Indirect monitoring of internal exposure for actinides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carneiro G, C.J.; Barreto F, J.; Todo A, A. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares, IPEN/CNEN, Av. Professor Lineu Prestes No. 2242, Zip code 05508-000, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

2006-07-01

The procedure used to the assessment of internal exposure of workers involved with dismantling lightning rods and radioactive smoke detectors is described. Due to the presence of the sources of {sup 241} Am in these devices, a monitoring program to the workers have been implemented. This paper presents an analytical method for the separation and analysis of plutonium (Pu) and americium (Am) in urine samples using solid-phase extraction chromatography and alpha spectrometry. The mean recovery obtained with this technique is about 80% and the detection limit for 24 h urine sample range between 0.6 mBqL{sup -1} and 1.0 mBqL{sup -1}. The assessment of intakes and internal doses are performed following ICRP Publication 78 recommendations and appropriated biokinetic models (ICRP, 1997). Assumptions have been made for routine monitoring of these workers and it is also discussed the establishment of the internal monitoring program using the results of alpha measurements. (Author)

Indirect monitoring of internal exposure for actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carneiro G, C.J.; Barreto F, J.; Todo A, A.

2006-01-01

The procedure used to the assessment of internal exposure of workers involved with dismantling lightning rods and radioactive smoke detectors is described. Due to the presence of the sources of 241 Am in these devices, a monitoring program to the workers have been implemented. This paper presents an analytical method for the separation and analysis of plutonium (Pu) and americium (Am) in urine samples using solid-phase extraction chromatography and alpha spectrometry. The mean recovery obtained with this technique is about 80% and the detection limit for 24 h urine sample range between 0.6 mBqL -1 and 1.0 mBqL -1 . The assessment of intakes and internal doses are performed following ICRP Publication 78 recommendations and appropriated biokinetic models (ICRP, 1997). Assumptions have been made for routine monitoring of these workers and it is also discussed the establishment of the internal monitoring program using the results of alpha measurements. (Author)

Fast Deploy Radiation Monitoring Array Emergency Solution Based on GPS and Cellular Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vax, E.; Broide, A.; Manor, A.; Marcus, E.; Seif, R.; Nir, J.; Kadmon, Y.; Sattinger, D.; Levinson, S.; Tal, N.

2004-01-01

Radiation monitoring of a possible contaminating source is highly important for safety and risk analysis. Since the monitoring must cover the whole contaminated area, the standard solution is to scatter an array of numerous fixed detectors in advance. The Fast Deploy Radiation Monitoring Array (FDRMA) is a solution that does not require coverage of the entire area. The FDRMA is a compact, world wide applicative, seamless and novel solution, designed for emergency cases. The system consists of GPS and IP cellular network, which make it mobile and therefore suitable for global use. The most significant advantage of the FDRMA system is minimizing the exposure time of the monitoring teams, while maintaining flexibility of the deployment area, as opposed to the Vehicle Monitoring System (VMS) [1] or the standard solution mentioned above. A detailed description of the proposed FDRMA system and its comparison to a fixed detectors' array is presented in this work

International systems for harmonization and quality control by in vivo monitoring and quality control by in vivo monitoring of internal contamination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malatova, I [National Radiation Protection Inst., Prague (Czech Republic)

1996-12-31

After the Chernobyl accident, whole body counting for the monitoring of internal contamination of the population was widely used. In many cases, great discrepancy occurred between in vivo measured values and predicted ones from model calculations. This situation was very similar to the situation in environmental monitoring, however, by sample measurement, quality assurance and quality control of the measurement procedure is much easier than by whole body counting. In addition to it, unlike in environmental monitoring, use of semiconductor detectors by whole counting was rather limited in this time so there were few laboratories which were able to distinguish up to 20 radionuclides by which people from the vicinity of Chernobyl were internally contaminated. Therefore, effort was undertaken by many international organization to summarize current status of whole body counting and to estimate uncertainty and sensitivity of different devices. In this paper efforts to harmonize an interpretation of measured results is given. Whole body counting laboratory of the National Radiation Protection Institute (NRPI) in Prague participates in the above mentioned intercomparisons with good results and scientists from NRPI have participated in the preparation of 3 international recommendations concerning measurement of internal contamination (author).

Triple Bioluminescence Imaging for In Vivo Monitoring of Cellular Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Casey A Maguire

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Bioluminescence imaging (BLI has shown to be crucial for monitoring in vivo biological processes. So far, only dual bioluminescence imaging using firefly (Fluc and Renilla or Gaussia (Gluc luciferase has been achieved due to the lack of availability of other efficiently expressed luciferases using different substrates. Here, we characterized a codon-optimized luciferase from Vargula hilgendorfii (Vluc as a reporter for mammalian gene expression. We showed that Vluc can be multiplexed with Gluc and Fluc for sequential imaging of three distinct cellular phenomena in the same biological system using vargulin, coelenterazine, and D-luciferin substrates, respectively. We applied this triple imaging system to monitor the effect of soluble tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (sTRAIL delivered using an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV on brain tumors in mice. Vluc imaging showed efficient sTRAIL gene delivery to the brain, while Fluc imaging revealed a robust antiglioma therapy. Further, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB activation in response to sTRAIL binding to glioma cells death receptors was monitored by Gluc imaging. This work is the first demonstration of trimodal in vivo bioluminescence imaging and will have a broad applicability in many different fields including immunology, oncology, virology, and neuroscience.

Monitoring of Electromagnetic Radiation from Cellular Base Stations in Kuwait

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Otaibi, A.H.; Al-Ajmi, D.; Williams, T.; McGee, D.; Dennis, J.A.; Beg, M.U.

1998-01-01

A survey of the radio frequency electromagnetic environment in Kuwait was carried out. The primary purpose of this survey was to monitor electromagnetic radiation (EMR) field strength levels emitted by cellular base stations installed and operated by the Kuwait Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC). Measurements were made at 26 cellular-phone base stations, chosen as a representative sample to include 14 school sites, 2 residential sites, 2 hospital sites, 3 ministerial building sites, 3 commercial sites and 1 typical stand-alone site. On all the selected sites measurements were made with a spectrum analyser to determine the emission level in the frequency bands used by the base station transmitters (917-960 MHz). The results indicated that total field strength, specifically due to the MTC base stations, found in public access areas, varied generally between 0.05 and 1.13 V.m -1 . These values are in the order of between 40 and 800 times lower than the new pan-European CENELEC pre-standard ENV 50166-2 'Human Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields'. In terms of power density the highest observed value (0.34 μW.m -2 ) was more than a thousand times below the prescribed standards. (author)

The potential use of domestic safeguards interior monitors in International Safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, J.D.; Dupree, S.A.; Sonnier, C.S.

1998-01-01

An important future element of International Safeguards instrumentation is expected to be the merging of containment/surveillance and nondestructive assay equipment with domestic physical protection equipment into integrated systems, coupled with remote monitoring. Instrumentation would include interior monitoring and assessment and entry/exit monitoring. Of particular importance is the application of interior monitors in spaces of declared inactivity; for example, in nuclear material storage locations that are entered infrequently. The use of modern interior monitors in International Safeguards offers potential for improving effectiveness and efficiency. Within the context of increased cooperation, one can readily envision increased interaction between International Safeguards and Domestic Safeguards, including increased joint use of State System of Accounting and Control data

ENHANCING ASSETS' PROTECTION THROUGH AN ADEQUATE MONITORING OF INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEM BY INTERNAL AUDIT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Eugen Cosmin

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The assets are established into a company as very important and strategic resources that are contributing at the creation of the needed premises to conduct the daily-basis activity and also to reach present and future planned objectives. Recent studies like COSO's Fraudulent Financial Reporting 1998-2007 have highlighted an increasing fraudulent activity against assets therefore the efforts of fighting against fraud must be supplemented in order to preserve the existence and value of those resources. Internal controls are processes implemented in order to give a reasonable assurance that the company will not become a fraud victim. Even so, a lot of internal controls are paying a heavy tribute to their lack of efficiency and update. Thus, for a correct functioning, internal controls must be monitored and assessed permanently in order to preserve their strength and ability to fulfill their mission. This approach will deliver more added value because rather than being corrected after they have already occurred, the frauds related with the assets will be prevented, detected and reported at a timely moment, thereby the incidence and value of those criminal activities will decrease significantly. Furthermore, because not only the process of monitoring is important but even the entity conducting this activity we believe that internal audit is the most appropriate to undertake this responsibility. Thus, through this material we opened a discussion about how important permanent monitored and updated internal controls are in order to assure a proper assets protection and why internal audit, rather than the management, should be the most eligible to undertake this responsibility. Also we provided some suggestions regarding the main activities that must be taken into consideration by an internal audit professional when is being involved in a monitoring process of internal control system. We do believe that this paper will be the starting point for new

Remote monitoring for international safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupree, S.A.; Sonnier, C.S.

1999-01-01

Remote monitoring is not a new technology, and its application to safeguards-relevant activities has been examined for a number of years. On behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy and international partners, remote monitoring systems have been emplaced in nuclear facilities and laboratories in various parts of the world. The experience gained from these Geld trials of remote monitoring systems has shown the viability of the concept of using integrated monitoring systems. Although a wide variety of sensors has been used in the remote monitoring field trials conducted to date, the possible range of instrumentation that might be used has scarcely been touched. As the technology becomes widespread, large amounts of data will become available to inspectors responsible for safeguards activities at the sites. Effective use of remote monitoring will require processing, archiving, presenting, and assessing of these data. To provide reasonable efficiency in the application of this technology, data processing should be done in a careful and organized manner. The problem will be not an issue of poring over scant records but of surviving under a deluge of information made possible by modern technology Fortunately, modem technology, which created the problem of the data glut, is available to come to the assistance of those inundated by data. Apart from the technological problems, one of the most important aspects of remote monitoring is the potential constraint related to the transmission of data out of a facility or beyond national borders. Remote monitoring across national borders can be seriously considered only in the context of a comprehensive, transparent, and open implementation regime. (author)

Requirements for internal contamination monitoring units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werner, E.; Beyer, D.; Doerfel, H.; Erlenbach, H.; Fischbach, G.; Henrichs, K.; Keller, K.D.; Koenig, K.; Riedel, W.; Scheler, R.; Schieferdecker, H.

1994-01-01

For the evaluation of internal contamination by officially authorized monitoring units according to section 63 (6) of the German radiation protection ordinance, a directive will be prepared in order to define uniform requirements for the laboratories in charge of incorporation monitoring by appointment of the relevant authorities. These requirements refer to equipment, to performance of measurements, to interpretation of measured values, to quality control as well as to documentation and to delivery of results. The duties of such laboratories comprise measurements of radioactivity, evaluation of intakes of radionuclides and of the resulting internal radiation dose, but also transmission of results to the employer, to the central dose registry, and under certain circumstances to the authorities. Among the requirements to be met by the laboratory for incorporation control are a sufficient measuring efficiency, the implementation of in-house checks, and the participation in intercomparison programs. For the accomplishment of such duties the laboratory needs appropriate apparatus, rooms, facilities, and staffing. (orig.) [de

Acid Sphingomyelinase Promotes Cellular Internalization of Clostridium perfringens Iota-Toxin.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagahama, Masahiro; Takehara, Masaya; Miyamoto, Kazuaki; Ishidoh, Kazumi; Kobayashi, Keiko

2018-05-20

Clostridium perfringens iota-toxin is a binary actin-ADP-ribosylating toxin composed of the enzymatic component Ia and receptor binding component Ib. Ib binds to a cell surface receptor, forms Ib oligomer in lipid rafts, and associates with Ia. The Ia-Ib complex then internalizes by endocytosis. Here, we showed that acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) facilitates the cellular uptake of iota-toxin. Inhibitions of ASMase and lysosomal exocytosis by respective blockers depressed cell rounding induced by iota-toxin. The cytotoxicity of the toxin increased in the presence of Ca 2+ in extracellular fluids. Ib entered target cells in the presence but not the absence of Ca 2+ . Ib induced the extracellular release of ASMase in the presence of Ca 2+ . ASMase siRNA prevented the cell rounding induced by iota-toxin. Furthermore, treatment of the cells with Ib resulted in the production of ceramide in cytoplasmic vesicles. These observations showed that ASMase promotes the internalization of iota-toxin into target cells.

Internal control in the company in order to financial monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osipov A.V.

2017-04-01

Full Text Available the article explores the definition of financial monitoring, financial analysis and internal control in aspect to their correlation to fight money laundering and terrorism financing. Internal control is analyzed from the point of view of law, economics and management. The author pays much attention in the article to the work of systems of financial monitoring in organizations.

OMINEX: Development of Guidance on Monitoring for Internal Exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Etherington, G.; Ansoborlo, E.; Berard, P.; Cossonnet, C.; Frank, D.; Genicot, A.; Hodgson, A.; Hurtgen, C.; Jourdain, J. R.; Le Gueen, B.; Rahola, T.; Sovijarvi, J.; Stradling, G. N.

2004-01-01

The aim of the OMINEX project was to provide advice and guidance on the design and implementation of internal dose monitoring programmes in the workplace in such a way that best use is made of available resources, while minimising costs. Topics addressed include choice of monitoring method(s), (eg excretion monitoring vs. in vivo monitoring), choice of measurement technique (eg alpha spectrometry vs. mass spectrometry), monitoring intervals, measurement frequency, required measurement sensitivity and accuracy, measurement parameters needed to achieve this performance, the resulting uncertainty in assessed intakes and doses, and minimum detectable doses. The underlying approach to optimisation was to consider costs versus benefits, the latter being quantified primarily by assessing the sensitivity or accuracy with which intakes and doses are determined from the results of particular monitoring methods. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the results of the project. Some of the main results of surveys of current internal dose monitoring practice and the costs of monitoring programmes are presented. Recommendations on the optimisation of bioassay and in vivo measurement parameters are discussed. A novel method for the assessment of uncertainty in assessed intakes and doses is described, and the use of information on uncertainties in designing a monitoring programme is discussed using the example of tritium-in-urine monitoring. Recommendations are described for the monitoring of exposures to compounds of uranium, plutonium, thorium and caesium encountered in the nuclear industries. (Author) 15 refs

IRESPred: Web Server for Prediction of Cellular and Viral Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES)

Science.gov (United States)

Kolekar, Pandurang; Pataskar, Abhijeet; Kulkarni-Kale, Urmila; Pal, Jayanta; Kulkarni, Abhijeet

2016-01-01

Cellular mRNAs are predominantly translated in a cap-dependent manner. However, some viral and a subset of cellular mRNAs initiate their translation in a cap-independent manner. This requires presence of a structured RNA element, known as, Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) in their 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs). Experimental demonstration of IRES in UTR remains a challenging task. Computational prediction of IRES merely based on sequence and structure conservation is also difficult, particularly for cellular IRES. A web server, IRESPred is developed for prediction of both viral and cellular IRES using Support Vector Machine (SVM). The predictive model was built using 35 features that are based on sequence and structural properties of UTRs and the probabilities of interactions between UTR and small subunit ribosomal proteins (SSRPs). The model was found to have 75.51% accuracy, 75.75% sensitivity, 75.25% specificity, 75.75% precision and Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC) of 0.51 in blind testing. IRESPred was found to perform better than the only available viral IRES prediction server, VIPS. The IRESPred server is freely available at http://bioinfo.net.in/IRESPred/. PMID:27264539

International Remote Monitoring Project Embalse Nuclear Power Station, Argentina Embalse Remote Monitoring System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, Sigfried L.; Glidewell, Donnie D.; Bonino, Anibal; Bosler, Gene; Mercer, David; Maxey, Curt; Vones, Jaromir; Martelle, Guy; Busse, James; Kadner, Steve; White, Mike; Rovere, Luis

1999-01-01

The Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear of Argentina (ARN), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), ABACC, the US Department of Energy, and the US Support Program POTAS, cooperated in the development of a Remote Monitoring System for nuclear nonproliferation efforts. This system was installed at the Embalse Nuclear Power Station last year to evaluate the feasibility of using radiation sensors in monitoring the transfer of spent fuel from the spent fuel pond to dry storage. The key element in this process is to maintain continuity of knowledge throughout the entire transfer process. This project evaluated the fundamental design and implementation of the Remote Monitoring System in its application to regional and international safeguard efficiency. New technology has been developed to enhance the design of the system to include storage capability on board sensor platforms. This evaluation has led to design enhancements that will assure that no data loss will occur during loss of RF transmission of the sensors

Considerations of selection suggested for internal contamination monitoring in Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cruz S, R.; Lopez B, G.; Placeres V, C.; Arado L, J.; Jova S, L.

1996-01-01

A method for calculating effective risk of radionuclide intake and hypothetical annual dose that will receive a person who works with unsealed sources is proposed. Calculated committed dose equivalent and metabolic characteristic of radionuclides permit to select the type of monitoring 'in vivo' and/or 'in vitro'. The method was applied to 396 workers from 28 institutions, where 20 radionuclides in 124 different products for 266 applications are used. From this study 62% of the workers had to be monitored for internal contamination, meanly by 'in vitro' monitoring. In practices of Nuclear Medicine and other medical uses 75% of the workers had to be monitored. These results permitted to corroborate the criteria for internal contamination monitoring program carried out by Center for Hygiene and Radiation Protection and permitted to identify needs for control of radionuclides intakes. (authors).5 refs., 3 figs

Individual monitoring for internal exposure of workers - regulation and practice in Hungary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerekes, A.; Kocsy, G.; Pellet, S.

2005-01-01

Full text: Decree of Ministry of Health for the enforcement of the Act on Atomic Energy has put special emphasis on the regulation of monitoring for internal exposure in Hungary. The necessarily general prescription of the Decree 'In case of the possibility or suspicion of incorporating open radioactive substances the affected employee shall be subjected to internal contamination monitoring. The obligation of the internal monitoring shall be determined by the Radiation Hygiene Centre of the National Public Health and Medical Officer's Service' called for a guidance to assist the work of the competent authority. The guide was elaborated on the basis of the IAEA Safety Guide No. RS-G-1.2. According to the Safety Guide the decision factor shall first be determined for the potential radionuclides and practice applied. For routine monitoring the required frequency, method and MDA values, moreover for special monitoring the method and MDA values were derived for over 40 radionuclides considering the following two basic assumptions: the activity remaining in or excreted from the body could be determined by the given measurement method, the possible underestimation of intake shall be less than a factor of three within the monitoring interval. The following prescription of the Decree 'The laboratory performing the monitoring of internal exposure shall be accredited' has raised a conflict in practice. To solve the problem the Guide suggests a two-step monitoring process: a screening measurement for the possible internal contamination performed by the Radiation Protection Service of the workplace by any equipment used in daily practice for investigation of patients, radiation protection purposes, etc., if the result of screening indicates an internal contamination the radiation worker shall be monitored by an accredited laboratory. As an ISO Standard in process has several assumptions differing from the IAEA Safety Guide, e.g. the limitation of 'maximum potential

7th International Workshop on Microbeam Probes of Cellular Radiation Response

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brenner, David J.

2009-07-21

The extended abstracts that follow present a summary of the Proceedings of the 7th International Workshop: Microbeam Probes of Cellular Radiation Response, held at Columbia University’s Kellogg Center in New York City on March 15–17, 2006. These International Workshops on Microbeam Probes of Cellular Radiation Response have been held regularly since 1993 (1–5). Since the first workshop, there has been a rapid growth (see Fig. 1) in the number of centers developing microbeams for radiobiological research, and worldwide there are currently about 30 microbeams in operation or under development. Single-cell/single-particle microbeam systems can deliver beams of different ionizing radiations with a spatial resolution of a few micrometers down to a few tenths of a micrometer. Microbeams can be used to addressquestions relating to the effects of low doses of radiation (a single radiation track traversing a cell or group of cells), to probe subcellular targets (e.g. nucleus or cytoplasm), and to address questions regarding the propagation of information about DNA damage (for example, the radiation-induced bystander effect). Much of the recent research using microbeams has been to study low-dose effects and ‘‘non-targeted’’ responses such as bystander effects, genomic instability and adaptive responses. This Workshop provided a forum to assess the current state of microbeam technology and current biological applications and to discuss future directions for development, both technological and biological. Over 100 participants reviewed the current state of microbeam research worldwide and reported on new technological developments in the fields of both physics and biology.

Evaluation of sensitivity evaluation of a contamination monitor for use in monitoring of internal exposure of workers in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dantas, Bernando Maranhao; Assis, Janima Cruz de; Oliveira, Salomao Marques de; Dantas, Ana Leticia Almeida

2014-01-01

In practice of nuclear medicine, expert personnel routinely handle radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis and radiotherapy. The control of intakes of radionuclides by workers can be performed through internal dosimetry techniques, as an integral part of the radiation protection program of the installation. The use of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in vivo and in vitro in Brazil is regulated by CNEN-NE Standards and 3:05 CNEN-NN 3.01. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommends the establishment of an internal monitoring program on workers, especially those subject to possible exposure to annual effective doses greater than 1 mSv. Note that, currently, in Brazil, are not available qualified laboratories to provide internal monitoring services in all regions in the country, if it were applied by CNEN, the requirement for internal monitoring of workers. This paper presents the development of a simple and low-cost methodology for in vivo monitoring of 131 I in the thyroid. The proposed methodology is the use of portable monitor of surface contamination, equipment available and routinely used in all nuclear medicine services in Brazil. The monitor is calibrated with neck-thyroid simulator developed at the Laboratory of In Vivo Monitoring of IRD/CNEN-RJ. The equipment tested is suitable for application in in vivo occupational monitoring thyroid. This conclusion is based on the fact that the detection system has sufficient sensitivity for monitoring up to seven days after the incorporation of the radionuclide and guarantees 131 I detection in values that result in effective doses below 1 mSv for the exposure scenarios adopted

Internal Electrostatic Discharge Monitor - IESDM

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Wousik; Goebel, Dan M.; Jun, Insoo; Garrett, Henry B.

2011-01-01

A document discusses an innovation designed to effectively monitor dielectric charging in spacecraft components to measure the potential for discharge in order to prevent damage from internal electrostatic discharge (IESD). High-energy electrons penetrate the structural materials and shielding of a spacecraft and then stop inside dielectrics and keep accumulating. Those deposited charges generate an electric field. If the electric field becomes higher than the breakdown threshold (approx. =2 x 10(exp 5) V/cm), discharge occurs. This monitor measures potentials as a function of dielectric depth. Differentiation of potential with respect to the depth yields electric field. Direct measurement of the depth profile of the potential in a dielectric makes real-time electronic field evaluation possible without simulations. The IESDM has been designed to emulate a multi-layer circuit board, to insert very thin metallic layers between the dielectric layers. The conductors serve as diagnostic monitoring locations to measure the deposited electron-charge and the charge dynamics. Measurement of the time-dependent potential of the metal layers provides information on the amount of charge deposited in the dielectrics and the movement of that charge with time (dynamics).

Advanced 3D Printers for Cellular Solids

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-30

06-2016 1-Aug-2014 31-Dec-2015 Final Report: Advanced 3D printers for Cellular Solids The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are...2211 3d printing, cellular solids REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER(S) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) ARO 8...Papers published in non peer-reviewed journals: Final Report: Advanced 3D printers for Cellular Solids Report Title Final Report for DURIP grant W911NF

Live Imaging of Cellular Internalization of Single Colloidal Particle by Combined Label-Free and Fluorescence Total Internal Reflection Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, Gerard D; Vllasaliu, Driton; Falcone, Franco H; Somekh, Michael G; Stolnik, Snjezana

2015-11-02

In this work we utilize the combination of label-free total internal reflection microscopy and total internal reflectance fluorescence (TIRM/TIRF) microscopy to achieve a simultaneous, live imaging of single, label-free colloidal particle endocytosis by individual cells. The TIRM arm of the microscope enables label free imaging of the colloid and cell membrane features, while the TIRF arm images the dynamics of fluorescent-labeled clathrin (protein involved in endocytosis via clathrin pathway), expressed in transfected 3T3 fibroblasts cells. Using a model polymeric colloid and cells with a fluorescently tagged clathrin endocytosis pathway, we demonstrate that wide field TIRM/TIRF coimaging enables live visualization of the process of colloidal particle interaction with the labeled cell structure, which is valuable for discerning the membrane events and route of colloid internalization by the cell. We further show that 500 nm in diameter model polystyrene colloid associates with clathrin, prior to and during its cellular internalization. This association is not apparent with larger, 1 μm in diameter colloids, indicating an upper particle size limit for clathrin-mediated endocytosis.

Development of web based system for internal monitoring programme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lima, Vanessa R. de; Rodrigues Junior, Orlando; Todo, Alberto S. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: vrlima@ipen.br; rodrijr@ipen.br; astodo@ipen.br

2007-07-01

The purposes of monitoring in general are to verify and to document that each worker is protected adequately against risks from radionuclide intakes and the protection complies with legal requirements. Therefore, it forms part of the overall radiation protection programme, which starts with an assessment to identify work situations in which there is a risk of internal contamination of workers and to quantify the likely intake of radioactive material and the resulting committed effective dose. As a part of a continuous improvement of the monitoring programme for occupationally exposed workers at IPEN, it is being developed a Web based system to access the internal dosimetry database. The system was implemented using Hypertext Preprocessor, PHP, and a PostgreSQL database. This system will introduce a new paradigm in the routine of the internal dosimetry service, providing a fast access to the information among the measurement laboratories staff, dose evaluation group and the radiation protection supervisor. The database maintains information about worker identification, physical and chemical characteristics of the radionuclide, type of monitoring, measurement data and the dose. Moreover, this information will be readily available to provide support for regulatory compliance and quality control requirements. (author)

Development of Web based system for individual internal monitoring programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lima, Vanessa Rogeria de

2007-01-01

The purposes of the internal monitoring, in general, are to verify and document that each worker is protected adequately against risks from radionuclide intakes and the protection complies with legal requirements. Therefore, an overall radiation protection programme, starts with an assessment to identify work situations in which there is a risk of internal contamination of workers and to quantify the likely intake of radioactive material and the resulting committed effective dose. As a part of a continuous improvement of the monitoring programme for occupationally exposed workers at IPEN, it is being developed a Web based system to access the internal dosimetry database. The system was implemented using Hypertext Preprocessor, PHP, and a PostgreSQL database. This system will introduce a new paradigm in the routine of the internal dosimetry service, providing a fast access to the information among the measurement laboratories staff, dose evaluation group and the radiation protection supervisor. The database maintains information about worker identification, physical and chemical characteristics of the radionuclide, type of monitoring, measurement data and the dose. Moreover, this information will be readily available to provide support for regulatory compliance and quality control requirements. (author)

Necessity of Internal Monitoring for Nuclear Medicine Staff in a Large Specialized Chinese Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hong-Bo; Zhang, Qing-Zhao; Zhang, Zhen; Hou, Chang-Song; Li, Wen-Liang; Yang, Hui; Sun, Quan-Fu

2016-04-12

This work intends to quantify the risk of internal contaminations in the nuclear medicine staff of one hospital in Henan province, China. For this purpose, the criteria proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to determine whether it is necessary to conduct internal individual monitoring was applied to all of the 18 nuclear medicine staff members who handled radionuclides. The activity of different radionuclides used during a whole calendar year and the protection measures adopted were collected for each staff member, and the decision as to whether nuclear medicine staff in the hospital should be subjected to internal monitoring was made on the basis of the criteria proposed by IAEA. It is concluded that for all 18 members of the nuclear medicine staff in the hospital, internal monitoring is required. Internal exposure received by nuclear medicine staff should not be ignored, and it is necessary to implement internal monitoring for nuclear medicine staff routinely.

Harmonisation (legal, dosimetric, quality aspects) of individual monitoring, and integration of monitoring for external and internal exposures (EURADOS working group)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, M.A.; Currivan, L.; Falk, R.; Olko, P.; Wernli, C.; Castellani, C.M.; Dijk, J.W.E. van

2003-01-01

The EURADOS Working Group II on 'Harmonisation of individual monitoring' consists of experts from almost all EU Member States and Newly Associated States (NAS), involved in tasks related to the assessment of doses for internal and external radiation. The final objective is to achieve harmonisation in individual monitoring for occupational exposures. Sub-group 2 activities are focused on investigating how the results from personal dosemeters for external radiation and workplace monitoring and from monitoring for internal exposure can be combined into a complete and consistent system of individual monitoring. Three questionnaires were prepared, covering Individual monitoring of external radiation (Questionnaire 1), 'Internal exposure' (Questionnaire 2) and 'Natural sources of radiation at workplace' (Questionnaire 3). With the agreement of a 'contact-person' selected in each country, the distribution of the three EURADOS 2002 questionnaires was carried out by e-mail among the dosimetry facilities of 28 European countries. The preliminary results of these actions are presented here. (author)

5 CFR 575.212 - Internal monitoring requirements and revocation or suspension of authority.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Internal monitoring requirements and... MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS RECRUITMENT, RELOCATION, AND RETENTION INCENTIVES; SUPERVISORY DIFFERENTIALS; AND EXTENDED ASSIGNMENT INCENTIVES Relocation Incentives § 575.212 Internal monitoring...

5 CFR 575.312 - Internal monitoring requirements and revocation or suspension of authority.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Internal monitoring requirements and... MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS RECRUITMENT, RELOCATION, AND RETENTION INCENTIVES; SUPERVISORY DIFFERENTIALS; AND EXTENDED ASSIGNMENT INCENTIVES Retention Incentives § 575.312 Internal monitoring...

Brazilian participation in the International Monitoring System for Nuclear Explosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veloso, Jose Alberto Vivas

1995-01-01

On January 1, 1995, Brazil was integrated to the world-wide seismic system, through the Seismological Observatory of the University of Brasilia, dedicated to detect and identify underground nuclear explosions. This is an unprecedented global effort program to conduct a seismic test of rapid data collection, distribution and processing evolving the most advanced sensors, global communications and data processing technologies. By the end of February, 49 countries were incorporated and the present test represents a first training step towards the final definition of an International Monitoring System to monitoring a Comprehensive test Band Treaty. Besides accomplishing its main goal, the global monitoring program will be able to supply rapidly, through the International Data Center, important information to the seismological community. (author). 2 figs

Organization of internal contamination monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badreddine, A.

1986-07-01

The nuclear energy takes a big part in the world's energy production. The nuclear techniques are used in most fields of life. Nevertheless the use of radioactive materials may cause prejudice to human beings by radiation contamination. The International Commission on Radiological Protection gives the general rules and regulations to avoid this danger. In the publication No. 30, the ICRP gives a metabolic model for the respiratory system and values of Annual Limit of Intake. The ALI for inhalation supposes a standard AMAD (Activity Median Aerodynamic Diameter) of 1 um. We have measured the AMAD in a laboratory under different conditions of functioning in order to show its variation. Then we have analysed the effect of this variation on the internal contamination monitoring. Thus we have calculated the Effective Committed Dose (ECD), the ALI, then the Derived Investigation Level (DIL) for different values of AMAD for Whole-Body Counting (WBC)

Draft I.E.C. standard for monitoring PWR internal structures; Projet de norme C.E.I. pour la surveillance des structures internes des REP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trenty, A.

1994-06-01

EDF has proposed to the International Electrotechnical Commission a draft standard for monitoring the vessel internal structures of PWRs. The standard applies to systems used for monitoring the vibratory behavior of the internal structures of PWRs (core barrel, thermal shield, fuel assemblies) on the basis of neutron fluctuations observed outside the vessel as well as of vessel vibrations. It covers the systems characteristics and the monitoring procedures. It should facilitate standardization of monitoring and comparisons on an international level. This paper presents the main features of the draft standard: -principles of measurement: correlation between movements of internals and ex core neutron noise on the one hand, forced vibrations of the vessel on the other hand; -sampling and conditioning of the signals; -monitoring equipment and in particular spectral analysis device; -functions of the monitoring software used for spectral analysis, peak detection and calculation of structure displacement; -studies preliminary to setting up the monitoring (calculation of internal vibratory modes, defect simulation on mockup, qualification on reactor during hot test...); -monitoring procedures (periodicity of analysis and what to do in case of anomaly); -documentation necessary to the monitoring. A diagnostic procedure is given as an example. The draft standard, written in 1994, will be presented in Frankfurt (Germany) in February 1995. (author). 1 annexe.

Prospective evaluation of the need for internal monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barton, T.P.; Bowers, R.R.; Volza, P.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that under the revision of 10 CFR 20, workers must be monitored for internal dose only if a prospective evaluation shows that they are likely to exceed 10 percent of an ALI in a year. Past positive whole body counts were reviewed at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant, and the largest uptake was found to be 1.3 percent of an ALI. Past RWPs which had the potential for significant airborne exposure were identified and reviewed. The highest possible uptake was calculated to be 2.5 percent of an ALI, not taking credit for respiratory protection. Committed dose from alpha and pure beta emitters which would not be identified by gamma-sensitive bioassay was found to be negligible. Based on this prospective evaluation, monitoring personnel for internal dose is not required at this facility

Survey of special nuclear material vehicle monitors for domestic and international safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fehlau, P.E.; Atwater, H.F.; Caldwell, J.T.; Shunk, E.R.

1979-01-01

Special nuclear materials vehicle monitors, including gateside vehicle monitors, hand-held personnel-vehicle monitors, and a new tunnel monitor concept for very large vehicles, are discussed. The results of a comparison of effectiveness of monitors for domestic application are presented. The results of calculations and small scale prototype measurements are given for a tunnel-like neutron monitor for monitoring at the perimeter of an enrichment plant subjected to International Safeguards

Selected materials of the international workshop on radiation risk and its origin at molecular and cellular level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinak, Miroslav

2003-11-01

The workshop ''International Workshop on Radiation Risk and its Origin at Molecular and Cellular Level'' was held at The Tokai Research Establishment, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, on the 6th and 7th of February 2003. The Laboratory of Radiation Risk Analysis of JAERI organized it. This international workshop attracted scientists from several different scientific areas, including radiation physics, radiation biology, molecular biology, crystallography of biomolecules, modeling and bio-informatics. Several foreign and domestic keynote speakers addresses the very fundamental areas of radiation risk and tried to establish a link between the fundamental studies at the molecular and cellular level and radiation damages at the organism. The symposium consisted of 13 oral lectures, 10 poster presentations and panel discussion. The 108 participants attended the workshop. This publication comprises of proceedings of oral and poster presentations where available. For the rest of contributions the abstracts or/and selections of presentation materials are shown instead. The 5 papers are indexed individually. (J.P.N.)

Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid)-functionalized porous silicon nanoparticles for enhanced stability and cellular internalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahbazi, Mohammad-Ali; Almeida, Patrick V; Mäkilä, Ermei; Correia, Alexandra; Ferreira, Mónica P A; Kaasalainen, Martti; Salonen, Jarno; Hirvonen, Jouni; Santos, Hélder A

2014-03-01

Currently, developing a stable nanocarrier with high cellular internalization and low toxicity is a key bottleneck in nanomedicine. Here, we have developed a successful method to covalently conjugate poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic acid) (PMVE-MA) copolymer on the surface of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane-functionalized thermally carbonized porous silicon nanoparticles (APSTCPSi NPs), forming a surface negatively charged nanovehicle with unique properties. This polymer conjugated NPs could modify surface smoothness, charge, and hydrophilicity of the developed NPs, leading to considerable improvement in the colloidal and plasma stabilities via enhanced suspensibility and charge repulsion. Furthermore, despite the surface negative charge of the polymer-conjugated NPs, the cellular internalization was increased in both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. These results provide a proof-of-concept evidence that such polymer-based PSi nanocomposite can be extensively used as a promising candidate for intracellular drug delivery. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Levels-of-processing effect on internal source monitoring in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ragland, J Daniel; McCarthy, Erin; Bilker, Warren B; Brensinger, Colleen M; Valdez, Jeffrey; Kohler, Christian; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C

2006-05-01

Recognition can be normalized in schizophrenia by providing patients with semantic organizational strategies through a levels-of-processing (LOP) framework. However, patients may rely primarily on familiarity effects, making recognition less sensitive than source monitoring to the strength of the episodic memory trace. The current study investigates whether providing semantic organizational strategies can also normalize patients' internal source-monitoring performance. Sixteen clinically stable medicated patients with schizophrenia and 15 demographically matched healthy controls were asked to identify the source of remembered words following an LOP-encoding paradigm in which they alternated between processing words on a 'shallow' perceptual versus a 'deep' semantic level. A multinomial analysis provided orthogonal measures of item recognition and source discrimination, and bootstrapping generated variance to allow for parametric analyses. LOP and group effects were tested by contrasting recognition and source-monitoring parameters for words that had been encoded during deep versus shallow processing conditions. As in a previous study there were no group differences in LOP effects on recognition performance, with patients and controls benefiting equally from deep versus shallow processing. Although there were no group differences in internal source monitoring, only controls had significantly better performance for words processed during the deep encoding condition. Patient performance did not correlate with clinical symptoms or medication dose. Providing a deep processing semantic encoding strategy significantly improved patients' recognition performance only. The lack of a significant LOP effect on internal source monitoring in patients may reflect subtle problems in the relational binding of semantic information that are independent of strategic memory processes.

Translational Cellular Research on the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Love, John; Cooley, Vic

2016-01-01

The emerging field of Translational Research aims to coalesce interdisciplinary findings from basic science for biomedical applications. To complement spaceflight research using human subjects, translational studies can be designed to address aspects of space-related human health risks and help develop countermeasures to prevent or mitigate them, with therapeutical benefits for analogous conditions experienced on Earth. Translational research with cells and model organisms is being conducted onboard the International Space Station (ISS) in connection with various human systems impacted by spaceflight, such as the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and immune systems. Examples of recent cell-based translational investigations on the ISS include the following. The JAXA investigation Cell Mechanosensing seeks to identify gravity sensors in skeletal muscle cells to develop muscle atrophy countermeasures by analyzing tension fluctuations in the plasma membrane, which changes the expression of key proteins and genes. Earth applications of this study include therapeutic approaches for some forms of muscular dystrophy, which appear to parallel aspects of muscle wasting in space. Spheroids is an ESA investigation examining the system of endothelial cells lining the inner surface of all blood vessels in terms of vessel formation, cellular proliferation, and programmed cell death, because injury to the endothelium has been implicated as underpinning various cardiovascular and musculoskeletal problems arising during spaceflight. Since endothelial cells are involved in the functional integrity of the vascular wall, this research has applications to Earth diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and hypertension. The goal of the T-Cell Activation in Aging NASA investigation is to understand human immune system depression in microgravity by identifying gene expression patterns of candidate molecular regulators, which will provide further insight into factors that may play a

Remote Monitoring of Soil Water Content, Temperature, and Heat Flow Using Low-Cost Cellular (3G) IoT Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Ham, J. M.

2016-12-01

New microprocessor boards, open-source sensors, and cloud infrastructure developed for the Internet of Things (IoT) can be used to create low-cost monitoring systems for environmental research. This project describes two applications in soil science and hydrology: 1) remote monitoring of the soil temperature regime near oil and gas operations to detect the thermal signature associated with the natural source zone degradation of hydrocarbon contaminants in the vadose zone, and 2) remote monitoring of soil water content near the surface as part of a global citizen science network. In both cases, prototype data collection systems were built around the cellular (2G/3G) "Electron" microcontroller (www.particle.io). This device allows connectivity to the cloud using a low-cost global SIM and data plan. The systems have cellular connectivity in over 100 countries and data can be logged to the cloud for storage. Users can view data real time over any internet connection or via their smart phone. For both projects, data logging, storage, and visualization was done using IoT services like Thingspeak (thingspeak.com). The soil thermal monitoring system was tested on experimental plots in Colorado USA to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of different temperature sensors and 3D printed housings. The soil water experiment included comparison opens-source capacitance-based sensors to commercial versions. Results demonstrate the power of leveraging IoT technology for field research.

Web system for dosimetric data management of internal monitoring programme at IPEN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lima, Vanesa R. de; Rodriguez Junior, Orlando; Todo, Alberto S.

2008-01-01

Full text: The internal monitoring programme are carried out for the occupationally exposed workers that develop activities in the radioisotope production plant, fuel cycle facilities, waste management installations, cyclotron and the reactor facility at Institute of Nuclear Energy and Research (IPEN). According to the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), Regulation NN-3.01, the dose of each worker should be maintained at least for a period of 30 years. With this purpose, an online system, called 'IntDosWeb', was developed with the objective of the management for data dosimetric of internal monitoring programme. The system IntDosWeb, based on free software, was developed in programming language PHP and environment database PostgreSQL. This system is to be available at the local net, Intranet. The database maintains information about identification of the worker that handles non-sealed radioactive sources, physical and chemical characteristics of the radionuclides, monitoring types, measurement data and the dose. This system is able to generate annual reports of the individuals and the historical dose. Several simulation cases have been put into effect to check the on-line software functional capabilities. The users can access the dosimetric information according to following database field: monitoring period, monitoring type, intake pattern, radionuclide type and monitoring data from a specific installation or from each worker. The system was tested in the routinely service of internal dosimetry at IPEN. The rastreability of the information made in the internal monitoring programme was a success and also guaranteeing the reliability and integrity of the stored information. The IntDosWeb was shown as a helpful tool for analysis of the committed effective dose in the radiation protection programme, besides obeying the legal demands of the Brazilian Regulatory Commission. (author)

10 CFR 20.1502 - Conditions requiring individual monitoring of external and internal occupational dose.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... external and internal occupational dose. Each licensee shall monitor exposures to radiation and radioactive... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Conditions requiring individual monitoring of external and internal occupational dose. 20.1502 Section 20.1502 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR...

International Symposium on Monitoring Behavior and Supervisory Control

CERN Document Server

Johannsen, Gunnar

1976-01-01

This book includes all papers presented at the International Symposium on Monitoring Behavior and Supervisory Control held at Berchtesgaden, Federal Republic of Germany, March 8-12, 1976. The Symposium was sponsored by the Scientific Affairs Division of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Brussels, and the government of the Federal Republic of Germany, Bonn. We believe the book constitutes an important and timely status report on monitoring behavior and supervisory control by human operators of complex man-machine systems in which the computer is sharing key functions with the man. These systems include aircraft and other vehicles, nuclear and more conventional power plants, and processes for the manu­ facture of chemicals, petroleum, and discrete parts. By "monitoring" we mean the systematic observation by a human operator of mul tiple sources of information, e. g. , ranging from integrated display consoles to disparate "live situations". The monitor's purpose is to determine whether operations are norm...

Internationally coordinated glacier monitoring: strategy and datasets

Science.gov (United States)

Hoelzle, Martin; Armstrong, Richard; Fetterer, Florence; Gärtner-Roer, Isabelle; Haeberli, Wilfried; Kääb, Andreas; Kargel, Jeff; Nussbaumer, Samuel; Paul, Frank; Raup, Bruce; Zemp, Michael

2014-05-01

Internationally coordinated monitoring of long-term glacier changes provide key indicator data about global climate change and began in the year 1894 as an internationally coordinated effort to establish standardized observations. Today, world-wide monitoring of glaciers and ice caps is embedded within the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) in support of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as an important Essential Climate Variable (ECV). The Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers (GTN-G) was established in 1999 with the task of coordinating measurements and to ensure the continuous development and adaptation of the international strategies to the long-term needs of users in science and policy. The basic monitoring principles must be relevant, feasible, comprehensive and understandable to a wider scientific community as well as to policy makers and the general public. Data access has to be free and unrestricted, the quality of the standardized and calibrated data must be high and a combination of detailed process studies at selected field sites with global coverage by satellite remote sensing is envisaged. Recently a GTN-G Steering Committee was established to guide and advise the operational bodies responsible for the international glacier monitoring, which are the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), and the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) initiative. Several online databases containing a wealth of diverse data types having different levels of detail and global coverage provide fast access to continuously updated information on glacier fluctuation and inventory data. For world-wide inventories, data are now available through (a) the World Glacier Inventory containing tabular information of about 130,000 glaciers covering an area of around 240,000 km2, (b) the GLIMS-database containing digital outlines of around 118,000 glaciers with different time stamps and

Individual internal monitoring of workers of Fabrica de Combustivel Nuclear - FCN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, Marcelo X.

2005-01-01

In nuclear fuel fabrication facilities, workers are exposed to different compounds of enriched uranium. Due to the high cost of the individual monitoring programme for internal dose assessment in the routine monitoring programmes, usually only one type of measurement is assigned. In complex situations like the one described in this paper, where several parameters can compromise the accuracy of the bioassay interpretation it is need to have a combination of techniques to evaluate the internal dose. According to ICRP 78 (1997), the general order of preference in terms of accuracy of interpretation is: body activity measurement, excreta analysis and personal air sampling. A group of fifteen workers from controlled area of the fuel fabrication facility was selected to evaluate the internal dose using all different available techniques during a certain period. The workers were monitored for determination of uranium content in the daily urinary excretion, faecal excretion, chest counting and personal air sampling (PAS). The results have shown that at least two types of sensitivity techniques must be used, since there are some sources of uncertainties on the bioassay interpretation, like mixture of uranium compounds intake and different routes of intake. The combination of urine and faeces analysis has shown be the more appropriate methodology for assessing internal dose in this situation. (author)

Successful global assessments and monitoring: The roles of the international community and the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lund, H.G.

1991-01-01

Successful global assessments and monitoring of natural resources requires teamwork between participating nations and the international communities charged with the responsibility for collecting and disseminating information. In an attempt to identify emerging information needs and to promote coordination, the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO) and other national and international groups held a major conference and workshop in Venice, Italy, on global monitoring last September. The results of the meeting and subsequent events in Montreal indicated a need for more aggressive leadership at the international level and more cooperation at the national level. This paper reports on the outcome of the Venice conference and list some things that the international community and the United States must do to make global assessments and monitoring a reality

International conference on individual monitoring of ionising radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanhavere, Filip

2016-01-01

This special issue of the journal Radiation Protection Dosimetry is dedicated to the Proceedings of the International Conference on Individual Monitoring of Ionising Radiation (IM2015), which is the fifth of a series of conferences dealing with individual monitoring. This conference series is initiated by EURADOS, the European Radiation Dosimetry Group, and is organised every 5 years. In 2015, the conference was jointly organised by the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK.CEN), AV Controlatom, and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. It brought together scientists from regulatory authorities, individual monitoring services (IMS), research bodies, European networks and companies, for the purpose of facilitating the dissemination of knowledge, exchanging experiences and promoting new ideas in the field of individual monitoring. After the conference, 124 papers were submitted for publication in these peer-reviewed proceedings. From these, 103 were finally accepted for publication. The help of the numerous referees and the guest editors is very much appreciated. These proceedings provide a full image of the IM2015 conference. The high-level publications will be useful to improve the state of individual monitoring all over the world and aim to inspire many scientists to continue their work on a better monitoring of radiologically exposed workers

National and international nuclear material monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waddoups, I.G.

1996-01-01

The status of nuclear materials in both the U.S. and Former Soviet Union is changing based upon the execution of agreements relative to weapons materials production and weapon dismantlement. The result of these activities is that a considerably different emphasis is being placed on how nuclear materials are viewed and utilized. Even though much effort is being expended on the final disposition of these materials, the interim need for storage and security of the material is increasing. Both safety and security requirements exist to govern activities when these materials are placed in storage. These requirements are intended to provide confidence that the material is not being misused and that the storage operations are conducted safely. Both of these goals can be significantly enhanced if technological monitoring of the material is performed. This paper will briefly discuss the traditional manual methods of U.S. and international material monitoring and then present approaches and technology that are available to achieve the same goals under the evolving environment

Update on Monitoring Technologies for International Safeguards and Fissile Material Verification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Croessmann, C. Dennis; Glidewell, Don D.; Mangan, Dennis L.; Smathers, Douglas C.

1999-01-01

Monitoring technologies are playing an increasingly important part in international safeguards and fissile material verification. The developments reduce the time an inspector must spend at a site while assuring continuity of knowledge. Monitoring technologies' continued development has produced new seal systems and integrated video surveillance advances under consideration for Trilateral Initiative use. This paper will present recent developments for monitoring systems at Embalse, Argentina, VNHEF, Sarov, Russian, and Savannah River Site, Aiken, South Carolina

Readout ASIC of pair-monitor for international linear collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Yutaro; Ikeda, Hirokazu; Ito, Kazutoshi; Miyamoto, Akiya; Nagamine, Tadashi; Sasaki, Rei; Takubo, Yosuke; Tauchi, Toshiaki; Yamamoto, Hitoshi

2010-01-01

The pair-monitor is a beam profile monitor at the interaction point of the international linear collider. A prototype of the readout ASIC for the pair-monitor has been designed and tested. Since the pair-monitor uses the hit distribution of electrons and positrons generated by the beam-crossing to measure the beam profile, the readout ASIC is designed to count the number of hits. In a prototype ASIC, 36 readout cells were implemented by TSMC 0.25-μm CMOS process. Each readout cell is equipped with an amplifier, comparator, 8-bit counter and 16 count-registers. By the operation test, all the ASIC component were confirmed to work correctly. As the next step, we develop the prototype ASIC with the silicon on insulator technology. It is produced with OKI 0.2-μm FD-SOI CMOS process.

Cellular MR Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel Modo

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Cellular MR imaging is a young field that aims to visualize targeted cells in living organisms. In order to provide a different signal intensity of the targeted cell, they are either labeled with MR contrast agents in vivo or prelabeled in vitro. Either (ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide [(USPIO] particles or (polymeric paramagnetic chelates can be used for this purpose. For in vivo cellular labeling, Gd3+- and Mn2+- chelates have mainly been used for targeted hepatobiliary imaging, and (USPIO-based cellular imaging has been focused on imaging of macrophage activity. Several of these magneto-pharmaceuticals have been FDA-approved or are in late-phase clinical trials. As for prelabeling of cells in vitro, a challenge has been to induce a sufficient uptake of contrast agents into nonphagocytic cells, without affecting normal cellular function. It appears that this issue has now largely been resolved, leading to an active research on monitoring the cellular biodistribution in vivo following transplantation or transfusion of these cells, including cell migration and trafficking. New applications of cellular MR imaging will be directed, for instance, towards our understanding of hematopoietic (immune cell trafficking and of novel guided (stem cell-based therapies aimed to be translated to the clinic in the future.

Smart pH-responsive upconversion nanoparticles for enhanced tumor cellular internalization and near-infrared light-triggered photodynamic therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Sheng; Zhang, Lei; Dong, Chunhong; Su, Lin; Wang, Hanjie; Chang, Jin

2015-01-01

A smart pH-responsive photodynamic therapy system based on upconversion nanoparticle loaded PEG coated polymeric lipid vesicles (RB-UPPLVs) was designed and prepared. These RB-UPPLVs which are promising agents for deep cancer photodynamic therapy applications can achieve enhanced tumor cellular internalization and near-infrared light-triggered photodynamic therapy.

Application impact of internal monitoring criteria in radiological protection programs of nuclear medicine services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dantas, Bernardo M.; Dantas, Ana Leticia A.; Juliao, Ligia Q.C.; Lourenco, Maria Cristina; Melo, Dunstana R.

2005-01-01

This work presents the simulation of the internal monitoring criteria application for the most used radionuclides by the area of nuclear medicine, taking into consideration the usual conditions of usual source handling and the activity bands authorized by the CNEN. It is concluded that the handling of Iodine 131 for therapeutical purposes is the practice which presents the most risk of internal exposure for the works, requiring the adoption of a program for internal monitoring by the nuclear medicine services

Monitoring on internal temperature of composite insulator with embedding fiber Bragg grating for early diagnosis

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wen; Tang, Ming

2017-04-01

The abnormal temperature rise is the precursor of the defective composite insulator in power transmission line. However no consolidated techniques or methodologies can on line monitor its internal temperature now. Thus a new method using embedding fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) rod is adopted to monitor its internal temperature. To correctly demodulate the internal temperature of FRP rod from the Bragg wavelength shift of FBG, the conversion coefficient between them is deduced theoretically based on comprehensive investigation on the thermal stresses of the metal-composite joint, as well as its material and structural properties. Theoretical model shows that the conversion coefficients of FBG embedded in different positions will be different because of non-uniform thermal stress distribution, which is verified by an experiment. This work lays the theoretical foundation of monitoring the internal temperature of composite insulator with embedding FBG, which is of great importance to its health structural monitoring, especially early diagnosis.

Present state of the monitoring for internal contamination at Tokai Research Establishment, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akaishi, J.; Fukuda, H.; Mizushita, S.

1980-01-01

Results are presented of internal contamination surveys carried out since 1969 at Tokai Research Establishment. Routine monitoring sometimes revealed significant internal contamination for tritium workers, but almost never for others. The number of subjects for special monitoring varied according to the activities. In 1965, the number of subjects for special monitoring was nearly 300, due to a reactor repair that year. In recent years, the number or special monitoring has been several tens or so. With regard to special monitoring, the workers with significant internal contamination were less than 50%. The internal dose (50 years) estimated for the majority of subjects was of mrem order. During the past 15 years, only several cases of exposure of rem order were found. The highest dose experienced was about 4 rems ( 131 I thyroid) (U.K.)

A comparison of internal versus external risk-adjustment for monitoring clinical outcomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koetsier, Antonie; de Keizer, Nicolette; Peek, Niels

2011-01-01

Internal and external prognostic models can be used to calculate severity of illness adjusted mortality risks. However, it is unclear what the consequences are of using an external model instead of an internal model when monitoring an institution's clinical performance. Theoretically, using an

Performance Management and Monitoring of Internal Audit for the Public Sector in Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Doina Dascălu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Performance management is an on-going process, which has an essential component part, performance measurement, which involves the identification, supervision and communication of performance results, through the relation to a set of performance indicators. Based on the assessment results, corrective measures are established to ensure attainment of targeted results, offering a feedback, essential for the decision grounding enhancement, at all levels: strategic, operational or individual. As concerns performance management in public institutions in Romania, The Code on managerial internal control provides a hierarchy type model, in the framework of which, the head of the public entity, which is on the first level, needs to provide for performance monitoring for each objective and activity, through the intermediary of relevant quantitative and qualitative indicators, including referring to economy, efficiency, and effectiveness. Given the importance of the internal audit in the process of performance management, identifying solutions for continuous improvement of the public internal audit was subject to a study that was based on questioning public sector auditors on how to monitor the performance of public internal audit activity. Considering issues arising, the article proposes a series of directions for improving the monitoring of the performance of public internal audit activity in the public sector.

