manicotti (frozen) rotate or Beef Manicotti (frozen) Meat Sauce (for ravioli and manicotti) Spaghetti w/ Meatballs Assorted Pizzas Baked Lasagna Veal Parmesan

Manipulation and control of the interfacial polarization in organic light-emitting diodes by dipolar doping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lars Jäger

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Most of the commonly used electron transporting materials in organic light-emitting diodes exhibit interfacial polarization resulting from partially aligned permanent dipole moments of the molecules. This property modifies the internal electric field distribution of the device and therefore enables an earlier flat band condition for the hole transporting side, leading to improved charge carrier injection. Recently, this phenomenon was studied with regard to different materials and degradation effects, however, so far the influence of dilution has not been investigated. In this paper we focus on dipolar doping of the hole transporting material 4,4-bis[N-(1-naphthyl-N-phenylamino]-biphenyl (NPB with the polar electron transporting material tris-(8-hydroxyquinolate aluminum (Alq3. Impedance spectroscopy reveals that changes of the hole injection voltage do not scale in a simple linear fashion with the effective thickness of the doped layer. In fact, the measured interfacial polarization reaches a maximum value for a 1:1 blend. Taking the permanent dipole moment of Alq3 into account, an increasing degree of dipole alignment is found for decreasing Alq3 concentration. This observation can be explained by the competition between dipole-dipole interactions leading to dimerization and the driving force for vertical orientation of Alq3 dipoles at the surface of the NPB layer.

High efficiency fluorescent white OLEDs based on DOPPP

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Gang; Chen, Chen; Lang, Jihui; Zhao, Lina; Jiang, Wenlong

2017-08-01

The white organic light-emitting devices (WOLED) with the structures of ITO/m-MTDATA (10 nm)/NPB (30 nm)/Rubrene (0.2 nm)/DOPPP (x nm)/TAz (10 nm)/Alq3 (30 nm)/LiF (0.5 nm)/Al and ITO/NPB (30 nm)/DPAVBi:Rubrene (2 wt.%, 20 nm)/ DOPPP (x nm)/TAZ (10 nm)/Alq3 (30 nm)/LiF (0.5 nm)/Al (100 nm) have been fabricated by the vacuum thermal evaporation method. The results show that the chroma of the non-doped device is the best and the color coordinates are in the range of white light. The maximum luminance is 12,750 cd/m2 and the maximum current efficiency is 8.55 cd/A. The doped device A has the maximum luminance (16,570 cd/m2), when the thickness of blue layer DOPPP is 25 nm, and the doped device B achieves the highest efficiency (10.47 cd/A), when the thickness of DOPPP is 15 nm. All the performances of the doped devices are better than the non-doped one. The results demonstrate that the doped structures can realize the energy transfer and then improve the performance of the device effectively.

Manipulation and control of the interfacial polarization in organic light-emitting diodes by dipolar doping

Science.gov (United States)

Jäger, Lars; Schmidt, Tobias D.; Brütting, Wolfgang

2016-09-01

Most of the commonly used electron transporting materials in organic light-emitting diodes exhibit interfacial polarization resulting from partially aligned permanent dipole moments of the molecules. This property modifies the internal electric field distribution of the device and therefore enables an earlier flat band condition for the hole transporting side, leading to improved charge carrier injection. Recently, this phenomenon was studied with regard to different materials and degradation effects, however, so far the influence of dilution has not been investigated. In this paper we focus on dipolar doping of the hole transporting material 4,4-bis[N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenylamino]-biphenyl (NPB) with the polar electron transporting material tris-(8-hydroxyquinolate) aluminum (Alq3). Impedance spectroscopy reveals that changes of the hole injection voltage do not scale in a simple linear fashion with the effective thickness of the doped layer. In fact, the measured interfacial polarization reaches a maximum value for a 1:1 blend. Taking the permanent dipole moment of Alq3 into account, an increasing degree of dipole alignment is found for decreasing Alq3 concentration. This observation can be explained by the competition between dipole-dipole interactions leading to dimerization and the driving force for vertical orientation of Alq3 dipoles at the surface of the NPB layer.

Green Fluorescent Organic Light Emitting Device with High Luminance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ning YANG

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In this work, we fabricated the small molecule green fluorescent bottom-emission organic light emitting device (OLED with the configuration of glass substrate/indium tin oxide (ITO/Copper Phthalocyanine (CuPc 25 nm/ N,N’-di(naphthalen-1-yl-N,N’-diphenyl-benzidine (NPB 45 nm/ tris(8-hydroxyquinoline aluminium (Alq3 60 nm/ Lithium fluoride (LiF 1 nm/Aluminum (Al 100 nm where CuPc and NPB are the hole injection layer and the hole transport layer, respectively. CuPc is introduced in this device to improve carrier injection and efficiency. The experimental results indicated that the turn-on voltage is 2.8 V with a maximum luminance of 23510 cd/m2 at 12 V. The maximum current efficiency and power efficiency are 4.8 cd/A at 100 cd/m2 and 4.2 lm/W at 3 V, respectively. The peak of electroluminance (EL spectrum locates at 530 nm which is typical emission peak of green light. In contrast, the maximum current efficiency and power efficiency of the device without CuPc are only 4.0 cd/A at 100 mA/cm2 and 4.2 lm/W at 3.6 V, respectively.

Effect of a thin layer of tris (8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum doped with 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl) on the chromaticity of white organic light-emitting devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng Gang; Zhao Yi; Li Feng; Xie Wenfa; Liu Shiyong

2004-11-22

Efficient white organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) are demonstrated by inserting a thin layer of tris (8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq) doped with 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl) (DCJTB) into N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(1-naphthyl)-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) layer. Alq without doping is used as an electron-transporting layer and 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (bathocuproine or BCP) as an exciton-blocking layer. NPB layers are separated by the doped Alq layer, the layer that sandwiched between BCP and doped Alq layers acts as a blue-emitting layer, and the other as a hole-transporting layer. The doped Alq layer acts as a red and green-emitting as well as chromaticity-tuning layer, whose thickness and position as well as the concentration of DCJTB in Alq permit the tuning of the device spectrum to achieve a balanced white emission with Commission Internationale De L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.33, 0.33). The device has a maximum luminance of 6745 cd/m{sup 2}, a maximum external efficiency of 1.36 %, corresponding to 2.56 cd/A.

[Molecular structure and luminescent property of bis(2-(4-methyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazolate) zinc].

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Hui-Xia; Chen, Liu-Qing; Wang, Hua; Hao, Yu-Ying; Xu, Bing-She

2011-02-01

Bis(2-(4-methyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazolate) zinc(Zn(4-MeBTZ)2) was synthesized. Its molecular structure was confirmed by single-crystal x-ray diffraction. Single-crystal data are as follows: space group triclinic, P-1; a = 8.989 9(11) angstroms, b =12.161 7 (15) angstroms, c = 12.871 9 (16) angstroms, alpha = 63.492 (2) degrees, beta = 84.825 (2) degrees, gamma =71.187 (2) degrees. The steric hindrance provided by introduction methyl groups on phenoxide ring prohibited effectively the formation of pentacoordinate complex. There is distinct intermolecular pi-pi interaction between molecules. The dihedral angle between the phenol and benzothiazolate rings of Zn(4-MeBTZ)2 is 2.166 degrees. The HOMO energy, LUMO energy and optical gap are -5.84, -3.46 and 2.37 eV, respectively. The maximum wavelength peak of PL spectra located at 470 nm. The double-layer devices were employed using Zn(4-MeBTZ)2 as emitter and NPB as hole-transport material. The EL spectra split into two peaks located at 501 and 544 nm respectively. The broadened EL spectra were demonstrated to be originated from the exciplexes formed at the interface between NPB and Zn(4-MeBTZ)2.

Cognitive screening in substance users: Diagnostic accuracies of the Mini-Mental State Examination, Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ridley, Nicole; Batchelor, Jennifer; Draper, Brian; Demirkol, Apo; Lintzeris, Nicholas; Withall, Adrienne

2018-03-01

Despite the considerable prevalence of cognitive impairment in substance-using populations, there has been little investigation of the utility of cognitive screening measures within this context. In the present study the accuracy of three cognitive screening measures in this population was examined-the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). A sample of 30 treatment-seeking substance users and 20 healthy individuals living in the community were administered the screening measures and a neuropsychological battery (NPB). Agreement of classification of cognitive impairment by the screening measures and NPB was examined. Results indicated that the ACE-R and MoCA had good discriminative ability in detection of cognitive impairment, with areas under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve of .85 (95% confidence interval, CI [.75. .94] and .84 (95% CI [.71, .93]) respectively. The MMSE had fair discriminative ability (.78, 95% CI [.65, .93]). The optimal cut-score for the ACE-R was 93 (impairment = score of 92 or less), at which it correctly classified 89% of individuals as cognitively impaired or intact, while the optimal cut-score for the MoCA was cognitive impairment in the context of substance use.

Stable structures of Al510–800 clusters and lowest energy sequence of truncated octahedral Al clusters up to 10,000 atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Xia; He, Chengdong

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The stable structures of Al 510–800 clusters are obtained with the NP-B potential. ► Al 510–800 clusters adopt truncated octahedral (TO) growth pattern based on complete TOs at Al 405 , Al 586 , and Al 711 . ► The lowest energy sequence of complete TOs up to the size 10,000 is proposed. -- Abstract: The stable structures of Al 510–800 clusters are obtained using dynamic lattice searching with constructed cores (DLSc) method by the NP-B potential. According to the structural growth rule, octahedra and truncated octahedra (TO) configurations are adopted as the inner cores in DLSc method. The results show that in the optimized structures two complete TO structures are found at Al 586 and Al 711 . Furthermore, Al 510–800 clusters adopt TO growth pattern on complete TOs at Al 405 , Al 586 , and Al 711 , and the configurations of the surface atoms are investigated. On the other hand, Al clusters with complete TO motifs are studied up to the size 10,000 by the geometrical construction method. The structural characteristics of complete TOs are denoted by the term “family”, and the growth sequence of Al clusters is investigated. The lowest energy sequence of complete TOs is proposed.

White OLED using {beta}-diketones rare earth binuclear complex as emitting layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quirino, W.G. [LOEM, Departamento de Fisica, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, PUC-Rio, P.O.Box 38071, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 22453-970 (Brazil); Legnani, C. [LOEM, Departamento de Fisica, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, PUC-Rio, P.O.Box 38071, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 22453-970 (Brazil); Cremona, M. [LOEM, Departamento de Fisica, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, PUC-Rio, P.O.Box 38071, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 22453-970 (Brazil)]. E-mail: cremona@fis.puc-rio.br; Lima, P.P. [Departamento de Quimica Fundamental, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, UFPE-CCEN, Recife, PE, 50670-901 (Brazil); Junior, S.A. [Departamento de Quimica Fundamental, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, UFPE-CCEN, Recife, PE, 50670-901 (Brazil); Malta, O.L. [Departamento de Quimica Fundamental, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, UFPE-CCEN, Recife, PE, 50670-901 (Brazil)

2006-01-03

In this work, the fabrication and the characterization of a white triple-layer OLED using a {beta}-diketones binuclear complex [Eu(btfa){sub 3}phenterpyTb(acac){sub 3}] as the emitting layer is reported. The devices were assembled using a heterojunction between three organic molecular materials: the N,N'-bis(naphthalen-1-yl)-N,N'-bis(phenyl)benzidine (NPB) as hole-transporting layer, the {beta}-diketones binuclear complex and the tris(8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum) (Alq{sub 3}) as the electron transporting layer. All the organic layers were sequentially deposited under high vacuum environment by thermal evaporation onto ITO substrates and without breaking vacuum. Continuous electroluminescence emission was obtained varying the applied bias voltage from 10 to 22 V showing a wide emission band from 400 to 700 nm with about 100 cd/m{sup 2} of luminance. The white emission results from a combined action between the binuclear complex, acting as hole blocking and emitting layer, blue from NPB and the typical Alq{sub 3} green emission. The intensity ratio of the peaks is determined by the layer thickness and by the bias voltage applied to the OLED, allowing us to obtain a color tunable light source.

Microbial Influenced Corrosion (MIC) Study

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-23

fumigatus Fusarium oxysporum Fungal Consortium Penicillium oxalicum Rhodoturula sp . Trichoderma sp . Dosed with microbes known to influence Control...Hypocrea jecorina (FI-1) Penicillium oxalicum (FI-12) – Pleosporacea sp . (FI-17) Rhodoturala mucilaginosa (FI-7) – Ustilago maydis (FI-13) T t S t• es...and Dirt Accumulation • Fungal Consortium – Aspergillus sp (FI-19) Aureobasidium pullulans (FI-16) – Fusarium oxysporum (FI-6) Fusarium sp . (FI-18

Comprehensive characterization of evolutionary conserved breakpoints in four New World Monkey karyotypes compared to Chlorocebus aethiops and Homo sapiens.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Xiaobo; Supiwong, Weerayuth; Weise, Anja; Mrasek, Kristin; Kosyakova, Nadezda; Tanomtong, Alongkoad; Pinthong, Krit; Trifonov, Vladimir A; Cioffi, Marcelo de Bello; Grothmann, Pierre; Liehr, Thomas; Oliveira, Edivaldo H C de

2015-11-01

Comparative cytogenetic analysis in New World Monkeys (NWMs) using human multicolor banding (MCB) probe sets were not previously done. Here we report on an MCB based FISH-banding study complemented with selected locus-specific and heterochromatin specific probes in four NWMs and one Old World Monkey (OWM) species, i.e. in Alouatta caraya (ACA), Callithrix jacchus (CJA), Cebus apella (CAP), Saimiri sciureus (SSC), and Chlorocebus aethiops (CAE), respectively. 107 individual evolutionary conserved breakpoints (ECBs) among those species were identified and compared with those of other species in previous reports. Especially for chromosomal regions being syntenic to human chromosomes 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 16 previously cryptic rearrangements could be observed. 50.4% (54/107) NWM-ECBs were colocalized with those of OWMs, 62.6% (62/99) NWM-ECBs were related with those of Hylobates lar (HLA) and 66.3% (71/107) NWM-ECBs corresponded with those known from other mammalians. Furthermore, human fragile sites were aligned with the ECBs found in the five studied species and interestingly 66.3% ECBs colocalized with those fragile sites (FS). Overall, this study presents detailed chromosomal maps of one OWM and four NWM species. This data will be helpful to further investigation on chromosome evolution in NWM and hominoids in general and is prerequisite for correct interpretation of future sequencing based genomic studies in those species.

Validation of gadolinium burnout using PWR benchmark specification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oettingen, Mikołaj, E-mail: moettin@agh.edu.pl; Cetnar, Jerzy, E-mail: cetnar@mail.ftj.agh.edu.pl

2014-07-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We present methodology for validation of gadolinium burnout in PWR. • We model 17 × 17 PWR fuel assembly using MCB code. • We demonstrate C/E ratios of measured and calculated concentrations of Gd isotopes. • The C/E for Gd154, Gd156, Gd157, Gd158 and Gd160 shows good agreement of ±10%. • The C/E for Gd152 and Gd155 shows poor agreement below ±10%. - Abstract: The paper presents comparative analysis of measured and calculated concentrations of gadolinium isotopes in spent nuclear fuel from the Japanese Ohi-2 PWR. The irradiation of the 17 × 17 fuel assembly containing pure uranium and gadolinia bearing fuel pins was numerically reconstructed using the Monte Carlo Continuous Energy Burnup Code – MCB. The reference concentrations of gadolinium isotopes were measured in early 1990s at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. It seems that the measured concentrations were never used for validation of gadolinium burnout. In our study we fill this gap and assess quality of both: applied numerical methodology and experimental data. Additionally we show time evolutions of infinite neutron multiplication factor K{sub inf}, FIMA burnup, U235 and Gd155–Gd158. Gadolinium-based materials are commonly used in thermal reactors as burnable absorbers due to large neutron absorption cross-section of Gd155 and Gd157.

Comprehensive characterization of evolutionary conserved breakpoints in four New World Monkey karyotypes compared to Chlorocebus aethiops and Homo sapiens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaobo Fan

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Comparative cytogenetic analysis in New World Monkeys (NWMs using human multicolor banding (MCB probe sets were not previously done. Here we report on an MCB based FISH-banding study complemented with selected locus-specific and heterochromatin specific probes in four NWMs and one Old World Monkey (OWM species, i.e. in Alouatta caraya (ACA, Callithrix jacchus (CJA, Cebus apella (CAP, Saimiri sciureus (SSC, and Chlorocebus aethiops (CAE, respectively. 107 individual evolutionary conserved breakpoints (ECBs among those species were identified and compared with those of other species in previous reports. Especially for chromosomal regions being syntenic to human chromosomes 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 16 previously cryptic rearrangements could be observed. 50.4% (54/107 NWM-ECBs were colocalized with those of OWMs, 62.6% (62/99 NWM-ECBs were related with those of Hylobates lar (HLA and 66.3% (71/107 NWM-ECBs corresponded with those known from other mammalians. Furthermore, human fragile sites were aligned with the ECBs found in the five studied species and interestingly 66.3% ECBs colocalized with those fragile sites (FS. Overall, this study presents detailed chromosomal maps of one OWM and four NWM species. This data will be helpful to further investigation on chromosome evolution in NWM and hominoids in general and is prerequisite for correct interpretation of future sequencing based genomic studies in those species.

Tankering Fuel: A Cost Saving Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-01

2.41075 RIO DE JANEIRO IAP SBGL OS 3.1867 Riyadh Mil Apt Saudi A OERY OS 2.5587 Riyadh Mil Apt Saudi A OERY OS 2.5396 ROANOKE RGNLWOODRUM FLD KROA...US NGB NORTHCOM Davis Monthan AFB KDMA AF Arizona US ACC NORTHCOM Davision Army Airfield ARMY Virginia US IMCOM NORTHCOM Des Moines ANG KDSM AF...Carolina US NULL NORTHCOM MCAS New River NAVY North Carolina US NULL NORTHCOM MCAS Yuma KYUM NAVY Arizona US NULL NORTHCOM MCB 29 Palms NAVY

The Shock and Vibration Digest. Volume 16, Number 5

Science.gov (United States)

1984-05-01

pes he reason fo thismirsoi prarea tive fatigue damage, Goodman design curves, Gerber’s 1%’gien. The neeborethis irosecoptiscuroa as Parabolas , and...structures. The Improve Stability of Existing Earth Das a- 37 -"J ., . es etv to the .e ea .u jc %fd n mcb h vo f, ." 8-74 ndrgoud trctre adb)tosumaiz...of typical base Theory and results are presented which show that it is ques - isolated structures mounted on rubber bearings is presented. tionable to

Internal Administrative Control: Its Applicability to the Marine Corps.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-06-01

activities and units, or ly regulatory and sulervisozy agencies. Ziautz contends that "internal auditing is a very effective source oil mcnitcring in many...to ccapare the perfcrmance cf a functional area with the standards set forth in the SOE, it should be determined if the SCP is 100 currezt and complies...SC 2990’ COMCABWEST El Toro CA 92709 CG Fourth MAW New Orleans LA 70146 CG MCB Camp Lejeune NC 28542 CG MCAGCC Twentynine Palms CA 92278 125

STUDY OF THE ISOLATES OF SUSPECTED VAP, PREVALENCE OF THE DIFFERENT ORGANISMS AND MIC PATTERNS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swagnik Roy

2017-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND The development of nosocomial infections mostly ventilator-associated pneumonia due to prolonged stay in the ICUs varies grossly in different outcomes including increased morbidity and mortality. The American Thoracic Society (ATS guidelines recommend that quantitative cultures can be performed on ETA or samples collected either bronchoscopically or nonbronchosopically. 1 More importantly, recent small trials have repeatedly shown that there is no advantage of bronchoscopic cultures over quantitative endotracheal aspirate. 2,3,4 Detection of causative organisms and their antibiotic MIC determination is absolutely necessary to initiate the specific antibiotic with appropriate dose thereby reducing the adverse effects of inadequate antibiotic treatment on the patient prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS The prospective study was carried out during the period from August 2012 to January 2015 in Department of Microbiology from the samples those were received as a routine culture from VAP suspected patients from the ICU. There were 373 samples from which 123 were culture positives. Inclusion criteria were all the patients 18 years and more age group who were intubated in mechanical ventilator and others were excluded in the study. Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS was given to each patient included in the study on daily basis. CPIS of greater than six was used as diagnostic criteria for VAP. 5 Clinically diagnosed ventilator-associated pneumonia were observed and clinical parameters were recorded from their medical records and bedside charts. All patients with clinical and radiological signs suggestive of pneumonia on admission. Endotracheal aspirate was collected by using a 22-inch Romsons suction catheter. Chest vibration or percussion for 10 mins. was used. Only 1 ETA sample was collected from each patient and was immediately taken to the laboratory for processing. RESULTS Klebsiella pneumonia was isolated 39.02%, Pseudomonas

In vitro activities of DA-7157 and DA-7218 against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Nocardia brasiliensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Vera-Cabrera, Lucio; Gonzalez, Eva; Rendon, Adrian; Ocampo-Candiani, Jorge; Welsh, Oliverio; Velazquez-Moreno, Victor M; Choi, Sung Hak; Molina-Torres, Carmen

2006-09-01

The in vitro activities of DA-7157, a novel oxazolidinone, against clinical isolates of Nocardia brasiliensis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis were determined. Equal MIC(50)s and MIC(90)s (0.25 and 0.5 microg/ml, respectively) were found for susceptible and multidrug-resistant isolates of M. tuberculosis. The N. brasiliensis isolates showed an MIC(90) of 1 microg/ml and an MIC(50) of 1 microg/ml. The DA-7157 prodrug, DA-7218, exhibited similar MICs for M. tuberculosis but fivefold-higher MICs for N. brasiliensis.