Nonlinear Ultrasonic Techniques to Monitor Radiation Damage in RPV and Internal Components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacobs, Laurence [Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Kim, Jin-Yeon [Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Qu, Jisnmin [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States); Ramuhalli, Pradeep [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Wall, Joe [Electric Power Research Inst. (EPRI), Knoxville, TN (United States)

2015-11-02

The objective of this research is to demonstrate that nonlinear ultrasonics (NLU) can be used to directly and quantitatively measure the remaining life in radiation damaged reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and internal components. Specific damage types to be monitored are irradiation embrittlement and irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC). Our vision is to develop a technique that allows operators to assess damage by making a limited number of NLU measurements in strategically selected critical reactor components during regularly scheduled outages. This measured data can then be used to determine the current condition of these key components, from which remaining useful life can be predicted. Methods to unambiguously characterize radiation related damage in reactor internals and RPVs remain elusive. NLU technology has demonstrated great potential to be used as a material sensor – a sensor that can continuously monitor a material’s damage state. The physical effect being monitored by NLU is the generation of higher harmonic frequencies in an initially monochromatic ultrasonic wave. The degree of nonlinearity is quantified with the acoustic nonlinearity parameter, β, which is an absolute, measurable material constant. Recent research has demonstrated that nonlinear ultrasound can be used to characterize material state and changes in microscale characteristics such as internal stress states, precipitate formation and dislocation densities. Radiation damage reduces the fracture toughness of RPV steels and internals, and can leave them susceptible to IASCC, which may in turn limit the lifetimes of some operating reactors. The ability to characterize radiation damage in the RPV and internals will enable nuclear operators to set operation time thresholds for vessels and prescribe and schedule replacement activities for core internals. Such a capability will allow a more clear definition of reactor safety margins. The research consists of three tasks: (1

Nonlinear Ultrasonic Techniques to Monitor Radiation Damage in RPV and Internal Components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, Laurence; Kim, Jin-Yeon; Qu, Jisnmin; Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Wall, Joe

2015-01-01

The objective of this research is to demonstrate that nonlinear ultrasonics (NLU) can be used to directly and quantitatively measure the remaining life in radiation damaged reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and internal components. Specific damage types to be monitored are irradiation embrittlement and irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC). Our vision is to develop a technique that allows operators to assess damage by making a limited number of NLU measurements in strategically selected critical reactor components during regularly scheduled outages. This measured data can then be used to determine the current condition of these key components, from which remaining useful life can be predicted. Methods to unambiguously characterize radiation related damage in reactor internals and RPVs remain elusive. NLU technology has demonstrated great potential to be used as a material sensor - a sensor that can continuously monitor a material's damage state. The physical effect being monitored by NLU is the generation of higher harmonic frequencies in an initially monochromatic ultrasonic wave. The degree of nonlinearity is quantified with the acoustic nonlinearity parameter, β, which is an absolute, measurable material constant. Recent research has demonstrated that nonlinear ultrasound can be used to characterize material state and changes in microscale characteristics such as internal stress states, precipitate formation and dislocation densities. Radiation damage reduces the fracture toughness of RPV steels and internals, and can leave them susceptible to IASCC, which may in turn limit the lifetimes of some operating reactors. The ability to characterize radiation damage in the RPV and internals will enable nuclear operators to set operation time thresholds for vessels and prescribe and schedule replacement activities for core internals. Such a capability will allow a more clear definition of reactor safety margins. The research consists of three tasks

Internal Disequilibria and Phenotypic Diversification during Replication of Hepatitis C Virus in a Noncoevolving Cellular Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Elena; Gallego, Isabel; Gregori, Josep; Lucía-Sanz, Adriana; Soria, María Eugenia; Castro, Victoria; Beach, Nathan M; Manrubia, Susanna; Quer, Josep; Esteban, Juan Ignacio; Rice, Charles M; Gómez, Jordi; Gastaminza, Pablo; Domingo, Esteban; Perales, Celia

2017-05-15

Viral quasispecies evolution upon long-term virus replication in a noncoevolving cellular environment raises relevant general issues, such as the attainment of population equilibrium, compliance with the molecular-clock hypothesis, or stability of the phenotypic profile. Here, we evaluate the adaptation, mutant spectrum dynamics, and phenotypic diversification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the course of 200 passages in human hepatoma cells in an experimental design that precluded coevolution of the cells with the virus. Adaptation to the cells was evidenced by increase in progeny production. The rate of accumulation of mutations in the genomic consensus sequence deviated slightly from linearity, and mutant spectrum analyses revealed a complex dynamic of mutational waves, which was sustained beyond passage 100. The virus underwent several phenotypic changes, some of which impacted the virus-host relationship, such as enhanced cell killing, a shift toward higher virion density, and increased shutoff of host cell protein synthesis. Fluctuations in progeny production and failure to reach population equilibrium at the genomic level suggest internal instabilities that anticipate an unpredictable HCV evolution in the complex liver environment. IMPORTANCE Long-term virus evolution in an unperturbed cellular environment can reveal features of virus evolution that cannot be explained by comparing natural viral isolates. In the present study, we investigate genetic and phenotypic changes that occur upon prolonged passage of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in human hepatoma cells in an experimental design in which host cell evolutionary change is prevented. Despite replication in a noncoevolving cellular environment, the virus exhibited internal population disequilibria that did not decline with increased adaptation to the host cells. The diversification of phenotypic traits suggests that disequilibria inherent to viral populations may provide a selective advantage to viruses that can

Internal quality control program for individual monitoring service

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mauricio, Claudia L.P.; Moura Junior, Jose; Patrao, Karla C.S. [Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: claudia@ird.gov.br; moura@ird.gov.br; karla@ird.gov.br

2007-07-01

With a focus on continuous improvement, since 2002, a special internal procedure for following and checking the performance of our individual monitoring services has been implemented. A fictitious installation, named 'Fantasma' has been created, initially, with 4 film badges and 7 thermoluminescent dosimetric ring users. Since 2005, this quality control program includes also the albedo neutron individual monitoring service. Monthly, the 'Fantasma' test monitors are irradiated by traceable Cs-137 and Am-Be sources. The calibration quantities are: the photon dose equivalent (H{sub x}) for the photographic individual monitor, the maximum dose equivalent (MADE) for the albedo neutron individual monitor and the personal dose equivalent at 0.07 mm depth (H{sub p}(0.07)) for ring monitor. Up to now, all results show compliance with the specific trumpet curves acceptance limits. Once, a small sub-evaluation tendency has been noted and this information was used to improve the film system. For the photographic film system, the evaluated value to reference dose ratios range from 0.71 to 1.12, with a mean value of 0.91 {+-} 0.12. For the ring system, the ratio ranges from 0.69 to 1.40, with a mean value of 1.02 {+-} 0.07. For the neutron system, which presents intrinsic larger uncertainties, the ratio ranged from 0.67 to 1.88, with mean value of 1.16 {+-} 0.27. (author)

Proceedings of the international workshop on monitoring forest degradation in Southeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Leif A. Mortenson; James J. Halperin; Patricia N. Manley; Rich L. Turner

2013-01-01

The international workshop on monitoring forest degradation in Southeast Asia provided a forum for discussion of the technical, social and political challenges and successes that have occurred during recent work in sub-national forest degradation monitoring. The 2012 workshop, held in Bangkok, Thailand, followed recent US Forest Service/LEAF (USAID's Lowering...

What is New in Internal Dosimetry and Monitoring?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henrichs, K.; Nosske, D.

2006-01-01

This file is divided in two parts:the first one concerns the progress in internal dosimetry. This part gives an overview on new model developments by ICRP, the series of age dependent doses for members of the public was continued by biokinetic and dosimetric models for the embryo and foetus due to activity intake by the mother (ICRP,2001) and for the infant via consumption of mother's milk after activity intake by the mother (ICRP, 2004). In both publications dose coefficients for the embryo and foetus as well the infant were given for various intake scenarios by mother. The present model development work of ICRP is a revision of Publications 30, 54, 68, and 78 based on the new human Alimentary tract model (H.A.T.M.) of ICRP (ICRP, 2006), a revision of absorption parameters for the human respiratory tract model (ICRP, 1994a), new systemic models as well as new dosimetric parameters derived with new Voxel models for the reference male and female adult. The second part concerns the progress in workers monitoring for radionuclide intake. The initiatives to improve the situation are the guidelines published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (2004), giving guidance for the assessment of occupational exposures due to intakes of radionuclides, research project funded by the European Commission: the objective of O.M.I.N.E.X. was the improvement of monitoring programmes, taking into account the uncertainties of biokinetic models and data, the programme I.D.E.A. tried to improve measuring techniques and I.D.E.A.S derives rules for the evaluation of measured activity values in terms of exposure. Standardization projects by the International Standardization Organization I.S.O.: I.S.O. (2001) published a standard defining the requirements for bioassay laboratories, which will soon followed by a second part giving the rationale behind these rules., presently the final version (I.S.O. 2005) of a standard is circulating among the I.S.O. member states which guidance on the

Monitoring external and internal loads of brazilian soccer referees during official matches.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Eduardo C; Vieira, Caio M A; Moreira, Alexandre; Ugrinowitsch, Carlos; Castagna, Carlo; Aoki, Marcelo S

2013-01-01

This study aimed to assess the external and internal loads of Brazilian soccer referees during official matches. A total of 11 field referees (aged 36.2 ± 7.5 years) were monitored during 35 matches. The external (distance covered, mean and maximal speed) and internal load parameters (session ratings of perceived exertion [RPE] training load [TL], Edwards' TL, and time spent in different heart rate [HR] zones) were assessed in 3-4 matches per referee. External load parameters were measured using a wrist Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. No differences in distance covered (5.219 ± 205 vs. 5.230 ± 237 m) and maximal speed (19.3 ± 1.0 vs. 19.4 ± 1.4 km·h(-1)) were observed between the halves of the matches (p > 0.05). However, the mean speed was higher in the first half of the matches (6.6 ± 0.4 vs. 6.4 ± 0.3 km·h(-1)) (p external and internal load demands during official matches. The portable GPS/HR monitors and session RPE method can provide relevant information regarding the magnitude of the physiological strain during official matches. Key PointsHigh external and internal loads were imposed on Brazilian soccer referees during official matches.There was a high positive correlation between a subjective marker of internal load (session RPE) and parameters of external load (distance covered between 90-100% of HRmax and maximal speed).There was a high positive correlation between session RPE method and Edwards' method.Session RPE seems to be a reliable marker of internal load.The portable GPS/HR monitors and the session RPE method can provide relevant information regarding the magnitude of external and internal loads of soccer referees during official matches.

Internal dosimetry monitoring equipment: Present and future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selby, J.; Carbaugh, E.H.; Lynch, T.P.; Strom, D.J.; Lardy, M.M.

1993-09-01

We have attempted to characterize the current and future status of in vivo and in vitro measurement programs coupled with the associated radioanalytical methods and workplace monitoring. Developments in these areas must be carefully integrated by internal dosimetrists, radiochemists and field health physicists. Their goal should be uniform improvement rather than to focus on one specific area (e.g., dose modeling) to the neglect of other areas where the measurement capabilities are substantially less sophisticated and, therefore, the potential source of error is greatest

On-line internal corrosion monitoring and data management for remote pipelines: a technology update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wold, Kjell; Stoen, Roar; Jenssen, Hallgeir [Roxar Flow Measurement AS, Stavanger (Norway); Carvalho, Anna Maria [Roxar do Brasil Ltda., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2009-07-01

Internal corrosion monitoring of remote pipelines can be costly and demanding on resources. Online and non-intrusive monitoring directly on the pipe wall can improve the quality of measurements, make installation more convenient and allow more efficient communication of data. The purpose of this paper is to describe a non-intrusive technology, and show examples on field installations of the system. Furthermore, the non-intrusive technology data can be stored, interpreted and combined with conventional (intrusive) system information, in order to get a full picture of internal corrosion profile, corrosion rate and trends regarding the pipeline being monitored. (author)

Influence of corona charging in cellular polyethylene film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortega Brana, Gustavo; Magraner, Francisco; Quijano, Alfredo; Llovera Segovia, Pedro

2011-01-01

Cellular polymers have recently attracted attention for their property of exhibiting a piezoelectric constant when they are electrically charged. The electrostatic charge generated in the voids by the internal discharges creates and internal macrodipole which is responsible for the piezoelectric effect. Charging by corona discharge is the most used method for cellular polymers. Many works has been published on polypropylene and polyethylene films mainly focused on the required expansion process or on the results obtained for raw cellular materials electrically activated. Our work is based on commercial polyethylene cellular films which have been physically characterized and electrically activated. The effect of thermal treatment, physical uniaxial or biaxial stretching and corona charging was investigated. The new method of corona charging improved the piezoelectric constant under other activation conditions.

Influence of corona charging in cellular polyethylene film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortega Brana, Gustavo; Magraner, Francisco; Quijano, Alfredo [Instituto Tecnologico de la Energia (ITE), Av. Juan de la Cierva 24, Parque Tecnologico de Valencia, 46980 Paterna-Valencia (Spain); Llovera Segovia, Pedro, E-mail: gustavo.ortega@ite.es [Instituto de TecnologIa Electrica - Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n 46022-Valencia (Spain)

2011-06-23

Cellular polymers have recently attracted attention for their property of exhibiting a piezoelectric constant when they are electrically charged. The electrostatic charge generated in the voids by the internal discharges creates and internal macrodipole which is responsible for the piezoelectric effect. Charging by corona discharge is the most used method for cellular polymers. Many works has been published on polypropylene and polyethylene films mainly focused on the required expansion process or on the results obtained for raw cellular materials electrically activated. Our work is based on commercial polyethylene cellular films which have been physically characterized and electrically activated. The effect of thermal treatment, physical uniaxial or biaxial stretching and corona charging was investigated. The new method of corona charging improved the piezoelectric constant under other activation conditions.

GSETT-3: testing the experimental international seismic monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ringdal, Frode

1995-01-01

Global seismic monitoring system has been developed by the Conference on Disarmaments (CDs) ad hoc group of scientific experts to consider international cooperative measures to detect and identify seismic events (the GSE), based in Geneva. In the course of its work, the GSE has conducted two large-scale global technical tests, Global Seismic Events Technical Test-1 (GSETT-1) in 1984 and GSETT-2 in 1991. The GSE has now embarked upon its third and most ambitious technical test, GSETT-3, which will encompass the development, testing and evaluation of a working prototype of the eventual Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) seismic monitoring system

Monitoring requirements for assessment of internal dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckerman, K.F.

1985-01-01

Data obtained by routine personnel monitoring is usually not a sufficient basis for estimation of dose. Collected data must be interpreted carefully and supplemented with appropriate information before reasonably accurate estimates of dose (i.e., accurate enough to indicate whether or nor personnel are exposed in excess of recommended limits) can be developed. When the exposure is of sufficient magnitude that a rather precise estimate of dose is needed, the health physicist will bring to bear on the problem other, more refined, methods of dosimetry. These might include a reconstruction of the incident and, for internal emitters, an extensive series of in vivo measurements or analyses of excreta. Thus, cases of special significance must often be evaluated using techniques and resources beyond those routinely employed. This is not a criticism of most routine monitoring programs. These programs are usually carefully designed in a manner commensurate with the degree of exposure routinely encountered and the requirement of a practical program of radiation protection. 10 refs

The Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM)

Science.gov (United States)

Bart, J.; Andres, B.; Brown, S.; Donaldson, G.; Harrington, B.; Johnston, V.; Jones, S.; Morrison, R.I.G.; Skagen, S.K.

2005-01-01

This report describes the "Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring" (PRISM). PRISM is being implemented by a Canada-United States Shorebird Monitoring and Assessment Committee formed in 2001 by the Canadian Shorebird Working Group and the U.S. Shorebird Council. PRISM provides a single blueprint for implementing the shorebird conservation plans recently completed in Canada and the United States. The goals of PRISM are to (1) estimate the size of breeding population of 74 shorebird taxa in North America; (2) describe the distribution, abundance, and habitat relationships for each of these taxa; (3) monitor trends in shorebird population size; (4) monitor shorebird numbers at stopover locations, and; (5) assist local managers in meeting their shorebird conservation goals. PRISM has four main components: arctic and boreal breeding surveys, temperate breeding surveys, temperate non-breeding surveys, and neotropical surveys. Progress on, and action items for, each major component are described. The more important major tasks for immediate action are carrying out the northern surveys, conducting regional analyses to design the program of migration counts, and evaluating aerial photographic surveys for migration and winter counts.

International remote monitoring project Argentina Nuclear Power Station Spent Fuel Transfer Remote Monitoring System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, S.; Lucero, R.; Glidewell, D.

1997-01-01

The Autoridad Regulataria Nuclear (ARN) and the United States Department of Energy (DOE) are cooperating on the development of a Remote Monitoring System for nuclear nonproliferation efforts. A Remote Monitoring System for spent fuel transfer will be installed at the Argentina Nuclear Power Station in Embalse, Argentina. The system has been designed by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) providing gamma and neutron sensors. This project will test and evaluate the fundamental design and implementation of the Remote Monitoring System in its application to regional and international safeguards efficiency. This paper provides a description of the monitoring system and its functions. The Remote Monitoring System consists of gamma and neutron radiation sensors, RF systems, and video systems integrated into a coherent functioning whole. All sensor data communicate over an Echelon LonWorks Network to a single data logger. The Neumann DCM 14 video module is integrated into the Remote Monitoring System. All sensor and image data are stored on a Data Acquisition System (DAS) and archived and reviewed on a Data and Image Review Station (DIRS). Conventional phone lines are used as the telecommunications link to transmit on-site collected data and images to remote locations. The data and images are authenticated before transmission. Data review stations will be installed at ARN in Buenos Aires, Argentina, ABACC in Rio De Janeiro, IAEA Headquarters in Vienna, and Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 2 refs., 2 figs

Lateralization of the posterior parietal cortex for internal monitoring of self- versus externally generated movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogawa, Kenji; Inui, Toshio

2007-11-01

Internal monitoring or state estimation of movements is essential for human motor control to compensate for inherent delays and noise in sensorimotor loops. Two types of internal estimation of movements exist: self-generated movements, and externally generated movements. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate differences in brain activity for internal monitoring of self- versus externally generated movements during visual occlusion. Participants tracked a sinusoidally moving target with a mouse cursor. On some trials, vision of either target (externally generated) or cursor (self-generated) movement was transiently occluded, during which subjects continued tracking by estimating current position of either the invisible target or cursor on screen. Analysis revealed that both occlusion conditions were associated with increased activity in the presupplementary motor area and decreased activity in the right lateral occipital cortex compared to a control condition with no occlusion. Moreover, the right and left posterior parietal cortex (PPC) showed greater activation during occlusion of target and cursor movements, respectively. This study suggests lateralization of the PPC for internal monitoring of internally versus externally generated movements, fully consistent with previously reported clinical findings.

Atomics International environmental monitoring and facility effluent annual report, 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, J.D.

1977-01-01

Environmental and facility effluent radioactivity monitoring at Atomics International (AI) is performend by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Unit of the Health, Safety, and Radiation Services Department. Soil, vegetation, and surface water are routinely sampled to a distance of 10 miles from AI sites. Continuous ambient air sampling and thermoluminescent dosimetry are performed on site for monitoring airborne radioactivity and site ambient radiation levels. Radioactivity in effluents discharged to the atmosphere from AI facilities is continuously sampled and monitored to ensure that levels released to unrestricted areas are within appropriate limits, and to identify processes which may require additional engineering safeguards to minimize radioactivity levels in such effluents. In addition, selected nonradioactive constituents in surface water discharged to unrestricted areas are determined. This report summarizes and discusses monitoring results for 1976. The results of a special soil plutonium survey performed during the year are also summarized

What is New in Internal Dosimetry and Monitoring?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henrichs, K. [Siemens AG, Corporate Radiation Safety and Dangerous Goods Transport, Munich (Germany); Nosske, D. [Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Neuherberg (Germany)

2006-07-01

This file is divided in two parts:the first one concerns the progress in internal dosimetry. This part gives an overview on new model developments by ICRP, the series of age dependent doses for members of the public was continued by biokinetic and dosimetric models for the embryo and foetus due to activity intake by the mother (ICRP,2001) and for the infant via consumption of mother's milk after activity intake by the mother (ICRP, 2004). In both publications dose coefficients for the embryo and foetus as well the infant were given for various intake scenarios by mother. The present model development work of ICRP is a revision of Publications 30, 54, 68, and 78 based on the new human Alimentary tract model (H.A.T.M.) of ICRP (ICRP, 2006), a revision of absorption parameters for the human respiratory tract model (ICRP, 1994a), new systemic models as well as new dosimetric parameters derived with new Voxel models for the reference male and female adult. The second part concerns the progress in workers monitoring for radionuclide intake. The initiatives to improve the situation are the guidelines published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (2004), giving guidance for the assessment of occupational exposures due to intakes of radionuclides, research project funded by the European Commission: the objective of O.M.I.N.E.X. was the improvement of monitoring programmes, taking into account the uncertainties of biokinetic models and data, the programme I.D.E.A. tried to improve measuring techniques and I.D.E.A.S derives rules for the evaluation of measured activity values in terms of exposure. Standardization projects by the International Standardization Organization I.S.O.: I.S.O. (2001) published a standard defining the requirements for bioassay laboratories, which will soon followed by a second part giving the rationale behind these rules., presently the final version (I.S.O. 2005) of a standard is circulating among the I.S.O. member states which guidance on

Advancing internal erosion monitoring using seismic methods in field and laboratory studies

Science.gov (United States)

Parekh, Minal L.

This dissertation presents research involving laboratory and field investigation of passive and active methods for monitoring and assessing earthen embankment infrastructure such as dams and levees. Internal erosion occurs as soil particles in an earthen structure migrate to an exit point under seepage forces. This process is a primary failure mode for dams and levees. Current dam and levee monitoring practices are not able to identify early stages of internal erosion, and often the result is loss of structure utility and costly repairs. This research contributes to innovations for detection and monitoring by studying internal erosion and monitoring through field experiments, laboratory experiments, and social and political framing. The field research in this dissertation included two studies (2009 and 2012) of a full-scale earthen embankment at the IJkdijk in the Netherlands. In both of these tests, internal erosion occurred as evidenced by seepage followed by sand traces and boils, and in 2009, eventual failure. With the benefit of arrays of closely spaced piezometers, pore pressure trends indicated internal erosion near the initiation time. Temporally and spatially dense pore water pressure measurements detected two pore water pressure transitions characteristic to the development of internal erosion, even in piezometers located away from the backward erosion activity. At the first transition, the backward erosion caused anomalous pressure decrease in piezometers, even under constant or increasing upstream water level. At the second transition, measurements stabilized as backward erosion extended further upstream of the piezometers, as shown in the 2009 test. The transitions provide an indication of the temporal development and the spatial extent of backward erosion. The 2012 IJkdijk test also included passive acoustic emissions (AE) monitoring. This study analyzed AE activity over the course of the 7-day test using a grid of geophones installed on the

The CTBT : New Zealand's involvement in the international monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthews, M.

1998-01-01

The Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), to which most countries are now signatories, is seen as a major step towards the curtailment of nuclear weapons production and eventual disarmament. The Treaty can only be effectively implemented, however, if there is a monitoring system in place to verify that weapons testing is not taking place and, if it does occur, to identify the violator. The diesign of the International Monitoring System (IMS) has therefore been a significant part of the Treaty negotiations. This article focuses o New Zealand's involvement in the IMS, in atmospheric radioactivity and infrasound monitoring. Because of its history of involvement in environmental monitoring, National Radiation Laboratory (NRL) has been providing expert input into Treaty negotiations concerning the radionucled component of the IMS. The Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (IGNS) monitors seismic activity at a number of locations in New Zealand and the South Pacific, and has also provided expert input to the design of the global seismic component of the IMS. The New Zealand government has offered the monitoring facilities of NRL and IGNS for inclusion in the global IMS. (author)

Implementation of internal monitoring programs for workers occupationally exposed by 131I in nuclear medicine services in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, S.M.; Dantas, A.L.A.; Dantas, B.M.

2017-01-01

In nuclear medicine services (NMS), workers routinely handle radionuclides for diagnostic and therapy. This practice represents a risk of incorporation by these radionuclides. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommends the implementation of an internal monitoring program on workers exposed to annual effective doses greater than 1 mSv, as for example, those who handle 131 I for therapy in NMS. Currently, in Brazil, there are not enough available laboratories qualified to provide internal monitoring services to attend all possible demand of internal monitoring if it such regulation were applied by the Brazilian Nuclear Regulatory Board (CNEN). The objective of this work is to disseminate simple and inexpensive methods for in vivo routine thyroid monitoring of 131 I using equipment available in the NMS. Devices available in two public hospitals located in the city of Rio de Janeiro were calibrated for use in occupational internal monitoring. The equipment evaluated in this work presented enough sensitivity for such application, being suitable to access intakes of 131 I in the thyroid and able to estimate doses below 1 mSv. (author)

Radiation protection - Monitoring of workers occupationally exposed to a risk of internal contamination with radioactive material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

In the course of employment, individuals might work with radioactive materials that, under certain circumstances, could be taken into the body. Protecting workers against risks of incorporated radionuclides requires the monitoring of potential intakes and/or the quantification of actual intakes and exposures. The selection of measures and programmes for this purpose requires decisions concerning methods, techniques, frequencies etc. for measurements and dose assessment. The criteria permitting the evaluation of the necessity of such a monitoring programme or for the selection of methods and frequencies of monitoring usually depend upon the legislation, the purpose of the radiation protection programme, the probabilities of potential radionuclide intakes, and the characteristics of the materials handled. This International Standard offers guidance for the decision whether a monitoring programme is required and how it should be designed. Its intention is to optimise the efforts for such a monitoring programme consistent with legal requirements and with the purpose of the radiation protection programme. Recommendations of international expert bodies and international experience with the practical application of these recommendations in radiation protection programmes have been considered in the development of this International Standard. Its application facilitates the exchanges of information between authorities, supervisory institutions and employers. The International Standard is not a substitute for legal requirements. In the International Standard, the word 'shall' is used to denote a requirement and no deviation is allowed. The word 'should' is used to denote a recommendation from which justified deviations are allowed. The word 'may' is used to denote permission

Optimisation of internal contamination monitoring programme by integration of uncertainties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davesne, E.; Casanova, P.; Chojnacki, E.; Paquet, F.; Blanchardon, E.

2011-01-01

Potential internal contamination of workers is monitored by periodic bioassay measurements interpreted in terms of intake and committed effective dose by the use of biokinetic and dosimetric models. After a prospective evaluation of exposure at a workplace, a suitable monitoring programme can be defined by choosing adequate measurement techniques and frequency. In this study, the sensitivity of a programme is evaluated by the minimum intake and dose, which may be detected with a given level of confidence by taking into account uncertainties on exposure conditions and measurements. This is made for programme optimisation, which is performed by comparing the sensitivities of different alternative programmes. These methods were applied at the AREVA NC reprocessing plant and support the current monitoring programme as the best compromise between the cost of the measurements and the sensitivity of the programme. (authors)

Novel Materials for Cellular Nanosensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sasso, Luigi

The monitoring of cellular behavior is useful for the advancement of biomedical diagnostics, drug development and the understanding of a cell as the main unit of the human body. Micro- and nanotechnology allow for the creation of functional devices that enhance the study of cellular dynamics...... modifications for electrochemical nanosensors for the detection of analytes released from cells. Two type of materials were investigated, each pertaining to the two different aspects of such devices: peptide nanostructures were studied for the creation of cellular sensing substrates that mimic in vivo surfaces...... and that offer advantages of functionalization, and conducting polymers were used as electrochemical sensor surface modifications for increasing the sensitivity towards relevant analytes, with focus on the detection of dopamine released from cells via exocytosis. Vertical peptide nanowires were synthesized from...

Optical Multi-Gas Monitor Technology Demonstration on the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Pilgrim, Jeffrey S.; Wood, William R.; Casias, Miguel E.; Vakhtin, Andrei B,; Johnson, Michael D.; Mudgett, Paul D.

2014-01-01

There are a variety of both portable and fixed gas monitors onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Devices range from rack-mounted mass spectrometers to hand-held electrochemical sensors. An optical Multi-Gas Monitor has been developed as an ISS Technology Demonstration to evaluate long-term continuous measurement of 4 gases. Based on tunable diode laser spectroscopy, this technology offers unprecedented selectivity, concentration range, precision, and calibration stability. The monitor utilizes the combination of high performance laser absorption spectroscopy with a rugged optical path length enhancement cell that is nearly impossible to misalign. The enhancement cell serves simultaneously as the measurement sampling cell for multiple laser channels operating within a common measurement volume. Four laser diode based detection channels allow quantitative determination of ISS cabin concentrations of water vapor (humidity), carbon dioxide, ammonia and oxygen. Each channel utilizes a separate vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) at a different wavelength. In addition to measuring major air constituents in their relevant ranges, the multiple gas monitor provides real time quantitative gaseous ammonia measurements between 5 and 20,000 parts-per-million (ppm). A small ventilation fan draws air with no pumps or valves into the enclosure in which analysis occurs. Power draw is only about 3 W from USB sources when installed in Nanoracks or when connected to 28V source from any EXPRESS rack interface. Internal battery power can run the sensor for over 20 hours during portable operation. The sensor is controlled digitally with an FPGA/microcontroller architecture that stores data internally while displaying running average measurements on an LCD screen and interfacing with the rack or laptop via USB. Design, construction and certification of the Multi-Gas Monitor were a joint effort between Vista Photonics, Nanoracks and NASA-Johnson Space Center (JSC

Scanning personnel for internal deposition of radioactive material with personnel contamination whole body friskers and portal monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobdell, J.L.

1996-01-01

The potential for using personnel contamination devices such as whole body friskers and portal monitors for internal contamination monitoring was evaluated. Internally deposited radioactive material is typically determined with whole body counting systems. Whole body counts have traditionally been performed on personnel when they report for work, on a periodic basis (i.e., annually), when an uptake is suspected, and on termination. These counts incur significant expense. The monitored personnel pass through whole body friskers and portal monitors daily. This investigation was performed to determine if the external contamination monitors could provide an alternative to the more Costly whole body counting. The ability to detect 1% of a DAC for critical radioisotopes was applied as a detection criteria for this investigation. The results of whole body counts were used to identify the typical internal contamination radionuclides. From this list, the radioisotopes that would be the most difficult to measure were identified. From this review, 60 Co and 131 I were determined to be the critical radionuclides. One percent of a DAC for each isotope was placed, one at a time, in a humanoid phantom. The phantom was placed in the whole body frisker and open-quotes countedclose quotes. The phantom was carried through the portal monitor at a speed equivalent to a person walking through the monitor. Frequency of detection was derived for both systems. Practical aspects of integrating this screening system with traditional internal dosimetry programs are discussed

Monitoring of patients treated with lithium for bipolar disorder: an international survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Nederlof, M; Heerdink, E R; Egberts, A C G; Wilting, I; Stoker, L J; Hoekstra, R; Kupka, R W

2018-04-14

Adequate monitoring of patients using lithium is needed for optimal dosing and for early identification of patients with (potential) ADEs. The objective was to internationally assess how health care professionals monitor patients treated with lithium for bipolar disorder. Using networks of various professional organizations, an anonymous online survey was conducted among health care professionals prescribing lithium. Target lithium serum levels and frequency of monitoring was assessed together with monitoring of physical and laboratory parameters. Reasons to and not to monitor and use of guidelines and institutional protocols, and local monitoring systems were investigated. The survey was completed by 117 health care professionals incorporating responses from twenty-four countries. All prescribers reported to monitor lithium serum levels on a regular basis, with varying target ranges. Almost all (> 97%) monitored thyroid and renal function before start and during maintenance treatment. Reported monitoring of other laboratory and physical parameters was variable. The majority of respondents (74%) used guidelines or institutional protocols for monitoring. In general, the prescriber was responsible for monitoring, had to request every monitoring parameter separately and only a minority of patients was automatically invited. Lithium serum levels, renal and thyroid function were monitored by (almost) all physicians. However, there was considerable variation in other monitoring parameters. Our results help to understand why prescribers of lithium monitor patients and what their main reasons are not to monitor patients using lithium.

Assessment of beta-emitter radionuclides in biological samples using liquid scintillation counting. Application to the study of internal doses in molecular and cellular biology techniques; Evaluacion en muestras biologicas de radionucleidos emisores beta mediante espectrometria de centelleo en fase liquida. Aplicaciones al estudio de dosis internas en tecnicas de investigacion de biologia molecular y celular

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sierra, I.; Delgado, A.; Navarro, T.; Macias, M. T.

2007-07-01

The radioisotopic techniques used in Molecular and Cellular Biology involve external and internal irradiation risk. It is necessary to control the possible internal contamination associated to the development of these techniques. The internal contamination risk can be due to physical and chemical properties of the labelled compounds, aerosols generated during the performance technique. The aim of this work was to estimate the possible intake of specific beta emitters during the technique development and to propose the required criterions to perform Individual Monitoring. The most representative radioisotopic techniques were selected attending their potential risk of internal contamination. Techniques were analysed applying IAEA methodology according to the used activity in each technique. It was necessary to identify the worker groups that would require individual monitoring on the base of their specific risk. Different measurement procedures were applied to study the possible intake in group risk and more than 160 persons were measured by in vitro bioassay. (Author) 96 refs.

Implementation of internal monitoring programs for workers occupationally exposed by {sup 131}I in nuclear medicine services in Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, S.M.; Dantas, A.L.A.; Dantas, B.M., E-mail: salomao.marques@ymail.com [Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Div. de Dosimetria

2017-07-01

In nuclear medicine services (NMS), workers routinely handle radionuclides for diagnostic and therapy. This practice represents a risk of incorporation by these radionuclides. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommends the implementation of an internal monitoring program on workers exposed to annual effective doses greater than 1 mSv, as for example, those who handle {sup 131}I for therapy in NMS. Currently, in Brazil, there are not enough available laboratories qualified to provide internal monitoring services to attend all possible demand of internal monitoring if it such regulation were applied by the Brazilian Nuclear Regulatory Board (CNEN). The objective of this work is to disseminate simple and inexpensive methods for in vivo routine thyroid monitoring of {sup 131}I using equipment available in the NMS. Devices available in two public hospitals located in the city of Rio de Janeiro were calibrated for use in occupational internal monitoring. The equipment evaluated in this work presented enough sensitivity for such application, being suitable to access intakes of {sup 131}I in the thyroid and able to estimate doses below 1 mSv. (author)

Impact of the application of criteria of internal monitoring in radiological protection programmes in nuclear medicine services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dantas, B.M.; Dantas, A.L.A.; Juliao, L.Q.C.; Lourenco, M.C.; Melo, D.R.

2005-01-01

The manipulation of open sources in Nuclear Medicine services involves risks of external exposure and internal contamination. The radiological protection plan of facilities licensed by CNEN - Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission - must include the evaluation of such risks and propose a programme of individual monitoring to control exposure and ensure the maintenance of conditions of radiation safety. The IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency - recommendations presented in the Safety Guide RS-G-1.2 suggest that an internal worker monitoring program be implemented where there is a possibility of internal contamination lead to effective dose committed annual values equal to or greater than 1 mSv. This paper presents the application of such criteria to the radionuclides most frequently used in the field of Nuclear Medicine, taking into account the normal conditions of handling and the ranges of activity authorized by CNEN. It is concluded that iodine 131 manipulation for therapeutic purposes is the practice that presented the greatest risk of internal exposure of workers, requiring the adoption of a programme of internal monitoring of Nuclear Medicine services

Ultrasound monitoring in cannulation of the internal jugular vein: anatomic and technical considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Docktor, B; So, C B; Saliken, J C; Gray, R R

1996-06-01

To examine the effect of variations in anatomic features and operator experience on the success and complication rates of sonographically monitored cannulation of the internal jugular vein. The authors prospectively collected data for ultrasound-monitored cannulation of the internal jugular vein in 150 patients. In all cases the radiologist recorded the side of puncture, the number of passes needed, the number of vein punctures (one or two), whether the walls were opposed during puncture and any complications. For the last 80 patients the following information was also recorded: the distance from the skin to the internal jugular vein, the diameter of the vein with the Valsalva manoeuvre and the location of the vein relative to the carotid artery. All but three of the cannulations were performed by one of three radiologists, all of whom had at least 5 years of experience. Cannulation was successful in all of the patients, and the first pass was successful in 133 (88.7%). These results are better than those of blind placement techniques reported in the literature. The only complications were hematoma and carotid puncture, which both occurred in the same two patients (1.3%). There was no significant difference among the radiologists in the number of passes needed (one-way analysis of variance, p > 0.05). The number of passes was independent of anatomic factors, including depth from skin, vein diameter or relative location. However, significantly more passes were needed for left-side punctures than for right-side punctures (Student t-test, p < 0.05). Real-time ultrasound monitoring is superior to blind techniques in cannulation of the internal jugular vein because of its ease, accuracy and safety. Sonographic real-time monitoring minimizes the impact of anatomic factors on success and complication rates. It is a safe and efficacious approach that should be preferred in the placement of central lines.

The European Union Building Peace Near and Afar: Monitoring the Implementation of International Peace Agreements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Máire Braniff

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The European Union’s (EU support and contribution to international peace and security continues to develop with involvement in the Balkans, South Caucasus, Africa, Middle East and South Asia (Council of the European Union 2005. Within the broad range of civilian and military interventions under the Common Security and Defence policy (CSDP there have been two monitoring missions that have emerged from peace agreements, in Aceh (2005-2006 and in Georgia (2008 to date. This article maps the evolution EU’s role in international peace building by focusing on how this role is increasingly constructed by the scope of monitoring missions which it has embarked upon outside of its borders. A thematic analysis of literature is used to explore how the EU’s monitoring role has evolved regarding the different degrees of intervention, time-frame and size of the monitoring mission which have resulted in a multi-level impact regarding societal transition. The article finds that political will, shadows of past and future missions and intergovernmental concerns dominates how the EU’s monitoring missions unfurl, affecting the practice of monitors and other EU actors in local conflict settings and contemplates scenarios for future monitoring missions.

Mechanisms of pH-Sensitivity and Cellular Internalization of PEOz-b-PLA Micelles with Varied Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Ratios and Intracellular Trafficking Routes and Fate of the Copolymer.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dishi; Zhou, Yanxia; Li, Xinru; Qu, Xiaoyou; Deng, Yunqiang; Wang, Ziqi; He, Chuyu; Zou, Yang; Jin, Yiguang; Liu, Yan

2017-03-01

pH-responsive polymeric micelles have shown promise for the targeted and intracellular delivery of antitumor agents. The present study aimed to elucidate the possible mechanisms of pH-sensitivity and cellular internalization of PEOz-b-PLA micelles in detail, further unravel the effect of hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio of the micelles on their cellular internalization, and examine the intracellular trafficking routes and fate of PEOz-b-PLA after internalization of the micelles. The results of variations in the size and Zeta potential of PEOz-b-PLA micelles and cross-sectional area of PEOz-b-PLA molecules with pH values suggested that electrostatic repulsion between PEOz chains resulting from ionization of the tertiary amide groups along PEOz chain at pH lower than its pK a was responsible for pH-sensitivity of PEOz-b-PLA micelles. Furthermore, the studies on internalization of PEOz-b-PLA micelles by MCF-7 cells revealed that the uptake of PEOz-b-PLA micelles was strongly influenced by their structural features, and showed that PEOz-b-PLA micelles with hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio of 1.7-2.0 exhibited optimal cellular uptake. No evident alteration in cellular uptake of PEOz-b-PLA micelles was detected by flow cytometry upon the existence of EIPA and chlorpromazine. However, the intracellular uptake of the micelles in the presence of MβCD and genistein was effectively inhibited. Hence, the internalization of such micelles by MCF-7 cells appeared to proceed mainly through caveolae/lipid raft-mediated endocytosis without being influenced by their hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio. Confocal micrographs revealed that late endosomes, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum were all involved in the intracellular trafficking of PEOz-b-PLA copolymers following their internalization via endocytosis, and then part of them was excreted from tumor cells to extracellular medium. These findings provided valuable information for developing desired PEOz-b-PLA micelles to improve their

Cellular Internalization and Biocompatibility of Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica Nanoparticles with Tunable Morphologies: From Nanospheres to Nanowires

KAUST Repository

Fatieiev, Yevhen

2017-01-10

This work describes the sol-gel syntheses of para-substituted phenylene-bridged periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanoparticles (NPs) with tunable morphologies ranging from nanowires to nanospheres. The findings show the key role of the addition of organic co-solvents in the aqueous templates on the final morphologies of PMO NPs. Other factors such as the temperature, the stirring speed, and the amount of organic solvents also influence the shape of PMO NPs. The tuning of the shape of the PMO nanomaterials made it possible to study the influence of the particle morphology on the cellular internalization and biocompatibility.

The International Monitoring System's Noble Gas Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auer, M.

2015-01-01

The International Monitoring System (IMS) is a unique global network for surveillance of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. A major component of the IMS is the radionuclide monitoring network since, among all IMS technologies, it can provide the most unequivocal evidence for a nuclear explosion. The radionuclide monitoring component is unprecedented in its combination of global coverage, sensitivity, network density and temporal resolution. In particular for the detection of underground or underwater nuclear tests, forty of the eighty radionuclide stations will eventually be equipped with sensors to measure the Xenon isotopes Xe-131m (τ 1/2 = 11:8 d), Xe-133 (τ 1/2 = 5:25 d), Xe-133m (τ 1/2 = 2:2 d) and Xe-135 (τ 1/2 = 9:14 h). These are among the isotopes with the highest yields in fission of uranium or plutonium with half-lives long enough to be detected at large distances from the point of emission. As of today, 31 noble gas systems have been installed and are sending data to the International Data Centre. The noble gas systems installed at the stations are automated and sample Xenon continuously from atmospheric air for 12 or 24 hours at an air flow of 0.5 to several m 3 /h by absorption of Xenon on activated charcoal. Detection of the Xenon isotopes is either by high resolution gamma spectrometry or by beta-gamma coincidence spectrometry. With the currently available equipment, detection limits of 0.2 mBq/m 3 can be achieved. An overview on the existing technology and future developments as well as on the interpretation of measurement results is given. (author)

A framework for the monitoring and evaluation of international surgical initiatives in low- and middle-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, George M; Cadotte, David W; Bernstein, Mark

2015-01-01

An estimated two billion people worldwide lack adequate access to surgical care. To address this humanitarian emergency, an increasing number of international surgical partnerships are emerging between developed and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). At present, there are no clear indicators that may be used to assess the effectiveness of such initiatives. We conducted an international qualitative study of 31 surgeons from developed and LMICs involved in international partnerships across a variety of subspecialties. Thematic analysis and grounded theory were applied in order to develop a practical framework that may be applied to monitor and evaluate global surgical initiatives. Several themes emerged from the study: (i) there is a large unmet need to establish and maintain prospective databases in LMICs to inform the monitoring and evaluation of international surgical partnerships; (ii) assessment of initiatives must occur longitudinally over the span of several years; (ii) the domains of assessment are contextual and encompass cultural, institutional and regional factors; and (iv) evaluation strategies should explore broader impact within the community and country. Based on thematic analysis within the domains of inputs, outputs and outcomes, a framework for the monitoring and evaluation of international surgical initiatives, the Framework for the Assessment of InteRNational Surgical Success (FAIRNeSS) is proposed. In response to the increasing number of surgical partnerships between developed and LMICs, we propose a framework to monitor and evaluate international surgical initiatives.

Rapid monitoring of large groups of internally contaminated people following a radiation accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-05-01

In the management of an emergency, it is necessary to assess the radiation exposures of people in the affected areas. An essential component in the programme is the monitoring of internal contamination. Existing fixed installations for the assessment of incorporated radionuclides may be of limited value in these circumstances because they may be inconveniently sited, oversensitive for the purpose, or inadequately equipped and staffed to cope with the large numbers referred to them. The IAEA considered it important to produce guidance on rapid monitoring of large groups of internally contaminated people. The purpose of this document is to provide Member States with an overview on techniques that can be applied during abnormal or accidental situations. Refs and figs

Dynamic cellular uptake of mixed-monolayer protected nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Carney, Randy P; Carney, Tamara M; Mueller, Marie; Stellacci, Francesco

2012-12-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) are gaining increasing attention for potential application in medicine; consequently, studying their interaction with cells is of central importance. We found that both ligand arrangement and composition on gold nanoparticles play a crucial role in their cellular internalization. In our previous investigation, we showed that 66-34OT nanoparticles coated with stripe-like domains of hydrophobic (octanethiol, OT, 34%) and hydrophilic (11-mercaptoundecane sulfonate, MUS, 66%) ligands permeated through the cellular lipid bilayer via passive diffusion, in addition to endo-/pino-cytosis. Here, we show an analysis of NP internalization by DC2.4, 3T3, and HeLa cells at two temperatures and multiple time points. We study four NPs that differ in their surface structures and ligand compositions and report on their cellular internalization by intracellular fluorescence quantification. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy we have found that all three cell types internalize the 66-34OT NPs more than particles coated only with MUS, or particles coated with a very similar coating but lacking any detectable ligand shell structure, or 'striped' particles but with a different composition (34-66OT) at multiple data points.

Internal exposure monitoring of personnel of a nuclear power plant with pressurized-water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krueger, F.W.; Poulheim, K.F.; Rueger, G.; Schreiter, W.D.

1982-01-01

In the GDR a programme for monitoring the internal radiation exposure of personnel has been established in the Bruno Leuschner Nuclear Power Plant, Greifswald, which allows one to estimate the effective dose equivalent in the way recommended by the ICRP. The measuring equipment used, and the methods of calibration and of evaluation of results are described. At present about 400 persons are monthly monitored with a thorax monitor in the nuclear power plant. If an investigation level - corresponding to an effective dose equivalent of 0.3mSv/month - is exceeded, a more exact measurement is made in the whole-body counter at the National Board for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection of the GDR. In addition, a selected group of 50 persons is measured twice yearly in the whole-body counter. The measurements show the high effectiveness of the protective measures against radionuclide intake by workers in the nuclear power plant, resulting in a contribution of less than 1% to the collective dose of the personnel. A correlation has been found between external and internal exposure indicating that, in general, there will be a higher intake only under conditions resulting also in higher external exposures. The highest individual values of internal exposure found are below 0.5mSv/month and thus within the range of the lower detection limit of dosimeter films used for monitoring the external exposure. (author)

Standardization of radioactive gaseous waste radiation monitoring equipment from the International Electrotechnical Commission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitoussi, L.

1983-01-01

After having introduced the works performed by the International Electrotechnical Commission, the authors report on the results of the studies carried out to achieve the standardization of the radiation monitoring equipment concerning the control of the gaseous waste from nuclear installations. The authors present the most interesting aspects of the regulations and recommendations, which include not only a description of the minimum permissible levels of sensitivity for the monitors, but also a description of the set of assays to be established in order to verify the level of performance of the monitors

Vibration monitoring of the mechanical behavior of the internal structures of PWR reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assedo, R.; Carre, J.C.; Sol, J.C.

1979-01-01

The internal structures of pressurized water reactors are the seat of vibrations induced by fluctuations in primary fluid flow. A knowledge of these phenomena is indispensable in order to ensure that the structures are in proper mechanical order. It can also be used for operational monitoring. This paper describes all the methods developed and the results already achieved in this domain. The first part deals with tests on mockup associated with the calculation models which afforded a good knowledge of the vibrational characteristics of the internal structures, as well as the measurements made during hot tests of certain reactors which made it possible to qualify these models on real structures. The second part describes the means of detection (neutron noise, external accelerometers) as well as the processing methods used in the follow-up. A few typical results obtained on site are then presented. Finally, the general principles of operational monitoring of the mechanical behavior of the internal structures are described [fr

Toward Continental-scale Rainfall Monitoring Using Commercial Microwave Links From Cellular Communication Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Uijlenhoet, R.; Leijnse, H.; Overeem, A.

2017-12-01

Accurate and timely surface precipitation measurements are crucial for water resources management, agriculture, weather prediction, climate research, as well as ground validation of satellite-based precipitation estimates. However, the majority of the land surface of the earth lacks such data, and in many parts of the world the density of surface precipitation gauging networks is even rapidly declining. This development can potentially be counteracted by using received signal level data from the enormous number of microwave links used worldwide in commercial cellular communication networks. Along such links, radio signals propagate from a transmitting antenna at one base station to a receiving antenna at another base station. Rain-induced attenuation and, subsequently, path-averaged rainfall intensity can be retrieved from the signal's attenuation between transmitter and receiver. We have previously shown how one such a network can be used to retrieve the space-time dynamics of rainfall for an entire country (The Netherlands, ˜35,500 km2), based on an unprecedented number of links (˜2,400) and a rainfall retrieval algorithm that can be applied in real time. This demonstrated the potential of such networks for real-time rainfall monitoring, in particular in those parts of the world where networks of dedicated ground-based rainfall sensors are often virtually absent. The presentation will focus on the potential for upscaling this technique to continental-scale rainfall monitoring in Europe. In addition, several examples of recent applications of this technique on other continents (South America, Africa, Asia and Australia) will be given.

Emergency preparedness and internal contamination monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahola, T.; Suomela, M.

2000-01-01

After the radiation accidents in Chernobyl, Ukraina in 1986 and in Goiania, Brasil in 1987, much resource have been spent on improving emergency preparedness. Especially regarding transfer of information using the most recent techniques and establishment of 24 hour emergency service of radiation safety experts the development has been fast. The very first measures in a possible emergency situation have been trained nationally and internationally. Less attention has been paid to measures in a somewhat later phase. To be able to react fast enough in an emergency situation it is essential to have well documented plans, written instructions and suitable measurement equipment ready for use. Equally important is that there is trained staff prepared to do measurements without delay. In the first phase of a nuclear accident radioactive iodine is of primary concern regarding internal contamination. After the Chernobyl accident the number of childhood thyroidea cancer clearly exceeded the expected number. Reliable direct measurements of I-131 in the thyroidea in Ukraina, Russia and Belarussia were done only to a limited number of children. Many uncertainties are involved in the data used for dose estimation. Later the body burdens of radiocesium or other radionuclides might be of most importance. Normal whole-body counting instruments can be used if only small groups need to be measured. For large groups of people in an emergency situation faster methods are needed. Different types of monitors installed at places where radiation workers are controlled for internal contamination as well as gamma cameras at hospitals can be used. Rapid field measurements of the whole-body and especially of the thyroid can been done with less sophisticated instruments. In the acute phase of a nuclear accident such measurements should be done without delay. Instruments and staff trained to use them should be available and plans for which groups of people to measure prepared. The detection level

Cellular Internalization of Fibroblast Growth Factor-12 Exerts Radioprotective Effects on Intestinal Radiation Damage Independently of FGFR Signaling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakayama, Fumiaki, E-mail: f_naka@nirs.go.jp [Advanced Radiation Biology Research Program, Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, Chiba (Japan); Umeda, Sachiko [Advanced Radiation Biology Research Program, Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, Chiba (Japan); Yasuda, Takeshi [Radiation Emergency Medicine Research Program, Research Center for Radiation Emergency Medicine, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan); Fujita, Mayumi [Advanced Radiation Biology Research Program, Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, Chiba (Japan); Asada, Masahiro [Signaling Molecules Research Group, Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba (Japan); Meineke, Viktor [Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich (Germany); Imamura, Toru [Signaling Molecules Research Group, Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba (Japan); Imai, Takashi [Advanced Radiation Biology Research Program, Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, Chiba (Japan)

2014-02-01

Purpose: Several fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) were shown to inhibit radiation-induced tissue damage through FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling; however, this signaling was also found to be involved in the pathogenesis of several malignant tumors. In contrast, FGF12 cannot activate any FGFRs. Instead, FGF12 can be internalized readily into cells using 2 cell-penetrating peptide domains (CPP-M, CPP-C). Therefore, this study focused on clarifying the role of FGF12 internalization in protection against radiation-induced intestinal injury. Methods and Materials: Each FGF or peptide was administered intraperitoneally to BALB/c mice in the absence of heparin 24 hours before or after total body irradiation with γ rays at 9 to 12 Gy. Several radioprotective effects were examined in the jejunum. Results: Administration of FGF12 after radiation exposure was as effective as pretreatment in significantly promoting intestinal regeneration, proliferation of crypt cells, and epithelial differentiation. Two domains, comprising amino acid residues 80 to 109 and 140 to 169 of FGF12B, were identified as being responsible for the radioprotective activity, so that deletion of both domains from FGF12B resulted in a reduction in activity. Interestingly, these regions included the CPP-M and CPP-C domains, respectively; however, CPP-C by itself did not show an antiapoptotic effect. In addition, FGF1, prototypic FGF, possesses a domain corresponding to CPP-M, whereas it lacks CPP-C, so the fusion of FGF1 with CPP-C (FGF1/CPP-C) enhanced cellular internalization and increased radioprotective activity. However, FGF1/CPP-C reduced in vitro mitogenic activity through FGFRs compared with FGF1, implying that FGFR signaling might not be essential for promoting the radioprotective effect of FGF1/CPP-C. In addition, internalized FGF12 suppressed the activation of p38α after irradiation, resulting in reduced radiation-induced apoptosis. Conclusions: These findings indicate that FGF12 can protect the

Monitoring and radiation dose estimation for internal contamination of occupational workers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kol, R; Laichter, Y [Israel Atomic Energy Commission, Beersheba (Israel). Nuclear Research Center-Negev

1996-12-01

The assessment of interval radiation doses due to intake of radionuclides differs totally from external dosimetry. External dosimetry is relatively straight forward: Workers are equipped with appropriate dosimeters that give the dose upon direct reading. Internal dosimetry is actually an assessment of the dose based on results of personnel and environmental monitoring (authors).

Validation of self-reported cellular phone use

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Samkange-Zeeb, Florence; Berg, Gabriele; Blettner, Maria

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: In recent years, concern has been raised over possible adverse health effects of cellular telephone use. In epidemiological studies of cancer risk associated with the use of cellular telephones, the validity of self-reported cellular phone use has been problematic. Up to now there is ......BACKGROUND: In recent years, concern has been raised over possible adverse health effects of cellular telephone use. In epidemiological studies of cancer risk associated with the use of cellular telephones, the validity of self-reported cellular phone use has been problematic. Up to now...... there is very little information published on this subject. METHODS: We conducted a study to validate the questionnaire used in an ongoing international case-control study on cellular phone use, the "Interphone study". Self-reported cellular phone use from 68 of 104 participants who took part in our study...... was compared with information derived from the network providers over a period of 3 months (taken as the gold standard). RESULTS: Using Spearman's rank correlation, the correlation between self-reported phone use and information from the network providers for cellular phone use in terms of the number of calls...

Optimization of internal contamination monitoring programmes by studying uncertainties linked to dosimetric assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davesne, Estelle

2010-01-01

To optimise the protection of workers against ionizing radiations, the International Commission on Radiological Protection recommends the use of dose constraint and limits. To verify the compliance of the means of protection with these values when a risk of internal contamination exists, monitoring programmes formed of periodic bioassay measurements are performed. However, uncertainty in the dose evaluation arises from the variability of the activity measurement and from the incomplete knowledge of the exposure conditions. This uncertainty was taken into account by means of classical, Bayesian and possibilist statistics. The developed methodology was applied to the evaluation of the potential exposure during nuclear fuel preparation or mining; and to the analysis of the monitoring programme of workers purifying plutonium in AREVA NC La Hague reprocessing plant. From the measurement decision threshold, the minimum dose detectable (MDD) by the programme with a given confidence level can be calculated through the software OPSCI. It is shown to be a useful support in the optimisation of monitoring programmes when seeking a compromise between their sensitivity and their costs. (author)

The challenge of Ciemat internal dosimetry service for accreditation according to ISO/IEC 17025 standard, for in vivo and in vitro monitoring and dose assessment of internal exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, M.A.; Martin, R.; Hernandez, C.; Navarro, J.F.; Navarro, T.; Perez, B.; Sierra, I.

2016-01-01

The accreditation of an Internal Dosimetry Service (IDS) according to ISO/IEC 17025 Standard is a challenge. The aim of this process is to guarantee the technical competence for the monitoring of radionuclides incorporated in the body and for the evaluation of the associated committed effective dose E(50). This publication describes the main accreditation issues addressed by CIEMAT IDS regarding all the procedures involving good practice in internal dosimetry, focussing in the difficulties to ensure the traceability in the whole process, the appropriate calculation of detection limit of measurement techniques, the validation of methods (monitoring and dose assessments), the description of all the uncertainty sources and the interpretation of monitoring data to evaluate the intake and the committed effective dose. CIEMAT Internal Dosimetry Service (IDS) has developed and implemented a quality system based on ISO/IEC 17025 to ensure compliance with the general requirements of this reference standard. The development of documentary support according to this quality system permitted to standardise the systematic activities performed within the whole body counter and in vitro bioassay laboratories as well as the procedures carried out by qualified staff in charge of internal dose assessment. There was no previous experience in the accreditation of other internal dosimetry services in Spain. Then, requirements from the national regulatory body (Nuclear Safety Council, CSN) and national accreditation entity (ENAC) have been considered. The main concerns were to guarantee the traceability in the whole process and to avoid possible charge of interpretation or subjectivity in the methodology of dose assessment due to intakes of radionuclides when calculating from monitoring data. All the related international standards dealing with internal dosimetry were taken into account: ISO 28218 'Performance criteria for radiobioassay', ISO 27048 'Dose Assessment for the

International health research monitoring: exploring a scientific and a cooperative approach using participatory action research.