Accelerator requirments for strategic defense

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gullickson, R.L.

1987-01-01

The authors discuss how directed energy applications require accelerators with high brightness and large gradients to minimize size and weight for space systems. Several major directed energy applications are based upon accelerator technology. The radio-frequency linear accelerator is the basis for both space-based neutral particle beam (NPB) and free electron laser (FEL) devices. The high peak current of the induction linac has made it a leading candidate for ground based free electron laser applications

Development of Azeotropic Blends to Replace TCE and nPB in Vapor Degreasing Operations

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-21

York, NY August 4, 2014, pp 1–3. (7) Abbott, S.; Hansen, C. M.; Yamamoto, H. Hansen Solubility Parameters in Practice Complete with eBook , Software...OPERATING PROCEDURE SOLVENT COMPARISON FOR GREASE Page 5 of 7 Note: Do not allow the residue to get cooked to the vials or pans! 2.11. Allow...Pour the dirty solvent from the degreaser into properly labeled containers for solvent- recovery distillation. 3.7. Close the valve on the bath

Antipneumococcal activity of DW-224a, a new quinolone, compared to those of eight other agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosowska-Shick, Klaudia; Credito, Kim; Pankuch, Glenn A; Lin, Gengrong; Bozdogan, Bülent; McGhee, Pamela; Dewasse, Bonifacio; Choi, Dong-Rack; Ryu, Jei Man; Appelbaum, Peter C

2006-06-01

DW-224a is a new broad-spectrum quinolone with excellent antipneumococcal activity. Agar dilution MIC was used to test the activity of DW-224a compared to those of penicillin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, gemifloxacin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefuroxime, and azithromycin against 353 quinolone-susceptible pneumococci. The MICs of 29 quinolone-resistant pneumococci with defined quinolone resistance mechanisms against seven quinolones and an efflux mechanism were also tested. DW-224a was the most potent quinolone against quinolone-susceptible pneumococci (MIC(50), 0.016 microg/ml; MIC(90), 0.03 microg/ml), followed by gemifloxacin, moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. beta-Lactam MICs rose with those of penicillin G, and azithromycin resistance was seen mainly in strains with raised penicillin G MICs. Against the 29 quinolone-resistant strains, DW-224a had the lowest MICs (0.06 to 1 microg/ml) compared to those of gemifloxacin, clinafloxacin, moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. DW-224a at 2x MIC was bactericidal after 24 h against eight of nine strains tested. Other quinolones gave similar kill kinetics relative to higher MICs. Serial passages of nine strains in the presence of sub-MIC concentrations of DW-224a, moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin, gemifloxacin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefuroxime, and azithromycin were performed. DW-224a yielded resistant clones similar to moxifloxacin and gemifloxacin but also yielded lower MICs. Azithromycin selected resistant clones in three of the five parents tested. Amoxicillin-clavulanate and cefuroxime did not yield resistant clones after 50 days.

Technical note: Coordination and harmonization of the multi-scale, multi-model activities HTAP2, AQMEII3, and MICS-Asia3: simulations, emission inventories, boundary conditions, and model output formats

Science.gov (United States)

Galmarini, Stefano; Koffi, Brigitte; Solazzo, Efisio; Keating, Terry; Hogrefe, Christian; Schulz, Michael; Benedictow, Anna; Griesfeller, Jan Jurgen; Janssens-Maenhout, Greet; Carmichael, Greg; Fu, Joshua; Dentener, Frank

2017-01-01

We present an overview of the coordinated global numerical modelling experiments performed during 2012-2016 by the Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution (TF HTAP), the regional experiments by the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) over Europe and North America, and the Model Intercomparison Study for Asia (MICS-Asia). To improve model estimates of the impacts of intercontinental transport of air pollution on climate, ecosystems, and human health and to answer a set of policy-relevant questions, these three initiatives performed emission perturbation modelling experiments consistent across the global, hemispheric, and continental/regional scales. In all three initiatives, model results are extensively compared against monitoring data for a range of variables (meteorological, trace gas concentrations, and aerosol mass and composition) from different measurement platforms (ground measurements, vertical profiles, airborne measurements) collected from a number of sources. Approximately 10 to 25 modelling groups have contributed to each initiative, and model results have been managed centrally through three data hubs maintained by each initiative. Given the organizational complexity of bringing together these three initiatives to address a common set of policy-relevant questions, this publication provides the motivation for the modelling activity, the rationale for specific choices made in the model experiments, and an overview of the organizational structures for both the modelling and the measurements used and analysed in a number of modelling studies in this special issue.

Transition metal oxide as anode interface buffer for impedance spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Hui; Tang, Chao; Wang, Xu-Liang; Zhai, Wen-Juan; Liu, Rui-Lan; Rong, Zhou; Pang, Zong-Qiang; Jiang, Bing; Fan, Qu-Li; Huang, Wei

2015-12-01

Impedance spectroscopy is a strong method in electric measurement, which also shows powerful function in research of carrier dynamics in organic semiconductors when suitable mathematical physical models are used. Apart from this, another requirement is that the contact interface between the electrode and materials should at least be quasi-ohmic contact. So in this report, three different transitional metal oxides, V2O5, MoO3 and WO3 were used as hole injection buffer for interface of ITO/NPB. Through the impedance spectroscopy and PSO algorithm, the carrier mobilities and I-V characteristics of the NPB in different devices were measured. Then the data curves were compared with the single layer device without the interface layer in order to investigate the influence of transitional metal oxides on the carrier mobility. The careful research showed that when the work function (WF) of the buffer material was just between the work function of anode and the HOMO of the organic material, such interface material could work as a good bridge for carrier injection. Under such condition, the carrier mobility measured through impedance spectroscopy should be close to the intrinsic value. Considering that the HOMO (or LUMO) of most organic semiconductors did not match with the work function of the electrode, this report also provides a method for wide application of impedance spectroscopy to the research of carrier dynamics.

Performance Characteristics of Hybrid MPI/OpenMP Implementations of NAS Parallel Benchmarks SP and BT on Large-Scale Multicore Clusters

KAUST Repository

Wu, X.; Taylor, V.

2011-01-01

The NAS Parallel Benchmarks (NPB) are well-known applications with fixed algorithms for evaluating parallel systems and tools. Multicore clusters provide a natural programming paradigm for hybrid programs, whereby OpenMP can be used with the data sharing with the multicores that comprise a node, and MPI can be used with the communication between nodes. In this paper, we use Scalar Pentadiagonal (SP) and Block Tridiagonal (BT) benchmarks of MPI NPB 3.3 as a basis for a comparative approach to implement hybrid MPI/OpenMP versions of SP and BT. In particular, we can compare the performance of the hybrid SP and BT with the MPI counterparts on large-scale multicore clusters, Intrepid (BlueGene/P) at Argonne National Laboratory and Jaguar (Cray XT4/5) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Our performance results indicate that the hybrid SP outperforms the MPI SP by up to 20.76 %, and the hybrid BT outperforms the MPI BT by up to 8.58 % on up to 10 000 cores on Intrepid and Jaguar. We also use performance tools and MPI trace libraries available on these clusters to further investigate the performance characteristics of the hybrid SP and BT. © 2011 The Author. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Computer Society. All rights reserved.

Reconstruction of the maxillary midline papilla following a combined orthodontic-periodontic treatment in adult periodontal patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardaropoli, Daniele; Re, Stefania; Corrente, Giuseppe; Abundo, Roberto

2004-02-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of a combined orthodontic-periodontic treatment in determining the reconstruction of midline papilla lost following periodontitis. Twenty-eight patients, with infrabony defect and extrusion of one maxillary central incisor, were treated. At baseline, all patients presented opening of the interdental diastema and loss of the papilla. At 7-10 days after open-flap surgery, the intrusive movement started. For each patient, probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL) and papilla presence index (PI) were assessed at baseline, end of treatment and after 1 year. PI was also evaluated independently in patients with narrow or wide periodontal biotype (NPB-WPB). All parameters showed statistical improvement between the initial and final measurements, and showed no changes at follow-up time. The mean residual PPD was 2.50 mm, with a decrease of 4.29 mm, while the mean CAL gain was 5.93 mm. Twenty-three out of 28 patients improved the PI score at the end of therapy. No statistical difference was recorded in PI values between groups NPB and WPB. The presented clinical protocol resulted in the improvement of all parameters examined. At the end of orthodontic treatment, a predictable reconstruction of the interdental papilla was reported, both in patients with thin or wide gingiva. Copyright Blackwell Munksgaard, 2004.

Electroluminescence of organic light-emitting diodes with an ultra-thin layer of dopant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Weizhi [State Key Lab of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China); Yu Junsheng [State Key Lab of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China)], E-mail: jsyu@uestc.edu.cn; Wang, Tao [State Key Lab of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China); Jiang, Yadong [State Key Lab of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China)], E-mail: jiangyd@uestc.edu.cn; Wei, Bangxiong [State Key Lab of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China)

2008-03-15

Conventional fluorescent dyes, i.e., 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl)-4H-pyran (DCJTB), 5,12-dihydro-5,12-dimethylquino [2,3-b]acridine-7,14-dione (DMQA) and 5,6,11,12-tetraphenylnaphthacene (Rubrene), were used to investigate the performance of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on indium tin oxide (ITO)/N,N'-bis-(1-naphthyl)-N,N'-diphenyl-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine (NPB)/tris-(8-hydroxyquinolate)-aluminum (Alq{sub 3})/MgAg. The dyes were either inserted into devices as an ultra-thin film at the NPB/Alq{sub 3} interface by sequential evaporation, or doped into the Alq{sub 3} emission layer by co-evaporation with the doping ratio about 2%. Electroluminescence (EL) spectra of devices indicated that concentration quenching effect (CQE) of the dye-dopant was slightly bigger in the former than in the latter, while the degrees of CQE for three dopants are in the order of DMQA > DCJTB > Rubrene suggested by the difference in EL spectra and performances of devices. In addition, EL process of device with an ultra-thin layer of dopant is dominated by direct carrier trapping (DCT) process due to almost no holes recombine with electrons in Alq{sub 3}-host layer.

Genetic biomarkers for neoplastic colorectal cancer in peripheral lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ionescu, Mirela; Ciocirlan, Mihai; Ionescu, Cristina; Becheanu, Gabriel; Gologan, Serban; Teiusanu, Adriana; Arbanas, Tudor; Mircea, Diculescu

2011-04-01

Loss of genomic stability appears as a key step in colorectal carcinogenesis. Micronucleus (MN) designates a chromosome fragment or an entire chromosme which lags behind mitosis. MN may be noticed as an additional nucleus within the cytoplasm cell during the intermediate mitosis phases. We tested the hypothesis that MN and its related anomalies may be associated with the presence of neoplastic colorectal lesions. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured and microscopically examined. The frequency of micronuclei (FMN) and the presence of nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB) in binucleated cells were compared in patients with of without colorectal neoplastic lesions. We included 45 patients undergoing colonoscopy, 23 males and 22 females, with a median age of 59. 17 patients had polyps, 11 colorectal cancer (CRC) and 17 had a normal colonoscopy. The FMN was significantly higher in women than in men (8.14 vs 4.17, p=0.008); NPB were significantly less frequent in patients with advanced adenomas (>10mm or vilous) or CRC (p=0.044) when compared with patients with normal colonoscopy, hiperplastic polyps or non-advanced adenomas. Micronuclei are more frequent in women, but its frequency was not significantly different in patients with advanced adenomas or CRC. Null or low frequency values for nucleoplasmic bridges presence in peripheral lymphocyte may be predictive for advanced adenomas and colorectal cancer.

Acceptor thickness effect of exciplex and electroplex emission at heterojunction interface in organic light-emitting diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Yu, Junsheng; Yuan, Kai; Jiang, Yadong; Zhang, Qing; Cao, Kangli

2010-10-01

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) consisted of a novel fluorene derivative of 5,6-bis(9,9-dihexyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)- 2,3-diisocyano-2,3-dihydropyrazine (BDHFLCNPy) and a hole transporting material of N,N'-Di-[(1-naphthalenyl)- N,N'-diphenyl](1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) were fabricated, and electroluminescence (EL) spectrum of devices were investigated. It was found that light emission around 650 nm observed in devices came from exciplex generated at heterojunction interface by NPB molecules worked as electron donor and BDHFLCNPy molecules worked as electron acceptor. Moreover, a shoulder peak around 500 nm ascribed to BDHFLCNPy exciton was observed. To systemically study the effect of heterojunction structure in exciplex formation, OLEDs with different thickness of acceptor were fabricated. The results illustrated that a shoulder peak around 600 nm occurred in EL when acceptor thickness increases, and BDHFLCNPy exciton emitting strength is relatively altered. The emission band around 600 nm is due to electroplex. The L-V-J properties of OLEDs show that device with the thinnest acceptor layer has the highest luminance and current density. On the contrary, OLEDs with thicker acceptor layer have higher luminance efficiency. The different recombination mechanism of exciton, exciplex and electroplex in heterojunction were studied. Furthermore, the acceptor thickness effect of exciplex and electroplex generating mechanism and energy transferring mechanism between them was also discussed.

Evaluation of plasma cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol and 7-ketocholesterol in inherited disorders related to cholesterol metabolism[S

Science.gov (United States)

Boenzi, Sara; Deodato, Federica; Taurisano, Roberta; Goffredo, Bianca Maria; Rizzo, Cristiano; Dionisi-Vici, Carlo

2016-01-01

Oxysterols are intermediates of cholesterol metabolism and are generated from cholesterol via either enzymatic or nonenzymatic pathways under oxidative stress conditions. Cholestan-3β,5α,6β-triol (C-triol) and 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) have been proposed as new biomarkers for the diagnosis of Niemann-Pick type C (NP-C) disease, representing an alternative tool to the invasive and time-consuming method of fibroblast filipin test. To test the efficacy of plasma oxysterol determination for the diagnosis of NP-C, we systematically screened oxysterol levels in patients affected by different inherited disorders related with cholesterol metabolism, which included Niemann-Pick type B (NP-B) disease, lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) deficiency, Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), congenital familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), and sitosterolemia (SITO). As expected, NP-C patients showed significant increase of both C-triol and 7-KC. Strong increase of both oxysterols was observed in NP-B and less pronounced in LAL deficiency. In SLOS, only 7-KC was markedly increased, whereas in both FH and in SITO, oxysterol concentrations were normal. Interestingly, in NP-C alone, we observed that plasma oxysterols correlate negatively with patient’s age and positively with serum total bilirubin, suggesting the potential relationship between oxysterol levels and hepatic disease status. Our results indicate that oxysterols are reliable and sensitive biomarkers of NP-C. PMID:26733147

Phyllanthus emblica Fruit Extract Activates Spindle Assembly Checkpoint, Prevents Mitotic Aberrations and Genomic Instability in Human Colon Epithelial NCM460 Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xihan Guo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The fruit of Phyllanthus emblica Linn. (PE has been widely consumed as a functional food and folk medicine in Southeast Asia due to its remarkable nutritional and pharmacological effects. Previous research showed PE delays mitotic progress and increases genomic instability (GIN in human colorectal cancer cells. This study aimed to investigate the similar effects of PE by the biomarkers related to spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC, mitotic aberrations and GIN in human NCM460 normal colon epithelial cells. Cells were treated with PE and harvested differently according to the biomarkers observed. Frequencies of micronuclei (MN, nucleoplasmic bridge (NPB and nuclear bud (NB in cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay were used as indicators of GIN. Mitotic aberrations were assessed by the biomarkers of chromosome misalignment, multipolar division, chromosome lagging and chromatin bridge. SAC activity was determined by anaphase-to- metaphase ratio (AMR and the expression of core SAC gene budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles related 1 (BubR1. Compared with the control, PE-treated cells showed (1 decreased incidences of MN, NPB and NB (p < 0.01; (2 decreased frequencies of all mitotic aberration biomarkers (p < 0.01; and (3 decreased AMR (p < 0.01 and increased BubR1 expression (p < 0.001. The results revealed PE has the potential to protect human normal colon epithelial cells from mitotic and genomic damages partially by enhancing the function of SAC.

Performance Characteristics of Hybrid MPI/OpenMP Implementations of NAS Parallel Benchmarks SP and BT on Large-Scale Multicore Clusters

KAUST Repository

Wu, X.

2011-07-18

The NAS Parallel Benchmarks (NPB) are well-known applications with fixed algorithms for evaluating parallel systems and tools. Multicore clusters provide a natural programming paradigm for hybrid programs, whereby OpenMP can be used with the data sharing with the multicores that comprise a node, and MPI can be used with the communication between nodes. In this paper, we use Scalar Pentadiagonal (SP) and Block Tridiagonal (BT) benchmarks of MPI NPB 3.3 as a basis for a comparative approach to implement hybrid MPI/OpenMP versions of SP and BT. In particular, we can compare the performance of the hybrid SP and BT with the MPI counterparts on large-scale multicore clusters, Intrepid (BlueGene/P) at Argonne National Laboratory and Jaguar (Cray XT4/5) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Our performance results indicate that the hybrid SP outperforms the MPI SP by up to 20.76 %, and the hybrid BT outperforms the MPI BT by up to 8.58 % on up to 10 000 cores on Intrepid and Jaguar. We also use performance tools and MPI trace libraries available on these clusters to further investigate the performance characteristics of the hybrid SP and BT. © 2011 The Author. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Computer Society. All rights reserved.

Activities of Available and Investigational Antifungal Agents against Rhodotorula Species

Science.gov (United States)

Diekema, D. J.; Petroelje, B.; Messer, S. A.; Hollis, R. J.; Pfaller, M. A

2005-01-01

Rhodotorula species are emerging pathogens in immunocompromised patients. We report the in vitro activities of eight antifungals against 64 Rhodotorula isolates collected in surveillance programs between 1987 and 2003. Rhodotorula strains are resistant in vitro to fluconazole (MIC at which 50% of the isolates tested are inhibited [MIC50], >128 μg/ml) and caspofungin (MIC50, >8 μg/ml). Amphotericin B (MIC50,1 μg/ml) and flucytosine (MIC50, 0.12 μg/ml) are both active in vitro, and the new and investigational triazoles all have some in vitro activity, with ravuconazole being the most active (MIC50, 0.25 μg/ml). PMID:15635020

Antimicrobial activity of the aqueous, methanol and chloroform leaf ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of methanol leaf extract show least activity against Yersinia enterocolitica and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC = 100 mg/ml) and higher activity of MIC at 50 mg/ml against the other bacterial test organisms. The chloroform leaf extract MIC of 100 mg/ml had least activity against ...