Science.gov (United States)

Chantler, Tracey; Cheah, Phaik Yeong; Miiro, George; Hantrakum, Viriya; Nanvubya, Annet; Ayuo, Elizabeth; Kivaya, Esther; Kidola, Jeremiah; Kaleebu, Pontiano; Parker, Michael; Njuguna, Patricia; Ashley, Elizabeth; Guerin, Philippe J; Lang, Trudie

2014-02-17

To evaluate and determine the value of monitoring models developed by the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Research Unit and the East African Consortium for Clinical Research, consider how this can be measured and explore monitors' and investigators' experiences of and views about the nature, purpose and practice of monitoring. A case study approach was used within the context of participatory action research because one of the aims was to guide and improve practice. 34 interviews, five focus groups and observations of monitoring practice were conducted. Fieldwork occurred in the places where the monitoring models are coordinated and applied in Thailand, Cambodia, Uganda and Kenya. Participants included those coordinating the monitoring schemes, monitors, senior investigators and research staff. Transcribed textual data from field notes, interviews and focus groups was imported into a qualitative data software program (NVIVO V. 10) and analysed inductively and thematically by a qualitative researcher. The initial coding framework was reviewed internally and two main categories emerged from the subsequent interrogation of the data. The categories that were identified related to the conceptual framing and nature of monitoring, and the practice of monitoring, including relational factors. Particular emphasis was given to the value of a scientific and cooperative style of monitoring as a means of enhancing data quality, trust and transparency. In terms of practice the primary purpose of monitoring was defined as improving the conduct of health research and increasing the capacity of researchers and trial sites. The models studied utilise internal and network wide expertise to improve the ethics and quality of clinical research. They demonstrate how monitoring can be a scientific and constructive exercise rather than a threatening process. The value of cooperative relations needs to be given more emphasis in monitoring activities, which seek to ensure that research protects

Present state of the monitoring for internal contamination at Tokai Research Establishment, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akaishi, J.; Fukuda, H.; Mizushita, S.

1980-01-01

At Tokai Research Establishment, JAERI, over one thousand people work in hot areas such as reactors, accelerators, chemical laboratories and waste treatment plants. The monitoring for internal contamination of this personnel is presented. Routine and special monitoring are carried out. The object of the former is to check for the presence of significant contamination, and that of the latter is to estimate body burden and committed dose equivalent, if necessary. Heavy shield and shadow shield whole body counters, a low energy lung counter and a wound monitor are used to detect the internal contamination due to γ or chi ray emitters, and bioassay technique is used for α or β emitters and uranium. The results of the monitoring until now are presented. (H.K.)

Guidance on internal dose assessments from monitoring data (Project IDEAS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doerfel, H.; Andrasi, A.; Bailey, M.; Berkovski, V.; Castellani, M.; Hurtgen, C.; Jourdain, R.; Le Guen, B.

2003-01-01

Several international intercomparison exercises on intake and internal dose assessments from monitoring data led to the conclusion that the results calculated by different participants varied significantly mainly to the broad variety of methods and assumptions applied in the assessment procedure. Based on these experiences the need of harmonisation of the procedures has been formulated as an EU research project under the 5th Framework Programme, with the aim of developing general guidelines for standardising assessments of intakes and internal doses. In the IDEAS project, eight institutions from seven European countries are participating, also using inputs from internal dosimetry professionals from across Europe to ensure broad consensus in the outcome of the project. To ensure that the guidelines are applicable to a wide range of practical situations, the first step will be to compile a database on well documented cases of internal contamination. In parallel, an improved version of existing software will be developed and distributed to the partners for further use. Many cases from the database will be evaluated independently by more partners using the same software and the results will be discussed and the draft guidelines prepared. The guidelines will then be revised and refined on the basis of the experiences and discussions of two workshops, and an inter-comparison exercise organised in the frame of the project which will be open to all internal dosimetry professionals. (author)

Thermal expansion behavior in fabricated cellular structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oruganti, R.K.; Ghosh, A.K.; Mazumder, J.

2004-01-01

Thermal expansion behavior of cellular structures is of interest in applications where undesirable deformation and failure are caused by thermal expansion mismatch. This report describes the role of processing-induced effects and metallurgical aspects of melt-processed cellular structures, such as a bi-material structure designed to contract on heating, as well as uni-material structures of regular and stochastic topology. This bi-material structure utilized the principle of internal geometric constraints to alter the expansion behavior of the internal ligaments to create overall contraction of the structure. Homogenization design method was used to design the structure, and fabrication was by direct metal deposition by laser melting of powder in another part of a joint effort. The degree of porosity and grain size in the fabricated structure are characterized and related to the laser deposition parameters. The structure was found to contract upon heating over a short range of temperature subsequent to which normal expansion ensued. Also examined in this report are uni-material cellular structures, in which internal constraints arise from residual stress variations caused by the fabrication process, and thereby alter their expansion characteristics. A simple analysis of thermal strain of this material supports the observed thermal expansion behavior

Reporters to monitor cellular MMP12 activity

Science.gov (United States)

Cobos-Correa, Amanda; Mall, Marcus A.; Schultz, Carsten

2010-02-01

Macrophage elastase, also called MMP12, belongs to a family of proteolytic enzymes whose best known physiological function is the remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Under certain pathological conditions, including inflammation, chronic overexpression of MMP12 has been observed and its elevated proteolytic activity has been suggested to be the cause of pulmonary emphysema. However, it was until recently impossible to monitor the activity of MMP12 under disease conditions, mainly due to a lack of detection methods. Recent development of new reporters for monitoring MMP12 activity in living cells, such as LaRee1, provided novel insights into the pathobiology of MMP12 in pulmonary inflammation.1 In the future, these reporters might contribute to improved diagnosis and in finding better treatments for chronic inflammatory lung diseases and emphysema. Our approach for visualizing MMP12 activity is based on peptidic, membrane-targeted FRET (Foerster Resonance Energy Transfer) reporters. Here we describe a set of new reporters containing different fluorophore pairs as well as modifications in the membrane-targeting lipid moiety. We studied the influence of these modifications on reporter performance and the reporter mobility on live cell membranes by FRAP (fluorescence recovery after photobleaching). Finally, we generated several new fluorescently labeled MMP inhibitors based on the peptidic reporter structures as prototypes for future tools to inhibit and monitor MMP activity at the same time.

The pre-operational monitoring - how useful are recommendations of international organizations and various national programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihailovic, M.

1980-01-01

National legislation and the preoperational monitoring program around Nuclear Power Plant Krsko are described. The usefulness of international recommendations and various national preoperational monitoring programs is examined. Modifications are described which were introduced with the aim of identifying the site specific critical exposure pathways. The role of qualified and experienced experts is discussed. (H.K.)

The problems of individual monitoring for internal exposure of monazite storage facility workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekidin, A.; Kirdin, I.; Yarmoshenko, I.; Zhukovsky, M.

2006-01-01

traditionally two situations of internal inhalation exposure by alpha emitting nuclides are considered in radiological protection: occupational exposure due to inhalation of plutonium aerosols; inhalation exposure by 222 Rn daughters in working places and in home. for these situations the problems of radioactive aerosols intake, nuclide dynamics in human body, internal dosimetry, nuclide excretion, monitoring of internal exposure have been investigated in details especially for plutonium inhalation exposure. The results of these studies are presented in details in ICRP Publications and UNSCEAR reports. However there is very specific case in which the special analysis of internal inhalation exposure is need. it is the working places with anomalous, extremely high concentration of thoron ( 220 Rn) daughters. The problems of internal radiation exposure of workers in such working place are the main topic of this publication. (authors)

Sensor Access to the Cellular Microenvironment Using the Sensing Cell Culture Flask.

Science.gov (United States)

Kieninger, Jochen; Tamari, Yaara; Enderle, Barbara; Jobst, Gerhard; Sandvik, Joe A; Pettersen, Erik O; Urban, Gerald A

2018-04-26

The Sensing Cell Culture Flask (SCCF) is a cell culture monitoring system accessing the cellular microenvironment in 2D cell culture using electrochemical microsensors. The system is based on microfabricated sensor chips embedded in standard cell culture flasks. Ideally, the sensor chips could be equipped with any electrochemical sensor. Its transparency allows optical inspection of the cells during measurement. The surface of the sensor chip is in-plane with the flask surface allowing undisturbed cell growth on the sensor chip. A custom developed rack system allows easy usage of multiple flasks in parallel within an incubator. The presented data demonstrates the application of the SCCF with brain tumor (T98G) and breast cancer (T-47D) cells. Amperometric oxygen sensors were used to monitor cellular respiration with different incubation conditions. Cellular acidification was accessed with potentiometric pH sensors using electrodeposited iridium oxide films. The system itself provides the foundation for electrochemical monitoring systems in 3D cell culture.

Sensor Access to the Cellular Microenvironment Using the Sensing Cell Culture Flask

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jochen Kieninger

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The Sensing Cell Culture Flask (SCCF is a cell culture monitoring system accessing the cellular microenvironment in 2D cell culture using electrochemical microsensors. The system is based on microfabricated sensor chips embedded in standard cell culture flasks. Ideally, the sensor chips could be equipped with any electrochemical sensor. Its transparency allows optical inspection of the cells during measurement. The surface of the sensor chip is in-plane with the flask surface allowing undisturbed cell growth on the sensor chip. A custom developed rack system allows easy usage of multiple flasks in parallel within an incubator. The presented data demonstrates the application of the SCCF with brain tumor (T98G and breast cancer (T-47D cells. Amperometric oxygen sensors were used to monitor cellular respiration with different incubation conditions. Cellular acidification was accessed with potentiometric pH sensors using electrodeposited iridium oxide films. The system itself provides the foundation for electrochemical monitoring systems in 3D cell culture.

An approach to routine individual internal dose monitoring at the object 'Shelter' personnel considering uncertainties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mel'nichuk, D.V.; Bondarenko, O.O.; Medvedjev, S.Yu.

2002-01-01

An approach to organisation of routine individual internal dose monitoring of the personnel of the Object 'Shelter' is presented in the work, that considers individualised uncertainties. In this aspect two methods of effective dose assessment based on bioassay are considered in the work: (1) traditional indirect method at which application results of workplace monitoring are not taken into account, and (2) a combined method in which both results of bioassay measurements and workplace monitoring are considered

Monitoring of international normalized ratios: comparison of community nurses with family physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Max A; Shao, Wei; Klein, Douglas

2012-08-01

To determine whether community-based, nurse-led monitoring of the international normalized ratio (INR) in patients requiring long-term warfarin therapy was comparable to traditional physician monitoring. A retrospective cohort analysis of patients taking long-term warfarin therapy. The study used data gathered from 3 family medicine clinics in a primary care network in Edmonton, Alta. Medical records of patients currently taking warfarin were examined. Implementation of nurse-led monitoring in a primary care network in place of standard family physician INR monitoring. The degree of INR control before and after the implementation of nurse-run INR monitoring was assessed. The average proportion of time spent outside of therapeutic INR ranges, as well as the average number of days between successive INR readings, was calculated and compared. The degree of control placed patients into either a good-control group (out of range ≤ 25% of the time) or a moderate-control group (out of range > 25% of the time) and these groups were compared. Before nurse monitoring, INR values were out of range 20.4% of the time; after nurse monitoring they were out of range 19.2% of the time (P = .115); the time between sequential INR readings also did not differ before and after implementation of nurse monitoring (23.9 vs 21.6 days, P = .789). Nurse-led monitoring of INR is as effective as traditional physician monitoring. Advantages of nurse-led monitoring might include freeing family physicians to see more patients or to spend less time at work. It might also represent potential cost savings.

Poly-ADP-ribosylation of proteins responds to cellular perturbations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneeweiss, F.H.A.; Sharan, R.N.

1999-01-01

From the results presented above it is quite obvious that poly-ADP-ribosylation reaction is a sensitive parameter to monitor cellular responses to a wide variety of perturbations. Having developed a monolayer assay system using 32 P-NAD + as a marker, it has become possible to measure levels of cellular ADP-ribosylation more precisely. It has been demonstrated that the trigger of poly-ADP-ribosylation reaction may involve different cellular components for different perturbations. In this, membrane has been found to be important. The study has been particularly informative in the realm of DNA damage and repair following qualitatively different radiation assaults. As poly-ADP-ribosylation in eukaryotic cells primarily affects chromosomal proteins, notably histones, the reaction is strongly triggered in response to single and double strand breaks in DNA. Therefore, level of cellular poly-ADP-ribosylation can potentially be used as a biosensor of radiation induced strand breaks and can be specially useful in clinical monitoring of progress of radiotherapy. The assay of poly-ADP-ribosylation, however, requires use of radiolabelled tracer, e.g. 32 P-NAD + . Due to this, study of poly-ADP-ribosylation can not be extended to monitor effects of incorporated radionuclides. In order to overcome this shortcoming and to make the assay more sensitive and quick, a Western blot immunoassay has been developed. The preliminary indications are that the immunoassay of poly-ADP-ribosylation will fulfil the requirements to use poly-ADP-ribosylation as a sensitive, convenient and clinically applicable biosensor of cell response not only to radiations but also to different perturbations. (orig.)

The environment, international standards, asset health management and condition monitoring: An integrated strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roe, S. [CSD, British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) (United Kingdom); Mba, D. [School of Engineering, Cranfield University, MK43 0AL, Bedfordshire (United Kingdom)], E-mail: d.mba@cranfield.ac.uk

2009-02-15

Asset Health Management (AHM), supported by condition monitoring (CM) and performance measuring technologies, together with trending, modelling and diagnostic frameworks, is not only critical to the reliability of high-value machines, but also to a companies Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), system safety and profitability. In addition these protocols are also critical to the global concern of the environment. Industries involved with monitoring key performances indicators (KPI) to improve OEE would benefit from a standardised qualification and certification scheme for their personnel, particularly if it is based on internationally accepted procedures for the various CM technologies that also share the same objectives as AH and CM. Furthermore, the development of 'models' for implementation of a Carbon tax is intrinsically dependent on the integrity and accuracy of measurements contributing to these indicators. This paper reviews the global picture of condition monitoring, the environment and related international standards and then considers their relationship and equivalent global objectives. In addition, it presents the methods behind the development of such standards for certification of competence in personnel involved with data collection, modelling and measurements of KPIs. Two case studies are presented that highlight the integrated strategy in practise.

The environment, international standards, asset health management and condition monitoring: An integrated strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roe, S.; Mba, D.

2009-01-01

Asset Health Management (AHM), supported by condition monitoring (CM) and performance measuring technologies, together with trending, modelling and diagnostic frameworks, is not only critical to the reliability of high-value machines, but also to a companies Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), system safety and profitability. In addition these protocols are also critical to the global concern of the environment. Industries involved with monitoring key performances indicators (KPI) to improve OEE would benefit from a standardised qualification and certification scheme for their personnel, particularly if it is based on internationally accepted procedures for the various CM technologies that also share the same objectives as AH and CM. Furthermore, the development of 'models' for implementation of a Carbon tax is intrinsically dependent on the integrity and accuracy of measurements contributing to these indicators. This paper reviews the global picture of condition monitoring, the environment and related international standards and then considers their relationship and equivalent global objectives. In addition, it presents the methods behind the development of such standards for certification of competence in personnel involved with data collection, modelling and measurements of KPIs. Two case studies are presented that highlight the integrated strategy in practise

Insights into the HyPer biosensor as molecular tool for monitoring cellular antioxidant capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helen Hernández

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Aerobic metabolism brings inexorably the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS, which are counterbalanced by intrinsic antioxidant defenses avoiding deleterious intracellular effects. Redox balance is the resultant of metabolic functioning under environmental inputs (i.e. diet, pollution and the activity of intrinsic antioxidant machinery. Monitoring of intracellular hydrogen peroxide has been successfully achieved by redox biosensor advent; however, to track the intrinsic disulfide bond reduction capacity represents a fundamental piece to understand better how redox homeostasis is maintained in living cells.In the present work, we compared the informative value of steady-state measurements and the kinetics of HyPer, a H2O2-sensitive fluorescent biosensor, targeted at the cytosol, mitochondrion and endoplasmic reticulum. From this set of data, biosensor signal recovery from an oxidized state raised as a suitable parameter to discriminate reducing capacity of a close environment. Biosensor recovery was pH-independent, condition demonstrated by experiments on pH-clamped cells, and sensitive to pharmacological perturbations of enzymatic disulfide reduction. Also, ten human cell lines were characterized according their H2O2-pulse responses, including their capacity to reduce disulfide bonds evaluated in terms of their migratory capacity.Finally, cellular migration experiments were conducted to study whether migratory efficiency was associated with the disulfide reduction activity. The migration efficiency of each cell type correlates with the rate of signal recovery measured from the oxidized biosensor. In addition, HyPer-expressing cells treated with N-acetyl-cysteine had accelerated recovery rates and major migratory capacities, both reversible effects upon treatment removal. Our data demonstrate that the HyPer signal recovery offers a novel methodological tool to track the cellular impact of redox active biomolecules. Keywords: Antioxidant

Insights into the HyPer biosensor as molecular tool for monitoring cellular antioxidant capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández, Helen; Parra, Alejandra; Tobar, Nicolas; Molina, Jessica; Kallens, Violeta; Hidalgo, Miltha; Varela, Diego; Martínez, Jorge; Porras, Omar

2018-06-01

Aerobic metabolism brings inexorably the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are counterbalanced by intrinsic antioxidant defenses avoiding deleterious intracellular effects. Redox balance is the resultant of metabolic functioning under environmental inputs (i.e. diet, pollution) and the activity of intrinsic antioxidant machinery. Monitoring of intracellular hydrogen peroxide has been successfully achieved by redox biosensor advent; however, to track the intrinsic disulfide bond reduction capacity represents a fundamental piece to understand better how redox homeostasis is maintained in living cells. In the present work, we compared the informative value of steady-state measurements and the kinetics of HyPer, a H 2 O 2 -sensitive fluorescent biosensor, targeted at the cytosol, mitochondrion and endoplasmic reticulum. From this set of data, biosensor signal recovery from an oxidized state raised as a suitable parameter to discriminate reducing capacity of a close environment. Biosensor recovery was pH-independent, condition demonstrated by experiments on pH-clamped cells, and sensitive to pharmacological perturbations of enzymatic disulfide reduction. Also, ten human cell lines were characterized according their H 2 O 2 -pulse responses, including their capacity to reduce disulfide bonds evaluated in terms of their migratory capacity. Finally, cellular migration experiments were conducted to study whether migratory efficiency was associated with the disulfide reduction activity. The migration efficiency of each cell type correlates with the rate of signal recovery measured from the oxidized biosensor. In addition, HyPer-expressing cells treated with N-acetyl-cysteine had accelerated recovery rates and major migratory capacities, both reversible effects upon treatment removal. Our data demonstrate that the HyPer signal recovery offers a novel methodological tool to track the cellular impact of redox active biomolecules. Copyright © 2018 The Authors

Pre-analytical and post-analytical evaluation in the era of molecular diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases: cellularity control and internal control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Loria Bianchi

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Background. Increase of molecular tests performed on DNA extracted from various biological materials should not be carried out without an adequate standardization of the pre-analytical and post-analytical phase. Materials and Methods. Aim of this study was to evaluate the role of internal control (IC to standardize pre-analytical phase and the role of cellularity control (CC in the suitability evaluation of biological matrices, and their influence on false negative results. 120 cervical swabs (CS were pre-treated and extracted following 3 different protocols. Extraction performance was evaluated by amplification of: IC, added in each mix extraction; human gene HPRT1 (CC with RT-PCR to quantify sample cellularity; L1 region of HPV with SPF10 primers. 135 urine, 135 urethral swabs, 553 CS and 332 ThinPrep swabs (TP were tested for C. trachomatis (CT and U. parvum (UP with RT-PCR and for HPV by endpoint-PCR. Samples were also tested for cellularity. Results. Extraction protocol with highest average cellularity (Ac/sample showed lowest number of samples with inhibitors; highest HPV positivity was achieved by protocol with greatest Ac/PCR. CS and TP under 300.000 cells/sample showed a significant decrease of UP (P<0.01 and HPV (P<0.005 positivity. Female urine under 40.000 cells/mL were inadequate to detect UP (P<0.05. Conclusions. Our data show that IC and CC allow optimization of pre-analytical phase, with an increase of analytical quality. Cellularity/sample allows better sample adequacy evaluation, crucial to avoid false negative results, while cellularity/PCR allows better optimization of PCR amplification. Further data are required to define the optimal cut-off for result normalization.

Radiation Internal Monitoring by In Vivo Scanning in Operation Tomodachi

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-01

detected at the International Monitoring Station (IMS), Takasaki (Gunma Prefecture, about 210 km (130 miles) WSW of FDNPS) during the period March...determine a dose from both inhalation and ingestion. Based on additional information on food and water sources for DOD-affiliated individuals it was...kBq Tritium 0.06 pg 23 Bq Polonium 0.2 pg 37 Bq * Source is Eckerman and Sjoreen (2003). As discussed in Section 2.2.4 and calculated with the

Single-cell-based system to monitor carrier driven cellular auxin homeostasis

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Abundance and distribution of the plant hormone auxin play important roles in plant development. Besides other metabolic processes, various auxin carriers control the cellular level of active auxin and, hence, are major regulators of cellular auxin homeostasis. Despite the developmental importance of auxin transporters, a simple medium-to-high throughput approach to assess carrier activities is still missing. Here we show that carrier driven depletion of cellular auxin correlates with reduced nuclear auxin signaling in tobacco Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cell cultures. Results We developed an easy to use transient single-cell-based system to detect carrier activity. We use the relative changes in signaling output of the auxin responsive promoter element DR5 to indirectly visualize auxin carrier activity. The feasibility of the transient approach was demonstrated by pharmacological and genetic interference with auxin signaling and transport. As a proof of concept, we provide visual evidence that the prominent auxin transport proteins PIN-FORMED (PIN)2 and PIN5 regulate cellular auxin homeostasis at the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), respectively. Our data suggest that PIN2 and PIN5 have different sensitivities to the auxin transport inhibitor 1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA). Also the putative PIN-LIKES (PILS) auxin carrier activity at the ER is insensitive to NPA in our system, indicating that NPA blocks intercellular, but not intracellular auxin transport. Conclusions This single-cell-based system is a useful tool by which the activity of putative auxin carriers, such as PINs, PILS and WALLS ARE THIN1 (WAT1), can be indirectly visualized in a medium-to-high throughput manner. Moreover, our single cell system might be useful to investigate also other hormonal signaling pathways, such as cytokinin. PMID:23379388

Management of bank risks in the system of internal financial monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O.V. Lysenok

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Risk is an integral part of banking activities. That is why there are many researches on definition, measurement and monitoring of banking risks. Nowadays it is important to improve the risk management process of legalization (laundering of proceeds from crime or terrorist financing, especially in the present conditions of socio-economic development. This will improve the quality of financial monitoring in the country as a whole and will reduce the risk of attracting banks to laundering money from crime. The article reviews and examines modern management techniques and risk assessment of laundering proceeds from crime. The authors make suggestions to strengthen the tracking and detection of illegal schemes and appropriate approaches to «launder» criminal money. They also offer an appropriate model to manage the risks which accompany the process of laundering the proceeds from crime. According to the study carried out the authors provide their conclusions and recommendations to improve risk management in the system of internal financial monitoring of banks.

Listening to Yourself Is like Listening to Others: External, but Not Internal, Verbal Self-Monitoring Is Based on Speech Perception

Science.gov (United States)

Huettig, Falk; Hartsuiker, Robert J.

2010-01-01

Theories of verbal self-monitoring generally assume an internal (pre-articulatory) monitoring channel, but there is debate about whether this channel relies on speech perception or on production-internal mechanisms. Perception-based theories predict that listening to one's own inner speech has similar behavioural consequences as listening to…

Direct internal dosimetry. A new way for routine incorporation monitoring of γ-emitting radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doerfel, H.

1996-01-01

The INDOS detector system offers the following advantages with respect to routine incorporation monitoring: The measurement is performed automatically and there is no need for trained staff. The measuring time is short and thus a relative large number of persons may be monitored with a relative high measuring frequency. First estimates of the individual effective dose equivalent rate are available immediately after the measurement. 1) The direct determination of the dose equivalent in principle is more precise than the conventional procedures for internal dosimetry, because (i) the retention of radionuclides in the body may be measured explicitly and (ii) the dependence of the dose equivalent on the body proportions is corrected implicitly. 2) The measuring procedure is comparable to the external dosimetry with respect to accuracy and lower limit of detection. Thus, the results of internal and external dosimetry can be summed up in an easy and reasonable manner. 3) The detector system can be installed in any building; it also can be installed as a mobile unit in a car or a container for long distance transportation by aircraft or train. 4) Last but not least, the cost for monitoring with INDOS is much lower than for the conventional monitoring procedures using whole body counters. (author)

Cellular vs. organ approaches to dose estimates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adelstein, S.J.; Kassis, A.I.; Sastry, K.S.R.

1986-01-01

The cellular distribution of tissue-incorporated radionuclides has generally been neglected in the dosimetry of internal emitters. Traditional dosimetry assumes homogeneous distribution of radionuclides in organs of interest, while presuming that the ranges of particulate radiations are large relative to typical cell diameters. The macroscopic distribution of dose thus calculated has generally served as a sufficient approximation for the energy deposited within radiosensitive sites. However, with the increasing utilization of intracellular agents, such as thallium-201, it has become necessary to examine the microscopic distribution of energy at the cellular level. This is particularly important in the instance of radionuclides that decay by electron capture or by internal conversion with the release of Auger and Coster-Kronig electrons. In many instances, these electrons are released as a dense shower of low-energy particles with ranges of subcellular dimensions. The high electron density in the immediate vicinity of the decaying atom produces a focal deposition of energy that far exceeds the average dose taken over several cell diameters. These studies point out the increasing need to take into account the microscopic distribution of dose on the cellular level as radionuclides distributed in cells become more commonplace, especially if the decay involves electron capture or internal conversion. As radiotracers are developed for the measurement of intracellular functions these factors should be given greater consideration. 16 references, 5 figures, 5 tables

Internationally coordinated glacier monitoring - a timeline since 1894

Science.gov (United States)

Nussbaumer, Samuel U.; Armstrong, Richard; Fetterer, Florence; Gärtner-Roer, Isabelle; Hoelzle, Martin; Machguth, Horst; Mölg, Nico; Paul, Frank; Raup, Bruce H.; Zemp, Michael

2016-04-01

Changes in glaciers and ice caps provide some of the clearest evidence of climate change, with impacts on sea-level variations, regional hydrological cycles, and natural hazard situations. Therefore, glaciers have been recognized as an Essential Climate Variable (ECV). Internationally coordinated collection and distribution of standardized information about the state and change of glaciers and ice caps was initiated in 1894 and is today organized within the Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers (GTN-G). GTN-G ensures the continuous development and adaptation of the international strategies to the long-term needs of users in science and policy. A GTN-G Steering Committee coordinates, supports and advices the operational bodies responsible for the international glacier monitoring, which are the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), and the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) initiative. In this presentation, we trace the development of the internationally coordinated glacier monitoring since its beginning in the 19th century. Today, several online databases containing a wealth of diverse data types with different levels of detail and global coverage provide fast access to continuously updated information on glacier fluctuation and inventory data. All glacier datasets are made freely available through the respective operational bodies within GTN-G, and can be accessed through the GTN-G Global Glacier Browser (http://www.gtn-g.org/data_browser.html). Glacier inventory data (e.g., digital outlines) are available for about 180,000 glaciers (GLIMS database, RGI - Randolph Glacier Inventory, WGI - World Glacier Inventory). Glacier front variations with about 45,000 entries since the 17th century and about 6,200 glaciological and geodetic mass (volume) change observations dating back to the 19th century are available in the Fluctuations of Glaciers (FoG) database. These datasets reveal clear evidence that

Internal pump monitoring device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurosaki, Toshikazu.

1996-01-01

In the present invention, a thermometer is disposed at the upper end of an internal pump casing of a coolant recycling system in a BWR type reactor to detect leakage of reactor water thereby ensuring the improvement of reliability of the internal pump. Namely, a thermometer is disposed, which can detect temperature elevation occurred when water in the internal pump leaked from a reactor pressure vessel passes through the gap between a stretch tube and an upper end of the pump casing. Signals from the thermometer are transmitted to a signal processing device by an instrumentation cable. The signal processing device generates an alarm when the temperature signal exceeds a predetermined value and announces that leakage of reactor water occurs in the internal pump. Since the present invention can detect the leakage of the reactor water in the pump casing in an early stage, it can contribute to the improvement of the safety and reliability of the internal pump. (I.S.)

4th International Conference on Condition Monitoring of Machinery in Non-Stationary Operations

CERN Document Server

Zimroz, Radoslaw; Bartelmus, Walter; Haddar, Mohamed

2016-01-01

The book provides readers with a snapshot of recent research and technological trends in the field of condition monitoring of machinery working under a broad range of operating conditions. Each chapter, accepted after a rigorous peer-review process, reports on an original piece of work presented and discussed at the 4th International Conference on Condition Monitoring of Machinery in Non-stationary Operations, CMMNO 2014, held on December 15-16, 2014, in Lyon, France. The contributions have been grouped into three different sections according to the main subfield (signal processing, data mining, or condition monitoring techniques) they are related to. The book includes both theoretical developments as well as a number of industrial case studies, in different areas including, but not limited to: noise and vibration; vibro-acoustic diagnosis; signal processing techniques; diagnostic data analysis; instantaneous speed identification; monitoring and diagnostic systems; and dynamic and fault modeling. This book no...

Reactor internals vibration monitoring by neutron noise methods in PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pazsit, I.; Por, G.; Lux, I.

1983-01-01

Certain elements of PWR cores such as control/fuel rods or cassettes, or other parts of reactor internals, often represent a vibration problem. Early analyses at operating PWR plant revealed that these vibrations can be detected by in-core neutron detectors, opening up the possibility of vibration monitoring and diagnostics by noise methods. Theoretical methods of calculating vibration induced neutron noise and its application to vibration diagnostics are summarized. Experiments to check theoretical conclusions are under way at the Central Research Institute for Physics, Budapest. (author)

International research to monitor sustainable forest spatial patterns: proceedings of the 2005 IUFRO World Congress symposium

Science.gov (United States)

Kurt Riitters; Christine Estreguil

2007-01-01

Presentations from the symposium "International Research to Monitor Sustainable Forest Spatial Patterns," which was organized as part of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) World Congress in August 2005, are summarized in this report. The overall theme of the World Congress was "Forests in the Balance: Linking Tradition and...

MONITORING OF INTERNATIONAL DONOR ASSISTANCE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMALGAMATED TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elina Boichenko

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The research is conducted within the framework of the joint project of the F. Ebert Foundation (Germany and the Institute of Economic and Legal Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Ukraine “The Experience of the Association of Territorial Communities in Eastern Ukraine: Economic and Legal Aspects”. The subject of the study is the theoretical, methodological, and practical aspects of monitoring international donor assistance in the context of the development of amalgamated territorial communities (ATC based on the example of Bilokurakyne and Novopskov ATC. Methodology. The system approach (in substantiating the directions of monitoring and established procedures for monitoring each component of the life of amalgamated territorial communities, logical generalization (in determining the state of development of amalgamated territorial communities, method of absolute, relative, and mean values, analysis of the dynamics series and structural shifts (in determining the dominant trends in the formation and development of ATC, method of economic analysis and synthesis (in determining the content of the monitoring, method of comparison (when the violations in the process of ATC, graphical method (the construction algorithm combined operation and development of local communities imaging method (for presenting the results of the total amount of international aid to ATC are used in the work. The purpose of the research is to develop theoretical, methodological, and practical approaches to the monitoring of international donor assistance in the context of the development of amalgamated territorial communities. The article suggests using monitoring as the most effective tool for controlling economic and social phenomena and processes. The authorial scheme for constructing a procedure for the monitoring of functioning and development of amalgamated territorial communities is developed. The monitoring of international donor support of the

Role of the blood service in cellular therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rebulla, Paolo; Giordano, Rosaria

2012-05-01

Cellular therapy is a novel form of medical or surgical treatment using cells in place of or in addition to traditional chemical drugs. The preparation of cellular products - called advanced therapy medicinal products - ATMP in Europe, requires compliance with good manufacturing practices (GMP). Based on long-term experience in blood component manufacturing, product traceability and hemovigilance, selected blood services may represent ideal settings for the development and experimental use of ATMP. International harmonization of the protocols and procedures for the preparation of ATMP is of paramount importance to facilitate the development of multicenter clinical trials with adequate sample size, which are urgently needed to determine the clinical efficacy of ATMP. This article describes European regulations on cellular therapy and summarizes the activities of the 'Franco Calori' Cell Factory, a GMP unit belonging to the department of regenerative medicine of a large public university hospital, which acquired a certification for the GMP production of ATMP in 2007 and developed nine experimental clinical protocols during 2003-2011. Copyright © 2011 The International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

International Workshop on Best Practices in Material Hold-Up Monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickett, Chris A; Coates, Cameron W.

2008-01-01

In the fall of 2006, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) hosted an INMM-sponsored International Workshop on Best Practices in Material Hold-Up Monitoring. This workshop represented the first time in over 20 years that the international community had gathered to discuss pertinent hold-up topics and needs. More than one hundred people attended the workshop. Their expertise in the field ranged from novice to expert, and they shared their experiences and expertise throughout the week of the workshop. Presenters discussed techniques that have been used worldwide to detect and characterize nuclear materials held up in processes and equipment and the policies used to report quantities detected. The primary goal of the workshop was to compile information on the best practices and lessons learned and to make this information available for sharing throughout the international community. This paper discusses the information that was produced from four separate working groups (each composed of workshop attendees). Each group was tasked to determine what it felt to be the best practices in the field today and what issues needed to be addressed to move the field forward in the 21st century

Support and Maintenance of the International Monitoring System network

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Jose; Bazarragchaa, Sergelen; Kilgour, Owen; Pretorius, Jacques; Werzi, Robert; Beziat, Guillaume; Hamani, Wacel; Mohammad, Walid; Brely, Natalie

2014-05-01

The Monitoring Facilities Support Section of the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) has as its main task to ensure optimal support and maintenance of an array of 321 monitoring stations and 16 radionuclide laboratories distributed worldwide. Raw seismic, infrasonic, hydroacoustic and radionuclide data from these facilities constitutes the basic product delivered by the International Monitoring System (IMS). In the process of maintaining such a wide array of stations of different technologies, the Support Section contributes to ensuring station mission capability. Mission capable data availability according to the IMS requirements should be at least 98% annually (no more than 7 days down time per year per waveform stations - 14 continuous for radionuclide stations) for continuous data sending stations. In this presentation, we will present our case regarding our intervention at stations to address equipment supportability and maintainability, as these are particularly large activities requiring the removal of a substantial part of the station equipment and installation of new equipment. The objective is always to plan these activities while minimizing downtime and continuing to meet all IMS requirements, including those of data availability mentioned above. We postulate that these objectives are better achieved by planning and making use of preventive maintenance, as opposed to "run-to-failure" with associated corrective maintenance. We use two recently upgraded Infrasound Stations (IS39 Palau and IS52 BIOT) as a case study and establish a comparison between these results and several other stations where corrective maintenance was performed, to demonstrate our hypothesis.

Response of monitors of surface contamination to internal exposition control from 131I in the 'nuclear medicine services'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puerta, Nancy; Rojo, Ana M.; Villella, Adrian; Gossio, Sebastian; Parada, Ines Gomez; Acosta, Norma; Arenas, German

2013-01-01

The IAEA, in its publication RS-G-1.2, proposes individual control of workers occupationally exposed with risk of internal exposure when the potential exposure provided by incorporation leads to a value of annual committed effective dose equal to or greater than 1 mSv. Because the radionuclide 131 I is the most important to control internal exposure in Nuclear Medicine Services, it is evaluated if the surface contamination monitors, commonly used in nuclear medicine centers of Argentina, would implement individual control of internal exposure to 131 I. Selected detectors were calibrated with a dummy neck and thyroid with calibrated sources of 131 I and 133 Ba reference. For each detector is was estimated the detection efficiency for 131 I and its detection limit. Each instrument was evaluated for the lowest effective dose possible to detect compromised by individual routine monitoring with different measurement intervals . We analyzed the response of each team for determining conditions that may be effective for the control of internal exposure of 131 I. Finally , we conclude that the daily individual monitoring surface contamination detectors available in the Nuclear Medicine Services is feasible to implement and ensures detection of significant additions of 131 I

13th Workshop on Radiation Monitoring for the International Space Station - Final Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

The Workshop on Radiation Monitoring for the International Space Station (WRMISS) has been held annually since 1996. The major purpose of WRMISS is to provide a forum for discussion of technical issues concerning radiation dosimetry aboard the International Space Station. This includes discussion of new results, improved instrumentation, detector calibration, and radiation environment and transport models. The goal of WRMISS is to enhance international efforts to provide the best information on the space radiation environment in low-Earth orbit and on the exposure of astronauts and cosmonauts in order to optimize the radiation safety of the ISS crew. During the 13 th Annual WRMISS, held in the Institute of Nuclear Physics (Krakow, Poland) on 8-10 September 2008, participants presented 47 lectures

Assessment of necessary regularity of internal irradiation monitoring on the basis of direct and indirect methods of dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malykhin, V.M.; Ivanova, N.I.

1981-01-01

It is shown that when assessing the necessary periodicity of internal irradiation monitoring, it is required to take account of the nature (rhythm) of radionuclide intake to the organism during the monitoring period, the effective period of radionuclide biological half-life, its activity in the organism, sensitivity of the technique applied and the labour-consumig character of the monitoring method [ru

Individual monitoring of internal exposure of 131I of workers from the nuclear medicine service FUESMEN, Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arenas, G.; Acosta, N.; Venier, V.; Bedoya Toboo, C.

2013-01-01

It is presented the FUESMEN experience in routine monitoring of thyroid internal doses due to inhalation of 131 I in workers of the Nuclear Medicine Service in normal operation or accidental exposure. It is used a surface contamination monitor, type Geiger Mueller, calibrated with a acrylic phantom based on specifications of the simulator of thyroid of ICRU 48 with 131 I reference activity. Through the obtained measurements is achieved to validate the use of Portable Monitor to carry out preliminary exploration on the monitoring scenarios of incidental situations

Requirements for internal contamination monitoring units; Anforderungen an Inkorporationsmessstellen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Werner, E. [GSF, Inst. fuer Biophysikalische Strahlenforschung, Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Beyer, D. [Forschungszentrum Juelich, Abt. ASS (Germany); Doerfel, H. [Hauptabteilung Sicherheit, Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany); Erlenbach, H. [Zentralstelle fuer Sicherheitstechnik NRW, Duesseldorf (Germany); Fischbach, G. [Siemens Brennelementewerk, Hanau (Germany); Henrichs, K. [Siemens AG, Muenchen (Germany); Keller, K.D. [Radiologische Universitaetsklinik, Tuebingen (Germany); Koenig, K. [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz, ISH, Neuherberg (Germany); Riedel, W. [Freie Univ. Berlin, Klinikum Steglitz (Germany); Scheler, R. [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz, FB Strahlenschutz, Berlin (Germany); Schieferdecker, H. [Hauptabteilung Sicherheit, Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany)

1994-12-31

For the evaluation of internal contamination by officially authorized monitoring units according to section 63 (6) of the German radiation protection ordinance, a directive will be prepared in order to define uniform requirements for the laboratories in charge of incorporation monitoring by appointment of the relevant authorities. These requirements refer to equipment, to performance of measurements, to interpretation of measured values, to quality control as well as to documentation and to delivery of results. The duties of such laboratories comprise measurements of radioactivity, evaluation of intakes of radionuclides and of the resulting internal radiation dose, but also transmission of results to the employer, to the central dose registry, and under certain circumstances to the authorities. Among the requirements to be met by the laboratory for incorporation control are a sufficient measuring efficiency, the implementation of in-house checks, and the participation in intercomparison programs. For the accomplishment of such duties the laboratory needs appropriate apparatus, rooms, facilities, and staffing. (orig.) [Deutsch] Zur Ermittlung der Koerperdosen nach Paragraph 63 StrlSchV sind fuer die gemaess Abs. 6 von der zustaendigen Behoerde zu bestimmenden Messstellen in einer Richtlinie einheitliche Anforderungen festzulegen. Diese beziehen sich auf deren Ausstattung, die Durchfuehrung der Messungen, Auswertungen und Qualitaetskontrollen sowie die Aufzeichnung und Uebermittlung der Ergebnisse. Die Aufgaben der Messstellen umfassen die Messungen der Radioaktivitaet im Koerper bzw. in Koerperausscheidungen, die Ermittlung der Zufuhr an Radionukliden sowie der daraus resultierenden Koerperdosis und die Weiterleitung der Ergebnisse an den Auftraggeber, an das zentrale Dosisregister und in bestimmten Faellen an die Behoerde. Zu den von einer Messstelle zu erfuellenden Anforderungen gehoeren eine ausreichende Messeffektivitaet, die Durchfuehrung von Eigenkontrollen

Development of an expert system for the taking into account of uncertainties in the monitoring of internal contaminations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davesne, E.; Blanchardon, E.; Casanova, P.; Chojnacki, E.; Paquet, F.

2010-01-01

Internal contaminations may result from professional exposure and they can be monitored by anthropo-radiometric and radio-toxicological measurements which are interpreted in terms of embedded activity and effective dose by means of biokinetic and dosimetric models. In spite of standards, some uncertainties in the dosimetric interpretation of radio-toxicological measurements may remain. The authors report the development of a software (OPSCI code) which takes into account uncertainties related to the worker internal dosimetry, the calculation of the minimum detectable dose related to an exposure, and the development of a data monitoring programme

Polyomavirus specific cellular immunity: from BK-virus-specific cellular immunity to BK-virus-associated nephropathy ?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

manon edekeyser

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In renal transplantation, BK-virus-associated nephropathy has emerged as a major complication, with a prevalence of 5–10% and graft loss in >50% of cases. BK-virus is a member of the Polyomavirus family and rarely induces apparent clinical disease in the general population. However, replication of polyomaviruses, associated with significant organ disease, is observed in patients with acquired immunosuppression, which suggests a critical role for virus-specific cellular immunity to control virus replication and prevent chronic disease. Monitoring of specific immunity combined with viral load could be used to individually assess the risk of viral reactivation and virus control. We review the current knowledge on BK-virus specific cellular immunity and, more specifically, in immunocompromised patients. In the future, immune-based therapies could allow us to treat and prevent BK-virus-associated nephropathy.

Novel method for fog monitoring using cellular networks infrastructures

Science.gov (United States)

David, N.; Alpert, P.; Messer, H.

2012-08-01

A major detrimental effect of fog is visibility limitation which can result in serious transportation accidents, traffic delays and therefore economic damage. Existing monitoring techniques including satellites, transmissometers and human observers - suffer from low spatial resolution, high cost or lack of precision when measuring near ground level. Here we show a novel technique for fog monitoring using wireless communication systems. Communication networks widely deploy commercial microwave links across the terrain at ground level. Operating at frequencies of tens of GHz they are affected by fog and are, effectively, an existing, spatially world-wide distributed sensor network that can provide crucial information about fog concentration and visibility. Fog monitoring potential is demonstrated for a heavy fog event that took place in Israel. The correlation between transmissomters and human eye observations to the visibility estimates from the nearby microwave links was found to be 0.53 and 0.61, respectively. These values indicate the high potential of the proposed method.

Effects of tritiated water ingestion on mice: II. Damage at cellular vis-a-vis subcellular level monitored up to four generations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, P.N.; Sharan, R.N.; Pozzi, L.

1983-01-01

Damage at cellular level is measured using colony forming units in spleen (CFU-S) technique while that at subcellular level by DNA unwinding technique. The damage is monitored up to four generations in Swiss albino mice. The results show drastically reduced colony forming ability in mice bone marrow cells (BMC). On plotting survival fractions (percent of control) for BMC against generations of mice, the plateau is found around 50% survival. The role of DNA in colony forming ability of BMC is tested. The results indicate that, at least, initial impairment of colony ability is not DNA dependent but related to some other factor(s)

Imaging reporter gene for monitoring gene therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beco, V. de; Baillet, G.; Tamgac, F.; Tofighi, M.; Weinmann, P.; Vergote, J.; Moretti, J.L.; Tamgac, G.

2002-01-01

Scintigraphic images can be obtained to document gene function at cellular level. This approach is presented here and the use of a reporter gene to monitor gene therapy is described. Two main ways are presented: either the use of a reporter gene coding for an enzyme the action of which will be monitored by radiolabeled pro-drug, or a cellular receptor gene, the action of which is documented by a radio labeled cognate receptor ligand. (author)

Spatiotemporal monitoring of Bakhtegan Lake's areal fluctuations and an exploration of its future status by applying a cellular automata model

Science.gov (United States)

Jokar Arsanjani, Taghi; Javidan, Reza; Nazemosadat, Mohamad Jafar; Jokar Arsanjani, Jamal; Vaz, Eric

2015-05-01

Recent developments of geospatial technologies and models have provided environmentalists and naturalists with a wide variety of facilities and approaches for improved monitoring and management of environmental resources. Rich temporal remote sensing datasets, e.g., Landsat imagery as well as geospatial modeling techniques, facilitate the process of monitoring and modeling environmental phenomena. The main objective of this paper is to monitor the spatiotemporal patterns of fluctuations of a dynamic lake in the south of Iran - Bakhtegan Lake - which has been influenced by extreme climate change conditions. To do so, a temporal coverage of 12 Landsat images from 1973 to 2013, was used to delineate the boundaries of the lake over time and analyze the occurred changes. Next, a cellular automata (CA) approach was adopted for simulating two main processes: 'lake expansion' and 'lake shrinkage'. The CA model was then calibrated based on a statistical comparison of the simulated and actual images of one timestamp. Application of Kappa index analysis measures the performance of the model at a value of 83 percent. The calibrated CA model was then applied and the future status of the lake (by 2017) was modeled; this suggested a further 45 percent shrinkage in addition to its recent 42 percent shrinkage. In conclusion, the socio-ecological impacts and consequences of the lake's fluctuations are discussed in detail and some complementary recommendations are proposed.

ANITA Air Monitoring on the International Space Station: Results Compared to Other Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Honne, A.; Schumann-Olsen, H.; Kaspersen, K.; Limero, T.; Macatangay, A.; Mosebach, H.; Kampf, D.; Mudgett, P. D.; James, J. T.; Tan, G.;

CRISPR/Cas9 Mediated GFP Knock-in at the MAP1LC3B Locus in 293FT Cells Is Better for Bona Fide Monitoring Cellular Autophagy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zhiqiang; Zhao, Jinlin; Qiu, Minghan; Mi, Zeyun; Meng, Maobin; Guo, Yu; Wang, Hui; Yuan, Zhiyong

2018-04-19

Accurately identifying and quantifying cellular autophagy is very important as the significance of autophagy in physiological and pathological processes becomes increasingly evident. Ectopically expressed fluorescent-tagged microtubule-associated protein light chain 3B (MAP1LC3B, LC3) is the most widely used reporter for monitoring autophagy activity thus far. However, this approach ignores the influence of constitutively overexpressed LC3 on autophagy itself and autophagy-related processes and its accuracy in indicating autophagy is questionable. Here, we generated a knock-in GFP-LC3 reporter via the CRISPR/Cas9 system in 293FT cells to add GFP to the N-terminal of and in frame with endogenous LC3. We proved that this knock-in GFP-LC3 was expressed at biological level driven by the endogenous transcriptional regulatory elements as the wild type alleles. Compared with the ectopically expressed GFP-LC3, the endogenous knock-in reporter exhibited much higher sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio of GFP-LC3 puncta upon the induction or inhibition of autophagy at certain step for monitoring autophagy activity. Thus, according to the previous reported concerning and the results presented here, we suggest that this knock-in GFP-LC3 reporter is better for bona fide monitoring cellular autophagy and should be employed for further study of autophagy in vitro and in vivo. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hydrogen Peroxide Probes Directed to Different Cellular Compartments

Science.gov (United States)

Malinouski, Mikalai; Zhou, You; Belousov, Vsevolod V.; Hatfield, Dolph L.; Gladyshev, Vadim N.

2011-01-01

Background Controlled generation and removal of hydrogen peroxide play important roles in cellular redox homeostasis and signaling. We used a hydrogen peroxide biosensor HyPer, targeted to different compartments, to examine these processes in mammalian cells. Principal Findings Reversible responses were observed to various redox perturbations and signaling events. HyPer expressed in HEK 293 cells was found to sense low micromolar levels of hydrogen peroxide. When targeted to various cellular compartments, HyPer occurred in the reduced state in the nucleus, cytosol, peroxisomes, mitochondrial intermembrane space and mitochondrial matrix, but low levels of the oxidized form of the biosensor were also observed in each of these compartments, consistent with a low peroxide tone in mammalian cells. In contrast, HyPer was mostly oxidized in the endoplasmic reticulum. Using this system, we characterized control of hydrogen peroxide in various cell systems, such as cells deficient in thioredoxin reductase, sulfhydryl oxidases or subjected to selenium deficiency. Generation of hydrogen peroxide could also be monitored in various compartments following signaling events. Conclusions We found that HyPer can be used as a valuable tool to monitor hydrogen peroxide generated in different cellular compartments. The data also show that hydrogen peroxide generated in one compartment could translocate to other compartments. Our data provide information on compartmentalization, dynamics and homeostatic control of hydrogen peroxide in mammalian cells. PMID:21283738

Hydrogen peroxide probes directed to different cellular compartments.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikalai Malinouski

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Controlled generation and removal of hydrogen peroxide play important roles in cellular redox homeostasis and signaling. We used a hydrogen peroxide biosensor HyPer, targeted to different compartments, to examine these processes in mammalian cells.Reversible responses were observed to various redox perturbations and signaling events. HyPer expressed in HEK 293 cells was found to sense low micromolar levels of hydrogen peroxide. When targeted to various cellular compartments, HyPer occurred in the reduced state in the nucleus, cytosol, peroxisomes, mitochondrial intermembrane space and mitochondrial matrix, but low levels of the oxidized form of the biosensor were also observed in each of these compartments, consistent with a low peroxide tone in mammalian cells. In contrast, HyPer was mostly oxidized in the endoplasmic reticulum. Using this system, we characterized control of hydrogen peroxide in various cell systems, such as cells deficient in thioredoxin reductase, sulfhydryl oxidases or subjected to selenium deficiency. Generation of hydrogen peroxide could also be monitored in various compartments following signaling events.We found that HyPer can be used as a valuable tool to monitor hydrogen peroxide generated in different cellular compartments. The data also show that hydrogen peroxide generated in one compartment could translocate to other compartments. Our data provide information on compartmentalization, dynamics and homeostatic control of hydrogen peroxide in mammalian cells.

Monitoring internal organ motion with continuous wave radar in CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfanner, Florian; Maier, Joscha; Allmendinger, Thomas; Flohr, Thomas; Kachelrieß, Marc

2013-01-01

Purpose: To avoid motion artifacts in medical imaging or to minimize the exposure of healthy tissues in radiation therapy, medical devices are often synchronized with the patient's respiratory motion. Today's respiratory motion monitors require additional effort to prepare the patients, e.g., mounting a motion belt or placing an optical reflector on the patient's breast. Furthermore, they are not able to measure internal organ motion without implanting markers. An interesting alternative to assess the patient's organ motion is continuous wave radar. The aim of this work is to design, implement, and evaluate such a radar system focusing on application in CT.Methods: The authors designed a radar system operating in the 860 MHz band to monitor the patient motion. In the intended application of the radar system, the antennas are located close to the patient's body inside the table of a CT system. One receive and four transmitting antennas are used to avoid the requirement of exact patient positioning. The radar waves propagate into the patient's body and are reflected at tissue boundaries, for example at the borderline between muscle and adipose tissue, or at the boundaries of organs. At present, the authors focus on the detection of respiratory motion. The radar system consists of the hardware mentioned above as well as of dedicated signal processing software to extract the desired information from the radar signal. The system was evaluated using simulations and measurements. To simulate the radar system, a simulation model based on radar and wave field equations was designed and 4D respiratory-gated CT data sets were used as input. The simulated radar signals and the measured data were processed in the same way. The radar system hardware and the signal processing algorithms were tested with data from ten volunteers. As a reference, the respiratory motion signal was recorded using a breast belt simultaneously with the radar measurements.Results: Concerning the

The nucleolus—guardian of cellular homeostasis and genome integrity.

Science.gov (United States)

Grummt, Ingrid

2013-12-01

All organisms sense and respond to conditions that stress their homeostasis by downregulating the synthesis of rRNA and ribosome biogenesis, thus designating the nucleolus as the central hub in coordinating the cellular stress response. One of the most intriguing roles of the nucleolus, long regarded as a mere ribosome-producing factory, is its participation in monitoring cellular stress signals and transmitting them to the RNA polymerase I (Pol I) transcription machinery. As rRNA synthesis is a most energy-consuming process, switching off transcription of rRNA genes is an effective way of saving the energy required to maintain cellular homeostasis during acute stress. The Pol I transcription machinery is the key convergence point that collects and integrates a vast array of information from cellular signaling cascades to regulate ribosome production which, in turn, guides cell growth and proliferation. This review focuses on the mechanisms that link cell physiology to rDNA silencing, a prerequisite for nucleolar integrity and cell survival.

Ground truth data collection on mining industrial explosions registered by the International Monitoring System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehl'tekov, A.Yu.; Gordon, V.P.; Firsov, V.A.; Chervyakov, V.B.

2004-01-01

The presentation is dedicated to organizational and technical issues connected with the task of Comprehensive Test-Ban-Treaty Organization timely notification on large chemical explosions including data on explosion location and time, on applied explosive substance quantity and type, and also on configuration and assumed purpose of explosion. Explosions registered by International Monitoring System are of special interest. Their data could be used for calibration of the monitoring system. Ground truth data collection and some explosions location results on Russia's mining enterprises were given. Ground truth data collection peculiarities according to mining industrial explosions were considered. (author)

Towards a Long-Term Strategy for Voluntary-Based Internal Radiation Contamination Monitoring: Representativeness of the Monitoring Results in Fukushima, Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuhei Nomura

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Following Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear incident, voluntary participation, rather than mandatory, was adopted as the default scenario for individual radiation monitoring. We evaluated the representativeness of the internal monitoring results from voluntary participants in Minamisoma City, which is located 10–40 km from the Fukushima nuclear plant. Of approximately 70,000 individuals who were residing in Minamisoma City before the incident, a total of 19,263 residents (aged ≥21 years participated in the monitoring from 1 October 2011 to 31 March 2015. Based on regression projection techniques with the available data obtained from the voluntary participants, the modeled probabilities of radiocesium (Cs detection in October 2011 for Cs-137 and Cs-134 were 66.9% and 52.9%, respectively, which declined dramatically within a year following the incident. The rate of decline had stagnated since mid-2012, and the probability was close to zero after mid-2014. Sufficient agreement between the modeled probabilities of Cs detection (for the whole population versus the measured Cs levels (for voluntary participants was observed, except for Cs-134 in October 2011, indicating that the voluntary monitoring participant group was a good representative sample. Our findings affirmed the clinical importance of voluntary-based monitoring as a screening and dose-assessment tool in a post-nuclear incident. Our study informs societal decision-making regarding the long-term maintenance of the monitoring program under the current low exposure levels.

Correlating two-photon excited fluorescence imaging of breast cancer cellular redox state with seahorse flux analysis of normalized cellular oxygen consumption

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Jue; Wright, Heather J.; Chan, Nicole; Tran, Richard; Razorenova, Olga V.; Potma, Eric O.; Tromberg, Bruce J.

2016-06-01

Two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) imaging of the cellular cofactors nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and oxidized flavin adenine dinucleotide is widely used to measure cellular metabolism, both in normal and pathological cells and tissues. When dual-wavelength excitation is used, ratiometric TPEF imaging of the intrinsic cofactor fluorescence provides a metabolic index of cells-the "optical redox ratio" (ORR). With increased interest in understanding and controlling cellular metabolism in cancer, there is a need to evaluate the performance of ORR in malignant cells. We compare TPEF metabolic imaging with seahorse flux analysis of cellular oxygen consumption in two different breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). We monitor metabolic index in living cells under both normal culture conditions and, for MCF-7, in response to cell respiration inhibitors and uncouplers. We observe a significant correlation between the TPEF-derived ORR and the flux analyzer measurements (R=0.7901, p<0.001). Our results confirm that the ORR is a valid dynamic index of cell metabolism under a range of oxygen consumption conditions relevant for cancer imaging.

Epidemiological Safety Surveillance of Cellular Telephones in the US (invited paper)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dreyer, N.A.; Loughlin, J.E.; Rothman, K.J.

1999-01-01

In 1994 a surveillance programme was initiated to monitor the effects of exposure to the human head from radiofrequency waves, such as those emitted from handheld cellular telephones. Cellular carriers contributed information about 1.5 million telephone account holders, their phones and two months of data on minutes used and number of calls. Cellular telephone manufacturers provided data that allowed classification of phones as analogue or digital and a handheld or mobile (car or bag) for 67% of the phones. Thus far 1,021,767 individuals have been identified who had at least one active cellular telephone account in 1994 and/or 1995 and who used either a handheld (41%) or a mobile (59%) phone during the study period, but not both. Seventy-four per cent of the cohort had used their cellular phone for ≥2 years, and 30% for ≥3 years. (author)

Empirical study on entropy models of cellular manufacturing systems

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zhifeng Zhang; Renbin Xiao

2009-01-01

From the theoretical point of view,the states of manufacturing resources can be monitored and assessed through the amount of information needed to describe their technological structure and operational state.The amount of information needed to describe cellular manufacturing systems is investigated by two measures:the structural entropy and the operational entropy.Based on the Shannon entropy,the models of the structural entropy and the operational entropy of cellular manufacturing systems are developed,and the cognizance of the states of manufacturing resources is also illustrated.Scheduling is introduced to measure the entropy models of cellular manufacturing systems,and the feasible concepts of maximum schedule horizon and schedule adherence are advanced to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of schedules.Finally,an example is used to demonstrate the validity of the proposed methodology.

A sentinel protein assay for simultaneously quantifying cellular processes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Soste, M.; Hrabáková, Rita; Wanka, S.; Melnik, A.; Boersema, P.; Maiolica, A.; Wernas, T.; Tognetti, M.; von Mering, Ch.; Picotti, P.

2014-01-01

Roč. 11, č. 10 (2014), s. 1045-1048 ISSN 1548-7091 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ED2.1.00/03.0124 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : targeted proteomics * selected reaction monitoring * cellular signaling Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 32.072, year: 2014

Strategies of business interna-cionalization in digital products. A Brazilian cellular telephony case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Sidney Ferreira

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The cellular telephony market crossed expressive changes of late years. The explosion of consumption, the globalization and the technological advances transformed the cellular market into the one of the most competitive in the world.  This scenery promotes the interest of promising nations, like Brazil, today, the sixth biggest cellular market. The more used alternative, of late years, by international companies that intend to go into these countries, has been the strategist alliances. In this article, it is intended to analyze the inter-national  alliance  between  Nokia  and  Gradient and  also  the  obtained  results.  The case shows the appropriation of the use of cooperation strategies for going into an international market.

THE CHALLENGE OF CIEMAT INTERNAL DOSIMETRY SERVICE FOR ACCREDITATION ACCORDING TO ISO/IEC 17025 STANDARD, FOR IN VIVO AND IN VITRO MONITORING AND DOSE ASSESSMENT OF INTERNAL EXPOSURES.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, M A; Martin, R; Hernandez, C; Navarro, J F; Navarro, T; Perez, B; Sierra, I

2016-09-01

The accreditation of an Internal Dosimetry Service (IDS) according to ISO/IEC 17025 Standard is a challenge. The aim of this process is to guarantee the technical competence for the monitoring of radionuclides incorporated in the body and for the evaluation of the associated committed effective dose E(50). This publication describes the main accreditation issues addressed by CIEMAT IDS regarding all the procedures involving good practice in internal dosimetry, focussing in the difficulties to ensure the traceability in the whole process, the appropriate calculation of detection limit of measurement techniques, the validation of methods (monitoring and dose assessments), the description of all the uncertainty sources and the interpretation of monitoring data to evaluate the intake and the committed effective dose. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Biomolecular Analysis Capability for Cellular and Omics Research on the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Guinart-Ramirez, Y.; Cooley, V. M.; Love, J. E.

2016-01-01

International Space Station (ISS) assembly complete ushered a new era focused on utilization of this state-of-the-art orbiting laboratory to advance science and technology research in a wide array of disciplines, with benefits to Earth and space exploration. ISS enabling capability for research in cellular and molecular biology includes equipment for in situ, on-orbit analysis of biomolecules. Applications of this growing capability range from biomedicine and biotechnology to the emerging field of Omics. For example, Biomolecule Sequencer is a space-based miniature DNA sequencer that provides nucleotide sequence data for entire samples, which may be used for purposes such as microorganism identification and astrobiology. It complements the use of WetLab-2 SmartCycler"TradeMark", which extracts RNA and provides real-time quantitative gene expression data analysis from biospecimens sampled or cultured onboard the ISS, for downlink to ground investigators, with applications ranging from clinical tissue evaluation to multigenerational assessment of organismal alterations. And the Genes in Space-1 investigation, aimed at examining epigenetic changes, employs polymerase chain reaction to detect immune system alterations. In addition, an increasing assortment of tools to visualize the subcellular distribution of tagged macromolecules is becoming available onboard the ISS. For instance, the NASA LMM (Light Microscopy Module) is a flexible light microscopy imaging facility that enables imaging of physical and biological microscopic phenomena in microgravity. Another light microscopy system modified for use in space to image life sciences payloads is initially used by the Heart Cells investigation ("Effects of Microgravity on Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes for Human Cardiovascular Disease Modeling and Drug Discovery"). Also, the JAXA Microscope system can perform remotely controllable light, phase-contrast, and fluorescent observations. And upcoming confocal microscopy

International Collaboration in the field of GNSS-Meteorology and Climate Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, J.; Guerova, G.; Dousa, J.; Bock, O.; Elgered, G.; Vedel, H.; Pottiaux, E.; de Haan, S.; Pacione, R.; Dick, G.; Wang, J.; Gutman, S. I.; Wickert, J.; Rannat, K.; Liu, G.; Braun, J. J.; Shoji, Y.

2012-12-01

International collaboration in the field of GNSS-meteorology and climate monitoring is essential, as severe weather and climate change have no respect for national boundaries. The use of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for meteorological purposes is an established atmospheric observing technique, which can accurately sense water vapour, the most abundant greenhouse gas, accounting for 60-70% of atmospheric warming. Severe weather forecasting is challenging, in part due to the high temporal and spatial variation of atmospheric water vapour. Water vapour is currently under-sampled and obtaining and exploiting more high-quality humidity observations is essential to severe weather forecasting and climate monitoring. A proposed EU COST Action (http://www.cost.eu) will address new and improved capabilities from concurrent developments in both GNSS and atmospheric communities to improve (short-range) weather forecasts and climate projections. For the first time, the synergy of the three GNSS systems, GPS, GLONASS and Galileo, will be used to develop new, advanced tropospheric products, stimulating the full potential exploitation of multi-GNSS water vapour estimates on a wide range of temporal and spatial scales, from real-time severe weather monitoring and forecasting to climate research. The Action will work in close collaboration with the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Reference Upper Air Network (GRUAN), GNSS Precipitable Water Task Team (TT). GRUAN is a global reference observing network, designed to meet climate requirements and to fill a major void in the current global observing system. GRUAN observations will provide long-term, high-quality data to determine climatic trends and to constrain and validate data from space-based remote sensors. Ground-based GNSS PW was identified as a Priority 1 measurement for GRUAN, and the GNSS-PW TT's goal is to develop explicit guidance on hardware, software and data management practices to obtain GNSS PW

The Hamburg polonium-210 case. Monitoring of internal contaminations in a malevolent act

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalheimer, A.; Koenig, K.; Nosske, D.; Schaefer, I.

2009-01-01

The dead of Alexander Litvinenko in London in the late 2006 was linked with the visit of Dimitri Kovtun. So an investigation was started by the Hamburg Police. As the presence of polonium-210 was uncertain, the action was supported by the Federal Defense against Nuclear Hazards (NGA) of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). Radiation measurements in some flats in Hamburg confirmed the suspicion of polonium-210 contaminations. As incorporations by ingestion or inhalation could not generally be excluded, the Coordinating Office on Incorporation Monitoring of the BfS (Leitstelle Inkorporationsueberwachung des BfS) was requested to clarify this issue. The BfS office then coordinated the required bioassay analyses of urine samples carried out at four officially appointed in-vitro laboratories for incorporation monitoring. The group of people to be examined included the members of the family involved living in the contaminated flats, the emergency forces, as well as potentially exposed members of the public. The calculation of the internal dose was based on standard assumptions and also conducted by the BfS. The internal radiation doses proved to be within the range of radiation doses due to natural exposures. Retrospectively it should be stressed that the collaboration and cooperation of all institutions involved in the operation in Hamburg was extremely good despite their differing organisational structures. As a result of the incident in Hamburg various middle and long-term measures have been taken since then by the BfS Coordinating Office on Incorporation Monitoring. (orig.)

Addressing critical environmental data gaps via low-cost, real-time, cellular-based environmental monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Caylor, K. K.; Wolf, A.; Siegfried, B.

2014-12-01

Models in the environmental sciences are repositories in a sense of the current state of understanding of critical processes. However, as our understanding of these processes (and their accompanying models) become more granular, the data requirements to parameterize them become more limiting. In addition, as these models become more useful, they are often pressed into service for decision support, meaning that they cannot accept the data latency typical of most environmental observations. Finally, the vast majority of environmental data is generated at highly-instrumented, infrastructure-rich "mega sites" in the US/Europe, while many of the most pressing environmental issues are in rural locales and in the developing world. Cellular-based environmental sensing is a promising means to provide granular data in real time from remote locales to improve model-based forecasting using data assimilation. Applications we are working on include drought forecasting and food security; forest and crop responses to weather and climate change; and rural water usage. Over the past two years, we have developed a suite of integrated hardware, firmware, and backend APIs that accommodates an unlimited variety of sensors, and propagates these data onto the internet over mobile networks. Scientific data holds a unique role for demanding well-characterized information on sensor error and our design attempts to balance error reduction with low costs. The result is a deployment system that undercuts competing commercial products by as much as 90%, allowing more ubiquitous deployment with lower risks associated with sensor loss. Enclosure design and power management are critical ingredients for remote deployments under variable environmental conditions. Sensors push data onto cloud storage and make this data available via public API's via a backend server that accommodates additional metadata essential for interpreting observations, particularly their measurement errors. The data these pods

Uncovering the footprints of malicious traffic in cellular data networks

OpenAIRE

Raghuramu, A; Zang, H; Chuah, CN

2015-01-01

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. In this paper, we present a comprehensive characterization of malicious traffic generated by mobile devices using Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) records and security event logs from a large US based cellular provider network. Our analysis reveals that 0.17% of mobile devices in the cellular network are affected by security threats. This proportion, while small, is orders of magnitude higher than the last reported (in 2013) infection rate of ...

Adaptive cellular structures and devices with internal features for enhanced structural performance

Science.gov (United States)

Pontecorvo, Michael Eugene

This dissertation aims to develop a family of cellular and repeatable devices that exhibit a variety of force-displacement behaviors. It is envisioned that these cellular structures might be used either as stand-alone elements, or combined and repeated to create multiple types of structures (i.e. buildings, ship hulls, vehicle subfloors, etc.) with the ability to passively or actively perform multiple functions (harmonic energy dissipation, impact mitigation, modulus change) over a range of loading types, amplitudes, and frequencies. To accomplish this goal, this work combines repeatable structural frameworks, such as that provided by a hexagonal cellular structure, with internal structural elements such as springs, viscous dampers, buckling plates, bi-stable von Mises trusses (VMTs), and pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs). The repeatable framework serves to position damping and load carrying elements throughout the structure, and the configuration of the internal elements allow each cell to be tuned to exhibit a desired force-displacement response. Therefore, gradient structures or structures with variable load paths can be created for an optimal global response to a range of loads. This dissertation focuses on the development of cellular structures for three functions: combined load-carrying capability with harmonic energy dissipation, impact mitigation, and cell modulus variation. One or more conceptual designs are presented for devices that can perform each of these functions, and both experimental measurements and simulations are used to gain a fundamental understanding of each device. Chapter 2 begins with a presentation of a VMT model that is the basis for many of the elements. The equations of motion for the VMT are derived and the static and dynamic behavior of the VMT are discussed in detail. Next, two metrics for the energy dissipation of the VMT - hysteresis loop area and loss factor - are presented. The responses of the VMT to harmonic displacement

Divertor impurity monitor for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Sugie, T.; Ogawa, H.; Nishitani, T.; Kasai, S.; Katsunuma, J.; Maruo, M.; Ebisawa, K.; Ando, T.; Kita, Y.

1999-01-01

The divertor impurity monitoring system of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor has been designed. The main functions of this system are to identify impurity species and to measure the two-dimensional distributions of the particle influxes in the divertor plasmas. The wavelength range is 200-1000 nm. The viewing fans are realized by molybdenum mirrors located in the divertor cassette. With additional viewing fans seeing through the gap between the divertor cassettes, the region approximately from the divertor leg to the x point will be observed. The light from the divertor region passes through the quartz windows on the divertor port plug and the cryostat, and goes through the dog-leg optics in the biological shield. Three different type of spectrometers: (i) survey spectrometers for impurity species monitoring, (ii) filter spectrometers for the particle influx measurement with the spatial resolution of 10 mm and the time resolution of 1 ms, and (iii) high dispersion spectrometers for high resolution wavelength measurements are designed. These spectrometers are installed just behind the biological shield (for λthe transmission loss in fiber and in the diagnostic room (for λ⩾450 nm) from the point of view of accessibility and flexibility. The optics have been optimized by a ray trace analysis. As a result, 10-15 mm spatial resolution will be achieved in all regions of the divertor.

Development of a new cellular solid breeder for enhanced tritium production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharafat, Shahram; Williams, Brian; Ghoniem, Nasr; Ghoniem, Adam; Shimada, Masashi; Ying, Alice

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A new cellular solid breeder is presented with 2 to 3× the thermal conductivity and substantially higher density (∼90%) compared with pebble beds. • The cellular solid breeder contains an internal network of interconnected open micro-channels (∼50 –100 μm diam.) for efficient tritium release. • Cellular breeders are made by melt-infiltrating Li-based ceramic materials into an open-cell carbon foam followed by removal of the foam. • High temperature (750 °C and 40 °C/mm) cyclic compression tests demonstrated good structural integrity (no cracking) and low Young’s modulus of of <5 GPa. • Deuterium absorption–desorption release rates were comparable with those from pebble beds with similar characteristic T-diffusion lengths. - Abstract: A new high-performance cellular solid breeder is presented that has several times the thermal conductivity and is substantially denser compared with sphere-packed breeder beds. The cellular breeder is fabricated using a patented process of melt-infiltrating ceramic breeder material into an open-cell carbon foam. Following solidification the carbon foam is removed by oxidation. This process results in a near 90% dense robust freestanding breeder in a block configuration with an internal network of open interconnected micro-channels for tritium release. The network of interconnected micro-channels was investigated using X-ray tomography. Aside from increased density and thermal conductivity relative to pebble beds, high temperature sintering is eliminated and thermal durability is increased. Cellular breeder morphology, thermal conductivity, specific heat, porosity levels, high temperature mechanical properties, and deuterium charging-desorption rates are presented.

Development of a new cellular solid breeder for enhanced tritium production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharafat, Shahram, E-mail: sharams@gmail.com [University of California Los Angeles, 420 Westwood Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90095-1587 (United States); Williams, Brian [Ultramet, Pacoima, CA 91331-2210 (United States); Ghoniem, Nasr [University of California Los Angeles, 420 Westwood Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90095-1587 (United States); Ghoniem, Adam [Digital Materials Solutions, Inc., Westwood, CA 90024 (United States); Shimada, Masashi [Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 (United States); Ying, Alice [University of California Los Angeles, 420 Westwood Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90095-1587 (United States)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • A new cellular solid breeder is presented with 2 to 3× the thermal conductivity and substantially higher density (∼90%) compared with pebble beds. • The cellular solid breeder contains an internal network of interconnected open micro-channels (∼50 –100 μm diam.) for efficient tritium release. • Cellular breeders are made by melt-infiltrating Li-based ceramic materials into an open-cell carbon foam followed by removal of the foam. • High temperature (750 °C and 40 °C/mm) cyclic compression tests demonstrated good structural integrity (no cracking) and low Young’s modulus of of <5 GPa. • Deuterium absorption–desorption release rates were comparable with those from pebble beds with similar characteristic T-diffusion lengths. - Abstract: A new high-performance cellular solid breeder is presented that has several times the thermal conductivity and is substantially denser compared with sphere-packed breeder beds. The cellular breeder is fabricated using a patented process of melt-infiltrating ceramic breeder material into an open-cell carbon foam. Following solidification the carbon foam is removed by oxidation. This process results in a near 90% dense robust freestanding breeder in a block configuration with an internal network of open interconnected micro-channels for tritium release. The network of interconnected micro-channels was investigated using X-ray tomography. Aside from increased density and thermal conductivity relative to pebble beds, high temperature sintering is eliminated and thermal durability is increased. Cellular breeder morphology, thermal conductivity, specific heat, porosity levels, high temperature mechanical properties, and deuterium charging-desorption rates are presented.

Mobile environmental radiation monitoring station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assido, H.; Shemesh, Y.; Mazor, T.; Tal, N.; Barak, D.

1997-01-01

A mobile environmental radiation monitoring station has been developed and established for the Israeli Ministry of Environment. The radiation monitoring station is ready for immediate placing in any required location, or can be operated from a vehicle. The station collects data Tom the detector and transfers it via cellular communication network to a Computerized Control Center for data storage, processing, and display . The mobile station is fully controlled from the. Routinely, the mobile station responses to the data request accumulated since the last communication session. In case of fault or alarm condition in the mobile station, a local claim is activated and immediately initiates communication with the via cellular communication network. (authors)

Matrix effect correction with internal flux monitor in radiation waste characterization with the Differential Die-away Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antoni, Rodolphe; Passard, Christian; Loridon, Joel; Perot, Bertrand; Batifol, Marc; Tarnec, Stephane-le; Guillaumin, Francois; Grassi, Gabriele; Strock, Pierre

2013-06-01

Radioactive waste drums filled with compacted metallic residues (spent fuel hulls and nozzles) produced at AREVA La Hague reprocessing plant are measured by neutron interrogation with the Differential Die-away measurement Technique (DDT). The purpose is to assay fissile material quantities present in radioactive waste packages. In the future, old hulls and nozzles containing Ion-Exchange Resin (IER) will be measured. IERs provide moderating properties to the matrix, not encountered during the current measurement. In this context, the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory (NML) of the CEA Cadarache has been asked by AREVA NC to explore the possibility of implementing a matrix effect correction method, based on internal monitor ( 3 He proportional counter) signal correlated to the matrix effect. In order to validate this method, a benchmark was performed with PROMETHEE 6 R and D measurement cell at the NML, with a similar cavity configuration to that of the industrial station. An experience design on two main factors regarding the matrix effect (absorbing and moderating ratios) has been studied. Considering the variation range of both factors for old waste measurement, 5 test matrices have been defined. They have been measured in PROMETHEE 6 and simulated using the particle transport code MCNP. Tests have been carried out experimentally using 235 U platelets. Results show that the experimental internal monitor is sensitive to the matrix but not to the fissile material presence and location. In addition, differences between experiment and model are satisfactory (<10%), in terms of prompt calibration coefficient (useful signal of fissile materials) and internal monitor signal, considering the complexity of the measurement method and numerical model, and the large range of moderator and absorption ratios. The relationship between the prompt calibration coefficient and the internal monitor signal observed in PROMETHEE 6, both for experience and model, can be fitted with a

Matrix effect correction with internal flux monitor in radiation waste characterization with the differential die-away technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antoni, R.; Passard, C.; Loridon, J.; Perot, B.; Batifol, M.; Tarnec, S. le; Guillaumin, F.; Grassi, G.; Strock, P.

2014-01-01

Radioactive waste drums filled with compacted metallic residues (spent fuel hulls and nozzles) produced at AREVA La Hague reprocessing plant are measured by neutron interrogation with the Differential Die-away measurement Technique (DDT). The purpose is to assay fissile material quantities present in radioactive waste packages. In the future, old hulls and nozzles containing Ion-Exchange Resin (IER) will be measured. IERs provide moderating properties to the matrix, not encountered during the current measurement. In this context, the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory (NML) of the CEA Cadarache has been asked by AREVA NC to explore the possibility of implementing a matrix effect correction method, based on internal monitor ( 3 He proportional counter) signal correlated to the matrix effect. In order to validate this method, a benchmark was performed with PROMETHEE 6 R and D measurement cell at the NML, with a similar cavity configuration to that of the industrial station. An experimental design on two main factors regarding the matrix effect (absorbing and moderating ratios) has been studied. Considering the variation range of both factors for old waste measurement, 5 test matrices have been defined. They have been measured in PROMETHEE 6 and simulated using the particle transport code MCNP. Tests have been carried out experimentally using platelets. Results show that the experimental internal monitor is sensitive to the matrix but not to the fissile material presence and location. In addition, differences between experiment and model are satisfactory (≤10%), in terms of prompt calibration coefficient (useful signal of fissile materials) and internal monitor signal, considering the complexity of the measurement method and numerical model, and the large range of moderator and absorption ratios. The relationship between the prompt calibration coefficient and the internal monitor signal observed in PROMETHEE 6, both for experience and model, can be fitted with a similar

Perceptions of growth monitoring and promotion among an international panel of district medical officers.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberfroid, Dominique; Lefèvre, Pierre; Hoerée, Tom; Kolsteren, Patrick

2005-09-01

The growth chart has been proposed as an educational tool to make the child's growth visible to both health workers and caregivers and to enhance communication between them. In the case of growth faltering, this would trigger timely corrective measures. Although the relevance of growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) has often been questioned in the literature, opinions of District Medical Officers responsible for local implementation of GMP are unknown. The aim of this qualitative research was to explore the perceptions and difficulties of an international panel of District Medical Officers regarding GMP. As an exploratory study, in-depth interviews of an international panel of District Medical Officers (n=19) were conducted. Data were coded using the QSR Nudist 5.0 software. A discrepancy between intended purposes and practice of GMP was detected at two levels. First, lack of participation of care-givers was reported. Second, the District Medical Officers expressed a restrictive interpretation of the concept of growth monitoring. The communication with parents was never reported as a means or a result of GMP, neither as an evaluation criterion of programme efficiency. The growth chart was mainly considered a tool intended to be used by health services for the purpose of diagnosis. This two-fold discrepancy between the intention of international policy-planners and practice of local programme implementers could be a crucial factor affecting the performance of GMP. More emphasis should be put on social communication and involvement of caregivers.

Monitoring stress among internal medicine residents: an experience-driven, practical and short measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Myszkowski, Nils; Villoing, Barbara; Zenasni, Franck; Jaury, Philippe; Boujut, Emilie

2017-07-01

Residents experience severely high levels of stress, depression and burnout, leading to perceived medical errors, as well as to symptoms of impairment, such as chronic anger, cognitive impairment, suicidal behavior and substance abuse. Because research has not yet provided a psychometrically robust population-specific tool to measure the level of stress of medicine residents, we aimed at building and validating such a measure. Using an inductive scale development approach, a short, pragmatic measure was built, based on the interviews of 17 medicine residents. The Internal Medicine Residency Stress Scale (IMRSS) was then administered in a sample of 259 internal medicine residents (199 females, 60 males, M Age  = 25.6) along with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Satisfaction With Life Scale and Ways of Coping Checklist. The IMRSS showed satisfactory internal reliability (Cronbach's α = .86), adequate structural validity - studied through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (χ 2 /df = 2.51, CFI = .94; SRMR = .037, RMSEA = .076) - and good criterion validity - the IMRSS was notably strongly correlated with emotional exhaustion (r = .64; p is recommended to quickly and frequently assess and monitor stress among internal medicine residents.

SLICEIT and TAHMO Partnerships: Students Local and International Collaboration for Climate and Environmental Monitoring, Technology Development, Education, Adaptation and Mitigation

Science.gov (United States)

Aishlin, P. S.; Selker, J. S.

2015-12-01

Climate change understanding and impacts vary by community, yet the global nature of climate change requires international collaboration to address education, monitoring, adaptation and mitigation needs. We propose that effective climate change monitoring and education can be accomplished via student-led local and international community partnerships. By empowering students as community leaders in climate-environmental monitoring and education, as well as exploration of adaptation/mitigation needs, well-informed communities and young leadership are developed to support climate change science moving forward. Piloted 2013-2015, the SLICEIT1 program partnered with TAHMO2 to connect student leaders in North America, Europe and Africa. At the international level, schools in the U.S.A and Netherlands were partnered with schools in Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda for science and cultural exchange. Each school was equipped with a climate or other environmental sensing system, real-time data publication and curricula for both formal and informal science, technology, engineering and math education and skill development. African counterparts in TAHMO's School-2-School program collect critically important data for enhanced on-the-ground monitoring of weather conditions in data-scarce regions of Africa. In Idaho, student designed, constructed and installed weather stations provide real time data for classroom and community use. Student-designed formal educational activities are disseminated to project partners, increasing hands-on technology education and peer-based learning. At the local level, schools are partnered with a local agency, research institute, nonprofit organization, industry and/or community partner that supplies a climate science expert mentor to SLICEIT program leaders and teachers. Mentor engagement is facilitated and secured by program components that directly benefit the mentor's organization and local community via climate/environment monitoring, student workforce

Validation of the SEJOY BP-1307 upper-arm blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Lei; Chen, Yi; Chen, Qi; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang

2017-12-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the automated oscillometric upper-arm blood pressure monitor SEJOY BP-1307 (also called JOYTECH DBP-1307) for home blood pressure monitoring according to the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension revision 2010. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were sequentially measured in 33 adult Chinese individuals (13 women, 45.1 years of mean age) using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the SEJOY BP-1307 device (one supervisor). Ninety-nine pairs of comparisons were obtained from 33 participants for judgments in two parts with three grading phases. The average±SD of the device-observer differences was 0.2±4.1 and -1.7±4.7 mmHg for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively. The SEJOY BP-1307 device achieved the criteria in both part 1 and part 2 of the validation study. The SEJOY upper-arm blood pressure monitor BP-1307 has passed the requirements of the International Protocol revision 2010, and hence can be recommended for home use in adults.

Biosecurity and Health Monitoring at the Zebrafish International Resource Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Katrina N; Varga, Zoltán M; Kent, Michael L

2016-07-01

The Zebrafish International Resource Center (ZIRC) is a repository and distribution center for mutant, transgenic, and wild-type zebrafish. In recent years annual imports of new zebrafish lines to ZIRC have increased tremendously. In addition, after 15 years of research, we have identified some of the most virulent pathogens affecting zebrafish that should be avoided in large production facilities, such as ZIRC. Therefore, while importing a high volume of new lines we prioritize safeguarding the health of our in-house fish colony. Here, we describe the biosecurity and health-monitoring program implemented at ZIRC. This strategy was designed to prevent introduction of new zebrafish pathogens, minimize pathogens already present in the facility, and ensure a healthy zebrafish colony for in-house uses and shipment to customers.

Cellular transfer of magnetic nanoparticles via cell microvesicles: impact on cell tracking by magnetic resonance imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Amanda K Andriola; Wilhelm, Claire; Kolosnjaj-Tabi, Jelena; Luciani, Nathalie; Gazeau, Florence

2012-05-01

Cell labeling with magnetic nanoparticles can be used to monitor the fate of transplanted cells in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging. However, nanoparticles initially internalized in administered cells might end up in other cells of the host organism. We investigated a mechanism of intercellular cross-transfer of magnetic nanoparticles to different types of recipient cells via cell microvesicles released under cellular stress. Three cell types (mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial cells and macrophages) were labeled with 8-nm iron oxide nanoparticles. Then cells underwent starvation stress, during which they produced microvesicles that were subsequently transferred to unlabeled recipient cells. The analysis of the magnetophoretic mobility of donor cells indicated that magnetic load was partially lost under cell stress. Microvesicles shed by stressed cells participated in the release of magnetic label. Moreover, such microvesicles were uptaken by naïve cells, resulting in cellular redistribution of nanoparticles. Iron load of recipient cells allowed their detection by MRI. Cell microvesicles released under stress may be disseminated throughout the organism, where they can be uptaken by host cells. The transferred cargo may be sufficient to allow MRI detection of these secondarily labeled cells, leading to misinterpretations of the effectiveness of transplanted cells.

Expanding the Operational Limits of the Single-Point Impedance Diagnostic for Internal Temperature Monitoring of Lithium-ion Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spinner, Neil S.; Love, Corey T.; Rose-Pehrsson, Susan L.; Tuttle, Steven G.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Single-point impedance diagnostic technique demonstrated for lithium-ion batteries • Correlation between imaginary impedance and internal temperature determined • Instantaneous monitoring of commercial lithium-ion battery internal temperature • Expanded temperature range from −10°C up to 95°C • Non-invasive method useful for practical temperature monitoring of commercial cells - Abstract: Instantaneous internal temperature monitoring of a commercial 18650 LiCoO 2 lithium-ion battery was performed using a single-point EIS measurement. A correlation between the imaginary impedance, –Z imag , and internal temperature at 300 Hz was developed that was independent of the battery’s state of charge. An Arrhenius-type dependence was applied, and the activation energy for SEI ionic conductivity was found to be 0.13 eV. Two separate temperature-time experiments were conducted with different sequences of temperature, and single-point impedance tests at 300 Hz were performed to validate the correlation. Limitations were observed with the upper temperature range (68°C < T < 95°C), and consequently a secondary, empirical fit was applied for this upper range to improve accuracy. Average differences between actual and fit temperatures decreased around 3-7°C for the upper range with the secondary correlation. The impedance response at this frequency corresponded to the anode/SEI layer, and the SEI is reported to be thermally stable up to around 100°C, at which point decomposition may occur leading to battery deactivation and/or total failure. It is therefore of great importance to be able to track internal battery temperatures up to this critical point of 100°C, and this work demonstrates an expansion of the single-point EIS diagnostic to these elevated temperatures

INFORMAS (International Network for Food and Obesity/non-communicable diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support): summary and future directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumanyika, S

2013-10-01

This supplement presents the foundational elements for INFORMAS (International Network for Food and Obesity/non-communicable diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support). As explained in the overview article by Swinburn and colleagues, INFORMAS has a compelling rationale and has set forth clear objectives, outcomes, principles and frameworks for monitoring and benchmarking key aspects of food environments and the policies and actions that influence the healthiness of food environments. This summary highlights the proposed monitoring approaches for the 10 interrelated INFORMAS modules: public and private sector policies and actions; key aspects of food environments (food composition, labelling, promotion, provision, retail, prices, and trade and investment) and population outcomes (diet quality). This ambitious effort should be feasible when approached in a step-wise manner, taking into account existing monitoring efforts, data sources, country contexts and capacity, and when adequately resourced. After protocol development and pilot testing of the modules, INFORMAS aims to be a sustainable, low-cost monitoring framework. Future directions relate to institutionalization, implementation and, ultimately, to leveraging INFORMAS data in ways that will bring key drivers of food environments into alignment with public health goals. © 2013 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Combinatorial approaches to evaluate nanodiamond uptake and induced cellular fate

Science.gov (United States)

Eldawud, Reem; Reitzig, Manuela; Opitz, Jörg; Rojansakul, Yon; Jiang, Wenjuan; Nangia, Shikha; Zoica Dinu, Cerasela

2016-02-01

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are an emerging class of engineered nanomaterials that hold great promise for the next generation of bionanotechnological products to be used for drug and gene delivery, or for bio-imaging and biosensing. Previous studies have shown that upon their cellular uptake, NDs exhibit high biocompatibility in various in vitro and in vivo set-ups. Herein we hypothesized that the increased NDs biocompatibility is a result of minimum membrane perturbations and their reduced ability to induce disruption or damage during cellular translocation. Using multi-scale combinatorial approaches that simulate ND-membrane interactions, we correlated NDs real-time cellular uptake and kinetics with the ND-induced membrane fluctuations to derive energy requirements for the uptake to occur. Our discrete and real-time analyses showed that the majority of NDs internalization occurs within 2 h of cellular exposure, however, with no effects on cellular viability, proliferation or cellular behavior. Furthermore, our simulation analyses using coarse-grained models identified key changes in the energy profile, membrane deformation and recovery time, all functions of the average ND or ND-based agglomerate size. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for ND-cell membrane interactions could possibly advance their implementation in various biomedical applications.

Combinatorial approaches to evaluate nanodiamond uptake and induced cellular fate

Science.gov (United States)

Eldawud, Reem; Reitzig, Manuela; Opitz, Jörg; Rojansakul, Yon; Jiang, Wenjuan; Nangia, Shikha; Dinu, Cerasela Zoica

2016-01-01

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are an emerging class of engineered nanomaterials that hold great promise for the next generation of bionanotechnological products to be used for drug and gene delivery, or for bio-imaging and biosensing. Previous studies have shown that upon their cellular uptake, NDs exhibit high biocompatibility in various in vitro and in vivo set-ups. Herein we hypothesized that the increased NDs biocompatibility is a result of minimum membrane perturbations and their reduced ability to induce disruption or damage during cellular translocation. Using multi-scale combinatorial approaches that simulate ND-membrane interactions, we correlated NDs real-time cellular uptake and kinetics with the ND-induced membrane fluctuations to derive energy requirements for the uptake to occur. Our discrete and real-time analyses showed that the majority of NDs internalization occurs within 2 h of cellular exposure, however, with no effects on cellular viability, proliferation or cellular behavior. Furthermore, our simulation analyses using coarse-grained models identified key changes in the energy profile, membrane deformation and recovery time, all functions of the average ND or ND-based agglomerate size. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for ND-cell membrane interactions could possibly advance their implementation in various biomedical applications. PMID:26820775

Combinatorial approaches to evaluate nanodiamond uptake and induced cellular fate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eldawud, Reem; Dinu, Cerasela Zoica; Reitzig, Manuela; Opitz, Jörg; Rojansakul, Yon; Jiang, Wenjuan; Nangia, Shikha

2016-01-01

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are an emerging class of engineered nanomaterials that hold great promise for the next generation of bionanotechnological products to be used for drug and gene delivery, or for bio-imaging and biosensing. Previous studies have shown that upon their cellular uptake, NDs exhibit high biocompatibility in various in vitro and in vivo set-ups. Herein we hypothesized that the increased NDs biocompatibility is a result of minimum membrane perturbations and their reduced ability to induce disruption or damage during cellular translocation. Using multi-scale combinatorial approaches that simulate ND-membrane interactions, we correlated NDs real-time cellular uptake and kinetics with the ND-induced membrane fluctuations to derive energy requirements for the uptake to occur. Our discrete and real-time analyses showed that the majority of NDs internalization occurs within 2 h of cellular exposure, however, with no effects on cellular viability, proliferation or cellular behavior. Furthermore, our simulation analyses using coarse-grained models identified key changes in the energy profile, membrane deformation and recovery time, all functions of the average ND or ND-based agglomerate size. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for ND-cell membrane interactions could possibly advance their implementation in various biomedical applications. (paper)

Combinatorial approaches to evaluate nanodiamond uptake and induced cellular fate.

Science.gov (United States)

Eldawud, Reem; Reitzig, Manuela; Opitz, Jörg; Rojansakul, Yon; Jiang, Wenjuan; Nangia, Shikha; Dinu, Cerasela Zoica

2016-02-26

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are an emerging class of engineered nanomaterials that hold great promise for the next generation of bionanotechnological products to be used for drug and gene delivery, or for bio-imaging and biosensing. Previous studies have shown that upon their cellular uptake, NDs exhibit high biocompatibility in various in vitro and in vivo set-ups. Herein we hypothesized that the increased NDs biocompatibility is a result of minimum membrane perturbations and their reduced ability to induce disruption or damage during cellular translocation. Using multi-scale combinatorial approaches that simulate ND-membrane interactions, we correlated NDs real-time cellular uptake and kinetics with the ND-induced membrane fluctuations to derive energy requirements for the uptake to occur. Our discrete and real-time analyses showed that the majority of NDs internalization occurs within 2 h of cellular exposure, however, with no effects on cellular viability, proliferation or cellular behavior. Furthermore, our simulation analyses using coarse-grained models identified key changes in the energy profile, membrane deformation and recovery time, all functions of the average ND or ND-based agglomerate size. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for ND-cell membrane interactions could possibly advance their implementation in various biomedical applications.

The auxetic behavior of an expanded periodic cellular structure

Science.gov (United States)

Ciolan, Mihaela A.; Lache, Simona; Velea, Marian N.

2018-02-01

Within nowadays research, when it comes to lightweight sandwich panels, periodic cellular structures are considered real trendsetters. One of the most used type of core in producing sandwich panels is the honeycomb. However, due to its relatively high manufacturing cost, this structure has limited applications; therefore, research has been carried out in order to develop alternative solutions. An example in this sense is the ExpaAsym cellular structure, developed at the Transilvania University of Braşov; it represents a periodic cellular structure manufactured through a mechanically expansion process of a previously cut and perforated sheet material. The relative density of the structure was proven to be significantly lower than the one of the honeycomb. This gives a great advantage to the structure, due to the fact that when the internal angle A of the unit cell is 60°, after the mechanical expansion it results a hexagonal structure. The main objective of this paper is to estimate the in-plane Poisson ratios of the structure, in terms of its geometrical parameters. It is therefore analytically shown that for certain values of the geometric parameters, the in-plane Poisson ratios have negative values when the internal angle exceeds 90°, which determines its auxetic behavior.

AUTOMATED PROCESS MONITORING: APPLYING PROVEN AUTOMATION TECHNIQUES TO INTERNATIONAL SAFEGUARDS NEEDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Hara, Matthew J.; Durst, Philip C.; Grate, Jay W.; Devol, Timothy A.; Egorov, Oleg; Clements, John P.

2008-01-01

Identification and quantification of specific alpha- and beta-emitting radionuclides in complex liquid matrices is highly challenging, and is typically accomplished through laborious wet chemical sample preparation and separations followed by analysis using a variety of detection methodologies (e.g., liquid scintillation, gas proportional counting, alpha energy analysis, mass spectrometry). Analytical results may take days or weeks to report. Chains of custody and sample security measures may also complicate or slow the analytical process. When an industrial process-scale plant requires the monitoring of specific radionuclides as an indication of the composition of its feed stream or of plant performance, radiochemical measurements must be fast, accurate, and reliable. Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have assembled a fully automated prototype Process Monitor instrument capable of a variety of tasks: automated sampling directly from a feed stream, sample digestion/analyte redox adjustment, chemical separations, radiochemical detection and data analysis/reporting. The system is compact, its components are fluidically inter-linked, and analytical results could be immediately transmitted to on- or off-site locations. The development of a rapid radiochemical Process Monitor for 99Tc in Hanford tank waste processing streams, capable of performing several measurements per hour, will be discussed in detail. More recently, the automated platform was modified to perform measurements of 90Sr in Hanford tank waste stimulant. The system exemplifies how automation could be integrated into reprocessing facilities to support international nuclear safeguards needs

In vivo cellular imaging using fluorescent proteins - Methods and Protocols

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Monti

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The discovery and genetic engineering of fluorescent proteins has revolutionized cell biology. What was previously invisible to the cell often can be made visible with the use of fluorescent proteins. With this words, Robert M. Hoffman introduces In vivo Cellular Imaging Using Fluorescent proteins, the eighteen chapters book dedicated to the description of how fluorescence proteins have changed the way to analyze cellular processes in vivo. Modern researches aim to study new and less invasive methods able to follow the behavior of different cell types in different biological contexts: for example, how cancer cells migrate or how they respond to different therapies. Also, in vivo systems can help researchers to better understand animal embryonic development so as how fluorescence proteins may be used to monitor different processes in living organisms at the molecular and cellular level.

Selfish cellular networks and the evolution of complex organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Kourilsky, Philippe

2012-03-01

Human gametogenesis takes years and involves many cellular divisions, particularly in males. Consequently, gametogenesis provides the opportunity to acquire multiple de novo mutations. A significant portion of these is likely to impact the cellular networks linking genes, proteins, RNA and metabolites, which constitute the functional units of cells. A wealth of literature shows that these individual cellular networks are complex, robust and evolvable. To some extent, they are able to monitor their own performance, and display sufficient autonomy to be termed "selfish". Their robustness is linked to quality control mechanisms which are embedded in and act upon the individual networks, thereby providing a basis for selection during gametogenesis. These selective processes are equally likely to affect cellular functions that are not gamete-specific, and the evolution of the most complex organisms, including man, is therefore likely to occur via two pathways: essential housekeeping functions would be regulated and evolve during gametogenesis within the parents before being transmitted to their progeny, while classical selection would operate on other traits of the organisms that shape their fitness with respect to the environment. Copyright © 2012 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

ITRAP - an international pilot study on border monitoring systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, P.; Duftschmid, K.E.

1999-01-01

The paper describes the design and preliminary results of an extended pilot study of commercially available monitoring systems for the detection of nuclear and other radioactive materials at borders. The study consists of a laboratory test phase and field tests at the Austrian/Hungarian border and the Vienna airport, each for a duration of one year. The results will be used to derive realistic performance requirements for border control systems in view of optimized technical and economic conditions as well as to propose an 'investigation level'. The ITRAP study consists of three phases. In the first phase equipment currently available on the market is subjected to laboratory testing at the Austrian Research Centres Seibersdorf. The instrument categories include hand-held, portable, and fixed-installed equipment. The test criteria defined as minimum requirements have been established together with the manufacturers. The laboratory tests started in May 1998 and will last until end of this year. During the second phase, the field study, equipment passing the laboratory tests will be installed at a major Austrian-Hungarian border crossing (Nickelsdorf) for monitoring of cars, trucks and trains, as well as at the Vienna airport for pedestrians, luggage and cargo. In this phase the results gained from the lab tests about the 'fitness for use' will be verified in practice, in close co-operation with the law enforcement officers at the borders. Also training issues and questions of maintenance and support shall be evaluated. In the third phase, realistic specifications and performance requirements shall be derived with the help of international experts and selected specialists from the users and manufacturers. The results of the field study will focus not only on the technical aspects of monitoring equipment (e.g. detection threshold and rate of false alarms) but also on the operational (e.g. ease of use, reliability, training requirements, field support) and economic

Validation of the Oregon Scientific BPU 330 for self-monitoring of blood pressure according to the International Protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Li

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Li Li1, XinYu Zhang1, ChunHong Yan1, QingXiang Liang21Biomedical Engineering Lab, Faculty of Information Engineering, ShenZhen University, ShenZhen, China; 2Bao An People’s Hospital, ShenZhen, ChinaObjective: Extensive marketing of devices for self-measurement of blood pressure has created a need for purchasers to be able to satisfy themselves that such devices have been evaluated according to agreed criteria. The Oregon Scientific BPU 330 blood pressure monitor is an electronic device for upper arm measurement. This study assessed the accuracy of the Oregon Scientific BPU 330 blood pressure monitor according to the International Protocol by the Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring of the European Society of Hypertension for validation of blood pressure measuring devices.Method: 52 participants over 30 years of age were studied in the validation. Nine blood pressure measurements were taken alternately with a mercury sphygmomanometer by two observers, and by the supervisor, using the BPU 330 device. A total of 33 participants were selected for the analysis. The validation was divided into two phases. Phase 1 included 15 participants. If the device passed phase 1, 18 more participants were included. The 99 pairs of measurements were compared according to the International Protocol. The device was given a pass/fail recommendation based on its accuracy compared with the mercury standard (within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg, as well as the number met in the ranges specified by the International Protocol.Results: The mean and standard deviation of the difference between the mean of the observers and the BPU 330 device were 1.7 ± 4.7 mmHg and 2.8 ± 3.9 mmHg for systolic blood pressure (SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP, respectively. In phase 1, the device passed with a total of 33, 43, and 44 SBP readings; 38, 44, and 45 DBP readings were within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg, respectively. In phase 2.1, 81, 95, and 96 for SBP, and 83, 95, and 98 for DBP

ITRAP - International laboratory and field test site exercise for radiation detection instruments and monitoring systems at border crossings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, P.; Schmitzer, C.; Duftschmid, K.E.; Arlt, R.

2001-01-01

Illicit trafficking in nuclear materials has become more and more a problem, due to the circulation of a high number of radioactive sources and the big amount of nuclear material. The IAEA database counts at present more than 300 verified cases. The endangering cased thereby ranges from possible health defect for the publication to terrorists activities and production of nuclear weapons. In addition to the primary criminal reasons the illegal disposal of radioactive sources as salvage, scrap and others show a further problem, which has lead to severe accidents and lethal effects in the past (e.g. Goiana, Mexico). Some countries have already under taken countermeasures (e.g. Monitoring at the Finnish-Russian and German- Polish border, border monitoring in Italy). The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reacted on this actual problem by setting up a new program to fight against nuclear criminality and has suggested a pilot study for the practical test of border monitoring systems. Co-ordinated by the Federal Ministry of Economy and Labour the Austrian Government financed the pilot study ITRAP (Illicit Trafficking Radiation Detection Assessment Program) carried out by the Austrian Research Centers Seibersdorf (ARCS). Aim of the study was to work out the technical requirements and the practicability of an useful monitoring system at border crossings. The results of the study will be offered by the IAEA to the member states as international recommendations for border monitoring systems

Internalization and cellular processing of cholecystokinin in rat pancreatic acinar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izzo, R.S.; Pellecchia, C.; Praissman, M.

1988-01-01

To evaluate the internalization of cholecystokinin, monoiodinated imidoester of cholecystokinin octapeptide [ 125 I-(IE)-CCK-8] was bound to dispersed pancreatic acinar cells, and surface-bound and internalized radioligand were differentiated by treating with an acidified glycine buffer. The amount of internalized radioligand was four- and sevenfold greater at 24 and 37 degree C than at 4 degree C between 5 and 60 min of association. Specific binding of radioligand to cell surface receptors was not significantly different at these temperatures. Chloroquine, a lysosomotropic agent that blocks intracellular proteolysis, significantly increased the amount of CCK-8 internalized by 18 and 16% at 30 and 60 min of binding, respectively, compared with control. Dithiothreitol (DTT), a sulfhydryl reducing agent, also augmented the amount of CCK-8 radioligand internalized by 25 and 29% at 30 and 60 min, respectively. The effect of chloroquine and DTT on the processing of internalized radioligand was also considered after an initial 60 min of binding of radioligand to acinar cells. After 180 min of processing, the amount of radioligand internalized was significantly greater in the presence of chloroquine compared with controls, whereas the amount of radioligand declined in acinar cells treated with DTT. Internalized and released radioactivity from acinar cells was rebound to pancreatic membrane homogenates to determine the amount of intact radioligand during intracellular processing. Chloroquine significantly increased the amount of intact 125 I-(IE)-CCK-8 radioligand in released and internalized radioactivity while DTT increased the amount of intact radioligand only in internalized samples. This study shows that pancreatic acinar cells rapidly internalize large amounts of CCK-8 and that chloroquine and DTT inhibit intracellular degradation

Cellular packing, mechanical stress and the evolution of multicellularity

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobeen, Shane; Pentz, Jennifer T.; Graba, Elyes C.; Brandys, Colin G.; Ratcliff, William C.; Yunker, Peter J.

2018-03-01

The evolution of multicellularity set the stage for sustained increases in organismal complexity1-5. However, a fundamental aspect of this transition remains largely unknown: how do simple clusters of cells evolve increased size when confronted by forces capable of breaking intracellular bonds? Here we show that multicellular snowflake yeast clusters6-8 fracture due to crowding-induced mechanical stress. Over seven weeks ( 291 generations) of daily selection for large size, snowflake clusters evolve to increase their radius 1.7-fold by reducing the accumulation of internal stress. During this period, cells within the clusters evolve to be more elongated, concomitant with a decrease in the cellular volume fraction of the clusters. The associated increase in free space reduces the internal stress caused by cellular growth, thus delaying fracture and increasing cluster size. This work demonstrates how readily natural selection finds simple, physical solutions to spatial constraints that limit the evolution of group size—a fundamental step in the evolution of multicellularity.

Cellular Therapies Clinical Research Roadmap: lessons learned on how to move a cellular therapy into a clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Ouseph, Stacy; Tappitake, Darah; Armant, Myriam; Wesselschmidt, Robin; Derecho, Ivy; Draxler, Rebecca; Wood, Deborah; Centanni, John M

2015-04-01

A clinical research roadmap has been developed as a resource for researchers to identify critical areas and potential pitfalls when transitioning a cellular therapy product from the research laboratory, by means of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application, into early-phase clinical trials. The roadmap describes four key areas: basic and preclinical research, resource development, translational research and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and IND assembly and submission. Basic and preclinical research identifies a new therapeutic concept and demonstrates its potential value with the use of a model of the relevant disease. During resource development, the appropriate specialists and the required expertise to bring this product into the clinic are identified (eg, researchers, regulatory specialists, GMP manufacturing staff, clinicians and clinical trials staff, etc). Additionally, the funds required to achieve this goal (or a plan to procure them) are identified. In the next phase, the plan to translate the research product into a clinical-grade therapeutic is developed. Finally regulatory approval to start the trial must be obtained. In the United States, this is done by filing an IND application with the Food and Drug Administration. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute-funded Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies program has facilitated the transition of a variety of cellular therapy products from the laboratory into Phase1/2 trials. The five Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies facilities have assisted investigators by performing translational studies and GMP manufacturing to ensure that cellular products met release specifications and were manufactured safely, reproducibly and at the appropriate scale. The roadmap resulting from this experience is the focus of this article. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A New Cellular Architecture for Information Retrieval from Sensor Networks through Embedded Service and Security Protocols

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aamir Shahzad

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Substantial changes have occurred in the Information Technology (IT sectors and with these changes, the demand for remote access to field sensor information has increased. This allows visualization, monitoring, and control through various electronic devices, such as laptops, tablets, i-Pads, PCs, and cellular phones. The smart phone is considered as a more reliable, faster and efficient device to access and monitor industrial systems and their corresponding information interfaces anywhere and anytime. This study describes the deployment of a protocol whereby industrial system information can be securely accessed by cellular phones via a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA server. To achieve the study goals, proprietary protocol interconnectivity with non-proprietary protocols and the usage of interconnectivity services are considered in detail. They support the visualization of the SCADA system information, and the related operations through smart phones. The intelligent sensors are configured and designated to process real information via cellular phones by employing information exchange services between the proprietary protocol and non-proprietary protocols. SCADA cellular access raises the issue of security flaws. For these challenges, a cryptography-based security method is considered and deployed, and it could be considered as a part of a proprietary protocol. Subsequently, transmission flows from the smart phones through a cellular network.

A New Cellular Architecture for Information Retrieval from Sensor Networks through Embedded Service and Security Protocols.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahzad, Aamir; Landry, René; Lee, Malrey; Xiong, Naixue; Lee, Jongho; Lee, Changhoon

2016-06-14

Substantial changes have occurred in the Information Technology (IT) sectors and with these changes, the demand for remote access to field sensor information has increased. This allows visualization, monitoring, and control through various electronic devices, such as laptops, tablets, i-Pads, PCs, and cellular phones. The smart phone is considered as a more reliable, faster and efficient device to access and monitor industrial systems and their corresponding information interfaces anywhere and anytime. This study describes the deployment of a protocol whereby industrial system information can be securely accessed by cellular phones via a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) server. To achieve the study goals, proprietary protocol interconnectivity with non-proprietary protocols and the usage of interconnectivity services are considered in detail. They support the visualization of the SCADA system information, and the related operations through smart phones. The intelligent sensors are configured and designated to process real information via cellular phones by employing information exchange services between the proprietary protocol and non-proprietary protocols. SCADA cellular access raises the issue of security flaws. For these challenges, a cryptography-based security method is considered and deployed, and it could be considered as a part of a proprietary protocol. Subsequently, transmission flows from the smart phones through a cellular network.

A New Cellular Architecture for Information Retrieval from Sensor Networks through Embedded Service and Security Protocols

Science.gov (United States)

Shahzad, Aamir; Landry, René; Lee, Malrey; Xiong, Naixue; Lee, Jongho; Lee, Changhoon

2016-01-01

Substantial changes have occurred in the Information Technology (IT) sectors and with these changes, the demand for remote access to field sensor information has increased. This allows visualization, monitoring, and control through various electronic devices, such as laptops, tablets, i-Pads, PCs, and cellular phones. The smart phone is considered as a more reliable, faster and efficient device to access and monitor industrial systems and their corresponding information interfaces anywhere and anytime. This study describes the deployment of a protocol whereby industrial system information can be securely accessed by cellular phones via a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) server. To achieve the study goals, proprietary protocol interconnectivity with non-proprietary protocols and the usage of interconnectivity services are considered in detail. They support the visualization of the SCADA system information, and the related operations through smart phones. The intelligent sensors are configured and designated to process real information via cellular phones by employing information exchange services between the proprietary protocol and non-proprietary protocols. SCADA cellular access raises the issue of security flaws. For these challenges, a cryptography-based security method is considered and deployed, and it could be considered as a part of a proprietary protocol. Subsequently, transmission flows from the smart phones through a cellular network. PMID:27314351

Point process models for localization and interdependence of punctate cellular structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ying; Majarian, Timothy D; Naik, Armaghan W; Johnson, Gregory R; Murphy, Robert F

2016-07-01

Accurate representations of cellular organization for multiple eukaryotic cell types are required for creating predictive models of dynamic cellular function. To this end, we have previously developed the CellOrganizer platform, an open source system for generative modeling of cellular components from microscopy images. CellOrganizer models capture the inherent heterogeneity in the spatial distribution, size, and quantity of different components among a cell population. Furthermore, CellOrganizer can generate quantitatively realistic synthetic images that reflect the underlying cell population. A current focus of the project is to model the complex, interdependent nature of organelle localization. We built upon previous work on developing multiple non-parametric models of organelles or structures that show punctate patterns. The previous models described the relationships between the subcellular localization of puncta and the positions of cell and nuclear membranes and microtubules. We extend these models to consider the relationship to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and to consider the relationship between the positions of different puncta of the same type. Our results do not suggest that the punctate patterns we examined are dependent on ER position or inter- and intra-class proximity. With these results, we built classifiers to update previous assignments of proteins to one of 11 patterns in three distinct cell lines. Our generative models demonstrate the ability to construct statistically accurate representations of puncta localization from simple cellular markers in distinct cell types, capturing the complex phenomena of cellular structure interaction with little human input. This protocol represents a novel approach to vesicular protein annotation, a field that is often neglected in high-throughput microscopy. These results suggest that spatial point process models provide useful insight with respect to the spatial dependence between cellular structures. �

Individual monitoring of internal exposure for nuclear medicine workers in Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baechler, S.; Stritt, N.; Bochud, F. O.