Antipneumococcal activity of ceftobiprole, a novel broad-spectrum cephalosporin.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosowska, Klaudia; Hoellman, Dianne B; Lin, Gengrong; Clark, Catherine; Credito, Kim; McGhee, Pamela; Dewasse, Bonifacio; Bozdogan, Bülent; Shapiro, Stuart; Appelbaum, Peter C

2005-05-01

Ceftobiprole (previously known as BAL9141), an anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus cephalosporin, was very highly active against a panel of 299 drug-susceptible and -resistant pneumococci, with MIC(50) and MIC(90) values (microg/ml) of 0.016 and 0.016 (penicillin susceptible), 0.06 and 0.5 (penicillin intermediate), and 0.5 and 1.0 (penicillin resistant). Ceftobiprole, imipenem, and ertapenem had lower MICs against all pneumococcal strains than amoxicillin, cefepime, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, cefuroxime, or cefdinir. Macrolide and penicillin G MICs generally varied in parallel, whereas fluoroquinolone MICs did not correlate with penicillin or macrolide susceptibility or resistance. All strains were susceptible to linezolid, quinupristin-dalfopristin, daptomycin, vancomycin, and teicoplanin. Time-kill analyses showed that at 1x and 2x the MIC, ceftobiprole was bactericidal against 10/12 and 11/12 strains, respectively. Levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, vancomycin, and teicoplanin were each bactericidal against 10 to 12 strains at 2x the MIC. Azithromycin and clarithromycin were slowly bactericidal, and telithromycin was bactericidal against only 5/12 strains at 2x the MIC. Linezolid was mainly bacteriostatic, whereas quinupristin-dalfopristin and daptomycin showed marked killing at early time periods. Prolonged serial passage in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of ceftobiprole failed to yield mutants with high MICs towards this cephalosporin, and single-passage selection showed very low frequencies of spontaneous mutants with breakthrough MICs towards ceftobiprole.

Susceptibility to pleuromutilins in Brachyspira (Serpulina) hyodysenteriae.

Science.gov (United States)

Karlsson, M; Gunnarsson, A; Franklin, A

2001-06-01

The pleuromutilins are the only antimicrobial agents with sufficient minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values left to treat swine dysentery in Sweden. Other antimicrobials are either not approved for use against swine dysentery or only partly active against Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. To date, in Sweden two pleuromutilins, tiamulin and valnemulin, are authorized for use in pigs. This study includes a comparison between MICs of tiamulin and valnemulin for Swedish field isolates of B. hyodysenteriae, as determined by broth dilution. For different isolates the MIC of tiamulin was between 0 and 8 times higher than that of valnemulin. No resistance to pleuromutilins was recorded (tiamulin MIC range 0.031-2 microg/ml, valnemulin MIC range tiamulin resistance was also studied. Two B. hyodysenteriae and two B. pilosicoli strains became resistant to tiamulin following reiterated passages on agar containing tiamulin in increasing concentrations. The resistance emerged slowly and three of the strains that went through more than 60 passages increased their tiamulin MICs from 0.031-0.25 to more than 128 microg/ml. The tiamulin MIC for one B. hyodysenteriae strain that went through 29 passages increased from 0.0125 to 4 microg/ml. One B. pilosicoli strain developed cross-resistance to valnemulin; the MIC increased from 0.25 to more than 64 microg/ml. The valnemulin MIC for one B. hyodysenteriae strain increased from 0.031 microg/ml to 32 microg/ml. Valnemulin MIC was not determined for the B. hyodysenteriae strain that only went through 29 passages. The valnemulin MIC of the other B. pilosicoli strain increased from 0.031 to 4 microg/ml.

The use of cochlear's SCAN and wireless microphones to improve speech understanding in noise with the Nucleus6® CP900 processor.

Science.gov (United States)

De Ceulaer, Geert; Pascoal, David; Vanpoucke, Filiep; Govaerts, Paul J

2017-11-01

The newest Nucleus CI processor, the CP900, has two new options to improve speech-in-noise perception: (1) use of an adaptive directional microphone (SCAN mode) and (2) wireless connection to MiniMic1 and MiniMic2 wireless remote microphones. An analysis was made of the absolute and relative benefits of these technologies in a real-world mimicking test situation. Speech perception was tested using an adaptive speech-in-noise test (sentences-in-babble noise). In session A, SRTs were measured in three conditions: (1) Clinical Map, (2) SCAN and (3) MiniMic1. Each was assessed for three distances between speakers and CI recipient: 1 m, 2 m and 3 m. In session B, the benefit of the use of MiniMic2 was compared to benefit of MiniMic1 at 3 m. A group of 13 adult CP900 recipients participated. SCAN and MiniMic1 improved performance compared to the standard microphone with a median improvement in SRT of 2.7-3.9 dB for SCAN at 1 m and 3 m, respectively, and 4.7-10.9 dB for the MiniMic1. MiniMic1 improvements were significant. MiniMic2 showed an improvement in SRT of 22.2 dB compared to 10.0 dB for MiniMic1 (3 m). Digital wireless transmission systems (i.e. MiniMic) offer a statistically and clinically significant improvement in speech perception in challenging, realistic listening conditions.

White organic light-emitting diodes with 9, 10-bis (2-naphthyl) anthracene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guan Yunxia; Niu Lianbin

2009-01-01

White organic light-emitting diodes were fabricated by 9, 10-bis (2-naphthyl) anthracene (ADN) doped with Rubrene with a structure of ITO/copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) / NPB /ADN: Rubrene /Alq 3 /CsF/Mg:Ag/Ag. Multilayer organic devices using AND and Rubrene as an emitting layer produced white emissions with good chromaticity and luminous efficiency as high as 5.93 cd/A. This performance can be explained by Foerster energy transfer from the blue-emitting host to the orange-emitting dopant.

Inferring biological tasks using Pareto analysis of high-dimensional data.

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, Yuval; Sheftel, Hila; Hausser, Jean; Szekely, Pablo; Ben-Moshe, Noa Bossel; Korem, Yael; Tendler, Avichai; Mayo, Avraham E; Alon, Uri

2015-03-01

We present the Pareto task inference method (ParTI; http://www.weizmann.ac.il/mcb/UriAlon/download/ParTI) for inferring biological tasks from high-dimensional biological data. Data are described as a polytope, and features maximally enriched closest to the vertices (or archetypes) allow identification of the tasks the vertices represent. We demonstrate that human breast tumors and mouse tissues are well described by tetrahedrons in gene expression space, with specific tumor types and biological functions enriched at each of the vertices, suggesting four key tasks.

In Vitro Resistance Studies with Bacteria That Exhibit Low Mutation Frequencies: Prediction of “Antimutant” Linezolid Concentrations Using a Mixed Inoculum Containing both Susceptible and Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Science.gov (United States)

Golikova, Maria V.; Strukova, Elena N.; Portnoy, Yury A.; Romanov, Andrey V.; Edelstein, Mikhail V.; Zinner, Stephen H.

2014-01-01

Bacterial resistance studies using in vitro dynamic models are highly dependent on the starting inoculum that might or might not contain spontaneously resistant mutants (RMs). To delineate concentration-resistance relationships with linezolid-exposed Staphylococcus aureus, a mixed inoculum containing both susceptible cells and RMs was used. An RM selected after the 9th passage of the parent strain (MIC, 2 μg/ml) on antibiotic-containing media (RM9; MIC, 8 μg/ml) was chosen for the pharmacodynamic studies, because the mutant prevention concentration (MPC) of linezolid against the parent strain in the presence of RM9 at 102 (but not at 104) CFU/ml did not differ from the MPC value determined in the absence of the RMs. Five-day treatments with twice-daily linezolid doses were simulated at concentrations either between the MIC and MPC or above the MPC. S. aureus RMs (resistant to 2× and 4× MIC but not 8× and 16× MIC) were enriched at ratios of the 24-h area under the concentration-time curve (AUC24) to the MIC that provide linezolid concentrations between the MIC and MPC for 100% (AUC24/MIC, 60 h) and 86% (AUC24/MIC, 120 h) of the dosing interval. No such enrichment occurred when linezolid concentrations were above the MIC and below the MPC for a shorter time (37% of the dosing interval; AUC24/MIC, 240 h) or when concentrations were consistently above the MPC (AUC24/MIC, 480 h). These findings obtained using linezolid-susceptible staphylococci supplemented with RMs support the mutant selection window hypothesis. This method provides an option to delineate antibiotic concentration-resistance relationships with bacteria that exhibit low mutation frequencies. PMID:25451050

Effects of Subinhibitory Concentrations of Ceftaroline on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA Biofilms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Lázaro-Díez

Full Text Available Ceftaroline (CPT is a novel cephalosporin with in vitro activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Ceftaroline exhibits a level of binding affinity for PBPs in S. aureus including PBP2a of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA. The aims of this study were to investigate the morphological, physiological and molecular responses of MRSA clinical strains and MRSA biofilms to sub-MICs (1/4 and 1/16 MIC of ceftaroline by using transmission, scanning and confocal microscopy. We have also used quantitative Real-Time PCR to study the effect of sub-MICs of ceftaroline on the expression of the staphylococcal icaA, agrA, sarA and sasF genes in MRSA biofilms. In one set of experiments, ceftaroline was able to inhibit biofilm formation in all strains tested at MIC, however, a strain dependent behavior in presence of sub-MICs of ceftaroline was shown. In a second set of experiments, destruction of preformed biofilms by addition of ceftaroline was evaluated. Ceftaroline was able to inhibit biofilm formation at MIC in all strains tested but not at the sub-MICs. Destruction of preformed biofilms was strain dependent because the biofilm formed by a matrix-producing strain was resistant to a challenge with ceftaroline at MIC, whereas in other strains the biofilm was sensitive. At sub-MICs, the impact of ceftaroline on expression of virulence genes was strain-dependent at 1/4 MIC and no correlation between ceftaroline-enhanced biofilm formation and gene regulation was established at 1/16 MIC. Our findings suggest that sub-MICs of ceftaroline enhance bacterial attachment and biofilm formation by some, but not all, MRSA strains and, therefore, stress the importance of maintaining effective bactericidal concentrations of ceftaroline to fight biofilm-MRSA related infections.

Moxifloxacin pharmacokinetic profile and efficacy evaluation in empiric treatment of community-acquired pneumonia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Öbrink-Hansen, Kristina; Hardlei, Tore Forsingdal; Brock, Birgitte

2015-01-01

for each patient were evaluated against epidemiological cutoff MIC values for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Legionella pneumophila. PK-PD targets adopted were a Cmax/MIC of ≥12.2 for all pathogens, an fAUC0-24/MIC of >34 for S. pneumoniae, and an fAUC0-24/MIC of >75 for H...

Commercial broth microdilution panel validation and reproducibility trials for NVP PDF-713 (LBM 415), a novel inhibitor of bacterial peptide deformylase.