2011-01-01

Monitoring of internal exposure for nuclear medicine workers requires frequent measurements due to the short physical half lives of most radionuclides used in this field. The aim of this study was to develop screening measurements performed at the workplace by local staff using standard laboratory instrumentation, to detect whether potential intake has occurred. Such measurements do not enable to determine the committed effective dose, but are adequate to verify that a given threshold is not exceeded. For radioiodine, i.e. 123 I, 124 I, 125 I and 131 I, a calibrated surface contamination monitor is placed in front of the thyroid to detect whether the activity threshold has been exceeded. For radionuclides with very short physical half-lives (≤6 h), such as 99m Tc) and those used in positron emission tomography imaging, i.e. 11 C, 15 O, 18 F and 68 Ga, screening procedures consist in performing daily measurements of the ambient dose rate in front of the abdomen. Other gamma emitters used for imaging, i.e. 67 Ga, 111 In and 201 Tl, are measured with a scintillation detector located in front of the thorax. For pure beta emitters, i.e. 90 Y and 169 Er, as well as beta emitters with low-intensity gamma rays, i.e. 153 Sm, 177 Lu, 186 Re and 188 Re, the procedure consists in measuring hand contamination immediately after use. In Switzerland, screening procedures have been adopted by most nuclear medicine services since such measurements enable an acceptable monitoring while taking into account practical and economic considerations. (authors)

Life Support and Environmental Monitoring International System Maturation Team Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Molly; Gatens, Robyn; Ikeda, Toshitami; Ito, Tsuyoshi; Hovland, Scott; Witt, Johannes

2016-01-01

Human exploration of the solar system is an ambitious goal. Future human missions to Mars or other planets will require the cooperation of many nations to be feasible. Exploration goals and concepts have been gathered by the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) at a very high level, representing the overall goals and strategies of each participating space agency. The Global Exploration Roadmap published by ISECG states that international partnerships are part of what drives the mission scenarios. It states "Collaborations will be established at all levels (missions, capabilities, technologies), with various levels of interdependency among the partners." To make missions with interdependency successful, technologists and system experts need to share information early, before agencies have made concrete plans and binding agreements. This paper provides an overview of possible ways of integrating NASA, ESA, and JAXA work into a conceptual roadmap of life support and environmental monitoring capabilities for future exploration missions. Agencies may have immediate plans as well as long term goals or new ideas that are not part of official policy. But relationships between plans and capabilities may influence the strategies for the best ways to achieve partner goals. Without commitments and an organized program like the International Space Station, requirements for future missions are unclear. Experience from ISS has shown that standards and an early understanding of requirements are an important part of international partnerships. Attempting to integrate systems that were not designed together can create many problems. Several areas have been identified that could be important to discuss and understand early: units of measure, cabin CO2 levels, and the definition and description of fluids like high purity oxygen, potable water and residual biocide, and crew urine and urine pretreat. Each of the partners is exploring different kinds of technologies

A PVDF-Based Sensor for Internal Stress Monitoring of a Concrete-Filled Steel Tubular (CFST) Column Subject to Impact Loads.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Guofeng; Li, Zhao; Song, Gangbing

2018-05-23

Impact loads can have major adverse effects on the safety of civil engineering structures, such as concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns. The study of mechanical behavior and stress analysis of CFST columns under impact loads is very important to ensure their safety against such loads. At present, the internal stress monitoring of the concrete cores CFST columns under impact loads is still a very challenging subject. In this paper, a PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride) piezoelectric smart sensor was developed and successfully applied to the monitoring of the internal stress of the concrete core of a CFST column under impact loads. The smart sensor consists of a PVDF piezoelectric film sandwiched between two thin steel plates through epoxy. The protection not only prevents the PVDF film from impact damages but also ensures insulation and waterproofing. The smart sensors were embedded into the circular concrete-filled steel tube specimen during concrete pouring. The specimen was tested against impact loads, and testing data were collected. The time history of the stress obtained from the PVDF smart sensor revealed the evolution of core concrete internal stress under impact loads when compared with the impact force⁻time curve of the hammer. Nonlinear finite element simulations of the impact process were also carried out. The results of FEM simulations had good agreement with the test results. The results showed that the proposed PVDF piezoelectric smart sensors can effectively monitor the internal stress of concrete-filled steel tubular columns under impact loads.

The Intracellular Destiny of the Protein Corona: A Study on its Cellular Internalization and Evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertoli, Filippo; Garry, David; Monopoli, Marco P; Salvati, Anna; Dawson, Kenneth A

2016-11-22

It has been well established that the early stages of nanoparticle-cell interactions are governed, at least in part, by the layer of proteins and other biomolecules adsorbed and slowly exchanged with the surrounding biological media (biomolecular corona). Subsequent to membrane interactions, nanoparticles are typically internalized into the cell and trafficked along defined pathways such as, in many cases, the endolysosomal pathway. Indeed, if the original corona is partially retained on the nanoparticle surface, the biomolecules in this layer may play an important role in determining subsequent cellular processing. In this work, using a combination of organelle separation and fluorescence labeling of the initial extracellular corona, we clarify its intracellular evolution as nanoparticles travel within the cell. We show that specific proteins present in the original protein corona are retained on the nanoparticles until they accumulate in lysosomes, and, once there, they are degraded. We also report on how different bare surfaces (amino and carboxyl modified) affect the details of this evolution. One overarching discovery is that the same serum proteins can exhibit different intracellular processing when carried inside cells by nanoparticles, as components of their corona, compared to what is observed when they are transported freely from the extracellular medium.

Proceedings of the International Workshop on Sustainable ForestManagement: Monitoring and Verification of Greenhouse Gases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sathaye (Ed.), Jayant; Makundi (Ed.), Willy; Goldberg (Ed.),Beth; Andrasko (Ed.), Ken; Sanchez (Ed.), Arturo

1997-07-01

The International Workshop on Sustainable Forest Management: Monitoring and Verification of Greenhouse Gases was held in San Jose, Costa Rica, July 29-31, 1996. The main objectives of the workshop were to: (1) assemble key practitioners of forestry greenhouse gas (GHG) or carbon offset projects, remote sensing of land cover change, guidelines development, and the forest products certification movement, to offer presentations and small group discussions on findings relevant to the crucial need for the development of guidelines for monitoring and verifying offset projects, and (2) disseminate the findings to interested carbon offset project developers and forestry and climate change policy makers, who need guidance and consistency of methods to reduce project transaction costs and increase probable reliability of carbon benefits, at appropriate venues. The workshop brought together about 45 participants from developed, developing, and transition countries. The participants included researchers, government officials, project developers, and staff from regional and international agencies. Each shared his or her perspectives based on experience in the development and use of methods for monitoring and verifying carbon flows from forest areas and projects. A shared sense among the participants was that methods for monitoring forestry projects are well established, and the techniques are known and used extensively, particularly in production forestry. Introducing climate change with its long-term perspective is often in conflict with the shorter-term perspective of most forestry projects and standard accounting principles. The resolution of these conflicts may require national and international agreements among the affected parties. The establishment of guidelines and protocols for better methods that are sensitive to regional issues will be an important first step to increase the credibility of forestry projects as viable mitigation options. The workshop deliberations led

3rd International Conference on Condition Monitoring of Machinery in Non-Stationary Operations

CERN Document Server

Rubini, Riccardo; D'Elia, Gianluca; Cocconcelli, Marco; Chaari, Fakher; Zimroz, Radoslaw; Bartelmus, Walter; Haddar, Mohamed

2014-01-01

This book presents the processings of the third edition of the Condition Monitoring of Machinery in Non-Stationary Operations (CMMNO13) which was held in Ferrara, Italy. This yearly event merges an international community of researchers who met – in 2011 in Wroclaw (Poland) and in 2012 in Hammamet (Tunisia) – to discuss issues of diagnostics of rotating machines operating in complex motion and/or load conditions. The growing interest of the industrial world on the topics covered by the CMMNO13 involves the fields of packaging, automotive, agricultural, mining, processing and wind machines in addition to that of the systems for data acquisition.The participation of speakers and visitors from industry makes the event an opportunity for immediate assessment of the potential applications of advanced methodologies for the signal analysis. Signals acquired from machines often contain contributions from several different components as well as noise. Therefore, the major challenge of condition monitoring is to po...

Dual-Level Game-Based Energy Efficiency and Fairness for Green Cellular Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sungwook Kim

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the recent decades, cellular networks have revolutionized the way of next generation communication networks. However, due to the global climate change, reducing the energy consumption of cellular infrastructures is an important and urgent problem. In this study, we propose a novel two-level cooperative game framework for improving the energy efficiency and fairness in cellular networks. For the energy efficiency, base stations (BSs constantly monitor the current traffic load and cooperate with each other to maximize the energy saving. For the energy fairness, renewable energy can be shared dynamically while ensuring the fairness among BSs. To achieve an excellent cellular network performance, the concepts of the Raiffa Bargaining Solution and Jain’s fairness are extended and practically applied to our dual-level cooperative game model. Through system level simulations, the proposed scheme is evaluated and compared with other existing schemes. The simulation results show that our two-level game approach outperforms the existing schemes in providing a better fair-efficient system performance.

The remote monitoring systems LOVER and RECOVER for international safeguards technical, economic and legal aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauppe, W.D.; Stein, G.; Rezniczek, A.; Stienen, U.

1983-12-01

The electronic remote monitoring systems RECOVER and LOVER were developed to comply with the IAEA's tasks concerning international nuclear materials safeguards with the aim of reducing the inspection expenditure and enhancing control effectiveness. The present study on the technical, economic and legal aspects of an application of these systems is intended to show possible implications and provide argumentation aids for discussions on the application of these systems. RECOVER and LOVER offer the possibility of establishing a direct communication path between containment and surveillance system (c/s), instruments at the site of application and a central monitoring station. The demonstration versions of both systems have shown that remote interrogation of data under safeguards-specific boundary conditions (e.g. requirement of tamper safety) will be technically feasible. (orig./HP)

A compact multifunctional microfluidic platform for exploring cellular dynamics in real-time using electrochemical detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zor, Kinga; Heiskanen, Arto; Caviglia, Claudia

2014-01-01

and electrochemical analysis platform with in-built fluid handling and detection, enabling complete cell based assays comprising on-line electrode cleaning, sterilization, surface functionalization, cell seeding, cultivation and electrochemical real-time monitoring of cellular dynamics. To demonstrate the versatility...... capability. The here presented platform is aimed at applications utilizing cell based assays, ranging from e.g. monitoring of drug effects in pharmacological studies, characterization of neural stem cell differentiation, and screening of genetically modified microorganisms to environmental monitoring....

International experience feedback on fatigue monitoring systems for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morilhat, P.

1997-01-01

From the very beginning of electro-nuclear programmes the need has become internationally obvious to develop systems aiming at automation and improvement of monitoring of the transients stressing the main mechanical components of nuclear units, by checking the conservativeness of the design no longer from a comparison of causes (temperature and pressure variations) but by directly assessing the results (stresses and linked damage). Prototypes of such systems have appeared since the middle of the 1980's mainly in France, the USA and Germany, and manufacturing them has since continued. Several years of development and on site testing of prototypes of fatigue measuring devices designed by the R and D Direction have enabled contacts with the developers of similar systems to be established and, in some cases, comparisons to be made. The experience accumulated in the use of such systems, both in France and abroad from now on makes a first experience feedback possible. The fatigue measuring device concept is based on a succession of elementary modules which enable the information received from the unit to be processed, first in the form of transient counting (transient meters), then in the form of mechanical diagnosis (fatigue monitoring systems). Among the systems in operation some provide actually only the transient meter part while others link transient meters and fatigue meters (EDF, EPRI and MITSUBISHI systems and some versions of the SIEMENS system). Moreover, numerous systems require, in addition to unit operation instrumentation, specific instrumentation located in monitored areas. The number of devices in operation has not stopped growing since the middle of the 80's to reach 53 systems working in 1996. The biggest developers are EPRI and its consultant Structural Integrity Associates (FatiguePro system), SIEMENS (FAMOS system) and EDF whose gradual implementation of SYSFAC from '96 is going to make its share particularly increase. Technical experience feedback

Platinum nanozymes recover cellular ROS homeostasis in an oxidative stress-mediated disease model

Science.gov (United States)

Moglianetti, Mauro; de Luca, Elisa; Pedone, Deborah; Marotta, Roberto; Catelani, Tiziano; Sartori, Barbara; Amenitsch, Heinz; Retta, Saverio Francesco; Pompa, Pier Paolo

2016-02-01

In recent years, the use of nanomaterials as biomimetic enzymes has attracted great interest. In this work, we show the potential of biocompatible platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) as antioxidant nanozymes, which combine abundant cellular internalization and efficient scavenging activity of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus simultaneously integrating the functions of nanocarriers and antioxidant drugs. Careful toxicity assessment and intracellular tracking of Pt NPs proved their cytocompatibility and high cellular uptake, with compartmentalization within the endo/lysosomal vesicles. We have demonstrated that Pt NPs possess strong and broad antioxidant properties, acting as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase enzymes, with similar or even superior performance than natural enzymes, along with higher adaptability to the changes in environmental conditions. We then exploited their potent activity as radical scavenging materials in a cellular model of an oxidative stress-related disorder, namely human Cerebral Cavernous Malformation (CCM) disease, which is associated with a significant increase in intracellular ROS levels. Noteworthily, we found that Pt nanozymes can efficiently reduce ROS levels, completely restoring the cellular physiological homeostasis.In recent years, the use of nanomaterials as biomimetic enzymes has attracted great interest. In this work, we show the potential of biocompatible platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) as antioxidant nanozymes, which combine abundant cellular internalization and efficient scavenging activity of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus simultaneously integrating the functions of nanocarriers and antioxidant drugs. Careful toxicity assessment and intracellular tracking of Pt NPs proved their cytocompatibility and high cellular uptake, with compartmentalization within the endo/lysosomal vesicles. We have demonstrated that Pt NPs possess strong and broad antioxidant properties, acting as superoxide

Internalization and localization of basal insulin peglispro in cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Moyers, Julie S; Volk, Catherine B; Cao, Julia X C; Zhang, Chen; Ding, Liyun; Kiselyov, Vladislav V; Michael, M Dodson

2017-10-15

Basal insulin peglispro (BIL) is a novel, PEGylated insulin lispro that has a large hydrodynamic size compared with insulin lispro. It has a prolonged duration of action, which is related to a delay in insulin absorption and a reduction in clearance. Given the different physical properties of BIL compared with native insulin and insulin lispro, it is important to assess the cellular internalization characteristics of the molecule. Using immunofluorescent confocal imaging, we compared the cellular internalization and localization patterns of BIL, biosynthetic human insulin, and insulin lispro. We assessed the effects of BIL on internalization of the insulin receptor (IR) and studied cellular clearance of BIL. Co-localization studies using antibodies to either insulin or PEG, and the early endosomal marker EEA1 showed that the overall internalization and subcellular localization pattern of BIL was similar to that of human insulin and insulin lispro; all were rapidly internalized and co-localized with EEA1. During ligand washout for 4 h, concomitant loss of insulin, PEG methoxy group, and PEG backbone immunostaining was observed for BIL, similar to the loss of insulin immunostaining observed for insulin lispro and human insulin. Co-localization studies using an antibody to the lysosomal marker LAMP1 did not reveal evidence of lysosomal localization for insulin lispro, human insulin, BIL, or PEG using either insulin or PEG immunostaining reagents. BIL and human insulin both induced rapid phosphorylation and internalization of human IR. Our findings show that treatment of cells with BIL stimulates internalization and localization of IR to early endosomes. Both the insulin and PEG moieties of BIL undergo a dynamic cellular process of rapid internalization and transport to early endosomes followed by loss of cellular immunostaining in a manner similar to that of insulin lispro and human insulin. The rate of clearance for the insulin lispro portion of BIL was slower than

Dielectric spectroscopy for non-invasive monitoring of epithelial cell differentiation within three-dimensional scaffolds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daoud, Jamal; Tabrizian, Maryam; Asami, Koji; Rosenberg, Lawrence

2012-01-01

In this study, we introduce a cellular differentiation cellular model based on dielectric spectroscopy that characterizes epithelial differentiation processes. Non-invasive cellular monitoring was achieved within a three-dimensional microenvironment consisting of a cell-containing collagen I gel seeded onto microfabricated scaffolds. In this proof-of-concept investigation, Madin–Darby canine kidney cells were cultured within microfabricated, geometrically controlled scaffolds and allowed us to differentiate to hollow cyst-like structures. This transformation within the three-dimensional environment is monitored and characterized through dielectric spectroscopy while maintaining cell culture in vitro. (paper)

Validation of the Kingyield BP210 wrist blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the European Society of Hypertension-International Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Wei-Fang; Huang, Qi-Fang; Sheng, Chang-Sheng; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang

2012-02-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the automated oscillometric wrist blood pressure monitor BP210 for home blood pressure monitoring according to the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were sequentially measured in 33 adult Chinese participants (21 women, 51 years of mean age) using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the BP210 device (one supervisor). Ninety-nine pairs of comparisons were obtained from 15 participants in phase 1 and a further 18 participants in phase 2 of the validation study. Data analysis was conducted using the ESHIP analyzer. The BP210 device successfully passed phase 1 of the validation study with a number of absolute differences between device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg for at least 33/45, 44/45, and 44/45 measurements, respectively. The device also achieved the targets for phase 2.1, with 77/99, 95/99, and 97/99 differences within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg, respectively for systolic blood pressure, and with 78/99, 97/99, and 99/99 within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg, respectively for diastolic blood pressure. In phase 2.2, 29 and 25 participants had at least two of the three device-observers differences within 5 mmHg (required≥22) for systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, respectively. The Kingyield wrist blood pressure monitor BP210 has passed the International Protocol requirements, and hence can be recommended for home use in adults.

Force control for mechanoinduction of impedance variation in cellular organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Joo Hoo; Chen, Peter C Y; Lu, Zhe; Luo, Hong; Lin, Wei; Ge, Ruowen

2010-01-01

Constantly exposed to various forms of mechanical forces inherent in their physical environment (such as gravity, stress induced by fluid flow or cell–cell interactions, etc), cellular organisms sense such forces and convert them into biochemical signals through the processes of mechanosensing and mechanotransduction that eventually lead to biological changes. The effect of external forces on the internal structures and activities in a cellular organism may manifest in changes its physical properties, such as impedance. Studying variation in the impedance of a cellular organism induced by the application of an external mechanical force represents a meaningful endeavor (from a biosystems perspective) in exploring the complex mechanosensing and mechanotransduction mechanisms that govern the behavior of a cellular organism under the influence of external mechanical stimuli. In this paper we describe the development of an explicit force-feedback control system for exerting an indentation force on a cellular organism while simultaneously measuring its impedance. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this force-control system, we have conducted experiments using zebrafish embryos as a test model of a cellular organism. We report experimental results demonstrating that the application of a properly controlled external force leads to a significant change in the impedance of a zebrafish embryo. These results offer support for a plausible explanation that activities of pore canals in the chorion are responsible for the observed change in impedance.

Proceedings of International monitoring conference 'Development of rehabilitation methodology of environment of the Semipalatinsk region polluted by nuclear tests'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The aim of the monitoring conference is draw an attention of government, national and international agencies, scientific societies, and local administrations to the ecological problems of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, to combine the efforts of scientists to solve problems of soil disinfection, purification of surface and ground water from radioactive and heavy metals. It is expected that the knowledge, experience and methodology accumulated on the monitoring conference might be successfully transferred to solve analogous environmental problems of Kazakhstan

Data Analysis of Seismic Sequence in Central Italy in 2016 using CTBTO- International Monitoring System

Science.gov (United States)

Mumladze, Tea; Wang, Haijun; Graham, Gerhard

2017-04-01

The seismic network that forms the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-test-ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) will ultimately consist of 170 seismic stations (50 primary and 120 auxiliary) in 76 countries around the world. The Network is still under the development, but currently more than 80% of the network is in operation. The objective of seismic monitoring is to detect and locate underground nuclear explosions. However, the data from the IMS also can be widely used for scientific and civil purposes. In this study we present the results of data analysis of the seismic sequence in 2016 in Central Italy. Several hundred earthquakes were recorded for this sequence by the seismic stations of the IMS. All events were accurately located the analysts of the International Data Centre (IDC) of the CTBTO. In this study we will present the epicentral and magnitude distribution, station recordings and teleseismic phases as obtained from the Reviewed Event Bulletin (REB). We will also present a comparison of the database of the IDC with the databases of the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Present work shows that IMS data can be used for earthquake sequence analyses and can play an important role in seismological research.

General guidelines for the Assessment of Internal Dose from Monitoring Data (Project IDEAS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doerfel, H.; Andrasi, A.; Bailey, M.; Blanchardon, E.; Berkovski, V.; Castellani, C. M.; Hurtgen, C.; Jourdain, J. R.; LeGuen, B.; Puncher, M.

2004-01-01

In recent major international intercomparison exercises on intake and internal dose assessments from monitoring data the results calculated by different participants varied significantly. This was mainly due to the broad variety of methods and assumptions applied in the assessment procedure. Based on these experiences the need for harmonisation of the procedures has been formulated within an EU research project under the 5th Framework Programme. The aim of the project, IDEAS, is to develop general guidelines for standardising assessments of intakes and internal doses. The IDEAS project started in October 2001 and will end in March 2005. Eight institutions from seven European countries are participating. Inputs from internal dosimetry professionals from across Europe are also being used to ensure a broad consensus in the outcome of the project. The IDEAS project is closely related to some goals of the work of Committee 2 of the ICRP and since 2003 there has been close cooperation between the two groups. To ensure that the guidelines are applicable to a wide range of practical situations, the first step has been to compile a database of well-documented cases of internal contamination. In parallel, an improved version of an existing software package has been developed and distributed to the partners for further use. A large number of cases from the database have been evaluated independently by partners in the project using the same software and the results have been reviewed. Based on these evaluations guidelines are being drafted and will be discussed with dosimetry professionals from around the world by means of a virtual workshop on the Internet early in 2004. The guidelines will be revised and refined on the basis of the experiences and discussions of this virtual workshop and the outcome of an intercomparison exercise organised as part of the project. This will be open to all internal dosimetry professionals. (Author) 10 refs

Verbal Self-Monitoring in the Second Language

Science.gov (United States)

Broos, Wouter P. J.; Duyck, Wouter; Hartsuiker, Robert J.

2016-01-01

Speakers monitor their own speech for errors. To do so, they may rely on perception of their own speech (external monitoring) but also on an internal speech representation (internal monitoring). While there are detailed accounts of monitoring in first language (L1) processing, it is not clear if and how monitoring is different in a second language…

The JPL Electronic Nose: Monitoring Air in the US Lab on the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, M. A.; Manatt, K. S.; Gluck, S.; Shevade, A. V.; Kisor, A. K.; Zhou, H.; Lara, L. M.; Homer, M. L.

2010-01-01

An electronic nose with a sensor array of 32 conductometric sensors has been developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to monitor breathing air in spacecraft habitat. The Third Generation ENose is designed to operate in the environment of the US Lab on the International Space Station (ISS). It detects a selected group of analytes at target concentrations in the ppm regime at an environmental temperature range of 18 - 30 oC, relative humidity from 25 - 75% and pressure from 530 to 760 torr. The monitoring targets are anomalous events such as leaks and spills of solvents, coolants or other fluids. The JPL ENose operated as a technology demonstration for seven months in the U.S. Laboratory Destiny during 2008-2009. Analysis of ENose monitoring data shows that there was regular, periodic rise and fall of humidity and occasional releases of Freon 218 (perfluoropropane), formaldehyde, methanol and ethanol. There were also several events of unknown origin, half of them from the same source. Each event lasted from 20 to 100 minutes, consistent with the air replacement time in the US Lab.

Internalization and cellular pools of never growth factor in pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neet, K.E.; Kasaian, M.

1987-01-01

Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) binds to a cell surface receptor on responsive neuronal cells to initiate cell maintenance and/or differentiation regimes. The purpose of these studies was to define quantitatively the fate of NGF in PC12 cells with respect to various cellular compartments in a single series of biochemical experiments. Different binding methodologies were evaluated in suspension and on plates. 50 pM 125 I-NGF was bound to rat PC12 cells in suspension for 30 min at 37 0 , followed by various methods and combinations of methods to remove subsets of bound ligand. Distinction could be made between NGF bound to fast vs. slow cell surface receptors, NGF bound to slow receptors at the cell surface vs. cell interior, and detergent-soluble vs. cytoskeletally-attached NGF. These treatments defined the relative size of five pools, including the fast receptor (65%), two intracellular compartments (12% and 3%) susceptible to nonionic detergent, and a detergent-stable intracellular pool of ligand (16%). At 37 0 the cold chase stable and the acid stable pools were about the same size because of rapid internalization, but the slow receptor was measurable at 4 0 . Inhibitors were used to define the route of NGF through the cell from the plasma membrane to degradation. Chloroquine caused accumulation of NGF only in pools that were not associated with the cytoskeleton, implicating this compartment in supplying ligand to the lysosome. Results with cytochalasin B and colchicine and suggested both microfilament and microtubule pathways in NGF degradation. A model for the movement of NGF through the cell was developed based on these observations

50 CFR 300.37 - Radio monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Radio monitoring. 300.37 Section 300.37 Wildlife and Fisheries INTERNATIONAL FISHING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES REGULATIONS South Pacific Tuna Fisheries § 300.37 Radio monitoring. The international distress frequency, 2.182 mHz...

Influence of digital and analogue cellular telephones on implanted pacemakers.

Science.gov (United States)

Altamura, G; Toscano, S; Gentilucci, G; Ammirati, F; Castro, A; Pandozi, C; Santini, M

1997-10-01

The aim of this study was to find out whether digital and analogue cellular 'phones affect patients with pacemakers. The study comprised continuous ECG monitoring of 200 pacemaker patients. During the monitoring certain conditions caused by interference created by the telephone were looked for: temporary or prolonged pacemaker inhibition; a shift to asynchronous mode caused by electromagnetic interference; an increase in ventricular pacing in dual chamber pacemakers, up to the programmed upper rate. The Global System for Mobile Communications system interfered with pacing 97 times in 43 patients (21.5%). During tests on Total Access of Communication System telephones, there were 60 cases of pacing interference in 35 patients (17.5%). There were 131 interference episodes during ringing vs 26 during the on/off phase; (P 4 s) was seen at the pacemaker 'base' sensing value in six patients using the Global system but in only one patient using Total Access. Cellular 'phones may be dangerous for pacemaker patients. However, they can be used safely if patients do not carry the 'phone close to the pacemaker, which is the only place where high risk interference has been observed.

Quantitative assessment of antibody internalization with novel monoclonal antibodies against Alexa fluorophores.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao-Chan, Sindy; Daine-Matsuoka, Barbara; Heald, Nathan; Wong, Tiffany; Lin, Tracey; Cai, Allen G; Lai, Michelle; D'Alessio, Joseph A; Theunissen, Jan-Willem

2015-01-01

Antibodies against cell surface antigens may be internalized through their specific interactions with these proteins and in some cases may induce or perturb antigen internalization. The anti-cancer efficacy of antibody-drug conjugates is thought to rely on their uptake by cancer cells expressing the surface antigen. Numerous techniques, including microscopy and flow cytometry, have been used to identify antibodies with desired cellular uptake rates. To enable quantitative measurements of internalization of labeled antibodies, an assay based on internalized and quenched fluorescence was developed. For this approach, we generated novel anti-Alexa Fluor monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that effectively and specifically quench cell surface-bound Alexa Fluor 488 or Alexa Fluor 594 fluorescence. Utilizing Alexa Fluor-labeled mAbs against the EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase, we showed that the anti-Alexa Fluor reagents could be used to monitor internalization quantitatively over time. The anti-Alexa Fluor mAbs were also validated in a proof of concept dual-label internalization assay with simultaneous exposure of cells to two different mAbs. Importantly, the unique anti-Alexa Fluor mAbs described here may also enable other single- and dual-label experiments, including label detection and signal enhancement in macromolecules, trafficking of proteins and microorganisms, and cell migration and morphology.

Quantitative assessment of antibody internalization with novel monoclonal antibodies against Alexa fluorophores.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sindy Liao-Chan

Full Text Available Antibodies against cell surface antigens may be internalized through their specific interactions with these proteins and in some cases may induce or perturb antigen internalization. The anti-cancer efficacy of antibody-drug conjugates is thought to rely on their uptake by cancer cells expressing the surface antigen. Numerous techniques, including microscopy and flow cytometry, have been used to identify antibodies with desired cellular uptake rates. To enable quantitative measurements of internalization of labeled antibodies, an assay based on internalized and quenched fluorescence was developed. For this approach, we generated novel anti-Alexa Fluor monoclonal antibodies (mAbs that effectively and specifically quench cell surface-bound Alexa Fluor 488 or Alexa Fluor 594 fluorescence. Utilizing Alexa Fluor-labeled mAbs against the EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase, we showed that the anti-Alexa Fluor reagents could be used to monitor internalization quantitatively over time. The anti-Alexa Fluor mAbs were also validated in a proof of concept dual-label internalization assay with simultaneous exposure of cells to two different mAbs. Importantly, the unique anti-Alexa Fluor mAbs described here may also enable other single- and dual-label experiments, including label detection and signal enhancement in macromolecules, trafficking of proteins and microorganisms, and cell migration and morphology.

ICUD-0499 Low-cost remotely sensed environmental monitoring stations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Rasmus; Thorndahl, Søren Liedtke

2017-01-01

This study contributes with extensive research of applying low-cost remotely sensed monitoring stations to an urban environment. Design requirements are scrutinized, including applications for remote data access, hardware design, and monitoring network design. A network of 9 monitoring stations...... measuring stream water level is deployed during July 2017. Data is streamed to a web page using cellular-based data transmission. Monitoring network performance is quantified with respect to local physical and weather conditions....

Suitability of monitoring methods for the optimisation of Radiological Protection in the case of internal exposure through inhalation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Degrange, J.P.; Gibert, B.; Basire, D.

2000-01-01

The radiological protection system recommended by the International Commission for Radiological Protection (ICRP) for justified practices relied pn the limitation and optimisation principles. The monitoring of internal exposure is most often based on the periodic assessment of individual exposure in order to essentially insure the simple compliance with the annual dose limits. Optimisation of protection implies a realistic, sensitive and analytical assessment of individual and collective exposures in order to allow the indentification of the main sources of exposure (main sources of contamination, most exposed operators, work activities contributing the most to the exposure) and the selection of the optimal protection options. Therefore the monitoring methods must allow the realistic assessment of individual dose levels far lower than annual limits together with measurements as frequent as possible. The aim of this presentation is to discuss the ability of various monitoring methods (collective and individual air sampling, in vivo and in vitro bioassays) to fulfil those needs. This discussion is illustrated by the particular case of the internal exposure to natural uranium compounds through inhalation. Firstly, the sensitivity and the degree to which each monitoring method is realistic are quantified and discussed on the basis of the application of the new ICRP dosimetric model, and their analytical capability for the optimisation of radiological protection is then indicated. Secondly, a case study is presented which shows the capability of individual air sampling techniques to analyse the exposure of the workers and the inadequacy of static air sampling to accurately estimate the exposures when contamination varies significantly over time and space in the workstations. As far as exposure to natural uranium compounds through inhalation is concerned, the study for assessing the sensitivity, analytic ability and accuracy of the different measuring systems shows that

Reference sources for the calibration of surface contamination monitors - Beta-emitters (maximum beta energy greater than MeV) and alpha-emitters (International Standard Publication ISO 8769:1988)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stefanik, J.

2001-01-01

This International Standard specifies the characteristics of reference sources of radioactive surface contamination, traceable to national measurement standards, for the calibration of surface contamination monitors. This International Standard relates to alpha-emitters and to beta-emitters of maximum beta energy greater than 0,15 MeV. It does not describe the procedures involved in the use of these reference sources for the calibration of surface contamination monitors. Such procedures are specified in IEC Publication 325 and other documents. This International Standard specifies reference radiations for the calibration of surface contamination monitors which take the form of adequately characterized large area sources specified, without exception, in terms of activity and surface emission rate, the evaluation of these quantities being traceable to national standards

Monitoring internal corrosion in natural gas pipelines; Monitoracao da corrosao interna em gasodutos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nobrega, Ana C.V.; Silva, Djalma R.; Pimenta, Gutemberg S. [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN (Brazil); Barbosa, Andrea F.F. [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas

2003-07-01

For susceptibilities to the corrosion of the pipelines and equipment made in carbon steel and used by the natural gas, it makes be necessary to identify the acting corrosive agents and monitoring them along time, controlling failures for internal corrosion. Also, of that process it origins the black powder (solid particles) that can not commit the structural integrity of the equipment, but it can also bring the company other implications very serious, like quality of the sold product, as well as stops due to blockages and wastes for erosion of the equipment. The monitoring methodology and control of the corrosion in field consisted of the use of corrosion test equipment, chemical characterization of samples of black powder and liquids and analysis of the operational data of processes and plants. Like this, it was identified for the gas pipeline in analysis the most responsible parameters for the corrosive action of the fluid, establishing a controlling methodology and operational actions to maintain the corrosion rates at safe levels and structural warranty of the same. (author)

Validation of the SCIAN LD-735 wrist blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Yuan-Yuan; Chen, Qi; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang

2016-08-01

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the automated oscillometric wrist blood pressure monitor SCIAN LD-735 for home blood pressure monitoring according to the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension revision 2010. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured sequentially in 33 adult Chinese participants (10 women, mean age 44.8 years) using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the SCIAN LD-735 device (one supervisor). A total of 99 pairs of comparisons were obtained from 33 participants for judgments in two parts with three grading phases. The SCIAN LD-735 device achieved the targets in part 1 of the validation study. The number of absolute differences between device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg was 86/99, 97/99, and 98/99, respectively, for systolic blood pressure and 85/99, 98/99, and 99/99, respectively, for diastolic blood pressure. The device also fulfilled the criteria in part 2 of the validation study. In total, 30 and 33 participants for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, had at least two of the three device-observer differences within 5 mmHg (required ≥24). No participant had all of the three device-observer comparisons greater than 5 mmHg for systolic or diastolic blood pressure. The SCIAN wrist blood pressure monitor LD-735 has passed the requirements of the International Protocol revision 2010, and hence can be recommended for home use in adults.

Validation of the AVITA BPM17 wrist blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Yuan-Yuan; Chen, Qi; Liu, Chang-Yuan; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang

2017-08-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of the automated oscillometric wrist blood pressure monitor AVITA BPM17 for home blood pressure monitoring according to the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension revision 2010. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were sequentially measured in 33 adult Chinese (19 men, 45.7 years of mean age) using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the AVITA BPM17 device (one supervisor). Ninety-nine pairs of comparisons were obtained from 33 participants for judgments in two parts with three grading phases. The AVITA BPM17 device achieved the targets in part 1 of the validation study. The number of absolute differences between device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg was 94/99, 98/99, and 98/99, respectively, for systolic blood pressure and 92/99, 99/99, and 99/99, respectively, for diastolic blood pressure. The device also fulfilled the criteria in part 2 of the validation study. Overall, 32 participants for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, had at least two of the three device-observerss differences within 5 mmHg (required ≥24). None had all the three device-observers comparisons greater than 5 mmHg for systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The AVITA wrist blood pressure monitor BPM17 has passed the requirements of the International Protocol revision 2010, and hence can be recommended for home use in adults.

Internal Dosimetry Monitoring- Detection Limits for a Selected Set of Radionuclides and Their Translation Into Committed Effective Dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandl, A.; Hrnecek, E.; Steger, F.

2004-01-01

To harmonize the practice of internal dosimetry monitoring across the country, the Austrian Standards Institute is currently drafting a new set of standards which are concerned with occupational incorporation monitoring of individuals handling non-sealed radioactive material. This set of standards is expected to consist of three parts discussing the general necessity and frequency, the requirements for monitoring institutions, and the determination and rigorous calculation of committed effective dose after incorporation of radioactive material, respectively. Considerations of the requirements for routine monitoring laboratories have led to an evaluation of the detection limits for routine monitoring equipment. For a selected set of radionuclides, these detection limits are investigated in detail. The main emphasis is placed on the decay chains of naturally occurring radionuclides showing some significant potential for being out of equilibrium due to chemical processes in certain mining industries. The radionuclides considered in this paper are 226Ra, 228Ra, 228Th, 232Th, 234U, 235U, and 238U. Given the routine monitoring intervals of the Austrian Standard, these detection limits are translated into information on committed effective dose. This paper investigates whether routine monitoring equipment is sufficient to ensure compliance with EC directive 96/29/Euratom for this selected set of radionuclides. (Author) 9 refs

Metabolic Discrimination of Select List Agents by Monitoring Cellular Responses in a Multianalyte Microphysiometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Wikswo

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Harnessing the potential of cells as complex biosensors promises the potential to create sensitive and selective detectors for discrimination of biodefense agents. Here we present toxin detection and suggest discrimination using cells in a multianalyte microphysiometer (MMP that is capable of simultaneously measuring flux changes in four extracellular analytes (acidification rate, glucose uptake, oxygen uptake, and lactate production in real-time. Differential short-term cellular responses were observed between botulinum neurotoxin A and ricin toxin with neuroblastoma cells, alamethicin and anthrax protective antigen with RAW macrophages, and cholera toxin, muscarine, 2,4-dinitro-phenol, and NaF with CHO cells. These results and the post exposure dynamics and metabolic recovery observed in each case suggest the usefulness of cell-based detectors to discriminate between specific analytes and classes of compounds in a complex matrix, and furthermore to make metabolic inferences on the cellular effects of the agents. This may be particularly valuable for classifying unknown toxins.

Discussing epigenetics in Southern California: a report from the International Symposium on Epigenetic Control and Cellular Plasticity, UCI, December 15-16, 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Rattner, Barbara P

2012-04-01

With the goal of discussing how epigenetic control and chromatin remodeling contribute to the various processes that lead to cellular plasticity and disease, this symposium marks the collaboration between the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) in France and the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Organized by Paolo Sassone-Corsi (UCI) and held at the Beckman Center of the National Academy of Sciences at the UCI campus December 15-16, 2011, this was the first of a series of international conferences on epigenetics dedicated to the scientific community in Southern California. The meeting also served as the official kick off for the newly formed Center for Epigenetics and Metabolism at the School of Medicine, UCI (http://cem.igb.uci.edu).

Proceedings of 6th International Microbeam Workshop/12th L.H. Gray Workshop Microbeam Probes of Cellular Radiation Response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prise, Kevin M.

2004-01-01

The extended abstracts which are submitted here present a summary of the proceedings of the 6th International Workshop/12th LH Gray Workshop: Microbeam Probes of Cellular Radiation Response, held at St. Catherine's College, University of Oxford, UK on March, 29th-31st, 2003. In 1993 the 4th LH Gray Workshop entitled ''Microbeam Probes of Cellular Radiation Response'' was held at the Gray Cancer Institute in Northwood. This was organized by Prof BD Michael, Dr M. Folkard and Dr KM Prise and brought together 40 participants interested in developing and applying new microbeam technology to problems in radiation biology (1). The workshop was an undoubted success and has spawned a series of subsequent workshops every two years. In the past, these workshops have been highly successful in bringing together groups interested in developing and applying micro-irradiation techniques to the study of cell and tissue damage by ionizing radiations. Following the first microbeam workshop, there has been a rapid growth in the number of centres developing radiobiology microbeams, or planning to do so and there are currently 15-20 worldwide. Much of the recent research using microbeams has used them to study low-dose effects and ''non-targeted'' responses such bystander effects, genomic instability and adaptive responses. The goal of the 6th workshop was to build on our knowledge of the development of microbeam approaches and the application to radiation biology in the future with the meeting stretching over a 3 day period. Over 80 participants reviewed the current state of radiobiology microbeam research worldwide and reported on new technological developments both in the fields of physics and biology

Retrieval algorithm for rainfall mapping from microwave links in a cellular communication network

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Overeem, Aart; Leijnse, Hidde; Uijlenhoet, Remko

2016-01-01

Microwave links in commercial cellular communication networks hold a promise for areal rainfall monitoring and could complement rainfall estimates from ground-based weather radars, rain gauges, and satellites. It has been shown that country-wide (≈ 35 500 km²) 15 min rainfall maps can

Cooperative monitoring of regional security agreements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pregenzer, A.L.; Vannoni, M.; Biringer, K.L.

1995-08-01

This paper argues that cooperative monitoring plays a critical role in the implementation of regional security agreements and confidence building measures. A framework for developing cooperative monitoring options is proposed and several possibilities for relating bilateral and regional monitoring systems to international monitoring systems are discussed. Three bilateral or regional agreements are analyzed briefly to illustrate different possibilities: (1) the demilitarization of the Sinai region between Israel and Egypt in the 1970s; (2) the 1991 quadripartite agreement for monitoring nuclear facilities among Brazil, Argentina, The Argentine-Brazilian Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials and the International Atomic Energy Agency; and (3) a bilateral Open Skies agreement between Hungary and Romania in 1991. These examples illustrate that the relationship of regional or bilateral arms control or security agreements to international agreements depends on a number of factors: the overlap of provisions between regional and international agreements; the degree of interest in a regional agreement among the international community; efficiency in implementing the agreement; and numerous political considerations.Given the importance of regional security to the international community, regions should be encouraged to develop their own infrastructure for implementing regional arms control and other security agreements. A regional infrastructure need not preclude participation in an international regime. On the contrary, establishing regional institutions for arms control and nonproliferation could result in more proactive participation of regional parties in developing solutions for regional and international problems, thereby strengthening existing and future international regimes. Possible first steps for strengthening regional infrastructures are identified and potential technical requirements are discussed.

Source Monitoring in Alzheimer's Disease

Science.gov (United States)

El Haj, Mohamad; Fasotti, Luciano; Allain, Philippe

2012-01-01

Source monitoring is the process of making judgments about the origin of memories. There are three categories of source monitoring: reality monitoring (discrimination between self- versus other-generated sources), external monitoring (discrimination between several external sources), and internal monitoring (discrimination between two types of…

Software requirements elicitation to support internal monitoring of quality assurance system for higher education in Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Amalia, A.; Gunawan, D.; Hardi, S. M.; Rachmawati, D.

2018-02-01

The Internal Quality Assurance System (in Indonesian: SPMI (Sistem Penjaminan Mutu Internal) is a systemic activity of quality assurance of higher education in Indonesia. SPMI should be done by all higher education or universities in Indonesia based on the Regulation of the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education of the Republic of Indonesia Number 62 of 2016. Implementation of SPMI must refer to the principle of SPMI that is independent, standardize, accurate, well planned and sustainable, documented and systematic. To assist the SPMI cycle properly, universities need a supporting software to monitor all the activities of SPMI. But in reality, many universities are not optimal in building this SPMI monitoring system. One of the obstacles is the determination of system requirements in support of SPMI principles is difficult to achieve. In this paper, we observe the initial phase of the engineering requirements elicitation. Unlike other methods that collect system requirements from users and stakeholders, we find the system requirements of the SPMI principles from SPMI guideline book. The result of this paper can be used as a choice in determining SPMI software requirements. This paper can also be used by developers and users to understand the scenario of SPMI so that could overcome the problems of understanding between this two parties.

Monitoring the Microgravity Environment Quality On-Board the International Space Station Using Soft Computing Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Jules, Kenol; Lin, Paul P.

2001-01-01

This paper presents an artificial intelligence monitoring system developed by the NASA Glenn Principal Investigator Microgravity Services project to help the principal investigator teams identify the primary vibratory disturbance sources that are active, at any moment in time, on-board the International Space Station, which might impact the microgravity environment their experiments are exposed to. From the Principal Investigator Microgravity Services' web site, the principal investigator teams can monitor via a graphical display, in near real time, which event(s) is/are on, such as crew activities, pumps, fans, centrifuges, compressor, crew exercise, platform structural modes, etc., and decide whether or not to run their experiments based on the acceleration environment associated with a specific event. This monitoring system is focused primarily on detecting the vibratory disturbance sources, but could be used as well to detect some of the transient disturbance sources, depending on the events duration. The system has built-in capability to detect both known and unknown vibratory disturbance sources. Several soft computing techniques such as Kohonen's Self-Organizing Feature Map, Learning Vector Quantization, Back-Propagation Neural Networks, and Fuzzy Logic were used to design the system.

PA.NET International Quality Certification Protocol for blood pressure monitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Omboni, Stefano; Costantini, Carlo; Pini, Claudio; Bulegato, Roberto; Manfellotto, Dario; Rizzoni, Damiano; Palatini, Paolo; O'brien, Eoin; Parati, Gianfranco

2008-10-01

Although standard validation protocols provide assurance of the accuracy of blood pressure monitors (BPMs), there is no guidance for the consumer as to the overall quality of a device. The PA.NET International Quality Certification Protocol, developed by the Association for Research and Development of Biomedical Technologies and for Continuing Medical Education (ARSMED), a nonprofit organization, with the support of the Italian Society of Hypertension-Italian Hypertension League, and the dabl Educational Trust denotes additional criteria of quality for BPMs that fulfilled basic validation criteria, published in full in peer-reviewed medical journals. The certification is characterized by three phases: (i) to determine that the device fulfilled standard validation criteria; (ii) to determine the technical and functional characteristics of the device (e.g. operativity, display dimension, accessory functions, memory availability, etc.) and (iii) to determine the commercial characteristics (e.g. price-quality ratio, after-sale service, guarantee, etc.). At the end of the certification process, ARSMED attributes a quality index to the device, based on a scale ranging from 1 to 100, and a quality seal with four different grades (bronze, silver, gold and diamond) according to the achieved score. The seal is identified by a unique alphanumeric code. The quality seal may be used on the packaging of the appliance or in advertising. A quality certification is released to the manufacturer and published on www.pressionearteriosa.net and www.dableducational.org. The PA.NET International Quality Certification Protocol represents the first attempt to provide health care personnel and consumers with an independent and objective assessment of BPMs based on their quality.

Stromal cells from the adipose tissue-derived stromal vascular fraction and culture expanded adipose tissue-derived stromal/stem cells: a joint statement of the International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science (IFATS) and the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT).

Science.gov (United States)

Bourin, Philippe; Bunnell, Bruce A; Casteilla, Louis; Dominici, Massimo; Katz, Adam J; March, Keith L; Redl, Heinz; Rubin, J Peter; Yoshimura, Kotaro; Gimble, Jeffrey M

2013-06-01

Adipose tissue is a rich and very convenient source of cells for regenerative medicine therapeutic approaches. However, a characterization of the population of adipose-derived stromal and stem cells (ASCs) with the greatest therapeutic potential remains unclear. Under the authority of International Federation of Adipose Therapeutics and International Society for Cellular Therapy, this paper sets out to establish minimal definitions of stromal cells both as uncultured stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and as an adherent stromal/stem cells population. Phenotypic and functional criteria for the identification of adipose-derived cells were drawn from the literature. In the SVF, cells are identified phenotypically by the following markers: CD45-CD235a-CD31-CD34+. Added value may be provided by both a viability marker and the following surface antigens: CD13, CD73, CD90 and CD105. The fibroblastoid colony-forming unit assay permits the evaluation of progenitor frequency in the SVF population. In culture, ASCs retain markers in common with other mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs), including CD90, CD73, CD105, and CD44 and remain negative for CD45 and CD31. They can be distinguished from bone-marrow-derived MSCs by their positivity for CD36 and negativity for CD106. The CFU-F assay is recommended to calculate population doublings capacity of ASCs. The adipocytic, chondroblastic and osteoblastic differentiation assays serve to complete the cell identification and potency assessment in conjunction with a quantitative evaluation of the differentiation either biochemically or by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The goal of this paper is to provide initial guidance for the scientific community working with adipose-derived cells and to facilitate development of international standards based on reproducible parameters. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Cellular Therapy. All rights reserved.

Vibro-acoustic condition monitoring of Internal Combustion Engines: A critical review of existing techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Delvecchio, S.; Bonfiglio, P.; Pompoli, F.

2018-01-01

This paper deals with the state-of-the-art strategies and techniques based on vibro-acoustic signals that can monitor and diagnose malfunctions in Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs) under both test bench and vehicle operating conditions. Over recent years, several authors have summarized what is known in critical reviews mainly focused on reciprocating machines in general or on specific signal processing techniques: no attempts to deal with IC engine condition monitoring have been made. This paper first gives a brief summary of the generation of sound and vibration in ICEs in order to place further discussion on fault vibro-acoustic diagnosis in context. An overview of the monitoring and diagnostic techniques described in literature using both vibration and acoustic signals is also provided. Different faulty conditions are described which affect combustion, mechanics and the aerodynamics of ICEs. The importance of measuring acoustic signals, as opposed to vibration signals, is due since the former seem to be more suitable for implementation on on-board monitoring systems in view of their non-intrusive behaviour, capability in simultaneously capturing signatures from several mechanical components and because of the possibility of detecting faults affecting airborne transmission paths. In view of the recent needs of the industry to (-) optimize component structural durability adopting long-life cycles, (-) verify the engine final status at the end of the assembly line and (-) reduce the maintenance costs monitoring the ICE life during vehicle operations, monitoring and diagnosing system requests are continuously growing up. The present review can be considered a useful guideline for test engineers in understanding which types of fault can be diagnosed by using vibro-acoustic signals in sufficient time in both test bench and operating conditions and which transducer and signal processing technique (of which the essential background theory is here reported) could be

Cooperative monitoring of regional security agreements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pregenzer, A.L.; Vannoni, M.; Biringer, K.L. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Nonproliferation and Arms Control Analysis Dept.

1996-11-01

This paper argues that cooperative monitoring plays a critical role in the implementation of regional security agreements and confidence building measures. A framework for developing cooperative monitoring options is proposed and several possibilities for relating bilateral and regional monitoring systems to international monitoring systems are discussed. Three bilateral or regional agreements are analyzed briefly to illustrate different possibilities. These examples illustrate that the relationship of regional or bilateral arms control or security agreements to international agreements depends on a number of factors: the overlap of provisions between regional and international agreements; the degree of interest in a regional agreement among the international community; efficiency in implementing the agreement; and numerous political considerations. Given the importance of regional security to the international community, regions should be encouraged to develop their own infrastructure for implementing regional arms control and other security agreements. A regional infrastructure need not preclude participation in an international regime. On the contrary, establishing regional institutions for arms control and nonproliferation could result in more proactive participation of regional parties in developing solutions for regional and international problems, thereby strengthening existing and future international regimes. Possible first steps for strengthening regional infrastructures are identified and potential technical requirements are discussed.

The relevance of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in monitoring and evaluating Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR).

Science.gov (United States)

Madden, Rosamond H; Dune, Tinashe; Lukersmith, Sue; Hartley, Sally; Kuipers, Pim; Gargett, Alexandra; Llewellyn, Gwynnyth

2014-01-01

To examine the relevance of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to CBR monitoring and evaluation by investigating the relationship between the ICF and information in published CBR monitoring and evaluation reports. A three-stage literature search and analysis method was employed. Studies were identified via online database searches for peer-reviewed journal articles, and hand-searching of CBR network resources, NGO websites and specific journals. From each study "information items" were extracted; extraction consistency among authors was established. Finally, the resulting information items were coded to ICF domains and categories, with consensus on coding being achieved. Thirty-six articles relating to monitoring and evaluating CBR were selected for analysis. Approximately one third of the 2495 information items identified in these articles (788 or 32%) related to concepts of functioning, disability and environment, and could be coded to the ICF. These information items were spread across the entire ICF classification with a concentration on Activities and Participation (49% of the 788 information items) and Environmental Factors (42%). The ICF is a relevant and potentially useful framework and classification, providing building blocks for the systematic recording of information pertaining to functioning and disability, for CBR monitoring and evaluation. Implications for Rehabilitation The application of the ICF, as one of the building blocks for CBR monitoring and evaluation, is a constructive step towards an evidence-base on the efficacy and outcomes of CBR programs. The ICF can be used to provide the infrastructure for functioning and disability information to inform service practitioners and enable national and international comparisons.

Validation of the AVITA BPM64 upper-arm blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Yuan-Yuan; Chen, Qi; Liu, Chang-Yuan; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the automated oscillometric upper arm blood pressure (BP) monitor AVITA BPM64 for home BP monitoring according to the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension revision 2010. Systolic and diastolic BPs were measured sequentially in 33 adult Chinese (14 women, mean age 47.0 years) using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the AVITA BPM64 device (one supervisor). A total of 99 pairs of comparisons were obtained from 33 participants for judgments in two parts with three grading phases. The AVITA BPM64 device achieved the targets in part 1 of the validation study. The number of absolute differences between device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg was 91/99, 98/99, and 98/99, respectively, for systolic BP and 92/99, 99/99, and 99/99, respectively, for diastolic BP. The device also fulfilled the criteria in part 2 of the validation study. Thirty-two participants for both systolic and diastolic BP had at least two of the three device-observer differences within 5 mmHg (required ≥24). Only one participant for systolic BP had all three device-observer comparisons greater than 5 mmHg. The AVITA upper arm BP monitor BPM64 has passed the requirements of the International Protocol revision 2010, and hence can be recommended for home use in adults.

Validation of the Rossmax CF175 upper-arm blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lu; Kang, Yuan-Yuan; Zeng, Wei-Fang; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang

2015-04-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the Rossmax CF175 upper-arm blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension revision 2010. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were sequentially measured in 33 adult Chinese (17 women, mean age 46 years) using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the Rossmax CF175 device (one supervisor). A total of 99 pairs of comparisons were obtained from 33 participants for judgments in two parts with three grading phases. All the blood pressure requirements were fulfilled. The Rossmax CF175 device achieved the targets in part 1 of the validation study. The number of absolute differences between the device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg was 78/99, 94/99, and 98/99, respectively, for systolic blood pressure, and 81/99, 96/99, and 97/99, respectively, for diastolic blood pressure. The device also achieved the criteria in part 2 of the validation study. Twenty-nine participants, for both of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, had at least two of the three device-observers differences within 5 mmHg (required ≥24). Only one participant for diastolic blood pressure had all three device-observers comparisons greater than 5 mmHg. The Rossmax automated oscillometric upper-arm blood pressure monitor CF175 fulfilled the requirements of the International Protocol revision 2010, and hence can be recommended for blood pressure measurement in adults.

Validation of the AVITA BPM15S wrist blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Yuan-Yuan; Zeng, Wei-Fang; Zhang, Lu; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang

2014-06-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the automated oscillometric wrist blood pressure monitor AVITA BPM15S for home blood pressure monitoring according to the International Protocol revision 2010 of the European Society of Hypertension. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were sequentially measured in 33 Chinese adults (15 women, mean age 51 years) using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the AVITA BPM15S device (one supervisor). Ninety-nine pairs of comparisons were obtained from 33 participants for judgments in two parts with three grading phases. The AVITA BPM15S device achieved the targets in part 1 of the validation study. The number of absolute differences between the device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg were 85/99, 94/99, and 98/99, respectively, for systolic blood pressure, and 82/99, 96/99, and 98/99, respectively, for diastolic blood pressure. The device also achieved the criteria in part 2 of the validation study. Thirty-two and 28 participants for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, had at least two of the three device-observer differences within 5 mmHg (required ≥ 24). No participant had all of the three device-observer comparisons greater than 5 mmHg for systolic or diastolic blood pressure. The AVITA wrist blood pressure monitor BPM15S fulfilled the requirements of the International Protocol revision 2010 and hence can be recommended for home use in an adult population.

Internalization of subcellular-scale microfabricated chips by healthy and cancer cells

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, H.-S. Philip

2018-01-01

Continuous monitoring of physiological parameters inside a living cell will lead to major advances in our understanding of biology and complex diseases, such as cancer. It also enables the development of new medical diagnostics and therapeutics. Progress in nanofabrication and wireless communication has opened up the potential of making a wireless chip small enough that it can be wholly inserted into a living cell. To investigate how such chips could be internalized into various types of living single cells and how this process might affect cells’ physiology, we designed and fabricated a series of multilayered micron-scale tag structures with different sizes as potential RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) cell trackers. While the present structures are test structures that do not resonate, the tags that do resonate have similar structure from device fabrication, material properties, and device size point of view. The structures are in four different sizes, the largest with the lateral dimension of 9 μm × 21 μm. The thickness for these structures is kept constant at 1.5 μm. We demonstrate successful delivery of our fabricated chips into various types of living cells, such as melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and healthy/normal fibroblast skin cells. To our surprise, we observed a remarkable internalization rate difference between each cell type; the uptake rate was faster for more aggressive cancer cells than the normal/healthy cells. Cell viability before and after tag cellular internalization and persistence of the internalized tags have also been recorded over the course of five days of incubation. These results establish the foundations of the possibility of long term, wireless, intracellular physiological signal monitoring. PMID:29601607

Monitoring the Microgravity Environment Quality On-board the International Space Station Using Soft Computing Techniques. Part 2; Preliminary System Performance Results

Science.gov (United States)

Jules, Kenol; Lin, Paul P.; Weiss, Daniel S.