Science.gov (United States)

Fritsche, T R; Moet, G J; Jones, R N

2004-09-01

NVP PDF-713 (LBM 415) is a peptide deformylase inhibitor being progressed into clinical trials. Dry-form broth microdilution panels of NVP PDF-713 were compared to reference MIC panels of 552 recent clinical isolates. Most (99.2%) dry-form MIC results were within +/- 1 log(2) dilution of the reference panel MICs. Of the bacteria tested, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae showed a bias towards higher and lower MICs, respectively. Same-day and between-day reproducibility tests showed that 98.9% and 96.7% of MIC values, respectively, were within +/- 1 log(2) dilution step, thereby demonstrating a high degree of reliability of the dry-form MIC product for clinical studies.

Activity of Telithromycin (HMR 3647) against Anaerobic Bacteria Compared to Those of Eight Other Agents by Time-Kill Methodology†

Science.gov (United States)

Credito, Kim L.; Ednie, Lois M.; Jacobs, Michael R.; Appelbaum, Peter C.

1999-01-01

Time-kill studies examined the activities of telithromycin (HMR 3647), erythromycin A, azithromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, clindamycin, pristinamycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and metronidazole against 11 gram-positive and gram-negative anaerobic bacteria. Time-kill studies were carried out with the addition of Oxyrase in order to prevent the introduction of CO2. Macrolide-azalide-ketolide MICs were 0.004 to 32.0 μg/ml. Of the latter group, telithromycin had the lowest MICs, especially against non-Bacteroides fragilis group strains, followed by azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin A, and roxithromycin. Clindamycin was active (MIC ≤ 2.0 μg/ml) against all anaerobes except Peptostreptococcus magnus and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, while pristinamycin MICs were 0.06 to 4.0 μg/ml. Amoxicillin-clavulanate had MICs of ≤1.0 μg/ml, while metronidazole was active (MICs, 0.03 to 2.0 μg/ml) against all except Propionibacterium acnes. After 48 h at twice the MIC, telithromycin was bactericidal (≥99.9% killing) against 6 strains, with 99% killing of 9 strains and 90% killing of 10 strains. After 24 h at twice the MIC, 90, 99, and 99.9% killing of nine, six, and three strains, respectively, occurred. Lower rates of killing were seen at earlier times. Similar kill kinetics relative to the MIC were seen with other macrolides. After 48 h at the MIC, clindamycin was bactericidal against 8 strains, with 99 and 90% killing of 9 and 10 strains, respectively. After 24 h, 90% killing of 10 strains occurred at the MIC. The kinetics of clindamycin were similar to those of pristinamycin. After 48 h at the MIC, amoxicillin-clavulanate showed 99.9% killing of seven strains, with 99% killing of eight strains and 90% killing of nine strains. At four times the MIC, metronidazole was bactericidal against 8 of 10 strains tested after 48 h and against all 10 strains after 24 h; after 12 h, 99% killing of all 10 strains occurred. PMID:10428930

Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic integration and modelling of oxytetracycline administered alone and in combination with carprofen in calves.

Science.gov (United States)

Brentnall, C; Cheng, Z; McKellar, Q A; Lees, P

2013-06-01

The pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profiles of oxytetracycline were investigated, when administered both alone and in the presence of carprofen, in healthy calves. The study comprised a four treatment, four sequences, and four period cross-over design and used a tissue cage model, which permitted the collection of serum, inflamed tissue cage fluid (exudate) and non-inflamed tissue cage fluid (transudate). There were no clinically relevant differences in the PK profile of oxytetracycline when administered alone and when administered with carprofen. PK-PD integration was undertaken for a pathogenic strain of Mannheimia haemolytic (A1 76/1), by correlating in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and time-kill data with in vivo PK data obtained in the cross-over study. Based on in vitro susceptibility in cation adjusted Mueller Hinton Broth (CAMHB) and in vivo determined PK variables, ratios of maximum concentration (Cmax) and area under curve (AUC) to MIC and time for which concentration exceeded MIC (T>MIC) were determined. The CAMHB MIC data satisfied integrated PK/PD relationships predicted to achieve efficacy for approximately 48 h after dosing; mean values for serum were 5.13 (Cmax/MIC), 49.3 h (T>MIC) and 126.6 h (AUC(96h)/MIC). Similar findings were obtained when oxytetracycline was administered in the presence of carprofen, with PK-PD indices based on MIC determined in CAMHB. However, PK-PD integration of data, based on oxytetracycline MICs determined in the biological fluids, serum, exudate and transudate, suggest that it possesses, at most, limited direct killing activity against the M. haemolytica strain A1 76/1; mean values for serum were 0.277 (Cmax/MIC), 0 h (T>MIC) and 6.84 h (AUC(96h)/MIC). The data suggest that the beneficial therapeutic effects of oxytetracycline may depend, at least in part, on actions other than direct inhibition of bacterial growth. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vitro activity of Ceftaroline against bacterial pathogens isolated from patients with skin and soft tissue and respiratory tract infections in African and Middle Eastern countries: AWARE global surveillance program 2012-2014.

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Karlowsky, James A; Biedenbach, Douglas J; Bouchillon, Samuel K; Hackel, Meredith; Iaconis, Joseph P; Sahm, Daniel F

2016-10-01

The objective of this report was to document antimicrobial susceptibility testing surveillance data for ceftaroline and comparative agents from the AWARE (Assessing Worldwide Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation) global surveillance program for bacterial pathogens causing skin and soft tissue and respiratory tract infections in African and Middle Eastern countries from 2012 through 2014. Pathogen identities were confirmed by MALDI-TOF and antimicrobial susceptibility testing performed by CLSI broth microdilution methodology in a central laboratory. All methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) (n= 923; MIC90, 0.25 μg/mL) and 91.8% of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (n= 1161; MIC90, 1 μg/mL) tested were susceptible to ceftaroline. The maximum ceftaroline MIC observed for isolates of MRSA was 2 μg/mL. All Streptococcus pyogenes (n= 174; MIC90, 0.008 μg/mL), Streptococcus agalactiae (n= 44; MIC90, 0.015 μg/mL), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n= 351; MIC90, 0.25 μg/mL), and Haemophilus influenzae (n= 84; MIC90, ≤0.015 μg/mL) were susceptible to ceftaroline. Rates of susceptibility to ceftaroline among ESBL-negative Escherichia coli (n= 338), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n= 241), and Klebsiella oxytoca (n= 97) were 89.1% (MIC90, 1 μg/mL), 94.2% (MIC90, 0.5 μg/mL), and 99.0% (MIC90, 0.5 μg/mL), respectively. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Susceptibility to antimicrobial agents of Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 strains isolated from pigs.

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Seol, B; Kelneric, Z; Hajsig, D; Madic, J; Naglic, T

1996-03-01

The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for thirty-three epidemiologicaly unrelated clinical isolates of Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 were determined in relation to ampicillin, ampicillin-sulbactam, amoxicillin, clavulanate-amoxicillin, penicillin G, cephalexin, gentamicin, streptomycin, erythromycin, tylosin and doxycycline, using the microtitre broth dilution procedure described by the U.S. National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). Gentamicin was the most active compound tested, with an MIC for 90% of the strains tested (MIC(90)) of 0.4 mg/L. Overall, 70% of strains were resistant to doxycycline (MIC(90) > or = 100.0 mg/L), followed by penicillin G (51% of strains) (MIC(90) + or = 100.0 mg/L). Resistance to amoxicillin and ampicillin was 36.4% (MIC(90) 12.5 mg/L) and 33.3% (MIC(90) 50.0 mg/L), respectively. 15.2% of S. suis strains were resistant to streptomycin, tylosin and cephalexin with MIC90 values of 25.0 mg/L, 12.5 mg/L and 25.0 mg/L, respectively. A combination of ampicillin and sulbactam (MIC(90) 6.3 mg/L) and a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanate (MIC(90) 3.1 mg/L) as well as erythromycin (1.6 mg/L) were of the same efficacy, with a total of 9.1% resistant S. suis strains. This high percentage of resistance to doxycycline and penicillin G precludes the use of these antibiotics as empiric therapy of swine diseases.

Members of a novel protein family containing microneme adhesive repeat domains act as sialic acid-binding lectins during host cell invasion by apicomplexan parasites.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedrich, Nikolas; Santos, Joana M; Liu, Yan; Palma, Angelina S; Leon, Ester; Saouros, Savvas; Kiso, Makoto; Blackman, Michael J; Matthews, Stephen; Feizi, Ten; Soldati-Favre, Dominique

2010-01-15

Numerous intracellular pathogens exploit cell surface glycoconjugates for host cell recognition and entry. Unlike bacteria and viruses, Toxoplasma gondii and other parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa actively invade host cells, and this process critically depends on adhesins (microneme proteins) released onto the parasite surface from intracellular organelles called micronemes (MIC). The microneme adhesive repeat (MAR) domain of T. gondii MIC1 (TgMIC1) recognizes sialic acid (Sia), a key determinant on the host cell surface for invasion by this pathogen. By complementation and invasion assays, we demonstrate that TgMIC1 is one important player in Sia-dependent invasion and that another novel Sia-binding lectin, designated TgMIC13, is also involved. Using BLAST searches, we identify a family of MAR-containing proteins in enteroparasitic coccidians, a subclass of apicomplexans, including T. gondii, suggesting that all these parasites exploit sialylated glycoconjugates on host cells as determinants for enteric invasion. Furthermore, this protein family might provide a basis for the broad host cell range observed for coccidians that form tissue cysts during chronic infection. Carbohydrate microarray analyses, corroborated by structural considerations, show that TgMIC13, TgMIC1, and its homologue Neospora caninum MIC1 (NcMIC1) share a preference for alpha2-3- over alpha2-6-linked sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine sequences. However, the three lectins also display differences in binding preferences. Intense binding of TgMIC13 to alpha2-9-linked disialyl sequence reported on embryonal cells and relatively strong binding to 4-O-acetylated-Sia found on gut epithelium and binding of NcMIC1 to 6'sulfo-sialyl Lewis(x) might have implications for tissue tropism.

In vitro activity of ACH-702, a new isothiazoloquinolone, against Nocardia brasiliensis compared with econazole and the carbapenems imipenem and meropenem alone or in combination with clavulanic acid.

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Vera-Cabrera, Lucio; Campos-Rivera, Mayra Paola; Escalante-Fuentes, Wendy G; Pucci, Michael J; Ocampo-Candiani, Jorge; Welsh, Oliverio

2010-05-01

The in vitro activities of ACH-702 and other antimicrobials against 30 Nocardia brasiliensis isolates were tested. The MIC(50) (MIC for 50% of the strains tested) and MIC(90) values of ACH-702 were 0.125 and 0.5 microg/ml. The same values for econazole were 2 and 4 microg/ml. The MIC(50) and MIC(90) values of imipenem and meropenem were 64 and >64 microg/ml and 2 and 8 microg/ml, respectively; the addition of clavulanic acid to the carbapenems had no effect.