2002-01-01

This paper presents the preliminary performance results of the artificial intelligence monitoring system in full operational mode using near real time acceleration data downlinked from the International Space Station. Preliminary microgravity environment characterization analysis result for the International Space Station (Increment-2), using the monitoring system is presented. Also, comparison between the system predicted performance based on ground test data for the US laboratory "Destiny" module and actual on-orbit performance, using measured acceleration data from the U.S. laboratory module of the International Space Station is presented. Finally, preliminary on-orbit disturbance magnitude levels are presented for the Experiment of Physics of Colloids in Space, which are compared with on ground test data. The ground test data for the Experiment of Physics of Colloids in Space were acquired from the Microgravity Emission Laboratory, located at the NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio. The artificial intelligence was developed by the NASA Glenn Principal Investigator Microgravity Services Project to help the principal investigator teams identify the primary vibratory disturbance sources that are active, at any moment of time, on-board the International Space Station, which might impact the microgravity environment their experiments are exposed to. From the Principal Investigator Microgravity Services' web site, the principal investigator teams can monitor via a dynamic graphical display, implemented in Java, in near real time, which event(s) is/are on, such as crew activities, pumps, fans, centrifuges, compressor, crew exercise, structural modes, etc., and decide whether or not to run their experiments, whenever that is an option, based on the acceleration magnitude and frequency sensitivity associated with that experiment. This monitoring system detects primarily the vibratory disturbance sources. The system has built-in capability to detect both known

Active cellular sensing with quantum dots: Transitioning from research tool to reality; a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delehanty, James B.; Susumu, Kimihiro; Manthe, Rachel L.; Algar, W. Russ; Medintz, Igor L.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Quantum dots (QDs) have evolved beyond mere cellular labeling reagents. ► Significant advances have been made in QD materials, surface coatings and bioconjugation. ► Cellular targeting/delivery has been achieved using polymers, peptides, proteins. ► Numerous QD-based sensing applications: extracellular, membrane, intracellular. - Abstract: The application of luminescent semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) within a wide range of biological imaging and sensing formats is now approaching its 15th year. The unique photophysical properties of these nanomaterials have long been envisioned as having the potential to revolutionize biosensing within cellular studies that rely on fluorescence. However, it is only now that these materials are making the transition towards accomplishing this goal. With the idea of understanding how to actively incorporate QDs into different types of cellular biosensing, we review the progress in many of the areas relevant to achieving this goal. This includes the synthesis of the QDs themselves, with an emphasis on minimizing potential toxicity, along with the general methods for making these nanocrystalline structures stable in aqueous media. We next survey some methods for conjugating QDs to biomolecules to allow them to participate in active biosensing. Lastly, we extensively review many of the applications where QDs have been demonstrated in an active role in cellular biosensing. These formats cover a wide range of possibilities including where the QDs have contributed to: monitoring the cell's interaction with its extracellular environment; elucidating the complex molecular interplay that characterizes the plasma membrane; understanding how cells continuously endocytose and exocytose materials across the cellular membrane; visualizing organelle trafficking; and, perhaps most importantly, monitoring the intracellular presence of target molecules such as nucleic acids, nutrients, cofactors, and ions or, alternatively

Cellular gravity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

F.C. Gruau; J.T. Tromp (John)

1999-01-01

textabstractWe consider the problem of establishing gravity in cellular automata. In particular, when cellular automata states can be partitioned into empty, particle, and wall types, with the latter enclosing rectangular areas, we desire rules that will make the particles fall down and pile up on

SU-F-I-61: Assessment and Characterization of the Built-in Internal Photometer of Primary Diagnostic Monitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruuge, A; Erdi, Y; Mahmood, U [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: The conformance of Primary Diagnostic Monitors (PDMs) to the DICOM GSDF is increasingly required by several state and city regulators. Our purpose was to quantitatively characterize the luminance performance of the internal, built in photometer of BARCO monitors against an externally calibrated luminance meter. Methods: Thirty one PDMs (BARCO) were included in our analysis. An externally calibrated photometer (RaySafe Solo Light) was used to measure the luminance and illuminance values. Measured monitors were located at various hospital sites, radiology physicians’ offices and radiology reading rooms. All measured PDMs were equipped with the manufacturer’s built-in photometers and connected to Barco MediCal QA web service for manual and automatic quality control measurements. PDM combinations included 1, 2 and 4 monitors depending on the location. TG-18 and SMPTE test patterns were used to evaluate monitor performance. Results: All the PDMs exceeded the luminance ratio of 250:1, as required by NYC PDM guidelines. One PDM failed the NYC requirement for the minimal luminance level of 350 cd/m2. As compared to the external photometer, the difference in measurement of the maximum luminance with the built-in photometer was found to exceed 5% on 6 of the PDM measured, with a maximum deviation of 10%. The age of the monitors that failed was on average 5 years. All monitors passed the luminance uniformity test, which was 30% from the center of the monitor to the 4 corner locations. Four PDMs failed the Gray Scale Display Function (GSDF) calibration. Conclusion: For the consistent display of medical images and continued conformance with the DICOM GSDF standard, it is essential to compare the performance of the built-in photometer with an externally calibrated photometer for monitors that are older than 5 years.

Monitoring Immune Responses in Organ Recipients by Flow Cytometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Al-Mukhalafi Zuha

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Allograft rejection remains a major barrier to successful organ transplan-tation. Cellular and humoral immune responses play a critical role in mediating graft rejection. During the last few years, monoclonal antibodies have been used as a new specific therapeutic approach in the prevention of allograft rejection. Recently, the technology of flow cytometry has become a useful tool for monitoring immunological responses in transplant recipients. The application of this valuable tool in clinical transplantation at the present time is aimed at, i determining the extent of immuno-suppressive therapy through T-cell receptor analysis of cellular components, ii monitoring levels of alloreactive antibodies to identify high-risk recipients (sensitized patients in the pre-operative period and iii to predict rejection by monitoring their development post-operatively. In future, further development of this technology may demonstrate greater benefit to the field of organ transplantation.

Secure Real-Time Monitoring and Management of Smart Distribution Grid using Shared Cellular Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jimmy Jessen; Ganem, Hervé; Jorguseski, Ljupco

2017-01-01

capabilities. Thanks to the advanced measurement devices, management framework, and secure communication infrastructure developed in the FP7 SUNSEED project, the Distribution System Operator (DSO) now has full observability of the energy flows at the medium/low voltage grid. Furthermore, the prosumers are able......, where the smart grid ICT solutions are provided through shared cellular LTE networks....

Evaluation of cellular phenotypes implicated in immunopathogenesis and monitoring immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV/leprosy cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Giacoia-Gripp, Carmem Beatriz Wagner; Sales, Anna Maria; Nery, José Augusto da Costa; Santos-Oliveira, Joanna Reis; de Oliveira, Ariane Leite; Sarno, Euzenir Nunes; Morgado, Mariza Gonçalves

2011-01-01

It is now evident that HAART-associated immunological improvement often leads to a variety of new clinical manifestations, collectively termed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, or IRIS. This phenomenon has already been described in cases of HIV coinfection with Mycobacterium leprae, most of them belonging to the tuberculoid spectrum of leprosy disease, as observed in leprosy reversal reaction (RR). However, the events related to the pathogenesis of this association need to be clarified. This study investigated the immunological profile of HIV/leprosy patients, with special attention to the cellular activation status, to better understand the mechanisms related to IRIS/RR immunopathogenesis, identifying any potential biomarkers for IRIS/RR intercurrence. Eighty-five individuals were assessed in this study: HIV/leprosy and HIV-monoinfected patients, grouped according to HIV-viral load levels, leprosy patients without HIV coinfection, and healthy controls. Phenotypes were evaluated by flow cytometry for T cell subsets and immune differentiation/activation markers. As expected, absolute counts of the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from the HIV-infected individuals changed in relation to those of the leprosy patients and controls. However, there were no significant differences among the groups, whether in the expression of cellular differentiation phenotypes or cellular activation, as reflected by the expression of CD38 and HLA-DR. Six HIV/leprosy patients identified as IRIS/RR were analyzed during IRIS/RR episodes and after prednisone treatment. These patients presented high cellular activation levels regarding the expression of CD38 in CD8+ cells T during IRIS/RR (median: 77,15%), dropping significantly (p<0,05) during post-IRIS/RR moments (median: 29,7%). Furthermore, an increase of cellular activation seems to occur prior to IRIS/RR. These data suggest CD38 expression in CD8+ T cells interesting tool identifying HIV/leprosy individuals at risk for IRIS/RR. So, a

Evaluation of cellular phenotypes implicated in immunopathogenesis and monitoring immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV/leprosy cases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmem Beatriz Wagner Giacoia-Gripp

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: It is now evident that HAART-associated immunological improvement often leads to a variety of new clinical manifestations, collectively termed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, or IRIS. This phenomenon has already been described in cases of HIV coinfection with Mycobacterium leprae, most of them belonging to the tuberculoid spectrum of leprosy disease, as observed in leprosy reversal reaction (RR. However, the events related to the pathogenesis of this association need to be clarified. This study investigated the immunological profile of HIV/leprosy patients, with special attention to the cellular activation status, to better understand the mechanisms related to IRIS/RR immunopathogenesis, identifying any potential biomarkers for IRIS/RR intercurrence. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Eighty-five individuals were assessed in this study: HIV/leprosy and HIV-monoinfected patients, grouped according to HIV-viral load levels, leprosy patients without HIV coinfection, and healthy controls. Phenotypes were evaluated by flow cytometry for T cell subsets and immune differentiation/activation markers. As expected, absolute counts of the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from the HIV-infected individuals changed in relation to those of the leprosy patients and controls. However, there were no significant differences among the groups, whether in the expression of cellular differentiation phenotypes or cellular activation, as reflected by the expression of CD38 and HLA-DR. Six HIV/leprosy patients identified as IRIS/RR were analyzed during IRIS/RR episodes and after prednisone treatment. These patients presented high cellular activation levels regarding the expression of CD38 in CD8+ cells T during IRIS/RR (median: 77,15%, dropping significantly (p<0,05 during post-IRIS/RR moments (median: 29,7%. Furthermore, an increase of cellular activation seems to occur prior to IRIS/RR. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: These data suggest CD38 expression in CD8+ T cells

Current applications of vibration monitoring and neutron noise analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damiano, B.; Kryter, R.C.

1990-02-01

Monitoring programs using vibration monitoring or neutron noise analysis have demonstrated the ability to detect and, in some cases, diagnose the nature of reactor vessel internals structural degradation. Detection of compromised mechanical integrity of reactor vessel internal components in its early stages allows corrective action to be taken before weakening or damage occurs. In addition to the economic benefits early detection and correction can provide, they can also help maintain plant safety. Information on the condition of reactor vessel internal components gained from a monitoring program supplements in-service inspection results and may be useful in justifying plant license extension. This report, which was prepared under the Nuclear Plant Aging Research Program sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, discusses the application of vibration monitoring and neutron noise analysis for monitoring light-water reactor vessel internals. The report begins by describing the effects of structural integrity loss on internals vibration and how measurable parameters can be used to detect and track the progress of degradation. This is followed by a description and comparison of vibration monitoring and neutron noise analysis, two methods for monitoring the mechanical integrity of reactor vessel internals condition monitoring programs in the United States, Federal Republic of Germany, and France, three countries having substantial commitments to nuclear power. The last section presents guidelines for US utilities wishing to establish reactor internals condition monitoring programs. 20 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs

Melanoma screening with cellular phones.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cesare Massone

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Mobile teledermatology has recently been shown to be suitable for teledermatology despite limitations in image definition in preliminary studies. The unique aspect of mobile teledermatology is that this system represents a filtering or triage system, allowing a sensitive approach for the management of patients with emergent skin diseases. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study we investigated the feasibility of teleconsultation using a new generation of cellular phones in pigmented skin lesions. 18 patients were selected consecutively in the Pigmented Skin Lesions Clinic of the Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz (Austria. Clinical and dermoscopic images were acquired using a Sony Ericsson with a built-in two-megapixel camera. Two teleconsultants reviewed the images on a specific web application (http://www.dermahandy.net/default.asp where images had been uploaded in JPEG format. Compared to the face-to-face diagnoses, the two teleconsultants obtained a score of correct telediagnoses of 89% and of 91.5% reporting the clinical and dermoscopic images, respectively. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The present work is the first study performing mobile teledermoscopy using cellular phones. Mobile teledermatology has the potential to become an easy applicable tool for everyone and a new approach for enhanced self-monitoring for skin cancer screening in the spirit of the eHealth program of the European Commission Information for Society and Media.

Are cellular phone blocking applications effective for novice teen drivers?

Science.gov (United States)

Creaser, Janet I; Edwards, Christopher J; Morris, Nichole L; Donath, Max

2015-09-01

Distracted driving is a significant concern for novice teen drivers. Although cellular phone bans are applied in many jurisdictions to restrict cellular phone use, teen drivers often report making calls and texts while driving. The Minnesota Teen Driver Study incorporated cellular phone blocking functions via a software application for 182 novice teen drivers in two treatment conditions. The first condition included 92 teens who ran a driver support application on a smartphone that also blocked phone usage. The second condition included 90 teens who ran the same application with phone blocking but which also reported back to parents about monitored risky behaviors (e.g., speeding). A third control group consisting of 92 novice teen drivers had the application and phone-based software installed on the phones to record cellular phone (but not block it) use while driving. The two treatment groups made significantly fewer calls and texts per mile driven compared to the control group. The control group data also demonstrated a higher propensity to text while driving rather than making calls. Software that blocks cellular phone use (except 911) while driving can be effective at mitigating calling and texting for novice teen drivers. However, subjective data indicates that some teens were motivated to find ways around the software, as well as to use another teen's phone while driving when they were unable to use theirs. Cellular phone bans for calling and texting are the first step to changing behaviors associated with texting and driving, particularly among novice teen drivers. Blocking software has the additional potential to reduce impulsive calling and texting while driving among novice teen drivers who might logically know the risks, but for whom it is difficult to ignore calling or texting while driving. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Self-organisation in Cellular Automata with Coalescent Particles: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Hellouin de Menibus, Benjamin; Sablik, Mathieu

2017-06-01

This article introduces new tools to study self-organisation in a family of simple cellular automata which contain some particle-like objects with good collision properties (coalescence) in their time evolution. We draw an initial configuration at random according to some initial shift-ergodic measure, and use the limit measure to describe the asymptotic behaviour of the automata. We first take a qualitative approach, i.e. we obtain information on the limit measure(s). We prove that only particles moving in one particular direction can persist asymptotically. This provides some previously unknown information on the limit measures of various deterministic and probabilistic cellular automata: 3 and 4-cyclic cellular automata [introduced by Fisch (J Theor Probab 3(2):311-338, 1990; Phys D 45(1-3):19-25, 1990)], one-sided captive cellular automata [introduced by Theyssier (Captive Cellular Automata, 2004)], the majority-traffic cellular automaton, a self stabilisation process towards a discrete line [introduced by Regnault and Rémila (in: Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science 2015—40th International Symposium, MFCS 2015, Milan, Italy, Proceedings, Part I, 2015)]. In a second time we restrict our study to a subclass, the gliders cellular automata. For this class we show quantitative results, consisting in the asymptotic law of some parameters: the entry times [generalising K ůrka et al. (in: Proceedings of AUTOMATA, 2011)], the density of particles and the rate of convergence to the limit measure.

Use of dual-head gamma camera in radionuclide internal contamination monitoring on radiation workers from a nuclear medicine department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez-Laguna, A.; Brandan, M.E.

2008-01-01

As a part of an internal dosimetry program that is performed at the Mexican National Institute of Cancerology - Nuclear Medicine Department, in the present work we suggest a procedure for the routinely monitoring of internal contamination on radiation workers and nuclear medicine staff. The procedure is based on the identification and quantification of contaminating radionuclides in human body by using a dual-head whole-body gamma camera. The results have shown that the procedures described in this study can be used to implement a method to quantify minimal accumulated activity in the main human organs to evaluate internal contamination with radionuclides. The high sensitivity of the uncollimated gamma camera is advantageous for the routinely detection and identification of small activities of internal contamination. But, the null spatial resolution makes impossible the definition of contaminated region of interest. Then, the use of collimators is necessary to the quantification of incorporated radionuclides activities in the main human organs and for the internal doses assessment. (author)

Influence of Pichia pastoris cellular material on polymerase chain reaction performance as a synthetic biology standard for genome monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Templar, Alexander; Woodhouse, Stefan; Keshavarz-Moore, Eli; Nesbeth, Darren N

2016-08-01

Advances in synthetic genomics are now well underway in yeasts due to the low cost of synthetic DNA. These new capabilities also bring greater need for quantitating the presence, loss and rearrangement of loci within synthetic yeast genomes. Methods for achieving this will ideally; i) be robust to industrial settings, ii) adhere to a global standard and iii) be sufficiently rapid to enable at-line monitoring during cell growth. The methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris) is increasingly used for industrial production of biotherapeutic proteins so we sought to answer the following questions for this particular yeast species. Is time-consuming DNA purification necessary to obtain accurate end-point polymerase chain reaction (e-pPCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) data? Can the novel linear regression of efficiency qPCR method (LRE qPCR), which has properties desirable in a synthetic biology standard, match the accuracy of conventional qPCR? Does cell cultivation scale influence PCR performance? To answer these questions we performed e-pPCR and qPCR in the presence and absence of cellular material disrupted by a mild 30s sonication procedure. The e-pPCR limit of detection (LOD) for a genomic target locus was 50pg (4.91×10(3) copies) of purified genomic DNA (gDNA) but the presence of cellular material reduced this sensitivity sixfold to 300pg gDNA (2.95×10(4) copies). LRE qPCR matched the accuracy of a conventional standard curve qPCR method. The presence of material from bioreactor cultivation of up to OD600=80 did not significantly compromise the accuracy of LRE qPCR. We conclude that a simple and rapid cell disruption step is sufficient to render P. pastoris samples of up to OD600=80 amenable to analysis using LRE qPCR which we propose as a synthetic biology standard. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of radiofrequency exposure from cellular telephone daily use in an epidemiological study: German Validation study of the international case-control study of cancers of the brain--INTERPHONE-Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Gabriele; Schüz, Joachim; Samkange-Zeeb, Florence; Blettner, Maria

2005-05-01

The objective of the study is to validate self-reported cellular phone use information by comparing it with the cumulative emitted power and duration of calls measured by software-modified cellular phones (SMP). The information was obtained using a questionnaire developed for the international case-control study on the risk of the use of mobile phones in tumours of the brain or salivary gland (INTERPHONE-study). The study was conducted in Bielefeld, Germany. Volunteers were asked to use SMPs instead of their own cellular phones for a period of 1 month. The SMP recorded the power emitted by the mobile phone handset during each base station contact. Information on cellular phone use for the same time period from traffic records of the network providers and from face-to-face interviews with the participants 3 months after the SMP use was assessed. Pearson's correlation coefficients and linear regression models were used to analyse the association between information from the interview and from the SMP. In total, 1757 personal mobile phone calls were recorded for 45 persons by SMP and traffic records. The correlation between the self-reported information about the number and the duration of calls with the cumulative power of calls was 0.50 (P<0.01) and 0.48 (P<0.01), respectively. Almost 23% of the variance of the cumulative power was explained by either the number or the cumulative duration of calls. After inclusion of possible confounding factors in the regression model, the variance increased to 26%. Minor confounding factors were "network provider", "contract form", and "cellular phone model". The number of calls alone is a sufficient parameter to estimate the cumulative power emitted by the handset of a cellular telephone. The cumulative power emitted by these phones is only associated with number of calls but not with possible confounding factors. Using the mobile phone while driving, mainly in cities, or mainly in rural areas is not associated with the recorded

Portable radiation monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masui, Kaoru; Ishikura, Takeshi; Inui, Daisuke

2007-01-01

This paper presents an overview of typical portable radiation monitors and introduces Fuji Electric's latest models. The overview describes the types, uses and performance of ion chamber survey meters, GM survey meters and neutron ambient dose equivalent rate meters. Fuji Electric's new model of a wide-energy-range X/gamma ray survey meter which measures low energy X-rays up to 8 keV, a battery-powered environmental dosemeter system which measures dose history and is capable of continuous measurement with batteries over a year, and a portable monitoring post which measures dose rates from background to 10 8 nGy/h and transmits data by cellular phone are introduced, and their specifications and performance are described. (author)

USAID Colombia - Clearinghouse Monitor

Data.gov (United States)

US Agency for International Development — The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Clearinghouse-Monitor is a web-based Information System that provides the Mission with information about the status and...

Monitoring system and methods for a distributed and recoverable digital control system

Science.gov (United States)

Stange, Kent (Inventor); Hess, Richard (Inventor); Kelley, Gerald B (Inventor); Rogers, Randy (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A monitoring system and methods are provided for a distributed and recoverable digital control system. The monitoring system generally comprises two independent monitoring planes within the control system. The first monitoring plane is internal to the computing units in the control system, and the second monitoring plane is external to the computing units. The internal first monitoring plane includes two in-line monitors. The first internal monitor is a self-checking, lock-step-processing monitor with integrated rapid recovery capability. The second internal monitor includes one or more reasonableness monitors, which compare actual effector position with commanded effector position. The external second monitor plane includes two monitors. The first external monitor includes a pre-recovery computing monitor, and the second external monitor includes a post recovery computing monitor. Various methods for implementing the monitoring functions are also disclosed.

Program of individual monitoring of the internal contamination and their implementation in the Republic the Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez Bejerano, Gladys M.; Capote Ferrera, Eduardo; Fernandez Gomez, Isis M.; Acosta Rodriguez, Nancy; Carrazana Gonzalez, Jorge A.; Cruz Suarez, Rodolfo

2008-01-01

Full text: In different Cuban institutions linked fundamentally to the medical practice of nuclear medicine and the investigations, it is worked with sources open of ionizing radiations, that which makes indispensable the existence of a system of radiological surveillance that includes the control radiological individual of the received doses as a result of the occupational, such exhibition that is guaranteed that the exhibition of the Hard-working Exposed Occupationally, stay inside the recommended limits, in the International Basic Norms of Protection against the Ionizing radiations and safe-deposit of the Sources of Radiation (NBIS) and in turn adopted in the Norma Cuban. From the year 1986 in the Center of Protection and Hygiene of the Radiations is carried out in way centralized this control; but with the inconvenience of not being able to carry out the same one to workers from the domestic interior when not being feasible the transfer of these toward its headquarters, reason why the doses were ignored received in an important number of these. In and of itself the Laboratory of Internal Contamination of this institution in these years has developed managed works to define firstly, for each institution, the program of monitoring of the internal contamination of its workers using for it the methodology recommended by the OIEA where the potential doses are evaluated that for incorporation these they receive and whose results suggested the introduction of a program of individual monitoring as behavior to continue in most of the institutions. In correspondence with it was designed and established a program that included the study of feasibility of the existent equipment in the institutions to carry out the monitoring of the internal contamination using technical of measuring in vivo and in vitro, as it corresponds, their calibration, the establishment of procedures that respond to the requirements of a System of Quality for the Norma ISO/IEC 17025 and

Limb defects associated with major congenital anomalies : Clinical and epidemiological study from the international clearinghouse for birth defects monitoring systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rosano, A; Botto, LD; Olney, RS; Khoury, MJ; Ritvanen, A; Goujard, J; Stoll, C; Cocchi, G; Merlob, P; Mutchinick, O; Cornel, MC; Castilla, EE; Martinez-Frias, ML; Zampino, G; Erickson, JD; Mastroiacovo, P

2000-01-01

Although limb defects associated with other congenital anomalies are rarely studied, they may provide insights into limb development that may be useful for etiologic studies and public health monitoring, me pooled data from II birth defect registries that are part of the International Clearinghouse

Community Monitoring for REDD+: International Promises and Field Realities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Finn Danielsen

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Will community monitoring assist in delivering just and equitable REDD+? We assessed whether local communities can effectively estimate carbon stocks in some of the world's most carbon rich forests, using simple field protocols, and we reviewed whether community monitoring exists in current REDD+ pilots. We obtained similar results for forest carbon when measured by communities and professional foresters in 289 vegetation plots in Southeast Asia. Most REDD+ monitoring schemes, however, contain no community involvement. To close the gulf between United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change texts on involving communities and field implementation realities, we propose greater embedding of community monitoring within national REDD+ pilot schemes, which we argue will lead to a more just REDD+.

Radioactive surface contamination monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoyama, Kei; Minagoshi, Atsushi; Hasegawa, Toru

1994-01-01

To reduce radiation exposure and prevent contamination from spreading, each nuclear power plant has established a radiation controlled area. People and articles out of the controlled area are checked for the surface contamination of radioactive materials with surface contamination monitors. Fuji Electric has repeatedly improved these monitors on the basis of user's needs. This paper outlines typical of a surface contamination monitor, a personal surface contamination monitor, an article surface contamination monitor and a laundry monitor, and the whole-body counter of an internal contamination monitor. (author)

Programmable cellular arrays. Faults testing and correcting in cellular arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cercel, L.

1978-03-01

A review of some recent researches about programmable cellular arrays in computing and digital processing of information systems is presented, and includes both combinational and sequential arrays, with full arbitrary behaviour, or which can realize better implementations of specialized blocks as: arithmetic units, counters, comparators, control systems, memory blocks, etc. Also, the paper presents applications of cellular arrays in microprogramming, in implementing of a specialized computer for matrix operations, in modeling of universal computing systems. The last section deals with problems of fault testing and correcting in cellular arrays. (author)

Field Monitoring of Deformations and Internal Forces of Surrounding Rocks and Lining Structures in the Construction of the Gangkou Double-Arched Tunnel—A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qixiang Yan

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Double-arched tunnel is a special and complex underground structure which needs to be monitored carefully during construction. Taking the Gangkou tunnel as the engineering background, this paper presents a case study of field monitoring of a representative double-arched tunnel. Typical cross sections were chosen in each class of surrounding rock masses in the tunnel area and different types of sensors were embedded in designed locations, and the deformations and forces of both surrounding rocks and lining structures were monitored systematically. The dynamic evolution as well as the spatial distribution characteristics of the monitoring data including the internal displacements of surrounding rocks and the contact pressures between surrounding rocks and primary linings, the axial forces in rock bolts and the internal forces in both steel arches and secondary linings were analyzed. The monitoring and analysis results show that the deformations and forces of both surrounding rocks and lining structures are directly related to the construction procedures, geological conditions and locations in the double-arched tunnel. According to the results, some reasonable suggestions were provided for the improvement of the tunnel construction. This study will provide useful reference and guidance for the design, construction and monitoring of similar engineering projects in future.

Cellular internalization and morphological analysis after intravenous injection of a highly hydrophilic octahedral rhenium cluster complex - a new promising X-ray contrast agent.

Science.gov (United States)

Krasilnikova, Anna A; Solovieva, Anastasiya O; Trifonova, Kristina E; Brylev, Konstantin A; Ivanov, Anton A; Kim, Sung-Jin; Shestopalov, Michael A; Fufaeva, Maria S; Shestopalov, Alexander M; Mironov, Yuri V; Poveshchenko, Alexander F; Shestopalova, Lidia V

2016-11-01

The octahedral cluster compound Na 2 H 8 [{Re 6 Se 8 }(P(C 2 H 4 CONH 2 )(C 2 H 4 COO) 2 ) 6 ] has been shown to be highly radio dense, thus becoming a promising X-ray contrast agent. It was also shown that this compound had low cytotoxic effect in vitro, low acute toxicity in vivo and was eliminated rapidly from the body through the urinary tract. The present contribution describes a more detailed cellular internalization assay and morphological analysis after intravenous injection of this hexarhenium cluster compound at different doses. The median lethal dose (LD 50 ) of intravenously administrated compound was calculated (4.67 ± 0.69 g/kg). Results of the study clearly indicated that the cluster complex H n [{Re 6 Se 8 }(P(C 2 H 4 CONH 2 )(C 2 H 4 COO) 2 ) 6 ] n-10 was not internalized into cells in vitro and induced only moderate morphological alterations of kidneys at high doses without any changes in morphology of liver, spleen, duodenum, or heart of mice. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mercury in fish from two Nicaraguan lakes: A recommendation for increased monitoring of fish for international commerce

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCrary, Jeffrey K.; Castro, Mark; McKaye, Kenneth R.

2006-01-01

We measured total mercury concentrations in water and fish of Lake Managua and Lake Apoyo. Water mercury concentrations were 10-fold higher in Lake Managua than in Lake Apoyo, although differences in mercury concentration in the most common native fish were not significant. One-fourth of the commercially fished tilapia in Lake Managua exceeded maximum recommended mercury levels for consumption among pregnant women and other at-risk groups, although bioavailability to fishes was lower than in previously studied sites in Brazil and Western Maryland. The lower bioavailiability may present important information for management options to reduce mercury exposure to fishes and humans. We recommend closer mercury monitoring among freshwater fish destined for international commerce. - Fish commonly exported into the international food supply may be contaminated with mercury

Mercury in fish from two Nicaraguan lakes: A recommendation for increased monitoring of fish for international commerce

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCrary, Jeffrey K. [University of Central America, Apdo. 69, Managua (Nicaragua) and College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States)]. E-mail: jmccrary2@yahoo.com; Castro, Mark [Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD 21532 (United States); McKaye, Kenneth R. [University of Central America, Apdo. 69, Managua (Nicaragua); Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD 21532 (United States)

2006-06-15

We measured total mercury concentrations in water and fish of Lake Managua and Lake Apoyo. Water mercury concentrations were 10-fold higher in Lake Managua than in Lake Apoyo, although differences in mercury concentration in the most common native fish were not significant. One-fourth of the commercially fished tilapia in Lake Managua exceeded maximum recommended mercury levels for consumption among pregnant women and other at-risk groups, although bioavailability to fishes was lower than in previously studied sites in Brazil and Western Maryland. The lower bioavailiability may present important information for management options to reduce mercury exposure to fishes and humans. We recommend closer mercury monitoring among freshwater fish destined for international commerce. - Fish commonly exported into the international food supply may be contaminated with mercury.

IDEAS/IAEA intercomparison exercise on internal dose assessment. Intercomparison exercise on Internal Dose Assessment performed jointly by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the IDEAS project (''General Guidelines for the Evaluation of Incorporation Monitoring Data'', carried out within the 5th EU Framework Programme)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hurtgen, C.; Andrasi, A.; Bailey, M.R.

2005-10-01

There were several intercomparison exercises organized already at national and international levels for the assessment of occupational exposure due to intakes of radionuclides. These intercomparison exercises revealed significant differences in the approaches, methods and assumptions, and consequently in the results. In the frame of the IDEAS project .General Guidelines for the Evaluation of Incorporation Monitoring Data., launched in the 5th EU Framework Programme, a new intercomparison exercise was performed. Originally it was planned to organise this intercomparison exercise on a European scale. Because of the relevance of the issue for the whole community of internal dosimetrists, however, it was decided to organise the exercise on a broader scale together with the IAEA. This new intercomparison exercise especially focuses on the effect of the guidelines for harmonisation of internal dosimetry. In addition it also consider the following aspects: - to provide possibilities for the participating laboratories to check the quality of their internal dose assessment methods in applying the recent ICRP recommendations (new respiratory tract model etc.); - to compare different approaches in interpretation of internal contamination monitoring data; - to quantify the differences in internal dose assessment based on the new guidelines or on other procedures, respectively; - to provide some figures of the influence of the input parameters on the monitoring results and - to provide a broad forum for information exchange. Several cases have been selected for the exercise with the aim to cover a wide range of practices in the nuclear fuel cycle and medical applications. The case were: 1. Acute intake of HTO; 2. Acute inhalation of fission products 137 Cs and 90 Sr; 3. Intake of 60 Co; 4. Repeated intakes of 131 I; 5. Intake of enriched uranium; 6. Single intake of Pu radionuclides and 241 Am. A web-based approach was being used for the presentation of the cases, collection of

47 CFR 22.970 - Unacceptable interference to part 90 non-cellular 800 MHz licensees from cellular radiotelephone...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...-cellular 800 MHz licensees from cellular radiotelephone or part 90-800 MHz cellular systems. 22.970 Section... MOBILE SERVICES Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.970 Unacceptable interference to part 90 non-cellular 800 MHz licensees from cellular radiotelephone or part 90-800 MHz cellular systems. (a) Definition...

A mini-microscope for in situ monitoring of cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sang Bok; Koo, Kyo-in; Bae, Hojae; Dokmeci, Mehmet R; Hamilton, Geraldine A; Bahinski, Anthony; Kim, Sun Min; Ingber, Donald E; Khademhosseini, Ali

2012-10-21

A mini-microscope was developed for in situ monitoring of cells by modifying off-the-shelf components of a commercial webcam. The mini-microscope consists of a CMOS imaging module, a small plastic lens and a white LED illumination source. The CMOS imaging module was connected to a laptop computer through a USB port for image acquisition and analysis. Due to its compact size, 8 × 10 × 9 cm, the present microscope is portable and can easily fit inside a conventional incubator, and enables real-time monitoring of cellular behaviour. Moreover, the mini-microscope can be used for imaging cells in conventional cell culture flasks, such as Petri dishes and multi-well plates. To demonstrate the operation of the mini-microscope, we monitored the cellular migration of mouse 3T3 fibroblasts in a scratch assay in medium containing three different concentrations of fetal bovine serum (5, 10, and 20%) and demonstrated differential responses depending on serum levels. In addition, we seeded embryonic stem cells inside poly(ethylene glycol) microwells and monitored the formation of stem cell aggregates in real time using the mini-microscope. Furthermore, we also combined a lab-on-a-chip microfluidic device for microdroplet generation and analysis with the mini-microscope and observed the formation of droplets under different flow conditions. Given its cost effectiveness, robust imaging and portability, the presented platform may be useful for a range of applications for real-time cellular imaging using lab-on-a-chip devices at low cost.

Heterogeneous cellular networks

CERN Document Server

Hu, Rose Qingyang

2013-01-01

A timely publication providing coverage of radio resource management, mobility management and standardization in heterogeneous cellular networks The topic of heterogeneous cellular networks has gained momentum in industry and the research community, attracting the attention of standardization bodies such as 3GPP LTE and IEEE 802.16j, whose objectives are looking into increasing the capacity and coverage of the cellular networks. This book focuses on recent progresses,  covering the related topics including scenarios of heterogeneous network deployment, interference management i

Cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of positively charged chitosan gold nanoparticles in human lung adenocarcinoma cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Seon Young; Jang, Soo Hwa [Seoul National University, Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Institute for Veterinary Science (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jin; Jeong, Saeromi; Park, Jin Ho; Ock, Kwang Su [Soongsil University, Department of Chemistry (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kangtaek [Yonsei University, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (Korea, Republic of); Yang, Sung Ik [Kyung Hee University, College of Environment and Applied Chemistry (Korea, Republic of); Joo, Sang-Woo, E-mail: sjoo@ssu.ac.kr [Soongsil University, Department of Chemistry (Korea, Republic of); Ryu, Pan Dong; Lee, So Yeong, E-mail: leeso@snu.ac.kr [Seoul National University, Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Institute for Veterinary Science (Korea, Republic of)

2012-12-15

Cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and mechanisms of cytotoxicity of the positively charged Au nanoparticles (NPs) were examined in A549 cells, which are one of the most characterized pulmonary cellular systems. Positively charged Au NPs were prepared by chemical reduction using chitosan. The dimension and surface charge of Au NPs were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential measurements. The uptake of Au NPs into A549 cells was also monitored using TEM and dark-field microscopy (DFM) and z-stack confocal microRaman spectroscopy. DFM live cell imaging was also performed to monitor the entry of chitosan Au NPs in real time. The cytotoxic assay, using both methylthiazol tetrazolium and lactate dehydrogenase assays revealed that positively charged Au NPs decreased cell viability. Flow cytometry, DNA fragmentation, real-time PCR, and western blot analysis suggest that positively charged chitosan Au NPs provoke cell damage through both apoptotic and necrotic pathways.

Cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of positively charged chitosan gold nanoparticles in human lung adenocarcinoma cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Seon Young; Jang, Soo Hwa; Park, Jin; Jeong, Saeromi; Park, Jin Ho; Ock, Kwang Su; Lee, Kangtaek; Yang, Sung Ik; Joo, Sang-Woo; Ryu, Pan Dong; Lee, So Yeong

2012-01-01

Cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and mechanisms of cytotoxicity of the positively charged Au nanoparticles (NPs) were examined in A549 cells, which are one of the most characterized pulmonary cellular systems. Positively charged Au NPs were prepared by chemical reduction using chitosan. The dimension and surface charge of Au NPs were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential measurements. The uptake of Au NPs into A549 cells was also monitored using TEM and dark-field microscopy (DFM) and z-stack confocal microRaman spectroscopy. DFM live cell imaging was also performed to monitor the entry of chitosan Au NPs in real time. The cytotoxic assay, using both methylthiazol tetrazolium and lactate dehydrogenase assays revealed that positively charged Au NPs decreased cell viability. Flow cytometry, DNA fragmentation, real-time PCR, and western blot analysis suggest that positively charged chitosan Au NPs provoke cell damage through both apoptotic and necrotic pathways.

Drug-induced cellular death dynamics monitored by a highly sensitive organic electrochemical system.

Science.gov (United States)

Romeo, Agostino; Tarabella, Giuseppe; D'Angelo, Pasquale; Caffarra, Cristina; Cretella, Daniele; Alfieri, Roberta; Petronini, Pier Giorgio; Iannotta, Salvatore

2015-06-15

We propose and demonstrate a sensitive diagnostic device based on an Organic Electrochemical Transistor (OECT) for direct in-vitro monitoring cell death. The system efficiently monitors cell death dynamics, being able to detect signals related to specific death mechanisms, namely necrosis or early/late apoptosis, demonstrating a reproducible correlation between the OECT electrical response and the trends of standard cell death assays. The innovative design of the Twell-OECT system has been modeled to better correlate electrical signals with cell death dynamics. To qualify the device, we used a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) that was cultivated on the micro-porous membrane of a Transwell (Twell) support, and exposed to the anticancer drug doxorubicin. Time-dependent and dose-dependent dynamics of A549 cells exposed to doxorubicin are evaluated by monitoring cell death upon exposure to a range of doses and times that fully covers the protocols used in cancer treatment. The demonstrated ability to directly monitor cell stress and death dynamics upon drug exposure using simple electronic devices and, possibly, achieving selectivity to different cell dynamics is of great interest for several application fields, including toxicology, pharmacology, and therapeutics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of Web based system for individual internal monitoring programme; Desenvolvimento de um sistema baseado na Web para suporte ao programa de monitoracao individual interna do IPEN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lima, Vanessa Rogeria de

2007-07-01

The purposes of the internal monitoring, in general, are to verify and document that each worker is protected adequately against risks from radionuclide intakes and the protection complies with legal requirements. Therefore, an overall radiation protection programme, starts with an assessment to identify work situations in which there is a risk of internal contamination of workers and to quantify the likely intake of radioactive material and the resulting committed effective dose. As a part of a continuous improvement of the monitoring programme for occupationally exposed workers at IPEN, it is being developed a Web based system to access the internal dosimetry database. The system was implemented using Hypertext Preprocessor, PHP, and a PostgreSQL database. This system will introduce a new paradigm in the routine of the internal dosimetry service, providing a fast access to the information among the measurement laboratories staff, dose evaluation group and the radiation protection supervisor. The database maintains information about worker identification, physical and chemical characteristics of the radionuclide, type of monitoring, measurement data and the dose. Moreover, this information will be readily available to provide support for regulatory compliance and quality control requirements. (author)

International safeguards of fissionable material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tempus, P.

1991-01-01

From the very beginning nuclear fissile materials have been subject to state and - outside nuclear weapon states - also to international monitoring. The latter was a principal task of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN affiliated organisation formed in 1957 based in Vienna. The legal, technical and political aspects of its monitoring activity are explained

A Cellular Perspective on Brain Energy Metabolism and Functional Imaging

KAUST Repository

Magistretti, Pierre J.

2015-05-01

The energy demands of the brain are high: they account for at least 20% of the body\\'s energy consumption. Evolutionary studies indicate that the emergence of higher cognitive functions in humans is associated with an increased glucose utilization and expression of energy metabolism genes. Functional brain imaging techniques such as fMRI and PET, which are widely used in human neuroscience studies, detect signals that monitor energy delivery and use in register with neuronal activity. Recent technological advances in metabolic studies with cellular resolution have afforded decisive insights into the understanding of the cellular and molecular bases of the coupling between neuronal activity and energy metabolism and pointat a key role of neuron-astrocyte metabolic interactions. This article reviews some of the most salient features emerging from recent studies and aims at providing an integration of brain energy metabolism across resolution scales. © 2015 Elsevier Inc.

Simulation Based Optimization of Complex Monolithic Composite Structures Using Cellular Core Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Hickmott, Curtis W.

Cellular core tooling is a new technology which has the capability to manufacture complex integrated monolithic composite structures. This novel tooling method utilizes thermoplastic cellular cores as inner tooling. The semi-rigid nature of the cellular cores makes them convenient for lay-up, and under autoclave temperature and pressure they soften and expand providing uniform compaction on all surfaces including internal features such as ribs and spar tubes. This process has the capability of developing fully optimized aerospace structures by reducing or eliminating assembly using fasteners or bonded joints. The technology is studied in the context of evaluating its capabilities, advantages, and limitations in developing high quality structures. The complex nature of these parts has led to development of a model using the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software Abaqus and the plug-in COMPRO Common Component Architecture (CCA) provided by Convergent Manufacturing Technologies. This model utilizes a "virtual autoclave" technique to simulate temperature profiles, resin flow paths, and ultimately deformation from residual stress. A model has been developed simulating the temperature profile during curing of composite parts made with the cellular core technology. While modeling of composites has been performed in the past, this project will look to take this existing knowledge and apply it to this new manufacturing method capable of building more complex parts and develop a model designed specifically for building large, complex components with a high degree of accuracy. The model development has been carried out in conjunction with experimental validation. A double box beam structure was chosen for analysis to determine the effects of the technology on internal ribs and joints. Double box beams were manufactured and sectioned into T-joints for characterization. Mechanical behavior of T-joints was performed using the T-joint pull-off test and compared to traditional

47 CFR 22.909 - Cellular markets.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cellular markets. 22.909 Section 22.909... Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.909 Cellular markets. Cellular markets are standard geographic areas used by the FCC for administrative convenience in the licensing of cellular systems. Cellular markets...

Scientific and technological monitoring: international overview on R. and D. related to Pra's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Llory, M.; Stioui, A.

1993-03-01

In 1989, the R and D Division of Electricite de France launched a programme for a Technological and Scientific Overview (TSO) covering a certain number of topics considered to be important for the future of EDF. Probabilistic approaches to studies related to safety were considered to be strategically important to EDF, and therefore this area was selected for further study. A TSO is a process which can only start on the basis of a structured state-of-the-art organized as a basis of knowledge, together with the highlighting of a certain number of scientific and strategic ''set of references . The state-of-the-art of R and D related to Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) was carried out in collaboration between the EDF R and D Division (SR branch) and SRI International. The approach chosen included: segmentation of the wide field of PSAs into subject areas, topics and sensitive points to be monitored; conception of a grid for the interviews; approximately thirty in-depth interviews of organizations and experts representative of the domain; analysis leading to identify certain problems areas or particularly important features. Emerging themes for research and further consideration in relation to PSAs, their application and their limits were also identified. Based on this state-of-the-art, various themes of monitoring were defined (living PSAs, limits of PSAs,...) and an organizational structure for monitoring was set up in the branch. The state of the art is not static, it is the reason why an in-depth extension of the study was undertaken on issues of special interest for EDF. (authors). 2 figs., 2 refs

Active cellular sensing with quantum dots: Transitioning from research tool to reality; a review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delehanty, James B., E-mail: james.delehanty@nrl.navy.mil [Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Susumu, Kimihiro, E-mail: susumu@ccs.nrl.navy.mil [Optical Sciences Division, Code 5611, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Manthe, Rachel L., E-mail: rmanthe@umd.edu [Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Fischell Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Algar, W. Russ, E-mail: russ.algar.ctr.ca@nrl.navy.mil [Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030 (United States); Medintz, Igor L., E-mail: igor.medintz@nrl.navy.mil [Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States)

2012-10-31

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Quantum dots (QDs) have evolved beyond mere cellular labeling reagents. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Significant advances have been made in QD materials, surface coatings and bioconjugation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cellular targeting/delivery has been achieved using polymers, peptides, proteins. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Numerous QD-based sensing applications: extracellular, membrane, intracellular. - Abstract: The application of luminescent semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) within a wide range of biological imaging and sensing formats is now approaching its 15th year. The unique photophysical properties of these nanomaterials have long been envisioned as having the potential to revolutionize biosensing within cellular studies that rely on fluorescence. However, it is only now that these materials are making the transition towards accomplishing this goal. With the idea of understanding how to actively incorporate QDs into different types of cellular biosensing, we review the progress in many of the areas relevant to achieving this goal. This includes the synthesis of the QDs themselves, with an emphasis on minimizing potential toxicity, along with the general methods for making these nanocrystalline structures stable in aqueous media. We next survey some methods for conjugating QDs to biomolecules to allow them to participate in active biosensing. Lastly, we extensively review many of the applications where QDs have been demonstrated in an active role in cellular biosensing. These formats cover a wide range of possibilities including where the QDs have contributed to: monitoring the cell's interaction with its extracellular environment; elucidating the complex molecular interplay that characterizes the plasma membrane; understanding how cells continuously endocytose and exocytose materials across the cellular membrane; visualizing organelle trafficking; and, perhaps most importantly, monitoring the intracellular

Cellular islet autoimmunity associates with clinical outcome of islet cell transplantation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volkert A L Huurman

2008-06-01

islet autoreactivity may be required. Monitoring cellular immune reactivity can be useful to identify factors influencing graft survival and to assess efficacy of immunosuppression.Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00623610.

Evaluation of Cellular Phenotypes Implicated in Immunopathogenesis and Monitoring Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome in HIV/Leprosy Cases

Science.gov (United States)

Giacoia-Gripp, Carmem Beatriz Wagner; Sales, Anna Maria; Nery, José Augusto da Costa; Santos-Oliveira, Joanna Reis; de Oliveira, Ariane Leite; Sarno, Euzenir Nunes; Morgado, Mariza Gonçalves

2011-01-01

Background It is now evident that HAART-associated immunological improvement often leads to a variety of new clinical manifestations, collectively termed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, or IRIS. This phenomenon has already been described in cases of HIV coinfection with Mycobacterium leprae, most of them belonging to the tuberculoid spectrum of leprosy disease, as observed in leprosy reversal reaction (RR). However, the events related to the pathogenesis of this association need to be clarified. This study investigated the immunological profile of HIV/leprosy patients, with special attention to the cellular activation status, to better understand the mechanisms related to IRIS/RR immunopathogenesis, identifying any potential biomarkers for IRIS/RR intercurrence. Methods/Principal Findings Eighty-five individuals were assessed in this study: HIV/leprosy and HIV-monoinfected patients, grouped according to HIV-viral load levels, leprosy patients without HIV coinfection, and healthy controls. Phenotypes were evaluated by flow cytometry for T cell subsets and immune differentiation/activation markers. As expected, absolute counts of the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from the HIV-infected individuals changed in relation to those of the leprosy patients and controls. However, there were no significant differences among the groups, whether in the expression of cellular differentiation phenotypes or cellular activation, as reflected by the expression of CD38 and HLA-DR. Six HIV/leprosy patients identified as IRIS/RR were analyzed during IRIS/RR episodes and after prednisone treatment. These patients presented high cellular activation levels regarding the expression of CD38 in CD8+ cells T during IRIS/RR (median: 77,15%), dropping significantly (pleprosy individuals at risk for IRIS/RR. So, a comparative investigation to leprosy patients at RR should be conducted. PMID:22205964

Cycle 24 COS FUV Internal/External Wavelength Scale Monitor

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, William J.

2018-02-01

We report on the monitoring of the COS FUV wavelength scale zero-points during Cycle 24 in program 14855. Select cenwaves were monitored for all FUV gratings at Lifetime Position 3. The target and cenwaves have remained the same since Cycle 21, with a change only to the target acquisition sequence. All measured offsets are within the error goals, although the G140L cenwaves show offsets at the short-wavelength end of segment A that are approaching the tolerance. This behavior will be closely monitored in subsequent iterations of the program.

Validation of the AVITA BPM63S upper arm blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Yuan-Yuan; Zeng, Wei-Fang; Liu, Ming; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang

2014-02-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the AVITA BPM63S upper arm blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension revision 2010. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were sequentially measured in 33 adult Chinese (14 women, mean age of 47 years) using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the AVITA BPM63S device (one supervisor). Ninety-nine pairs of comparisons were obtained from 33 participants for judgments in two parts with three grading phases. All the blood pressure requirements were fulfilled. The AVITA BPM63S device achieved the targets in part 1 of the validation study. The number of absolute differences between device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg was 68/99, 89/99, and 96/99, respectively, for systolic blood pressure, and 75/99, 95/99, and 97/99, respectively, for diastolic blood pressure. The device also achieved the criteria in part 2 of the validation study. Twenty-four and 25 participants for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, had at least two of the three device-observers differences within 5 mmHg (required ≥24). One and two participants for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, had all three device-observers differences greater than 5 mmHg. The AVITA BPM63S automated oscillometric upper arm blood pressure monitor has passed the requirements of the International Protocol revision 2010, and hence can be recommended for blood pressure measurement at home in adults.

Web-based continuous internal corrosion monitoring of a sweet natural gas pipeline

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cauchi, Sam; Vorozcovs, Andrew [Fiber Optic Systems Technology Inc. (FOX-TEK), Bedford, Nova Scotia (Canada)

2009-07-01

Inspection of pipelines susceptible to internal corrosion is a key ingredient in maintaining their reliable throughput. While conventional inspection consisting of in line inspection, radiography and ultrasound remain the mainstay of most integrity programs, challenging circumstances in some cases make the availability of such data inadequate, cost prohibitive, and at times entirely unavailable. These scenarios include aggressive internal corrosion, expensive excavation conditions, low or stagnant flow, and non-piggable pipeline segments. While some gas pipelines in these circumstances are considered relatively low risk and low consequence, due to the significant reclamation costs and cleanup time associated with liquid pipelines, those areas identified as being high-risk are often high-consequence and thus require a specialized inspection solution. For areas deemed to be at high-risk, or areas of low-risk with high consequence, Electrical Field Mapping (EFM) has provided a practical solution to safe operation without introducing expensive and potentially dangerous dig programs. Historically, however, this inspection approach has required manual data acquisition as part of a scheduled EFM site visit schedule. Due to the tedious nature of this data acquisition approach, the remoteness of some pipeline inspection sites and the complexity of data analysis, it has been difficult to closely monitor the most critical assets on a continuous basis. The manual component of this approach also often eliminates EFM as a practical solution due to lack of properly trained personnel. In this paper, we will discuss a new approach to data acquisition where data is acquired, transmitted, analyzed, and displayed completely automatically and remotely with virtually no human overhead or recurring operating costs. An overview of the PinPoint monitoring setup covering 180 degrees of pipe circumference is described. This advanced EFM system allows operators to observe, essentially in real

US remote monitoring operational experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupree, S.A.; Sonnier, C.S.

1997-01-01

Under international partnerships and bilateral agreements with the U.S. Department of Energy, Sandia National Laboratories, other national laboratories, and international partner organizations have emplaced remote monitoring systems in nuclear facilities and laboratories in various parts of the world for the purpose of conducting field trials of remote monitoring. The purpose of the present report is to review the results from these field trials and draw general conclusions regarding the trials. Many thousands of hours of sensor and system operation have been logged, and data have been retrieved from many locations. In virtually all cases the system components have functioned as intended and data have been successfully collected and transmitted for review. Comparisons between front-end-triggered video and time-lapse video have shown that the triggered record has captured all relevant monitored operations at the various nuclear facilities included in the field trials. We believe the utility and functional reliability of remote monitoring for international safeguards has been shown. However, it should be kept in mind that openness and transparency, including some form of short-notice inspections, are likely to be prerequisites to the safeguards implementation of remote monitoring in any State

Polycaprolactone/maltodextrin nanocarrier for intracellular drug delivery: formulation, uptake mechanism, internalization kinetics, and subcellular localization.

Science.gov (United States)

Korang-Yeboah, Maxwell; Gorantla, Yamini; Paulos, Simon A; Sharma, Pankaj; Chaudhary, Jaideep; Palaniappan, Ravi

2015-01-01

Prostate cancer (PCa) disease progression is associated with significant changes in intracellular and extracellular proteins, intracellular signaling mechanism, and cancer cell phenotype. These changes may have direct impact on the cellular interactions with nanocarriers; hence, there is the need for a much-detailed understanding, as nanocarrier cellular internalization and intracellular sorting mechanism correlate directly with bioavailability and clinical efficacy. In this study, we report the differences in the rate and mechanism of cellular internalization of a biocompatible polycaprolactone (PCL)/maltodextrin (MD) nanocarrier system for intracellular drug delivery in LNCaP, PC3, and DU145 PCa cell lines. PCL/MD nanocarriers were designed and characterized. PCL/MD nanocarriers significantly increased the intracellular concentration of coumarin-6 and fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled bovine serum albumin, a model hydrophobic and large molecule, respectively. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analysis revealed rapid internalization of the nanocarrier. The extent of nanocarrier cellular internalization correlated directly with cell line aggressiveness. PCL/MD internalization was highest in PC3 followed by DU145 and LNCaP, respectively. Uptake in all PCa cell lines was metabolically dependent. Extraction of endogenous cholesterol by methyl-β-cyclodextrin reduced uptake by 75%±4.53% in PC3, 64%±6.01% in LNCaP, and 50%±4.50% in DU145, indicating the involvement of endogenous cholesterol in cellular internalization. Internalization of the nanocarrier in LNCaP was mediated mainly by macropinocytosis and clathrin-independent pathways, while internalization in PC3 and DU145 involved clathrin-mediated endocytosis, clathrin-independent pathways, and macropinocytosis. Fluorescence microscopy showed a very diffused and non-compartmentalized subcellular localization of the PCL/MD nanocarriers with possible intranuclear localization and minor colocalization in

The Global Communication Infrastructure of the International Monitoring System

Science.gov (United States)

Lastowka, L.; Gray, A.; Anichenko, A.

2007-05-01

The Global Communications Infrastructure (GCI) employs 6 satellites in various frequency bands distributed around the globe. Communications with the PTS (Provisional Technical Secretariat) in Vienna, Austria are achieved through VSAT technologies, international leased data circuits and Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections over the Internet. To date, 210 independent VSAT circuits have been connected to Vienna as well as special circuits connecting to the Antarctic and to independent sub-networks. Data volumes from all technologies currently reach 8 Gigabytes per day. The first level of support and a 24/7 help desk remains with the GCI contractor, but performance is monitored actively by the PTS/GCI operations team. GCI operations are being progressively introduced into the PTS operations centre. An Operations centre fully integrated with the GCI segment of the IMS network will ensure a more focused response to incidents and will maximize the availability of the IMS network. Existing trouble tickets systems are being merged to ensure the commission manages GCI incidents in the context of the IMS as a whole. A focus on a single source of data for GCI network performance has enabled reporting systems to be developed which allow for improved and automated reports. The contracted availability for each individual virtual circuit is 99.5% and this performance is regularly reviewed on a monthly basis

Monitoring and Modeling of Spatiotemporal Urban Expansion and Land-Use/Land-Cover Change Using Integrated Markov Chain Cellular Automata Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhagawat Rimal

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Spatial–temporal analysis of land-use/land-cover (LULC change as well as the monitoring and modeling of urban expansion are essential for the planning and management of urban environments. Such environments reflect the economic conditions and quality of life of the individual country. Urbanization is generally influenced by national laws, plans and policies and by power, politics and poor governance in many less-developed countries. Remote sensing tools play a vital role in monitoring LULC change and measuring the rate of urbanization at both the local and global levels. The current study evaluated the LULC changes and urban expansion of Jhapa district of Nepal. The spatial–temporal dynamics of LULC were identified using six time-series atmospherically-corrected surface reflectance Landsat images from 1989 to 2016. A hybrid cellular automata Markov chain (CA–Markov model was used to simulate future urbanization by 2026 and 2036. The analysis shows that the urban area has increased markedly and is expected to continue to grow rapidly in the future, whereas the area for agriculture has decreased. Meanwhile, forest and shrub areas have remained almost constant. Seasonal rainfall and flooding routinely cause predictable transformation of sand, water bodies and cultivated land from one type to another. The results suggest that the use of Landsat time-series archive images and the CA–Markov model are the best options for long-term spatiotemporal analysis and achieving an acceptable level of prediction accuracy. Furthermore, understanding the relationship between the spatiotemporal dynamics of urbanization and LULC change and simulating future landscape change is essential, as they are closely interlinked. These scientific findings of past, present and future land-cover scenarios of the study area will assist planners/decision-makers to formulate sustainable urban development and environmental protection plans and will remain a scientific asset

Expert Water Quality Panel Review of Responses to the NASA Request for Information for the International Space Station On-Board Environmental Monitoring System

Science.gov (United States)

Fishman, Julianna L.; Mudgett, Paul D.; Packham, Nigel J.; Schultz, John R.; Straub, John E., II

2005-01-01

On August 9, 2003, NASA, with the cooperative support of the Vehicle Office of the International Space Station Program, the Advanced Human Support Technology Program, and the Johnson Space Center Habitability and Environmental Factors Office released a Request for Information, or RFI, to identify next-generation environmental monitoring systems that have demonstrated ability or the potential to meet defined requirements for monitoring air and water quality onboard the International Space Station. This report summarizes the review and analysis of the proposed solutions submitted to meet the water quality monitoring requirements. Proposals were to improve upon the functionality of the existing Space Station Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) and monitor additional contaminants in water samples. The TOCA is responsible for in-flight measurement of total organic carbon, total inorganic carbon, total carbon, pH, and conductivity in the Space Station potable water supplies. The current TOCA requires hazardous reagents to accomplish the carbon analyses. NASA is using the request for information process to investigate new technologies that may improve upon existing capabilities, as well as reduce or eliminate the need for hazardous reagents. Ideally, a replacement for the TOCA would be deployed in conjunction with the delivery of the Node 3 water recovery system currently scheduled for November 2007.

A Prospective Cohort Study of Gated Stereotactic Liver Radiation Therapy Using Continuous Internal Electromagnetic Motion Monitoring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Worm, Esben S; Høyer, Morten; Hansen, Rune

2018-01-01

PURPOSE: Intrafraction motion can compromise the treatment accuracy in liver stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Respiratory gating can improve treatment delivery; however, gating based on external motion surrogates is inaccurate. The present study reports the use of Calypso-based internal...... electromagnetic motion monitoring for gated liver SBRT. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fifteen patients were included in a study of 3-fraction respiratory gated liver SBRT guided by 3 implanted electromagnetic transponders. The planning target volume was created by a 5-mm axial and 7-mm (n = 12) or 10-mm (n = 3...

Biomechanics of cellular solids.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Lorna J

2005-03-01

Materials with a cellular structure are widespread in nature and include wood, cork, plant parenchyma and trabecular bone. Natural cellular materials are often mechanically efficient: the honeycomb-like microstructure of wood, for instance, gives it an exceptionally high performance index for resisting bending and buckling. Here we review the mechanics of a wide range of natural cellular materials and examine their role in lightweight natural sandwich structures (e.g. iris leaves) and natural tubular structures (e.g. plant stems or animal quills). We also describe two examples of engineered biomaterials with a cellular structure, designed to replace or regenerate tissue in the body.

Wireless patient monitoring system for a moving-actuator type artificial heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, K W; Chung, J; Choi, S W; Sun, K; Min, B G

2006-10-01

In this study, we developed a wireless monitoring system for outpatients equipped with a moving-actuator type pulsatile bi-ventricular assist device, AnyHeart. The developed monitoring system consists of two parts; a Bluetooth-based short-distance self-monitoring system that can monitor and control the operating status of a VAD using a Bluetooth-embedded personal digital assistant or a personal computer within a distance of 10 meters, and a cellular network-based remote monitoring system that can continuously monitor and control the operating status of AnyHeart at any location. Results of in vitro experiments demonstrate the developed system's ability to monitor the operational status of an implanted AnyHeart.

Occupational monitoring program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sordi, G.-M.A.A.

1988-10-01

After to give the principal aim of a monitoring program it gives the philosophy in force in our country and the new one, international. It shows the different monitoring types and the classification related to their functions. The functions are deal with, separately, for workplace and individual monitoring. It shows, also, that the individual monitoring can be used to assess the workplace conditions. It discusses the models that can be introduced to assess the quantities used in the results interpretation from the quantities used in the measurements. It gives an example. Finally it discusses the supplementary functions of monitoring as such reassessment of monitoring programs, selection of the controlled areas and the extent form of medical supervision. (author) [pt

Quantitative phase-digital holographic microscopy: a new imaging modality to identify original cellular biomarkers of diseases

KAUST Repository

Marquet, P.

2016-05-03

Quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) has recently emerged as a powerful label-free technique in the field of living cell imaging allowing to non-invasively measure with a nanometric axial sensitivity cell structure and dynamics. Since the phase retardation of a light wave when transmitted through the observed cells, namely the quantitative phase signal (QPS), is sensitive to both cellular thickness and intracellular refractive index related to the cellular content, its accurate analysis allows to derive various cell parameters and monitor specific cell processes, which are very likely to identify new cell biomarkers. Specifically, quantitative phase-digital holographic microscopy (QP-DHM), thanks to its numerical flexibility facilitating parallelization and automation processes, represents an appealing imaging modality to both identify original cellular biomarkers of diseases as well to explore the underlying pathophysiological processes.

The elasticity and failure of fluid-filled cellular solids: Theory and experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Warner, M.; Thiel, B. L.; Donald, A. M.

2000-02-01

We extend and apply theories of filled foam elasticity and failure to recently available data on foods. The predictions of elastic modulus and failure mode dependence on internal pressure and on wall integrity are borne out by photographic evidence of distortion and failure under compressive loading and under the localized stress applied by a knife blade, and by mechanical data on vegetables differing only in their turgor pressure. We calculate the dry modulus of plate-like cellular solids and the cross over between dry-like and fully fluid-filled elastic response. The bulk elastic properties of limp and aging cellular solids are calculated for model systems and compared with our mechanical data, which also show two regimes of response. The mechanics of an aged, limp beam is calculated, thus offering a practical procedure for comparing experiment and theory. This investigation also thereby offers explanations of the connection between turgor pressure and crispness and limpness of cellular materials.

The elasticity and failure of fluid-filled cellular solids: theory and experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Warner, M; Thiel, B L; Donald, A M

2000-02-15

We extend and apply theories of filled foam elasticity and failure to recently available data on foods. The predictions of elastic modulus and failure mode dependence on internal pressure and on wall integrity are borne out by photographic evidence of distortion and failure under compressive loading and under the localized stress applied by a knife blade, and by mechanical data on vegetables differing only in their turgor pressure. We calculate the dry modulus of plate-like cellular solids and the cross over between dry-like and fully fluid-filled elastic response. The bulk elastic properties of limp and aging cellular solids are calculated for model systems and compared with our mechanical data, which also show two regimes of response. The mechanics of an aged, limp beam is calculated, thus offering a practical procedure for comparing experiment and theory. This investigation also thereby offers explanations of the connection between turgor pressure and crispness and limpness of cellular materials.

Cellular Reflectarray Antenna

Science.gov (United States)

Romanofsky, Robert R.

2010-01-01

The cellular reflectarray antenna is intended to replace conventional parabolic reflectors that must be physically aligned with a particular satellite in geostationary orbit. These arrays are designed for specified geographical locations, defined by latitude and longitude, each called a "cell." A particular cell occupies nominally 1,500 square miles (3,885 sq. km), but this varies according to latitude and longitude. The cellular reflectarray antenna designed for a particular cell is simply positioned to align with magnetic North, and the antenna surface is level (parallel to the ground). A given cellular reflectarray antenna will not operate in any other cell.

G protein-coupled receptor internalization assays in the high-content screening format.

Science.gov (United States)

Haasen, Dorothea; Schnapp, Andreas; Valler, Martin J; Heilker, Ralf

2006-01-01

High-content screening (HCS), a combination of fluorescence microscopic imaging and automated image analysis, has become a frequently applied tool to study test compound effects in cellular disease-modeling systems. This chapter describes the measurement of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) internalization in the HCS format using a high-throughput, confocal cellular imaging device. GPCRs are the most successful group of therapeutic targets on the pharmaceutical market. Accordingly, the search for compounds that interfere with GPCR function in a specific and selective way is a major focus of the pharmaceutical industry today. This chapter describes methods for the ligand-induced internalization of GPCRs labeled previously with either a fluorophore-conjugated ligand or an antibody directed against an N-terminal tag of the GPCR. Both labeling techniques produce robust assay formats. Complementary to other functional GPCR drug discovery assays, internalization assays enable a pharmacological analysis of test compounds. We conclude that GPCR internalization assays represent a valuable medium/high-throughput screening format to determine the cellular activity of GPCR ligands.

A mini-microscope for in situ monitoring of cells†‡

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sang Bok; Koo, Kyo-in; Bae, Hojae; Dokmeci, Mehmet R.; Hamilton, Geraldine A.; Bahinski, Anthony; Kim, Sun Min; Ingber, Donald E.

2013-01-01

A mini-microscope was developed for in situ monitoring of cells by modifying off-the-shelf components of a commercial webcam. The mini-microscope consists of a CMOS imaging module, a small plastic lens and a white LED illumination source. The CMOS imaging module was connected to a laptop computer through a USB port for image acquisition and analysis. Due to its compact size, 8 × 10 × 9 cm, the present microscope is portable and can easily fit inside a conventional incubator, and enables real-time monitoring of cellular behaviour. Moreover, the mini-microscope can be used for imaging cells in conventional cell culture flasks, such as Petri dishes and multi-well plates. To demonstrate the operation of the mini-microscope, we monitored the cellular migration of mouse 3T3 fibroblasts in a scratch assay in medium containing three different concentrations of fetal bovine serum (5, 10, and 20%) and demonstrated differential responses depending on serum levels. In addition, we seeded embryonic stem cells inside poly(ethylene glycol) microwells and monitored the formation of stem cell aggregates in real time using the mini-microscope. Furthermore, we also combined a lab-on-a-chip microfluidic device for microdroplet generation and analysis with the mini-microscope and observed the formation of droplets under different flow conditions. Given its cost effectiveness, robust imaging and portability, the presented platform may be useful for a range of applications for real-time cellular imaging using lab-on-a-chip devices at low cost. PMID:22911426

Validation of the HONSUN LD-578 blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yi; Wang, Jie; Huang, Qi-Fang; Sheng, Chang-Sheng; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang

2009-06-01

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the automated oscillometric upper arm blood pressure monitor LD-578 (HONSUN Group, Shanghai, China) for home blood pressure monitoring according to the International Protocol. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were sequentially measured in 33 adult Chinese using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the LD-578 device (one supervisor). Ninety-nine pairs of comparisons were obtained from 15 participants in phase 1 and a further 18 participants in phase 2 of the validation study. Data analysis was performed using the ESHIP Analyzer. The LD-578 device successfully passed phase 1 of the validation study with a number of absolute differences between device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg for at least 32 of 45, 41 of 45, and 45 of 45 measurements (required 25, 35, and 40), respectively. The device also achieved the targets for phase 2.1, with 67 of 99, 90 of 99, and 98 of 99 differences within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg, respectively, for systolic blood pressure, and with 69 of 99, 95 of 99, and 98 of 99 within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg, respectively, for diastolic blood pressure. In phase 2.2, 24 participants had at least two of the three device-observers differences within 5 mmHg (required >or=22) for systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The HONSUN upper arm blood pressure monitor LD-578 can be recommended for home use in adults.

Environmental, political, and economic determinants of water quality monitoring in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Lucas; Bernauer, Thomas; Kalbhenn, Anna

2010-11-01

Effective monitoring is essential for effective pollution control in national and international water systems. To what extent are countries' monitoring choices driven by environmental criteria, as they should be? And to what extent are they also influenced by other factors, such as political and economic conditions? To address these questions, we describe and explain the evolution of one of the most important international environmental monitoring networks in Europe, the one for water quality, in the time period 1965-2004. We develop a geographic information system that contains information on the location of several thousand active monitoring stations in Europe. Using multivariate statistics, we then examine whether and to what extent the spatial and temporal clustering of monitoring intensity is driven by environmental, political, and economic factors. The results show that monitoring intensity is higher in river basins exposed to greater environmental pressure. However, political and economic factors also play a strong role in monitoring decisions: democracy, income, and peer pressure are conducive to monitoring intensity, and monitoring intensity generally increases over time. Moreover, even though monitoring is more intense in international upstream-downstream settings, we observe only a weak bias toward more monitoring downstream of international borders. In contrast, negative effects of European Union (EU) membership and runup to the EU's Water Framework Directive are potential reasons for concern. Our results strongly suggest that international coordination and standardization of water quality monitoring should be intensified. It will be interesting to apply our analytical approach also to other national and international monitoring networks, for instance, the U.S. National Water-Quality Assessment Program or the European Monitoring and Evaluation Program for air pollution.

Monitoring poverty in the Philippines | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2011-07-15

Jul 15, 2011 ... Measuring quality-of-life ... Through this work, a community-based poverty monitoring system has ... Regular surveys provide data on macro variables, such as the rate of inflation, the exchange rate, and the balance of trade.

Linearizable cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nobe, Atsushi; Yura, Fumitaka

2007-01-01

The initial value problem for a class of reversible elementary cellular automata with periodic boundaries is reduced to an initial-boundary value problem for a class of linear systems on a finite commutative ring Z 2 . Moreover, a family of such linearizable cellular automata is given

Electromagnetic cellular interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cifra, Michal; Fields, Jeremy Z; Farhadi, Ashkan

2011-05-01

Chemical and electrical interaction within and between cells is well established. Just the opposite is true about cellular interactions via other physical fields. The most probable candidate for an other form of cellular interaction is the electromagnetic field. We review theories and experiments on how cells can generate and detect electromagnetic fields generally, and if the cell-generated electromagnetic field can mediate cellular interactions. We do not limit here ourselves to specialized electro-excitable cells. Rather we describe physical processes that are of a more general nature and probably present in almost every type of living cell. The spectral range included is broad; from kHz to the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum. We show that there is a rather large number of theories on how cells can generate and detect electromagnetic fields and discuss experimental evidence on electromagnetic cellular interactions in the modern scientific literature. Although small, it is continuously accumulating. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PREFACE: 25th International Congress on Condition Monitoring and Diagnostic Engineering (COMADEM 2012)

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Andrew; Mishra, Rakesh; Gu, Fengshou; Rao, Raj B. K. N.

2012-05-01

The proactive multidisciplinary conceptual philosophy of Condition Monitoring and Diagnostic Engineering Management (COMADEM) was conceived and has been nurtured, developed and sustained since 1988. Since then, it is gratifying to note that the condition monitoring, diagnostic and prognostic community worldwide (representing industrialists, academics, research and development organizations, professional/private establishments and many hardware/software vending organizations) has warmly welcomed and supported this venture. As is evidenced, many have reaped (and are reaping) the benefits of COMADEM interdiscipline through continuous knowledge discovery, generation and dissemination. We are now proud to celebrate the 25th Annual Event (Silver Jubilee) in Huddersfield, the most beautiful part of the United Kingdom. The theme of this Congress is 'Sustained Prosperity through Proactive Monitoring, Diagnosis, Prognosis and Management'. This proceedings is enriched by contributions from many keynote experts representing many industry and academic establishments worldwide. Authors from more than 30 different countries have pooled their rich multidisciplinary up-to-date knowledge, in order to share their invaluable experience with the COMADEM community. In this proceedings, the readers will find more than 120 refereed papers encompassing a number of topical areas of interest relating to the theme of the congress. The proceedings of COMADEM 2012 will appear in the Open Access Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS), which is part of the IOP Conference Series. All papers published in the IOP Conference Series are fully citable and upon publication will be free to download. We would like to express our deep gratitude to all the keynote speakers, authors, referees, exhibitors, Technical Co-Sponsoring Organizations, Gold Sponsors, IOP Publishers, COMADEM 2012 organizing committee members, delegates and many others on whom the success of this prestigious event depends

General guidelines for the assessment of internal dose from monitoring data: Progress of the IDEAS project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doerfel, H.; Andrasi, A.; Bailey, M.; Blanchardon, E.; Cruz-Suarez, R.; Berkovski, V.; Castellani, C. M.; Hurtgenv, C.; Leguen, B.; Malatova, I.; Marsh, J.; Stather, J.; Zeger, J.

2007-01-01

In recent major international intercomparison exercises on intake and internal dose assessments from monitoring data, the results calculated by different participants varied significantly. Based on this experience the need for harmonisation of the procedures has been formulated within an EU 5. Framework Programme research project. The aim of the project, IDEAS, is to develop general guidelines for standardising assessments of intakes and internal doses. The IDEAS project started in October 2001 and ended in June 2005. The project is closely related to some goals of the work of Committee 2 of the ICRP and since 2003 there has been close cooperation between the two groups. To ensure that the guidelines are applicable to a wide range of practical situations, the first step was to compile a database of well-documented cases of internal contamination. In parallel, an improved version of an existing software package was developed and distributed to the partners for further use. A large number of cases from the database was evaluated independently by the partners and the results reviewed. Based on these evaluations, guidelines were drafted and discussed with dosimetry professionals from around the world by means of a virtual workshop on the Internet early in 2004. The guidelines have been revised and refined on the basis of the experiences and discussions in this virtual workshop. The general philosophy of the Guidelines is presented here, focusing on the principles of harmonisation, optimisation and proportionality. Finally, the proposed Levels of Task to structure the approach of internal dose evaluation are reported. (authors)

Application of a pedestrian portal monitor at Madrid International Airport in Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pujol, Ll., E-mail: luis.pujol@cedex.e [Centro de Estudios y Experimentacion de Obras Publicas (CEDEX), Alfonso XII, 3, 28014 Madrid (Spain); Univ Politecn Madrid (UPM), Dept Civil Engn Hydraul and Energet, ETSI Caminos, Profesor Aranguren, s/n, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Gonzalez-Gonzalez, J.A.; Suarez-Navarro, M.J. [Univ Politecn Madrid (UPM), Dept Civil Engn Hydraul and Energet, ETSI Caminos, Profesor Aranguren, s/n, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2011-04-15

Three pedestrian portal monitor systems, designed to detect illicit trafficking or inadvertent movement of radioactive materials carried by passengers at airports, have been evaluated. The systems were supplied by three manufacturers: Bicron, Exploranium and Thermo-Eberline. In an initial evaluation, conducted at the Laboratory of Nuclear Engineering of the School of Civil Engineering, it was observed that the FHT-1372 system manufactured by Thermo-Eberline gave a more sensitive response and allowed the measurement of total photon dose rate and artificial photon dose rate. Therefore, this system was installed at Barajas International Airport in Madrid in 2002 for a period of 108 days in order to select an appropriate investigation level (defined as the radiation level that is selected as the trigger for further investigation). During this period 1,339,931 passengers were screened and a total of 39 alarms were triggered, 5 of which with a value 10 times the mean value of the natural background from photon radiation (which was 85 nSv/h), and no alarms exceeded 100 {mu}Sv/h at 1 m distance, which is the level of response for legal transport of radioactive materials set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). An investigation level of approximately 1.3 times the natural background was finally selected. This value coincides with the results obtained in the ITRAP (Illicit Trafficking Radiation Detection Assessment Program) carried out by the IAEA.

Genetic effects from internally deposited radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1987-01-01

It was learned in the late 1920's that ionizing radiation could produce genetic effects such as gene mutations and chromosome aberrations. However, at least until 1945, the focus on interest in radiation protection was primarily on somatic effects manifested in the individual exposed. Studies of the genetic effects of radiation using drosophila, however, refocused attention on effects transmitted to the exposed individuals offspring and concern over fallout in the 1950's resulted in efforts to estimate the genetic effects from exposure of human populations to internally deposited radionuclides. No human populations have been identified with burdens of internally deposited radioactive materials which have been shown to produce evidence of transmissible genetic damage. As a result, the research approach has been one in which macromolecular, cellular, and whole animal genetic studies have been combined to estimate genetic effects on humans following the deposition of radioactive materials in the body. The purpose of this report is to update the information available from animal and cellular experiments that relates genetic effects to deposited activity and dose from internally deposited radioactive materials

Cellular dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Humm, J.L.; Chin, L.M.

1989-01-01

Radiation dose is a useful predictive parameter for describing radiation toxicity in conventional radiotherapy. Traditionally, in vitro radiation biology dose-effect relations are expressed in the form of cell survival curves, a semilog plot of cell survival versus dose. However, the characteristic linear or linear quadratic survival curve shape, for high- and low-LET radiations respectively, is only strictly valid when the radiation dose is uniform across the entire target population. With an external beam of 60 Co gamma rays or x-rays, a uniform field may be readily achievable. When radionuclides are incorporated into a cell milieu, several new problems emerge which can result in a departure from uniformity in energy deposition throughout a cell population. This nonuniformity can have very important consequences for the shape of the survival curve. Cases in which perturbations of source uniformity may arise include: 1. Elemental sources may equilibrate in the cell medium with partition coefficients between the extracellular, cytosol, and nuclear compartments. The effect of preferential cell internalization or binding to cell membrane of some radionuclides can increase or decrease the slope of the survival curve. 2. Radionuclides bound to antibodies, hormones, metabolite precursors, etc., may result in a source localization pattern characteristic of the carrier agent, i.e., the sources may bind to cell surface receptors or antigens, be internalized, bind to secreted antigen concentrated around a fraction of the cell population, or become directly incorporated into the cell DNA. We propose to relate the distribution of energy deposition in cell nuclei to biological correlates of cellular inactivation. The probability of each cell's survival is weighted by its individual radiation burden, and the summation of these probabilities for the cell population can be used to predict the number or fraction of cell survivors

Response of monitors of surface contamination to internal exposition control from {sup 131}I in the 'nuclear medicine services'; Respuesta de monitores de contaminacion superficial para el control de la exposicion interna a {sup 131}I en servicios de medicina nuclear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Puerta, Nancy; Rojo, Ana M.; Villella, Adrian; Gossio, Sebastian; Parada, Ines Gomez, E-mail: info@arn.gov.br [Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear (ARN), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Acosta, Norma; Arenas, German, E-mail: nacosta@fuesmen.edu.ar [Fundacion Escuela de Medina Nuclear (FUESMEN), Mendoza (Argentina)

2013-11-01

The IAEA, in its publication RS-G-1.2, proposes individual control of workers occupationally exposed with risk of internal exposure when the potential exposure provided by incorporation leads to a value of annual committed effective dose equal to or greater than 1 mSv. Because the radionuclide {sup 131}I is the most important to control internal exposure in Nuclear Medicine Services, it is evaluated if the surface contamination monitors, commonly used in nuclear medicine centers of Argentina, would implement individual control of internal exposure to {sup 131}I. Selected detectors were calibrated with a dummy neck and thyroid with calibrated sources of {sup 131}I and {sup 133}Ba reference. For each detector is was estimated the detection efficiency for {sup 131}I and its detection limit. Each instrument was evaluated for the lowest effective dose possible to detect compromised by individual routine monitoring with different measurement intervals . We analyzed the response of each team for determining conditions that may be effective for the control of internal exposure of {sup 131}I. Finally , we conclude that the daily individual monitoring surface contamination detectors available in the Nuclear Medicine Services is feasible to implement and ensures detection of significant additions of {sup 131}I.

Anchored but not internalized: shape dependent endocytosis of nanodiamond

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bokai; Feng, Xi; Yin, Hang; Ge, Zhenpeng; Wang, Yanhuan; Chu, Zhiqin; Raabova, Helena; Vavra, Jan; Cigler, Petr; Liu, Renbao; Wang, Yi; Li, Quan

2017-04-01

Nanoparticle-cell interactions begin with the cellular uptake of the nanoparticles, a process that eventually determines their cellular fate. In the present work, we show that the morphological features of nanodiamonds (NDs) affect both the anchoring and internalization stages of their endocytosis. While a prickly ND (with sharp edges/corners) has no trouble of anchoring onto the plasma membrane, it suffers from difficult internalization afterwards. In comparison, the internalization of a round ND (obtained by selective etching of the prickly ND) is not limited by its lower anchoring amount and presents a much higher endocytosis amount. Molecular dynamics simulation and continuum modelling results suggest that the observed difference in the anchoring of round and prickly NDs likely results from the reduced contact surface area with the cell membrane of the former, while the energy penalty associated with membrane curvature generation, which is lower for a round ND, may explain its higher probability of the subsequent internalization.

Process monitoring for reprocessing plant safeguards: a summary review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, H.T.; Ehinger, M.H.; Wachter, J.W.; Hebble, T.L.

1986-10-01

Process monitoring is a term typically associated with a detailed look at plant operating data to determine plant status. Process monitoring has been generally associated with operational control of plant processes. Recently, process monitoring has been given new attention for a possible role in international safeguards. International Safeguards Project Office (ISPO) Task C.59 has the goal to identify specific roles for process monitoring in international safeguards. As the preliminary effort associated with this task, a review of previous efforts in process monitoring for safeguards was conducted. Previous efforts mentioned concepts and a few specific applications. None were comprehensive in addressing all aspects of a process monitoring application for safeguards. This report summarizes the basic elements that must be developed in a comprehensive process monitoring application for safeguards. It then summarizes the significant efforts that have been documented in the literature with respect to the basic elements that were addressed

Internal monitoring of GBTx emulator using IPbus for CBM experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Mandal, Swagata; Zabolotny, Wojciech; Sau, Suman; Chkrabarti, Amlan; Saini, Jogender; Chattopadhyay, Subhasis; Pal, Sushanta Kumar

2015-09-01

The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment is a part of the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in Darmstadt at GSI. In CBM experiment a precisely time synchronized fault tolerant self-triggered electronics is required for Data Acquisition (DAQ) system in CBM experiments which can support high data rate (up to several TB/s). As a part of the implementation of the DAQ system of Muon Chamber (MUCH) which is one of the important detectors in CBM experiment, a FPGA based Gigabit Transceiver (GBTx) emulator is implemented. Readout chain for MUCH consists of XYTER chips (Front end electronics) which will be directly connected to detector, GBTx emulator, Data Processing Board (DPB) and First level event selector board (FLIB) with backend software interface. GBTx emulator will be connected with the XYTER emulator through LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signalling) line in the front end and in the back end it is connected with DPB through 4.8 Gbps optical link. IPBus over Ethernet is used for internal monitoring of the registers within the GBTx. In IPbus implementation User Datagram Protocol (UDP) stack is used in transport layer of OSI model so that GBTx can be controlled remotely. A Python script is used at computer side to drive IPbus controller.

Airborne anthropogenic radioactivity measurements from an international radionuclide monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, L.R.; Bohner, J.D.; Williams, D.L.

1998-01-01

Anthropogenic radioactivity is being measured in near-real time by an international monitoring system designed to verify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Airborne radioactivity measurements are conducted in-situ by stations that are linked to a central data processing and analysis facility. Aerosols are separated by high-volume air sampling with high-efficiency particulate filters. Radio-xenon is separated from other gases through cryogenic methods. Gamma-spectrometry is performed by high purity germanium detectors and the raw spectral data is immediately transmitted to the central facility via Internet, satellite, or modem. These highly sensitive sensors, combined with the automated data processing at the central facility, result in a system capable of measuring environmental radioactivity on the microbecquerel scale where the data is available to scientists within minutes of the field measurement. During the past year, anthropogenic radioactivity has been measured at approximately half of the stations in the current network. Sources of these measured radionuclides include nuclear power plant emissions, Chernobyl resuspension, and isotope production facilities. The ability to thoroughly characterize site-specific radionuclides, which contribute to the radioactivity of the ambient environment, will be necessary to reduce the number of false positive events. This is especially true of anthropogenic radionuclides that could lead to ambiguous analysis. (author)

Monitoring and evaluation of human resources for health: an international perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gupta Neeru

2003-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite the undoubted importance of human resources to the functions of health systems, there is little consistency between countries in how human resource strategies are monitored and evaluated. This paper presents an integrated approach for developing an evidence base on human resources for health (HRH to support decision-making, drawing on a framework for health systems performance assessment. Methods Conceptual and methodological issues for selecting indicators for HRH monitoring and evaluation are discussed, and a range of primary and secondary data sources that might be used to generate indicators are reviewed. Descriptive analyses are conducted drawing primarily on one type of source, namely routinely reported data on the numbers of health personnel and medical schools as covered by national reporting systems and compiled by the World Health Organization. Regression techniques are used to triangulate a given HRH indicator calculated from different data sources across multiple countries. Results Major variations in the supply of health personnel and training opportunities are found to occur by region. However, certain discrepancies are also observed in measuring the same indicator from different sources, possibly related to the occupational classification or to the sources' representation. Conclusion Evidence-based information is needed to better understand trends in HRH. Although a range of sources exist that can potentially be used for HRH assessment, the information that can be derived from many of these individual sources precludes refined analysis. A variety of data sources and analytical approaches, each with its own strengths and limitations, is required to reflect the complexity of HRH issues. In order to enhance cross-national comparability, data collection efforts should be processed through the use of internationally standardized classifications (in particular, for occupation, industry and education at the

Individual monitoring of internal exposure to uranium oxides in two fuel fabrication plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourdeix, F.; Achiary, J.; Berard, P.

1989-01-01

Individual monitoring of personal exposure to inhalation of uranium oxides throughout the manufacture of fuel for pressurized water reactor (PWR) includes lung gamma-spectrometry, fecal analysis and urine analysis. Examination of the results shows the following: internal exposure is the consequence of repeated intake incidents as revealed by early peaks of urinary and particularly fecal elimination; a shift is often observed with the results of aerosol concentration measured through air collectors; the measured variations of uranium lung incorporations are relatively fast (apparent mean period 165 d). Correct evaluation of the effective dose equivalent from inhalation requires further information concerning the aerosol size distribution at work stations, the physico-chemical characteristics of the product leading to an estimate of its actual biological solubility, and the measurement of the fraction of aerosol liable to intake with an individual portable collector [fr

RAINLINK: Retrieval algorithm for rainfall monitoring employing microwave links from a cellular communication network

Science.gov (United States)

Uijlenhoet, R.; Overeem, A.; Leijnse, H.; Rios Gaona, M. F.

2017-12-01

The basic principle of rainfall estimation using microwave links is as follows. Rainfall attenuates the electromagnetic signals transmitted from one telephone tower to another. By measuring the received power at one end of a microwave link as a function of time, the path-integrated attenuation due to rainfall can be calculated, which can be converted to average rainfall intensities over the length of a link. Microwave links from cellular communication networks have been proposed as a promising new rainfall measurement technique for one decade. They are particularly interesting for those countries where few surface rainfall observations are available. Yet to date no operational (real-time) link-based rainfall products are available. To advance the process towards operational application and upscaling of this technique, there is a need for freely available, user-friendly computer code for microwave link data processing and rainfall mapping. Such software is now available as R package "RAINLINK" on GitHub (https://github.com/overeem11/RAINLINK). It contains a working example to compute link-based 15-min rainfall maps for the entire surface area of The Netherlands for 40 hours from real microwave link data. This is a working example using actual data from an extensive network of commercial microwave links, for the first time, which will allow users to test their own algorithms and compare their results with ours. The package consists of modular functions, which facilitates running only part of the algorithm. The main processings steps are: 1) Preprocessing of link data (initial quality and consistency checks); 2) Wet-dry classification using link data; 3) Reference signal determination; 4) Removal of outliers ; 5) Correction of received signal powers; 6) Computation of mean path-averaged rainfall intensities; 7) Interpolation of rainfall intensities ; 8) Rainfall map visualisation. Some applications of RAINLINK will be shown based on microwave link data from a

Prevention and treatment of relapse after stem cell transplantation by cellular therapies.

Science.gov (United States)

Falkenburg, Fred; Ruggiero, Eliana; Bonini, Chaira; Porter, David; Miller, Jeff; Malard, Floran; Mohty, Mohamad; Kröger, Nicolaus; Kolb, Hans Jochem

2018-05-24

Despite recent advances in reducing therapy-related mortality after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) relapse remains the major cause of treatment failure and little progress has been achieved in the last decades. At the 3rd International Workshop on Biology, Prevention, and Treatment of Relapse held in Hamburg/Germany in November 2016 international experts presented and discussed recent developments in the field. Here, the potential of cellular therapies including unspecific and specific T cells, genetically modified T cells, CAR-T cells, NK-cells, and second allografting in prevention and treatment of relapse after alloSCT are summarized.

Real-Time Molecular Monitoring of Chemical Environment in ObligateAnaerobes during Oxygen Adaptive Response

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holman, Hoi-Ying N.; Wozei, Eleanor; Lin, Zhang; Comolli, Luis R.; Ball, David. A.; Borglin, Sharon; Fields, Matthew W.; Hazen, Terry C.; Downing, Kenneth H.

2009-02-25

Determining the transient chemical properties of the intracellular environment canelucidate the paths through which a biological system adapts to changes in its environment, for example, the mechanisms which enable some obligate anaerobic bacteria to survive a sudden exposure to oxygen. Here we used high-resolution Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectromicroscopy to continuously follow cellular chemistry within living obligate anaerobes by monitoring hydrogen bonding in their cellular water. We observed a sequence of wellorchestrated molecular events that correspond to changes in cellular processes in those cells that survive, but only accumulation of radicals in those that do not. We thereby can interpret the adaptive response in terms of transient intracellular chemistry and link it to oxygen stress and survival. This ability to monitor chemical changes at the molecular level can yield important insights into a wide range of adaptive responses.

Cellular Particle Dynamics simulation of biomechanical relaxation processes of multi-cellular systems

Science.gov (United States)

McCune, Matthew; Kosztin, Ioan

2013-03-01

Cellular Particle Dynamics (CPD) is a theoretical-computational-experimental framework for describing and predicting the time evolution of biomechanical relaxation processes of multi-cellular systems, such as fusion, sorting and compression. In CPD, cells are modeled as an ensemble of cellular particles (CPs) that interact via short range contact interactions, characterized by an attractive (adhesive interaction) and a repulsive (excluded volume interaction) component. The time evolution of the spatial conformation of the multicellular system is determined by following the trajectories of all CPs through numerical integration of their equations of motion. Here we present CPD simulation results for the fusion of both spherical and cylindrical multi-cellular aggregates. First, we calibrate the relevant CPD model parameters for a given cell type by comparing the CPD simulation results for the fusion of two spherical aggregates to the corresponding experimental results. Next, CPD simulations are used to predict the time evolution of the fusion of cylindrical aggregates. The latter is relevant for the formation of tubular multi-cellular structures (i.e., primitive blood vessels) created by the novel bioprinting technology. Work supported by NSF [PHY-0957914]. Computer time provided by the University of Missouri Bioinformatics Consortium.

FEMO, A FLOW AND ENRICHMENT MONITOR FOR VERIFYING COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL SAFEGUARDS REQUIREMENTS AT A GAS CENTRIFUGE ENRICHMENT FACILITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunning, John E.; Laughter, Mark D.; March-Leuba, Jose A.

2008-01-01

A number of countries have received construction licenses or are contemplating the construction of large-capacity gas centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs). The capability to independently verify nuclear material flows is a key component of international safeguards approaches, and the IAEA does not currently have an approved method to continuously monitor the mass flow of 235U in uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas streams. Oak Ridge National Laboratory is investigating the development of a flow and enrichment monitor, or FEMO, based on an existing blend-down monitoring system (BDMS). The BDMS was designed to continuously monitor both 235U mass flow and enrichment of UF6 streams at the low pressures similar to those which exists at GCEPs. BDMSs have been installed at three sites-the first unit has operated successfully in an unattended environment for approximately 10 years. To be acceptable to GCEP operators, it is essential that the instrument be installed and maintained without interrupting operations. A means to continuously verify flow as is proposed by FEMO will likely be needed to monitor safeguards at large-capacity plants. This will enable the safeguards effectiveness that currently exists at smaller plants to be maintained at the larger facilities and also has the potential to reduce labor costs associated with inspections at current and future plants. This paper describes the FEMO design requirements, operating capabilities, and development work required before field demonstration.

Extended abstracts: Microbeam Probes of Cellular Radiation Response [final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brenner, David J.

2000-01-01

In July 1999, we organized the 4th International Workshop: Microbeam Probes of Cellular Radiation Response, held in Killiney Bay, Dublin, Ireland, on July 17-18. Roughly 75 scientists (about equal numbers of physicists and biologists) attended the workshop, the fourth in a bi-annual series. Extended abstracts from the meeting were published in the Radiation Research journal, vol. 153, iss. 2, pp. 220-238 (February 2000)(attached). All the objectives in the proposal were met

Dynamic behavior of cellular materials and cellular structures: Experiments and modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Ziyang

Cellular solids, including cellular materials and cellular structures (CMS), have attracted people's great interests because of their low densities and novel physical, mechanical, thermal, electrical and acoustic properties. They offer potential for lightweight structures, energy absorption, thermal management, etc. Therefore, the studies of cellular solids have become one of the hottest research fields nowadays. From energy absorption point of view, any plastically deformed structures can be divided into two types (called type I and type II), and the basic cells of the CMS may take the configurations of these two types of structures. Accordingly, separated discussions are presented in this thesis. First, a modified 1-D model is proposed and numerically solved for a typical type II structure. Good agreement is achieved with the previous experimental data, hence is used to simulate the dynamic behavior of a type II chain. Resulted from different load speeds, interesting collapse modes are observed, and the parameters which govern the cell's post-collapse behavior are identified through a comprehensive non-dimensional analysis on general cellular chains. Secondly, the MHS specimens are chosen as an example of type I foam materials because of their good uniformity of the cell geometry. An extensive experimental study was carried out, where more attention was paid to their responses to dynamic loadings. Great enhancement of the stress-strain curve was observed in dynamic cases, and the energy absorption capacity is found to be several times higher than that of the commercial metal foams. Based on the experimental study, finite elemental simulations and theoretical modeling are also conducted, achieving good agreements and demonstrating the validities of those models. It is believed that the experimental, numerical and analytical results obtained in the present study will certainly deepen the understanding of the unsolved fundamental issues on the mechanical behavior of

Statistical mechanics of cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolfram, S.

1983-01-01

Cellular automata are used as simple mathematical models to investigate self-organization in statistical mechanics. A detailed analysis is given of ''elementary'' cellular automata consisting of a sequence of sites with values 0 or 1 on a line, with each site evolving deterministically in discrete time steps according to p definite rules involving the values of its nearest neighbors. With simple initial configurations, the cellular automata either tend to homogeneous states, or generate self-similar patterns with fractal dimensions approx. =1.59 or approx. =1.69. With ''random'' initial configurations, the irreversible character of the cellular automaton evolution leads to several self-organization phenomena. Statistical properties of the structures generated are found to lie in two universality classes, independent of the details of the initial state or the cellular automaton rules. More complicated cellular automata are briefly considered, and connections with dynamical systems theory and the formal theory of computation are discussed

Remote monitoring: A global partnership for safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bardsley, J.

1996-01-01

With increased awareness of the significant changes of the past several years and their effect on the expectations to international safeguards, it is necessary to reflect on the direction for development of nuclear safeguards in a new era and the resulting implications. The time proven monitoring techniques, based on quantitative factors and demonstrated universal application, have shown their merit. However, the new expectations suggest a possibility that a future IAEA safeguards system could rely more heavily on the value of a comprehensive, transparent, and open implementation regime. With the establishment of such a regime, it is highly likely that remote monitoring will play a significant role. Several states have seen value in cooperating with each other to address the many problems associated with the remote interrogation of integrated monitoring systems. As a consequence the International Remote Monitoring Project was organized to examine the future of remote monitoring in International Safeguards. This paper provides an update on the technical issues, the future plans, and the safeguards implications of cooperative programs relating to remote monitoring. Without providing answers to the policy questions involved, it suggests that it is timely to begin addressing these issues

The Emergence of a Transnational Advocacy Network: International Election Monitoring in the Philippines, Chile, Nicaragua, and Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arturo Santa Cruz

2004-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper I question the existence of a global civil society, suggesting that what we have witnessed in recent years is the emergence of myriad transnational advocacy networks (TANs. I illustrate this claim by looking at a recently novel area in world politics: the international monitoring of elections (IEM, a practice which I claim has partially redefined state sovereignty. This paper takes form as follows. In the first section I present a conceptual discussion on world civil society and TANS , and suggest an unexplored way in which emergent norms might be adopted internationally. In the next four sections I follow the evolution of the IEM TAN. Thus, the second section deals with the foundational 1986 Philippine case; the third section with the 1988 Chilean plebiscite; the fourth with the 1990 Nicaraguan elections, and the fifth with the 1994 Mexican electoral process. I conclude in the sixth section by evaluating the usefulness of the path of norm-diffusion, and by discussing how the practice of non-state actors has contributed to the redefinition of both state sovereignty and the international system.

Development and Characterization of Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counter for Radiation Monitoring in International Space Station

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uk-Won Nam

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC can measure the Linear Energy Transfer (LET spectrum and calculate the equivalent dose for the complicated radiation field in space. In this paper, we developed and characterized a TEPC for radiation monitoring in International Space Station (ISS. The prototype TEPC which can simulate a 2 μm of the site diameter for micro-dosimetry has been tested with a standard alpha source (241Am, 5.5 MeV. Also, the calibration of the TEPC was performed by the 252Cf neutron standard source in Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS. The determined calibration factor was kf = 3.59×10-7 mSv/R.

Wireless Cellular Mobile Communications

OpenAIRE

Zalud, V.

2002-01-01

In this article is briefly reviewed the history of wireless cellular mobile communications, examined the progress in current second generation (2G) cellular standards and discussed their migration to the third generation (3G). The European 2G cellular standard GSM and its evolution phases GPRS and EDGE are described somewhat in detail. The third generation standard UMTS taking up on GSM/GPRS core network and equipped with a new advanced access network on the basis of code division multiple ac...

Maintenance and Logistics Support for the International Monitoring System Network of the CTBTO

Science.gov (United States)

Haslinger, F.; Brely, N.; Akrawy, M.

2007-05-01

The global network of the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), once completed, will consist of 321 monitoring facilities of four different technologies: hydroacoustic, seismic, infrasonic, and radionuclide. As of today, about 65% of the installations are completed and contribute data to the products issued by the International Data Centre (IDC) of the CTBTO. In order to accomplish the task to reliably collect evidence for any potential nuclear test explosion anywhere on the planet, all stations are required to perform to very high data availability requirements (at least 98% data availability over a 12-month period). To enable reaching this requirement, a three-layer concept has been developed to allow efficient support of the IMS stations: Operations, Maintenance and Logistics, and Engineering. Within this concept Maintenance and Logistics provide second level support of the stations, whereby problems arising at the station are assigned through the IMS ticket system to Maintenance if they cannot be resolved on the Operations level. Maintenance will then activate the required resources to appropriately address and ultimately resolve the problem. These resources may be equipment support contracts, other third party contracts, or the dispatch of a maintenance team. Engineering Support will be activated if the problem requires redesign of the station or after catastrophic failures when a total rebuild of a station may be necessary. In this model, Logistics Support is responsible for parts replenishment and support contract management. Logistics Support also collects and analyzes relevant failure mode and effect information, develops supportability models, and has the responsibility for document management, obsolescence, risk & quality, and configuration management, which are key elements for efficient station support. Maintenance Support in addition is responsible for maintenance strategies, for

Radiation contamination monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Tsutomu; Iba, Hiroshi; Sato, Hiroshi

1999-01-01

To make sure of no contamination on people, used articles and working uniforms coming out of the radiation controlled area, nuclear power plants are equipped with radioactive contamination monitors. This paper outlines the basic specifications and advantages of our personnel surface contamination monitors to inspect whole-body surface contamination of people coming out, article surface contamination monitors to inspect the surface and inside contamination of used articles brought out, laundry monitors to inspect surface contamination of working uniforms used in the area before and after a wash, and whole-body counters to inspect and measure the internal contamination of a person out of the area. (author)

MSAT and cellular hybrid networking

Science.gov (United States)

Baranowsky, Patrick W., II

Westinghouse Electric Corporation is developing both the Communications Ground Segment and the Series 1000 Mobile Phone for American Mobile Satellite Corporation's (AMSC's) Mobile Satellite (MSAT) system. The success of the voice services portion of this system depends, to some extent, upon the interoperability of the cellular network and the satellite communication circuit switched communication channels. This paper will describe the set of user-selectable cellular interoperable modes (cellular first/satellite second, etc.) provided by the Mobile Phone and described how they are implemented with the ground segment. Topics including roaming registration and cellular-to-satellite 'seamless' call handoff will be discussed, along with the relevant Interim Standard IS-41 Revision B Cellular Radiotelecommunications Intersystem Operations and IOS-553 Mobile Station - Land Station Compatibility Specification.

Partial monitoring system Radioactivity of the Environment, 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melicherova, T.

2007-01-01

In this report the Partial monitoring system 'Radioactivity of the Environment' for the year 2006 is presented. International co-operation of the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute in the Partial monitoring system 'Radioactivity of the Environment' of the Slovak Republic, international co-operation as well as financial data are reviewed

Preliminry results of the 1975 international personnel monitoring survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, K.

1975-11-01

About 70 detailed questions have been answered in mid-1975 by 83 personnel monitoring services in 33 countries, representing almost half a million, or approximately 28 percent, of the world's total radiation workers, as well as by 11 customers of U. S. commercial services. Extensive data are given on many questions regarding the current system in use, future plans, and experiences, for example on the type(s) of TLD, film and readout instrumentation; monitoring period; applications for extremity and environmental monitoring; advantages and disadvantages of various systems; R and D projects; experience with beta and neutron dosimetry; intentional fake exposures; lower and upper dose limits; recordkeeping; and reporting of the results. The larger services in the advanced countries lead in the transition from film to TLD. More than half of the radiation workers already wear TLDs, or will do so within about two years. Important unsolved problems are fast neutron monitoring and the low information content and high initial cost of TLD. The trend is towards large, centralized, automatic services and recordkeeping, with extensive computer use for evaluation and data handling. There is a need for better performance standards and testing, and more information exchange and cooperation between services. (auth)

Remote Monitoring of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Christopher C; Deyell, Marc W

2018-01-08

Over the past decade, technological advancements have transformed the delivery of care for arrhythmia patients. From early transtelephonic monitoring to new devices capable of wireless and cellular transmission, remote monitoring has revolutionized device care. In this article, we review the current evolution and evidence for remote monitoring in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices. From passive transmission of device diagnostics, to active transmission of patient- and device-triggered alerts, remote monitoring can shorten the time to diagnosis and treatment. Studies have shown that remote monitoring can reduce hospitalization and emergency room visits, and improve survival. Remote monitoring can also reduce the health care costs, while providing increased access to patients living in rural or marginalized communities. Unfortunately, as many as two-thirds of patients with remote monitoring-capable devices do not use, or are not offered, this feature. Current guidelines recommend remote monitoring and interrogation, combined with annual in-person evaluation in all cardiac device patients. Remote monitoring should be considered in all eligible device patients and should be considered standard of care. Copyright © 2018 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Safeguards equipment of the future integrated monitoring systems and remote monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonnier, C.S.; Johnson, C.S.

1994-01-01

Becoming aware of the significant events of the past four years and their effect on the expectations to international safeguards, it is necessary to reflect on which direction the development of nuclear safeguards in a new era needs to take and the implications. The lime proven monitoring techniques, based on quantitative factor's and demonstrated universal application, have shown their merit. However, the new expectations suggest a possibility that a future IAEA safeguards system could rely more heavily on the value of a comprehensive, transparent and open implementation regime. Within such a regime, the associated measures need to be determined and technological support identified. This paper will identify the proven techniques which, with appropriate implementation support, could most quickly make available additional measures for a comprehensive, transparent and open implementation regime. In particular, it will examine the future of Integrated Monitoring Systems and Remote Monitoring in international safeguards, including technical and other related factors

Acidity-Triggered Tumor Retention/Internalization of Chimeric Peptide for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy and Real-Time Monitoring of Therapeutic Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Kai; Zhang, Wei-Yun; Ma, Zhao-Yu; Wang, Shi-Bo; Xu, Lu-Ming; Liu, Jia; Zhang, Xian-Zheng; Han, He-You

2017-05-17

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) holds great promise in tumor treatment. Nevertheless, it remains highly desirable to develop easy-to-fabricated PDT systems with improved tumor accumulation/internalization and timely therapeutic feedback. Here, we report a tumor-acidity-responsive chimeric peptide for enhanced PDT and noninvasive real-time apoptosis imaging. Both in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that a tumor mildly acidic microenvironment could trigger rapid protonation of carboxylate anions in chimeric peptide, which led to increased ζ potential, improved hydrophobicity, controlled size enlargement, and precise morphology switching from sphere to spherocylinder shape of the chimeric peptide. All of these factors realized superfast accumulation and prolonged retention in the tumor region, selective cellular internalization, and enhanced PDT against the tumor. Meanwhile, this chimeric peptide could further generate reactive oxygen species and initiate cell apoptosis during PDT. The subsequent formation of caspase-3 enzyme hydrolyzed the chimeric peptide, achieving a high signal/noise ratio and timely fluorescence feedback. Importantly, direct utilization of the acidity responsiveness of a biofunctional Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-Gly (DEVDG, caspase-3 enzyme substrate) peptide sequence dramatically simplified the preparation and increased the performance of the chimeric peptide furthest.

Challenging the norm? International election accompaniment in Nicaragua and Venezuela

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shelley MCCONNEL

2015-08-01

Full Text Available International election monitoring has been touted as a regional norm in the Western hemisphere, but recent reforms in Venezuela and Nicaragua substituted a diminished international role of electoral accompaniment. This article traces the initial acceptance and later limitation of international election monitoring in those countries to explore whether the change constitutes norm localization or norm defection. It concludes that the norm is not as well institutionalized in the hemisphere as conventionally thought, and that models need to assess together national and international monitoring capacities.

Top-down cellular pyramids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, A Y; Rosenfeld, A

1983-10-01

A cellular pyramid is an exponentially tapering stack of arrays of processors (cells), where each cell is connected to its neighbors (siblings) on its own level, to a parent on the level above, and to its children on the level below. It is shown that in some situations, if information flows top-down only, from fathers to sons, then a cellular pyramid may be no faster than a one-level cellular array; but it may be possible to use simpler cells in the pyramid case. 23 references.

Cellular decomposition in vikalloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belyatskaya, I.S.; Vintajkin, E.Z.; Georgieva, I.Ya.; Golikov, V.A.; Udovenko, V.A.

1981-01-01

Austenite decomposition in Fe-Co-V and Fe-Co-V-Ni alloys at 475-600 deg C is investigated. The cellular decomposition in ternary alloys results in the formation of bcc (ordered) and fcc structures, and in quaternary alloys - bcc (ordered) and 12R structures. The cellular 12R structure results from the emergence of stacking faults in the fcc lattice with irregular spacing in four layers. The cellular decomposition results in a high-dispersion structure and magnetic properties approaching the level of well-known vikalloys [ru

Fluorescent BODIPY Rotor: Viscometer for Cellular Organelles and Membrane-Mimicking Vesicles

Science.gov (United States)

Kimball, J.; Raut, S.; Fudala, R.; Doan, H.; Maliwal, B.; Sabnis, N.; Lacko, A.; Gryczynski, I.; Dzyuba, S.; Gryczynski, Z.

2015-03-01

Many cellular processes, such as mass and signal transport, metabolism and protein-protein interactions are governed in part by diffusion, and thus affected by their local microviscosity. Changes in this microviscosity has also been linked to various diseases, including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and diabetes. Therefore, directly measuring the heterogeneous viscosity of cellular constitutes can lead to greater understanding of these processes. To this effect, a novel homodiemeric BODIPY dye was evaluated as a fluorescent rotor probe for this application. A linear dependence on viscosity in the range of typical cellular microviscosity was established for steady-state and time-resolved properties of the dye. It was then embedded in vitro to membrane-mimicking lipid vesicles (DPPC, POPC, and POPC plus cholesterol) and results indicated it to be a viable sensor for lifetime-based determination of microviscosity. The BODIPY dye was lastly endocytosed by SKOV3 cells and Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) was performed, successfully mapping the viscosity of internal cell components. This work was supported by the NIH Grant R01EB12003, the NSF Grant CBET-1264608, and the INFOR Grant from TCU.

Cellular membrane trafficking of mesoporous silica nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, I-Ju [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2012-01-01

This dissertation mainly focuses on the investigation of the cellular membrane trafficking of mesoporous silica nanoparticles. We are interested in the study of endocytosis and exocytosis behaviors of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with desired surface functionality. The relationship between mesoporous silica nanoparticles and membrane trafficking of cells, either cancerous cells or normal cells was examined. Since mesoporous silica nanoparticles were applied in many drug delivery cases, the endocytotic efficiency of mesoporous silica nanoparticles needs to be investigated in more details in order to design the cellular drug delivery system in the controlled way. It is well known that cells can engulf some molecules outside of the cells through a receptor-ligand associated endocytosis. We are interested to determine if those biomolecules binding to cell surface receptors can be utilized on mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials to improve the uptake efficiency or govern the mechanism of endocytosis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) is a small peptide recognized by cell integrin receptors and it was reported that avidin internalization was highly promoted by tumor lectin. Both RGD and avidin were linked to the surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials to investigate the effect of receptor-associated biomolecule on cellular endocytosis efficiency. The effect of ligand types, ligand conformation and ligand density were discussed in Chapter 2 and 3. Furthermore, the exocytosis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles is very attractive for biological applications. The cellular protein sequestration study of mesoporous silica nanoparticles was examined for further information of the intracellular pathway of endocytosed mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials. The surface functionality of mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials demonstrated selectivity among the materials and cancer and normal cell lines. We aimed to determine

Current status of technology development on remote monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Wan Ki; Lee, Y. K.; Lee, Y. D.; Na, W. W.

1997-03-01

IAEA is planning to perform the remote monitoring system in nuclear facility in order to reinforce the economical and efficient inspection. National lab. in U.S. is developing the corresponding core technology and field trial will be done to test the remote monitoring system by considering the case that it replace the current safeguards system. U.S. setup the International Remote Monitoring Project to develop the technology. IAEA makes up remote monitoring team and setup the detail facility to apply remote monitoring system. Therefore, early participation in remote monitoring technology development will make contribution in international remote monitoring system and increase the transparency and confidence in domestic nuclear activities. (author). 12 refs., 20 figs

Molecular and cellular mechanisms of cadmium carcinogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waisberg, Michael; Joseph, Pius; Hale, Beverley; Beyersmann, Detmar

2003-01-01

Cadmium is a heavy metal, which is widely used in industry, affecting human health through occupational and environmental exposure. In mammals, it exerts multiple toxic effects and has been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Cadmium affects cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and other cellular activities. Cd 2+ does not catalyze Fenton-type reactions because it does not accept or donate electrons under physiological conditions, and it is only weakly genotoxic. Hence, indirect mechanisms are implicated in the carcinogenicity of cadmium. In this review multiple mechanisms are discussed, such as modulation of gene expression and signal transduction, interference with enzymes of the cellular antioxidant system and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibition of DNA repair and DNA methylation, role in apoptosis and disruption of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion. Cadmium affects both gene transcription and translation. The major mechanisms of gene induction by cadmium known so far are modulation of cellular signal transduction pathways by enhancement of protein phosphorylation and activation of transcription and translation factors. Cadmium interferes with antioxidant defense mechanisms and stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species, which may act as signaling molecules in the induction of gene expression and apoptosis. The inhibition of DNA repair processes by cadmium represents a mechanism by which cadmium enhances the genotoxicity of other agents and may contribute to the tumor initiation by this metal. The disruption of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion by cadmium probably further stimulates the development of tumors. It becomes clear that there exist multiple mechanisms which contribute to the carcinogenicity of cadmium, although the relative weights of these contributions are difficult to estimate

Cooperative Remote Monitoring, Arms control and nonproliferation technologies: Fourth quarter 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alonzo, G M [ed.