In vitro antianaerobic activity of ertapenem (MK-0826) compared to seven other compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoellman, Dianne B; Kelly, Linda M; Credito, Kim; Anthony, Lauren; Ednie, Lois M; Jacobs, Michael R; Appelbaum, Peter C

2002-01-01

Ertapenem, imipenem, meropenem, ceftriaxone, piperacillin, piperacillin-tazobactam, clindamycin, and metronidazole were agar dilution MIC tested against 431 anaerobes. Imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem were the most active beta-lactams (MICs at which 50% of the strains are inhibited [MIC(50)s], 0.125 to 0.25 microg/ml; MIC(90)s, 1.0 to 2.0 microg/ml). Time-kill studies revealed that ertapenem at two times the MIC was bactericidal for 9 of 10 strains after 48 h. The kinetics for other beta-lactams were similar to those of ertapenem.

Zinc oxide nanoparticle reduced biofilm formation and antigen 43 expressions in uropathogenic Escherichia coli

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Ali Shakerimoghaddam

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Objective(s: This study aimed to investigate the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-np on biofilm formation and expression of the flu gene in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC strains. Materials and Methods: Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC of ZnO-np was determined by agar dilution method. The effect of MIC and sub-MIC concentrations of ZnO-np on biofilm formation were determined by microtiter plate assay. The expression level of the flu gene was assessed by Real-Time PCR assay. Results: MIC and sub-MIC ZnO-np concentrations reduced biofilm formation by 50% and 33.4%, respectively. Sub-MIC ZnO-np concentration significantly reduced the flu gene expression in the UPEC isolates (P

Susceptibility to tigecycline of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from intensive care unit patients.

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Talaga, Katarzyna; Krzyściak, Paweł; Bulanda, Małgorzata

2016-01-01

Infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii are difficult to cure due to the acquisition of resistance by these bacteria and lead to an increase in the general costs of hospitalization. The aim of this study was to determine tigecycline susceptibility of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from intensive care unit and non-intensive care unit patients with skin and soft tissue infections. MICs were tested by Etest among 70 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. The MIC range was from 0.5 to 8.0 mg L⁻¹. For ESBL-producing Acinetobacter baumannii, as well as for strains without carbapenemases, the highest MIC to tigecycline value was 8.0 mg L⁻¹. For AmpC-producing Acinetobacter baumannii, the highest MIC to tigecycline value was 6.0 mg L⁻¹ and, for MBL-producing strains, 2.0 mg L⁻¹. The majority of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from ICU and non-ICU patients demonstrated high values of MIC range, MIC50 and MIC90 to tigecycline.

Manufacture of mineral-insulated conductor for ITER prototype ELM and VS coil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long, Feng; Wu, Yu; Jin, Huan; Yu, Min; Han, Qiyang; Ling, Feng; Kalish, Michael

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Compaction method is successfully developed for MIC manufacture. • Manufactured MICs show well controlled outer diameter and good electrical properties. • Insulation resistance of all the MICs is higher than 100 GΩ@DC 2500 V. - Abstract: An ITER Organization (IO) Task Agreement (TA) “Final Design and Prototyping of the ITER In-Vessel Coils (IVC) and Feeders” is almost finished by Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP). ITER IVCs consist of edge-localized mode (ELM) and vertical stabilization (VS) coils. One prototype Mid-ELM coil complete with 19 brackets brazed with the conductors and one prototype 120° section of upper VS coil with structural components brazed to the conductors have been fabricated. Compaction method is developed successfully for the mineral-insulated conductor (MIC) manufacture. Approximate 110 m Inconel 625 jacket MICs for Mid-ELM prototype coil and 80 m stainless steel 316L jacket MICs for VS prototype coil were manufactured. Most of the copper tubes used for the MICs fabrication failed the ultrasonic testing (UT), but the jacket tubes have good passing rate. Manufacture processes and inspection for the MICs are presented in this paper

Manufacture of mineral-insulated conductor for ITER prototype ELM and VS coil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Long, Feng, E-mail: longf@ipp.ac.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China); Wu, Yu; Jin, Huan; Yu, Min; Han, Qiyang; Ling, Feng [Institute of Plasma Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China); Kalish, Michael [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States)

2015-06-15

Highlights: • Compaction method is successfully developed for MIC manufacture. • Manufactured MICs show well controlled outer diameter and good electrical properties. • Insulation resistance of all the MICs is higher than 100 GΩ@DC 2500 V. - Abstract: An ITER Organization (IO) Task Agreement (TA) “Final Design and Prototyping of the ITER In-Vessel Coils (IVC) and Feeders” is almost finished by Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP). ITER IVCs consist of edge-localized mode (ELM) and vertical stabilization (VS) coils. One prototype Mid-ELM coil complete with 19 brackets brazed with the conductors and one prototype 120° section of upper VS coil with structural components brazed to the conductors have been fabricated. Compaction method is developed successfully for the mineral-insulated conductor (MIC) manufacture. Approximate 110 m Inconel 625 jacket MICs for Mid-ELM prototype coil and 80 m stainless steel 316L jacket MICs for VS prototype coil were manufactured. Most of the copper tubes used for the MICs fabrication failed the ultrasonic testing (UT), but the jacket tubes have good passing rate. Manufacture processes and inspection for the MICs are presented in this paper.

mics in Modern Day Ghana 1

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Studies in Gender and Development in Afiica, I (200 7): September. THE WOMBAS TARGET: .... countries. The purpose of this historical contextualization of HIV/AIDS policy cur- rently in Ghana is to ..... product development from a distance. ..... environmental disintegration and poverty in Nordiem Ghana.” In response to the.

Pharmacodynamics of oxytetracycline administered alone and in combination with carprofen in calves.

Science.gov (United States)

Brentnall, C; Cheng, Z; McKellar, Q A; Lees, P

2012-09-15

The pharmacodynamics (PD) of oxytetracycline was investigated against a strain of Mannheimia haemolytica. In vitro measurements, comprising minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration and time-kill curves, were conducted in five matrices; Mueller Hinton Broth (MHB), cation-adjusted MHB (CAMHB) and calf serum, exudate and transudate. MICs were much higher in the biological fluids than in MHB and CAMHB. Ratios of MIC were, serum: CAMHB 19 : 1; exudate:CAMHB 16.1; transudate:CAMHB 14 : 1. Ex vivo data, generated in the tissue cage model of inflammation, demonstrated that oxytetracycline, administered to calves intramuscularly at a dose rate of 20 mg/kg, did not inhibit the growth of M haemolytica in serum, exudate and transudate, even at peak concentration. However, using in vitro susceptibility in CAMHB and in vivo-determined pharmacokinetic (PK) variables, average and minimum oxytetracycline concentrations relative to MIC (C(av)/MIC and C(min)/MIC) predicted achievement of efficacy for approximately 48 hours after dosing. Similar C(av)/MIC and C(min)/MIC data were obtained when oxytetracycline was administered in the presence of carprofen. PK-PD integration of data for oxytetracycline, based on MICs determined in the three biological fluids, suggests that it possesses, at most, limited direct killing activity against M haemolytica. These data raise questions concerning the mechanism(s) of action of oxytetracycline, when administered at clinically recommended dose rates.

Susceptibility to antimicrobial agents among bovine mastitis pathogens isolated from North American dairy cattle, 2002-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindeman, Cynthia J; Portis, Ellen; Johansen, Lacie; Mullins, Lisa M; Stoltman, Gillian A

2013-09-01

Approximately 8,000 isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli, isolated by 25 veterinary laboratories across North America between 2002 and 2010, were tested for in vitro susceptibility to beta-lactam, macrolide, and lincosamide drugs. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the beta-lactam drugs remained low against most of the Gram-positive strains tested, and no substantial changes in the MIC distributions were seen over time. Of the beta-lactam antimicrobial agents tested, only ceftiofur showed good in vitro activity against E. coli. The MICs of the macrolides and lincosamides also remained low against Gram-positive mastitis pathogens. While the MIC values given by 50% of isolates (MIC50) for erythromycin and pirlimycin and the streptococci were all low (≤0.5 µg/ml), the MIC values given by 90% of isolates (MIC90) were higher and more variable, but with no apparent increase over time. Staphylococcus aureus showed little change in erythromycin susceptibility over time, but there may be a small, numerical increase in pirlimycin MIC50 and MIC90 values. Overall, the results suggest that mastitis pathogens in the United States and Canada have not shown any substantial changes in the in vitro susceptibility to beta-lactam, macrolide, and lincosamide drugs tested over the 9 years of the study.

White organic light-emitting diodes with 9, 10-bis (2-naphthyl) anthracene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guan Yunxia; Niu Lianbin [Key Laboratory of Optical Engineering, College of Physics and Information Technology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047 (China)], E-mail: gyxybsy@126.com, E-mail: niulb03@126.com

2009-03-01

White organic light-emitting diodes were fabricated by 9, 10-bis (2-naphthyl) anthracene (ADN) doped with Rubrene with a structure of ITO/copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) / NPB /ADN: Rubrene /Alq{sub 3} /CsF/Mg:Ag/Ag. Multilayer organic devices using AND and Rubrene as an emitting layer produced white emissions with good chromaticity and luminous efficiency as high as 5.93 cd/A. This performance can be explained by Foerster energy transfer from the blue-emitting host to the orange-emitting dopant.

Improved performances of organic light-emitting diodes with mixed layer and metal oxide as anode buffer

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Qin; Liu, Shouyin; Zhang, Shiming; Chen, Ping; Zhao, Yi; Liu, Shiyong

2013-01-01

We fabricated organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) employing 2-methyl-9,10-di(2-naphthyl)-anthracene (MADN) as hole-transport material (HTM) instead of commonly used N,N'-bis-(1-naphthyl)-N,N'-diphenyl,1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine (NPB). After inserting a 0.9 nm thick molybdenum oxide (MoOx) layer at the indium tin oxide (ITO)/MADN interface and a 5 nm thick mixed layer at the organic/organic heterojunction interface, the power conversion efficiency of the device can be increased by 4-fold.

In Vitro Effect of New Antibiotics Against Clinical Isolates of Salmonella Typhi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malik, N.