1995-01-01

The DOE`s Cooperative Remote Monitoring programs integrate elements from research and development and implementation to achieve DOE`s objectives in arms control and nonproliferation. The contents of this issue are: cooperative remote monitoring--trends in arms control and nonproliferation; Modular Integrated Monitoring System (MIMS); Authenticated Tracking and Monitoring Systems (ATMS); Tracking and Nuclear Materials by Wide-Area Nuclear Detection (WAND); Cooperative Monitoring Center; the International Remote Monitoring Project; international US and IAEA remote monitoring field trials; Project Dustcloud: monitoring the test stands in Iraq; bilateral remote monitoring: Kurchatov-Argonne-West Demonstration; INSENS Sensor System Project.

SNL/VNIIEF Storage Monitoring Collaboration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barkanov, Boris P.; Bartberger, Jack C.; Blagin, Sergei V.; Croessmann, C. Dennis; Gruda, Jeffrey D.; Lupsha, Vitali A.; Moroskin, Dimitri V.; Nilsen, Curt A.

1999-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the Russian Federal Nuclear Center-All Russian Research Institute for Experimental Physics (VNIIEF)(also know as Arzamas-16) are collaborating on ways to assure the highest standards on safety, security, and international accountability of fissile material. This includes systems used to reduce the need for human access to fissile material, reduce radiation exposure, and provide prompt safety-related information, and provide continuous international accountability information while reducing the need for intrusive, on-site visits. This paper will report on the ongoing SNL/VNIIEF efforts to develop technologies and monitoring systems to meet these goals. Specific topics covered will include: the Smart Bolt tag/seal development, development and testing of electronic sensor platforms (U.S. T-1 ESP and VNIIEF Radio Tag) for monitoring and transportation applications, the ''Magazine-to-Magazine'' remote monitoring system field test, and the ''Facility-to-Facility'' storage monitoring system field trial

Cellular telephones measure activity and lifespace in community-dwelling adults: proof of principle.

Science.gov (United States)

Schenk, Ana Katrin; Witbrodt, Bradley C; Hoarty, Carrie A; Carlson, Richard H; Goulding, Evan H; Potter, Jane F; Bonasera, Stephen J

2011-02-01

To describe a system that uses off-the-shelf sensor and telecommunication technologies to continuously measure individual lifespace and activity levels in a novel way. Proof of concept involving three field trials of 30, 30, and 21 days. Omaha, Nebraska, metropolitan and surrounding rural region. Three participants (48-year-old man, 33-year-old woman, and 27-year-old male), none with any functional limitations. Cellular telephones were used to detect in-home position and in-community location and to measure physical activity. Within the home, cellular telephones and Bluetooth transmitters (beacons) were used to locate participants at room-level resolution. Outside the home, the same cellular telephones and global positioning system (GPS) technology were used to locate participants at a community-level resolution. Physical activity was simultaneously measured using the cellular telephone accelerometer. This approach had face validity to measure activity and lifespace. More importantly, this system could measure the spatial and temporal organization of these metrics. For example, an individual's lifespace was automatically calculated across multiple time intervals. Behavioral time budgets showing how people allocate time to specific regions within the home were also automatically generated. Mobile monitoring shows much promise as an easily deployed system to quantify activity and lifespace, important indicators of function, in community-dwelling adults. © 2011, Copyright the Authors. Journal compilation © 2011, The American Geriatrics Society.

The internal model: A study of the relative contribution of proprioception and visual information to failure detection in dynamic systems. [sensitivity of operators versus monitors to failures

Science.gov (United States)

Kessel, C.; Wickens, C. D.

1978-01-01

The development of the internal model as it pertains to the detection of step changes in the order of control dynamics is investigated for two modes of participation: whether the subjects are actively controlling those dynamics or are monitoring an autopilot controlling them. A transfer of training design was used to evaluate the relative contribution of proprioception and visual information to the overall accuracy of the internal model. Sixteen subjects either tracked or monitored the system dynamics as a 2-dimensional pursuit display under single task conditions and concurrently with a sub-critical tracking task at two difficulty levels. Detection performance was faster and more accurate in the manual as opposed to the autopilot mode. The concurrent tracking task produced a decrement in detection performance for all conditions though this was more marked for the manual mode. The development of an internal model in the manual mode transferred positively to the automatic mode producing enhanced detection performance. There was no transfer from the internal model developed in the automatic mode to the manual mode.

Internal and External Temperature Monitoring of a Li-Ion Battery with Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susana Novais

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The integration of fiber Bragg grating (FBG sensors in lithium-ion cells for in-situ and in-operando temperature monitoring is presented herein. The measuring of internal and external temperature variations was performed through four FBG sensors during galvanostatic cycling at C-rates ranging from 1C to 8C. The FBG sensors were placed both outside and inside the cell, located in the center of the electrochemically active area and at the tab-electrode connection. The internal sensors recorded temperature variations of 4.0 ± 0.1 °C at 5C and 4.7 ± 0.1 °C at 8C at the center of the active area, and 3.9 ± 0.1 °C at 5C and 4.0 ± 0.1 °C at 8C at the tab-electrode connection, respectively. This study is intended to contribute to detection of a temperature gradient in real time inside a cell, which can determine possible damage in the battery performance when it operates under normal and abnormal operating conditions, as well as to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the integration of in-operando microsensors inside Li-ion cells.

Uncertainty analysis in the task of individual monitoring data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molokanov, A.; Badjin, V.; Gasteva, G.; Antipin, E.

2003-01-01

Assessment of internal doses is an essential component of individual monitoring programmes for workers and consists of two stages: individual monitoring measurements and interpretation of the monitoring data in terms of annual intake and/or annual internal dose. The overall uncertainty in assessed dose is a combination of the uncertainties in these stages. An algorithm and a computer code were developed for estimating the uncertainties in these stages. An algorithm and a computer code were developed for estimating the uncertainty in the assessment of internal dose in the task of individual monitoring data interpretation. Two main influencing factors are analysed in this paper: the unknown time of the exposure and variability of bioassay measurements. The aim of this analysis is to show that the algorithm is applicable in designing an individual monitoring programme for workers so as to guarantee that the individual dose calculated from individual monitoring measurements does not exceed a required limit with a certain confidence probability. (author)

Hanford Internal Dosimetry Project manual. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carbaugh, E.H.; Bihl, D.E.; MacLellan, J.A.; Long, M.P.

1994-07-01

This document describes the Hanford Internal Dosimetry Project, as it is administered by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) in support of the US Department of Energy and its Hanford contractors. Project services include administrating the bioassay monitoring program, evaluating and documenting assessment of potential intakes and internal dose, ensuring that analytical laboratories conform to requirements, selecting and applying appropriate models and procedures for evaluating radionuclide deposition and the resulting dose, and technically guiding and supporting Hanford contractors in matters regarding internal dosimetry. Specific chapters deal with the following subjects: practices of the project, including interpretation of applicable DOE Orders, regulations, and guidance into criteria for assessment, documentation, and reporting of doses; assessment of internal dose, including summary explanations of when and how assessments are performed; recording and reporting practices for internal dose; selection of workers for bioassay monitoring and establishment of type and frequency of bioassay measurements; capability and scheduling of bioassay monitoring services; recommended dosimetry response to potential internal exposure incidents; quality control and quality assurance provisions of the program

Hanford Internal Dosimetry Project manual. Revision 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carbaugh, E.H.; Bihl, D.E.; MacLellan, J.A.; Long, M.P.

1994-07-01

This document describes the Hanford Internal Dosimetry Project, as it is administered by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) in support of the US Department of Energy and its Hanford contractors. Project services include administrating the bioassay monitoring program, evaluating and documenting assessment of potential intakes and internal dose, ensuring that analytical laboratories conform to requirements, selecting and applying appropriate models and procedures for evaluating radionuclide deposition and the resulting dose, and technically guiding and supporting Hanford contractors in matters regarding internal dosimetry. Specific chapters deal with the following subjects: practices of the project, including interpretation of applicable DOE Orders, regulations, and guidance into criteria for assessment, documentation, and reporting of doses; assessment of internal dose, including summary explanations of when and how assessments are performed; recording and reporting practices for internal dose; selection of workers for bioassay monitoring and establishment of type and frequency of bioassay measurements; capability and scheduling of bioassay monitoring services; recommended dosimetry response to potential internal exposure incidents; quality control and quality assurance provisions of the program.

Proceedings: On-line monitoring of corrosion an water chemistry for the electric power utility industry: An EPRI workshop held during the 12th International Corrosion Congress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Licina, G.

1994-03-01

A two-day EPRI workshop on On-line Monitoring of Corrosion and Water Chemistry for the Electric Power Utility Industry included discussions on a variety of methods for the online monitoring of corrosion and water chemistry in a power plant environment. The workshop was held September 22 and 23, 1993 in Houston, Texas, as a part of the 12th International Corrosion Congress sponsored by NACE International. Methods in various stages of development, from laboratory demonstrations to in-plant monitoring, were presented by authors from all over the world. Recent developments in corrosion monitoring and the detection of specific chemical species in power plant environments have utilized a variety of electrochemical methods (both AC and DC), electrical resistance techniques, and potential drop techniques to evaluate crack extension. Other approaches, such as Raman spectroscopy of corroding surfaces, Specific ion detectors, and X-ray fluorescence and ion chromatography to analyze corrosion products have been demonstrated in the laboratory. Techniques that were described in the twenty-three technical papers included: Electrochemical noise, Electrical resistance, Field signature method, Linear polarization resistance, Neutron activation, Corrosion potential monitoring, Electrochemical detection of biofilm activity, Analysis of corrosion products by X-ray fluorescence, Potential drop method for assessing environmentally assisted crack growth, Harmonic impedance spectroscopy, Contact electric resistance, Conductivity and hydrogen sensors, Solid state methods for tracking oxygen and pH, and Raman spectroscopy. Individual papers are indexed separately

Effects of electromagnetic interference on the functional usage of medical equipment by 2G/3G/4G cellular phones: A revie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Periyasamy M. Mariappan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available There has been an increase in the potential use of wireless devices in healthcare domain for a variety of reasons. The most commonly used device is the cellular phone, which emits strong electromagnetic energy affecting thereby the functionality of the vital medical equipment such as ventilators, ECG monitors, cardiac monitors, and defibrillators. This prompted the healthcare concerns to restrict the use of these phones in the proximity of critical and non-critical care medical equipment. Due to the developments made in the design of medical equipment to comply with the EMC standards, the restriction had been slowly laid off. Still, the researchers are concerned about the electromagnetic interference with medical devices by cellular phones in the healthcare domain and recommend for conducting continuous research to study their interaction with medical equipment. This paper overviews the certain investigations carried out in the recent years to study the electromagnetic interference between medical devices and 2G/3G/4G LTE cellular phones. During the initial development of cellular phones, the 2G cellular phones had caused more interference that affects the function and operation of some medical devices. The possibility of interference from 3G cellular phones with medical devices was considerably lower than the 2G phones, but still exists. Furthermore, almost all of the 4G phones have little to no interference with the medical devices. Currently, with the development of the medical devices industry, the current medical devices are designed to operate safely under any conditions of usage. Finally, a careful analysis would require statistics on the frequency of adverse events across the healthcare system, which apparently do not exist.

Cellular automata analysis and applications

CERN Document Server

Hadeler, Karl-Peter

2017-01-01

This book focuses on a coherent representation of the main approaches to analyze the dynamics of cellular automata. Cellular automata are an inevitable tool in mathematical modeling. In contrast to classical modeling approaches as partial differential equations, cellular automata are straightforward to simulate but hard to analyze. In this book we present a review of approaches and theories that allow the reader to understand the behavior of cellular automata beyond simulations. The first part consists of an introduction of cellular automata on Cayley graphs, and their characterization via the fundamental Cutis-Hedlund-Lyndon theorems in the context of different topological concepts (Cantor, Besicovitch and Weyl topology). The second part focuses on classification results: What classification follows from topological concepts (Hurley classification), Lyapunov stability (Gilman classification), and the theory of formal languages and grammars (Kůrka classification). These classifications suggest to cluster cel...

International Corporate Debt Market

OpenAIRE

Manuela Geranio; Issam Hallak

2012-01-01

Research on international debt markets has chiefly investigated sovereign debt markets. We suggest a review of the different types of borrowers and the differences in the instruments. In particular we show that syndicated loans are an essential tool of international debt markets to monitor international markets borrowers. We also show by looking at the details of these instruments the mechanisms behind such tools.

Retrospective internal radiation exposure assessment in occupational epidemiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neton, J.W.; Flora, J.T.; Spitz, H.B.; Taulbee, T.D.

2000-01-01

Epidemiologic studies of workers at U.S. Department of Energy facilities are being conducted by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to evaluate the health risk associated with exposure to sources of external and internal ionizing radiation. While exposure to external sources of radiation can be estimated from personal dosimeter data, reconstruction of exposure due to internally deposited radioactivity is more challenging because bioassay monitoring data is frequently less complete. Although comprehensive monitoring was provided for workers with the highest internal exposures, the majority of workers were monitored relatively infrequently. This monitoring was conducted to demonstrate compliance with regulations rather than to evaluate exposure for use in epidemiologic studies. Attributes of past internal monitoring programs that challenge accurate exposure assessment include: incomplete characterization of the workplace source term; a lack of timely measurements; insensitive and/or nonspecific bioassay measurements; and the presence of censored data. In spite of these limitations, many facilities have collected a large amount of worker and workplace monitoring information that can be used to evaluate internal exposure while minimizing worker misclassification. This paper describes a systematic approach for using the available worker and workplace monitoring data that can lead to either a qualitative or quantitative retrospective assessment of internal exposures. Various aspects of data analysis will be presented, including the evaluation of minimum detectable dose, the treatment of censored data, and the use of combinations of bioassay and workplace data to characterize exposures. Examples of these techniques applied to a cohort study involving chronic exposure scenarios to uranium are provided. A strategy for expressing exposure or dose in fundamental, unweighted units related to the quantity of radiation delivered to an organ will also

Basic requirements for personnel monitoring. 1980 ed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

This Code of Practice sets forth the objectives of an adequate system of personnel monitoring for radiation workers. It covers individual dosimetry, including internal radiation monitoring, and area monitoring to the extent required for the assessment of individual radiation doses. The responsibilities of authorities for organizing monitoring of radiation workers are discussed, together with brief descriptions of monitoring methods and the rules governing their application. The general principles to be considered in selecting instrumentation and the appropriate monitoring techniques are described, as well as calibration techniques, methods of data handling and record keeping. Current concepts and recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, as presented in ICRP Publication No.26, have been incorporated. New developments in techniques and instruments have been reflected, and several sections such as calibration and record keeping have been elaborated. The bibliography has been updated and new annexes added.

Selective mRNA translation coordinates energetic and metabolic adjustments to cellular oxygen deprivation and reoxygenation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Branco-Price, Cristina; Kaiser, Kayla A; Jang, Charles J H; Larive, Cynthia K; Bailey-Serres, Julia

2008-12-01

Cellular oxygen deprivation (hypoxia/anoxia) requires an acclimation response that enables survival during an energy crisis. To gain new insights into the processes that facilitate the endurance of transient oxygen deprivation, the dynamics of the mRNA translation state and metabolites were quantitatively monitored in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings exposed to a short (2 h) or prolonged (9 h) period of oxygen and carbon dioxide deprivation and following 1 h of re-aeration. Hypoxia stress and reoxygenation promoted adjustments in the levels of polyribosomes (polysomes) that were highly coordinated with cellular ATP content. A quantitative comparison of steady-state and polysomal mRNA populations revealed that over half of the cellular mRNAs were restricted from polysome complexes during the stress, with little or no change in abundance. This selective repression of translation was rapidly reversed upon reoxygenation. Comparison of the adjustment in gene transcripts and metabolites demonstrated that profiling of polysomal mRNAs strongly augments the prediction of cellular processes that are altered during cellular oxygen deprivation. The selective translation of a subset of mRNAs promotes the conservation of ATP and facilitates the transition to anaerobic metabolism during low-oxygen stress.

MIMO Communication for Cellular Networks

CERN Document Server

Huang, Howard; Venkatesan, Sivarama

2012-01-01

As the theoretical foundations of multiple-antenna techniques evolve and as these multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques become essential for providing high data rates in wireless systems, there is a growing need to understand the performance limits of MIMO in practical networks. To address this need, MIMO Communication for Cellular Networks presents a systematic description of MIMO technology classes and a framework for MIMO system design that takes into account the essential physical-layer features of practical cellular networks. In contrast to works that focus on the theoretical performance of abstract MIMO channels, MIMO Communication for Cellular Networks emphasizes the practical performance of realistic MIMO systems. A unified set of system simulation results highlights relative performance gains of different MIMO techniques and provides insights into how best to use multiple antennas in cellular networks under various conditions. MIMO Communication for Cellular Networks describes single-user,...

Quantitative analysis of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling using live-cell total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Heath E; Haugh, Jason M

2013-12-02

This unit focuses on the use of total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy and image analysis methods to study the dynamics of signal transduction mediated by class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) in mammalian cells. The first four protocols cover live-cell imaging experiments, image acquisition parameters, and basic image processing and segmentation. These methods are generally applicable to live-cell TIRF experiments. The remaining protocols outline more advanced image analysis methods, which were developed in our laboratory for the purpose of characterizing the spatiotemporal dynamics of PI3K signaling. These methods may be extended to analyze other cellular processes monitored using fluorescent biosensors. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Dynamics and mechanisms of quantum dot nanoparticle cellular uptake

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Telford William G

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The rapid growth of the nanotechnology industry and the wide application of various nanomaterials have raised concerns over their impact on the environment and human health. Yet little is known about the mechanism of cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of nanoparticles. An array of nanomaterials has recently been introduced into cancer research promising for remarkable improvements in diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Among them, quantum dots (QDs distinguish themselves in offering many intrinsic photophysical properties that are desirable for targeted imaging and drug delivery. Results We explored the kinetics and mechanism of cellular uptake of QDs with different surface coatings in two human mammary cells. Using fluorescence microscopy and laser scanning cytometry (LSC, we found that both MCF-7 and MCF-10A cells internalized large amount of QD655-COOH, but the percentage of endocytosing cells is slightly higher in MCF-7 cell line than in MCF-10A cell line. Live cell fluorescent imaging showed that QD cellular uptake increases with time over 40 h of incubation. Staining cells with dyes specific to various intracellular organelles indicated that QDs were localized in lysosomes. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM images suggested a potential pathway for QD cellular uptake mechanism involving three major stages: endocytosis, sequestration in early endosomes, and translocation to later endosomes or lysosomes. No cytotoxicity was observed in cells incubated with 0.8 nM of QDs for a period of 72 h. Conclusions The findings presented here provide information on the mechanism of QD endocytosis that could be exploited to reduce non-specific targeting, thereby improving specific targeting of QDs in cancer diagnosis and treatment applications. These findings are also important in understanding the cytotoxicity of nanomaterials and in emphasizing the importance of strict environmental control of nanoparticles.

Cellular Biotechnology Operations Support System Fluid Dynamics Investigation

Science.gov (United States)

2003-01-01

Aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Tissue Culture Medium (TCM) is the bioreactor vessel in which cell cultures are grown. With its two syringe ports, it is much like a bag used to administer intravenous fluid, except it allows gas exchange needed for life. The TCM contains cell culture medium, and when frozen cells are flown to the ISS, they are thawed and introduced to the TCM through the syringe ports. In the Cellular Biotechnology Operations Support System-Fluid Dynamics Investigation (CBOSS-FDI) experiment, several mixing procedures are being assessed to determine which method achieves the most uniform mixing of growing cells and culture medium.

Development of a Versatile Ultrasonic Internal Pipe/Vessel Component Monitor for In-Service Inspection of Nuclear Reactor Components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Searfass, Clifford T. [Structural Integrity Associates, Inc., State College, PA (United States); Malinowski, Owen M. [Structural Integrity Associates, Inc., State College, PA (United States); Van Velsor, Jason K. [Structural Integrity Associates, Inc., State College, PA (United States)

2015-03-22

The stated goal of this work was to develop a versatile system which could accurately measure vessel and valve internal vibrations and cavitation formation under in-service conditions in nuclear power plants, ultrasonically. The developed technology will benefit the nuclear power generation industry by allowing plant operators to monitor valve and vessel internals during operation. This will help reduce planned outages and plant component failures. During the course of this work, Structural Integrity Associates, Inc. gathered information from industry experts that target vibration amplitudes to be detected should be in the range of 0.001-in to 0.005-in (0.025-mm to 0.127-mm) and target vibration frequency ranges which should be detected were found to be between 0-Hz and 300-Hz. During the performed work, an ultrasonic measuring system was developed which utilized ultrasonic pulse-echo time-of-flight measurements to measure vibration frequency and amplitude. The developed system has been shown to be able to measure vibration amplitudes as low as 0.0008-in (0.020-mm) with vibration frequencies in the range of 17-Hz to 1000-Hz. Therefore, the developed system was able to meet the industry needs for vibration measurement. The developed ultrasonic system was also to be able to measure cavitation formation by monitoring the received ultrasonic time- and frequency-domain signals. This work also demonstrated the survivability of commercially available probes at temperatures up to 300-F for several weeks.

Internal dosimetry hazard and risk assessments: methods and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, G.A.

2006-01-01

Routine internal dose exposures are typically (in the UK nuclear industry) less than external dose exposures: however, the costs of internal dosimetry monitoring programmes can be significantly greater than those for external dosimetry. For this reason decisions on when to apply routine monitoring programmes, and the nature of these programmes, can be more critical than for external dosimetry programmes. This paper describes various methods for performing hazard and risk assessments which are being developed by RWE NUKEM Limited Approved Dosimetry Services to provide an indication when routine internal dosimetry monitoring should be considered. (author)

A Design of Wireless Sensor Networks for a Power Quality Monitoring System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanggil Kang

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Power grids deal with the business of generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power. Recently, interest in power quality in electrical distribution systems has increased rapidly. In Korea, the communication network to deliver voltage, current, and temperature measurements gathered from pole transformers to remote monitoring centers employs cellular mobile technology. Due to high cost of the cellular mobile technology, power quality monitoring measurements are limited and data gathering intervals are large. This causes difficulties in providing the power quality monitoring service. To alleviate the problems, in this paper we present a communication infrastructure to provide low cost, reliable data delivery. The communication infrastructure consists of wired connections between substations and monitoring centers, and wireless connections between pole transformers and substations. For the wireless connection, we employ a wireless sensor network and design its corresponding data forwarding protocol to improve the quality of data delivery. For the design, we adopt a tree-based data forwarding protocol in order to customize the distribution pattern of the power quality information. We verify the performance of the proposed data forwarding protocol quantitatively using the NS-2 network simulator.

A design of wireless sensor networks for a power quality monitoring system.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Yujin; Kim, Hak-Man; Kang, Sanggil

2010-01-01

Power grids deal with the business of generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power. Recently, interest in power quality in electrical distribution systems has increased rapidly. In Korea, the communication network to deliver voltage, current, and temperature measurements gathered from pole transformers to remote monitoring centers employs cellular mobile technology. Due to high cost of the cellular mobile technology, power quality monitoring measurements are limited and data gathering intervals are large. This causes difficulties in providing the power quality monitoring service. To alleviate the problems, in this paper we present a communication infrastructure to provide low cost, reliable data delivery. The communication infrastructure consists of wired connections between substations and monitoring centers, and wireless connections between pole transformers and substations. For the wireless connection, we employ a wireless sensor network and design its corresponding data forwarding protocol to improve the quality of data delivery. For the design, we adopt a tree-based data forwarding protocol in order to customize the distribution pattern of the power quality information. We verify the performance of the proposed data forwarding protocol quantitatively using the NS-2 network simulator.

Cellular communications a comprehensive and practical guide

CERN Document Server

Tripathi, Nishith

2014-01-01

Even as newer cellular technologies and standards emerge, many of the fundamental principles and the components of the cellular network remain the same. Presenting a simple yet comprehensive view of cellular communications technologies, Cellular Communications provides an end-to-end perspective of cellular operations, ranging from physical layer details to call set-up and from the radio network to the core network. This self-contained source forpractitioners and students represents a comprehensive survey of the fundamentals of cellular communications and the landscape of commercially deployed

Environmental monitoring and information systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibbert, R.

1998-01-01

Environmental monitoring and information systems installed by Dornier are summarized. A broad spectrum of environmental areas from air quality and water to radioactivity is covered. Nuclear power plant monitoring systems, either as remote or plant-internal monitoring systems, form an important element of the work undertaken. The systems delivered covered local, regional or national areas. The range of services provided, and hardware and software platforms are listed. (R.P.)

Validation of the Andon KD-5965 upper-arm blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jinhua; Li, Zhijie; Li, Guimei; Liu, Zhaoying

2015-10-01

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the Andon KD-5965 upper-arm blood pressure monitor according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were sequentially measured in 33 adults, with 20 women using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the Andon KD-5965 device (one supervisor). A total of 99 pairs of comparisons were obtained from 33 participants for judgments in two parts with three grading phases. The device achieved the targets in part 1 of the validation study. The number of absolute differences between the device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg was 70/99, 91/99, and 98/99, respectively, for systolic blood pressure and 81/99, 99/99, and 99/99, respectively, for diastolic blood pressure. The device also fulfilled the criteria in part 2 of the validation study. Twenty-five and 29 participants, for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, had at least two of the three device-observers differences within 5 mmHg (required≥24). Two and one participants for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, had all three device-observers comparisons greater than 5 mmHg. According to the validation results, with better performance for diastolic blood pressure than that for systolic blood pressure, the Andon automated oscillometric upper-arm blood pressure monitor KD-5965 fulfilled the requirements of the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010, and hence can be recommended for blood pressure measurement in adults.

Monitoring occupational exposure to ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Button, J.B.C.

1997-01-01

A brief overview is presented of methods of monitoring occupational exposure to ionizing radiation together with reasons for such monitoring and maintaining dose histories of radiation occupationally exposed persons. The various Australian providers of external radiation monitoring services and the types of dosemeters they supply are briefly described together with some monitoring results. Biological monitoring methods, are used to determine internal radiation dose. Whole body monitors, used for this purpose are available at Australian Radiation Lab., ANSTO and a few hospitals. Brief mention is made of the Australian National Radiation Dose Register and its objectives

Basic principles for occupational radiation monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

This Safety Guide sets forth the objectives of an adequate strategy for monitoring internal and external radiation exposures of workers. It covers individual monitoring, and workplace monitoring to the extent required for assessment and control of individual radiation doses. The responsibilities of authorities for organizing the monitoring of radiation workers are discussed, and brief descriptions are given of the rules governing the implementation of monitoring methods. The general principles to be considered in selecting instrumentation and appropriate monitoring techniques are described, as well as calibrating techniques, methods of record keeping and related aspects

Hanford internal dosimetry program manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carbaugh, E.H.; Sula, M.J.; Bihl, D.E.; Aldridge, T.L.

1989-10-01

This document describes the Hanford Internal Dosimetry program. Program Services include administrating the bioassay monitoring program, evaluating and documenting assessments of internal exposure and dose, ensuring that analytical laboratories conform to requirements, selecting and applying appropriate models and procedures for evaluating internal radionuclide deposition and the resulting dose, and technically guiding and supporting Hanford contractors in matters regarding internal dosimetry. 13 refs., 16 figs., 42 tabs

Magnetohydrodynamics cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatori, Tadatsugu.

1990-02-01

There has been a renewal of interest in cellular automata, partly because they give an architecture for a special purpose computer with parallel processing optimized to solve a particular problem. The lattice gas cellular automata are briefly surveyed, which are recently developed to solve partial differential equations such as hydrodynamics or magnetohydrodynamics. A new model is given in the present paper to implement the magnetic Lorentz force in a more deterministic and local procedure than the previous one. (author)

Magnetohydrodynamic cellular automata

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hatori, Tadatsugu [National Inst. for Fusion Science, Nagoya (Japan)

1990-03-01

There has been a renewal of interest in cellular automata, partly because they give an architecture for a special purpose computer with parallel processing optimized to solve a particular problem. The lattice gas cellular automata are briefly surveyed, which are recently developed to solve partial differential equations such as hydrodynamics or magnetohydrodynamics. A new model is given in the present paper to implement the magnetic Lorentz force in a more deterministic and local procedure than the previous one. (author).

Magnetohydrodynamic cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatori, Tadatsugu

1990-01-01

There has been a renewal of interest in cellular automata, partly because they give an architecture for a special purpose computer with parallel processing optimized to solve a particular problem. The lattice gas cellular automata are briefly surveyed, which are recently developed to solve partial differential equations such as hydrodynamics or magnetohydrodynamics. A new model is given in the present paper to implement the magnetic Lorentz force in a more deterministic and local procedure than the previous one. (author)

Modeling cellular systems

CERN Document Server

Matthäus, Franziska; Pahle, Jürgen

2017-01-01

This contributed volume comprises research articles and reviews on topics connected to the mathematical modeling of cellular systems. These contributions cover signaling pathways, stochastic effects, cell motility and mechanics, pattern formation processes, as well as multi-scale approaches. All authors attended the workshop on "Modeling Cellular Systems" which took place in Heidelberg in October 2014. The target audience primarily comprises researchers and experts in the field, but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students.

Cellular internalization of polycation-coated microparticles and its dependence on their zeta potential

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Noritaka; Kondo, Ryosuke

2018-03-01

By applying microparticles to HeLa cells, the number of particles adhered on the cell and that of the ones internalized in the cells were evaluated. Three-dimensional tomographic images of the cells with the particles were obtained by multiphoton excitation laser scanning microscopy, and the adhered and internalized particles were counted separately. When the surface charge of the particles was reversed from negative to positive by coating the particles with polycations, both numbers significantly increased owing to the electrostatic attraction between the cells and the polycation-coated particles. Four different positively charged particles were prepared using four different polycations, and the numbers of adhered and internalized particles were compared. Our results suggest that these numbers depended on the zeta potential rather than the molecular structure of the polycation.

Study of nuclear medicine practices in Portugal from an internal dosimetry perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bento, J.; Teles, P.; Neves, M.; Santos, A. I.; Cardoso, G.; Barreto, A.; Alves, F.; Guerreiro, C.; Rodrigues, A.; Santos, J. A. M.; Capelo, C.; Parafita, R.; Martins, B.

2012-01-01

Nuclear medicine practices involve the handling of a wide range of pharmaceuticals labelled with different radionuclides, for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This work intends to evaluate the potential risks of internal contamination of nuclear medicine staff in several Portuguese nuclear medicine services and to conclude about the requirement of a routine internal monitoring. A methodology proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), providing a set of criteria to determine the need, or not, for an internal monitoring programme, was applied. The evaluation of the risk of internal contaminations in a given set of working conditions is based on the type and amount of radionuclides being handled, as well as the safety conditions with which they are manipulated. The application of the IAEA criteria showed that 73.1 % of all the workers included in this study should be integrated in a routine monitoring programme for internal contaminations; more specifically, 100 % of workers performing radioimmunoassay techniques should be monitored. This study suggests that a routine monitoring programme for internal exposures should be implemented in Portugal for most nuclear medicine workers. (authors)

Program Officer, Monitoring and Evaluation | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

S/he manages a quality assessment process for evaluation reports and track ... and budget information in order to contribute to an effective internal control of project ... documentary and literature reviews, and statistical and content analyses to ...

Response comparative study of Rn-222 alpha particles track monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, Osvaldo Luiz dos Santos

2010-01-01

This work was a comparative study between the responses of three monitors, the NRPB, an acrylic monitor (in thin film geometry) and the aluminum monitor (also thin film geometry) in controlled and mixed environment. The experiments consisted on placing the monitors in a plastic tube, with a radio-226 source internal. Only internal CR-39 plastic detectors were analyzed in this work. It was found that the monitors in thin film geometry had activities response of approximately 15% less than the NRPB monitors. All monitors responded the same way when in controlled environment. Related to the type of material, conductive plastic or dielectric (insulator) plastic, the NRPB, in environments without ventilation, responded in the same way. (author)

Cellular Angiofibroma of the Nasopharynx.

Science.gov (United States)

Erdur, Zülküf Burak; Yener, Haydar Murat; Yilmaz, Mehmet; Karaaltin, Ayşegül Batioğlu; Inan, Hakki Caner; Alaskarov, Elvin; Gozen, Emine Deniz

2017-11-01

Angiofibroma is a common tumor of the nasopharynx region but cellular type is extremely rare in head and neck. A 13-year-old boy presented with frequent epistaxis and nasal obstruction persisting for 6 months. According to the clinical symptoms and imaging studies juvenile angiofibroma was suspected. Following angiographic embolization total excision of the lesion by midfacial degloving approach was performed. Histological examination revealed that the tumor consisted of staghorn blood vessels and irregular fibrous stroma. Stellate fibroblasts with small pyknotic to large vesicular nuclei were seen in a highly cellular stroma. These findings identified cellular angiofibroma mimicking juvenile angiofibroma. This article is about a very rare patient of cellular angiofibroma of nasopharynx.

Internal dosimetry technical basis manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

The internal dosimetry program at the Savannah River Site (SRS) consists of radiation protection programs and activities used to detect and evaluate intakes of radioactive material by radiation workers. Examples of such programs are: air monitoring; surface contamination monitoring; personal contamination surveys; radiobioassay; and dose assessment. The objectives of the internal dosimetry program are to demonstrate that the workplace is under control and that workers are not being exposed to radioactive material, and to detect and assess inadvertent intakes in the workplace. The Savannah River Site Internal Dosimetry Technical Basis Manual (TBM) is intended to provide a technical and philosophical discussion of the radiobioassay and dose assessment aspects of the internal dosimetry program. Detailed information on air, surface, and personal contamination surveillance programs is not given in this manual except for how these programs interface with routine and special bioassay programs

Internal dosimetry technical basis manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-12-20

The internal dosimetry program at the Savannah River Site (SRS) consists of radiation protection programs and activities used to detect and evaluate intakes of radioactive material by radiation workers. Examples of such programs are: air monitoring; surface contamination monitoring; personal contamination surveys; radiobioassay; and dose assessment. The objectives of the internal dosimetry program are to demonstrate that the workplace is under control and that workers are not being exposed to radioactive material, and to detect and assess inadvertent intakes in the workplace. The Savannah River Site Internal Dosimetry Technical Basis Manual (TBM) is intended to provide a technical and philosophical discussion of the radiobioassay and dose assessment aspects of the internal dosimetry program. Detailed information on air, surface, and personal contamination surveillance programs is not given in this manual except for how these programs interface with routine and special bioassay programs.

Rapid construction of mechanically- confined multi- cellular structures using dendrimeric intercellular linker.

Science.gov (United States)

Mo, Xuejun; Li, Qiushi; Yi Lui, Lena Wai; Zheng, Baixue; Kang, Chiang Huen; Nugraha, Bramasta; Yue, Zhilian; Jia, Rui Rui; Fu, Hong Xia; Choudhury, Deepak; Arooz, Talha; Yan, Jie; Lim, Chwee Teck; Shen, Shali; Hong Tan, Choon; Yu, Hanry

2010-10-01

Tissue constructs that mimic the in vivo cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions are especially useful for applications involving the cell- dense and matrix- poor internal organs. Rapid and precise arrangement of cells into functional tissue constructs remains a challenge in tissue engineering. We demonstrate rapid assembly of C3A cells into multi- cell structures using a dendrimeric intercellular linker. The linker is composed of oleyl- polyethylene glycol (PEG) derivatives conjugated to a 16 arms- polypropylenimine hexadecaamine (DAB) dendrimer. The positively charged multivalent dendrimer concentrates the linker onto the negatively charged cell surface to facilitate efficient insertion of the hydrophobic oleyl groups into the cellular membrane. Bringing linker- treated cells into close proximity to each other via mechanical means such as centrifugation and micromanipulation enables their rapid assembly into multi- cellular structures within minutes. The cells exhibit high levels of viability, proliferation, three- dimensional (3D) cell morphology and other functions in the constructs. We constructed defined multi- cellular structures such as rings, sheets or branching rods that can serve as potential tissue building blocks to be further assembled into complex 3D tissue constructs for biomedical applications. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiolabeling small RNA with technetium-99m for visualizing cellular delivery and mouse biodistribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Ning; Ding Hongliu; Vanderheyden, Jean-Luc; Zhu Zhihong; Zhang Yumin

2007-01-01

To develop a noninvasive direct method for the in vivo tracking of small interfering RNA (siRNA) used in RNA interference, two 18-nucleotide oligoribonucleotides were radiolabeled with technetium-99m ( 99m Tc-RNA). The ability of 99m Tc-RNA to track delivery was tested in cultured cells and living mice. The cellular delivery of 99m Tc-RNAs could be quantified by gamma counting and could be visualized by microautoradiography. Radiolabeled RNAs can be efficiently delivered into cells by reaching up to 3x10 5 molecules of small RNAs per cell. Moreover, RNAs were internalized with homogeneous distribution throughout the cytoplasm and nucleus. In tumor-bearing mice, whole-body images and biodistribution studies showed that 99m Tc-RNAs were delivered to almost all tissues after intravenous injection. The imaging of living animals allowed noninvasive and longitudinal monitoring of the in vivo delivery of these small RNAs. In conclusion, using 99m Tc radiolabeling, the delivery of small RNAs could be measured quantitatively in cultured cells and could be noninvasively visualized in living animals using a gamma camera. The results of this study could open up a new approach for measuring the in vivo delivery of small RNAs that might further facilitate the development of siRNAs as targeted therapies

47 CFR 22.923 - Cellular system configuration.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cellular system configuration. 22.923 Section... MOBILE SERVICES Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.923 Cellular system configuration. Mobile stations... directly or through cellular repeaters. Auxiliary test stations may communicate with base or mobile...

Monitoring Costs and Multinational-Bank Lending

OpenAIRE

Ralph de Haas

2006-01-01

We use a two-country model to examine how endogenous changes in monitoring intensity and exogenous changes in monitoring efficiency affect multinational-bank lending. First, an endogenous decline in monitoring intensity limits the amount of deposits that banks can attract. This lowers bank lending. Shocks that reduce bank capital relative to firm capital therefore have a stronger negative effect on bank lending compared to a model with exogenous monitoring intensity. Second, international dif...

Respiratory gating based on internal electromagnetic motion monitoring during stereotactic liver radiation therapy: First results.

Science.gov (United States)

Poulsen, Per Rugaard; Worm, Esben Schjødt; Hansen, Rune; Larsen, Lars Peter; Grau, Cai; Høyer, Morten

2015-01-01

Intrafraction motion may compromise the target dose in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) of tumors in the liver. Respiratory gating can improve the treatment delivery, but gating based on an external surrogate signal may be inaccurate. This is the first paper reporting on respiratory gating based on internal electromagnetic monitoring during liver SBRT. Two patients with solitary liver metastases were treated with respiratory-gated SBRT guided by three implanted electromagnetic transponders. The treatment was delivered in end-exhale with beam-on when the centroid of the three transponders deviated less than 3 mm [left-right (LR) and anterior-posterior (AP) directions] and 4mm [cranio-caudal (CC)] from the planned position. For each treatment fraction, log files were used to determine the transponder motion during beam-on in the actual gated treatments and in simulated treatments without gating. The motion was used to reconstruct the dose to the clinical target volume (CTV) with and without gating. The reduction in D95 (minimum dose to 95% of the CTV) relative to the plan was calculated for both treatment courses. With gating the maximum course mean (standard deviation) geometrical error in any direction was 1.2 mm (1.8 mm). Without gating the course mean error would mainly increase for Patient 1 [to -2.8 mm (1.6 mm) (LR), 7.1 mm (5.8 mm) (CC), -2.6 mm (2.8mm) (AP)] due to a large systematic cranial baseline drift at each fraction. The errors without gating increased only slightly for Patient 2. The reduction in CTV D95 was 0.5% (gating) and 12.1% (non-gating) for Patient 1 and 0.3% (gating) and 1.7% (non-gating) for Patient 2. The mean duty cycle was 55%. Respiratory gating based on internal electromagnetic motion monitoring was performed for two liver SBRT patients. The gating added robustness to the dose delivery and ensured a high CTV dose even in the presence of large intrafraction motion.

Recursive definition of global cellular-automata mappings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feldberg, R.; Knudsen, C.; Rasmussen, S.

1994-01-01

A method for a recursive definition of global cellular-automata mappings is presented. The method is based on a graphical representation of global cellular-automata mappings. For a given cellular-automaton rule the recursive algorithm defines the change of the global cellular-automaton mapping as the number of lattice sites is incremented. A proof of lattice size invariance of global cellular-automata mappings is derived from an approximation to the exact recursive definition. The recursive definitions are applied to calculate the fractal dimension of the set of reachable states and of the set of fixed points of cellular automata on an infinite lattice

Validation of the Somnotouch-NIBP noninvasive continuous blood pressure monitor according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilo, Grzegorz; Zorzi, Cristina; Ochoa Munera, Juan E; Torlasco, Camilla; Giuli, Valentina; Parati, Gianfranco

2015-10-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the Somnotouch-NIBP noninvasive continuous blood pressure monitor according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were sequentially measured in 33 adults (11 women, mean age 63.5±11.9 years) using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the Somnotouch-NIBP device (one supervisor). A total of 99 pairs of comparisons were obtained from 33 participants for judgments in two parts with three grading phases. All the validation requirements were fulfilled. The Somnotouch-NIBP device fulfilled the requirements of the part 1 of the validation study. The number of absolute differences between device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg was 75/99, 90/99, and 96/99, respectively, for systolic blood pressure and 90/99, 99/99, and 99/99, respectively, for diastolic blood pressure. The device also fulfilled the criteria in part 2 of the validation study. Twenty-seven and 31 participants had at least two of the three device-observers differences less than or equal to 5 mmHg for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively. All three device-observer differences were greater than 5 mmHg in two participants for systolic and in one participant for diastolic blood pressure. The Somnotouch-NIBP noninvasive continuous blood pressure monitor has passed the requirements of the International Protocol revision 2010, and hence can be recommended for blood pressure monitoring in adults, at least under conditions corresponding to those investigated in our study.

Hydroacoustics and infrasound: Possibilities for international cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

North, R.G.

1999-01-01

The data provided by the International Monitoring system and the Products generated by the International data Center will be a unique source not only for CTBT verification but also for other activities. Although the utility of hydro acoustic and infrasonic data for such purposes is less obvious than that of seismic and radionuclide data, there are several possible applications for hazard and disaster warning purposes, and many potential long-term benefits for research and development. Such wider benefits from the monitoring system will best be realized through open international cooperation

Cellular senescence and organismal aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeyapalan, Jessie C; Sedivy, John M

2008-01-01

Cellular senescence, first observed and defined using in vitro cell culture studies, is an irreversible cell cycle arrest which can be triggered by a variety of factors. Emerging evidence suggests that cellular senescence acts as an in vivo tumor suppression mechanism by limiting aberrant proliferation. It has also been postulated that cellular senescence can occur independently of cancer and contribute to the physiological processes of normal organismal aging. Recent data have demonstrated the in vivo accumulation of senescent cells with advancing age. Some characteristics of senescent cells, such as the ability to modify their extracellular environment, could play a role in aging and age-related pathology. In this review, we examine current evidence that links cellular senescence and organismal aging.

Zeno's paradox in quantum cellular automata

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Groessing, G [Atominst. der Oesterreichischen Universitaeten, Vienna (Austria); Zeilinger, A [Inst. fuer Experimentalphysik, Univ. Innsbruck (Austria)

1991-07-01

The effect of Zeno's paradox in quantum theory is demonstrated with the aid of quantum mechanical cellular automata. It is shown that the degree of non-unitarity of the cellular automaton evolution and the frequency of consecutive measurements of cellular automaton states are operationally indistinguishable. (orig.).

Zeno's paradox in quantum cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groessing, G.; Zeilinger, A.

1991-01-01

The effect of Zeno's paradox in quantum theory is demonstrated with the aid of quantum mechanical cellular automata. It is shown that the degree of non-unitarity of the cellular automaton evolution and the frequency of consecutive measurements of cellular automaton states are operationally indistinguishable. (orig.)

47 CFR 90.672 - Unacceptable interference to non-cellular 800 MHz licensees from 800 MHz cellular systems or part...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Unacceptable interference to non-cellular 800 MHz licensees from 800 MHz cellular systems or part 22 Cellular Radiotelephone systems, and within the... Procedures and Process-Unacceptable Interference § 90.672 Unacceptable interference to non-cellular 800 MHz...

Monitoring occupational exposure to ionizing radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Button, J.B.C. [Radiation Safety Consultancy, Engadine, NSW (Australia)

1997-12-31

A brief overview is presented of methods of monitoring occupational exposure to ionizing radiation together with reasons for such monitoring and maintaining dose histories of radiation occupationally exposed persons. The various Australian providers of external radiation monitoring services and the types of dosemeters they supply are briefly described together with some monitoring results. Biological monitoring methods, are used to determine internal radiation dose. Whole body monitors, used for this purpose are available at Australian Radiation Lab., ANSTO and a few hospitals. Brief mention is made of the Australian National Radiation Dose Register and its objectives. 8 refs., 9 tabs.

Banking system and financial monitoring in Russian Federation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osipov A.V.

2017-04-01

Full Text Available the article explores the definition of banking system and financial monitoring. Attention is emphasizes on role of internal control in aspect their relation to contraction to money laundering and financing of terrorism/ Internal control is analises from the point of view law, economic and management. Basic attention in the article author emphasizes on work of systems of financial monitoring in organizations.

Cellular uptake and transport of zein nanoparticles: effects of sodium caseinate.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Yangchao; Teng, Zi; Wang, Thomas T Y; Wang, Qin

2013-08-07

Cellular evaluation of zein nanoparticles has not been studied systematically due to their poor redispersibility. Caseinate (CAS)-stabilized zein nanoparticles have been recently developed with better redispersibility in salt solutions. In this study, zein-CAS nanoparticles were prepared with different zein/CAS mass ratios. The prepared nanoparticles demonstrated good stabilities to maintain particle size (120-140 nm) in cell culture medium and HBSS buffer at 37 °C. The nanoparticles showed no cytotoxicity for Caco-2 cells for 72 h. CAS not only significantly enhanced cell uptake of zein nanoparticles in a concentration- and time-dependent manner but also remarkably improved epithelial transport through Caco-2 cell monolayer. The cell uptake of zein-CAS nanoparticles indicated an energy-dependent endocytosis process as evidenced by cell uptake under blocking conditions, that is, 4 °C, sodium azide, and colchicine. Fluorescent microscopy clearly showed the internalization of zein-CAS nanoparticles. This study may shed some light on the cellular evaluations of hydrophobic protein nanoparticles.

Measuring in vitro cellular uptake of nanoparticles by transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, A P; Brydson, R M D; Hondow, N S

2014-01-01

Biomedical application of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) is a growing area of research and development. Uncertainty remains as to the mode of action of many NP types and TEM is a tool capable of addressing this if used in conjunction with standard cellular response assays. We will demonstrate imaging of thin sections of fixed, plastic embedded cells by analytical TEM to identify: superparamagnetic iron oxide NP translocation into cell compartments such as endosomes; amorphous silica NP penetration through a cell membrane without membrane encapsulation and zinc oxide NP degradation in cell compartments. We will then discuss how the in vitro cellular responses to a dose of NPs exposed to cell lines can be correlated to the internalized dose per cell section noting however that quantification of the latter requires random sampling procedures or correlation to higher throughout techniques to measure a population of whole cells. Similarly, analytical TEM measures of NP degradation within intracellular compartments will require a more appropriate sample preparation such as cryo-fixation

International cooperation workshop. Regional workshop for CTBTO international cooperation: Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-08-01

Pursuant to the 1999 programme of work, and following the International Cooperation Workshop held in Vienna, Austria, in 1998, the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO (Prep Com) held a regional Workshop for CTBTO International Cooperation in Cairo. The purpose of the workshop was to identify how and by what means the Africa region can promote international cooperation in CTBT verification related technologies, and how the region can benefit from and contribute to Prep Com activity. PTS staff briefed the 40 participants from 22 African States who attended the Workshop on general aspects, including costs, of the establishment and operation of the CTBT verification system, including its four monitoring technologies. Participants were informed on opportunities for local institutions in the establishment of monitoring stations and on possible support for national and regional data centres. National experts presented their research and development activities and reviewed existing experiences on bi/multi-lateral cooperation. The main points of the discussion focused on the need to engage governments to advance signature/ratification, and further training opportunities for African states

Self adaptive internal combustion engine control for hydrogen mixtures using piezoelectric transducers for dynamic cylinder pressure monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Courteau, R.; Bose, T.K. [Quebec Univ., Trois-Rivieres, PQ (Canada). Institut de recherche sur l' hydrogene

2004-07-01

Hydrogen internal combustion engine research at the Hydrogen Research Institute includes the following infrastructure: a 20 square metre test cell, an engine preparation room, a 150 hp dynamometer, exhaust gas analysers and a hydrogen supply. The goal of the research is to develop internal combustion engine technologies that can use hydrogen as a fuel without knocking, backfires, excessive engine wear, and with low emissions. As well as hydrogen, fuels such as biogas are also investigated. Technologies under investigation include adaptive control algorithms, as well as advanced sensors and actuators. The latter include piezolelectrics, optical fibres, nitrogen oxide detectors, and chemical composition detectors. Developments include microprocessor-controlled injection and ignition control systems for both single cylinder and multicylinder engines. Research on the influence of fuel composition on best ignition timing is presented. There is also dynamic cylinder pressure monitoring to prevent knocking make engine state assessments and perform engine calibration. Piezoelectric cylinder pressure sensors are employed, either integrated with the spark plugs, or stand-alone, inserted through separate holes through the cylinder head. tabs, figs.

Monitoring compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in west Africa: multisite cross sectional survey in Togo and Burkina Faso.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguayo, Victor M; Ross, Jay S; Kanon, Souleyman; Ouedraogo, Andre N

2003-01-18

To monitor compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in health systems, sales outlets, distribution points, and the news media in Togo and Burkina Faso, west Africa. Multisite cross sectional survey. Staff at 43 health facilities and 66 sales outlets and distribution points, 186 health providers, and 105 mothers of infants aged market commercial breast milk substitutes were found in 29 (44%) sales and distribution points. Forty commercial breast milk substitutes violated the labelling standards of the code: 21 were manufactured by Danone, 11 by Nestlé, and eight by other national and international manufacturers. Most (148, 90%) health providers had never heard of the code, and 66 mothers (63%) had never received any counselling on breast feeding by their health providers. In west Africa manufacturers are violating the code of marketing of breast milk substitutes. Comparable levels of code violations are observed with (Burkina Faso) or without (Togo) regulating legislation. Legislation must be accompanied by effective information, training, and monitoring systems to ensure that healthcare providers and manufacturers comply with evidence based practice and the code.

Origami interleaved tube cellular materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheung, Kenneth C; Tachi, Tomohiro; Calisch, Sam; Miura, Koryo

2014-01-01

A novel origami cellular material based on a deployable cellular origami structure is described. The structure is bi-directionally flat-foldable in two orthogonal (x and y) directions and is relatively stiff in the third orthogonal (z) direction. While such mechanical orthotropicity is well known in cellular materials with extruded two dimensional geometry, the interleaved tube geometry presented here consists of two orthogonal axes of interleaved tubes with high interfacial surface area and relative volume that changes with fold-state. In addition, the foldability still allows for fabrication by a flat lamination process, similar to methods used for conventional expanded two dimensional cellular materials. This article presents the geometric characteristics of the structure together with corresponding kinematic and mechanical modeling, explaining the orthotropic elastic behavior of the structure with classical dimensional scaling analysis. (paper)

Origami interleaved tube cellular materials

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Kenneth C.; Tachi, Tomohiro; Calisch, Sam; Miura, Koryo

2014-09-01

A novel origami cellular material based on a deployable cellular origami structure is described. The structure is bi-directionally flat-foldable in two orthogonal (x and y) directions and is relatively stiff in the third orthogonal (z) direction. While such mechanical orthotropicity is well known in cellular materials with extruded two dimensional geometry, the interleaved tube geometry presented here consists of two orthogonal axes of interleaved tubes with high interfacial surface area and relative volume that changes with fold-state. In addition, the foldability still allows for fabrication by a flat lamination process, similar to methods used for conventional expanded two dimensional cellular materials. This article presents the geometric characteristics of the structure together with corresponding kinematic and mechanical modeling, explaining the orthotropic elastic behavior of the structure with classical dimensional scaling analysis.

Monitoring the eye lens: how do the international organisations react?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behrens, R.

2015-01-01

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has recommended to lower the limit of the dose to the eye lens for occupationally exposed persons to a mean value of 20 mSv y -1 (averaged over 5 y, with a maximum of 50 mSv y -1 ); already in the autumn of 2011, both the European Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) took over this reduction in their respective draft basic safety standards. Even prior to this (and since then, increasingly so), several international activities were started (among other things, the following ones): (1) the ICRP adopted a stylised model of the eye to calculate dose conversion coefficients for its report ICRP 116; (2) the European Commission has funded the ORAMED project dealing with radiation protection in medicine; (3) in its standard IEC 62387 on passive dosimetry systems, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has laid down requirements for Hp(3) eye dosemeters; (4) the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the IAEA provide a range of practical advice in the standard ISO 15382 (still a draft) and in a technical document IAEA TecDoc on both radiation protection and on dosimetry; (5) for most cases, the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) recommends both phantoms (the slab and the cylinder). In short: most national procedures can orientate themselves on international ones; some questions, however, remain open. (authors)

Proposed indicators for a monitoring programme. Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-07-01

The report presents proposals for a set of indicators to be used in a coordinated monitoring programme for the North Sea and Skagerrak ecosystems. This report suggests reference values and action thresholds for the indicators and suitable monitoring stations and survey transects, based on existing time series where possible. The relevance of the proposed indicators is also assessed to national and international environmental policy goals. The national targets of Norway's environmental policy and indicators used in the monitoring systems for the other Norwegian open sea areas were taken into account when drawing up the proposals. In the international context, The management plan was also assessed to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (the OSPAR Convention) and the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).(Author)

Proposed indicators for a monitoring programme. Summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

The report presents proposals for a set of indicators to be used in a coordinated monitoring programme for the North Sea and Skagerrak ecosystems. This report suggests reference values and action thresholds for the indicators and suitable monitoring stations and survey transects, based on existing time series where possible. The relevance of the proposed indicators is also assessed to national and international environmental policy goals. The national targets of Norway's environmental policy and indicators used in the monitoring systems for the other Norwegian open sea areas were taken into account when drawing up the proposals. In the international context, The management plan was also assessed to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (the OSPAR Convention) and the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).(Author)

Transformation of Air Quality Monitor Data from the International Space Station into Toxicological Effect Groups

Science.gov (United States)

James, John T.; Zalesak, Selina M.

2011-01-01

The primary reason for monitoring air quality aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is to determine whether air pollutants have collectively reached a concentration where the crew could experience adverse health effects. These effects could be near-real-time (e.g. headache, respiratory irritation) or occur late in the mission or even years later (e.g. cancer, liver toxicity). Secondary purposes for monitoring include discovery that a potentially harmful compound has leaked into the atmosphere or that air revitalization system performance has diminished. Typical ISS atmospheric trace pollutants consist of alcohols, aldehydes, aromatic compounds, halo-carbons, siloxanes, and silanols. Rarely, sulfur-containing compounds and alkanes are found at trace levels. Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations (SMACs) have been set in cooperation with a subcommittee of the National Research Council Committee on Toxicology. For each compound and time of exposure, the limiting adverse effect(s) has been identified. By factoring the analytical data from the Air Quality Monitor (AQM), which is in use as a prototype instrument aboard the ISS, through the array of compounds and SMACs, the risk of 16 specific adverse effects can be estimated. Within each adverse-effect group, we have used an additive model proportioned to each applicable 180-day SMAC to estimate risk. In the recent past this conversion has been performed using archival data, which can be delayed for months after an air sample is taken because it must be returned to earth for analysis. But with the AQM gathering in situ data each week, NASA is in a position to follow toxic-effect groups and correlate these with any reported crew symptoms. The AQM data are supplemented with data from real-time CO2 instruments aboard the ISS and from archival measurements of formaldehyde, which the AQM cannot detect.

Methods and advantages of intercomparisons of TLDs for environmental monitoring