2016-01-01

Objective: To determine the in vitrodisk diffusion and MIC patterns of the therapeutic alternatives for Salmonella Typhi. Study Design: Across-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, from June 2011 to May 2013. Methodology: Clinical samples were collected from suspected cases of Salmonella infections. Culture was obtained on standard media. Suspected Salmonella colonies were tested by API 20E and confirmed by serology. The isolates were tested for resistance to various antibiotics by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. MIC was done on MDR and ciprofloxacin intermediate or resistant cases by E-strips for selected antibiotics. Results: One hundred and twenty-eight isolates of Salmonella Typhi were recovered from 2230 specimens. Resistance by disk diffusion technique was 72% for ampicillin, 41.2% for cotrimoxazole, 38% for chloramphenicol, 8% for ciprofloxacin, 4.7% for cefpodoxime, 3.5% each for ertapenem aztreonam and moxifloxacin 2.4% for ceftriaxone and 2.3% for doripenem. No resistance was noted for imipenem, cefepime and gatifloxacin. Imipenem MIC90 was 0.38 and MIC50 was 0.25. For cefpirome, MIC90 was 0.64 and MIC50 was 0.09. For aztreonam, MIC90 was 0.12 and MIC50 was 0.09. For cefpodoxime MIC90 was 0.75 and MIC50 was 0.38. For azithromycin, these values were 16.0 and 7.0; and for tigecycline they were 0.25 and 0.09. Conclusion: Imipenem, azithromycin, tigecycline, aztreonam, cefpodoxime and cefpirome are potential therapeutic agents for resistant Salmonella Typhi infection. (author)

Vaccination with Recombinant Microneme Proteins Confers Protection against Experimental Toxoplasmosis in Mice.

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Camila Figueiredo Pinzan

Full Text Available Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is an important public health problem and veterinary concern. Although there is no vaccine for human toxoplasmosis, many attempts have been made to develop one. Promising vaccine candidates utilize proteins, or their genes, from microneme organelle of T. gondii that are involved in the initial stages of host cell invasion by the parasite. In the present study, we used different recombinant microneme proteins (TgMIC1, TgMIC4, or TgMIC6 or combinations of these proteins (TgMIC1-4 and TgMIC1-4-6 to evaluate the immune response and protection against experimental toxoplasmosis in C57BL/6 mice. Vaccination with recombinant TgMIC1, TgMIC4, or TgMIC6 alone conferred partial protection, as demonstrated by reduced brain cyst burden and mortality rates after challenge. Immunization with TgMIC1-4 or TgMIC1-4-6 vaccines provided the most effective protection, since 70% and 80% of mice, respectively, survived to the acute phase of infection. In addition, these vaccinated mice, in comparison to non-vaccinated ones, showed reduced parasite burden by 59% and 68%, respectively. The protective effect was related to the cellular and humoral immune responses induced by vaccination and included the release of Th1 cytokines IFN-γ and IL-12, antigen-stimulated spleen cell proliferation, and production of antigen-specific serum antibodies. Our results demonstrate that microneme proteins are potential vaccines against T. gondii, since their inoculation prevents or decreases the deleterious effects of the infection.

Susceptibility screening of hyphae-forming fungi with a new, easy, and fast inoculum preparation method.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmalreck, Arno; Willinger, Birgit; Czaika, Viktor; Fegeler, Wolfgang; Becker, Karsten; Blum, Gerhard; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia

2012-12-01

In vitro susceptibility testing of clinically important fungi becomes more and more essential due to the rising number of fungal infections in patients with impaired immune system. Existing standardized microbroth dilution methods for in vitro testing of molds (CLSI, EUCAST) are not intended for routine testing. These methods are very time-consuming and dependent on sporulating of hyphomycetes. In this multicentre study, a new (independent of sporulation) inoculum preparation method (containing a mixture of vegetative cells, hyphae, and conidia) was evaluated. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of amphotericin B, posaconazole, and voriconazole of 180 molds were determined with two different culture media (YST and RPMI 1640) according to the DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung) microdilution assay. 24 and 48 h MIC of quality control strains, tested per each test run, prepared with the new inoculum method were in the range of DIN. YST and RPMI 1640 media showed similar MIC distributions for all molds tested. MIC readings at 48 versus 24 h yield 1 log(2) higher MIC values and more than 90 % of the MICs read at 24 and 48 h were within ± 2 log(2) dilution. MIC end point reading (log(2 MIC-RPMI 1640)-log(2 MIC-YST)) of both media demonstrated a tendency to slightly lower MICs with RPMI 1640 medium. This study reports the results of a new, time-saving, and easy-to-perform method for inoculum preparation for routine susceptibility testing that can be applied for all types of spore-/non-spore and hyphae-forming fungi.

Vaccination with Recombinant Microneme Proteins Confers Protection against Experimental Toxoplasmosis in Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinzan, Camila Figueiredo; Sardinha-Silva, Aline; Almeida, Fausto; Lai, Livia; Lopes, Carla Duque; Lourenço, Elaine Vicente; Panunto-Castelo, Ademilson; Matthews, Stephen; Roque-Barreira, Maria Cristina

2015-01-01

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is an important public health problem and veterinary concern. Although there is no vaccine for human toxoplasmosis, many attempts have been made to develop one. Promising vaccine candidates utilize proteins, or their genes, from microneme organelle of T. gondii that are involved in the initial stages of host cell invasion by the parasite. In the present study, we used different recombinant microneme proteins (TgMIC1, TgMIC4, or TgMIC6) or combinations of these proteins (TgMIC1-4 and TgMIC1-4-6) to evaluate the immune response and protection against experimental toxoplasmosis in C57BL/6 mice. Vaccination with recombinant TgMIC1, TgMIC4, or TgMIC6 alone conferred partial protection, as demonstrated by reduced brain cyst burden and mortality rates after challenge. Immunization with TgMIC1-4 or TgMIC1-4-6 vaccines provided the most effective protection, since 70% and 80% of mice, respectively, survived to the acute phase of infection. In addition, these vaccinated mice, in comparison to non-vaccinated ones, showed reduced parasite burden by 59% and 68%, respectively. The protective effect was related to the cellular and humoral immune responses induced by vaccination and included the release of Th1 cytokines IFN-γ and IL-12, antigen-stimulated spleen cell proliferation, and production of antigen-specific serum antibodies. Our results demonstrate that microneme proteins are potential vaccines against T. gondii, since their inoculation prevents or decreases the deleterious effects of the infection.

In vitro susceptibility testing of Aspergillus spp. against voriconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, amphotericin B and caspofungin.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jun-yan; Xu, Ying-chun; Shi, Yi; Lü, Huo-xiang; Liu, Yong; Zhao, Wang-sheng; Chen, Dong-mei; Xi, Li-yan; Zhou, Xin; Wang, He; Guo, Li-na

2010-10-01

During recent years, the incidence of serious infections caused by opportunistic fungi has increased dramatically due to alterations of the immune status of patients with hematological diseases, malignant tumors, transplantations and so forth. Unfortunately, the wide use of triazole antifungal agents to treat these infections has lead to the emergence of Aspergillus spp. resistant to triazoles. The present study was to assess the in vitro activities of five antifungal agents (voriconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, amphotericin B and caspofungin) against different kinds of Aspergillus spp. that are commonly encountered in the clinical setting. The agar-based Etest MIC method was employed. One hundred and seven strains of Aspergillus spp. (5 species) were collected and prepared according to Etest Technique Manuel. Etest MICs were determined with RPMI agar containing 2% glucose and were read after incubation for 48 hours at 35°C. MIC(50), MIC(90) and MIC range were acquired by Whonet 5.4 software. The MIC(90) of caspofungin against A. fumigatus, A. flavus and A. nidulans was 0.094 µg/ml whereas the MIC(90) against A. niger was 0.19 µg/ml. For these four species, the MIC(90) of caspofungin was the lowest among the five antifungal agents. For A. terrus, the MIC(90) of posaconazole was the lowest. For A. fumigatus and A. flavus, the MIC(90) in order of increasing was caspofungin, posaconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, and amphotericin B. The MIC of amphotericin B against A. terrus was higher than 32 µg/ml in all 7 strains tested. The in vitro antifungal susceptibility test shows the new drug caspofungin, which is a kind of echinocandins, has good activity against the five species of Aspergillus spp. and all the triazoles tested have better in vitro activity than traditional amphotericin B.

Overexpression of an Outer Membrane Protein Associated with Decreased Susceptibility to Carbapenems in Proteus mirabilis

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Yi-Lin; Wang, Min-Cheng; Hsueh, Po-Ren; Liu, Ming-Che; Hu, Rouh-Mei; Wu, Yue-Jin; Liaw, Shwu-Jen

2015-01-01

Proteus mirabilis isolates commonly have decreased susceptibility to imipenem. Previously, we found P. mirabilis hfq mutant was more resistant to imipenem and an outer membrane protein (OMP) could be involved. Therefore, we investigated the role of this OMP in carbapenem susceptibility. By SDS-PAGE we found this OMP (named ImpR) was increased in hfq mutant and LC-MS/MS revealed it to be the homologue of Salmonella YbfM, which is a porin for chitobiose and subject to MicM (a small RNA) regulation. We demonstrated that ImpR overexpression resulted in increased carbapenem MICs in the laboratory strain and clinical isolates. Chitobiose induced expression of chb (a chitobiose utilization operon). Real-time RT-PCR and SDS-PAGE were performed to elucidate the relationship of hfq, impR, chb and MicM in P. mirabilis. We found MicM RNA was decreased in hfq mutant and chbBC-intergenic region (chbBC-IGR) overexpression strain (chbIGRov), while impR mRNA was increased in hfq mutant, micM mutant and chbIGRov strain. In addition, mutation of hfq or micM and overexpression of chbBC-IGR increased ImpR protein level. Accordingly, chitobiose made wild-type have higher levels of ImpR protein and are more resistant to carbapenems. Hfq- and MicM-complemented strains restored wild-type MICs. Mutation of both impR and hfq eliminated the increase in carbapenem MICs observed in hfq mutant and ImpR-complementation of hfq/impR double mutant resulted in MICs as hfq mutant, indicating that the ImpR-dependent decreased carbapenem susceptibility of hfq mutant. These indicate MicM was antisense to impR mRNA and was negatively-regulated by chbBC-IGR. Together, overexpression of ImpR contributed to the decreased carbapenem susceptibility in P. mirabilis. PMID:25756370